Fall has emerged finally upon Manhattan, tree's leaves are turning red and orange, and the air is getting a bit chillier. Looking down over NYC from the heights of Sugar Hill was still beautiful and mildly breezy!
Our trip began walking up to 110st Subway up Broadway, a very trendy area leading up to Columbus University. We found the original Urban Outfitters which had a nice 50%+ already reduced sale, (a skirt and a tshirt for $4.99!) literally one block away from our apartment...! We got the subway to 145th street station slightly apprehensive of arriving in the place that people say.... 'Oh don't go to Harlem'!
A majorly African- American populated area, which was hit hard by the Great Depression has suffered bad publicity has recently started to gain a better reputation with the New York revival 'clean up' and gentrification has led to a more mixed race society. We felt at ease, safe and enjoyed our visit to Greater Harlem, fair enough, we didn't visit the notorious Spanish Harlem and stayed quite West during the middle of the day. We wouldn't go there at night alone but where would you go anywhere at night alone??!! Common sense people!!
Arriving at 145th street, and Frederick Douglass Blvd. (In Harlem the Avenue's which are usually named with Numbers 6th, 7th, 8th etc, become named with famous Black Americans, Martin Luther King Blvd, Malcolm X Blvd, Adam Clayton Powell Blvd, Duke Ellison Blvd. A quaint little touch!!)
Our first historical stop was 'St Nicks Jazz club', a run down , red awning, dilapidated Jazz Club...which played host to Billie Holiday and Duke Ellington. Rumour has it that its closed at the moment but with Rosina's vivid interest in history especially the secrecy of prohibition in USA its quite a landmark.
After wandering up and down, red brick streets with numerous churches on each street,
we found ourselves at Trinity Cemetery and Mausoleum which borders the Hudson River, and the George Washington Bridge into New Jersey. The streets which led us here are quaintly residential, with spanish translations on every sign, children playing basketball and chalking on the streets. Calm, serene and family orientated. Men playing cards or checkers on each corner add to that simple lifestyle this part of Harlem presents.
Next stop was the prestigious Dance Theatre of Harlem studios with African American little girls running in with their dance bags for their Saturday afternoon ballet classes.
Wandering back to the subway we found a Fish and Chip shop, hidden away with a very special indoor charm. Of course this was on the menu for Lunch, a very british treat! Pretty much a hole in the wall, this place is a hive of activity, no space to move whilst waiting for the food, the queue was nearly down the street by the time we left.
Hopping back on the subway, we walked through Morningside Park (with spectacular views over Upper Manhattan and Queens, The Yankee Stadium) and then we went over to Ivy League Columbus University which has a huge and picturesque campus.
Walking back home on Broadway from 116th, we stopped off at the Famous 'Tom's Resturant' for a Milk Shake. It was cash only and we paid the little old man (maybe Tom) at the vintage cash register!
Harlem is a lovely place to visit, a very quiet area out of the hustle and bustle of Times Square. Don't judge it till you've tried it! (But at the same time don't wander around with £100's worth of snazzy equipment on your own at night!)
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