REMEMBER: MISSING BROWNSTONE STOOPS ON FIFTH

Harlem Bespoke:  We found the municipal archival photos of the brownstones at 2034-2038 Fifth Avenue just north of 125th Street from the 1940s and was surprised to see that all of the front stoops were missing at that point in time. 

NEW EXHIBIT AT CHILDREN'S ART CARNIVAL SPRING 2022

Saturday, April 23rd through July 16th,  Memory + Healing + Sustainability exhibit at The Children's Art Carnival, 62 Hamilton Place by 144th Street, Opening Reception on Saturday from 5:00PM-7:00PM. The Children's Art Carnival started in 1969 by the Museum of Modern Art as part of an outreach program for youth in the community and now is also showcasing emerging local artists with exhibits at the Hamilton Heights townhouse. 

REMEMBER: THE MONTEFIORE HOUSES c. 1910

Harlem Bespoke:  Below is another great archival Harlem Bespoke article from 2013 which correlates the importance of the Montefiore name in West Harlem.  Uptown was considered the countryside in the 1800s and a lot asylums and orphanages were located within the neighborhoods of upper Manhattan.  The link in the article has been updated to reveal the current condition of the Gotham Theatre which now stands on the site. Archival photo courtesy the Museum of the City of New York

REMEMBER: THE SCHINASI FACTORY CIRCA 1940

Harlem Bespoke:  There are only a couple of images in existence of the Schinasi Bros. cigar factory on West 120th Street and the city tax photo form the 1940s is one of them.  We had done some research a decade ago and have the image of the building when it was built back in 1909 but decades later the building would serve as a garage and gas station.  The photo is also quite interesting since the elevated train tracks that ran up 8th Avenue can also be seen in the background.  As revealed in our past post, the address today actually serves as a charter school and somehow no longer has many windows at the front facade for some reason.  Check out an older photo of the factory in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

SEE: MADE IN HARLEM FILMS 2021

March 5th to March 19th,  The Made in Harlem Film Festival, FREE virtual screenings courtesy Maysles Cinema.  This fourth iteration of the “Made In Harlem” film series explores how the mythologies of Harlem reconcile (or do not) with its realities, how the ghosts of Harlem’s storied past find their way into its present. The aim of the series is to consider (and reconsider) Harlem, its visuals, its narratives, its legacies, and its futures. These words are plural and always have been.  More details for free streaming at the Maysles Cinema site: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2021

SEE: FROM MANSION TO MUSEUM EXHIBIT

From Mansion to Museum Exhibit at Morris-Jumel Mansion,  65 Jumel Terrace, between 160th and 161st Street.  Constructed in 1765, the Morris-Jumel Mansion has witnessed 255 years of American history. The museum has been in operation for 116 years and during this time, the presentation of the site, grounds, former residents, and context has continued to evolve. Discoveries about this house continually present themselves in the form of photographs, publications, and ephemera. From Mansion to Museum explores a little-known twenty-year period in the house’s history: the transformation from private residence to museum.  More details on the MJM site: LINK


HarlemBespoke.com 2020

CELEBRATE: THE THREE KINGS DAY PARADE 2020

Monday, January 6th, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem,  beginning at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue.  The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade sponsored by El Museo Del Barrio will walk down the blocks of East Harlem in the beginning of the new year so don't miss out on catching a glimpse of Melchor, Caspar and Balthazar followed by a parade which includes several camels strolling up Third and Lexington Avenue.  More details about this royal local event can be found on the official El Museo site: LINK

El Día de los Reyes is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus in Latin countries and tradition has it that those children who leave their polished shoes under their beds (in preparation for the arrival of the kings of Europe, Arabia and Africa) will receive gifts the next day.  In Puerto Rico, the custom manifest itself as leaving hay in a box under the bed to feed the camels.  Come early to check out the crowds, costumes and various floats since the route is only for about a dozen blocks and the entire parade only last for an hour and half.

HarlemBespoke.com 2020

CELEBRATE: THE THREE KINGS DAY PARADE 2020

Monday, January 6th, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem,  beginning at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue.  The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade sponsored by El Museo Del Barrio will walk down the blocks of East Harlem in the beginning of the new year so don't miss out on catching a glimpse of Melchor, Caspar and Balthazar followed by a parade which includes several camels strolling up Third and Lexington Avenue.  More details about this royal local event can be found on the official El Museo site: LINK

El Día de los Reyes is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus in Latin countries and tradition has it that those children who leave their polished shoes under their beds (in preparation for the arrival of the kings of Europe, Arabia and Africa) will receive gifts the next day.  In Puerto Rico, the custom manifest itself as leaving hay in a box under the bed to feed the camels.  Come early to check out the crowds, costumes and various floats since the route is only for about a dozen blocks and the entire parade only last for an hour and half.

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

CINEMABESPOKE: RUMORS OF WAR BY KEHINDE WILEY

Harlem Bespoke:  Kehinde Wiley started out with a residency at the Studio Museum in Harlem and has since rocketed to national fame after being selected to paint the official portrait of President Obama.  The artist was already well known in the art world for paintings but now the pop culture exposure has been further amplified with the largest work called Rumors of War that recently had a run in Times Square.    Confederate monuments are the obvious inspiration but a young casually dressed black man rides the stallion this time around which brings to mind the meaning of representation in art, history and American life.

Those who missed out can see the full color video of the work on our Cinema Bespoke channel on YouTube (switch to HD for better quality) and make sure to subscribe after viewing: LINK


HarlemBespoke.com 2019

CELEBRATE: THE THREE KINGS DAY PARADE 2020

Friday, January 6th, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem,  beginning at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue.  The 43rd Annual Three Kings Day Parade sponsored by El Museo Del Barrio will walk down the blocks of East Harlem in the beginning of the new year so don't miss out on catching a glimpse of Melchor, Caspar and Balthazar followed by a parade which includes several camels strolling up Third and Lexington Avenue.  More details about this royal local event can be found on the official El Museo site: LINK

El Día de los Reyes is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus in Latin countries and tradition has it that those children who leave their polished shoes under their beds (in preparation for the arrival of the kings of Europe, Arabia and Africa) will receive gifts the next day.  In Puerto Rico, the custom manifest itself as leaving hay in a box under the bed to feed the camels.  Come early to check out the crowds, costumes and various floats since the route is only for about a dozen blocks and the entire parade only last for an hour and half.

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

OPEN HOUSE NEW YORK: GRANT'S TOMB

Saturday and Sunday, October 19th & 20th, Open House New York Tour at Grant's Tomb, West 122nd Street and Riverside Drive.  A special 30-minute architecture themed tours each day at 11:15AM and 3:15PM in the Mausoleum, or join the 10 minute ranger talk on the front portico at 10:30AM or 2:30PM. The Mausoleum will be open an hour earlier from 9:00AM to 5:00PM for both days to accommodate visitors who are making plans to see other open house events in the city.  More details can be found at the Grant's Tomb site: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

SEE: MOONLIGHT & MOVIES AT MCNY

Tuesday,  September 10th, 7:00PM-9:30PM, Moonlight & Movies: On The Waterfront  at Museum of the City of New York, 104th Street and Fifth Avenue. Enjoy drinks and a summer movie outdoors at MCNY with a $15 general admission.  Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist Jennifer Egan introduces this outdoor screening of Elia Kazan's classic 1954 drama On the Waterfront (108 min), which stars Marlon Brando as a boxer-turned-dockworker. Both On the Waterfront and Egan's latest novel, historical noir-thriller Manhattan Beach, trace the crime-ridden underworld of New York's shipyards in the 1940s. See how the two stories intertwine in their shared portrayal of the city's shoreline and penetrating investigations of human nature.  Movie ticket includes a drink voucher. Additional drinks and snacks available for purchase: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

SEE: AROUND HARLEM THIS WEEKEND

Harlem Bespoke: Keep it all uptown and help out Harlem's great local businesses over the weekend.  Below is the Bespoke list of what is new and notable in the north neighborhoods to try out this upcoming weekend. 

Saturday Morningside Farmers Market at 110th and Manhattan: LINK

The Jackie Robinson exhibit at Museum of the City of New York: LINK

Checking out the new Pizza by Lucille's on Macomb and 150th: LINK

Cold brew coffee at Little Bean on St. Nicholas and 111th Street: LINK

Grabbing brunch at Ruby's Vintage on ACP by 137th Street: LINK

Coffee at Lucille's on Macombs Place and 150th Street: LINK

Visiting Ploughshares Coffee on Amsterdam and 126th Street: LINK

Cocktails and small bites at L'Argot on Hamilton Place: LINK

Coffee and ambiance at Common Good on FDB by 149th Street: LINK

Arepas and drinks at Barepas on Amsterdam by 148th street: LINK

Ethiopian cuisine at Benyam on FDB by 149th Street: LINK

Burgers, shakes and fries at Shake Shack on 125th Street: LINK

Drinks at Boxers Washington Heights on Broadway by 159th: LINK

Pizza Happy Hour on the weekends at Uncle Tony's by 139th Street: LINK

More drinks at the new Harlem Ale House on 127th Street: LINK

Tasting tacos in East Harlem at La Chula on 116th Street: LINK

Hanging out at the Bierstrasse beer garden on 12th Avenue: LINK

Coffee and donuts at Shuteye on 116th between Lenox and 7th Ave: LINK

Cocktails at Hexagon Lounge on 142nd Street by Edgecombe: LINK

Checking out the new location of Charle's Pan Fried Chicken on FDB: LINK

Visiting Bo's Bagels on 116th early in the morning before they sell out: LINK

Tasting delicious Japanese curry at the new Curry-Ya Uptown: LINK

Trying out the brunch burger at RDV on FDB by West 112th Street: LINK

Weekend dinners at Belle on ACP 7th Avenue by 139th Street: LINK

Discovering Japanese style crepes at Crepe Master on 116th: LINK

Tasting ice cream at Sugar Hill Creamery on Lenox by 119th: LINK

Dinner service at Clay on Manhattan Avenue and 123rd Street: LINK 

Drinks at the new Honeywell in Hamilton Heights on Broadway: LINK

Eating hand-made tacos at the Oso on Amsterdam and 140th Street: LINK

Sipping java at the new Harlem Coffee Co. on Lenox by 118th: LINK

Discovering the East Harlem Bottling Co. on Lexington by 107th Street: LINK

Seafood and craft cocktails at  B2 Harlem on West 119th: LINK

Trying out southern whiskey at Uptown Bourbon by 152nd Street: LINK

Slurping up authentic ramen at R.O.K.C on Broadway by 141st Street: LINK

Brunch or dinner at Sottocasa Pizzeria on Lenox by 121st Street: LINK

Eating great Italian at Fumo on Amsterdam and 139th Street: LINK

Destination worthy brunch at Solomon & Kuff on 12th Avenue: LINK

Tasting incredible Edomae style sushi at Inoue on Lenox and 129th: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2019

SEE: THE 42ND ANNUAL THREE KINGS DAY PARADE

Friday, January 4th, 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM, The 42nd Annual Three Kings Day Parade in East Harlem,  beginning at East 106th Street and 3rd Avenue.  The 42nd Annual Three Kings Day Parade sponsored by El Museo Del Barrio will walk down the blocks of East Harlem in the beginning of the new year so don't miss out on catching a glimpse of Melchor, Caspar and Balthazar followed by a parade which includes several camels strolling up Third and Lexington Avenue.  More details about this royal local event can be found on the official El Museo site: LINK

El Día de los Reyes is the Christian holiday that celebrates the birth of Jesus in Latin countries and tradition has it that those children who leave their polished shoes under their beds (in preparation for the arrival of the kings of Europe, Arabia and Africa) will receive gifts the next day.  In Puerto Rico, the custom manifest itself as leaving hay in a box under the bed to feed the camels.  Come early to check out the crowds, costumes and various floats since the route is only for about a dozen blocks and the entire parade only last for an hour and half.

HarlemBespoke.com 2018

INTRODUCING: LGBT PRIDE AT THE SCHOMBURG

Friday, June 2nd,  6:00PM-10:00PM,  LGBT Pride Edition at The Schomburg, 135th and Lenox. To kick off LGBT Pride Month, the Schomburg Center is proud to present the third annual First Fridays: LGBT Pride social gathering, in honor of our In the Life Archive, a collection of materials of and by black LGBT people throughout history preserved in our Manuscripts, Archives and Rare Books Division. Complementing the party will be a special pop-up exhibit culled from our collections highlighting the life and work of LGBT activist Storme DeLarverie, who's credited as having thrown the first punch against police which sparked the 3-day Stonewall Riots.

More Details on the official Schomburg site: LINK

REMEMBER: AN ICONIC TOWER CIRCA 1930

Who can guess the location of this local Harlem landmark from an image taken circa 1930?  The signature signage apparently was not constructed yet but this iconic structure still stand today as an uptown beacon at night.  A more current photos will be posted later on in the day.

ANSWER: The Harlem YMCA is an official landmark and still stands today on 135th Street between 7th and Lenox Avenue. There have been talks over the years about selling the building to developers but it appears that those plans never came about.  Archival photo courtesy NYPL

REMEMBER: COBBLESTONES AND BILLBOARDS C.1931

Who can guess the vantage point of this view taken circa 1931?  The storefronts in the photo used to be still intact up until about a couple of years ago and this is actually one of the only areas of Harlem with some cobblestone still exposed on certain streets.  An updated photo will be posted later on.

ANSWER: The old photo is actually from the west side of Broadway and 125th Street looking east.  Those smaller commercial buildings used to be part of the old Floridita before Columbia University bought out the land and had been demolished a few years back.  Archival image courtesy NYPL