SHOP: L LOUNGE FOR SALE ON FDB

Harlem Bespoke:  We walked by L Lounge on FDB located just north of 115th Street and noticed that there was a For Sale sign posted on the window.  The local business opened back in 2012 when there were not a lot of options on the main commercial corridor but 8th Avenue is now full of bars and beer halls.  A new business owner could make over the space into something more updated since all of the equipment is pretty much set up.  Most new construction buildings are a bit clinical in the first place so the challenge here is to design an interior that is inviting and contemporary at the same time.

HarlemBespoke.com 2018

ARCHITECTURE: 313 WEST 121ST STREET REVEALED

Harlem Bespoke:  Construction has been going on at the former lot on 313 West 121st Street for the past couple of years and now things appear to be finishing up.  We walked by the location just west of  Frederick Douglass Boulevard this past weekend and noticed a bold glassy facade had been revealed after the scaffolding had all been removed.  We especially like the asymmetry of this new construction since the developers have eschewed the standard square box model for something slightly more modern.  This 6-unit condo should be on the market soon but a listing apparently has not been posted yet.  More on 313 West 121st Street can be found in our past post: LINK

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REMEMBER: THE YOUNG ALEXANDER DUMAS PERE

Harlem Bespoke: The above lithograph of Alexander Dumas père from the 1800s can be seen in Harlem at the Wallach gallery and reveals that the author of The Three Musketeers had a multi-cultural background.  With a little more research, one would discover that part of Dumas' family history actually goes back to colonial Haiti and the famous writer's great grandmother was a former slave. There are also photographs of the novelist and a good amount literature reflecting on his friendship with the artists of the era at the new exhibit called Posing Modernity: The Black Model from Monet to Matisse.  For more photos and additional information, check out our past post: LINK

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BESPOKE: BRUNCH AT BLVD BISTRO

Harlem Bespoke: The brunch pick of the week is the very underrated BLVD Bistro in the Mount Morris Park Historic District on Lenox at the corner of West 122nd Street.  Other popular spots in the neighborhood almost seem like a club with loud music in the background but this little Harlem gem located within the garden level of a historic brownstone always has in-the-know locals lining up to get in even before the doors open.  Southern fare is on the menu so anyone in the mood for some of the best fried chicken or shrimp & grits should stop to see why this boutique eatery has been an uptown favorite for the past few years.  More on BLVD bistro can be found in our past post: LINK

HarlemBespoke.com 2018