Twist might actually really be closed on Avenue A

Twist, the FroYo-gelato spot at 70 Avenue A near East Fifth Street, had been keeping pretty random hours.

The moment you think Twist was closed for good… it reopened for business. We heard in recent weeks that the place was really dead, but like Jason Vorhees, it seemed a sure bet to come back to life for a sequel.

Last night, EVG reader Alexis Weiss saw the empty storefront. Workers were cleaning out the space, loading equipment into a van parked the wrong way on East Fifth Street.

Twist opened in September 2013.

Jum Mum becoming another Spot for dessert on St. Mark's Place

[Photo by Jordy Trachtenberg from Nov. 10]

Earlier in the month, Jum Mum at 5 St. Mark's Place closed for renovations. According to the quick-serve Thai-Chinese restaurant's Facebook page: "Hold on to your VIP cards WE ARE COMING BACK. Getting ready for a new look this fall!"

Apparently there is more than a new look… there's also a whole new concept… the banner now hanging outside advertises an annex (Spot 2) for the Spot Dessert Bar …



… which is just a few storefronts away…



Jum Mum, which opened in May 2012, was run by the owners of Spot.

Boarding up Sutra

Sutra Lounge closed for good back on Sept. 10.

The bar/lounge at 16 First Ave. between East First Street and East Second Street had been on the market for several years. (Sutra, owned by Community Board 3 member Ariel Palitz, reportedly had 659 311 complaints — apparently the most for any bar in the city.)

Coming together behind the plywood is a sports bar from the owners of Murray Hill's Mercury Bar and Tonic East, as BoweryBoogie reported in July.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Sutra has closed; big sports bar on the way

Indian cuisine returning to the corner of 1st Avenue and East 6th Street

Work continues on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street … where the still newish Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill (that name about covers everything) is being divided up … and now the signage is up for the new business — Apna Masala …



At this point we don't know anything about the new proprietors.

The corner space was previously home to Banjara, which moved to share space with its sister restaurant Haveli on Second Avenue last November.

Mikey Likes Eminem

This might be the first time that we recall an album-release party at an ice cream shop.

But that's happening today at Mikey Likes It Ice Cream at 199 Avenue A between East 12th Street and East 13th Street …

Here's the message via the Mikey Likes It Tumblr:

This Monday Nov. 24th, we will be hosting the release of Eminem’s newest album “SHADYXV”. We’ve collaborated on a flavor sharing the same name that screams Detroit. SHADYXV is made with Motor City ingredients: Michigan cherries, Sanders hot fudge and Vernors ginger ale. To make this an even greater event, Slaughterhouse will be in the shop with the meet and greet. The event will take place between 4pm-8pm. We suggest all interested in attending arrive early. This will be a great day for Eminem fans. You can meet Slaughterhouse, pick up the double disk and a double scoop.

Slaughterhouse is on Eminem's Shady Records label … and featured on the two-disc Shady XV.

And ahead of the release party, the NYPD dropped off enough barricades to cover a parade…

RV arrives ahead of Christmas trees and inflatable Santa on East 14th Street

EVG reader Pinch is on the breaking news this evening… the RV is now in place at First Avenue for the annual tree sales… the children are all hopeful that inflatable Santa Claus will be coming to this part of town soon…

2012 flashback!

Cross examination

Red-tailed hawk parents Christo and Dora spotted this afternoon atop the Church of Saint Brigid – Saint Emeric on Avenue B at East Eighth Street … photo by Bobby Williams…

Week in Grieview

[From 2nd Avenue this morning]

The New York Cares 26th annual Coat Drive is now underway (Tuesday)

Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks on the move to East Second Street? (Thursday)

Gracefully closes on Avenue A (Tuesday)

174-176 First Ave. is in contract; goodbye DeRobertis (Tuesday)

Report: CB3 OKs liquor license for a David McWater-owned d.b.a. (Tuesday)

Parts of Avenue C and D now with a SkyWatch tower, additional NYPD lights (Monday)

The changes to 3 Bowery mainstays (Monday)

East Village etiquette sign for AirBnBers (Wednesday)

SantaCon looking for a neighborhood to trash (Thursday, 32 comments)

Out and About with Elinor Nauen (Wednesday)

Ben Shaoul's latest gift to the neighborhood: A 10-floor residential building (Monday)

Rent hike forcing Marjory Warren to close on East 9th Street (Thursday)

Here are your "Annie"-branded Citi Bikes (Tuesday)

High-end rentals and additional floors coming to the former SVA dorm on 3rd Avenue (Wednesday)

Flipping 190 Bowery (Thursday)

Yaffa Cafe's former sidewalk cafe is now a garbage dump (Monday)

Some love for Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen (Friday)

Momofuko Ko brings the lucky peach branding to Extra Place (Wednesday)

… and last night on First Avenue…

Summer out! Perfect time for another no pants rager @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/UtX43Igj5L

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) November 23, 2014

A moment with Jim Power

EVG regular Stephen Popkin talked with Jim Power yesterday on St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue.

Stephen asked Jim about the status of his mosaic-covered lampposts that the city removed during the reconstruction of Astor Place.

"At the last Community Board meeting that I attended recently I was told that my mosaics would be preserved. They said that they would remove the lampposts and then cut them down to preserve the mosaics and try to reinstall them back into the area where they came from. I hope that they keep their word."

You can find more updates on Jim's blog here.

Quick — your chance to storm the former Mobil station on Avenue C

Part of the protective fence is down outside the former Mobil station (the neighborhood's last) on East Houston and Avenue C. (Too bad there is not a tree here to rescue.)

Meanwhile, plans are in the works for a 10-floor building with ground floor retail here…

Big word alert: From the front lines of the Avenue B brunch war

An EVG reader noted the arrival of sidewalk graffiti outside bonkers brunch spot Poco on Avenue B and East Third Street …



Per the reader: "I had to look up the word but sums it up about right. Haha."



Also…



…there's a similar message across the Avenue outside Mama's Bar…



One fed-up neighbor describes Poco as a "horror show."

"Poco is constantly crowding the sidewalk, and attracted people from many different areas to come and have a free-for-all of drinking and not realizing that we actually live here," the neighbor said.

Poco's website advertises that it has the "Best boozy brunch on the island."

Day starter

Morning scenes… Tompkins Square Park … and on East Second Street via EVG reader Peter Shapiro…

Transformers: Age of extinction, though not yet on Avenue A

[Photo via @Salim]

As we noted earlier in the week, there's some transformer replacement work going on in the weeks ahead (again) at the ConEd substation on Avenue A between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street…

Anyway, we just wanted to note today's pretty big crane action… Yes!

And thanks to EVG regular Creature for this six-seconds of crane porn…

Report: Pizza delivery guy robbed for $22 on Avenue D

[Via the NYPD]

On Tuesday night around 7:30, a man delivering a pizza to a building on Avenue and East Fifth Street was robbed.

Per CBS 2:

[H]e was attacked in the elevator by a man who demanded his money.

The delivery man handed over $22. The suspect took off.

The suspect is described as Hispanic, about 25 years old and weighs about 160 pounds, police said. He was last seen wearing camouflage pants, multi-colored sneakers and a jacket with stripes on the sleeves.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.

No trees yet, but...

There are holiday wreaths on display outside the Whole Foods Market® Bowery on East Houston…

Speaking of holiday trees … soon, everyone's favorite inflatable Santa should (oh Lordy we hope!) return to its familiar holiday home on East 14th Street at First Avenue…

We're guessing that the tree stands will arrive on Wednesday… the actual trees on Friday and Jolly ol' Trailer Park Santa on Saturday…

Previously on EV Grieve:
In case you are looking to buy the ol' [insert your name here!] family holiday tree on Thanksgiving

Here comes the sun

Tompkins Square Park looking toward East Eighth Street this morning…

Oh yeah

Thee Oh Sees are playing out at the Warsaw in Brooklyn tonight. Here is the band's previous lineup (they are a trio now) doing "Contraption/Soul Desert" live in 2012…

Who wants to adopt the ExxonMobil tree?

This little fella remains behind at the former BP station that closed on Second Avenue at East First Street in July … in its original Exxon-branded planter … Will it go unclaimed to the day the station is finally demolished to make way for 50,000-square-feet of residences…?

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Avenue A Flyers Club via Grant Shaffer]

East Seventh Street apartment the centerpiece in this lengthy court battle, which concluded yesterday. Court finds that rent-stabilized apartments can't be seized as assets in bankruptcy (Gothamist)

Checking in at the newish St. Mark's Bookshop (The Villager)

Demolition permits filed for 50-62 Clinton St. (BoweryBoogie)

Hope for the Siempre Verde Community Garden (Curbed)

Check out the movie-theater nights this weekend at the Italian American Museum at 155 Mulberry St. (The Italian American Museum)

CB3 election news (The Lo-Down)

Do you have any BLDG Management horror stories? (Medium)

Rat hunting with Christo, that hunk (Gog in NYC)

The Everything Guide to Last-Chance New York (New York)

A Beastie Boys location photo quiz (Flaming Pablum)

A rustic East Village duplex with dead animal rugs is on the market (Curbed)

Catch "Purple Rain" at midnight (actually 11:55) tonight and tomorrow (Sunshine Cinema)

After 80 years, 727 Hardware in Chelsea forced to relocate (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Classic NYC drug store gutted uptown (Scouting New York)

An interview between Patti Smith and David Lynch (NME)

... and Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Choir's "Monsanto is the Devil" residency starts Sunday at Joe's Pub ...

And the survey says: What types of retail and services do you want in the East Village?

Via the EVG inbox...

Take the East Village Consumer Survey
Your input is important for the community

The East Village Community Coalition seeks your opinions to understand what types of retail and services residents and visitors want to see in the community. Help the community understand what is available and what is missing from retail in the East Village. Survey results can identify trends in the neighborhood's retail environment that can help empower businesses and residents work to attract desired businesses.

We are hoping to reach as many East Village residents and visitors as possible. Respondents need not give identifying information to participate. It takes just 5­-10 minutes to share your experience living in, working in, or visiting the East Village.

The consumer survey is part of the of EVCC's retail diversity campaign, which advocates for increased diversity of available retail and local services for residents within the East Village.

Find the survey here.