The Curious Uptowner

07/21/2025

Deals on meals around Harlem and beyond.

Seventeen uptown eateries are taking part in the latest round of NYC Restaurant Week—which runs from July 21 to August 17—featuring set lunch and dinner menus for $30, $45 and $60.Restaurants participating this summer range from classic Harlem destinations like Red Rooster and Dinosaur Bar-B-Que...

07/18/2025

Free dance classes, theater under the stars, jazz in the parks—plus more fun things to do this weekend in Harlem and beyond.
https://www.thecuriousuptowner.com/post/10-fun-things-to-do-in-harlem-and-washington-heights-this-weekend

07/14/2025

The Apollo Theater is now closed while undergoing major renovations for the next 12 months—plus a new dessert shop down the street.

A wave of new buildings and businesses continues to transform Harlem's 125th Street.Glossy high-rises, like the 28-story Renaissance New York Harlem Hotel that opened in 2023, have already significantly altered the skyline.Major retailers that arrived last year, including Trader Joe's, Sephora and T...

07/11/2025

Free outdoor jazz across Harlem's parks—plus more fun things to do this weekend.
https://www.thecuriousuptowner.com/post/10-fun-things-to-do-in-harlem-and-washington-heights-this-weekend

07/10/2025

The herd is kicking things off with a new eating contest.

Riverside Park's weed-munching goats are returning to their summer home at W 143rd Street and Riverside Drive for another season.But before the herd gets to work tackling the area's invasive plants, they're kicking things off with a new eating competition between goats.Hosted by the Riverside Park C...

07/07/2025

Jazzmobile's free summer concert series returns to Grant's Tomb and Marcus Garvey Park this week.

Harlem is home to many free outdoor jazz concerts every summer, but there's one that stands out: Jazzmobile's Summerfest series at Grant's Tomb and Marcus Garvey Park.And it kicks off this week.The venerable Harlem-based jazz organization begins its season of outdoor concerts with a perfomance by Pa...

07/03/2025

Free tours of the iconic Little Red Lighthouse—plus more fun things to do this holiday weekend:
https://www.thecuriousuptowner.com/post/10-fun-things-to-do-in-harlem-and-washington-heights-this-weekend

07/01/2025

"Memnon" runs July 5-27 in Marcus Garvey Park.

The Classical Theatre of Harlem returns this month to the amphitheater in Marcus Garvey Park with a free outdoor production of "Memnon." The play—written by Will Power, directed by Carl Cofield, and featuring choreography by Tiffany Rea-Fisher—tells the reimagined tale of an Ethiopian king who c...

06/30/2025

The holiday weekend starts with a splash.

You already know about NYC's free outdoor pools, but what about the one uptown oasis not on the city's list? Yes, we're talking about the outdoor pool at Denny Farrell Riverbank State Park.Operating on a separate schedule from city pools, this state-run pool opens on Friday, July 4.To find this uniq...

06/27/2025

Harlem Pride returns to 12th Avenue this weekend—plus more fun things to do.
https://www.thecuriousuptowner.com/post/10-fun-things-to-do-in-harlem-and-washington-heights-this-weekend

06/25/2025

You’ve got just under a week left to try the special June flavor at in collaboration with Harlemite . An ode to Dominek’s mom, Sonia’s Pound Cake is a creamy scoop with just the right apricot tang and chewy morsels of pound cake, plus a whisper of rosemary—a heatwave treat if there ever was one 🍦

06/25/2025

5 top spots for heatwave treats.

Ice cream season is officially here.Happily, Upper Manhattan has become a great place to find some truly notable frozen desserts.It's home to two shops specializing in small-batch ice cream and gelato as well as a number of stylish spots where you can pull up to the counter for icy shakes and more.H...