The 26th annual tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park is Dec. 10

Here's a save-the-date if you're interested: The tree lighting ceremonies in Tompkins Square Park are from 4-5 p.m. on Sunday, Dec. 10 ... we'll post more details on the programming when those details are available.

Afterwards, the East Village Independent Merchants Association is hosting a holiday celebration with specials at a handful of local businesses. More about this later as well.

Street co-naming set for Public Theater founder Joseph Papp and community activist Mary Spink

There are two street co-naming ceremonies to note...

Tomorrow morning at 8:30, the intersection of Lafayette and Astor Place will officially be co-named Joseph Papp Way, in honor of late Public Theater founder Joseph Papp ...


[Image via Playbill]

The ceremony takes place on the Astor Place plaza. Playbill has more on the story here.

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Saturday at noon, the southeast corner of Avenue A and Second Street will be co-named in honor of community activist Mary Spink...



Spink, a local business owner and member of CB3, later served as executive director of Lower East Side People’s Mutual Housing Association. She died in January 2012 at age 64.

Turntable 5060 is now Tapanju Turntable, and it opens tomorrow

[Photo via @ArtisanMatters]

Last week we noted that Turntable 5060 was reopening on Dec. 1 after a months-long hiatus on Avenue B and Fourth Street.

Since then, a banner arrived announcing Tapanju with the Turntable logo. The restaurant's website simply offers: "Turntable 5060 in the East Village is now TAPANJU TURNTABLE." (And they are accepting reservations starting for tomorrow.) There isn't any mention of what the differences between Turntable 5060 and Tapanju Turntable might be.

Tapanju's hours will be:

Monday: 5-11 p.m.
Tuesday-Friday: 5-midnight
Saturday: 2-midnight
Sunday: 2-11 p.m.

The restaurant serving Korean-style fried chicken and craft beers opened in July 2015. They closed for renovations at the end of July.

Baar Baar opens tomorrow (Friday!) on 1st Street in Avalon Bowery Place

In recent months we've been watching the gut renovation of the former L'Apicio space at 13 E. First St. in the Avalon Bowery Place complex between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

As we've been reporting, noted chef Sujan Sarkar was bringing "upscale modern Indian cuisine" to the address.

The New York Times has a preview of the restaurant, called Baar Baar, which opens tomorrow.

At Baar Baar, which means “again and again,” [Sarkar] dabbles in sous-vide, foams, gels and such, but they do not dominate the menu. His small plates, assorted mixed thali platters and bigger plates provide a range of flavors, including traditional (like tandoori mushrooms, Kashmiri-style lamb ribs and butter chicken) and innovative, like potato and bone-marrow kulcha, asparagus pepper fry with cauliflower mousse, and oysters with guava, chile granita with lemon foam.

He makes liberal use of avocados and offers creative cocktails, some mixed with Indian spirits. “When it comes to contemporary Indian food, New York is years behind,” he said.

Sarkar is also the chef of Rooh, a similar-sounding restaurant that opened in San Francisco early this year.

L'Apicio closed in May after five years of serving high-end Italian.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chef Sujan Sarkar bringing 'upscale modern Indian cuisine' to the Bowery

L'Apico ends its 5-year run tomorrow night

Volunteers on a mission to help reinvigorate Alphabet Scoop on 11th Street

In 2002, the Father’s Heart Ministries launched Alphabet Scoop adjacent to the church on 11th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

The seasonal ice cream shop hires and trains at-risk teens from the neighborhood ... and provides them with mentoring.

A group of volunteers are now working to give Alphabet Scoop "a boost that it needs." A crowdfunding campaign is underway, with a goal of raising $70,000 by the end of the year. (They've already reached the halfway point.)

The volunteers include an architect, a contractor, a financial analyst, a lawyer and project managers. They want to redesign and renovate the space and help with business operations and financial management.

Per their campaign info:

Alphabet Scoop has yet to be profitable and has relied on the financial support of the Father's Heart Ministries to keep the lights on.

The mission is incredible but there are three main problems:
• The business is undercapitalized and the store has not been properly maintained or renovated in over a decade.
• An undifferentiated brand limits awareness and the ability to reach a wider audience.
• The lack of systems has led to operational inefficiencies.

They are hoping for an April 2018 Alphabet Scoop relaunch.

You can find more about the campaign here.

Studio of the day

A studio has been on the market this past month on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Per the listing: "This unit features hardwood floors, a separate kitchen and room for a bed and small couch. Don't miss this opportunity to live just steps from Union Square for a below market price!"

That price is $1,895.

The listing promises a "separate kitchen."

More like "kitchen separated by the fridge."



On the positive side, it's a full-size fridge ... if you can get the door open all the way.

Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

Looks as if there's a retail tenant for the new-look 29 Second Ave.

The work permit on the front window notes the renovations are for a "pizza shop."



Not sure just who is behind the incoming pizzeria, but likely someone with some dough. (Sorry.) The retail space has been asking $23,000-plus change.

The previous tenant here, The Cock, moved a few blocks to the north in December 2015.

Earlier this year, Highpoint Property Group purchased the building for $4.55 million from Jared Kushner's Westminster Management, according to public records.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Looking at the new-look 29 Second Ave.

NiceBrow bows on 9th Street

NiceBrow is now open at 436 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, as these photos by EVG Eyebrow Correspondent Steven show.

The salon offers a variety of services, including the namesake NiceBrow — "a permanent makeup method" ... and they are offering some Grand Opening specials...



Here's more about them via the NiceBrow website:

NiceBrow's methods were originated around the 19th century in China. By 2010, these methods had rapidly became very popular in East Asia and Europe. As the techniques had matured over the years, it had undergone many enhancements and had deemed safe and sounded. We believed that this approach is going to transform the entire cosmetic industry, the same way that Amazon.com had transformed the retail industry.

The previous tenant here, Love Gang, the women's boutique, moved two storefronts to the west back in May.

Canal Pizza opening in the former Cup & Saucer Luncheonette space on the LES

Going down to the Lower East Side for a moment ... where the signage has arrived for the new tenant on the northwest corner of Canal and Eldridge — Canal Pizza.

BoweryBoogie first reported on this yesterday...



The corner space had been home since 1940 to the Cup & Saucer Luncheonette.

According to the Lo-Down, a steep rent increase to $15,000 a month was too much for the owners (for the past 30-plus years), John Vasilopoulos and Nick Castanos, to make work. The classic diner closed back in July. There was some talk that the owners would revive the diner elsewhere. No word on how that's going.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Cup & Saucer Luncheonette closing next week on the LES


[EVG photo from 2011]

The best Daddy Burger deal on Avenue A?

EVG reader Melissa shared this photo... tucked among the Christmas/holiday trees outside Bueno East Mart on Avenue A and Third Street is a box of greenery labeled "Daddy Burger $10 each."

I'm not up on Christmas/holiday decorating lingo, so... turns out Daddy Burger is a pretty popular swag (aka suspended wreath or garland)... anyway, just passing this along in case you want some Daddy Burger for your front door. $10 seems like a fair price.