Tag Archives: HarlemGal

Real estate broker Todd Stevens creatively showcases Harlem townhouses sold

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Sep 5, 2010 @ 12:41
By HarlemGal

Is Todd Stevens the only Prudential Douglass Elliman real estate broker successfully selling townhouses in Harlem? One might think so after seeing this video found through Matrix. Practically every street address Stevens highlights in his video is in Harlem – give or take one or two addresses. If it is in fact true that he single-handedly sold all these properties in Harlem, and it appears to be several dozen, I have to say to Todd Stevens, “love the video, congrats, and continued success!”

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Posted in Harlem, real estate

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Brunch in Harlem bier international style

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Sep 4, 2010 @ 10:27

By HarlemGal

If you did not get out-of-town this Labor Day weekend and you’re wondering who is serving brunch all three days in Harlem, Saturday, Sunday and Monday, we have a suggestion for you! Bier international in Harlem is now serving brunch on the weekends in addition to dinner. Here is their complete menu!

If you have not gone by bier international, located at 2099 Frederick Douglass Blvd., I highly recommend it. This place has jumped right out of the opening gate and doing brisk business practically every evening. I myself am a fan of the strawberry beer. Try it. It’s delicious. And I now see from their menu they have incorporated their strawberry beer into their bunch menu, i.e. bierlini! Yum.

So stop on by bier international this weekend for bunch. I just might see you there! Have a wonderful holiday weekend!

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Posted in Bars, Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Red Rooster in Harlem named restaurant to watch this Fall

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Sep 1, 2010 @ 17:30
By HarlemGal
Harlem’s Red Rooster, owned by celebrity chef and Harlemite Marcus Samuelsson, was named one of 15 new restaurants to watch this Fall by The Wall Street Journal.
Red Rooster, which is scheduled to open in October at 310 Lenox Ave, was the only uptown restaurant that made list. What’s interesting in the article is the restaurant description. It says the place will seat 90 and hours will be from breakfast to late night, with no menu costing more than $25. Does that mean starters could be $24.50 or plates at $24.75? I hope not! Also, Samuelsson could be aiming to be cheaper than 5 and Diamond, which is a pricey place for Harlem, but the food lives up to those prices in my view. Who knows what’s Samuelsson’s price point strategy? At some point will find out.
See below who made the list of places to watch this fall!

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Posted in Bars, business, Harlem, restaurants

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UPDATE: Busboys and Poets owner visits Harlem

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 1 comment

Aug 28, 2010 @ 1:04

By HarlemGal
The possibility of Busboys and Poets opening up a restaurant in Harlem is alive and well. How do we know this? Anas “Andy” Shallal, the owner of Busboys and Poets, has finally commented on the subject.

Through his Twitter account, Shallal said on August 27 that he is “visiting New York City…had a great tour of Harlem…still looking at New York…” Yes! That is good news! And Shallal even tweeted he went by Make My Cake. Sounds like he is saying hello to his future business neighbors? Also, based on the tweets the Busboys and Poets owner was touring around West 116th Street, not too far from the location where they are rumored to open, which is in the commercial space at 2280 Frederick Douglass Blvd. Recently, we told you about Busboys and Poets plan to expand outside the beltway and into Harlem.

This recent development of Andy Shallal confirming he was in Harlem definitely feeds into all the excitement. And it is keeping me on my blogging toes! Stay tuned Harlemites!

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Posted in business, Harlem, restaurants

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Harlem rental prices heat up, Red Rooster pictures appear

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Aug 27, 2010 @ 6:30
By HarlemGal

August 26, 2010 was filled with interesting surprises! For the last two years, the rental market in New York has been favorable toward renters, but now that has apparently changed. According to The Wall Street Journal, rental activity levels in Manhattan continue to heat up. The article mentions Harlem and reports that prices on studios with doormen are on the rise in Harlem. They’re up around 5 percent. Wow. How did that happen?  What happened to the double dip recession? I guess it bypassed the NY rental market!

After I read that article, I turn around and read an email from a reader telling me Marcus Samuelsson released photos on his website about the latest construction happenings with Red Rooster.  Along with the pictures, Samuelsson states he is “super excited for the opening and it feels like the community is sharing in the excitement too!” Awh…that’s nice. I just hope the opening of Red Rooster is soon!

See what happens in a course of a day. The rental market heats up and Red Rooster pictures appear! Only in New York…right?

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Posted in real estate, restaurants

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Dr. Maya Angelou says Harlem is going through a rebirth

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Aug 24, 2010 @ 7:30
By HarlemGal
In an exclusive TV interview with New York’s 24-hour local news channel, Dr. Maya Angelou, famed novelist, poet, professor, American icon and best of all…a Harlemite, recently told NY1 that Harlem is going through a rebirth. “What we are dealing with [in Harlem] is what has to be continually dealt with, that is a renaissance,” said Angelou. The video piece goes on to state that Angelou lives in a gorgeous Harlem brownstone and that there’s no question about her loyalty to Harlem. Angelou’s heart is in Harlem reports NY1.  Click here to see the entire interview.

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Posted in Community, Harlem, history

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Harlem Flo potentially 2280 FBD bound

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Aug 22, 2010 @ 16:57

By HarlemGal

I’ve received comments on and offline about the florist/flower shop I referenced, in my exclusive blog post on ‘Busboys and Poets plan to expand into Harlem,’ asking: which florist was I talking about?  Some of you guessed it right off the top! I was referring to Harlem Flo, a local business HarlemHouse introduced to HCL readers back in 2008. It’s a cute flower and plant shop located at  2292 Frederick Douglass Boulevard-not too far from the place their eyeing as their next home, the 2280 FDB condo building. When you ask the staff at Harlem Flo, they tell customers they’re working on it, but nothing is a done deal.

If you walk into the Frederick Douglass florist, you will see it is a small space and more square footage is needed. They have a nice selection of plants and flowers. However, they’re sort of cramped in there and it’s hard to move around without feeling like you might knock something over. As one of our reader states, they hope “it is Harlem Flo [moving to 2280 FDB] saying two florists so close together would not be ideal.”

So if all works out, the commercial space at 2280 FDB, which runs from 122nd to 123rd Street on the eastside of the boulevard, will have two distinct businesses, Busboys and Poets and Harlem Flo!

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Posted in business, Harlem

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Harlem couple invest in where they live creating Harlem Tavern

Posted on July 5, 2011 | 3 comments

Aug 20, 2010 @ 15:27
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By HarlemGal
What does The Tonic Bar located in Times Square have in common with Harlem? The Tonic Bar is owned by a couple who live in Harlem. They’ve been residents of Harlem since 2006. The couple behind The Tonic Bar in Times Square have now decided to invest 100 percent in where they live by launching Harlem Tavern, a neighborhood bar & grill, at 2153 Frederick Douglass Blvd. This is the space we told you about back in April how the corner gas station/auto shop was up for lease. (Oh…and a reader too had sent us an update on the recent construction happening at this corner space.)
Today, one of the owners of the upcoming Harlem Tavern spoke directly with HarlemCondoLife to tell us why they are putting their dinero dollars into where they live-particularly Frederick Douglass Blvd.
According to Sheri Wilson from SoHa 116 Restaurant Corporation and co-owner along with her husband says Harlem Tavern will be a restaurant that is representative of Harlem. “Harlem Tavern is going to be a place for everyone. Harlem is such a diverse place. We are creating Harlem Tavern to capture and accommodate that diversity,” says Wilson.
Wilson says word recently got out about their exact plans cause their website was just finished and hit the internet. She said “you’re the first we are speaking to.”
They still have several processes to complete with NYC’s Department of Buildings. However, they’ve built-in plenty of time to open in their business timeline, which is not soon. Wilson says they are aiming to open after the new year. “If all things go as planned, we plan to open in February 2011.” She said if they make that deadline they will get heating lamps to accommodate customers and the winter weather.
In closing, Wilson explained why Frederick Douglass Blvd? “Harlem is a great place to live and Frederick Douglass Blvd is a wonderful street that holds enormous potential for growth.” We could not agree more with Sheri Wilson! We have dubbed FDB as “restaurant row” and the “gold coast of Harlem.” As each day passes, our predictions are becoming more and more of a reality.
A special congrats to our fellow Harlemites on their plans with Harlem Tavern! May everything fall in place and so that we have another new and interesting place to hang! Salude!

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Posted in Bars, business, Community, Harlem, restaurant row, restaurants

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Soul of Harlem featured in BET’s Travelistas

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Aug 15, 2010 @ 13:13

Photo provided by BET

By HarlemGal
The Travelistas of BET recently came to Harlem for their season one episode. While here they asked locals what they love about Harlem? See what some Harlemites had to say.  You may recognize some of the places in the video that we have featured as well, such as Mojo, Swing, N Boutique, Make My Cake and Frederick Douglass Circle and more! Take a look by clicking here!

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Posted in entertainment, Harlem

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Lenox Avenue corner in Harlem becoming a pharmacy?

Posted on July 5, 2011 | Leave a comment

Aug 11, 2010 @ 10:28
By HarlemGal
Has anyone noticed the construction taking place on the southwest corner of Lenox Avenue and 116th Street? This was another interesting tidbit I stumbled across over the weekend, however, not as interesting to date as the sales rep at 2280 FDB talking about Busboys and Poets moving into their space.
The sign says it’s becoming a pharmacy. Does anyone know if it’s going to be a locally owned pharmacy or one of those mammoth businesses, such as a CVS or Walgreens? It had all those stapled notices on the plywood, but I don’t know how to read or interpret all those legal fliers. Does anyone know what’s up? Diganos!

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Posted in business, Harlem

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