Showtime at The Apollo!

Well folks, Harlem Week is here! Never mind that it lasts a month instead of an actual week... but anyway! It originally was "Harlem Day," in 1974 and was just one day to celebrate this neighborhood and all it has to offer. Harlem may not have the best reputation, but those who swear to never venture into these parts are not adventurous and need to be taught some things.

First of all, it has the famous Apollo Theater! Back when it first came around in 1914, it was known as Hurtig and Seamon's New Burlesque Theater. However, African-Americans at first were not allowed to attend or perform in these shows. In 1933, Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia began a campaign against burlesque, and this was one of many theaters shut down. Sidney Cohen opened it again as the 125th Street Apollo Theater in 1934. They took away the burlesque parts of the show and made it a variety review and redirected their marketing towards the African-Americans who lived in Harlem.

The Apollo was then taken over by new management the following year in 1935 and they ran it for many years until yet again new management took over in 1978 and closed again in November of 1979. Finally, in 1981, it was purchased by Percy Sutton who happened to be a lawyer, politician, media and technology executive, and part of a private investors group. He then added a recording and television studio. 

After becoming popular under the new management of Mr. Sutton, The Apollo Theater received state and city landmark status and in 1991 it was established as a private, not-for-profit organization to manage, fund, and oversee all of their programming. Today, the Apollo is known for its concerts, performing arts, education and community outreach programs, and also its amateur night in which aspiring performers can present on a real stage in front of an audience and get a feel for what it's really like to be in the industry.

Action Painting Curiosities

Number 46 Carmine Street in New York City. This building was once home to the famous abstract expressionist Jackson Pollock. Pollock is most famous for his "drip paintings," (can been seen at The Met and MoMA) and he basically revolutionized painting be redefining what it meant to create art. Jackson lived in this building in the 1930's while he was studying at the Art Students League.

Although these paintings may look like Pollock just threw paint randomly (which he did) at the canvas, there was also a subconscious method he used where he saw himself "inside" the painting.  This is called "action painting," otherwise known as "abstract expressionism." This art is not mainly known for the process in which it's created, not so much the final product. 

If you'd like to learn more about this artist, you definitely should visit The Metropolitan Museum of Art or The Museum of Modern Art, both located in New York City.

Friday's Feature Cocktail: Pale Belgian Amber Ale

PALM Ale! Found at Arts and Crafts Bar , the same one we reviewed this week! What a perfect drink to celebrate National Belgian day with (Well, it was on Tuesday... but shh!)! PALM ale has been one of the top selling beers in Europe for a long, long time. The moment you take your first sip, you'll completely understand why! It's made with English hops, French barley, and Belgian yeast, representing only the best of European beer making traditions. Surprisingly, it's not a heavy beer, which one would assume based off of the color, but it's actually very light. PALM Ale is a great alternative to traditional pilsners and lagers if you're looking to try something new. So finish that stack of paperwork and head out to Arts and Crafts Beer Parlor and have a taste!

The Arch

This magnificent arch was once just plaster and wood, erected in 1889 to celebrate the centennial of President George Washington's inauguration. The people who came up with this idea obviously did something right, as it became very popular and only three years later was replaced with a permanent marble arch designed by New York architect Stanford White.

Standing at 77 feet tall, this beautiful arch is focused around Washington's ideas of war and peace. It's hollow and contains a stairway up to the roof. Rumor has it that at one point a civil war veteran was living inside the arch! No one knew until one day someone spotted his laundry hanging up to dry!

The park is now a very popular spot now. Many people from all over nyc come to hang out in this park, along with many nyu students because it's practically on their campus.

One other cool thing about the park is a certain row of houses just outside of the park. They are actually known as "the row," and New York's elite moved here in 1820. Now, most of it is owned by New York University, but Artist Edward Hopper lived here for quite some time with his wife in #3 Washington Square North until he died in 1967. He lived there for about 54 years. Also, in the famous 2007 film, I Am Legend, Will Smith's character had the address , 11 Washington Square North. How cool!

Checkmate

Can  you believe that one of the many things Washington Square Park is known for is chess? Believe is or not, tons of chess playing legends have sat in these same seats before and after they became legends.

Being one of the two most known parks in our beloved city,  Washington Square Park is a little under just ten acres of beautiful green things. Living in the city, it's always nice to go into the park and remember what grass looks like, right? 

The park in named after President George Washington, who was actually inaugurated nearby at Wall St. in 1789, back when NYC was the capital of the United States. It wasn't always a park though, in fact, back when it was actually a cemetery it was home to over 20,000 New Yorkers who are still buried there to this day. Talk about creepy, right?!

If you're not totally creeped out, maybe this will do the trick. The park was also an execution site and houses the world's oldest tree ever. Standing for 340 years now, the elm tree AKA The Hanging Tree has been the last sight for many people. People would come from all over to see people hanged from this 110 ft tall Elm tree. The last hanging was done in 1820 and the limb from which the hangings took place was removed in 1992. 

Whose wondering now if this park is possible haunted?