Category Archives: Harlem

Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Ruffalo seen dining at Lido Harlem?

Posted on October 12, 2011 | 2 comments



If you walked by the corner of Frederick Douglass Blvd. and 117th Street tonight (October 12), you may have noticed Gwyneth Paltrow and Mark Ruffalo were dining at Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar in Harlem? Well, sort of. They were actually in character for their upcoming movie called Thanks for Sharing. The entire scene was a dining out scene at Lido Harlem. Hope they mention their location in the script!

This is such a big compliment for Lido Harlem. They haven’t even been open for a year and now they have big name movie stars filming in their restaurant. The film scouts clearly liked the design and layout of the restaurant or they would not have chosen it. When you take pictures of Lido, it is very photogenic. The place comes out vibrant in pictures.

I had a quick exchange with Mark Ruffalo as I stopped him to take a photo. I told him the food at Lido Harlem is excellent. He said, “yeah, I’ll have to tell my wife about it.” You do that Mark! There is some great dining out places in Harlem and Lido Harlem is one of them!

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Posted in Bars, business, Community, drinks, entertainment, fashion, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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Spend your Sunday evenings at The Supper Club in Harlem

Posted on October 11, 2011 | Leave a comment


There is a lot happening in Harlem for the month of October. So much activity is happening that it is hard to keep it straight. One event you should consider for your busy schedule is 5 and Diamond’s Supper Club. The next one is planned for October 16 and the theme will be Caribbean.

We went to the September Supper Club and…let us say…it was extremely nice and the food was outstanding! The entire menu was prepared by Chef Daryl Burnette, who happens to reside in Harlem with his wife, and there was singing performances by Gail Blache-Gill, who brought along some of her colleagues in the industry to perform as well.

That night, every item on the menu was perfectly prepared and the singing talent was out of this world wonderful. What made the evening more special was that it felt close and personal. 5 and Diamond is sized in space where everyone can see each other and the performances were up close. Sometimes when going out at dining establishments, it’s so crowded where you can’t catch a glimpse of anything. Not at the Supper Club in Harlem. The luxury is witnessing faces (some of them you might know).

Watching Chef Burnett create magic on the plate and Ms. Gill and her colleagues singing beautifully that night, which sent chills down our spine, makes me think-and say again-“there is so much talent in Harlem” its endless and this blog wants to observe it all.

So if you’re at a loss on what to do on a select Sunday night in Harlem, look no further. There’s the Supper Club at 5 and Diamond in Harlem!

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Posted in 5 and Diamond Harlem, business, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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See Bedeviled at Casa Frela Gallery in Harlem

Posted on October 10, 2011 | Leave a comment

In addition to the Farm Festival taking place this coming weekend (October 15), there is another event to consider in Harlem. Open House New York and Casa Frela Gallery are hosting their Fall art festival called Bedeviled. Some of the artists that will be featured and you might personally know are: Evi Abeler, Lynn Lieberman-AFineLyne,Darlene Aschbacher, Steven E. Brown, Eric Erving, Thomas Schultz, Daina Shorbrys, Tagea Vangsgaard and more. Plus it is FREE!

Stop by the Studio Museum in Harlem for a free schedule. All the exact details are listed below!

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Events, Free!, Harlem

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Harlem Harvest Festival 2011 turned into a Samba Festival

Posted on October 9, 2011 | 1 comment



Yesterday’s second annual Harlem Harvest Festival was a complete success filled with plenty of locals and lots of great vendors to visit and shop at! If you missed it, you missed something special-especially watching a mass of Harlemites learn to samba. That part of the agenda was a HOME RUN! The entire day at the Festival was just beautiful-in my view. Didn’t attend? No worries. The event was covered by NY1, click here to see the video or you can view photos of the Harlem Harvest Festival here! Have a great day Harlem!

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

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The Catskills come to the border of East Harlem

Posted on October 8, 2011 | Leave a comment


While most of us will be attending the Harlem Harvest Festival today, let’s all start making plans to head East next weekend…to East Harlem that is. Manhattan Country School brings the Catskills farm to the border of the barrio in their annual Farm Festival on Saturday, October 15th from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. “Parent volunteers turn East 96th Street between Madison and Fifth Avenues into an urban carnival, offering family friendly entertainment including rides, games, crafts, a silent auction, raffles and live music. The MCS Farm Festival offers a variety of homemade baked goods, a wide variety of delicious ethnic cuisine and fresh produce from their farm in Roxbury, N.Y.”

Admission is free and all from the public are invited. Tickets for food, games and rides will be available for purchase. In the event of rain, festivities will take place indoors.

This sounds like a great event for family and friends! Hope to see you there next weekend!

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Posted in art and culture, baking, Community, education, entertainment, Events, food, Free!, Harlem, health and wellness, New York, New York City, NYC

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Society Cafe in Harlem to close it’s doors

Posted on October 7, 2011 | 3 comments

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Readers informed HarlemGal Inc. to check out Society Cafe’s Facebook page pronto! Why? There is an announcement saying they’re closing this weekend! I went to their page and here is what Karl, the owner, wrote informing his friends/patrons.

Society Coffee…One Last Time… (A note from Karl)

“Dear Loyal Guests,

After seven years of serving the best coffee, red velvet waffles, and shrimp & grits in Harlem, I have made the difficult decision to close Society Coffee on Monday, October 10. A pioneer on Frederick Douglass Blvd, Society has been a true labor of love and a place I’ve called home. Over the years I have shared Society with thousands; I’ve watched people meet each other and fall in love, I’ve watched families begin and grow, deals get done, and business plans get written. I’ve watched college students work, friends hang out, and poets write. I’ve met so many great people who have changed and elevated my life.

Rooted in the richness of the Harlem community and the transformation on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, Society Coffee leaves with a sense of pride and appreciation to all our friends who made each day unique and flavorful. Society has served its purpose and has set neighborhood standards for a new generation in historic Harlem. We were always very close and involved with the community and it remains in our hearts. 67 Orange Street will continue to operate and serve great cocktails.

I would like to personally thank you for all your support these past years. To show you our appreciation, I would like to cordially invite you to our closing party Monday, October 10 from 5pm-7pm.

Meanwhile, please come by this weekend and enjoy brunch with us or just say hi. Thanks again for seven great years.

Sincerely,

Karl Franz Williams

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Posted in drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Coco Nail Salon in Harlem displays rates

Posted on October 7, 2011 | 2 comments

The new nail salon called Coco Young wants all of us Harlemites to know what a mani/pedi will cost if you go there-based on the photo below! It appears the salon, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 113th and 114th Street, wants $4 more from customers if they go on a weekend! Hmm. I wonder how that is going to play out given Z Nails on 116th Street has one flat rate no matter what day you walk in. I believe Polished Fingertips up the street on FDB is the same. Harlem gals, what do you think? Will you pay more on the weekend to get your hands and feet done at this new nail salon scheduled to open soon?

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Posted in business, Community, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, health and wellness

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Take your child to OctoBear-Fest in Harlem

Posted on October 6, 2011 | 3 comments


There is October-fest for adults and now there is an OctoBear-fest for children in Harlem. What is OctoBear-fest in Harlem? It is a one hour workshop on how to make your own stuffed bear. On October 21 from 4-5 p.m., children will stuff, wish on a rainbow star during the rainbow star ceremony, snap and zip, and complete a birth certificate for their very own stuffed animal. Children will also be receiving Trick or Treat bags just in time for Halloween. OctoBear-fest will be conducted by a Harlemite, who is party leader from Noah’s Ark Animal Workshop. The cost to attend this event is $20.00 per child and includes the bear, drink and treat. Tickets may be available at the event at higher cost, while supplies last.

If you are interested in attending, below are the details!

Who: Noah’s Ark OctoBear-fest Workshop
When: Friday, October 21st
Where: Taza de Café, 450 W 155th St & St Nicholas Ave, NY, NY 10032
Time: 4 p.m. to 5 p.m.
Contact: Elizabeth@NoahsArkNYC.com or 917-301-6573 to reserve your child’s place

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Harlem

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West Harlem ranks third as best place to live for retirees

Posted on October 4, 2011 | 1 comment


Did anyone see the article in The New York Daily News this past weekend on the best places to live in the Big Apple for retirees? I thought it was really interesting. I was pleasantly surprised to see that Morningside Heights, an area located in West Harlem, was ranked third out of 10 places in the City. Murray Hill was ranked first and the Lower East Side was ranked last.

The article states there are several reasons why it is a great area for retirees. Morningside Heights is “one of the easiest places to live… There is something to do every night (lectures, classical concerts, film series, etc.), and it will keep anyone young.” Amen to that. I don’t live too far from Morningside Heights. I now know where to go to stay…forever young!

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Posted in apartments, art and culture, business, commercial real estate, Community, education, Harlem, health and wellness, New York, New York City, NYC, personal care, real estate

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More affordable apartments for rent in East Harlem

Posted on October 3, 2011 | 5 comments

According to the Department of Housing Preservation and Development, the East 112 Associates LLC are taking applications for more than 40 affordable housing rental apartments under construction at 1663 Madison Avenue, 169 East 111th Street, 315 East 111th Street, and 155 East 109th Street in the East Harlem. The deadline is November 21, 2011.

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Posted in apartments, Community, Harlem, health and wellness

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