Given that our household represents different Uptown demographics (Cheryl is black, I am white, and Cimbi, our cat, is Dominican), I am guessing that some of the discoveries we make about each other could be of interest to the greater Uptown population. In this spirit, I offer our most recent observation for your thoughts and input:

Is it just us, or do all black people enjoy their families, and all white people become annoyed by them?

Take, for instance, Sunday night. Cheryl and I both spoke to our mothers on the phone, but with greatly different conclusions. Cheryl spent around 45 minutes with her mother laughing, gossiping and swapping advice. I spent 10 minutes and 17 seconds on the phone with my mother and had to follow it up with a few yoga positions and 15 minutes of 'talking it out' before my heart rate came down to a point where I could sleep.

This was not an isolated incident. About 3 years into our relationship, I had already been to multiple functions with Cheryl's extended family. Compare that with Cheryl learning I have more than one cousin only after three years of our being together. When she asked why I hadn't mentioned them, I gave to her what I understood as a very reasonable answer: "Uh, I don't know. Maybe we don't have a lot in common." Not having a lot in common seemed anathema to how Cheryl understands family, which by itself she sees as giving people a lot in common.

We informally surveyed our friends and associates, and this trend seemed to hold fairly steady across the people we know. However, this could just be due to like people associating with each other (seriously, many of the transplants I know here are escaping family to some degree).

So, any thoughts on the subject are greatly appreciated.

Posted by Chris at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

Keeping the dog trains running on time, the Friends of St. Nicholas Park will be hosting their monthly Coffee Bark this Saturday, August 4th.

The Friends write:

Dear Friends, (Here, when using the word Friends, they are not talking to themselves, the Friends, but talking to you and others who are their friends- Ed.)

This Saturday, August 4th from 9am-11am we'll be having our monthly Coffee
Bark at St. Nick's Dog Park.

Coffee Barks take place on the first Saturday of every month.
This social event allows us to get to know one another as well as address
dog park issues and discuss future endeavors in St. Nick's Dog Park and
St. Nicholas Park. Coffee, donuts and other refreshments will be served.

Hope you can make it and of course please bring your dog! If you have
any questions please email us at info -AT- stnicholaspark -DOT- org

Thanks,

Friends of St. Nicholas Park (Here, they are using the term 'Friends' to refer to themselves, not you and other friends of the Friends, as they are not intending you to read this as if you were writing it to yourself, unless, I suppose, you are one of the Friends, and possibly the Friend who wrote this.- Ed.)

Posted by Chris at 11:29 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

My being totally wiped by the gym has carried over into this morning, resulting in a compressed press roundup:

A review of the Studio Museum in Harlem's exhibit ''David Adjaye: Making Public Buildings,'' shows an architect who "seems painfully attuned to the damage that architecture can do." Hmmm, a few people here in Harlem could take cues from him. [Times]

For those who have wondered aloud here and elsewhere about how many jobs Empire Zone tax breaks have created, the answer seems to be for 3,000 companies, not many at all. [Times]

Obama differentiates his anti-poverty proposals from Edwards by focusing on the Harlem Children's Zone, ''an all-encompassing, all-hands-on-deck anti-poverty effort,'' as a model. [Times, after the jump]

(It's a Times Select piece, which one is supposed to pay for- shhhh, don't tell Arthur Ochs Sulzberger, Jr.)

Copyright 2007 The New York Times Company
The New York Times

July 31, 2007 Tuesday
Late Edition - Final

SECTION: Section A; Column 0; Editorial Desk; OP-ED COLUMNIST; Pg. 19

LENGTH: 756 words

HEADLINE: Edwards, Obama and The Poor

BYLINE: By DAVID BROOKS

BODY:

Suppose you were going to decide your vote for president entirely on the
issue of who could best reduce poverty. Who would you vote for?

You'd start by focusing your attention on the candidates who have invested
the most time in the issue, John Edwards and Barack Obama.

You'd find that both have a multilayered view of poverty. We used to have
debates in which liberals emphasized the lack of jobs and conservatives
emphasized personal behavior. But in the post-welfare-reform world, it's pretty
obvious that everything feeds into everything else. For Edwards and Obama,
poverty flows from a lack of jobs and broken families, bad schools and bad role
models, no training and no self-control.

For both candidates, you have to attack everything at once. You have to
holistically change the environment that structures behavior. The question is
how to do it.

Obama and Edwards agree on a lot, but in this matter they emphasize
different things. As Alec MacGillis of The Washington Post observed, Edwards
emphasizes programs that help people escape from concentrated poverty. Obama
emphasizes programs that fix inner-city neighborhoods. One helps people find
better environments, the other seeks to strengthen the environment they are
already in.

Edwards would create a million housing vouchers for working families. These
would, he argues, ''enable people to vote with their feet to demand safe
communities with good schools.'' They'd help people move to where the jobs are
and foster economic integration.

The problem with his approach is that past efforts at dispersal produced
disappointing results. Families who were given the means to move from poor
neighborhoods to middle-class areas did not see incomes rise. Girls in those
families did a little better, but boys did worse. They quickly formed
subcultures in the new communities that replicated patterns of the old ones.
Male criminality rose, but test scores did not.

Obama, by contrast, builds his approach around the Harlem Children's Zone,
what he calls ''an all-encompassing, all-hands-on-deck anti-poverty effort.''
The zone takes an area in Harlem and saturates it with childcare, marriage
counseling, charter schools and job counselors and everything else you can think
of. Obama says he'll start by replicating the program in 20 cities around the
country.

The problem here is that there are few historical examples of neighborhoods
being lifted up at once. There are 4,000 community development corporations
around the country and they have not lifted residents out of poverty. The
positive influences in the center get overwhelmed by the negative peer
influences all around.

The organizations that do appear to work, like the Harlem Children's Zone
(there's no firm data yet), tend to have charismatic leaders like Geoffrey
Canada who are willing to fight teachers' unions and take on bureaucracies. It's
not clear whether their success is replicable, let alone by the federal
government.

What we have, then, is two divergent approaches, both of which have
problems and low odds of producing tremendous success. If you find that
discouraging, welcome to the world of poverty policy.

If I had to choose between the two, I guess I'd go with the Obama plan. I'd
lean that way because Obama seems to have a more developed view of social
capital. Edwards offers vouchers, job training and vows to create a million
temporary public-sector jobs. Obama agrees, but takes fuller advantage of home
visits, parental counseling, mentoring programs and other relationship-building
efforts.

The Obama policy provides more face-to-face contact with people who can
offer praise or disapproval. Rising out of poverty is difficult -- even when
there are jobs and good schools. It's hard to focus on a distant degree or home
purchase. But human beings have a strong desire for approval and can accomplish
a lot with daily doses of praise and censure. Standards of behavior are
contagious that way.

A neighborhood is a moral ecosystem, and Obama, the former community
organizer, seems to have a better feel for that. It's not only policies we're
looking for in selecting a leader, it's a sense of how the world works. Obama's
plan isn't a sure-fire cure for poverty, but it does reveal an awareness of the
supple forces that can't be measured and seen.

Last week I cited data on rising earnings among the working poor. I should
have made it clear that the data referred to poor households with children,
since poor households without children did not enjoy those gains.

Posted by Chris at 08:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In honor of being totally wiped by the gym this evening, this post will be in the style of marathon runner and continuous fountain of knowledge Harlem 26.2:

Started out this evening with an abs class, and then moved on to free weights. I focused on chest and arms, breaking it up with 20 minutes on the treadmill at 80 percent. For a final stretch, I took an intensive Club Yoga class. I drank a 32oz Gatorade before getting on the subway, and stopped off at Fairway on the way home to pick up a pack of antibiotic free chicken breasts. I baked the chicken, which I served with a mixed greens salad for Cheryl and myself.

Gym wiped or not gym wiped, I muster up enough energy to read Harlem 26.2 every night. Not only does each post contain great information on health and fitness as well as the nabe, but I get to read how Lance did running that day.

I encourage everyone to join his growing fan base cheering him on as he approaches the marathon. The distances/times the guy runs on a daily basis are damn inspirational.

Posted by Chris at 11:54 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Saying good-bye to a nabe institution, Copeland's served last Sunday brunch. [Newsday] Also in NY Sun.

East Harlem Little League held on "like professional ballplayers" into extra innings, but missed out on championships 15-14. [Daily News]

From the weekend:

Inspiring stories by people who, with discipline and determination, bought New York homes without help from family or Wall Street bonuses. [Times]

Record store Bobby's Happy House, Neighbor to Shikulu Shange's Harlem Record Shack, is also facing eviction. [Daily News]

Forget the $50 million in debt talked about before, New York City's public housing has a $225 million hole "this year alone." [Daily News]

Too many construction delays prompt a couple to cancel their Manhattan Ave purchase and opt for Riverside Drive. [Times]

Posted by Chris at 08:35 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

A reader writes in with news on his missing cat Uli:

We are missing our cat Uli. He is a 2 year old short hair (see attached pictures) and very friendly. He wears a red collar with a little round plastic pendent. His name and our telephone number is written on it. we last saw him at 7PM in our apartment on the corner of 124th and Frederick Douglas Boulevard. We are afraid that he was able to sneak into the elevator and somehow to the street. We would greatly appreciate if you could post his pics and a little description on your site. Anyone who has seen him should contact me at (number removed now that Uli is found).

thank you
Dominik

UPDATE

Dominik writes in with a great update:

dear chris,

thank god we found him... he did get into the elevator and into the basement where he was hiding in the trash compactor....

best
dominik

If you are not feeling happy enough that Uli has been found, click thru for an even cuter photo.

Posted by Chris at 09:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (6)

Bringing a level of meta-insanity that would knock the life out of Derrida if he was not already stone cold dead in a box, Harlem blogger Hoc Loco has indeed bagged the Street Shooting big one by posting this shot of WATPA? blogger Joe taking a photo!

Witness it. This is like seeing the sun being born.

Secretly, taking a photo of Joe taking a photo has been a goal of mine for over a year. Congrats to Hoc for making this happen.

Okay, I'm going back to practicing my ujjayi breath in an attempt to calm down.

Posted by Chris at 03:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

East Harlem Little League team go on to state championship despite losing their field. [Daily News]

City public housing projects troubled, and $50 million in debt. [amNewYork]

UPTOWNflavor has the scoop on new 124th Street shoe store Head Over Heels. [UPTOWNflavor]

Posted by Chris at 08:40 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

For part two in my impromptu micro-series on tactics for long-time Harlem residents unsure about their position in the changing nabe to secure an affordable home, I offer the HPD housing lottery. Part of Bloomberg's New Housing Marketplace Plan to create and preserve affordable homes and apartments for half a million New Yorkers, the housing lottery features residential developments for rent and purchase at prices below what one would pay on the open market.

Prospective buyers and renters are chosen in a lottery style from those who submit applications and meet income requirements. Preference is given to those who live in the immediate area, as determined by Community Boards.

Most of us in Harlem have heard of at least one of the buildings taking part in the program: The Renaissance, The Langston, The Kalahari, and the building we here at the Fur call home.

For more information, and to find out which lotteries are currently taking applications, check out the HPD website for apartments to rent and homes to purchase.

For those who really want to get creative, you could combine an HPD housing lottery purchase with a NACA home loan.

Posted by Chris at 10:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

I'm only finding one Harlem article in the main stream media today, and it feels like we have read this one before:

City's Developers Agree: 'Harlem Has Arrived' [Sun]

But here is the new material:

Next month, construction is scheduled to begin on Hotel 124, a 130,000-square-foot property located on 125th Street and Fifth Avenue. It is the first new hotel in Harlem in more than 40 years and may include residential condominiums on the top floors. The Upper Manhattan Empowerment Zone intends to provide a $2.8 million subordinated loan, based on a projected project cost of $75 million, which will create in excess of 61 full-time permanent jobs for the community...

A developer, Wharton Realty, which is owned by Jeff Sutton, one of Manhattan's most active retail landlords, is planning to construct a 230,000-square-foot tower on the corner of West 125th Street and Lenox Avenue. It would contain retail, a community facility, and apartments. Real estate sources say Bed Bath & Beyond may be the anchor tenant...

Across the street, adjacent to the Apollo, a joint venture of Grid Properties and the Gotham Organization, the developers of Harlem USA, are planning to build a30,000-square-foot retail complex at 261 W. 125th St...

Posted by Chris at 08:04 AM | Permalink | Comments (20)

From posts here on The Fur and UPTOWNflavor, I am guessing that many long-time Harlem residents actually appreciate some of the effects of gentrification: safer streets, better schools, increased services and better food in the grocery stores. It's loosing one's home in the process of this change that, understandably, people don't like.

So how do people find a way to stay in their homes thru gentrification? The best defense is to own your home.

If one rents and property values increase, one can expect their rent to increase, with the possibility that their rent may exceed what their income allows, and they may have to move. If one owns and property values increase, one builds equity that can be used for retirement, investing or passing on to one's children so that their family can build wealth across generations.

Right, but this is easier said than done.

As mentioned here, down payments and closing costs can add up to a huge financial barrier for those crossing over into home ownership. However, the Neighborhood Assistance Corporation of America (NACA), a national non-profit organization advocating home ownership, not only provides mortgages with below-market fixed rates, even for those without perfect credit, but the organization's program also eliminates down payments, closing costs and associated fees. They will even pay for a broker and an attorney when you purchase.

The whole program costs about $20.

From the website: NACA began in 1988 in Boston as the Union Neighborhood Assistance Corporation (UNAC). Its roots are with the Hotel Workers Union - Local 26, an activist union that won and established the country's first housing trust fund for union members. NACA employed the union's activist tactics to confront lenders that were redlining communities by denying credit to minority neighborhoods and exploiting low- and moderate-income homeowners.

The result is over $10 billion in funds for providing below-market rate, 30-year fixed-rate loans to get people into home ownership. And yes, you can use NACA's program to refinance if you are on the butt end of predatory lending.

There is no income ceiling for participating in NACA's program, but there is a limit on the purchase price of the place you can buy. Currently, purchases for a co-op or condo are limited to $362,790, with higher limits for two, three and four family homes.

Check out NACA's website for more information.

Posted by Chris at 12:27 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Just because the sun wakes me up by beaming right on my face, here are today's links to Harlem in the main stream media:

Classical Theater of Harlem's production of Romeo and Juliet will include performances in Marcus Garvey Park. [Sun]

For more info on the August 3rd and 4th performances, check out the website. [Classical Theater of Harlem]

Diabetes deaths are up 71 percent in the city, with East Harlem one of the hardest hit nabes. [Daily News]

And from yesterday...

Perhaps more authentically Italian than Rao's, East Harlem barber hosts Mafia clientele. [Daily News]

Posted by Chris at 08:39 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

It's almost as if Sen. Perkins reads Harlem Fur.

Harlem State Senator Bill Perkins and New York State Division of Human Rights Commissioner Kumiki Gibson will host a town hall meeting to discuss housing discrimination and civil rights in Harlem on Wednesday, August 1st.

The meeting will take place at 6pm on the 8th floor of the Adam Clayton Powell State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street. Guests are asked to please register in advance by calling Sen. Perkins' office at 212-222-7315.

Posted by Chris at 01:06 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

I know that I'm stepping into an area far more delicate than cats being fuzzy or dogs doing crazy things in the park, but I have really enjoyed the comments on Harlem Fur everyone has provided. The vast majority are tempered and respectful, yet reflect the wide range of ideas in this dynamic neighborhood we all call home. I really enjoy reading them, and am curious as to what everyone thinks on the current use of gentrification.

I don't think anyone would not agree that gentrification is occurring in New York City, it is occurring in Harlem, and it is making readily observable changes to the nabe. What seems to be in question is whether all of the changes taking place in Harlem are due to gentrification, and if gentrification's changes are the impersonal agent of outside forces or a personalized affront to a specific person or way of life.

Look at two recent conversations here on Harlem Fur and on UPTOWNflavor.

A Harlem Fur link to an article in today's Times about the closing of Copeland's has a quote from the owner showing a very personalized view of why his restaurant is coming to an end: "The white people who took their [the black families who used to patronize his business] place don't like or don't care for the food I cook." Readers responded by both saying that African American's lifestyles have changed, and citing other, newer soul food restaurants that are doing well in gentrifying parts of Harlem (Melba's, Billie's Black, Sylvia's, Amy Ruth's) and Morningside Heights (Rack & Soul, Spoonbread).

A recent posting in UPTOWNflavor wonders if the loss of a lease by the Record Shack on 125th is due to changes in how music is bought and sold or if it is the specific loss of more of Harlem's original flavor. The owner, Sikhulu Shange, says in the Amsterdam News: " 'We were in court last week, and we were told that we have 10 months before the eviction begins... When you go down to 111 Centre Street, you are besieged on every side.' Shange was characterizing the court system and how it's stacked against a small businessman." An UPTOWNflavor reader understands it differently and writes "This is nothing more than a merchant who has failed to plan as a business owner. Lots of businesses on that same street have had to relocate to other locations on that street."

Just to throw it out there, here is my take.

I understand the material effects of Gentrification to be the impersonal agent of outside forces. Looking beyond Harlem for the sake of example, I do not view the closing of Tower Records near Lincoln Center as an affront to popular music, the closing of CBGB's as an affront to punk rock, the closing of Movie Place in Morningside Heights as affront to arthouse cinema, or the closing of the 2nd Ave Deli as an affront to Jewish cuisine. Rather, I view them as the result of changing distribution models (online music and movie rentals) and a neighborhood's real estate value outgrowing the current tenant's use.

This doesn't make me heartless. Don't think that these closings didn't make me sad with the loss of unique corners of the city in each (well, not so much Tower Records, I could care less). I really don't like seeing the things that make New York unique go away. But personal feelings aside, I see the changes not being personalized ones.

So why be concerned with this distinction between outside forces and personalized affronts? When one internalizes a situation outside of them, they are not able to use the critical detachment necessary to understand the situation and alter their strategy accordingly to succeed.

I work with elected officials. The smart ones know that when outside problems become seen as personal, even when those problems are the direct smearing of their personal character, strategies for dealing with them fall apart.

Posted by Chris at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (24)

I'm taking care of a neighbor's cats while she is away early this week, which cut into my morning routine. With a compressed amount of time, here are the articles found first this morning:

Copeland's, a mainstay of Hamilton Heights, will hold its last gospel brunch at 1 p.m. on Sunday before closing. [Times] Also in the Daily News and The Real Deal.

Congressman Charles Rangel looking to establish City College center that bears his name. [Post]

Posted by Chris at 08:49 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

Following up on the Harlem Book Fair, here are some of the write-ups I found.

First, from The Ride: To be fair (no pun intended), there are really two Harlem Book Fairs - one that takes place outside on 135th Street between 5th Avenue and Adam Clayton Powell Blvd. and the other which takes place inside the esteemed Schomberg Center for Research in Black Culture where noted scholars/authors/intellectuals discuss the larger more complex issues facing African Americans the audience of which is comprised mainly of middle/upper middle class blacks over the age of 35.

Second, Kyle, aka Writer X writes: [T]his year was more troublesome in the sense that I really felt like I was drowning in the tension between the commercial and "girlfriend" fiction booksellers and some older attendees and some of the more "educated" crowd."

Third, author Leila Jefferson writes: OMG!!! That is my initial reaction, lol...it was a great experience!! I was disapppointed I didn't get to walk around and check out everything else that was going on, but I guess I'll get that chance eventually...so many people came by and showed me and my fellow Pilot authors so much love!!

Finally, Ferentz Lafargue writes on The Night Shift Chronicles: This split provided for one of the more entertaining observations for the day. Inside the Schomburg figures such as former congressman J.C. Watts, Walter Mosley, and current congressman Charles Rangel opined in front of the c-span cameras. Meanwhile, outside on 135th a number of the literary entrepreneurs were seen staging their own press-conferences, compiling footage for what they will surely use on sites such as myspace, youtube and other promotional outlets.

Posted by Chris at 12:28 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

In another crushing blow to Bryant Park's summer film regin, this week St. Nicholas Park is host to the 6th Annual Historic Harlem Parks Film Festival. The highlight of the Park’s summer events, films take place at the beautiful 135th street plaza (St. Nicholas Avenue and 135th street).

The events are free!

The schedule is listed below, and you can also download a PDF of the Film Festival schedule or visit the Friend's website more information.

Wednesday July 25, 7:30pm
Live Performance: Sing-Sing Rhythm - Senegalese Sabar Drummers and Dancers

ALL ABOUT DARFUR (Taghreed Elsanhouri, Sudan/UK, 2005, 80m.) Up until now, the perilous situation in Sudan has been seen only from the perspectives of those outside the country. All About Darfur offers an opportunity to hear the story told by eloquent, at times contradictory, voices from within Sudan.

Thursday July 26, 7:30pm
Live Performance: Music DJ l'mani V/DJ Stone

WELCOME TO NOLLYWOOD (Jamie Meltzer, USA, 2007, 63m.) The burgeoning Nigerian film industry, known as Nollywood, is reportedly the most popular cinema in all of West Africa and the third largest film industry in the world. Welcome to Nollywood looks in to this newly emerging industry, exploring its peculiar inner workings, economic challenges and diverse array of colorful films.

Followed by:
MAMA PUT (Seke Somolu, Nigeria, 2006, 30m.) When a gang of three armed robbers arrive one night, a struggling mother soon finds herself feeding and sheltering criminals, in return for money and protection. But this fiery character uses her smarts and talents in the kitchen to extricate herself and her family.

Posted by Chris at 03:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Given that UPTOWNflavor is possibly Jason Bourne and possibly not coming home until August 3rd, Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

No Harlem News. At least not that Cimbi could find by Googling with small cat paws. So, we offer some events going on in and around the hood starting this evening.

Friday, July 20

For the bibliophiles: The Wheatley Book Award ceremony takes place this evening from 7pm to 10pm, at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture. This evening's ceremony is dedicated to Octavia Butler and Ossie Davis. You will want to reserve seating, which can be done easily by sending an email to rsvp@qbr.com.

For the perverts: Many of us view Central Park as our collective back yard, so why not run around it in our underwear? We would, but registration is full for this evening's 7:30pm Chipotle Underwear Run. However, this does not mean that you can't come oogle cheer on those who did register.

It starts at Central Park's dubious-sounding Dead End Road. You will know you are in the right place when you see a bunch of people ready to run dressed in boxers, boxer briefs, tighty whities and sports or full coverage bras. If the people you see are wearing thongs or sheer materials, you might be in the wrong place. In that case, you should run.

Saturday, July 21st

Start the morning off with a little exercise. You can still register on-site tomorrow morning for the 4 mile Run for Central Park. Be there in advance of the 8:30am start gun. The run begins on Central Park's East Drive near 68th Street.

The much talked about Harlem Book Fair is taking place Saturday. The event runs from 11 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. on West 135th Street from 5th to 7th Avenues. For a complete listing of everything taking place, please check out the website.

Now that you have read the book, see the movie. The Harlem Teen Film Festival features short films, 2 minutes to 22 minutes in length, exploring subjects like military recruitment, drug addiction and gun violence on the streets of New York. From 3 to 5 p.m., the Harlem School of the Arts, 647 St. Nicholas Avenue, at 141st Street, Hamilton Heights, (212) 926-4100.

After a day of exercise and culture, you will need a drink. Stop by Minton's Playhouse to celebrate the Harlem Book Fair with Harlem World from 7 to 10pm. Author Erica Simone Turnipseed will give a reading and signing of her new paperback, HUNGER and featuring music from A LOVE NOIRE/HUNGER: The Soundtrack with LEANiN6 and special guests.

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

From experience, I can say closing costs can take the dream out of home ownership. Cheryl and I actually had an attorney who warned us about the vast majority we would have to pay when buying our Harlem pad, but it still really hurt. (At one point, and I am not making this up, I asked the bank rep "So basically, you're going to stick a vacuum hose in my ass and suck my money out?" He replied "Yes.")

We can't imagine what it would be like to be blind-sided by closing costs, but from reading comments on UPTOWNflavor from those who purchased at The Langston, we get the basic idea: "End of the day closing cots were $2500 higher than the estimates in the offering plan + bank. Oh and then there was the 500 moving deposit, they forgot to mention that this the, I dunno, 6 months I've been dealing with this!"

It's not just closings at The Langston that have irked people. Transatlantic Zeppelin describes his ordeal when closing at a different development, where the seller's attorney was "the bitchiest woman I've met since I was touring the former Soviet Union."

The last character in all this was a title insurance woman, who was at least semi-professional and had her stuff mostly in order, though she turned up 15 minutes late. The shocking thing is that I'm expected to tip her $50 to $75, which is perhaps the most absurd tip request I've heard since I was in India six years ago. Here I'm paying $8600 to the title company (Judicial Title), who pays out less than 1% of premiums in claims, and I'm supposed to tip their rep? Get friggin' bent. I tip taxi drivers, hair dressers, doormen, porters, waiters, barmaids, cocktail servers, bouncers, maitre d's, superintendents, and baristas, all of whom have reasonably hard customer service jobs. Still, I don't tip the shoe salesman at Bergdorf who gets a nice commission off my Ferragamos, and I don't tip people to whom I pay their firm $8600 and only hire them because I have to. What ever happened to just doing your job?

Cheryl and I do have this advice for anyone who is going thru or has recently gone thru a closing: if the sponsor's attorney is Andrew S. Hodes of 80 Cuttermill Road in Great Neck, check to make sure you get your full interest back on any money you put down to hold the place. Mr. Hodes mistakenly moved the decimal when calculating interest for people who bought in our building, and gave everyone in our development chump change on thier money, until a member of the board pointed out it should have been hundreds of dollars back for each purchaser. Oops. Check to make sure he does not make the same clerical error in your case.

Posted by Chris at 11:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (10)

The Amsterdam News has an article today on Marcus Garvey Park that leads off talking about Harlem bloggers (blush). Whatever one might think the park topic would be, I'm guessing it is not the one the article addresses:

Harlem bloggers and their faithful readers are all commenting about the supposed rumor that the new white residents in Harlem are pushing to change the Marcus Garvey Park back to its original name, Mount Morris Park.

"I have[n't?] heard anything officially, I have heard chatter about changing the name of Mount Morris Park," said Neil Clark, chair of the Community Board 10 in Harlem.

Clark who has jurisdiction over the park added, "I doubt that my board would go along with the name change if there was one."

This is the first we over here have heard of this. And just to make the record clear, Harlem Fur is A 100 percent in support of the name Marcus Garvey Park.

Drummers fight for Marcus Garvey Park [Amsterdam News]

Drumming up trouble in the park [UPTOWNflavor]

Marcus Garvey Park Drum Circle [Harlem Fur]

Posted by Chris at 11:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (17)

Given that UPTOWNflavor has gone COMPLETELY FREAKING AWOL!!!, Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

The Sun has a profile on Nicholas Sprayregen, owner of Tuck-It-Away self-storage, former marathon runner, and "the most formidable obstacle to Columbia University's 17-acre expansion." [Sun]

Nonetheless, Columbia expands its holdings with the purchase of two more buildings today. [The Real Estate]

And speaking of Columbia's expansion, here is a succinct article on the difference between the Community Board's 197-A plan for ViVa and Columbia's 197-C plan. [Architectural Record]

A Business Week article on the Harlem Park office tower includes renderings of the building's back, showing an even more geometrically complex structure than the front. [Business Week]

And speaking of buildings, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania-born architect David Adjaye's exhibit Making Public Buildings opens at the Studio Museum in Harlem. [Studio Museum]

And speaking of more buildings, WNYC reports big real estate firms are buying up buildings in nabes that include Harlem. [WNYC]

Although not really news, Cimbi offers a link to this 13-gigapixel panorama of South Harlem. The work by Gerard Maynard uses 2,045 photos stitched together, giving an amazing amount of detail from his perch on Adam Clayton Powell and 110th Street looking north.

Posted by Chris at 07:59 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I'm not blown away by the design, but the Harriet Tubman memorial on 122nd and Frederick Douglass Blvd looks much more like something designed to keep remembrance alive than what we at The Fur had previously assumed was the completed project.

The slopped, textured inner edges of the planters gives the central area of the memorial a riverbed-like feel. Adding to this is the curved design of the subway ventilation grates, seen running alongside the planter on the left.

I'm guessing that the planters are not meant to be a desert scene, and appropriate landscaping with better vegetation is intended.

Finally, the Dwyer in the background adds a nice touch.

Now, if only Frederick Douglass Circle could be hurried up a bit.

Posted by Chris at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Given that UPTOWNflavor is on vacation (possibly in transit!), Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

Youngest and first black pilot to fly solo around the globe celebrates at Rao's in East Harlem. [Times] Experience Aviation [Pilot's Website]

Former Spanish Harlem resident Suzanne Vega doesn't miss the dirty, falling apart days of New York. [Daily News]

Harlem Park and New York Observer kid boss make Harlem Real Estate news. [Post]

Also Renderings for office development Harlem Park continue to astound. [Curbed]

And from yesterday, when Cimbi did not get up early:

Harlem State Senator Bill Perkins talks about the failure of congestion pricing: "I think there was a golden opportunity to really do something remarkable. But there seems to have been an air of you've got to do this because - almost a holier than now attitude." [Sun]

Teen boy shot in the back on 116th between Second and Third Avenues. [Post]

Woman held captive as sex slave in East Harlem apartment. [Post]

Posted by Chris at 07:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Game on. As I passed by Graceline this evening, there was no sign of the stop work order on the plywood out front.

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

A quiet "nooooo" rang through my head tonight when I came home and saw Curbed had posted on this:

Yes, a stop work order has been issued for Graceline Court. Maybe that peach color bothered other people too.

Posted by Chris at 11:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Given that UPTOWNflavor is on vacation (location unknown!), Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

Bloomberg makes a Harlem stop in his last minute push to reduce asthma-causing exhaust with congestion pricing. [Times] And from yesterday. [Daily News]

Uptown preservationist Carolyn Kent wins Angel award. [Daily News]

Who says kids are lazy these days? US-born Mexican teenagers step up to help illegals in their community. [Times]

Wheelchair-bound mom saves her kid when an air conditioner burst into flames. [Post]

Get ready to hear a lot of trance music: High Long Island property taxes are a major force driving people into city areas including Harlem. [Newsday]

sxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx jkd777777777uiipppppppppppp [That was Cimbi's contribution. I don't know where it is supposed to link to.]

Parishioners keep faith alive on the sidewalk in front of closed church. [Times]

Hair cut enthusiast Damon Dash, thru fame and fortune, holds onto the chair from his 112th St barber shop. [Times]

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

Despite feeling that I know certain Harlemites quite well from reading their blogs, I've never actually met the authors. So what would meeting them in real life be like? Easy. A non-stop roller-coaster thrill-ride pitting cyclist against runner against dog owner against photography enthusiast against chronicler, as exemplified by this imagined scenario, written for easy film adaptation:

DANGER HILL

Cast:
Me, Harlem Fur, played by Leonardo DiCaprio
Berry, UPTOWNflavor, played by a mysterious person seen only from the back of her chair
Lance, Harlem 26.2, played by Mario Van Peebles
Corris & Roxie, Rex in tha City, played by Halle Berry (Corris) and Roxie (Roxie)
Joe, What About The Plastic Animals, played by Jeremy Irons

First scene, character development: It's a great summer Saturday morning, not too hot, and not too humid. Not a cloud in the sky. A montage of all of us in our own apartments turning off alarms and performing morning routines delights the viewers. I'm putting on spandex and pumping up my tires, Lance is stretching and putting on running shorts, Roxie is bouncing around playfully as Corris picks up the leash, Joe is loading a 2MB card into his camera, and then seven more in pockets on his shoulder strap, and Berry is hammering out 72 posts in less than thirty seconds about absolutely every event in Harlem that week, some of which even the event holders themselves don't yet know exist.

Next scene, lead up: We all pass thru our respective front doors. Each of us turns up and looks to the sky before heading for Central Park. We see nothing but pure blue. All of us except Joe that is. He steps out to see a very localized formation of the rare cloud type Cumulo Mammatus (foreshadowing!!!) and proceeds to follow it in the direction of Central Park's Northwest corner.

The action scene: Unaware of each other, we all find ourselves on the Northwest turn of the Central Park loop, a steep incline leading to the great hill. I am determined to keep my cycle's speed above 20 mph, Lance is attacking a set of hill repeats, Joe is chasing the Cumulo Mammatus cloud with camera at the ready, and Roxie has just been let free of her leash and is bounding up to the Dog-apalooza that takes place weekend mornings on Central Park's Great Hill. (If you have a dog, I highly recommend it. Be there before 9am, and your dog can run off leash with tons of other pooch friends.)

As the cloud passes over a tree near the loop, a squirrel uses the momentary darkness as cover in an attempt to run across the road. Roxie sees the squirrel and darts dog-like after it, right into my path! I swerve to miss Roxie, and ram directly into Lance. We roll across the pavement, a mangling mess of skin, spandex, carbon tubing and sweat wicking material.

We then stand facing each other, nether caring about putting Bacitracin on our skinned knees and elbows. The smell of protein dietary products radiates off of our skin. "You, recklessly fast cyclist, are responsible for this," screams Lance. "No you, runner, brought this on by using less physics than I," I retort. We each run straight at the other, and in the last moment, I spring from the platform on my clip-less pedals as Lance springs from a pair of New Balance that are actually made in the US. We each launch a roundhouse kick on the other, whose simultaneous collision leaves Lance and I sprawled on the ground.

"Why don't you ladies get a room," says a jackass teenager standing nearby.

Then Roxie playfully trots past. "The dog is responsible!" we shout in unison. Lance and I turn, ready to unleash a biathlon of force on Corris.

Corris sees us, drops to one knee, and in a single, smooth move pulls a personal-sized can of CS tear gas from her purse. The last thing that I remember before the hot flow cascades across our eyes is Corris' pink dog charm on the can. I think "Wow, that's cute. I wonder if they make a cat version I could get Cheryl." In the next moment, Lance and I are writhing on the tarmac, screaming and clutching our eyes.

"I should snap a photo of this," says Joe, who was standing alongside the action taking considered photos of the cloud. "I could put this on my blog."

Blog? The spray clears from our eyes. Roxie stands at attention. Like a chorus from a Hrotswitha play, Lance, Corris and I all sing "You will put this on your blog?" Joe responds, "Yes, I will put this on my blog." And we retort, "We also have blogs. We will put this on our blogs!"

The cloud disappears.

Last scene, the resolution: Despite our unified intentions to put the event on our blogs right away, Berry somehow finds out about what happened (even before it was done!) and writes about it on UPTOWNflavor. To be kind, she links to each of us.

Berry's post gets picked up by Gothamist, and with the increased site traffic to her blog, which is linked to our blogs, we all buy Lamborghinis using the storm of resulting Google Ad revenue.

Fin.

Of course, I see this being such a hit, that we franchise the thing. In the next film, the five hero bloggers have started the Uptown Lamborghini Club. One night, we get all hyper off of Swiss Miss Cocoa and Joe convinces us to drive to see the World's Largest Ball of Sisal Twine in Cawker City, Kansas, resulting non-stop cross country hilarity.

Posted by Chris at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Harlem Fur wishes to correct an earlier statement. UPTWONflavor, while on vacation, is not traveling to Missoula, MT to run Sunday's marathon, nor the half-marathon, nor the kid's marathon, and not even the unique Sundae Run.

Our felis silvestris catus-headed fact checking department has once again provided incorrect information. Cimbi, whose senses seem better attuned for hunting small prey than reporting on local bloggers, has confused the author of UPTOWNflavor with the author of Harlem 26.2.

Lance Smith, the running-addicted author of the very informative and entertaining Harlem 26.2, is running the 10K Naples-New York Park to Park run in Central Park today, Saturday, July 14th. Go Lance!!!

To Harlem blog readers, and those 38 people who live in Montana, we apologize.

Posted by Chris at 01:30 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

At one point while backpacking across Europe, my friend hurled the 23 Birra Peroni he had just downed all over the side of a 600 year old Italian building. As he stood there propped against the wall by his arms, breathing heavy, sweating and swearing he would never drink again, I took pause and thought "I wonder what it would be like to live in a place that was a constant tourist attraction?"

As a resident of Harlem, I now know.

Thankfully, the tourists in Harlem are more likely to be middled aged or a family, as opposed to unsupervised college kids. And they are much more likely to be part of an organized tour, rather than roaming around in loosely formed groups drinking enough to stay blasted until their 21st birthday.

Still, I'm curious as to what the guides are saying when a group passes my place and all of their heads turn up in unison like a bunch of cats watching a piece of string.

For those who are inclined to find out, here are some weekend tours beyond the ubiquitous red buses that go up and down the avenues:

KEYSTONE OF AFRICAN AMERICA, meeting Sunday at 1 p.m. at City College, 138th Street and Amsterdam Avenue, Hamilton Heights. Sponsored by Joyce Gold History Tours of New York. $15, $12 for 65+. (212) 242-5762.

SPANISH HARLEM SALSA TOUR Daily at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m., includes a lecture on the culture and history of the area, meeting at Fifth Avenue and 110th Street. Sponsored by the Lubona Corporation. Reservations: (212) 253-8702. $25.

HARLEM, YOUR WAY! Sunday at 10:15 a.m., "Experience the Beauty of Harlem Gospel" includes a talk about the history of Harlem, with a stop at an art gallery and a gospel church service, meeting at 129 West 130th Street. An optional meal follows. (212) 690-1687. $25.

MUNICIPAL ART SOCIETY Sunday at 11 a.m., "Jewish Harlem" meeting in front of the Adam Clayton Powell Jr. State Office Building, 163 West 125th Street. (212) 439-1049. $15, $12 for members.

Photo of tour bus by Joe Schumacher.

Posted by Chris at 01:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Given that UPTOWNflavor is on vacation running the Missoula, MT Marathon this Sunday, July 15th (Go UPTOWNflavor!), Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

We've only found one article this morning, but damn if Columbia University's announcement that it will not use eminent domain to evict residents of 132 apartments isn't a big one. [Times]

More on the annoucement in The Real Estate.

And what Cimbi missed from yesterday...

Conversion of a long vacant school into condos is causing some to look down their glasses with a disapproving glare while tapping a ruler on the open palm of their free hand. [Sun]

The Daily News had an article on the entrepreneurial undertakings of Broadway stars Lisa Rinna and Brenda Braxton. Brenda started BBraxton, the upscale men's grooming salon in 116th St and 5th Ave. I can't find the article on the Daily News site, so here it is after the jump.

FROM SHOP TO STAGE. Two new stars of Broadway's 'Chicago' have heads
for business - and bods for sin

By CHRIS ROVZAR

In the musical "Chicago," Lisa Rinna and Brenda Braxton play women who make a business out of killing.

In real life, the two are making a killing with their businesses.

Both are entrepreneurs who found success starting their own small companies.

Rinna owns an expanding chain of clothing stores called Belle Gray (named after her daughters, Delilah Belle and Amelia Gray), and Braxton last year began an upscale men's grooming salon in Harlem called BBraxton. And since the two have been facing off in front of the curtains, they've begun trading tips and advice behind them.

"My oldest daughter was having a hard time because we [Rinna and husband Harry Hamlin, who also stars in "Chicago"] usually put them to bed at night, and now we can't. All of a sudden, she started to freak out. Brenda came in and said, 'Why don't you have them come to the show every night, so they can be with you and then they can go to bed?'" explains Rinna. "I thought, 'That's a great idea,' so we did it. Not only did they completely connect with Brenda right off the bat, but it worked. They let our nanny put them to bed and it's all good
now!"

On the business front, Rinna is better equipped to dole out advice. In 2006, she left her job on the television show "Soap Talk" to open a store.

"I love fashion and I love to shop. My husband studied architecture in college," she says. "We started to investigate how to do it and, five months later, we had a store. We did it all ourselves, we didn't hire anybody. I went downtown, bought all the clothes myself!"

Rinna now owns two Belle Gray locations in California, and expects to open another in Las Vegas in 2008.

Braxton also came up with the idea for her own business with the help of her husband, power fitness trainer Anthony Van Putten.

"My husband said there's no place really where guys can go, other than sitting in nail salons with women, where they can get manicures and pedicures," Braxton explains. "The novelty of it is that a lot of women know what they like in men. Just like how a lot of male designers know how they want women to look. That's a good idea!

"This isn't really something that's new," Braxton adds. "Back in the '30s and '40s, especially in Harlem, that's what they did. The dapper gentleman."

Now that her business has taken off, Braxton said she, too, is thinking of expanding to Vegas in the fall - so she and Rinna can have a second act together.

Visit the "Chicago" stars' shops at www.bellegray.com and BBraxton, 1400 Fifth Ave., at W. 116th St., or www.bbraxton.com

Posted by Chris at 08:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Harlem Fur wishes to correct an earlier statement. UPTWONflavor, while on vacation, is not in Clearwater NE (males 179, females 205).

Our fact checking department, which is run by a small furry house cat with little formal training, confused the author of UPTOWNflavor with the author of What About The Plastic Animals?

The author of Harlem blog What About The Plastic Animals often vacations in towns with population totals less than the average Manhattan city block.

To Harlem blog readers, and those in zip code 68726 living just off 275 between Neligh and Ewing, we apologize.

Posted by Chris at 12:45 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The 9th Annual Harlem Book Fair taking place not this weekend (the 14th), but next weekend (the 21st), will include a lunch with authors Zane and Omar Tyree. This is probably your best chance all year to ask Zane "Is it hot in here, or is it you?" (She'll love it, as I am sure she has not heard that one before.)

In addition to the fair itself on Saturday the 21st, running from 11am to 6pm on West 135th Street, there is also Friday's (July 20th) Wheatley Book Award ceremony from 7pm to 10pm at the Schom-burg Center for Research in Black Culture.

Posted by Chris at 10:32 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Given that UPTOWNflavor is on vacation this week in Clearwater, NE (pop 384), Cimbi and I thought we would fill in with links to the morning's news.

Landlord Pinnacle Group, never living up to its name, is sued by tenants for racketeering. [Times]

It's not the $225,000 you'd pay in Chelsea, but a parking spot in Harlem can still cost nearly $50,000. [Times]

And with parking so affordable, why not pick up a 3,800 sq foot 127th St. townhouse for $2.295 million? [Post]

Sunday night will see Hillary Clinton in the nabe for a little bowling. Rumors has it this is a planned fundraiser, not the result of Clinton strategist Howard Wolfson using the timeless Lebowski quote "Fuck it Dude, let's go bowling." [Daily News]

Harvard graduate kid leaves white shoe Boston firm, moves to Harlem as beat cop. [New York Press]

And from yesterday...

East Harlem shoe vendor waxes about being looted in '77 [Post]

The Sun makes wine recommendations and you can buy them in Harlem? Must be at Harlem Vintage. [Sun]

Posted by Chris at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Urban Digs has a review of the Harlem real estate scene. The conclusion is, of course, that it's "Hot, Hot, Hot."

How hot is "Hot, Hot, Hot" you ask? For starters, check out UD's Google Map mash up of new and planned developments. Central Harlem is nearly blanketed, and a strong current runs up the middle of Manhattan from there.

But real estate assessments do not live on development maps alone. So, UD then supplies a few facts and figures to give the map some context. While some of those elicit eye rolls (A new bank and CVS? In Manhattan? No. Way.), others will probably cause your next sentence to begin with "I should have..."

I'll give you a couple teasers, and encourage clicking thru for the rest:

· Harlem real estate price appreciation far outpaced that of NY City, with a 300% increase in the 90s, vs. 12% in New York City overall.

· The median value of all owner occupied housing in Harlem rose 295% from 1995 to 2000 vs. 12% for New York City as a whole.

· The Harlem population grew 8.4% during the decade of the 1990s, vs. 3.3% for Manhattan overall. Households grew even faster at 10.2%.

· Why Harlem is Hot Hot Hot [Urban Digs]

Posted by Chris at 12:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

From the OMG-you-just-missed-this-really-cool-thing! department comes the Historic Harlem Parks film series "Through African Eyes."

This evening in Marcus Garvey Park was a live performance by the Kotchenga Dance Company and Ivorian Drummers and Dancers followed by the film Faat Kine. (The last 'e' in the film's title has an accent, and damned if I can get it to show up in Movable Type- Ed.)

Faat Kine, a 2001 film by Ousmane Sembene, the "Father of African Cinema," tackles the question of women in contemporary Dakar, Senegal. It's a warm, often funny story of a single mother, her children, ex-husbands, aged mother and friends. Sembene contextualizes his heroine, whose life is shaped by tribal custom and sexism as by her own ambition.

You have one more chance to catch the series in Marcus Garvey Park tomorrow (Thursday the 11th). Beginning at 7:30pm, DJ L'mani V and DJ Stone provide music, followed by TWO FILMS! (Suck it Bryant Park!)

First up is Banished, a 2006 film by American Marco Williams. From the 1860s to the 1920s, American towns violently expelled their entire African American communities. Thousands of families were forced to flee their homes. Banished tells the story of the Black descendants and the white residents who struggle with their hidden past.

Second is Notes On A Paper Plane, a 2006 film by HARLEMITE Nemo Librizzi (wonder if he has a pet?). Hope has just turned sixteen and her mother suggests its time she face the real world and learn to make money. Hope is less than enthusiastic at the prospect of taking on a part-time job, yet in obedience to her elders she seeks out a paper route.

Other Harlem parks are also hosting the series throughout the summer. To find out what is playing in Central Park at the Harlem Meer, St. Nicholas Park, Jackie Robinson Park, and Morningside Park, check out the website.

· Historic Harlem Parks Film Series

· Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Posted by Chris at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A tipster sends along a photo showing the Associated supermarket on Frederick Douglass Blvd between 123rd and 124th my friends and I lovingly called "The Ass" has now been assed out by demolition crews.

In addition to The Ass having razin's in all aisles, the corner building formerly home to a cocktail lounge is also no more.

As per a tipster, Property Shark shows "Hotel" in the name of the lot's owner, and rumor has it that a W Hotel will be going up.

The photo comes from inside SoHo North.

Posted by Chris at 11:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Cheryl and I were excited to see my uncle Dale this weekend, as he has been so nice to us over the years. For his arrival, we wanted a simple but well matched presentation of cheese and wine. Being that he was taking us to dinner, it was the least we could do.

So I sought the advice of Harlem venues. The woman who counseled me at Harlem Vintage recommended a bottle of Vouvray. She even had one chilled. The woman at Citarella's cheese counter matched the Brut with a fine camembert that, lucky for me, had been sent to the store by accident. Adding a box of Finn Crisps, we were ready for Dale to arrive.

We should have known that Dale would bring us a present, and he did. He presented us with many cheeses, including a smooth French variety that spreads like soft butter, a burrata that came uniquely wrapped in a husk, gorgonzola, and others. Of course, he also brought three wines to match.

With such a wonderful selection, we almost skipped dinner.

Posted by Chris at 09:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Dear Friends,

A reminder to let you know we are meeting for our regular monthly meeting this Tuesday evening (July 10th) at 7pm. The meeting will be located at the Harlem Visitor's and Community Resource Center.

The center is on the first floor at 502 West 142nd street (between Amsterdam and Hamilton Place)

Please come with any ideas you have for our events in St. Nicholas Park, questions about our organization and please feel free to bring a friend and spread the word. Below is a rough agenda of what we'll be discussing.

1. Increasing our membership
2. Fundraising activities
3. Events Calendar
4. Capital Projects Update

Thanks and see you Tuesday evening! If you have any questions please email us at info@stnicholaspark.org

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Posted by Chris at 04:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

I don't normally post during the day, but someone emailed to say that the building under renovation on the Southeast corner of Lenox and 126th that was supposed to be an ESPN Zone is actually going to be an M&T bank.

Uh, seriously?

Posted by Chris at 01:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (7)

First, I want to say that I am in favor of Graceline Court. The building's design adds a conversation piece to 116th Street, and a little bit of texture to the skyline.

That being said, seeing the color on the facade made me pause. It's there in the rendering, but still, peach? Will it be a refreshing splash of color, or a cacophonous insertion of Miami in Manhattan?

I'll hold off final judgement until more of the material is in place, and of course post photos along the way.

Posted by Chris at 08:15 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

For anyone checking out South Harlem residences this weekend, gorilla marketers 5th On The Park would like to give you a free ride to their sales office.

Armed with fancy 6 page color brochures with an embossed cover printed on quality card stock, the men and women of Revolution Rickshaws have been spotted around other Harlem residential developments. Their offer? Enjoy a leisurely, pollution-free, tour of Harlem from the comfort of their pedicab on the way to 5th On The Park.

That's Revolution Rickshaw's CEO Gregg on the left, and Robby on the right.

Posted by Chris at 08:37 AM | Permalink | Comments (10)

The good people of the Friends of St. Nicholas Park and Uptown Vets bring you this Saturday's (July 7th) Coffee Bark.

For those of you who helped out with last weekend's Wood Chip Workday, you deserve it! For those of you thinking of helping out with a Wood Chip Workday, meet the people and pooches who make the events so rewarding.

From the Friends:

Dear St. Nick Dog Park Friends,

This Saturday, July 7th from 9am-11am we'll be having our monthly Coffee Bark at St. Nick's Dog Park. This month's bark is sponsored by Uptown Vets.

They will be there on Saturday letting everyone know about the services they provide to the neighborhood.

Coffee Barks take place on the first Saturday of every month. This social event allows us to get to know one another as well as address dog park issues and discuss future endeavors in St. Nick's Dog Park and St. Nicholas Park. Coffee and other refreshments will be served.

Hope you can make it and of course please bring your dog! If you have any questions please email us at info [ at ] stnicholaspark [ dot ] org (sorry for the crazy way of writing the email address, just trying to cut down on their spam- Ed).

Thanks,

Friends of St. Nicholas Park

Sponsored by:
UPTOWN VETS
295 WEST 112TH STREET

Posted by Chris at 08:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In a move that was completely unintentional, I shoot some clips of the Marcus Garvey Park drum circle on the last Saturday before the city's new noise ordinance went into effect.

The drum circle has been hotly debated on Curbed and UPTOWNflavor for some time, especially on posts about new residential developments 2002 5th Avenue, 10 Mt. Morris Park West and 5th on the Park.

So, I shot a clip right at the circle, on both corners of the park near the circle, and at the developments (except for 5th on the Park, as there was nothing at 10 MMPW, and absolutely nothing at 5th OTP). The camera only films at one sound level, so comparisons between the locations can be made.

It's far less sophisticated than the noise meter used by a Post reporter checking the decibel levels outside Manhattan clubs, but my Canon does provide a little objective material for this debate.

A map of where each clip I shot is after the jump.

SCORE! A reader sends in this clip of the drum circle taken from inside 2002 5th.

Posted by Chris at 11:01 PM | Permalink | Comments (34)

Okay, I know that other places may have served sushi around here, but as far as I know, Charlie's Place on Madison between 125th and 126th is the first regular sushi joint in the area. By regular I mean one can run in after work and pick up a $4 tuna or spicy salmon roll to go.

I find this to be a pretty significant entry on the central Harlem food scene. Myself and many others have long complained that options for quick take out, the kind one is looking for on a weekday evening when getting home, usually lean heavy on the unhealthy side. As I understand it, normal Chinese takeout is worse calorie and fat wise than McDonalds, and normal Chinese takeout is about it for quick delivery in central Harlem. (I do champion the Boar's Head sandwiches at the deli on 116th and Lenox as a quick and not unhealthy choice, but one can only do that so many times.) Charlie's Place does offer some of the fried options, including fried fish and chicken, as well as teriyaki, but they do have the sushi, and at normal prices.

Cheryl and I tried the sushi, her the spicy eel and me the spicy salmon, and were quite satisfied. (The photo of the sushi to go section was taken near the end of the day- it had a much better selection earlier on.)

The only complaint I do have is about the current hours. Charlie's is open from 11:30am to 8:00pm. I can understand sushi not being fare many would consider for breakfast, but I was looking forward to a new option for when I get home late. Eight o'clock is too early. I did talk to two of the employees about any plans to push the close time back, but they don't think any changes on that front will be happening son.

They do deliver, and the number is: 212-410-0277.

Posted by Chris at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)