Another note from EV Grieve

Just to say that I'm still over at Curbed doing a little guest-writing/blogging.

Observations from last night's noisy bars meeting

A few quick observations from last night's noisy bars meeting on 13th Street:

-- CB3 district manager Susan Stetzer distributed and read from the interview that she did at Jeremiah's Vanishing NY on How to Complain.

-- Looked like anywhere from 40-50 people were there.

-- The people are not happy with the quality of life near the glut of newish bars.

-- Someone asked what benefits residents get from having these bars in the neighborhood. A resident said that no one from the neighborhood goes to these bars.

-- Keith Okada, the manager of Superdive was there.

-- Mason Reese, an owner of Destination, was there.

-- Both seemed a little defensive. Okada seemed more defensive, though he didn't speak until 3/4 through the meeting.

-- Both seemed willing to do what it took to be better neighbors.

-- One resident complained about the open windows at Destination. Closing them would eliminate half the noise problems.

-- Mason said the windows are closed around 10:30 on weeknights and midnight on weekends.

-- One resident said that this was not true.

-- In response to a resident complaining about the trash that bargoers leave behind on the streets, Okada said that he takes great care to clean up in front his bar as well as the buildings on either side.

-- Okada said that he has called police twice because of loud people who wouldn't be quiet outside the bar.

-- Okada said some people just don't listen, and ignore requests to keep their voices down.

-- Upon hearing this, a resident said, Don't you sell kegs? Aren't you encouraging this type of behavior?

-- Okada said that everyone in his bar is 21 and of legal age to drink.

-- He offered to give out his phone number to anyone who wanted to talk about the bar.

-- One longtime resident said that this isn't a neighborhood that "sits on its ass" and looked at the Destination and Superdive reps and said that they are officially "put on notice."

-- A Sixth Street resident talked about the ongoing saga of Death & Company and wondered how they got a liquor license.

-- One of the organizers said that Superdive has agreed to a meeting with neighbors, and that CB3 and 9th Precinct officials may attend as well. No date was mentioned.

This is just a snapshot of the 90--plus minutes. If you were at the meeting, please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments. If you weren't at the meeting, please feel free to add to the conversation in the comments.

For further reading:
Stop the SuperNoise - Community Meeting (Blah Blog Blah)

Belgian place now Latin

I've lost track of the changes that took place in the conversion from Hop Devil Grill to Hop Devil Lounge last December. Also affected in all this: The companion bar
next door, the Belgian Room.

Anyway, the Belgian Room is now the Latin Bar Lounge.



On St. Mark's near Avenue A.

At the Mars Bar: "It's a weird portal to Hell"

Matt Harvey checks in on the latest art exhibit -- Hell Purgatory or Paradise -- at Mars Bar. As he wrote in NYPress.

Lucille Bignon, who rocks a 1960s-era soul-girl look, complete with beehive hairdo, said: “Everyone here is crazy, you don’t know when they’re going to snap,” Her eyes widening beneath heavily shadowed black lids, she added, “It’s a weird portal to Hell.” A regular sitting on a barstool countered that, “there are no frat boys, so its heaven.”

So, all is well.

Dumpster of the day

From the signature collection? Fifth Street near Second Avenue.

One way to drink free and watch reality TV

Some information from a reader about the filming of "Bartender Wars" on Avenue B:

Rehab on B and 3rd. I was roped into the Monday afternoon filming with the lure of free drinks while walking by on my day off. They practically begged us to come in because the crowd was so thin. Not a bad way to kill a few hours. And it really was "all you can drink." Filming again today and Friday 2pm to 1am.

Reminder: Noisy bar meeting tonight

As mentioned...



And is the person who wrote on the flier pro or con regarding noisy bars?

A note from EV Grieve

Hello. I'm doing a little guest-blogging over at Curbed. I'll be back here with one of the greatest posts ever abou.......

Noted: What has replaced dim sum

Trends piece on the Post today titled "AFTERNOON DELIGHT:
HOMEBOUND HIPSTERS TURN SUNDAY INTO SLACK SABBATH"

It's 2 o'clock, champagne is pouring and party people are queueing behind velvet ropes at Manhattan's hottest hotel bars. Did we mention it's 2 o'clock in the afternoon?

For New Yorkers, going out has always been a shell game in which they try to wine and dine where tourists and suburbanites aren't. Sometimes that means new, undiscovered venues and sometimes it means ever-changing weeknight parties. Now, for the time being anyway, New York's hippest are hiding in plain sight, smack-dab in the middle of Sunday afternoon, while the amateur set is hung over wherever it is they live.

"Sunday parties are taking the place of dim sum," says ballroom dancer Katherine Tarbox.

And THE No. 1 dim-sum replacement party spot?

The Penthouse at the Hotel on Rivington. "After church, hot models come here for bubbly in the hot tub."

For further reading:
Another backside (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

"Bad pussies" coverup outside Mama's

Several people asked yesterday what was going on outside Mama's on Third Street at Avenue B. The "Bad Pussies" mural that once paid homage to Bea Arthur!

Thanks to intrepid EV Grieve reader Empire for providing some photos of what I was just talking about...

Well!




According to the DOB: minor interior renovation and new plumbing fixtures.



Hope the bad pussies aren't harmed during all this...

"Bartender Wars"

"Bartender Wars" is filming somewhere on Avenue B or Third Street today....



And what is this? According to the casting call for this upcoming Fine Living Network program....

Great bartenders have to employ a variety of skills — from mixologist to psychologist — and now Fine Living Network wants bartenders in the New York metro area to put those skills to the test! We’re looking for bartenders in the New York/Tri-State area to feature on “Bartender Wars,” an upcoming FLN series where they are the stars of the show.

Participating bartenders will go head to head with each other and frequently enlist their patrons in a variety of bartending challenges, from the simple to the outlandish.

If you know a bartender — man or woman — who’s sexy, confident, with a great personality and who would be up for the challenge, be it competing for the biggest tips, flirting for the most phone numbers or playing matchmaker for customers, we want to hear about them.

It’s “Candid Camera” at your favorite watering hole with a lot of liquid courage thrown in!

Very curious what bar on Avenue B or nearby made the cut....

Crime stoppers

Last week, BoweryBoogie reported on the NYPD alerts telling of an increase in residential burglaries in the LES of late. I've noticed a few of these fliers myself closer to home...



One resident here along Second Street provided a helpful reminder to his/her neighbors....

At your keg service

Oh, Superdive has their keg menu online now.

And I was never good at math and stuff. So, how much is in a keg? Thankfully, the Superdive site does the converting for me to make planning easier!

15.5 Gal = 165 - 12oz beers | 50L = 140 - 12oz beers
30L = 84 - 12oz beers | 20L = 56 - 12oz beers

Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

I'm doing a little guest-blogging at Curbed this week. A version of this post appears there too.



Add another chapter to the long, complicated story of the old P.S. 64/CHARAS/El Bohio community center -- now known as University House at Tompkins Square Park. According to marketing materials (PDF) that HelmsleySpear is circulating, the landmarked space at 350 East 10th Street (and an aside, the rebranding includes not using the 605 E. Ninth St. address):

[I]s currently undergoing a complete renovation including new building systems, core and shell. The property is zoned R8-B. The property is ideal for schools, universities, museums, college dormitories, medical offices, hospital, foundations, nonprofit institutions and related facilities.



Ownership will consider all offers to lease or purchase the entire building. In addition, ownership will consider the creation of a “building-within-building” allowing for multiple entrances and uses within the property, including the possibility of leasing individual floors and selling portions of the building as a
commercial condominium.

No mention anywhere of Gregg Singer, the building's owner who unsuccessfully tried for years to get his megadorm project off the ground. This past spring, Singer told The Villager that he's still an investor, but he had moved "onto other stuff." Meanwhile, one longtime P.S. 64 watcher said many of these new plans for the site have been moving forward without the knowledge of the East Village power brokers.

For more on the efforts to save P.S. 64 and its history:
East Village Community Coaltion: Save our School

And a few photos of the old P.S. 64 from a few weeks back...