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.

CLASSICAL THEATRE OF HARLEM IN JULY

Harlem Bespoke: Outdoor theater returns to Harlem with the Classical Theatre of Harlem's production of Malvolio at Marcus Garvey Park in July.   One of the must-see experiences of summer!

DWELL: 205 WEST 139TH STREET TOWNHOUSE

Harlem Bespoke: A historically distinguished brownstone at Number 205 West 139th Street by Adam Clayton Powell within the Strivers Row Landmark District has recently arrived on the market for $2.75 million $2.595 million and is in the much coveted single-family layout.  

SHOP: SATURDAY AT MORNINGSIDE FARMERS MARKET

Harlem Bespoke: The Morningside Park Farmers Market has been around for over 10 years now and is bigger and better these days. This outdoor pop-up on West 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue runs every Saturday from 9:00AM to 2:00PM and a list of visiting merchant and more updates can be found on the official website: LINK

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REMEMBER: HOME OF THE FATHER OF HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  Who is known as the Father of Harlem and where did he live?  Below is one our original post mentioning the Home of Phillip A. Payton Jr. which still stands today in Central Harlem.

Number 13 West 131st Street just west of Fifth Avenue has windows that look like a Jack O'Lantern face but is also notable for being the former home of the Father of Harlem.   Phillip A. Payton Jr. founded the Afro-American Realty Company during a time when the financial market crashed in 1904 and would bring the black community uptown to brand new homes that were built in a speculative boom when the subways were constructed.  Desperate developers could not refuse the opportunity and African-Americans who formerly lived in the gritty Tenderloin section of midtown saw an opportunity to live in a brownstone neighborhood which was not accessible previously.  More on the incredible story of the black broker can be found in our past post: LINK

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Harlem Bespoke:  Harlem's most followed blog on Facebook!  Join our growing community of over 14,665 followers on the Harlem Bespoke Facebook site and receive daily to your account by liking our page: LINK 

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REMEMBER: GAY BARS OF THE RECENT PAST

There have been a couple of stories on the old Silver Rail Bar just below 125th Street on 8th Avenue in the past but Bespoke readers are the ones who have revealed the forgotten LGBT history at some of Harlem's establishments in 70s, 80s or 90s.  This block would eventually be demolished for the big glassy Harlem USA complex but before that happened, 2321 8th Avenue became Andre's which appears to haves been the spot for the gay community to socialize.

Andre's filled-in where the Silver Rail left off and did very well. Another gay bar on 125th St. was known as Jay's and lets not forget the Big Apple. All three catered to a particular sub-set within the black gay culture of Harlem. The Big Apple catered to older, middle-aged gay black men while Andre's was known for its demimonde and Jays catered to everyone else including hustlers.  

We visited each site this week to see what they look like in 2016.  Anyone with more details on the actual dates they were open should comment accordingly or contact: harlembespoke@gmail.com

CLASSICAL THEATRE OF HARLEM IN JULY

Harlem Bespoke: Outdoor theater returns to Harlem with the Classical Theatre of Harlem's production of Malvolio at Marcus Garvey Park in July.   One of the must-see experiences of summer!

DWELL: 210 WEST 122ND STREET TOWNHOUSE

Harlem Bespoke: Number 210 West 122nd Street was up for sale before the pandemic with the asking set at $3.7 million and now the listing returned to the market for the spring 2023 season for an upgraded $4.9 million.

GREEN HARLEM: DELIVERY BY URBAN GARDEN CENTER

Harlem Bespoke:  Uptown gardeners looking for blooming trees or larger plants should check out Urban Garden Center on Park Avenue by 116th Street since they will make a deliver.  Harlem has a lot of brownstone green spaces or terraces on newer buildings and this is the time of year to get more dramatic gardening started.  Get more details on the official website: UrbanGardenNyc.com 

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HARLEM BESPOKE SUBSCRIPTION EMAIL UPDATE

Harlem Bespoke:  Google has cancelled the previous email subscription format so we have switched to follow.it for the newsletter.  All current subscribers will be getting an updated feed confirmation link via email this week but if you want to switch right away to follow.it then just type in your email address below and press the subscribe button.  

SHOP: SATURDAY AT MORNINGSIDE FARMERS MARKET

Harlem Bespoke: The Morningside Park Farmers Market has been around for over 10 years now and is bigger and better these days. This outdoor pop-up on West 110th Street and Manhattan Avenue runs every Saturday from 9:00AM to 2:00PM and a list of visiting merchant and more updates can be found on the official website: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

☞ JOIN: HARLEM BESPOKE ON FACEBOOK

Harlem Bespoke: It has been a decade of covering everything old and new in greater Harlem! Join our growing community of over 14,655 followers on the Harlem Bespoke Facebook site and receive daily to your account by liking our page: LINK

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LISTEN: AMATEUR NIGHT AT THE APOLLO

Harlem Bespoke:  The renowned Amateur Night at the Apollo returns in 2023 after almost almost a two years absence and tickets are now on sale for November.

LISTEN: JUNETEENTH AT JACKIE ROBINSON PARK

Saturday, June 17th, 2:00PM-5:00PM, National Jazz Museum In Harlem Juneteenth Black Music Festival at Jackie Robinson Park, by 148th Street and Bradhurst Avenue at the Jackie Robinson Park Bandshell.  NJMH Juneteenth Black Music Festival is an outdoor music and dance celebration rooted in community, movement, and sounds from the Black Diaspora. Featured artists include vocalist Charenee Wade, poet, vocalist, musician and designer Tai Allen with his group Sample Sale, and freestyle dance and music group LayeRhythm.  This event is free and open to the public: LINK

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REMEMBER: GLADYS BENTLEY'S CLAM HOUSE

Harlem Bespoke: We are revisiting some of the great LGBT history post over the years on Bespoke and one of the larger than life icons of the Renaissance years was a cross-dressing lesbian that became an instant celebrity throughout the speakeasy society of New York City.

LGBTQ MEETUP AT THE CLIFFS HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke: CRUX empowers members of the LGBTQ community to participate in rock climbing and outdoor recreation in New York.  CRUX will host meetup nights at The Cliffs at Harlem on the second Tuesday of every month.

☞ JOIN: HARLEM BESPOKE ON FACEBOOK

Harlem Bespoke is Harlem's most followed blog website page on Facebook with original content! Join our growing community of over 14,655 followers on the Harlem Bespoke Facebook site and receive daily updates to your account by liking our page: LINK

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SEE: OUTDOOR FILM AT ST. NICHOLAS PARK

Thursday, June 15th, 9:00PM-12:00M, The Sun is Also a Star outdoor screening at St. Nicholas Park, at 135th and the James Baldwin Lawn. Grab a blanket or a chair and enjoy The Sun is Also a Star. College-bound romantic Daniel Bae and Jamaica-born pragmatist Natasha Kingsley meet—and fall for each other—over one magical day amidst the fervor and flurry of New York City. More details for this FREE event on the NYC Parks site: LINK

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SEE: NOBODY WAS HERE AT MAYSLES CINEMA

Harlem Bespoke:  The spring season will have more on the calendar for everyone and local live events are some of the things to watch our for in the coming month.  Keep it all in the neighborhood and help support uptown's small businesses!