Page 226 - (DK Eyewitness) Travel Guide - New York City
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224      NE W   Y ORK  CIT Y  AREA  B Y  AREA


                                               of musicians, such as Charlie
                                               “Bird” Parker, Dizzy Gillespie,
                                               Thelonious Monk, and
                                               Aretha Franklin, continued
                                               the tradition.
                                                 Rescued from decline and
                                               refurbished in the 1980s, the
                                               Apollo once again features
                                               top black entertainers and
                                               hosts Amateur Nights.

                                               y Studio Museum
                                               in Harlem
                                               144 W 125th St. Map 21 B2.
                                               Tel (212) 864-4500. q 125th St
                                               (2, 3). Open noon–9pm Thu & Fri,
                                               10am–6pm Sat, noon–6pm Sun.
                                               Closed public hols. & donations;
                                               free Sun. ^ 7 8 Lectures,
       Diners at Sylvia’s, one of the most popular restaurants in Harlem
                                               films, children’s programs,
       r Sylvia’s          Frank Schiffman, a white   video presentations. = -
                                               ∑ studiomuseum.org
                           entrepreneur, took over in
       328 Malcolm X Blvd. Map 21 B1.
       Tel (212) 996-0660. q 125th St    1934. He then opened the   The museum was founded in
       (2, 3). Open 8am–10:30pm   theater to everyone and turned    1967 in a loft on upper Fifth
       Mon–Thu, 8am–11pm Fri    it into Harlem’s best-known   Avenue with the mission of
       & Sat, 11am–9pm Sun.   showcase, with great artists   becoming the world’s premier
       ∑ sylviasrestaurant.com  such as Bessie Smith, Billie   center for the collection and
                              Holiday, Duke Ellington,   exhibition of the art and artifacts
       Harlem’s best-known soul   and Dinah Washington.  of African Americans.
       food restaurant since 1962       Wednesday Amateur     The present premises, a five-
       serves up Southern-fried or   Nights (begun in 1935),   story building on Harlem’s main
       smothered chicken, spicy   with winners determined   commercial street, was donated
       ribs, black-eyed peas,   by audience applause,   to the museum by the New York
       collard greens, candied   were famous, and there   Bank for Savings in 1979. There
       yams, sweet potato pie,    was a long waiting list for   are galleries on two levels for
       and other comforting   performers. These amateur   changing exhibitions featuring
       Southern delicacies. Sunday   nights helped launch the   artists and cultural themes, and
       brunch here is served to    careers of Sarah Vaughan,   three galleries are devoted to
       the accom paniment of   Pearl Bailey, James Brown,   the permanent collection of
       Gospel singers.        and Gladys Knight, among   works by major black artists.
         Harlem’s culinary scene   others, and they still      The photographic archives
       has blossomed over the   Apollo    attract hopefuls.  comprise one of the most
       years, with eateries such    Theater      The Apollo was    complete records in existence
       as Marcus Samuelsson’s   the place during the    of Harlem in its heyday. A
       Red Rooster (see p304) just    swing band era; following    side door opens onto a
       a block down from Sylvia’s.   World War II, a new generation   small sculpture garden.
       Founder Sylvia Woods, or
       the “Queen of Soulfood” as
       she was once known, passed
       away in 2012.
       t Apollo Theater
       253 W 125th St. Map 21 A1.
       Tel (212) 531-5300. q 125th St.
       Open at showtimes. 8 Groups only.
       7 = See Entertainment p347.
       ∑ apollotheater.org
       The Apollo opened in 1913
       as a whites-only opera house.
       Its great fame came when    Exhibition space at the Studio Museum in Harlem




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