Category Archives: 116th Street

Pods arrive in Central Harlem along with a gigantic mural

Dining pods have arrived to part of the restaurant scene in Harlem. And a giant mural on the northwest corner of Frederick Douglass Blvd and 116th Street is going up to commemorate this form of outdoor dining! If you live in the area, you can’t miss the mural (or the pods). The mural looks awesome!

Dining pods are now lining FDB from 116th to 120th Street at the following restaurants: Bixi Harlem, Blvd Bistro, Chocolate, Harlem Burger, Harlem Tavern, Mess Hall/Double Dutch, Silvana and Vinateria. These greenhouse styled dining pods were provided to minority and women-owned restaurants on FBD as part of an initiative sponsored by the Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance and Stella Artois, a subsidiary of Anheuser-Busch.

The 7-story, 2800 square foot mural was designed and painted by Harlem-based Giannina Gutierrez. Gutierrez created the mural to welcome diners to the area and to showcase the vibrancy of the neighborhood.

Having these dining pods donated to small businesses, who truly need the help during this time, is a great example of private sector, non profits and the community coming together to collaborate for the greater good. This is a wonderful example of corporate social responsibility at its best.

Stop by to see the mural and let’s us know what you think of it here in the comments section! Go out and dine in these donated pods. And drop a line here about your dining experience in a pod too!

Photo by Harlemgal
Photo by Harlemgal

Food and Drink Boulevard in Harlem happening May 10

2017 Food & Drink Blvd Promo Image for PressTomorrow, May 10 from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., the Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance will hold its sixth annual Food & Drink Boulevard event along Harlem’s Restaurant Row.  This event invites local residents and visitors to explore restaurants and bars along the Frederick Douglass Boulevard from 112th to 124th Streets by reserving a wristband to receive $5.00 deals at 19 participating venues.

To assist patrons in navigating up and down Frederick Douglass Boulevard, FDBA is offering free pedicab service to wristband holders, and a mobile device-friendly map that shows where all 19 participating restaurants and bars are located, as well as each businesses’ $5.00 menu offerings.

To reserve a free wristband for the event, visit the FDBA website at http://www.fdballiance.org. On the night of the event, wristbands will also be available at Harlem Tavern, 2153 Frederick Douglass Boulevard on the corner of West 116th Street, and Angel of Harlem, 2272 Frederick Douglass Boulevard on the corner of West 122nd Street.

Bo’s Bagels in Harlem now open

Feeling hungry for a bagel after that big snowstorm? Harlemites do not have to go far now for that big, round fluffy pan any more. Bo’s Bagels, located on 116th Street between Frederick Douglass Blvd and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd in Central Harlem, is now open for business. They have been open for about a week under a soft opening schedule, i.e. from 7 am to 1 pm. Stop by and grab a bagel and stay tuned for grand opening details.

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Beginner ballet classes now offered at Harlem Tae Kwan Do, classes start March 11

Is your 2-3 1/2 year old interested in ballet? We learned of an immediate and reasonably priced opportunity to enroll your child in beginners ballet in Central Harlem. Starting this Saturday, March 11, a four week ballet session will begin at Harlem Tae Kwan Do located at 236 West 116th Street. The class starts at 9:30 am-10:15 am and it’s $25 a session. Interested in signing up your child, email jess.seeman@gmail.com.

The teacher will be Maegan Woodin. Woodin moved to NYC when she was 18 to pursue a career in ballet, landing a touring contract with both Ballet For Young Audiences and Naganuma Dance. She has had the opportunity to perform with such esteemed choreographers such as Julie Bour, David Fernandez, Nicole Fosse, Darcy Naganuma and Pamela Pribisco. She has taught at various schools in NYC such as: Ballet Academy East, Steps on Broadway, Joffrey Ballet school, Caedmon School and Dalton.

Bo’s Bagels expected to open soon in Harlem

Central Harlem will soon have its very own bagel shop on 116th Street. Bo’s Bagels, which is owned and operated by Harlem locals, is expected to open up in March! They will offer every type of bagel imaginable, along with a long list of spreads! See menu below!

According to their website, BO’s Bagels was founded by Andrew Martinez and Ashley Dikos after many years of living in Harlem and not being able to find a decent bagel. 

Can’t wait to try Bo’s Bagels in Harlem soon!

Harlem, let’s make history with her

I should be doing a ton of other things right now, but I’m not. I can’t stop thinking about tomorrow and the day after. November 8 has to be the biggest day in American politics and history. And every Harlem establishment imaginable is holding viewing parties tomorrow night! Where will you be watching?

Tomorrow is the big day! Let’s get out the vote tomorrow and make history together by electing the first women to the highest office in the land, President of the United States. May Wednesday be a brand, new historical day for America!

Experience Harlem unveils app, download it now

Experience Harlem, the marketing engine that has been tracking Harlem happenings for…well a very long time, now has an app! Download it today so that you can have all the latest on Harlem in the palm of your hands! Cheers!

Former Harlem mosque turning into luxury rentals 


Does anyone remember this Harlem space on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 115 and 116th Street? It used to be a place of worship, a mosque. Now there are signs up on the scaffold that says the space is being turned into luxury rentals! Great, right?

This space probably would have been more ideal for affordable housing since it’s right in the thick of where all the change is happening. Is anyone surprised? Probably not.

How many luxury this and that do we need for this area? Oh I forgot, I’m in New York! There’s no such thing as affordable housing!

Have a great weekend!

Annual Harlem Food & Drink Event set for June 8


The Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance will hold its fifth annual Food & Drink Boulevard event along Harlem’s Restaurant Row on Frederick Douglass Boulevard from 110th to 124th Streets June 8. 

Participating bars and restaurants include 67 Orange Street, Angel of Harlem, Harlem Burger Co., Harlem Food Bar, Harlem Tavern, Hop House Harlem, Jado Sushi, L Lounge, Lido, LoLo’s Seafood Shack, Mess Hall, Row House, Silvana, Streetbird and Vinateria. 

The Frederick Douglass Boulevard Alliance is also partnering with Uber to provide free rides for up to $20 to ticket holders who are new users of the app, and will provide ticket holders who are new and existing users with $20 off their first UberPOOLride.

Tickets to Food & Drink Boulevard will be sold online, starting May 16, at a discounted rate of two tickets for $10 until 11:59 p.m. on June 7, 2016, and will be available for purchase in person on the day of the event, June 8, 2016, for $10 each at Harlem Tavern, 2153 Frederick Douglass Boulevard on the corner of 116th Street. 

To purchase tickets to Food & Drink Boulevard starting May 16, click here

Harlem Burger joining Harlem restaurant row

There have been several attempts to open a full service hamburger joint on or near Frederick Douglass Blvd, aka Harlem’s restaurant row, in past years but none have either succeeded to open or stay open. Now Harlem Pizza Co, which has its pizza joint on 116th Street, is hoping to be sort of the first to open a restaurant on row dedicated to hamburgers with a place called Harlem Burger! The signage is up on 118&FDB, a good indicator that it’s opening soon.