Category Archives: NYC

Harlem Yoga Studio presents Shaking Spirit Waves 5Rhythms

Harlem Yoga Studio, located at 44 West 125th Street has added on an interesting and unique class to their schedule. Starting today, July 14, and every Thursday, Harlem Yoga Studio is offering Shaking Spirit Waves 5Rhythms (R) at 5:30 pm to 6:45 pm, The 5Rhythms is a movement based meditation. There are no dance steps or choreography. The class is designed to allow you to simply move to be moved.

Tonight’s class is the first ever class in Harlem according to Kierra, the instructor. So check it out come and shake yourself free in the Shaking Spirit Waves class Thursdays 5:30 to 6:45 at Harlem Yoga Studio. To get there, take trains: 2, 3 to 125th & Lenox or A, B, C, or D train to 125th & St. Nick.

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Catch Reel Harlem in Jackie Robinson Park

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!

Cedric French Bistro and Bar chooses red color scheme similar to other Harlem establishments

I was walking along St. Nicholas Avenue this past weekend and could not help but notice the brand new awning hanging outside the old Mojo Harlem, which will now be-and hopefully opening soon-Cedric Bistro. In April, The New York Post was the first to report that “a hot new bistro was coming to Harlem,” at St. Nicholas and 119th Street. The Post also noted that Cedric would open in June. That did not happen. However, if you walk by Cedric you can see the work they are doing. They have their bright red color awning on display outside. Also, if you peak in on one of the windows, it’s clear red will be used in various parts of the restaurant, such as on seat covers and on their newly built booths. Red appears to be a popular color in Harlem lately when it comes to opening new establishments. For Cedric, Red is a nice transition from the previous color scheme, which I believe was more plum and purple tones.

Can’t wait to see the final touches on Cedric in Harlem. They should be opening in the summer as well! Stay tune…

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Celebrate Bastille Day this week at Harlem’s bier international

We just celebrated our Independence Day. Now its time to celebrate the French! This week bier international in Harlem, our popular and most successful beer garden to date, is honoring our ally by organizing three days worth of events celebrating Bastille Day.

Starting tonight (July 12) there will be live music with Floanne,  a native French talent (actress, singer and director) based in New York City. Hear ‘Its ok to be alone’ by Floanne.

Wednesday (July 13) they will have a DJ spinning Afro-French beats. Thursday (July 14), bier international will have live French accordion music playing. And of course, their menu will feature French specials in honor of Bastille Day along with your favorite beer.

So if you want to celebrate Bastille Day right here in Harlem, bier international, located at 2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd, is giving Harlemites plenty of opportunities! Merci bier international!

See ‘Attack the Block’ for free in Harlem

You and a guest are invited to a FREE screening of Attack the Block. From the producers of Shaun of the Dead and Hot Fuzz, Attack the Block follows a gang of tough inner-city kids who try to defend their turf against an invasion of savage alien creatures, turning a South London apartment complex into an extraterrestrial warzone.

Here are the details:

To download a free screening pass, go to Gofobo.com/RSVP and enter the RSVP code HLMGAL55U0.
Date: Tuesday, July 19th
Time: 7:00 p.m.
Where: Magic Johnson Harlem

And please remember, screenings by HarlemGal Inc. are on a first come first serve basis.

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Harlem’s Honeycomb Burgers aiming to open by end of summer

I was at Chocolat recently enjoying their happy hour (more on that later) and while there I inquired about the status of Honeycomb Burgers, located on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 119th and 120th Street. The word is they are hoping to open the place by the end of summer. Harlemites can hopefully expect a new burger joint around August or mid September. We all know the drill when it comes to opening these establishments. Deadlines are very fluid. Let’s keep our fingers crossed that the hamburger prices will be reasonably priced at Honeycomb Burgers in Harlem!

Leon Ellis, the owner of Moca and Chocolat, owns Honeycomb Burgers. He is clearly expanding his restaurant business in Harlem and will soon dominate this particular block in Harlem once his third business opens. Good for Leon and best wishes for continued success! Can’t wait to have a burger there!

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New yogurt store and nail salon coming to Frederick Douglass Blvd in Harlem


Have you walked by the Gateway Condominiums lately, the condo building located at 2098 Frederick Douglass Blvd., and noticed how the majority of its retail space on the first floor has been vacant for a while? Well…that block on the eastside of FDB is about to change. Word has it that a yogurt store and a nail salon have signed a long-term lease with the developer who owns the large portion of commercial space, located right next to Society Cafe.

Apparently the leases were signed recently for a yogurt store and nail salon to move in, and work has already begun by dividing up the space for these two new businesses in Harlem. Notice in the photo, there are two separate doors on the commercial space. For the longest time, that commercial space only had one door to enter.

No exact confirmation on the names of each business yet. As soon as I know, I will pass along!

This portion of Frederick Douglass Blvd from left to right will eventually appear and operate as Society Cafe, which most of us know is owned by Karl, then next to Society Cafe will either be the nail salon or the yogurt place. After the nail salon and yogurt place is the lobby of the Gateway Condos. Next to that lobby is vacant space. A Metro PCS use to be there. However, we hear a shoe repair is hoping to move in there. And finishing out the complex is Express Dry Cleaners.

The new yogurt store will join the recently opened Chill Berry at 414 Lenox Avenue. And the nail salon joins stiff competition. There is Polished FingerTips on FDB and 118th, and Z Nail Salon on 116th between FDB and Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd.

Overall, I personally like that these two new businesses will be moving into Harlem. I like eating yogurt and I definitely like getting my nails and feet done. I just wish someone would open a 24 hour diner around this portion of Harlem! Don’t you think so as well?

Say it’s not so, Red Rooster Harlem graded a C


I am reading in The New York Daily News today (Sunday) that our Red Rooster Harlem was graded a…gasp…C from the New York City Department of Health. Say it ain’t so? I was there last week along with my companion and, as always, the food was outstanding. Also, patrons can see the kitchen when you walk in and if you are seated right by it inside it’s in full view. The Red Rooster kitchen appears to look like a Mercedes of kitchens run by only the best drivers. I cannot believe this and agree with the person quoted in the article: “If this [Red Rooster Harlem] is a C, then how do dirty jerk chicken joints in Flatbush get A’s? This place has a brand-new kitchen. I’ve seen it.”

I have no doubt that Marcus Samuelsson and his team are “on it.” Given how driven of a team they are, they will not rest until they get that A. Count on it!

Rent spikes in Harlem

Harlem is a Nike symbol or an arrow shooting straight up on a graph when it comes to the rental market for apartments. According to The Wall Street Journal, Harlem, along with the Financial District, share a statistic at the moment being that they are seeing the largest rent increases during the last year. Rental prices in both of these Manhattan areas are up more than 15 percent year-over-year.

The article states “the average Harlem apartment rent was $2,055 a month during the second quarter, up $333 from a year earlier. These rent averages include dwellings of all sizes – studios, as well as one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments.”

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Shop farmers market and practice yoga in Harlem

Friends of Morningside Park, Community Markets and Land Yoga are putting the tag terms, health and wellness, community and grocery shopping in action. This weekend (July 9th) they are starting outdoor yoga in Morningside Park. From 4 to 5 pm, you can practice yoga under the big blue Harlem sky with Lara from Land Yoga at the 110th St and Manhattan Ave entrance. This free class will be held at the same time every week, weather permitting. So bring your own mat and dristi (focus) to the park.

And also bring your grocery list! The Morningside Farmers Market opens at 9 am sharp!

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