ABC Special: Pinc Louds edition

ABC News has a feature today on local busking sensations Pinc Louds, which you can read (and listen to!) right here. 

The piece is titled "New York City buskers look back on a pandemic summer." 

Music blogger Charley Crespo shared this familiar sentiment about the band:

"[Pinc Louds] pretty much saved the summer in downtown Manhattan by playing in Tompkins Square Park two or three times a week. They were probably the first. Their music is energizing. It was exciting and for anybody who passed through the park, it was just the most wonderful experience to hear live music again."

And here's a quote from lead singer Claudi about playing in Tompkins Square Park:

"You got all the weird, crazy people, and you got familie. It's just like a wonderful mix of people, all kinda getting by, you know? Sometimes with a little bit of friction — but it's that friction that makes life more special right? And it makes it more New York."

Meanwhile, you can catch Claudi playing tomorrow (Friday!) evening from 6-8 outside B-side on Avenue B... and the full band Saturday in Tompkins Square Park from noon to 3 p.m.

Photo of Claudi from August by Stacie Joy

Previously on EV Grieve:

• An end-of-summer appreciation: Pinc Louds   

Gallery Watch: NYNY2020 by Melissa Brown at Derek Eller Gallery

 Text and photos by Clare Gemima 

NYNY2020 by Melissa Brown 

Derek Eller Gallery, 300 Broome St.

Melissa Brown's work is an equally refreshing and dystopian take on the year of severe global chaos.

The upheaval of all normalcy has forced us to take a step back — can we even remember how we lived before the pandemic wiped out our rituals and routines? What has COVID-19 made us bereft of or even worse, adapt to? 

NYNY2020 highlights the beauty in the banal and takes viewers into atmospheres that seem so out of reach in 2020. 

Zoom, New York’s subway system and famous art museums are subjects shown glorified throughout Derek Eller Gallery’s latest show. It was the first space I had visited that had more than two people in it. All wearing masks of course, but the irony of the work's commentary rang true during my physical encounter at the gallery. 

How do we safely look at art anymore? Especially when these seemingly cheerful paintings take a while to figure out. 

Brown’s distortional collages are created with layers of oil paint, stencil, airbrush and screen printed digital photography that undulate with reflective mark makings and contrasting textures. Brown’s use of light is also unique as it ranges from natural to digital, illustrating how ubiquitous the glare of a screen has become for us as our world turns increasingly virtual. 

NYNY2020 is somewhat of an optical illusion in that it turns ordinary objects into surreal terrains. The intimacy of portraying commuting, being in an office or heading to a virtual work meeting displays the new set of demands our society faces, particularly in what was once the world’s epicenter.

Another interesting feature of the work is that it occasionally involves a human hand, suggesting that this work is in fact about us. Our consumption, our surveillance, our addiction to our cellular devices. The world is still in our hands during this pandemic, but the way in which we see and control it will be altered tremendously ... and forever. 

This show is so uncomfortably relevant that it is almost scary to think how else 2020 in New York City will be depicted in the future. Melissa Brown’s work forces you to slow down, to stop and think about this year and to understand our home with an entirely different appreciation.

NYNY2020 by Melissa Brown is showing at Derek Eller Gallery until Dec. 19

 

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Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com 

Giving thanks at the Mariana Bracetti Plaza

This past Saturday, the proprietors of bar-restaurant the Cabin NYC on Fourth Street, Joey Aponte and his brother, chef Dennis Aponte, paid a surprise visit to the Mariana Bracetti Plaza. 

The brothers, along with local entrepreneur Freaky Frige, donated more than 20 turkeys to the residents here on Third Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The Apontes, who grew up in the Vladek Houses, were planning do to several other surprise turkey drop-offs in other public housing complexes on the LES.

"It feels good to give back to people in need from my neighborhood, the Lower East Side," Frige told EVG contributor Stacie Joy, who shared these photos. "I love my hood."

Max Fish says farewell to 120 Orchard St.; new outpost planned

As expected, Max Fish has closed its location at 120 Orchard St. between Rivington and Delancey. 

The bar had not been open since July, and rumors circulated that this was it. In October, reps for the company that runs Grey Lady and Short Stories appeared before CB3 for a new liquor license for the space, as BoweryBoogie previously reported. 

Yesterday, Max Fish posted the official closing announcement on Instagram, though they vow to return again one day:

This is not the end of Max Fish by any means. In the meantime while we look for a new location we will be working on our webstore, collaborations, and participating in pop up events. We look forward to seeing you at our new location in better times! 

Thank you all for your love and support. We’d also like to shout out bar and service family and friends throughout the city, best wishes to everyone, please stay safe. These have been hard times for all of us. Hopefully we’ll see all of you sooner than later! 

From The Max Fish Family

This was the second iteration of Max Fish, the second on the Lower East Side. The bar opened here in August 2014... this after 24 years at 178 Ludlow St. 

Higher rents caused them to move out to Williamsburg after the Ludlow Street original closed in July 2013. However, those plans for a bar in Brooklyn never materialized. 

So here's to Max Fish 3.0.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• The art evolution of Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish

• From Tin Pan Alley to Max Fish

• First sign that Max Fish is returning to the Lower East Side

• Report: Max Fish clears first hurdle in return to the Lower East Side

A Thanksgiving without Odessa

This is the first time in nearly 13 years of EVG history where we haven't hyped up the Thanksgiving special at Odessa five or 10 times by this date in November. (Please see the link farm at the end of the post.)

As you know, the diner, dating to the mid-1960s here on Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, closed in July. Longtime manager Dennis Vassilatos said that Odessa was shutting down after a prolonged slump in business due to COVID-19.

Closer to the last day, however, co-owner Steve Helios told Gothamist that Odessa was only closing temporarily, that the space would be renovated. (The building's landlord is Odessa partner Mike Skulikidis.)

To date, four months later, no work has been done on the space... here's a look inside this week...

As for Thanksgiving... through the years they stuck with a winning offering — glass of wine, cup of cream of turkey soup, etc. And pricing — and signage! — for the Complete Dinner remained unchanged since 2014, when management bumped the meal from $15.95 to $18.95.

We are thankful for all the meals that we enjoyed at Odessa through the years. Perhaps we'll see another Odessa bounty next year.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Odessa breaks out the Thanksgiving Special signage

• It now seems like Thanksgiving with the Thanksgiving Special at the Odessa

• Odessa unveils Thanksgiving Special; complete dinner still $18.95

• Thanksgiving at Odessa

• Still the best Thanksgiving deal around

• 1 idea for a last-minute Thanksgiving meal

• A tradition almost as traditional as Thanksgiving itself

Tree Riders pulling onto 2nd Avenue

The Tree Riders are prepping their holiday home outside St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery here on Second Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street... they'll be starting their 10th season selling Christmas trees and wreaths, etc., at this spot starting on Friday. 

Updated 8:30 a.m. 

The tree stand — aka Greg's — is now up along Houston at Essex/Norfolk too...

Greenwich Marketplace coming to this 4th Avenue storefront

Signage is up on the northwest corner of Fourth Avenue and 12th Street for Greenwich Marketplace (thanks Doug for the photos!)...

Based on that banner, it looks to be a deli with sandwiches, smoothies, salads... and cheesecake. 

The previous tenant, the PokéSpot, officially closed this past summer after four years. Before that, we had a Subway (sandwich shop) here.

Tuesday's parting shot

A view from Astor Place late this afternoon via Vinny & O...

A break in at B&H Dairy

There was another setback late last night in an already challenging year for B&H Dairy. 

Someone smashed a hole in the front door and broke into the 82-year-old lunch counter around 3 a.m. at 127 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. 

The thief (or thieves) made off with the cash drawer. 

Owners Ola and Fawzy Abdelwahed outlined their struggles here at the end of the summer. They're currently relying on pick ups and delivery ... as well as a few outdoor seats ... to stay in business during the pandemic. 

They had to cover paying employees, rent, utilities, and buying food for the restaurant on only 10 percent of their previous income. 

On May 30 someone smashed in their front window during a spate of vandalism along Second Avenue. 

B&H was able to open today at 11:30 after the police made a report...

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

With gas shut off, Tompkins Square Bagels owner wonders why the city isn't helping small businesses during pandemic

On Nov. 13, we told you that ConEd shut off the gas at the Avenue A location of Tompkins Square Bagels. 

At the time, a carbon monoxide sensor went off related to the storefront's hot water heater. Workers discovered a hole in the flue that brings in replacement air. Because of the hole, replacement air wasn't getting into the basement, thus the high carbon monoxide reading, owner Christopher Pugliese said. 

Regardless of the find and fix, ConEd still turned off the gas to the storefront at 165 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street.

To keep the popular shop running, Pugliese, who helped feed the homeless and essential front-line workers during the pandemic's worst days in the spring, spent $7,000 to buy three electric grills and have three 220-volt power lines installed so his team could cook.

Pugliese provided an update. 

It has been an incredible struggle to keep the doors open at the Avenue A location. We are basically working around the clock at [the Second Avenue location] to feed Avenue A. My staff, guys who have been fighting and pushing with me since April, are absolutely shot. 

The cost of running an entire store on electricity as opposed to gas is also extremely costly.  I'm not sure how much longer we can keep this up. At the same time, I have 15 full-timers and 10 part-timers who depend on their jobs to feed their families, pay rent or get through school. 

There is no end in sight and this is all extremely frustrating especially since the original issue was not gas related. Somehow, I've still had to file permits with the DOB, amendments with the DOB, and apply for gas with ConEd as if I were a brand new operation. I've heard stories of similar issues from other shop owners who waited months or even a year to have their gas restored. 

It makes no sense and seems incredibly unjust. Small businesses who have already jumped through the hoops and paid filing fees shouldn't be forced to start from scratch when a gas issue arises. Further, I believe we should be given some sort of expedited preference as our livelihood, and the livelihood of our employees depend on keeping the doors open.  

Pugliese is hopeful that a local elected official or community group will help advocate for small businesses like Tompkins Square Bagels and others in similar situations. (Pangea on Second Avenue is said to also be having gas issues with ConEd.) 

At the very least, in their own self-interest, the city should be wise enough to help the few small businesses left who are still creating jobs, paying sales, state and other taxes, and keeping neighborhoods vibrant and alive. It almost seems like they don't want us around and I just don't get any of it.

I'm hoping someone out there with enough power might be interested ... to help us, and make it so others don't have to go through the same ordeal. I know I'm one of the lucky ones. Many were not able to recover and lost their businesses. It has to stop.  

A good hair day: Investors pitch in to save Astor Place Hairstylists from closure

A group of wealthy investors has come together to save the Astor Place Hairstylists. The nearly 75-year-old NYC institution was set to close this week after business dropped by 90 percent during the pandemic.

However, as the Post reports, enough money has been raised to keep the subterranean barber shop "open for at least another 75 years."

Financier Jonathan Trichter and a group that includes Mike Bloomberg adviser and former Hillary Clinton aide Howard Wolfson, pollster Jefrey Pollock and gaming mogul Jeff Gural put in the money to keep the business afloat. (PIX 11 reported that the current owners are leaving; that "some of the new owners are clients, as well, keeping things in the family.")

Trichter said that he has been a customer since 1983. Gural owns the building at Astor Place and Broadway, and waived the rent for the time being. 

Gural told the Post that both Trichter and Mayor de Blasio separately reached out to him to see if he could help stop the store’s shut-down — and it was a no-brainer for him.

"Nobody wanted to see it closed," Gural said. “They’ve been a great tenant." 

Today is the last greenmarket at Astor Place this season

The Astor Place Greenmarket wraps up its inaugural year today...  the market, done in conjunction between GrowNYC and the Village Alliance, arrived back in August on the south plaza at Astor Place (Eighth Street-Lafayette).

The hours today: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

By all accounts, people seemed to like this greenmarket, especially among the residents who miss the greenmarket at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery. That 26-year-old market did not return after the 2016 season. 

Photo from August by Steven 

It's virtual gala time for the Cooper Square Committee

Cooper Square Committee, the 60-year-old neighborhood organization advocating for tenants and a stable, healthy local community, is hosting its annual fundraiser on Dec. 4.

Like many organizations, there's a budget shortfall this year ... along with a greater demand to help tenants, seniors and small-business owners who are struggling with rents and other issues during the pandemic.

The Virtual Gala is Friday, Dec. 4 from 7-8 p.m. Tickets are $10. Find the info at this link. 

If you can't make the event, then you can also make a donation here.

Reader reports: Package theft season is upon us

We're hearing from several readers about a rash of package thefts of late — even with more people working from home and being there for a delivery.

For instance, someone placed the above flyers along Avenue B showing a video-surveillance pic of an alleged thief residents say is "looting delivery packages" at several EV buildings.

One reader shares the text of a flyer from a building along Seventh Street: 

I had 2 Amazon boxes opened and contents stolen yesterday. (In fact, all boxes in the lobby were opened, some with unwanted contents left on top of the boxes.)

My Amazon delivery notice stated, "Your package was delivered. It was handed directly to a resident." (Never seen that on a delivery notice.) That "resident" was not me. I never even spoke to Amazon.

So either we have a thief in the building or, more likely, some fool buzzed in someone they did not know, who stole our stuff.

Whoever stole the contents of these packages opened them in the lobby. Did no one hear?
Please watch out for your neighbors. If you are feeling particularly kind, consider dropping the package at their door on the way up to your apt.

Otherwise, only buzz in people you know. 

Groups petition city officials to protect NYC's community gardens

On Nov. 18, the New York City Community Garden Coalition, environmental law organization Earthjustice, and 52 allied groups submitted "From the Ground Up: A Petition to Protect New York City’s Community Gardens," which urges New York City government agencies to provide greater legal protections to community gardens, including the several dozen in the East Village.  

Here's more about the campaign via the EVG inbox...

To preserve and protect community gardens, Petitioners are requesting that New York City agencies designate City-owned community gardens as Critical Environmental Areas (CEAs) under the New York State Environmental Quality Review Act (SEQRA). Currently, there is only one CEA in New York City: Jamaica Bay in Queens.

CEA designation will help to ensure that projects and activities likely to affect community gardens are subject to consistent and rigorous environmental review that accounts for their exceptional characteristics and provides ample opportunities for public participation. CEA designation of community gardens represents a significant step toward recognizing and preserving community gardens as critical parts of the City's landscape.  

Equally important, by designating gardens as CEAs, the City would acknowledge community gardeners as stewards of sustainability and resilience and ensure that they have a meaningful — and necessary — voice in any future decision-making processes that could affect community gardens. 

The Petition makes the following three legal requests:

• First, City agencies with jurisdiction over 40 community gardens identified in the Petition designate those City-owned gardens as CEAs under SEQRA within six months following the submission of the Petition, or by May 18, 2021;

• Second, Within 12 months following the submission of the Petition, or by Nov. 18, 2021, the Department of Parks and Recreation's GreenThumb Program conduct an assessment of all remaining community gardens on City-owned land and confirm, in consultation with community gardeners, that these gardens meet the regulatory criteria for CEA designation; and

• Third, Within 12 months following the submission of the Petition, or by Nov. 18, 2021, City agencies designate as CEAs all gardens within their respective jurisdictions that meet the regulatory criteria for CEA designation, based on GreenThumb's assessment, in consultation and coordination with community gardeners.

Last year, community gardens on city-owned land were in danger of closing or relocating due to the ongoing dispute over the licensing agreement from the department's GreenThumb program.

Photo from the Sixth Street and Avenue B Community Garden

Toy story: The March Hare debuts today on 9th Street

The March Hare opens today at 321 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

This is the toy shop that we told you about last month... they will be carrying on the legacy for Dinosaur Hill down the block.

Dinosaur Hill owner Pamela Pier is retiring after 37 years, with the store closing at the end of November as we first reported here. Veselka plans to expand into the adjacent Dinosaur Hill space in the future.

Current Dinosuar Hill employee Karen McDermott and her husband, Jason McGroarty, are running the the March Hare — with Pier on board as consultant.

Per the shop's Instagram account, they will carry "Puppets, Marionettes, Board Games, Puzzles, Stuffed Toys and More!"

The March Hare is open daily from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. And the phone: (646) 422-7747

Updated 4 p.m.

Steven shared some photos from inside the shop today...

Here then, the full reveal at the explosion site condoplex

Workers removed the remaining section of the sidewalk bridge around the all-new 45 E. Seventh St. on Thursday... offering a full look at the 21-unit condoplex with retail space here on Second Avenue.

As reported previously, the building sits on two of the three lots destroyed during the deadly gas explosion here on March 26, 2015. 

Sales commenced back in the summer for the units in the Morris Adjmi-designed building. Prices range from $1.35 million for a one-bedroomer and $1.995 million to $4 million for two and three bedrooms ... with the penthouse asking more than $8 million.

... and here's an evening shot via Steven...

The property will include a commemorative plaque that honors the two men who died here during the explosion: Nicholas Figueroa and Moises Locón. In October 2017, city officials unveiled new street blades that co-name this northwest corner of Second Avenue and Seventh Street after the two men.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Trio responsible for the deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion sentenced to 4 to 12 years in prison (Jan. 17)

• Convicted gas explosion landlord Maria Hrynenko out on bail; contractor, plumber remain behind bars (Jan. 18)

The Blind Pig's conversion into Coyote Ugly continues

Renovations (painting, etc.) continues inside the retail space at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... where the address will one day be the new NYC home of Coyote Ugly.

While there isn't any Coyote Ugly signage up just yet, CEO and founder Lil Lovell tweeted a video clip from inside the former Blind Pig last month, noting it was time "to get working."

As we first reported on Sept. 15, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

In announcing the closure, Lovell had this to say in a video clip: "After sitting closed for six months due to COVID restrictions, we simply can't afford to pay the rent." This was the very first of the Coyote Ugly saloons — featuring bartop dancing and body shots. There are now more than two-dozen global outposts.

The Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub (home to Arsenal supporters in the English Premier League), closed after service in June 2019. At the time, the owners of the 13-year-old Blind Pig said they were hit with an untenable 50-percent rent increase.

That fake McDonald's sign is no longer on the Zum Schneider space

A quick follow-up to the post from Friday ... in which a coming soon (January 2021!) sign for McDonald's appeared on the door of the former Zum Schneider space on Avenue C at Seventh Street. The sign is now gone — apparently someone was not — yuk! yuk! —lovin' this hoax...

By all accounts, the sign, which looked Photoshopped in the daylight and suspiciously appeared outside the door, was a fake.

Anyway, so we'll see what might be next for real here. Zum Schneider, the popular biergarten and restaurant, closed here after 20 years in late February. The co-op board reportedly would not renew the lease.

Sunday's parting shot

Hello, I'm Johnny Cash ... as seen on Seventh Street via Derek Berg...