Friday, April 15, 2022
Massive 'A.T.T.A.C.K'
Arre! Arre! just released a new record titled We Ride the Universe (PNKSLM).
While we're waiting for new videos from the Swedish band (described as "Punks from Malmö, Sweden"), here's a clip for "A.T.T.A.C.K" from their 2018 debut.
Keith Haring's 'Self Portrait' returns to Astor Place undercover of the night
Workers have yet to do the unwrapping... thanks to Steven for the photos...
Updated April 21 
Unwrapped!
Birria LES opening an outpost on St. Mark's Place
Photos by Steven
The owners of Birria LES, which debuted an instant hotspot on Rivington Street last spring, is opening a new location at 34 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... signage arrived here yesterday ...
A little background via Grub Street:
This is the origin of Birria LES, a tiny new storefront with a food-truck-sized menu of tacos, mulitas, tostadas, consommé, and esquites on Rivington Street. The restaurant is a partnership between childhood friends Iqbal "Iggy" Ahmed and Emon Ullah, along with another friend, chef Raymundo Garcia, a native of Tlaxcala in central Mexico.Though Birria LES has only been open for a few weeks, the tiny restaurant — with its seven indoor seats and three outdoor standing tables — is a burgeoning favorite among young Muslims. Its popularity is soaring thanks to TikTok, first from @HalalNYC, in a clip that has over 130,000 views and reads, "#Birria LES is a game-changer for #Halal eats in #manhattan 🌮👌🏼."
Birria LES takes over the space from Japanese chain Ramen Setagaya, which shuttered earlier this year.
Half Gallery opens an annex on 4th Street
Photos by Stacie Joy
Half Gallery has opened an annex at 233 E. Fourth St. (a former hair salon) ... just a few storefronts away from the main space on the NW corner at Avenue B.
The annex is currently featuring the work of Kyle Staver ... a collection of bas-reliefs ...
... that complement her paintings on exhibit in the Half Gallery on Fourth and B...
The work will remain up through May 8.
The gallery is open Tuesday-Saturday from noon to 6 p.m. (Ask for access to the annex at the main gallery.)
Half Gallery debuted in the East Village in March 2020.
El Colmado debuts on East Houston
Photos by Stacie Joy
El Colmado, a market specializing in Dominican food, is now in soft-open mode at 309 E. Houston St. between Clinton and Attorney. (We first mentioned this pending arrival here.)
For now, the market offering a variety of sandwiches, empanadas and to-go-meals is open from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m.
El Comado has an Instagram account here.
Thursday, April 14, 2022
A sign that the Keith Haring sculpture is returning to 51 Astor Place?
Update: Yes — "Self Portrait" is back.
At the time, the director of collections at the Keith Haring Foundation told us that the sculpture had been removed for minor conservation work and would be reinstalled after this work was complete.
Perhaps this is the future date.
The sculpture first arrived here in December 2014.
Report: Alleged subway shooter held without bail after first court appearance
Photo at the 9th Precinct on 5th Street yesterday by Katie Godowski
Frank James, accused of opening fire on a crowded subway train in Sunset Park on Tuesday, made his initial appearance in a federal courtroom this afternoon. A U.S. federal judge ordered the alleged gunman to remain in custody.
Per CNN:
In court, Assistant US Attorney Sara Winik described the attack as "premeditated and carefully planned" as prosecutors requested James remain behind bars.
Defense attorneys told the federal judge they consented to him remaining in custody for now but may press again for bail later. The lawyers further asked for a psychiatric evaluation to determine James' medical needs.
His attorney, Mia Eisner-Grynberg, had this to say:
"We are all still learning about what happened on that train. What we do know is this: Yesterday, Mr. James saw his photograph on the news. He called Crime Stoppers to help. He told them where he was. Initial press and police reports in cases like this one are often inaccurate. Mr. James is entitled to a fair trial, and we will ensure that he receives one."
James was arrested on the NE corner of First Avenue and St. Mark's Place yesterday afternoon. According to media accounts, James called the NYPD tip line and told authorities where they could find him.
Two workers outside Saifee Hardware & Garden are also credited with alerting police after spotting James walking by the store on the SE corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street.
At the NYC premiere of 'The Crusaders'
Photos by Stacie Joy
Last Thursday night saw the NYC premiere of "The Crusaders" at the Village East by Angelika on Second Avenue and 12th Street.
This is the first film for Maxx Starr (below right with Jahmal Kirwan aka Manhattan Mal), co-owner of Fun City Tattoo on St. Mark's Place, who wrote and directed the short (24-minute) crime noir filmed entirely in the East Village. (International Bar on First Avenue and Nublu Classic on Avenue C served as locations for several scenes.)
EVG contributor Stacie Joy was at the premiere as moviegoers and other guests waited to enter the auditorium...
Members of the cast were present, including the two leads — Tessa Gourin...
... and Frederick Rusak...
Other cast members include Jerry Dean, Skam Dust, Peter Greene, Sophia Lamar, Santiago Melchiorre, Christopher Ponds and Neko White.
The film was screened in the large auditorium — the Jaffe Art Theatre...
You can follow @thecrusadersnyc for updates on upcoming screenings.
Wednesday, April 13, 2022
Wednesday's parting shot
Thanks to Carol from East 5th Street for the photo.
Videos: Witnesses describe spotting alleged subway shooter Frank James before his arrest in the East Village
Top photo from an impromptu press conference on 1st Avenue by Derek Berg
Two men working outside Saifee Hardware & Garden on the SE corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street are being praised for spotting alleged subway shooter Frank R. James minutes before his arrest this afternoon.
As previously reported, James was the sole suspect in the mass shooting on a crowded subway train and platform yesterday morning in Sunset Park.
At least 30 victims were treated at four local hospitals following the attack, and all but seven had been released as of this afternoon, per Gothamist.
James, wearing a blue t-shirt and brown pants, was reportedly inside the McDonald's on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. According to the Associated Press and other outlets, James called in a tip himself, telling police where he was.
He was already gone when the police got to the scene. However, Zack Tahhan, who was working for MACA security integrators installing cameras outside Saifee Hardware & Garden, and the shop's manager, Frank Puebla, spotted the alleged shooter walking by on First Avenue.
Puebla said he flagged down an NYPD cruiser from the 9th Precinct that had just stopped at the light on the SE corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street. James was then arrested on the NE corner of St. Mark's Place and First Avenue without incident.
EVG correspondent Stacie Joy was on the scene and filmed this clip of Tahhan recounting what happened this afternoon...
According to NBC 4, the U.S. attorney for the Eastern District of New York is considering filing federal criminal charges in the subway attack. The station reported that one potential federal charge being considered is using a weapon/arson on mass transit/train.
Meanwhile, Saifee is showing its appreciation for the longtime manager...
Updating: Suspect in Sunset Park subway shooting arrested in the East Village
Photo/video by an EVG reader
This just in from St. Mark's Place and First Avenue (the NE corner) ... the NYPD has arrested Frank R. James, 62, who was named a "person of interest" after the mass shooting on the subway in Sunset Park yesterday morning.
Here's a short clip after the NYPD cuffed James...
Elsewhere...
#BREAKING: Suspect is in custody according to five senior law enforcement officials. He was arrested in the East Village this afternoon. https://t.co/Dh9NFZ3PMh
— myles miller (@MylesMill) April 13, 2022
Per published reports, the shooting left 10 people with gunshot wounds and an additional 13 injured from panic attacks or smoke inhalation during the rush to escape.Just witnessed the subway shooter Frank James being arrested in the middle of the East Village…crazy…. pic.twitter.com/g5CJsUpUSF
— lex (@Ayy_Korobow) April 13, 2022
Updated 5 p.m.
According to the Associated Press, James is awaiting arraignment on "a charge that pertains to terrorist or other violent attacks against mass transit systems and carries a sentence of up to life in prison."
James was reportedly in the McDonald's on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street where several witnesses, including Zack Tahhan, 21, who was working for MACA security integrators outside Saifee Hardware, and the shop's manager, Frank Puebla, spotted the alleged shooter.
Puebla said he flagged down an NYPD cruiser that just stopped at the light on the SE corner of First Avenue and Seventh Street. (We an interview with Tahhan and Puebla here.)
CNN is reporting that James called the tipline on himself.
Back to the AP story:
James was gone when officers arrived, but they soon spotted him on a busy corner nearby.Four police cars zoomed around a corner, officers leaped out and, soon, a compliant James was in handcuffs as a crowd of people looked on, witness Aleksei Korobow said.
Officers from the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street made the arrest.
Owner: City's bureaucratic red tape forces business to close before even opening
They aimed to open Desi Stop, a deli serving Indian food, tea, coffee and snacks, in the fall.
As of mid-April, Desi Stop remains in limbo, and Singh says he's gone bankrupt waiting for the city to OK the address to open and start serving food.
"Unfortunately, after six months and spending thousands of dollars and meeting with all requirements of city departments, we are still waiting for clearance to open up," he said in a text message. "Slow working of city departments is killing small businesses like us even before they can open."
The problems started in November when the Department of Buildings conducted the gas inspection. According to Singh, DOB officials said that they could not find any records in their database for the space after 1999. The DOB could not then approve the inspection. (It's not clear how the previous restaurants at the address, Nostro Ristorante and ZaabVer Thai, among others, were able to open.)
So Singh said that they started from scratch with the DOB, which included getting clearance from the Landmarks Preservation Commission (the building is within the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District), submitting new drawings and applying for new permits.
Singh also hired a fire suppression company. There was an initial delay by the company and then with the FDNY, Singh said. The certificate of approval remains in the review process.
"They open the file only once in four to six weeks. Ask for the requirements, then again another six weeks of waiting," Singh said. "We have made all the investments. But now, we have reached our limits. It's a small-business startup, and we can't pay bills from our own pockets for months. And now it looks like we have to close it even before opening this business."
Desi Stop's most recent, and perhaps last, Facebook post reads:
Going Bankrupt. It's very unfortunate to share that we are going out of business without opening the business. Slow and unresponsive behavior of different city departments killed this small business.
Felix Roasting Co. opening an outpost on Astor Place
The first Felix arrived on Park Avenue South in 2018, with another outpost following in 2020 on Greene Street. Google describes the place this way: "Stylish venue offering specialty coffees, toasted snacks & pastries amid refined surrounds."
And as Eater put it:
In short, Felix Roasting Co. is the kind of coffee shop that New Yorkers love to love or love to hate, depending on who's being asked. Yet despite everything, it also serves one of the city's best cups of espresso, even if it comes served in a wine glass with tonic water.The Astor Place Felix has a June opening, and it replaces the Blue Bottle outpost that seemed to open and close about 10 times during the pandemic.
Tuesday, April 12, 2022
Early pick for your fall 2023 reading list
Photo on Bleecker at the Bowery from Saturday
Blondie co-founder Chris Stein has a book deal for his first memoir titled "Under a Rock."
Trade pub The Bookseller had the news the other day about the deal in the U.K.
Publisher James Gurbutt acquired U.K. and Commonwealth rights from Thomas Flannery at Vigliano Associates. Corsair plans to publish autumn 2023.The book is billed as a "quintessentially New York story of the golden age of the East Village and the makings of international superstars."Corsair said: "At its heart, 'Under a Rock' is a love story. The co-dependent bond between Chris and Debbie carried Blondie through their many tribulations: terribly misogynistic music scenes, greasy record execs, bitter bandmates, grueling schedules and hard-drug abuse abound. Chris lays it all bare, with blunt sincerity and humor. Ultimately, Chris and Debbie broke up, but their bond never dissipated; they remain the closest of friends, and continue to tour and promote their various projects together to this day."
In a tweet, Stein said the U.S. deal is pending.
Stein previously published two photography books: "Point of View: Me, New York City, and the Punk Scene" and "Negative: Me, Blondie, and the Advent of Punk."
Meanwhile, Blondie is touring now in the U.K. ... with U.S.venues slated for May and August (13 dates with the Damned, including Aug. 17-18 atop at Pier 17).
East Village treasure Katinka crowdfunding to remain in business and support its work in India
Williams, and her longtime partner Billy Lyles, opened their closet-sized shop in 1979 at 303 E. Ninth St. just east of Second Avenue... offering hand-made pieces — including shirts, vests, quilts and rugs — all made and imported from India.
Here's part of the GoFundMe appeal from Williams:
For the last 14 years, I have been working on a self-empowerment project teaching and producing products to sell in my store, and in craft markets in India. I travel to India twice a year, paying my own plane fare and volunteering my design services and supplies to educate about 40 to 50 women in the village of Mangar, New Delhi, India.The profits from this project also help educate about 1,000 Indian children in our tutoring centers in the area.Since the COVID crisis we have been hard hit, as many others. I spent five months working there on lockdown in 2020.We need funds to keep our store and project going.
You can find the campaign here.
And you can watch this 2021 video about the shop and the couple by photographer-filmmaker Josh Charow ...
Image via @katinka_ny
Organic Grill's East Village location has closed ahead of move to new space on West 3rd Street
Photo by Stacie Joy
Organic Grill is now closed at 123 First Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Sunday was its last day in service.
As we reported last week, the health-food restaurant with a vegan menu was opening a new outpost at 133 W. Third St. in Greenwich Village.
Co-owner Vlad Grinberg had been planning on opening a second location... in the meantime, the building at 123 First Ave. changed hands twice during the pandemic. Organic Grill had until the end of the summer left on their lease, but the new landlord didn't want them to stay and negotiated for an early release from the lease.
Organic Grill opened here in August 2000. Grinberg said he hopes to open somewhere else in the East Village.
You can follow the OG Instagram account for updates on the West Third Street opening.
Another smoke shop for 14th Street
The signage for K & H Convenience was only installed last week (thanks Pinch!) ... the shop has the usual items popping up at like-minded businesses around the neighborhood — hookah, vapes, snacks, soda, etc.
These are all things you can find directly across 14th Street at the Ali Baba Smoke Shop...
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