Holidays » MORNINGSIDER

Mother’s Day in Harlem

Entertainment, Harlem, Holidays No Responses »

May 012012

Happy May, Morningsiders! May is a terrific month for a number of reasons – spring flowers, warmer weather, but one of our favorite reasons is coming up on May 13^th: Mother’s Day. That special day to honor and appreciate mothers around the world is fast approaching and we thought we’d suggest a few fun events and activities in Harlem that mothers are guaranteed to enjoy!

First up is the 28^th Annual Harlem Mother’s Day Parade. This celebrated parade takes place the weekend before Mother’s Day on Saturday, May 5 and starts at 10:00am in front of Lenox Terrace, 470 Lenox Avenue at 133^rd Street. All are welcome to join the parade procession which will be lead by the organization’s founder, Candace Queen Mother Abbess-Bishop Shirley Pitts, Committee Members, Grand Marshalls and supporter, Akil Rose, founder of The Harlem Transformation Project. The parade will culminate at the Pelham Fritz Amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park at around 2:00pm for continued entertainment, music and festivities. Click here for details on the parade route, and for more information you can call the Event Day Director at 917-945-4764 or email ActionReActMedia@aol.com.

If you’re looking for the best Mother’s Day brunch in New York City, look no further than Mother’s Day Brunch at Red Rooster and Ginny’s Supper Club. On Sunday, May 13 from 10:00am-4:00pm, both Red Rooster and Ginny’s will be paying tribute to moms by serving up delicious brunch menus and offering a background of inspiring gospel music. At Red Rooster, mom can enjoy favorites like Smoked Salmon ($23), Lamb & Potato Hash ($19), French Toast with Nutella Whip ($16), or Jerk Bacon & Eggs ($19). Ginny’s Supper Club will be offering a special à la carte menu including savory items like Pain Perdu ($15), Steak & Eggs ($26), and Duck Hash ($18). If you’ve got your heart set on Red Rooster, you better get there early to beat the crowds as reservations are not accepted for Sunday Brunch. At Ginny’s, walk-ins are accepted, but reservations are recommended. For more information, please visit Red Rooster & Ginny’s website, or call: 212-792-9001.

Another great way to treat the special lady in your life is at the Mother’s Day R&B Classic Soul fundraising event for the scholarship fund at Frederick Douglass Academy. From 3:00pm-5:00pm on Sunday, May 13, enjoy musical performances by Big Sonny & Bird’s Group as well as Khalif Yisrael, Supreme, John Walker and Marie Santos. Tickets are $15 in advance and $20 at the door. The event will take place at Frederick Douglass Academy at 2581 Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard at 150^th Street. For more information, call: 212-491-4107.

Still searching for the perfect gift for mom? Try tickets to “An Evening with Ruby Dee” at the Apollo Theater on Sunday, May 13. A stage, film and television icon, Ruby Dee speaks the word and tells the truth in this culturally entertaining experience of music and spoken word. Spend an unforgettable evening with Ruby Dee – an Oscar nominee, Kennedy Center honoree, Black Girls Rock Living Legend Award recipient and Emmy, Grammy and Image award winner. The show starts at 5:00pm and $25, $35, $45 tickets are available at the Apollo Theater box office, by calling Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000, or visiting Ticketmaster online here. To purchase $100 Prime Center Orchestra tickets, please call 214-743-2506 or email audiencedevelopment@tbaal.org. The Apollo Theater is located at 253 West 125^th Street at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard. For more information please visit the Apollo’s website or call -212-531-5305

Happy Mother’s Day!

Celebrate Harlem Earth Day 2012

Community Involvement, Entertainment, Harlem, Holidays, Kids, Marcus Garvey Park, Morningside Park, Music, Parks No Responses »

Apr 162012

Spring has officially sprung in Harlem, and as the flowers bloom and grass gets greener, we are reminded of how important it is to take care of our environment. This coming Sunday, April 22 is Earth Day, a day in which events are held worldwide in order to increase awareness and appreciation of the global environment.

This year, Harlem Park to Park, a Central Harlem community improvement organization and merchants’ association, has organized their first-ever Earth Day initiative on April 22 to coincide with Global Earth Day! An all-day event, Harlem Earth Day will include a number of fun and educational family friendly activities to promote the Earth Day mission of increasing awareness of environmental issues, including: Green Energy Use, Recycling, Clean Air, etc.

Activities will be taking place at Morningside Park, Marcus Garvey Park, Central Park, Aloft Hotel, and many local Harlem businesses. Families can enjoy yoga classes with Land Yoga, gardening demonstrations with Harlem Flo, arts and crafts projects, live music and much more!

For more information, please visit Harlem Park to Park’s Facebook page here.

Spring Holidays in Harlem

Community Involvement, Culture, Holidays No Responses »

Apr 022012

This upcoming weekend marks the beginning of two significant holidays: Easter and Passover. Easter, which takes place on Sunday, April 8 this year, celebrates the resurrection of Jesus and also marks the end of Lent, a forty-day period of fasting, prayer and penance. Passover, which begins on the evening of Friday, April 6 and ends on the evening of Saturday, April 14, commemorates the story of the Exodus, in which the ancient Israelites were freed from slavery in Egypt.

There are a number of events and celebrations taking place in Harlem to observe these holidays, and we thought we would highlight just a few for our fellow Morningsiders:

The Metropolitan Community Church of New York is holding their 40^th annual Easter Banquet, “Celebrating the Journey of Promise,” on Saturday, April 7 at 3:00pm. The banquet will be celebrating 40 years worth of accomplishments, honoring those in our community who are making a positive change. This year’s honorees are Council Member Daniel Dromm, Rev. Boon Lin-Ngeo, Cathy Marino-Thomas, the Stonewall Chorale and Pastor Joseph Tolton. Tickets to the banquet are $40 and include a buffet lunch catered by Pasha Events, desserts by Blossom Bakery and entertainment by the Stonewall Chorale. You can purchase tickets online here. The event will be taking place at the Union Theological Seminary’s Refectory at 120^th Street and Broadway. For more information, call 212-629-7440 or visit their website at www.mccny.org.

Red Rooster is offering up a delicious Easter Sunday brunch on Sunday, April 8 from 10:00am-4:00pm. Red Rooster invites you to “join us for our festive Easter celebration as we usher in springtime with veteran Gospel singer Boncella Lewis to pay tribute to music, food, and spirituality.” Enjoy many of the restaurant’s brunch classics, including: the Lenox Smörgåsborg, Lamb & Potato Hash, Biscuit & Red Eye Gravy, and the famous Fried Yard Bird. Additionally, Red Rooster’s new supper club Ginny’s, will be open on this joyous occasion. Enjoy Easter fare with a “retro Harlem twist,” like Pain Perdu, Duck Hash, Steak & Eggs, and Chicken & Waffles, while you enjoy the uplifting performance of a Gospel choir. Reservations are not accepted for Red Rooster’s brunch, however they are recommended for Ginny’s Supper Club. Red Rooster is located at 310 Lenox Avenue. For more information, call 212-792-9001 or visit their website at www.redroosterharlem.com.

Chabad of Harlem invites you to “discover the eternal meaning of the Haggadah and enjoy a community Seder complete with hand-baked Matzah, wine and a wonderful dinner spiced with unique traditional customs,” at their Seders on both Friday, April 6 8:00pm and Saturday, April 7 at 8:30pm. There is a suggested donation of $50 per adult and $10 per child, and reservations are required as space is limited. For reservations, please visit their website here. Chabad of Harlem is located at 437 Manhattan Avenue between West 118^th and 119^th Streets. For more information, call 718-930-9994 ()‎or visit their website at www.jewishharlem.com.

The Congregation Ramath Orah is a traditional, inclusive Orthodox synagogue in the heart of Morningside Heights at 550 West 110^th Street and will be holding a number of services all day on Friday, April 6. For a full day schedule, please download their calendar here. For more information on the Congregation Ramath Orah, call 212-222-2470 or visit their website at www.ramathorah.org.

Harlem Park to Park’s Holiday Calendar

Community Involvement, Culture, Entertainment, Harlem, Holidays No Responses »

Dec 092011

It’s that time of year – holiday events galore, and one Harlem community organization has put together a range of multi-denominational events for the whole family. Harlem Park to Park (HP2P), a central Harlem merchants association that supports local businesses and the overall community has announced a roster of activities that will begin next week and last throughout the month to help New Yorkers celebrate the season.

- Tuesday, December 13, kicks off the festivities with HP2P’s Children’s Caroling Program and Kick-Off Event in partnership with Marcus Garvey Park Alliance’s Annual Multi-Faith Holiday event. The evening will begin with the children’s caroling program, followed by a presentation about the meaning of Christmas by Bethel Gospel Assembly and the holiday tree lighting ceremony. The Hanukkah presentation and lighting of the menorah follows, as well as a Kwanzaa presentation by the children of the Pelham Fritz after school program and lighting of the kinara. There will also be an Islamic presentation, a dance performance by children in the dance ministry at Bethel Gospel Assembly and free refreshments provided by numerous HP2P businesses including: Red Rooster, Sylvia’s, Melba’s, Chocolat, Chez Lucienne, and 5 and Diamond. Decorations provided by Harlem Flo and Franz James Floral Boutique.

The event will run from 6:00pm to 8:30pm at the Pelham Fritz Recreation Center located at 122nd Street and Mount Morris Park West in Marcus Garvey Park. Other partners include MMPCIA, Friends of Morningside Park and Kidberry Children’s Music and Education Center.

- HP2P will also be hosting a Holiday Window Display Competition from Monday, December 12 through Friday, December 23. The competition will include a contest between the holiday storefront windows of the numerous HP2P businesses, as well as a contest between residential homeowners of the Mt. Morris Park community and the Morningside Park community. The competition will include two categories: Most Original and Most Festive. Voting will be conducted through HP2P’s Facebook until 5:00pm on Friday, December 23. Online voters will be entered in raffle for prizes from HP2P businesses. Winners will be announced on Saturday, December 24.

- HP2P’s Annual Holiday Coat & Toy Drive will be held from Monday, December 12 through Friday, December 23 in partnership with the 125^th Street BID. During this period, HP2P and BID members will be asked to collect unused coats and toys from customers shopping/dining at their businesses which will be donated to the Harlem Dowling-West Side Center (HDWC) which serves and assists children and their families in crisis and distress. Donated coats and toys will be collected on Friday, December 23 and delivered to HDWC offices at 2090 Adam Clayton Powell Jr., Blvd.

- The final program on HP2P’s holiday calendar is the Holiday Shopping & Dining Program with The Abyssinian Fund, which will last from Sunday, December 18 through January 31. Throughout this period, HP2P businesses will donate 10% of all proceeds generated from sales to Abyssinian members to The Abyssinian Fund, which supports 800 coffee farmers in Ethiopia.

We hope you get the chance to participate in all of these terrific holiday events provided by HP2P! For more information, please visit the organization’s website or Facebook page.

What are you doing to celebrate the season?

Celebrating the Holidays in Harlem

Community Involvement, Culture, Entertainment, Food, Harlem, Holidays, Morningside Park No Responses »

Dec 052011

The holidays are all around us now and even though the weather is colder, our holiday spirit is keeping us warm! During this wonderful time of the year, many folks have their own special holiday traditions and activities they share – from drinking hot cocoa around the fire and attending a tree lighting ceremony to singing carols with friends and family and shopping.

This year, there are a number of great events planned in Harlem to celebrate the season and we invite you to check them out!

Start off the holidays on Thursday, December 8, with the Mount Morris Park Community Improvement Association, at their 4^th Annual Holiday Gala & Fundraiser. The event, which will be from 7:00pm-10:00pm, is taking place at Ristorante Settepani, at 196 Lenox Avenue and West 120 Street. The night will be full of festivities, food, music and mingling, as well as a silent auction. Proceeds from the auction will support the MMPCIA Scholarship Award; the Harlem Library; provide toys for the holidays to children in need; and help support the organization’s other community efforts. Tickets are $25 in advance, and can be purchased online here, or $30 at the door. Also required for admission: one toy for a child or canned or dry food for the food pantry. For more information please call 212-369-4241.

On Saturday, December 10, Harlem Vintage is celebrating the holiday season with a special event, Sounds of the Season, at Harlem Vintage and neighboring Nectar Wine Bar. From 4:00pm to 7:00pm, Harlem Vintage will be hosting a St. Germaine tasting as well as teaching guests how to make the perfect holiday cocktails, featuring musical guest Nicholas Ryan Gant. From 8:00pm to 12:00am, Nectar Wine Bar will be featuring seasonal musical performances by Broadway’s Roderick Covington, Jahi Kearse and Saycon Sengbloh (FELA). Harlem Vintage is located at 2235 Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 120^th and 121^st Streets. For more information please call: 212-866-9463.

Next, you’ll want to layer on your coats and scarves for the Winter Festival and Tree Lighting at Morningside Park, presented by Friends of Morningside Park. Come witness this beautiful holiday tradition while enjoying free refreshments and great company. The tree lighting will be on Wednesday, December 14 from 4:30pm-5:30pm by 121^st Street and Morningside Avenue. This event is free and open to the public. For more information please call: 212-937-3883.

From Thursday, December 15 to Saturday, December 17, the Cathedral Church of Saint John the Divine will be hosting the 32nd annual Winter Solstice Celebration featuring the Grammy-award winning Paul Winter Consort, as well as special guests Gospel singer Theresa Thomason, African mbira master Chris Berry and Forces of Nature Dance Theatre Ensemble. Tickets are $80 for reserved seating and $50 or $35 for general admission. Tickets can be purchased in person at the box office, online here or by phone: 866-811-4111. On December 15 and 16 the performance begins at 8:00pm, on December 17 2:00pm and 7:30pm; The Church of Saint John the Divine is located at 1047 Amsterdam Avenue at West 112^th Street. For more information please call: 212-316-7490.

On Sunday, December 18 at 4:00pm, you’re invited to join one of the oldest Christmas traditions in New York City: The Reading of Clement Clarke Moore’s poem: ‘Twas the Night Before Christmas at the Church of the Intercession. This year is the 101^st anniversary of the reading and will feature special guest reader Jon Carter—an extremely well-known and influential jazz bassist. After the reading of the poem, guests are invited to participate in a candlelight procession to the tomb of the author to lay wreathes, sing Christmas carols and enjoy refreshments. The Church of the Intercession is located in 550 West 155^th Street at Broadway. This event is free and open to the public, for more information please call: 212-602-0800.

Hanukkah Uptowner.org 300x180 Celebrating the Holidays in Harlem

Credit - Uptowner.org

Wednesday, December 21 marks the annual Celebration of Hanukkah at the Old Broadway Synagogue, located at 15 Old Broadway between 125^th and 126^th Streets. The annual event, which is hosted with Senator Bill Perkins’ office, is taking place on Thursday, December 22 at 7:00pm and will feature a candle-lighting ceremony as well as a kosher reception. Please RSVP to Cordell Cleare at 212-222-7315 and for more information please call: 212-662-9767.

Another exciting event will be taking place at the historic Apollo Theater on Friday, December 30. The Apollo, located at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard, will be hosting their 6^th annual Kwanzaa Celebration this year at 7:30pm. This evening of music and dance will feature performances by New York-based dance company, Abdel Salaam’s Forces of Nature Dance Theatre and will be hosted by WBLS personality Imhotep Gary Byrd. Tickets for the event are either $14 or $16 and can be purchased at the Apollo Theater box office, by phone through Ticketmaster at 800-745-3000 or online at Ticketmaster.com. Group Tickets of 5 or more are $14. For more information please call: 212-531-5300.

Happy holidays to everyone! We welcome you to share any more holiday events and traditions you plan to participate in this year.

Thanksgiving Dining Options Uptown

Food, Harlem, Holidays, Restaurants No Responses »

Nov 212011

The holiday season is upon us, Morningsiders, and we’re getting ready to celebrate a great Thanksgiving uptown! Whether you’re planning on spending the day with family, friends or new faces, we know you’ll be looking for tasty food.

However, Thanksgiving can also be a stressful time for the chef of the house, and sometimes it’s nice to be pampered with a scrumptious meal and not have to clean the dishes afterwards!

Here’s just a selection of the terrific Harlem restaurants that will be serving up home-style Thanksgiving dinners for the whole family this Thursday:

Sylvia’s Restaurant at 328 Lenox Avenue will be offering both a Thanksgiving menu as well as a Thanksgiving Family Style menu. The Thanksgiving menu offers entrees from the classic roasted turkey to short ribs, prime steak, fried catfish and more for either $24.95 or $28.95 and a children’s menu for $14.95. The Thanksgiving Family Style menu is meant for parties of five or more and allows a selection of entrees, sides, a dessert and beverage for $31.95 for adults and $15.95 for kids. Thanksgiving will be served from 11:00am to 8:00pm. For more information, please call 212-996-0660.

Chez Lucienne RestaurantGirl 300x194 Thanksgiving Dining Options Uptown

Credit - RestaurantGirl.com

Down the street at 308 Lenox Avenue, Chez Lucienne will be featuring a delicious, traditional turkey dinner with all the trimmings for $24.95 per person. If you’re not in the mood for turkey, Chez Lucienne will also be serving up their regular menu on Thanksgiving Day, which includes steak tartare, coq au vin and langoustine et son pate de crabe. For more information, please call 212-289-5555.

Amy Ruths 300x185 Thanksgiving Dining Options Uptown You’ll find another option for a Thanksgiving pre-fixe menu at Amy Ruth’s, located at 113 West 116^th Street. For $22.95 per person, Amy Ruth’s will offer a choice between herb roasted turkey with stuffing or cured honey glazed ham with two sides and a dessert. Amy Ruth’s will be open from 12:00pm to 8:30pm Thanksgiving Day and they will also be serving their regular menu, which includes fried chicken wings, fried or smothered pork chops and spare ribs. For more information, please call 212-280-8779.

We hope you all have a wonderful Thanksgiving, let us know where you choose to go!

Women’s History Month Event at The Riverside Theater

Art, Community Involvement, Culture, Harlem, Holidays, Morningside Heights, Music No Responses »

Mar 212011

In case you’d forgotten, or maybe didn’t realize it, March is Women’s History Month.

But it’s not too late to celebrate and we know just the place to go.

Buy tickets today for “Women of Excellence in the Arts” at The Riverside Theatre on March 28^th at 7 p.m., where five renowned artists will take center stage.

Billed as an “evening of conversation sharing the beauty and power of women in the arts,” the theatre has quite a lineup in store, including: Carol Maillard, a founding member of Sweet Honey in the Rock, who is also an accomplished actress with a variety of stage, film and screen credits; playwright, poet, novelist and activist, Ntozake Shange, author of the acclaimed and Obie Ward-winning “For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf”; Dr. Glory Van Scott, a producer, director, performer, composer and educator , whose credits extend from Broadway to the big screen (and whose real-life cousin was Emmett Till); Tamara Tunie, an actress best known for her roles on television’s “As the World Turns” and “Law and Order: Special Victims Unit,” and Jawole Willa Jo Zollar, an award-winning choreographer and founder of Urban Bush Women.

Journalist, author, playwright and radio show host Esther Armah will host.

Tickets are $10 for general admission and $25 will get you a seat for the discussion and a post-event reception. For more information, call 212-870-6784 or visit The Riverside Theatre website at http://www.theriversidetheatre.org.

The theatre is located at the historic Riverside Church at 91 Claremont Ave. between 120th & 122nd St. in Morningside Heights. The theatre strongly suggests that attendees arrive half an hour prior to the start of the event.

Let us know if you attend the events and your experiences…

Best,

Bea

Q&A with Pam and Connie, founders of Levain Bakery

Food, Harlem, Holidays, Insider Interviews, Morningside Heights, Restaurants, Welcome No Responses »

Mar 142011

As part of our Q&A series, Morningsider brings you exclusive interviews with neighborhood VIPs. This month, we interview Pam Weekes and Connie McDonald, founders of Levain Bakery, which just opened a new shop on Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 116th and 117th Streets.

Since 1995, Levain Bakery has been creating artisanal breads in its original small shop located on Manhattan’s Upper West Side. Their menu has grown—to include the now-legendary six-ounce cookies, scones, brioche, muffins and much more —but they remain a neighborhood place where everything is handmade on the premises, fresh every day.

The bakery just opened in Harlem on March 1, which comes on the heels of the recent news that Magnolia has opened new manufacturing operations in East Harlem, as well. Will Harlem be the new bakery district?

In this Q&A, Pam and Connie tell Morningsider about the bakery and more!

1. Tell us about Levain Bakery.

That is a huge question! The quick version is that we are a small artisan bakery that bakes everything we sell freshly each day, donating anything left at each day’s end to charity. We love baking and making people happy. We love meeting our customers.

2. How did you learn to bake?

Pam learned to bake from her mom and experimenting while growing up. Connie went to culinary school and then experimented.

3. Personally, what is your favorite dessert?

Connie’s, in addition to the dark chocolate chocolate chip cookie loves a good Tiramisu. Pam likes anything baked from scratch, especially cakes and cookies.

4. What’s the best thing about owning a bakery?

Connie: Making people happy and always having great bread and a great coffee machine.

5. What advice would you offer women who want to start their own businesses?

Pam: Trust your instincts and follow your heart, even if it doesn’t always seem logical. Be patient and don’t give up, persistence pays off if you truly believe in what you’re doing. And, of course, be prepared to work harder than you ever thought possible. We always say the bakery is the Ironman of our lives.

6. What separates a good cookie from a great cookie?

Pam: Really great ingredients, baking from the heart and soul, and of course a degree of freshness.

Connie: A good cookie is a good cookie. A great cookie is a tourist attraction, an entire night’s dinner party conversation, a substitute for wedding cake!

7. Anything else you would like to add?

We are so excited to be opening in Harlem, the neighborhood and everyone we have met so far have been wonderful.

Until you can make it to Levain, here is a recipe for their famous Oatmeal Raisin Scones to tide you over for the real thing!

Levain Bakery’s Recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Scones

Printable version

Ingredients

_________________________________________________________________________________________

3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for the counter

2 1/2 cups rolled oats

3/4 cup white sugar

2 tablespoons baking powder

1 teaspoon kosher salt

12 ounces sweet butter – cold and diced small

1 cup golden raisins

1 1/2 cups half-and-half

_________________________________________________________________________________________

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

Combine everything except the half-and-half until sandy in consistancy. Do not over mix. (Mixture should not be creamed.)

Quickly pour in 1 1/4 cups of the half-and-half while mixing. If the dough appears at all dry add the remaining 1/4 cup of half & half until just combined. Again, do not over mix.

Turn the dough out onto a very well floured surface. If the dough is very sticky, flour the top of the dough also. Pat the mixture into a layer 3/4 to 1-inch thick. Using a 2-inch diameter round cutter, cut out the scones, dipping the cutter into flour each time between cuts. Place each scone, as cut, onto a parchment paper covered sheet pan leaving 2 to 3 inches between each scone. This should make 12 round scones. (You can also form dough into rectangular shape and cut with a knife into 12 square or triangular scones.)

Bake for about 18 minutes or until golden brown on both the top and bottom of scones.

Levain Bakery

2167 Frederick Douglass Blvd.

New York, NY

Store Hours:

Mondays – Saturdays 8:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

Sundays 9:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m.

http://levainbakery.com/

Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit!

Culture, Food, Harlem, Holidays, Morningside Heights, Restaurants No Responses »

Feb 092011

Chinese New Year officially started on February 3^rd, but the celebration lasts all month in NYC with numerous activities all over town including the Chinatown New Year Parade, dragon dances, and various other cultural activities. Even in Harlem, 88 Morningside, a new residential real estate development located at 88 Morningside Avenue (at the corner of 122^nd Street) is giving special Chinese New Year gifts to prospective buyers who schedule an appointment to visit the sales office between February 3 and February 18. For Morningsiders, this is the perfect time to venture out and take advantage of the delicious – and relatively inexpensive – Chinese restaurants in the neighborhood. If you’re not a fan already, these places will give you an appetite for Chinese cuisine just in time for the New Year!

Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit! Chinese take-out is a staple for all New Yorkers, and there’s no better place to order delivery than Golden Wok on 1770 Amsterdam Avenue. In addition to prompt delivery, the food is well-seasoned and not overly drenched in oil. We recommend trying the Chicken Lo Mein for $6.50 and a bowl of Wonton Soup for just $2.25. Feeling adventurous? Chinese dishes are known to be spicy, so heat things up a bit with the Hunan Beef plate or Kung Po Chicken.

Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit! For the Chinese, dishes consumed on the New Year can be very important in ushering in a year of prosperity, luck, and good fortune. To try some of these traditional dishes, we recommend going to Peking Garden, located at 3163 Broadway (between 124^th an 125^th Street). For only $4.25, you can try dumplings, or jao zis – a symbol of wealth and prosperity for their likeness to the gold ingots used during the Ming Dynasty. Also, there are several noodle dishes available here – a must-have over the New Year to ensure a long and healthy life.

p209376 London Aroma Restaurant Chinatown Welcome to the Year of the Rabbit! Lastly, fast-food is the name of the game at New Aroma Chinese Restaurant located at 465 W 125^th Street. At unbeatable prices, this local restaurant offers quick service and is open until 12:30am on the weekends. Appetizers like spring rolls and wontons start at $1 each per order and the menu goes on to include every type of noodle and rice dish imaginable for under $10. You name it, they’ve got it. The hardest part will be choosing! We hope you take advantage of the New Year to indulge in some delicious Chinese cuisine and discover some great local joints around your neighborhood.

Happy Chinese New Year, Xin Nian Kuai Le!

- Bea

New Year’s Resolutions for Morningsiders

Culture, Harlem, Holidays 1 Response »

Jan 042011

It’s that time of year… after ringing in a brand New Year on a balmy night, Americans all look towards the future with high hopes. According to this story regarding a new poll by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, 44% of Americans will make New Year’s Resolutions this year.

For Morningsiders, we’ve listed the country’s top five New Year’s Resolutions and how you can turn your resolutions into reality… in the neighborhood:

Spend More Time with Family & Friends: Make plans to meet up with friends for an evening of comaraderie at a favorite Harlem restaurant, such as the newly opened Red Rooster, or Nectar Wine Bar, Mojo, Melba’s, and Society Coffee & Juice. Check out the 2011 calendar at The Apollo Theater, go to Family Fun Day at the Harlem River Ecology Center.
Lose Weight and Get in Shape: The experts agree that diet and fitness are the only long-term ways to achieve weight loss and overall health. Morningsiders can get in shape in 2011 by joining a gym like New York Sports Club for yourself or The Little Gym of Harlem for your kids, trying a new routine at Harlem Capoeira Fitness, buying a Wii Fit, or walking in Central Park or Morningside Park for free.
Quit Smoking: If you have resolved to make this the year that you stamp out your smoking habit, over-the-counter availability of nicotine replacement therapy now provides easier access to proven quit-smoking aids. New York City is trying to go smoke-free, with many parks and public areas now prohibiting smoking. In New York, check out the NY Smoke Free site, which offers support, guidance and tools for helping you quit for good.
Learn Something New: Check out Columbia University’s Continuing Education programs or visit the New York Public Library in Harlem for many programs and classes to fit your tastes – from knitting to resume writing to meditation.
Help Others: There are a myriad of volunteer opportunities in Harlem. Check out a site like Idealist.org for a comprehensive listing of volunteer opportunities, or check out these local Harlem organizations: Harlem Seeds, Harlem Children’s Zone, or Harlem Textile Works.

Good luck with your resolutions and Happy New Year!

Bea

Older Entries

MORNINGSIDER