Tag Archives: Spanish Harlem

Beurre & Sel made in East Harlem

A reader from Battery Park City shared some sweet news with us about Beurre & Sel, which mean butter and salt, and it’s connection to Harlem. Beurre & Sel is a French cookie business owned and operated by a mother and son duo, Doris Greenspan and Joshua Greenspan, along with a business partner. The Greenspan’s recently opened up two Beurre & Sel locations: one on the Lower East Side and the other at La Marqueta in Spanish Harlem, 1590 Park Avenue and 115th Street to be exact! According to a New York Times article, all the baking is done in East Harlem. So when the hipsters are nibbling on a fancy French cookie from Beurre & Sel on the LES, they’re eating something that’s handmade in Harlem! Love it!

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‘Growing Up Gonzales’ coming to The Poets Den Theater in East Harlem


“Growing Up Gonzales,” the dramatic comedy which had a successful run at the Jan Hus Playhouse on East 74th Street, is coming to East Harlem.  It’s a one-man play “about a Nuyorican family in the 1970s, is part stand-up, part melodrama and part cultural tourism.”

Previews of  “Growing Up Gonzales” run from October 18-21 at The Poets Den Theater in East Harlem and then a few days later the official show begins October 25. The Poets Den Theater is located at 309 East 108th Street between First and Second Avenue. Click here to buy tickets.

And if you’re interested in contributing to the community play, the production of “Growing Up Gonzales” started a campaign on Indiegogo to cover some production costs with launching the show in East Harlem. All levels of contribution are welcome from as low as one dollar up to several hundreds of dollars. Go to Indiegogo.com to learn more.

100 free trees available May 6 through Urban Garden Center in Spanish Harlem


Spanish Harlem’s Urban Garden Center is turning one and they are celebrating in style by giving away that item which has furnished humanity with two of life’s essentials: food and oxygen. On Sunday, May 6, Urban Garden Center, in partnership with Million Trees NYC and New York Restoration Project, will be giving away 100 trees for free starting at 10 am.

To receive a free tree, register online here. Signing up with the form will ensure a tree of the species you chose and will be available between 10 am to noon on Sunday, May 6. Please note: trees will weigh between 25-50 pounds and are between 4’-10’ in height depending on species. Make the appropriate arrangements for the transportation of your tree before heading to Spanish Harlem.

And later on in the afternoon on May 6, Urban Garden Center will continue celebrating their one year anniversary with free food, refreshments, music, workshops and more. So stop on by!

Happy Birthday Urban Garden Center!

Urban Garden Center is located at 1640 Park Avenue @116 street. Free Parking available at 117th & Park Avenue and its only 1 block from 6 train or 3 blocks from 2/3 train.

Phone: 646-872-3991
Office: 646-672-0100 (Mon. to Friday 9-5)
E-Mail: Info@urbangardennyc.com

Street Games is happening April 28 in Spanish Harlem

The 5th annual Street Games will be taking place April 28 at Thomas Jefferson Park in Spanish Harlem, which is located at 114th Street off of 1st Avenue. Street Games celebrates games from the ’60s and ’70s by introducing them to a new generation of kids. This event is FREE and open to all ages, and will feature classic activities for abilities, including:

  • Stickball
  • Pogo Sticks
  • Hula Hoops
  • Double-Dutch
  • Hippity Hop
  • Yo-Yo’s
  • Skateboarding Clinics
  • Learn to Ride Your Bike
  • Disney Zone
  • Knicks Groove Truck
  • Street Hockey
  • Sky Bounce Youth Handball Tournament – NEW!
  • Soap Box Derby – NEW!
  • Red Bulls Skills Challenge – NEW!

The event will also feature performances by the Dance Theatre of Harlem and Industrial Rhythm! And Street Games will happen rain or shine! See details below!

Street Games
Saturday, April 28, 2012
11:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m.
Thomas Jefferson Park, Spanish Harlem in Manhattan
114th Street off of 1st Avenue

Support East Harlem Cafe in their 10k in 30 days campaign

Remember how I told you about 67 Orange in Harlem creating a campaign to raise money for various items in the bar? East Harlem Cafe is taking the same approach by asking the community to join in helping them raise $10,000 in 30 days. The café needs kitchen storage, supplies and food prep equipment.  In order to purchase these items, East Harlem Cafe is turning to members of the local and global community for assistance, instead of going to big banks for a loan with high interest rates to expand.

If you would like to invest in East Harlem Cafe, go here from more details.

Attend Session in Spanish Harlem on Smoke-free Housing


On April 18-just a few days before Earth Day 2012 in Harlem-the New York City Health Department and Manhattan Smoke-Free Partnership are sponsoring a session in Harlem on Smoke-Free Housing.  This is part of an education campaign on the benefits of adopting 100 percent no-smoking rules in apartment buildings. All the details are listed above!

On April 18th, we are targeting owners and managers of multifamily buildings in Upper Manhattan.

Two Harlem restaurants win 2012 Food & Drink Award by Time Out New York

Two Harlem restaurants recently received the 2012 Food & Drink Award from Time Out New York, except the weekly magazine doesn’t know it according to their published online article (See photo left). Red Rooster, located on Lenox Avenue between 125th and 126th Street was named Best New Neighborhood Joint. And Earl’s Beer and Cheese, located in SPANISH HARLEM since the restaurant is above 96th Street on the East Side, was named Best Pint-Size Powerhouse. TONY said Earl’s was located on the Upper East Side. Wrong! I am hoping it was a typo given this magazine reports on NYC every week.

Congrats to the two eating establishments. Red Rooster and Earl’s Beer and Cheese, share one common characteristic that I have personally experienced, they are both extremely hard to get into, but well worth the wait!

The full list of winners is listed below :

Readers’ Choice:

Chef of the Year: Seamus Mullen (Tertulia)

Best New Restaurant: The Dutch

Best New Cocktails: Maison Premiere

Best New Neighborhood Joint: Red Rooster Harlem (Harlem)

Best Spin-off: Parm

Best New Pizza: Forcella

Best International Eats: Miss Lily’s (Jamaica)

Best Out-of-Town Import: Fleisher’s Grass-Fed & Organic Meats (Kingston, NY)

Best New Bakery: Dominique Ansel Bakery

Best New Beer Bar: La Birreria

Foursquare Award: The Dutch

Critics’ Picks

Best Culinary Blitzkrieg: Acme

Best Countermove to Comfort Food: Boulud Sud

Best New Gallic Charmer: Buvette

The Instant Classic Award: Il Buco Alimentari & Vineria

The Watch The Throne Award: The Monkey Bar

Best Pint-Size Powerhouse: Earl’s Beer and Cheese

Artisan of the Year: New York Distilling Co./ The Shanty

Best Dim Sum Provocateur: RedFarm

Best Love Letter to the Philippines: Maharlika Filipino Moderno

The Intergalactic Kitten Award: Isa

Drew Barrymore dines at Rao’s in East Harlem? Get outta here!

According to Popsugar.com, actress Drew Barrymore headed uptown to Harlem last night (Jan 26), along with her fiancé Will Kopelman, to dine at Rao’s with friends! Oh la la! As most of us know, to get into Rao’s one needs a reservation, which is hard to get, or one needs to get in with a member to eat there. Clearly, Hollywood has an open-ended reservation at Rao’s or Drew hangs with folks who have a membership. Must be nice!

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Holiday Wreath Decorating Workshop happening today in East Harlem


The good folks over at Urban Garden Center in East Harlem are holding a wreath decorating workshop today, December 3, starting at noon for the first workshop and then at 3 pm for the second. At this worshop, located at East 116th Street and Park Avenue,  you will learn how to build your own wreath and receive a FREE hand-made custom bow to go along with your wreath. Urban Garden Center’s in-house wreath and bow maker will be on hand to teach the workshop.

To attend this workshop, there is a minimum purchase of $15. Refreshments will be provided. And don’t forget, once your finished with your wreath workshop, you can walk across the street to check out the Winter Festival taking place at La Marqueta from 10 AM to 8 PM.

Urban Garden Center Holiday Wreath Decorating Workshop
Noon and 3 PM
1640 Park Avenue @ 116th St
Harlem, NYC

Harlem Happenings: Urban Garden Center Fall Festival, La Colmenita, Halloween Pumpkin Sail

We have another Fall weekend in Harlem where there are fun things to do! On Saturday, October 22, Urban Garden Center in East Harlem is holding their Annual Fall Festival.  It starts at noon and runs to 4 p.m. with plenty of activities for friends, family and kids! Head on over to 116th Street and Park Avenue this coming Saturday!

Also on Saturday is La Colmenita! The Children’s Theater of Cuba will be performing in Harlem at the Harriet Tubman Learning Center, located at 250 West 127th Street. The show starts at 3 p.m. It is a rare U.S. appearance and its happening right here in our community. Learn more about La Colmenita by clicking here.

On Sunday, October 23, the Central Park Conservancy continues their tradition with its Annual Halloween Parade and Pumpkin Sail at the Dana Discovery Center at Harlem Meer (inside Central Park on 110th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues). This event starts at 4 p.m. and wearing a Halloween costume for kids is highly encouraged. Participants can also bring a carved pumpkin so that it can be a part of the pumpkin sail!

And that’s what’s happening in Harlem this weekend…all for FREE!