Category Archives: NYC

It’s $20.11 in Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 2 comments

Apr 15, 2011 @ 7:15
By HarlemGal
Several Harlemites have $20.11 posted on their Facebook or WeHarlem pages and it’s not a reminder of the current year.  It’s locals reminding us through social networks that it is restaurant and retail month right here in Harlem. From April 15 to May 15, select local businesses are offering special deals. If you’re wondering who is participating, see the complete list below.

Last year, I went to Chez Lucienne and enjoyed the meal and deal very much. I wonder where I should dine this year for this occasion?

And a big thanks to Harlem Park to Park, who is once again leading this effort to promote all the wonderful retail businesses we have right here in Harlem.

RESTAURANTS
67 ORANGE STREET   2082 Eighth Avenue
BIER INTERNATIONAL  2099 Eighth Avenue
CHEZ LUCIENNE  308 Lenox Avenue
CHOCOLAT RESTAURANT  2223 Eighth Avenue
GRAN PIATTO D’ORO  1429 Fifth Avenue
LIDO HARLEM  2168 Eighth Avenue
MOCA LOUNGE  2210 Eighth Avenue
NATIVE RESTAURANT  101 W. 118th Street
NECTAR WINE BAR  2235 Eighth Avenue
RED ROOSTER HARLEM  310 Lenox Avenue
RISTORANTE SETTEPANI  196 Lenox Avenue
SOCIETY COFFEE  2104 Eighth Avenue
SYLVIA’S RESTAURANT  328 Lenox Avenue

RETAIL/SERVICES
BIKRAM YOGA EAST HARLEM  4 E. 116th Street
FRANZ JAMES FLORAL BOUTIQUE  2114 Eighth Avenue
HARLEM FLO ATELIER    2292 Eighth Avenue
HARLEM FLO BOUTIQUE  2276 Eighth Avenue
HARLEM VINTAGE  2235 Eighth Avenue
LEVAIN BAKERY  2167 Eighth Avenue
MODSQUAD CYCLES  2119 Eighth Avenue

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Posted in Bars, business, Community, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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Part Three: Harlem Gal Inc reader drops three pounds on NYLean25 April challenge

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 14, 2011 @ 11:30

We have another diary entry from our HCL reader, who is taking the NYLean25 April Challenge in Harlem. She has good news to report!
Dear HarlemGal,
Week one on the NYLean25 is over and I lost three lbs!  I am ecstatic!  Every Friday we get weighed in and measured at the Kennedy Community Center on 135th St in Harlem. We were at Twirl Lounge, but the class got to big so we moved to the Kennedy Community Center.

It’s very hard for me to lose any weight, so I had to do a double take at that scale.  I also lost two inches in my waist.  I thought that must have been a mistake, so I tried on a pair of jeans yesterday and noticed a difference.  I know week two is going to be a bigger challenge.   Isn’t that the infamous week on  the NBC television program called The Biggest Loser when everyone gains weight or stays the same?

I decided to hit up NYLean’s website for some more support.  The at-home workout plans are very easy to read with videos embedded in the descriptions.  The cool thing is one can actually submit a workout log to your trainer.  You can do the same with a food log.  I’ll be submitting that to my trainer Robert this week.  Let’s see what he says!  The website also has articles on fitness, recipes and a calorie counter.

By the way, I used the tip below today when I got a serious craving for some chocolate. I even went a step further and did a teeth whitening session that involves having a tray in your mouth for 40 minutes.  You can’t eat with that on!
Tip #2:  Brush your teeth or eat a mint.  If you get hungry and feel you’re going to cheat, drink a big glass of cold water and then brush your teeth.  If you aren’t in a position to brush your teeth when the craving come on, then pop a sugar-free mint or piece o mint-flavored sugar-free gum.

While doing the tip #2, think this thought: “There is no food that tastes as good as being lean feels!”

Until next time…

Best,
HCL reader C2WL

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Posted in Community, education, Events, Harlem, health and wellness, New York, New York City, NYC

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UPDATE: Land Yoga to offer Adventures in Yogaland, new Harlem studio opens June 16th

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 14, 2011 @ 9:41

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By HarlemGal
Adventures in Yogaland, a mini-yogi summer camp for kid’s ages 3 and up, is coming to Harlem! And parents can sign up their children now by going to Land Yoga for kids. Discounts apply for those that sign up by May 1st! For those that want to practice yoga, Land Yoga will be opening in Harlem June 16th at 2110 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

Adventures in Yogaland offers a playful approach to yoga and it involves teaching children how to mimic the world around them by doing engaging, kid-friendly, exercises like moving their bodies in the shapes of plants and animals. Each week’s camp will feature a different yoga adventure, followed by a healthy snack and related art project. The main objective of Adventures in Yogaland is for children to have fun!

Adventures in Yogaland begins in South Harlem Tuesday, June 21st and runs for ten weeks through August, meeting Tuesdays and Thursdays from 2 PM to 4:30 PM!

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Posted in business, Community, Events, Harlem, health and wellness, New York, New York City, NYC

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The Pratt Harlem Project starts now

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 14, 2011 @ 7:00
By HarlemGal
What should a developer do with its 9000 square foot commercial space that’s been empty for a while and its the space that WAS in negotiations with the owner of Busboys and Poets? Simple answer. Donate (hopefully that’s what the developer did) the retail space for a two-week art exhibition called The Pratt Harlem Project. This is an art exhibition, in collaboration with Pratt and Harlem artists, opening to the public  starting tonight, April 14, at 2280 Frederick Douglass Blvd between 122nd and 123rd.

The Pratt Harlem Project aims to bring works by new artists from Pratt in Brooklyn and Harlem’s arts community together with buyers and interested viewers. The exhibition will feature 90 works from 80 artists and will be mixed-media and includes alumni and student artists from both Pratt and the community.

An opening reception, which is open to any and all interested, will take place tonight, April 14 from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the exhibit will remain open through April 28. The hours are: Sunday – Thursday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Friday – Saturday from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

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

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Spirit of Harlem Community at Dwyer Cultural Center

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 11, 2011 @ 8:00
By HarlemGal
Learn about the essence of Harlem through the eyes of contemporary artists. Starting April 12 and running through mid-September, the Dwyer Cultural Center, located at 258 St. Nicholas Avenue in Harlem, presents the Spirit of Community, an exhibition featuring commissioned works in photography, mural, sculpture, and video chronicling the sights, sounds, colors, textures, and people of Harlem. In the Spirit of Community, visitors will see how artists lend their imagination and innovation to capture the heartbeat of Harlem’s vibrant and thriving community. On April 12, head on over to the Dwyer at 6:30 PM to see this exhibition. And if you cannot make it then, it runs for five months ending September 15!

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

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Happy hour now available at Lido Restaurant Harlem, lunch to be offered starting April 14

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 8, 2011 @ 7:00

By HarlemGal
I stopped by Lido at 2168 Frederick Douglass Blvd last night to grab a bite to eat and see what’s the latest with the Italian eatery. There are a few new things happening and coming up.

20110407-105831.jpgFirst, Lido started a happy hours recently. It runs from Tuesday-Friday, 5:30 pm-7:30 pm. The special is half price beer and wine. My understanding is that you can partake in happy hour at the bar or at a table if you’re having an early dinner.

Next, Lido will be opening for lunch starting April 14th. Stay tune for the lunch menu. Their working on it now and hope to share it soon. A Spring menu for dinner will soon follow

And Lido has become a part of the Harlem Park to Park family. They will be participating in the upcoming retail and restaurant month featuring a $20.11 dinner menu. That starts April 15th – May 15th, Tuesday – Friday from 5:30pm – 7:30pm.

So there you have it. Lots of options to check out Lido Restaurant on the corner of 117th and FDB!
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Posted in Bars, business, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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Weekends at Bellevue is filming weekdays in Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 7, 2011 @ 13:24
By HarlemGal
The cast of ‘Weekends at Bellevue,’ a Fox TV pilot based on the same titled book by Julie Holland, is actually spending weekdays in Harlem-at least since Wednesday from what we hear from a fellow HCL blogger. The pilot, which centers on the character Ellie, a psychiatrist in charge of the weekend shift of Bellevue Hospital psychiatric unit, is currently being filmed at the former North General Hospital at 122nd and Madison Avenue. The crew is expected to be at the old hospital until tomorrow, according to our peeps!

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Posted in entertainment, film, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC

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Part Two: NYLean25 day two was tough at Twirl Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 7, 2011 @ 11:00
On Monday, we told how one of our readers is taking the  NYLean25 April Challenge on behalf of HarlemCondoLife.com.  She provides her second diary entry. And based on her words, NYLean25 is getting demanding and at the same time promising.

Dear HarlemGal,
I’d like to first say a quick thanks to my fellow HCL readers for the comments they posted so far. It’s a big help to me and I want them to know it. Keep those comments coming in!

I went to my second class at NYLean25 at Twirl Lounge in Harlem. The class was so full the moved us to the Kennedy Community Center in Harlem.

Day two proved to be much harder than day one. I didn’t realize just how sore my body was until I worked it out again! This session we focused on legs, so there were lots of squats, leg lifts and all that fun stuff. Each week focuses on a different area, so one class will be legs, another will be arms, followed by core. All sessions include high intensity cardio intervals, which is no joke!

I must admit I wasn’t very good on the diet that goes along with the program for the first few days. I hadn’t gone food shopping with my work schedule packed, so I was improvising with stuff I already had. The diet consists of a high fiber, low carb breakfast, non-creamy soup and/or salad for lunch and dinner, and a healthy snack in the morning and afternoon. I finally went food shopping. Currently, I’m stocked up with the right food. I have no excuse!

NYLean25 gave me a list with nine weight loss tips.  I will share them with you throughout my diary entries.  Here is tip #1: drink a minimum of 8 glasses of COLD water a day.  You will burn around 150 calories of energy to heat the cold water to body temperature while simultaneously boosting your metabolism.  (And it’s good for your skin and hair too.) I could go for that!

More soon…

Best,
HCL reader committed to weight loss (HCL reader C2WL)

 

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Five and Diamond Harlem participates in Village Voice Annual Tasting, Spring/Summer menu arriving soon

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 4 comments

Apr 7, 2011 @ 7:30
By HarlemGal
The Village Voice’s Fourth Annual Tasting took place recently and Harlem’s very own 5 and Diamond, located at 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd., participated. The event allowed some 1,700 guests to sample food from more than 30 nations. We hear it is an honor to be invited to participate in the Village Voice’s Annual Tasting. It’s by invite only. Ooh-la-la. Kudos to Selene Martinez (co-owner, left in photo) Executive Chef David Martinez (no relation to Selene, center), and Lia Sanfilippo (co-owner, right).

We also hear that, 5 and Diamond is getting ready to unveil its Spring/Summer Menu for all. Now that it is April, perfect time to fill the belly with some incredible cuisine by Chef Martinez! See you there!

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Posted in Community, Events, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants

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Amkoullel to perform for first time in Harlem, Shrine and Farafina host Malian hip hop artist

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Apr 6, 2011 @ 7:23
By HarlemGal
World music takes center stage this Thursday and Friday in Harlem. Amkoullel, the Malian hip hop artist will  be performing for the first time in Harlem (and in the USA) this Thursday and Friday (April 7-8).

On April 7th, see Amkoullel perform at the Shrine, located at 2271 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd. The show starts at 8 PM. At Shrine, there is no cover charge.  The next day (April 8), see the Afro-beat artist perform at Farafina Cafe, located at 1813 Amsterdam Avenue. This show starts at 11 PM on Friday.

Aside from his music, Amkoullel is known for “harmoniously combining traditional and contemporary global cultures to promote social responsibility.”

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