Category Archives: history

Closing of Harlem’s St. Nick’s Pub still unknown

Posted on July 28, 2011 | Leave a comment

There is has been absolutely no drips or drabs of information about why Harlem’s St. Nick’s Pub, located at 773 St. Nicholas Ave.,  has been closed. It’s been like this for awhile…until now. According to NearSay.com, they are reporting there was an email from the NYC Health Department’s press secretary noting that St. Nick’s Pub was inspected and ordered to close back on February 16 for operating with an expired permit. Furthermore, the article states St. Nick’s owner met with a representative from the health department soon after in which the owner was informed “of outstanding fines for past violations that needed to be paid in order to reopen the establishment.”

Given this information, I guess the fines have not been paid or St. Nick’s would be open.  I sure hope this gets resolved soon. I want St. Nick’s Pub to be around for many more years to come!

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Posted in business, fashion, Free!, Harlem Tavern, health and wellness, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, NYC, restaurant row

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A Midsummers Night Picnic in Harlem’s Marcus Garvey Park

Posted on July 19, 2011 | 3 comments

The Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association (MMPCIA) is holding their annual A Midsummer Night’s Picnic in the Park in Harlem today, July 19, in Marcus Garvey Park. This is the time when MMPCIA says thank you to its current member and welcomes new members.

The Summer Picnic is free to existing members and to those who want to join or renew their membership. There is an additional cost of $10 for family of members and friends who are not quite ready to join. Children 12 and under are free.

If you decide to attend this event today,please RSVP and register your dish ASAP by e-mailing: membership@mmpcia.org.

The potluck picnic is from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. Enter Marcus Garvey Park in the SW corner, near the  West 120th Street entrance. For more information, click here.

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Posted in art and culture, business, Community, education, Events, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC

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‘Prince of New Orleans’ to open Davell Underground in Spanish Harlem

Posted on July 16, 2011 | Leave a comment


This has got to be the best news I have read any Saturday morning. Nola.com, a Louisiana publication, is reporting that Davell Crawford, a musical sensation from New Orleans and dubbed ‘Prince of New Orleans,’ is opening up Davell Underground, August 11, in Spanish Harlem. Davell Underground will be “a new performance space in a former storage room within The Kiosk, a Moroccan restaurant and hookah joint located at East 116th and Park Avenue. This location is right by Urban Garden Center and La Marqueta!

The article says Davell Crawford, who moved to New York City after Hurricane Katrina, and his business partner plan to present live music several nights a week in Spanish Harlem. The roster will include such New Orleanians as Charmaine Neville, Donald Harrison Jr., Delfeayo Marsalis, Benny Turner and Herlin Riley. Crawford also plans to feature New Yorker musicians, including the flutist Bobbi Humphrey.

Crawford tells Nola.com that “I don’t want to call it a ‘club.’ It’s a ‘room. We will have great music there for as long as the people of New York want to accept it, and as long as I can keep it rolling.”

This Harlemite will accept Davell Underground. Count me in. I will be there in Spanish Harlem, August, to listen to music from New Orleans! Yeah!

Listen now to Davell Crawford!

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Posted in art and culture, Bars, business, commercial real estate, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC

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$100 million development for 125th will bring Harlem Brewing Company home

Posted on July 14, 2011 | 1 comment

When the City announced yesterday the redevelopment of two major, vacant sites on Harlem’s 125th Street, it garnered enormous press coverage. Why? Because it’s a big deal. The bookends of 125th will get a new look, jobs will be created and new business will move in! The part I find interesting in this announcement is that the Sugar Hill Beer I like to have at St. Nicks Pub or now at Harlem Tavern could eventually be brewed right up the street from where I live! How cool is that?

According to the news release from the Mayor’s Office, “Harlem Brewing Company, which currently brews in Saratoga Springs, will be moving its production facility to CREATE @ Harlem Green and will grow hops on an open roof, give tours and operate a brewing museum, a tap room and gift shop.” The City selected Janus Partners LLC and Monadnock Construction, Inc. to redevelop the former Taystee Bakery complex into CREATE @ Harlem Green.

And when the Harlem Brewing Company moves, it will mark the first brewery in Harlem since before Prohibition! So cool! I will drink to that! Raise your mug! Cheers!

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Posted in business, commercial real estate, Community, Harlem, Harlem Tavern, history, New York, New York City, NYC

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Catch Reel Harlem in Jackie Robinson Park

Posted on July 13, 2011 | Leave a comment

Reel Harlem, an annual summer event covering music and film continues. Tonight, July 13th, festivities are in the Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell, 148th St. & Bradhurst Avenue

At 7:00 pm hear the National Jazz Museum All Stars-a Latin Jazz Tribute.

Starting at 8:30 pm, see From Mambo to Hip Hop , a film that covers in one hour the incredible history of a community that, despite the odds, fuelled a musical revolution. From Mambo to Hip Hop delivers a terrific insight into the post war jazz and mambo era and traces the evolution of music from salsa to disco to hip hop. This is a story rooted in the South Bronx and it’s a tale told with both pride and passion.

Then Thursday, July 14 at 8:30 p.m., also at Jackie Robinson Park, the National Black Programming Consortium presents When the Drum is Beating. The movie explores Haiti’s complex past and present through the music of 62-year-old Septentrional, the country’s oldest and best-known band and the memories of its founder and leader Ulric Pierre-Louis. As Haiti disintegrates around them, three generations of musicians who make up the band struggle to go on and prevent this national treasure from being lost.

All of these events are FREE and brought to you by the Maysles Cinema and other various Harlem organizations!

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

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See ‘Freeing Silvia Baraldini’ tonight at Maysles Cinema in Harlem

Posted on July 6, 2011 | 1 comment

The director of Changing Face of Harlem has informed us that there is an interesting film playing tonight at the Maysles Cinema, located at 343 Lenox Avenue. For one night only, see award-winning Freeing Silvia Baraldini tonight, July 6th, at 7 p.m.

The film is about an Italian national who was arrested in the 80’s and sentenced to 43 years in prison in part for her participation in helping to free a Black Panther from prison.

To read more about the film and purchase tickets, go to Maysles Cinema.

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Posted in art and culture, Community, entertainment, film, Harlem, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, politics

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Meet Louis Mendes, a street photographer from Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Jul 1, 2011 @ 12:28

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By HarlemGal
On my way to work today I had the pleasure of meeting (actually bumping into) Louis Mendes, a street photographer from Harlem best known for his speed graphic camera. Our paths crossed right on the northwest corner of 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. I quickly asked “are you taking pictures of people right in front of Harlem Tavern today?” He said “no, I am waiting for someone.” I said “you should take photos tonight, there will be tons of people here.” He said “we’ll see.”

Then Louis took a photo of me and then I asked “can I take a picture of you?” He agreed and said “I might be here later tonight.” I said “I hope so ’cause it’s going to be happening.”

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Posted in art and culture, Community, Harlem, Harlem Tavern, history, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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The Atlanta Post asks is Harlem fading as a Black Mecca?

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Jun 18, 2011 @ 8:00
By HarlemGal
In a video report about Harlem, The Atlanta Post talks about the 2009 census data, how it revealed the black population has been decreased by double digits, non-blacks are moving into the area, and replacing African-Americans that have called Harlem home for generations. The Atlanta Post consulted with experts and asks: what does this mean for the future of Harlem, what’s going on in Harlem and what the experts see next for the transitioning community?

Click here to see video report

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

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AOL features Harlem on Gadling

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Jun 13, 2011 @ 7:00
By HarlemGal
If you’re not on Flipboard, Taptu or Pulse on your Ipad, get there soon. I am finding a load of information about Harlem on these app tools, such as Gadling, which has a profile of Harlem up on their site. Gadling is an AOL travel blog.

In their profile on Harlem, they list different things to do than The Boston Globe or The Financial Times. They tell their readers to check out places in Harlem, such as the Jazz Museum, Hip Hop Culture Center, Patsy’s in Spanish Harlem, WYZ Bar at the Aloft Hotel and more. Check out the complete story yourself by clicking here!

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Posted in art and culture, Bars, business, Community, education, entertainment, Events, fashion, film, Free!, Harlem, health and wellness, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, politics, real estate, restaurant row, restaurants, review, shopping

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‘Changing Face of Harlem’ reaches goal

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Jun 12, 2011 @ 14:40

By HarlemGal
I wanted to share some good news with you. Remember how I told you about a film titled Changing Face of Harlem and how the filmmaker was trying to raise funds to get into the editing booth to finish the film! Well, Shawn Batey, the documentarian and the brainchild behind this film, reached her goal! That’s awesome news! Below is one of the notes I received from Shawn confirming the goods news. Shawn also sent out a separate note thanking select social networks,such as HCL and WeHarlem.com, and many others for helping to spread the good word about her film. To me, this is what makes blogging rewarding and what social networking is all about, i.e. sharing insightful information that can help make a difference.

A big congrats to Shawn and her film, Changing Face of Harlem. Can’t wait to see the final product!

June 10, 2011

I am happy to announce that we reached our $5,000 goal. THANK YOU so much to everyone who’s been so generous and helped us get there. We had 31 new backers come on board this week…that’s amazing! Thanks to you all we breezed past the goal 4 days ahead of the deadline!! The Kickstarter project for CHANGING FACE OF HARLEM runs until 12 noon on June 14. So please continue to share the campaign with family and friends who may have been waiting until the last minute to pledge. What is wonderful is that 88 backers from all over the world joined together to support this film!

THANK YOU to everyone who donated, tweeted, emailed and posted our campaign to help reach the goal!

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Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Harlem, history, New York, New York City, NYC, politics

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