Jun 9, 2010 @ 17:52
By HarlemGal
Michael Leopold and Steve Friedson, who reside in Harlem and have been for five years, were brainstorming one day about how they would like to have an abundance of food delivery options in Harlem right at their finger tips. Leopold and Friedson love their Harlem community they live in, however, they feel there is limited food delivery options in the area. After wishing and brainstorming further, they decided to put those thoughts into action. The result, a service called Harlem Delivers. Harlem Delivers is exactly just that, a delivery service that will bring food to Harlem residents only from outside food vendors. Leopold, a co-founder, tells HarlemCondoLife that they already have six Upper Westside food establishments that have signed on the dotted line to deliver their food products to Harlemites. They are: Soy y Sombra, a Spanish restaurant, Gabriela’s, offers Mexican, Earthen Over, serves Indian, Bodrum offer Turkish cuisine, Fusha West, and Blossum, which is no meat and Kosher.
But don’t start dialing up to order some dinner just yet. Harlem Delivers plans to open at the end of June, if they have all the staff power in place, and they are only offering the initial service to a targeted area, which will be from 145th Street to 149th from Frederick Douglass Blvd to Edgecomb Avenue. Once the business is launched and they have this particular area fully serviced, Harlem Delivers hopes to expand the business and service throughout Harlem. “Our strategy will be similar to a business like Fresh Direct. They expanded zip code by zip code,” said Leopold.
I asked about where local businesses/restaurant establishments fit in their business strategy and Harlem Delivers plans to work in partnership with them as well. Leopold said they already have one local business that is interested! So sit tight hombres, all of us in Harlem may soon get to order food delivery from wherever and whenever!
Tagged d delivery, dining, eating out, Harlem, Harlem Delivers, HarlemGal, restaurants
Jun 8, 2010 @ 21:43
By HarlemGal
Crain’s New York is reporting that Emmitt Smith and his partner/investors received federal tax-exempt financing today. ESmith Legacy Harlem was approved for $19.7 million in Recovery Zone Facility Bonds, which it received through the New York City Capital Resource Corporation. I believe this was the last hurdle Mr. Smith’s firm was waiting for. Now they can proceed to build on the empty lot at 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. Once that happens, the entire make-up of that area will continue to change.
Online reports are saying that the plan could bring a Whole Foods to Harlem, a Hyatt-branded hotel along with 129 construction jobs and 81 permanent jobs. Nice. Let’s just hope the project does not take forever to build.
I have one message for Emmitt Smith: build it in a timely and reasonable manner. Please do not take forever!
Jun 6, 2010 @ 18:03
By HarlemGal
Ever wondered about how to learn to butcher, prep, cook and serve lamb? Well, now is your chance to pick up that skill right here in Harlem at 5 & Diamond located at 2072 Frederick Douglass Blvd.
Starting Monday, June 7, Five & Diamond is launching its first bi-weekly supper club/cooking class. For $55 bucks a person, you can learn all the attributes of lamb! And the interesting part of this course aside from learning about the lamb, is you’ll get to learn from bad boy chef Ryan Skeen. Hmm…could be fun and interesting! Let’s just hope the cooking class is much better than his hand/keg stand shown below.
Five & Diamond flier
Photo by Joannie
Posted in Bars, business, Events, Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants
Tagged Five&Diamond, Frederick Douglass Blvd., Harlem, HarlemGal, restaurant row, restaurants
Jun 2, 2010 @ 20:27
By HarlemGal
Today is the first day that Frederick Douglass Circle in Harlem is available to the public. Yes, it is officially open after more than seven years in the making.Wow. It’s about time and long overdue. According to a worker at Cafe Amrita, City workers were taking down the barriers last night around 1 AM.
Thank you to whomever said or convinced the City to open the circle now. Nice timing. Harlemites can enjoy the Circle during the summer months and on. I was out there today looking at every aspect of the Circle. It looks fabulous.
Below are pictures of locals looking around Harlem’s brand new Frederick Douglass Circle or better yet, come by and see it for yourself! Take the B/C to 110th Street/Catherdral Parkway or the 2/3 to 110 Street/Central Park North.
Jun 2, 2010 @ 16:13
By HarlemGal
We heard online that Kate Winslet was going to be in Harlem June 1 filming scenes for HBO’s Mildred Pierce…and turns out she was in Harlem! We also found out that Evan Rachel Wood was in Harlem yesterday as well. They were both in the Mount Morris Historic District, which is located between 120th to 124th Street from Lenox Avenue to Madison Avenue .
In my view, perfect location to capture some gorgeous brownstones for the background shots for Mildred Pierce. I will definitely be watching Kate and Evan Rachel on HBO when the film comes out. In the mean time, check out the photos of Kate and Evan Rachel in Harlem! Cool!
Jun 2, 2010 @ 12:24
By HarlemGal
We reached out yesterday to the folks at Bier International, which will be located at 2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd., to see what’s up with the planning around Harlem’s first beer garden. Here is what they told us:
“Thanks for your support. After some delays, we anticipate opening in about three weeks.”
Yes! That means Bier International in Harlem will be open during the 2010 World Cup! Folks, get your beer drinking hats ready! We Harlemites will soon have another place to hang those hats, relax, and drink our brew!
Jun 1, 2010 @ 7:30
A month ago, we mentioned that 2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd is expected to be the home of Bier International, Harlem’s first beer garden; and that we didn’t think it would open at the end of May. The opening did not happen in May. However, we’re happy to report we have seen work activity on site recently. Over the Memorial Day weekend, we saw workers outside of the property and one side of the rolling steel doors up.
From the photos below, there is something happening inside the retail space. However, the real question is what type of deadline are these workers on? We asked when the beer garden in Harlem is scheduled to open, one replied “a month from now.”
What a complete bummer-if in fact that is the case! With the 2010 World Cup starting on June 11 and lasting for several weeks, that is prime beer drinking time. Maybe the worker on site meant to say “we’re opening in two weeks for the World Cup or midway through the World Cup.” We are keep our fingers crossed hoping that one of those scenarios is the case! If you have heard otherwise, chime in!
May 27, 2010 @ 11:08
By HarlemGal
I called over today to Lee, Lee’s Bakery to order a large red velvet cake for an upcoming summer party. Cake is a product I ordered often from Mr. Lee, especially red velvet cake, cause it tastes delicious and it was always a hit at parties. But now, I cannot do this any more. I was told the unthinkable today by someone answering the phone at Lee, Lee’s. They said I had to order now and pick up ASAP in order to have my cake. I was told the last day of business for Lee, Lee’s Bakery in Harlem is this Monday, May 31.
I immediately asked what the H, E, double tooth pick happened? The person said, it’s the red, we are in the red. I said, I thought things were looking up with new orders of your product to places like Best Yet Market. The response I got was orders such as this stopped. Total silence. Then we hung up!
I have to say upfront, I am so heart broken to hear this news. Not only did I like my red velvet cake from Lee, Lee’s, but I enjoyed talking to Mr. Lee himself, who I found to be so sweet, kind and loveable. In addition, I encountered a loyal following of this place when I moved to Harlem more than five years ago. When I needed sweets, most people in Harlem would direct me to Lee, Lee’s Bakery on 118th.
The only thing I can think of now is to make a public plea on this site to try and save Lee,
Lee’s Bakery in Harlem. It’s worth a try…right?
Is there anyone out there who can help Mr. Lee? Does anyone know of someone who has revived local businesses before? If so, here is an opportunity. This man has wonderful baked products. He may need help with marketing, PR, and business management. But overall the goods are there. If you can help or know someone who can, call 917-493-6633 or visit the bakery at 283 West 118th Street in Harlem.
In closing, all I can say is Where is Construction Intervention for bakeries? Where is ABC’s Extreme Home Makeover when you need them? And most of all, where is Oprah Winfrey or Ellen DeGeneres when you need them? Fans of Lee, Lee’s Bakery in Harlem are calling!
May 23, 2010 @ 18:42
By HarlemGal
Over the weekend, we headed over to the east side of Harlem to visit Wild Olive Market, the brand new grocery store located on the southeast corner of 125th and Fifth Avenue. We received word from a reader that the new store was going to open up any day. Well, that day arrived. May 21 was the first day Wild Olive Market opened, so we took our readers recommendation and went on over on Sunday to see the new grocery digs in East Harlem.
First off, what a wonderful addition to this part of Harlem. Harlemites have several options to choose from when it comes to buying groceries. There is Fairway, Best Yet Market, and Pathmark. And of course, there is all the charming bodegas throughout Harlem to shop at.
As for Wild Olive, it is a nice place and a good size-not too big and not too little. All of the products are on one floor and proportioned strategically where one can see almost everything right when you walk in.
Wild Olive appears to have taken over two retail spaces side by side. Bola, the African fabric store was located where Wild Olive is now, but has moved to the southwest corner of 125th. I assume they moved to make space for the new grocery store and because there was a better deal down the street.
And speaking of location, Wild Olive is easily accessible from the west and east side of Harlem by subway. The 2/3 at Lenox Avenue and 125th is not that far. Taking the 6 train at Lexington to 125th is another option or one can walk or urban scooter over. That’s what we did!
From what we saw today, Wild Olive Market is a wonderful store and their only one in Harlem. Should do well given all of its positive attributes!
Posted in business, Community, Harlem, shopping
Tagged 125th street, East Harlem, Fifth Avenue, food shopping, groceries, Harlem, Wild Olive Market
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