It’s the weekend in Harlem! A lot is happening starting tonight with Uptown Fridays at the Studio Museum in Harlem. Read here for more information.
Then on Saturday (Aug 25), Corner Social on Lenox Ave and 126th is hosting a special pre-fix brunch from noon to 6 pm with live music and free cocktails from noon to 1 pm.
And on Sunday (Aug 26), its time to let loose by dancing the afternoon away at Sundae Sermon in Morningside Park.
Have a great weekend Harlem!
Posted in art and culture, Bars, business, Corner Social, drinks, entertainment, Events, food, Free!, Harlem, kids, Lenox Avenue, Morningside Park, music, Studio Museum Harlem
Tagged Corner Social, free cocktails, Harlem, lenox ave, morningside park, Studio Museum in Harlem, Sundae Sermon, The Studio Museum Harlem, travel
The New York Comedy Festival 2012 is coming to Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater in November! There are two shows lined up in Harlem so far, according to a recent email sent out today (August 13) to subscribers.
The first show is scheduled for the evening of November 9 with comedian Aziz Ansari from the TV show ‘Parks and Recreation.’ The second show is scheduled the following evening (Nov 10) with Jim Gaffigan, who has appeared on Letterman and Conan shows many times.
To purchase tickets to either event, go to the New York Comedy Festival 2012 website.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, entertainment, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged 125th street, Apollo Theater, AZIZ ANSARI, Comedy, conan, entertainers, Entertainment, Harlem, JIM GAFFIGAN, letterman, Lifestyle & Entertainment, New York Comedy Festival, parks and recreation, travel
Starting August 17, the Harlem Repertory Theatre will be presenting a chamber version of DREAMGIRLS in two separate theatre spaces in Harlem. It is opening its 2012 season with the classic R&B musical drama. Ten talented actor/singers will bring this dazzling rags to riches story to life in two settings: Act One will be played in the proscenium theatre at the 133rd Street Arts Center, while Act Two will be performed in the open loft space on the third floor of the same building.
Tickets for this event are $15 and $20 for general seating. Premiumn tickets cost $40. Show is suitable for children ages 8 and up. Tickets can be purchased at SMARTTIX.
When:
August 17 to October 21
Where:
The 133rd Street Arts Center,
308 W. 133rd Street, New York, NY 10027
Times:
Fridays at 7 pm
Saturdays at 2 pm & 7 pm
Sundays at 3 pm
Previews: August 17 to 19
Opening: August 24
Critics are invited after August 19
Box Office:
SMARTTIX (212) 868-4444
Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Harlem, music
Tagged 10027, art and culture, arts, Dreamgirls, Entertainment, Harlem, Harlem Repertory Theatre, musical, theater, travel
Alicia Keys clearly never forgets where she came from, i.e. Harlem, or what inspires her. This afternoon Keys posted an adorable picture on Instagram and Twitter of her and her husband standing in front of Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater. I had to share it. Guess today, July 31, is their one or two-year wedding anniversary? Either way, so cool of them to come home to Harlem to start their special day. Love it!
Posted in 125th Street, entertainment, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged 125th street, Alicia Keys, Apollo Theater, Harlem, music, The Apollo Theater., travel, wedding
Go back in time tonight to an era that brought us “soul” at Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. Harlem-based non-profit ImageNation is celebrating all things “Soul Train” this evening (July 12) in Marcus Garvey Park. ImageNation’s 10th Annual Outdoors Festival will pay tribute to the late Don Cornelius with a screening of the VH1 documentary “Soul Train: The Hippest Trip in America,” as well as live performances of music from that famous era. Also, ImageNation is aiming to create the largest soul train line tonight here in Harlem. How else to pay better tribute to the man himself, Don Cornelius, than by creating one of the most famous and well-known dance lines: the soul train line? The event is FREE and starts at 7:30 pm. Check out the details below.
What: Soul Train! A Tribute to Don Cornelius w/ music by InJoy Enterprises
When: July 12, 2012 @ 7:30 pm – 10:00 pm
Where: Marcus Garvey Park, Harlem
Directions: Take the 2/3 train towards New Lots Ave and exit 125th st near intersection of Dr. Martin L King Blvd and Lenox Ave. Walk down to 122nd St and turn left
Cost: Free
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, entertainment, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged celebrities, Don Cornelius, Entertainment, Harlem, ImageNation, live music, Marcus Garvey Park, music, Soul Train, soul train dance line, travel
Tonight (June 18), teen superstar Justin Bieber will give a special private performance for his fans at the Apollo Theater in Harlem, according to an email by The Apollo Foundation sent to its members today. Tonight’s show will be taped by NBC for broadcast and is presented by Macy’s.
Harlemites, be on the lookout for a bunch of excited teenagers in the area! Yikes.
Posted in art and culture, entertainment, Events, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Apollo Theater, celebrities, Entertainment, Harlem, Justin Bieber, music, Private performances
I am convinced that someone has cloned Marcus Samuelsson, celebrity chef/owner of Red Rooster Harlem and Ginny’s Supper Club. He is everywhere! I recently saw him at the New York City Coalition Against Hunger Spring Gala, where he was honored for his work on hunger issues, and then we all saw him and his wife Maya in the June issue of Vogue,the glamorous fashion magazine. Next up for Marcus is community day in Harlem. The Harlem resident will host a Harlem Community Day on Monday, June 25, in support of his forthcoming memoir, Yes, Chef.
The neighborhood-focused day will be held from 3:00 to 7:00 p.m. at Marcus Garvey Park at the Richard Rodgers Amphitheater (123rdStreet and Mount Morris Park West) and is free to the public.
Yes, Chef, is due out on June 26. It describes Marcus’ love for Harlem and his gratitude towards the Harlem community. In continuing to put the spot light on Harlem, Marcus has chosen to launch Yes, Chef at Marcus Garvey Park a day before the book’s national release. He will introduce the book with a fun-filled roster of activities and offerings that celebrate the residents, organizations and businesses of the neighborhood. Events will include cooking demonstrations, dance and musical performances, a greenmarket showcase, a yoga class, food and beverages, and a special Q and A with Marcus about Yes, Chef.
Posted in art and culture, business, Community, education, entertainment, Events, food, Free!, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants
Tagged books, Chef, Ginny's Supper Club, Harlem, history, Joel Berg, marcus samuelsson, memoir, Mount Morris Park, New York City Coalition Against Hunger, Red Rooster Harlem, Richard Rodgers Amphitheater, t, travel, Yes
It has been really fun and exciting lately to blog about some of the recent openings happening in Harlem, such as The Corner Social, Harlem Food Bar and Frederick Cafe Bistro. All these places have opened with such positive fanfare and the management behind these establishments are a delight to work with. However, there is one dining establishment on Frederick Douglass Blvd that is getting ready to open and I am finding it difficult to rave about. I am contemplating not evening dining there. Why? You may or may not know that there’s been an ongoing conflict between the owner of Jado Sushi, which is located in The Douglass Condo retail space (2118 FDB), and the owner of Land Yoga, which has been established in The Douglass for almost a year now and is Jado’s neighbor to the right.
According to online reports, Land Yoga in Harlem has been respectfully asking Jado Sushi, which is owned by the same person who owns The Winery on 116th Street, to kindly sound proof the restaurant so that it does not affect the environment of the yoga studio. Those multiple requests to Jado Sushi have been ignored to date, according to Land Yoga. HarlemGal Inc contacted The Winery asking for comment about Land Yoga’s request to sound proof and they did not respond.
Another reason I am blogging about this now is ’cause multiple readers have asked, why have you not mentioned anything about Jado Sushi in Harlem on your blog? Well, this is why. I am aware of the conflict going on between Jado and Land Yoga in Harlem.
For conversation sake, I have even asked Harlem business owner(s) about this and most have informally commented it is the responsibility of Jado Sushi to sound proof the place since they are coming into a retail area that has already been established, apartments above the Jado space will more than likely complain about the noise below so it’s best to sound proof now rather than later and its the politically correct thing to do. Most of the businesses on FDB support each other. Yesterday, I read that the owner of Melba’s stopped by Harlem Food Bar recently to show her support. That’s classy!
Personally, I am not clear on why Jado Sushi would not want to sound proof the place now versus wait until later like when more 
complaints potentially come in or this get’s escalated into a potential legal matter. Then again, maybe it’s not Jado’s responsibility to sound proof their place or is it? Does anyone have any thoughts on this subject? Should Jado Sushi in Harlem sound proof its place to accommodate Land Yoga?
And as for dining at Jado Sushi, at the moment I don’t want to even think about going there when it opens knowing this conflict is nowhere near a resolution and that I might be interrupting someone’s yoga practice-if Jado is not sound proofed. It doesn’t feel right as a long time practicing yogi. That’s another reason why I can’t get excited about this place and starting to believe that Jado Sushi just might be starting off in Harlem on the wrong foot leading to an uneventful opening.
Posted in business, Community, Corner Social, drinks, entertainment, food, Frederick Cafe Bistro Harlem, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Food Bar, health and wellness, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants
Tagged 10026, dining out, Harlem, healthy-living, Jado Sushi, Land Yoga, restaurant row, restaurants, sound proofing, sushi bar, yoga
The sixth annual Mafrika Music Festival is scheduled for June 24 in Marcus Garvey Park in Harlem. The program starts at noon and runs till 7 pm. And its FREE to the public. Enter Marcus Garvey Park at 120th street and 5th Avenue in Harlem. As always, this event has involvement from Yatenga French Bistro and Bar and ShrineNYC.
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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