Photos by Steven
Wednesday, January 25, 2023
Wednesday's parting shots
Divine trash
Will it ever snow again?
And several people reminisced about when it used to snow in NYC in January.
For awhile it looked as if we might get at least some flurries today... but the forecast later changed to all rain. And wind!
Obviously all this hasn't gone unnoticed. Gothamist noted this lack of snow last week.
And per AccuWeather on Monday:
The Big Apple is just days away from breaking a record that might seem unimaginable: the latest date to see measurable snowfall in recorded history. While the city has seen precipitation since the winter season officially began, it has primarily come in the form of rain instead of snow due to abnormally warm temperatures. At the official weather station in New York City's Central Park, no measurable snow has been recorded this winter, only flurries.
And!
While the city has gotten cold enough for snow throughout this winter season and some flurries have been spotted, the most the city has recorded at its official location in Central Park is a trace of snow, which occurred as recently as Jan. 14. But a trace amount of snow does not count as measurable snowfall, which brings New York City to 320 days in a snow drought as of Jan. 24, the second-longest snowless streak on record for the city. The longest snowless streak lasted 332 days and ended on Dec. 15, 2020.New York City is also nearing the record for the longest stretch into the snow season without seeing more than a trace of snow. The latest date on record was Jan. 29, 1973. The 2022-23 season currently stands in second place after outlasting 1871, a year when snow was not measured until Jan. 21.
Jan. 21, 1871! (We were at McSorley's that day, figuring it would be going out of business soon. Who wants two mugs of beer at once? What a waste!)
For now, the next chance of snow is in the forecast for Feb. 2.
Meanwhile, we'll always have photos... ah!
About the 'Kim's Video' doc, which made its debut at the Sundance Film Festival
One-time East Village staple Kim's Video is enjoying a renaissance of sorts thanks to a new documentary that just debuted at the Sundance Film Festival.
Some background: After the multi-level Mondo Kim's closed at 6 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in December 2008, founder Yongman Kim shipped the shop's massive collection of 50,000-plus tapes and DVDs to a town in Sicily, as Jeremiah Moss first noted.
The plans called for "a Never-ending Festival — a 24-hour projection of up to 10 films at once for the foreseeable future ... and, eventually, the conversion of all Kim's VHS films to DVDs to ensure their preservation."
And then, the plan was for Kim's members to have access to digitized versions of all these films, an assortment of cult classics and hard-to-find treasures. (Didn't go so well in Italy.)
Now about the documentary, conveniently titled "Kim's Video" and directed by award-winning filmmakers David Redmon and Ashley Sabin.
From the film's Sundance page:
Enter filmmaker David Redmon, who credits Kim's Video for his film education. With the ghosts of cinema past leading his way, Redmon embarks on a seemingly quixotic quest to track down what happened to the legendary collection and to free it from purgatory.David Redmon and Ashley Sabin's playful documentary embraces various filmic forms, from cine-essay and investigative nonfiction to experimental cinema and even heist movies, to fashion an ode to the love of cinema and the enduring power its stories hold.
As for reviews, Deadline called it "a playful and intelligent film" ... while Variety said it's "a flaked-out, one-of-a-kind story of film obsession." On the other hand, RogerEbert.com opined: "One can appreciate the dedication that went into this saga, but being obsessed with movies does not make a great visual storyteller alone" and IndieWire graded it a C+.
The directors are seeking a distribution deal for a theatrical release ... as well as a fictional film based on the making of this movie, per Variety.
The Kim's empire had a modest start in Kim's dry-cleaning business at 99 Avenue A in 1986 ... the last Kim's Video & Music closed in 2014.
And [SPOILER]... the massive collection of DVDs and videos from Kim's is now available to rent from the Alamo Drafthouse Lower Manhattan. (Background on all this here.)
Top photo via
A look at the currently closed Mermaid Inn on 2nd Avenue
Photos yesterday by Stacie Joy
On Tuesday, an EVG tipster told us that workers were removing the contents from the currently closed Mermaid Inn on Second Avenue between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.
A look inside reveals an almost-empty restaurant ...
After a 7-week encore, Mermaid Inn went gone dark in October. At the time, the official word was a temporary closure for the season.
Door signage still points to a seasonal shutter...
Despite this, two MI employees told us last fall that this closing was permanent.
Meanwhile, the East Village location is no longer on the MI website. We'll see what transpires.
Mermaid Inn closed here during the pandemic. Co-owner Daniel Abrams and partner Cindy Smith decided to shut down the seafood restaurant in the wake of failed attempts to reach a workable rent deal, Eater reported.
Then came a (delayed) triumphant return last September.
The Mermaid Inn arrived in the East Village back in 2003, with several outposts to follow... most recently a massive space on 10th Avenue in December.
Tuesday, January 24, 2023
Tuesday's parting shots
At the opening of New York's second legal weed dispensary
Photos by Steven Walker
New York's second-state licensed cannabis shop debuted this morning on Bleecker Street in Greenwich Village.
Smack LLC also marks the first Conditional Adult-Use Retail Dispensary license in New York operated by an owner with a prior marijuana conviction.
Here's more about the owner, Roland Conner, via the press advisory:
Prior to receiving this license, Roland Conner owned and operated property management businesses in New York City for 15 years. He currently manages a transitional housing facility providing shelter for two dozen men in The Bronx. Mr. Conner is opening Smacked LLC with his son and wife. In applying for his license, Mr. Conner received support from the Bronx Cannabis Hub, which was founded by the Bronx Defenders and the Bronx Community Foundation to support individuals applying for the first round of CAURD licenses."I am so excited to become a part of history as the first individual to open a legal cannabis dispensary in New York City. Given my experience with cannabis, I never could have imagined that I would be opening a store like this. I'm grateful for the opportunity to open a business with my son and wife at my side... But this is not just about me and my family. This is about everyone who was harmed by the draconian drug laws of the past. New York's commitment to righting those wrongs through the law is inspiring. I am proof of that commitment because I'm standing here today."
East Village-based photographer Steven Walker shared these photos from the grand opening...
The Housing Works Cannabis Co. store — New York's first legal recreational marijuana market — opened to great fanfare and long lines on Dec. 29 on Broadway at Eighth Street in a former Gap retail space.
Check out these 'Creatures of the Night' at Theater for the New City
The show, up through February, explores NYC nightlife from a variety of perspectives.
The opening is 5:30-8:30 this evening with a few special guests.
If you can't make it tonight, the gallery space is generally open daily from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. — later when there's a performance at TNC.
La Mama to celebrate the reopening of its renovated home at 74A E. 4th St.
Restoration work has been ongoing the past few years at the landmarked building at 74A E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. (The sidewalk bridge and construction netting were removed back in the fall.)
La MaMa founder Ellen Stewart bought the building as the off-off-Broadway institution's first permanent home in 1967.
When Ellen Stewart purchased 74 East 4th Street, the building had no roof, no flooring, and no back wall. She founded La MaMa with the belief that space is vital to the creative process and art can be a powerful vehicle for communities to come together. That belief is at the heart of La MaMa’s mission.Today, this building that Ellen rescued from demolition decades ago, is a New York City landmark undergoing a major capital renovation. This renovation fundamentally shifts how La MaMa and other arts and cultural organizations interact with their communities across the U.S. and beyond.ADA accessibility to all floors, an enlarged lobby area, dedicated community space, an outdoor terrace, and a building-wide data network will allow La MaMa to maintain two versatile sound-separated theater spaces that host performances and art experiences as well as create expanded opportunities for community-driven and educational programming.We are excited to welcome you into the building. We want you to experience the new spaces, and see how artists and audiences can engage through new models of connectivity that exponentially increase access to the arts for all.
Bluestockings reopens after a 2-week closure for sidewalk repairs
Photos by Stacie Joy
Bluestockings Cooperative, the collectively-run activist center, community space and feminist bookstore at 116 Suffolk St., reopened yesterday after a two-week closure to repair the sidewalk outside the storefront here between Rivington and Delancey.
The work was originally expected to take just two days.
During the temp closure, fans of Bluestockings helped support the space by ordering books online and becoming members.
Bluestocking, which debuted on the LES in 1999, is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. (with a 1 p.m. start on Mondays).
Monday, January 23, 2023
Worker bricks up tribute mural at the former P.S. 64/Charas site on 10th Street
As part of the effort to seal up the building, a worker used cinder blocks to cover part of a Charas tribute/LES history mural here — one that included part of a former doorway.
By early evening, work had stopped for the day...
So far, only one of the murals has been disfigured by the building work.
The murals first arrived in late November ... a PIRAGUA art space initiative in partnership with by the Thrive Collective, Loisaida Inc., the Clemente, LES Community Concerns, MoRUS and La Plaza Cultural, among others.
At the end of 2022, Gregg Singer's nearly 23-year tenure as building owner ended.
On Dec. 23, New York State Justice Melissa Crane ordered the foreclosure and sale of the building with a default, including penalties and interest totaling approximately $90 million. (You can read Crane's 20-page decision and order here.)
The order could send the property back to auction within 90 days.
Rent hike forcing Café Cortadito to close on 3rd Street
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After 18 years in business, Café Cortadito (210 E. Third St., just east of Avenue B) is closing at the end of the month.
Ricardo Arias and Patricia Valencia, the husband-and-wife owners of the popular Cuban restaurant, say they can't afford the landlord's rent hike from $8,000 to $15,000 a month. The last day is this coming Saturday, Jan. 28. (There was also an issue with a large water bill passed along by the landlord during the pandemic. The matter ended up in court, and a judge sided with the landlord.)
The Cortadito team also said that they would be dismantling the curbside dining structure and donating salvageable parts to the nearby community garden and to people who requested a souvenir from the restaurant...
On the positive side, the owners said they would like to stay local and are hoping to relocate elsewhere in the neighborhood — they've already looked at a few available spaces on Second Avenue.
As for what's next for this space, there's speculation that corner tenant Poco may take over this lease.
Crossroads Trading opens Friday on 2nd Avenue
Ahead of the grand opening, the signage arrived this past Friday. (H/T Steven!)
As we reported back in September, the buy-sell-trade-consign retailer for men's and women's clothing and accessories has more than 30 locations across the country, with several outposts in NYC — including on West 13th Street and West 26th Street.
The company, founded in 1991, works like this: "Customers sell their current, on-trend clothing and accessories for cash or trade credit."
Crossroads will be open 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday, with a 7 p.m. close on Sundays.
The previous tenant here, Chinese Hawaiian Kenpo Academy, is now operating out of the Sixth Street Community Center.
The 21-story building that replaced B Bar & Grill begins its ascent on the Bowery
As we've been reporting, the 110,000-square-foot building — with ground-floor retail — is at the site of the former B Bar & Grill (1994-2020).
And before you know it, this will be here at the new address — 360 Bowery... 
Here's more about the project via the website of architect Morris Adjmi:
360 Bowery is a contemporary reinterpretation of the traditional glass office tower. Standing taller than most nearby structures, the new commercial building's tiered volume subtly twists, drawing reference to the different scales within its historic urban-industrial context while also responding to the neighborhood’s newer additions.
And!
Designed to maximize views, 360 Bowery's façade is essentially a field of openings. The custom-built, high-performance unitized curtain wall system features dark gray painted aluminum frames and blush-colored GFRC spandrel panels in a fluted pattern that gets tighter as it moves up the building. Single-pane windows, measuring roughly 5’x10’, are inset within 10” metal fins. These deep, dark frames add a layer of shadows, further articulating the façade. As a lighter counterpoint, the building's corners are open and airy with a structural joint hidden behind the glass.
Terraces are also a defining feature of the tower. While the building's massing was largely influenced by zoning restrictions, the tiered volumes create opportunities for ample outdoor amenity space with views north and east, looking out over the Bowery and onto one of New York City’s most dynamic neighborhoods.
As previously reported, CB Developers paid $59.5 million for a stake in 358-360 Bowery, a gas station before its conversion into the bar-restaurant. B Bar owner Eric Goode, who owns a handful of hotels, including the Bowery Hotel across the way, assembled air rights to build the more extensive development on this corner space.
As for the B Bar, the one-time hot spot (circa the mid-1990s) was expected to close for good in August 2020. However, the place never reopened after the PAUSE in March 2020.
We first reported on this project in January 2021.
Sunday, January 22, 2023
Week in Grieview
• Report: The Regal Union Square multiplex to close after bankruptcy filing (Thursday)
• Sealing up the former Charas/P.S. 64 on 9th Street (Wednesday)
• There won't be a last-minute reprieve for Commodities (Wednesday)
• Openings: Caleta and Bad Habit on Avenue A (Friday)
• Let's go to the Stuyvesant Casino! (Monday)
• Report: Incoming legal cannabis dispensary drawing opposition on 3rd Street (Tueaday)
• Döner Haus bringing 'real German kebabs' to 14th Street (Tuesday)
• Current Coffee debuts in The Bowery Market (Thursday)
• Superiority Burger, now with coming-soon signage on Avenue A (Thursday)
• On the January CB3-SLA docket: fresh bread, vinyl records and the members-only FlyFish Club (Tuesday)
• That's all for Tony's Famous Pizza on 1st Avenue (Wednesday)
• Greenwich Marketplace closes on 4th Avenue (Wednesday)
• Signage alert: Sushi Fan on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)
• Report: Junoon owner bringing a new Indian restaurant to the former Momofuku Ssäm Bar (Friday)
• Bait & Hook has not been open lately (Wednesday)
Noted
Photo yesterday by Stacie Joy
Meanwhile, as someone wrote on the sign, people would like a working restroom here.
Saturday, January 21, 2023
Saturday's parting shots
Photos by Stacie Joy
The social event of the season is underway on Avenue A at the ConEd substation... where workers are putting in a new transformer here between Fifth Street and Sixth Street ...
...the Avenue is closed between Fourth and Seventh, in case you wondered why B and C were so congested... Anyway! Work continues tomorrow
ConEd sources say the new transformer will arrive on March 5.
Meanwhile, officials are warning against fake photos of the new transformers here... as seen below...
Soul mates: Meet the members of East Village-based band Sauce City
Interview and photos by Stacie Joy
Updated 3/9: The band's single, "House of Dogs," is now on Spotify here.
----------
Sauce City is a new East Village-based indie-soul band with a history that spans back to middle school.
I met the core members as they prepped for rehearsal at guitar, trombonist and vocalist Eric Ratner’s apartment with Kirin Dombek (lead vocals) and Paul Gregg (keyboard, guitar and vocals).
Ahead of a show Tuesday night (Jan. 24) at the Mercury Lounge, the band collectively discussed their origin story as well as how the neighborhood inspires them.
[Eric Ratner]
[Kirin Dombek]
[Paul Gregg]
On the band’s origins:
Paul and Eric were just middle schoolers when they met at a band camp on Long Island. They remained friends throughout Paul’s move to Singapore and later to Washington, D.C., where he started a band that toured around the country, and as Eric moved to South Korea, where he played guitar and started an open-mic charity event (proceeds supporting the MDream Orphanage and Children’s Home).
Meanwhile, while Kirin was studying classical singing and opera in Washington, D.C., she met Paul in their collegiate a cappella group. They started singing together, and soon after, started dating! Kirin, Paul and Eric all moved to NYC and knew they needed to start a band together.
After networking with a drummer and bassist, they all started jamming together in April of 2022 and Sauce City was born. Fun fact — Kirin and Paul are getting married this year!
About the name:
We chose the name Sauce City because we love sauces more than food and we love playing music in the various cities we’ve each lived in.
On the Sauce City sound:
Our sound is heavily inspired by some of the greats of soul, funk and R&B: Bill Withers, Rufus and Erykah Badu to name a few, and we love to incorporate other influences from modern indie artists to give us an extra edge.
We like to refer to our genre as indie soul.
We’ve been fortunate enough to play at some great venues [Heaven Can Wait, Nublu, The Bowery Electric, Triad Theater] in our first year as a band. The reception has been really positive so far, and we’re excited to take everything to the next level in 2023.
On playing in the East Village:
The three of us are locals in the neighborhood, so we’re lucky to have some of the most exciting venues for indie artists right at our doorstep. It goes without saying, but the East Village is steeped in American music history, so being able to perform in the shadow of that history is humbling and very unique.
On Tuesday’s show and what's next:
We will be playing alongside our friends, Brass Queens, a New Orleans-inspired band with an all-female horn section. We are also excited to get into the studio this month to record our first single, “House of Dogs.” Look out for Sauce City on Spotify and Apple Music in February!
And of course, we are looking forward to more exciting shows collaborating with other bands we love at venues in the city and beyond.
Jorit Agoch brings photorealistic murals of Malcolm X and KRS-One to the East Village
Above, Malcolm X in First Street Green Art Park.
And below, a work in progress of KRS-One on Second Street at First Avenue (via East Village Walls) ...
And a photo of the artist by Stacie Joy...
Per Wide Open Walls:
Jorit has started to mark his portraits with two red lines or scars on the cheek that refer to ancient African rituals, like scarification. This ritual indicates the passing from childhood to adult age. Jorit is firmly convinced that the differences of race, gender, religion and social class do not mean anything with respect to the characteristics that are similar in all human beings, and give us our shared humanity.
H/T Steven for the initial KRS-One mural pic
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)