By HarlemGal
We walked by Paris Blues in Harlem this past Friday night on our way home from dinner at Yatenga. We wanted to check out the blues rock band The Goddess Lakshmi, whose been playing live at the Harlem music venue since April 17th. The band was not there. We forgot they play at Paris Blues every Sunday night. Not to worry. We are redirecting our efforts and plan on stopping by tonight to see The Goddess Lakshmi, which is named for the Hindu goddess of abundance. The band members include the owner of The Harlem Flophouse, Rene Calvo on vocals, whose also an established artist, Jeff Bauer on bass, Amos Fischer on drums, and featured vocalist, Kosi. The band plays all original compositions.
So if you want to see some live music in Harlem on a Sunday night, check out The Goddess Lakshmi at Paris Blues, 8 pm located at 2021 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. They are playing in Harlem every Sunday night until July 31!
By HarlemGal
An NYPD rookie was arresting someone on the streets of Harlem recently and let me tell you, this rookie appeared mean…and quite gorgeous. See photo above. Of course, the rookie I am talking about is only pretending. It is actress and Tribeca mom Leelee Sobieski, who was in character, along Manhattan Avenue and 114th Street in Harlem, for the TV pilot called Rookies. The crew has been filming in Harlem and will continue Sunday and Monday on Frederick Douglass Blvd from about 113th to 115th Street.
By looking at these photos, can you imagine if every NYPD rookie looked like Leelee? I’d say a good portion of the male population in the City would not mind getting arrested!
Mar 18, 2011 @ 8:07
UPDATE: We have photos of the filming taking place along 114th and 115th Streets between Frederick Douglass Blvd and Manhattan Avenue!
By HarlemGal
On my way home last night, I saw several orange cones lined up along 114th Street between Manhattan Avenue and Frederick Douglass Blvd. I checked the signs and it’s Rookies, a CBS’ drama pilot being filmed in Harlem today, March 18 and March 20-21st from 6 AM to 1 AM. Rookies stars Leelee Sobieski and is produced by Robert De Niro. Nice! Maybe we will see Mr. De Niro!
Mar 23, 2010 @ 13:37
By HarlemGal
In January, we told you how Construction Intervention, the Discovery Channel TV show, was at 2190 Frederick Douglass Blvd performing some construction magic on Harlem’s Just Wingin It! Well, the magic/makeover is finished! Here is a sneak peak at what the public will see when Construction Intervention debuts April 13, 2010 at 10 PM ET/PT April or May.
Mar 15, 2010 @ 23:09 By HarlemGal
I believe we can all agree there are a lot of video parodies and spinoffs out in cyberspace about popular TV shows or films, and some of those ideas take off and become contagious-if they are presented in a timely and creative manner. Here is one video trailer that embodies those qualities-and “is divine.” The video trailer How to make it in Harlem appears to be some sort of spinoff of HBO’s How to make it in America. I don’t know a thing about the artist rapping in this video  and I can’t say that it is going to make me go out and buy their album. However, what I can say is I really like this video and it did get me to stop, pay attention and post. That’s some powerful stuff given this artist is entirely unknown to me…until now.
I just want to give the folks behind this video some serious props! I think this video is packaged perfectly. They created a darn good video featuring major buildings, people, monuments, and intersections that identify every beautiful inch of Harlem. And the timing in releasing this video couldn’t be better since HBO’s How to make it in America is airing right now, which I have not seen and will more than likely now check it out.
What do you think of this video trailer? Do you like it or not?
Mar 15, 2010 @ 12:50
By HarlemGal
Looking for interesting films to see right here in Harlem and for FREE? Then save the evening of April 7, 2010. That’s when El Museo del Barrio in collaboration with Havana Film Festival New York will be showing two short films titled: Uprooted and El Play.
Uprooted, directed by Juan Mejia Botero of Colombia, “takes an intimate look at the aspirations of an Afro-Colombia women, one of the more than a million people displaced by Colombia’s violance since 1990.”
El Play “follows the hard knock journey of a Dominican teen hoping to make it into baseball’s major leagues.” This film is directed by Pablo Medina from the Dominican Republic.
Again, this event is free and it will also give you a sneak peak at some of the fascinating films that will be showing during the Havana Film Festival New York, which starts April 16-23, 2010.
Uprooted and El Play
Wednesday, April 7, 2010
6:30-8:30 PM
El Cafe in El Museo del Barrio
1230 Fifth Avenue at 104th Street
Admission: Free
Feb 2, 2010 @ 12:19
By HarlemGal Ugly Betty is in the barrio, El Museo del Barrio that is, which is located at East 105th Street and Fifth Avenue. Fellow blogger Austin2Harlem tipped us off that the now cancelled TV show is taping one of their last episodes at the Latino cultural institution today! The cast and crew were onsite yesterday as well!
I am so bummed about the cancellation of this show. I am a fan! I really liked watching Betty Suarez, played by America Ferrera, even though the character is from Queens. Glad to know the cast and crew filmed in Spanish Harlem.
There is about eight episodes left to air. See the final season on Wednesday nights on Channel 7!
Almost a year ago, HarlemCondoLife told you about a documentary called 759: Boy Scouts of Harlem. In our review, we gave it a thumbs up and encouraged everyone to go see  the film. If you have not seen it, an opportunity is approaching.
To celebrate the 100th Birthday of the Boy Scouts of America, Docwatchers Inc. is sponsoring a special screening of the film February 8 at the Maysles Cinema at 343 Lenox Avenue between 127th and 128th in Harlem. The screening will start at 7 PM and will include a Q&A with the filmmakers, which one of them is a Harlemite. The screening is free. However, donations are recommended.
759: Boy Scouts of Harlem-100th Anniversary of Boy Scouts in America Screening
Maysles Films
Monday, February 8, 2010 @ 7:00 pm
343 Lenox Avenue (between 127th and 128th Streets)
Harlem, NY 10027
212-582-6050
If you like David Sedaris, writer, comedian and best selling author, then this post is for you! Sedaris is performing at Harlem’s famous Apollo Theater on November 1, 2010 and starting today at 10 AM Wednesday, January 27 there is an exclusive (and in my view very early) presale thru Thursday, January 28 until 10 PM. For more information on how to purchase tickets, click here.
The largest gothic cathedral in the United States was a musical haven to rock star Sting and a sea of international musicians last night. Sting, who is performing two sold out shows December 8th and 9th at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine, played songs from his latest album called  If on a Winter’s Night …, “a seasonal contemplation mixing traditional English songs and carols with his own The Hounds of Winter and Lullaby for an Anxious Child.” Sting performed about 20 beautiful songs along with two encores to-what I am estimating-a few hundred people, who in my view, came from the tri-state area.
And St. John the Divine was the perfect backdrop for Sting and his musicians. The entire Cathedral looked magical. Â My guess is Sting’s production company was filming the entire concert from start to finish. Make-up on the ladies was perfectly done and all of the men and women were dressed in black tie for the camera that was located stage left and roaming.
What was fascinating about the concert was every musicial instrument imaginable was on the stage and played. Some I recognized and some I did not. The women who played the harp was interesting.
As for the music, it was the antithesis of what I have always known about Sting, which is generally rock music and a devout yogi. Sting was more of an opera star last night than a rock star, which goes to show the range of this artist. The music and the venue tied together perfectly. It made me feel like I was watching a performance for the King of England or an episode of Showtime’s The Tudors. It felt majestic, yet most of the songs performed were calming and appropriate for the holiday season. My favorite songs were Christmas at Sea, Ghost Story, which Sting said was about his father, and Lullaby For An Anxious Child. For the Lullaby song, he brought out the Newark Boys Choir on stage. They did a wonderful job singing with Sting and what a great opportunity for them. Way to go Newark Boys Choir!  However, my question for Sting is “why didn’t he use the Harlem Boys Choir to perform with him?” I have no ill will against the Newark Boys Choir, but Sting was technically in Harlem last night. It would have been a nice and a respectful acknowledgment toward the Harlem community. Oh well, maybe next time.
Overall, the show was beautiful and well worth its price. I guess I was one of the few who was able to purchase tickets online in the first nine minutes when they were made available. Apparently, that is how long it took for both shows to sell out.
HarlemGal Inc. 