Category Archives: entertainment

Lenox Avenue, Harlem featured web series, premieres tonight October 29

Need a break from watching the news on Hurricane Sandy? Here’s an option. Lenox Avenue, a new Harlem-based television series, is premiering exclusively online now at http://www.LenoxAveSeries.com.

The series, created by ValDean Entertainment and award-winning producer, writer and actor Al Thompson (Comedy Central, SYFY) follows the fast-paced lives of three men as they navigate dating, sex and love in Harlem, NY.

Check it out tonight and tell us what you think!

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Esperanza Spalding in photos performing at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater

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Esperanza Spalding at the ApolloThe owner of SugarHill Beer & Friends at East Harlem Harvest Festival!Whose ready to smoke a hookah pipe at East Harlem Harvest Festival? Compliments of The Kiosk!I'm hanging out here today, aka beer tent, at East Harlem Harvest Festival. Gonna drink some SugarHill Beer!Plenty of pumpkins at the East Harlem Harvest Festival...and a ghost!Bright red awning at Melba's Restaurant in Harlem!

I went to see jazz singer and bassist Esperanza Spalding Friday night (Oct 26) at Harlem’s Apollo Theater. It was fantastic. This was my first time seeing her perform. There is no question in my mind Esperanza Spalding, the Grammy award winner, is the full package: extremely talented, unique and so gorgeous. Hopefully these pictures give you a sense of that! Enjoy.

Reminder: East Harlem Harvest Festival October 27 from noon to 6 pm

It’s Thursday and I am already thinking about the weekend. I am planning on heading on over to the eastside of Harlem, 116th Street and Park Avenue, for its first Harlem Harvest Festival. The event celebrates East Harlem’s restaurants, bakeries and vendors of La Marqueta public market.

Several restaurants will be participating where one can purchase small bites from Agua Fresca, Kiosk, Hot Bread Kitchen, Soul Fixins’, Creole Restaurant and Music Supper Club, Evelyn’s Kitchen, Luca Bosco, Corbin Hill Farm, Spaha Cafe, Tanto Sabor, El Kallejon Botanas Bar, East Harlem Cafe, Lloyd’s Carrot Cake, Coco Le Vu and Nafi’s Hot Pepper Condiments.

There will be Beer Flights available in the Beer Garden at Urban Garden Center and there will be a Make Your Own Brew Workshop hosted by Celeste Beatty, the founder of Sugar Hill Beer of the Harlem Brewing Company. The Children’s Zone at Urban Garden Center will have a cooking demo by Culinaria Festival, face painting, pumpkin carving and the Cutie Patooties workshop. Dimitri Gatanas of Urban Garden Center will be hosting garden related workshops like How to Build Your Own Terrarium and “Plants in Suspension” Dimitri’s version of the Japanese art of Kokedama.

Hope you can join in on the fun. The event starts at noon October 27 and will end at 6 pm. So plenty of time to head on over to La Marqueta at East 116th Street and Park Avenue. See you there!

Let’s help Harlem Grown win $25,000 from Martha Stewart


Last night when I was online tweeting about the Presidential Debate. I came across Edward Norton’s (the actor) twitter page. His tweet said: “Trying to help Harlem Grown win $25K from Martha Stewart.” I inquired further and realized this was important information Mr. Norton tweeted out. I wanted to share too to help Harlem Grown.

This holiday season Martha Stewart is helping to give back by creating the Thanks for Giving Challenge. This is where charities that raise the most funds by November 25th as a part of the Challenge will receive additional cash contributions (as much as $25,000!) from Martha Stewart Living Omnimedia. So go here to donate at least $26 from October 19 at 7:00 pm EST to November 27th at 11:59 pm EST and you will be automatically entered into the sweepstakes to Win a Dell XPS 13 Ultrabook and you’re helping Harlem Grown to win $25k.

The Lavender Light Gospel Choir to perform at 5 and Diamond Harlem

The Lavender Light Gospel Choir is performing tomorrow, Tuesday, October 23rd, at 7:30 pm at 5 and Diamond Harlem. The Lavender Light Gospel Choir is a mixed choir of women and men who believe that music can heal the world! It is the world’s first and only LGBT, non-denominational gospel choir that encompasses many ethnic and spiritual backgrounds. 

The 5 and Diamond Harlem is located at 2072 Frederick Douglass Boulevard (between 112th and 113th Streets). If you’re interested in attending, it’s $75 per person, which includes 4-course dinner with champagne toast. The guest chef is Patricio D’Andrea from Florence, Italy.

Seats are limited. Please call 917-860-4444 to RSVP.

Lenox Avenue web series premieres October 29

Mark your calendar! Lenox Avenue, the web series mentioned about a month ago here and that stars Harlem, will be premiering a week from today, October 29. Lenox Avenue is centered on three friends as they navigate through the challenging dating scene in Harlem.

To view the online series, book mark Lenox Avenue’s website and then click on episodes. The first show for Fall will be viewed there.

Section of West 121st Street in Harlem to become George Carlin Way

The Columbia Spectator reports today that Community Board 9 in Morningside Heights, a section of West Harlem, approved renaming a part of West 121st Street to George Carlin Way, where the stand-up comedian, actor and social critic grew up. In his stand up performances, George Carlin was known for calling the area where he grew up as “white Harlem” because it sounded much tougher than its subset name of Morningside Heights.

This decision to rename part of West 121st Street to George Carlin Way comes after a year-long fight. To read more of the Columbia Spector article, click here.

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CBS’ Person of Interest filming along Harlem’s Frederick Douglass Blvd

If you want to get a peak of the handsome actor Jim Caviezel, today maybe the day! The CBS television show Person of Interest is filming all along Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem from 113th to 116th Street. When I was heading to work, there were several movie trucks parked along FDB.

Also, I saw signage that said ABC’s show titled Elementary is filming on FDB and 119 Street as well.

It’s a busy day today in Harlem in the entertainment area!

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Save the Date: East Harlem Harvest Festival happening October 26-27

Central Harlem just completed its Harvest Festival. Now its time to plan for East Harlem’s Harvest Festival taking place at 116th Street and Park Avenue. I believe its the first one and organizers are making sure it lasts all weekend.

On October 26, a celebration of culture and cuisine is planned. How to make you’re own brewski is on the agenda at the Urban Garden Center and Sugar Hill Beer is involved. That will be good and those 21 years and older can participate. A Hookah Lounge will be set up thanks to Kiosk Restaurant, a delightful Moroccan restaurant in East Harlem. And for children, the East Harlem Harvest Festival will be planning a Recycling Game, pumpkin carving and a class on how to make healthy food provided by Culinaria Festival!

So no need to worry about making plans for the weekend of October 26-27. Head on over to the eastside of Harlem for their Harvest Festival. See you there.

One week away, Harlem Harvest Festival October 6

Some of us will be checking out the Common Ground Festival today in Morningside Park, but then a week later its time to head over to the Harlem Harvest Festival on October 6, which I believe its in its third or fourth year. The Festival starts at 116th Street and St. Nicholas Avenue. See details below and read last year’s blog post on the Harlem Harvest Festival.