Category Archives: entertainment

Top ten reasons on why Harlem is one of the best places to live in New York City

Apr 14, 2010 @ 7:19

By HarlemGal
This is a blog that writes about all things positive about Harlem. We tell our stories from “nuestros corazones.” Unfortunately, we don’t have data, grids or a fancy magazine to back up our stories. We only have words, life experiences and a love for all things Harlem. And what better time to use these descriptions and tools than right now-especially given the recent edition of New York Magazine.

To profess our reasons on why we believe Harlem is one of the best places to live in New York City, we created our own Top Ten List. Sorry Dave. We have to borrow a page right out of your playbook to make our point. Here we go….

Top Ten Reasons on why Harlem is one of the best places to live in New York City:

10. Harlem is almost 400 years old. And guest what?….we will still be around for another 400 years! Isn’t lower Manhattan and parts of Brooklyn suppose to sink under water?

9. Harlem is very green. We are near several three parks: Central Park North, Jackie Robinson Park, Morningside Park, Riverside Park, Riverbank State Park and Marcus Garvey Park. Harlem also has St. Nicholas Park, which a reader told us “is one of the most historical (along with Hamilton Grange, City College, Hamilton Heights and Striver’s Row near).” Shouldn’t we count Riverside Park too? Then that would be four parks we are near.

8. We are home to the highest institution of higher learning in the State of New York, Columbia University. Park Slope kids will be living in Harlem when they get older and head to Columbia.

7. We have many different neighborhoods and some of their names are sweet, like sugar, or romantic as Spanish.

6. We are one of the happiest according to a recent survey. To tell the truth, we are very happy in life. However, we are not happy with New York Magazine right now….

5. Because you can have a date with red, not Red Butler, but red as in red velvet cake at Lee Lee’s Baked Goods on 118th Street. Delicious!

4. We have famous songs about or that mention Harlem that are as diverse as its people. Harlem River Quiver is by Duke Ellington. Angel of Harlem is by U2. Spanish Harlem Incident is by Bob Dylan and Across 110th Street is by Bob Womack.

3. We have some serious wide sidewalks where there is plenty of elbow room for you and your baby stroller. Parts of the Village are like walking through a football field.

2. We have the famous Apollo Theater. Need we say more.

1. And the number reason on why Harlem is one of the best places to live in New York City, because This blog is going to go negative for once on its blog. We don’t believe or give a flying hoot about Nate Silver and his recent findings. Politics done right does not necessarily mean neighborhoods done right!

Nate, come up and visit us any time. We will show you all the great things Harlem has to offer!

Harlem’s Just Wingin It premieres April 20th on Construction Intervention

Apr 2, 2010 @ 11:30

By HarlemGal

We now have an exact date on when Just Wingin It and its makeover premieres on the Discovery Channel’s new series Construction Intervention. Below is the episode description released to the media by Discovery:

Just Wingin’ It
Premieres Tuesday, April 20 at 10PM ET/PT

Nestled on the busy streets of Eighth Avenue [also known as Frederick Douglass Blvd.] in Harlem, Walter Lewis always wanted to give back to his community by opening a neighborhood restaurant. Being a firefighter wasn’t enough for Walter. He wanted to open a business that helped this community thrive while providing a safe hangout for local youths. Walter’s dreams came true when he opened Just Wingin’ It in Harlem. Unfortunately, a bad construction job forced him to shut his doors indefinitely – only a few months after opening. Walter has always been there for his community and now Charlie and his team are going to be there for him. The redesign of this small restaurant includes a brand new layout that can handle heavy customer traffic, new restane into this soon-to-be community hot spot.

Half of what is mentioned above I did not know about so I cannot provide much comment. The only item I can attest to is this part of the description: “this soon-to-be community hot spot.” I like the sound of that! HarlemCondoLife could not agree more! Especially on FDB from 110th to 125th Street. That area is becoming a hot spot due to new restaurant establishments, grocery store, wine store and several condo developments!

In closing, I have a quick question for Walter Lewis. When are you opening up for business? Please tell us so we can come by for food and see the new place! By the way, Just Wingin It is located at 2190 Frederick Douglass Blvd. in Central Harlem.

HarlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

Sneak peak of Harlem’s Just Wingin It

Mar 23, 2010 @ 13:37
By HarlemGal
In January, we told you how Construction Intervention, the Discovery Channel TV show, was at 2190 Frederick Douglass Blvd performing some construction magic on Harlem’s Just Wingin It! Well, the magic/makeover is finished! Here is a sneak peak at what the public will see when Construction Intervention debuts April 13, 2010 at 10 PM ET/PT April or May.

Check your local listings for exact air date and time of Construction Intervention!

ABC’s Ugly Betty is in Spanish Harlem

Feb 2, 2010 @ 12:19
By HarlemGal
Ugly Betty is in the barrio, El Museo del Barrio that is, which is located at East 105th Street and Fifth Avenue. Fellow blogger Austin2Harlem tipped us off that the now cancelled TV show is taping one of their last episodes at the Latino cultural institution today! The cast and crew were onsite yesterday as well!

I am so bummed about the cancellation of this show. I am a fan! I really liked watching Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, even though the character is from Queens. Glad to know the cast and crew filmed in Spanish Harlem.

There is about eight episodes left to air. See the final season on Wednesday nights on Channel 7!

harlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

The Discovery Channel’s Construction Intervention is Just Wingin It in Harlem

Jan 7, 2010 @ 11:45

HarlemCondoLife

UPDATE: Click here to see Construction Intervention’s makeover of Harlem’s Just Wingin It!

By HarlemGal
I was walking along Frederick Douglass Blvd. this evening (Thursday) and I could not help but notice a ton of c-stands with giant lights, a van full of camera men and a boat load of construction workers at 118th and FDB! I asked the still photographer on site and one of the construction workers what was going on inside Harlem’s Just Wingin It, a chicken wings place right on the northeast corner. They said they were filming a Discovery Channel TV show called Construction Intervention, a renovation show that will be hosted by Charlie Frattini, a project executive for Muss Brooklyn Development Corp. Good for Just Wingin It. I always wondered what was up with that place!
According to one of the workers on site, the show will air this coming March. That sounds realistic given the renovation has to be completed within four days for each project! Sounds like an interesting show. HarlemCondoLife will be sure to watch!

HarlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

HarlemCondoLife

Sting performs to a sold out crowd at Harlem’s St. John the Divine, Only U.S. stop

Dec 9, 2009 @ 15:41

By HarlemGal

The largest gothic cathedral in the United States was a musical haven to rock star Sting and a sea of international musicians last night. Sting, who is performing two sold out shows December 8th and 9th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, played songs from his latest album called  If on a Winter’s Night …, “a seasonal contemplation mixing traditional English songs and carols with his own The Hounds of Winter and Lullaby for an Anxious Child.” Sting performed about 20 beautiful songs along with two encores to-what I am estimating-a few hundred people, who in my view, came from the tri-state area.

And St. John the Divine was the perfect backdrop for Sting and his musicians. The entire Cathedral looked magical.  My guess is Sting’s production company was filming the entire concert from start to finish. Make-up on the ladies was perfectly done and all of the men and women were dressed in black tie for the camera that was located stage left and roaming.

What was fascinating about the concert was every musicial instrument imaginable was on the stage and played. Some I recognized and some I did not. The women who played the harp was interesting.

As for the music, it was the antithesis of what I have always known about Sting, which is generally rock music and a devout yogi. Sting was more of an opera star last night than a rock star, which goes to show the range of this artist. The music and the venue tied together perfectly. It made me feel like I was watching a performance for the King of England or an episode of Showtime’s The Tudors. It felt majestic, yet most of the songs performed were calming and appropriate for the holiday season. My favorite songs were Christmas at Sea, Ghost Story, which Sting said was about his father, and Lullaby For An Anxious Child. For the Lullaby song, he brought out the Newark Boys Choir on stage. They did a wonderful job singing with Sting and what a great opportunity for them. Way to go Newark Boys Choir!  However, my question for Sting is “why didn’t he use the Harlem Boys Choir to perform with him?” I have no ill will against the Newark Boys Choir, but Sting was technically in Harlem last night. It would have been a nice and a respectful acknowledgment toward the Harlem community. Oh well, maybe next time.

Overall, the show was beautiful and well worth its price. I guess I was one of the few who was able to purchase tickets online in the first nine minutes when they were made available. Apparently, that is how long it took for both shows to sell out.

Fela! on Broadway, musical elements on Harlem’s 116th Street

Dec 1, 2009 @ 0:28

By HarlemGal
On 116th Street from Frederick Douglass Blvd to Lenox Avenue, there is always African music playing throughout the various stores. The music plays just right, not loud. It’s pleasant enough to where you notice and say to yourself, is that Fela! music I hear? If you live or have walked along this portion of Harlem before, you know exactly what I am talking about. It’s this Harlem experience along 116th Street that sparked an interest for me to go see Fela!-the Broadway musical.
I ventured down to the Eugene O’Neill Theater to see the show about legend Kuti in its first week of opening. All I can say right off the top is “this is not your standard musical.” This show ain’t no Mary Poppins or Lion King – quite the contrary. Fela! is a show where you will find yourself saying “yeah, yeah” or moving your hips to three o’clock and nine o’clock at the instruction of the lead actor or wanting to dance or stare in awe at the dancers and their AMAZING bodies. The dancers are spectacular! When you see the show, you will know what I mean by all these descriptions.

img_2629The creme de la creme of Fela! is the lead actor, who sings, dances and plays two different musical instruments, the trumpet and saxophone, in the show. The lead actor sings and plays the saxophone most of the time. The evening I went Sahr Ngaujah was the lead and watching Sahr was pure enjoyment. However, don’t take my word for it. I am just a blogger from Harlem. Read the reviews in New York Magazine about Fela! and decide for yourself. But do take my word that elements of Fela’s music are alive and well along 116th Street in Harlem. See you at the Shrine!

Precious, the movie based in Harlem, will make you cry

Nov 27, 2009 @ 11:56
By HarlemGal

I finally went to go see the movie Precious over the holiday weekend and all I can say is “go see it.” I thought the entire film was excellent from start to finish. However, I under estimated the power of the subject matter and how it would affect me. I read all the reviews in the newspaper and online, but I had no idea this film would send me to a place of endless tears. I cried, cried and cried. As a matter of fact, the movie theater I was at had everyone bawling, like children. It’s that good and emotional of a film!

All of the actors were excellent in the film, especially Gabourey Sidibe. After seeing Sidibe’s performance, I hope she receives a ton of acting award nominations for Precious. If I was a member of the Oscar Academy, I would vote for her! If no Oscar nod happens, the next best thing would be for the entertainment industry to reward her with endless acting opportunities. Go see the film for yourself and tell us what you think. Precious is showing at the Magic Johnson Theater at 125th and Frederick Douglass Blvd.

Special offer for Harlem residents and Dreamgirls

Nov 6, 2009 @ 13:44

By HarlemGal
The Apollo Theater was canvassing the Harlem streets this week informing locals about their special offer to see a live musical performance of Dreamgirls. According to their flyer, Harlem residents and employees can purchase tickets for as low as $18.50 starting November 6th. If you are interested in seeing Dreamgirls on stage at the Apollo, which plays from November 6th to December 6th, click here or call 212.307.4100!

Read our posts about the Apollo here!

Sting set to perform at Harlem’s St. John the Divine

Nov 3, 2009 @ 0:01
By HarlemGal

sting_about2

Photo by Tony Molina

What do Sting and the Cathedral Church of St. John the Divine have in common? The answer: December 8th and 9th. That’s when Sting will be in concert at St. John the Divine located in West Harlem. According to Sting’s website, he will be performing two exclusive concerts in West Harlem then in celebration of his new Deutsche Grammophon release, “If On a Winter’s Night…” Very interesting and so cool! Stay tuned for more information!
Click here to read our post on St. John the Divine.