Harlem – Spicy…

The Last Go round

It’s Kevin Day!!! What’s so hot about seeing Kevin? He is the ultimate New York talent whose generosity greets my every visit to his city. This time, I insisted on taking him to lunch, so my friend, Pat, and I Ubered to MOM’S KITCHEN & BAR IN NYC to meet him. It was a bit chilly as we waited for our number to be called, but my reunion with Kevin and the delicious food quickly warmed us up. What?

What is it about Kevin?

Kevin Michael-Kennedy

I had to think about it for a moment, but realized it’s his intensity. When he’s with you, he’s all in. He asked about my trip to Paris, and then his eyes went with me with great enthusiasm. I love questioning him about the Business, and he spills the tea on the ins and outs of navigating the entertainment waters.

Y’all, after catching up on travels, the industry, and such, Kevin excused himself. When he returned, I signaled for the check, but Kevin had already paid it! See? That’s what he do! What?!

You can check out the full skivvy on Kevin-Michael Kennedy in Garden Spices Magazine.

Walking in Harlem

We took a stroll to Kevin’s apartment and encountered every genre of restaurant you could ask for. A walk through Harlem is like turning the pages of a United Nations’ Guidebook – food, fashion, and folks from everywhere. We make it to our next destination, The Little Pie Company. You already know.

See? If they were anything other than miniature delicacies in crust, I’d of been OK, but noooo!! Look at what I had to deal with, but I had to do my duty and take home at least three.

Check out their website; your mouth will water, and you will see every pie known to man. We sampled many options, but I ultimately chose the samples that included apple and blackberry. But we walked out with about 6, and I had at least a forkful of them all. What?!

Performance Art Building

We finally made it to Kevin’s apartment. Puleeze, just give me one month in this Manhattan Plaza residential building for Performance Art creatives! It’s in a great location, within walking distance to the heart of the city. It’s rent-controlled, and our friend, Kevin, has resided in a lovely one-bedroom apartment there for years. Kevin and Pat took me to the apartment of one of the early residents, the iconic costumer, Katherine (Kathy) Roberson.

Dolled Up

Recently, Pat has been working for Kathy in costuming and she relied on Kathys city skills to steer us in the direction of free sites in NYC. As a well-seasoned New Yorker, Kathy knows her city, and her apartment reflects her life in this Harlem apartment complex. She collects dolls.

Roberson’s home is decorated with a wide exhibition of dolls in every room, and we sat in their midst as she told me about her dance career turned costumer. Please read Gallery & Studio’s comprehensive profile on Kathy Roberson. What a herstory and how impressive!

Katherine Roberson’s dolls, art, and the lobby of the famous Manhattan Plaza complex for Performance Artists.

Mr. K.’s Visit

While Pat and I were tooling around Harlem, Mr. K. and Pat’s husband, Thomas, were hunting down Mr. K.’s childhood friend. Can you imagine, he got to see his friend after 40+ years, and he lived close to where we were staying – right in the heart of Harlem.

In and Out

That evening, we came home to leftovers, pie, pictures, and goodbyes. New York, we’re out, but you stay in our souls.

Joy Juice

I told y’all this once before; get out of town! I don’t care if you go to the town next door or to Tiimbuktu, spread your wings, breathe, and affirm your life. This is the most precious time we have. We don’t know when it blows into dust, but this life, honor it for the jewel it is.

Perspective is king. It’s such a blessing to explore those that are unfamiliar to your own. Jump in a car, a bus, train, or plane and get going, and tell us about where you went. I love guest bloggers. What?!

Act like it!

“Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, the new creation has come: The old has gone, the new is here!”. – Corinthians 5:17

Get movin!

Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up. It knows it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. Every morning a lion wakes up. It knows it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn’t matter whether you’re a lion or gazelle. When the sun comes up, you’d better… – African Proverb

It’s all good/love/God” – Victorine

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Part 2:

Why New York?

I live in Florence, AL, but I am originally from Chicago, “Second City.” I love my Southside roots and still sample all the city’s culture and style. While Chi has my heart, my soul pumps when I visit New York. While writing this, I realized the difference between the two – it’s me.

I’m no longer the young woman living on the Northside, walking to work on the Magnificent Mile, singing at the Free Theater, or eating Japanese food with Chris Kobayashi in my building of young hopefuls. Taking a bus, subway, or cab, staying out into the wee hours? No more. However, even at 75, New York invites this lifestyle and more. Don’t get me wrong; my knees hurt in New York, like in Chicago, but I still managed to do what makes me love the Big Apple. What?!

Getting Our Feet Wet

**Schomberg’s Socially relevant artwork from A to Z**

I told y’all about Gypsy in my last post. The next day, my friend Pat, Mr. K, and I went to the Schomberg Center for Research of Black Culture housed in a Harlem library. We viewed a small exhibit by young folks, including all socially relevant artwork, curated alphabetically. While some work was humorous (Take a look at Z!) all was impressive, but the day was early. Where to now? We were guided by a vintage New Yorker, Kathy Roberson, who knew all the free haunts. She sent us to the National Jazz Museum, hoping the early-day concert would be brewing. And boy, was it!

It was. on like a pot of neckbones! This small, colorful venue housed wonderful art, and we caught the last half hour of a jazz trio with a drummer that kept us enthralled. After leaving the concert room, we explored the exhibit area with everything from a cardboard standup of Dizzy Gillespie to one of Duke Ellington’s pianos. My hunger for jazz was satisfied, but now it was time to eat.

Trek to Soul Food Paradise – Sylvia’s

Despite the mild rain, we walked to see what cuisine piqued our interest. We passed an Ethiopian place, a Thai, and an Italian, and finally, Pat suggested we travel for fish. We were game until we ran into the legendary Sylvia’s, the Soul Food restaurant. While we wanted fish, we had to go in and at least have drinks at Sylvia’s. Upon our entry, the cashier and hostess, Sylvia’s granddaughter, were warm and welcoming. After being ushered to our table, we were like, “We eatin’ right here!”

We had a great time with our waitress, carefully placing our order. Mr. K. and Pat had libations (Mr. K. had the nerve to order Long Island Iced Tea, and y’all know he had to share his ministry, Khan Academy. What?!). We ordered baked turkey wings with garlic potatoes, greens, and yams, and Pat ordered the mac’n’cheese. We had cobbler for dessert. When I tell you that food was on point? I never tasted cornbread like those muffins; they were delicious, even to Southern palettes. What?!

Y’all know we like to talk. So when we met Sylvia’s granddaughter, we got the complete lowdown on Sylvia and the family’s participation in making the restaurant what it is today. She recalled days in her childhood when the entire family was called upon for restaurant duties – folding napkins, prepping food, etc. Afterward, we met the owner, Sylvia’s son, Kenneth Woods, and it felt so good to be in this Black historical eatery.

When we made it home, rather than hitting another club, we opted to relax and get ready for the next New York adventure. Can we say MOMA? (The Museum of Modern Art) What?! STAY TUNED…

**Yep! Pat Lewis and I getting down at Sylvia’s**

**Mr. K. and I, with Kenneth Woods, Sylvia’s son**

SLIDE SHOW OF SYLVIA’S FOOD AND PRODUCTS

Barbecued Turkey wings
Candied yas
Cornbread with topping
Bagel and egg with Secret Seasoning
Cornbread muffins wiwth Sylvia’s Cornbread mix

Joy Juice

History is so important. We grab it wherever we can, sometimes even in a restaurant. New York and cities all over the world include sites and centers that continue to recognize the past. These stories continue to be important in shifting the future.

Some, like the Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, are being threatened, but we continue to recognize what the exhibits celebrate by living in our greatness. We create our own history, and whether or not we have a museum, our descendants carry our legacy. Our history is us, our stories, and we ain’t going nowhere!

“⁹for we were born but yesterday and know so little; our days here on earth are as transient as shadows. ¹⁰But the wisdom of the past will teach you. ..” – Job

“Those who cannot learn from history are doomed to repeat it.”
George Santayana

“Until the lion tells the story, the hunter will always be the hero.” – African proverb

Tag: Harlem

Exploring Harlem: Local Eats and Iconic Personalities

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