Harlem Real Estate Progress Report: A view from the top of 88 Morningside

This past Tuesday, July 26, the sales and marketing team for 88 Morningside, a new Harlem condo development right across the street from Morningside Park and 122nd, held a reception to unveil their rooftop deck and celebrate their TCO, temporary certificate of occupancy. Several guests were taken around at the soiree to view available apartments and take in the view from atop. And cocktails and food treats were provided by 67 Orange Street!
I was able to take in the view from the rooftop for myself and it’s not bad at all if you’re looking for an apartment to buy in Harlem. The building has a wonderful view of Columbia University, the park, and midtown Manhattan. If you are looking for an apartment with rooftop views, check this property out!

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Weekend Harlem Must Dos, Lido sidewalk cafe, Urban Garden Center sale and Marcus & Macy’s

There are three Harlem must dos I am recommending for this weekend. Try them out and let me know what you think!

On Friday, July 29, swing by Lido Italian Restaurant and Bar. Their sidewalk seating is in full swing. They have plenty of tables outside for Harlemites to sit and dine on. While you’re there, check out some of their summer cocktails. Here are three to consider!

20110729-124324.jpgTry Serena’s Sangria. It is made with a white wine base, passion fruit, sliced plums, and Spanish brandy. It’s hard to drink just one. Try the pitcher for $25.

Next, Lido Lemonade with lemon juice, vodka, and Licor 43 infused with thyme. The glass is garnished with a sprig of thyme.And if you need a carbonated fix, try Fiore Spumante (Italian for Sparkling Flower). It’s gin and St Germaine with champagne and a raspberry to garnish.  Also, Lido is now open Mondays and offering
$14 prix fix lunch with free wifi and complimentary iced coffee or tea!

On Saturday, July 31, head on over to Urban Garden Center in Spanish Harlem. They have a sale! They are offering 30 percent off on all in stock inventory. It ends on July 31 so drop by 116th and Park Avenue, take advantage of the sale and say hi to Dimitri, chief designer at Urban Garden Center!

And on July 31, spend Sunday afternoon with Marcus Samuelsson and the Macy’s Food Truck. Macy’s Food Truck is parking itself on 126th Street and Riverside Drive with our fellow Harlemite during Harlem Week. From noon to 4:00 p.m., Red Rooster Harlem owner and Chef Marcus Samuelsson will be on board cooking and serving catfish sandwiches with fried caper slaw and sweet potato fries!

There ya have it! Weekend Harlem must dos!

Closing of Harlem’s St. Nick’s Pub still unknown

There is has been absolutely no drips or drabs of information about why Harlem’s St. Nick’s Pub, located at 773 St. Nicholas Ave.,  has been closed. It’s been like this for awhile…until now. According to NearSay.com, they are reporting there was an email from the NYC Health Department’s press secretary noting that St. Nick’s Pub was inspected and ordered to close back on February 16 for operating with an expired permit. Furthermore, the article states St. Nick’s owner met with a representative from the health department soon after in which the owner was informed “of outstanding fines for past violations that needed to be paid in order to reopen the establishment.”

Given this information, I guess the fines have not been paid or St. Nick’s would be open.  I sure hope this gets resolved soon. I want St. Nick’s Pub to be around for many more years to come!

Why is Questan’s in Harlem dark for a Wednesday night?

A reader asked us if we noticed that Questan’s, located at 2113 Frederick Douglass Blvd., is closed tonight, July 27. I hadn’t really paid attention until I checked on my home from dinner tonight. I walked by and it is in fact dark tonight, Wednesday, July 27. That’s kind of odd for a Wednesday night-especially during the summer. Maybe they are getting ready to celebrate their two-year anniversary? They opened up for business in August 2009.

Does anyone know what is up? Why is Questan’s closed? Diganos (Tell us).

Update: An HG twitter follower says it has been closed for a few days now because it is changing management and that there is a notice on the door that states: “Closed and under new management. Making changes to serve you better.” Stay tuned…

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‘Mama I Want to Sing’ will be singing longer in Harlem, musical gets extended


The lovely and amazing Vy Higginsen announced recently that Mama I Want to Sing:The Next Generation gets to sing a bit longer right here in Harlem. “The longest running off-Broadway black musical in theater history” is playing at the Dempsey Theater, located at 127 West 126th Street. Dates have been extended to the end of the year. Mama I Want to Sing is about a talented young gospel singer who embraces secular music despite the strong objections of her mother.

To order tickets, go to Smarttix.com

Money Series: Harlem spending for 10030 zip code dedicated to health and family



Yesterday, the Money Series gave a snap shot of how Harlemites spend, who reside in the 10027 zip code. Today, the Money Series continues by turning our focus on the residents of 10030.

The top three household spending areas for the 10030 Harlem resulted in health & family ranking first, with house & home next followed by shopping. The first two areas mentioned are identical to 10027 Harlem residents in terms of ranking. However, shopping ranks third for 10030 verses 10027 where it ranks fourth.

On a 12 month average, household spending for 10030 includes: $798 for health & family. Insurance cost make-up $277 with school & child care not far behind at $234. The next large cost is charity at $173. Healthcare, pets and personal care round the remaining total.

House & home follows with a total of $434. The majority of costs go toward utilities. Two-hundred and six dollars is dedicated to utilities. Next with $77 for home maintenance, $76 for home improvement and $75 for phone.

The shopping category came in third in terms of the top three spending areas. Harlemites from 10030 spend a total of $332. That figure is divided among general shopping at $150, clothing, shoes and outer wear at $113 and $69 goes towards electronics, office supplies and hobbies.

If 10027 and 10030 are compared in their two top ranking areas: 10027 spends $246 more than 10030 in health & family and 10030 spends $323 more than 10027 in shopping.

All figures are created from an online money management tool and based on ages from 18 to 65 years of age and above, all households (married with kids or without, male or female single with kids or without), and income starting at $20,000 to $125k and above.

The Money Series heads to East Harlem next. 10029 will be the focus!

Stop by Nike’s Boulevard Ice Pop Up Store in Harlem


A follower on twitter reminded HarlemGal that Nike’s Boulevard Ice Pop Store is open for business in Harlem. It has been open for about a week in a half now at the corner of 133rd Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd. The Nike store offers customers the opportunity to go in and experience a refrigerator feel, pick from a selection of ice treats and maybe design yourself some new basketball shoes. Interesting concept and very much in line with Nike’s impressive creativity! This chica can go for the ice treats, but I don’t plan on getting me any basketball shoes any time soon.

Who has checked out Nike’s Boulevard Ice located at 2490 Frederick Douglass Blvd? If so, tell us what you think?

Harlem Shambles plans to open in Livmor Condo

Looks like commercial retail space in Harlem on Frederick Douglass Blvd is slowing getting scooped up! It appears from the photo below that the Livmor has sold (or rented out) some of its commercial space to a business called Harlem Shambles. I have never heard of this business and looking online for information, the only item I could find is Harlem Bespoke blogging that Harlem Shambles is a butcher shop! Hmm. I wonder what type of products they will be offering? Just meat! Or seafood too? And what does this mean for Best Yet and Central Market that are not too far away?

This is certainly a different addition to the other businesses that have opened up on FDB and that are getting ready to open soon! Recently, I blogged about how a yogurt store and nail salon are opening up side by side in the Gateway Condo located at 2098 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

As always, stay tuned on when Harlem Shambles will be opening. I am sure it will be soon!

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Money Series: How Harlem spends their money

Household Spending 10027 12 month avg

I have been living in Harlem since 2006 and have witnessed enormous change since then with new restaurants opening on every major avenue, buildings popping up throughout upper Manhattan, and more new faces lining Harlem streets. With all this change, I have always wondered about spending. How do we, i.e. Harlem locals, spend our money? Where does all of our money go?

I researched the topic and unearthed some interesting numbers via an online money management tool on how we spend. In the Money Series, I will share data discovered by zip code from shopping to health & family to food & drink and more! First up is 10027 of Harlem.

On a 12 month average, household spending for 10027 includes: $568 for food &

Food and Drink 10027 12 month avg

drink, $269 is for dining out and $299 is for groceries. Next on the list is health & family. Harlem locals from 10027 spend a total of $552. The majority of the figure goes to insurance and school & child care with $166 and then $156. The remaining total is divided among four other categories shown in the graph.

After food & drink and health & family, house & income rounds out the top three

Health and Family 10027 12 month avg

spending categories. This part of Harlem spends a total of $472. Two-hundred and six dollars goes to utilities. One-hundred and twenty-four dollars goes to home improvement and $122 goes to phone. The remaining $20 is for home maintenance. The graph below displays the remaining areas of spending for 10027.

House and Home 10027 12 month avg

All figures are based on ages from 18 to 65 years of age and above, all households (married with kids or without, male or female single with kids or without), and income starting at $20,000 to $125k and above.

Next up in the Money Series is how Harlem locals from 10030 spend!

A little bit of Poland comes to 67 Orange Street in Harlem

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This past week I attended 67 Orange Street’s Cocktail Educational Series in Harlem and let me say, I have a new-found appreciation for that cocktail I order and for the person behind the bar making it. I had no idea what (or the hard work) that goes into a drink until I went to 67 Orange, located at 2082 Frederick Douglass Blvd. I had my cocktail breakthrough this past Tuesday where Zu Vodka, bison grass vodka from Poland, was the guest of honor.

Karl, the owner of 67 Orange and his guest from ZU, gave a quick presentation on ZU and then presented handcrafted cocktails with ZU Vodka. I had the Smokin Thyme, which included fresh raspberries with thyme, agave, lime juice,shaken with Mezcal, St.Germain and Zu. It was very good.That drink was right up there with my usual order at 67 Orange, the Baxter Street.  I gotta have that jalapeno flavor-even in my drink! If you like some caliente flavor to your cocktail, try the Baxter Street!

To learn more about what goes into a cocktail and find new appreciation like I did, check out the CockTail Educational Series at 67 Orange in Harlem. Their next series takes place August 2!