Harlem Assemblymember Keith Wright passes along the following announcement that nominations are needed for the board negotiating on the nabe's behalf in the Columbia University expansion. Nominees must live in Community Board 9 (boundaries outlined below), or, of course, we would nominate Cimbi.

The West Harlem Local Development Corporation ("LDC") was formed for the purpose of negotiating and creating a community benefits agreement with respect to Columbia University's proposed campus expansion. The LDC's annual meeting will be held in May and nominations for the Board of Directors must be submitted by May 14. Some Directors of the LDC represent specific organizations that are already organized, but the LDC also has Directors representing various interest groups that are not an organized entity or coalition. In order to facilitate nominations from the non-organized interest groups listed below, a meeting will be held on May 10, 2007 at 541 West 125th Street, New York, NY 10027. Session A will take place form 7pm - 8pm and Session B will take place from 8:15pm to 9pm. All interested parties must reside or operate in the boundaries of Manhattan Community District 9, which are south to north: 110th Street to 155th Street and west to east: the Hudson River to St. Nicholas Avenue; all nominees must maintain a leadership position in good standing in the organization which they represent.

Session A: 7:00 - 8:00pm
Tenant's Association Members
Small Residential Owners
Community Based Organizations
Faith Based Organizations
Educational Institutions and Organizations

Session B: 8:15 - 9:00pm
Owners of Commercial Properties
Arts and Cultural Organizations
Youth Based Organizations
Commercial Renters in Proposed Rezoning Area

Posted by Chris at 05:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Never mistaking ourselves as a source for hard news, the Fur is excited when legit outlets validate our careless rumor mongering.

Erin Jones in the Spectator looks into the possible opening of a W Hotel in Harlem on Frederick Douglass Blvd and 124th Street. Her article tickles many of our fancies.

Quotes from our favorite dog parent / broker Danni Tyson? Check.
Quotes from the owner of our new favorite plant shop Harlem Flo? Check.
Mention of our favorite wine shop Harlem Vintage? Check.

For this and more, check out Erin's article.

Posted by Chris at 12:31 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Remember Monte, the six-toed mitten kitten Harlem Fur reader Elderta rescued off of the streets of the Bronx? It seems all of those toes are bringing him good luck.

Monte, whose name is now Willie, has settled into his new place. Elderta writes, "He's gone from the streets of the Bronx to a full floor, 2 bedroom/2bath apartment with balcony in Prospect Heights. That is one lucky little boy. I feel so happy to have taken the time to pick up a little one off the street and give him a good home."

Above is a shot of Willie (on the left) and his three year old brother, Ozzie.

Posted by Chris at 10:02 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A reader writes in to say she has seen what looks to be a Chow either lost of without a home:

I've been seeing this abandoned (or perhaps lost?) dog on my block (corner of 134th and Fredrick Douglass)--it's a black chow (looks purebred to me, but I'm not an expert) that has been eating out of the garbage cans. The dog seems to be totally self sufficient and doesn't look sick, just dirty. I've seen it 3 times (twice this week), always around 9am.

I'm just writing because there's a chance that this dog was lost, and it would be great to locate the owner... or maybe someone could take the dog in. My apt doesn't allow dogs, so I really can't do much here... I don't
want to report the dog to the shelter because it might be killed there...

I just don't know who I could call/email to help out this poor creature.

Posted by Chris at 05:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

A Harlem Fur tipster passes on a faxed information sheet about a proposed digital community information center (basically a giant TV screen) for 125th St and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. Apparently, Community Board 10 is actually considering this thing.

Anyway, as if information on a 'digital community information center' arriving by fax doesn't raise a big enough red flag, the text basically comes wrapped in flashing red lights:

Harlem Community Information Center (HCIC) will be the first digital community information center on 125th Street and will provide the community with up to date information on everything that's going on in Harlem. From weather, news and health tips to fashion and historical tidbits, HCIC will provide Harlem with a high technology center of information. HCIC will provide a constant flow of programming focused on "Harlem-centric" information as well as opportunities for local and national businesses to promote their businesses and services to Harlem consumers... (Ed- There is more, but I got sick of typing it up.)

Okay, this basically sounds like a giant version of the digital ad stations above some urinals around town. Hooray, this will really class up the joint.

125th Street photo swiped from The Idealistic Philosopher on Flickr.

Posted by Chris at 11:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Remember back in the day, October of '06, when North Korea tested its first nuclear weapon, Rep. Mark Foley's come-ons to young male staffers were shaping the final days of the midterm elections, and a woman named Ina sent an email to Harlem Fur telling us not to despair over the nabe's lack of pet services, that she was looking at spaces to rent for a veterinary clinic?

Okay, even we needed some help remembering the last one.

When Harlem Fur received Ina's email, it was filed in a folder specifically for archiving such promises (seriously, there is one). Since the Fur had begun bemoaning a lack of nearby vet services a year ago, nearly 30 emails promising a new pet sheriff in town pilled up, all unfulfilled. So, we had assumed that Ina's promise would be like all the rest.

Harlem Fur is happy to admit being wrong.

D.V.M.'s Ina Obernesser and Mary Mansfield let the Fur know that they have signed a lease, began construction, and are planning to open Uptown Veterinary Associates this summer on 112th St. and Frederick Douglass Blvd. They are determined to be South Harlem's first veterinary clinic, and will offer state-of-the-art diagnostics, surgery, a comprehensive pharmacy, and dentistry.

Ina and Mary have only one question. "Just read your post about Animal General looking for a space in the same neighborhood......any news on that?"

That's it, Harlem Veterinary Race 2007 is on, and Uptown Veterinary Associates just pulled into the lead.

· Uptown Veterinary Associates [Official Site]

· Animal General Looking For Space In South Harlem [Harlem Fur]

· Filling Harlem Vet Void, Petland On 117th St. To Hold Two More Vaccination Days [Harlem Fur]

Posted by Chris at 11:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

For those of you wishing to enjoy this weekend's weather outside AND do something nice for the nabe, Morningside and St. Nicholas parks have volunteer events just for you.

ST. NICHOLAS PARK

SATURDAY, APRIL 21st 11am-2pm Join volunteers from NY Cares and City
College to help paint the fence and woodchip gardens along St.
Nicholas Terrace.

SATURDAY, APRIL 28TH 11am-2pm Join volunteers from Journey Church in
cleaning up the park and planting some spring flowers.

MORNINGSIDE PARK

SATURDAY, APRIL 21st 10am-12pm Join volunteers from NY Cares
Meet at 114th Street and Morningside Ave.

THURSDAY, APRIL 26th 6:30pm-8:30pm Seeds of Renewal Annual Fundraiser
Cathedral House at St. John the Divine (1047 Amsterdam Ave.)

Photo of Morningside Park by michaelbrandon on Flickr

Posted by Chris at 01:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Going on the assumption that a public works project can never be behind schedule, especially more than a year behind schedule, we have a photo of the completed memorial to Frederick Douglass at the Northwest corner of Central Park on the left. The sign in the site office window says that completion was set for November 2005, about a year and a half ago, so we have to assume this is the finished product.

Let's marvel. Notice how the seemingly random placement of the barrels alongside mildly rusty pipes challenges the imagination and questions our conception of 'place.'

Anyway, one may think that dinged up orange and white plastic barrels and railroad ties accented with that risque orange fishnet trimming we saw elsewhere are unique materials to use in a memorial to a national historical figure, but simply go 12 blocks up Frederick Douglass and, TA-DA!, a second memorial, this time to Harriet Tubman, incorporates many of the same materials in much the same way. The photo proving it all is on the right.

Although there is no promised completion date on the sign for the Harriet Tubman memorial, of the three elected officials on the sign, one has moved on to a higher office than billed as holding, and another is no longer in office as of nearly a year and a half ago. Given these conditions, we will assume this memorial is complete as well.

Posted by Chris at 11:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Here is what is IN and what is OUT since we last checked in with the 116th Street cantilever building-in-canting.

(1) IN: Two more stories framed out

(2) IN: Risque orange fishnet trimming

(3) IN: Heavily reinforced joins on the sixth floor

(4) OUT: The sky

I don't know what it is with my Canon, but on cloudy days the sky vanishes in every shot I take. I've looked around on Flickr for other SD450 photos, and they quite often include rich blue skies, so I am guessing the problem lies with me.

Regardless of my photography skills, Graceline Court pushes onward, overward, and upward.

· Cantilever Watch 2007

· Cantilever Get Some Respect? [Includes rendering with digitally enhanced blue sky]

Posted by Chris at 11:31 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Where have the crowds of procrastinators gone?

Are mobs of frantic people begging for stamps, long lines stretching from Postal trucks parked on the street, and people dressed in red, white and blue handing out anti-tax pamphlets at the end of the last day to mail one's taxes a thing of the past, or am I missing something? The sidewalks in front for the Farley post office on 8th Ave at 5 minutes to the postmark deadline were empty not just in comparison to years past, but empty in comparison to an average Tuesday night in Manhattan.

I'll admit that I haven't been to the Farley post office on the night of the tax deadline in a few years. It's not that I didn't try. Last year on tax day, I called a friend quite well known for waiting until the last minute, and asked when he was going to make his yearly rush for the postmark. He, like me, had completed his taxes well in advance. Without someone else or myself having forms to mail, I had the hunch I would feel like the adult guy at the playground who didn't come with a kid.

This year thou, the same thing that had kept me from the yearly ritual, TurboTax, forced me to leave for 34th Street in a slight rush at 11pm. I had been hitting the submit button all evening to make my electronic submission, but every time I did, I was greeted with the little pop-up message asking that I try again in two hours, as Intuit was experiencing a lot of traffic. At a quarter to 11, I realized the message asking for two more hours was no longer a polite little request from a company that greatly underestimated last-minute traffic, but rather a deceptive ploy that would leave me submitting well past the deadline.

A bit pleased I now had an excuse to be a part of the post office mess, I printed and ran out. But when I arrived, there were no long lines snaking out of the building, no street theater, and the one news van that was there sat across the streets with its lights dim.

Sure, there were people in the building, but I could move around, and that didn't seem right.

Posted by Chris at 01:06 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Uptown Flavor (cat lovers) uses a Flickr post from Judy Jones (cat lover) to let us know of another Harlem filming of Rescue Me (cat status unknown).

This Thursday the set will be 144th Street between 7th and 8th Avenues.

Will Joe Schumacher (plush cat toy lover) be available for a plot spoiling shot?

Posted by Chris at 06:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Harlemite, member of the Friends of St. Nicholas Park, and avid dog lover Julia is looking to launch a new pet carrier aimed primarily at dogs (but it can be used for cats too, especially by those who enjoy taking their cat to the park). To make sure the carrier is the best it can be, Julia is looking for local feedback.

If you live in Harlem and own a dog between 5 and 15lbs, we're looking for you! I'm launching a Harlem-based dog carrier line and will be holding a focus group to get feedback on our new product. We need volunteers who love their dogs! We have a couple possible dates and will require only 2 hours of your time. Food and beverages will be served. For details, please contact Julia at papooch |at| gmail |dot| com.

We haven't seen the carrier yet, but Cheryl and I are excited for a neighborhood-inspired prodcuct for transporting Cimbi to and from Central Park this summer, as well as to and from a South Harlem vet...

Posted by Chris at 02:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Today's torrential downpour contributed to the 116th Street C station's unclean version of feng shui with the addition of four natural water falls. It was difficult for me to get a good shot of the falls, although each of them, two on either side of the tracks, continuously rained buckets of dirty street water onto the station's platforms for the entire 15 minutes I stood waiting for a train. This shot was my best, as it kinda catches both on the uptown side. The first fall is there on the right of the sign, and way back in the distance is the second, appearing like a fuzzy line.

The 116th Street C station is probably the most disgusting place I have repetitively entered on purpose. And this distinction was awarded the locale even before today's street water splashing drove the grime index* past the threshold of noticeable difference.

Years ago, when I first walked into the station, I paused and thought 'my mother would never understand.' But, as time wears on, I have become somewhat unfazed by things that pre-New York living would have scared me for life. Thankfully, I have moments like today, when something a bit more foul than normal makes me reassess certain surroundings and think 'yeah, I'm standing in a real shithole.'

*The grime index, which would be part of the filth report, is my idea of what should replace the summer weather report in NYC. Being that pretty much every summer day is hot and sunny, I think a segment on the morning newscast detailing how much filth is out there (street fair aftermath, a rash of especially negligent dog owners not scooping, nomadic homeless encampments), and to what extent external factors are amplifying the filth, called the grime index, would be much more helpful.

Posted by Chris at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

(Letter from day three in Cimbi's Uptown Hound stay.)

This iz my favorit plas to stay in the stor. And luk! I hav my pilo, too. Jen tuk it to the stor thiz morning. I wuz so happy it wuz ther. I slept on it all day and it wuz niz and cozee.

I like it here so much. I even spelt that rite! Luk, I am tryin to be asleep but Jen keep taykun pikturs. Go away. I am sleeping. Zzzzz.

See you tomorrow, Mom and Dad!! Sorree I am a bad speller!

XO-

Cimbi

· Cimbi's Vakashun Part I
· Cimbi's Vakashun Part II

Posted by Chris at 01:58 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

With the void in South Harlem pet services rapidly filling up, I feel the need to refocus Harlem Fur on something else.

But I am hit with a problem: What other measurement can be used to gauge the neighborhood's change? What else, other than pet services, can be seen as such a pure, material, teleologically oriented embodiment of our esprit de voisinage, the nabe zeitgeist, who we are as both the knowers and the subjects of knowledge?

The slow creep of produce quality at Fine Fare toward Fairway quality?

The quite appearances here and there of specialty beer in local delis?

Maltepoos?

Maybe, but these all require some real legwork. So, I offer tracking Graceline, Harlem's cantilever building, on 116th Street and Lenox Avenue, which shouldn't be that difficult to do.

Here is the first photo of Cantilever Watch 2007.

Posted by Chris at 11:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

(Letter from day two in Cimbi's Uptown Hound stay.)

Saturday, April 7, 2007

Thaz me! Im likin fur my dad and mom. Jen tuk me and that dawg to the stor this morning and we all had brekfust. then some ladeez kam and they had a meeting. I lukd out the window a lot. The besk iz warm and I lik to be on it.

See? I do lik the desk. And it iz kloz to the treets, so the ladeez don't furgit to giv them to me!

· Cimbi's Vakashun Part I

Posted by Chris at 05:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Cheryl and I visited her parents just outside of D.C. this weekend for Easter. Being that Cheryl's kids, who are extremely allergic to cats, rode down with us, Cimbi became a point of concern. We could not bring our small animal along, and leaving Cimbi either at home or a boarding facility posses complications.

If we leave Cimbi home, even with neighbors stopping by to feed and play with her, she gets mad at having to sleep alone and pees on something. We already know that Nature's Miracle works, so no need for further testing. The one time we brought her to a boarding facility -one that we chose after a ton of research- she came back a different color and harboring a cold that brought a vet bill larger than the cost of boarding her.

So this weekend we tried Uptown Hound. Instead of Cheryl and I giving our take on her stay, we'll let Cimbi's daily letters fill that role. Pardon the spelling, she is a small house cat.

Friday, April 6, 2007

Today wuz a gud day, then dad tuk me to Uptown Hound and he wuz sad and i wuz lyk, "What iz yur prawblum? Theez ladeez ar niz." Jen wint hom to wash a dawg and Karoleen stayd with me fur a wil. Then, Jen kam bak and tuk me hom with hur. Hur haws is niz and there iz a dawg there and I likd him and he dint bother me. There is a other kat, too, but she wuz hidin frum me! I had sum treets and we all wint to bed and I slept on the bed with Jen and the dawg.

More tomorrow!

Posted by Chris at 08:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I find it difficult to write about a big old teddy bear Am Staff named T-Bone without wanting to put the blues on, especially as this guy has been going for some time now without a home to call his own.

And he's had his share of bad luck. Found tied up in a park and nearly starved to death, this guy was nursed back to health by the vets and staff of Animal General. But as great a place as Animal General is, it's still no substitute for a real home.

Says Lizz of NY City Pets "We love him and have taught him to sit and ask for his toys, to lay down, and to enjoy a good belly rubbing... this happy dog just wants a quiet, warm bed and some heavy duty toys to catch. Oh, and a great person to play with him too!"

T-Bone is house broken, altered, and up to date on shots. See T-Bone on Pet Finder.

Posted by Chris at 02:04 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

To anyone looking for a silky black kitten who comes house trained, your prayers are answered.

Berry sends along this email:

hey all

this kitten was abandoned in an apartment a few days ago. i found a foster home a few blocks from here. the kitten is house trained, very sweet and mild mannered. if anyone is interested in the kitten please let me know.

best

Of course, to make sure the kitten goes to a good home, there is a slight adoption fee for people not known to us.

Posted by Chris at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (18)

William from the Friends of St. Nicholas Park writes today with sad news on lost Beagle Olive.

We heard from Anna, Olive's mom, yesterday. Below is her email:

Dear all:

It is with great sadness I must share the news that my little Olive did not make it home. I received a call this morning from the Parks Department that she had been picked up in Highbridge Park yesterday, but that she was injured and did not make it for long. I miss her something terribly but her friendship, playfulness and indomitable little spirit will remain with me forever.

I am so very grateful to you all for your help and support over the last few days.

Thanks,

Anna

The Friends are collecting word of encouragement on their blog.

Here is a favorite photo of Olive, the one Anna would like to remember Olive with.

Posted by Chris at 11:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Across 124th Street from the rumored W Hotel parking lot, around the corner from Harlem Flo and with The Dwyer viewable from the living room windows stands SoHo North, 11 two bedroom condos in a former warehouse.

Cheryl and I dropped by for a look. Photos are after the jump.

Here is the lobby. When complete, I imagine that the wall currently with only four spikes will ultimately have many more spikes, and it will inch toward you when you hit the elevator button, giving you just enough time to slip into the elevator when the doors open before being impaled. I am sure there is a manual override switch, so in case you don't like your guests the elevator doors won't open.

First in, we have the model apartment's kitchen. Wolf stove? Check. Sub-Zero refrigerator? Check. Stone countertops? Check. Plant in the sink? Why not? It might be there to demonstrate the InSinkErator disposal.

Next up we have the living room. This is not a shot of the model apartment's living room, which for some reason I did not take a photo of, but that of the unit one floor above. Nonetheless, this gives you the general idea. The fireplace is gas, not WBFP, so cozy winter nights come at the flick of a switch, not after a long and sometimes fruitless search for wood. The floor is white oak, as it is throughout the unit.

Then, we have the general bathroom. Although it has a single vanity, it does have a separate shower and bathtub, which I very much enjoy. In both bathing areas, the nozzles are complex enough to provide basic self-cleaning and 1950's era hydrotherapy sessions.

Finally, we have the master bedroom and bath. This MB features a window, although some have a door that opens onto a sliver of balcony. The master bath has a double vanity as well as a separate shower and tub, so theoretically two people could bathe and ready themselves without ever touching.

Posted by Chris at 12:01 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Confirming previous rumors that my neighbor's Boxer Romeo has the hots for Isis, the German Shepherd down the street, I offer this photo.

For this shot, Romeo protectively moved just a little ahead and stayed ready on all four paws, while Isis chilled in the back with a big grin.

Posted by Chris at 12:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

First: Harlem

Following up on a tip left in the comments section, I stopped by the former site of Back in the Day antiques on Frederick Douglass Blvd and 116th to check and see if a wine shop is indeed going in. It is, as per both the workmen and the retail alcohol permit tacked on a piece of plywood.

The workmen said an opening can be expected as soon as three weeks from now.

In anticipation of the store's future merchandise, the interior walls are painted a velvety merlot.

Second: Morningside Heights

When on my way to the Village Copier print shop behind Columbia, I spotted signs in a storefront for a coming wine shop named Vino Fino on Amsterdam and 122nd.

No one was on site to ask about an opening date, and I could not see behind the paper covering the windows.

Harlem Vintage

I'm happy to see non-bank, non-drug store retail coming into the area, but I have to admit I am heavily biased toward Harlem Vintage, which is just a few blocks up Frederick Douglas. I like the selection, people there, decor of the place, and the fact that they are opening up a wine bar next door which may become that elusive nabe hang out spot I still can't seem to find (although Minton's is close to being that spot).

Also, Harlem Vintage has been there for me when I needed it on a few occasions. Last Saturday is a great example.

Cheryl and I were going to meet up with people I went to school with in Denmark, a couple of whom I had not seen in five years. I thought I would drop by, ask for a recommendation, and head on over to the night's location.

When walking into HV, I was greeted by the Swedish man in the photo, who was giving samples of the pan-Scandinavian liquor Aquavit. How random, but how fitting for the evening. I purchased a bottle, the guy at the register gift wrapped it for me, and Cheryl and I showed up that evening looking like we planned what we brought that night.

Posted by Chris at 07:43 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Course Description

To the untrained ear, all neighborhood-based screaming can sound alike. This course provides in-depth analysis and discussion on all major forms of nabe screaming, including celebratory, combative, amorous, inebriated, faith-based, companion animal, and simple energy release. Drawing on years of Cheryl and Chris' participant-observation studies conducted in various Manhattan neighborhoods from Hell's Kitchen to Inwood, in addition to suburban Long Island, this course places major emphasis on training students to quickly determine what reason is behind any current screaming. This course includes a mandatory lab that meets twice weekly in the evening.

SCE 4103 fills the prerequisite for SCE 4507, Who's Discharging A Firearm For What Reason Now?

Although I am sure Cheryl and I are not the only Manhattanites who have more terms for distinguishing between nuances of screaming than Inuits have terms for distinguishing between types of snow, we feel well-versed enough in them to warrant a continuing education class for recent transplants to the city. I see our full program, which will include SCE 4507, Who's Discharging A Firearm For What Reason Now? and SCE 4557, WFT Is Going On Out There? being popular with companies relocating employees to NYC.

Some of my favorite screaming case studies are:

Q- Guests asking "Why is that man standing on the corner of 116th screaming all day with a microphone?"
A- Faith-based

Q- Neighbor directly below me in a previous Harlem apartment asking why I go "UGGGGGGH" upon climaxing
A- It's actually the boyfriend of the woman across the hall from me, as for some reason sound traveled down diagonally in that place (and really, I don't want to know the answer)

Q- My asking Cheryl why I can hear a woman in Long Island in a home a ways away scream "I can't take it any more! The crying, the wining! I want this! I want that!"
A- Children (not her cat, which I immediately thought due to our having Cimbi)

Q- Cheryl asking "What's wrong?" when I randomly emit screams of pain
A- Cimbi biting me because I am writing about her on this blog rather than playing with her

Posted by Chris at 12:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

William from the Friends of St. Nicholas Park sends along an email asking for help in finding a lost dog:

Hey all,

This note below is from a dog owner who frequents St. Nick's Dog Park. She has lost her dog Olive and needs help trying to get her back. I have included her information if anyone sees Olive. Attached is a photo of Olive. Thanks

"My beagle Olive and I are sometimes visitors to the St Nicholas Dog Run. Now Olive is lost. She is a tri-color beagle, 13 or so inches, weighs about 28 lbs, 2.5 years, very sweet face. Very friendly, but shy around children - loves treats. She went to a different dog run today up at Ft Washington Ave and 173rd Street. She was wearing a blue collar with small daisies and has an AVID chip. She got frightened and managed to sneak out and run away. It was about 2 pm today (Monday April 2nd)."

If you have any information please contact Anna Pettersson at:

Posted by Chris at 09:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

There is a reason an ad for the Fur's hosting company is there at the top of the page. Uh, they paid for it. But more than that, the Fur is proud to have Haus Interactive's ad at the top, and today provides an example why.

I largely approve comments for Harlem Fur via emails sent to my phone, as I seriously get a lot of enjoyment seeing them pop up during the day (usually from Melita, Berry and Tanya). Even with some fairly professional grade defenses, I expect 10 or so spam submissions to make it throu the filters a day, which is no big deal.

However, this afternoon my phone started to beep like a 1980's video game and in the blink of an eye I had 40 odd spam submissions and counting. I was already taking off from the office a bit early due to a disorienting head cold, and did not have the concentration to figure out how to stop this. So, I sent a message to Haus, and in less than 5 minutes everything was right and nice. Amazing.

So just to be sure all is good, tonight I included a small addition below the text field for submitting a comment, which will also make them appear instantly if all checks out. For anyone else out there using Movable Type, I highly recommend this addition.

On a side note, when searching for an image of spam to include in this post, I noticed, based on Google searches, that every blog on earth at some point covers the topic of being spammed. Consider this requirement for the Fur done and checked.

Posted by Chris at 12:08 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A fairly creditable source said that the rumored development replacing the Associated supermarket and a night spot on Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 124th Street will be a W Hotel. I kid you not. (I know the hotel idea was discussed on Curbed back in January, when my job was keeping me from such reading, but I don't know if conversation ever settled on a W.)

Although I am all for a legit (versus by the hour) hotel coming to Harlem, I want to echo a Curbed commenter who laments the loss of a grocery store with potential. The area is hurting for more in the line of standard grocery stores, and the Associated had the potential for being upgraded from its less-than-stellar state. The Citarella on 125th would be cool if I was eating duck patte every night, the Fairway on the Hudson is one of my favorite places on earth- but a bit of a hike, and the Fine Fare on 116th seems determined to make sure all produce is at least slightly imperfect. I find myself doing most of my grocery shopping either at the Fairway on 74th or via Fresh Direct.

So why this photo of a vacant lot behind the Associated? It seems that this lot's air rights are part of the development, and using them will limit anything there to about two stories, ample height for the hotel's parking garage. Hmmm, if you are buying across the street at SoHo North (7 of 11 sold says a broker), you might want to start asking if monthly parking is available.

Anyway, for those seeking a boutique Harlem hotel experience in the immediate future, may we suggest 102 Brownstone or the Sugar Hill Harlem Inn? Both websites are quite nice, and the rooms in each look rather pleasing.

Just saw that this post looked like ass in IE (what does not?) and fixed it.- Chris

Posted by Chris at 12:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Fellow A96 animal lover Tanya emailed us this morning to let us know that she has rescued a 6-toed boy kitten she is looking to adopt out.

Tanya writes:

Hello Animal Lovers,

I found a wonderful 6-toed boy kitten near where I work at the Montefiore Medical Center. I've temporarily named him "Monte." I believe he's 4 to 6 months old. He's super-friendly and just a joy to have around. Alas, my cat won't tolerate other kitties and I'm trying to find someone who can provide him a 'forever home.' I'm taking him to the vet today for shots, and my vet may be taking him into their shelter, but I have not heard from the lady who takes care of the shelter yet for confirmation.

If you know anyone who wants to adopt a loving and cheery 6-toed mitten kitten, please have them contact me!

There would be an adoption fee for folks I don't know, to make sure that they are serious about keeping Monte in a forever situation. They can contact me by email at elderta_2001 "the at sign" yahoo. (Ed- I tried to write Tanya's email address in a way a little less susceptible to spam.)

Thanks in advance for any contacts you can provide to get Monte a forever home.

Thanks,
Tanya

Check him out in all of his curiosity in the video below.

Posted by Chris at 04:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

BABY!!!

April fools!

Yeah, we got my mom with that one this morning. There was lots of dead air on the phone before letting her in on the joke.

Posted by Chris at 01:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)