Category Archives: 125th Street

Harlem-based Black Nuns joining real estate madness, selling historic location

The Nuns at the Motherhouse credit Regina Fleming

And God said, if you can’t beat them, join them…in the expensive Harlem real estate market that is. That’s what the Franciscan Handmaids of the Most Pure Heart of Mary are doing. They are selling their five-story building at 15 West 124th Street, for what I assume, will be for a good chunk of change. God Bless them.

FHM, one of three orders of mostly Black nuns in the United States, has put its Harlem location on the real estate market due to restructuring. The Harlem-based order celebrated its centennial last year and came to national prominence in 2016 on ABC’s “The View” with Whoopi Goldberg.

The Motherhouse was built-in 1909 as a high school and business college. In 1931, the property was sold to the Christian Brothers’ Institute and, in June 1944, it was transferred to the FHM. The building is a base for the congregation’s operations, and it houses some of the order’s members and the St. Benedict’s Day Nursery.

If you have some extra cash and are interested in a five-story, 18,216-square-foot functional school/dormitory building, set directly north of Marcus Garvey Park, track down CBRE Group? They are handling the sale of the property.

Whole Foods Market opening in Harlem July 21, 125th & Lenox Avenue 

My kids and I were at Harlem Eat Up today. While strolling around, literally in our Bugaboo, we learned today that Whole Foods Market is opening up their Harlem store July 21, 2017. The two nice gentlemen working their booth informed us when we asked. However, there was no need to ask. There was a sign to the left of them that announced the date! See pic below.

I wonder whose going to check out the new Whole Foods uptown when it opens? I’m curious to see if they plan on offering the same kind of merchandise/products as a downtown store. We will soon find out! 

The store will be located at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue! Right there by the 2/3 subway line!

Practice yoga all day long at Harlem’s Soulfest NYC

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Harlem’s first day long wellness and yoga festival is happening this Saturday, May 20. It’s called Soulfest NYC, the uptown yoga event for the community by the community. Soulfest NYC will be held from 9 AM  to 5 PM at Adam Clayton Powell Junior Plaza (163 West 125th Street). Admission to Soulfest NYC is free with registration. Attendees and friends of the community are encouraged to give a donation at the time of online registration. Interested in attending, visit their website and download the release form. Namaste!

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.

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!

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

Live Periscope Tour of FLUX Art Fair in Harlem May 2

Can’t make it to one of the May art events in Harlem by FLUX Art Fair. Then log on to Periscope May 2 at 10 am! NYC Parks joins the Marcus Garvey Park Alliance for a special preview tour of the FLUX Art Fair in Marcus Garvey Park “live” on Periscope, a social app for streaming and watching live video broadcasts. Founder of FLUX Leanne Stella will join to answer questions and lead the tour.

Throughout the month of May, FLUX artists will present performances, large-scale installations, and subtle artist interventions throughout Upper Manhattan, including in Marcus Garvey Park, Eugene McCabe Field, Harlem Art Park, along Fifth and Lenox Avenues, and Harlem Grown farm on 127th Street.

Visit http://periscope.tv/nycparks or download the app and follow NYC Parks on Periscope to participate in May 2 tour! For a list of artists click here.

Where to listen to Make Music New York in Harlem, June 21

  
Mark your calendar! June 21 is when Make Music New York happens and there are plenty of options to experience the rhythm right here in Harlem! Below is a complete list of Harlem businesses participating, along with the talented artists/musicians! Check it out!

Central Harlem
Billie’s Black

271 W 119th St

7:00 PM Core Band with Margeaux Davis

8:00 PM Core Band with Darrius Booker

8:30 PM Gloria Ryann

 Corner Social

321 Lenox Ave at W 126th St

11:00 AM Gensis Neil and the Rhythm Wheels, original groove-feel jazz

2:00 PM Claire Rodriguez, sultry vocals over rhythmic guitar

3:00 PM Katt Rockell, blends R&B, soul & hip-hop

4:30 PM SuperBlack Band, the superhero within you

6:30 PM Marquise Ruffin, grandson of Motown legend David Ruffin

Drastadub Studios

31 W 127th St

7:00 PM Num & Nu Afrika, roots reggae

Grandma’s Place’s

84 W 120th St

11:00 AM – 2:00 Street Studio: Harlem, one of 12 small mobile recording studios on sidewalks throughout NYC, for the spontaneous, collaborative production of original music. Stop by and contribute to a track! See sidebar for details

3:00 PM Gina, prolific singer

Harlem Food Bar

2100 Frederick Douglass Blvd at W 114th St

all day DJ Stormin’ Norman “Sundae Sermon”

Harlem Haberdashery

245 Lenox Ave at W 122nd St

11:00 AM Gina, prolific singer

2:00 PM Daryl Stewart, singer & performing artist

Harlem Tavern

2153 Frederick Douglass Blvd at W 116th St

5:00 PM Marquise Ruffin, grandson of Motown legend David Ruffin

6:45 PM Claire Rodriguez, sultry vocals over rhythmic guitar

7:15 PM Rachel Arac, mixes dance beats with sultry & soulful vocals

Harris Garden

St. Nicholas Ave & W 153rd St

12:45 PM4 Unity, gospel duo

3:00 PM Donna Dixon, encourager of the soul who shares all

4:15 PM Division X, spoken word artist from the Bronx

5:45 PM Vett Stunna, recording artist from Baltimore

Jackie Robinson Amphitheater

Bradhurst Ave & W 146th St

12:15 PM N’YCE, positive & inspirational blind rapper

12:30 PM Roquois, new breed of pop music

12:45 PM Shawnee Jay, modern singer/songwriter with an old soul

1:00 PM Mel Smoove, new generation of music

1:30 PM Bukonla Bello, R&B/pop artist signed to Melodream Records

1:45 PM Juanita Wynn, releasing her solo single, “Be Who You Are”

2:15 PM Israyl, reggae performer of positive & inspirational music

2:30 PM Cush I Kushanti “reggaelutionary” artist who motivates the masses

3:15 PM Conceptz, conceptual rap duo from Orange County, NY

3:30 PM Chase “Bakeman Global” Baker energy built upon an empowering force

Joseph Daniel Wilson Memorial Garden

219 W 122nd St

5:00 PM Kenny Butler and Friends,  oldies, R&B, jazz & blues

7:00 PM The Goddess Lakshmi Band named for goddess of abundance

Marcus Garvey Park Amphitheater

Mt Morris Park & W 122nd St

4:00 PM Lyshae from Chicago, performing pop/dance

5:00 PM Roquois, new breed of pop

6:45 PM Chellz, hip hop

Nabe Harlem Underground Lounge

2367 Frederick Douglass Blvd at W 127th St

11:00 AM – 9:00 Dennis Davis, John Cooksey, Stare Case, Gregory Bastien, DJ Zubetei Xzz, Sophia L. Coffee hosting musicians from Stevie Wonder’s drummer to the best DJ in NY

 NiLu

191 Lenox Ave at W 119th St

6:30 PM Kojo Stone, neo-soul singer

Saint Nicholas Miracle Garden

St Nicholas Ave & W 126th St

1:00 PM Brotherhood Experience positive choice for urban gospel

1:30 PM Phantm Phuego, hip hop

2:00 PM 8waves and the Weathermen bare minimum soul clashing

2:30 PM Motivation, mash-up of hip hop, pop, gospel

3:00 PM The Phryg prog rock jam, spread thick on a toast of funk

3:30 PM Malcolm Rhymer, iconoclastic hip hop

4:00 PM SuperBlack Band, the superhero within you

4:30 PM Just-One,  last of the real lyricists

 Settepani

196 Lenox Ave at W 120th St

6:00 PM Carolyn & Jay Leonhart, father-daughter jazz duo

St Nicholas Park

St Nicholas Ave & W 135th St

Presented by the Harlem Arts & Culture Initiative, in collaboration with the Harlem Arts Alliance

2:00 PM Judith Insell violist with Stephanie Berry (recitation) and Yuri Lemeshev (accordion): “Journey: Black Lives Matter”

3:00 PM Kelvyn Bell, the roots of American acoustic guitar

4:00 PM Steff Reed Grammy-nominated R&B

5:00 PM Warren Smith jazz percussionist, freedom songs for 21st Century Harlem

West Harlem Piers Park

Hudson River & W 125th St

12:00 PM Elgin Giles, R&B singer and actor

William B. Washington Community Garden

327 W 126th St

1:15 PM Ian Bamberger, melodic guitar, abundant harmonies

2:00 PM Red Sahara, quartet influenced by everything

2:45 PM Jordan Chude, hip-hop and poetry

3:30 PM Status IV riveting a cappella

4:15 PM Jim Joustra Band blues & jazz

5:15 PM Michael Persall, combines classic soul with modern pop

 East Harlem

103rd Street Garden

Park Ave & E 103rd St

12:30 PM Just-One, last of the real lyricists

El Catano Community Garden

171 E 110th St

3:00 PM Dabumrushkrew against the commercialization of hip hop

3:45 PM MakerzMark, embracing jazz standards

4:45 PM Just Another Folk Singer ballads of life, liberty & the pursuit of music

5:45 PM Just-One, last of the real lyricists

Emery Rose Salon

1888 Park Ave at E 128th St

12:00 PM Maggie Anderson, catchy rhythms & great hooks

1:30 PM Kama Linden MMNY, veteran who has travelled the globe

Family Garden sponsored by Tiffany

431 E 114th St

11:00 AM Carrie Lane NYC’s “Pop Princess”

 H&M Art and Home Decor

17 E 125th St

5:00 PM Elgin Giles R&B singer and actor

Target East Harlem Community Garden

415 E 117th St

11:00 AM Lamayah pop vocals, moves & tunes

3:00 PM Marcela mixes Latin rhythms with funk & pop

4:15 PM Hunter College Haitian Drumming Workshop

Thomas Jefferson Park

First Ave & E 114 St

11:00 AM El Taller Latino Americano performs with East Harlem schools

1:00 PM Harlem Samba Brazilian percussion ensemble

Urban Garden Center

1640 Park Ave at E 116th St

11:30 AM Unigen one-man band with an electro-jetpack instrument

2:00 PM MakerzMark embracing jazz standards

Babbalucci Italian Kitchen & Wood Burning Oven coming to Lenox Ave in Harlem, opening expected this month

Upper Lenox Avenue in Harlem is getting another dining option called Babbalucci Italian Kitchen & Wood Burning Oven. Babbalucci will bring a taste of Italian American cuisine that fuses old world with new world flavors to this part of Harlem aiming to provide a relaxed atmosphere and refined service for brunch, lunch and dinner, according to a news release.


The menu will include wood oven pizzas, rustic pastas and small plates from Chef/Owner Andrew LoPresto who will bake all bread in-house. Eager to become an active part of the community, the new restaurant plans to replete their kitchen with locally-sourced ingredients. 


Babbalucci plans to open this month at 331 Lenox Avenue between 126th and 127th Street. Phone (646) 918-6572.