New prices for the world famous Pee Phone wiped away

Melanie first took the shot of the new prices on the world famous Pee Phone ... And I was not pleased to see the Verizon truck pull up the other day for some spring cleaning...




And soon, the world famous Pee Phone prices were wiped clean ...



(And see more of Melanie's photos here.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Polishing up the Pee Phone

The Village Inn hostel on Seventh Street closed by city

In recent weeks the city shuttered The Village Inn, the hostel that has been operating at 27 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.




The Village Inn is one of four in the city operated by the NYC Hostel Connection. (The Chelsea International Hostel, the Manhattan Inn and the Wanderers Inn are the other three.) Responding to a message on Facebook, a hostel rep said, "The status of the Village Inn is still pending."

The city has said that there are illegal hotel rooms in the residential building.

There's also a fairly lengthy discussion by an NYC Hostel Connection rep on Facebook regarding why the hostel was shut down:

[T]he big Hotel chains (e.g. Holiday Inn, Marriott, W, ad infinitum) have strong unions who's leaders have friends in high places in New York's political landscape ... When you're charging minimums like $300.00 per night and you start realizing your numbers are down because there are better options (i.e. Hostels) who do you complain to and/or attack. Answer: (Fill in this blank with your favorite Hostel). Despite the fact that this task force no longer reports to the Department of Buildings New York, they have taken to renegade tactics like unrelenting harassment in order to please their superiors (i.e. politicians, hotel union leaders – who, you got it, PAY THEM UNDER THE TABLE). ... So as our legal fees mount and we are forced to pay our Mortgages out of our own pockets...

A "new generation" for Avenue A Sushi

At least that's what the sign says. And I'm curious to see the gallery...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Avenue A Sushi is confusing us

Another pet supply store coming to Avenue B

B Chiropractic at 23 Avenue B closed up last month without much notice... No word on where Dr. Mike relocated...



Now, this space near Second Street is getting a new tenant... a pet supply store...



Meanwhile, another pet supply store remains for sale up the block...

Anna's song

This video has been making the rounds... a fan of the Brooklyn duo Tanlines used their song for a little love letter of sorts that he made for someone named Anna... (I believe Stereogum was first to post the video... I found the link via the Voice.) Anyway, the band liked it so much, they made it their official video... The whole this was filmed in the neighborhood, as you'll see...



It's a little twee for my tastes... I kept waiting for Michael Cera to show up or something...

Anyway, the video answers why I saw these messages scrawled around various places...

Dumbo drop: The Elephant shuttered again

The problems continue for Thai eatery the Elephant on East First Street. Per a tipster: They have a court order on their window today: “NYC vs. Thai Me Up, Inc.” closing them down. And the Elephant has had run ins with the law in previous years... like last July ... and May 2008... Word on the street is they allegedly served an underage auxiliary police officer. If the Elephant remains closed for any period of time, then perhaps the Lower Eastside Girls Club will be able to hold their annual free prom gown giveaway without having anyone call the cops...

[Update: The Elephant was back open this evening...the legal papers were still up on the side...]

[Image via]

325 E. 10th St. facing year-long gut renovation

An EV Grieve reader and fourth-generation resident of East 10th Street told me that 325 E. 10th St. (a few doors west of the Tompkins Square Library branch) is now undergoing a year-long gut renovation...(and there's another building behind here that's only accessible through 325...)





And bicyclists here should be warned about the dumpster in the street...



The reader passed along the photo below...




Somehow, according to the sign, the year-long renovation here will make all of our lives better...

By the way, apartments in this building were on the market as summer rentals last year.

Where's the B&H canopy?

Something is missing over at East Village institute B&H...



...namely the canopy... perhaps it's just in the shop for some minor repairs, and not an overhaul...




[Top photo via the Voice]

The Trader Joe's love connection

From Craigslist:

To every man who works at Trader Joes on 14th - w4m (Union Square) - m4w (East Village)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We love you, too.

And to clear something up: Not everyone likes to talk much. Odds are that the employee liked you but felt uncomfortable asking for your number at work. When in doubt, make the offer yourself.

The guys I work with are a pretty great group, most with college degrees, some with grad degrees. They're artists and musicians and writers and actors and comedians and models and rappers and photographers and filmmakers. Smart, guys creative guys doing manual labor, and sometimes, you have to ask them yourself.

You should give a name. TJ's Missed Connections often end well.

Maybe there is something about a man in a Hawaiian shirt uniform. And remember: When in doubt, make the offer yourself. I actually know someone who was arrested for making the offer...

I'll Always Love You Just The Same

This was the scene in front on the Charlie Parker Residence on Avenue B three weeks back...



...and now it looks as if the exterior work is nearly complete.



And as the house looked before...



Per the Charlie Parker Residence Web site: "Built in l849, this Gothic Revival-style rowhouse was home to the alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (Bird) from l950-l954. With Chan Richardson and their three children, Parker occupied the ground floor apartment at the height of his career... The Charlie Parker Residence was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in l994 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. In l999 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Charlie Parker Residence a New York City Landmark, finding the house at l5l Avenue B has special character, historical and aesthetic interest and value as part of the development, and heritage and cultural characteristics of New York City, New York State, and the nation."

[Bottom photo via WallyG at Flickr]

Exclusive: The new HSBC branch will have two ATMs!

What a scoop! On Second Avenue and Ninth Street.




And only two ATMs? Lordy! HSBC will likely need to open another branch a block or two away to pick up the overflow...

Noted

13th Street.

The Domino Sugar Refinery gets a SMART addition

Last week we posted some photos courtesy of Luna Park on the epic bombing at the Domino Sugar Refinery...



There has been more activity north of the Williamsburg Bridge of late.... The following photo was sent to me by the The Graffiti Friend of EV Grieve (GFOEVG)...



The GFOEVG sent us to the above photo taken by Sabeth718.... The shot (and many many more amazing graffiti photos) can be found on Sabeth718's Flickr page. Access that here. (and thanks to Sabeth718 for permission to post.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Bombing the Domino Sugar Refinery

Zerza owner discusses his intentions for new Avenue B space

Yesterday, we posted an item about Zerza moving from East Sixth Street to the former Carne Vale space on Avenue B ... the owner left a comment on the post last night, and it sounds as if he is a good neighbor...

My name is Radouane and I came to the United States in 1994 as part of the Walt Disney World college program. I enjoyed working at the Moroccan Pavilion at Disney’s Epcot Center in Orlando and sharing my culture with visitors was very much an enjoyable experience so the idea of opening a restaurant to became one of my goals.

In 1997 I was hired by the Plaza Hotel on 59th street and 5th Ave. I was the guest relations manager there, handling the Hotel’s VIP guests and its distinguished visitors. All along I never let go of the idea to open a restaurant so I started taking classes in entrepreneurial management, I secured a loan and I quit my job in 2003 to take the plunge!

In order to make the restaurant experience complete and more authentic, my mother, a talented chef, accepted my invitation and came from Morocco to be part of Zerza and till this day she has been the real magic behind it!
I am proud to say that for the past 7 years we have been operating Zerza, we never had a complaint from any neighbor. We strive to operate the restaurant in the highest standards of hospitality.

Fresh, authentic Moroccan home cooking has always been our first and foremost focus. Yes we did have belly dancing in the past (on Friday and Saturday for 15 minutes) but since I was never a fan of that I decided to stop it a very long time ago. After all belly dancing is not really part of the Moroccan culture! I don’t believe there is any mention of the belly dancing on our web site: www.zerza.com.

We are absolutely not about hookahs and we stopped serving it a long time ago, we had a few exceptions every once in a while for a few guests who requested it after their dinner just so they can try it. Hookahs are definitely not our draw. Many times we get customers who walk in asking if we serve hookahs but we just direct them to a hookah bar in the area.

Now you might ask why Ave B and here is the answer: Our current location is tiny, narrow and high rent! The location we are after on Ave B offers more space at a very reasonable rent! It is not going to be as big as you might previously know it: The landlord has taken half of the space and is turning it to an apartment, so it is going to be smaller but still better for us than the current space that we occupy.

I hope this gave you an idea of Zerza and its story. I hope we get a chance to show you that we will be a positive addition to your neighborhood.

Zerza is on Facebook! Please take a look at some of the guest’s interactions to get a better idea about. Also you are welcome to come and see us now at 308 East 6th street and judge for yourself.

Hey Gorilla Coffee staff -- a new East Village coffee shop wants to hire you

Well, it seems as if the news on this got going Friday with a tweet from 13th Street's Everyman Espresso (@EverymanNY) and then reported on by the good people at Fucked in Park Slope and Sprudge ... on Friday, just about the entire staff at Park Slope fave Gorilla Coffee resigned... (You can read more about it in Diner's Journal)

Anyway, late yesterday afternoon, our friends at East Village Feed picked up the following Craigslist posting:



Seeking former Gorilla Coffee employees (East Village)

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Seeking former Gorilla Coffee baristas/roasters/coffee-house employees we are looking for you!

A brand new establishment in the heart of the East Village promising to pay top dollar to former employees of Gorilla Coffee (in Park Slope).

We would love to offer you a new opportunity at a new coffee house which promises fair management.

Please respond with a resume as well as the time period that you were employed at Gorilla.

Well, we're not aware of any new coffee shops opening anytime soon in the "heart of the East Village..." though there are several places under wraps that we have our eyes on... So, point being, this could be a fake, of course...

Oops. We totally forgot about the Film Academy Cafe opening in the former Astor Place Starbucks East location... Per a reader, those help wanted signs are now up there...

Cooper Union picture perfect to help sell 18 wheelers

On Sunday morning, we came across this tractor-trailer rig-a-ma-jig parked in the middle of Cooper Square at Seventh Street. A police car sat behind it. We were thinking it was some kind of bust. (Though if this was the case, there would have been about 500 police cars, helicopters...)



Then we spotted three-four men with cameras up on the west side of Cooper Square... A police office was standing with them as the group took photos of the parked truck....The newish Cooper Square was serving as a backdrop for the truck....




We asked the officer on duty if this was a photo shoot for a truck ad. He said something rather sarcastic like "yeah, how did you ever guess?"

After more photos (trucks are so hard to work with! The demands!) The truck and the police car moved on...



First a Cadillac TV spot and now an 18-wheeler print ad ... And who says the Coop isn't a model building?

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Coop and the Caddy

Xunta space to become Nine

Xunta, the former Spanish tapas joint at 174 First Avenue near 11th Street, closed last October... Work on the space continues... and EV Grieve reader Eric learned that the new tenant will be a ... Spanish Tapas place called Nine. And the new owners are on the docket at next Monday's CB3/SLA meeting...(And the Girls That Spit graffiti on the gate has already been removed...)

Stop Work orders issued at former hookah hotspot

We pointed out last week that illegal work was being done at the former Layaly space at 98 Avenue B.... On Saturday, we spotted the work continuing...



... and on Sunday, the city placed a "stop work order" on the property....

THE 2X 3 WOODEN MADE SCAFFOLDING IS UNSAFE IT IS SHAKY AND IN DANGER OF COLLAPSING. IT IS SHIFTING ERECTED 30FT HIGH WITH NO PEDESTRIAN PROTECTION. NO PERMITS POSSIBLE- CLR- CIVIL SERVANT CARPENTER

Previously on EV Grieve:
A rebirth of hookah hotspot Layaly?

Mikey's Pet Shop for rent

Last fall, we covered the saga of Mikey's Pet Shop on Seventh Street near Avenue A... the shop eventually closed...



At the time, some readers and Mikey's patrons passed along several tidbits....one reader said that she was told a nail salon is already in place to take over the store... and that Mikey's had to close because the landlord was reportedly raising the rent to $20,000 a month.

A "for rent" sign is now out front....



According to the listing:

Approx 600 SF

$4,500/month

Available Immediately

Available for any use as per Zoning

So no nail salon — yet. It will cost a bundle to turn this place into any kind of eatery...but that's my guess now...something to complement Butter Lane, Porchetta and The Bourgeois Pig on this stretch of Seventh Street between First Avenue and Avenue A....

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mikey's Pet Shop closing at the end of the month

Action at the former Cookout Gill, where vandals beheaded their mascot

Next door to the new Tallgrass Burger ... something is going into the former Cookout Grill... We haven't heard what just yet. But from the looks of things, there's a way to go...



Hope they hurry, though: We just can't take the sight of beheaded restaurant mascots much longer... of course, this was the worst restaurant mascot in restaurant mascot history...





Previously on EV Grieve:
Another cartoon beheading in the East Village