EV Grieve

Monday, February 27, 2012

Union Market progress report

[This past weekend]

On Feb. 4, 2011, we first reported that the Brooklyn-based Union Market was opening an outpost on Avenue A and Houston... The official news release and signage pointed to a fall 2011 opening...

[Feb. 5, 2011]

Several nearby residents said that they haven't seen much construction action at the space in recent months... Here's how it looked inside last month...

We didn't hear back from anyone at Union Market about a possible opening date ... However, we did spot this tweet from Feb. 16:

@unionmarket
@yusophie Looks like a mid-April opening now. Construction challenges still taking time their time to resolve. We can't wait!

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Looking at the Key Food renovations

Speaking of markets and groceries... A lot of people have been pointing out the ongoing renovations at Key Food on Avenue A and East Fourth Street... figured it was time to document some of the changes... First, with the entrance, which is just to the right of the old one... it's a more straightforward entry...

...the old entrance is semi-blocked off for the moment... (What will happen to the community bulletin board?)

...aside from the front entrance, the most visible work has been done near the beer selection...

...where workers are expanding the space...

...which still smells like dead vampires.

Thanks to Goggla for getting the scoop from a cashier recently... From the comments the other day:

"... she said the entrance wasn't very accessible to wheelchairs. With the growing elderly population across the street, they may be trying to make it easier for people with walkers to get in. The checker said the old entrance also made it to easy to steal stuff. A few years ago, as a junkie convulsed and went down in an aisle (taking out an entire shelf of cleaning supplies), the paramedics struggled to get a gurney through the checkstand. That could also be an explanation."

Key also moved the self-serve checkouts away from the doorway. Funny how people react when you start taking photos of cash registers and stuff. So, no photos of these for the moment...

A little love for Odessa

Odessa on Avenue A got a little love in the Post yesterday ... in the weekly "My New York" feature. Actor Paul Dano (best known for "There Will Be Blood" and "Little Miss Sunshine") singled out Odessa as well as Blue & Gold and Big Bar as some of his favorite places...

And we'll do the same... we're fans of the Odessa, particularly drinks at the old Cafe... seen here in two photos by Michael Sean Edwards...

Curly's Vegetarian Lunch is now 14 Carrot Vegetarian

Over on East 14th Street, Curly's Vegetarian Lunch is now 14 Carrot Vegetarian, per this photo and tweet via @SamStorer ... Turns out that Dave and Jean, who ran the place the past six-plus years, moved on at the end of 2011. From the Curly's website, "[T]he new leases terms proved just too much for a little vegetarian place..."

Here's their letter...

[Click on image to enlarge]

However, the Curly's folks are still serving vegetarian fare up the street at Hotel Tortuga.

We don't know too much about the new management at 14 Carrot. Sam says the vegan pancakes are still quite good. Meanwhile, the three Yelp reviews have been fairly brutal.

What East Village coffee bar/cafe is for sale?

This Craigslist ad popped up yesterday morning:

East Village Coffee Bar/Cafe for Sale << - $159,000 (Manhattan) Attractive and cozy cafe located in East Village for sale. Approx. 750 sq. ft. of attractive space plus a full basement. Newly built out in 2008, including all new electrical, plumbing. custom windows, A/C, security and audio systems. Lots of fridge/freezer/display units, electric stovetop, dual espresso machine, panini grill and much more.

There's a number to call for a business consultant... but no mention of what space is for sale. Any thoughts?

Getting a ticket for parking in a crosswalk when there isn't actually a crosswalk

A reader notes the following on the north side of East Houston across from Ridge Street... where workers recently paved the roadway as part of the ongoing plans to widen sidewalks, enlarge medians, etc.

The reader says that the NYPD has been ticketing vehicles parked in the "crosswalk."

However! Per the reader:

Problem is there's no crosswalk lines and never has been, so these guys are getting tickets for parking in a seemingly legal and random spot. I called 311 and left a complaint ... The tickets seem like a clear cash grab and are totally bogus.

Sunday, February 26, 2012

At the Occupy Town Square in Tompkins Square Park today

#OWS took to Tompkins Square Park today... here's the official statement on what is happening with the the Occupy Town Square concept:

We don't live in a park anymore, but we're still here, and we're still fighting for economic, social, and environmental justice. Now, OWS is coming to a neighborhood near you. Over the next few months, mobile, daytime occupations, called Occupy Town Squares, will be held in parks and other public spaces, indoor and outdoor, around New York City. For a few hours a week, these events will recreate the essence of the Zuccotti Park Occupation. There will be info tables, teach-ins, trainings, and political discussions.

Here are a few photos from the day by Bobby Williams...

... and later in the day... at dusk...

We understand that a group of about 20 people marched across Avenue A and west on St. Mark's Place...

Week in Grieview

[Along Avenue D]

RIP Markand Thakar (Thursday)

Cleaning out the Holiday (Wednesday)

Famous Original Rays's Pizza closes (Tuesday)

Life Cafe space now for rent (Wednesday)

That A Building condo with the slide is for sale (Friday)

The cross at St. Brigid's (Tuesday)

Q-and-A with former Luna Lounge owner Rob Sacher (Friday)

Looking at the new street signs (Thursday)

A release date for "East Fifth Bliss" (Monday)

Existence of IHOP on East 14th Street explained (Wednesday)

David Schwimmer's unfinished mansion represents East Village on NYC star map (Wednesday)

Occupy Town Square in Tompkins Square Park today

The flyer below has more on the various activities taking place...

[Click on image to enlarge]

80-plus years of Best Pictures at Kim's

In case you haven't OD'd on Oscar-related what not ... Kim's on First Avenue has all the previous Best Picture recipients for sale ... (or at least they did...)

Also, as The Lo-Down noted, you can watch the ceremonies for free at the Sunshine on East Houston. Per the Sunshine Facebook page: "We're going to host that famous awards show (that we're not allowed to mention by name for legal reasons, no joke) live on our biggest screen. It's totally free and it's first come first served. The theater seats quite a few people so bring your friends!"

Meanwhile, we'll be busy watching the Best Picture from 1992: "Universal Soldier."

Saturday, February 25, 2012

Casting call for Kim Cattrall's replacement

On the Bowery... photo by Bobby Williams... and a really stupid headline because of this...

An all-city collision on Avenue B

Oh, this happened this morning around 10ish ... as far as a sorta eyewitness could tell... a city sanitation car traveling east on Fourth Street may have hit a police car driving north on Avenue B. This is on the speculative side. However, photographic evidence suggests such a scenario.

Not sure who may be at fault here. The fellows on the scene weren't real chitty-chatty about what happened. Doesn't appear that anyone was seriously injured. An ambulance was on the scene.

Everyone loves Lucy's

[Photo from 2010 by Bob Arihood via Neither More Nor Less]

Ludwika Mickevicius is the subject of the "Character Study" feature in the Times. You know her better, of course as the Lucy of Lucy's on Avenue A.

A quick excerpt then you can go read the whole thing...

As the East Village cleaned up around it, Lucy’s remained the prototypical dive bar: a comfortable cave bathed in low red light, with a dingy dropped ceiling and worn linoleum on the floor. One arcade game, one jukebox, two pool tables, two small drinking tables, a dozen stools and a heavy oak bar. All are steeped in the character of Ms. Mickevicius: straightforward and practical. No frills, no nonsense, no whining.

“Many people hear about me and they come in and say, ‘Lucy, don’t change anything; we like it like this,’ ” she said. “Plus, change costs a lot of money.”

Also, Lucy was the subject of a feature at the NYU Local a few weeks back... From that piece:

As for the future of Lucy’s, the hard work keeps her from thinking about the longterm. The song “Death is Not the End,” a Bob Dylan cover by Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, eerily drones in the background. “I don’t have a plan exactly, I have no time to think about this!” She laughs. “I think some day is coming and I must think of what to do, but for now, I just work like regular, working, caring. Yeah, that’s enough, especially for me, just one woman.”

Report: Police looking for 2 men who robbed woman on East Third Street

From the NYPD Daily Blotter in the Post today... Cops are looking for two men (photo above) who reportedly robbed a 19-year-old woman walking past 185 E. Third St. about 1:30 a.m. Wednesday. One man allegedly grabbed the victim's purse. "His accomplice, wearing a surgical mask, brandished a black handgun and snatched her iPhone, cops said."

Per the Post:

Police say the unarmed robber is between 20 and 25 years old, has a thin build and is about 6 feet tall. He wore a green hooded jacket, blue jeans, and tan sneakers during the attack.

The armed thug is about the same age, 5-foot-5, with a medium build, cops said.

Another casualty of wind

Another casualty from The Wind of the Century® ... via EV Grieve regular abrod ... awning down at Euzkadi's on East Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Previously.

Fire on Orchard Street

You've probably heard the sirens this morning... or seen the FDNY race down the Avenues... A fire broke out at 101 Orchard St. this morning. We're sending you over to BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down who have updated reports...

The casualties of wind

As we first reported, it is windy today. How windy?

It blew some sort of animal pelt or, perhaps, an Ewok, into this tree on Avenue A...

...it ravaged the 7-Eleven signage on the Bowery...

...and whipped the pants off this guest outside the Standard East Village...

Careful out there.