Wednesday, March 25, 2009

What do we want for Avenue B? Yogurt? Ice cream? Yoga? Pilates?

The space at 41 Avenue B has been vacant for some time...



There's now a new ad in the window giving a better description of the property, which can be split into two storefronts.



And what are some of the suggested uses? (No bars, thank you!)



Hmm...Yoga center...Pilates...Yogurt...Ice Cream...Zzzzzzzzzz...Pastry and Desserts....Spa...ZZzzzzzzz....



Poco opens on Avenue B

A place called Poco opened last night on Avenue B at Third Street...one of those locations that has seemingly been many things in recent years...




And I'm not sure exactly what a cycle of 20 drinks means....

Cemusa wastes no time in putting up the ads

The new Cemusa bus shelter on Avenue C at East Seventh Street was christened Monday...and yesterday, the ads arrived...



...as did the trash bags.



No lights yet, though, to illuminate the ads...

Signs from the recession



At Diamond Jim Brady's on Maiden Lane in the Financial District.

Wally's at Marfa



I'm just curious how long the old Waikiki Wally's banner will stay up on the rooftop at Marfa... Marfa took over the WW space last month. On East Second Street near First Avenue.

Tuesday, March 24, 2009

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition



The Circus has left town: A dive bar death (NY Barfly)

Hello again!: Esquared is back (Esquared)

TV the size of Rhode Island discarded on East Ninth Street (plus, demonic squirrels in TSP!) (Slum Goddess)

Jill visits Forest Hills while Jeremiah walks Myrtle Avenue.

Looking back at The Minetta Tavern (Greenwich Village Daily Photo)

At the Fulton Fish Market in 2002 (Scouting NY)

Graffiti truck art (City Rag)

Sales at the Ludlow Residence (BoweryBoogie)

Ex-Gawker editor Choire Sicha to write a nonfiction book on some 20-somethings trying to live and work in NYC. "If you’re fascinated by something you can get close to it — that’s always been true about New York," he told the Observer. "But I also feel like the $1.99 breakfast sort of went away, and the room for rent in the East Village went away too. The cost of entry became prohibitive with the last little boomlet we had, in a kind of extreme way." He went on: "I had a million jobs when I moved here and what I see happening among my younger friends, and among people I’m interviewing who are kind enough to give me their time, is there’s nowhere to go."

Reminder: East of Bowery at the Gershwin Hotel tonight


All the details are at East of Bowery.

Meanwhile, back on Earth, the greatest article about transhumanism that you'll read today


From today's Wall Street Journal:

Arakawa and Madeline Gins's quest to make human beings immortal is at risk of dying.

That's because the couple lost their life savings with Bernard Madoff, the mastermind of a multibillion-dollar fraud.

Of all the dreams that were crushed by Mr. Madoff's crime, perhaps none was more unusual than this duo's of achieving everlasting life through architecture. Mr. Arakawa (he uses only his last name) and Ms. Gins design structures they say can enable inhabitants to "counteract the usual human destiny of having to die."

The income from their investments with Mr. Madoff helped fund their research and experimental work. Now, Mr. Arakawa, 72 years old, and Ms. Gins, 67, are strapped for cash. They closed their Manhattan office and laid off five employees.

The pair's work, based loosely on a movement known as "transhumanism," is premised on the idea that people degenerate and die in part because they live in spaces that are too comfortable. The artists' solution: construct abodes that leave people disoriented, challenged and feeling anything but comfortable.


Hmm...disoriented, challenged and feeling anything but comfortable? Sounds like my first studio apartment.

And be sure to check out the reader comments to this article on WSJ.com...like this one:

You would think someone aiming for immortality would have learned to take better care of their cash. Immortals need a sound, conservative investment strategy. Let's face it: we don't want the world filled with destitute 200 year-olds living in the streets.

Avenue C getting Cemusad




On the east side near Seventh Street. Soon, Avenue C will get a little more classy.

Isn't this a No Porking Zone?




On Avenue C near 14th Street.

Finally, the solution for people who think they want a sub but actually feel like sushi



On Park Row near City Hall.

BLT Restaurants now offer home delivery



Hmm...Seems a little over-the-top...why not just use a bicycle like everyone else? Of course, if I order from, say, BLT Fish, how well will that parmesan crusted Icelandic Halibut with truffled mushroom jus hold up?

(And what's BLT...?)

Things to do in Union Square: Stand among the palm trees and shop at Macy's

There was a piece on Asia One Travel the other day titled "48 hours in New York on a shoestring."

Straightforward enough for this type of article. I just hope people aren't disappointed in Union Square...check out the Union Square photo that accompanied the piece...

Admiring the fashion sense of "the girls that live in the East Village"



In an interview with the Guardian UK yesterday, model/designer Erin Wasson (pictured, right) was asked whose style she admired:

All the girls who are not in the pages of fashion magazines. The girls that live in the East Village in New York you see walking down St Mark's. They didn't look at a fashion magazine or go to Barneys and put something on their credit card. I like girls who are really eccentric and kooky. I love the rockabilly look -- not a rockabilly look because it's "this season", but the real deal. Believe it or not, there was a lot of that look in Dallas where I grew up.


I, too, get my fashion sense from St. Mark's Place. Hey, has anyone seen my long-sleeve mustard shirt?



[Subway Dude photo via Slum Goddess]

This ticket's for you



Cop tickets a Bud truck hogging up Avenue A at Ninth Street Saturday.

Report: During the recession, candy sales are up! (Next trends piece: We're getting fatter and our teeth are rotting)


The inevitable trends story today from the Times.

The recession seems to have a sweet tooth. As unemployment has risen and 401(k)’s have shrunk, Americans, particularly adults, have been consuming growing volumes of candy, from Mary Janes and Tootsie Rolls to Gummy Bears and cheap chocolates, say candy makers, store owners and industry experts.

Theories vary on exactly why. For many, sugar lifts spirits dragged low by the languishing economy. For others, candy also provides a nostalgic reminder of better times. And not insignificantly, it is relatively cheap.

People may indulge themselves a little bit more when times are tough,” said Jack P. Russo, an analyst with the Edward Jones retail brokerage in St. Louis. “These are low-cost items that people can afford pretty easily.”


All this means business has been brisk at Economy Candy. Anyway, has the Times already done the piece on people drinking more during the recession and eating lunch from sidewalk vendors?

Monday, March 23, 2009

The life and times of Mr. Zero


This Ain't the Summer of Love's Mr. Zero post is now live... Mr. Zero -- Urbain J. Ledoux -- was known for his charity relief kitchens on the Bowery in the 1920s and 1930s, among many other charitable acts....

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on Mr. Zero

Code name Narnia: NYU frosh have secret room where they can drink, smoke pot and have sex (reportedly)


Washington Square News has the story:

Within the walls of one freshman dorm exists a magical place, known to most first-year students only as “Narnia.” Narnia’s mythical reputation as a refuge in which students sip beer and smoke marijuana without RA interference has spread like wildfire throughout the freshman class.

Indeed, the rumors are based on truth. The party never stops in Narnia: nearly every day of every week, four suitemates invite friends and strangers alike to celebrate life with sex, music, alcohol and weed.

Narnia is actually an eight-by-four-foot room in a spacious suite. The room is clean and uncluttered with a bedsheet spread across the floor. Photographs and hand-drawn illustrations adorn the sanctuary’s walls, and lava lamps, ashtrays and a defunct popcorn maker sit near a small window. A large poster of “The Chronicles of Narnia: Prince Caspian” rests on the room’s center wall.


Well, it was probably fun while it lasted. And has anyone checked John Sexton's blood pressure lately?

The End of Extra Place

In February, Extra Place was paved over...in an effort to "beautify" the piss-filled alley that ran behind CBGB and turn it into a pedestrian mall...



And now...as a capper to the project, an ominous "End" sign was put up...



...to signify the "End" of an era...or to warn motorists who may not otherwise be able to see the building that is sitting there...

By the way, it has been nearly one year since the makeover plans were announced for Extra Place.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Looking at Extra Place

The Chocolate Wars (well, not at all, but we needed something that sounds CONTROVERSIAL)

From luxury condo sales office to stylish spa (seems about right)




The former sales office for One Avenue B -- located in Red Square on Houston Street -- will become a spa...Also, the Web site for One Avenue B, the glass box at the site of the former Gaseteria at Avenue B and Houston, is no longer live.

A Bodhi Tree grows on Third Avenue

Our former little Taco Bell on Third Avenue near 11th Street is all grown up now, almost ready to become a Thai place called Bodhi Tree.



Previously on EV Grieve:
From tacos to Thai on Third Avenue

PS
One cannot mention the name Bodhi without paying tribute to the greatest Bodhi of them all, Patrick Sawyze in Point Break.

Among his wisdom:

-- "100% pure adrenaline!"
-- "Goddamn! You are one radical son of a bitch!"
-- "If you want the ultimate, you've got to be willing to pay the ultimate price. It's not tragic to die doing what you love."
-- "I know Johnny. I know you want me so bad it's like acid in your mouth. But, not this time."
-- "Life sure has a sick sense of humor, doesn't it?"
-- "Yo, Johnny! I see you in the next life!"
-- "Fear causes hesitation, and hesitation will cause your worst fears to come true."

Robataya rises on East Ninth Street

The always-reliable Col Legno closed up last June at 231 E. Ninth Street near Second Avenue. (It was a favorite of Alex's at Flaming Pablum.)

Now, the location is getting ready to open as a Japanese robata-style restaurant...


Kevin Bacon LOVES that delicious vegan ice cream at Stogo!

In this week's edition of My New York in the New York Post (this feature isn't online..), the Bacon Brothers -- Kevin and his, uh, brother -- discuss their favorite things in the city...And on Kevin's list: The vegan ice cream at Stogo on East 10th Street near Second Avenue, the former site of the beloved A. Fontana Shoe Repair...Anyway, Kevin says it's good stuff! That vegan ice cream. Wow, what a great plug for this shop! It's nice that a big-name actor is so supportive of such a place...




Of course, Kevin doesn't mention that Stogo is owned by his brother-in-law. Or maybe he disclosed this fact and the Post didn't include it...

What's new at Subway? (Specifically the one on Second Avenue near Ninth Street...)

An ATM!



But will it dispense $5 bills for the foot-long specials?

Previous, and exclusive, Subway coverage on EV Grieve:

An important update on fast-food mascots

It's Feb. 18, and we've already exceeded our quota for stories on Subway for 2009

Nothing more festive than an opening of a new Subway

Locals will no longer have to walk a few blocks out of their way for a Subway

Does this mean there will always be a line?



Because, you know, people always stand in line waiting for brunch (for reasons that I have never understood)...Uh, anyway, Eater has the story about what's going in this space on First Avenue near Sixth Street.

A refurbished Ryan's is now open

After being closed for six weeks, Ryan's Irish Pub on Second Avenue near Ninth Street reopened on St. Patrick's Day...




The bar is longer and wider now (uh, the actual bar, not the building...) ... but they did away with the menu -- no more food...And the work in the pub isn't quite done yet...




Previously on EV Grieve.

From the EV Grieve New Jersey Bureau


From the wire:

WAYNE, N.J. (AP) — A kitschy northern New Jersey landmark that spawned a popular rock band's name and served as the backdrop for a "Sopranos" episode may be in danger of closing. Fountains of Wayne has sat on the side of Route 46 for more than 40 years, beckoning shoppers with displays of lawn ornaments, outdoor furniture and life-sized Santa Claus figures in various attire. The store's gates were closed on Friday, and no one answered the phone.

Sunday, March 22, 2009

Lulu is missing

Another "the recession can be fun" story


From the Post yesterday:

The recession is such a bummer. Wouldn't it be nice to time travel to a simpler era the 1950s when money was plentiful, appliances were shiny, and rock was just beginning to roll? A carefree time, when wiggling a Hula Hoop rather than watching the Dow plummet was the favored pastime, and love could be found at a sock hop. Happily, a DeLorean time machine a la "Back to the Future" isn't necessary. Doo-wop shows, record hops, and soda fountains are all here. As it turns out, happier days can be had again.


And do these folks look like they're from the 1950s?:

Noted


The Post's "the recession can be fun" story also noted the following about EV Grieve favorite Donohue's Steak House:

This Upper East Side dining room, a one-time neighborhood joint for Bernie Madoff, hasn't changed its mood since it opened in the '50s.


Previously on EV Grieve:
The timeless appeal of Donohue's Steak House

Saturday, March 21, 2009

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition



Highlights from elsewhere in the NYC blogosphere (Patell and Waterman's History of New York)

The REAL reason Valerie Solanas wanted to waste Warhol (Page Six)

Graffiti artists vs. the cops who used the hunt them (The New York Times)

John Penley is going somewhere -- Erie, Pa.? Newark, N.J.? (Scoopy's Notebook, last item)

Faded signs on the LES (Ephemeral New York)

Thought this was a bear market? Twelve years of beekeeping on NYC rooftops (Lancaster Farming, and no snickering)

Annoyed Parisians can blame NYC for L’Experimental Cocktail Club (The New York Times)

Meanwhile, George Clooney in talks to play Bukowski (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)

Got limos? (BoweryBoogie)

Finding the beauty at the South Street Seaport (Greenwich Village Daily Photo)

Action at the long-delayed Fulton transit hub (A Fine Blog)

Lionel Ziprin, 84: "A brilliant, baffling, beguiling voice of the Lower East Side and the East Village"

The Times has the obituary today for Lionel Ziprin, who died this past Sunday. He was 84.

Mr. Ziprin, a brilliant, baffling, beguiling voice of the Lower East Side and the East Village in all its phases — Jewish, hipster and hippie — died last Sunday in Manhattan. He was 84. The cause was chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, his daughter Zia Ziprin said.

For decades, Mr. Ziprin, a self-created planet, exerted a powerful gravitational attraction for poets, artists, experimental filmmakers, would-be philosophers and spiritual seekers.

He ran his apartment, on Seventh Street in the East Village, as a bohemian salon, attracting a loose collective that included the ethnomusicologist Harry Smith, the photographer Robert Frank and the jazz musician Thelonious Monk, who would drop by for meals between sets at the Five Spot. Bob Dylan paid the occasional visit.


And now: Songs for Schizoid Siblings by Lionel Ziprin and Leyna d'Ancona...

Friday, March 20, 2009

Saluting some heroes from Forest Hills



Peter Parker and the Ramones.

Avenue B fire damage

Here's a look at some of the exterior damage from yesterday's fire at 30 Avenue B...


A little something to go with the Christmas decorations that are still up at Nino's

Another fire in the East Village

There was a fire yesterday afternoon at 30 Avenue B in a top-floor apartment between Second Street and Third Street. Reader/blogger Suzy at The byrds are singing blue sent along the following video...



No report just yet on the cause of fire. A Curbed tipster wrote, "It appears that no one was hurt in the 4 alarm blaze thanks to the Fire Department's speedy response (they were on the scene within 4 minutes)."

This comes on the heels of a nearby fire on March 12...this blaze occurred at 215 E. Fourth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. Bob Arihood was on the scene and filed a report. (Be sure to read the comments to his post.) There are some other photos from this fire here at Flickr.