New York. These few words conjure images of swanky Manhattan shops, skyscrapers, bright neon lights and the theatre district – Harlem, though on the same island shares very few of these images.
New York. These few words conjure images of swanky Manhattan shops, skyscrapers, bright neon lights and the theatre district – Harlem, though on the same island shares very few of these images.
My partner was invited to Columbia University as a visiting scholar. Two months in New York City. Then reality set in. How would we be able to afford to live for two months in NYC? Hotels were out of the question just too expensive as were the hard to get accommodations provided by the university. The best accommodation alternative was Airbnb my regular accommodation fallback. One of the accommodation pre-requisites was the ability to walk to Columbia and a full kitchen which narrowed the choices somewhat but after a vigilant search, I was able to find a one and a half bedroomed apartment on West 128thStreet in the centre of Harlem. I was lucky to get a great deal as the apartment had a 50% reduction for rentals longer than 30 days. Even so, the apartment was not cheap.
We are now into our second month living in a nineteenth century Harlem brownstone and it has been quite an adventure. The differences between downtown Manhattan and Midtown Harlem are wide, varied and many. Let me give you a few examples:
There isn't a church on every corner in Harlem there is a church every few steps. They come in every denomination imaginable the Baptists win out as having the biggest representation. The churches scale from grand stone buildings to pokey shopfronts. One common denominator appears to be that you must dress in your best to attend church and funerals are a large social event.
The smell of marijuan_ is ever present in Harlem. Though illegal folks smoke pot openly and the smell often wafts throughout the neighbourhood.
The streets of Harlem are filthy streets trash lies everywhere. People here tend to discard whatever they don't want straight onto the pavement and I cannot believe the level of rubbish lying around Harlem. It doesn't help that wheelie bins aren't used here. Trash is put in black bags and recyclables in clear plastic bags and left on the edge of the pavement and garbage collection day becomes a real eyesore.
A symphony of car movement occurs throughout the working week as one side of the road has to be cleared of cars for four hours so the street sweeper can clean the roadway of trash. Residents on the nominated sweep days move their cars to the other side of the road and double park. Throughout this process the people that are blocked in and can't get their cars out sound their horns ever more maddeningly until someone comes to move the offending car. As soon as the sweeper has moved down the road a mass migration occurs to move cars from the double-parked side of the street to the other. It is just like musical chairs and some poor soul always misses out which often leads to disagreements.
We quickly learnt that almost everybody in Harlem pays no attention to walk/don't walk street signs. Most residents walk across the road regardless of oncoming traffic seeming to dare a car to hit them. The pedestrian signals mean absolutely nothing and pedestrians do what they want.
A few days ago I was at the busiest intersection in Harlem when I heard a wailing fire engine siren approaching. The pedestrian light in the direction of the fire engines approach was walk and people streamed across the road. As the engine came up to the crossing, not one person stopped or even hesitated they just kept walking whilst the fire truck stopped siren blaring waiting for everyone including an old woman on a walking frame to cross the road. I could not believe people could be so self-absorbed that they didn't stop to allow the fire engine to pass.
Noise is a constant in Harlem. Sirens continually howl through day and night. Each emergency vehicle appears to have its own unique piecing siren sound and we are continuously serenaded. Individuals on foot, as well as people in cars, appear to want everyone else to share in their musical tastes which is usually loud rap music or an assortment of gospel tunes. It is obvious the louder the music the more individual enjoyment one derives from the tunes which actually appear to shake some of the cars. Arguing and trash-talking in public appears to be a sport. The one who shouts the loudest obscenities wins. Voices from the street drift into our apartment at all hours of the day or night talking quietly is something that is undiscovered in Harlem. Bro appears to be the most popular word here.
The cost. Food is so expensive in Harlem as it probably is throughout Manhattan. It has been a real shock to find the price of many items more expensive than in Australia. When you take into account the currency conversion the price of many items becomes ridiculous.
Weird folks. Harlem is full of them. It is one of those places where you are continually doing double-takes and wondering if you saw or heard correctly.
Harlem is still a predominately black neighbourhood with a large Hispanic population as well. This adds an intrigue and lustre to Harlem. Notwithstanding all of the above, we love it here. There is a real energy about the place and a significant difference from the next borough in Manhattan. Your senses are filled with unique experiences that you probably would not gain anywhere else in America. I have never felt unsafe here and we constantly walk the streets and take the subway, though I would exercise caution coming home late at night.
If you visit New York you should make a detour to Harlem and walk down 125thStreet to greet a different facet of New York.
New York. These few words conjure images of swanky Manhattan shops, skyscrapers, bright neon lights and the theatre district – Harlem, though on the same island shares very few of these images.
My partner was invited to Columbia University as a visiting scholar. Two months in New York City. Then reality set in. How would we be able to afford to live for two months in NYC? Hotels were out of the question just too expensive as were the hard to get accommodations provided by the university. The best accommodation alternative was Airbnb my regular accommodation fallback. One of the accommodation pre-requisites was the ability to walk to Columbia and a full kitchen which narrowed the choices somewhat but after a vigilant search, I was able to find a one and a half bedroomed apartment on West 128thStreet in the centre of Harlem. I was lucky to get a great deal as the apartment had a 50% reduction for rentals longer than 30 days. Even so, the apartment was not cheap.
We are now into our second month living in a nineteenth century Harlem brownstone and it has been quite an adventure. The differences between downtown Manhattan and Midtown Harlem are wide, varied and many. Let me give you a few examples:
There isn't a church on every corner in Harlem there is a church every few steps. They come in every denomination imaginable the Baptists win out as having the biggest representation. The churches scale from grand stone buildings to pokey shopfronts. One common denominator appears to be that you must dress in your best to attend church and funerals are a large social event.
The smell of marijuan_ is ever present in Harlem. Though illegal folks smoke pot openly and the smell often wafts throughout the neighbourhood.
The streets of Harlem are filthy streets trash lies everywhere. People here tend to discard whatever they don't want straight onto the pavement and I cannot believe the level of rubbish lying around Harlem. It doesn't help that wheelie bins aren't used here. Trash is put in black bags and recyclables in clear plastic bags and left on the edge of the pavement and garbage collection day becomes a real eyesore.
A symphony of car movement occurs throughout the working week as one side of the road has to be cleared of cars for four hours so the street sweeper can clean the roadway of trash. Residents on the nominated sweep days move their cars to the other side of the road and double park. Throughout this process the people that are blocked in and can't get their cars out sound their horns ever more maddeningly until someone comes to move the offending car. As soon as the sweeper has moved down the road a mass migration occurs to move cars from the double-parked side of the street to the other. It is just like musical chairs and some poor soul always misses out which often leads to disagreements.
We quickly learnt that almost everybody in Harlem pays no attention to walk/don't walk street signs. Most residents walk across the road regardless of oncoming traffic seeming to dare a car to hit them. The pedestrian signals mean absolutely nothing and pedestrians do what they want.
A few days ago I was at the busiest intersection in Harlem when I heard a wailing fire engine siren approaching. The pedestrian light in the direction of the fire engines approach was walk and people streamed across the road. As the engine came up to the crossing, not one person stopped or even hesitated they just kept walking whilst the fire truck stopped siren blaring waiting for everyone including an old woman on a walking frame to cross the road. I could not believe people could be so self-absorbed that they didn't stop to allow the fire engine to pass.
Noise is a constant in Harlem. Sirens continually howl through day and night. Each emergency vehicle appears to have its own unique piecing siren sound and we are continuously serenaded. Individuals on foot, as well as people in cars, appear to want everyone else to share in their musical tastes which is usually loud rap music or an assortment of gospel tunes. It is obvious the louder the music the more individual enjoyment one derives from the tunes which actually appear to shake some of the cars. Arguing and trash-talking in public appears to be a sport. The one who shouts the loudest obscenities wins. Voices from the street drift into our apartment at all hours of the day or night talking quietly is something that is undiscovered in Harlem. Bro appears to be the most popular word here.
The cost. Food is so expensive in Harlem as it probably is throughout Manhattan. It has been a real shock to find the price of many items more expensive than in Australia. When you take into account the currency conversion the price of many items becomes ridiculous.
Weird folks. Harlem is full of them. It is one of those places where you are continually doing double-takes and wondering if you saw or heard correctly.
Harlem is still a predominately black neighbourhood with a large Hispanic population as well. This adds an intrigue and lustre to Harlem. Notwithstanding all of the above, we love it here. There is a real energy about the place and a significant difference from the next borough in Manhattan. Your senses are filled with unique experiences that you probably would not gain anywhere else in America. I have never felt unsafe here and we constantly walk the streets and take the subway, though I would exercise caution coming home late at night.
If you visit New York you should make a detour to Harlem and walk down 125thStreet to greet a different facet of New York.
