Category Archives: New York

New York City Coalition Against Hunger to honor Harlem’s Marcus Samuelsson

Posted on April 11, 2012 | 3 comments

In full disclosure, I am so happy to report that one of the organizations I have supported for many years will be honoring one of Harlem’s own and an anti hunger advocate at its Spring Into Action Annual Benefit, May 17th at the Solo Event Space. The New York City Coalition Against Hunger, led by Executive Director Joel Berg, will be honoring celebrity chef and Red Rooster Harlem owner, Marcus Samuelsson, for his commitment to help end hunger. Samuelsson, along with State Senator Liz Krueger, Kathy Goldman and Agnes Molnar of Community Food Advocates, and Rachel V. Stevens Esq. with the law firm DLA Piper, will also be recognized during NYC Coalition Against Hunger’s Spring Benefit.

I plan on attending NYCCAH’s Annual Benefit where Samuelsson will receive his award. I hope that you will join me in supporting this dedicated organization that “represents and is the voice for the more than 1,100 nonprofit soup kitchens and food pantries in New York City and the 1.5 million low-income New Yorker’s who live in households that can’t afford enough food.”  If you would like to attend the Spring Into Action Annual Benefit on May 17 from 5-8 PM, you can purchase tickets here. To learn more about NYCCAH and their mission, click here.

And congrats to our Harlem neighbor, Marcus Samuelsson on receiving this special accolade! Let’s raise our glass!

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Posted in Community, education, Events, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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See Harlem restaurant grades on NY Health Department Ratings Map

Posted on April 9, 2012 | 3 comments

If you were wondering how Harlem’s eating establishments make the grade with the New York Health Department, it’s all right here in a simplified ratings map. The New York Times just updated the page April 5. See how your favorite Harlem restaurants stacks up. I certainly did!

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Posted in 116th Street, 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Bars, bier international, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, Chocolat, drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Lenox Lounge in Harlem goes after Lenox Social on trademark infringement?

Posted on April 9, 2012 | 24 comments

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I am so disappointed right now by Lenox Lounge in Harlem if this article in Crain’s New York proves true. Crain’s reported April 8 that “Harlem’s Lenox Lounge sent “representatives” to the bar [Lenox Social] to inform the newcomers that using the name Lenox Social “constituted trademark infringement.”

Get outta here! Can you believe this? This just smells of pure desperation and greed on one side. Why is Lenox Lounge going after Lenox Social when they can’t even pay their rent, according to a recent article in the Daily News? Shouldn’t the owners of Lenox Lounge worry about saving their own home before going after someone else’s? And why can’t there be a Lenox Lounge and Lenox Social on Lenox Avenue in Harlem? There’s room for everyone to play in the restaurant sand box and who ultimately has the rights to the name “Lenox?”.

This is just sad and making me want to sort of retract my earlier blog post on Lenox Lounge. I really hope this article proves to be wrong or I hope Lenox Social doesn’t end up caving to this potential nonsense and change their name.

This story is clearly not over. Stay tuned.

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Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, drinks, food, Harlem, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, Lenox Social, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurants

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The inaugural TEDx Harlem happens March 27

Posted on March 21, 2012 | 5 comments

UPDATE: TEDx Harlem will now be held at Riverside Church, 490 Riverside Drive, Harlem, NY, not the Apollo Theater.

According to Harlem NYC, a 31,000-strong Harlem constituency on Facebook, we are all invited and encouraged to support the first ever TEDx Harlem. On March 27, a day-long conference, taking place at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater, will “seek to understand, celebrate and empower the informal methods of social innovation that grow organically in Harlem and throughout communities around the world.” A high-caliber of speakers-some from Harlem-have signed on to participate in the TEDx Harlem, such as Thelma Golden from the Studio Museum in Harlem and Marcus Samuelsson of Red Rooster Harlem.

The event will begin at 8 a.m. and end at 5 p.m. The cost to attend is $100. Click here to learn more.

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Posted in 125th Street, Community, education, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

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Harlem’s Amateur Night at The Apollo heading across the pond to London

Posted on March 16, 2012 | Leave a comment

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America’s first, original, true singing competition, which started in Harlem and pre-American Idol, is heading East to London. According to the Associated Press, the Apollo Theater in Harlem “is exporting its Amateur Night to London for a limited engagement. The London show on July will pit aspiring artists from the United States and Great Britain.”

“Manhattan auditions will be held March 31 and April 1. Four winners of the May 23 New York semifinals will get expense-paid trips to London. Semifinals to pick four amateurs in London will be held in June.”

If you know of anyone who would want to compete against a Brit in singing, pass this information along. And congrats to Harlem’s legendary Apollo Theater on exporting their Amateur Night to London! Way to go!

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Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, entertainment, Harlem, history, music, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater

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Several Harlem named/themed songs make Time Out New York’s 100 Best Songs about New York City

Posted on March 9, 2012 | 2 comments


Time Out New York recently released a ranked list of 100 songs dealing with the subject of New York City and several Harlem themed or named songs top the list, such as Take the A Train by Duke Ellington, Across 110th Street by Bobby Womack, Harlem Blues by Nat King Cole, Harlem Shuffle by Bob&Earl, Angel of Harlem by U2 and more. The list of 100 covers 50 years of tributes to the city that is known all over the world for inspiring artists across every musical genre.

In addition to the tracks, videos and commentary, Time Out New York is offering a Spotify playlist, so that readers can follow and stream the ranked songs on their own devices. Users will also be able to rerank the top 25 selections on the list by voting their choices up or down in the Readers’ Poll.

The Top NYC Song List can be seen at Time Out New York or go directly to Spotify, if you have an account.

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Posted in art and culture, education, entertainment, Harlem, history, jazz, music, New York, New York City

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New York Giants and Superbowl Champ Victor Cruz spotted at Harlem’s Chocolat

Posted on March 8, 2012 | Leave a comment

Clearly, people in the NFL love dining in Harlem, especially on Harlem’s restaurant row, i.e., Frederick Douglass Blvd. First, the owner of the Dallas Cowboys was seen dining at Melba’s Restaurant a couple of months ago. Now Chocolat Restaurant and Lounge in Harlem states on their Facebook page that NY Giants wide receiver, Superbowl Champ and excellent salsa dancer (from what I hear) Victor Cruz was seen dining at the Harlem restaurant located at 2223 FDB. Don’t take my word for it. Look at the photo below.

And ladies, we need to time our visits to Chocolat much better. Seeing Victor Cruz while dining at Chocolat in Harlem would have been a major bonus! Don’t ya think!

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Posted in Bars, Chocolat, drinks, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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OMG…Lenox Lounge in Harlem could close. Please no!

Posted on March 8, 2012 | 6 comments


According to The New York Daily News, Harlem’s famed music establishment Lenox Lounge “could be on its last set.” The current owner, Al Reed, says the landlord of the property wants $20k a month from the prior $10k. The article states Reed is shopping the place around and that there are interested parties, such as Harlemite and celebrity chef Marcus Samuelsson. I hope that is really true about Samuelsson.

Overall, this is sad news to hear. Closing Lenox Lounge would be like closing the Apollo Theater. These establishments are Harlem/American icons. Our community and New York City needs to desperately try to hold on to these treasures. It’s part of NYC’s fabric of life. Lenox Lounge is so special cause of its long history. It’s vintage. I will go as far as saying it should be a landmark and should be preserved. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that an investor views it that way…soon!

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Posted in 125th Street, Bars, business, Community, drinks, entertainment, food, Harlem, history, jazz, Lenox Avenue, music, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurants

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Top 50 things to do with kids in Harlem

Posted on March 5, 2012 | 1 comment

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According to Mommy Poppins, there is a boat load of fun and interesting activity to do in Harlem with kids! So much so that they have done the heavily lifting for us and compiled a list of the Top 50 Things to do with kids in Harlem!

The site mentions a ton of activity to do in Harlem from shaking your bon, bon at the Sundae Sermon in Morningside Park, which right now is happening at El Museo in Spanish Harlem until the weather warms up. They also mention participating in family concerts at Kidberry, taking family yoga classes at Land Yoga, watching concerts at Richard Rogers Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park, ice skating at Lasker Rink in Central Park North, bowling at Harlem Lanes, explore Hamilton Grange and more. The list is 50 lines long. Take a look.

The only other items I would have added is renting bikes at MODSquad Cycles and biking in the northern part of Central Park and attending the annual Pumpkin Sail at Harlem Meer. Aside from that, Mommy Poppins covered plenty of things to do in Harlem. What do you think? Are there other activities that should be on that list? If so, tell us!

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Posted in 116th Street, 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Frederick Douglass Circle, Free!, Harlem, history, kids, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC

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Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month starts March 1

Posted on February 28, 2012 | 1 comment

It is that time of year again…where Harlem Park to Park presents Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month for the month of March! Starting March 1 and running to March 31, a select group of Harlem businesses will be offering prix fixe menus and select retail items all for $20.12. Check out the list below and head on over to your favorite Harlem hangout this month for Harlem Restaurant and Retail Month!

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Posted in 125th Street, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Bars, bier international, business, Community, Events, food, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem Tavern, Lenox Avenue, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, New York, New York City, NYC, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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