Me: Going to check out Harlem
New Yorker: Really? Why?
Harlem has a reputation for being unsafe ("travel in groups") with not much to see ("there is nothing to do there!") But I've been itching to check out the area ever since I first saw Diff'rent Strokes...
Arnold: Willis, why do we have to go back to Harlem? Why can't we stay here?
Willis: 'Cause we miss Harlem!
Arnold: Yeah, and I wanna miss Harlem for the rest of my natural life.
OK, so maybe it wasn't just the New Yorker's I had spoken to who were dissing Harlem... but it wasn't going to stop E, R or me! And we weren't disappointed...
I was impressed from the moment we arrived and I saw the beautiful brown houses. Compared to other parts of Manhattan it was peaceful and quiet. An old lady leaned against a fence talking to a man on a bench. A car passed and we could hear the soft sounds of music - we were simply in a peaceful suburb.
We wondered along the street and stumbled upon Malcolm X Boulevard. It struck me where we were - huge moments in history have happened in these streets and on the doorsteps of these houses.
The recommendation from Mr and Mrs Pants (who visited last weekend) was to go to the cathedral. On the walk over we stopped at an intense Noah's arc monument and admired it for quite a while. It was disturbing but also beautiful. Basically I can't describe it in words....
The Cathedral was huge with a beautiful Gothic design (I know this because I read it on the plaque out front!) We went in and it was stunning. It was dark, the only light coming from the stained glass windows. The ceiling height was huge... absolutely amazing. There were a few different things to see, my favourite was the American's Poet corner.
The visit was really intense because of the grandeur of the cathedral. I was overwhelmed by the beauty and the size of the place. I think I was even speechless for a few minutes afterwards......
Of course a trip to Harlem would be a trip wasted without tasting some of the world famous Soul Food. Finding a place that served the local cuisine was easy. We chose Amy Ruth's which bragged a history of many celebrity guests including George W Bush and Nelson Mandela. (And of course Alica Keys because she loves New York... concrete jungle that dreams are made of...)
Amy Ruth's - Harlem
Whilst the President Obama was tempting (fried chicken) I went for the jerked chicken. First I had to ask the waitress what "jerked chicken" actually was... she gave us the most patronising look - she was so disturbed that we didn't know this basic fact. After some prodding she answered anyway... for all the other dummies - jerked is basically just the sauce the chicken is cooked in!
Whilst the food was fantastic, the best part of lunch was not eating, but people watching. We quickly learnt that the most popular dish on the menu was the Chicken and Waffles. That's right... Chicken. And. Waffles. Literally a waffle with a piece of fried chicken whacked on top. Of course that alone would be a bit dry so most people were adding syrup.... huh!!
R summed the whole thing up perfectly with "I want to try it, but I don't think I could try it"... and of course E always has something funny to say, "that man just put waffle and chicken in his mouth AT THE SAME TIME!"
We were exhausted before we had time to check out the Apollo Theatre or Malcolm X's mosque. Will have to go back for more... chicken and waffles anyone?
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