Category Archives: Harlem

Remembering Whitney Houston: Watch ‘Greatest Love of All’ music video at Harlem’s Apollo Theater

Posted on February 12, 2012 | Leave a comment


A very good friend of mine texted me Saturday evening (February 11) immediately after hearing of Whitney Houston’s passing saying “I am sure there is a connection between Whitney Houston and Harlem-after all she was a gospel singer to start.” My good friend was right. There is a connection between Whitney and Harlem. I discovered online that “the music video for Whitney’s hit single, ‘Greatest Love of All,’ a song first recorded by George Benson for the 1977 Muhammad Ali biopic The Greatest, was filmed at the Apollo Theater in Harlem. The video features a cameo by Whitney’s mother, gospel singer Cissy Houston.” Watch the video below. It is very clear she is singing on the big stage at the Apollo in New York City’s Harlem.

If you know of any other connection between Whitney Houston and Harlem, please tell us here so that we can celebrate her and her history to Harlem, and the world.

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Posted in 125th Street, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

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Nectar Wine Bar in Harlem to host Speed Date Brunch February 12

Posted on February 9, 2012 | Leave a comment

Nectar Wine Bar is taking a different approach to Sunday Brunch on February 12. They are combining food and the opportunity to potentially meet your mate! From 3 p.m. to 7 p.m. on Feb. 12, Nectar is hosting a Speed Date Brunch at its 2235 FDB location. The cost is $30 in advance and the hosts are recommending you register before hand.  If you would like to check out this event, click here for details.

If you do attend, best of luck to ya! Ya never know what could happen in life, unless you try!

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Posted in Bars, business, Community, Events, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar in Harlem turns one, celebrate with free appetizer

Posted on February 8, 2012 | 1 comment

Can you believe Lido Harlem is getting ready to celebrate its first anniversary? It seems just like yesterday the Italian restaurant, located on the southeast corner of 117th and Frederick Douglass Blvd., opened!

On February 12th, Lido Harlem turns one and they want everyone to join in on the celebration! This coming Saturday and Sunday, Lido is offering a complimentary appetizer during dinner service hours. All you have to do is order dinner and wish them a Happy Birthday, and…wha-la…you get a free appetizer! Details are below.

And if you would like to take a stroll down memory blog lane, here are a few popular, past blog posts on Lido! Enjoy!

Recipes by Chef Stephen Putnam
Mark Ruffalo and Gwyneth Paltrow dine at Lido…well sort of!
Lido Harlem joins Harlem sidewalk seating club

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Posted in Bars, drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, restaurant row, restaurants

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Attend the Harlem Fine Arts Show

Posted on February 7, 2012 | Leave a comment

Don’t forget the Harlem Fine Arts Show is taking place this coming weekend, February 10-12th, 2012, at Riverside Church at 120th Street. There is still plenty of time to purchase tickets. Go to www.hfas.org to order online or call 914-450-4269!

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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Bier international in Harlem takes over Society Cafe commercial space

Posted on February 6, 2012 | 5 comments

Thank goodness for readers and their juicy tips. Those tips can eventually lead to correct facts. For example, look at our post about a Japanese restaurant opening on Frederick Douglass Blvd. The Winery is opening up the Japanese restaurant. Now the latest tip in is how the owner(s) of bier international in Harlem have taken over the commercial space of where Society Cafe use to be. Society was located on the southeast corner of 114th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd before it closed in 2011.

Apparently the plans for this space on FDB and 114th Street are to keep it as it was, a cafe, where sandwiches and coffee are sold. The other tip is that the place will more than likely be called Cafe Frederick! Not a bad name…right?

Once this new cafe opens, all the commercial space in the Gateway Tower will be filled and another place can be added to the Frederick Douglass Blvd tourist map, a.k.a. restaurant row, which The Daily News reported on recently.

Update: The name of this establishment ended up being named Frederick Cafe Bistro.

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Posted in Bars, bier international, business, commercial real estate, drinks, food, Frederick Cafe Bistro Harlem, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate, restaurant row, restaurants

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Harlem’s LeRone Wilson art opening happening at the Rush Gallery

Posted on February 6, 2012 | Leave a comment


Remember a while back we told you about sculptor and Harlem resident LeRone Wilson winning top honors at Miami’s Art Basel? He won the Bombay Sapphire Artisan Series. Now there is an opportunity to see our fellow Harlemites’ art work this coming Thursday, February 9th. That’s when the art opening for LeRone Wilson is happening at the Rush Arts Gallery. You know? That’s the gallery that the Simmon’s brothers own and operate, i.e. Danny and Russell Simmons. Nice!

The LeRone Wilson show opens on Feb. 9th and will be on exhibit through March 16. It is free to attend! If you want to check out Wilson’s art opening, below are the details! See you there!

Who: Harlem’s LeRone Wilson at the Rush Arts Gallery.
When: Thursday, Feb. 9 from 6-9 pm
Where: Rush Arts Gallery, located at 526 W. 26th St., Suite 311.
How: For the opening date rsvp to newyork@sapphireart.com as soon as possible.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Events, Free!, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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See ‘Act of Valor’ in Harlem…for Free!

Posted on February 5, 2012 | Leave a comment


We have heard a lot about the U.S. Navy Seals in the news recently. They are the ones that President Obama sent on a mission to catch and kill Bin Laden. Now there is a feature film about our Navy Seals called ‘Act of Valor’ presented by Relativity Media. The film actually stars real Navy Seals and opens February 24th. There is an opportunity to see the film in Harlem before its opening date.

HarlemGal Inc. invites you to a FREE screening of ‘Act of Valor’ on February 16th at 7:30 pm at Magic Johnson Theater in Harlem. To receive your ticket for the Feb. 16 free screening of ‘Act of Valor, click here and enter the code HLMGAL9RBE. And remember, available tickets are on a first come first serve basis! See you at the movies!

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Posted in entertainment, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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‘Crossing Lines’ exhibition opens at the Heath Gallery in Harlem

Posted on February 4, 2012 | Leave a comment


Head on down to the Heath Gallery in Harlem this month! Tonight is the opening reception of “Crossing Lines”, an exhibition featuring the work of Michael Daily, Jr. and Gilbert Gandia. Daily Jr. and Gandia are both painters and multi-instrument musicians. They collaborate on both music and visual art projects.

“Crossing Lines” opens today, February 4th and runs through Saturday, March 3rd. The February 4th opening reception is from 7-11 pm. The Heath Gallery is located at 24 West 120th Street directly facing Marcus Garvey Park.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, Events, Harlem

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See ‘125 Franco’s Blvd’ Exhibition in Harlem

Posted on February 4, 2012 | Leave a comment


Head on over to the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building in Harlem this coming weekend to see “125 Franco’s Blvd.” “125 Franco’s Blvd.” is an exhibition of Franco The Great’s timeless artwork. The exhibition is from 4-6:00 PM February 10-11th and there will be artwork for sale. The details are below, along with a brief description on Franco The Great.

Where: Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building
163 west 1125th Street, 2nd Floor
Harlem, NY 10027

Date: Friday and Saturday, February 10-11, 2012

Time: 4:00 PM – 6:00 PM

Who is Franco The Great:
Over a period of 25 plus years, Franco has changed the image of Harlem by painting the security gates of storefronts on 125th Street. His work in Harlem has brought him world renown; below are some excerpts from the many news articles from around the world, written to explain the work and origin of this great artist.

The name Franco the Great came about as a result of his talent in the field of magic. Franco became so proficient in his magic skills that his teachers and peers encouraged Franco to show and teach his magic. He gained his confidence in school day by day as he connected with other people and gained new friends.

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, Events, Free!, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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Amtrak publication makes major faux pas with Harlem, but calls it cool and hip

Posted on February 2, 2012 | 2 comments

While Gothamist was quick to point out how Amtrak’s external publication titled Arrive called Harlem a borough, which is a poor journalistic and potentially costly PR mistake, I’d like to point out and focus on how Arrive called Harlem “cool” and “hip.” The article says “New Yorkers are taking notice” of Harlem and “if you blink your eye, something changes.” Yes, this transportation company clearly only sees New York City and it’s sub-sections as a bunch of boroughs. Given the ignorance, it could have been worse. But lets focus on what they really got right, which is featuring our beautiful community and local businesses, talking to good spokespeople about Harlem, and ultimately using the best verbs to describe us, which…hey, we have always known, is being a place that is “hip and cool!” Thank you Amtrak!

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Bars, bier international, business, Community, drinks, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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