Harlem Bespoke: Sunday, April 30th, 2:00PM–3:30PM, Ralph Ellison Monument 20th Anniversary Celebration, Riverside Drive at West 150th Street. The Ralph Ellison Memorial Committee commemorates Elizabeth Catlett’s sculpture and the life of Ralph Ellison with a curated line-up of local jazz musicians and poetry. More details can be found on the NYC Parks site: LINK
Harlem Bespoke: We were checking out some of the carved townhouse elements in the Hamilton Heights Historic District and noticed one very decorative Star of David just around the corner from Convent Avenue. This might be a Christian reference or another possibility could be that one of the builders had been Jewish during this time period when brownstones started to appear all over the former countryside of Harlem. Regardless of the reason, this star with a spring floral motif was a lovely discovery and is rarely found outside of church or temple architecture uptown.
Harlem Bespoke: Those who are interested in renting, buying or selling in Harlem should check out the Bespoke Listings page which feature the top experts in Harlem and the uptown market. Our sponsors are some of the best in the field and cover a wide range of price points within the upper Manhattan market: LINK
Thursday, May 4th, 6:00PM-9:00PM, Cocktails & Culture: Spring Jazz at Museum of the City of New York, 104th Street and Fifth Avenue. Buy a ticket for this after hours mixer and enjoy cocktails with live jazz in the rotunda with guitarist Miguel Colombet and his quartet. Enjoy classic margaritas and other libations from the MCNY Bar, plus delicious light bites by UGC eats! Museum galleries will be open during the event so everyone can check out the latest exhibit New York Now: Home. Online tickets now available: LINK
Harlem Bespoke: Another reason to drop by Ginjan Cafe on 125th Street at Park Avenue is the fantastic new African dishes being featured as a special daily. We dropped by earlier in the week and Yassa chicken was being served up in in a seasoned rice bowl or delicious wraps. We love the food at Teranga further south but now Ginjan might just be offering something even better each day.
Our personal view of bland wraps also changed because of this experience since the crispy grilled version found here is truly next level.
Everything was so amazing with abundant flavors and this was easily the best quick lunch we had had in the new year. There are also vegetarian versions of the daily dish so those who are going meatless can also enjoy the new alternating menu items. Ginjan Cafe is also the first business to set up at the restored Corn Exchange Building which is one of the few official local landmarks on Harlem’s main commercial boulevard. More about the local coffeeshop startup can be found in our past post: LINK