Tuesday, February 2, 2021
Mystery pianist playing some snow tunes on 3rd Street
EVG reader Max shared the photo and video clip below... and noted that the man returned this evening around 5. "He's taking some requests from neighbors out the window, and had some admirers stop to watch."
A post-blizzard look at curbside dining structures
This was the second major snow test for restaurants, forced to come up with alternate ways to serve patrons after the state shuttered indoor dining in March 2020.
The city banned curbside dining last night during the winter storm. (Plus, many restaurants aren't open on Mondays.) Most of the streeteateries looked to have weathered the blizzard.
Several of the less-sturdy-looking structures were damaged, such as outside Sushi Dojo on First Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street (h/t to our friends at the DeColores Community Yard!) ... this space was not in use right now, as the restaurant is just offering delivery and takeout...
Thai Hub's tent space, still in use at times, on Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street was also KO'd ...
And Ramen Setagaya on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue didn't have much of a space anymore... this is a photo of it from Saturday...
And now...
Indoor dining at 25 percent is set to return on Feb. 14. Back in September, Mayor de Blasio announced that the city’s outdoor dining program would be made permanent.
Updated 6 p.m.
The folks at the DeColores Community Yard also spotted damage to the curbside space at Ama Raw Bar on Avenue B near 12th Street...
Not an outdoor structure... but EVG reader Joe points out that the awning of the currently closed Nowhere came down on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...
Snowstorm photo recap
Goggla took the top shot in Tompkins Square Park... and here are others along Avenue A...
And here's a selection from Alan Good in Tompkins Square Park...
... and as you may know, Alan is the owner of HENGE Outdoor Ping Pong Tables, and responsible for donating the two in Tompkins Square Park...
They cleared the table yesterday, and plan to return today to move out the more recent snowfall. (They also leave free balls and paddles under the table.)
RIP Ricky Powell
From Pitchfork:
In his heyday in the in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s, Powell was a mainstay in the downtown Manhattan art and music scene. His portraits and candids of musicians like Eric B and Rakim, LL Cool J, Run-DMC, and Madonna, as well as downtown NYC denizens like Keith Haring, Andy Warhol, Jean-Michel Basquiat, Sofia Coppola, and Laurence Fishburne, have been shown in art galleries and published in several photo books.
In 1986, he quit his day job (selling lemon ices) to go on tour with the Beasties Boys as they opened for Run-DMC.
He would become a regular with the band, from cameos in videos and lyrics, such as in "Car Thief" on Paul's Boutique.
Powell later hosted the cable access show "Rappin’ With The Rickster," which chronicled the oddities of daily NYC life as well as up-and-coming actors, musicians and scenesters.
You can read more about his life and the outpouring of tributes to him at these sites:
• Complex
And here's a January 2020 interview with him on OG Talk at the Organic Grill on First Avenue...
Image via Wikipedia
Monday, February 1, 2021
Monday's parting shots
Noted
Happy No. 22 to Lavagna
Taking a break from posts about snow to wish Lavagna, the low-key Italian restaurant at 545 E. Fifth St., a happy 22nd anniversary.
In a time when far too many restaurants are closing, I'm happy to see that Lavagna has been able to continue to make it work during the pandemic.
Will quote this review from over at The Infatuation from a few years back:
The place has been in business since 1999, and it’s still busy every night. Chalk it up to an excellent and consistent menu of pastas and entrees that keep the regulars coming back, exceptional daily specials, and a really good wine list. It’s everything that you want a cozy Italian restaurant to be, and it’s not even all that expensive.
Lavagna, which is just west off of Avenue B, is open for some sidewalk and curbside seating and takeout and delivery from 5-10 p.m. daily. (Ordering from their website is simple.)
Congratulations to Yorgos and the entire Lavagna family.
Afternoon view
Mid-morning snow break (Still Snowing Edition)
Nor'easter news
The nor'easter that people have been taking/tweeting about is apparently upon us. Here's the latest from the National Weather Service (with a photo above from Seventh and A this morning around 7)...
...WINTER STORM WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT UNTIL 6 AM EST
TUESDAY...
* WHAT...Heavy snow. Snow may change to a light wintry mix
tonight. Additional snow accumulations of 14 to 18 inches and
ice accumulations of a light glaze. Winds gusting as high as 45
mph.
* WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey and southeast New
York.
* WHEN...Until 6 AM EST Tuesday.
* IMPACTS...Travel will be very difficult to impossible. The
hazardous conditions will impact the morning and evening
commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.
* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Blizzard like conditions possible this
morning into this evening.
ABC7 meteorologist Jeff Smith called this "a rare snowstorm — the likes of which we see every five to 10 years."
The city is restricting non-essential travel...
... and the CitiBike network is offline...TRAVEL UPDATE: Starting at 6 AM Monday morning, non-essential travel is restricted in New York City. We’re expecting heavy snowfall and high winds, so stay off the roads if you can. It will keep them clear for emergency vehicles. pic.twitter.com/MxmKb2j6zl
— City of New York (@nycgov) February 1, 2021
... and there's no line at Key Food this morning...🚨 Service Alert🚨We will temporarily close the Citi Bike system starting tomorrow morning at 7am. Bikes that are in use can be returned to any station with an available dock. Please plan accordingly and stay tuned for updates.
— Citi Bike (@CitiBikeNYC) February 1, 2021
Get your Sex, Love & Vintage this month at 3rd and B'zaar on 3rd Street
February kicks off with a new seasonal pop-up shop at the 3rd and B'zaar space at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.
Sex, Love & Vintage, featuring the work of 30 local vendors and artists, is on tap for this Valentine's Day season.
"At Sex, Love & Vintage, shoppers can expect everything from fancy jock straps to beautiful floral bouquets to art," said 3rd and B'zaar co-founder Maegan Hayward, who also owns East Village Vintage Collective on 12th Street. "There will be gifts for your Valentine, Galentine or for yourself because February should be all about celebrating you."
This mixed vendor market and event space debuted this past November with a holiday market with more than 30 artists and merchants.
For now, Hayward and company have the space through April, though they would like to extend the lease to host a spring market in May. They also hope to host more art shows, such as the one the weekend of Jan. 22.
"The plan for the 3rd & B’zaar, in general, is to have more art shows and events in between markets," she said. "And the hope is that we can keep the space and keep with that method of markets every few months that are specialized and small events in-between. But even if we don't stay in that space we hope to be able to travel and do the same thing in other spaces as a pop up."
Sex, Love & Vintage will be open all this week from 1-6 p.m. For the rest of the month, their hours are Wednesday-Sunday 1-6 p.m. You can follow the 3rd and B'zaar Instagram account or Facebook page for details on vendors and updated hours.
With Gino Sorbillo bowing out, there's another pizzeria slated for 334 Bowery
It didn't seem likely that the first U.S. pizzeria from "the Neapolitan celebrity super-chef" Gino Sorbillo was going to reopen amid the pandemic. At the time, there wasn't any message about a closure on the pizzeria's social media... and their website was offline ... and the phone went to a random voice mailbox.
Turns out applicants, named as William Fung and Steve Fung, appeared before Community Board 2 last fall for a new liquor license for the space and sidewalk cafe.
There's now an SLA notice on the front window...
The application, found here, notes that this will be a "artisanal neighborhood pizzeria" with hours of noon to midnight.
This hyped Gino Sorbillo outpost arrived here in November 2017.
The address was previously a carousel of pizza-tapas concepts between November 2014 and June 2015 ... this is when the address was divided into two spaces, where we had Forcella, Espoleta, Gia Trattoria, Slice of Naples, SRO and Bowery Pizza over the six-month period.
Sunday, January 31, 2021
6 posts from January
• Big Gay Ice Cream founders say goodbye to their very first shop (Jan. 22)
• Residents say dangerous safety conditions at Mariana Bracetti Plaza lead to illegal and hazardous activities (Jan. 14)
• NYPD looking for suspects in brutal daytime mugging on 3rd Street at 1st Avenue (Jan. 14)
• A 21-story office building planned for the former B Bar & Grill on the Bowery (Jan. 8)
• Hope for Little Poland in 2021? (Jan. 5)
• A new era for Via Della Pace on 4th Street (Jan. 4)
Storm prep
EVG reader Doug shared the top photo from Third Avenue, where the line went around block for the Trader Joe's at Union Square.
There were also reports of lines at Key Food on Avenue A ... Gothamist posted this shot...
Week in Grieview
Posts from this past week included ... (with an uptown view this morning from First Avenue and St. Mark's Place) ...
• Longtime resident revisits the neighborhood for 'A Walk Around the Block' (Monday)
• The East Village establishments taking part in NYC Restaurant Week To Go (Tuesday)
• Gov. Cuomo to allow indoor dining — at 25% — again starting on Valentine's Day (Friday)
• Have you seen the new Vision for Union Square? (Wednesday)
• Batteries not included: Food and drinks options on this block of 7th Street (Monday)
• A visit to Good Time Pilates (Thursday)
• This week's Gallery Watch goes to Ki Smith Gallery (Friday)
• Mask envy in this week's NY See panel (Thursday)
• ICYMI: Enz's is back in the East Village (Thursday)
• Phony Express debuts a birthday tribute to Ray at Ray's Candy Store (Friday)
• Resident talks up privatization at Village View (Tuesday)
• Tamam is now open on 14th Street (Monday)
• Tokio7 returns (online) (Thursday)
• 99 Favor Taste looks to have closed (again) on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)
• The 25th anniversary of 'Rent' (Wednesday)
• A message for Short Stories (Monday)
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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.
NYC Restaurant Week To Go is now a full month through February
NYC Restaurant Week To Go, set to end today, has been extended now through Feb. 28.
As you may know, this is the deal, via NYCgo:
What: A takeout- and delivery-only version of NYC Restaurant Week, offering lunch or dinner for a set price of $20.21. The offer includes a prix-fixe entrée and at least one side. Plus, if you purchase your meal with your registered Mastercard®, you’ll get $10 back.
As Eater reported, NYC & Company, the city's tourism office and host of Restaurant Week, "has re-opened signups for new restaurants that would like to participate in the program for the weeks of February 8, 15, and 22."
Restaurants have until 5 p.m. on Tuesday to register to take part. Given the pandemic, they've waived the participation fees.
MF BERN
Report: The first major snowstorm of Feb. 1, 2021, on its way
...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT FROM 7 PM THIS EVENING TO 6 AM EST TUESDAY...* WHAT...Heavy snow expected. Total snow accumulations of 14 to 18 inches. Winds gusting as high as 45 mph.* WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey and southeast New York.* WHEN...From 7 PM this evening to 6 AM EST Tuesday.* IMPACTS...Travel could be very difficult to impossible. The hazardous conditions could impact the morning and evening commute. Gusty winds could bring down tree branches.* ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Blizzard like conditions possible Monday and Monday evening.
WHICH MEANS... we'll likely post dozens of snow photos (and provide other pertinent information) during the next 48 hours.
Dipping into the archives here ... the photos in this post are from the blizzard of Dec. 27, 2010, when the run-up to the storm was so severe, the only thing left at the Blockbuster on East Houston was "Army Wives: Complete Fourth Season."
... on Avenue A...
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