While doing a little backtracking online this morning I came across a past video of Allen West at the Allentown Arts Festival and figured that there would be no better day to repost than today. It was fun to see some of the changes that have taken place over the past couple of years. The video marks the opening weekend of Lagniappes and Divine Machine Tattoo. Steel Crazy, which will soon become Cantina Loco, also made the scene with its great patio. Unfortunately the patio did not go with the building due to it being in the possession of an absentee property owner who refuses to do anything with the commercial space (and the patio) after more than a decade. Finally, Cosmic, the mastermind behind Gallery 141B made an appearance in the video, but is no longer around as far as I know – fortunately the
gallery is still going strong… anyone know where Jim ‘Cosmic’ Collins
is these days?
Speaking of patios (as in the defunct Steel Crazy patio), the lead image in this post was taken last night at the corner of Allen and Wadsworth where The Bend has reopened a sweet patio that had once been in operation when it was The Jupiter Room. This time, an attractive iron gate and illuminated overhang have been added to showcase a healthy street presence – check it out when you’re at the festival this weekend. Owner Jay Shepard has done a great job by taking what was once a dead space and turning it into a vibrant point of connectivity at… the bend. Enjoy the video.