Space jam: Planet Taco remains temporarily closed

Planet Taco remains closed at 141 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street... the notice for patrons first arrived on the door on June 18.

Door signage points to a utility issue in the building. (DOB records show an open violation related to a fire-alarm system in an upstairs unit, which may or may not have a thing to do with Planet Taco)...

The quick-serve taco shop just debuted in March ... hopefully, they can reopen soon. People seemed to like their offerings, though the extensive menu can be overwhelming. 

Photos by Steven

[Updated] Report of a fire at 94 St. Mark's Place

From the EVG inbox at 2:23 p.m. ... a report of a fire in a fourth-floor apartment at 94 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The FDNY quickly brought it under control. No word at the moment on the extent of the damage or if there were any injuries. There isn't any official word on the cause. 

Thanks to Allen Semanco for the photo. 

Updated: 

EVG contributor Steven shared these photos from this afternoon...

There weren't any injuries. It's not immediately known how much water damage there is in the building. 

Updated:

Fun City, the recently expanded retail tenant here, suffered some water damage. Both sides of the shop will need renovations, per the Fun CIty Instagram account.

Report of a fire last night at Nublu

The FDNY responded to a report of a fire last night around 11:30 at Nublu, 151 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street... (thanks to Louise & Danny for the pics!)

The @FDNYalerts account first reported the fire at 11:23 p.m., with an "under control" several minutes later at 11:32. We're told that the music venue filled with smoke, though there was minimal damage to equipment... and everyone safely exited the two-story building. 

[Updated: The folks at Nublu said everything is OK and they will be open tonight. Someone tossed a cigarette butt in a trash can in the entryway, we're told.]

During the time of the fire scare, there was a sold-out party hosted by The Drunken Canal (your favorite newspaper).

Do not come! Do not come! (literally a fire) pic.twitter.com/VxdjgpUUJs

— the drunken canal (@thedrunkencanal) August 4, 2021

This morning, you can find the issue — usually found only down in the box off Canal and Essex — on the southeast corner of 10th Street and Avenue C... (thanks to the reader for the pics!) ...

About Hi Noona, serving up unique Korean-influenced juices and smoothies on 12th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Hi Noona, a Korean-American juice bar, debuted earlier this summer at 515 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Owner Stella Pak serves juices and smoothies with unique ingredients such as chamoe (Korean melon), a family favorite while growing up in Queens. 

Pak, who comes from a family of restaurateurs, answered a few questions about her new business...

What were you doing before opening Hi Noona?

I grew up in a Korean BBQ restaurant in Queens, but most of my career has been in the beauty industry. When COVID-19 came around, I found myself helping my mom rebuild her noodle shop in K-Town. I ended up falling in love with it. I reconnected with my family, food and my Korean-American identity deeply this past year. Hi Noona is another lens for me to further explore that.

Tell us about Noona Noodles. 

Noona Noodles is home. The kitchen and all its ingredients inspire Hi Noona. It's my mother's heart in the middle of K-Town. Our cooks have been with our family since we had a Korean BBQ restaurant in Queens for over 20 years. It's a space for my mother and brother to connect, share and learn from each other through food.

What is the origin of the Hi Noona name? 

"Hi" is the opening of a new chapter and a casual introduction to who I am. "Noona" means older sister for a younger brother in Korean. My brother, Steve, is the true chef in the family, so it was a wink to him. "Noona" is the vibe of how I'd like to take care of my customers.

Why did you decide on the East Village for the shop?

The East Village is free-thinking and has always been open to new ideas and tastes. Daikon and red cabbage are staples in the Korean diet dense in nutrients and haven't been fully explored with juicing. It felt safe to share ideas here.

How has your experience been so far in the neighborhood?

I'm in awe. Minnie, a ballet dancer, copywriter and chalkboard artist, came in and just offered to spruce up my sign. Erika and Tim hooked me up with a couple of chairs and a table for an outdoor seating moment. Kuki from the community garden is helping me with flowers. Eddy and her kids Annelynn and Phoenix are my biggest fans and critics of new menu items. Mary Kate, Ben, Lily and Bella are my regulars/unofficial board members. Jules and Gabby from Bassia Bassia touch up my hair, so I feel like a Goddess. Marissa is my marathon athlete ambassador. Randall from upstairs just knows how to reel them in. I mean… It takes a village to keep this going!

Here's Stella with her shop assistant Willow...

Hi Noona is open Tuesday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., with a 9 a.m. start on Saturday and Sunday.

Here's what's coming to the former Brindle Room space on 10th Street

Chic-hen, which specializes in fried chicken over in Clinton Hill, is the new tenant for 277 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The quick-serve restaurant offers a variety of salads, fries, wings, sandwiches, burgers and rice dishes. Find a menu here.

This address was home for 11 years to the Brindle Room, whose closure was made official in June. Owner Jeremy Spector told us that he is looking for a new location for his restaurant that served "eclectic comfort food."

Photo from June by Steven. H/T Upper West Sider!

Gutting the former Food Emporium on Union Square

While waiting for the second half of 2023 for the Wegmans to open on Astor Place... here's a quick look inside the former Food Emporium on 14th Street in the base of the Zeckendorf Towers. 

Workers have gutted the interior ...

... and someone punched out the front door...

As you likely know, a Target is slated for this space. Lois Weiss at the Post first reported on the deal in February 2020. At the time, Food Emporium was expected to be here until April 2023, with Target arriving by the end of the year, per the article. 

While this location is listed on Target's future store locations, there isn't any update about an amended opening timetable. 

Food Emporium closed on May 29.

Mug & Cup bringing coffee and juice to Avenue C

Signage arrived this week for Mug & Cup, a coffee and juice shop coming soon to 115 Avenue C between Seventh Street and Eighth Street. 

This will be the second outpost for Mug & Cup, which got its start in East Flatbush. 

No. 115 has been vacant for the past few years as the building was sold and gut-renovated. The retail space has been empty since Le Jardin Bistro closed in June 2015. Previous ventures here include Apartment 13 and The Porch.

Thanks to Dave on 7th for the photo!

Lucky Star signage arrives on St. Mark's Place

The signage went up yesterday at 34 St. Mark's Place for Lucky Star, one of three downtown outposts for the 1950s-style ice cream shop.

As reported in early June, Trigger, the longtime owner of the live music venue/bar the Continental (1991-2018) on Third Avenue at St. Mark's Place, is behind this new venture serving Italian Ices, milkshakes and sundaes.

There's a shop on Delancey and Clinton, with another coming soon to the Two Bridges neighborhood.

Here, Lucky Star is opening in part of the former Kyber Pass space between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Thanks to Steven for the photo

Tuesday's parting shot

Tonight's no-filter sunset courtesy of @cecilscheib ...

A farewell, for now, as Pinc Louds hit the road

Late Saturday afternoon, local favorites Pinc Louds played a farewell (of sorts!) show at La Plaza Cultural, the community garden and open-air theater on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C.

In support of La Atómica, the band's second full-length release,  Claudi, RaiMundo and Marc Mosteirin are embarking on a 10-city tour starting tomorrow night in Chicago. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by La Plaza for the concert...

... which included a performance by Maira Duarte of Dance to the People...

... in what was truly an all-ages show... 

And Claudi's fans got the chance to say goodbye as well...

[Updated] Construction hell is consuming the intersection of 1st Avenue at 7th Street

Photos and story by Daniel Efram

The ongoing roadwork on the west side of First Avenue at Seventh Street continues to negatively impact the quality of life for both residents and business owners along this corridor. Noise from backhoes, earth flatteners, jackhammers, circular saws, and cars and commercial cartage trucks on the uneven metal plates on the streets and avenues have brought this intersection to a boiling point.

Piping and construction materials, garbage and standing water are the norms. Human waste oozes from the rarely emptied portable toilets. Worst of all — there isn't any timetable for the end of the roadwork.

Crews reporting to the Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) returned to the intersection to replace portions of the water main back in May. 

As previously reported, there were back-to-back breaks here in late December. The multiple ruptures sent water rushing into businesses and residences along Seventh Street between First Avenue and Avenue A. 

In the weeks/months after the breaks, there was a patchwork of quick fixes on the intersection, and a hodge-podge of sinkholes and cracked surfaces emerged

The DEP contractors covered the various holes with metal plates, and the sound of cars, trucks and buses driving over the plates overnight has disrupted the sleep of residents living within earshot.

   

A resident assembled the above video in March — a best-of montage of cars and trucks driving over the metal plates.

However, it's not just the noise — the reverberations have caused cracks in several nearby buildings. Two residents in the area said when they called 311, the city eventually dispatched inspectors, who subsequently fined the landlords for the cracks in the buildings exacerbated by the ongoing street repairs. Meanwhile, there has been near-constant jackhammering in the past two-plus months, with some complaints being lodged for work on Saturdays. Residents said they are also irked by workers apparently slacking off on the job and crews taking weeks off without explanation. "I live in one of the buildings on the corner and have had a front-row seat to the shoddy work and laissez-faire attitude of this crew since December," said one resident, who asked to remain anonymous. "They show up at 7 a.m. with a crew of six or so, stand around yelling to each other until about 10 a.m., work for an hour, take lunch, work for a little bit more and finish by 2 or 3 p.m." According to the resident, only a few workers will be active at any given time, and they "walk around like they own the block." "They have taken over a huge part of our block and make no effort to clean up where they have worked or minimize the effects on the residents," the resident said. According to the residents I spoke to, there appears to be little, if any, oversight on this sprawling project. Several residents said they have reached out to local elected officials, including City Council Member Carlina Rivera, Assemblymember Harvey Epstein and Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer, to request immediate accountability with a transparent timeline — delivered by an independent third party. According to Rivera's office, there is someone assigned to oversee this case. Residents and business owners hope that elected officials can have the work expedited with a definitive timetable. (Anyone wishing to file a complaint can use the subject "7th Street & 1st Avenue Construction Complaints." Community Board 3 has a service complaint here.) Updated 8/5 We asked Community Board 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer for an update. She said that her office has asked the DEP for a timetable and signage to let people know what is happening. As for complaints, Stetzer said to let her office know via the service complaint form here.

"We will not be able to fix all the problems, but we can try to have mitigated as much as possible," she said. And residents should file a complaint sooner rather than later: CB3 has an interagency meeting that will include the DEP this coming Tuesday. "So it would be helpful to have complaints before then," she said.

Indoor masking recommend for vaccinated New Yorkers; local businesses change entry policies

Updated 10:30 a.m. 

New York City will require proof of vaccination to enter all restaurants, fitness centers and indoor entertainment venues, Mayor de Blasio announced this morning. 

"If you're unvaccinated, unfortunately, you will not be able to participate in many things," de Blasio said, as reported by CNN. "If you want to participate in our society fully, you've got to get vaccinated." 

The mandate will go into effect next month and apply to employees and customers. 

Eater has more details on the program, dubbed "Key to NYC Pass." 

"The program, which appears to be the first of its kind in the United States, will start on Aug. 16 with full enforcement beginning on Sept. 13."

 ----- 

Yesterday, city and state officials recommended that New Yorkers start wearing masks indoors again — even if they have been fully vaccinated.

Said NYC Health Commissioner Dr. Dave Chokshi: "I am making a strong recommendation that everyone, regardless of vaccination status, wear a mask in public indoor settings. This is based on our review of the latest scientific evidence showing that the delta variant of the coronavirus can spread even more easily than previously thought." 

However, Mayor de Blasio is not issuing a mask mandate at this time. "We want to emphasize vaccinations, vaccinations. That is the whole ballgame," he said yesterday, as reported by Gothamist.

NYC: Wear a mask to prevent the spread of #COVID19!
😷 Masks are required on public transit and in hospitals, schools and congregate settings
😷 Unvaccinated people MUST wear a mask in all public settings
😷 Vaccinated people should wear a mask in ALL indoor public settings pic.twitter.com/ODG62pNLAC

— nychealthy (@nycHealthy) August 2, 2021

In addition, Gov. Cuomo said that he is asking private businesses — including bars and restaurants — to require proof of vaccination as a condition for entry. 

"I am asking them, and suggesting to them, go to vaccine-only admission," Cuomo told reporters. "I believe it is in your best interest." 

Meanwhile, before yesterday's announcements and recommendations, several East Village businesses had announced a change in their policies. 

To eat inside at Yellow Rose, the Tex-Mex restaurant at 102 Third Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street, diners must show proof of vaccination or a recent negative COVID-19 test. Outdoor seating will remain open to all diners. 

Starting today, Nowon, the Korean restaurant at 507 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, will only serve vaccinated patrons indoors. Outdoor tables will remain open for any guests. 

The owners of Ruffian, the wine bar at 125 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, and Kindred (pictured above), 342 E. Sixth St. just west of First Avenue, are suspending indoor dining until further notice. Their outdoor spaces will remain in service.

Eater is compiling a list of restaurants requiring proof of vaccination here.

The Anthology Film Archives, which reopens for in-person screenings on Thursday, had previously announced that only vaccinated (and masked) moviegoers will be allowed in for now at the theater on Second Avenue and Second Street. To see Stomp at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue, guests 12 and over must show proof of vaccination. 

Elsewhere, White Trash, specializing in mid-century modern furnishings at 304 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, requires vaccination proof for entry.

According to city data, 55 percent of all adult New Yorkers have been fully vaccinated; the number is 66 percent in Manhattan — and even higher in the 10002, 10003 and 10009 zip codes. 

La Plaza Cultural debuts two free lending libraries

La Plaza Cultural, the community garden and open-air theater on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street, now features two free lending libraries ... with a third on the way.

For now, one of the bookshelves is on the outside fence along Avenue C, while the other is inside the garden, which is open on weekends from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. (as well as for other special events during the week).

Passersby are welcome to drop off books and pick up a few in exchange. According to a La Plaza volunteer, the bookcases are built of sustainable bamboo plywood paid for through a Citizen's Committee grant. 

Local residents and activists founded La Plaza in 1976. It was renamed in honor of Armando Perez, a community activist who was murdered in 1999, in 2003. 

Photo via La Plaza Cultural