EV Grieve

Monday, June 13, 2011

What's next for 34 Avenue A?

34 Avenue is on the June CB3/SLA docket, though not much is known about who's behind taking over the former Mo Pitkin's/Aces & Eight space. The calendar simply lists "To Be Determined" under 34 Avenue A.

However, a flyer is now on the front window at 34 Avenue A, showing that the same folks are behind the new venture — Phil Hartman and Justin Todd Patrick (aka Todd P.).

In March, the CB3/SLA committee rejected their application for a music venue-bar-eatery at 34 Avenue A.

Meanwhile, the new flyer (above) simply lists "restaurant and bar" for the space, different from the last notice we spotted in March, which included "performance venue" in the description."

We reached out the Hartman for comment over the weekend, though haven't heard back just yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Phil Hartman bringing a 'performance venue' back to former Mo Pitkin's space

[Updated] Bringing 'the tradition of the old Knitting Factory and Tonic' to 34 Avenue A

Because you want to know more about the plans for 34 Avenue A

There are now two carts for Taco Morelos on Avenue A

To be honest, I meant to note this much sooner... several readers have mentioned this in the last week... Anyway! Aside from Second Street at Avenue A...

...there's another Tacos Morelos cart on Avenue A at Sixth Street...

Here's a recentish review of the Second Street cart at Serious Eats.

DOH shutters Cafe Amore's Pizza on Union Square

On 14th Street near Fourth Avenue. During their last inspection on Wednesday, they scored 46 violation points, with the most serious being — "Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas."

The mystery of the giant rubbers on East Third Street

Our friend Goggla sent us this shot the other day... from Third Street at the Bowery... Some sort of giant condom display? An Anthony Weiner political statement?

And by Sunday, just one rubber remained...

Sunday, June 12, 2011

Today in Tompkins Square Park

Perhaps it's better if we don't know what's happening... all photos by Bobby Williams.

And now, Joshua Jackson (probably!) on a payphone on Avenue A

As the flyer shows, crews for a film called "Lay the Favorite" are currently shooting some scenes on Avenue A and East Fifth and East Sixth Streets...

The movie features Bruce Willis, Vince Vaughn, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Joshua Jackson.

EV Grieve reader Faces caught a scene earlier on Avenue A... possibly Joshua Jackson on the payphone...

We walked by this morning and snapped a quick, random photo at Fifth Street of the trucks. And we didn't notice that someone was, uh, asleep on the sidewalk ... An extra? Vince Vaughn?

And no reported sightings of Bruce Willis... who would be making his triumphant return to the East Village after filming "Die Hard III: Dying Harder than the Last Time We Died Hard" in 1994 (for its 1995 release) ...

And the hits keep on coming! IHOP opening on East 14th Street

Between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

And now, let's play It Could Be Worse.

Two years ago, we pointed out the "for lease" signs here at 235 E. 14th St. Renowned nightlife broker "Mr. Nightclub" had the listings, spurring fears of a gargantuan nightclub here.

Thanks to @THIEVERYCORP72 for the tip.

The way we live now: Starbucks, Chase or Duane Reade?

Dave on 7th spotted this on Second Avenue at 10th Street... at the former Cafe Centosette.

The Mars Bar will be torn down in August

That's the word in an article posted today at Crain's New York, which provides all sorts of details on what will be happening to the two buildings at 9 and 11 Second Avenue.

Here are some excerpts from the article by Jeremy Smerd:

Ten dollars buys two cold Budweisers at the Mars Bar. For those who live above the graffiti-scarred East Village dive, it's the price of a new, luxury apartment.

An octogenarian playwright, a drag queen and a kvetcher provoked nightly by the bar's cacophony are among the nine tenants in two adjoining buildings at the corner of Second Avenue and East First Street who will receive this sweet deal.

At the end of the month, they will vacate their 1920s building, which will be demolished in August. When they return in about two years, each will pay $10 (tax free) to buy an apartment in a 12-story luxury high-rise.

John Vaccaro, 81, is the only resident here who was willing to be interviewed. He has lived in the East Village since the late 1950s; in the space above the Mars Bar since 1977.

"Look at this stuff all around us, all these high-rises. Everywhere you look. Behind us. West of us, It bothers me that New York has changed so much. It's not the New York I came to."

And one more passage:

Neighborhood blogs have covered the story with the requisite antipathy for yuppie scum. Locals have mostly lamented that the Mars Bar will come down with the building, but the protests of earlier years have given way to resignation. At a February City Planning Commission hearing, no one spoke in opposition.

"The bar's closing. Oh, well," said a Mars Bar bartender named Amy. "You move on. I dislike this neighborhood now."

Mr. Vaccaro, like his building, is old and frail. "I'd rather be young and directing shows," he said while sifting through memorabilia he is giving away. He pays $294 a month but has spent thousands renovating his space.

His kitchen, though, sits on a platform because the floor is unstable. Illuminated by track lighting, it could be the set of one of his plays, with Mr. Vaccaro playing the character who doesn't recognize the neighborhood he calls home.

And when will the Mars Bar close? The article doesn't say, but one date has been repeated in the gossip: June 30.

Read the whole article here.

June 11

Jeremiah Moss spotted this one yesterday on Sixth Street near Second Avenue. Per Jeremiah: "I thought the string of lights and the broken ornaments gave it an extra poignancy. Not to mention the teen tweeter."

Indeed!

There was no immediate comment from Gruber MacDougal, spokesperson for the International Coalition of Tree Tossing in the Spring (ICTTS). Horse racing fans spotted him yesterday tearing up tickets for triple boxes of Master of Hounds, Prime Cut and Isn't He Perfect at the Belmont Stakes.

Noted

From the Post today:

Forget flowers, chocolate or Twitter: Mike Tyson's facial tattoo is a hot new way to woo someone.

Swinging singles are going out and having their faces painted with a temporary, Tyson-inspired "Hangover" movie tattoo -- in a gaudy effort to look like knockouts to the opposite sex.

The booze-fueled microtrend was on full display Friday night at Coyote Ugly in the East Village, where Putman Davis, 23, was having his face "champ"-stamped.

"It definitely gives you attention," he said. "Definitely a way to get people's eyes."

Saturday, June 11, 2011

Activists in Tompkins Square Park call for the closure of Indian Point

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams was in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon during a protest about Indian Point...

There were more protests today in Union Square.

Today at the New York City Marble Cemetery

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Tomorrow's punk show in Tompkins Square Park has been moved to July 9

Given the 70 percent chance of rain ... Chris Flash at The Shadow sent along word that the show has been rescheduled for ~~July~~ 8. July 9. [Updated: My fault — I posted the wrong date.]

Reminders: Free punk show in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow

[Photo by Shawn Chittle]

Performers will include:
> Chink Floyd
> David Peel
> El Muchacho
> Zero Content
> The Drunkard's Wife
> Jennifer Blowdryer

At the NYC Festival of Young Artists & Leaders

On East Fourth Street right now... More info here.

Photo via Dave on 7th.

Avenue A, 1:30 a.m., June 11

Thanks to Steven Hirsch for passing along this photo taken outside Ray's on Avenue A... one way to combat the heavy rain ...

See more of Steven's photos here.

NYC Icy opens in new Avenue A location

Last summer, NYC Icy operated out of a space on Avenue A just south of Seventh Street... they're back this summer, this time at 171 Avenue A, currently using the storefront of Keith Masco's coming-soon 24/7 diner... We'll have more on this later...

Today in photos of people who ran 2.25 miles and ate 3 slices of pizza

Our friend Melanie Neichin at East Village Corner sent along a few shots from earlier today ... from the second annual NYC Pizza Run at Tompkins Square Park...