Category Archives: Events

Part Three: Harlem Gal Inc reader drops three pounds on NYLean25 April challenge

Apr 14, 2011 @ 11:30

We have another diary entry from our HCL reader, who is taking the NYLean25 April Challenge in Harlem. She has good news to report!
Dear HarlemGal,
Week one on the NYLean25 is over and I lost three lbs!  I am ecstatic!  Every Friday we get weighed in and measured at the Kennedy Community Center on 135th St in Harlem. We were at Twirl Lounge, but the class got to big so we moved to the Kennedy Community Center.

It’s very hard for me to lose any weight, so I had to do a double take at that scale.  I also lost two inches in my waist.  I thought that must have been a mistake, so I tried on a pair of jeans yesterday and noticed a difference.  I know week two is going to be a bigger challenge.   Isn’t that the infamous week on  the NBC television program called The Biggest Loser when everyone gains weight or stays the same?

I decided to hit up NYLean’s website for some more support.  The at-home workout plans are very easy to read with videos embedded in the descriptions.  The cool thing is one can actually submit a workout log to your trainer.  You can do the same with a food log.  I’ll be submitting that to my trainer Robert this week.  Let’s see what he says!  The website also has articles on fitness, recipes and a calorie counter.

By the way, I used the tip below today when I got a serious craving for some chocolate. I even went a step further and did a teeth whitening session that involves having a tray in your mouth for 40 minutes.  You can’t eat with that on!
Tip #2:  Brush your teeth or eat a mint.  If you get hungry and feel you’re going to cheat, drink a big glass of cold water and then brush your teeth.  If you aren’t in a position to brush your teeth when the craving come on, then pop a sugar-free mint or piece o mint-flavored sugar-free gum.

While doing the tip #2, think this thought: “There is no food that tastes as good as being lean feels!”

Until next time…

Best,
HCL reader C2WL

UPDATE: Land Yoga to offer Adventures in Yogaland, new Harlem studio opens June 16th

Apr 14, 2011 @ 9:41

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By HarlemGal
Adventures in Yogaland, a mini-yogi summer camp for kid’s ages 3 and up, is coming to Harlem! And parents can sign up their children now by going to Land Yoga for kids. Discounts apply for those that sign up by May 1st! For those that want to practice yoga, Land Yoga will be opening in Harlem June 16th at 2110 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

Adventures in Yogaland offers a playful approach to yoga and it involves teaching children how to mimic the world around them by doing engaging, kid-friendly, exercises like moving their bodies in the shapes of plants and animals. Each week’s camp will feature a different yoga adventure, followed by a healthy snack and related art project. The main objective of Adventures in Yogaland is for children to have fun!

Adventures in Yogaland begins in South Harlem Tuesday, June 21st and runs for ten weeks through August, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 PM to 4:30 PM!

The Pratt Harlem Project starts now

Apr 14, 2011 @ 7:00
By HarlemGal
What should a developer do with its 9000 square foot commercial space that’s been empty for a while and its the space that WAS in negotiations with the owner of Busboys and Poets? Simple answer. Donate (hopefully that’s what the developer did) the retail space for a two-week art exhibition called The Pratt Harlem Project. This is an art exhibition, in collaboration with Pratt and Harlem artists, opening to the public  starting tonight, April 14, at 2280 Frederick Douglass Blvd between 122nd and 123rd.

The Pratt Harlem Project aims to bring works by new artists from Pratt in Brooklyn and Harlem’s arts community together with buyers and interested viewers. The exhibition will feature 90 works from 80 artists and will be mixed-media and includes alumni and student artists from both Pratt and the community.

An opening reception, which is open to any and all interested, will take place tonight, April 14 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the exhibit will remain open through April 28. The hours are: Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

Spirit of Harlem Community at Dwyer Cultural Center

Apr 11, 2011 @ 8:00
By HarlemGal
Learn about the essence of Harlem through the eyes of contemporary artists. Starting April 12 and running through mid-September, the Dwyer Cultural Center, located at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem, presents the Spirit of Community, an exhibition featuring commissioned works in photography, mural, sculpture, and video chronicling the sights, sounds, colors, textures, and people of Harlem. In the Spirit of Community, visitors will see how artists lend their imagination and innovation to capture the heartbeat of Harlem’s vibrant and thriving community. On April 12, head on over to the Dwyer at 6:30 PM to see this exhibition. And if you cannot make it then, it runs for five months ending September 15!

Part Two: NYLean25 day two was tough at Twirl Harlem

Apr 7, 2011 @ 11:00
On Monday, we told how one of our readers is taking the  NYLean25 April Challenge on behalf of HarlemCondoLife.com.  She provides her second diary entry. And based on her words, NYLean25 is getting demanding and at the same time promising.

Dear HarlemGal,
I’d like to first say a quick thanks to my fellow HCL readers for the comments they posted so far. It’s a big help to me and I want them to know it. Keep those comments coming in!

I went to my second class at NYLean25 at Twirl Lounge in Harlem. The class was so full the moved us to the Kennedy Community Center in Harlem.

Day two proved to be much harder than day one. I didn’t realize just how sore my body was until I worked it out again! This session we focused on legs, so there were lots of squats, leg lifts and all that fun stuff. Each week focuses on a different area, so one class will be legs, another will be arms, followed by core. All sessions include high intensity cardio intervals, which is no joke!

I must admit I wasn’t very good on the diet that goes along with the program for the first few days. I hadn’t gone food shopping with my work schedule packed, so I was improvising with stuff I already had. The diet consists of a high fiber, low carb breakfast, non-creamy soup and/or salad for lunch and dinner, and a healthy snack in the morning and afternoon. I finally went food shopping. Currently, I’m stocked up with the right food. I have no excuse!

NYLean25 gave me a list with nine weight loss tips.  I will share them with you throughout my diary entries.  Here is tip #1: drink a minimum of 8 glasses of COLD water a day.  You will burn around 150 calories of energy to heat the cold water to body temperature while simultaneously boosting your metabolism.  (And it’s good for your skin and hair too.) I could go for that!

More soon…

Best,
HCL reader committed to weight loss (HCL reader C2WL)

 

Five and Diamond Harlem participates in Village Voice Annual Tasting, Spring/Summer menu arriving soon

Apr 7, 2011 @ 7:30
By HarlemGal
The Village Voice’s Fourth Annual Tasting took place recently and Harlem’s very own 5 and Diamond, located at 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd., participated. The event allowed some 1,700 guests to sample food from more than 30 nations. We hear it is an honor to be invited to participate in the Village Voice’s Annual Tasting. It’s by invite only. Ooh-la-la. Kudos to Selene Martinez (co-owner, left in photo) Executive Chef David Martinez (no relation to Selene, center), and Lia Sanfilippo (co-owner, right).

We also hear that, 5 and Diamond is getting ready to unveil its Spring/Summer Menu for all. Now that it is April, perfect time to fill the belly with some incredible cuisine by Chef Martinez! See you there!

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.”

Harlem Gal Inc reader takes on NYLean25 April challenge

Apr 4, 2011 @ 11:35
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We were approached recently by NYLean25 to join their program for the month of April at Twirl Fitness Lounge in Harlem. NYLean25 is a 25 minute, three times a week fat burning class. At first we thought, how nice! That’s so sweet. Then we thought, are they trying to tell us something at HCL, like winter is over get off your computer duff! Finally, we said how cool. However, we think this opportunity would be better served through the eyes of a HarlemCondoLife reader. They agreed and we immediately found a willing participant! This HCL reader, female and who asked to remain anonymous, agreed to submit diary entries and photos about her NYLean25 experience. Her other request she wants from us is to cheer her on and provide constructive feedback! I think we can help her out…si?

Dear HarlemGal,
I am tired of the Wii Fit telling me I am overweight! I work out regularly, but I HATE going to the gym! When HarlemCondoLife offered me the opportunity to join NYLean25 for the month of April, I chomped at the bit! Thanks so much!

20110404-121751.jpg I am now committed to working out with NYLean25 three times a week for one month. Each session is only 25 minutes!

This is what the program involves:
-Interval training: an exercise technique that alternates between short bursts of high intensity activity followed by short rest periods or low intensity activity. It is known to burn fat faster.

-Toning and muscle confusion to keep muscles toned and avoid plateaus.

-Good form and posture: performing exercises with the correct form increases the effectiveness of muscle toning and strength building while reducing the possibility of injury.

-A choice of 2 eating plans.

-Weekly weigh-ins and measurements.

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I have a hard time with staying motivated, so being in a program that keeps me accountable for my actions is exactly what I need! I like that NYLean25 includes an excercise AND eating plan. Believe me, I know from experience that you can’t expect to see much results by doing one or the other. I arrived on my first day and got weighed, measured and had my body fat taken (ugh!).

20110404-121835.jpg Then the class began, led by the creater of NYLean25, Robert Brace, who is in the photo above. Robert is a very attractive former professional dancer with 10 years experience in the fitness industry. He has a cute British accent to boost. The class started off intense right off the bat! There was 25 minutes of push-ups, squats, cardio and ab work. I felt challenged, but not overwhelmed. I’ve taken some very intense bootcamp classes that had me dreading going back. Thankfully, I don’t feel that sense of dread with this class.

My goal for the month is to lose five pounds and maybe, just maybe, wear my bathing suit to the beach without board shorts over it!

Until next time. And wish me luck!

Best,
HCL reader committed to weight loss

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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

UPDATE: Harlem Tavern receives a big delivery, no April Fools

Apr 1, 2011 @ 11:27
By HarlemGal
While Bad Horse Pizza opens this evening (April 1), looks like Harlem Tavern is slowly moving forward with building the place. This morning there was a large truck spotted at 301 West 116th Street delivering what I assume is hardwood floors. Plus renderings posted on Harlem Tavern’s website show hardwood floors around the indoor bar and dining section!

Given it is April 1st, it’s no joke that Harlem Tavern wants to experience soon what Bad Horse Pizza will experience today, opening day!

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