The Harlemite cats, dogs and people I know have been discussing the possible effects of the recent economic meltdown on our nabe, and I'm interested to find out what others think this situation holds for us. To kick things off, I'll do a little recap of how we got here, look at some possibilities of what is to come, and lay out a couple of strategies. Then, it's up to you to fire away.

Where We Are:
As a country, we find ourselves in an uncertain job market wondering if we will be in our home next year with debt pouring out of every bodily orifice. So how did we get here? The answer is fairly simple.

We swapped out production and saving for consumption and financing. Basically, we didn't make many things or save much money, but we bought a lot of stuff, and did so with easy credit. A good portion of the credit came from home values, and home values increased because the credit was easy.

It sounds like a nice existence, but it can't last forever. At some point the credit came due, and when it did, a bunch of people found themselves wondering what happened as they stood outside of a Midtown office building gripping a few personal possessions in a cardboard box, classing up the bum scene with their work attire.

This was definitely a buzz kill, but we could have lived thought it. That is one thing a recession can do, correct the market. It would not be great, but over time Americans would cut back on financed purchases and begin to rebuild savings. It's kind of like waking up on Sunday morning with a killer hang over from Saturday night. You've lost some brain cells, they are not coming back, but if you suck it up and resign Sunday to recuperation, you can be back kicking ass when it counts on Monday morning.

However, the powers that be in Washington didn't want the party to end. They dumped what is at this point about $7.6 trillion of your tax dollars into banks and other places that made bad decisions with the hopes people would continue making more bad decisions, and this would somehow work. (For those of us with a home we can afford at a fixed interest rate and no credit card debt, this is really irritating.) Instead of toughing it out, they did the financial equivalent of shot-gunning a bottle of Jack Daniel's on Sunday morning. Sure, it brings back the feeling of Saturday night, but this kind of behavior inevitably ends up with someone dead in a cheap Vegas place after a mostly sexless relationship with a hooker. And that seems to be where we are heading.

Where We Might Go:
So does this affect Harlem? Of course. Much of the recent changes in Harlem were due to rising real estate values. This fueled everything from the increase in rents and new developments to the cleaner streets, lower crime, and growing selection of amenities. With tightening credit markets and lower home values, we can expect these things to change. With the bailout shenanigans in Washington, we are probably in for something really, really bad.

Adding debt worth about half of our nation's GDP to the public tax burden will be ugly. The middle class can be expected to shoulder a lot of this, because that always happens. With more of our tax dollars going to debt finance, we will see reduced spending on infrastructure and cut backs in services. With more of our income going to taxes, we will see fewer people able to live a middle class life. We may see building construction stop unfinished, and plenty of neighborhood amenities shut down.

Will Harlem be a bit worse off than other places? Maybe, but it will be the difference between someone punching you in the stomach, knocking you down, and urinating on your face versus someone punching you in the stomach, knocking you down, and urinating on your face after eating asparagus.

You don't have to go that far back in time to see that other nabes were not always so glamorous. The Lower East Side really still is one big drug corner. SoHo is what it is because not long ago starving artists moved into bleak, unused buildings. The Upper West Side was still West Side Story when most of us were born. We can expect the only nice neighborhood left to be floors two thru 18 of 740 Park Avenue. For those who can't live there, the Upper West Side probably wins the location, location, location pick, as 'kick, snap, spin, kick, stab' is more charming than just 'stab.'

So what about the rest of the country? Here is one possible scenario.

Washington goes on with its IOU printing party to try and keep borrowing its way out of debt. At some point the rest of the world catches on and realizes that buying IOU's from people selling IOU's to cover other IOU's they can't pay back is not a good investment. Our country then turns to printing money to make good on promised funds, devaluing the dollar like mad. Seeing it sink, entities around the globe using the dollar as a reserve currency start dumping it, furthering the devaluation, and inflation takes off to destabilizing extremes.

All hell breaks loose. Cash will be king. The reason for this is we can still withdraw large amounts from banks in clumps of one dollar bills to burn in garbage cans during the cold winter months. People in the street will be heard saying "If only I moved all of my savings to Argentine pesos, I would have so much money." Enterprising Mexican men move their wives and children to the United States and sneak across the border to Mexico so that they can work, send money back here, and give their families a better life.

It's at this point we realize why Hillary Clinton wanted to be Secretary of State. The position has not proved well as a launching pad to the presidency, but but that's because others tried to get elected president. Hillary, having used her diplomatic skills to warm world leaders to recognizing her new rebel government, throws a coup in the mist of the mayhem, and rules with an iron fist as President for Life in a pant suit-based military uniform.

Serious.

Possible Strategies:
Can anything save us from this fate? Shy of some truly extreme event like the death of everyone in third world industrial nations, no. So what should we do? Depending on your personal style, here are some options.

The Optimist: Move to Las Vegas
Befriend a hooker and drink yourself to death.

The Survivalist: Move to Michigan
So why would moving to a state that already has an 8.6 percent unemployment rate be a good idea? I look at it this way; if only one of the big three auto makers fails, that dumps about another 300,000 unemployed, burly people with mechanical know-how and access to the scrap yard that is Detroit onto the streets. It won't be long before these skills are used, and Michigan's people are your Mad Max vehicle-driving overlords. You might as well start making nice now.

The Risk Taker: Leverage yourself to the Nth degree and buy every real asset you possibly can
So if over leveraging ourselves got us into this mess in the first place, why would I encourage doing more? The reason is that the government also got itself way over its head in debt, but unlike us, they have access to the money supply. Some genius will figure that they can get themselves out of this mess by printing more money and stoking massive inflation. In a climate like this, if you have a fixed rate mortgage, the amount you owe plummets. When this passes, you are in a much better position.

Any other ideas?

Posted by Chris at 01:23 AM | Permalink | Comments (9)

The voting line here at 117th and Lenox is like a nabe party.

Also, if you do get the chance to find out what distirict you vote in beforehand, it can help the poll workers point you in the right direction.

Posted by Chris at 06:48 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Most of us who were home on Sunday know that something was happening in the nabe, but apparently five kids getting shot does not warrant a news story.

Around 9pm on Sunday evening, sirens started to kick up. They were quickly followed by ten or so minutes of helicopter engine noise randomly accented by a search beam. We began scouting online for any word, and came up nearly dry. Aside from a few blurbs on Gothamist's Newsmap, the only reporting we could find was from the Hip Hop Republican:

As I am typing, all of Harlem is in fear the time is around 9pm and there are shots all over the Harlem. On 127th near and St. Nicholas, a young light skinned black male in his 30's or early 40's was shot and possibly an officer. I am not sure how accurate the information is regarding the cop death is but I do know that there is no mention if this on NY media. Usually the media is quick on reporting this stuff but there is a dead silence where is NY1? caught the tell end of this criminal act and witnessed the guy laying on the street with blood flowing from his chest.

...This is Richard folks reporting for HipHopRepublican.com from the a war zone in Harlem not Fallujah.

Monday and today have seen nothing from dailies that I can find, but Gothamist did dig into the Newsmap items for a bit of clarification. Gothamist reports that no arrests have been made.

For those who would like to help, your local police precinct and Harlem Mothers SAVE are great places to start.

Posted by Chris at 11:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

The little bundle of sass called Harlem BuBu seems to have brought in an offer on her apartment through her blog 68 Bradhurst. Thou not for the reasons you might suspect. Instead of posting about finishes, appliances and floorplans for a listed unit, her writing on life in the new luxury building prompted a buyout offer for her to leave.

68 Bradhurst, as the subtitle says, tackles the good, the bad and the nasty in The Langston. As an example, a post from earlier this month covers some of the bad getting nasty with a board member at the near-by Duane Reade. A rather unrestrained public exchange turns noticeably cooler back in the building lobby.

So is the offer to buy out her apartment real? Will the person behind the anonymous offer be revealed? Is this a viable sales strategy in a soft real estate market?

Who knows.

Posted by Chris at 10:14 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

So I'm going through photos I snapped this weekend of soon-to-open or recently opened venues, looking to pick a few to post on, and I notice that the number of new unique places, in comparison to new chain stores, really isn't as bad as what one might think. (Or even what I might think.)

Granted, I am not including shots of the new Starbucks in SoHa 118 on Frederick Douglass Boulevard, the new Starbucks on 125th St and Adam Clayton Powell, the new Dunkin Donuts on Frederick Douglass and 113th-ish, or the new Dunkin Donuts on Frederick Douglass and 124th-ish. However, as best as I can remember, only the Dunkin Donuts on Frederick Douglass and 124th-ish replaced a unique neighborhood joint (La Marmite, which relocated). The others mostly filled vacant space. (I think the Dunkin Donuts on 113th-ish replaced a Curves, which is kinda funny, as if people just gave up and went for the donuts anyway.)

Now we will soon have Cafe Latte filling vacant retail space on Lenox and 122nd-ish near Settipani and Louise's Family Restaurant, as well as SVNTN Below and Subway coming into virgin retail space near Tribal Spears on Frederick Douglass and 116th. Cafe Addis on 125th and Amsterdam is open, and the Ethiopian coffee is good. (Neighbors let us know that the food is not spiced to tradition, as they had to ask for salt to give it some flavor.)

Posted by Chris at 09:10 PM | Permalink | Comments (14)

Insanity now comes bunked four to a room in Harlem's Lotta Hostel.

Walking past the former 118th St Lotta Condos building on Saturday night, I noticed that the time honored Harlem activity of socializing on the stoop was being carried out in several languages by a mix of late teen to twenty somethings. At first I thought that the Harlem Experience tours had really gone too far (Gospel service, Sylvia's, African Market, Stoop?), but then noticed the fully functional check in desk and a faint wiff of college.

Maybe it was fate, or maybe it was the full moon, but I am guessing that two of the French-speaking guests came from Quebec, based on the license plates of the Smart Car parked down the street. (Right! Because how could this story not include a Smart Car?) It was enough to make me run home and grab a real camera, as my cell phone could not capture the car in the dark.

Posted by Chris at 01:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

For those who want to watch live that moment when Michael Phelps becomes the Olympic Gold Medal Winningest athlete of all time, there is only one place to do it: the past! For those who want to watch the rest of the Olympics while drinking beer and not feel guilty about it, Cafe Amrita at 110th (Central Park North to you new people) and Frederick Douglass Boulevard is a great choice.

I feel wrong sitting idle on my sofa as I watch the world's greatest athletes compete. I feel like I should be 'doing something.' Thankfully, simply sitting back and enjoying the competition is much more easily achieved when in the company of others doing the same.

Posted by Chris at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, I said I was not going to post on the Harlem Smart car again, but then Miss Maura Mae comes along with a shocking revelation: The car has Jersey Plates!

Just a couple weeks ago, this was not the case. The car proudly sported New York licensing.

Could it be that obsessively blogging about the car drove the owner to move across the Hudson?

Posted by Chris at 11:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Emotions can run deep over Columbia's proposed Manhattanville expansion, so let's all first inhale deeply, hold it at the top of our lungs, and exhale slowly...

No matter what one's personal feelings toward the development project are, we can pretty much assume that it is going to happen. So why not take advantage of the opportunities it presents? As our economy looks a little thin, Columbia is ready to dump $7 billion worth of development into our backyard.

To help make sure that Harlem talent can get in on the activities, Columbia appointed La-Verna Fountain as its new associate vice president for construction business services. Fountain looks at the project as an "expanded opportunity for local businesses and for local people to have good jobs." The addition of 1,200 construction-related jobs a year for more than two decades is just at start.

Columbia's Minority and Women Owned Business initiatives has a 25 percent goal for total construction, maintenance and repair spending—15 percent minority, 5 percent women and 5 percent local. in the past two years alone, purchasing relationships with vendors, consulting agreements for services, and contracting for construction, renovation and repair services under the initiative have been worth $127 million.

I'll post on informational sessions or upcoming opportunities when I know of them, but I strongly encourage anyone interested in potential opportunities to contact Columbia sooner than later.

Posted by Chris at 11:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A reader writes:

I have a potential roommate who was advised by a Columbia student living on Morningside Drive never to go into the park alone at night. I've personally never had any trouble, but I was wondering if anyone else has had a different experience. Please chime in. I don't want to tell her it's safe if it isn't! Thanks.

It's difficult to think that any place the Paper Bag Players have recently performed could cause any harm other than side splitting laughter. A previous roommate walked the park late at night for about two years with no problems, funny or otherwise. (And no, he is not the guy in the pink shirt.) But things are different for men than women when it comes to safety.

Any thoughts out there will be appreciated.

Posted by Chris at 06:21 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

I want to send out a huge thanks to all of you who sent along an encouraging or kind word about Harlem Fur. It's greatly appreciated! You make Cimbi's day.

Truth be told, at first I thought all of the email was from my mom. Given her stressed relationship with passwords, I could see her needing to open a new email account with for each message or comment. But then I realized that multiple people I am not related to read this blog!

So, no promises these will work, but now that I picked Harlem Fur back up, I want to see about following through on a few of the requests you sent in.

One big request was the ability for Harlem pet owners to get in touch with one another, especially to talk about pet sitting and vet care options. Once again, no promises this will work, but check out the beginning of a Harlem pets' social network site. Depending on how well my brain and the new Facebook work, this will soon have Facebook integration, so no need to individually sign into yet another lame-ass social network.

As always, thanks for your time, and send along any ideas and thoughts.

Posted by Chris at 10:27 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Holy Crap! Sitting at Settipani, I just saw a man get intoo the Smart Car and head south on Lenox.

(Basically, I'm testing blogging from my phone. And I will be done with Smart Car sightings. I swear.)

Posted by Chris at 06:05 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Last week's Smart Car sighting on West 120th Street kicked up a few conspiracy theories on Curbed. Some are guessing I have sold out to the real estate industrial complex. One aspiring sleuth writes:

Hey - aren't those dead leaves on the sidewalk and street? In July? Was this picture really taken "this Thursday?" And why are there no other parked cars anywhere in sight (or pedestrians on the sidewalk)? And such a beautiful background of brownstowns with flowers in planters. This picture was so professionally orchestrated, they whited out the license plate number. Its shows a scene so peaceful, so tranquil, so gentrified. And at the same place where there was a shooting rampage over Memorial Day Weekend.

The whole picture looks kinda like a picture that I would take if I was trying to sell real estate in Harlem in a down market. Then I would plant it in some local blog with some faux ironic comment about Harlem being fully gentrified.

With compliments like this, maybe I should reconsider my profession.

Actually, the people living on 120th should be the ones feeling a deep sense of satisfaction. The whole set up process involved me seeing the car, thinking it was funny, taking a photo, and continuing on. Flowers, sidewalk upkeep and the general tranquility is all the work of Harlem residents.

Almost as much energy went into the above photo taken Sunday, also on 120th Street in front of Marcus Garvey Park. You will note it includes:
-Other cars on the street
-Pedestrians
-Visible license plate
-Flowers in the park

Posted by Chris at 07:47 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

And it's over.

This Thursday, parked in all of its eco-sensibility along a row of renovated brownstones leading to Marcus Garvey Park, sat a red Smart Car with total Harlem street pwnage. The fortwo was begging any other vehicle to try and come close. None did.

It's enough to make me pack up my cat, roll down the gate down on this blog, and go home. But I already did! So, it's kinda having the opposite effect, with the gate rolling up and all.

Posted by Chris at 07:52 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

Lance kicks ass tomorrow. Let's send him some love today.

Harlem 26.2

Posted by Chris at 10:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (6)

While perusing Harlem articles today, I came across a subject even more scary than the identical clown costumes Cheryl and I will wear for Halloween- New York City public schools.

Having a non-traditional child (our cat Cimbi), articles like this one on a Wednesday public schools Town Hall meeting at St. Mary's Church usually fly below our radar. However, this one hit close to home, like right across the street close to home, when a teacher from P.S. 149 was quoted:

[Teacher Pat] Sherwood said that Harlem's P.S. 149, on W. 117th St., was particularly problem-ridden. "There's a lack of professionalism from the administration," she said. "It pushes teachers, rushes teachers ... There's a major investigation going on within the administration. We don't know the full story. This lack of communication has to stop."

Another choice quote includes: Avis Sylvester, a teacher at P.S. 149, said that she had "seen books in the garbage" at other schools. "Some schools have too much and don’t know what to do with it, and others don't have enough," she said. "I couldn't stand to look at the garbage—good textbooks were thrown out."

For more, including quotes from State Sen. Bill Perkins, click through to the full Columbia Spectator article.

Posted by Chris at 12:43 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Craig Murphey, who helped build the West Harlem Action Network Against Poverty since 2003, was killed early last Thursday morning on his bike. In his memory, the first annual Craig Murphey Memorial Party Fund Raiser to raise money for Craig's charity work is being held tomorrow at Royal Oak at 594 Union Ave in Brooklyn (L to Lorimer St).

Below is a letter about Craig from Raquel Granda, Director of Cathedral Community Cares.

Craig started working at the Cathedral in November of 2003 as a VISTA volunteer for CCC. He was 22 years old, just out of college, and excited about the chance to live in the very "heart" where everything happens. His task was to strengthen the work of the Upper West Side Colloquium Against Poverty, which consisted of about 5 emergency food providers in the Morningside Heights/West Harlem area. The group wanted to have a VISTA volunteer coordinate its efforts. It was important that the group met regularly, that there were minutes, and an agenda, not just a lot of discussion about poverty. As soon as Craig started his work with the group, membership expanded and the group was able to accomplish a number of projects: a membership agreement and mission statement (as well as the changing of the group's name to "West Harlem Action Network Against Poverty, or WHANAP), the publication of a resource guide, the sharing of a web database, and a Community Supported Agriculture Project, better known as the "West Harlem CSA."

Through his ability to build relationships as an organizer and using his creativity and intelligence he fundraised for the continued coordination of WHANAP and stayed on as the Cathedral's Community Organizer after his VISTA year was completed.

Just this week, we ended the first West Harlem CSA growing season. This collaborative initiative ensured that fresh produce would reach low-income families and the emergency food programs he worked with through WHANAP. This project was close to his heart. He was passionate about the issues of hunger. He understood that combating this issue was not just about feeding people but that it involved getting the freshest and best nutrition to everyone regardless of one's income.

Continue reading "Celebrate The Life And Work Of Craig Murphey This Friday" »

Posted by Chris at 02:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

The Harlem River Boat Club is taking advantage of the gorgeous fall season by rolling out its learn-to-row program with a limited number of spots for new rowers. *We have the boats, the coaches, the equipment...all we need is you!* New rowers will get 20+ hours of training in the following fundamentals:

· basic understanding of boating rules and safety procedures
· working knowledge of rowing commands
· basic proficiency in sculling with some sweep rowing
· essential river etiquette and rules
· steering commands for bowing and coxing

You don't need to be an athlete, tall, or extraordinarily fit to participate. Classes accommodate people at most fitness levels and ages. It's mandatory for safety reasons, however, that you are a strong swimmer.

*WHEN?*

There are *two sessions available, running concurrently from October 6 through November 3. *

*Session 1:* Saturdays (8–11 am) and Tuesday evenings (5:30–7:30 pm)

*first weekend is both Saturday AND Sunday

*Session 2:* Sundays (8–11 am) and Thursday evenings (5:30–7:30 pm)

*first weekend is both Saturday AND Sunday, last class is a Saturday

It's extremely important that you're available for ALL classes in your session, as skills are cumulative. Please contact us with scheduling concerns. *Weekday evening classes may be pushed back to 6pm if there is sufficient demand.*

*HOW?*

Calendar clear? *Reserve your spot in class by emailing Kate, the LTR coordinator, at **kate [at] harlemriverboatclub [dot] org** to indicate your interest in session 1 or 2.* A signed waiver and payment must be received before your place in class is confirmed. It's first come, first served, but if you don't nab a spot, we'll put you on the wait list in case someone drops out before class begins. After that, we'll keep you posted on next season's learn-to-row schedule.

*COST?*

$150 (reduced fees are available for participants who qualify) Sorry, no refunds once classes start!

*WHERE?*

Practice takes place on the Harlem River at Roberto Clemente State Park in the Bronx. The Park is accessible by the 4 Train, MetroNorth (Morris Heights station) and the Bx40, Bx42 and Bx 18 buses.

*QUESTIONS?* Email Kate at kate [at] harlemriverboatclub [dot] org.

Posted by Chris at 03:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

*** Calling all rowers and rowers-to-be! ***

The Harlem River Boat Club is thrilled to host a kick-off barbecue this Sunday, September 30, at 1pm, to gather friends old and new as we prepare to get on the water! Our tentative on-water date is October 6!

Come learn about:

*Learn-To-Row classes
*Open Rowing sessions
*Volunteer Opportunities

Please share this invite with friends! If you cannot attend, please check our website for updates, or email info [at harlemriverboatclub [dot] org with any questions. We look forward to seeing you soon!

Posted by Chris at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Let's see, $7 billion worth of neighborhood development with contract preferences for local talent, the creation of more than 6,000 permanent jobs with benefits in our backyard, cleaning up the waterfront for public enjoyment, and considered assistance for relocating those displaced, all with the creation of a public high school dedicated to math and sciences- sounds like a good thing to complain about, right?

People's ability in this city to protest exaggeratedly about any and all change never ceases to amaze me. One of my favorite examples to date is the community protest over cleaning up Washington Square Park in the Village. Bourgie residents from the tony nabe are all up in arms to prevent revitalizing the mounds, nothing more than large asphalt deposits infested with rats. But whereas watching stroller pushing moms fight to save dirty rodent dens in the middle of a park provides for great comedy, watching the way some people are choosing to protest Columbia's expansion can be embarrassing.

Naturally, one would expect neighborhood activists to take advantage of the situation and push to get the best possible outcome of these opportunities, but the last public hearing by CB9 devolved into romper room with protesters booing speakers, creating a racket with noise makers, and otherwise behaving like a bunch of hyperactive school children.

Is this really necessary?

I'm not saying that everything Columbia is doing is perfect, but the clean up and redevelopment of former manufacturing brownfields, creation of jobs with decent benefits packages and betterment of the local education system are usually things communities fight to have. Looking at job creation alone, Columbia will be pumping a lot of opportunity into the nabe.

Job Creation- Construction: It's no secret that the economy is coughing and sputtering a bit as of late, and construction especially may be loosing speed. With the pace of development in the city slowing down, Columbia is ready to pump $7 billion worth of clean-up and construction into an area that is mostly an underutilized brownfield. This translates into 1,200 construction jobs a year during the course of the project, which may last 15 years. Also, given that this is Columbia expanding its home and not a fly-by-night developer trying to make a buck and skip town, I am guessing the construction jobs will be union, rather than off the books, and construction quality will be better monitored than some Harlem projects.

Job Creation- Permanent: As I know it best, Columbia's expansion will create 6,000 new permanent jobs. I am sure that most people who have been in Harlem will agree that people in the area are in need of employment, especially employment with decent health and retirement benefits packages. People have to eat too, which probably means a boost for local restaurants and other establishments.

So, in advance of the Borough President's hearing this evening on Columbia's Manhattanville expansion, I thought I'd throw in my two cents on why this might not be such a bad thing after all. Hell, it might even be worth approaching the situation like adults. Of course, I look forward to any ideas on the topic everyone else has.

Time and location for this evening's Borough President public hearing on the University's expansion plan is:
Aaron Davis Hall's Marian Anderson Theater, on the City College campus, 138 Convent Avenue at West 135th Street. The meeting time is 6:30pm.

By Subway: #1 to 137th Street, A, C or D to 145th Street
By Bus: M11, M18, M100 or M101 to 135th Street

Manhattanville photo by masck

Posted by Chris at 03:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (22)

How could I not post on something with Biil T. Jones?

artHARLEM presents:
The 3rd Annual Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour/HOAST 2007- a two day walking tour of artist studios and galleries in historic Harlem. Sat Oct. 6 & Sun Oct. 7. Tour and shuttle bus starts at 151 W.122nd St. Free to the public.

Tour maps are available at neighborhood venues like Harlem Tea Room and Saurin Parke Cafe or visit www.artharlem.org for more information.

Participating artists: Dindga MaCannon, Stephanie Mulvihill, PJ Cobbs, Ruth Miller, Julio Valdez, Bill T. Jones/Arnie Zane Dance Company, Asia Ingalls, Harlem Quilting Girls Circle, Chashama studio artists, Noreen Dean Dresser, and more.

Posted by Chris at 04:18 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Friends of St. Nicholas Park are holding a meeting in the park next Tuesday to organize events for the rest of 2007 and 2008, and they are looking for new members to join. They write:

Next Tuesday, September 11th, we will have a special September Picnic Monthly Meeting on St. Nicholas Park's Great Lawn (near 135th street plaza in the park). The meeting will begin at 6:30pm and last until 8pm. Please bring a picnic meal and something to sit on such as a blanket.

Click thru to their site to check out all of the details.

Posted by Chris at 11:02 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

This is an amazing thing to watch: Nick Sprayregen, owner of Tuck-It-Away Storage and main Columbia foe who riled up Harlem anti-gentrification activists against the University's expansion, is now proposing that in exchange for his buildings, Columbia give him lots in the expansion zone to build 25-story residential towers of market rate housing.

Will there be any low income units? Oh, of course, if the University subsidizes them, that is.

One of the towers would go up where the Nash building stands, a building the same anti-gentrification and preservationist activists sought to preserve. [Columbia Spectator]

Sick of banks and pharmacies being the only new retail? Someone in the City Council has heard your pleas for a better shopping selection, and are proposing ideas from tax breaks to mom and pop shops to "a zoning proposal in the works for 125th Street in Harlem that would bar banks, offices, and hotels from occupying first-floor retail space, except to allow entrances and lobbies." Chipotle, thankfully, is allowed. [Sun]

Despite the nation's credit crunch, the sale of parking garages for conversion to office and residential space continues, with a four-story garage on 132nd between Lenox and Adam Clayton Powell on the market. [Sun]

Looking for a penthouse below a million bucks? The Langston is your best bet. Plus, it has parking, you know, which seems to be a more difficult thing to find these days. [Sun]

And it's not just parking garages that are undergoing conversions. The trend of condos springing up all around continues, with some appearing in rental buildings at the expense of residents' safety. [Newsday]

amNewYork has an article in the print edition titled The new, old Harlem, Vibrant black middle class survies gentrification, but I can't find it online.

And in culture, which is kinda like real estate, in the sense that it's an integrated pattern of human knowledge and all...

Harlem-born Daily News editorialist Errol Louis says comedian Eddie Griffin, "like Michael Richards and Don Imus before him," is out of touch using the N-word. [Daily News]

Posted by Chris at 08:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

As Labor Day approaches, many of us are trying to get in those essential summer activities before it is too late: Shakespeare in the Park, time at the beach, brunch with friends outside, and for the heroin addict who sometimes crashes in the construction site next door, taking a dump on my building.

This summer's Herr Dooker seems to be even more advanced than last year's sly crapping. The bowel bandit has moved from simply crapping during daylight hours in a fairly open area to firing off his rear exhaust on the service door right at ass height. This gives it a nice cascading effect.

We have an action shot of George cleaning it off, and a little song I am writing to commemorate the occasion (sung to the tune of Creedence Clearwater Revival's Lookin' Out My Back Door [2:32]).

Leavin' for work in corduroys, check the side door, oh boy!

George is spraying at something, he got it all watered down
Odor takes my nose for a spin and I'm singing

Doo, doo dookie taken on my side door

Somebody's been shootin' heroin, and spraying out their ass
Looked for corn or sign of nutrition in the poop 'round
Guy needs some protein if he wants to be alive

Doo, doo dookie taken on my side door

If Cenmusa builds a public toilet for the man
I will leave some quarters right on the ground
Doo, doo, doo
He can even use toilet paper, no public spy

Doo, doo dookie taken on my side door

And that's all I've got. Time for bed.

Posted by Chris at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

I'm a bit subdued after Sunday's 100 mile bike ride around Long Island's North Fork, and feeling a bit more like reading than writing. As such, I offer a sample of what has caught my attention:

The Friends of St. Nicholas Park appreciate even those green spaces that are not in St. Nicholas Park, and so profile Arthur, a neighborhood hero who helps keep the foliage in the street looking it's best:

I often see [Arthur] trimming, planting and pulling trash out of the plot. He even created wooden teepees over areas that are trying to grow; to prevent foot traffic from cutting across.

He does this because he loves it. Plain and simple. [Friends of St. Nicholas Park]

A little further uptown, Christina plays the role of 'Girl behind door 2' in a real life episode of Law & Order:

I can hear another detective knocking at another apartment door down the hall. The man at my door is wearing a suit, has a badge clipped to his lapel, and is very well-groomed and handsome. Like, so good-looking that I had to wonder if he as married (but, no, I did not go looking for a ring). It turns out that two people had been shot and killed in the building next door and the detective wanted to know if I'd heard anything, if I'd been home all night, etc. That is sooo L&O. [Swirling Black Lilies]

Not the kind of dirty sex that you dream about, Lance tackles a tough subject in a daring way:

White folks may not know the numbers but it's down right scary out there in Black America where we make up approximately 13% of the population yet account for 50% of the new HIV/AIDS diagnoses in the US. 1 out of every 4 Black men in Manhattan aged 40 - 49 is HIV Positive and HIV/AIDS is the leading cause of death of Black women between the ages of 25 and 44. That right there sums it up and is why being single in NYC can suck - you can literally get killed out here dating and there is nothing cool or sexy about that reality. [Harlem 26.2]

Posted by Chris at 11:57 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The Harlem River Boat Club has just been asked by the Manhattan Parks Commissioner to do a "row-by" in a ground breaking ceremony for the Harlem River Esplanade, and so writes in:

This is a big deal for us, because it means that we are truly on the radar screen of Parks higher-ups and because it indicates that rowing is an activity that the Parks Department wants to see and showcase on the Harlem River.

*The ground breaking is tomorrow, August 21st, at 11am.* HRBC will be rowing boats on the river as part of the photo-op. The Mayor will be there, along with other electeds and Parks reps.

*We need several people who how to scull and a small group of people to help rig and launch a boat* -- we will probably be using our wherries, or perhaps our quad. We will be meeting at Roberto Clemente State Park at 8 AM and should be done by 1PM.

We know this is short notice, but it's an amazing opportunity for HRBC. If you are available to help out for any part of this, please let us know!

Salty dogs, scurvy naves and like can send an email to: info [at] harlemriverboatclub [.] org

Posted by Chris at 02:28 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Community Board 9 will hold a special board meeting this evening to vote on both Columbia's and the Community Board's plans for the University's proposed expansion into Manhattanville/ ViVa.

Last week's meeting on the same drew a disappointing response from some attendees, who booed speakers such as former Mayor David Dinkins. However, members of both Columbia and the Community Board did seem to walk away with the feeling that there is a great opportunity to reach agreement.

There are arguments both ways (I do not support the use of eminent domain for private use), but Columbia's plan is by far the best for making the neglected Manhattanville/ ViVa area into something nice. And it is Columbia, so they will be building to stay as a member of the nabe, not building to make a quick buck and then cut town.

This evening's meeting will be held at the Manhattanville Community Center, 530 West 133rd Street, starting at 6:30pm.

Posted by Chris at 02:03 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

For all of those out there in the nabe who at one time or another have said "If only there was an -x- near-by," now is your chance to make that wish come true. Or at least advocate on behalf of it with a couple mouse clicks.

A Harlem Fur reader, property manager, and Harlemite himself writes in to let us know that he has vacant storefront space around Lenox and 125th, and is wondering what people would like to see fill it up. So feel free to voice your opinion via the survey, in the comments, or via email, as this is not about being rigorously scientific. No, picking great Harlem retail is all about love.

Note: Survey responses were reader submitted, except for Cimbi's.

Posted by Chris at 02:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (28)

Just a reminder that State Sen. Bill Perkins' town hall meeting is this evening at 6pm.

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 02:07 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Celebrating East Harlem's culture and legacy is the 4th Annual Arts Festival.

Attendees are asked to mark their calendars for August 18th, and vendors and participants are asked to sign up in advance by contacting Chris Bell at 212-831-8929 or cbell -at- cb11 -dot- org.

Click here for a full-sized, printable flyer.

Posted by Chris at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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)

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.

Continue reading "Marcus Garvey Park Drum Circle WITH BONUS FOOTAGE!" »

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

Gina Fuentes Walker and everyone at artHARLEM are inviting artists and neighborhs to the next Artist Get Together this Friday June 22, 6-8 pm.

The evening will take place at Big Apple Jazz, 2236 Adam Clayton Powell, Jr. Blvd (btwn 132nd and 133rd streets), which is worth going if you have not been there already (shame, shame).

Those who want to be polite and R.S.V.P.

And speaking of artHARLEM events, H.O.A.S.T. (Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour) is now accepting applications for the 3rd Annual Harlem Open Artist Studio Tour. Tour dates are set for Saturday, October 6 (12:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m.) and Sunday, October 7 (1:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.).

Posted by Chris at 11:17 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In about ten minutes, the Mets will face off again against the Cubs in their up, down, up performance at Shea. For those who can't make it in time, but wish to see at least one Met today, Carlos Beltran will be honored this evening at Harlem RBI's annual dinner and auction.

Harlem RBI works with kids to build confidence and get them thru high school and on to college. Plus, they try and have a good time along the way.

Ticket's to this evening's event, which starts and 5:30 with a VIP reception followed by a silent auction and then a dinner at 7:30, are about the same price as last minute tickets to a regular game: $1,000. However, I am sure your chances of getting a ball signed are a bit better at the Grand Hyatt than they are at Shea.

UPDATE: You can congratulate Carlos on the Met's five point come from behind victory in the 9th inning today! Nice!

Posted by Chris at 12:51 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Staring at the walls in Society Coffee (Frederick Douglass Blvd @ 114th St.) is now just as interesting as staring at fellow patrons. Small(ish) Works, a show by Erik Sommer, Stephanie Mulvihill and Gina Fuentes Walker, is currently on view.

From the show's description: Stephanie Mulvihill uses quilting and collage to explore ideas of personal fragmentation and reconstruction, as well as question the validity of tradition in a rapidly changing world. Erik Sommer describes his work as a conversation between age and beauty, capturing the passing of time through the deterioration of texture. Using small and multiple photographic images, Gina Fuentes Walker's work explores our relationship with interior space and urban architecture by transforming the mundane into visually heightened environments.

And just by including the title of Sommer's work, "broken sex," I am sure that Harlem Fur will take part in that conversation between age and beauty, but mostly of the single sided type, as mediated through late night Google searches. I mean, we are headed that way as it is.

For those who wish to converse in person, artHARLEM is hosting an artist get together at Saurin Parke Cafe (110th Street @ Frederick Douglass Blvd) this Friday, May 11th, from 6 to 8 pm. To RSVP, email Co-Founder and Director Gina Fuentes Walker at gina -at- hoast -dot- org.

Posted by Chris at 02:59 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

For those in the nabe with conventional children (not small, furry animals), Harlem mom Sarah has a great list of local goings-on. And at least one of those events encourages kids to dress up as small, furry animals. Amazing. Thanks Sarah!

Harlem 4 Kids is a Parent Run Co-op that is working to provide programs to young children in the neighborhood.

Their main program right now is "Storytime Saturdays" - which is hosted at Tribal Spears (117th & Frederick Douglass). There are two sessions every Saturday - one at 9:30am and one at 10:30am. The earlier session is a geared a bit more towards the under 2 crowd (and way less crowded). There is a $5 suggested donation.

They also have a pretty good listserv going- through it parents are putting together playgroups, babysitting co-ops, providing Doc recommendations and sharing and giving general advice.

There is also Grandma's Place Toy Store at 84 West 120th - which has provided much solace for me during rainy winter days. They entertained Sadie and let her roam around and play with all the toys. They are also working to start a Sunday Story Time hour - and are looking for parent volunteers.

Lastly - we spent Earth Day at the newly developed Glade (104th and CPW) - it's really nice and should have a lot of kids programs over the summer.

Posted by Chris at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Parks

The Friends of St. Nicholas Park are holding their FIRST! EVER! regular monthly meeting. Attendance is open to all, bringing a friend is encouraged, and people are asked to come with ideas for events and the organization.

The agenda, roughly, will be:

1. Summer Events Calendar
2. Increasing Membership
3. Fundraising Activities
4. Dog Run Update
5. Capital Projects Update

Tuesday, May 8th, 7pm at Harlem Visitor's and Community Resource Center, the first floor at West 502 142nd Street (between Amsterdam and Hamilton Place).

Dance

It was Benny Goodman vs Chick Webb on May 11th, 1937, in what became a classic night of dance and jazz in Harlem's historic Savoy Ballroom. So why let the 70th anniversary of a great battle pass without a little reenactment? Enjoy live music from the Savoy Stompers, a smart dance performance, and a free swing lesson just in case 70 year's time has put a little dust on your dancing shoes. Tickets are $20.

Friday, May 11th, 7pm at the Julia de Burgos Cultural Center, Lexington Ave & East 106 St. For further Details contact:
Clyde Wilder 646 - 546 - 8684
Bronx Barbie 917 - 941 - 0935
Clay Herndon 917 - 549 - 7075

Dogs

Move over big dogs, the little dogs are moving in. Now that big dogs have a place to call their own in St. Nicholas Park, it's time to carve out an area for little dogs (with big dog personalities). Tasks at hand include fence erecting for the small dog run, cutting and moving fencing for the new corral entrance, landscaping around the new corral entrance, and spreading woodchips in the small dog run.

Saturday, May 12th, 10am at St. Nicholas Park dog run @ 135th Street. For more information, check out the St. Nicholas Park blog.

Dogs Again

Uptown Hound will host Sit Stay Dog Training for their seminar "The Urban Dog." The seminar will cover simple things you can do to improve your relationship with your dog, as well as your dog's health. Our cat Cimbi needs some relationship training, so we may try to dress her up as a Wheaten Terrier and bring her along.

Sunday, May 13th, 2pm at Uptown Hound, corner of Adam Clayton Powell and 121st Street. The seminar itself is free but registration is required. To register: email sitstaydogtraining -at- gmail -dot- com or call 646.352.1980.

Posted by Chris at 12:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

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)

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)

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)

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)

With the one year anniversary of Harlem Fur coming up at the end of the month, we are certain that many of you out there are wondering what to get the Fur. Should it be food and water dishes for Cimbi to replace the cereal bowls we currently use? A new kitty bed to replace the one we had to throw out because she peed in it? Another cat dancer of Joyce Cohen's design?

We suggest the gift that keeps on giving: ad space. Meow.

This is a great way to micro-target your advertising to awesome Harlem residents (all Harlem Fur readers are awesome, and they know it). Plus, you will receive lavish, glowing write-ups on your product loosely veiled as the objective musings of an uninvested local resident.

As an example, let's hear about Harlem Fur's web hosting parent company, Haus Interactive: Man, I can't say enough great things about this awesome team of dedicated web professionals. Haus Interactive, the major label parent company to their indie label Big Ass Hat, provides the solid level of professionalism needed to retain clients like Psychology Today and Federal Pumps, while maintaining a creative edge that makes them the obvious choice for East Village literary institution KGB Bar and side projects by Moby.

Just kidding, the rigid editorial integrity of this site loosely covering the antics of a small house cat and the neighborhood she lives in will never be compromised by paid advertisers. Unless they really pay a lot.

Ad space will be in replacement of that annoying Google Ad bar two posts down and on individual entry pages (revenue to date: $0.00) and possibly a 120px wide third column between the current two. The Fur will offer short term packages we like to call "Cat Food" and longer term packages we like to call "The Animal by Dyson" or "iRobot Roomba Sage for Pets."

Posted by Chris at 11:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Greek mythology has it that Aphrodite was born of the water after Cronus cut off Uranus' testicles and threw them into the sea. Ouch.

The myth of the love god's origin is unsettling, but not nearly as unsettling as the growing lore around the new uptown Aphrodite cleaners.

First, scattered accounts of less than divine experiences with the shops began arising via the comments section in previous posts. Whether it was ruining clothing and then overcharging or returning an order 17 pounds lighter, the stories were not good.

Then the oral histories began. My neighbor caught me in our lobby and explained to me how he was charged more than triple the estimate for a single item at Aphrodite. My neighbor, who was very recently a Marine sniper, effectively communicates when he is not pleased.

Now, via an email this evening, we have our first cannon work, a tale of a whole building's problems with the place:

Aphrodite Cleaners agreed to pick up and deliver our dry cleaning for our residential building. They agreed to come every week to collect and drop off our clothes. On February 8th, Aphrodite picked up our cleaning and was supposed to return them on February 15th, but we did not receive a drop off. When we did not receive a pick up or drop off on February 22nd, I called the store and asked them to drop off and pick up on the next day, which they did. When they delivered on February 23rd, they only delivered a portion of the load; they did not have any of my husband's dress shirts, which was odd, because if anything is in the load, it's my husband's dress shirts! After nearly two weeks of calling and receiving promises of calls back from the manager, Fatima, to no avail, my husband visited the store on Saturday, March 3rd. On Saturday, Fatima spoke with my husband and promised to look through their factory for his shirts and she would call us on Wednesday, March 7th. Today is Thursday, March 8th and we have not heard from Fatima. If we do not hear from them by this weekend, we will be placing a call to their corporate office and the Better Business Bureau! This is an alert to your readers...BUYERS BEWARE!

Wow.

Does anyone else have an Aphrodite story to tell?

Posted by Chris at 11:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (28)

It's strange how a sensible good time leaves me fumbling for a way to write about it.

Cleaning up the St. Nicholas Park dog run this past weekend was just that, good honest fun. A bunch of people from the neighborhood got together and picked up trash, built some mesas, and spread mulch so that their dogs can have a place to run around and be dogs. And to show appreciation, Mike brought coffee, Vaneik and Julia brought donuts, and Shawn brought water.

Yet since Saturday I cannot seem to write anything about the day.

I suppose this is because the normal inspiration was not there: no one was an ass or did anything ridiculous, and none of the dogs peed on each other, the attendees or the donuts.

There was one point where I could have shot a photo of four people carrying a huge log and gave it the caption "excited for a new place to sit, the guys sport some wood," but I was having too much fun carrying buckets of mulch to go for the camera.

(The photo comes courtesy of photographer Carola Polakov, who can be reached at 917-507-4278 for dog, cat and human portraits.)

Posted by Chris at 12:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

First, the bad news.

UPTOWNflavor reports that the Sugar Shack closed. Boo. The Strivers Row place once "the site of impromptu gatherings, first dates, comedy shows, poetry readings and down and dirty dancing," is now home to an open lease sign. Moan.
· Closed - Sugar Shack [UPTOWNflavor]

Then, the medium news.

Jeremy from City Specific stops by the reformed women's prison cum condos and checks out one of the few Manhattan residences that opens directly onto the side walk. He ponders boob-flashing recidivism. (Photo is of an actual 10 MMP bedroom from which boobs may be flashed.) This would be a great post if it was not for this text: "I stopped by a part of Harlem I haven't visited as much in the past year, and which I probably won't be seeing much of anymore after Saturday..." What the hell, this is right near the Fur! Are you snubbing us? Come on man, we just washed the cat.
· 10 Mount Morris Park West [City Specific]

Now, on to the good news.

Today, Central Park's Bethesda Arcade is re-opened. It's not Harlem exactly, but Central Park serves as our collective backyard, so it makes a valid entry. After a $7 million renovation, the intricate, custom-made tiles are restored to their original glory. Given the weather today, the Intelligencer points out that, luckily, it is one of the few places in the Park one can enjoy in the rain.
· Central Park Restoration Delivers Ornate Detail, Potential Nookie [Daily Intelligencer]

Tomorrow, the Friends of St. Nicholas Park will be moving wood chips to prepare for the dog run's new permanent entrance, and they need your help. Stop by beginning at 11am. It's a great chance to meet your neighbors.
· Woodchip Workday at Dog Park Scheduled for March 3rd [Friends of St. Nicholas Park]

And an ongoing story we are sure to watch, Curbed highlights coverage by Dwell and Joyce Cohen on David Alan Basche and Alysia Reiner's green Harlem townhouse renovation. The acting couple's new home will have a bunch of environmentally conscious stuff and four dual flush toilets. Oh please, oh please, oh please invite us to the housewarming. Please.
· Going Green (and Going Zen) in Harlem [Curbed]

Posted by Chris at 12:13 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

What could be better than a huge pile of new wood chips for the St. Nicholas Park dog run? Lets try a new permanent entrance.

Contract work will begin soon to install the new permanent entrance to the run. To make way for the improvements, the Friends of St. Nicholas Park need your help this Saturday, March 3rd from 11am to 4pm to move the wood chips.

Tools, water and coffee are on the house. Bringing gloves is recommended.

For more information, or to answer your questions, check out the Friends of St. Nicholas Park blog.

Posted by Chris at 11:09 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

As of early Sunday evening, the NYPD is readying Sky Watch on the Southeast corner of Frederick Douglass Circle to, we presume, watch over Saurin Parke Cafe's allotment of H&H bagels. I mean, it had been used to protect Dunkin' Donuts.

The surveillance device, best known to Curbed readers as the "Tower of Fun," is just inside Central Park at Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 110th Street. The location provides a clear line of sight across the traffic circle to Harlem's new premium bagel vendor.

Also, I suppose, it may have a traffic calming effect around the circle. Despite the traffic circle itself supposedly being what would calm traffic on Central Park's Northwest corner, I have noticed a lot of horn blaring and brash taxi maneuvering since it went in.

· Harlem Tower of Fun Now Protecting Donuts [Curbed]
· Bagel in Harlem Leaves, H&H Bagels Appear In Harlem [Harlem Fur]

Posted by Chris at 09:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

It's one of those classic tales of missed connections in New York.

A Jewish girl from Indiana navigates the maze of New York real estate and finds herself living in Harlem, searching for a bagel. She holds steady in her quest, even after being groped. But one day she is knocked to the ground by a drunk man wielding a bag of cans. She decides it is time to let the quest go. And peeking out from her shadow as it recedes down the street are H&H bagels, now being served at Saurin Parke Cafe on 110th Street and Frederick Douglass Boulevard.

When the campaign was over this month, I was surprised to read that Bagel in Harlem had moved, despite her propensity for doing so. I was also surprised to learn that Rob Freeman had sold Saurin Parke.

While some of the changes under the new owners are welcome, such as H&H Bagels, one change seems to have had a noticeable negative impact. Although there is still free WiFi for patrons, the new management is no longer offering free electricity, and the outlets are covered up.

When I stopped by recently, expecting there to be the normal crowd of people on laptops, only three customers total were in the place.

Thankfully, unlike the search for dough with a hole in Harlem, the search for free WiFi with an outlet is much easier. A sampling of hot spots with electricity on Frederick Douglass Boulevard alone includes:

Society Coffee at FDB and 114th
· Society Coffee Celebrating Its One Year Anniversary Next Month [Harlem Fur]

Tribal Spears Gallery and Cafe at FDB and 117th
· Tribal Spears Gallery and Cafe [Official Site]

Patisserie des Ambassades at FDB and 119th
· Culinary Plenipotentiaries: Patisserie Des Ambassades [Harlem Fur]
· Patisserie des Ambassades [Official Site]

Posted by Chris at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Contributed by Neha Singh Gohil.

For the old Dwyer Warehouse, the third time is certainly the charm. After two serious accidents and decades of abandonment, this historic Harlem structure is finally on its way to becoming a vital part of the area's community and economy once again. Developer John Cross is renovating the Dwyer into a residential loft condominium complex, complete with 6,100 square feet of commercial space and a basement devoted to public theatre and cultural events, according to his broker, Denice Johns. And the best part? In a time of reportedly widespread upset about the gentrification of Harlem, Cross' development appears to have hit the mark for contextual progress in this culturally rich, historically African American neighborhood. Yasmine Cornelius, District Manager and a Harlem native, calls the building "a great fit" for the community.

Continue reading "Sunday Reading: The Dwyer" »

Posted by Chris at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

Update: 7Online says that everyone is alive and only a couple of people suffered minor burns.

Three video clips of the Harlem fire: one below and two after the jump.

Continue reading "UPDATE II: 3rd Floor Fire On Lenox at 116th St" »

Posted by Chris at 04:33 PM | Permalink | Comments (13)

More photos of the Harlem fire after the jump.

Continue reading "UPDATE: 3rd Floor Fire On Lenox at 116th St" »

Posted by Chris at 04:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Three ladders, a bucket, and an extension are currently working to bring people out of a building on the Southeast corner of Lenox and 116th Street in Harlem. More as I get it.

Posted by Chris at 03:47 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Harlem resident and Columbia School of Journalism grad student Neha Singh Gohil passed along her article on wine tastings at Harlem Vintage, the boutique wine shop on Frederick Douglass Boulevard and 121st Street. Neha gave us permission to post the whole article, and we are more than happy to take up that offer.

After reading the article, you will want to check out Harlem Vintage's February events calendar. In addition to Saturday events covering winemakers of color (4:00pm to 7:00pm on the 10th, 17th and 24th), there is a Rose Champaign tasting on Tuesday the 13th from 5:00pm to 7:00pm and a Valentine's Day bubbly tasting on Wednesday the 14th from 6:00pm to 9:00pm.

Wine tastings serve as meeting place for Harlem residents, old and new

By Neha Singh Gohil

Just before dinner on a recent Saturday evening, people assembled around a long wooden table in Harlem. Edmund Floyd, a black bodyguard in a beanie, has lived in the neighborhood for nearly 20 years. Next to him, Pablo Joo and Nelson Rosado, Latino roommates who moved in just three months ago, clutched shopping bags from Citarella, a gourmet grocery store. Kyla Kupferstein, a black Jewish educator who freelances for magazines in her free time, stood at the end.

These people hadn't met before, but they all shared this: All are Harlemites, and all love wine.

Wine tastings at Harlem Vintage, a boutique wine shop on Fredrick Douglass Boulevard and 121st Street, have always served as a gathering place for West Harlem locals. In an area where almost everyone has an opinion about the new neighbors, nobody brings up gentrification here. The small wine shop became one of the first places where Harlem neighbors - new and old - can come together to enjoy a sip of wine and a laugh on the weekends.

Continue reading "Sunday Reading: Harlem Vintage" »

Posted by Chris at 08:00 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A very sophisticated new Harlem couple clued Cheryl and I in to a local meat truck when we were talking about neighborhood finds. It sounded pretty cool.

Not only does the truck, which drives up from down South, offer Virginia ham, sausages, and vegetables straight from a farm, but the two guys running the truck at 132nd and Lenox have the kind of neighborhood gossip that makes this corner of Manhattan feel like a small town.

Being a huge fan of eating food, I sought it out.

Cheryl's enthusiasm for the truck died when seeing it. It is just a regular pickup truck; no refrigeration or similarly functioning unit on it at all. Getting her to cross the street and 'at least take a look' was a laborious affair.

Anyway, despite Cheryl's advice, I bought some ham and sausage, and despite her protests, I tried to bake the ham this evening. It didn't take long until I understood what she was concerned about.

I threw in the ham, ran across the street for BBQ sauce, came back to the apartment, and for a fraction of a second wondered when we started raising swine in our home. I was hit by a stench so undeniable and strong that it unearthed Midwestern childhood memories of animal barns I thought long gone and buried. The place literally smelled like shit.

Cheryl wept for our furniture and anything else with a porous surface that may absorb odor.

Posted by Chris at 11:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (8)

As an addendum to the last post, I ran the New York Road Runner's Midnight Run by myself. I didn't do that by choice.

Cheryl was not really up for it, but wished me luck. However, nearly every guy that I asked to come along had the idea shot down by his girlfriend / fiancee / wife.

I assumed that the race, whose full title is the Emerald Nuts Midnight Run, took its name from the company sponsoring the event, but it may have more to do with one needing gem-hard genitalia to get permission to go.

I would like to think that I am in that category, but in reality, it is probably the case that Cheryl is one of the most understanding girlfriends on earth.

Posted by Chris at 11:48 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Many of us make New Year's resolutions as fleeting as the stroke of midnight itself, such as 'oh I'll brush the cat every other day,' 'seriously, I'll post on Harlem Fur again,' or the perennial classic 'I'll exercise more.'

Thanks to the gallant efforts of the New York Road Runners, I was able to put that last resolution into effect at 12:00am on the dot with the 4 mile Midnight Run in Central Park. Actually, due to the throngs of people also seeking the earliest fulfillment of soon-to-be-discarded New Year's resolutions, it was closer to 12:15am when I finally crossed the start line.

I'm proud to say it was only a half hour later when I crossed the finish line, which I feel is a good time when navigating scores of runners, walkers, some dude dressed as Winnie the Pooh, and everyone else who knew how to celebrate the arrival of 2007 in one of the best ways possible.

Posted by Chris at 10:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Check out the invite here.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

I'm blaming this all on the full moon.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

The Centerline

Harlem resident and political moderate Jonathan Funke picked up his blog, The Centerline, this month. Don't worry, it's not focused on Harlem. The Centerline will be a great medium for Jonathan's centrist take on politics.

Jonathan is an all around clean and solid writer, whose jazz reviews I enjoy reading in The New York Press. He set out to write The Centerline early last year, but became sidetracked. "Why?," he writes, "Because - like any political moderate you can point to - I had a job and a life to attend to. That's why 'irate moderates' are so rare." Thankfully, the Lamont / Lieberman Senate race in Connecticut brought him to the keyboard.

The Centerline is a welcomed addition to the Harlem blog roll; it helps illustrate the wide variety of ideas in our neighborhood.

Aphrodite Cleaners

The review is belated, but I have only good things to say about the Aphrodite Cleaners on Lenox and 119th Street.

On their second day open, I dropped off shirts, pants, suits and bedding. To a certain extent, I thought by dropping off so many things I could best judge the cleaners on a variety of items, but more so I just didn't feel like dragging another load of anything to the cleaners in TriBeCa I had been using. My thought was that even if Aphrodite was not the best, at least I didn't have to endure another two 'sweaty arm' subway rides to get a couple of things cleaned.

I did not have to worry. The woman at Aphrodite was courteous, professional, and efficient, and aside from a credit card reader malfunction that was fixed later that day, everything was great. All of the items I dropped off came back clean, smelling good, well pressed, and on time. Even the micro-fiber comforter was completely free of cat hair. (Cimbi took care of that in a matter of hours.) And best of all, they gave me a delivery bag.

I feel that a new era in my life has begun.

Remember, there is also one on 117th between Frederick Douglass Boulevard and Manhattan Avenue.

Posted by Chris at 11:42 PM | Permalink | Comments (15)

Seems that Kathleen Grace, the co-creator, producer, AND director of the Burg, an original Internet series about Williamsburg hipsters, is way too hip for the nabe. She is now a Harlem resident.

This was inevitable.

Now, if only she would start a series about city cats visiting parks.

Props to former co-worker No Neck Noel, whose post clued me in.

UPDATE: Looks like I got a little post happy. Kathleen has lived in Harlem for almost two years now. Oops.

Posted by Chris at 12:36 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

In addition to bringing one's cat to the park, the other summer trend Cheryl and I are laying claim to is the surge in tandem bikes.

Like many couples, we are not exactly matched in desired bicycle riding speeds. An attempt out together on separate bikes would unfold like a low-grade math problem: Two cyclists leave the same spot simultaneously, the first exerting enough effort to sweat like a wild animal before covering the first block, the second going at a pace that best facilitates enjoying the scenery. After 2 minutes, which cyclist is mad at the other? Answer: Both.

This is unfortunate. One of the best ways to enjoy summer in the city is on a bike, especially when living close to Central Park and Manhattan's west side bike path.

In an attempt to work around our problem, we went to Central Park's bike rental to try a tandem. The bike we picked up was probably the worst machine Cheryl and I have ever pedaled, but we had a great time. Due to the bike's weight and clumsy design, the first few minutes consisted of Cheryl in back yelling at me for unnecessary swerving and attempted tourist reduction, accompanied by me feverishly trying to explain it was not my fault. Eventually we mastered riding together.

As expected, the tandem solved the problem of different riding speeds. No matter how hard one of us peddled, the other was right there. And as an added bonus, I was always in the lead. So of course we wanted our own.

Knowing that tandems can easily run $3,000, we set out to find a used one. Why drop three grand on something we may only use occasionally, when someone else probably did the same thing. Our thinking was that some couple probably bought a tandem thinking it would be neat, and then grew tired of trying to make room for it in their apartment and would be happy to get rid of it. I set up a few different RSS feeds on Craig's List, and for a month did not see anything decent come across.

So, about a month ago I was biking by myself in Central Park on a gorgeous afternoon when I decided to bite the bullet and buy one that day. Using my Treo, I plotted the west side bike shops leading uptown from 59th Street. I thought that by going uptown I would be closer to Cheryl to when I found one. I didn't find one until I was in Inwood on 200th Street. Tread Bike Shop had a 2004 tandem that the owner, Ozzie Perez, said he had only rented out a handful of times, and offered to sell it to me at a great price. Since then, Cheryl and I have been out every weekend and as many weeknights as we can work in.

Now, it seems, tandems are all the rage. About two weeks after buying the bike, we went back to the bike shop to upgrade the handlebars. Ozzie told us he had more inquires about tandem rentals in the past two weeks than he had had in the two years of owning the bike. Also, there are now multiple posts on Craig's List of people looking to buy and trade for tandems. And, whereas we used to be the only tandem on the road a month ago, last Saturday we saw four tandems on the west side bike path on one ride.

Just to get it out there, I really want a border terrier puppy. I spent this evening calling breeders in the area, and will go to meet two border parents early next month. So, when everyone gets off of the current oodle puppy craze and instead gets all nuts for border terriers, please note that I wanted one first.

Posted by Chris at 09:49 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Minerva Guerreo of Alianza Dominicana has sent me 9 (now 12) unsolicited emails in the past two days about the August 11th special reception of Oscar Abreu's 'detachment of the ego' at the Alianza Art Gallery. If I get one more email about this I will be creating my own piece of "psycho-expressionism" whereby I detach Minerva's ego, and superego, and id.*

Minvera, whose address is mguerrero@alianzadom.org, emailed me yesterday the same August 7th press release to three separate email accounts. I don't know how she aquired one, let alone three, of my email addresses.

Two of the accounts I received the press release through I don't even log into anymore (they forward to another account), and none of them were the Harlem Fur account. If one of the accounts the press release was sent to was for Harlem Fur, I would have been more welcoming of the news. Customized wedding gown designer Cassandra Bromfield asked a while back if I would post about an upcoming bridal expo in Harlem, and I was more than happy to do so.

So last night I emailed Minerva from the email addresses the press release was sent to and asked to be removed from the list. I also let her know that not having an opt-out feature at the bottom is probably a violation of the Can Spam Act. I thought, 'well, that takes care of that.'

Today I received six more emails about the same event, once again to all three accounts. The first email was a general save the date email, and the second was the August 7th press release in Spanish with an August 8th date on it. Apparently it takes the Alianza Dominicana 24 hours to translate a page.

Anyway, as long as I have the event information, here it is:
detachment of the ego
Oscar Abreu
Friday, August 11, 2006,
6:30 to 9:00 in the evening
A L I A N Z A A R T G A L L E R Y
2410 Amsterdam Avenue, New York, NY 10033
RSVP: 212.740.1960 Ext 427

If you go and there is a guest registry, I suggest not providing a valid email address.

And, as long as I have the press release, there are excerpts after the jump in both English and Spanish.

*This is a joke using Oscar Abreu's self described style from the press release, which he calls "psycho-expressionism," and the name of the exhibit, "detachment of the ego." No matter now many emails I receive from Minerva, or anyone else, I would not cause, nor threaten to cause, harm to anyone.

Continue reading "Alianza Dominicana Is Spamming Me With Details Of The Oscar Abreu Reception (En Ingles Y Espanol Tambien)" »

Posted by Chris at 11:45 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

A summer cold kept Sen. Paterson from running the Hope and Possibility race this year (and my running skills from being shamed), but it didn't leave him idle on the sidelines. Standing still is difficult, as he is a very gregarious person holding a 99.9 percent chance of being the next Lt. Governor.

In addition to many brave veterans from the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq, one of the people the Senator spent time with was Trisha Meili. Trisha is the investment banker whose story made headlines when she was brutally attacked on April 19, 1989 as she jogged in the park. I believe the title of her memoir, "I am the Central Park Jogger: A Story of Hope and Possibility," is where the name of today's run comes from.

Trisha was Sen. Paterson's guide for the first Hope and Possibility run in July of 2003. They finished in 48 minutes.

The photo on the top right is of Trisha and Sen. Paterson being interviewed by CBS's Kristen Cole. The interview will air today. Sen. Paterson was also interviewed by CNN's Lauren Rivera, and that interview will air tonight at 7pm on CNN America.

Posted by Chris at 03:19 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

...in Central Park, on Sunday, for 5 miles.

Harlem's State Senator and Eliot Spitzer's hand-picked candidate for Lt. Governor, David Paterson, will be running the Achilles Track Club and New York Road Runners' Hope and Possibility 5 mile run in Central Park this Sunday. I will be tagging along as his running partner.

This is no small task. Not only did Sen. Paterson, who was born legally blind, first win election at age 31, become the leader of the Democratic conference in the State Senate in 2002, and earlier this summer on one day take on every special interest in our highly-corrupt state legislature*, but he has also remained in excellent physical shape. The idea of being completely trounced by a man more than 20 years my senior has had me in the gym every day this week.

My goal is simply to keep up with him.

*I will write more about this later. In 2004, the Brennan Center for Justice at New York University's School of Law rated the New York State legislature the worst in the nation. You can read the report here; it's about half way down the page. Sen. David Paterson has worked extremely hard to change the way New York State's shameful state government. It's no wonder Eliot Spitzer wants him to be his Lt. Governor.

Posted by Chris at 10:20 PM | Permalink | Comments (1)

Having one's back clawed apart makes for a seamless transition to talking about a ballroom filled with over 300 brides.

Customized wedding gown designer Cassandra Bromfield is spreading the word about an upcoming Harlem bridal expo, and we are happy to pass the information along. Let's Get Married In Harlem, taking place Saturday, September 16th at the Alhambra Ballroom, will feature two floors of excitement for today's multi-cultural bride and groom.

Let's Get Married In Harlem
The Alhambra Ballroom
2116 Adam Clayton Powell Blvd.
Saturday September 16th
1pm to 6pm

Posted by Chris at 11:44 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

My neighbor Alix, in collaboration with his good friend Justin, held a party for the New York Coalition of Black Architects / National Organization of Minority Architects last weekend. The design inclined crowd was large enough to fill Alix's rather expansive terrace and still spill into his kitchen.

I took a good number of photos that night, some of which are up on Flickr. (If I finally upgraded to a Pro account, then all of the photos would be up.) I have great shots of everyone I met, and even a good shot of Alix and Justin. (Although they are a couple of good-looking gentlemen, had their wives been in the picture, it would be much better.)

What I don't have are the names of all the guests. I met and remember quite a few merrymakers at the party, but one thing I have learned is that if you publicly recognize one person, you should be prepared to publicly recognize everyone.

Posted by Chris at 01:10 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Okay, this is disgusting.

I said that I was going to drop the subject of excreta and move on to less malodorous Harlem summer topics. Despite my best intentions, I'm brought back to the dirty subject by someone taking a second dump in the in the exact same place of the nook next to my front door. Number two part two came Sunday, about a week after the first poo poo platter was served.

I don't know if this is the work of a serial crapper, or simply a copycat crime. However, once again a sly crapper did this, to my knowledge, without being seen.

Posted by Chris at 09:36 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

One would think that on a blog loosely about pets, any mention of poo on the streets would be centered around furry companions. Oh, how I wish that was the case. Anyway, you are now warned.

After reading my 1988 birthday wish list, my dad came to me with a look of puzzled disgust and asked me "what is a sly crapper?" I quickly pointed out that he misread my poor hand writing. I was actually requesting David Lee Roth's second, more experimental solo album, "Skyscraper." Nonetheless, his excellent question stuck in my mind. Now, the same year of David Lee Roth's short-lived radio career, my dad's question is answered.

When Cheryl and I returned from a Central Park bike ride a couple days ago, we were greeted at our building door by a non-dog-poo poo smell. This was not a light wafting that we questioned at first. With a combination of egg-baking summer heat and our post-exercise deep breathing, the unquestionable odor hit us hard enough to displace the mirth.

At our feet, between our building's entrance and that of the brownstone under gut reno next door, was human feces. The person who could do the doo there was, obviously, a sly crapper.

When facing East, one has an appreciation of how sly this crapper had to be. Although the area is semi-secluded on the West side, the opposite direction, which the imputable individual would have been facing, is open to all kinds of public scrutiny. There are three banks, one to the left, one to the right, and one straight ahead, a busy grocery store, and a school. What teenager would pass up the opportunity to make fun of someone soiling the sidewalk? Also, given that we do not remember seeing the mess when we left for our evening bike ride, the culprit had to have done this in broad daylight.

The sad irony of the whole situation is that for weeks I have been watching this same area for whomever is using it as a pissoir. Camera at the ready, every day I come home I have been hoping to catch a couple of good public humiliation shots a la the Village. I even have a posting title ready: Say Cheese, Wiz. (Runners up for the title of this posting were "Who Ordered The Poo Poo Platter?" or "I Can Finally Put That 'No Dumping' Sign To Non-Ironic Use.")

I am guessing the short wall in question became this summer's orina al fresco hot spot when the ground floor bank opened. The people who hang out all day in front of an adjacent laundromat on Lenox Avenue probably don't feel comfortable urinating in the tree pits there anymore, now that people in office attire sitting behind large windows are looking right at them. The space between the two building entrances is the first semi-seculuded area around the corner.

Posted by Chris at 05:30 PM | Permalink | Comments (5)

Jeremy, the uptown man behind City Specific, a contributing editor at Curbed, and a guest of honor at our housewarming, finds himself in a similar situation to what Cheryl and I are in after our shindig. Both of us have way too much booze left over from a home party to know what to do.

Jeremy is taking a better approach to dealing with his situation than Cheryl and I. Whereas we have all of the extraneous alcohol in a cooler near our front door, and we try to get the neighbor to drink it every time we hear him walk past, Jeremy is offering to help someone stock their party.

Although he said it would be nice to know the party host in real life, he lets it be known that that need not be the case if someone can prove they are worth knowing and sharing some drinks.

Posted by Chris at 12:09 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The New York Sun has a hard, biting article today on the treatment of Morningside Park by Harlem residents over the Fourth of July. Cheryl and I were out of town over the long weekend, and I have not been to the park since we returned, so I cannot say if the article's description of the park's abuse is accurate or not.

Why does Morningside Park the morning after the Fourth of July cook-outs look like a pig sty? Why does the woman who set up a spot for her family barbecue in the middle of a recently planted garden refuse to move when repeatedly approached by a park employee? Why can people not put garbage into garbage cans? Is it a "class thing," as one park employee said? Is it a lack of education, or a lack of law enforcement? The rules and great ideas for everyone to enjoy the park are in place, why are they not being enforced properly?

It is great to see that so many local residents use the park, and that New York City allows for barbecuing in some areas. But why do children get chased away in Central Park when they play soccer outside "designated areas," but absolutely nothing is done to stop people from abusing Morning side Park? Unfinished dinners, empty beer and hard liquor bottles, and enough Styrofoam plates to serve the whole of New York are everywhere except in the provided garbage cans Nothing gives the impression that civilized people were celebrating, enjoying, and respecting the park.

The sad thing is that police officers seem afraid to act. For the past six years we talked to the 26th precinct, which is responsible for Morningside Park, and for the past six years we have gotten the same answers: "How long have you been living in Harlem?" As if to suggest that a person who lived in Harlem for just a short time has no right to certain quality of life complaints? The best excuse I ever received was from a police officer at the 26th precinct who said, "We will not write any tickets, because we are afraid of a riot."

Cheryl and I had a long Fourth of July weekend with another couple in the Finger Lakes region. We had a much-needed few days in a great cabin with all the comforts of home, sans all of the irritants. The cabin had electricity, air conditioning, running water, two bathrooms, and a two story stone fireplace, but there was no television, phone, or Internet. Luckily, none of our cell phones had reception.

Posted by Chris at 09:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (4)

On the transportation side of things, Harlem's changes have been noted in the increased number of taxis and the mere presence of a pedicab on a street above Central Park. On Saturday, Harlem reached the next transportation benchmark in midtown's move uptown.

Having lived on 49th Street, which Central Park's horses use to return to their stables, I at first thought nothing of the horse hooves clicking on the street, until I remembered I was in Harlem. Looking out the window, like a ghost from the past, I saw an elaborate horse drawn carriage, all in white, steadily moving east along 116th Street.

Thankfully the carriage was slow going, as it took a little while for the Canon to power up. I did manage to take a shot of the end of the carriage as it passed, which is seen much better in this enlarged, but grainy, excerpt. For better viewing, the photos are on flickr.

Posted by Chris at 08:07 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Billie's Black, a new gourmet soul food restaurant on 119th between Frederick Douglass Boulevard and St. Nicholas Avenue, opens today, Friday, June 23rd.

UPDATE: As per a photo taken this morning, it seems Billie's Black still has a ways to go before opening.

UPDATED UPDATE As per Harlem Fur tipster flip, Billie's Black did open on Friday, and hosted a packed house!

NEXT: On Saturday, June 24th, Tribal Spears Gallery at 2167 Frederick Douglass Boulevard, between 116th and 117th Streets, holds an opening reception in both galleries from 7:00pm to 10:00pm.

The Tribal Gallery features sculptural artists Keith Anderson (California) and Yuko Ueno (Japan). The Johnson-Byrd Fine Art Gallery features abstract artists Derrie Clemmons (Chicago), Spencer Eldridge (Harlem), and Va Ronique Paronneau (France).

Tribal Spears Cafe offers a solid selection of coffee, tea and small edibles good for both gallery goers and those looking for place to access a free Wi-Fi connection.

Posted by Chris at 08:33 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Wireless Harlem Initiative, a community-based effort to close the digital divide in Harlem, signed on consultants to develop their Harlem-wide Wi-Fi initiative. The goal is to have inexpensive Wi-Fi access available to residents by spring of 2007.

Hiring plan writers is a big step towards getting this project off the ground. Glenn Fleishman at Wi-Fi Net News writes:

While regular readers of this site know that I am dubious about digital divide projects that focus entirely on "give them computers and the rest will come," I am entirely supportive of efforts that combine community input into what services are delivered, that include training for general users as well as specialized training in administration, and that has a comprehensive plan with measurable results for the money invested in these efforts. If the goal is a reduction in high-school dropouts, an increase in test scores, a burgeoning of eBay sellers, an improvement in basic literacy, scores of new businesses being started, or efficiencies that reduce expenses through better use of existing technology-any or all of these can be achieved with good planning and good follow-through.

But most importantly, all of Harlem will be able to read Harlem Fur.

Posted by Chris at 09:57 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)

After a prolonged rain delay, the 2006 Harlem Motocross season has begun. Get ready for the non-stop summer action of teens on ATV's and dirts bikes, as well as one old guy on a motorcycle, once again going up and down Adam Clayton Powell and Lenox Avenues ad nauseam.

Just as in previous years, the 2006 Motocross substitutes for a fixed track a fluid central Harlem course largely determined by where police cars are not currently pursuing participants and the availability of chicks on the street to watch them ride wheelies.

In all seriousness, this totally baffles me. Where do Manhattan teenagers get an ATV, let alone store one? If Greg were to say "hey man, we really need ATVs by the end of the week; let's pick some up," I'd have no idea where to begin looking. And if I did get an ATV, where would I put it?

It's not like these kids are hiding a pack of cigarettes and some dirty magazines under the bed. These are multi-cylinder gas powered vehicles. Cheryl has a car, and I have a bike. Both are legitimate, and both are a pain in the ass to store in the city. Getting garage space for an ATV seems totally out of the question, as going through a credit check, putting down a deposit, and providing a billable address do not seem like things a fifteen year-old storing an illegal machine would want to do.

Cheryl has the best theory so far on what people do with their personal motor vehicles. She speculates that they buy them, begin ridding them, and, all lucid on Provigil, don't ever stop riding them until they are finally caught by the cops. This would explain why we hear the mosquito-like buzzing of their engines at all hours in the beginning of the summer, with their use tapering off until summer's end.

UPDATE

Thanks for the shout-outs from MX Replay, MotoNews, and of course, Curbed! Cheryl and I are now telling our friends we have the next best thing to a NASCAR condo.

Posted by Chris at 11:55 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (1)

Delores Martin, a bar maid at Minton's Playhouse for 14 years before it closed in 1974, was able to take the stage and say a few words at the legendary jazz joint's re-opening on May 19th. Her son, Kevin McGill, shared some photos he took of the night with Harlem Fur.

We have to say Dolores looks great. Kevin is a graduate of New York Film Academy, with a background in television production, so he has a learned take on how to make a person look good. However, artistry aside, Harlem Fur thinks Delores has a timeless beauty. If we didn't tell you she is the woman on the left, could you guess which woman was her?

More of the photos Kevin sent are up on flickr here.

Posted by Chris at 09:25 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

Greg, whose participation was integral to the Emperor's Roe and Society Coffee postings, picked up some spending cash when he dropped by Who Wants To Be A Millionaire? The show taped last December, but due to confidentiality agreements, he couldn't talk about it until it aired, which it recently did.

Greg has a solid base of trivial knowledge and a warm sense of self-assuredness. He can tear through Times crossword puzzles with an uncanny ability. I watched him do it many times when we were Harlem roommates not too long ago. Sarah, his significant other and sometimes Emperor's Roe patron, said both his knowledge and self-assuredness came out in full force as he joked around with host Meredith Vieira. You can read all about it in his hometown newspaper.

A little extra scratch is always a good thing, but the real reason Greg was ready to meet the world head-on then was far more personal. He had decided to propose to Sarah, and he did shortly after in Puerto Rico. She gave him the final answer that he wanted, and their wedding is set for later this year. Greg and Sarah deserve a big congratulations.

Now they are planning the wedding and looking to buy a home. What is one neighborhood they are considering? Harlem, of course. There is a trend of hot dudes moving here.

Posted by Chris at 10:40 PM | Permalink | Comments (3)

The New York Times has a good article today on opportunity and experimentation in Harlem's schools. Students in charter school programs including KIPP (Knowledge Is Power Program) and Village Academies are earning higher scores than traditional schools, in addition to being in a much safer environment.

At Public School 125 at the top of Morningside Park, the article points out, "only 36 percent of the third- through sixth-grade students met city and state reading standards last year." 36 percent, as any third grader can tell you, is a big fat F. In comparison, students at the KIPP Star College Prep Charter School at West 123rd "earned some of the highest scores in central Harlem on last year's citywide reading exams."

Additionally, the new schools go beyond significantly higher test scores. Harlem's new schools are providing a safe place for children to learn. The story told by a Harlem parent about the abuse her daughter suffered at the hands of other students really caught my attention. "QuYahni Lewis said that she gave up on elementary schools in Harlem when her 9-year-old daughter came home with bite marks and a pencil stab wound. "Every day there was another story about this bully or that bully. I found that there were really no good options here outside of paying for school. Where else are we going to go? What else are we going to do?""

With the success schools like KIPP are having, it's understandable that even the critics are seeking to enroll their children: "Robert A. Reed, the president of a central Harlem council of parent associations, said, "They've picked this population as a guinea pig district." But he also acknowledged that he entered his young daughter in a charter school lottery and she won a seat for next year that she may take."

Posted by Chris at 10:42 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

The New York Post has an article today championing uptown as the new downtown. Leading the change are Harlem's new high-rise luxury condos. The article highlights The Dwyer at 123rd and St. Nick with it's 54 loft units, 111 Central Park North with its wraparound garden terraces, and The Lenox at West 129th and Lenox Avenue.

Says The Lenox developer Joseph Holland in the article about his building's 24-hour concierge, valet service, an on-site gym and a landscaped roof garden, "They're all the things you would expect in a luxury building downtown, but we're providing them at 129th Street and Lenox Avenue." The best part is that Joseph Holland is not jumping on a recent Harlem bandwagon. I met him several years ago when he was in the initial stages for a Harlem luxury building.

Retail gets a nod too. Post writer Hasani Gittens covers N, the new boutique at 114 W. 116th St. whose opening party Harlem Fur crashed last week. Cheryl and I stopped by recently as patrons, and the staff were excellent. As much as she helped, N doesn't need supermodel Iman to keep the party going.

Now, if only the Post had included Posh Paws...

Posted by Chris at 07:55 AM | Permalink | Comments (3)

Cheryl and I went to the Morningside Park Farmers' Market on the plaza at 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue a few Saturdays ago and were not too impressed. The entire market consisted of one vendor with some broccoli raab, a slightly different kind of broccoli raab, and a few bunches of radishes.

The following Saturday saw two vendors and a somewhat better selection of goods. In addition to the broccoli raab and radishes, there was a decent selection of apples and flowering house plants. Also, the vendors were more engaging than the week before, when they were sitting in their truck completing the Daily News crossword puzzle.

I'm giving the market the benefit of the doubt and holding final judgement until next month. The Community Markets website claims that it opened April 8th, but the sign posted on the plaza reads that it does not officially start until June. I'm hoping that this is just the preseason and things will pick up in the coming weeks.

The market is open every Saturday from 9am to 5pm through November.

Posted by Chris at 09:53 PM | Permalink | Comments (4)

Finally, the Time Warner complication is solved. And not a minute too soon.

There is a new posh pet store opening in South Harlem, and Harlem Fur will be attending the opening as press.

Speaking of press, Pebbles' human was spotted at the opening of Lt. Governor candidate and Harlem State Senator David Paterson's Harlem campaign office kick-off. Pebbles, however, was nowhere to be seen.

Speaking of openings, Minton's Playhouse, where Dizzy Gillespie, Charlie Parker, Thelonious Monk and Max Roach held late-night jam sessions, is set to reopen.

Speaking of celebrities in Harlem, my block is about to have another street shooting.

Speaking of my block, Cheryl and I were able to walk another dog, this time a Chihuahua, in our on going quest to find the right pooch for us.

Speaking of pooches, Petland is holding two more vaccination days for dogs, cats and ferrets.

I will have posts for each of these and more up soon.

Posted by Chris at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

My Time Warner Cable has been down for the past couple days and I don't have time in the office to post. I will be back when the home problem is resolved.

Posted by Chris at 11:46 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

An article in today's New York Times about the restaurant situation in Harlem mentioned something I had not thought about before. State law prohibits serving alcohol within 200 feet of a school or place of worship, and as the article points out, "in some sections of Harlem, there is a church on nearly every block."

I live in one of those sections.

Most of us are familiar with some version of the equation Brian Washington-Palmer, the owner of Native on 118th and Lenox, gave in the article: "food pays the rent; alcohol pays the profits." I had assumed when I moved here that when Harlem reached a critical mass, bistro style restaurants like Native and Elle & Lui would start popping up. Given the number of Harlem churches in my area (Lenox between 116th and 125th), that might be a little more complicated.

But for those who mistakenly think that Harlem is a culinary desert, I politely direct you to Uptown FLAVOR.

Posted by Chris at 07:52 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

For those of you who are tempted by the idea of dumpster diving but worry about sporting a socially unacceptable funk, there is GarbageScout.com. A March New York Times article reads "garbagescout.com alerts junk fans about where treasures might be found on the street, with photos that can be displayed on a cellphone and the time that has elapsed since the item was sighted."

I've posted some Harlem finds since reading about it, beginning with a solid core door complete with all of the original hardware I spotted on 119th and Lenox Ave.

Given the nearly ubiquitous gut renovations taking place in older Harlem buildings, it is not the only architectural item I found. Of course, the one the piece I saw before knowing about Garbage Scout was a full unpainted mantel with a beveled mirror in the over mantel sitting in a rubbish container on 126th between 5th and Madison a year or so ago.

For those seeking a bargain, it's cheaper than Olde Good Things in Chelsea, plus you don't have to worry about supporting the Church of Bible Understanding, "whose ex-members, backed by psychiatric counselors and other experts, claim is really a destructive cult devoted to a man named Stewart Traill."

More stuff I found on Harlem streets after the jump.

Continue reading "Detritus Emeritus: Harlem's Renovation-Based Curbside Tossings" »

Posted by Chris at 07:37 PM | Permalink | Comments (2)

A double rainbow I saw over Harlem Thursday evening. The top rainbow is faintly there above the utility pole.

Posted by Chris at 02:16 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

When I moved to Harlem in 2001 (a few blocks from where I live now), yellow cabs were slightly more rare than unicorns. I also found back then that getting cabs to come up to Harlem could pose complications.

Here is the conversation, best as I can remember it, I had late one night with a cabbie when I was overly intoxicated and just wanted to be in my bed:

Cabbie: Is this really where you want to be?
Me: Yes.
Cabbie: I cannot drop you off here. It is too dangerous.
Me: But I live here.
Cabbie: It is too dangerous. I will take you to Columbia (University) and drop you off on 118th Street there.
Me: But then I will have to walk, drunk, through Morningside Park at this hour, and three additional blocks to my apartment. I'm sure that would be more dangerous than walking from the curb to my door.
Cabbie: I cannot drop you off here.
Me: (Using quick thinking) I think I am going to get sick. Please stop the cab.

I then paid the fare.

That was about five years ago. Today, when looking out the window and deciding if I wanted to run errands in the rain, I saw a good number of cabs in just a few minutes.

The first two cabs.

A cab going crosstown.

UPDATE! I was given one of the greatest honors a New York blogger can receive, a Curbed mention complete with the famous RED ARROWS!

Posted by Chris at 05:24 PM | Permalink | Comments (7) | TrackBacks (1)

Cheryl and I are starting this blog basically because our parents live outside of New York and have a hard time opening attachments. We recently purchased a Co-Op in Harlem and want to keep them updated on the changes to our place, using as many photos as possible. Plus, we plan to get a pet dog for our cat and thought it would be fun to share the adventure.

However, it seems many more people than just our parents are curious about Harlem.

Continue reading "Welcome To Harlem Fur" »

Posted by Chris at 12:20 AM | Permalink | Comments (1)