My New York

Manhattan, Brooklyn, Harlem, the Bronx… Each of these neighborhoods has a beautiful story that links them to New York. The three months I spent in the Big Apple are forever embedded in my heart, and have allowed me to add another chapter to my life. Let me explain.

As far as I can remember, I have been dreaming of New York through Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King, Taxi Driver and West Side Story, Michael Jackson, Frank Sinatra and Aaliyah, Vogue and Alvin Ailey. However, from the first time I visited as an wide-eyed eight year old, I only remember two things : King Kong, and much-too-large cotton candy sticks. Some twenty years later, the opportunity to go back has presented itself again. Hurray ! I’m going to modeling at New York Fashion Week in September 2017.

At almost 30, I can’t wait to rediscover New York with less innocent, more adult eyes. Because, let’s say it, Trump has really spoiled my idea of the American Dream. To be honest, the first two weeks were a blur. The cultural shock was brutal and even though I learned to understand New York through the people I met, the vastness of the city, the neverending noise, the crowds, and the junk food were quite disconcerting.

Brooklyn, however, had a captivating energy : its music venues, cultural melting pot, and the sheer entrepreneurial spirit it conveyed baffled me.

I met inspiring people in New York, who lived through their passions, as true entrepreneurs. People from different countries, with various religious and cultural backgrounds who, fascinatingly enough, were living and thriving together.

To see so many Black people, like me, heading their own company, or trusted with important jobs was very emotional for me. My head was in a whirlwind. I had the comforting feeling of being a part of a community, seeing my peers and identifying with people who like the same clothes as I do, go to the same exhibitions as I do, eat at the same restaurants, read the same books, used the same beauty products, and listened to the same music. It was incredible !

My many conversations and my need to communicate gave way to this community of Americans who built everything for themselves, provide for their own needs, and educate themselves without the help of anybody, let alone the system. A brave new world offered itself. Oh my God!

Cultivate what makes you unique, and work up the social ladder, are American mantras. Everything there pushes you to try something new and get your hands dirty.

" What is your story ? What brings you to NY?  What projects are you personally working on ? What are your passions ? What do you really believe in ? What is your next step ? What is your purpose in life ? For which dream would you be prepared to sacrifice everything ? "

Those are the questions you can hear around the dinner table. By the way, Americans are way friendlier than us French. They dare to chat with those they don’t know yet. And that changes everything. New York has really expanded my horizon. Stimulated me. Gave me the strength to believe in my dreams and develop my skills. “Take a chance” seems to have a whole new meaning.

Nonetheless, New York is also a violent city, full of contradiction and discrimination. Racism, ultra-liberal consumerism, social disparity, ignorance, and the exorbitantly high price of life also proved how much I am privileged to be French. I really do love my country.

But how well assimilated is my community in France ? Can we really climb the social ladder when black people are so stigmatized in the minds of those who decide ? What should we do for French people to really take a chance on their own culture ? When will I see Black designers presenting their collection in the official schedule of the Paris Fashion Week ? When will we read Black authors in high school? Why aren’t there any products from the French West Indies in the new luxury french food hall of the Printemps in Paris ? Why can’t we still get into the “cool” nightclubs ? How will I reap the benefits of being who I am ?

New York seems to be a good choice for anybody who dares to try and take action. Living between the Big Apple and Paris has become obvious. In any case, what I remember the most is: “If you can make it in New York, you can make it anywhere”... ;)

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Why you should make Harlem a Stop on your next trip to New York

Gospel music, the legendary Apollo Theater, soul food, Malcolm X… Harlem is the ultimate symbol for African-American culture in New York. Renovated and safer, the neighborhood abounds with new places to go out and enjoy. Follow the guide !

The soul of Harlem

You don’t just wander into Harlem by chance, you come for its soul. Tucked at the northern tip of Manhattan, Harlem represents New York’s black heritage. The Mount Morris Park, Malcolm X Boulevard, Columbia University and the Apollo Theater are the gatekeepers of its history. On Sundays, soulful gospel masses look like American TV shows. But, thank God, some of them still give you chills. Since 2010, yuppie families have started to move into the beautiful brownstones that line the streets. Fish markets, squeezed in between the Caribbean fast-food joints and African bodegas, set the tone for the neighborhood: Harlem is full of swag! But be advised: cultural projects are plenty, and rents are skyrocketing !

Jazz and Soul

Louis Armstrong, Diana Ross, Marvin Gaye, Aretha Franklin, Stevie Wonder, the Jackson Five, and James Brown have all filled this space with their voices. The Apollo Theater, a symbol of Black music in New York, still welcomes the crème-de-la-crème of soul and R’n’B artists such as Lauryn Hill, Fantasia, and Mariah Carey, as well as contemporary dance companies (at reasonable prices, finally !). A couple blocks away stands the Cotton Club, opened in 1923 and still one of the most iconic jazz clubs in the city.

Apollo Theater, 253 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027 - tickets starting from 10$
Cotton Club, 656 W 125th St, New York, NY 10027

My favorite spots in Harlem ?

The beautiful modern art museum, Gavin Brown.439 W. 127Th Street, NY 10027 - tuesday to saturday : 12h-18h.
The Studio Museum promotes art by African and African-American artists. 44 West 125th Street, NY 10027 - thursday to sunday : 12h-18h.
Inspired by the music of Fela Kuti, Shrine is a club where afrobeat is king. 2271 Adam Clayton Powell Jr Blvd, New York, NY 10030 - every day : 16h-4h
The Caribbean restaurant Solomon and Kuff. 2331 12th Ave, New York, NY 10027 - phone : 212.939.9443.

Oh my god !

450 churches are hidden along the streets of Harlem. Communities gather in them to help each other, talk about politics, exchange opinions and ways they can enhance their neighborhood. They truly are a social and cultural glue. Gospel music was born in Harlem: You can’t forget the opportunity to experience it! The Abyssinian Church gives a well-known, supershow of a mass, while the choir at First Corinthian Baptist Church also boasts a very good reputation. One of my most cherished memories of New York !

Abyssinian Church, 132 W 138th St, New York, NY 10030 - on sunday : 11h30.
First Corinthian Baptist Church, 1912 7th Ave New York, NY - sunday : 7h30, 9h30 and 11h30.

The soul food

“Soul food” describes African-American cuisine that hails from the South of the country, with roots that tie back to slavery. Being banned from reading and writing, slaves passed their recipes through word of mouth, from generation to generation. Based on simple ingredients such as corn, rice, chicken, lard and gombo, soul food is still at the centre of some of Harlem’s best restaurants. Let’s focus on two legendary eateries...

The Red Rooster

The Red Rooster is my favorite place to eat in Harlem. Its concept is to serve family-style American food in a groovy atmosphere. I enjoyed a DJ set of jazz and old school hip hop while discovering for the first time the well-know Harlem fare of chicken and waffles.
Red Rooster, 310 Lenox Ave, New York, NY 10027 - Phone : (212) 792-9001 - monday to sunday

Chez Silvia

Sylvia is a Harlem institution, and has built its reputation on its famously spicy sauces. The menu is filled with traditional African-American recipes, and their deliciously soft golden corn bread is to die for. Barack Obama is a fan !
Sylvia, 328 Malcolm X Blvd, New York, NY 10027 - phone. : (212) 996-0660 - monday to sunday

Where is Harlem ?

 

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