EV Grieve

Tuesday, May 10, 2011

Meet the Beagle, opening today

Over at the former Orologio space on Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street, the new eatery, the Beagle, opens today (per The Feed)... menus are up on the front window...

The cocktails are $12...

And back in February when the CB3/SLA OK'd this transfer, there were rumbling about a pricy menu of items between $26 and $31. Of the five "large plates" listed on the menu, the items run between $19 (grilled cobia!) and $26 (whole branzino). The small plates are priced between $9 and $15.

The pairing boards, including the pressed pig head and rum, are $17.

Matthew Piacentini is the owner. Garrett Eagleton is the executive chef. According to the Feed, Eagleton is an import from Clyde Common in Oregon's Ace Hotel. The bar manager is an alum of the John Dory Oyster Bar)

9th Street Espresso is back open — and seemingly bigger

9th Street Espresso on, uh, Ninth Street just east of Avenue C closed two weeks ago for some renovations. EV Grieve reader AC reports that they reopened yesterday...

...and the space has been opened up... making it seem a little more airy? Like, in a good way.)

Surprise! Acme Bar and Grill won't be reopening as you probably figured

As we reported back on March 15, Acme Bar & Grill abruptly shuttered after 25 years of serving Creole/Southern-style cuisine on Great Jones. However, after reportedly firing the staff without any notice, Acme owner Bob Pollock quickly changed his mind, saying that he would reopen after a renovation.

Apparently he changed his mind again. According to Grub Street:

We hear that Jean-Marc Houmard, Michael Callahan, and Huy Chi Le — the team behind Indochine and Kittichai (and also involved with Bondst and Republic) — have grabbed up the bi-level space ... The trio is mulling concepts for a restaurant to open in early fall.

Here are some photos of the space from March 31:

Monday, May 9, 2011

Today in photos of large dogs in Tompkins Square Park

By Bobby Williams

The end is apparently nearer at 35 Cooper Square

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams notes the arrival of workers today at the doomed 35 Cooper Square... making some final touches before the wrecking ball shows up ...

Say your goodbyes very soon...

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition

At the Festival of ~~artisanal~~ Ideas (Jeremiah's Vanishing NYC) Check out BoweryBoogie's take here.

Lucy's back open after her return from Poland (Nadie Se Conoce)

Alex unveils an array of photo now-and-thens (Flaming Pablum)

Another Saturday night on Avenue A with LES Jewels (Neither More Nor Less)

A feature on the handball courts at First and First (The Local East Village)

How pigeons came to love New York City (Ephemeral New York)

Cinco de Barfo (EV Heave)

Protection against Bowery bums

On Saturday, a worker continued buffing the fanny fenders here on Bond Street at the Bowery — aka the "new intersection of cool."

Word is the building management is trying to thwart people from resting their buns or bums here, hence the posterior posts...

However, despite the rump rippers, there are a few gaps around the columns, which still allows room for seating. Like this fellow yesterday who was enjoying a cigar.

Bespoke Chocolates closing Thursday in Extra Place; what next for the former alley?

On Saturday we reported that Bespoke Chocolates — the first retailer to open in Extra Place — will close as of Thursday. Here's the note that's Bespoke sent out to friends...

They opened early in 2009. And we had a spirited (and friendly!) exchange on EV Grieve with Rachel Zoe Insler, Bespoke's owner, about ideal retail and the continued transformation of the neighborhood. (You can read her comments here.)

In April 2009, in Time Out's Eat Out Awards, the magazine's critics bestowed the Best Sweet Revenge award upon Bespoke Chocolates. Why?

As if the seven levels of city-permit hell weren’t enough, chocolatier and former Union Square Cafe pastry staffer Rachel Zoe Insler also had to navigate the wilds of don’t-ruin-my-neighborhood blogosphere resentment before she even opened the doors of her unassuming bonbon shop. Insler placated the haters with patience and warmth — and won over everyone else with her pretzel-covered sea-salted caramels, cardamom-scented Turkish coffee truffles and the rest of her handmade sweets. 6 Extra Pl at E 1st St (212-260-7103)

[Huh?]

Meanwhile, the Tashkent by Cheyenne showroom just around the corner of Extra Place shops closed several months ago.

As we've noted many times, developer AvalonBay has big plans for Extra Place — "a slice of the Left Bank, a pedestrian mall lined with interesting boutiques and cafes."

Perhaps when chef and restaurateur Daniel Boulud opens his commissary with a possible retail space, Extra Place will finally get that jolt of life. So what gives here? Is Extra Place too far off the beaten path as EV Grieve reader Lisa suggested Saturday? Or, despite the luxurification of the Bowery, perhaps the neighborhood isn't ready for upscale retail? Or maybe it's the ghosts of the Bowery's past?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Bespoke Chocolates bids farewell from Extra Place

Extra Place gets its first tenant...And it's dessert (shocker!)

The Chocolate Wars (well, not at all, but we needed something that sounds CONTROVERSIAL)

The Superdive space is now home to an art gallery

RyanAvenueA snapped this photo yesterday... some people were transforming the former Superdive space into a temporary art gallery... Per the Ad Projects website:

AD Projects is an independent, migratory curatorial organization. Founded in April 2009, AD Projects has staged three group exhibitions of emerging and mid-career artists in borrowed spaces.

This week, you can find the following:

AD Projects is setting up a temporary home at 200 Avenue A with the exhibition Reliquary/SUPERDARK. Reliquary will be an evolving display of artifacts and SUPERDARK is an evening performance series over the coming weeks. Every few days, objects by one artist will be displayed on a pedestal in the vacant storefront of 200 Avenue A, the former location of Superdive. The relics displayed allude to such varied topics as the personal history of the artist, the contemporary mania for collecting celebrity memorabilia, and utopian visions of the future.

The performance series SUPERDARK complements the transformation of Superdive into a reliquary for contemporary artifacts, giving artists the opportunity to step into the spotlight and position themselves as modern-day idols, dictating and commenting on contemporary culture.

Our inaugural exhibition at 200 Avenue A will feature the works of Wonderpuss Octopus. We will hold a soft opening on Sunday, May 8th, with the official event Wednesday, May 11th.

Our hours will be Saturday & Sunday, 12 – 6 pm, and weeknights 7:30 – 10 pm. Stay tuned for details about Friday night performances.

Why Barbao was closed during the weekend

Here on St. Mark's ...

Friday!

Saturday!

Sunday!

A sign appeared on Saturday... apparently there was an "electricity problem."

NYPD adds a portable tower on 13th Street

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams notes the arrival of a portable NYPD watch tower on 13th Street between Avenue B and Avenue C in the Campos Plaza... Not sure just yet why this has been added...

More demolition-related scaffolding for 35 Cooper Square

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams pointed out some new scaffolding at the soon-to-be-be-demolished 35 Cooper Square...

Still no word yet on when demolition will take place. Shall we start a pool? In any event, at the very least, I hope the developer doesn't chop down the tree here too. Or maybe he doesn't think that's worth saving either.

East Village Farm & Grocery reopens today

As we noted Friday, East Village Farm reopens today after that awful fire back in January. The Farm management seems pretty excited about reopening. In fact, they invited EV Grieve reader Pedro inside to take photos...

Pedro declined, though he did snap a few from the sidewalk...

Meanwhile, they were open yesterday just to sell flowers in honor of Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz's birthday. And Mother's Day.

Sunday, May 8, 2011

May 7, 8; ICTTS convenes emergency session — MacDougal cites 'historic' weekend

An incredible 24 hours or so hereabouts... Last night, EV Grieve reader Riian sends the following from Second Avenue and East Third Street — featuring a noteworthy assist by a hand.

Meanwhile, apparently Christmastown was closing up on Broadway and Fourth Street today. First, this shot from EV Grieve reader BH, who took time for a victory lap of sorts. "Today, baby! That's right! BOOYA!! ICTTS don't like it they can kiss my ass!!"

Why I never!

Regardless, this pile was verified. @sandwichboarder sent this photo from the same location...

Upon learning of this load of Christmas trees, Gruber MacDougal, spokesperson for the International Coalition of Tree Tossing in the Spring (ICTTS), immediately left Aman-i-Khás, a lodge located outside Ranthambhore in the Indian state of Rajasthan where he was on holiday with his mother. He is expected to make a statement upon landing at JFK tomorrow night.

Help support Max Fish

As you may have heard by now, the NYPD shuttered Max Fish on Friday night, the latest in its LES nightlife clampdown. (The Lo-Down had the story first.)

The folks at Max Fish sent us an email:

Max Fish was shut down by the police Friday night. We're figuring out a plan of action, but for the time being, we've created an online petition here.

Per the petition:

Max Fish opened on Ludlow Street in 1989. We have nurtured and supported the Lower East Side arts community for over 20 years — a community that is increasingly threatened by a variety of outside sources including landlords, real-estate developers and the NYPD. Your signature shows support for the continued existence of a vibrant and positive establishment — one that embodies the creative spirit of the LES and elevates the quality of life for the community.

He’s grappled with teacher unions, gun sellers and public pensions, but as his third term heats up, it’s becoming clear what Mayor Bloomberg’s most visible legacy will be — remaking, or rather undoing, the city’s streets.

He’s squeezed out cars in favor of floral planters, OK’d “pop-up” cafes and bike lanes, but the pedaler-in-chief saved the crown jewel of changes for last — a public-rental program deploying 10,000 bicycles to 600 sidewalk kiosks. The initiative, which will be the third-largest in the world, behind Paris and Hangzhou, China, will be tested this summer, and rolled out in 2012. Critics say it’s community sentiment be damned.

“Do people have any say in this? They have to walk somewhere,” said Andrew Albert, transportation co-chair of the Upper West Side’s Community Board 7, about the large bike racks the city plans to install pretty much everywhere.