By Harlemista
The fabulous Doyen of Downtown Celebrity Gossip, Michael Musto, was seen enjoying a casual dinner with friends at MOJO Harlem on Superbowl Sunday (see our review). MOJO’s owner Moon also said that mega-celeb Lady GaGa had been there soaking up the sexy vibe the week before. Cool people are finally coming above 14th St. Uptown is truly down.
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Tagged: 119th Street, Celebrity Gossip, harlem, HarlemCondoLife, Michael Musto, Mojo, Mojo Lounge, Restaurant, uptown, Village Voice
HarlemCondoLife
The wait is over! Best Yet Market has opened its doors in Harlem on Frederick Douglass Blvd. between 118th and 119th Street. They opened up officially on February 4th. I went to take a quick look at the place today and from what I saw…the place is very nice! It has two levels so it is spacious. You almost feel like your grocery shopping in the suburbs.
From the looks and feel of the place, I will more than likely enjoy shopping at Best Yet in Harlem. It is not far from the B and the C subway line on 116th Street. The prices did not appear to be that much different from C Town or Central Market. They have a sizable coffee bar that will compete with you know who right next door? And Best Yet will have several cold and hot food bars, which is perfect for us Harlemites who are on the go and want more food options close to home.
If you have checked out Best Yet in Harlem, tell us what you think so far!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: Best Yet Market, Food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., groceries, Grocery Store, harlem, Shopping
There seems to be plenty of condo activity happening along our favorite boulevard in Harlem, i.e. Frederick Douglass Blvd!
We received notice, along with every other site, that 2280 FDB, a new residential development in Harlem, has been FHA approved. Yeah! Good for them.
Then as you walk south, you will see a new condo being built right on the intersection of West 121st Street and St. Nicholas and FDB (triangle intersection). This space is now getting dressed with glass.
And then a few more blocks down, you will see that the netting has come down on the Park Central Condo and a phone number is posted for those that want to inquire.
Those few blocks along FDB from 119th to 123rd are shaping up to be very nice. And of course, those that decide to move to this area of Harlem are expected to have a new cafe close by called Triangle Cafe. Nice!
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Tagged: 119th Street, 123rd Street, 2280 FDB, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Park Central Condo, Real Estate, Triangle Cafe
By HarlemGal
Ugly Betty is in the barrio, El Museo del Barrio that is, which is located at East 105th Street and Fifth Avenue. Fellow blogger Austin2Harlem tipped us off that the now cancelled TV show is taping one of their last episodes at the Latino cultural institution today! The cast and crew were onsite yesterday as well!
I am so bummed about the cancellation of this show. I am a fan! I really liked watching Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, even though the character is from Queens. Glad to know the cast and crew filmed in Spanish Harlem.
There is about eight episodes left to air. See the final season on Wednesday nights on Channel 7!
→ 1 CommentCategories: HarlemCondoLife
Tagged: ABC Network, America Ferrera, El Museo del Barrio, Entertainment, filming, harlem
→ 2 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: harlem, Harlem photos, morningside park, Walk in Harlem
Troop 759
By HarlemGal
Almost a year ago, HarlemCondoLife told you about a documentary called 759: Boy Scouts of Harlem. In our review, we gave it a thumbs up and encouraged everyone to go see the film. If you have not seen it, an opportunity is approaching.
To celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Boy Scouts of America, Docwatchers Inc. is sponsoring a special screening of the film February 8 at the Maysles Cinema at 343 Lenox Avenue between 127th and 128th in Harlem. The screening will start at 7 PM and will include a Q&A with the filmmakers, which one of them is a Harlemite. The screening is free. However, donations are recommended.
759: Boy Scouts of Harlem-100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts in America Screening
Maysles Films
Monday, February 8, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
343 Lenox Avenue (between 127th and 128th Streets)
Harlem, NY 10027
212-582-6050
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Tagged: 127th Street, 128th Street, 759:Boy Scouts of Harlem, Boy Scouts, documentaries, Entertainment, harlem, Lenox Avenue, screening
By HarlemGal
If you like David Sedaris, writer, comedian and best selling author, then this post is for you! Sedaris is performing at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater on November 1, 2010 and starting today at 10 AM Wednesday, January 27 there is an exclusive (and in my view very early) presale thru Thursday, January 28 until 10 PM. For more information on how to purchase tickets, click here.
And see you around at the Apollo!
→ 2 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: AEG Live, Apollo Theater, David Sedaris, Entertainment, harlem, The Steven Barclay Agency
By HarlemGal
I read the news in Crain’s, a New York business publication, announcing that Slyvia’s Restaurant, Harlem’s touristy soul food hangout and a political platform for wanna be candidates, will be offering home delivery in February. That is great news and a positive development for locals according to Slyvia’s peers in Harlem. I spoke with Native’s, Amy Ruth’s Restaurant and Chez Lucienne, who are all based in Harlem, about this news asking “what does this mean exactly? And is this a positive sign for Slyvia’s or a weakness?
The peers I spoke with overwhelmingly agreed this is a positive development and there is no negative side. Amy Ruth’s, who declined to use a name for this post, said “this decision is good for the community! It provides another option for Harlemites.” Brian, who identified himself as a manager at Native’s said these types of decisions do not come
lightly. Food delivery is “a logistical challenge and difficult to organize. Think about Harlem just from 110th Street from East to West up to only 125th Street? It’s a large area and there is not that many delivery options. Harlemites have another option.” Native’s said they have been talking about setting up food delivery for sometime and now plan to follow suit soon! Chez Lucienne had nothing but positive things to say about the decision.
Slyvia’s peers also said this decision could address any issues with declining sales and needing to stand out more, which is part of the business.
Whatever the case maybe, all I know is if I am craving biscuits and gravy, I now know who to call.
Other Harlem establishments that deliver are: Miss Mamie’s Spoonbread, Questans, Society Cafe, Chez Lucienne, Patisserie Des Ambassades and Africa Kine. If you know of other food delivery in Harlem from a venue that offers good food, please tell us!
→ 3 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: Amy Ruth's, Chez Lucienne, dining, eating out, harlem, HarlemGal, Native's Restaurant, Sylvia's Restaurant
By HarlemGuy
Last week Curbed.com reported that progress may be stirring at the Gateway Condominium in Harlem as outlined in their most recent post.
Could it be that the tide that has been lifting all ships in that corridor on which we’ve previously and often reported is finally lifting this project towards completion?
Thank you for reading HarlemCondoLife. Available on all social media outlets including Facebook and Twitter, RSS reader and email subscription and iTunes.
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Tagged: curbed.com, Gateway Condominium, Real Estate
By HarlemHouse
UPDATE Jan. 26th: Just wanted to post an Update that HARLEM VINTAGE sold out every bottle of Haitian Rum “Barancourt” last night at the tasting they had for donating to “New Yorkers For Haiti” Way to go Harlem for showing support for a good cause!
THIS MONDAY NIGHT Jan. 25th
TWO Great Events To Checkout – Jan. 24th & Jan. 25th.
SUNDAY Jan. 24rd. Go Jets! “Nectar” Wine Bar (& Beer) are showing the Jets Game today. Kickoff time is at 3:00 PM. ”Wear some Jets gear and get a free beer.”
MONDAY Jan. 25th from 5:00-8:00 PM. Join “Harlem Vintage” next door to Nectar, for a tasting party for the HAITIAN RUM “Barbancourt.” Make a small donation to join the tasting. All proceeds of the sale of Barancourt ($22.99) and the tasting will be matched by Harlem Vintage and donated to the charity “New Yorkers for Haiti”
Props to Jai Jai & Eric for doing something to help make a difference with donations for Haiti and “New Yorkers for Haiti”
Harlem Vinatge #212-866-WINE
Netcar #212-961-9622
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Tagged: Barbancourt Rum, Football, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Haiti, harlem, Harlem Vintage, HarlemCondoLife, Jets, Nectar Wine Bar, New Yorkers For Haiti, Rum
By HarlemGuy
A while back we posted about a new Condo called The Douglass. The Douglass is located on 114th and Frederick Douglass Boulevard. The post generated quite the controversy on this site and on Curbed.com and resulted in a follow-up piece in the New York Times on which we also reported on this site.
The Condo was ready for visitors a few weeks back and I took the opportunity to check it out. I will keep my comments brief in the spirit of getting this post out so that Sunday browsers and buyers have an opportunity to take in the neighborhood with its many new projects this coming Sunday.
Highlights – From my perspective (based on 2 and 3 bedrooms)
If you have the time and inclination The Douglass makes for a great destination to your Sunday (or really, any-day) real estate romps in Harlem.
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Thank you for reading HarlemCondoLife. Available on all social media outlets including Facebook and Twitter and RSS reader and email subscription services.
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By HarlemGuy
Foodies celebrate!!! Two great events kick off this week. NYC Restaurant Week and Dine Out For Harlem.
Restaurant Week is upon us. I would love to see Harlem restaurants participating, as I’ve previously mentioned on HarlemCondoLife. Perhaps what’s needed is Restaurant Week: Uptown. Or perhaps something uniquely local. After all this is Harlem. In any event, contact the City, the restaurants, local entrepreneurs, and let them know your thoughts and let us know how we can help.
More importantly THIS SUNDAY select restaurants nationwide are participating in Dine Out For Haiti. Ten percent of the proceeds will go to charity. This is fantastic no matter what. But again it would be great to see Harlem restaurants on the list. So again, contact the event organizer, your local favorite restaurants, local entrepreneurs, and let them know you’d welcome their participation, and keep us posted on your thoughts and progress.
Be The Change.
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Tagged: dine out for haiti, Haiti, restaurant week
By HarlemHouse 01/20/2010
Seeing this little Haitian boy, after 7 days, being pulled from the rubble today… in my opinion is the “meaning of life” I can’t see this image enough… and the innocence of joy that it represents. What a precious moment for humanity.
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Tagged: Haiti, harlem, HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal and Austin2Harlem
We enjoy dining out in Harlem and this past holiday weekend was no exception. For our Friday night outing, we decided to check out one of the newest food establishments in Harlem, Frizzante Italian Bistro & Bar, located on the corner of 117th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. Like most Harlemites, we wondered when this place was going to open up. After our visit, we now feel the wait was worth it.
HarlemCondoLife
Let us start off by saying, Frizzante did not disappoint. We walked in around 9 PM and most tables were taken. Our first thought was “are we in Harlem?” Where did all these people come from? We didn’t recognize anyone in the place. It immediately felt like a downtown Italian bistro in Little Italy. The layout of the place is very well done with hanging lights, big wooden tables and a beautiful corner bar showcasing numerous wine bottles.
When we were seated, paper menus were provided with the words “CASH ONLY” on it. As we quickly scanned the menu, the price point diminished the cash only aspect because most items on the menu were below $10. BONUS! We were quite impressed. Now we were thinking, the next bonus will be if the food matches or surpasses its prices. And it did!
HarlemCondoLife
We started off with Antipasto misto: proscuitto, mortadella, soppressata and capocollo served on a nice round white place; and Cuori de carciofo alla Milanese: pan seared artichoke hearts. Both starters were simple, but very tasty. The artichokes were breaded and served with lemon wedges. We sprinkled a little bit of lemon juice on top and the item tasted like you were biting into a meaty artichoke. The cured meat was wonderful as well. We liked the proscuitto and the salami-like meat. Eating the meat with the garnished type red onion gave it a kick.
HarlemCondoLife
For our dinner plates, we had the Lasagne di carne, the meat lasagna, and the Scaloppine di vitello al limone, veal in a white wine and lemon sauce. Both dishes were absolutely delicious! What we were impressed the most by was the meat lasagna. It had no cheese, but it didn’t need it. It was scrumptous without it. The veal was lean and tender. You could cut it with your fork. This dish was served with roasted potatoes, but not that many. The meat was good, but they could have provided just a tad bit more potatoes. Between the two dishes we preferred the meat lasagna. However, you cannot go wrong with either one if you decide you’re in the mood for some veal.
As for dessert, we would have ordered some. After being open for only one day they were not ready to serve dessert or liquor. Frizzante does not have their liquor license yet. Not too worry, they allowed BYOB. We went to the little bodega on the corner of 116th and FDB for some brewski. However, we saw most patrons going to The Winery, Nectar or Harlem Vintage for a bottle of vino to go along with their dinner. Those establishments had to be happy that night and will be for a while until Frizzante gets their liquor license.
HarlemCondoLife
Overall, we had a wonderful time dining at Frizzante. We saw some discombulation, but it was minor and plus Frizzante has only been open for a few days now. Between the two of us our bill was a total of about $45, not including tip. We were extremely pleased with the food and with the fact that we did not have to venture downtown and pay a ton of money for a nice Italian meal.
Frizzante Italian Bistro & Bar
2168 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, NY 10026-2001
(212) 866-0525
→ 8 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: 117th Street, Austin2Harlem, dining out, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Frizzante Italian Bistro and Bar, harlem, HarlemGal, Italian Cuisine, new restaurant, Photos by HarlemGal, restaurant row, restaurants
By NativeNewYorker
If you have not yet visited the Dwyer Cultural Center at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue, you are missing a treat. I had walked past this new addition to Harlem several times since its opening last June, but I had not gone in until yesterday. I spent a fascinating hour with the exhibits in this very appealing space dedicated to “preserving, celebrating and documenting Harlem’s history and traditions through exhibitions, performances, workshops and public programs…”. The Center’s programming is done by Community Works and the current exhibit includes some amazing pieces by public school children as well as an absorbing pictorial history of Harlem’s contributions to music, both part of the award-winning “Harlem is…” series.
In addition to its public programming, the Center provides reasonably priced, multi-media rehearsal, exhibition and performance space to local artists. While I was there I picked up a flyer for their “Saturdays@the Dwyer” series for an event this coming Saturday that includes a performance by IMPACT Repertory Theater (a Harlem-based youth group), a visual arts workshop with Harlem resident and artist Vicki Freemont, and a documentary profiling the life of Percy Sutton, the recently deceased Harlem entrepreneur and political leader. It starts at 2 pm and admission is free. Go check it out!
VOICES of YOUTH
Saturday, January 23rd
2 pm – 5 pm
Dwyer Cultural Center
258 St. Nicholas Avenue
at West 123rd Street
212 222-3060
info@DwyerCC.org
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Tagged: art, Central Harlem, harlem, History of Harlem, Music, Theatre
By HarlemGuy
Credit: Damon Winter / New York Times
What’s happened in Haiti is worse than we can ever know. That is clear by the evolving footage on all media outlets including CNN (the Haiti EarthQuake Home Page) and the New York Times (must see picture gallery). For instance last night’s 60 Minutes episode provided a sobering glimpse of the state of health care delivery and aid distribution in a historically troubled nation that has been decimated by this latest calamity. The screams of pain which I had not been hearing in previous media brought me to tears.
The coverage makes it clear perhaps for the first time for many Americans and others that Haiti is more than a mere collection of facts and figures about poverty, illiteracy, corruption, etc. It is a real place. A real country. One that millions call home. With an incredible history as well summarized by Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek fame on his show GPS this weekend. For instance Haiti is the first and only nation in the world founded by Slaves having successfully revolted against their French slave masters and defeating Napoleon – it’s been referred to as the Vietnam War of its time. The fight for freedom and its aftermath is well worth noting today Martin Luther King Jr. Day.
Most importantly the coverage makes it clear that Haitians are resilient, strong and loving. Being of Haitian decent I am now more proud than ever of my heritage. There is not one day when I don’t think of my father who passed away some years back and his manner. No matter what was thrown at him (and much was) he was always posed, serene, introspective. Almost majestic. That vision has often given me strength in hard times. Though none so daunting as what he faced. Or the Haitian survivors now face. And from which we know from Katrina will take years to “recover”, to the extent that is possible in calamities of epic proportions.
Many New Yorkers and now many worldwide know that Haitians have found homes in the Burroughs. Brooklyn is often cited. But what many don’t appreciate is Haiti’s connect to Harlem.
When I first moved to Harlem I initially confused the diversity of skin tone, accents, dress, etc as African. But not until I really stopped to look, listen and interact with the community did I come to realize that Harlem is full of Haitians who live, own businesses, and shop here. I have found this to be particular true along 116th between 7th and 8th Avenues. Many of these people may have family and friends in Haiti and our thoughts go out to them.
So if you live in Harlem please take a moment if you have not yet done so to learn more about the people who live and work in it. Let them know you care. If they are a merchant spend some money. Let them know you care on a personal level. Doing so is part and parcel of the spirit that is Harlem. A large diverse community of people who care for one another, and their collective futures.
If you know of a business in Harlem that is owned and operated in Harlem, please let us and our readers know so that we can let them know that we are here for them. That they are not alone.
The following Michael Jackson Classic You Are Not Alone came to me as I wrapped up this post. Click here to hear on iTunes.
→ 8 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: 60 Minutes, CNN, Fareed Zakaria, GPS, Haiti, harlem, Katrina, Martin Luther King, Newsweek
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
Due to a change in rent and needing more space, The Winery, which is currently located at Frederick Douglass Blvd. between 116th and 117th Street, is moving to 257 West 116th Street. Work is happening now on the new space in order for the move to be completed in about a week. Product offering will remain the same. The only things that are changing is location and the awning. When you come out of the B and C train at 116th, you will see the new Winery location on the northeast corner of 116th Street.
The Winery (new location)
257 West 116th Street
New York, NY 10026
info@thewineryonline.com
HarlemCondoLife
→ 4 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: 116th Street, 117th Street, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem, The Winery, Wine
HarlemCondoLife
UPDATE: Click here to read review on food!
After many, many months of restaurant furniture sitting inside a nicely designed corner space, a naked bar and teasing windows for Harlemites to peak in, Frizzante Italian Bistro & Bar has finally opened its doors at the corner of 117th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. Last night (Thursday, January 14) was their first night of business in Harlem.
I tried chatting with the gentlemen on site today to get the chisme on who is behind this new restaurant, which, in our view, supports our claim that from 110th Street to 125th on Frederick Douglass Blvd. it is slowly and surely becoming the restaurant row of Harlem. The gentlemen declined to comment on who is the investor(s). They only said “why don’t you come over tonight and try our food; and blog about that? I responded: “I will certainly do that.”
HarlemCondoLife
Now we have to wait and see what happens with the other new restaurant opening up near 67 Orange on FDB. The place is slowing coming together. Either way, the more dining establishments in Harlem the better.
See you at Frizzante in Harlem!
Frizzante Italian Bistro & Bar
2168 Frederick Douglass Boulevard
New York, NY 10026-2001
(212) 866-0525
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Tagged: 117th Street, 67 Orange, dining out, eating, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Frizzante Italian Bistro and Bar, harlem, HarlemGal, Photos by HarlemGal, restaurant row
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By HarlemGal
Not too long ago, I was craving tostadas and Mexican corn on the cob so I headed to Lolita’s on Lenox Avenue and 113th Street. When I went in I noticed the place was full since the only area to sit is in a narrow space you see right when you walk in or you can sit outside when the whether is nice. However, this time when I went there to dine the host turned far left and said “you can sit here,” which was in an entire different area! I had never gone beyond the narrow area. Apparently, Lolita’s took over some of the space next door (or was hiding it) and now there is una gran sala to eat! Que suave and congrats to Lolita’s on their expansion! After being open for nearly two years, I would say that is nice progress for Lolita’s.
If you like Mexican food for a reasonable price, head on over to Lolita’s with your BYOB or try one of their Jaritos! Enjoy!
Lolita’s Restaurant
100 West 113 Street, New York, NY 10026-3013
(212) 222-6969
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→ 2 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: 113th Street, dining, eating out, harlem, Lenox Avenue, Lolita's Restaurant, Mexican food, Photos by HarlemGal, restaurants
by HarlemHouse
I noticed an article in the February “Before & After” issue of Architectural Digest about a Designer that “Makes more with less” in his One-Bedroom Apartment in Harlem.
The well established Designer Roderick N. Shade who the magazine quoted “often worked in Harlem, and he liked what he calls the area’s uptown vibe, it has a huge creative community, and it’s friendly”
discusses his love for Harlem and his experience in creating a spectacular space out of a dilapidated 550 square feet 1 bedroom rented apartment four years ago.
What I find very interesting about this article is how plain and ordinary the before photos are of his place and the extreme contrast of the after shots. An amazing transformation.
I agree with Shade that Harlem has a huge creative community.
Roderick N. Shade is also renowned for founding the acclaimed Harlem Untied Show House, the first African American interior design showcase in the world, and won accolades for his room design “Urban Oasis,” which was selected as one of the 10 best Show House Rooms in America by House Beautiful in 1998.
Check out the February issue of Architectural Digest for the complete article on Roderick N. Shade.
→ 4 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: Apartments, Architectural Digest, Before & After, harlem, HarlemCondoLife, Interior Design, Roderick N. Shade, uptown
By NativeNewYorker
Schomburg Center
As a Harlem native, I read the NY Times article yesterday about the demographic changes in Harlem with mixed feelings. I was pleased, of course, to see a feature article about Harlem; amused by the convenient redefinition of Harlem’s traditional boundaries to coincide with the census’ PUMA
(public use microdata area) divisions, and skeptical of the sometimes inconsistent statistics quoted, (especially since no source for them was identified). But mostly, I was perplexed and, I guess, dismayed by the simplistic characterization of the described changes as a Black-White, lose-win process. Harlem has been through a series of transitions which have produced its rich legacy of culture and art, epitomizing Black, urban America. The current transition is about increased diversity from a number of racial, ethnic and immigrant groups whose influences are making Harlem an even more interesting and stimulating place to live. They do not threaten Harlem’s identity, they enrich it. What do you think?
→ 5 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: Central Harlem, east harlem, harlem, south harlem, West Harlem
By HarlemGal
After a little hiatus from blogging, it’s nice to return to posting with some interesting tidbits that could potentially impact Harlem’s restaurant scene. There are rumors floating around online that famous chef and Harlem resident Marcus Samuelsson maybe opening a new restaurant…in Harlem.
Could Marcus want to give MOJO or Zomas or Melba’s some competition on Frederick Douglass Blvd, the avenue we have been predicting to become Harlem’s restaurant row? If so, it would not be a long commute for Chef Samuelsson. I have seen him with my own eyes getting on the subway on the B and C line heading downtown.
I called his PR rep today to get the lowdown and to calm my excitment. This is their statement: “At this point there are no plans for him to open up a restaurant. [He is] always looking at interesting spaces and real estate opportunities, but nothing is set in stone.”
Hmm. I really hope Marcus’ broad PR statement and business plans get directed to Harlem. What do you think? Do you want Marcus Samuelsson to open up a restaurant in Harlem? I do!
HarlemCondoLife
→ 5 CommentsCategories: harlem
Tagged: dining, eating, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, HarlemGal, marcus samuelsson, restaurants
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
I was walking along Frederick Douglass Blvd. this evening (Thursday) and I could not help but notice a ton of c-stands with giant lights, a van full of camera men and a boat load of construction workers at 118th and FDB! I asked the still photographer on site and one of the construction workers what was going on inside Harlem’s Just Wingin It, a chicken wings place right on the northeast corner. They said they were filming a Discovery Channel TV show called Construction Intervention, a renovation show that will be hosted by Charlie Frattini, a project executive for Muss Brooklyn Development Corp. Good for Just Wingin It. I always wondered what was up with that place!
According to one of the workers on site, the show will air this coming March. That sounds realistic given the renovation has to be completed within four days for each project! Sounds like an interesting show. HarlemCondoLife will be sure to watch!
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→ 5 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: 118th Street, Construction Intervention, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Photos by HarlemGal, The Discovery Channel
By HarlemHouse
HarlemCondoLife is proud to present two new podcasts for your enjoyment this Winter. Harlem Lounge Vol.I and Vol.II featuring remixes and songs by various artists. Mixed exclusively for HarlemCondoLife by RhythmDB. Playlists below.
These and all previous podcasts are listed on our home page and available for download via iTunes (iTunes required) or web via Podbean (streaming only).
Harlem Lounge Vol.I
1. Wayward Saints
2. Sade
3. Nneka
4. Mary J. Blige
5. Angie Stone
6. Snoop Dogg ft. Jazmine Sullivan
7. J. Period ft. Nneka
8. Diana 7addad
9. Vieux Farka Toure
10. Mariah Carey ft. Oj Da Juiceman & Big Boi
11. Anane/ Louie Vega
12. Maxwell
13. DJ Duke
14. Michael Jackson
15. Whitney Houston/ Frankie Knuckles
16. Wayward Saints/ GIT Beats
17. DJ Rylo
18. Angie Stone
Harlem Lounge Vol.II
1. The Dining Rooms
2. Gaelle
3. Eric Benet & Faith Evans
4. Missy Elliott/ The Clark Sisters
5. Alix Perez ft. Ursula Rucker
6. Mary J Blige & George Michael
7. Sis n’ Jones ft. Isac
8. Marie Joly
9. Clipse ft. Pharrell & Rick Ross
10. Basement Jaxx
11. Jaheim
12. Quentin Harris ft. Margaret Grace
13. Mariah Carey
14. Whitney Houston ft. Kelly Price & Faith Evans
15. Brooklyn Friends
16. Black Joy/ Kerri Chandler
17. Nickodemus
18. Christian Prommer/ Nickodemus
→ 5 CommentsCategories: HarlemCondoLife · harlem
Tagged: African Music, Alix Perez, Anane, Angie Stone, Arabic Music, Basement Jaxx, Big Boi, Black Joy, Brooklyn Friends, Buddha Bar, Cafe Del Mar, Chillout Music, Christian Prommer, Clipse, Diana 7addad, DJ Duke, DJ Rylo, Downtempo, Eric Benet, Faith Evans, Frankie Knuckles, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, French, ft, Gaelle, George Michael, GIT Beats, harlem, Hip Hop, Hotel Costes, House Music, Isac, J Period, Jaheim, Jazmine Sullivan, jazz, Kerri Chandler Kelly Price, Louie Vega, Margaret Grace, Mariah Carey, Marie Joly, Mary J Blige, Maxwell, Melba's, Michael Jackson, Missy Elliott, Mojo, Music, Nickodemus, Nneka, Oj Da Juiceman, Pharrell, Podcasts, Quentin Harris, R&B, Rick Ross, Sade, Sis n' Jones, Snoop Dogg, Soul, The Clark Sisters, The Dining Rooms, Ursula Rucker, Vieux Farka Toure, Wayward Saints, Whitney Houston, World Music
By HarlemGuy
A read a story today which I found inspiring and which I’d like to share. While not about Harlem per se, it evokes the spirit of Harlem. Namely to strive for and realize that which seems improbable or impossible. Or to quote Bill Powell who passed away this week:
“Stand firm.
Never give up.
Never give in.
Believe in yourself,
even when others don’t.”
There are millions of inspiring stories. Each one is uniquely important. Each one matters. Each one can make or change a life. Each one deserves to be shared. Heard. Celebrated.
Finding or making the time to do so is challenging. Which is precisely why I’d like to take a moment from time to time to share such stories with you our readers. So that we may remain inspired about the impossible. The improbable. The achievable.
With the above in mind please take a moment to be inspired by Bill Powell as well as the song “Black Man” by Stevie Wonder.
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Be Inspired, Bill Powell
By HarlemGuy
→ Leave a CommentCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Happy New Year
By HarlemGuy
Harlem faces off agains Williamsburg in this year’s award. Per Curbed”
“It’s voting time in the annual Curbed Cup, our yearly award to the New York City neighborhood of the year. This year, four neighborhoods face off in the semi-finals, one round today and one round tomorrow, with the winners determined by reader vote.”
Click here for details on Curbed.
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Tagged: Curbed Cup Awards, Real Estate
By HarlemGuy
Santa delivered an unexpected treat to HarlemGuy of HarlemCondoLife and our readers and fellow Harlem residents on Christmas day this year.
It took the form of a New York Times article on the Momentum in South Harlem, featuring a quote from HarlemGuy.
The article speaks to something we’ve long written about. The resurgence of Harlem and Frederick Douglass Boulevard from 110th and Frederick Douglass Circle northward in particular.
We’ve been pretty busy writing on what’s happening in Harlem with a focus on real estate in particular. For more on our work in this regard please see our related posts, many of which can also be found on Curbed.com.
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Tagged: Curbed, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Frederick Douglass Circle, New York Times, Real Estate, south harlem
By HarlemGuy
It was with great sadness that I read about the demise of the Boys Choir of Harlem, including the Girls Choir of Harlem. Please see the sidebar on our web site for a link to some of their works available on iTunes.
I simply cannot accept that its impossible for the Harlem Community to keep this institution and its dream alive.
In thinking about how to do so, I’d proposed it be reborn as the Children’s Choir of Harlem.
See the full story in the New York Times.
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/12/23/nyregion/23choir.html
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Tagged: The Boys Choir of Harlem
By HarlemGuy
I came across a story that I had not yet heard, about a London based real estate company that invested in East Harlem a few years ago. As soon as the purchase was consummated they apparently started a campaign to push renters out of their places. Which means they let the apartments and the building and the quality of lives of the people living there deteriorate. Meanwhile the executive purchased fancy artwork and yachts and paid themselves handsomely. And then they went broke. Leaving the residents in perhaps more dire straights than they had been before the bust.
The article quotes the City’s response as follows: “The city said it is monitoring conditions in the buildings. So far, officials said, the financial distress has not translated into wholesale physical distress.” But one wonders who is monitoring the distress of the people living in those buildings this holiday season?
Our fellow neighbors, friends and families are in pain. Let’s figure out how we can give them a hand. Perhaps by spreading the word. Providing a service. Lending a hand. Wielding some influence. Dropping off some clothes. Food. Perhaps a toy? Anything. If you can think of something anyone can do, call – or something that you have done that others can emulate, post a comment with the details, so others may follow. Especially with the holidays upon us. Those parents deserve better. Those kids even more especially.
I leave you with the final paragraph of the article:
“Meanwhile, tenants still carry some share of envy toward their London landlords. They talk sometimes about how they would have used the fortunes that Dawnay Day executives spent on yachts and art collections. As Mr. Rufiles cuddles his 4-year-old daughter and rats squeak faintly from his kitchen cabinet, he marvels at the habits of the rich.
“What I would do with money is buy clothes for my children,” he said.”
I’m not sure I agree that what they carry is envy.
In any event surely we can – and must do better than this.
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Tagged: CHRISTINE HAUGHNEY, Dawnay Day, east harlem, Real Estate
By HarlemGuy
Credit: InvincibleCities
Christmas and New Years are times of celebration. They are also times for reflection. And what better place to reflect on than our beloved Harlem.
HarlemCondoLife’s mission has been to chronicle all that’s great about Harlem. And we’ve uncovered an incredible and innovative way of doing so. It’s called InvincibleCities.
The site speaks for itself. But in a nutshell, it uses photography and technology to chronicle changes of several urban landscapes. One such landscape is Harlem.
The first thing I did was check out my block to see what it looked like and compared it to what is there today. Wow. I’ve spent hours examining Harlem then and now through the lens of artist Camilo Jose Vergara. My favorite so far has been examining locations that today have been transformed by new real estate projects, including Frederick Douglass Boulevard, between 110th and 125th, which many consider the “Gateway to Harlem”.
How to use the site:
Join us in exploring the beauty, art and history that is Invincible Cities.
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Tagged: art, Camilo Jose Vergara, Gateway To Harlem, InvincibleCities, Photographs, Photography, Real Estate, Real Estate
By HarlemGal
A reader recently informed us that folks have been seen moving into the northeast corner building on Adam Clayton Powell and Central Park North. I went by there today and there are signs of occupancy of life in the building. There are blinds hanging inside a couple of apartments.
We are guessing that this building is not offering market rate apartments since there has been no outdoor for sale sign and another reader commenting that they heard it was an HPD building! Whatever the case may be,
we noted awhile back how this location is primo! Most of the apartments have park views! Nice!
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Tagged: adam clayton powell, Central Park North, harlem, Real Estate, See
The largest gothic cathedral in the United States was a musical haven to rock star Sting and a sea of international musicians last night. Sting, who is performing two sold out shows December 8th and 9th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, played songs from his latest album called If on a Winter’s Night …, “a seasonal contemplation mixing traditional English songs and carols with his own The Hounds of Winter and Lullaby for an Anxious Child.” Sting performed about 20 beautiful songs along with two encores to-what I am estimating-a few hundred people, who in my view, came from the tri-state area.
And St. John the Divine was the perfect backdrop for Sting and his musicians. The entire Cathedral looked magical. My guess is Sting’s production company was filming the entire concert from start to finish. Make-up on the ladies was perfectly done and all of the men and women were dressed in black tie for the camera that was located stage left and roaming.
What was fascinating about the concert was every musicial instrument imaginable was on the stage and played. Some I recognized and some I did not. The women who played the harp was interesting.
As for the music, it was the antithesis of what I have always known about Sting, which is generally rock music and a devout yogi. Sting was more of an opera star last night than a rock star, which goes to show the range of this artist. The music and the venue tied together perfectly. It made me feel like I was watching a performance for the King of England or an episode of Showtime’s The Tudors. It felt majestic, yet most of the songs performed were calming and appropriate for the holiday season. My favorite songs were Christmas at Sea, Ghost Story, which Sting said was about his father, and Lullaby For An Anxious Child. For the Lullaby song, he brought out the Newark Boys Choir on stage. They did a wonderful job singing with Sting and what a great opportunity for them. Way to go Newark Boys Choir! However, my question for Sting is “why didn’t he use the Harlem Boys Choir to perform with him?” I have no ill will against the Newark Boys Choir, but Sting was technically in Harlem last night. It would have been a nice and a respectful acknowledgment toward the Harlem community. Oh well, maybe next time.
Overall, the show was beautiful and well worth its price. I guess I was one of the few who was able to purchase tickets online in the first nine minutes when they were made available. Apparently, that is how long it took for both shows to sell out.
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Tagged: Celebrity, Entertainment, harlem, In on a Winter's Night, Music, Play, See, St. John the Divine, Sting, West Harlem
Photos by Harlemgal. For a complete review on Sting performing at St. John the Divine, click here!
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Tagged: Celebrity, Celebrity, Entertainment, harlem, Music, See, St. John the Divine, Sting
By HarlemHouse
I Just had the privilege of attending the incredible performance of “Dreamgirls” at the Apollo Theater, which has just been extended for one more week! The audience gave a standing ovation before the production even finished. An earthshaking performance of true talent in this latest production. It will definitely go to Broadway after touring the country. This is the best revival of this production to date.
The stage felt like it was part of the audience in this comfortable inclusive setting. There is nothing second rate about this first class rendition of Dreamgirls. From the stage sets, to the incredible live performances, singing, technology, costumes and choreography – all were simply incredible. With special note on this Sunday afternoon’s performance to Adrienne Warren who plays “Lorell” to Chester Gregory who plays “James Early” and to the understudy of Moya Angela, Patrice Covington, who plays “Effie White” who brought the house down! This was no understudy performance by Patrice. This was a stars performance.
This cast and production confirms the amount of talent that we have in this wonderful business and what a brilliant experience (if you can still get tickets) this ensemble brings to the legendary Dreamgirls. If you are able to catch it before it leaves Harlem and hits the road, run… sprint… fly… to get tickets before its too late!
Bravo to the Apollo Theater for giving this spectacular rendition of Dreamgirls an extra edge and meaning to this classic beloved Musical.
If you have seen the movie or the Broadway version of Dreamgirls… you will be blown away by this latest version of Dreamgirls and the incredible talent involved on every level to this unforgettable theatrical experience.
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Tagged: 125th street, Apollo Theater, Broadway musical, Dreamgirls, harlem, Music, Theater, uptown, Uptown Magazine
By NativeNewYorker
Last week HarlemGuy posted about Harlem for the Holidays. If you are looking for something to do this afternoon, check out their holiday bazaar from noon – 5 pm today at the Hip Hop Culture Center on the second floor of the Magic Johnson Theatre. Sponsored by the Global Artists Coalition, there will be vendors, culture, food and performances – all for free! The cast of the Broadway show Memphis kicks things off at 12:30. Go check it out. 
Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem
2309 Frederick Douglass Blvd
(Corner of 124 St.) 212 234 7171
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Tagged: Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Hip Hop Culture Center in Harlem, Holiday Bazaar, Magic Johnson Theatre, Play, See, Shop
By Harlemgal
A reader tipped us off to the latest happenings with Best Yet in the SoHa Bldg at 118th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. Based on the information below, Best Yet is moving along and they appear to want to keep the community in the loop…and so does one of HarlemCondoLife’s readers. A big thanks to tero for the information!
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Tagged: 118th Street, Best Yet, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, See, Shop
HarlemCondoLife is pleased to announce the best decorated storefront window Christmas gallery.
The idea is simple: send your favorites to us via email (feedback@harlemcondolife.com) so we can share with others on a gallery on www.harlemcondolife.com.
I love to walk around Harlem and take in the creativity and care that local shop keepers put into their displays.
My favorite at the moment is Posh Paws on Fred. Doug. Blvd. south of 115th street – see photo below.
The photo below does not do it justice. Looking for better ones so join in the fun and send us a favorite today!
Even better yet, stop by, pay them a visit, purchase a gift, and take a pic.
And let them know HarlemCondoLife sent you.
Help us celebrate Harlem for the Holidays!
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Tagged: Christmas, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Photographs, Posh Paws
By HarlemGal
On 116th Street from Frederick Douglass Blvd to Lenox Avenue, there is always African music playing throughout the various stores. The music plays just right, not loud. It’s pleasant enough to where you notice and say to yourself, is that Fela! music I hear? If you live or have walked along this portion of Harlem before, you know exactly what I am talking about. It’s this Harlem experience along 116th Street that sparked an interest for me to go see Fela!-the Broadway musical.
I ventured down to the Eugene O’Neill Theater to see the show about legend Kuti in its first week of opening. All I can say right off the top is “this is not your standard musical.” This show ain’t no Mary Poppins or Lion King – quite the contrary. Fela! is a show where you will find yourself saying “yeah, yeah” or moving your hips to three o’clock and nine o’clock at the instruction of the lead actor or wanting to dance or stare in awe at the dancers and their AMAZING bodies. The dancers are spectacular! When you see the show, you will know what I mean by all these descriptions.
HarlemCondoLife
The creme de la creme of Fela! is the lead actor, who sings, dances and plays two different musical instruments, the trumpet and saxophone, in the show. The lead actor sings and plays the saxophone most of the time. The evening I went Sahr Ngaujah was the lead and watching Sahr was pure enjoyment. However, don’t take my word for it. I am just a blogger from Harlem. Read the reviews in New York Magazine about Fela! and decide for yourself. But do take my word that elements of Fela’s music are alive and well along 116th Street in Harlem. See you at the Shrine!
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Tagged: 116th Street, African, Broadway musical, Celebrity, Eugene O'Neill Theater, Fela Kuti, Fela!, harlem, Little Senegal, Music, Nigeria, Play, Sahr Ngaujah, See
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
I assume the company that is selling the holiday trees is doing so because there is a new demand in this part of Harlem. We have posted in the past about how the area is changing with an increase in condos and restaurants!
HarlemCondoLife also saw holiday trees for sale on Frederick Douglass Blvd and 122nd.
Last year, we spotted a ton of trees being sold on Lenox Avenue.
If you are interested in purchasing a holiday tree on Cathedral Parkway, they deliver and accept credit cards! And as always, if you know of other places in Harlem to buy holiday trees, please let us know. Happy Holidays!
HarlemCondoLife (122nd & FDB)
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Tagged: 110th Street, cathedral parkway, christmas trees, harlem, morningside park, Photos by HarlemGal, Shop
By HarlemGal
One is not the loneliest number that you’ll ever choose, according to several independent Harlem business owners. Maybe in the famous song by Three Dog Night it is? However, it is quite the opposite for those behind The Power of One, a bold, economic action plan spearheaded by Harlem business owners who have come together to promote and support each other and Harlem.
The organization is getting ready to kick-off a major challenge this coming week and they are inviting us to join in now before they make the official announcement. How can we partner with The Power of One? This is how. Buy the Power of One card for $1.00 by clicking here, become a community investor and receive discounts, VIP access, and other perks from the pioneering businesses when you spend and play in Harlem. The organization created a challenge, which is to raise $1,000,000 over the next six months, selling one Power of One card at a time
“The Power of One is Harlem’s own bailout plan and it will encourage people to think about where their money is going, and commit to spending a portion of it locally,” the organization said in a news release. “In the last year, 40 percent of local Harlem businesses have closed. When you spend your money at a store not local to the community, that money leaves the neighborhood, but when you spend it with a local business, the money is reinvested into your community…”
HarlemCondoLife couldn’t agree more and apparently the Harlem residents and affiliate members in the video below do as well. Let’s help out. Go buy your Power of One card today!
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Tagged: business, business owners, harlem, Play, The Power of One
By HarlemGal
I finally went to go see the movie Precious over the holiday weekend and all I can say is “go see it.” I thought the entire film was excellent from start to finish. However, I under estimated the power of the subject matter and how it would affect me. I read all the reviews in the newspaper and online, but I had no idea this film would send me to a place of endless tears. I cried, cried and cried. As a matter of fact, the movie theater I was at had everyone bawling, like children. It’s that good and emotional of a film!
All of the actors were excellent in the film, especially Gabourey Sidibe. After seeing Sidibe’s performance, I hope she receives a ton of acting award nominations for Precious. If I was a member of the Oscar Academy, I would vote for her! If no Oscar nod happens, the next best thing would be for the entertainment industry to reward her with endless acting opportunities. Go see the film for yourself and tell us what you think. Precious is showing at the Magic Johnson Theater at 125th and Frederick Douglass Blvd.
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Tagged: Celebrity, Gabourey Sidibe, harlem, Magic Johnson Theater, Oprah Winfrey, Precious, Push, Tyler Perry
HarlemCondoLife would like to take a moment to give thanks and express gratitude on this wonderful holiday.
Thanksgiving is traditionally the start of the holiday season. And Harlem is no exception.
This Thanksgiving kicks-0ff another one of many opportunities to explore the old and new in Harlem, a place with a rich cultural history, diverse restaurants, great entertainment, shopping and culture.
Come visit Harlem for the Holidays.
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Tagged: harlem, Harlem For The Holidays
By HarlemGuy
I’ve come to view Frederick Douglass Boulevard (F.D.B, which is Central Park West above 110th a.k.a 8the Avenue) between 110 and 125th as Harlem’s Gold Coast, from a resident’s perspective.
In terms of real estate the newest edition is The Douglass Condominium at 114th and F.D.B.
credit: TheDouglass Web Site
The word on the street is that they are very nicely appointed.
I plan to take a look for myself.
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Tagged: Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem, Real Estate, Real Estate, The Douglass Condominium
By HarlemGuy
Credit: Hue-Man Bookstore
I was catching up on The View today (Wed. 11/11).
Sheri Shepherd announced that she will be signing copies of her new book “Permission Slip: Every Woman’s Guide to giving herself a Break” at the Hue-Man bookstore in Harlem this Saturday.
More information is available on Twitter and www.sherrishepherd.com.
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Tagged: Celebrity, Hue-Man Bookstore, Permission Slip: Every Woman's Guide to giving herself a Break, Sheri Shepherd, The View
By HarlemGal
On November 11, 1939 a jazz institution was born on 288 Lenox Avenue. On Wednesday, the Lenox Lounge, the long standing and well known jazz bar, is marking its 70th anniversary! But do not uncork the champaign bottle just yet. The Lenox Lounge has something big planned in honor of turning the big 70. Those details are being handled just like a jazz song, smooth and delicious, and will be released at a later date. Come back here for more info on their celebration.
In the mean time, feel free to drop by this weekend if you have the urge to celebrate their 70th now or you need a good dose of jazz. The line up this weekend is the Harlem All-Stars. They are playing Friday and Saturday night at 8:30, 10:00, and 11:30 PM.
In closing, HarlemCondoLife says congrats to the Lenox Lounge on their milestone and may there be 70 more years of authentic jazz in this great place!!! Salude!
Lenox Lounge
288 Lenox Ave
New York, NY 10027-4921
(212) 427-0253
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Tagged: harlem, jazz, Lenox Lounge
Update: We just learned this morning from The Daily News that Costco will be selling a bevy of high end goods, such as Cartier watches for a whopping $15,000. Wow!
By HarlemGal
We decided to follow up with our contact at Costco to double confirm they are moving forward with their plans to open on November 12 in East River Plaza. While we had their attention, we requested additional details. Here’s the skinny on Costco in East Harlem:
They are planning to open Thursday at 8:00 AM.
Parking is available at the East River Plaza and it’s $4.00 for the first two hours. Ouch! That’s expensive.
The building is 109,000 square feet. It is actually much smaller than their typical 148,000 square foot facility. As we all know as New Yorkers, location and the amount of space is prime!!! So the fact that this space is smaller should not be a surprise.
Costco is offering a normal selection of Food & Sundries items. However, they are offering a slightly reduced selection of areas such as Hardware, Automotive, Sporting Goods and Housewares. Again as Harlemites, where would we put all this stuff, like hardware? Unless Costco is offering storage!
At this location, Costco will have an expanded selection of Meat, Bakery, Deli and Produce. Hmm, let’s see if any of these areas feature local products.
And last, We inquired about their projections on attendance and revenue. Costco rep replied “I would hope and expect it will be very busy from opening until Christmas…”
On that note, let’s wait and see!
96S5VT3FXQGJ
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Tagged: Costco, East River Plaza, harlem, Real Estate
By HarlemGal
The Apollo Theater was canvassing the Harlem streets this week informing locals about their special offer to see a live musical performance of Dreamgirls. According to their flyer, Harlem residents and employees can purchase tickets for as low as $18.50 starting November 6th. If you are interested in seeing Dreamgirls on stage at the Apollo, which plays from November 6th to December 6th, click here or call 212.307.4100!
Read our posts about the Apollo here!
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Tagged: Apollo Theater, Dreamgirls, harlem
By HarlemGal
Photo by Tony Molina
What do Sting and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine have in common? The answer: December 8th and 9th. That’s when Sting will be in concert at St. John the Divine located in West Harlem. According to Sting’s website, he will be performing two exclusive concerts in West Harlem then in celebration of his new Deutsche Grammophon release, “If On a Winter’s Night…” Very interesting and so cool! Stay tuned for more information!
Click here to read our post on St. John the Divine.
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Tagged: Celebrity, Celebrity, St. John the Divine, Sting, Tony Molina, West Harlem
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By HarlemGal
I snapped several photos today of all those amazing runners from the NYC Marathon. However, I caught one celeb by accident that I wanted to share with you. Do you remember Anthony Edwards?
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: Anthony Edwards, harlem, NYC Marathon, Photos by HarlemGal
By HarlemGal
On October 25, we went to Central Park’s Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Sail. I believe it’s an annual event held late afternoon along Harlem Meer. If you have never attended, we recommend it – especially for families with children. It was a lot of fun. Seeing all the little tots in their costume was such a treat to see! And of course, the pumpkin sail was wonderful as well.
Enjoy our photos from the event and hope to see you there next year! HAPPY HALLOWEEN from HarlemCondoLife!
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Tagged: 110th Street, 5th Avenue, Central Park North, Charles A Dana Discovery Center, harlem, Harlem Meer, Photos by HarlemGal
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By HarlemGal
The upcoming New York City election is potentially now driving the opening of the long awaited Frederick Douglass Circle at the base of Central Harlem! That is what I was told today by some of the workers at the site. Apparently people will be able to access the Circle by then, but no grand opening will happen for awhile. That’s the latest lowdown from the site.
HarlemCondoLife
Do you believe that time schedule given how long it has taken to finish the project or do you think they were yanking my chain? Let’s be honest, it’s shaping up to look very nice. However, the City has been working on the FDB Circle for a looooong time! Could this timing just be purely a coincidence?
And get this, the City has an office right on 110th Street between Manhattan Avenue and FDB. I tried walking in, but the doors were locked!
Overall, the workers were very clear that they had a deadline to meet and that all the barriers would be down soon. Hmmm. Stay tuned.
HarlemCondoLife
And a quick shout out to Zinc Plate Press. They have a very good shot of the sculpture!
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Tagged: 110th Street, Central Harlem, elections, Frederick Douglass Circle, harlem, HarlemGal, Mayor Bloomberg, new york city, Photos by HarlemGal
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By HarlemGal
American cuisine will be offered in the space pictured above and the chef creating and serving up those meals will bring experience from Eleven Madison and Chanterelle, according to the co-owner of this new restaurant space. This new restaurant will be located on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 112th and 113th Street. The opening date and name of the place are not ready to be disclosed yet, however the co-owner stressed “hopefully soon, very soon!” Of course, HarlemCondoLife will keep you posted on the details!
HarlemCondoLife
With this restaurant coming soon, along with the anticipated opening of the Italian restaurant on the corner of FDB and 117th Street and recent openings, such as Questan’s, these actions continue to support our predication: FDB, also known as 8th Avenue, is on its way to become Harlem’s restaurant row.
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 112th Street, 113th Street, American cuisine, Chanterelle, Eleven Madison Park, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, new restaurant, Photos by HarlemGal, Questans
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By HarlemGal
If you are looking to practice that downward facing dog or warrior pose right here in Harlem, well look no further. Harlem Yoga Studio has arrived. It’s just three weeks old. They have a big open space and are already offering various levels of yoga classes at different times throughout the week. If you’re interested in a yoga practice close to home, I recommend visiting this studio. It’s located on the Northwest corner of 119th Street and Lenox Avenue and the first class is free until November 1, 2009.
HarlemCondoLife
I went to the Yoga I/II class with Erica over the weekend and enjoyed it very much. The teacher was well-versed in yoga and extremely polite. The studio is spacious and the location is ideal. It is centrally located where you don’t have to trek far down to the West or East side of upper Manhattan to get to a yoga class. Plus it is right by the 2/3 train to 116th Street! So if you are looking for a yoga studio in Central Harlem, look no more! Namaste!
118 Lenox Avenue
Harlem, NY 10027
917.538.0457
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HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 119th Street, harlem, Harlem Yoga Studio, Lenox Avenue, yoga
By HarlemGal
I was walking along 113th Street between Frederick Douglass Blvd and Adam Clayton Powell today; and I spotted City workers jackhammering away the sidewalk on the North side of the street. I asked the workers what was going on and they said they are planting a ton of trees. Ten to 11 trees they said. Hmm? Seems like a lot for that one block in my view, but we will take it. More green for Harlem!
HarlemCondoLife
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HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 113th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, going green, harlem, NYC Gov, street tree planting in New York City, trees
By HarlemGal
To follow up on our post from April, we contacted Costco directly to ask them when they plan to open up their store in East Harlem. Their representative responded with: “We have a location opening scheduled for November 12th in Manhattan.” That’s not far away – folks! Will you go to East River Plaza to shop at Costco? Tell us what you think!
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Tagged: Costco, east harlem, East River Plaza
By Austin2Harlem
We went and checked out the filming of Rescue Me this morning since we saw the notices along 116th Street over the weekend. The crew were filming right at the intersection of 116th Street & St. Nicholas & Adam Clayton Powell.
Here are a few pictures from the site. We believe we have Denis Leary in one of the photos below! If that’s not him, it certainly looked like him!
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Tagged: 116th Street, Celebrity, Denis Leary, FX Network, harlem, St. Nicholas Street, TV and film production
By Austin2Harlem
HarlemCondoLife
As I continue to settle into my new Harlem life, I’m constantly amazed at the amount of TV and film production I see in the neighborhood. Walking along 116th near Adam Clayton Powell today, I spotted another upcoming shoot…this time for the FX Network show Rescue Me. On top of the wonderful diversity of restaurants, nightspots, and people, this is just another thing that makes me happy to call Harlem my new home.
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Tagged: 116th Street, Adam, Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, Callie Thorne, Celebrity, Daniel Sunjata, Denis Leary, FX Network, harlem, Rescue Me, TV and film production
By HarlemGal
Benenoir is celebrating their two year anniversary today. That’s wonderful news! HarlemCondoLife says congratulations and may there be many more anniversaries to come!
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Tagged: Bebenoir, fashion, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem
By HarlemGal
We couldn’t help notice the big smiles and feature article in Wednesday’s edition of the NY Post. The Post reported how there is a surge of wings happening in New York City – chicken wings that is! The article also notes Atomic Wings and their expansion in Harlem. HarlemCondoLife blogged about their new place on 113th and Frederick Douglas Blvd. a few weeks back; and have sat down to munch on their wings. They get a thumbs up from us! It’s so good we better go in tomorrow and put in our Super Bowl order!
Congrats to Atomic Wings owners Hugh Webb and James Brown on their media coverage in the Post!
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Tagged: 113th Street, atomic wings, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, NY Post
HarlemCondoLife
by HarlemHouse
This great little affordable pizza & burger joint has been in business for 6 years and is a neighborhood favorite. For a perfect cheese slice and delicious House Salad topped with Balsamic Vinegar (Salad “123″) for only $4.95 you can’t go wrong. Their burgers are great and you can substitute the regular fries that come with the Deluxe order, to their Curly Spice Fries that are sinfully good. Love the staff and the casual environment. I’ve never had a bad meal here, I have to give props to how well managed this establishment is.
Note: They have 6 lunch specials daily ranging from $2.75 to $7.50.
PIZZERIA 123
2288 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
New York, NY 10027
tel. 212-864-9910
Keep in touch with our thoughts while on the go @ Urbanspoon!
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Tagged: harlem, Pizzeria 123
By HarlemGal
If you are interested in pleasing your taste buds with “the wines of Alsace,” stop by The Winery tonight on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 116th and 117th Street. They are haveing a wine tasting from 6-8 pm on select Friday nights tonight…and it’s FREE! Stop by the store for more details! See you there!
thewineryonline.com
2166 FD Blvd
Harlem, NY 10026
212-2224866
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Tagged: Frederick Douglass, harlem, The Winery
By HarlemGal
On Saturday, a funeral was held in Los Angeles for the late Robert Graham. Graham created the Duke Ellington Memorial in Harlem, which stands 30 feet tall high with three columns topped with muses holding up a giant size figure of the musician next to a piano. You have to see it for yourself! It’s amazing to see. The sculpture is located at the cross section of 110th Street and 5th Avenue.
For us at HarlemCondoLife, we want to thank Graham for his contribution to our community. We are forever grateful!
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Tagged: 110 Street, 5th Avenue, east harlem, Robert Graham
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife has been hearing rumors about an upscale grocery store coming to Central Harlem. It’s a rumor no more! I spoke with Winick Realty Group today and they have confirmed that they are bringing a high end grocery store to the SoHa Building at 118th and Frederick Douglass.
Winick could not confirm who the retailer is yet. They only said that they are working on plans and hope to make an announcement soon! Like in a week in a half! We think this is good news for the area! Another option to get groceries!
If you have more details than Winick, please let us know!
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Tagged: 118th Street, Frederick Douglass, harlem, SoHa, Winick Realty Group
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
I was walking toward the 2/3 subway line along Central Park North recently and saw that the corner building on Central Park North and Adam Clayton Powell had brand new windows installed and what also appeared to be new air conditioning units. There is scaffolding around and ton of permits on the door. Those are clear signs of a makeover and the building looks vacant! Does anyone know the scoop?
For those that don’t know this Harlem area or do, this spot is absolutely a primo location-in my view. It’s a well-sized corner building right across the street from our famous Central Park. The building has to have some decent park views. Well…whatever is going on there, HarlemGal wishes she had a small fortune, some extra dinero, etc. I would totally go shopping there for another Harlem casita! If you know what’s going on, tell us!
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Tagged: 110th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Boulevard, Central Park North
By HarlemGuy
The January 8th edition of AMNY had a wonderful article written by Marleene Naanes entitled “Harlem’s Hot ‘pocket’” (PDF format – start on page 20).
It’s all about the HOT little Southwest corner of Harlem on Frederick Douglass Boulevard (aka 8th Avenue; the “continuation” of Central Park West above 110th street) from 110th to 125th.
The GREAT NEWS about this southwestern corridor (the “Gateway To Harlem” also known as ”SOHA” for South Harlem) only gets BETTER and BETTER with each passing day.
It’s HOT AND POPPIN’!
The article features informative mini reviews of various establishments including museums, lounges and restaurants: The Studio Museum, 67 Orange, Africa Kine, Patisserie Des Ambassades just to name a few.
Below is an excerpt.
“Anyone who hasn’t walked through this pocket of Harlem in a while certainly won’t recognize it today.
With health-food shops, upscale lounges, a trendy wine bar and florist, this neighborhood could be mistaken for a downtown enclave. A Starbucks, a soon-to-open Subway shop and new banks have only furthered its gentrification.
‘Harlem got a lot more convenient,’ said lifelong resident Sharon Grimes, 39. ‘You have uptown life with a downtown feel.’
‘It’s the best pocket in Harlem,’ said Carlos Aguila, owner of health food store Karrot, which he opened four years ago when crack still had a hold on the neighborhood. ‘It’s an aggressive pocket of gentrification and revitalization.’
Young single folks and new families alike have flocked to the area, which boasts nearby parks, restaurants galore, new lounges and bigger Manhattan homes for less money. Residents say they love that people know each other and aren’t afraid to say hi to passing strangers.”
HarlemCondoLife has previously reported on this and other related real estate news on this blog. Below are few informative entries you may want to read.
HarlemCondoLife has profiled many of the establishments mentioned in the article on our blog, on Urbanspoon and/or via Twitter. Check us out there as well.
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Tagged: 125th street, 67 Orange, 8th Avenue, Africa Kine, AMNY, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Gateway To Harlem, gentrification, Karrot, Patisserie Des Ambassades, Real Estate, SOHO, south harlem, Southwest Harlem, Starbucks, Subway, The Studio Museum, Twitter, Urbanspoon
HarlemCondoLife
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By HarlemHouse
What can I say about Nectar Wine Bar. This new hot spot created by owners Eric Woods & Jai Jai Greenfield has created a gathering for those of us uptown, and everywhere, that have been craving a good wine bar. It has been crowded since it opened April 2008 offering a wide range of wines from their sister shop Harlem Vintage located next door. They provide a minimal menu of cheeses, meats & hummus to accent their wines. This is a very nice touch without distracting from this Bar’s main purpose, which of course is the wine. This place is great for relaxing after work to chillout music as well as keeping you entertained on Saturday nights with House music until closing. When I asked why did you decide on the location of Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Eric who has been a resident of Harlem for 11 years, said “Frederick Douglass Boulevard is going to be the new area for restaurants, bars, & nightlife and we wanted to provide a place for the people in the neighborhood to enjoy themselves.” They truly have succeeded in their goal with Nectar and its friendly staff, diverse wines, great crowd, and an overall welcoming vibe that has made it a favorite destination in the neighborhood.
Don’t miss this coming Tuesday, January 20, 2009 The Inauguration Party celebrating President Barrack Obama in an afternoon viewing on a 50 inch screen carrying into the evening hours with wine & hors d’ourves celebrating this monumental event. What a better way to spend this historic moment than to spend it together at Nectar with great wine, great people, and in celebration of our hopeful future for 2009!
Nectar Wine Bar
2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
New York, NY 10027
(212) 961-9622
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Tagged: Bars, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Nectar, Nectar Wine Bar, Nectar Wine Bar Harlem, Wine
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
With the temperatures continuing to dip at all time lows in New York City, what are Harlemites to do this coming holiday weekend? Well, if you feel like putting on some blades and going round and round in circles on ice, we have the perfect recommendation for you – Trump Lasker Rink in Central Harlem! That’s right! Harlem has their very own outdoor ice skating rink.
HarlemCondoLife
Take the 2/3 subway line to 110th Street and you are a few yards away or drive if you like. But this place is a winter wonderland without all the touristy fuss. When we visited the rink recently, the ticket lines were somewhat long to get in, however when you’re in the rink there is plenty of elbow space to move around on and off the ice. Also, if you want to take a rest from skating, you can do what we did…watch the miniature hockey players battle it out in the ice rink next door. Who needs to go to New Jersey to see the Devils. From our pictures here, we clearly have our own Devils to watch and root for in Harlem. Oh and the parents watching their kids…they’re fun to watch too! See you there!
HarlemCondoLife
Trump Lasker Rink
Central Park North & Lenox Avenue entrance
917-492-3857
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 110th Street, Central Harlem, Central Park North, ice skating, Trump Lasker Rink
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By NativeNewYorker
HarlemCondoLife
For the past twelve years, every birthday party, every baby shower, every graduation, every celebration means a visit to this extraordinary bakery. I’ve run into friends and co-workers who live way downtown who come up to Harlem just to visit Make My Cake. Once you’ve tasted one of their sweet creations, you’ll see why people from all over the city make the trip. I used to go to the original store on 110th street – before the building was torn down to build the incongruous high rise that now towers over Central Park North. Sad as I was to see it close, I really like the 116th Street location, which is run by Aliyyah Baylor, daughter of JoAnn Baylor who founded the business and manages the 139th Street store. You can sit and have coffee and a treat or take out anything from a single slice to an enormous layer cake. The staff is friendly and not only are the cakes delicious, they are beautifully decorated and they will customize them any way you want. A few years ago, my daughter designed her own cake and Make My Cake perfectly reproduced, with vibrantly colored icings, the custom graphic she designed on her computer – and for a very reasonable price. If you’ve never been, do yourself a favor and stop by. 
Try their award winning red velvet cake (based on the recipe JoAnn’s mother, “Ma Smith”, brought with her from Mississippi more than 60 years ago) or one of their scrumptious cupcakes. According to their website, residents and local groups are welcome to utilize the 116th location for children’s activities, and small community and business meetings.
Make My Cake
121 St. Nicholas Ave (at 116th St.) 2360 Adam C. Powell Blvd (at 139th St.)
T. 212 932.0833 F. 212 932.3198 T 212 234.2344 F. 212 324.2327
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Tagged: 116th Street, bakery, cupcakes, Food, harlem, Make My Cake, south harlem
By HarlemGuy
This weekend the New York Times reports that in recent weeks buyers are making a come back.
This is fantastic news for many looking to make Harlem their home.
HarlemCondoLife has published several stories of real estate opportunities in Harlem and will continue to do so.
Please take a moment to browse our real estate channel and pay Harlem – and your real estate Broker a visit today!
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Tagged: harlem, Real Estate, SoHa, south harlem, Southwest Harlem
By NativeNewYorker
That’s the question people will be asking each other for the next few weeks and the question our children and grandchildren will ask us a decade from now. For those who aren’t making the trek to DC, HarlemOneStop has a great listing of local events including live screenings of the inauguration at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture (515 Malcolm X Boulevard at 135th Street, 11 am, FREE) and City College (Shephard Hall, 160 Convent Avenue, noon, FREE); parties at local restaurants including Hudson River Café (Lunch / Dinner /Live Music, 697 W133th Street); Mobay (all day/all night, 17 West 125th Street); and Gran Piatto D’Oro (11 am, 1429 Fifth Avenue); as well as information on the largest inauguration day event in Harlem: Inauguration of a DREAM, presented by the Democracy Prep Charter School at the Harlem Armory (10 am-1:30, 40 W. 143rd St. between Lenox Ave. and Harlem River Dr; FREE; RSVP to Inauguration@DemocracyPrep.org.
For me, this is a day filled with joy, with pride and with hope.
I’ll be watching the swearing in of our 44th president with my aunt, a lively octogenarian who has lived in Harlem for the last fifty years, who remembers the “No Coloreds” signs in stores on 125th Street and who wept tears of joy the night Barack Obama was elected; and my daughter, a bright young woman who will be graduating from one of America’s best universities this spring, who never experienced segregation but who knows well its living legacy; who has experienced special scrutiny from security guards, indifference from shop clerks; hostility from police officers and marginalization by majority students because of the color of her skin; who wants to believe in change but has already been taught to doubt her ability to make change
New York Times 11/5/08
happen. I will be with them when I watch Barrack Obama take the oath of office as Michelle Obama and their two young daughters, so like my own two girls at that age, stand beside him. It is hard to overstate what this inauguration will mean to us all and yet we all expect so much more of this man. The night he was elected President, he said to the jubilant crowd in Chicago: “This is your victory.” If we fail to help him achieve the change he has promised, it will be our failure. Each of us must do our part to help him overcome the tremendous obstacles we are facing. If we can’t find a way to come together to solve the enormous problems that face us – health care, education, the economy, wars in Iraq and Afghanistan; then the failure will not be his, it will be ours. As we revel in the excitement and triumph of this day, let’s also reflect on what each of us is prepared to do to make sure that doesn’t happen.
→ 4 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 125th street, Gran Piatto D'Oro, Hudson River Cafe, Inauguration Day 2009, Inauguration of a Dream, Mobay, New York Times, President Barack Obama
Martin Luther King, Jr
By HarlemGal
Today we celebrate and honor the great Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. with a national day of service. There are so many ways to spend this day. However, HarlemCondoLife has chosen to echo to its readers the suggestion of many countless organizations. They recommend that everyone celebrate MLK Day by giving back to your community. If your not sure how to give back, there is still time to find a community service project in Harlem or throughout New York City now or in the immediate future. For more information, go to MLKDay.gov, click on “how to serve.”
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Tagged: MLK Day
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal,
I walk down 114th Street between Frederick Douglass and Manhattan Avenue all the time heading to Morningside Heights Park. When you take this walk, you see construction every where in this area. Just the other day I noticed the netting/scaffolding all over one particular lot was now down and the new structure donned a big banner with the words The Alycia. I checked out their website and according to The Alycia, this place will be condos with all the trimmings of a new home. The site also claims all units are SOLD, which is quite impressive given current market conditions. Maybe that explains when I walked by the other day, the big banner existed no more.
HarlemCondoLife
We’re not surprised folks purchased condos in this area and plan to move to Central Harlem. After all, HarlemCondoLife lives and blogs in Harlem. My only lingering question is when were these units sold – a year or six months ago? We called the real estate company representing this building for further details. No word yet. However, if you know something before or if they get back to us, please chime in.
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Tagged: 114th Street, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Manhattan Avenue, Real Estate, The Alycia
By HarlemHouse
It’s all about the sauce! This Pizzeria has been around forever. Since 1945 to be exact. Though it has been strongly supported by Columbia University residents throughout the years, it reaches a much broader audience of locals and customers who have been coming back for years. Like many Italian Pizzeria menus it has something for everyone; all the classic dishes. I’ve been eating there (and ordering in from there) consistently for the past four years and haven’t had a bad experience yet. The pizza is perfect mainly because of the sauce. Noticeably more rich in flavor then any competition in the area.
But what won me over with this Pizza joint, was their delicious Entrees. Just to name a few, the Shrimp Scampi is perfecto with what seems like an endless supply of garlic. Their classic Chicken or Veal Parmigiana with your choice of pasta, salad or potatoes on the side and also comes with piping hot bread that is always baked to perfection. Other courses to consider are the Lasagna Parmigiana, Chicken Cacciatore or Scarpariello, and the Veal Scaloppine Marsala or Francaise. Also they offer one of the best Fried Calamari appetizers that is crispy with lots of lemons and dipping sauce consistently cooked to perfection each time. This is your better than average Calamari.
We are truly blessed to have such an authentic Italian restaurant in the Lower Harlem area. I was reading many various reviews of this place (as I said it’s been around since 1945) and the critics mostly rave, with a few who are not as impressed. My advice to you is to go and try it for yourself. V & T has been in the same family for 64 years and that is something to be respected and celebrated. If you are not already one of their satisfied customers, stop by V & T today for great fulfilling tasty authentic Italian entrees & pizza.
V & T Pizzeria
1024 Amsterdam Ave
New York, NY 10025
(212) 663-1708
→ 7 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Amsterdam Avenue, Classic Pizza, Columbia University, Family Business, harlem, Italian Cuisine, Italian Food, Italian Restaurant, Morningside Heights, Pasta, Pizza, south harlem, Takeout & Delivery, Uncategorized, V&T
Amy Ruth's at 116th & Lenox Avenue
By HarlemGal
According to Crain’s New York, Amy Ruth’s, Harlem’s famous eatery at 116th Street and Lenox Avenue, will not be opening a second location as initially planned in Brooklyn, but will move forward with their plans to expand their flagship space in Harlem. Amy Ruth’s “is currently expanding its 116th Street location to incorporate 1200 square feet of ground floor space at the building next door.”
The expansion is great news for Harlemites who have experienced their delicious food and at the same time long lines with tons of tourists. Let’s all agree, Amy Ruth’s is notorious for long lines. They even have the famous red rope to go along with it. However, their food is down right good and one that all should experience whether you live in Harlem or visiting New York City. All-in-all, we wish Amy Ruth’s much continued success.
HarlemCondoLife blogged about their eating experience back in November. Click here to read more.
→ 2 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 116th Street, Amy Ruth's, harlem, Lenox Avenue
By HarlemGal
When you walk the streets of Harlem ya never know what you will discover. Today, it’s a new wireless company coming to Harlem. Apparently MetroPCS is opening up a branch office in The Gateway Condominium Building, which is on Frederick Douglass Blvd. between 113th and 114th Street. And they’re looking for managers and sales reps…immediately! If you are interested in employment with MetroPCS, here is their email and fax: lharris@wirelessuniv.com and 1-678-205-0312! Give them a call!
And to MetroPCS, welcome to Harlem!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 114th Street, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass
By HarlemGal
I search a lot of various sites about my Harlem community both for play and work. I stumbled across what I think is an extremely different real estate site and I wanted to share it with you: www.aqueductcourt.com. Check it out!
Is this the coolest or what? They make Harlem’s Hamilton Heights seem like one might be moving to Harry Potter land or Lord of the Rings! So cool in my view! What do you think?
→ 3 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: aqueduct court, hamilton heights, harlem, Real Estate
Harlem House
It has been brought to our attention that through this period of economical change our beloved Apollo Theater is struggling. Note this excerpt from a recent article in UPTOWN MAGAZINE: by N. Jamiyla Chisholm
“Something’s Gotta Give
Break out your checkbook for these great organizations that have taken a hit in the floundering economy. One of them being the Apollo Theater.
The best way you can help:
Aside from corporate sponsorship, ticket sales, and government grants, the Apollo thrives on individual donations. Visit apollotheater.org/giving.html for more on making tax deductible contributions and the latest news on the Apollo’s annual Spring Benefit gala, its largest fundraising effort each year.”
(to read the entire article by N. Jamiyla Chisholm pick up the February/March 09 issue of UPTOWN)
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Tagged: 125th street, Apollo Theater, Comedy, Concerts, harlem, Music, N. Jamiyla Chisholm, Theaters, Uptown Magazine
By HarlemGuy
The origins of Black History Month began when Carter G. Woodson founded the Association for the Study of Negro Life and History in 1915 and one year later, the Journal of Negro History.
Woodson was a Harvard-trained historian. He believed that publishing scientific history about the black race would produce facts that would prove to the world that Africa and its people had played a crucial role in the development of civilization. That Scientific history, he believed, would counter racial falsehoods. That reason would prevail over prejudice truth would trickle down to the public, and the race problem would gradually disappear.
In the 1920s Woodson began urging black civic organizations to promote the achievements that researchers were uncovering. In 1924 he created the Negro History and Literature Week with help of his fraternity brothers at Omega Psi Phi to take up the work. This later renamed Negro Achievement Week.
Woodson selected the week of February that encompassed the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass. Lincoln had issued the Emancipation Proclamation that moved the nation away from slavery. Frederick Douglass had been a great leader of African Americans. In selecting February, Woodson’s sought to promote his belief that African Americans history was American history.
By 1925 the Association broadened its focus to include whites and black and anyone interested in history, not just historians and other scholars.
In the years that followed Black history clubs sprang up. Demand for materials from teachers soared. In response the Association published photographs and portraits of important black people. It published plays to dramatize black history. It also formed branches to bring people into the organization.
Woodson died in 1950. By that time Negro History Week had become a central part of African American life. In cities across the country, mayors issued proclamations noting Negro History Week.
In the 1960s African Americans entered into mainstream colleges and in the tradition of the Freedom Schools established during the civil rights era which included the study of Black history, they demanded that Black Studies and Black history became a central feature. Increasingly there were cries for more than a week to study Black history.
In 1976, fifty yearsafter the first celebration, the Association held the first Black History Month. Since then all American presidents, Republicans and Democrats alike, haveissued Black History Month proclamations.
Check the sites below for more educational information and upcoming events.
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Tagged: Abraham Lincoln, Association for the Study of Negro Life and History, black history month, Carter G. Woodson, Emancipation Proclamation, Frederick Douglass, Harvard, Negro Achievement Week., Negro History and Literature Week, Negro History Week, Omega Psi Phi, slavery
By HarlemGuy
I have always been a huge Stevie Wonder fan. And his song Black Man has always been one of my favorites.
In celebration of Black History Month, #44, that which has come to pass, and that which is to be, it is only fitting that we help our readers, old and new to get (re)acquainted with this phenomenal artist and his amazing work.
For a free download of this and other songs, please visit the iTunes section on our home page.
Black Man
First man to die
For the flag we now hold high (crispus attucks)
Was a black man
The ground were we stand
With the flag held in our hand
Was first the redmans
Guide of a ship
On the first columbus trip (pedro alonzo nino)
Was a brown man
The railroads for trains
Came on tracking that was laid
By the yellow man
We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
Its time we learned
This world was made for all men
Heart surgery
Was first done successfully
By a black man (dr daniel hale williams)
Friendly man who died
But helped the pilgrims to survive (squanto)
Was a redman
Farm workers rights
Were lifted to new heights (caesar chavez)
By a brown man
Incandescent light
Was invented to give sight (thomas edison)
By the white man
We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
Its time we learned
This world was made for all men
Here me out…
Now I know the birthday of a nation
Is a time when a country celebrates
But as your hand touches your heart
Remember we all played a part in america
To help that banner wave
First clock to be made
In america was created
By a black man (benjamin banneker)
Scout who used no chart
Helped lead lewis and clark
Was a redman (sacagawea)
Use of martial arts
In our country got its start
By a yellow man
And the leader with a pen
Signed his name to free all men
Was a white man (abraham lincoln)
We pledge allegiance
All our lives
To the magic colors
Red, blue and white
But we all must be given
The liberty that we defend
For with justice not for all men
History will repeat again
Its time we learned
This world was made for all men
This world was made for all men
This world was made for all men
This world was made for all men
God saved his world for all men
All people
All babies
All children
All colors
All races
This worlds for you
And me
This world
My world
Your world
Everybodys world
This world
Their world
Our world
This world was made for all men
Here me out…
Who was the first man to set foot on the north pole?
Mattew henson – a black man
Who was the first american to show the pilgrims at plymouth the secrets
Of survival in the new world?
Squanto – a redman
Who was the soldier of company g who won high honors for his courage
And heroism in world war 1?
Sing lee – ayellow man
Who was the leader of united farm workers and helped farm workers
Maintain dignity and respect?
Caesar chavez – a brown man
Who was the founder of blood plasma and the director of the red cross
Blood bank?
Dr. charles drew – a black man
Who was the first american heroine who aided the lewis and clark
Expedition?
Sacajewa – a red woman
Who was the famous educator and semanticist who made outstanding
Contributions to education in america?
Hayakawa – a yellow man
Who invented the worlds first stop light and the gas mask?
- a black man
Who was the american surgeon who was one of the founders of
Neurosurgery?
Harvey william cushing – a white man
Who was the man who helped design the nations capitol, made the first
Clock to give time in america and wrote the first almanac?
Benjamin banneker – a black man
Who was the legendary hero who helped establish the league of iroquois?
Hiawatha – a redman
Who was the leader of the first microbiotic center in america?
- a yellow man
Who was the founder of the city of chicago in 1772?
Jean baptiste – a black man
Who was one of the organizers of the american indian movement?
Denis banks – a redman
Who was the jewish financier who raised founds to sponsor cristopher
Columbus voyage to america?
Lewis d. santangol – a white man
Who was the woman who led countless slaves to freedom on the
Underground rairoad?
Harriel tubman – a black woman
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Tagged: #44, Barack Obama, Black Man, iTunes, Songs in the Key of Life, Stevie Wonder
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
I ask myself sometimes “why did I move to Harlem and make this area my home?” I generally answer myself back (or tell those that will listen to me) I came here because there are so many interesting things to do in Harlem. One thing in particular is going to see a show at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater. Last night, I did just that by going to the Apollo to watch John Legend perform to a sold out crowd. It was amazing-to say the least. Why? Well, for me John Legend is like the male version of Alicia Keys. This guy can sing and jam on the piano just like her. Need I say more. As for the Apollo, if you want to see a performer up close and personal this is the venue for you. The acoustics are crystal clear, there is not a bad seat in the house and everyone one, from the first level to the balcony, will stand up and dance in every section. (Don’t go to the Apollo if you want to sit down and watch a show.) At this place, dancing in the aisle is a prerequisite.
HarlemCondoLife
As for the music, John Legend performed practically all of his hits and they were all good. I will leave it at that and not go into the set list other than saying I completely enjoyed his performance. I will leave critiquing of the set list to the critics. What I will tell you about is all the little interesting things that happened throughout the concert. Below is a few insider highlights:
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
→ 6 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Alicia Keys, Apollo Theater, harlem, Harold Ford, John Legend, Show Me Campaign
Last month www.curbed.com reported Corcoran was consolidating offies and closing their Harlem branch.
Last night’s storefront sighting confirmed the news.
Says company President and CEO Pamela Liebman, the “plan [is] to merge our Harlem office into our other West Side offices.” She adds ”Harlem remains a very important market for us and we fully intend to provide the same degree of coverage that exists there today.”
→ 2 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Corcoran, curbed.com, harlem, Real Estate
I was walking by Tribal Spears the other day and noticed that the Subway appears to be open.
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Tagged: harlem, Subway, Tribal Spears
By HarlemGal
There are several well-known/famous people that own and live in Harlem, such as Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Maya Angelou or Marcia Gay Harden. Now to add to that list is Darynn J. Zimmer, an award-winning soprano singer. Recent reports say she purchased a condo at 1200 Fifth Avenue in East Harlem for more than $1 million. Not bad. Welcome to Harlem Ms. Zimmer!
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Tagged: 1200 Fifth Avenue, Darynn Zimmer, east harlem
MOJO on 185 Saint Nicholas Ave & 119th Street
Opening any day now. Stay tuned for a review
by Harlem House
coming soon!
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Tagged: Uncategorized
By HarlemGal
Not sure what to do this weekend and you want to get out on the town, but need a recession-proof event. HarlemCondoLife has the perfect recommendation. If you have time, come on up to 125th Street and see for yourself Harlem’s famous music venue, the Apollo. It’s their open house this weekend and the following weekend. And get this, its FREE. HarlemGal was recently at the Apollo listening to John Legend. It’s a wonderful venue. Hope you can check it out!
The Apollo in Harlem
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Tagged: 125th street, Apollo Theater, harlem
By HarlemGuy (excerpted from CNN.com)
Today the United States Mint launched a new coin Tuesday featuring jazz legend Duke Ellington. This make Duke Ellington the African-American to appear by himself on a circulating U.S. coin.
The coin was introduced Tuesday in Washington. Ellington, the composer of classics including “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” appears on the “tails” side of the new D.C. quarter. George Washington is on the “heads” side, as is usual with U.S. quarters.
The coin was issued to celebrate Ellington’s birthplace, the District of Columbia. The U.S. Mint Director introduced the new coin at a news conference Tuesday at the Smithsonian Institution’s National Museum of American History. Members of Ellington’s family were present at the ceremony. The jazz band of Duke Ellington High School performed. Ellington won the honor by a vote of D.C. residents, beating out abolitionist Frederick Douglass and astronomer Benjamin Banneker. The coin features the phrase “Justice for all.”
Edward Kennedy “Duke” Ellington received 13 Grammy Awards and a Pulitzer Prize, among numerous other honors. His orchestra’s theme song, “Take the A Train,” is one of the best-known compositions in jazz. Ellington was born in the district in 1899 and composed more than 3,000 songs, including “Satin Doll,” “Perdido” and “Don’t Get Around Much Any More.” “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing” helped usher in the swing era of jazz. Ellington performed with other famous artists, including John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong and Ella Fitzgerald, and he traveled around the world with his orchestras. He died in 1974 at the age of 75. The first African-American to appear on a circulating coin was York, a slave who accompanied Lewis and Clark on their “Corps of Discovery” adventures across America at the dawn of the 19th century. The 2003 Missouri quarter features the three men together in a canoe on the obverse.
The U.S. Mint distinguishes between circulating coins, which are intended for daily use, and commemorative ones, which mark special occasions. African-Americans including Jackie Robinson, who broke baseball’s color barrier, have appeared on commemorative coins. Educator Booker T. Washington, botanist George Washington Carver and the first Revolutionary War casualty, Crispus Attucks, all of whom were black, have also appeared on commemorative coins, according to the U.S. Mint.
Please check our sidbar to preview and purchase selected Duke Ellinton songs from iTunes.
Have you seen these coins in circulation? Twitter us with your updates.
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Tagged: Benjamin Banneker, Booker T. Washington, Corps of Discovery, Crispus Attucks, D.C., District of Columbia, Duke Ellington, Edward Kennedy, Ella Fitzgerald, Frederick Douglass, George Washington, George Washington Carver, It Don't Mean a Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing, John Coltrane, Louis Armstrong, National Museum of American History, the Smithsonian, The U.S. Mint
Ice Theatre of New York from www.icetheatre.org
Riverbank State Park Skating Rink
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Tagged: harlem, Ice Dance, ice skating, Ice Theatre of New York, Riverbank State Park, West Harlem
By HarlemGal
I am getting ready to journey out to Austin, Texas soon again and I noticed while I am there South by Southwest 2009 (SXSW) will be taking place, which is the equivalent of “sport’s March Madness” but for music. Since I blog about all things Harlem, I thought why not find out who is playing at SXSW that has some connection to mi gente y mi barrio. I narrowed my search to branding and found two bands using the name Harlem: Harlem Shakes and harlem.
Harlem Shakes is a New York City pop band. According to their bio, they are from Brooklyn formed in 2006. And the other is a rock band named harlem from the host city formed in 2007.
Both bands sound good and worth checking out. However, I don’t know which one to go see? Maybe one or both? Digame?
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Tagged: Austin, Brooklyn, harlem, Harlem Shakes, Music, new york city, South by Southwest
The Little Gym has opened on 123rd and St. Nicholas, in the lobby of The Dwyer. The little Gym is a franchiser of infant and child oriented fitness gyms founded in 1976 by educator Robin Wes and headquartered in Scottsdale, Arizona. It was incorporated in 1992 and operates 300+ franchises in 19 countries. The little gym offers classes in developmental gymnastics for both Pre-k and Grade school, Karate, cheerleading, sports skills, and dance. Ages 4 months to 12 years. The Little Gym uses music that is both produced and performed by Little Gym Employees across the globe.
Click here for more information on the Harlem location.
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Tagged: cheerleading, dance, developmental gymnastics, fitness, Franchise, Grade school, harlem, Karate, Pre-k, Robin Wes, sports skills, St. Nicholas, The Dwyer, The Little Gym
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
98.7 Kiss FM is broadcasting on Frederick Douglass Boulevard today between 113th and 114th Streets in Central Harlem. They are promoting the new branch for MetroPCS, which we blogged about a few weeks ago. To go along with their promotion, they are raffling off tickets to a reggie concert. If you want to win concert tickets, stop by! They will be there all day today!
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 113th Street, 114th Street, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Kiss FM, MetroPCS
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
Most who know me, know I love to go watch films, especially documentaries. This past weekend I went to the premiere of 759: Boy Scouts of Harlem, a documentary film about Scout Troop 759 from Harlem. The film played at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture located at 135th Street and Lenox.
HarlemCondoLife
I won’t go into too much detail about the film because I encourage everyone to go out and see it for yourself. However, what I will say is that the main character, Keith, is so adorable. All you want to do is root for him to succeed throughout the film and receive all the rewards of attending Boy Scout camp in upstate New York. In addition to watching Keith take on the challenges of camp, the other nice interesting aspect of the film is that it captures the potential of several young individuals. The film shows that these individuals can be or do anything they want in life, if they just stick with it and stay on the path to success, however they choose to define success. In my view, I saw future leaders in the making in this film. And if that ends up being the case…we’re all in good hands! Go see the film.
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 135th Street, Boy Scouts, harlem, Schomburg Center
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: harlem, Posh Pets, Questans
by HarlemGuy
HarlemCondoLife is pleased to announce it is now curating a list of cultural institutions in partnership with NYC ARTS, a member of the Alliance for the Arts.
The collection focuses on institutions that are based in and focussed on Harlem.
Click here to view the collection.
Please don’t hesitate to contact us with other links and or events that you would like to see featured in the collection or on HarlemCondoLife.
And please make sure to visit the Alliance and related web sites for great information on fantastic cultural opportunities.
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Tagged: alliance for the arts, New York State Arts, nyc arts, nyc kids arts
HarlemCondoLife
By HarlemGal
I was strolling the foggy streets of Harlem on Sunday (it actually felt more like San Francisco weather) and I couldn’t help but notice the yellow plaster or walls that are being used for the new condo building quickly going up on Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 113th and 114th Street. Why the yellow? Is that some sort of special wall or plaster?
It also looks like some of these apartments will have balconies based on the photos? Not bad.
I know we are still in a financial crisis/recession. However, I am still amazed by all the construction going on up and down FDB starting from 112th Street all the way to 123rd Street. See for yourself. Take a stroll down this street! It’s non-stop construction!
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard
Photo by HarlemCondoLife
By NativeNewYorker
You’ve probably noticed it when you go across 116th Street – the colorful entrance is hard to miss. But if you’ve never gone inside, you are missing one of Harlem’s more unique experiences. Stepping through the whimsical entrance is like making a quick visit to west Africa. In addition to a wide selection of
Photo by HarlemCondoLife
traditional African garb and the inevitable T-shirts, the merchants offer beautiful handmade jewelry, original craft items like dolls and small sculptures, and an array of natural skincare products. For the music lover with ecclectic tastes, you can also find CDs of contemporary African music. The prices are pretty reasonable but if you don’t like the price, feel free to bargain – the merchants seem to enjoy it.
“Malcom Shabazz ~ Harlem’s Market” is located on the southern side of West 116th Street between Lenox and Fifth Avenues.
The market is open year round, 9am to 5 pm, 7 days a week.
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Tagged: 116th Street, African Market, harlem
By Icare4Harlem
Portable Crib with Stuffed Friends
In an attempt to attract a broad range of consumers, some thrift stores spruce up their displays with antique furniture covered with lace doilies, china, and crystal. There are tarnished picture frames and vintage clothing all trying to squeeze into that small window facing the street. At the Salvation Army Family Store on 125th St. in Harlem, a weathered sign with the words “Thrift Store” is barely noticeable above the entry. Sometimes there are items packed in the window and other times it’s rather sparse. However, every time I enter the store, I manage to leave with a little something or in some cases, more than what I dropped off. This unpretentious store, allows me to spend unlimited amounts of time rummaging through other people’s “junk.”
Porcelain Plates from Norway
It’s sort of like fishing. One day you catch your limit and then next day, well, the big one gets away. If you enjoy browsing and picking up some interesting items, even if it’s only valuable to you, stop by this great thrift store.
1977 James Taylor Promotional Album
Salvation Army Family Store
26 E. 125th St.
New York, NY 10035
1-800-SA-Truck
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Tagged: 125th St., harlem, Harlem Condo Life
By HarlemGuy
The Harlem Center for Healthy Living, located on 118th right off St. Nicholas Avenue (in the Rosa Parks Building) is a community based organization dedicated to making wellness practices accessible to everyone in the community.
For a very small ($25 as of this writing) lifetime membership fee, members enjoy a host of activities including exercise classes, special health workshops, and support services.
HarlemCondoLife
Robye Patrick Wallace, Executive Director
New Song Community Corporation
163 St. Nicholas Avenue
New York, NY 10026
Phone: 212.222.3256
Fax: 212.222.3258
Email: Robyepatrick@newsongharlem.com
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Tagged: harlem, Harlem Center for Healthy Living, Health, New Song Community Church, New Song Community Corporation, Robye Patrick Wallace, rosa parks, st. nicholas avenue, yoga
By HarlemGal
New York’s 104.3 is reporting that Costco is coming to Harlem! This is somewhat good news, if it is in fact true! I will still shop at our local venues. However if I need bulk in bubble gum, popcorn or cleaning products, I am so here!
UPDATE: Costco Store is opening up a store in East River Plaza, which is in East Harlem! This is Costco’s first store in Manhattan!
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Tagged: Costco Store, harlem
HarlemGuy
New York Magazine reports that the Harlem real estate market in experiencing a severe downturn.
While this is true there is also plenty of evidence that Harlem will continue to adapt, grow and thrive in a number ways. This is Manhattan. There will always be an over-supply of people looking for affordable housing. Harlem is on the island of Manhattan. Which means no long/expensive commutes on subways or trains between boroughs. This is Harlem. Despite it’s description as a less than desirable “ghetto” by an uninformed guest on a recent Chelsea Lately show, it’s a cool place to live, steeped in history, full of life and culture, and full of local flavor which is refreshing in what is fast becoming a “big box store” world”. It’s also full of entrepreneurs who have and will continue to make their way to Harlem and try new culinary, retail and lifestyle experiences that will further enhance the neighborhood.
Every time I walk the streets of Harlem – and I do so regularly, I am simply amazed at the variety of people and cultures. I love living here. I have always loved it here. That’s why I moved here. That’s why I intend on staying here. And I look forward to helping our community grow, one penny at a time – if that’s what it takes.
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Tagged: Chelsea Lately, harlem, New York Magazine, Real Estate
By Harlemista
Several weeks ago Pizzeria 123 was closed to an incident related to nearby construction. For the full story see Curbed.com.
One of our favorite neighborhood joints, Pizzeria 123, has reopened for business as usual 2 weeks after a “blowout” forced all of the occupants of the building, not just the restaurant, to vacate the premises.
Plenty of hungry tomato-deprived people were feeding their pizza jones on a recent chilly Saturday.
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Tagged: Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Pizzeria 123
By HarlemHouse
HarlemCondoLife
Do you want happy pets? Join me and other Harlem residents who are fans of the personable small owners’ attention you get from this everything you need pet supply store.
Owner Doris Wade opened the doors to “Posh Paws” 3 years ago and has had loyal customers ever since. Who wants to walk up to Broadway to get something your pet needs?
I went in recently… to buy food for my cat, and the knowledgeable salesperson “Katy” suggested I try something other then what I had intended to purchase. I wasn’t sure as I am stubborn to change. She kindly gave me a sample, and said “try this, if it works, come back tomorrow and by this instead as it is a much better product and will in the long run be healthier for your cat.”
HarlemCondoLife
Well, my cat liked it, and this is why I am blogging about this story today. It’s the little things in a store like this which make all the difference. I may never had come back with my free samples, but she was right and I want to shop there even more now. In today’s economy, every penny counts and it’s reassuring that we have a knowledgeable pet store right in the heart of our hood.
My props of the week go to Doris and her well run shop.
__________________________________________
POSH PAWS OF MANHATTAN
2121 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (between 114th & 115th St.)
212-662-POSH
www.poshpawsofmanhattan.com
__________________________________________
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Tagged: Cats, Dogs, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem, Pet Store, Posh Paws
By HarlemHouse
Harlemcondolife releases it’s third complimentary mix: Harlem Chill (Vol.I).
A soulful mix of downbeat, R&B, jazz, world & soul bringing it up-tempo to a soulful house ending.
Perfect Spring into Summer mix.
Complimentary download courtesy of HarlemCondoLife. Produced and remixed by RhythmDB.
Available on iTunes or podbean.
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Tagged: harlem, HarlemHouse, iTunes, Music, Podcast, Podcasts, RhythmDB
HarlemCondoLife
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MOJO by HarlemHouse
“At last” opening only two weeks ago Mojo Lounge already seems to have a steady crowd. I went on what I thought would be an empty Tuesday night for dinner and the restaurant was full with a bar crowd as well.
The decor is inviting with a blend of Moroccan flavor to it. The restaurant seats more then you would think by looking at it from the outside. Very comfortable nice atmosphere and extremely friendly efficient waitstaff. The owner “Moun” is personable and welcoming greeting various tables and making you feel at home. Also there is a nice sized “L” shaped bar along the back wall which doesn’t interfere with the dinning area and is very inviting.
I found the menu refreshing and unique for Harlem’s growing diversity of new spots popping up like weeds.
For appetizers I would recommend the Dates wrapped in bacon definitely a unique starter. Also they have a delicious range of Salads generously proportioned for an entree or shared by two. My favorite appetizer was the Grits with shiitaki mushrooms. Think outside the box, it’s not just a breakfast food. Delicious!
HarlemCondoLife
For Entrees I recommend the Grilled Salmon very tender nicely prepared with grapefruit slices and other unique spices. Also highly recommended are the Lamb chops with fries. Seems to be one of the most popular dishes on the menu. Perfectly seasoned and cooked to perfection. Everyone at my table was eating the fries that came with the lamb. Nothing necessarily unique about them other then that they were perfectly executed and dangerously addictive.
HarlemCondoLife
As for drinks, since they have only been open 2 weeks and I am picky about my cocktails, I’ll go easy on the criticism as I am sure they are growing day by day with helpful tips. The night I was there the bar service was a little slow. The mojitos were delicious once they came, however they had very little rum. Agreed by everyone at my table. They have a menu of specialty drinks that looked very good and maybe those are poured with a heavier hand. The bar is very comfortable and as I was finishing dinner I noticed it seemed to be drawing a growing crowd.
I think with Mojo’s great location, inviting atmosphere, impressive menu, and attractive crowd, it will be an instant hit in the growing scene of Harlemites.
I’m looking forward to going back and trying out more of the menu and giving the bartender a second chance on the mojitos.
Hopefully you will be fortunate to be there on a night that Adriana is working as she will instantly raise your spirits into a good mood and give you no doubt that you have picked the right place to wine and dine.
This restaurant/bar I predict will only continue to get more popular as we enthusiastically approach warmer weather and the need for great new places to relax, enjoy and fulfill our summer nights with.
185 Saint Nicholas Avenue (at 119th St.)
New York, NY 10026
(212) 280-1924
www.mojo-harlem.com
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Tagged: 119th Street, Bar, harlem, Lounge, Mojo, Mojo Lounge, Moroccan, Music, Restaurant, Saint Nicholas Ave, Trendy
By HarlemGuy
EASTER FESTIVAL THIS SATURDAY, APRIL 11TH FROM 2PM-4PM
This year’s popular Easter Festival is schedule to take place at the 135th Street Plaza in St. Nicholas Park on Saturday, April 11th from 2pm to 4pm. Join the Friends as we usher in Spring with Easter egg decorating, an Easter egg hunt, arts and crafts, cup cake decorating, and a special appearance by the Easter Bunny! We need lots of help planning! If you would like to volunteer and help plan for this event please contact us at info@stnicholaspark.org.
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Tagged: 135th St. Nichalas Park, Cats, Dogs, Easter, Pet
By NativeNewYorker
Every year the students at Mount Sinai host a health fair for the Harlem community. Last year’s was really fun. Try to stop by!
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Tagged: 5th Avenue, harlem, Health Fair, Mount Sinai
by Harlemista
I was looking to re-pot a beautiful hydrangea bought at Harlem Flo and the gentleman there referred me to Mushtari Hardware. What a surprise! In the front it’s a well-priced, extensive hardware store but walk to the back and there’s a hidden floral feast. Or maybe a mini tropical rain forest. Immediately my nose was hit with a beautiful waft of humid fragrant air and my eyes were filled with vibrant hues of healthy, flowering greenery. Beyond the plants themselves, Mushtari sells seeds, bags of potting soil, gardening implements and numerous planters. The people that work there are helpful and amiable and the entire store seemed to be quite popular and crowded. Mushtari Hardware is the perfect place to establish your urban garden.
Mushtari Hardware
31 W 125th st. 10027
(212)996-5544
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Tagged: 125th St., Flowers, Gardening, Hardware, harlem, Plants
By HarlemGuy
Rumour has it at that notices to close were sent for Fifth on the Park condominium yesterday. Fifth on the Park is one of two Harlem-based ultra-luxury condos and the first to reach this stage since the downturn.
Located on 120thand Fifth, the project is the tallest in Harlem and faces Marcus Garvey / Mt. Morris Park. It features multi-million dollar condos, parking, pool, gym, decks and other amenities.
Photo – Royce Douglas
The project was started over two year ago and has been delayed time and again. One of the founding members recently filed for bankruptcy, as reported on Curbed, Crain’s and the Raw Deal.
The sponsors claim to have enough solid contracts to close. However there does not yet appear to be a Certificate of Occupancy. Additionally it appears some buyers are seeking to get out of their deals and are networking and/or contacting the New York Attroney General’s Office.
For more information please track the latest and greatest on Curbed.com.
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Tagged: Crains, curbed.com, Fifth on the Park, Marcus Garvey Park, Mt. Morris Park, New York Attorney General's Office, Raw Deal, Royce Douglas
By HarlemHouse
Two nonprofit arts groups have been selected as part of the proposed Mart 125 redevelopment project. They are the National Jazz Museum in Harlem and ImageNation (independent cinema and progressive music established in 1997 to support progressive film and music for black and Latino people). Soul Cinema would be Harlem’s first and the nation’s only art-house movie theater dedicated to black and Latino films.
Photo: Hiroko Masuike
The jazz museum would use up to 10,000 square feet for a listening library and for performance, exhibition and office space, while ImageNation would create a theater of up to 2,000 square feet.
The project will have to attract interest from developers in order to move forward, and both institutions have announced plans to raise money.
Mart 125 opened in 1986. It was envisioned as a small-business incubator - creating entrepreneurs who would eventually start their own stores and perhaps own a stake in the Mart. The state reneted stalls to vendors and promissed management training, which never occured. The building began to deteriorate, and customer volume could not support the Mart, and stores begain having trouble paying the rent. The Giuliani administration evicted the vendors. The building has been empty since 2001.
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Tagged: Department of Cultural Affairs, Economic Development Corporation, ImageNation, ImageNation Soul Cinema, Mart 125, Moikgantsi Kgama, National Jazz Museum in Harlem, Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone
HarlemGuy
Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg has declared April 29 Duke Ellington Day in honor of the 110th anniversary of the jazz legends birth. To commemorate his life, The Islands Of The Bahamas are sponsoring a special run of the last surviving 1939 A Train, made famous by Duke Ellingtons signature tune Take the A Train.
Paul Ellington, members of the Duke Ellington Orchestra and musicians from Music Under New York (MUNY) will perform the iconic song on the mezzanine at 125th Street and St. Nicholas.
All musicians will then board and perform on the historic train as it travels out to JFK in regular service.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009 10 a.m. Remarks and performance by Paul Ellington, The Duke Ellington Orchestra and musicians from MUNY 11 a.m. sharp All Aboard!
A Train departs 125th Street, making express stops 11 a.m. 2 p.m. The A Train runs in revenue service and is open to the public
125th Street and St. Nicholas A Train (IND) Subway Station.
Sponsors include the Islands of The Bahamas, one of Duke Ellingtons favorite haunts and home of the famous Cat and Fiddle Club in Nassau where top Jazz musicians from around the world entertained in the 50s and 60s.
Click here for more information.
See our blog’s sidebar to purchase a copy of “Take The A Train” on iTunes
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Tagged: A Train, Cat and Fiddle Club, Duke Ellington, Duke Ellington Day, Duke Ellington Orchestra, Michael R. Bloomberg, MUNY, Music Under New York, Paul Ellington, The Bahamas, The Islands Of The Bahamas
By Harlemista
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
That small exquisite window of beauty known as Spring-on-the-Cherry walk is in full swing. Travel from 125th street (don’t miss the new waterside park) down to 103rd along the sparkling Hudson River mostly under a canopy of pale pink blossoms and verdant trees. So quickly–grab a bike or at least a comfy pair of walking shoes and go.
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By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife (110th Street & Manhattan Avenue)
When I first moved to Harlem a few years back there were a ton of empty/abandon lots. I am finding lately that these lots are now becoming extinct and there are only a few left – at least in Central Harlem. The last of the Harlem lots are within a one mile radius.
There is the lot on the corner 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue. There was a building there for years-now its an empty lot. Head east on 110th Street making a left onto Frederick Douglass Boulevard and there is another empty lot between 112th Street and 113th. Keep going down FDB and there is an another abandon lot at 117th Street.
HarlemCondoLife (FDB btw 112th & 113th St.)
Why am I focused on these empty lots? Simple. I believe these lots won’t stay empty for long. They will face the same destiny as the space on 114th Street & FDB, 115th & FDB, or 122nd & FDB. To my knowledge, all of the new construction mentioned were previously abandoned lots. Now we can speculate forever on what’s going to happen with these new buildings whether they will go condo, rental or vacant, but the truth of the matter is space does not last long especially when its located near two wonderful parks, such as Central Park North and Morningside Heights Park. What I see every day on my way to work: Harlem’s structural landscape continues to change even during the most volatile of times. I believe the old adage applies to these empty lots: “take a picture, it last longer.”
HarlemCondoLife (115th & FDB)
HarlemCondoLife (122nd & FDB)
HarlemCondoLife (114th & FDB)
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Tagged: 110th Street, 113th Street, 114th Street, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, New Construction
It’s My Park! Day will take place in St. Nicholas Park on Saturday May 16th from 11am to 4pm. You can arrive at either the 135th Street plaza or at the West 141st Street entrance in St. Nicholas park starting at 11am to sign-up.
We’ll need lots of volunteers for planting flowers and painting fences near the Hamilton Grange. Projects are coordinated by the Friends of St. Nicholas Park and the National Park Service. At 2pm, a National Park Service Ranger will give a tour and answer questions about the new site of the Hamilton Grange. Also at 2pm, “Sleeping Beauty” will be performed by Puppeteers from City Parks Foundation’s Swedish Cottage Marionette Theater on the 135th Street Plaza.
Please remember to wear clothes for working with flowers and paint. We will supply gloves but bring your own work gloves if you have them. The Friends will have water on hand as well. Spread the word and hope to see you there!
http://stnicholaspark.org/2009/05/10/itsmyparkday200/
During our extra special It’s My Park! Day this year, the City Parks Foundation will be producing a puppet show for neighborhood children at the 135th Street plaza in St. Nicholas Park. Sleeping Beauty tells the story of beautiful Princess Aurora and her friends. The event is free and is part of our day long effort to spruce up the park for Summer.
It’s My Park! Day begins at 11am – with sign up at the Plaza. The Friends and other neighborhood groups will be planting gardens near the Hamilton Grange and painting the wrought iron fence that surrounds this Historic home in St. Nicholas Park.
The Puppet show begins at 2pm as well as an historic tour of the Hamilton Grange area in St. Nicholas Park, which was part of the original Hamilton estate.
For more information, you can go to the Partnership for Parks website or email the Friends with any questions at info@stnicholaspark.org.
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By HarlemGal
Wondering why N Boutique is closed and no signs of shopping life inside? They’re moving “a few blocks away” from their 116th Street flagship store. They are planning “a new store opening and celebrity-filled relaunch event.”
Good for them and glad t o hear they are staying in Harlem! I purchased a lovely summer dress there last season. It was very convenient to shop at N Boutique since it was centrally located in Harlem. Didn’t have to go downtown.
Looking forward to hearing more about their new location. N Boutique, if your reading HCL tell us exactly where your moving!
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Tagged: 116th Street, Central Harlem, N Boutique
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
On my way to Chase Bank, I noticed that Quality Dry Cleaner was having their Grand Opening today for its new location on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 116th and 117th Street. I met the owner and he said “they have been in business in Harlem for more than ten years with another location on 121st Street and for me to kindly not characterize them as new to the community.” Understood Mr. Owner! Congratulations on your expansion!
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 116th, 117th, dry cleaning, Frederick Douglass Blvd., new business
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
Okay….what’s up with the church on Manhattan Ave between 115th and 116th Street? It appears that this place of worship has decided – by choice I hope – to side with the real estate gods. They have a for sale sign out in front! From my understanding, this place of worship is not the first to deal in real estate and probably will not be the last. St. John the Divine sold part of their property to developers who built the Avalon on Morningside Heights Park and the building going up on the northwest corner of 115th Street and Fredrick Douglass Blvd is rumored to have a church inside the new condo once its complete. With all these religious organizations dabbling in real estate, I guess its a positive attribution toward Harlem from the man upstairs…in sky!
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Tagged: Avalon, Corcoran, harlem, Morningside Heights, Real Estate
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Tagged: Memorial Day
By HarlemGal
Need some cool clothing ware for the summer? Or an outfit to hang out at Mojo or 67 Orange? If the answer is yes, you may want to head to Bebenoir this weekend. They are having a midnight sale. If your not sure what to buy I recommend the t-shirts with the Ethiopian masks. They are the coolest! I have purchased three so far: pink with glitter masks, an off white tee with black masks and a green tee with masks for luck! Stop by for a quick look! You won’t be disappointed.
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Tagged: Bebenoir, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard
On Memorial Day Weekend I decided that I wanted to lay by a pool. I looked up Lasker Rink and Pool to see if it was open. It was not. It would not be open until July. What a shame I thought, why can’t the pool be open now? Is it a matter of cost? Can the city really not afford to open the pool in May? How much could it cost? Why can’t we raise the money locally. Perhaps from a local business or bank or activities (not to mention our taxes). What about Bank of America? Talk about a way to build brand, loyalty, acquire customers, retain customers, grow a community, etc? What a way to keep kids, adults families healthy, happy, out of trouble?
Tell us what you think. What date range do you think the pool should be open? How would that benefit you, your family, your friends, your community?
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Tagged: Lasker Rink and Pool, Memorial Day, Uncategorized
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
At the corner of 117th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, a new restaurant is slowly coming to life and our prediction of Frederick Douglass Blvd (between 110th Street and 125th) becoming “the restaurant row” of Harlem is inching its way toward reality. Workers are on site every day hammering and painting away to ensure the new restaurant opens up in June – just in time for the summer season. Its been reported on several blogs that this corner will be the home of a new Italian restaurant, however, what I have not heard definitively is whose behind this new place? Our tipsters say its the owner of Society Cafe and 67 Orange, along with a few quite investors. If you know scoop, tell us!
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 118th Street, 67 Orange, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, new restaurant, predictions, Society Cafe
By Icare4Harlem
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
For quite some time only a handful of push carts were visible in the early morning. On the NW corner of 116th and Lenox Ave., a coffee and pastry cart was based at the entrance of the subway station. In the past two months a few more have sprung up on Frederick Douglass Blvd. and 110th and 116th. Fruit stands are also present in these areas. As the neighborhood grows it’s nice to see the diversity that accompanies this expansion.
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Tagged: 110th Street, 116th Street, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem
By Harlemista
The Citarella on 125th street is a strange oasis almost hidden amongst the throng of a major thoroughfare. Upon entering from the chaotic street, it has a cool, calm suburban vibe. No rushing here. Even though it’s small, there’s always room to push your cart and browse. This branch of the venerable gourmet grocery chain is 3 years old this week, and considering that the very first Citarella opened in 1912 on Broadway and 164th, I guess Harlem is it’s rightful home.
While it is more expensive and has much less variety than Fairway, on the other hand, it is much closer to my apartment and much easier to access and navigate, so I’m always popping in for a nice cheese or prosciutto or filet of fresh fish.
Weekday or weekend it never seems to be incredibly busy so I’m not sure how it sustains itself (Citarella owns the entire buiding so that may help). And if the upscale grocery gods ever grant us a Trader Joe’s or Whole Foods or Garden of Eden in SoHa 118, I don’t know what the future of this Citarella would be. But for now I’m glad it’s here and encourage everyone to check it out.
Citarella
461 W 125th St @Amsterdam Avenue
212.874.0383
www.citarella.com
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Tagged: 125th street, Citarella, Food, gourmet, Grocery Store, harlem, Seafood, Uncategorized
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife was exclusively inside at the 75th anniversary celebration of The Apollo Theater where they honored the likes of Quincy Jones, Bill and Camille Crosby, and Patti Labelle.
The entire program was fabulous from start to finish. The production and local talent they featured were top notch. Chanj and Zaccheus Denwiddie were the local talent featured and all I can say is that we will be seeing these two young individuals in the years to come. No question about it.
As always, The Apollo Foundation knows how to “do it up” when it comes to entertaining their top donors. By the way, they raised more than $1 million from this event. Not bad and it’s worth it to keep this national monument/shrine going for years to come. However, HCL wants to raise awareness on how cool it is to live in Harlem and that fun, interesting things happen here everyday. And last nights gala was one of them. This is what I witnessed:
HarlemCondoLife
*It was an Obamafest last night. Quincy Jones and Bill Crosby both mentioned how they believed in President Obama. Jones said he always believed in Obama. Jaime Foxx impersonated Obama and it was spot on. If Saturday Night Live needs a back up, Jaime’s the man.
*Foxx was the award presenter to Jones. During his remarks honoring Jones he morphed into Ray Charles. Remarkable is all I can say. And I saw first hand why he was given an Oscar for his role as Ray.
*Jones and Patti Labelle, who were both honored, appeared truly touched, moved and humbled by the awards that were presented to them. They both echoed themes of “never forget where you come from!” Jones said something to the effect “know where you come from so that you can get to where you want to go.” Amen!
HarlemCondoLife
*Bill Crosby has not changed a bit. He was the educator every step of the way throughout his remarks. He spoke of Shirley Chisholm, a politician, educator, and author; and how she was and should be acknowledged as the trailblazer for President Obama.
*Fantasia performed Purple Rain. I guess it was a tease on what was to come for the night!
*Prince made a surprise appearance to present, along with Mariah Carey, to Labelle. Everyone was in shock to see him even the host Steve Harvey.
*Carey and Prince made it clear to the audience, they worship the ground that Labelle walks on. Mariah Carey got emotional during her remarks over Labelle.
HarlemCondoLife
*Comedian and gala host Steve Harvey was hysterical! The audience seemed to enjoy his presence. I certainly did, especially when he made fun of Dick Parson and hip hop. According to Harvey, those hip hop songs sound great now, but that they won’t mean a thing when you’re 50 years old! As for Parson, he hinted at how Parson needed to work on his presentation or was it that maybe he needed a new speechwriter? Either way it was funny what he said and how he said it!
This is what I witnessed at the show. And that’s just the gala. For a recap of actual events, you can view them on twitter.
Stay tuned for a post on the gala after party! It was unbelievable!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
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Tagged: 125th street, Bill Crosby, Camilla Crosby, Fantasia, Jaime Foxx, Mariah Carey, Patti LaBelle, Prince, Quincy Jones, The Apollo Theater
By HarlemGal
While some major blogs are covering The Real Housewives of New York’s Bethenny Frankel and her wardrobe malfunction at The Apollo Theater’s 75th Anniversary Gala, HarlemCondoLife, who had inside access to the gala and after party, can happily attest that many women at the event looked very sharp and classy in their fashionable attire. I saw a lot of short cocktail dresses that looked very nice and chic. Thank goodness the gala served soul food in a box. This allowed guests to continue mingling and looking great. In addition to the mini dresses, women wore mid to floor length dresses that donned colorful fabric. Below are some of the looks at this year’s gala. Everyone looked great and extremely stylish! What can you expect from The Apollo Theater?
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Tagged: bethenny frankel, fashion, The Apollo Theater
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
I was walking down Frederick Douglass Blvd recently and low and behold, what did I see? I saw a big drill in one of the empty lots we posted about a few weeks back. Generally when there is a drill like the one in the photo that means a developer or real estate company is preparing for some type of construction. I asked the men on site and they said a condo is going up! If anyone knows the exact lowdown, please tell us. Other than that, there goes another Harlem lot…
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Tagged: 112th Street, 113th Street, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, harlem, Harlem lots, Real Estate
Pictures taken Thursday night by Harlemista at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater. R.I.P. Michael Jackson.
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Tagged: Apollo Theater, harlem, Michael Jackson
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Tagged: Michael Jackson
By HarlemGal
Fans will be allowed into The Apollo Theater today from 2:15 to 8:30 PM to remember the “King of Pop.” Fans will be able to leave flowers and memorabilia at the foot of the Apollo stage. If you are interested in attending, better hurry up and take the A train to 125th Street. According to some tweets on Twitter, there is a long line forming already! See you there!
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Tagged: 125th street, Apollo Theater, harlem, Michael Jackson
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife went to go check out the scene early at The Apollo Theater for the Michael Jackson public memorial. Based on these photos provided by Austin2Harlem, HCL’s new guest blogger, the lines are wrapped around the corner on 125th!
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Tagged: Apollo Theater, harlem, Michael Jackson
By HarlemGal
I just want to give a shout out to Damaa Bell for writing an insightful, well thought out response regarding a recent article in The NY Times about Harlem and the real estate market.
THANK YOU Damaa Bell. Click here to read her article.
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Tagged: harlem, Real Estate, The New York Times, Uptown Flavor
By HarlemGal
Tienes un headache, sore throat or the flu? Well, look no further! Doctor Diego has arrived in Harlem on the ground floor of 111 Central Park North. According to his website, Dr. Diego hablan en espanol and does home visits. Que suave! Pero what insurance does he take?
→ 10 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 111 Central Park North, Diego Ponieman, Doctors, harlem, Health
HarlemCondoLife
By NativeNewYorker
Located in the basement of The Douglass at 279 W 117th Street, this used to be a “monthly’s only” garage, (mostly for residents of the Douglass) but it is now open to the public. The entrance is actually on 118th Street, between Frederick Douglass Blvd and St. Nicholas Ave. It’s open 24 hours, the staff are friendly and, as of this post, monthly spaces are still available and reasonably priced.
HarlemCondoLife
There is also casual parking for visitors – any 12 hours is only $8.45 + tax. Check it out!
PARK 1117th LLC
279 W Street
New York, NY 10026
212 222-0242
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Tagged: 117th Street, 118th Street, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Harlem services, parking
By NativeNewYorker
August in NYC means HARLEM WEEK, a unique celebration of the history, culture and creativity of the Harlem community. This year marks the 35th anniversary of HARLEM WEEK which started as a one day celebration in 1974 and has grown to a month long extravaganza that showcases Harlem’s past, present and future.
The official kick-off was last Sunday at Grant’s Tomb: “A Great Day in Harlem” featured dance, theatre, gospel, jazz, fashion and R & B. An amazing array of events are scheduled for the next four weeks including seminars on economic development, special events for seniors and children, a health fair, an art tour and many, many more. Check out the HARLEM WEEK website for the full schedule.
HarlemWeekLogo
My favorite event last year was “Uptown Saturday Night”, a day long outdoor festival along West 135th Street with traditional and exotic foods, handmade crafts, local artists and vendors and a series of live performances featuring both national headliners and emerging talent. Don’t miss this year’s event:
AUGUST 15th “UPTOWN SATURDAY NITE” 11:00 AM – 8:00 PM
West 135th St. from Malcolm X Blvd to St. Nicholas Avenue
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Tagged: 135th Street, harlem, Harlem Week
By HarlemGal
As we and several other blogs reported awhile back, N Boutique is relocating in Harlem. They recently notified their customers in an email announcing their new location, which is 171 Lenox Avenue. Good news for shoppers who do not want to trek downtown for fun and chic clothing!
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Tagged: Central Harlem, N Boutique
In the last few months a great deal of progress has been made erecting the additional floors and completing the joining of two buildings that when complete will represent the vision that is the Gateway Condominium on Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem.
Below are a few pictures illustrating the progress being made.
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By HarlemGal
I have been living in Central Harlem for about five years now and when I see a newspaper feature my community I get very excited. I immediately share these types of clips with my family back in the Southwest or friends in Washington, D.C or abroad…and now with you to say “hey, take a look at my home/community in this publication. This is where I live with so many different and interesting people. And I am proud to be a Harlemite.” Enjoy and cheers!
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Tagged: Real Estate
By HarlemHouse
Harlemcondolife releases it’s fourth complimentary mix: Global Summer (World Traveler) Mix.
A musical journey of hand-picked tracks that will take you on a journey through a variety of cultures and styles, much like you will find in Harlem today. Perfect end of the summer chill-out mix for cocktail parties and BBQs.
Complimentary download courtesy of HarlemCondoLife. Produced and remixed by RhythmDB.
Available for download on iTunes or streaming our streaming audio site.
For more information Visit www.HarlemCondoLife.com, search for HarlemCondoLife on iTunes or Facebook or search for Rhythmdb on Myspace, iTunes or Facebook.
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Tagged: harlem, hcl, Music, nyc, Podcasts
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
Update: Thanks to a reader of HarlemCondoLife the film crew in front of Mojo Monday night was in fact American Express. We also contacted Amex. According to Joanna Lambert, a spokesperson with Amex, she said in an email “they were filming in Harlem yesterday for an exciting project they will be launching in the coming weeks – stay tuned.” Interesting! Mojo is already raking in the film credits. Good for them. And hopefully Amex will keep HarlemCondoLife posted on their project!
One never knows what they will see while walking the streets of Harlem. On Monday evening, Austin2Harlem,our guest blogger and now photographer, was running errands and this is the action he saw happening in front of Mojo, one of the hottest restaurants in Central Harlem. Looks like Mojo is the backdrop for some filming or could it be the star attraction? Hmm…diganos!
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Tagged: American Express, harlem, Mojo
By HarlemGuy
Restaurant week is one of my favorite promotions.
Anyone who knows anything about New York City knows that Harlem is one of the greatest venues for food, to which many of our reviews attest.
Which I why I am extremely disappointed that the most recent promotion features not one restaurant in Harlem.
Surely this is an oversight which needs to be corrected.
Let them hear from you: web@nycgo.com.
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Tagged: hcl, new york city, restaurant week
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
Questan’s
2113 Frederick Douglass Blvd
Harlem, NY 10026
212.300.4399
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Tagged: Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Questans
Photo by Peter Lindbergh for Harper's Bazaar
By HarlemGal
If you want to see Harlem’s iconic sights, such as beautiful row houses or the Cotton Club or Lenox Lounge, and a gorgeous supermodel together in print, go purchase the 2009 September issue of Harper’s Bazaar. The fashion magazine features Harlem and Chanel Iman in a spread called “Fashion and All That Jazz.”
In my view, Harlem photographs very well and of course the supermodel does not look bad either. Pretty cool…huh?
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Tagged: Chanel Iman, Cotton Club, fashion, harlem, Harper's Bazaar, Lenox Lounge, supermodels
By HarlemGal
N Harlem New York
N Harlem New York is starting their pre-publicity for its fall opening on Lenox Avenue. They are offering customers the opportunity to purchase their “Harlem is the new Black” t-shirt in advance of the opening. Click here for details.
As for the trademark, “Harlem is the new Black,” I like it! It is very similar to the quotes by Tina Fey and Tracy Morgan from Saturday Night Live: “Bitch is the new Black” and “If Black is the new bitch, then Black is the new President….” What do you think of N’s new slogan tee?
→ 1 CommentCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: comedians, Famous Quotes, fashion, harlem, N Boutique, NBC, Saturday Night Live, Shopping, t-shirts, Tina Fey, Tracy Morgan
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife attended the official book launch of The National Parks: Our American Landscape. We wanted to see exactly what this book entailed since a portion of the proceeds are going to National Parks. The entire evening ended up being more than we expected. First, we learned that a book about National Parks had not been published in awhile. And second, Ian Shive, the photographer, took time to tell stories with the guests one-on-one about how the book came to light.
We asked Shive what he takes away from this project. “I encourage people to go visit a national park. You may see something you have never seen before.”
If you want a nice coffee table book for your office or home that will spark interesting conversation, we recommend buying this book. Plus it’s $40. Not bad since it will help our National Parks, such as General Grant National Memorial in Harlem.
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Tagged: general grant national memorial, harlem, ian shive, national parks
By Austin2Harlem
When I lived in Austin I enjoyed watching all of the various versions of Law & Order. Today, walking around in my new adopted city and neighborhood, Harlem, I came across the film crew of Law & Order. They are filming the Emmy Award winning television series in Central Harlem today August 27th and tomorrow August 28th! The crew is on 116th Street between Frederick Douglass Blvd. and Manhattan Avenue!
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Tagged: 116th Street, Central Harlem, Frederick Douglass, Law & Order, Manhattan Avenue, NBC
By HarlemGal
Thanks to one of HarlemCondoLife’s readers, they have shared with us the final video piece that was being filmed a few weeks back at Mojo, Harlem’s hip restaurant located at 119th Street and St. Nicholas. Check out the video below. The whole place looks red hot in the video and it turns out it is publicizing a good cause – recognizing small business! A BIG THANK YOU TO OUR READER FOR PROVIDING THE VIDEO!
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Tagged: 119th Street, American Express, commericials, dining, harlem, Law & Order, Mojo, NBC Universal, Restaurant, S Epatha Merkerson, Shine A Light, small business, St. Nicholas
By HarlemGal,
HarlemCondoLife received a nice shout out from the wonderful done and informative HarlemOneStop about NYC Fashions’s Night Out, the global initiative spearheaded by Vogue magazine. The event is Thursday, September 10th from 6pm-9pm at The Dwyer Cultural Center located at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue at 123rd Street.
HCL is attending this event because its presenting the work of eight distinguished artists, such as crochet artist Xenobia Bailey and textile expert Jerry Grant, the hosts are Harlem Arts Alliance, HarlemOneStop and The Dwyer, and we want to support blogs dedicated to all things postive about Harlem. Oh, did we mention the event is…..FREE? Yes, it is FREE so come on out this Thursday and let’s support this initiative! Hope to see you there!
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Tagged: 123rd Street, art, artisans, artists, fashion, global initiative, harlem, Harlem Arts Alliance, HarlemOneStop, St. Nicholas, uptown, Vogue Magazine
By HarlemGal
I can’t believe it’s been eight years since that day. Wow. Has anything changed since then? For me, it would take countless hours to answer that question. What do you think? For now, I just want to post these pictures and think of those that were lost…..
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By HarlemGuy
Photo credits: New York Magazine
I was reading the latest issue of the New York Magazine and stumbled upon the fact that Neil Patrick Harris reportedly lives in Harlem. 
It’s fantastic to live in a community that continues to be at the nexus of so much of what life has to offer and in every sense of the word.
As previously noted in our previous blog posts a number of other notable personalities are “in the hood”.
HarlemCondoLife welcomes one and all.
Who have you seen lately in Harlem – let us know the scoop!
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By HarlemGal
From this photo it looks like our circle at the intersection of 110th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd is ready with the exception of the sculpture! All I can say is “it’s about time” and as a Harlemite I am ready to visit the circle!
HarlemCondoLife
→ 4 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 110th Street, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem
By HarlemGal
Photo by The New York Times
As a Harlemite, I get tickled pink when I see The New York Times feature our neighborhood…again. They featured some excellent places to hang out in this weekend’s edition, however let’s not forget there is a ton more in our fabulous neighborhood of Harlem to visit than the Times mentions. They could have referenced Nectar or 67 Orange or even the Apollo Theater as places to visit. Then again there is only so much copy space in a print and online publication. That’s why blog sites such as HarlemCondoLife, HarlemOneStop, Harlem+Bespoke and UptownFlavor are here as another option to learn more about Harlem! If your wondering where to go in Harlem, any of these blog sites can assist!
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Tagged: harlem, Mojo Lounge, Nector, The Apollo Theater, The New York Times
By HarlemGuy
I was disturbed by this recent cover of New York Magazine. It initially invoked anger, sadness, frustration and disbelief to name a few.
However it is important to look beyond the hate and the fear. To focus on the momentousness of this time in history. To focus on the future.
Those of us who live or work or play in Harlem are helping to create that future. One that is rooted in a storied past. One in which new stories of positive change are happening every second of every day and in part chronicled by our blog.
It’s been said that a tree grows in Brooklyn.
Let it be said that Hope is Harlem (TM).
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Tagged: harlem, New York Magazine, Obama
By Austin2Harlem
I was on my way to Spanish Harlem the other day to pick up my truck that’s being worked on and I noticed this place of worship being operated on. I wondered what happened. I went online and read that this lovely church on 116th between Lenox and Fifth Avenue is actually meeting the man upstairs…in the sky! Safe journey.
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Tagged: 116th Street, Baptist Temple Church, Fifth Avenue, harlem, Lenox Avenue
By HarlemGal
HarlemCondoLife
In June, we posted about how we saw early signs of new construction starting, i.e. the big drill. Well, it looks like it’s official. At 2080 Frederick Douglass Blvd, between 112th and 113th Streets, the permit signs are up and stapled to the plywood! If it’s condos they are building here, it’s a great location in my view. This lot is two two blocks away from Central Park North and one block from Morningside Heights Park. Can’t get more green than that – unless they green the roof in the final construction.
Harlem lots are becoming a thing of the past!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
→ 8 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 112th Street, 113th Street, Central Harlem, Central Park North, Frederick Douglass Blvd., harlem, Morningside Heights Park, New Construction, permits, Real Estate
By HarlemGal
Photo provided by The Amazing Race on CBS
Did anyone watch the season premiere of The Amazing Race on CBS, Sunday September 27th? One of the teams competing for the big prize are Herbert Lang and Nathaniel Lofton, two members of the Harlem Globetrotters.
From what I saw on the tube this past Sunday, they have some serious potential to win it. First, who knows the importance of team spirit better than a Harlem Globetrotter? Second, they have stamina from all that precise dribbling up and down the basketball court. Third, they are known to pull a few tricks out of their magic hat on the court. That skill could seriously help with the different challenges ahead. And last, they have traveled all over the world with the Globetrotters. They have a landscape edge based on their travels. Given their potential, HarlemCondoLife will be watching every Sunday and rooting for Herbert and Nathaniel! Go team!
Photo provided by The Amazing Race on CBS
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Tagged: basketball, CBS, harlem, Harlem Globetrotters, international, The Amazing Race, travel, Travelocity, TV shows
By HarlemGal
Photo provided by HOAST
If you don’t have any plans the weekend of October 10, we have a recommendation for you. Take a ride uptown on the A, C, B, D or 2/3 and check out the Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour, also known as HOAST. HOAST is having their fifth annual walking tour of Harlem artist studios, galleries and exhibition spaces October 10th and 11th from noon to 6 p.m. Based on the HOAST map, there is plenty see and do in Harlem. So vamanos!
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Tagged: art, artist, harlem, HOAST, studio tour, uptown, walking tour
By HarlemGuy
Photos: HarlemGuy
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By HarlemGal
It’s a rumor no more! Best Yet is coming to Harlem and it will be in the SoHa building on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 118th and 119th Street.
And thanks to a reader for giving us the heads up. Much appreciated. Now the big question I have is…when will they open for business? Hopefully it won’t take as long as it did to sign the lease!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
→ 21 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Best Yet, groceries, harlem, SoHa
By HarlemGuy
HarlemCondoLife congratulates recent Harlem visitor President Barack Obama for being awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009.
In doing so we signal our agreement with the following well-mannered sentiments captured in a recent New York Times article:
“I know there’s going to be some people who are saying ‘Was it based on good intentions and thoughts, or is it going to be based on results?’ ” Mr. Pawlenty said on his weekly radio show on WCCO in Minneapolis. “But I think the appropriate response, or an appropriate response, is when anybody wins a Nobel Prize, you know that is a very noteworthy development and designation and award, and I think the proper response is to say congratulations.” – Gov. Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota, a Republican who is considering challenging Mr. Obama in 2012.
We also thought it would be fitting to share the reason for the award directly from the organization.
The Nobel Peace Prize for 2009
The Norwegian Nobel Committee has decided that the Nobel Peace Prize for 2009 is to be awarded to President Barack Obama for his extraordinary efforts to strengthen international diplomacy and cooperation between peoples. The Committee has attached special importance to Obama’s vision of and work for a world without nuclear weapons.
Obama has as President created a new climate in international politics. Multilateral diplomacy has regained a central position, with emphasis on the role that the United Nations and other international institutions can play. Dialogue and negotiations are preferred as instruments for resolving even the most difficult international conflicts. The vision of a world free from nuclear arms has powerfully stimulated disarmament and arms control negotiations.
Thanks to Obama’s initiative, the USA is now playing a more constructive role in meeting the great climatic challenges the world is confronting. Democracy and human rights are to be strengthened.
Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world’s attention and given its people hope for a better future. His diplomacy is founded in the concept that those who are to lead the world must do so on the basis of values and attitudes that are shared by the majority of the world’s population.
For 108 years, the Norwegian Nobel Committee has sought to stimulate precisely that international policy and those attitudes for which Obama is now the world’s leading spokesman. The Committee endorses Obama’s appeal that “Now is the time for all of us to take our share of responsibility for a global response to global challenges.”
Oslo, October 9, 2009
Congratulations to President Obama for being awarded the 2009 Nobel Peace Prize.
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As you know HarlemCondoLife features podcasts from a local Harlem resident.
Today HarlemCondoLife is pleased to announce that you can hear more of his sounds on the Debut of I’MA BE ME, Wanda Sykes’ HBO Special
The special debuts on HBO Saturday October 10th (TODAY) @ 10PM EST.
Yes, Harlem (TM).
→ 5 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: Celebrity, HBO, LGBT, Wanda Sykes
By HarlemGal
I walked to the 2/3 subway stop today at 110th Street and Central Park North and noticed half of the retail space is gone at 111 Central Park North. HarlemCondoLife told you about Doctor Diego moving in to that space, and there had been a lot of chatter online about a McDonalds going there and Subway. Well, we know a Subway franchise got it’s way and a deli. I guess the tenents/owners in 111CPN were able to say “no way Jose” to the golden arches. If that is in fact true, as a homeowner in Harlem I am very happy!
HarlemCondoLife
HarlemCondoLife
→ 2 CommentsCategories: Uncategorized
Tagged: 111 Central Park North, Doctor Diego, harlem, retail space, Subway
