‘Changing Face of Harlem’ reaches goal

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Jun 12, 2011 @ 14:40

By HarlemGal
I wanted to share some good news with you. Remember how I told you about a film titled Changing Face of Harlem and how the filmmaker was trying to raise funds to get into the editing booth to finish the film! Well, Shawn Batey, the documentarian and the brainchild behind this film, reached her goal! That’s awesome news! Below is one of the notes I received from Shawn confirming the goods news. Shawn also sent out a separate note thanking select social networks,such as HCL and WeHarlem.com, and many others for helping to spread the good word about her film. To me, this is what makes blogging rewarding and what social networking is all about, i.e. sharing insightful information that can help make a difference.

A big congrats to Shawn and her film, Changing Face of Harlem. Can’t wait to see the final product!

June 10, 2011

I am happy to announce that we reached our $5,000 goal. THANK YOU so much to everyone who’s been so generous and helped us get there. We had 31 new backers come on board this week…that’s amazing! Thanks to you all we breezed past the goal 4 days ahead of the deadline!! The Kickstarter project for CHANGING FACE OF HARLEM runs until 12 noon on June 14. So please continue to share the campaign with family and friends who may have been waiting until the last minute to pledge. What is wonderful is that 88 backers from all over the world joined together to support this film!

THANK YOU to everyone who donated, tweeted, emailed and posted our campaign to help reach the goal!

1 Comment

Posted in art and culture, Community, education, entertainment, Events, film, Harlem, history, New York, New York City, NYC, politics

Tagged , , , , ,

An exclusive look at Harlem Tavern’s menu, Inside Harlem Tavern

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 5 comments

Jun 12, 2011 @ 13:50
20110612-013407
By HarlemGal
As part of our series called Inside Harlem Tavern, we would like to give you a sneak peak at their menu. Take a look below.

In my view, the items on the menu are as diverse as the Harlem population it will soon cater to. If you want a pasta dish, it is on the menu or if you want steak, no problem they have that too. How about having fish while sitting outside on the corner of Frederick Douglass Blvd and 116th Street? Harlem Tavern will be offering that as well to its customers. What is even better than the food listed in their initial menu are the prices! All the items on Harlem Tavern’s menu are reasonably priced. There is nothing priced more than $21 dollars. I think they are playing it very smart by doing this. Harlem Tavern is clearly recognizing their demographic by starting off with this reasonable price point as opposed to other local establishment(s) that received unfavorable criticism for their menu being priced too high. Bad Horse Pizza went through this recently. They received some unfavorable comments online- at least on HCL- regarding their prices. Harlem Tavern is clearly sending a message to Harlemites with this menu: come on over, hang out inside or out and enjoy a good meal without braking the bank. If they stick to this price point, count on us hanging out there!

Have a look at the menu below and tell us what you think! And stay tuned for our next blog post called Inside Harlem Tavern.

20110612-123737

Golden Fried “Dirty Bird”
Lemon thyme gravy
$10
Smoked Mozzarella Fritters
Ricotta cheese, tomato basil sauce
$10
Bacon Fried Pickles
Chipotle sauce
$8
Trio of Sausages
Keilbasa, Merguez, Chorizo, 3 mustards
Flatbreads
Provençal Ratatouille
Chickpea puree, grilled Mediterranean vegetables
$9
Grilled Skirt Steak
Queso fresco, chimichurri, jalapeños
$14
Fried Green Tomato
Mozzarella, ricotta, basil arugula pesto
$10
The Boulevard Burger
Smoked gouda, BBQ pulled pork, Neuskes bacon, crispy onions, toasted brioche
$14
Cedar Planked Salmon
Olives, peppers, tomato confit, citrus herb vinaigrette
$20
Handmade Ratatouille Ravioli
Sunchoke walnut basil sauce
$14
Knickerbocker Glory Sundae $7
Strawberry Lemon Cheesecake $7

5 Comments

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

Tagged , , , , , , , ,

Inside Harlem Tavern

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 5 comments

Jun 12, 2011 @ 12:48
20110612-123301
By HarlemGal
There is a lot of excitement building, on and offline, around Harlem Tavern, the latest establishment soon joining Harlem’s restaurant row. There is so much excitement that every where you turn either on local blogs or Facebook someone has new photos of Harlem Tavern evolving in their look. We haven’t seen this much excitement around one place since the rumors on Busboys and Poets trying to enter into the Harlem market.

We are excited as well about the opening of Harlem Tavern, located on the corner of West 116th and Frederick Douglass Blvd. To celebrate the upcoming opening, we are going to be giving you an “inside look” at Harlem Tavern. What does this mean? You are going to be able to find out the little things, pre-opening, about this indoor/outdoor establishment that is owned and operated by…you guessed…Harlemites. Stay tune!

5 Comments

Posted in Bars, business, Community, entertainment, Events, Harlem, Harlem Tavern, music, New York, New York City, NYC, restaurant row, restaurants, review

Tagged , , , , , , , , ,

Mount Morris Park neighborhood of Harlem Annual House Tour is this weekend

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Jun 10, 2011 @ 14:38
By HarlemGal
Don’t forget the annual Mount Morris Park Annual House Tour is this weekend hosted by Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association. It is this Sunday, June 12th!

This is the time when one can see some of the most beautiful brownstones in New York City that make up Central Harlem, also known as the Mt. Morris Park area. Also the area was recently praised by New York Magazine.

Here is the schedule for the day for those interested in attending:

  • 11 AM to 4 PM: Follow the Self-Guided Tour of Homes 
  • 1 PM and 3 PM: Join the Architectural Walking Tour
  • 12 Noon and 2 PM: Go Inside Historic Harlem
  • 1:30 PM: Join the Marcus Garvey Park Walking Tour

1 Comment

Posted in art and culture, Community, education, Events, Free!, Harlem, history, New York City, NYC, real estate

Tagged , ,

Potluck picnic at Morningside Park to address Manhattan Avenue corner real estate plans

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Jun 10, 2011 @ 11:10

By HarlemGal
The Friends of Morningside Park will hold a potluck picnic this coming Tuesday, June 14th from 6-8 p.m. At the event, participants can ask questions about the park and the construction that is happening on the northeast corner of Manhattan Avenue and 110th Street. The developer of the property is going to be at this potluck picnic.

If you walk by that section of Harlem, it is obvious that another apartment building is going up-scooped up by a developer. I touched upon this subject back in 2009.

So if your interested in learning more about Morningside Park and upcoming real estate activity, stop by this event on June 14th. Here’s the flyer with all the info!

20110610-110331.jpg

1 Comment

Posted in business, Community, education, Events, Free!, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate

Tagged , , , , ,

Harlem featured in The Boston Globe

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 2 comments

Jun 6, 2011 @ 8:00
By HarlemGal
Not too long ago, Harlem was profiled in  The Financial Times, the UK-based publication. Now The Boston Globe takes its turn and profiles our community in its travel section this past weekend (June 5). Jessica Allen, the reporter, spends two days in Harlem along with her husband and discovers “Harlem makes a visitor feel and taste its forward movement.”

The article highlights various experiences from listening to jazz, to eating at Amy Ruth’s and to drinking at some of our unique establishments, such as 67 Orange and bier international. However, the most notable items in this article are not necessarily about places, but crafted words about Harlem. Allen states “perhaps no other area in New York so eagerly honors its history as Harlem.” She points to our famously named streets, such as Malcolm X and Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Furthermore, Allen goes on to say “despite the interest in what came before, these days Harlem seems utterly future-oriented.”

We couldn’t agree more with The Boston Globe! And to Jessica Allen and her husband, come back and see us (Harlem) again now!

2 Comments

Posted in art and culture, baking, Bars, business, Community, education, entertainment, fashion, Harlem, music, New York, New York City, NYC, real estate, restaurant row, restaurants, review, shopping

Tagged , , , , , , , , , , ,

Sidewalk seating available at Nectar in Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 4 comments

Jun 5, 2011 @ 9:47
By HarlemGal
There is another place in Harlem to sit outside and enjoy the wonderful summer weather-and sip some delicious wine to go along with it. Nectar, located at 2235 Frederick Douglass Blvd, installed their sidewalk seating yesterday,June 4. As you can see from the photos below, folks wasted no time in sitting down and drinking their white under the Harlem sky. Nice!

I can’t wait to go to Nectar, have some white wine and cheese, and people watch all afternoon long! I love summer and Harlem!

20110605-093812.jpg

20110605-093829.jpg

4 Comments

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

Tagged , , , ,

Three adjacent lots on Harlem’s Frederick Douglass Blvd for sale

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Jun 2, 2011 @ 23:57
20110602-113138 20110602-113051
By HarlemGal
Ever wonder what three adjacent lots on Frederick Douglass Blvd will cost? The answer is…$4 million dollars! That’s what 2126 FDB at the corner of West 115th Street is going for, according to Tungsten Property. They apparently have come uptown to grace this building with their sign and phone number-obviously at the owners request. Whomever owns these lots is clearly ready to part with it and for a nice chunk of change. I guess this explains why the sidewalk out front has never been fixed for years. It is all beat up and creates a little pond every time it rains or a miniature ice skating rink develops when it snows. The owner probably thought why bother to fix it when I can get $4 million dollars and leave it for someone else to handle. Right?

My only hope is that whomever takes over this property does a gut renovation and leaves the shell. The shell looks like it can be restored. This part of Harlem does not need a new building from the ground up in my view. It needs investors/new developers who will come in and want to keep and maintain Harlem’s charm through its original structures. What do you think should happen to this space?

The upside to seeing this lot up for sale is FDB is clearly a happening place when it comes to commercial and residential real estate. So much has changed along this boulevard since early 2000. Maybe that’s why this blog called it “Harlem’s gold coast?”

If you want to learn all the details about how Tungsten Property is marketing this commercial space, check out their website. They outline all the specs!

listing_streetview

1 Comment

Posted in business, Community, real estate, restaurant row

Tagged , , , , ,

Spanish Harlem museums participate in Museum Mile Festival

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Jun 2, 2011 @ 7:00

By HarlemGal
If you have never visited some of the wonderful museums in Spanish Harlem, such as El Museo del Barrio, Museum of the City of New York (MCNY) and its newest member-the Museum of African Art, well now is your opportunity…and for FREE! On June 14, El Museo del Barrio, MCNY, and the Museum of African Art will participate in the annual Museum Mile Festival.

One day a year, nine of New York City’s museums, all ones that call Fifth Avenue home, collectively open their doors from 6 p.m. – 9 p.m. for free to New Yorkers and visitors for a mile-long block party and visual art celebration. This traffic-free, celebration fills the street and sidewalks of Fifth Avenue from 82nd to 105th street, the mile designated as Museum Mile.

The Museum for African Art is the newest member to Museum Mile and is slated to open in September 2011. However, they will have a table out front. So be sure to stop by at Fifth Avenue and 105th Street.

Leave a comment

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

Tagged , , , , ,

The evolution of a Harlem bodega

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

May 31, 2011 @ 7:00
20110530-111119.jpg
By Austin2Harlem
Since the beginning of April, one of my favorite Harlem bodegas has been going through a major transformation. It’s the bodega on the corner of West 112th Street and Frederick Douglass Blvd.

I spoke with the owner recently and asked “why all the changes?” He said it was time for a different look and he wanted to keep up with the changing neighborhood. From these photos, which were taken in April and May, you can see the evolution of this Harlem Bodega. One day it was boarded up and then the next thing you see is a big red sign. I like the new appearance and I’m ready for the bodega to reopen.

In addition, the owner said they plan to open in about another week with 24 hour store hours. So if you need an item after hours, this place at 2070 Frederick Douglass Blvd plans to be open!
20110530-111146.jpg

20110530-111212.jpg

20110530-111240.jpg

1 Comment

Posted in business, Community, Harlem, New York, New York City, NYC, shopping

Tagged , , , , , , , ,