Category Archives: art and culture

Save the Date: Annual Mount Morris Park House Tour is June 10

Posted on May 24, 2012 | 1 comment

For more than 20 years the community of Mount Morris Park has been opening its doors and inviting New Yorkers and visitors from around the world to come in and see all the beautiful homes that are in Harlem. The tradition continues with the annual Mount Morris Park House Tour, which is set for June 10.  The schedule is listed below and tickets are now available at the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association. Click here to purchase tickets.

11 AM to 4 PM: Follow the Self-Guided Tour of Homes at your leisure. Guests will visit 10 venues including inside brownstone homes, urban live/work apartments and landmark churches.

1 PM and 3 PM: Join the Architectural Walking Tour and explore this historic neighborhood’s rich architectural detail and history.

Noon and 2 PM: Inside Historic Harlem begins with Yale-trained architect and historian, John Reddick.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, Events, Harlem, history, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate

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‘Across the Universe’ star and singer buys home in Harlem

Posted on May 21, 2012 | Leave a comment

One of my favorite movies is Across the Universe by Julie Taymor and I really enjoyed the performance in the film by the actress and singer who played Sexy Sadie, which was Dana Fuchs. The New York Times reported this past weekend that Fuchs, a well-known and highly established singer and musician, has made Harlem her home. Fuchs recently purchased a 1500 square foot, three bedroom apartment with her companion at Fifth on the Park in Harlem. The article states Fuchs was a drawn to Fifth on the Park in Harlem because of the amazing views. “With big windows overlooking so much greenery, I was just wowed,” Fuchs told the Times.

If you have never heard Dana Fuchs’ music before, check out the video below. And now that I know Fuchs lives in Harlem, I will silently wish that she and her band will one day perform live in Harlem. Wouldn’t that be so cool?

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Posted in apartments, art and culture, entertainment, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate

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Marcus Samuelsson and Maya Gate Haile of Harlem featured in June issue of Vogue magazine

Posted on May 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

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I was flipping through my digital copy of Vogue-June 2012 edition and came across a sharp-looking photo of Marcus Samuelsson and his wife Maya, who reside in Harlem. They are in the most recent issue of Vogue because the mag is featuring Marcus’ latest book titled Yes, Chef, a memoir. (I didn’t even know Marcus had a memoir out until now. I guess he does not want to do an autobiography?) The Vogue writer characterizes the book as “moving and sometimes harrowing.”

To read an excerpt of Yes, Chef by Marcus Samuelsson, purchase the June edition of Vogue magazine or to read the entire book, pre-order online. It is coming out next month!

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Posted in art and culture, fashion, food, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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See Changing Face of Harlem May 19 at Maysles in Harlem

Posted on May 9, 2012 | 1 comment

We all know Harlem has been rapidly changing in the last ten years and there is one filmmaker that I am aware of that’s been documenting our change for quite sometime. It’s Shawn Batey. Batey is the documentary filmmaker behind Changing Face of Harlem. Changing Face of Harlem takes a critical look at how Harlem has undergone its transformation.

There is an opportunity to see the film, in its current stage, which is a work in progress, Saturday early evening, May 19 at Maysles Cinema, located at 343 Lenox Avenue. Changing Face of Harlem is showing during The People’s Film Festival, a festival that “celebrates the power of the media when placed in the hands of the people.”

To purchase ticket to see Changing Face of Harlem, go to the Maysles website.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Harlem, Lenox Avenue

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M.Shanghai String Band to perform at Kidberry in Harlem

Posted on May 2, 2012 | Leave a comment

Mekia Denby, the founder of Kidberry in Harlem, has given us the heads up that M.Shanghai String Band, one of the best string bands in New York City, will be performing live this Friday, May 4 at Kidberry from 5:30 to 8 pm. The cost of entrance is $20 per family.  Kidberry is located at 2046 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.

If you would like to attend, RSVP in advance to mekia@kidberrynyc.com.

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Posted in Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, entertainment, Harlem, jazz, kids, music

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Introducing Art In FLUX Harlem, opening night May 2

Posted on May 1, 2012 | 1 comment

There isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t learn something new about our beloved Harlem community. Going through my inbox last night, I came across information that read: Art In FLUX Harlem! Never heard of it…until now . Here’s the low down.

Art In FLUX Harlem is a series of Pop-Up Art Galleries opening in Harlem this Spring.  The first FLUX Pop-Up is set to open Wednesday evening, May 2, at the corner of 118th Street and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.  The opening is sponsored by 5 and Diamond Harlem and a tasting will be offered by the Harlem restaurant.

On the May 2 opening night, “Urban Environment Project” will be the first in a series of pop-up art galleries in Harlem produced by Art In FLUX Harlem. The project will present the art works of seven international artists: Montserrat Daubon, Ellen Hackl Fagan, Hiroshi Jashiki, Leslie Powell, Anya Roz, Tafa, and Pedro Villalta.

“Art In FLUX was started by a group of Harlem residents with a strong interest in supporting artists in Harlem and increasing awareness of the rich arts culture that runs deep in Harlem and yet is still somewhat of an underground culture.”

If you would like to attend the opening night of Art In FLUX Harlem, below are all the details!

Opening reception:  May 2 from 6:00 PM to 9:00 PM
Gallery Hours:  May 3 to 24, Tuesday-Saturday, Noon to 7pm & upon appt.
Location:  1961 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd @ 118th Street
For more information: call 917-273-4405 or email info@artinfluxharlem.com

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Posted in 5 and Diamond Harlem, art and culture, Community, education, Harlem

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Mother’s Day greeting card workshop with Harlem native Alton Weekes

Posted on April 30, 2012 | 1 comment

Alton Weekes, the talented designer and Harlem native, will be holding a special  workshop…for FREE…May 6 at the Studio Museum Harlem, located at 144 West 125th Street, “offering participants the opportunity to create unique, hand-crafted greeting cards for Mother’s Day.” Weekes will offer tips and methods for designing stationery and hands-on assistance to participants of all skill levels.

If you are interested in attending this event, click here to RSVP!

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, Free!, Harlem, Studio Museum Harlem

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Cooper-Hewitt Design Center coming to Harlem, opening date planned for May 12

Posted on April 23, 2012 | Leave a comment

According to The Wall Street Journal, The Smithsonian’s Cooper-Hewitt, National Design Museum will open a storefront space May 12 in Harlem. The Cooper-Hewitt Design Center will be at 111 Central Park North and “will allow the museum’s educators to conduct other free workshops for children, teenagers and adults.”

Cooper-Hewitt signed a four-year lease for the Central Park North space located at the base of Harlem and which has an express subway stop, the 2/3 to 110th Street. To learn more, click here.20120423-090922.jpg

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Posted in art and culture, business, commercial real estate, education, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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Dream Deferred Opens April 20 at 133rd Street Arts Center in Harlem

Posted on April 16, 2012 | 1 comment

Written and directed by the award-winning playwright Marcus Dargan, Dream Deferred puts a spotlight on racial tensions and social action, as African-American residents of an apartment building in Harlem struggle against the looming commercial dominance of a newly built condominium, just across the street. Dream Deferred is drawn from Dargan’s conversations and observations of Harlem residents. “It’s a historical document, artistically expressed to reflect the experiences of a people who may someday vanish from Harlem’s landscape without having had their final stories told. This play represents the beginning of their untimely end.”

Dream Deferred will run 13 performances from April 20-29 at the 133rd Street Arts Center located at 308 West 133rd Street in Harlem. General tickets are $20 at the door and are available at the box office one hour before curtain or by calling the box office at 347-855-7281. Advance online tickets are $18 for adults, and $15 for seniors, students, and artists at www.brownpapertickets.com.

For complete ticket and schedule information, visit www.nuafrikantheatre.org/dream-deferred.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Harlem, history

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The Village of Harlem stars in NYC 22, watch Sunday evening April 15 on CBS

Posted on April 14, 2012 | 1 comment

Do you recognize the scenery in the photos above? If you live in Central Harlem, you should recognize the location. That is our Harlem in the background and its starring in a new television series called NYC 22. It was previously called The Rookie. I guess that name did not test well in focus groups.

NYC 22, which is a drama about a fictional police precinct in Harlem, is receiving a lot of press right now. Mainly because the TV show premieres this Sunday , April 15 on CBS, and it has huge names behind it, such as executive producers Robert De Niro and Jane Rosenthal. However, what is really interesting about NYC 22, and one of the many reasons why I plan to watch the show and hopefully you will too, is that it was created by a Harlemite. The creator is Richard Price, who lives in Harlem according to The New York Times. Price has resided in Harlem since 2008.

Price told the Times he “made the rapidly changing neighborhood of Harlem an important element of the show, drawing creative fuel from its churning mix of longtime residents and gentrifiers, families and hoodlums, cultural landmarks and upstart bistros.”

If you want to learn more about NYC 22, read the reviews in The Los Angeles Times and NY Times.

NYC 22 is on CBS, Sunday nights at 10 pm.

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Posted in 116th Street, art and culture, entertainment, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, review

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