Guest blogger: Carol Cain, The Adventures of a NYCity Mama

Most guide books for New York City don’t take their readers past The American Museum of Natural History and there used to be a time when most newly arrived residents of New York thought Manhattan ended on 86 St. However, go further North in Manhattan and you will find all the delights of older neighborhoods still holding on to the traditions of their rich history. It is certainly worth the trip uptown just to experience the food, and when you do, you will be submerged in the epitomy of what New York represents to those who first came here so long ago.

If ever on the East side, by Central Park, and you decide to go beyond that invisible line often found in most guide books and tourist maps, you will find yourself in Spanish Harlem, or El Barrio. A neighborhood currently known for its vibrant Puerto Rican community, but originally established by Italian immigrants. Walk through the streets of Spanish Harlem, and you will get a hint here and there of both cultures, mostly in the name of the streets, and various restaurant choices.

Spanish Harlem has given birth to many musical talents renowned world wide. Musical geniuses such as Ray Barreto andTito Puente.

Enter Central Park on 105th and 5th Avenue and you will lose your breath at the beautiful site of the Conservatory Garden, a popular location for photographers and painters alike. Originally established in 1898 as a greenhouse, it has gone through several reconstructions that have lead to the beautiful garden it is today.

Honoring both the French, Italian, and English artistic styles, its center is decorated by the Three Dancing Maidens fountain designed by German sculptor Walter Schott. The amazing flower arrangements and they absolute escape it offers from city life and noise make this worth the adventure North.

Only a block down from the Conservatory, on East 104th St., is El Museo del Barrio where you will see Latino art of all genres surround you. This recently renovated museum is the pride and joy of Spanish Harlem, one which has stayed true to the neighborhood and culture in which it resides.

Other great museums to visit while in Spanish Harlem are the The Museum of the City of New York which showcases the City’s cultural diversity through its exhibitions and family-friendly programs.

If you have the time, venture further North and East to 1st Avenue and 118th St. This is where you will find Patsy’s Pizzeria. This is true New York style pizza, one of the originals, keeping alive the passion and pizza making tradition of the Lancieri family since 1933. It is very much like the often featured, but impossible to get into tourist spot, Grimaldi’s. The pizza tastes similar because Grimaldi, Lancieri’s nephew, learned to make pizza from him in the 1940s.

For a taste of authentic Puerto Rican cuisine you must visit La Fonda Boricua for true Puerto Rican culinary staples, as well as entertainment, and ambiance. There is a vibrant theater community as well, with theater houses and cultural groups such as Taller Boricua, Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, and the National Black Theater.

Spanish Harlem is on the East side of Manhattan and extends from 96th St. to140th St. You can access Spanish Harlem by public transit via the 4, 5, or 6 train.
Next time you’re in Manhattan, break the barriers of your hand held guide book, and discover El Sabor of New York City.

Carol Cain is a freelance travel writer and native New Yorker. She is a former publishing and public relations professional, with an MBA in International Relations. She is the founder of The Adventures of a NYCity Mama, a family travel site that was nominated for a Nickelodeon Parent’s Picks Award in 2009. Carol herself was nominated Best Latina Blogger in the same year by Latinos in Social Media. She lives in New York City with her husband and three boys.

Explore NYC with audio walking tours from CityListen. Any 2 for just 20 bucks!