Uptown To Do List - Week of Jan 27, 2025
An ever changing list of things to do above the park
Hello and Happy Monday!
EATS AND DRINKS
The Handpulled Noodle (370 Malcolm X, between West 128th and 129th Streets): this is our go-to takeout place for Chinese food in the neighborhood. They have two locations uptown (one in Harlem and one in Hamilton Heights). While the restaurant is known for its handpulled noodles (literally in the name), which you can get in either a stir-fry or a soup, you shouldn’t sleep on the bao buns or dumplings. The noodle dishes are customizable with protein, noodle style and spice level (no spice, low, medium, high, and crazy - high and crazy are QUITE spicy, so fair warning). Our favorite dishes are the (1) Spicy Cumin Stir Fry with Lamb and the lagman style noodles and (2) Herbal Beef Soup with rice noodles. If you are vegetarian, I would stick to getting the kabocha squash as your “protein” rather than the seitan, which was a weird texture for us. Given the polar vortex we’ve been experiencing, their soups really hit the spot - so give it a try this week!
Brunch Harlem (formerly known as B2) (271 West 119th between Fred Doug and Manhattan): Brunch Harlem is interesting because it has had a few different names in its lifetime. We last went there for an oyster happy hour, which was great. The inside is cute and dressed up for IG. This Tuesday, Brunch Harlem will be hosting Uptown Taco Tuesday. (We love the name, BTW.) Don’t go expecting your run of the mill regular tacos. They will have tacos with flavors like chop cheese, fried chicken and pancakes, and catfish and $3 tequila shots if you need a little liquid courage to help you dip your toes into the water. (Note to self: it looks like they are now serving hookah, so if that’s not your jam, know before you go.)
Briciola Harlem (398 W. 145th Street, corner of 145th and St. Nicholas Ave.): This is a Harlem outpost of a Hell’s Kitchen restaurant. We went a few weeks back with some of our neighbors, and I made a reservation for 5 people, which they accepted. The problem was that is the absolute maximum number of people in a group they can handle. The restaurant is TINY, and had to seat some of us behind the bar. So, this is a location that is really best for two to three people. All that being said though, the food was delicious. They had a number of specials that won’t be on the website menu, and they have an extensive Italian wine selection, as to be expected. Our waiter, who was also the bartender, was very enthusiastic in her recommendations (sometimes verging on pushy), but I think she didn’t steer any of us wrong (except for one of our guests, who wanted the bolognese and instead she pushed the lasagna, and afterwards, he thought he would have liked the bolognese still). We really loved the Melanzane e Caprino (grilled eggplant and goat cheese) appetizer, and all of the pastas we tried (Rigatoni e Gamberi was a big hit). We will definitely be returning, but probably with a smaller group or date night!
HAPPENINGS
Our friend, all-around good neighbor and big deal author, Renee Watson, has a new book called All the Blues in the Sky. Technically, it’s a book for kids but we are assured there is something in there for everyone. You can pre-order said book here—it is set to be released on February 4th. OR you could just go meet Renee in person next Monday, February 3rd at 6:30pm at Recirculation (876 Riverside Drive at West 160th Street) which is a Word Up Bookshop project—but you already knew that because you read every word of our newsletters. BONUS: there is a private author reception for Teens that will start at 5:00pm. If you mention Above The Park, Renee will sign your book, give you a high five and even take a picture with you FOR FREE. It is possible, I guess, Renee will do all of those things regardless, but do you really want to chance it??? Tix are free if you’re under 20 and $5 if you’re not. Options to add on a copy of Renee’s new book or buy a book for one of the youths that still read them. Get your tickets here.
Harlem Stage will present a FREE reading of a new plan sponsored by Classical Theater of Harlem (you know, those people who bring you FREE Shakespeare in Marcus Garvey Park every summer). Our details are a little thin but we understand that on Monday, January 27th at 7pm, there will be a reading of a new play (shhh, it’s a secret), and Classical Theater of Harlem will cast spots in the play from the audience that night. RSVP here.
Hamilton Hall (3493 Broadway between West 142nd and 143rd) has a lot of weekly specials going on. To be clear, when I click on the events schedule (which I have to do on IG because the website is way out of date), Hamilton Hall tells me about “shot specials, great drink deals, beer buckets/pitchers, combo app towers and more!” So it’s that kind of place. And if that kind of place is your kind of place, then you’re going to love what comes next, which is fun events basically every day of the week. Monday is trivia at 8pm, Wednesday is karaoke at 9:30pm and Thursday is Broadway karaoke at 9:30pm (whoa).
Get Lit, the book club hosted by the New York Public Library and WNYC, has chosen Lazarus Man by Richard Price for their January book. We mention this book here because it takes place in East Harlem! You can borrow the book for free through the Library’s e-reader app, SimplyE. And on January 28 at 6pm, All of It host Alison Stewart and author Richard Price will host a livestream in conversation with readers everywhere. (They will be in person at Stavros Niarchos Foundation Library, but we would never encourage you to go there because it is below the park.) Register here for the livestream you can join safely from the Uptown.
Beer Run Harlem (3604 Broadway between West 148th and 149th) is hosting Suds & Skills on Thursday, January 30th. Suds & Skills is a monthly bottle share, potluck and skills exchange. We haven’t been yet but who doesn’t want more skills and new bottles???
If you’re looking for an under the radar ringer, check out Bronx Music Hall (438 East 163rd Street at Brooke) on Saturday, February 1st when they will be premiering Studio 17: The Lost Reggae Tapes. The documentary film begins with the discovery of a trove of tapes from Studio 17 (aka Randy’s Records) in downtown Kingston, Jamaica. That record store, which was formed in the 60s by The Chins, a Chinese-Jamaican couple, became home to a studio for artists including Bob Marley! The cool doesn’t stop there. Doors open at 6 when there will be a reception featuring Jamaican food by 2 Girls & a Cookshop, the movie will screen at 7 and a panel discussion will follow the documentary. That panel discussion will include Studio 17 producer Clive Chin, so it’ll all be full circle. Tix are $15 and you can buy them here.
Harlem Bomb Shelter is hosting its first poetry and soul showcase of 2025 on Sunday, February 2nd from 5:30-8pm at Lucille’s (26 Macombs Place at West 150th Street)! The cocktails and food will be great. The event poster promises the poetry will be fire. We don’t doubt it! RSVP here.
DID YOU KNOW?
The world famous Apollo Theater was originally a whites-only theater known as Hurtig & Seamon’s New Burlesque Theater. In 1914, Benjamin Hurtig and Harry Seamon obtained a 30 year lease on the theater, which was newly constructed at the time. They lasted almost 20 years, until Fiorella La Guardia (yeah, that airport guy), began a campaign against burlesque in 1933. His wasn’t the first campaign in NYC but it was the one inadvertently gave birth to the gem that is the Apollo! You can read more about the Apollo’s history here or, better yet, take yourself on a tour.