East 6th Street embracing Christmas in June

Last Friday, EVG reader OlympiasEpiriot spotted a holiday Christmas Tree plopped by the trash ... waiting to spend eternity next to a Papa John's box.

However! EVG reader Phil notes that someone plucked the tree from the trash between Avenue A and Avenue B ...



...where it will compete with the Tree Chair and the bear outside Josie's as the block's top attraction...

Is this David Lynch-directed Don't Litter NYC spot the scariest commercial ever made?

YouTube Day continues at EVG today... this video is making the rounds again... A description via YouTube:

This public service commercial to "clean up new york" was directed by David Lynch and photographed by Frederick Elmes. Perhaps the scariest commercial ever made.

In case you didn't see it last time around the Internet... And now, from 1991...

Go on a tour of Iggy Pop's East Village in 1993

Wow. EVG reader John passed along this YouTube discovery... a 15-minute Dutch documentary by Bram Van Splunteren that follows Iggy Pop around on Avenue B, East Eighth Street, Avenue C and East Ninth Street... At the time, Iggy was living in the Christodora House. (He doesn't mention it by name, but says that living in a nice place "gets up a lot of people's tree. But fuck it. What the fuck? I'm not a martyr.")

Along the way, Iggy plays tour guide ... starting with a shot inside Vazac's ... then along Avenue B... he mentions where he used to buy drugs, points out a few Chico murals... and displays a lot of enthusiasm.



A highlight: At the 4:45 mark, he walks into Pedro's bakery on Eighth Street and Avenue C and unleashes his Spanish... he orders food and realizes that he doesn't have any money. The filmmaker has to pay. "This is where I eat when my wife's not in town. I come here and get sandwiches and cake and strong coffee. That's what I live on."

At the 6-minute mark, he talks about how much he likes Avenue C. "It's beautiful here. Really nice."

Anyway, this recap doesn't do the video any justice... you just have to watch...

Jupiter 21 jettisons its plywood

Jupiter 21, the apartment building that rose above the old Mars Bar space, is now plywood free... and you can see what the retail portion here along East First Street and Second Avenue looks like...







One of the exciting new tenants will be the 4,300-square-foot TBD Bank branch. And next door, maybe Mars Bar 2.0? Back in early January Billy Gray at the Commercial Observer reported:

The development company BFC Partners reached an agreement with the Mars Bar crew that would allow the next commercial tenant to occupy a 4,456 basement and ground floor space under the proud, stubborn and – who knew? – business-minded Mars Bar auspices.

[Worst Photoshop EVER]


[Ditto]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Mars Bar is becoming a fucking bank branch

Mars Bar primed to make an East Village comeback?

About the 'Northwest East Village'

[Rendering on East 13th Street in the Northwest East Village]

The real estate section of the Times had a piece yesterday on the Jefferson, the incoming condoplex that replaced the Mystery Lot along East Thirteen Street near Third Avenue... in particular, the Times explores the Jefferson's claim that the building is in the "Northwest East Village."

With the new name, the team building the Jefferson may be trying to freshen the image of the area, which is lined with aged brick tenements and has been more gentrification-proof than other East Village enclaves.

Or, like other marketing tactics, the renaming could serve no more serious purpose than to draw attention to the building.

“We were being a little funny, because we know it’s never going to catch on,” said Michael Barry, the president of the Ironstate Development Company in Hoboken, N.J., which is working with SK Development and CB Developers on the project.

Anyway, everybody knows that this is Midtown South.

Previously on EV Grieve:
City approves new building for Mystery Lot

The last days of the Mystery Lot

Before it was the Mystery Lot

The Mystery Lot developers using famous dead comedians to sell condos at The Jefferson

The Jefferson reveals what '21st Century living in the heart of Olde New York' costs

Taqueria Diana coming soon to Second Avenue

[Photo by Riian McCormick]

Cheep's Pita Creations closed at the beginning of the month on Second Avenue near St. Mark's Place.

And on Saturday, workers arrived to start work on the next venture here — Taqueria Diana.

They are currently hiring. According to the Craigslist add:

Come be a part of the new team at Taqueria Diana, a Mexico and California inspired restaurant in the heart of the East Village.

At Taqueria Diana, you will find a commitment to excellence among our staff; a dedication to making delicious Mexican food; and an emphasis on respect of how we treat each other and our customers.

And here's the info on their coming soon page...

Han Dynasty says hello on Third Avenue

Over here in Little Philly at 90 Third Ave., Philadelphia-based Sichuan master Han Chiang is bringing his hit restaurant Han Dynasty to the neighborhood as Eater recently noted. Work continues on the space between East 12th Street and East 13th Street (and 99 Miles to Philly) ... and now a sign has arrived to note Han's, uh, arrival.

CB3 approved a beer and wine license for Han Dyansty last month. No word on an opening date.

Burnt bus in tow

This morning, we noted that an idling MTA bus caught fire on Astor Place... Bobby Williams happened by when the stricken vehicle was going off to the burnt bus farm... Mind the skateboarders!

Week in Grieview

[Ray making en egg cream yesterday. Photo by c ryan]

A new lease and A rating for Ray's Candy Store (Friday)

New York Supreme Court upholds revocation of La Vie's liquor license (Tuesday)

Remembering Arturo Vega (Wednesday)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission approves application for modifications at PS 64 (Wednesday)

On the front stoop with Elisabeth Diekmann (Wednesday)

Tu Casa leaving the East Village (Thursday)

An 11-building parcel of the Bowery was sold (Monday)

Crunch on the Bowery (Monday)

Help save The Neighborhood School library (Tuesday)

The end of the Yippies on Bleecker Street? (Tuesday)

Awesome bro pad, bro (Wednesday)

Good Guys closes on Second Avenue (Friday)

Update on the Tree Chair of East Sixth Street (Tuesday)

Odessa Cafe safe for the moment (Monday)

Flyer reminds residents what they can — and can't — flush down the toilet (Monday)

Bus fire this morning on Astor Place

An MTA bus caught fire this morning around 11:20 on Astor Place... EVG reader Riian McCormick provided these photos... the bus was apparently empty and idling at the time of the fire... Riian says the FDNY was on it in a hurry... quickly extinguishing the fire... but it did provide for a few dramatic moments...