My second day taking the 12:02 train out of the 125th Street Metro North station in Harlem results in a second dog sighting. This is Maggie, who shortly after taking this shot on the platform, was northbound.

Posted by Chris at 01:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When taking Metro North to Westchester today, I spotted not just one, but two traveling pooches at the 125th Street Harlem stop. They were not together, but did take the opportunity to say hello in the usual sniffing way that dogs enjoy.

Rosie and her big eyes, top, are seen when looking south bound. Kip and his smile, bottom, are seen looking north bound.

Posted by Chris at 11:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm becoming obsessed with the filming of American Gangster, simply because I see crews working in the nabe so often. By the production's conclusion, there will be few places in South Harlem that do not make it onto celluloid.

This week, Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting signs for the production, which is filming this Sunday, start around 117th Street and Lenox Avenue, where they overlap with signs for The Black Donnelys, which is filming on Lenox between 116th and 118th. The signs for American Gangster continue up into the 120's, and also head east to Mt. Morris Park West.

Lenox Avenue in this area has been transformed into 8th Avenue from 115th to 117th in the 1970's, the principal turf of Heroin kingpin Frank Lucas. More shots of Lenox Avenue as a stage are after the jump.

· Denzel Washington Is Getting Married Right Now, Again, And Again, And Again...
· Harlem Street Shooting: American Gangster
· Harlem Street Shooting: American Gangster (UPDATED 8/6)

Posted by Chris at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

For those of you who may need to relax a bit, Beth Tascione will be holding a free yoga class in Mt. Morris Park in about 2 hours 50 minutes 45 minutes. (I know, this is a bit late to post, but it is one of those days.) Meeting place is the corner of Madison and 124th Street, and bring a matt or blanket.

For questions, Beth can be reached at 212-712-8715.

Posted by Chris at 06:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

One of the last things I thought I would do on Harlem Fur is announce that Cimbi is looking for a new home. However, it turns out that Cheryl's allergies are acting up in ways that are not safe for her health.

As I have noted before, Cimbi does not like being alone, so we sought to get her company. Cheryl and I had an un-blogged about search for a dog, which concluded with us giving up the ghost. The breeders we spoke with convinced us that we do not have enough time for a dog. (I really don't think that is the case. People, no matter how busy, make time for what is important to them.) So, going sans dog, Cheryl last week adopted an orange tabby about Cimbi's age named Marley (named after the dog in the book Marley and Me).

Since then, Cheryl's life has been hell (and by extension mine too). What she thought was a come and go summer sun rash exploded up and down both of her arms, she began sneezing like crazy, and for the past four nights she has had seizures. For some reason it only dawned on us today that this is all due to the new cat kicking up the allergens to a near fatal level. But, looking back before Marley showed up, the lesser form of the rash and the less frequent sneezing outbursts are explained- it was Cimbi.

And to really make things weird, Marley turns out to be allergic to something in our place. Three days after he showed up, he went from a normal, curious cat, to a small, furry sneezing machine. He's stumped the vets, as we keep our place insanely clean (using natural cleaners, as per a WSJ article).

Anyway, as much as I would like to put them out on the terrance right now to live until they are adopted so that my girlfriend will not die, Cheryl has convinced me to let them stay in the apartment, thou they and their mountain of toys are now banned from the bedroom.

So, if you or someone you know would like to adopt a beautiful, yet somewhat misbehaved, cat with mild Internet notoriety, or if you would like an orange cat, or both, please drop me a line via either the comments section or the email address in the upper right hand corner of this site.

Posted by Chris at 11:16 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

I don't know if this is strategically placed or not, but a four story ad for The Lenox is now up at 110th Street and Central Park West. Both Central Park West and 110th Street Cathedral Parkway are reasonable routes to take to 111 Central Park North. Getting there from the east is somewhat cumbersome.

The construction site for Frederick Douglass Circle (which is now an actual circle) can be seen in the foreground. A crane for 111 CPN is visible in the upper right background.

Posted by Chris at 09:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't know what shooting was supposed to have taken place today on Lenox Avenue from 116th to 118th Street. The production company name on the Office of Film, Theater and Broadcasting is somewhat illegible, and a call to the listed phone number was not helpful.

Cones and tape blocked off the west side of Lenox for two blocks, but as far as I can tell, nothing set up or filmed there today.

UPDATE: Allison, via the comments section, let me know that it is The Black Donnelys filming.

Posted by Chris at 09:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The brownstone at 749 St Nicholas Avenue, where Ralph Waldo Ellison wrote Invisible Man, is for sale.

The Corcoran website says that the 5 story, 4,425 square foot brownstone is currently configured as a 9 unit walk-up with 1 storefront. The asking price is $1.275 million. The building can also be delivered vacant, but not without a strong cultural connection. Asking price vacant is $1.375 million.

Steam Boats Are Ruining Everything notes that in Lawrence Jackson's Ralph Ellison: Emergence of Genius, "Ellison moved into the ground floor apartment of 749 St. Nicholas Ave., in Harlem, in 1946, and that he and his wife kept Scotch terriers in the backyard."

And speaking of dogs, the building is just a few blocks up from Friends of St. Nicholas Park President Shawn's brownstone, where a diverse crowd of long-time and new Harlem residents got together Saturday to raise money for the St. Nicholas Park dog run.

Also, it's about one block down from John, the owner of Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, and his Akita's brownstone.

Posted by Chris at 10:54 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Sylvie, the silver mother cat who was missing after escaping from her carrier on the way back from the vet, has returned. She is now safe in her apartment with her kitten. Her owners, who rescued them off of the street, are looking for a good home to place them in, together.

Both cats are very sweet. Winnie's 2 year old daughter hugs and kisses them and the kitten sits on her lap. Additionally, they are both neutered/spayed and have their shots. If you are interested in adopting the pair, please call Winnie at 646-425-5946.

And speaking of not feeling comfortable when one's pet is not around, I read this story today in amNewYork:

A southwest Missouri woman has asked the Springfield-Greene County Health Department to allow her to take her pet monkey into local restaurants as a service animal.

Debby Rose, of Springfield, says Richard, her bonnet macaque monkey, provides emotional support that allows her to overcome an anxiety disorder and go out in public places such as restaurants...

Family members said Rose's anxiety is disabling. Without her monkey, she's less able to manage normal tasks, such as grocery shopping and dining out because of severe anxiety.

I wonder what dining out with a bonnet macaque monkey would be like?

Debbie leans in close and softy says "Richard, I am so glad you could come out with me. You know how afraid I am."

Richard takes her hand in his two and looks at her. "Debbie, where else would I want to be tonight?" he asks in the way only he can.

She used to find his touch uncomfortable, as if he was aping her. Now, after all this time, she realizes he has no opposable thumb, and welcomes his simian caress. With her hand in his, Debbie relaxes, not knowing if the warm feeling on her face is from the macaque's calm reassurance or the small table candle now close to her chin.

"Sometimes," he says to her, "I feel scared or angry at the world. I want to jump up and down, bare my teeth, grab a handful of my own feces and smear it on the wall. But I don't, because I stay strong Debbie. I know you can too."

"Oh Richard."

Or maybe not. Anyway, here is a nice picture of a bonnet macaque.

Posted by Chris at 10:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Michael Edwards of the Jamaican Observer included a Harlem Fur original photo from the opening night at Minton's Playhouse in today's paper.

Michael had a short write up on the club's reopening, but the article only made the Observer's print edition. Damn.

For those who feel left out by being on the electronic side of the the digital divide, Michael also has jazz writings on his personal blog, JazzOfOinkJamaica.

For those who wish to view Minton's opening night photos in a somewhat more clear presentation, I have them up on Flickr.

· JazzOfOinkJamaica [blog]
· Harlem Weekend Wrap-Up: Minton's Playhouse, Posh Paws, Gawker HQ [HarlemFur]
· Minton's Opening Night Photos [HarlemFur]

Posted by Chris at 08:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just a reminder that the St. Nicholas Park dog run fundraiser is tomorrow. The event is being held in Friends of St. Nicholas Park President Shawn's brownstone.

Although rumor has it checking out Shawn's brownstone alone makes the event well worth it, attendees should know that the dog run will benefit both park goers and neighborhood residents with four and two feet.

I stole some time last Saturday to help clear brush around the dog run and learned that it will be a place for dogs to run free and be dogs, and more. Obviously, when dogs have a place of their own to be off leash and romp around, concerned park goers will not have to worry about aggressive behavior from uncontrolled pets. This will help with park safety. Dexter, the dog in the photo, is certainly excited, as he was helping clear brush himself.

What I didn't realize is that just the run being cleared will help with safety in other ways. We were clearing out brush and undergrowth around the future dog run to provide a safety-enhancing line of sight for visitors. The brush we were clearing was littered with drug paraphernalia and some condom wrappers (no bodies though, and someone did recap a needle that was there). Additionally, the park lamps in the area were aggressively smashed out, and a pair of sneaks hung from a tree limb. (The Community Officer at my precinct let me know that a hanging pair of shoes signals that drugs are sold at that spot.)

The area is obviously being used for nefarious purposes. The dog run will put an end to that.

Check out the invite here.

Posted by Chris at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Sylvie, the silver haired mother cat in the photo on the right, busted out of her carrier today on 118th Street and Lenox. The feline, who is wearing a red collar, was on her way back from the vet were she was spayed. Her owners are concerned as her stitches are relatively new. They are sure she is in pain, and said her kitten, a 5 month old male, misses her.

If you see the cat, please drop a line. Her owners are more than willing to help catch her.

Also, Sylvie and her kitten were brought in as strays, with the idea that they would be adopted out once they were done with all of their vet work. If you or someone you know is interested in adopting, drop a line for that as well.

Posted by Chris at 09:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Denzel, as 1970's Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas, is shooting a wedding scene right now for American Gangster at 122nd and Lenox Avenue. Below is video of one of the scene's many takes:

I could not get close enough to capture crisp details of Denzel or the other actors, but I could get close to the amazing parade of vintage autos.

Posted by Chris at 11:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Harlemites have two reasons to care about today's primary:

One: we get to show some nabe pride and vote for our own State Sen. David Paterson for Lt. Governor.

You would think that would be enough, but there is more.

Two: the victory party for the soon-to-bes Lt. Governor Paterson (he's the only one on the ballot for that office) and Governor Spitzer (he is 50 points above his closest rival in the polls) is being held not at an 'ethnic' venue, not at the union-appeasing Sheraton, but at Dinosaur Bar-B-Que, a Harlem honky-tonk joint!

Granted Dinosaur is in Viaduct Valley, the even-hard-to-get-to-for-Harlemites section of Harlem, but it is Harlem nonetheless.

Normally these events are held in stale locations were cell phone ring tones are more entertaining than the piped in music. Dinosaur, however, is the type of place where patrons understand that 'Walk This Way' is a classic song, be it the Aerosmith or Run DMC version, and some of the people listening to 'Street Fighting Man' are probably street fighting men.

I don't know if admission is open to the public or not, but here are a couple of velvet rope (er, chain link?) strategies: Women who have any trouble at the door can always point to some guy inside looking slightly uncomfortable in an awkward suit, bounce up and down, and scream 'Oh my god, I voted for him every time!' Guys might want to just look uncomfortable in an awkward suit.

Kinda makes you wonder what would have happened if Hogs & Heffers was in the district.

Posted by Chris at 01:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Signs are in the windows at 113th and Frederick Douglass Boulevard for Zoma, a new Ethiopian restaurant.

I called the number on the awning, but no answer yet.

Posted by Chris at 08:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'm blaming this all on the full moon.

After a week of starting work at 5am, I was pleased that my Friday staff meeting was not until 10:30. Friday morning I woke up at my leisure, lollygagged around the apartment, and took off at 9:30 knowing that I would have a seat on the train. Once on a downtown 3, I sunk into the celebrity section of amNewYork without guilt, as I had already read five papers before walking out the door.

However, between the 110th and 96th Street stops, which is a fairly long ride as those between stations go, I was pulled from my pleasure reading by what I first thought must be an electrical fire. To my shock, when I looked up I saw it was not what I suspected, but rather the woman sitting next to me smoking crack.

Okay, I don't know what crack smells like, but process of elimination said the odor was not tobacco, nor was it weed. An office mate said he learned on COPS that people put metal in crack, as I suppose it is not bad enough for one's health solo, and that can give it an electrical fire-like smell. Anyway, the woman had two tightly rolled sheets of newspaper stacked on top of one another and was lighting something held in the middle.

The other people in the car had their eyes bulging out enough to make us look like a group of kids with thyroid problems.

I didn't know what to do. I got off at 96th, took some Treo pictures of the car, and called 911.

I though, "wow, what could be worse?" Coming home I found out.

At Times Square, a woman and two men boarded an uptown 2 carrying a small karaoke machine. That alone is worse than smoking crack, but then they turned it on. The woman began to butcher Donna Summer's On The Radio. Her signing on the packed car was so loud and bad that it prompted the first time I have ever heard someone tell a subway performer to turn it down.

At 72nd, the first stop after 42nd, having not received any tips, she said "It must be the car." I expected them to leave, as subway performers do, and go to the next car to set everyone's weekend there off on a sour note. Instead, she then kicks into Madonna's Holiday. And now, with a slightly less packed car, the two guys with her begin dancing like 8th grade nerds. One guy is way too old to be behaving like this, as he has gray hairs in his beard.

Then, from 96th to 110th it was the Pointer Sister's I'm So Excited. From 110th to 116th, and beyond I presume, it was Whitney Houston's It's Not Right, But It's Okay.

Wrong Whitney; it was not wright, but nor was it okay.

Posted by Chris at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Friends of St. Nicholas Park will be having a second cleaning for the new dog run this Saturday at 11am. The location is just to the West and North of the 135th Street entrance. The last cleaning drew a fun, involved crowd.

Also with Friends of St. Nicholas Park, there will be a fundraiser on the 16th for the new dog run.

Morningside Park Dog Run's new fencing is in!!! There will be an opening ceremony for the fencing, but I don't know when. I have been checking the website, but have not seen anything yet.

St. John the Divine Feast of St. Francis on October 1st. I cannot wait. Apparently and inordinate amount of pets are brought, and the result has to be hilarious.

5th Annual My Dog Loves Central Park fair on October 14th. I don't know what this is, but it sounds good. Check out the PDF flyer on the website.

Posted by Chris at 12:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The story of yesterday's kitten in St. Nicholas Park has a great ending (beginning?):

Chris and Shawn:

Nicolette (Nikki) and I are getting along wonderfully! I couldn't have chosen a better match myself.

She sat quietly inside the bag on the walk home and when we arrived she came out and explored the apartment. She felt very comfortable after she'd given the place the once over. She has been playful and even used her box a couple of times!

I can tell this is the start of a wonderful new relationship.

Thanks so much.

Berry

Thank you Berry!

Posted by Chris at 09:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I wrote eariler today that posting would be light this week, but that was before I knew of a found kitten this morning in St. Nicholas Park. Besides, I feel good having my 100th post on Harlem Fur be one that helps out a small animal.

Friends of St. Nicholas Park President Shawn found the black, grey, and white kitten this morning, and brought him home. However, his dog senses a little competition, and Shawn senses that he should find a home for the feline sooner than later.

If you or someone you know would be interested, please drop a line either via this post or the email address in the upper right corner of the page.

Posted by Chris at 12:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

American Gangster, the story of 1970's Harlem heroin kingpin Frank Lucas, was filming in the area again on Friday.

I saw crews staging for a shot at St. Martin's church on Lenox at 122nd. However, there were no cast trailers around, so no chance of spotting Denzel Washington or Russell Crowe.

On a different note, posting will be light over the next week, as work cuts into my free time. After that, things should be back to normal.

Posted by Chris at 09:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)