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
Are people really so fucking dumb that they need an app to tell them what tahini is made of?
ReplyDeleteLololol
DeleteDear Google, What is the best recipe for ice?
ReplyDeleteOut with the artist painted murals and in with Corporate America billboards, its the end for sure.
ReplyDeletesay the word and ill take it down tonight.
ReplyDeleteHa according to the NYC DOH
ReplyDeleteyou do not want to know the answer to Google's question ?
Maybe Yaffa leased the space to get the money to fix the violations and get themselves back open again. I hope so, I've got a soft spot for that old picture too.
ReplyDeleteOh no. They are closed again? What's up with that? Are there really that many violations, or are they being picked on by the DOH? I don't get it.
ReplyDeleteIf that mural is gone permanently, then that's the last straw for me. I will leave NYC.
ReplyDeletesoooo Dan D., I take it you have no clue what tahini is made of, yeah?
ReplyDeleteI kid! Look, I'm not saying you (the general you) are some sort of rube because you don't know what's in tahini. I look stuff up all the time! But why do you need a goddamn APP for that? Is regular Google just not good enough? Or maybe just ask your falafel guy what's in the "white sauce"?
Gah.
ReplyDeleteEx mayor Bloomberg targeted our neigborhood as a place welcoming of the tech industry. The hideous building at Astor place was built with that agenda in mind. Facebook, Microsoft, among others all have a corporate presence on Astor Place. Is anyone really surprised that these tech giants are beginning to make their presence known locally, in the only way they know how?
ReplyDeleteI used the google app today as a matter of fact because Safari wasn't working for some reason, and the app worked fine, but usually I'll just google from my browser.
ReplyDeleteI saw one of those on the door of the Strand today too.
ReplyDeleteBoy, the movie “They Live" is becoming more and more prescient each day.
ReplyDeleteA word to the wise: Never ask the falafel guy "what's in the white sauce?" unless you really want to get your stomach pumped at the nearest hospital.
ReplyDeleteI've an issue with the whole google shit. But with covering up jaffas, who gives a fuck? Their food sucks, and I stopped going there in 08 when at 3am weekdays. I would go there the write, coffee and cake. Was told I can't sit at the 4 person table cause I'm only a single... I was the only fucking person in the place most times... Don't give a fuck if you close down, shitty food, and even shittier service.
ReplyDeleteThat mural always reminded me of the movie "The Night Porter" The last thing I wanna see on this wall is a stupid Google ad.
ReplyDeleteI've always loved that mural, but my soft spot for Yaffa was lost a long time ago. Not sure if they changed ownership or what, but whatever it used to have was gone.
ReplyDelete4:47 I like your style;)
ReplyDeleteThe mural was painted by Federico Castelluccio aka Furio from The Sopranos in 1992.
ReplyDeleteOne was on the outside wall and the other was on the wall in the back garden area of the restaurant. Both paintings were portraits of the co-owner Lika at the time. The painting in the garden was destroyed due to weathering but was replaced with a full size high quality print..
More info https://www.facebook.com/YMCentertainment
i'm with anonymous. the place was shit. if you don't take care of your business, do simple maintenance to maintain the integrity of the establishment, and take pride in the food and service you produce, you don't deserve to own a business. The last time i went they cleaned the table we were already sitting on with a moldy rag and had to move because we couldn't handle the smell. no thank you.
ReplyDelete