When Bill Clinton opened his office on 125th Street in 2001, Harlem finally shed its reputation as a no-go area, the embodiment of urban decay. That reputation was somewhat unjust having, in part at least, been created by 1970s movies like Across 110th Street and a string of Blaxploitation movies starting with Shaft.
Staying in Harlem is the perfect way to experience the vibrant local cultural scene of one of New York's most historic neighbourhoods. But when I first visited in the early 90s, there were few options other than a scattering of guesthouses. That has changed with Harlem's first major hotel opening in over a century. The Aloft Hotel is located just a block from 125th Street and very much designed as part of the community — look out for the lobby wall that is given over to local artists. Doubles from £102 a night.
Iconic 125th Street is the very soul of Harlem. It's a frenetic thoroughfare of traditional stores and businesses with a pulsating street life. Food stalls, street performers, vendors and hawkers of everything from voodoo dolls to Bibles compete for pavement space.
A couple of minutes' walk from the Aloft is the legendary Apollo Theater, where the likes of Ella Fitzgerald, Billie Holiday, James Brown, Diana Ross, The Jackson Five and Stevie Wonder launched their careers. Jimi Hendrix won the amateur night contest there back in 1965. Rather than holding conventional job interviews, the Aloft held 'auditions' at the Apollo to recruit the best local talent.
Harlem is awash with fantastic public art works celebrating the neighborhood's rich artistic heritage and pioneering African-Americans. The best guide you could have to Harlem's art scene is Thelma Golden, director and chief curator of the cutting-edge Studio Museum. She counts Elizabeth Catlett's Invisible Man: A Memorial to Ralph Ellison sculpture near the writer's former home in Harlem, Robert Graham's Duke Ellington on Fifth Avenue at 110th Street and the new Frederick Douglass Monument at the top of Central Park among her favourites.
She has been a Harlem resident for more than 30 years, and her expertise extends beyond art. She also points me in the direction of some of the area's best eateries. Patisserie des Ambassades on Frederick Douglass Boulevard between 118th and 119th reminds her of one of her favourite cities, Dakar in Senegal, and the red velvet cupcakes at Make My Cake on St Nicholas Avenue at 116th Street she tells me are the best in the city. For soul food, it's Melba's on West 114th Street and the new Marcus Samuelsson restaurant Red Rooster, which she says 'embraces the culture of Harlem, both culinary and through his décor'. And then there's Society Coffee where creative types gather or Nectar where you'll find a downtown vibe and an expertly chosen selection of artisanal wine.
One of the best ways to experience Harlem is through a walking tour. I've joined jazz rap, hip hop and even a Black Panther tour over the years. Try Harlem Heritage Tourism & Cultural Center on Malcolm X Boulevard.
Although Harlem is known mainly as a focal point of African-American life and culture, it is also home to a large Latino population, particularly in East Harlem or El Barrio. El Museo del Barrio on Fifth Avenue at 104th Street has an eclectic collection of Hispanic and Caribbean art. Other venues that shouldn't be missed include the National Jazz Museum, the Dance Theatre of Harlem and 67 Orange Street, which was inspired by the famous Almack's dance hall from the 1840s.
And, if you want to catch a downtown show or exhibition, then the A express subway line will whisk you from 125th Street to Columbus Circle in seven minutes.
For Harlem Heritage Tours, see harlemheritage.com.
