Southern Soul Day began with down-home cooking at Miss Maude's Spoonbread Too in Harlem. The menu included fried chicken and catfish, sweet potatoes, collard greens, mac & cheese and red velvet cake. According to the New York Post, Spoonbread has the BEST FRIED CHICKEN IN NYC and we'd have to agree. The food was absolutely delicious and highly recommended especially on a cold December day. As we dined, one CCNY member educated others about what it means to be a true Southern Gal. Straight from the pages of 'Grits - Girls Raised in the South', we learned how to drink like a Southern lady (sip...a lot), attract the attention of a man (wear the color peach and not fold your arms), and much more.
Following brunch, the group took a stroll through Harlem viewing historic sights. Much to our surprise, we stumbed across Astor Row, a group of 28 semi-attached row houses built in the 1880s by William Astor. Located on 130th Street between Fifth and Lenox Avenues in Harlem, each double building shared a turned-wood porch in the Victorian style. Our next stop was at one of the most well-known music venues in American history - The Apollo Theater. More than just a historic landmark, The Apollo Theater is filled with a rich history of legendary artists such as Billie Holiday, James Brown and Stevie Wonder, all who have performed on stage. Constructed in 1914, the Apollo Theater is located on 125th street in the heart of Harlem. Today, emerging artists continue to perform with hopes and dreams of making it big.
The day ended with a stop at Carol's Daughter, a beautiful store filled with deliciously scented products for the face, body, hair and home. We indulged ourselves with lotions, creams, hair serums and lip balm. If you are interested in learning more about these products, visit www.carolsdaughter.com.
