REMEMBER: HARLEM'S OLDEST MONUMENT

Harlem Bespoke:  Harlem's oldest freestanding monument probably would be a small, modest grave dedicated by a father to his beloved five year old son who died an early death in the late 18th century.  The monument of the amiable child lies just north of Grant's Tomb at roughly 123rd Street and Riverside Drive and has been around since 1797.  The area was called Strawberry Hill (later to become the Claremont neighborhood) and a Scottish landowner would build this grave for his child who fell from the rocky edge of the nearby Hudson River.  As the estate was sold, George Pollock made the below request to all of the future landowners.  

ARCHITECTURE: HUDSON VIEW GARDENS

Harlem Bespoke:  We took a walk up in the Heights recently and checked out the small Tudor village called Hudson view gardens located between 183rd and 185th Street.  These picturesque buildings are actually coops built in the medieval style of architecture line a unique backstreet just west of Pinehurst  Avenue that breaks up the standard grid layout of Manhattan.  The  subway station is also just a block away so those looking for a more quiet residential enclave might want to check out this historic development built over 100 years ago as an affordable alternative for the middle class.

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

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

HarlemBespoke.com 2023

REMEMBER: SHORAKKOPOCH ROCK IN INWOOD 2022

Harlem Bespoke: There are not a lot clear photos of Shorakkopoch Rock in Inwood Hill Park all the way up on the north most tip of Manhattan but we manage to capture some amazing photos earlier in the year.  This monument dedicates the site of Native American village that the Dutch reportedly purchased all of Manhattan for a handful of beads back in 1626 but the validity of that claim has always been put in questions.  A plaque mounted in 1954, for better or worse, marks the infamous event and is definitely worth the visit for some local history that is part of our national legacy.

BESPOKE: SUMMER SUNFLOWERS IN HARLEM

Harlem Bespoke:  Summer is winding down but flowers are still blooming all around so we were inspired to take a few photos of the beautiful sunflowers that have been popping up mid August.  The above images from the blocks around Lenox Avenue within the Mount Morris Park Historic District with plants towering over six foot tall!  Sunflowers have been popular in the neighborhood over the years and we took a few photos in the past over on Astor Row: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2022

THE SISYPHUS STONES AT RIVERSIDE PARK 2022

Harlem Bespoke:  The mysterious mini Stonehenge rose up on by the Hudson River by West 171st Street back in 2017 and the roughly 200 sculptures now called the Sisyphus Stones are always being replenished since they are not secured in any fashion.  We walked by the narrow beachfront a few blocks before the George Washington Bridge last month and took the most current photos that can be seen above.

YES, THE HARLEM TOURISTS ARE BACK IN TOWN

Harlem Bespoke:  Hoards of European tourists walking around Harlem are finally back after being absent a couple of years due to the pandemic.  We saw this group over the weekend at Strivers Row but for the most part they tend to congregate around 125th Street since the Apollo theater is a main attraction.

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:

WALK: DAFFODILS AT THE CONSERVATORY GARDEN

Harlem Bespoke: We did not get a chance to get a great shot this year of the main crabapple orchard at the Convservatory Garden in Central Park by the Fifth Avenue and 105th Street entrance but we did get to walk around the daffodil circle that just popped up in the past week at the adjacent north fountain.

TOUR: INSIDE THE RESTORED HIGHBRIDGE TOWER

Saturday, January 2nd, 2022, from 1:00PM-3:30PM,  Tour Inside Highbridge Tower, West 174th and Amsterdam Avenue. Join the Urban Park Rangers on a tour inside the iconic Highbridge Water Tower to learn about the history of New York City's water supply and enjoy the panoramic views from the top of the 200 foot tower.   Free and open to the public!   Get more details and register in advance on the NYC Parks site: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

BESPOKE: UPTOWN ICE RESCUE LADDERS

Harlem Bespoke:  Uptown has some notable bodies of water and we recently noticed these bright red installations appearing along the edges of some locations.  The Harlem Meer at 110th Street and Muscota Marsh up by 218th Street have these ladders that we thought were pieces of public art at first glance.  Turns out that they are for rescue when everything ices over which tend to attract folks who dare walk over the fragile frozen surface.  With that said, walking on any frozen ice is highly not recommended especially on open water and pretty much something to avoid during the winter months. 

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

REMEMBER: HARLEM'S OLDEST MONUMENT

Harlem Bespoke:  Harlem's oldest freestanding monument probably would be a small, modest grave dedicated by a father to his beloved five year old son who died an early death in the late 18th century.  The monument of the amiable child lies just north of Grant's Tomb at roughly 123rd Street and Riverside Drive and has been around since 1797.  The area was called Strawberry Hill (later to become the Claremont neighborhood) and a Scottish landowner would build this grave for his child who fell from the rocky edge of the nearby Hudson River.  As the estate was sold, George Pollock made the below request to all of the future landowners.  

WALK: MORNINGS AT MORNINGSIDE PARK

Harlem Bespoke:  Uptown's great green spaces have really been embraced by New Yorkers when the pandemic started up last year.  We have never seen so many families and kids on the playgrounds and adults participating in the outdoor recreational spaces during the day but really appreciate the more quiet moments earlier on.  Mornings are the most peaceful before the crowds arrive and we took the above photos from one such stroll.  Exercise enthusiasts, pet owners or just those who want a touch of fresh air are the usual early birds.  The only thing missing is the waterfall action by the pond which hopefully will be up and running this year. 

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

WALK: MORE BLOOMS AT THE CONSERVATORY GARDEN

Harlem Bespoke: Cherry blossoms and magnolias tree might have had their moment this spring but nature enthusiast should head over to the Conservatory Garden to check out the largest display of crab apple trees in the city.  We took the above photos yesterday at the formal garden at the Fifth Avenue and East 105th Street entrance of Central Park and the majestic trees are just at about 85 percent peak blossom.  This weekend will be the perfect time to see the magic but also do not forget the two adjacent gardens on either side of the main Orchard. More about the Conservatory Garden can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

WALK: SATURDAY AT THE MORNINGSIDE MARKET

Harlem Bespoke: We checked out the Morningside Park Farmers Market this past Saturday and were amazed at how many shoppers are now showing up.   Lines formed at many of the produce stands lining the corner of 110th Street by Manhattan Avenue and this was around 11:00AM on a weekend morning.  This has probably been the busiest the popup local market has been in the past 10 years and outdoor shopping is really something in the public mind nowadays.  One other point to note is that all the public beaches are closed for the summer and flying to a destination has not been a popular concept this year so more folks than usual are in town this time of year.  For more details on Harlems longest running farmers market, check out our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2020