The Sweet Generation storefront turns 1 today

Sweet Generation is celebrating its 1-year storefront anniversary today from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. by giving away free mini cupcakes (while supplies last!) and coupons at 130 First Ave. between East Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Here's more about the work they do via the anniversary announcement ...

Sweet Generation bakery believes in the power of the arts and creativity in making change in one's life and in the world. They have partnered with several nonprofit organizations and local High Schools to create an internship program that teaches baking, food safety, customer service, work readiness, and entrepreneurship to teens and young adults from low-income communities. With every purchase of their award-winning cupcakes and pastries you are supporting their internship program for at-risk youth, teaching job readiness skills in their creative bakery space.

Since opening a year ago, Sweet Generation has mentored over 20 at-risk New York City youth through partnerships with Cypress Hills LDC, The Boys Club of NY, City As School, The Center For Arts Education, Lower Manhattan Arts Academy, and more.

Additionally, Sweet Generation works to support the fundraising and programmatic goals of innovative and creative organizations by making cash and product donations to programs that align with their mission. They have also hosted over half a dozen art exhibitions showcasing the talented youth of the local community.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Sweet Generation opens today

Poco goes before City Council Tuesday for sidewalk cafe approval

[EVG photo from last month]

Several EVG readers passed along word that reps from Poco were outside the restaurant on Avenue B and East Third Street this weekend collecting signatures in support of receiving a license for their sidewalk cafe.

Last month, CB3 voted to deny the renewal of a sidewalk cafe permit for Poco, who advertises having a "legendary boozy brunch."

Here's part of CB3's lengthy denial. (You can find the PDF of the minutes from the December meeting here.)

WHEREAS, this applicant was first heard by Community Board 3 in May of 2009 for a sidewalk café permit for twenty-two (22) tables and forty-four (44) seats and was denied because the applicant conceded at that time that it had already been operating a sidewalk café without a permit; and

WHEREAS, this applicant then obtained a sidewalk café permit for ten (10) tables and twenty (20) seats; and

WHEREAS, this applicant was then heard for an alteration to extend its liquor license to its sidewalk café in September of 2009 and withdrew its application before Community Board 3 to address ongoing complaints from residents of loud noise from people and music emanating from the business which was corroborated by the issuance of a police summons for unreasonable noise in August of 2009...

WHEREAS, this applicant was then heard for a renewal of its full on-premise liquor license in July of 2015 because Community Board 3 had received complaints from residents from April of 2014 through July of 2015, about the failure of the business to oversee the sidewalk, unruly drunk patrons from the business blocking the sidewalk, excessive noise from patrons and music emanating from the business, which has an open façade, as well as from its sidewalk café, all you can drink brunch specials, the sidewalk café operating past its permitted time of 10:00 P.M., the service of alcohol at the sidewalk café after its permitted closing time and the café taking up too much of the sidewalk; and

WHEREAS, in May of 2015, the Department of Consumer Affairs issued violations against this business for its sidewalk café exceeding its permitted footprint on the sidewalk and having ten (10) too many tables when it was permitted for ten (10) tables and twenty (20) seats with a closing time of 10:00 P.M. every day; and

WHEREAS, in July of 2015 the applicant conceded that she kept the sidewalk café open past her permitted closing time and was serving patrons food and drinks at the café after its permitted closing time and that she has unlimited drink specials served with meals at brunch but stated that she had addressed complaints about her sidewalk café and patrons on the sidewalk since first being calendared for a community board meeting in June of 2015...

... and later...

WHEREAS, Community Board 3 has received additional complaints, including from an area resident and community board member, that drunken patrons block and disrupt sidewalk use for area residents; and

WHEREAS, an area resident and public community board member has observed that this café regularly exceeds its permitted size by an additional ten (10) to fifteen (15) tables, as evidenced by the attached video recordings...

On Tuesday, Poco will appear before City Council (heres the agenda) to make their case for the sidewalk cafe. Ahead of that, they are collecting signatures...

We are more than a restaurant. We are more than bottomless brunch. We at Poco, are your friends and family and we need...

Posted by Poco Restaurant & Bar on Tuesday, January 5, 2016

There are 442 signatures at Change.org as of this evening... from around the country...



In the meantime, the flyer below was spotted in the hall of an adjacent residential building...



Poco opened in March 2009.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Big word alert: From the front lines of the Avenue B brunch war

And now, RAINBOWS!

[Photo by Robert Miner]

Thanks for the photos this afternoon...


[Photo by Shawn Chittle]


[Photo by Vinny & O]


[Photo via Danny]


[Photo by Sally Davies]


[Photo via @HowCitiesWork]

... and a clearer shot of the DOUBLE RAINBOW...


[Photo by Caz Lulu via Facebook]

Week in Grieview

[Photo Friday on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Adam Purple's legacy (Monday, 52 comments)

The Sock Man is closing on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

Report: Latest woe for St. Mark's Bookshop — possible eviction (Friday, 44 comments)

A revamped Dry Dock Playground is back open (Wednesday)

An open letter to landlord Raphael Toledano from the Toledano Tenants Coalition (Tuesday)

Gothic Cabinet Craft has closed on Third Avenue (Friday)

You now have a few more hours to use the local libraries during the week (Wednesday)

Report: Owners of Phebe's and Penny Farthing are reopening the Rodeo Bar on Third Avenue (Tuesday)

29-year-old Gallery Vernon is closing on East 9th Street (Friday)

Avenida Cantina now serving Tex-Mex on Avenue B (Friday)

Royale looking forward to the next 10 years on Avenue C (Tuesday)

SRO Pizza is apparently DOA on the Bowery (Thursday)

City removes Sandy-damaged willow on East Eighth Street (Thursday)

Domino's® opens on East 14th Street (Friday)

Nonna's Pizza closes on Avenue A (Thursday)

An ice cream flavor Mick Jagger might like (Tuesday)

Tailor shop opening on East Ninth Street (Thursday)

Sushi in the works for Avenue C and East Eighth Street (Monday)

A photogenic Tuesday morning (Tuesday)

Tough retail Environment? Upscale furniture shop closing on the Bowery (Thursday)

Tagging Joey Ramone (Tuesday)

Temporary IDNYC center opens on Avenue D (Monday)

NY Village Deli is on the move on First Avenue (Wednesday)

We're going to need more digits for this Powerball

First of all, you didn't win the $949.8 million Powerball drawing last night. Sorry!

Given that, the next jackpot could reach an estimated $1.3 billion, lottery officials told ABC News.

And given that (again), there aren't enough digits to note this on the lottery ad on St. Mark's Place near Second Avenue, as these photos by EVG Powerball correspondent Steven show...



According to someone who knows math and stuff, there's a 1 in 292.2 million chance of winning the Powerball's grand prize.

Someone tagged the incoming condos at 100 Avenue

Well, not the most noticeable tags on the south-facing wall of Ben Shaoul's under-construction condoplex between East Seven Street and East Sixth Street... but they are new as of today...



There!



Previously on EV Grieve:
Someone threw black paint bombs at the naked women condo ad along 100 Avenue A

Juice Vitality now open on 1st Avenue

That juice bar we told you about a few weeks ago coming to 192 First Ave. is now open here between East 11th Street and East 12th Street, per EVG regular Peter Brownscombe.

We don't know anything about the proprietors behind Juice Vitality. Anyway, per the sign on the front window, there's a buy-one-get-one-free deal going on for the grand opening.

Previous tenant Medina Deli moved around the corner in October to the former Reciprocal Skateboard space on East 11th Street.

[Updated] The ides of Mulch are upon us

MulchFest 2016 is getting underway (or it's over, depending when you're reading this)... today and tomorrow (Sunday!) from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Tompkins Square Park.

We stopped by early, around 8 this morning, to get a good seat.

Unfortunately, the seats were just arriving.


So me and my +1 went to another MulchFest, but they were "closed for a private event."

Updated 1/10

If you missed the mulching action... here's a clip via EVG regular Greg Masters...



Be sure to watch the awesome tree toss at the 29-second mark...

Noted

Crews are out this morning along Avenue A to film scenes for the Hulu supernatural comedy "Deadbeat."

One of the guys setting up the craft services had his young son (age 10? 12?) with him. The boy had a Razor scooter, and was ready to head off on Avenue A and East 10th Street.

The father stops the boy, and says in a firm tone: "This is a nice neighborhood, but that is not a nice Park" — nodding toward Tompkins Square Park. "Do not talk to anyone. Absolutely do not give your scooter to anyone."

Happily Never after

Warpaint's Jenny Lee Lindberg (aka Jennylee) released her first solo record, Right On!, last month... here's "Never" from her debut.

Also, she'll be at the Bowery Ballroom on Feb. 27.