It's spring cleaning time! Time to get rid of stuff from last year (or the last ? years) that you didn't use, will never use, refuse to use again, etc. I'm reading the book, Throw Out Fifty Things by Gail Blanke which tells how to go through your entire living space and throw out, recycle, or sell "stuff". Also talks about clearing out old thoughts, mindsets, etc. that may also be weighing you down.
I just started reading it and already I've cleared out my jewelry boxes, recyling most of it. Going through the rest of my closet. It is truly liberating.
Have fun.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Saturday, April 11, 2009
More Memories
Got some more great memories.
The bakery I spoke of earlier was Cushmann's. It was located on 125 between 8th and St. Nicholas Avenues and it would run circles around Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme if it were still open. All of their items were delicious: glazed donuts, jelly donuts, brownies, etc but the apple turnovers were unmatched by anyone. They were huge and overflowing with apples. They went out of business because of competition from supermarket entries like Sara Lee cakes. (By the way, is Sara Lee still around?)
Todays list just proves that I was (still am) a party girl. These 2 places still exist but with the changes taking place in Harlem, I don't know how long they will be around. I'm talking about Showman's and Lenox Terrace. Never really hung out in either but they are a fixture uptown.
I did hang out in Doral's on 7th between 145th and 146th Streets with the guys from the 369th Armory. Wild bunch of guys. Drank each other under the table! By the way, they had great parties at the Armory. All you could eat and drink and loud music. What could be better?
Another food spot was Copeland's on 145th Street. Copeland's had been around for years. Sunday brunch, good soul food. Copeland's even tried a 2nd restaurant on 125th but it didn't last long and the both stores bowed to economics (or so I heard.) Rents too high, or their prices were too high, etc.
As I was writing this, I remembered a BBQ place that was around the corner from the original Copeland's, on Broadway and about 147th St. Can't think of the name but the ribs were wonderful. So much so that I got off the bus coming home from work one day, in an unexpected snow storm (had on heels so I had to walk slowly to keep from falling) to get a rib dinner!!! Now that is some good food. And I'm sure many of you remember Singleton's BBQ. I think there was more than one but I remember the one on Lenox Avenue across from Harlem Hospital.
Let's keep this going. If you remember Harlem from back in the day, put your comments on this post. (Just wish I had pictures of all these places. Never thought they would disappear.)
The bakery I spoke of earlier was Cushmann's. It was located on 125 between 8th and St. Nicholas Avenues and it would run circles around Dunkin Donuts and Krispy Kreme if it were still open. All of their items were delicious: glazed donuts, jelly donuts, brownies, etc but the apple turnovers were unmatched by anyone. They were huge and overflowing with apples. They went out of business because of competition from supermarket entries like Sara Lee cakes. (By the way, is Sara Lee still around?)
Todays list just proves that I was (still am) a party girl. These 2 places still exist but with the changes taking place in Harlem, I don't know how long they will be around. I'm talking about Showman's and Lenox Terrace. Never really hung out in either but they are a fixture uptown.
I did hang out in Doral's on 7th between 145th and 146th Streets with the guys from the 369th Armory. Wild bunch of guys. Drank each other under the table! By the way, they had great parties at the Armory. All you could eat and drink and loud music. What could be better?
Another food spot was Copeland's on 145th Street. Copeland's had been around for years. Sunday brunch, good soul food. Copeland's even tried a 2nd restaurant on 125th but it didn't last long and the both stores bowed to economics (or so I heard.) Rents too high, or their prices were too high, etc.
As I was writing this, I remembered a BBQ place that was around the corner from the original Copeland's, on Broadway and about 147th St. Can't think of the name but the ribs were wonderful. So much so that I got off the bus coming home from work one day, in an unexpected snow storm (had on heels so I had to walk slowly to keep from falling) to get a rib dinner!!! Now that is some good food. And I'm sure many of you remember Singleton's BBQ. I think there was more than one but I remember the one on Lenox Avenue across from Harlem Hospital.
Let's keep this going. If you remember Harlem from back in the day, put your comments on this post. (Just wish I had pictures of all these places. Never thought they would disappear.)
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Memory Lane
For my Harlemites, let's go down memory lane:
Remember Teddy's Shanty's hot dogs on 8th Avenue at 125th St? Every time I went there, they would charge me a different price for the same order: 2 hot dogs and a grape drink. Or the original Wells, Chicken and Waffles. Sherman's BBQ (when the food was good), Mister B's, The Flash Inn, Thomford's ice cream parlor (125th St, corner of St. Nicholas Ave.) And the best Chinese restaurant in NY as far as I'm concerned, Len Fong, which was on Broadway at 145th St. Food was delicious and Cantonese and you could get a nice buzz off the drinks while waiting for your food. Just found out that M & G's diner, corner 125th and Morningside Avenue, has closed!!! Oh the shame of it all. They had one of the best music collections on their juke box. The soul food was great and they were open 24 hours a day and you got to know the waitresses who called you by name. You could eat breakfast at 5pm or 3am. Oh and don't forget Wilson's up on Amsterdam Avenue.
What about some of the bars in Harlem? The Top Club, The Baby Grand (which I think is now a Radio Shack), The Oasis up on Broadway. The Paradise, which was on the corner of 110th Street and 8th Avenue and was a "bucket of blood" where even the bartender would tell you not to turn your back on your drink!!! The other paradise was Small's Paradise, of course. Had lots of fun in there. I used to hang at a bar called The Four Pheasants (weird name for a Harlem bar.) It was a 3 for 1 and they did not water down the drinks. Happened to know the guys running the the place. Sometimes I would have 9 to 12 shots lined up in front of me. Woo Hoo!!! Occasionally stopped in The Flame, 141st Street and Lenox Avenue, which I considered a neighborhood bar. Mostly older folks from the 'Hood, kind of the quiet.
What about the dance halls? I can only remember The Savoy, 149th St in the Boogie Down Bronx and The Carlton Terrace on 96th Street and Broadway. Think I went to all of the dance halls at one time or another because my uncle gave a dance once or twice a year.
Remember when you didn't have to go downtown to the movies? I think there were at least 4 theaters on 125th Street including a Loew's and RKO on 7th Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets. There was another Loew's on 116th Street, along with another RKO, I think.
What about the bakery on 125th Street between St. Nicholas and 8th Avenues? Don't remember the name but they had huge apple turnovers that were full of apples (would you believe) and wonderful glazed donuts. Speaking of glazed donuts, no one, not ever Krispy Kreme could compare to Georgie's Bakery which was down the block from Con Ed. Little tiny place and the line was down the block at holiday time! Had a small menu of pound cake, chocolate cake, coconut pie, sweet potatoe pie, brownies and the best glazed donuts in the world. A tray of freshly baked glazed donuts would be sold out by the time you got to the counter - and - you were already in the store. Across the street was Wimp's which had delicious cakes.
Can't end without mentioning Majester's Fish and Chips. (the original store on Lenox and 129th Street.) There was always a line of people, no matter what time of year it was. I never went to that place and walked right up to the counter. Best fish and chips in town and they were open late for the bar crowd.
Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Hit me back with some of the places you remember.
Remember Teddy's Shanty's hot dogs on 8th Avenue at 125th St? Every time I went there, they would charge me a different price for the same order: 2 hot dogs and a grape drink. Or the original Wells, Chicken and Waffles. Sherman's BBQ (when the food was good), Mister B's, The Flash Inn, Thomford's ice cream parlor (125th St, corner of St. Nicholas Ave.) And the best Chinese restaurant in NY as far as I'm concerned, Len Fong, which was on Broadway at 145th St. Food was delicious and Cantonese and you could get a nice buzz off the drinks while waiting for your food. Just found out that M & G's diner, corner 125th and Morningside Avenue, has closed!!! Oh the shame of it all. They had one of the best music collections on their juke box. The soul food was great and they were open 24 hours a day and you got to know the waitresses who called you by name. You could eat breakfast at 5pm or 3am. Oh and don't forget Wilson's up on Amsterdam Avenue.
What about some of the bars in Harlem? The Top Club, The Baby Grand (which I think is now a Radio Shack), The Oasis up on Broadway. The Paradise, which was on the corner of 110th Street and 8th Avenue and was a "bucket of blood" where even the bartender would tell you not to turn your back on your drink!!! The other paradise was Small's Paradise, of course. Had lots of fun in there. I used to hang at a bar called The Four Pheasants (weird name for a Harlem bar.) It was a 3 for 1 and they did not water down the drinks. Happened to know the guys running the the place. Sometimes I would have 9 to 12 shots lined up in front of me. Woo Hoo!!! Occasionally stopped in The Flame, 141st Street and Lenox Avenue, which I considered a neighborhood bar. Mostly older folks from the 'Hood, kind of the quiet.
What about the dance halls? I can only remember The Savoy, 149th St in the Boogie Down Bronx and The Carlton Terrace on 96th Street and Broadway. Think I went to all of the dance halls at one time or another because my uncle gave a dance once or twice a year.
Remember when you didn't have to go downtown to the movies? I think there were at least 4 theaters on 125th Street including a Loew's and RKO on 7th Avenue between 125th and 126th Streets. There was another Loew's on 116th Street, along with another RKO, I think.
What about the bakery on 125th Street between St. Nicholas and 8th Avenues? Don't remember the name but they had huge apple turnovers that were full of apples (would you believe) and wonderful glazed donuts. Speaking of glazed donuts, no one, not ever Krispy Kreme could compare to Georgie's Bakery which was down the block from Con Ed. Little tiny place and the line was down the block at holiday time! Had a small menu of pound cake, chocolate cake, coconut pie, sweet potatoe pie, brownies and the best glazed donuts in the world. A tray of freshly baked glazed donuts would be sold out by the time you got to the counter - and - you were already in the store. Across the street was Wimp's which had delicious cakes.
Can't end without mentioning Majester's Fish and Chips. (the original store on Lenox and 129th Street.) There was always a line of people, no matter what time of year it was. I never went to that place and walked right up to the counter. Best fish and chips in town and they were open late for the bar crowd.
Hope you enjoyed this trip down memory lane. Hit me back with some of the places you remember.
Sunday, March 29, 2009
Correction to Willie Lynch Post
The etiquette school (DFI) is reconsidering the option of expelling the student who was fighting so at this time, no decision towards dismissal has been made. When reviewing the mission of the school and our target audience, it was felt that other things need to be investigated before a decision can be made. The rest of the post stands. Let's remember our greatness.
Willie Lynch Lives On
Had an unfortunate event happen this weekend at the etiquette school I work with. The school, The Development and Finishing Institute (www.TheDFInstitute.com) is Harlem, New York's premier etiquette school. We hold classes at Columbia University. In our 7 year history, we have never had to expell anyone. We've also never had to deal with a child fighting another child-until now.
Details of the incident are not necessary for this post. Suffice it to say, the young lady who started the fight was also disruptive in class 2 weeks ago. Because of this, DFI has no choice but to immediately dismiss this young lady from attending classes with us.
What does this have to do with Willie Lynch? You tell me. I recently learned that the Willie Lynch speech is not authentic. The article gave many facts about when someone named Willie Lynch lived, which apparently was many years after the speech was written. Article also talked about other great Black leaders who spoke out against the horrors of slavery and NEVER mentioned this speech.
The speech may be a fabrication but what are we as a people doing to live it down? Why do we treat each other the way we do? The mother of the young girl who started the fight was there at the school. If we (anyone) are the product of our environment, then what does that say about the young lady's home life. And what about her self-esteem? How bad do you feel about yourself that the only way you can get your point across is by fighting?
Why is it that things we do to each other we would never do to someone of another race? (Not talking about crime, etc.) DFI is constantly asked to make concessions that these same people would never ask for if the school were run by Whites. We hold classes at Columbia University but we are not a part of Columbia. If Columbia were running DFI, none of the mothers enrolling their children in DFI would approach the registrar asking for a discount in tuition other than whatever may already be offered. I've seen this in other areas too. Why is it that we would degrade another AA's product or service but would not consider doing that at a Macy's or Target's, etc? And if you (or your child) started a fight in one of those stores, you would find yourself in Central Booking. Why do we feel that because we both have Black faces, I have to "give you a break, give you a bigger discount, let you pay late, or let you otherwise break/bend the rules etc?" No I don't! Nothing personal but this is business.
And let's not forget about the crab mentality. Personally I am very happy when someone of color (which is just about everyone in the world) is successful. You would think I was a relative!!! Contrary to the media, there is enough to go around. I don't have to badmouth someone else's success. It does nothing for me. Lighting your candle does not put my candle out. It adds more light to the room.
Let's remember our greatness and stop repeating the ideas put forth in the Willie Lynch speech, whether it is authentic or not.
Details of the incident are not necessary for this post. Suffice it to say, the young lady who started the fight was also disruptive in class 2 weeks ago. Because of this, DFI has no choice but to immediately dismiss this young lady from attending classes with us.
What does this have to do with Willie Lynch? You tell me. I recently learned that the Willie Lynch speech is not authentic. The article gave many facts about when someone named Willie Lynch lived, which apparently was many years after the speech was written. Article also talked about other great Black leaders who spoke out against the horrors of slavery and NEVER mentioned this speech.
The speech may be a fabrication but what are we as a people doing to live it down? Why do we treat each other the way we do? The mother of the young girl who started the fight was there at the school. If we (anyone) are the product of our environment, then what does that say about the young lady's home life. And what about her self-esteem? How bad do you feel about yourself that the only way you can get your point across is by fighting?
Why is it that things we do to each other we would never do to someone of another race? (Not talking about crime, etc.) DFI is constantly asked to make concessions that these same people would never ask for if the school were run by Whites. We hold classes at Columbia University but we are not a part of Columbia. If Columbia were running DFI, none of the mothers enrolling their children in DFI would approach the registrar asking for a discount in tuition other than whatever may already be offered. I've seen this in other areas too. Why is it that we would degrade another AA's product or service but would not consider doing that at a Macy's or Target's, etc? And if you (or your child) started a fight in one of those stores, you would find yourself in Central Booking. Why do we feel that because we both have Black faces, I have to "give you a break, give you a bigger discount, let you pay late, or let you otherwise break/bend the rules etc?" No I don't! Nothing personal but this is business.
And let's not forget about the crab mentality. Personally I am very happy when someone of color (which is just about everyone in the world) is successful. You would think I was a relative!!! Contrary to the media, there is enough to go around. I don't have to badmouth someone else's success. It does nothing for me. Lighting your candle does not put my candle out. It adds more light to the room.
Let's remember our greatness and stop repeating the ideas put forth in the Willie Lynch speech, whether it is authentic or not.
Sunday, March 22, 2009
So late you're absent!
Oh boy. Sarah Palin again. Like a bad penny, you keep turning up. You're so late you're absent. President Obama recognized his mistake and apologized about the remark he made. And since when does the pot call the kettle black, pun intended? You certainly are not umblemished. Neither is your family. Clean up your own backyard before trying to clean up someone else's.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Not a Penthouse!
It seems that Bernie Madoff wants out of his little cell. Wants to go back to his bazillion dollar penthouse apartment to await sentencing. His attorneys said he would not be a flight risk. I guess not. Didn't he have to wear an electronic bracelet? Besides, the press was camped outside his apartment night and day. Get Real!! How about if all his assets are sold to repay the people who lost their money dealing with him? Of course, if it were you and me, the little people, we would have been so far in the jail that they might not be able to find us. I'm not gloating but it's time for some justice. Last night's news showed one of his victims, who has to work for $8.00 an hour after losing about $700,000 to Madoff - and he is 90 years old!
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