Tompkins Square Bagels robbed; suspect captured on surveillance cameras

This was the scene outside Tompkins Square Bagels late yesterday afternoon on Avenue A...

Later, on the phone, owner Christopher Pugliese explained what happened. On Tuesday, TSB received a delivery around 12:40 p.m. During a lunch rush, the staff didn't notice that the vendor didn't close the basement doors on the sidewalk. That's when a man apparently walked down into the cellar.

A TSP employee entered the basement and spotted the man, who claimed that he was a city inspector. The employee went upstairs to find Pugliese. During that time, the man quickly left.

Upon closer inspection yesterday, Pugliese noticed that several small items were missing, most notably a laptop. The police who responded to the call said that they have been on the hunt for a man who has allegedly robbed a handful of other local restaurants.

The NYPD told Pugliese that the man captured in TSP's basement surveillance cameras is the person they are seeking to question in connection with the other robberies.

Said Pugliese: "Police say this guy is fearless."

Isn't there an app for that?

EVG reader Paul Kostabi sent along this photo from Lafayette and Great Jones yesterday... resourceful smartphone owner tapping into a lamp post for a charge... We'll probably really marvel at this one in about, oh, 50 years.

Like The Virgins, practicing for the very first time...

So, as you may have heard, some residents have been annoyed about The Virgins practicing in the lead singer's apartment on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and East Seventh Street. (DNAinfo had the story yesterday; the Post followed-up later.)

Per DNA's Serena Solomon:

"I think they are so full of themselves they keep their window open," said the resident, who declined to provide her name, at a meeting of the Ninth Precinct Community Council Tuesday night.

Though she admitted that the band's sound is polished, the 25-year resident of the block said the regular racket has been going for three weeks straight.

Perhaps it was all prep work for their CMJ show last night at Brooklyn Bowl. (And they have a new record coming out early next year.)

But some people like that this happens!

Kirk Villalobos, 33, who works at the popular French fry eatery Pommes Frites, said he can also hear the band playing from the restaurant and that patrons often step out of the spot to start dancing on the sidewalk.

"I like their music," Villalobos said, adding that he's heard the band rehearsing in the space for months. "Especially the guitarist when he plays a good solo."

(Will the city fine Pommes Frites for not having a cabaret license?)

Funny, though, that any bands actually still live around here.

To the Post!

"It's an odd choice for them to be right there," said the neighbor who admitted that she actually owns some of their albums. "Most bands are in a garage in Brooklyn."

(By the way, The Virgins have only released one EP and one album.)

And, finally, back to DNA for the classic "If you don't like/want" quote:

Andrew Mitchell, 34, who said he lives next door to The Virgins' practice space, has heard the band playing on numerous occasions, but always during "reasonable hours" of the day.

"A lot of people would say, if you don't want a band rehearsal near you," he said, "don't live in the East Village."

[H/t Madonna for that dreadful headline inspiration]

A plan to replace those floor-to-ceiling windows at 117 Second Ave.

EVG regular peter radley sent me this photo yesterday showing workers erecting a sidewalk shed on Second Avenue at East Seventh Street where that Song 7.2 place is now...

There are plans on file dated Aug. 29 with the DOB for the following here:

EXTERIOR RENOVATION AT 2ND STORY ONLY. REMOVAL OF EXT. ALUMINIUM & GLASS CURTAIN WALL/ STOREFRONT . INSTALL NEW INSULATED BRICK AND METAL STUD AT EXTERIOR WALLS WITH NEW WINDOW OPENINGS. PROVIDE AT THE LEVEL OF FLOORING & CEILING OF 2ND FL NEW WATERPROOFING COOPER FLASHING.

Hmm. "Removal of ext. aluminum & glass curtain wall/storefront" on the second floor.

That would be the distinctive characteristic of the corner building... and part of an old favorite — the Kiev, which closed in 2000. (Jeremiah has a history of the Kiev here.)

[2007, via Curbed]

[1979, By Michael Sean Edwards]

I'm not very good at DOB-speak, but it sounds as if the landlord wants to brick up the floor-to-ceiling windows... Sounds a little generic. The city disapproved the plan on Monday. And as of last week, this building is now in the new East Village/Lower East Side Historic District.

So what I don't know at this point: Because plans were filed before the Historic District designation, are the potential renovations OK to move forward? (If the city approves the plans.) Or will the building be protected from such a renovation that would change the character of a building because it is now in a Historic District?

Also, Song 7.2 was closed Monday and Tuesday ... they were back open last night with this sign...

Wash day at St. Brigid's yesterday

... where workers were hosing down the church on the East Eighth Street side. Photo by Bobby Williams.

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: New awning for HiFi; 'training event' for L'Apicio

Just a few random items from the last few days/nights...

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We like HiFi on Avenue A. We also like restaurants/bars with awnings (mostly). That said. HiFi now has a new-look front with an awning...

[Bobby Williams]

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Over on East First Street in the Shoppes at Avalon Bowery Place, L'Apicio is closer to opening... there was a soft opening of sorts last night...

Sign called it a "training event." The New York Times noted that "some entrees, like roast pig, will be available family-style, for sharing." And apparently they have good meatballs.

And here is the kitchen entrance.... adorned with new art...

Did you get to say goodbye to those GIANT SUSHI ROLL PHOTOS along here?

[Last summer]

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And another sign of fall: People's Pops recently closed for the season on East Seventh Street...

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And a reader noted the chalkboard outside outside Fresco Gelateria on Second Avenue...

Neighborhood Pumpkin Watch group reports first casualty of season

Members of a newly created Neighborhood Pumpkin Watch group send along what they believe is the first smashed pumpkin of the young Halloween season ... here on Second Avenue near East Third Street ...

A group rep we spoke with said that they have a suspect a short distance away ... we don't want to name names, but the business rhymes with DareDurger.

Group reps also said that they will be holding protests at any establishment selling seasonal pumpkin craft ale, pumpkin-shaped hand soap and pumpkin-flavored bacon.

That's one small step for Beauty Bar...

From last night on East 14th Street via EVG reader stuytownBarb ...

Leftover from Art in Odd Places or new for Halloween...? Some kind of secret government thing we're not supposed to know about? Or is this what nearby residents of IHOP need to wear to combat the smell and noise?

So many possibilities.

16 photos from the EV Grieve archives for no reason whatsoever

A time-consuming project. I have thousands and thousands of photos from the time with this website (as well as many more spanning the years). They're all safely backed up and what not (in the cloud, man!).

However, the photos aren't organized. So I've been indexing the photos by subjects ("Abandoned toilets in the trash" or, say, "Woo.")

During all this, I found a few photos from the EVG archives that I like for one reason or another. I've posted a few of these. Others are new to the site.

[Second Avenue near 11th Street]

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[3rd Street between Avenue A and First Avenue]

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[Avenue B near 13th Street]

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[Avenue A near East 10th Street]

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[The Bowery near East Houston]

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[First Avenue near East Fifth Street]

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[East Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue]

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[East 14th Street looking east]

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[The former Cooper Square Hotel]

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[East Houston and the Bowery]

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[Avenue B at East Houston]

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[East Eighth Street near Avenue C]

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[Mars Bar]
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[Second Avenue near East 13th Street]
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[Avenue A at East Fourth Street]

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[East Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue]

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.

By James Maher

Name: Jesus Picayo (and daughter Alina)
Occupation: Landlord (Miami)
Location: 5th Street between 1st and 2nd Avenues
Time: 1:30 pm on Saturday, Oct. 13

We moved here in 1996. I was born in Cuba, but we were living in St. Thomas and we got hit by two hurricanes, so in ‘95 I just left for good. My mother was here; my brothers were here. I moved to Second and B. The price brought me here and the neighborhood was starting to change already.

I own some property in Miami, some row houses that I rent out. But I don’t like Miami. I just came from there and they stole my tailgate off my truck. I’ve had people break in and cause $100,000 in damage to the building for $500 in copper wire and pipes.

This was an area where at one point you couldn’t live. On the corner of B and 2nd they would sell like a million dollars in drugs a day. You’d find bodies in bags in the gardens. It was rough. By the time I got here you could still see some drug addicts and there was a lot of window breaking in cars. Around, Avenues A, B, C and D, all the way up to Tompkins Square Park it was mainly Puerto Ricans who lived there. Unfortunately, people have been driven out now.

Yesterday I had to kick the local drunk out of my building because he peed all over the entrance. He won’t move unless you hose him with cold water. And he hates water; he won’t take a shower, so you gotta hose him. And he says ‘ah, I’m gonna kill you,’ and so I sprayed him and he got up, but he can’t even really walk. This guy’s been here for over 40 years, between C and D, on the street. He will go to the check cashing place on Houston and open the door for people and he’ll make $50 in a few hours. So I deal with him. He has some interesting stories when he’s not drunk.

Almost everything is gone. The old Sidewalk used to be really good. It’s still there but it’s changed. There was a record store where Dunkin' Donuts is on Delancey, by the bridge, and it was really good because all they sold was Puerto Rican music, salsa. There was a lady that worked there and I used to go a lot and talk to her and she knew every song I was looking for. She was great; that was a good place. I also remember all of the little places that sold fried food on Clinton Street; they’re all gone. There were a lot of bakeries there. I mean, a lot of them were drug fronts, but they’re all gone now.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.