SHOP: PLANT CORNER ON LENOX AVENUE

Harlem Bespoke:  One of the local stores to support for the warmer season is Plant Corner on Lenox by West 119th Street which is just over a year old now.  Stop for some green gifts including pots and more unique accessory items for the plant lovers in your life.

BESPOKE: THE BEST WINGS IN HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke: Those thinking about a great place to celebrate all the dad's out there should consider Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on 125th Street by 12th Avenue.  Grilling is popular during the summer but the difference with Dino BBQ is that all of the meats are pit-smoked for 14 hours before finally finishing things off with a glaze on high heat.  Even with so many wing joints opening up in Harlem in 2015, nothing will probably be able to match the smokey flavor of one of the city's best BBQ spots located in Manhattanville.  We also especially love the brisket and ribs along with a side of fried green tomatoes.  There is usually a wait for a seat but this is one place that is definitely worth it.

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EAT: BIRRIA TACOS AT OSO

Harlem Bespoke:  We have been reviewing all of the spots uptown to get birria tacos and dropped by Oso in Hamilton Heights last week.  The local favorite facing City College on Amsterdam and West 140th Street always has an excellent contemporary version of Mexican cuisine and we wondered what the trendy dipping tacos would be like.

BESPOKE: ROSES IN BLOOM IN HARLEM 2023

Harlem Bespoke: Stop and smell the roses in Harlem!  Did you know that uptown is the city's Heritage Rose District?  We saw that Roosevelt Park on 125th and Morningside Avenue was in full bloom this week and most of the flowering plants all over Harlem should be at their peak for the season.  We covered the story back in 2009 when the all the roses were being planted and there is an official map of where to see all the beautiful blooms: LINK

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BESPOKE: HARLEM SHAKE ON LENOX AVENUE 2023

Harlem Bespoke.  The first Harlem Shake in the city debuted 10 years ago this month at West 124th Street on Lenox Avenue!  We had to stop by this week to soak in the memories and the food has always been consistently good.  Try out the spring fling shake also which has a peachy ice cream in the mix and a lot of sparkle up top!   More on Harlem Shake can be found in our past post: LINK

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EAT: SHRIMP AND GRITS IN HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  A lot of other soul food restaurants in the neighborhood receive exponentially more press than BLVD Bistro at 116th and Frederick Douglass Boulevard but most folks in the neighborhood know that this is the place to splurge on good eats.

SHOP: FLOWERS FOR MOTHER'S DAY 2023

Harlem Bespoke: Our go to recommendation for last minute floral arrangements in Harlem used to be Harlem Flo but the shop has since moved north and has become La Fleur d'Harlem.  The storefront at 203 West 144th Street is just west of Adam Clayton Powell will be open all weekend for Mother's Day deliveries.

EAT: THAI FRIED CHICKEN AT BANGKLYN EAST HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  Walking into Bangklyn on 2nd Avenue between 105 and 106th Street in East Harlem might be confusing at first since the initial reactions would be that this was a really cool vintage store for streetwear.  That initial reaction soon changes when looking over to the bar counter a the left which has a full kitchen visible and ready to take orders.

One will also find Prasong Kanhasura behind the counter who originally had a legacy of being a notable vintage clothing retailer in Thailand before packing up to the states to open this hybrid shop in 2018.  A lot of buzz has been happening recently about the food which is now open for takeout and delivery so we dropped by this past weekend to try out the Thai Fried Chicken.

EAT: TERANGA NOW OPEN ON WEEKENDS

Harlem Bespoke:   Some might be wondering what the hours for Teranga at Africa Center are all about these days since the location is mainly closed for most of the week.  The January update is that the Harlem location will be open on weekends starting at noon and so that is definitely the time to drop by for some fantastic African offerings.

BESPOKE: HARLEM'S TREE OF HOPE

Harlem Bespoke:  We stopped and looked at the Tree of Hope statue on the 7th Avenue mall by 131st Street recently and still kind of wonder if maybe one day a tree stump sculpture replicating the original might be added on to the site.  Legend has it that entertainers during the Renaissance years would rub on the stump for good luck before arriving at one of the nightclubs in the area and the memory of the tree has since endured.  Harlem definitely went through a few decades in the mid century that only modern things were deemed relevant and an abstract tree was placed on the site in 1972 after the stump was removed.  

BESPOKE: OYSTERS ON A HALF SHELL IN HARLEM 2023

Harlem Bespoke:  Fresh oysters was a standard for any restaurant a century ago but has only recently become de rigeur in the current NYC dining scene.  Apparently months with the letter R are peak time to eat the fresh delicacy since they are at their prime during the cooler months so make sure to stop by these local eateries for the gastronomic experience du jour.

REMEMBER: THE LADY OF THE TITANIC AT 106TH

Harlem Bespoke: An article originally posted back in 2015 in remembrance of the those who lost their lives on the Titanic.

Just outside of the southern borders of Morningside, there is a small triangular park we always make a point to visit during the springtime.  This little intersection on Broadway and 106th Street or Duke Ellington Boulevard has a memorial statue that was made possible by the citizens of New York City 100 years ago in memory of Isidor and Ida Straus who were millionaire philanthropist that perished on the Titanic. On the night of the tragedy, Ida Straus was offered one of the few lifeboats seats available for women and children in first class but refused to take it.

EAT: SHAKSHUKA EGGS AT SILVANA

Harlem Bespoke: We had another day date at Silvana on 116th Street last week and tried out the Shakshuka eggs that were on the menu. This little cafe located just west of FDB/8th Avenue is the best bet for some of the better Middle Eastern offerings to be found uptown and the day's selection did not disappoint.  The baked eggs simmering in seasoned hot tomato sauce was served up on this cast iron pan which provided a great contrast to the rich colors within. There was overall a flavor not dissimilar to chili to the dish which had pops of saltiness thanks to the juicy olives and the welcoming chunks of feta cheese.  A side of pita was also provided to sop up the extra sauce of this specialty that spice lovers should definitely try out.

Need more reasons to check out this cool cafe?  In our past post, we also had the most amazing hummus at Silvanna which is also worth trying out: LINK

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BESPOKE: HARLEM'S BEST RED VELVET CUPCAKES

Harlem Bespoke: We were feeling very nostalgic for red velvet cupcakes lately and headed over to Loretta Alston's namesake specialty bakery on Lenox by 120th Street.  Red velvet was everywhere when we started blogging over the decades but has since become harder to find these days and most offerings are pretty basic.  Not at L.A. Sweets!  Everything at the boutique shop is baked freshly within hours and is hands down the most super moist cupcake we have had over the years.  Our red velvet experience was absolutely on point with flavor and the cupcake was still warm with the cream cheese icing just whipped on top per order.

☞ QUESTION: ASK HARLEM BESPOKE

Harlem Bespoke: If any of the readers out there have a question they would like to throw out to the Bespoke audience on neighborhood organizations, restoration services, property search or history, just send them over and we can possibly have it written up as a future post: HarlemBespoke@gmail.com

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CELEBRATE: ARCHER & GOAT 4TH ANNIVERSARY

Harlem Bespoke: Archer & Goat on Lenox by 119th Street debuted back in 2019 and will be celebrating their fourth year anniversary this week! We especially love the Latin, South Asian and East Asian flavors mixed into dishes like the seared duck or tossed in with fresh chop herbs on top of seasonal vegetables.  Everything is a labor of love from the local couple that started up the eatery and reflects the owner's divers backgrounds.  As far as restaurant openings are concerned for this year, Archer & Goat is definitely one of the best to try out uptown.

Those who are around today, Thursday, March 30th, should drop by to celebrate the anniversary with $10 cocktail specials and DJs SUCE and DJ Just Nice spinning a mix of funk, soul, reggaeton, house and more on vinyl from 6:00PM – 10:00PM (no cover). In addition, Archer & Goat will be debuting the new Hot Fish Sandwich, beer and vodka battered cod with their housemade panch phoran (Bengali spice blend) aioli, slaw, pickled peppers and a side of fries. More on Archer & Goat in our past post: LINK

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BESPOKE: THE SCULPTURE PLAZA AT HISPANIC SOCIETY

Harlem Bespoke: The Hispanic Society on Broadway and West 155th Street has a new exhibit of the historic painting collection but visitors this weekend should makes sure to first walk though the breathtaking sculpture garden in the outside plaza before going inside.

THE ORIGINAL CENTRAL PARK CONSERVATORY c.1889

Harlem Bespoke:  We periodically write about the the beautiful Conservatory Garden by the East Harlem side of Central Park at 5th Avenue and 105th Street but realized our last history post was about a decade ago when we started the blog up.  Did you know that there was an actual Gilded Age greenhouse similar to that of the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens originally on site?  Below is the original post form 2009 that accompanied the above archival images: