If you haven’t visited the outdoor terrace at the Museum City of New York on Fifth Avenue, along with listening to live music, tonight is your last chance. The music series ends with The Knox Band. Tickets are $10 bucks for members and $15 for non-members. Hope to see you there!
The Museum of the City of New York is located at 1220 Fifth Avenue, NY, NY 10029.
Posted in art and culture, Community, drinks, entertainment, Events, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 10029, 103rd Street, 104th Street, Fifth Avenue, Harlem, Live@1220 Fifth, Museum of the City of New York, music, Spanish Harlem
Harlem’s 125th Street is back in the news again. Back in July the City announced the redevelopment of two major, vacant sites on Harlem’s 125th Street. Today, we are hearing from The New York Times that the redevelopment of Victoria Theater “is back on track and will break ground in the second half of next year.” The delay was due to the financial crisis back in 2008.
The entire project, which is being designed by the same architect firm that built the Livmor Condos on Frederick Douglass Blvd., will include two towers above the theater: a rental building in one tower and hotel in the other tower. The first floor will become the new home of the Classical Theater of Harlem, Jazzmobile, the Harlem Arts Alliance and the Apollo Theater Foundation.
If you’re wondering if all this good news that’s been announced about 125th Street is a coincidence, it’s not. According to the Times article, all these changes being announced is due to the city rezoning the street replacing buildings along 125th with “office towers, residential high-rises and cultural institutions. The rezoning was approved just as the real estate market collapsed, and many of the developments did not get off the ground. Several are starting up again.”
This is great news. Who cares about the timing. We will take it! To read the entire article by the Times, click here.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, business, commercial real estate, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Harlem, history, jazz, music, New York, New York City, NYC, shopping
Tagged 125th street, 125th Street Equities LLC., Classical Theater of Harlem, Harlem, Harlem Arts Alliance, Harlem Brewing Company, HarlemTavern, jazzmobile, Mayor Bloomberg, Photo by The Observer, Sugar Hill Beer, The Apollo Theater Foundation, The New York Times, The Victoria Theater in Harlem
West 122nd Street between 7th and 8th Avenue
Today is the King of Pop’s birthday-Michael Jackson. He would have been 53 years old. He passed away two years ago. If you want to remember Michael Jackson and his connection to Harlem, there are two ways to pay tribute to him.
First suggestion is to stop by the Apollo Theater. They have their own Walk of Fame, which features Michael Jackson.
Another suggestion is to take a stroll down West 122nd street between 8th Avenue and 7th Ave, also known as Frederick Douglass Blvd and Adam Clayton 
Powell Jr., Blvd. There you can see the actual place where the ‘Bad- The Full Version’ video was filmed. There is a sign hanging on a fence on that street, which states, “Michael Jackson spent a few days on our block.”
If you haven’t seen the full version of Bad, which was filmed in Harlem, take a look here. It shows an entire different chapter of Harlem’s history.
And let’s take a moment to remember the person who brought us magical music for several decades, Michael Jackson!
Posted in 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Bad Full Version Video, Harlem, history, Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson's birthday, music, The Apollo Theater., West 122nd Street
The Changing Face of Harlem documentary, which is capturing Harlem’s rebirth of the last decade needs our help. The director of Changing Face of Harlem is looking to use photos-and maybe film footage-of an artist/performer who performed in Harlem during the 1930s or 1940s. If you know of someone who has photos of a Harlem artist from that time period, please go to the Changing Face of Harlem Facebook page or contact the director at shawn@changingfaceofharlem.com. Another option is to email harlemgalinc@gmail.com with your suggestions and HarlemGal Inc. will make sure it get’s passed on to the director.
The second option is to find the family of a Harlem artist/musician/dancer/singer etc. Maybe this amazing person who performed in Harlem back in the day continued their personal legacy through family? If you know of someone who had a mother or father that performed in Harlem the 30s or 40s, the director is looking to use those photos and film footage for her documentary. Again, if you know of someone, use the contact information above.
And last, if you’re wondering why the Changing Face of Harlem director is looking for these photos and film footage, she is working on strengthening the history section of Harlem in her film.
Hope we can help! Have a wonderful day Harlem!
Posted in 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Bars, business, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Frederick Douglass Circle, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, politics, restaurants
Tagged art and culture, Changing Face of Harlem, Films, Harlem, history, Shawn Batey
Yesterday, a reader asked if we knew that the old newsstand on West 112th was ‘For Rent?’ Today, a reader is asking HarlemGal Inc., what’s up with Harlem Vintage? The reader explained that they were in Harlem Vintage recently and could not help but notice the “shelves just keep getting more and more bare.” Does anyone know what is up? Is Harlem Vintage letting their stock sell out to close? Or are they clearing out the store to make more room for Nectar Wine Bar ? I hope it’s the latter.
If anyone knows what’s up, give us the lowdown!
Posted in Bars, drinks, entertainment, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants
Tagged 10027, 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd, Harlem, Harlem Vintage, Nectar Wine Bar, Wine, wine store
Our beloved Harlem is featured bright and big again in the media, but this time in the UK’s travel section of The Independent. According to the article the reporter/ photographer visited Harlem recently and took direction from Thelma Golden, the Director of Studio Museum Harlem, on what to see in Harlem.
Per Golden’s instructions, Chris Coplans stayed at The Aloft Harlem and he raves about it in the article. He also went to the Apollo Theater, El Museo del Barrio, Studio Museum Harlem, and more. Golden encouraged the reporter to visit the Duke Ellington sculpture and to try Senegalese food at Les Ambassades.
What’s interesting about this article is the reporter covered a lot of Harlem ground-from East to West. He also gives Lenox Avenue big props by saying, “If 125th St is the traditional Harlem, then Lenox Avenue between 125th and 126th is very much the emerging “New Harlem”, with an arty vibe and “Village” sidewalk culture.”
To read the full article, click here. To see additional photos on Harlem from the reporter, go here.
Posted in 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Bars, business, commercial real estate, Community, drinks, education, entertainment, fashion, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants, shopping, spending, The Apollo Theater
Tagged 10026, 10029, 10030, Aloft Hotel Harlem, Apollo Theater, Chris Coplans, Duke Ellington Memorial Circle, El Museo del Barrio, Lenox Avenue, Les Ambassades, The Independent, The Studio Museum Harlem, Thelma Golden
I received notice that the video feature of Gospel for Teens that aired on 60 Minutes awhile back will be airing again this coming Sunday, August 28 starting at 7 p.m.
If you missed seeing the two-part segment where Leslie Stahl interviews Vy Higginsen and some of her students in Gospel for Teens, there is another opportunity. Don’t miss it. It was very good, emotional and inspiring to see.
Gospel for Teens on 60 Minutes
August 28 at 7 p.m. ET/PT
To read prior blog coverage on Gospel for Teens, click here.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Free!, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 149 West 126th Street, 60 Minutes, Christiane Amanpour, Gospel for Teens in Harlem, Harlem, How Sweet the Sound:The Search for the Best Church Choir in America, Mama Foundation, Stephen Belber, Universal Pictures, Verizon, Vy Higginsen, Walker Memorial Baptist Church
The Museum of the City of New York’s music series continues tonight on its outdoor terrace overlooking Fifth Avenue and Central Park. DJ Devon Craig Johnson is tonight’s musical guest at LIVE@1220 Fifth. “Jazz guitarist, rock drummer, and DJ Devon Craig Johnson will treat audiences to jazz, classical, hip hop, and modern pop. This artist brings an eclectic mix of contemporary styles to his performances.”
The event starts at 6:00 and ends at 9:00 pm. Admission includes after-hours access to the Museum as well as one complimentary cocktail or refreshment.
Live@1220 Fifth ends August 31. Check it out while you can!
Posted in art and culture, Community, drinks, entertainment, Events, food, Harlem, jazz, music, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged 10029, 103rd Street, 104th Street, Fifth Avenue, Harlem, Live@1220 Fifth, Museum of the City of New York, music, Spanish Harlem
For all you jazz aficionados, this event is for you! The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival is happening this coming weekend in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park. The annual jazz music festival assembles some of the finest musicians in the world, who reflect on Charlie Parker’s “musical individuality and genius, to promote appreciation for this highly influential and world-renowned artist.” The two-day event of free concerts takes place in neighborhoods where Charlie Parker actually lived and worked-and one of those places is Harlem!
On Saturday, the line up will include Toots Thielmans, James Carter, Tia Fuller, and Cecile McLorin Salvant. The music starts at 3:00 p.m. in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park! See additional details here!
It is showtime at The Apollo Theater, but in the Hamptons…to raise money! Ron Perelman, who joined the Apollo Theater board last year, has been throwing quite the fundraising shin-dig at his Hampton’s estate and packed with celebrity power.
Last year, Jon Bon Jovi came out for the first fundraiser and he attended again this year, along with Jaime Fox and Alicia Keys. Apparently, the event that happened this past weekend in the Hamptons raised more than $1 million for Harlem’s famous music venue versus last year where the event did not even reach a million dollars. And guess who donated food to the event? Yup, you guessed it! Marcus Samuelsson.
If this fundraiser happens again and keeps charging guests $2500 a ticket, Ron Perelman will probably reach $2 million dollars next year. Must be nice. And good for the Apollo Theater that their board works for them. The more dinero for our beautiful venue, the better! Ron go for two next year!
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, business, entertainment, Harlem, history, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, spending, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Ali Wentworth, Alicia Keys, Ben E King, Bettye Lavette, Carey Lowell, George Stephanopoulos, Harlem, Jon Bon Jovi, marcus samuelsson, Photo by The Wall Street Journal, Red Roooster Harlem, Richard Gere, Ron Perelman, The Apollo Theater., The Hamptons
 | Anonymous on Sting performs to a sold out c… |
 | Bellumnati on Made in Harlem: Uptown Soap Co… |
 | Swift Thorft on Inside Harlem Shake Restaurant… |
 | Olivia Henson on 220 St. Nicholas in Harlem 50… |
 | Betty Anne Syphrette on ‘Soul Train’ celebration is to… |
 | Elle on Mixed use building going up at… |
 | robert brashear on Harlem’s Cantina Taqueria… |
| robert brashear on A Cantina 8th Ave coming to ol… |
 | SilverMarc on A Cantina 8th Ave coming to ol… |
 | A. NEIGHBOR on Is Jado Sushi in Harlem starti… |
HarlemGal Inc. 