Coming to the former Tonda space: Piccola Positano

The new sign is up at the former Tonda/E.U. space on East Fourth Street near Avenue B...

They already have a profile on Open Table. Luigi Celentano is listed as the executive chef...

Celentano is the executive chef at Gigino Trattoria, which opened in Tribeca in 1994. Bob Giraldi and Phil Suarez own Gigino Trattoria.

Giraldi was also behind Tonda and, before that here, E.U., the first "gastropub" in the East Village. And that was drama city. E.U. battled the SLA for 18 months before finally getting approved for a beer and wine license. (Read more E.U. drama here at Eater.)

Anyway, this is all much different than what reps taking over the space pitched to the CB3/SLA back in April. (Read more on this here.)

Here are the minutes from that meeting, with the information about what was coming in here:

• 4AB LLC, 235 E 4th St (trans/op) (Tonda) VOTE: Understanding that 4AB LLC, with the proposed business name of Fleurie, has entered into a memorandum of understanding with the East 4th Street Avenues A to B Block Association, regarding its use of 235 East 4th Street, to deny the transfer of a full on‐premise liquor license to 4AB LLC, with a proposed business name of Fleurie, for the existing business Tonda, located at 235 East 4th Street, unless the applicant agrees before the SLA to make as conditions of its license the following signed notarized stipulation that 1) it will operate as a full‐service restaurant, serving food to within one (1) hour of closing, 2) its hours of operation will be from 8:00 A.M. to 12:00 A.M. weekdays and 11:00 A.M. to 1:00 A.M. weekends, with the exception that a street facing window will be open from 8:00 A.M. daily from which coffee and pastries will be served for take out, 3) it will install additional soundproofing as needed, 4) it will close any doors and windows by 10:00 P.M. weekdays and 11:00 P.M. weekends, 5) it will not have DJs or live music, 6) it will designate an employee or employees whose responsibilities will include monitoring the sidewalk to discourage patrons from loitering on the sidewalk and will provide a waiting area within the establishment to prevent patrons from waiting outside.

Not sure what all happened to these plans. At least from the Open Table description, we'll have Italian here... and it enters an already-crowded Italian restaurant market right here with Perbacco across the street ... Max around the corner on B ... Il Bagatto and Supper on Second Street ... to name a few...

EV Grieve reader Alexis Weiss took a look inside the other day... here's how it was shaping up so far...

The Mars Bar awaits its turn

Saturday at 11-17 Second Ave.

Someone to watch over me

Meanwhile, Goggla passes along this photo from the sidewalk shed outside the Mars Bar...

"There is a frog? Pig? Gargoyle thing perching atop the construction ... I like to think it's warding away evil spirits..."

Yes!

A new top for the Tompkins Square Park ping-pong table

On Friday, a truck pulled into Tompkins Square Park...

... to deliver a new top for the Park's ping-pong table...

I don't believe anything was wrong with the last one... the thing is seemingly indestructible ...

Anyway, it is ready for another year of ping-pong ... as well as cellphone use...

...pizza eating...

[Bobby Williams]

...and equipment storage...

[BW]

BONUS:

18 seconds of Susan Sarandon playing ping-pong here last month...



Previously.

First look at PermaBase, opening soon on Third Avenue

Ha. Just kidding about the PermaBase. Old construction joke.

It's actually going to be a Japanese restaurant called Kotobuki here on Third Avenue near 10th Street... and we're sure their food won't taste like cement board...

Strangely enough, during my last reading here, I envisioned this happening

The "for rent" sign went up Friday on East Third Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Breaking: First frozen leaky hydrant of the season

11th Street and Third Avenue ... via Matt LES_Miserable ...

'CHARAS Comes Home For The Holidays' ends with arrests

Today, members of the community as well as Occupy Wall Street came together to mark the 10th anniversary of the eviction of CHARAS (aka El Bohio Community Center) on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. (A flyer for the event is here.)

People met at noon... and, led by the Hungry March Band, paraded through Tompkins Square Park for a "holiday party and community potluck" — dubbed "Charas Comes Home For The Holidays" — on Ninth Street. Reverend Billy and the Church of Stop Shopping "Earthalujah" choir were among the performers.

Bobby Williams was along for first leg of the parade...

According to The Observer, the NYPD arrested several people on Ninth Street ... As The Observer's Henry Krempels wrote:

As the banging progressively grew louder the New York Police Department became aware of the disruption, dispatching five cars which pulled up only minutes after the drumming began. From then on, they attempted to get the situation under control, resulting in at least three arrests and numerous confrontations. Police at the scene declined to comment on what those arrested were charged with, and as The Observer was leaving one of the arrestees was let out of the car, but remained in handcuffs.

The crowd, who were ushered to the other side of the street, stood on the sidewalk chanting “Viva Charas!” and “Tear it Down!” while officers cleaned up the mess.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will old PS 64 get a theater for nonprofit groups?

Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

'Public Assembly' for the former P.S. 64 on Friday

Celebrating the arrival of Jesus one week early in the East Village

Tim Tebow humor spotted at Standings on Seventh Street. Posted by Here Comes the Pun.

H/t Neighborhoodr.

Week in Grieview

RIP Anthony Amato (Thursday)

The Sunburnt Cow reopens after drug bust (Friday)

More details on the Schwimmer Estate (Tuesday)

Ben Shaoul gets The Landmarks Preservation Commission moving (Thursday)

Astor Place cube pranked (Wednesday)

Tompkins Square Bagels (soft) opens (Friday)

The 6th Street Kitchen space is for rent (Wednesday)

The Bean opens its Second Avenue location (Monday)

EV Grieve reader David Cross is moving to Brooklyn (Wednesday)

First sign of Michael White's new pizza place on Second Avenue (Thursday)

Hospital Productions closes shop (Tuesday)

99-cent pizza coming to Avenue C (Thursday)

Tonight at Unsilent Night

Ending the parade in Tompkins Square Park... by Bobby Williams...

The holiday line for pastrami

Outside Katz's this afternoon. By Dave on 7th.

Against all 'Oddities'

The third-season premiere of "Oddities" is on the Science Channel tonight at 9. In the Post today, TV critic Linda Stasi gives the show three out of four stars. Excerpt:

The series takes place in New York’s East Village shop, Obsurca Antiques & Oddities, at 280 East 10th Street, one of the few true peculiar shops left in this city, where strange and disgusting have been smothered by expensive and chic.

BoweryBoogie notes that the "Best of Oddities" premieres on New Year's Eve.

Unsilent Night tonight — and now with an app

[Unsilent Night last year by Bobby Williams]

Time for the annual Unsilent Night, the boombox caroling walk... Composer Phil Kline's holiday tradition got its start in 1992... meeting place is 7 at the Arch at Washington Square Park... and the group makes its way over to Tompkins Square Park.

The official website is here. The Times has a piece on the new Unsilent Night app here. Still, long live the boombox.

Tomorrow in Tompkins Square Park: CHARAS/El Bohio Community Center celebration

Stars at noon... with a march over to the former CHARAS/PS 64 space on Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C...

You can read more about this here in The Villager this week.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will old PS 64 get a theater for nonprofit groups?

Rebranded P.S. 64 up for grabs: Please welcome University House at Tompkins Square Park to the neighborhood

'Public Assembly' for the former P.S. 64 on Friday

More about that potbellied pig walking around Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Bobby Williams, who was told this was all some part of some music video. Previously.

The Sunburnt Cow will be open this weekend

A statement form the Sunburnt Cow folks after Thursday night's drug bust....

The Sunburnt Cow will open this weekend and honor all reservations and specials as usual, including the Endless Brunch. After Sunday, December 18th, we will close and remain so until the police complete their investigation. We plan to reopen in time for our annual New Year’s celebration.

We are working with the authorities to bring about a swift and just resolution to this issue and want to reiterate that we had no prior knowledge of illegal drug activity on our premises. We do not and will not condone, endorse or tolerate such behavior at any of our establishments. During this temporary closure, we invite all of our loyal patrons to visit The Sunburnt Calf, Bondi Road and The Sunburnt Calf Brooklyn to experience the quality and service that has made The Sunburnt Cow a local favorite for the past 10 years.

Heathe St. Clair
Moo Life Group

Life on Mars

The Cramps with "Weekend on Mars" circa 1978.

[Updated] FDNY blocks off part of First Avenue

[Photo via @MaryJSums]

Per a reader: "Lots of fire dept action on First Ave between First and Second Streets for the last half hour. Lots of firemen going in and out of [Lil' Frankie's] and the block closed off."

Bobby Williams was on the scene and took these photos... Lil Frankie's passes along word that they are open tonight... the FDNY extinguished a small blaze this afternoon, according to several EVG readers on the scene ... (DNAinfo has a report here.)

Just another photo of someone walking their potbellied pig around Tompkins Square Park

Via Dave on 7th this afternoon... not sure what this was all about just yet... a photo crew was along for Buddy's walk...

Sunburnt Cow releases statement about last night's NYPD bust

Here's the statement sent to us by the Sunburnt Cow's rep:

On Thursday, December 15th, The Sunburnt Cow was closed due to suspected illegal drug activity taking place on the premises. This activity comes as a shock to the entire Moo Life Group family and is not something that we endorse, condone or had prior knowledge of. We are currently working with the New York City Police Department to ensure that justice is served so we can get back to serving the public very soon. The health and safety of our patrons is a priority to us and we will do everything we can in order to make sure that our establishments support that mission.

Heathe St. Clair
The Moo Life Group

Previously on EV Grieve:
NYPD shuts down the Sunburnt Cow

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

[Hanging out in front of the 7-Eleven on the Bowery the other afternoon, by Bobby Williams]

A Catholic Womanpriest leads mass on East Fourth Street (WNYC)

Overheard at Key Food (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Meet the owners of Ciao For Now (The Villager)

An interview with Arleen Schloss (The Lo-Down)

A retrospective of Chico's work at Houston and Avenue B (BoweryBoogie)

About "murderers’ alley" (Ephemeral New York)

Holiday scenes (The Gog Log)