A Taste of Harlem provided soul food and soulful music to inhabitants, local businesses, basically anyone who wanted to experience and celebrate the variety of food that Harlem has to offer. Despite the huddling of many under their umbrellas or caterers having problems preparing their materials in the rain, the facial expression of Angie Stone upon her arrival said it all. The smile that pervaded on her face illuminated her pink satin top as though she knew what a good time she was about to have.
This event served as the evening closing ceremony to the Abyssinian Development Corporation’s 13th annual Harlem Renaissance Day of Commitment, a celebration with Verizon as the underwriter and Uptown magazine as a co-sponsor.
Upon entering The Great Hall at The City College of New York one may have thought they were entering a wedding reception to rejoice the union of a happy couple who’d chosen a theme of peach and purple to decorate the numerous tables for their guests. A culmination of families, college students, parents with their children, grandparents, etc. got together to have a good time in celebration of Harlem and its businesses, a great union in itself.
For those who’ve seen The Great Hall the construction & size fit the name. It’s like a mini cathedral with high walls, stain-glass windows, a mural on the ceiling, and Romanesque columns throughout. Between these columns were numerous tables occupied by eateries located above and below 125th Street that wanted to show off their delicacies to the hoards of people in attendance. The caterers displayed various offerings of appetizers, portions of entrées, or desserts. There was also a chance for a connoisseur of corn bread to taste it from at least three different restaurants. Well known places like Sylvia’s were present with sweet black eyed fritters and baked fish, there were also newer places like Society Coffee Lounge offering a refreshing cup of coffee while also enticing diners with their fresh on-the-spot Belgian waffles accompanied by fresh fruit and whipped cream. The latter part of the Harlem classic of chicken & waffles provided by Amy Ruth’s couldn’t compete with Society’s delectable breakfast that many enjoyed as a compliment to the great meals throughout the evening. Â
The sounds of Harlem were provided by DJ Hollywood during the dining period, filling the hall with James Brown and Ray Charles. Playing EU’s “Doing Da Butt” brought many diners en masse onto the dance floor. It was evident that the crowd enjoyed the medley, but one of the ladies at my table came back from grooving to the eclectic mix of R&B, funk, and pop, confirmed it when she said “It is live on the dance floor.” Angie Stone concluded the musical entertainment with a live performance on the main stage, now suited in a blue top with silver sequins, her voice both intoxicating and comforting. So much so that many of the children in attendance sat on the stairs of her stage, looking up at her in awe as though she were going to tell them a bedtime story.
There was bidding for services within the community, wine tasting for VIPs, food galore, and lots of dancing to end a day filled with a celebration of the Abbysinnian Baptist Church’s commitment to the revitalization of the Harlem community. The evening was the culmination of a day long celebration of all that is Harlem. The faces of those in the crowd revealed not a care in the world as they were simply enjoying the Taste of Harlem.
WORDS: Jennifer Baker-Henry
PHOTOS: Kenya Smith
In 2008, Abyssinian Baptist Church will
celebrate its Bicentennial Anniversary.
