Category Archives: entertainment

Duke Ellington tribute in ‘Cotton Club Parade’

May 4, 2011 @ 12:19

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By HarlemGal
Duke Ellington, Harlem’s famous jazz musician who is honored with a beautiful sculpture at East 110th Street and Fifth Avenue, performed at the Cotton Club in Harlem in the 1920’s and ’30’s. Now City Center’s Encores! series and Jazz at Lincoln Center will pay respect to the jazz great with “Cotton Club Parade,” a tribute to Ellington’s performances. “Cotton Club Parade” will have six performances at City Center this November (Nov. 18 to 22) with musical direction by Wynton Marsalis and featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra.

The series will run every two years, with the next production scheduled at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center during its 2013-14 season. Tickets for “Cotton Club Parade” can be purchased through City Center beginning Aug. 15.

PS 161 in Harlem dances with Houston gal Beyonce

May 4, 2011 @ 7:46

By HarlemGal
The students at PS 161 Pedro Albizu Campos Middle in Harlem received a nice surprise yesterday (May 3rd). Mrs. Jay Z, also known as Beyonce, made a surprise visit to the Harlem school located at 499 West 133rd Street. The visit was a part of the “Let’s Move” promotion, which is the First Lady Michelle Obama’s youth fitness campaign.

A group of students were filming their rendition of Beyonce’s “Move Your Body” video when Beyonce made her way out on to the floor of the school’s gymnasium and surprised the group of students. In addition to dancing with the students, Beyonce posed for photographs with them. Very nice! See more coverage at JustJared.com.


Harlem born Denton John to protect the Queen of England during Royal Wedding

Apr 28, 2011 @ 23:48

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By HarlemGal
The U.K.’s Daily Mail reported April 28 that Denton John from Harlem, New York, will be on horseback during the Royal Wedding and his sole purpose is to protect the Queen of England during her grandson’s wedding. According to the article, Denton John went to school at Wadleigh High School on West 114th Street. After high school, he signed up for the British Army.
So if you’re waking up early Friday to watch Prince William and Kate Middleton marry April 29, look for Denton John. He’s from Harlem, New York!

Another screening of Jumping the Broom in Harlem

Apr 27, 2011 @ 7:15
By HarlemGal
Listen up Harlem gal readers! This blog post is for YOU! There is another opportunity to see the motion picture Jumping the Broom this Thursday (April 28), 7 PM, at Magic Johnson Theater (MJT).

This is what you have to do. Go by Hue-Man Bookstore, located at 2319 Frederick Douglass Blvd. (between 124th & 125th Street) pronto! They will be handing out a limited number of tickets to see the film at MJT. The bookstore is open from 10:00 AM-8:00 PM. And remember, tickets are available while supplies last!

Gospel for Teens Choir in Harlem profiled on ABC’s This Week with Christiane Amanpour

Apr 27, 2011 @ 1:00

By HarlemGal

Gospel for Teens Choir in Harlem has been receiving a ton of press lately-and it is well deserved to say the least. About three weeks ago, Vy Higginsen and her students were on CBS’s 60 Minutes for a good majority of the program. This past Sunday, Gospel for Teens Choir in Harlem was profiled by Christiane Amanpour. If you missed it, take a look here!

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Weekends at Bellevue is filming weekdays in Harlem

Apr 7, 2011 @ 13:24
By HarlemGal
The cast of ‘Weekends at Bellevue,’ a Fox TV pilot based on the same titled book by Julie Holland, is actually spending weekdays in Harlem-at least since Wednesday from what we hear from a fellow HCL blogger. The pilot, which centers on the character Ellie, a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital psychiatric unit, is currently being filmed at the former North General Hospital at 122nd and Madison Avenue. The crew is expected to be at the old hospital until tomorrow, according to our peeps!

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Amkoullel to perform for first time in Harlem, Shrine and Farafina host Malian hip hop artist

Apr 6, 2011 @ 7:23
By HarlemGal
World music takes center stage this Thursday and Friday in Harlem. Amkoullel, the Malian hip hop artist will  be performing for the first time in Harlem (and in the USA) this Thursday and Friday (April 7-8).

On April 7th, see Amkoullel perform at the Shrine, located at 2271 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. The show starts at 8 PM. At Shrine, there is no cover charge.  The next day (April 8), see the Afro-beat artist perform at Farafina Cafe, located at 1813 Amsterdam Avenue. This show starts at 11 PM on Friday.

Aside from his music, Amkoullel is known for “harmoniously combining traditional and contemporary global cultures to promote social responsibility.”

One of Harlem’s A-List couples graces the cover of Uptown Magazine

Apr 5, 2011 @ 11:06
By HarlemGal
It’s Spring time! That means it’s time for magazines to feature the most beautiful people on the planet on the cover. Uptown Magazine falls in line and starts off April right by pleasing the eye. In their annual Gourmet Issue, one of Harlem’s A-List couples graces the April cover. It is Red Rooster Harlem owner and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson and his drop dead gorgeous wife and model Gate Maya Haile.

For the Gourmet edition, the Samuelsson’s gave Uptown Mag incredible access. The Harlem couple allowed the magazine to photograph them all over Red Rooster. Take a look at the behind the scenes coverage. The pictures and video are incredible. If you can get past that part, feel free to click on over here to read what’s inside Uptown Magazine’s Gourmet Issue!

See The Faces Behind Madame Alexander Dolls in Spanish Harlem

Apr 4, 2011 @ 7:00
By HarlemGal
This week the 12th Annual Havana Film Festival New York kicks off in the City and runs from April 7-15. This year they have carved out a new prize called the Havana Prize for Best Documentary. Seven films are in competition and one of the seven is The Faces Behind Madame Alexander Dolls, a documentary that pays tribute to the Dominican and Latin American workers who have worked in the famous doll factory, located in Harlem at 615 West 131st Street, dedicating their lives to creating beautiful dolls that have delighted children and adults around the world since the early 1920s. These dolls have been collected by queens, business women, actresses, and world leaders.

The Faces Behind Madame Alexander Dolls is screening this Wednesday, April 6 at El Museo del Barrio in Spanish Harlem. The event is FREE, starts at 6:30 PM and includes a post-show Q&A with director Freddy Vargas and cast members.

Details:
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
6:30 pm – 8:30 pm
El Teatro, El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue (At East 104th Street)
Admission: Free

What should President Barack Obama order at Red Rooster Harlem?

Mar 29, 2011 @ 7:00
By HarlemGal
The barricades are up on Lenox Avenue and 125th Street, the $30k checks are in, and the articles have been written about how POTUS Barack Obama will be in Harlem this evening (March 29) at Red Rooster. I feel like I have all the information that’s out there about this visit with the exception of one thing! No one has covered the menu for this swanky fundraiser-that I am aware of. I wonder if there is a special menu for 30 grand. Let’s pretend there is not a special menu and that President Obama is using the everyday dinner menu for this expensive occasion. Under this scenario, shall we ask the question? What should President Obama order at Red Rooster?

First off, I think he should hang out at the bar for a while and throw back a few drinks, such as the Brownstoner or Rooster Punch. POTUS Obama needs to drink a lot so that he can move the Secret Service out-of-the-way in order to stand close to the window so some of us can see him from afar. Wouldn’t that be nice?

Then after a few cocktails, Obama should sit down with guests that should be asked to fork over another $30k for actually getting to eat at Red Rooster before most Harlemites get to and then discuss reelection strategy over cornbread, Pulled Pork; and Dirty Rice and Shrimp. Those food items seem appropriate for the conversation and asking for the additional funds…don’t ya think?

For the main course, I believe Obama should either have the Braised Oxtail or the Uptown Steak Frites. For $30,000 dollars a head, OBAMA PLEASE DON’T EAT CHICKEN or FRIED YARD BIRD. That is a no, no given the price guests are paying to dine with an awesome POTUS. Plus the Food Network police will never forgive you or Marcus if you eat chicken at such an expensive event!

As for desert, it is a toss up on what Obama should order. I like both the Sweet Potato Doughnuts or Spiced Bread Pudding. I have had them both and they are delicious!

After his fabulous meal at Red Rooster Harlem, I hope President Obama walks a long rope line near the popular restaurant and shakes plenty of Harlem hands. My guess is there will be a ton of people waiting and watching for him to arrive and depart. Given who President Obama is and what Harlem stands for, in my opinion it would be a perfect way to end the evening to what I am assuming will be a perfect meal.