Satchmo, you ain't ever going to see 'live', but you can go get a sense of the man and see all the incredible and totally obsessive wallpapering his wife did in their house in Queens. He chose to live here to keep himself grounded and be amongst the 'real' people. He was 'Louis Armstrong' on stage but wanted to be just plain 'Lou' in real life and would queue like everybody else at the local barber shop, play the trumpet off his balcony for the kids, and teach any of them who wanted to learn, how to play .
There is an extraordinary array of Jazz legends on the Queens Jazz tour, which is only once a month, but the Armstrongs is the highlight!
http://www.flushingtownhall.org/events/event.php?id=434
Then, afterwards go to Harlem and get Miss Maude’s Spoonbread Too soul food!
Soul-Food in New York City, yeah? Named after the owner’s Aunt, Miss Maude’s has a homey feeling and serves home-sized portions, too. Heaping plates of yams, macaroni & cheese, and collard greens all delivered to your seat with gusto, and they are all preceded by a big basket of wicked and warmed corn bread. But don’t get full off that (as most do), because if you do, you will miss out on the next best thing. The platter!
Not all things on it are amazing, but it's a good place to start on a first visit and the short ribs, candied yams and battered prawns on the platter are absolutely fabulous. And yes, the meat falls right off the bone! All and all, you will love just about anything on the Miss Maudes’ menu. From fish to pork chops or pie, Miss Maude’s does it all, and continues to do it right! How it still remains under the radar, I don’t know.
Then, afterwards go to Harlem and get Miss Maude’s Spoonbread Too soul food!
Soul-Food in New York City, yeah? Named after the owner’s Aunt, Miss Maude’s has a homey feeling and serves home-sized portions, too. Heaping plates of yams, macaroni & cheese, and collard greens all delivered to your seat with gusto, and they are all preceded by a big basket of wicked and warmed corn bread. But don’t get full off that (as most do), because if you do, you will miss out on the next best thing. The platter!
Not all things on it are amazing, but it's a good place to start on a first visit and the short ribs, candied yams and battered prawns on the platter are absolutely fabulous. And yes, the meat falls right off the bone! All and all, you will love just about anything on the Miss Maudes’ menu. From fish to pork chops or pie, Miss Maude’s does it all, and continues to do it right! How it still remains under the radar, I don’t know.
http://www.spoonbreadinc.com/miss_maudes.htm
... and then go to St Nick's Pub in Harlem. Hole in the wall Jazz Pub open until the wee hours. I suggest you go at 10ish to get a seat and it really starts kicking off, round midnight. I've done this routine several times and head back home around 5AM. Yes, you can still get the Harlem experience! Proper!
... and then go to St Nick's Pub in Harlem. Hole in the wall Jazz Pub open until the wee hours. I suggest you go at 10ish to get a seat and it really starts kicking off, round midnight. I've done this routine several times and head back home around 5AM. Yes, you can still get the Harlem experience! Proper!
