Saturday, February 20, 2016

1 month (or so) after the Blizzard of Jan. 23, this snow refuses to leave East 1st Street



Oh... sorry. This snow...



At least I think it's snow... Didn't taste like any snow that I recall tasting... (likely just the tar crust...)

East Village Smoke Shop & Grocery now open on Avenue A



The small shop is up and running at 89 Avenue A near East Sixth Street... aside from the smoking-related supplies, they sell the usual deli fare (sodas, gum, snacks, etc.)

The former tenant here, D-Lish Pita, closed last summer.

H/T EVG reader Perri Silver

An evolution in yarn at La Plaza Cultural


[Photo by Bill LoSasso]

This yarnbomb collaboration between @madebylondon and Frank Ape on East Ninth Street at Avenue C arrived outside La Plaza Cultural on Thursday...


[Photo by William Klayer]

...replacing the dinosaur that had been here. In terms of evolution, we're progressing — dinosaur to ape to...

Friday, February 19, 2016

All together now



Bloc Party are back with a new record and lineup... the UK-based quartet will be playing Governors Ball this June... ahead of that you can see them at Irving Plaza on March 16. And you can see them in the above video with "So Here We Are" from their 2005 debut.

Next stop?



St. mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue this afternoon...

Feb. 29 is the last day on St. Mark's Place for Trash and Vaudeville ahead of move to East 7th Street


[EVG photo from last July]

As we exclusively reported last July 28, Trash and Vaudeville is leaving its home of 40 years at 4 St. Mark's Place ... to new space at 96 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The store has taken to social media to announce that their last day on St. Mark's Place is Feb. 29. They will reopen in their new home in early March.


Here's some of our conversation with store owner Ray Goodman from July:

"I love St. Mark's Place. There's no doubt it. There's something magical about it. This just isn't any block," Goodman told us on the phone. "The decision wasn't something that I took lightly. From a business perspective, we saw a shift in the clientele. The block is not as conducive for fashion shopping as it once was. Now it seems as if it's all food — fast food — and bongs. Even stores that aren't bong stores sell bongs."

He said that the changing business environment on the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue was just one of many factors that played into the decision to relocate.

"The retail world is so different today," he said. "So much of it is done online."

And increasing rents are always a culprit.

"The rent is creeping up," said Goodman, who is a minority partner in the ownership of the historic Hamilton-Holly House at 4 St. Mark's Place. "Rent was a factor, but it wasn't the sole reason."

Last November, 4 St. Mark's Place, the landmarked building whose first owner in 1833 was Alexander Hamilton’s son, arrived on the market. Asking price for the building that includes Trash and Vaudeville: $11.9 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: After 40 years, punk rock mainstay Trash and Vaudeville is leaving St. Mark's Place

Minca Ramen Factory is back open next Thursday



Good news if you're a fan of Minca. The popular ramen shop on East Fifth Street just west of Avenue B had been closed since mid-December for some unspecified gas-related issue.

However, as you can see in this photo via EVG reader Alexis, Minca returns this coming Wednesday, Feb. 25, here at 536 E. Fifth St.

Updated:

Despite what the sign says, Minca will reopen on THURSDAY, Feb. 25...

3rd Avenue penthouse cottage returns to market as a $17k monthly rental


[EVG file photo]

Last Aug. 27, the penthouse home(s) atop the building that houses Kiehl's on the northeast corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street caught fire...


Despite how it looked, the damage was minimal to the cottage that had just sold for $4.4 million.

You still have a chance to live here, though. As the Post reported, the 1,972-square-foot rooftop duplex (apartment 4CD) with three bedrooms and three bathrooms is now available as a rental — for $17k a month.

Here's part of the listage action via Corcoran:

An open kitchen features stainless steel appliances including Miele dishwasher and Wolf range, along with a dramatic Thermador vented range hood. Hand-painted Victorian-era aluminum casted balusters line the staircase leading up to the stunning master bedroom suite.

Enter this second level through the spectacular solarium, sun-flooded during the days and great for stargazing at night through its numerous skylights. This well-designed suite is complete with a spa-like master bath featuring a deep-soaking tub and separate steam shower, a windowed study/dressing area, and corner fireplace. The two spacious terraces flank the second level, the larger featuring an outdoor wood-burning fireplace, retractable awning, and four exposures with views of the Empire State Building. There is also a new irrigation system in place.

To refresh your memory...







The unit is available is furnished or unfurnished.

As for the cause of the fire, the Post heard that it was a faulty hot tub on the roof.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Live in tranquil cottages overlooking … 3rd Avenue (but still)

Updating: Fire reported on the rooftop at Kiehl's on 3rd Avenue

Do you have any opinions about noise in the East Village?


[Smurf #woo circa 2010]

Then have we got a survey for you! (And you!)

Via the EVG inbox...

Dear New Yorkers:

The New York State Comptroller's Office is conducting a survey on noise in New York City neighborhoods and would like you to take the survey.

Research has demonstrated that noise can adversely impact public health. For example, noise can disturb sleep and increase stress levels.

We want to learn about your experience of noise in your community and solicit your ideas for reducing noise.

Toward that end, we are asking all community residents take the survey by March 15, 2016.

Thank you!

State Government Accountability
New York State Comptroller's Office

You may access the English version of the survey here. (The survey is also available in Mandarin Chinese and Spanish.)

P.S.

Remember! If you don't like noise, then move to _______________

Report: Higher rent helped doom Nino's; owner wants to open another pizzeria in the East Village


[EVG photo from yesterday]

On Wednesday, the signs on the door at Nino's stating that the pizzeria would reopen were removed... along with the help wanted signs...

As reported on Tuesday, owner Nino Camaj accepted a low six-figure amount to walk away from his remaining 10-year lease and surrender his longtime space on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place.

Nino's had to close on Oct. 21 due to a gas leak in the building. On Nov. 17, the pizzeria was hit with an eviction notice. Camaj has said that the gas was shut off in the building without any notice to him.

In late November, Camaj's lawyers were reportedly in discussion with landlord Citi Urban Management to dispute the rent charged for the month during which they had to close due to the gas leak. However, a Citi Urban representative at the time told Bedford + Bowery that Nino owed rent for previous months — not just for the month without gas.

DNAinfo spoke briefly with Camaj, who said that he could no longer afford the $14,500 monthly rent. "I’m not making any money before I closed," he told DNAinfo in a story published yesterday. "I’m breaking even."

Camaj said that the rent for the corner space was $3,500 when he opened in 1989. (Nino sold the business in 2012, which produced a short-lived pizzeria. He returned and reopened Nino's in July 2013.)

Camaj told DNAinfo that he would like to continue running a pizzeria in the East Village — if he can find a more affordable location.

Meanwhile, James Morrissey, who owns The Late Late on East Houston, had been after the Nino's space to combine with the former Hop Devil Grill next door to create The Honey Fitz, a destination serving a grab-and-go breakfast in the morning along with high-end cocktails by night... with WiFi and printers for freelancers and others to use during the day.

However, facing a denial for a liquor license from CB3's SLA committee on Tuesday night, The Honey Fitz team withdrew their proposal for the time being.

Morrissey said Wednesday that he "remains interested in the location, assuming all outstanding lease issues have been resolved," per DNAinfo.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Honey Fitz in the works for St. Mark's Place and Avenue A (54 comments)

Gas leak closes Nino's for now

Nino's and Yoshi Sushi served with eviction notices on Avenue A

Encouraging signs at Nino's

Report: The Honey Fitz on hold; and RIP Nino's

Pork Pie Hatters is closing on East 9th Street


[Image via Facebook]

After nearly five years on East Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, Pork Pie Hatters is packing it in. (They announced it on Facebook on Saturday. No reason given for the closure.)

The shop was an outpost of JJ Hat Center on Fifth Avenue, which has been around since 1911. The flagship store isn't going anywhere.

The last day for is March 10. Until then, everything in the East Ninth Street shop (No. 440) is 50 percent off.

Thursday, February 18, 2016

[Updated] EVG on EVR

As previously noted (here and here), I'll be hosting some shows on East Village Radio.

Tomorrow morning (Feb. 19!) from 10-noon ET, I'll be talking with photographer Marcia Resnick and writer Victor Bockris, who collaborated on the recently released book "Punks, Poets, and Provocateurs: NYC Bad Boys, 1977-1982."

The book is also the subject of an exhibition at Howl Happening!, 6 E. First St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery, through March 2.

Later in the program, writer-blogger-teacher Gala Darling will be joining me.

And throughout the program, we'll be playing a few songs via the subjects in Resnick's book (i.e., the New York Dolls, Brian Eno, Richard Hell, James Chance and the Contortions, etc.)

Listen in via dashradio.com/EVR or the Dash Radio app.

Updated 2/19

The show will be rebroadcast tomorrow (Saturday the 20th!) from noon-2 p.m. ET



Photo of Andy Warhol, Mick Jagger and William Burroughs by Marcia Resnick.

No-frills gym debuts on East 6th Street



Between Avenue A and First Avenue. To keep costs down, patrons have to bring their own seat and take turns moving the garbage.

Photo today by Derek Berg

The Bowery street sign returns without the David


[EVG photo from Jan. 25]

Back during the Great Blizzard of Jan. 23®, a group of Bowie fans (the Little Italy Street Art Project) added David to the street sign on the Bowery at East Houston.

The city moved surprisingly quickly to amend the offending Bowery Bowie-ed sign. The city removed it in early February, as BoweryBoogie noted.

And today, a new sign has returned – without the David — to guide travelers on this storied NYC thoroughfare...