The $1 pizza war is coming to an end on 1st Avenue

[Photo from July 18 by Michael Hirsch]

The 2 Bros. sliceria closed on First Avenue near East 14th Street back in July.

Now another nearby $1 pizza joint looks to be closing here between East 13th Street and East 14th Street this fall.

A listing appeared this week for 222 First Ave., home to Joey Pepperoni (Or Joey Guacamole per the listing photo!) across the street. (Asking rent: $9,500 plus key money.)



The 2 Bros. branch opened in February 2013, much to the dismay of next-door neighbor Vinny Vincenz, who had been there for 11 years. In response to 2 Bros.'s arrival, Vinny's started offering $1 slices.

We saw it all during the Great $1 Pizza War of First Avenue … multiple sidewalk sandwich boards … the introduction of $1 drafts… dancing pizza menu women.

For now, victory goes to the 11-year-old Vinny Vincenz, who also unveiled a new sign back in the summer.



Previously on EV Grieve:
First Avenue $1 Pizza Wars — now with draft beer

Checking in on the $1 pizza war on First Avenue

Latest weapon in the First Avenue $1 slice wars: Dancing Pizza Menu Woman

[Updated] Reader report: The 2 Bros. Pizza on 1st Avenue has apparently closed

The annual NYC Pizza Run in Tompkins Square Park is tomorrow

[The 2013 starting line via Dave on 7th]

Runners, start your ovens! Via the EVG inbox…

The NYC Pizza Run is an annual challenge in which participants aim to complete a two mile run while stopping to eat three slices of pizza at checkpoints throughout the course. Our 2014 event will take place in the historic Tompkins Square Park on Saturday, September 13th.

In a food obsessed metropolis where people are always on the run, putting together an event which pays tribute to some of the city’s defining characteristics seemed like a no-brainer. So grab your appetite and running shoes & join us for our fifth annual run! It is open to participants of all ages.

Please note that a portion of the proceeds from the race benefit the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation (JDRF).

Find more details here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Prepping for the NYC Pizza Run in Tompkins Square Park (17 comments)

Salsa-off this Sunday at the Tompkins Square Greenmarket

Via the EVG inbox...

This Sunday Sept. 14, 12:30 p.m.: Salsa-Off!
Think you've got the best salsa recipe in the East Village? Enter the Tompkins Square Greenmarket Salsa-Off. Customers are the judges, winner gets a prize! Email the market manager, Kathleen here to participate.

Sept. 11, 2014

Photo tonight by Grant Shaffer

… and a photo from the East Village tonight by James and Karla Murray…

[Updated] 23 Third Ave. getting its stripes

You will not have any problem finding Korilla BBQ's first brick-and-mortar restaurant.

Colossal Media is currently painting a building-high tiger-striped mural at 23 Third Ave. at St. Mark's Place where the food truckers will be setting up shop this fall.

As previously reported, Korilla BBQ is taking over the space last held by Archie & Sons, the luncheonette that closed in early August after one year in business here.

More TK.

Updated 9/12

Here's a photo from this afternoon via Jordy Trachtenberg...

A Google ad now covers the iconic Yaffa Cafe mural on St. Mark's Place

Several readers have pointed out that this Google App ad is now up outside Yaffa Cafe, the 31-year-old restaurant at 97 St. Mark's Place...


[Photo via John A. Cecil]

A film crew was here last Friday ... and they put up and removed the banner in about 20 minutes...


[Photo from Friday by Allen Semanco]

We reached out to the folks at Yaffa to find out more about this. Unfortunately, the restaurant is currently (and temporarily) closed. The DOH closed them last Friday after failing an inspection. And Yaffa's phone is currently not in service.

Anyway, at this point, we're unsure if the ad is temporary or permanent.

Updated 5:13 p.m.

It looks pretty permanent. The ad is framed and screwed into the building, so to speak…

Updated 9/12

A little history of the mural, which went up in 1993. It is a self-portrait of Lika Ramati, (former?) co-owner with her husband, Amir, of Simone and Yaffa Cafe.

Updated 10:28 a.m.

Yaffa says the mural will be return...

Hi everyone. Yes, we are officially closed but don't worry, we will be back! And so will our mural. We are starting renovations. #3Months

— Yaffa Cafe (@YaffaCafe) September 11, 2014

Enjoy the BEST worst films that you will ever see

Starting tonight, the Anthology Film Archives begins its week-long Edward D. Wood, Jr. retrospective — "likely the most comprehensive ever presented" — titled "The 10th Dimension."

Among the campy, low-budget gems from maybe the worst director of all time: "Glen or Glenda," "Bride of the Monster" and "Plan 9 From Outer Space."

Find all the screening times and more info here. Anthology Film Archives is at 32 Second Ave. at East Second Street.

Now enjoy the splendor...

Engine Company 5 remembers Manny DelValle Jr. on 9/11

[Photo by Phillip Giambri]

Local firehouses throughout the city are commemorating Sept. 11, 2001, today. Here was the scene this morning outside Engine Company 5 on East 14th Street near First Avenue.

On 9/11, the Company lost Manny DelValle, a 7-year FDNY veteran who grew up in the Bronx.

Someone stole the bench from outside Hearth last night

On East 12th Street at First Avenue.

Per the restaurant's Instagram account: "Our bench has been taken on an adventure...who steals a bench anyway?"

Well, those kids in the new garden apartments at [redacted] are paying top dollar for this stuff. We'll see if we can get a before photo of the bench to share...

Updated 1 p.m.

EVG reader dwg happened to have a photo of the bench in the archives...

With the help of Rosie Mendez, La Sirena gets a new lease on East 3rd Street

[Photo of Dina Leor from February by James Maher]

For the past three years, Dina Leor, the owner of La Sirena, the Mexican folk art shop on East Third Street, has been locked in challenging negotiations with her landlord, the Cooper Square Mutual Housing Association.

When the situation looked particularly dire about two months ago, she contacted Councilmember Rosie Mendez, who ultimately helped to mediate a new 5-year lease between the two sides.

What made her decide to fight for this space instead of moving somewhere else?

"I have been here almost 16 years and it was timing. I decided I wanted a balanced life, with time for the ongoing joy of La Sirena, my evolving assemblage of Mexican folk artists, living shrine and many other great things, family, friends — the simple adventures open time in a day can offer," Leor told us.

As for the lease negotiations, she said that she didn't understand what the landlord wanted.

"In the long negotiations the bottom line kept changing. Each person gave me a different answer," she said. "I could not agree on terms that I did not understand."

After receiving a court notice for eviction proceedings, she contacted Mendez's office. (Mendez has shopped at La Sirena.)

"Wish I had thought of her when all of this started almost three years ago, but I guess for whatever reason it happened this way," Leor said. "I didn't want to be taken to court. I have paid my rent on time every month since November 1998. Rosie Mendez mediated for me and I am so grateful to know that our Councilwoman helped save La Sirena."

And what's next for Leor and the shop at 27 E. Third St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery?

"Now I can move forward with what I love — representing, selling beautiful folk art crafted by amazing artists from many regions of Mexico," she said. "[The new lease] feels great. Monday is the start of Mexican Independence Day and La Sirena is celebrating a new chapter of independence."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Out and About in the East Village with Dina Leor

Construction watch: 277 E. Seventh St.

On Tuesday, we checked in on the progress of the 9-story residential building going up on East Eighth Street at Avenue D... today we'll head a block south to see about 277 E. Seventh St., a six-floor, six-unit residence rising from a former parking lot near D.



As Curbed noted last summer, there are five 1,200-square-foot two-bedroom, two-bathroom homes — two of which have private rooftop decks. The sixth unit is a 900-square-foot ground-level apartment, which has a private garden.

The interiors will feature wide plank floors, white lacquered kitchen cabinetry, Caesarstone counters — that kind of thing.

Seems as if construction has taken awhile here. The original estimates called for a spring-time completion. But, you know.

Here's what an EVG commenter had to say about No. 277 the other day:

"[The work] has been excruciatingly slow and loud. It's been well over a year now of construction noise and workers shouting starting at 7 am Monday through Saturday, and they still have a long way to go. As neighbors who have to work late, it's been a huge disruption to our lives."

Here's a look at the rendering...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The next sliver of space for development: The parking lot at 277 Seventh St.

Seventh Street parking lot destined to become 6-floor apartment building

A look at the dwindling number of East Village lots

City OK's 6-floor, 6-unit condo for former East Seventh Street parking lot

Beronberon opens tonight in the former Sapporo East space

Beronberon officially opens tonight on First Avenue at East 10th Street…



As we understand it, the Japanese restaurant, whose management team includes Yuji Umeki, a manager at nearby Kenka, will feature a menu similar to the former tenant — Sapporo East.

After 30 years in business, Sapporo East closed at the end of December along with its sister establishment Shima on Second Avenue and East 12th Street, as we first reported.

We're sure that one of the food blogs will have more about Beronberon's offerings.

Meanwhile, the corner certainly has a new look…



In May, workers painted over Chico's longtime "Love Mother Earth" mural on the East 10th Street side …






[Photos from May by William Klayer]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Claim: Sapporo East has closed for good

A new beginning for Sapporo East?

A sad day for Mother Earth at the former Sapporo East

Sutra has closed; big sports bar on the way

Sutra Lounge closed for good after last night ... the club at 16 First Ave. went out with a VIP bash...



Sutra, owned by Community Board 3 member Ariel Palitz (who is also a member of CB3's Liquor Authority & Department of Consumer Affairs Licensing committee) put up signs explaining the closure last month or so...





Coming next here between East First Street and East Second Street — a big sports bar from the owners of Murray Hill's Mercury Bar and Tonic East. Expect at least 12 TVs, as BoweryBoogie reported in July, when CB3 approved the new license.

Palitz first put Sutra up for sale in November 2011, as we first reported. She is now rumored to be part of the new quinoa bowls and juice bar and club combo that is the Mars Bar reboot.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Envisioning a new-look First Avenue nightlife scene

Ariel Palitz responds to Daily News article, 'ripe for picking' comment

East 3rd Street mural blinded by the restoration

[March 2011]

The above mural arrived on East Third Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery back in March 2011... on the wall adjacent to the Project Renewal facility.

If you've been over this way in the past week or so, then you likely noticed that workers have been patching up the side of the building where the mural resides...



Now with a rather creepy look...



And by yesterday, that rough patch over the eyes had been smoothed over and painted …



Anyone recall who the artist is?

Last day to take in 'A Murder of Crows'

[Photo by Fenton Lawless]

Today is the last day to check out local musician-artist Paul Kostabi's mural titled "A Murder of Crows" outside Ideal Glass on East Second Street.

The month-long run is ending ... as new work will be going up tomorrow here outside the gallery between the Bowery and Second Avenue...

You can still find Kostabi's work on two roll-down gates along Second Avenue … here … and here.



Previously on EV Grieve:
'A Murder of Crows' on East 2nd Street

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Satie Saurel
Occupation: Musician
Location: Jules Bistro, 65 St. Mark's Place
Date: 2:15 pm on Tuesday, Aug. 5

I’m from France. I was born in San Diego, and I grew up in France — in Nice. My father lives in Chile and is an astrophysicist. Because of that I was born in California, because he was working at Palomar Observatory. My mom, she lives in Nice and she works for the mayor.

I was 4 years old when I left San Diego and I grew up in France till my 20s. I started ballet when I was four because I had one foot that was inside the other, which was a problem when I was walking. So the doctor told my parents, ‘She can wear shoes to rectify the feet or she can try to do ballet.’ My grandmother was so happy because she was a dancer. My father was against dancing. He hated dancing. So they brought me to the first ballet class and I said, ‘Yeah I want to do that!’

Also, at home I always had too much energy, so it was a way to channel it. I always feel like a 5-year old child. I always need an audience to do my shows. They told this to the ballet teacher and the ballet teacher said, ‘You should try the theatre.’ So I started the theatre at 7 and at 9 I did the vocal and ballet.

I’m a singer/songwriter. It’s kind of step-by-step that I arrived to be a singer/songwriter. When I was 9, I went to a theatre musical company. Theatre musical is vocal, theatre and dance — the three together. I toured with them from 9 till 17. Monday morning you’d go to middle school and in the afternoon you’d go to dance classes, vocal classes and theatre classes. I was doing ballet, contemporary, jazz, and tap dance. It was every day, school in the morning and dance in the afternoon. It was super nice. During holidays we went to Tunisia, Italy, around France.

I travel a lot. I love to travel. I love to move. I moved to London, Paris, New York for a year and a half, after I went to Barcelona, Germany, the Bahamas, Montreal and I came back here last year. In London, I was waitressing and taking some dance classes. It was a bad experience for me, then, one day I did the audition for Euro Disney. I moved back to Paris because I got a job as [the character] Maleficent. She is a villain. It was fun. Ha Ha Ha. The children were afraid of you. I loved it. It was so cool. You were with children everyday. You just had fun everyday, life is beautiful, you know? At the same time I was doing a school of musical theatre in Paris and after that I did an audition for the cabaret because I love to dance, to be nude, hey!

After I did the audition for Moulin Rouge I broke my leg, so I stopped dancing. It was permanent. I can dance but I can’t anymore put my legs over my head. So I said, ‘OK, I can’t dance now. What am I going to do in Paris?’

So I moved to New York. It was better for me to record my album in New York. You have really good people here to work with. I came here and I took some classes, did some audition for a theatre musical, but it was always, ‘No French accent.’ I was taking the vocal classes and I met this teacher and she told me to be part of an international choir with her, so I did that. I sang at Carnegie Hall.

I had used cover songs and I thought I could have my own show with my own songs. I started to take piano classes and I started to co-write my own songs with my ex-fiance. When we broke up I started to write my own songs in French, so now I have some French songs and some French-English songs. In April, I found a producer and we’re working on my first music video here. I didn’t work when I was with my ex-fiance, so after we broke up I needed to find a job. I couldn’t afford an apartment here, so I first went to the Bronx and I rented a room, but I did not have a [closet] in my room. I was putting all my clothes and luggage in the French restaurant that I was working at. After one month of doing that I finally had enough money to find an apartment on Allen Street, with no window — nothing. It was horrible. Then I moved to Chelsea. In Chelsea it was kind of a cage for a bunny. Four months ago I moved around here. I love this area.

I found this place, Jules Bistro, that has live jazz. I’ve been working here for one year and I became the manager [during the summer]. Every night we have live music, live jazz with no cover charge from 8:30 to 11:30. Every day you have music. What is good is that you can sing. For the third set, when it’s less busy, I say, ‘Can I sing a song?’ It’s kind of cool because we don’t rehearse, so they need to feel me and my work. What I hate in jazz is the same tempo and they don’t want to change and they hate to follow a musician. So I stop them and we have a laugh. And now that I’m the manager, they can’t say no.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Taqueria Lower East Side relocating to St. Mark's Place

Taqueria Lower East Side is one of the restaurant victims looking for new space after Ben Shaoul bought that East Houston and Orchard corner space.

Documents (PDF!) on file ahead of this month's CB3/SLA committee meeting show that the Taqueria folks bought the assets to 79 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

As BoweryBoogie reported, the committee unanimously approved the application on Monday evening. The restaurant will be known as Taqueria St. Mark's moving forward.

So.

This means that:

• The color-challenged Saints Tavern, which became the unfortunately titled Kamikaze & Co. in June, will be closing.

• The East Village has yet another taco/taqueria option, joining newer arrivals such as Tacos Moreles on East Ninth Street... Sembrado’s Tacos al Pastor on East 13th Street ... Taqueria Diana on Second Avenue ... El Diablito Taqueria on East Third Street... Otto's Tacos on Second Avenue... and a relocated Oaxaca Taqueria on East Seventh Street.

• Taqueria St. Mark's is opening right next door to the well-established, well-liked neighborhood favorite La Palapa. Seems like a strange choice give all the available real estate around here.

Shampoo Avenue B making the move down the block

[EVG file photo from like the winter]

After sitting empty for nearly seven years, 14 Avenue B has a new tenant.

Shampoo Avenue B has signed a lease for the space here between East Houston and East Second Street, as the Commercial Observer reported yesterday.

The salon will be moving from their current home at 42 Avenue B. Owner-operator Joel St. Yves told us that, depending on the construction inside the new storefront, they're hoping to move by the middle of next month.

He said that the new space will double the amount of the chairs in their current home. St. Yves also said they are adding two barbers "for cuts and shaves" to the salon's roster.

There's a long recent history at 14 Avenue B. This had been a popular space for new bar concepts that scared the crap out of the neighbors.

However, CB3 nixed various bar concepts here through the years, including the infamous Italian restaurant "with an occasional D.J." and the brewpub that borrowed the Prime Meats menu. The last actual tenant here was the loathsome Butterfly bar/club/expensive drink dispenser, which closed in 2007.

New shop for 2nd Avenue isn't an optical illusion

After 26 years in the East Village, Black Hound New York closed its retail location at 170 Second Ave. last March.

And as you can see from the above photo, awning signage is up for the new tenant — Eyes on Second. The new store will be selling artisanal eyeballs, carefully foraged from farm to table. We're not sure just yet what services the new optical shop will offer. Soon, though!

H/T EVG reader Steven

Rejected headlines:
'Eye' can't believe it's not a FroYo shop!

58 Third Ave. returns to the market at double the price, and the potential to nearly double the space

We spotted a new listing for 58 Third Ave. between East 10th Street and East 11th Street.

According to the listing at Voda Bauer Real Estate

With almost 24 feet of frontage mid-block, this four story mixed-use walk-up building includes prime retail space on the first floor. Located in the East Village it currently houses a restaurant with a lease expiring in August 2017.

The three Free Market residential/commercial full floors above with basement are perfect for investors and developers. The building currently has 6,308 sq ft, but an additional 4,786 sq ft. may be added. The close proximity to Union Square Park, M, L, 4, 5, N, R and 6 trains, as well as great dining, and shopping all make this building highly desirable ...

Asking price: $10 million.

Public records show that the property was sold for $4.5 million in December 2007 ... the asking price had been $4.99 million at the time...



Hey, the Taco Bell!

The address is currently home to Bodhi Tree, the Thai restaurant.

'Law & Order: SVU' makes triumphant East Village return

OK, don't know about the triumphant part ... but crews will be around as filming for the 16th season continues... the posted flyers show where you may be able to see cast members Ice-T or Mariska Hargitay...

Anyway, we're now all filled with nostalgia about the time "Law & Order: Criminal Intent" was casting for a "blood whore" in the East Village. Dreamy!

Previously on EV Grieve:
And now, photos of Ice-T in front of Sunny & Annie's

Another BigBelly for Tompkins Square Park

EVG Trash Can Correspondent Bobby Williams spotted a worker installing one of those solar-powered, digitalized trash compactors today in Tompkins Square Park ... joining, uh, a few others that arrived in the past few years.

Dubbed BigBelly, these suckers can hold five times the amount of garbage as a traditional trash receptacle and can reduce trash collection by 80 percent, as I cut-n-paste from a Villager article from 2011.

Depending on the broker, the BigBelly can also accommodate two bunk beds and one grill.

Is this your cat?

An EVG reader spotted this on East Seventh Street and First Avenue

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Leggy Tyrannosaurus in Tompkins Square Park by Grant Shaffer]

A visit to Hua Mei Bird Garden in Sara D. Roosevelt Park (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Henry Street Settlement announces $20 million renovation (The Lo-Down)

Box Kite Coffee on St Mark's Place opening a 2nd location on the Upper West Side (The Post)

Alvin Langdon Coburn's shadowy NYC street scenes from the 1910s (Ephemeral New York)

More about Exile Professional Gym, now open on Second Avenue (DNAinfo)

Rat selfies and bananas at Ray's (Slum Goddess)

Make your plans for Pickle Day on the LES (BoweryBoogie)

Russ & Daughters opening a café at the Jewish Museum uptown (Grub Street)

Appreciating 841 Broadway at East 13th Street (Off the Grid)

When the Replacements were censored on air (Dangerous Minds)

Miss Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street hits the polls today

Don't forget to vote today ... for somebody ... during primary day throughout New York State. Like Kita the Wonder Dog of East 10th Street, torn tendon and all.

Will this long-empty lot on 1st Avenue yield to affordable housing?

So, according to a tipster, there are preliminary plans in place to clear out this long-emtpy lot at 89 First Ave. between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street.

The other day, there were several workers on site to offer an estimate about removing the trees.

And why? The woman who has owned the lot is apparently handing it over to her nephew, who has plans/aspirations to build a 7-floor residence that will provide affordable housing.

There is nothing on file yet with the city about such plans. So keep this in the rumor stage for now.

And for now enjoy the sculpture fence ...





The lot's owner, Florence Toledano, also owns the 2Bn2C sculpture garden on East Second Street.