HARLEM
Harlem nightlife is shrinking! The NYTimes has reported that St. Nick’s Pub has closed due to an expired liquor license that was up over a year ago.
After taking over after his mother’s death in 2010, Vincent Lampkin, 52, ignored repeated warnings from the police before they raided the club during a packed house.
For those inclined to spend their leisure away from the insidious allure of NYC’s night scene, there are plenty of culture-friendly alternatives in the art world. NYC being a veritable Mecca for artistry (in all forms), there is never shortage of brilliance on display. Whether it’s through paint, film, or photo, there is a plethora of skill layered within every medium.
Art appreciation is double-edged sword of sorts: fleeting in its exposure, though infinitely more desirable because of it. Don’t let these exhibits pass you by, for their presence is tantalizingly evanescent!
Walking food tours are a great option for those visiting New York City or have recently moved to a new neighborhood where they aren’t quite sure where the best places to eat are. There are quite a few companies that offer walking tours that are neighborhood specific and dedicated to the diverse dishes found in those neighborhoods. From Chinatown to the Upper West Side there’s a walking tour that will fit anyone's taste buds, all for a relatively cheap price tag.
Joonbug found five interesting walking food tours that we cannot wait to try out the next time a friend comes to town or have day to ourselves to go on an adventure.
Sometimes we New Yorkers get so caught up in the bustle of everyday life in the city that we forget just how beautiful it actually is. Sure, there's too many people, piles of trash, possum-sized rats, and reeking sewers everywhere, but despite its blatantly filthy exterior lies a beauty that can't be found anywhere else in the world. I had a chance to attend the Levi's Photo Workshop with Bruce Davidson last fall where attendees got a slideshow tour of his work and a personal narration from the legend himself. The presentation was nothing short of remarkable and it's an experience I'll never forget. We got to hear directly from Bruce what is was like being in the middle of the Civil Rights Movement, and tales like getting held up in the subway as he was shooting photos, and walking through a dangerous Central Park at 2am in the 1960s; and how he gave up photography in the very lucrative fashion industry to shoot real life.
Smoke DZA has decided to bring Rolling Stoned hit “4 Loko” behind cameras and continue to beat the drum for the album's forthcoming release. Smoke DZA and up-and-coming Harlem based weed-rapper ASAP Rocky, both who clearly have an affinity for smoking the chronic, spend the majority of the video just straight up chilling and getting down on some purple.
The essential music video merchandise swag stand out, from fresh shoes and monies, to 40s and 4-wheelers, to whips and smartphones. It’s not a particularly crafty video, but it does capture the overall essence of the song: going loco on Loko. The visuals, lyrics, and sounds combine to accurately represent what it feels like after you’ve just knocked back a Four Loko drank—you’re pretty much housed to say the least, and then you eventually start to come down from the 12% alcohol content that boasts a serious kick of caffeine.
Rolling Stoned drops August 30.
It's official. I no longer have to trek to Brooklyn.
I have been loyal to Fornino in Williamsburg for about three years, but now Bad Horse pizza has opened 10 blocks from my house. And it's giving it a run for its money.
I started with a mixed green salad which was pretty standard, and a crab cake appetizer that was more than standard, life-changing, actually. The crab cake was served with a spicy tomato sauce, atop a bed of spinach. I hereby proclaim crab cakes (such as this one) be served on birthdays with a candle in their succulent centers.
It's 5pm on Friday, July 1st, and Harlem Tavern is about to open its iron gates. But am I standing in the long line wrapping around the corner of 116th and Frederick Douglas Boulevard? No. Being the smart woman I am, I sent the boyfriend and his buddy to peep out the scene after drinking a beer at Bier International. They reported back that the anticipated chaos associated with a large patio-front restaurant/bar opening on a major holiday weekend in a neighborhood that craves more restaurants is present. At this very moment, I am so glad I am home alone drying my hair.
We know you are tired of traveling all the way downtown. We know that your studio is too small to glide across and you can't stand that pause between tracks on your iPod's shuffle. We now have something for you to boast about besides cheap rent: a Thursday night dance party.
This Thursday, June 30th, venture to Alto Casa, a new deep house party at the The Hudson River Cafe. With an indoor dance floor and an outdoor patio, you can groove to the sounds of Filsonik (Objeckivity), Rubi Ri-Tres, Derek Sampson, and Dan Scala in a gorgeous venue that gazes onto the Hudson River. Plush couches line the walls of the outside lounge, where two main bars will mix up mojitos, margaritas and a slew of signature cocktails classy enough for you to feel like you’re in SoHo --they even have Hendricks!
If you have never been to New York City before, or are unfamiliar with our eclectic neighborhoods, take some time now to get familiar with what's where and who's going to be there. New Year's Eve is a great time to take in some culture and the party spans out well beyond the confines of Times Square.
Manhattan island is split up into three major sections: Uptown, Midtown, and Downtown. Doesn't give you much to go on does it? Let this be your whirlwind tour of the three major geographic locations in NYC.
Uptown:
Saturday was a full day of New York fun. A friend's birthday was in need of celebrating, so we started with brunch at Campos where unlimited pitchers of mimosas propelled us into a drunken buzz good enough to carry us on to Harlem beergarden, bier international, on 113th and 8th avenue. After tossing back several pints, the crew, good and well drunk headed further uptown to go roller skating. Who knew there was so much to do uptown?
Apparently, the good people of Riverbank State Park did. If you haven't been there, I think you should shut down the computer and go right now. Designed with Japan's urban rooftops in mind, the 28 acre park is filled with merry go rounds, tennis courts, swimming pools, restaurants, tons of lush greenery, and yes, a roller skating rink.
 |
 |
 |
 |
