Club Cumming debuts tonight on 6th Street

As previously noted, actor-author (and East Village resident) Alan Cumming was teaming up with the Eastern Bloc owners to turn the bar on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B into Club Cumming.

And tonight marks the opening night... there are a variety of events happening in the space, as you can see from their schedule (find more details via Instagram)... there are jazz nights, book readings, duets with Michael Musto, a Crisco Disco night, and so on...



Cumming described the Club on his Instagram account as "a home for everyone of all ages, all genders, all sexualities, who all enjoy letting go and making some mischief. No judgments, no attitude, no rules, except kindness, acceptance and fun."

Here's a mini preview via the Times the other day.

The East Village storefront, previously home to the popular gay haunt Eastern Bloc, is being transformed into a Weimar-inspired cabaret bar ... The modest space will have illustrated murals of New York night life personalities including Joey Arias, mismatched chandeliers and a small curtained stage with a piano.

Beyond debauchery, events will include book releases, “stitch and bitch” knitting classes and tantric sex workshops. “To have a local bar that is home for artists and those who love them, that’s important to me,” Mr. Cumming said. “I’ve always wanted to make people talk to each other instead of looking at their phones.”

Schmaltz on full display in new-look exterior at Sammy's Roumanian Steakhouse

[Photo from 2010 by James and Karla Murray]

There's a new look outside down at the Chrystie Street mainstay... EVG reader Mike House shared these photos... first, of the usual entrance (which transformed back in the spring)...



A new addition is on the kitchen side of the operation just to the south ... the windows had previously been covered ... now there are giants pitchers of schmaltz, not quite to scale of the ones found on the tables inside...



I'm not sure if the work is complete out front. Perhaps more Sammy's signage will return. (The interior remains the same.)

This northwest corner of Chrystie and Delancey was under cover of a sidewalk bridge and scaffolding for some six years, finally coming down at the start of 2016.

The Urban Vision of Elaine Norman, an exhibit opening tonight on 1st Street

Tonight is the opening reception of a photo exhibit at City Lore on First Street titled "Apple of My Eye: The Urban Vision of Elaine Norman."

Per the City Lore website:

City Lore is pleased to present Elaine Norman’s vision of the city as the first exhibit in our Deep New York series.

“Simply strolling down any New York street can be a visual adventure and an endless opportunity for discovery,” she writes. “The City has an extraordinary capacity to blend past and present, high-brow and low, traditional and modern.”

This vibrant, eclectic and constantly evolving architectural and cultural kaleidoscope has always been Elaine Norman’s passion and source of inspiration.

The reception is 6-9 tonight. The exhibit, which spans 35 years of NYC life, is up through Oct. 15. The gallery, 56 E. First St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, has hours of 2-6 p.m. on Friday, and noon to 6 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday.

'Deception' at Astor Place; dead body takes a break

Crews were out this afternoon filming a scene for the new ABC crime drama "Deception" on Astor Place.

Then everyone took a break...



Photos by Derek Berg

Ramones Ramp mural damaged in Queens

[Ori Carino with Mickey Leigh in June 2016]

On June 5, 2016, East Village-based artist Ori Carino unveiled a new mural at the Thorneycroft Ramp in Forest Hills, Queens. The ceremony was part of a day of events organized by the Queens Museum, which was showing "Hey! Ho! Let’s Go: Ramones and the Birth of Punk" at the time.

Carino painted the image of the four Ramones at the ramp based on a 1975 photograph by photographer Bob Gruen.

Marc H. Miller, the curator of that Ramones show, wrote in to report that the mural has been damaged...



Michael Perlman, a historian who lives in Queens, believes that maintenance workers at the Thorneycroft Ramp at Fanwood Estates painted around artist the mural, possibly before it rained ... sending red, vertical streaks down the mural...



"Everyone loves the mural out there in Forest Hills," Miller told me. "I’m optimistic that the real-estate company that owns the ramp will get it restored. It's just a question of allocating some money for Ori to fix it."

Bali Kitchen will start serving Indonesian cuisine tonight on 4th Street

Bali Kitchen opens this evening at 5 here at 128 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The small restaurant is owned by Jazz Pasay, a fashion designer in Indonesia who also loves to cook. He has worked at Indonesian and Japanese restaurants in the past. This is his first restaurant in NYC, according to a Bali Kitchen rep, who added "we are delighted to be part of the East Village."

Bali Kitchen is open daily from 5-10:30 p.m. You can find the menu via the Bali website here.

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Per Bali Kitchen: "We would like to invite the East Village community to celebrate our opening by giving a 15% discount when your readers mention 'EV Grieve' to our cashiers. This promotion is good until the end of September 2017."

48 Clinton St. for sale as development site

[48 Clinton St.]

Yesterday I noted that 238-240 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is available as either a development site or as its most recent use — a theater space.

This is one of two properties that founders of the Blue Man Group sold this past summer for $18.5 million.

The other site is 48 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington on the Lower East Side. That rather mysterious building (pictured top) is also for sale.

According to the listing at RKF:

The property can be redeveloped up to 10,000 SF for a mixed-use development as per R7A zoning.

New residential projects include the adjacent 50 Clinton and The Ludlow, which have introduced 280 high-end residential apartments, bringing many young, affluent New Yorkers to the neighborhood.

A PDF of the property — billed as a "redevelopment opportunity" — notes that the four-level space has served as a recording studio.



No. 48 was once home to LoHo Studios, which an array of artists such Joey Ramone, Willie Nelson, Phish, Patti Smith and Joan Jett have used.

There isn't a price listed for No. 48.

Public records show that an LLC affiliated with Blue Man Productions bought the building in 2008 for $5 million.

Ummburger makes it official on 1st Avenue

The coming soon signage arrived over the weekend for Ummburger, a self-described burger bar here at 99 First Avenue and Sixth Street.

Work on the murals began over the Labor Day Weekend...and appear to be finished now...





In materials submitted to CB3 this past spring, the applicants described Ummburger as a "fast casual" concept serving a variety of burgers, including a vegetarian option. There are other sandwiches too, such as a fried chicken sandwich called the Southern Ummfort.

The previous tenant at this address, Mancora, moved across Sixth Street earlier in the summer.

H/T to EVG readers Bruce and Vinny & O for noting the progress!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ummburger vying for the Mancora space on 1st Avenue

Dueling notes at the Miracle Garden on 3rd Street

An EVG reader shares these photos ... the above "Dear Garden Ladies" sign arrived at the Miracle Garden on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B ... stating:

We love this garden.

Please open it up for us. Its [sic] unfair to tease your neighbors by locking this special sanctuary.

Love your neighbors.

Someone from the garden (presumably) responded with the following letter...



...stating that "unfortunately not everyone had the respect we assume you have for the Garden & there has been severe damage (furniture broken, furniture stolen, plants trampled, plants pulled up & thrown everywhere .. etc. etc.) so for protection, we need a member around to make sure this doesn't continue."

Anyway, the letter goes on, ending with "We would love for the neighborhood to actively become involved and help."

Their monthly meeting is tonight at 7.

Just For Fen opens on 1st Avenue

Just For Fen is in soft-open mode at 229 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street.

You can find some pics of their noodle dishes via the restaurant's Instagram account here.

As noted, Bago was the previous tenant at this address.