Dog-gone: Kimomi Pet opening on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Steven]

Signage arrived yesterday for Kimomi Pet at 22 St. Mark's Place. This is said to be an actual pet store (and not, say, a bubble tea shop) opening soon on the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

The Kimomi Pet owners also ran the previous business here — Chi Snack Shop, which moved to a larger retail space a few storefronts away at 4 St. Mark's Place, as reported here.

We'll post more details about Kimomi Pet once we have them.

Lastly, dog signage on St. Mark's Place has gotten more subtle since the glory days of Spots' Cafe in 2009...


[From the bowels of the EVG archives!]

Marriott buys the W Union Square

Of possible local interest from the EVG inbox yesterday — Marriott International announced that it has purchased the 270-room W New York Union Square on Park Avenue South and 17th Street.

To the news release!

The company paid $206 million for W New York Union Square, with plans for a significant renovation. Marriott International will transform the existing hotel into a cutting-edge W Hotels showcase, advancing the company’s strategy to redefine and reinvigorate the brand in North America.

[T]he 20-story hotel features historic Beaux Arts architecture, panoramic views of Union Square’s namesake pedestrian plaza and lively park, and a “W Union Square” rooftop sign that stands out on the Downtown skyline. The property first opened its doors in 1911 as the headquarters of the Guardian Life Insurance Company of America, and in 2000 opened as W New York – Union Square.

The renovation seeks to unlock the property’s untapped potential with plans for a signature, socially-charged spa and an expanded restaurant on one of New York City’s most bustling street corners.

No word on what a "socially-charged spa" is at the moment.

The Marriott recently opened an outpost of its Moxy brand over on 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Thursday's parting joke

Spotted today on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street... the note on the fridge reads:

This refrigerator is running!

(Please catch it 😃)

(It works.)

No word if they have Prince Albert in a can.

Photos by Derek Berg

Psychology Today

Spotted on an ad for the LES luxury residential building Sioné ... someone wrote "Inside Me Is a Scared Child" here on Second Avenue at Fifth Street. Thanks to EVG reader Daniel for the photo.

New playground repairs happening now in Tompkins Square Park

Repairs at the recently refurbished Tompkins Square Park playground at Seventh Street and Avenue B are underway this morning.

An EVG tipster spotted a Parks Department vehicle and several workers on the scene... it appeared they were focused on a broken swing seat...



We've heard from several concerned parents in recent days about the equipment breaking down less than 10 days after the refurbished playgrounds debuted on Oct. 4.

As one parent noted: "One of the tethered swing seats has already come undone and is swinging freely and dangerously due to a bent bracket and missing locknut." On Sunday, the parent asked an NYPD officer who was in the Park for crime-scene tape to prevent anyone from using the broken swing.

The upgrades, which took 12 months to complete, included the reconstruction of two playgrounds with new safety surfacing, spray showers, seating and fencing. According to the Parks Department website, funding for the reconstruction cost $2.57 million.

And some reaction to what has transpired in the new playgrounds...

We're glad for these upgrades, but @NYCParks needs better accountability when it comes to quality control. Our office has asked for fixes, but also answers to what happened to this playground equipment. https://t.co/FtNXezv8tg

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) October 17, 2019

More great work from @mitchell_silver. First he got us the $3 million park bathroom. Now a $2.5 million playground upgrade that broke after two weeks of use. https://t.co/jz536SoLly

— Boerum Hill Neighbors (@boerumhillnbrs) October 17, 2019

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: New playground equipment already falling apart in Tompkins Square Park

Doctor's orders: Halloween night at Exit9 on Avenue A

The folks at the Exit9 Gift Emporium at 51 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street are once again hosting a Halloween night Window Theater.

Here's what to expect via the EVG inbox...

THE DOCTOR IS IN…SANE!

Gore-hungry East Village tricksters (and their parents) will bear witness to an insane doctor’s gruesome medical malpractice. On Oct. 31, the window of Exit9 Gift Emporium will be converted into an operating amphitheater as the demented doctor performs live surgery before your very eyes.

The doctor will start seeing patients at 7 p.m. on Halloween. Revisit the scene from 2015 right here.

A memorial today for Lucien Bahaj at his namesake restaurant

[Photo by Steven]

As reported last week, Lucien is hosting a memorial today for its founder, Lucien Bahaj, at the bistro at 14 First Ave.

Patrons are asked to stop by between noon and 7 p.m. here between First Street and Second Street.

Bahaj, who opened Lucien in 1998, died in Florida on July 29. He was 74.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RIP Lucien Bahaj

Hitchcocktober movie of the week — 'The Birds'

The Hitchcocktober movie of the week is... "The Birds" tonight (Thursday!) at 8:15 and 10:25 (The 7:30 screening is already sold out!) at City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street.

A refresher on that plot...



And upcoming:

• "The Lady Vanishes" — Oct. 24

• "Psycho" — Oct. 31

Find advance ticket info at this link.

Wednesday's parting shot

Today on Second Avenue and Ninth Street via Derek Berg...

[UPDATED] Rusty Bell is missing

Updated: See below... Rusty Bell was found safe.

This past Saturday evening, Dumbo resident David Buccola was with his dog Rusty Bell on Second Avenue just north of Houston when a car struck him. In the aftermath of the collision, Buccola became separated from Rusty Bell.

Since then, a heartbroken Buccola hasn't seen the dog, a 12-pound female Chihuahua wearing an orange harness, collar and tags. A witness reported spotting her later that night running north on Avenue C near Third Street.

Buccola is offering a $1,000 reward — no questions asked — for her safe return. Details are on the flyer below.



--

Three friends on 12th Street and Avenue A had found Rusty Bell ... and there was a happy reunion tonight...

Noted (dead rat edition)

A reader shared the above photo from yesterday on the SW corner of Avenue B and Sixth Street.

The dead rat on the ground with the garbage is still there today.

Per another reader, who spotted it while walking her son to school:

The outer garbage can and inside bin are both missing from this corner ... which is strictly residential and across the street from an elementary school.

I made a complaint with 311 and filed a service request with the Department of Sanitation. I was told that DSNY will respond within 7 days.

Bagel bummer: DOH temporarily shutters David's on 1st Avenue

A variety of concerned reader emails arrived in the EVG inbox in the last 24-48 hours about David's Bagels.

Here's one:

On Saturday, I stopped by the always excellent David's Bagels on First Avenue and 16th Street and found it was closed with the gate pulled halfway down. Even in the 30 seconds I stood there I met four or five people who loved David's and were shocked that it was closed.

This week, the gate was lifted high enough for people to see the familiar yellow notice from the Department of Health... several readers shared photos of this...


[Photo via EVG reader Doug]

According to public records, the Department of Health closed the establishment following an inspection last Friday that turned up 60 violations points.

The top-three sanitary violations noted by the DOH were:

1. Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2. Food not cooled by an approved method whereby the internal product temperature is reduced from 140º F to 70º F or less within 2 hours, and from 70º F to 41º F or less within 4 additional hours.
3. Live roaches present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

Public records show that David's has never run afoul of the DOH before... last inspection, from June 13, turned up just 9 violation points.

As the readers said, hopefully David's will be back open soon. Calls to the shop went unanswered yesterday.

Updated 11 a.m.

A reader says they are back open...