Tag Archives: Photo by The New York Times

Village Voice names 10 Best Fried Chickens in NYC, two Harlem restaurants make list

Who makes the best fried chicken in New York City? According to the Village Voice, Charles’ Country Pan Fried Chicken at 2839-2841 Frederick Douglass Boulevard in Harlem is ranked first out of all the five boroughs! The Voice says “Charles Gabriel seasons his chicken three separate times before it gets to the warming tray at this renowned Harlem buffet.”

Next up, is Amy Ruth’s at 113 West 116th Street in Harlem. Amy Ruth’s is ranked fifth in the City. The Voice says “this Harlem fried chicken hotspot in a neighborhood teeming with quality birds gets it right on many levels, including a closing time of 5:30 a.m. on Friday and Saturday nights.”

To read the full article on The 10 Best Fried Chickens in NYC, go here.

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Spanish Harlem featured in NY Times, El Barrio starts above E. 96th St., divide becoming less visible

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For those who have wondered where East Harlem/Spanish Harlem/El Barrio begins, today The New York Times confirms for us once again that it begins right above East 96th Street. And according to The Times, the  old divide between the Upper Eastside and Spanish Harlem is becoming “less visible.” To read the latest Times article on East Harlem, go here.

375147_10151637960956830_782649222_nWonderful things are always happening with our Harlem neighbor to the East. Today, La Casa Azul Bookstore turns one. They are celebrating their one year anniversary from noon to 6 pm. La Casa Azul Bookstore is located at 143 E. 103rd Street.

Last year, East Harlem held their first Harvest Festival, ie East Harlem Harvest Festival, which was a big success. Read coverage here. And we hear they are planning another event for this year!

And Urban Garden Center, which has been a leader in getting events organized in their community, recently announced that Spanish Harlem will now be having their very own flea market called Flea Marqueta starting this June.

So whenever you get a chance, head East in Harlem and check out their events. I promise you will experience a wider view on why the greater Harlem area is an awesome place to live.

My Image Studios Harlem officially opens November 28, view upcoming events


The New York Times reports today (Nov 26) that MIST Harlem, aka My Image Studios, located at 40 West 116th Street will open Wednesday, November 28. MIST Harlem is the “20,000 sq. ft. cultural entertainment center that features a 130-seat restaurant (Harvist) and three performance spaces presenting the best in film, live music, spoken word, comedy and more-performed by top established and emerging black & Latino artists from around the world.” Here’s an immediate list of upcoming events , which starts tomorrow, November 27. Take a look .

11/27 Middle of Nowhere Film Event
Special private screening and Q & A for the NY Women in Film and Television of Sundance Award winning director Ava DuVernay film, Middle of Nowhere.

11/28 Otelo Film Premiere
Otelo Burning directed by Sara Blecher, an award-winning documentary director and producer. Somewhere between City of God and Blue Crush, the film tells the story of a group of township kids who discover the joy of surfing. Filmed in Zulu with English subtitles, the film also includes music from South African Hip Hop artist Reason.
http://www.charged.fm/userevent/item/637/otelo-burning-premiere-event-at-mist-harlem

11/29 Elza Film Premiere
Elza, by Mariette Monpierre, is the first narrative feature film by a female filmmaker from Guadeloupe, the West Indies. It tells the universal story of a family in turmoil. Filmed in French with English subtitles, the film also includes music from French neo-folk-soul artistStévy Mahy.
http://www.charged.fm/userevent/item/642/elza-film-premiere–november-29-at-mist-harlem

12/3 Vaughn Harper Toy Drive and Benefit Concert
Celebrity toy drive and jazz concert fundraiser for Harlem Downing, a foster care agency. It is set for Monday, December 3. It is being organized by WBLS 107.5 radio personality Vaughn Harper.

Dear Harlem: Is it better to buy or rent?

There are those so-called “million dollar question(s)” out there in the universe around housing that we have all asked ourselves at one time or another. I know I have. And that is…is it better to buy or rent? It’s a loaded question…huh? Well, there is actually an online, interactive tool available now that is trying to help consumers answer that question: buy vs rent? It’s in The New York Times’ Making the Most of your Money section.

To use the online tool, fill in the information on your left, i.e. monthly rent, home price, etc. After you fill out the information, then place your cursor over the grid and it will reveal whether its better to buy or rent? Below are two samples.

Try it by going here. And good luck with finding the answer to that familiar question.

Harlem Real Estate Progress Report: Residential buildings in Harlem with swimming pools


This past weekend, The New York Times featured an article on NYC residential buildings with outdoor pools. The article stated,”of the approximately 150 pools in residential buildings in Manhattan, only about 15 are outside, according to the city’s Department of Health and Mental Hygiene; some of those 15 are in private town houses.” As I read on, I wanted to know what residential buildings in Harlem offered indoor or outdoor swimming pools-if any. There are two condo buildings in Harlem that currently offer/or will soon offer an indoor pool as part of building amenities.

Fifth on the Park indoor pool

Fifth on the Park, located at 1485 5th Avenue, has an indoor pool. It is a 55 foot, heated lap pool. I have seen this pool. It’s not too shabby and I believe it is in the lower level part of the building. The only draw back is you can only swim when there is a lifeguard around and who knows the schedule. So depending on what the schedule is, owners probably have to schedule their lap appoints way in advance. Hey…there could be worse things in life. If you’re interested in an apartment with indoor swimming pool, there are apartments for sale in 5th on the Park ranging from around $400k to close to $2 million.

WA Condo indoor pool

The other building that offers an indoor pool is the WA Condominiums, a relatively new condo building located at 2201 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Blvd. According to StreetEasy and its website, an indoor pool is one of many amenities offered. However, both of these sites I mentioned do not show any past sales. So I can’t provide additional details at this time. Does anyone have the lowdown on this condo building?

So out of the 150 pools in NYC residential buildings, there appears to be two right here in Harlem. Can you imaging living in one of these buildings-especially during the summer. Not a bad way to live and beat the August heat!