Happy birthday to the Apollo Theater in Harlem! Today, the iconic American venue turned 80 years old.
The Apollo stage has been graced by everyone from Ella Fitzgerald to James Brown, Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen and even President Barack Obama.
“The Apollo opened on Jan. 26, 1934, a year after the original venue at 253 W. 125th St., Hurtig and Seamon’s New Burlesque Theater, shut down.”
Custom Fuel Pizza, the Washington DC based pizza joint whose motto is “build your own fuel pizza,” is heading north to Harlem with their expansion plans. Custom Fuel has two places in DC already. Harlem will be its third at 123rd Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. Custom Fuel plans on opening January 27 in Harlem. Stay tuned!
Posted in drinks, food, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, Harlem businesses, Harlem Restaurant Row, Harlem restaurants, HarlemGal, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants
Tagged @aharlemmommy, Custom Fuel Pizza, Custom Fuel Pizza Harlem, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem Blogs, harlem restaurant row, Harlem's Restaurant Row, HarlemGal, photos by custom fuel
Manhattan’s and America’s black capital, aka Harlem, is getting a major freebie via a grant and reaching a major milestone. Harlem is getting free wi-fi service and will soon be home to the nation’s largest wi-fi network.
New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced yesterday, Tuesday, that a specific section of Harlem will soon get a new outdoor public wi-fi network. The free wi-fi coverage will cover 95 city blocks, spanning from 110th Street to 138th Street.
“The public network will be funded for the first five years through a grant from the non-profit Fuhrman Family Foundation, led by former Goldman Sachs executive Glenn Fuhrman. The first phase is already underway, and the mayor’s office said the entire network will be completed by May of next year.”
Read more here.
Posted in 110th Street, 111 Central Park North, 116th Street, 125th Street, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., Community, education, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Free!, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, HarlemGal, history, Lenox Avenue, New York, New York City, NYC
Tagged free wi-fi, Fuhrman Family Foundation, Goldman Sachs executive Glenn Fuhrman, Harlem
On this Harlem blog, I use tees to feature the subject matter, ie Harlem. Sometimes readers ask, where can I buy a unique tee with the name Harlem on it? Here’s an option. One of my favorite Harlem sites, Harlem NYC, is now offering Harlem tees to purchase. The t-shirt says “Keep Harlem, Harlem.” Pretty cool…huh? If you’re interested in purchasing this Harlem tee, go here! And to check out Harlem NYC like I do, click here.
Posted in 110th Street, 111 Central Park North, 116th Street, 125th Street, 1Forno Pizzeria Harlem, 5 and Diamond Harlem, Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd., Aloft Harlem Hotel, apartments, art and culture, baking, Bars, bier international, business, Cafe, Cantina Harlem, Cathedral of St. John the Divine, Cedric French Bistro and Bar Harlem, celebrities, Central Park North, Chocolat, commercial real estate, Community, Corner Social, drinks, education, entertainment, Events, fashion, film, food, Frederick Cafe Bistro Harlem, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Frederick Douglass Circle, Free!, Harlem, Harlem Bakeries, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, Harlem brownstone, Harlem businesses, Harlem commercial real estate,, Harlem Flo, Harlem Food Bar, Harlem real estate,, Harlem Restaurant Row, Harlem restaurants, Harlem School of the Arts, Harlem Shake, Harlem Shambles, Harlem Tavern, HarlemGal, Harvist Restaurant Harlem, health and wellness, history, Il Forno Pizza and Salad Harlem, jazz, Katrina Parris Flowers Harlem, kids, Lenox Avenue, Lenox Lounge, Lenox Social, Les Ambassades Harlem, Lido Harlem, Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar, Maharaja Palace Harlem, Maison Harlem, Make My Cake, Marcus Garvey Park, Melba's Restaurant Harlem, Minton's Harlem, Money Series, Morningside Park, Mt. Morris Park, music, New York, New York City, NYC, Pa-paya Seed Frozen Yogurt Cafe Harlem, personal care, politics, real estate, Red Rooster Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants, review, Savann Turkish Restaurant Harlem, Seasoned Vegan Harlem, shopping, Silvana, spending, Sports, St. Nicholas Avenue, Studio Museum Harlem, Sylvia's Restaurant, The Apollo Theater, The Cecil Harlem, The Chipped Cup Harlem, The Park 112 Harlem, The Park Wine Bar, Things to do in Harlem, Things to do with kids in Harlem, Urban Garden Center, Vinatería, Where to dine in Harlem, Yoga in Harlem, Youth, Zoma Ethiopian Restaurant
Tagged Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem Blogs, Harlem NYC, Keep Harlem
Ballet Hispanico, recognized as the nation’s leading Latino dance organization since 1970, returns to the legendary Apollo Theater on Saturday, November 23, 2013 at 7:30pm, following last season’s sold-out holiday performance. The performance is sponsored by Goya Foods. Highlights include a seductive world premiere by Edgar Zendejas inspired by the beloved Mexican celebration “Día de los Muertos” (Day of the Dead), and the Apollo premiere of Belgian-Colombian Annabelle Lopez Ochoa’s Sombrerísimo, an athletic tour de force for six male dancers. The world premiere of Artistic Director Eduardo Vilaro’s Hogar will be set to vibrant live music by Ljova and the Kontraband, a mix of classical, Latin, and gypsy melodies.
The Apollo Theater is located at 253 W. 125th Street. Tickets start at $28 and are available for purchase in person at the Apollo Theater Box Office, or through Ticketmaster at 800.745.3000 or www.ticketmaster.com.
For more information, visit www.ballethispanico.org.
Posted in 125th Street, art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, HarlemGal, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Apollo Theater, Ballet Hispanico, Día de los Muertos, Edgar Zendejas, Eduardo Vilaro, Goya Foods, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem Blogs, HarlemGal
On Saturday November 9th, The Davidson Family will open up their home once again for, Brownstone Live, a live show and art gallery in The Davidson Family Harlem brownstone. Musician, artist, and yogini Tamara Davidson started the salon series to showcase emerging, innovative young musicians and visual artists in an intimate, open, and loving environment. The series began the summer of 2012 and has been a cultural highlight for the New York community since.
This year performers include The Javier Santiago Trio, Bae Bro, vhvl, and Tamara. Visual artists include Sonia Louise Davis and Ivan Forde. All are invited to attend. Tickets are $10. Purchase tickets here or RSVP to shashamusic9@gmail.com.
Harlem, the Affordable Care Act, also known as Obamacare, has been in the news for quite some time. Whatever your position is about this subject matter, learning more about it empowers us all. EmblemHealth provided an article to HarlemGal Inc that covers some of the most common questions and answers about Obamacare. Given the significance around the subject matter, this blog is sharing the article in its entirety. Hope you find it helpful -HG.
Answers to the Most Common Health Care Reform Questions
By Sana Hashmi, Director of Health Care Reform and Product Design at EmblemHealth.
Through the open enrollment period, more than 1 million New Yorker’s are expected to sign up for health insurance online through NY State of Health, part of the national health care reform law known as the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare. But what do you need to do and how do you do it?
Experts from EmblemHealth have been answering a lot of questions. To help New Yorker’s choose an insurance plan, below are some of the most common questions and the answers.
Q. What is the Affordable Care Act or Obamacare?
In 2010, President Obama signed this law to make quality, affordable health care available to more Americans and offer financial assistance to those who need it most. It also requires most Americans to have health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty.
Q. What happened October 1?
NY State of Health, the state’s health insurance marketplace, opened. You can learn all about it at http://www.nystateofhealth.ny.gov. Anyone who enrolls in a health plan between October 1 and December 15 will be eligible for health insurance starting January 1, 2014. The deadline for enrolling on the health plan marketplace in the first enrollment period is March 31, 2014.
Q. Do I need to sign up for health insurance?
Unless you already have health insurance, the answer may be yes. The federal law says that most people in the US (legal residents and “lawfully present” immigrants) must have health insurance starting in 2014 or pay a penalty. If you don’t have health insurance right now, the law is designed to help you get an affordable plan.
Q. How can I afford health insurance?
People who qualify will be eligible for tax credits and subsidies to help lower the cost of coverage. Household income and family size are used to decide who gets help with costs and how much help they can get. You may be eligible for this help if your income is between 100% and 400% of the Federal Poverty Level. The only way to know the exact dollar amount is to apply through the marketplace.
Q. Am I eligible for subsidies or tax credits?
Many people will be. Under the new law, you may get financial assistance when you apply for a plan on NY State of Health. You may get tax credits to lower monthly payments, subsidies to lower out-of-pocket costs when you go to the doctor, Medicaid (no-cost health coverage) or Child Health Plus (a low-cost health plan for young people up to age 19).
Q. I already have insurance but my spouse needs it. Will my salary affect her ability to receive a subsidy or a tax credit?
Yes. Eligibility for tax credits and subsidies is based on total household income.
Q. How do I sign up and what information do I need?
You can sign up for a health care plan online, in person, over the phone or by mail. You will need social security numbers for all family members you plan on enrolling, or document numbers for legal immigrants. Also, have employer information and income information at hand, and policy numbers for any health plans covering members of the household.
Q. Can I enroll my entire family?
Yes. The law requires most citizens and legal residents to have health insurance.
Q. I have health insurance through my company. Will I need to sign up on NY State of Health?
If you have health insurance through your employer, you may not need to sign up. To be sure, ask your employer’s health benefits administrator (the person who assists with health benefits) or someone in the human resources department.
Q. I heard the new employer mandate was delayed. How does this affect me?
The employer mandate was delayed until January 2015. Once it takes effect, employers with 50 or more full-time workers must provide adequate, affordable health care coverage to their full-time employees or pay a penalty. (Adequate, affordable coverage means the plan covers 60% of total health care expenses and costs employees no more than 9.5% of their household income.)
If you have health insurance through your employer, you may not need to sign up. If you don’t have health insurance through your job, you can visit NY State of Health to look at your options. For more information, ask your employer’s health benefits administrator (the person who assists with health benefits) or someone in the human resources department.
Q. Can I still buy insurance directly from a health insurance company?
Yes, you can buy health insurance directly from a health insurer. But financial assistance is available only through NY State of Health.
Q. What are “metal” plans?
All health insurers participating on NY State of Health will offer four types of metal plans — Bronze, Silver, Gold and Platinum plans. They cover the same benefits but, between health insurers, differ in monthly costs and in the choice of doctors, hospitals and other health care providers. “Catastrophic” plans will be available for people under age 30 and others who qualify. This plan covers essential health benefits, routine preventive-care services and three annual visits to a primary care doctor at no out-of-pocket cost to you. It has similar benefits as the metal plans, but different costs.
Q. What will be covered?
All health insurance plans will be required to provide coverage for these essential benefits:
1. Routine doctor visits
2. Visits to the emergency room
3. Hospital care
4. Maternity and newborn care
5. Mental health and substance-abuse treatment
6. Prescription drugs
7. Habilitative and rehabilitative services
8. Laboratory tests
9. Preventive and wellness services and chronic-disease management
10. Pediatric services, including vision care
Certain preventive care services, like cholesterol tests, will be covered at 100% so that it’s easier to stay healthy.
Q. I don’t want health insurance. Will I be penalized?
If you don’t have health insurance in 2014, you may have to pay a penalty when you file your taxes. For 2014, the penalty is $95 per adult and $47.50 per child or 1% of taxable household income — whichever is higher. For example, if you are a single adult with $50,000 of taxable income, the penalty would be $500.
The penalty will go up each year until 2016, when it will be $695 per adult and $347.50 per child or 2.5% of taxable household income — whichever is higher. After 2016, the penalty will continue to go up with the cost of living.
It’s important to think about more than just cost when considering your options. Health insurance is essential to protecting both your physical and financial health, in case something happens.
Q. Where do we go for more information?
The NY State of Health website, nystateofhealth.ny.gov, is a good place to start. Customer service information is available at 1-855-355-5777. EmblemHealth also has extensive information at emblemhealthreform.com.
On Tuesday, October 29, the Association of Pro Bono Counsel (APBCo) will host the inaugural Small Business Legal Academy to provide free legal counseling for small businesses and non-profits at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater from 9 am to 6 pm. This one-day event will bring together corporate law firms, financial services consultants, city and state agencies, and other service providers to lead workshops and provide one-on-one legal consultations. Topics discussed will include intellectual property law, not-for-profit formation and commercial leasing legislations, among others. Spanish and French interpreters will also be available.
Register here to attend event.
Who: The Association of Pro Bono Counsel
When: Tuesday, October 29, 2013
9:00 – 9:15 am Registration
9:15 – 11:00 am Legal Essentials for Small Businesses
11:15 – 12:15 pm Intellectual Property Issues
1:15 – 2:15 pm Not-for-Profit Formation
2:30 – 3:30 pm Employment Law and Personnel Management
3:45 – 4:45 pm Commercial Leasing Issues
5:00 – 6:45 pm Legal Essentials for Small Businesses
Where: Harlem’s World Famous Apollo Theater, 253 W 125th Street
Posted in business, Community, education, Events, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, Harlem businesses, New York, New York City, NYC, The Apollo Theater
Tagged Apollo Theater, Association of Pro Bono Counsel, free, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem Blogs, legal counseling, Small Business Legal Academy, The Apollo Theater., The Association of Pro Bono Counsel
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!
Posted in 110th Street, 111 Central Park North, 116th Street, 125th Street, Central Park North, Community, film, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, Harlem businesses, HarlemGal, New York, New York City, NYC, Things to do in Harlem
Tagged @citibikenyc, Annie-the movie, Citi Bike, Citi Bike Share, Citibank, CitiBike, East Harlem, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem Blogs, harlem community, Henrietta Lyle, Lifestyle & Entertainment, Photo by The New York Daily News, Quvenzhané Wallis
We have more Harlem real estate news to report. HarlemGal Inc received a news release recently announcing that Vornado Realty Trust has “completed the previously announced sale of a parcel of land known as Harlem Park located at 1800 Park Avenue (at 125th Street) in New York City for $66 million…” The sale was finalized in the last 48 hours.
With the sale of 1800 Park Avenue completed, we can all now assume that the previously reported plans to develop this area will now move forward. According to several online reports, “Bruce Eichner is planning an 80/20 residential project at the Harlem Park site. Eichner has been in the midst of an architectural competition for the planned development at 1800 Park Avenue and 125th Street.”
Posted in 125th Street, commercial real estate, Harlem, Harlem bloggers, Harlem blogs, Harlem commercial real estate,, Harlem real estate,, HarlemGal, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate
Tagged 1800 Park Avenue, Bruce Eichner, Harlem, Harlem Park, Harlem Real Estate, HarlemGal Inc., Park Avenue., Vornado Realty Trust
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HarlemGal Inc. 