Category Archives: history

Congrats to Harlem RBI, Prince Harry is visiting East Harlem today

Posted on May 14, 2013 | Leave a comment

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It’s been all over the news. A Prince will be in Harlem today! According to several online reports, Prince Harry will be in East Harlem to visit Harlem RBI for some baseball and to promote the program. That’s so wonderful for them! Way to go Harlem RBI! That’s a home run!

“For more than 20 years Harlem RBI has been serving the neighborhood.  The organization started by reclaiming an abandoned garbage filled lot and turning it into 2 baseball diamonds that would become true fields of dreams for disadvantaged kids in East Harlem.”

If you’re not familiar with Harlem RBI, visit prior posts here to learn more.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Events, Harlem, Harlem blogs, Harlem businesses, history, kids, New York, New York City, NYC

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Friends of Frederick Douglass Circle in Harlem invites community to meeting April 23

Posted on April 13, 2013 | Leave a comment

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A group of Harlemites, who live near the Frederick Douglass Circle in Harlem, have formed a community organization called Friends of Frederick Douglass Circle. The Friends of Frederick Douglass Circle aim “to beautify this particular area of Harlem and bring events to the circle.”

This organization is having a pubic meeting April 23 at 301 Cathedral Parkway and we are all invited to attend. See details below if interested in participating.

Read prior blog coverage of Frederick Douglass Circle here.

Friends of Frederick Douglass

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Posted in Community, education, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Frederick Douglass Circle, Free!, Harlem, Harlem blogs, history, New York, New York City, NYC

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Support Changing Face of Harlem, film in final stretch of completion

Posted on March 3, 2013 | 2 Comments

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Changing Face of Harlem, a documentary about Harlem’s ongoing transformation told from the voices of longtime residents, business owners, politicians, developers, and clergy, is in the home stretch to complete the film. This month they have launched an Indiegogo campaign to raise $30,000 to meet final post-production costs. Post-production costs cover final sound mixing, edit, color correction, and costs of archival footage, graphics and music.

To help Changing Face of Harlem meet their goal, go here to donate. The campaign runs for the month of March.

Read prior posts here on Changing Face of Harlem.

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Posted in 110th Street, 116th Street, 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, business, Community, education, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem blogs, Harlem Restaurant Row, history, Lenox Avenue, Marcus Garvey Park, Mt. Morris Park, New York, New York City, NYC, politics, real estate, restaurants, Studio Museum Harlem

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What to do in Harlem this Friday? Casa Frela Gallery, Harlem School of the Arts, Harlem Salsa, Harlem Bar Crawl

Posted on January 23, 2013 | Leave a comment

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There are several Harlem happenings taking place this Friday evening, Jan 25. They’re lined up below for your consideration.

Casa Frela Gallery will present the works of furniture artist Yoav S. Liberman from 8-10 pm. In addition to showing Yoav’s fantastic furniture pieces, he will also speak about the art pieces currently in the gallery, as well as an informal Q&A to follow. To attend this FREE event, RSVP to events@casafrela.com.

Grammy Award-winning pianist, composer and Musical Director Arturo O’Farrill and the Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra will take the stage at the Harlem School of the Arts’ Winter Music Festival, located at 645 Saint Nicholas Avenue. This will be the first of several concerts presented by O’Farrill and the members of his jazz orchestra this year. This event starts at 6:30 pm and it is FREE.

Over on the Westside, it’s Harlem Salsa at Dinosaur BBQ, located 700 125th Street. One hour salsa classes are offered from 6-7 pm. Admittance for the evening is $10. See more details in picture below.

And the Harlem Bimonthly Bar Crawl continues on Lenox Avenue starting at 9 pm. Participating establishments for the 25th include: Les Ambassades Bar & Restaurant, Harlem Corner Social, Red Rooster Harlem, Cove Lounge, and Chez Lucienne.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Bars, Corner Social, drinks, entertainment, Events, food, Harlem, Harlem School of the Arts, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants, spending

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Celebrate Martin Luther King Day and President Obama’s Second Inauguration at Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem

Posted on January 19, 2013 | Leave a comment

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Lots to celebrate this coming Monday. And if you need a place to celebrate in Harlem, Ginny’s Supper Club in Harlem, 310 Lenox Ave, is inviting us all over. In celebration of Martin Luther King Day and President Obama’s second inauguration, Ginny’s Supper Club will host two special events.

The first is an inauguration watching party at 11:00 a.m. on Monday, January 21st. Guests can order from Marcus Samuelsson’s acclaimed upstairs restaurant and Red Rooster Harlem, while watching a live-feed of the inauguration downstairs at Ginny’s Supper Club. In 2011, the President Obama held a swanky fundraiser at Red Rooster Harlem and in 2009, Marcus Samuelsson was chosen to cook the Obama Administration’s first State Dinner.

The celebration of Dr. King’s dream continues into the evening of January 21st, with a two-set special performance by Amanda Brown of The Voice. Brown’s performance will be complemented by excerpts of Dr. King’s iconic “I have a Dream” speech. Ginny’s small plates and playful cocktails will round out the celebratory evening. Guests can make reservations by calling 212-421-3821 in advance. There is no cover. Shows start at 8:00 p.m. and 10:00 p.m.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Bars, education, Events, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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Harlem’s Democracy Prep Public Schools to host ‘Inauguration of a DREAM’

Posted on January 9, 2013 | Leave a comment

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This January 21st, Democracy Prep Public Schools, which operates six charter schools in the Harlem area, will be hosting “Inauguration of a DREAM: a Celebration of Education, Service, and Democracy” from 10 am to 4 pm at the Harlem Armory. This event is free and open to the public. It will feature live music, guest speakers, food, door prizes, and community service opportunities to commemorate Martin Luther King Jr. Day. This event will coincide with the second Presidential Inauguration of President Barack Obama.

If interested in attending this event, please RSVP by January 15 at Eventbrite.com.

Democracy Prep is a growing network of six free, open-enrollment, high-performing no excuses public charter schools committed to preparing scholars for success in the college of their choice and a life of active citizenship. Teachers and staff currently educate more than 1,500 scholars in grades K-12 at six schools across the Harlem neighborhood. To learn more about Democracy Prep Public Schools, visit their website.
Inauguration_Newsletter

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Posted in Community, education, Events, Harlem, history, kids, politics

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Read full statement on Lenox Lounge brand continuing in Harlem

Posted on January 6, 2013 | 5 Comments

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Back from holiday vacation and going through gazillion emails on Harlem. The big Harlem story that happened over the holidays was the continuing saga on Harlem’s Lenox Lounge. Several news outlets reported recently on how the Lenox Lounge brand will continue by moving a few blocks up on Lenox Avenue in Harlem-333 Lenox Ave to be exact. Stories were generated due to Alvin Reed’s peeps releasing a statement on January 3. This blog did receive the full statement Jan 3 while on vacation and wanted to share it in its entity.

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Posted in Bars, business, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, music, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurants

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Lenox Lounge will be renamed Notar Jazz Club, Richie Notar and Alvin Reed finally cross paths

Posted on December 20, 2012 | 8 Comments

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If anyone thinks there is a grain of hope left for Lenox Lounge in Harlem, forget about it! Read the latest article from The NY Daily News. Richie Notar is now publicly speaking about his plans for the vintage Harlem establishment. Notar told Community Board 10 “he does not want to change much.” However, Notar confirms he will change the name to Notar Jazz Club.

By the way, Notar and Alvin Reed crossed paths for the first time according to the article. That had to be interesting.

After reading the article, all I could think about is “what a pity that Notar does not see any value in saving the Lenox Lounge brand?” There are plenty of smart business people who have taken on well-known brands and successfully lifted those brands higher. Say Fiat? Say Izod? How about Puma? Guess Richie Notar is a play-it-safe-kind-of-a-businessman?

The good things coming out of this story is that Notar plans to hire Franco the Great to do a mural and Harlemites will continue to have a jazz club to patron, which won’t be the same only the structure will exist. Buh-humbug.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, business, commercial real estate, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurants

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Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater to travel back in time

Posted on November 13, 2012 | Leave a comment

According to The New York Times, our beloved Apollo Theater plans to take a trip back in time or better yet, is going back to its core.  The Apollo Theater plans to transform our famous venue on 125th Street “into an old-fashioned nightclub for a new revue evoking the Harlem music clubs of the 1930s and 1940s”

In its heyday, the Apollo Theater was a venue that featured a “variety programs, such as big bands, singers, dancers, female impersonators, acrobats and comedians.” The Apollo aims to recapture that era and offer it up to consumers who are interested in experiencing this particular part of the Apollo’s history.  The article states “seats will be removed from the orchestra level and the audience will sit at cafe tables, tended by waiters and waitresses.”

Go back in time in Harlem at the Apollo Theater in February 2013 with three nights of shows: Feb. 18, Feb. 22 and Feb 23. Tickets go on sale on Nov. 19.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, entertainment, Events, Harlem, history, jazz, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

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Listen up Harlem, go vote November 6

Posted on November 5, 2012 | 2 Comments


The big day is near. Tomorrow, November 6 is election day. It is time of us to go to the voting booths to cast our vote! If you’re a registered voter and not sure where to go to cast your ballot, use New York City’s Board of Elections (BOE) Polling Locator. It will tell you where to go by typing in your building number and street name. The BOE also has an app that will allow you to find your voting poll. Go here to download the app.

Most of us online have been expressing our political views for weeks. I know I have. The day is here where it’s now time for us to do the walk, not just talk. Get out and vote tomorrow! See you at the voting booth!

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Posted in 110th Street, 116th Street, 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., Community, education, Events, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC

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