Category Archives: Harlem businesses

Is Citi Bike Share finally coming to Harlem? Where will the racks be located in Harlem?

A few weeks ago, HarlemGal Inc wrote a blog post, which was picked up by two media outlets and collected mixed comments, criticizing Citi Bike Share for allowing the film set Annie to use the bike program in Harlem, but not allowing real life Harlem residents to have the same opportunity. Ironically, we are learning today from The New York Daily News that the Citi Bike Share may now becoming to Harlem as part of Phase II.

According to The Daily News, “Community Board 10 Chairwoman Henrietta Lyle revealed Wednesday night (October 2) that Department of Transportation officials emailed her with their plans to install at least three docking stations uptown featuring the clunky blue two-wheelers. Lyle told her fellow board members that the racks-the first that would be located in Manhattan above 59th St.-would be installed on Frederick Douglass Blvd. at W. 115th St. and W. 154th St. along with one on Lexington Ave. near E. 98th St. in East Harlem.”

Kudos to Chairwoman Lyle for leaking out the information at the board meeting and for raising the question “what about the rest of the Harlem community and the bike share?”

HarlemGal Inc.’s position has been, if Citi Bike Share was good enough for a movie set in Harlem, it is good enough for real life residents of Harlem to use. The Village of Harlem should have been a part of Phase I of the program! However, if Citi Bike Share is honestly moving forward with implementing the bike share in Harlem, we’ll take it!
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Food For Life Supreme closes in Harlem, Red Chili Indian Cafe opens in same space

A reader of HarlemGal Inc wrote in over the weekend informing us that there is a new Indian restaurant in Harlem that recently opened on West 116th Street near Lenox Avenue. It’s called Red Chili Indian Cafe. Apparently this new restaurant opened in the same space where Food For Life Supreme used to be located, ie 108 West 116th Street. Food For Life Supreme is closed or maybe it relocated? If anyone has the scoop, chime in!

According to our reader, they ordered take out from Red Chili Indian Cafe in Harlem “and it was really, really delicious, good-sized portions, and very nice staff.”

So there we have it! Another dining option in Harlem!
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KafkaCare Medical Spa opens at 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem

Back in January 2013, HarlemGal Inc told you about a new skin care clinic coming to Harlem at 114th Street and Frederick Douglass. We now know more about this business, such as the name, whose behind it and when it opened. KafkaCare Medical Spa opened about two weeks ago at 281 West 114 Street in Harlem. KafkaCare is located right next to the new Douglas Elliman office on the corner of 114th Street and FDB. KafkaCare is offering a variety of services, such as Botox, Juvederm fillers, laser treatments, and nutrition/weight loss.

A Harlem resident opened KafkaCare. Her name is Nicole Kafka, MD. She is a board certified surgeon, with a Bachelor’s degree from Harvard and an MD from Cornell University. She completed her surgical residency at NY Hospital (now NY Presbyterian – Weill Cornell).

To learn more about KafkaCare in Harlem, view their website at www.kafkacare.com. Phone is 212-688-2100.
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Unity Yoga coming to Harlem on 128th Street and St. Nicholas

Harlem is getting another yoga center. However, this center will focus on the vinyasa style of practice. HarlemGal Inc has learned that Unity Yoga is coming soon to 350 St. Nicholas Avenue at 128th Street. Unity Yoga will offer heated and unheated vinyasa classes for one hour. When Unity Yoga opens in Harlem, interested participants can purchase an introductory month at $38 and the monthly fee thereafter at $72. Single classes will be $22 and 10-class packs will cost $198. Classes will be held as early as 5:45am and as late as 8:30pm.

Unity Yoga in Harlem will be located less than one block from an entrance to the 125th Street A & D trains. To learn more about Unity Yoga in Harlem, check out their Facebook page.
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Red Lobster coming to Harlem’s 125th Street, hiring for positions underway

According to the 125th Street Business Improvement District, the Red Lobster that is coming to 125th Street next to the Apollo Theater is now hiring. Interested participants should go to www.redlobster.com/employment to seek out employment.

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Indulge in African teas at Serengeti Teas & Spices in Harlem, now open on Frederick Douglass Blvd

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At the recommendation of a longtime reader of HarlemGal Inc., I stopped by Serengeti Teas & Spices in Harlem yesterday, which opened a week ago at 2292 Frederick Douglass Blvd at 123rd Street. A big thanks for the recommendation. My visit to Serengeti in Harlem did not disappoint. And as one Facebook friend said, “it’s a must stop on FDB! The attention to details and explanations are great!” I couldn’t agree more.

Serengeti in Harlem offers all the tea imaginable, loose or bagged, strong or light, from the continent of Africa. And the staff is willing and ready to provide any guest a tutorial on the variety of teas offered. Plus Serengeti offers samples to taste if one is not sure what to purchase. I owned up to being tea illiterate and the staff person who assisted me (and by the way I did not disclose I was a local blogger) was extremely helpful and knowledgeable in all the teas offered. This staff person walked me through every inch of the products available. Overall, my experience at Serengeti in Harlem was completely delightful! I ended up purchasing two canisters of tea, the Bassa Blood Orange Organic Tea for $12 and Berry Rooibo’s 20 Tea Bags for $10.

If you’re walking along Harlem’s restaurant row, aka FDB, HarlemGal Inc recommends a quick stop by Serengeti Teas & Spices in Harlem at 123rd and FDB. They offer pastries and coffee as well. Serengeti in Harlem is open from 10 am to 9 pm. A website will be available at a later date.

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Harlem Fire Watchtower celebration happening today September 21

The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association along with Marcus Garvey Park Alliance and New York City Parks and Recreation are hosting a celebration today, September 21, in honor of the successful fund-raising efforts recently achieved to restore the Harlem Fire Watchtower.

The celebration is happening at the Acropolis in Marcus Garvey Park so that guests can get a close up view of the Harlem Fire Watchtower before it is disassembled for restoration. Start time is at 3 pm. Entrance is at 124th Street and Fifth Avenue. See you there.
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Citi Bike Share good enough for ‘Annie’ movie set filming in Harlem, not good enough for real life Harlem residents to use

Did anyone notice all the publicity, irony and major hypocrisy around adorable actress Quvenzhané Wallis riding a Citi Bike through Harlem on the set of ‘Annie’ this past week? When I saw several news clips stating how the character of ‘Annie’ was spotted in Harlem riding a Citi Bike, all I could think about was…wow, how interesting that the Citi Bike Share is being used on the set of the remake of ‘Annie’ now filming in Harlem, but none of us who live in the Village of Harlem actually get to use the bike share program because Citibank has not made it available to those of us who live uptown. What a double standard by Citibank?

It’s obvious that Citibank paid the big time producers of the remake of ‘Annie’ for product placement. I guess Citi Bike Share wants to give the appearance in this upcoming movie that all poor little black children get to use their bikes. Bull! Do the producers of this movie know Harlem residents do not get to use this bike share?

At this time, no child who lives in Harlem or friends or family get to use Citi Bike Share. In my view, this is hypocrisy at its best. There is not one Citi Bike location in Harlem to date. And there’s been no explanation (that I can find) for why the Citi Bike Share has not been made available to Manhattanites who live Uptown! Talk about a hard-knock-life. Harlem residents are the real life orphan-Annie’s when it comes to the Citi Bike Share program. I guess we are not good enough to work on our carbon foot print. But hey in a movie, lets fool everyone else that this might be happening in Harlem.

All I can say is, if the Citi Bike Share program is good enough to use on the movie set of ‘Annie’ currently filming in Harlem, then Citi Bike Share is darn well good enough to implement and use for the people living in Harlem. Hope Citi Bike Share comes to their senses and changes their locations. Hypocrisy will get you no where.
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Village Voice names 10 Best Fried Chickens in NYC, two Harlem restaurants make list

Who makes the best fried chicken in New York City? According to the Village Voice, Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken at 2839-2841 Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem is ranked first out of all the five boroughs! The Voice says “Charles Gabriel seasons his chicken three separate times before it gets to the warming tray at this renowned Harlem buffet.”

Next up, is Amy Ruth’s at 113 West 116th Street in Harlem. Amy Ruth’s is ranked fifth in the City. The Voice says “this Harlem fried chicken hotspot in a neighborhood teeming with quality birds gets it right on many levels, including a closing time of 5:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.”

To read the full article on The 10 Best Fried Chickens in NYC, go here.

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Harlem Haberdashery turns one, chosen as must see and shop for men by New York Magazine

Reading my latest edition of New York Magazine, I noticed Harlem Haberdashery received a nod by our City publication. Harlem Haberdashery, which recently turned one, was chosen as a “must-see and shop for any stylish man” in the NY Mag September 9th edition. The Harlem men’s shop is located on Lenox Avenue between 122nd and 123rd Street and open seven days a week.

Sharene and Guy Woods are the “parents” of Harlem Haberdashery and 5001 FLAVORS. Louis Johnson, Jr. is also a partner and general manager.

Check out the New York Magazine article below. And congrats to the team by Harlem Haberdashery on their NY Mag mention and turning one!
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