Monday, January 31, 2011
Fire scare at Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen
Firefighters were on the scene this afternoon just before 3 at Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen on St. Mark's Place... EV Grieve contributor Bobby Williams happened to be on St. Mark's at the time... There were reports of a basement fire at the bakery, though — thankfully — that didn't turn out to be the case...
[Updated] 24/7 security guards now on duty at the Bowery-Houston mural
Apparently those surveillance cameras on the Deitch Wall aren't enough. Billy Leroy at Billy's Antiques sends along word that Goldman Properties have hired 24/7 security guards to watch over the often-bombed mural on Houston and The Bowery.
Updated at 1:45: Billy reports back... turns out Goldman did hire security, though they were only for until the paint on Scharf's work from Saturday night dried...
Yesterday on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Kenny Scharf restores his mural
EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition
Inside the ruin of Coney Island's Playland Arcade (Nathan Kensinger Photography)
More Village East history (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)
The 5th anniversary of McHale's closing (Lost City)
Reviews of Stuy Town on Yelp (Lux Living)
John Lydon brands Jay-Z a 'nonsense parody' (NME)
More winter misery on the way — woo! (Weather Channel)
And the San Loco truck on Avenue A before this most recent storm...
Report: Asian Pub closed at 35 Cooper Square
BoweryBoogie has the scoop (and the photos above). The space has been cleared out, he reports. They lost their lease. You can still try to save the historic building here.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Something 28,998 square feet or so coming to Cooper Square (and goodbye Cooper 35 Asian Pub?)
Doom and doomer: More of Cooper Square primed for development
Cooper 35 Asian Pub part of development deal on Cooper Square
Cooper 35 Asian Pub putting up a fight before being torn down
Those vacant spaces next to the Mars Bar
Over the weekend, we spotted a worker poking around the empty spaces adjacent to the Mars Bar ...
We've never seen these spaces open... and was very curious to take a peak inside... and what did we find?
We've never seen these spaces open... and was very curious to take a peak inside... and what did we find?
Protest outside the Continental Saturday night
On Saturday night, a group organized by The ANSWER Coalition demonstrated outside the Continental on Third Avenue for what they say are discriminatory acts by the bar’s bouncers.
Bar owner Trigger Smith has denied the allegations, telling the Local East Village on Jan. 21 that patrons were not being turned away because of the color of their skin but because the bar has a policy against admitting patrons who do not adhere to its unwritten dress code. “There’s not a prejudiced bone in my body,” he said.
According to the Facebook group called Boycott Continental Bar in NYC, "the ANSWER Coalition has collected testimony from more than 30 people who claim to have been met with racism or bigotry at the Continental Bar. When the Continental managers were asked by ANSWER Coalition organizers to address these complaints, they refused. Now the New York City Commission on Human Rights is investigating the charges." (Read more on that investigation here.)
While Smith told the Local EV that he would not speak with members of the Answer Coalition, he is cooperating with the Commission's investigation. Smith said that he expected more demonstrations and more investigations because he plans to continue his unwritten dress code of “no baggy, saggy jeans.”
Photo from Saturday night by Vivienne Gucwa via her Flickr page. Reprinted with permission.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Another picket planned outside the Continental
Patrons accuse the Continental of discrimination
A birthday celebration tonight at Ray's
As Bob Arihood reports, there will be some entertainment tonight at Ray's ... as he celebrates his 78th birthday... festivities start around 10:30 or so... Perhaps you can stop buy earlier to buy a drink or sandwich or fries... we know that Ray could use the business... tough times again here...
[Photo of "Creme Burlee" via Neither More Nor Less ... where you can find more shots from last year]
Today in wishful thinking
Second Avenue and 10th Street. Spotted Saturday morning outside the deli's former home on Second Avenue.
Flashback via The Daily News:
Windows working at future Union Square Hyatt
Over at the future home of the Union Square Hyatt on Fourth Avenue at 13th Street, workers have unveiled one of the hotel's lesser-touted amenities... fresh air for the rooms!
Open windows will come in handy for dumping water on any noisy guests enjoying those private terraces on the second floor...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Noticeable progress at the future Union Square Hyatt
A larger liquor store for Second Avenue
Two weeks back we noted that the new deli/grocery that took over half of the Dunkin Donuts space on Second Avenue had closed...
The folks who own the liquor store next door also own this space... and they are expanding into this space, according to several sources...
The folks who own the liquor store next door also own this space... and they are expanding into this space, according to several sources...
[Updated] You can still help save 35 Cooper Square
Sign the petition to save 35 Cooper Square here. There are nearly 1,100 signatures. Check out some of the comments, like this one: "There is no reason whatsoever for the razing of this historic building for the sake of slapping up yet another tired, useless, architectural abomination in the form of another hotel or NYU dorm. No one who lives in the East Village wants to see this important building destroyed."
Here's a recap from Friday afternoon's rally.
Updated: BoweryBoogie reports the Asian Pub has closed.
[Photo by EV Grieve reader Lisa]
Sunday, January 30, 2011
Why the FDNY was on First Avenue this afternoon
In case you were wondering why the FDNY was all over First Avenue this afternoon around 2:30 between 9th Street and 10th Street.... EV Grieve contributor Bobby Williams was on the scene... where there was a minor kitchen mishap...
East 10th Street: Now with a little less shade
During the Great Thunder Blizzard of 2011 snowstorm the other night... part of this tree on East 10th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue came crashing down ... there were no reported injuries...
[Via SoulSeller]
This morning, the block was, er, blocked off while tree crews took to cleaning up the remains...
This morning, the block was, er, blocked off while tree crews took to cleaning up the remains...
Last day for Phase Shift at La MaMa La Galleria
In case you haven't had a chance to stop by yet... today is the last day for Phase Shift, the collaboration between Jennifer Williams and Wilfredo Ortega responding to the changes in both the Bowery’s physical surroundings and its artist community.
Here is one of the wall collages by Williams...
La MaMa La Galleria is located at 6 East 1st St., between Bowery and 2nd Avenue. Hours: 1-6 p.m.
Here is one of the wall collages by Williams...
La MaMa La Galleria is located at 6 East 1st St., between Bowery and 2nd Avenue. Hours: 1-6 p.m.
[Updated] Kenny Scharf restores his mural
We've been following the saga Of Kenny Scharf's mural on Houston and The Bowery... it has been bombed ... restored ... and bombed again...
The Late Adopter has this shot of Kenny Scharf on the scene last night restoring his mural...
And here are a few others courtesy of The Late Adopter...
The Late Adopter also has video here.
Bucky Turco has more at Animal New York.
The tentacles at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery
A reader notes the giant Octopus Snow Sculpture at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery ... this is the work of Joey Schaefer.
Top this, Essex Street Snowman!
DNAinfo has a few more shots of the Octopussy.
Top this, Essex Street Snowman!
DNAinfo has a few more shots of the Octopussy.
Of Walmart and the city's power brokers
At the Daily News today, Adam Lisberg writes about Walmart's new ad campaign that takes aim at City Council, labor unions and other groups that are trying to block the retailer from opening locations in New York City.
"The key message here is that New Yorkers should decide where they shop and work," said Walmart spokesman Steven Restivo. "Some of the louder voices in the debate don't represent the interests of New Yorkers."
Which means that the nation's largest retailer won't be present Thursday for the Council hearing on Walmart's foray into New York.
As Lisberg writes:
"The key message here is that New Yorkers should decide where they shop and work," said Walmart spokesman Steven Restivo. "Some of the louder voices in the debate don't represent the interests of New Yorkers."
Which means that the nation's largest retailer won't be present Thursday for the Council hearing on Walmart's foray into New York.
As Lisberg writes:
To Walmart, the Council and its traditional allies are increasingly irrelevant.
This comes as union membership in New York is declining, as a once-iconoclastic city fills with Targets and McDonalds, and as the Council legislates about dog leashes and movie trailers while Mayor Bloomberg wields the real power.
Earlier this evening on East Fifth Street
The FDNY was out in full force tonight on East Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... ConEd was on the scene too, a reader reports, checking for gas leaks.... No fire, just a scare...
Photos via windward.leeward at Flickr.
Saturday, January 29, 2011
Noted
You can also follow EV Grieve at Twitter here. Where we get really as insightful as possible in 140 characters...
And there's also the Facebook account.
And there's also the Facebook account.