|
New York: Manhattan: Harlem
Last updated September 1, 1997
Take the 2 or 3 train to 125th Street (Martin Luther King Boulevard)
and Lenox Avenue (Malcolm X Boulevard) and experience one of the few
remaining cultural hot spots in Manhattan. Here you'll find a thriving
outdoor street market, the Apollo Theater
(amateur night every Wednesday at 7:30), and 125 Mart, an
indoor market featuring Black heritage crafts. Afternoons are best‹I
like Fridays 'cause of the all-you-can-eat buffet at Tropix
Caribbean Restaurant (354 West 125 Street: $8 after 6pm). The
best-known Harlem eatery, Sylvia's, is at 126th & Lenox,
and on the corner of MLK & Morningside is M&G Soulfood.
Like the sign says, "Old fashion' but good". If you go East, try the
Lucky Spot (Buy six dinners, get one free! "Biscuits and
gravy with that coffee?"). For real adventure, try one of the many crab
houses. All this info from last summer‹soon to be updated.
Black Awareness Records
53 East 125 Street
(212) 427-2826
Filled with incense and reggae, with an occasional classic
LP in the back for $7. I found a hard-to-get,lucky-to-find Don Drummond
on my last visit.
Casa Latina
151 East 116 Street near Lexington
(212) 427-6062
Major source for oldies and recent releases, all formats,
all Hispanic.
Harlem Mine
Near 21 East 125 Street
Literally a hole in the wall with a small but choice Caribbean selection. Nice painting on
the outside wall.
J&M
364 West 110th Street
Rap spot we haven't visited yet.
Rainbow Music
102 West 125th Street
(212) 864-5262
Mon-Thu, 10-7; Fri-Sat, 10-9
On the corner near the subway exit.
Source for Gospel recordings and info on upcoming concerts. Still
mostly Gospel, but more and more R&B / rap sneaking in everyday. Older
LPs $3--good if you know your stuff. Cash only.
Sikhulu Record Shack
274 West 125 Street
(212) 866-1600
Near and sort-of opposite the Apollo Theater, this is the
one-stop-shopping HQ for reggae, soca, and dancehall releases, heavy on
the latest singles ($5). African section in the back and getting
smaller each year. Tons of vinyl at $10 -$12. Bargain bins and
Caribbean concert videos. Cash only.
Spivey Records
328 West 125 Street
(212) 663-5706
Typical setup with Jamaican vinyl to the left, soca to the right. Nice
guy DJ Newton 'Spivey' Lewis also records soca for his own label when
he's not running the Tropix Restaurant.
return to neighborhood list
| 
