Friday, July 27, 2018

The EVG podcast: A 'Vanishing New York' conversation with Jeremiah Moss


[Image via Vanishing New York]

This episode of the EVG podcast features a conversation with Jeremiah Moss, the writer behind the blog Vanishing New York. The paperback edition of his book, "Vanishing New York: How a Great City Lost Its Soul," is out this week. (The paperback launch event is tonight at 7:30 at Books Are Magic, 225 Smith St. in Brooklyn.)

Jeremiah joined me in the East Village Radio studio on First Avenue to discuss moving to NYC 25 years ago, starting his blog and attempting to save small businesses from extinction. We also talk about how he encouraged me to start the EV Grieve blog 11 years ago.



Previously on EV Grieve:
The EVG podcast: Red-tailed hawk talk with Laura Goggin

The EVG podcast with Mike Katz and Crispin Kott, the authors of "Rock and Roll Explorer Guide to New York City."

Consider donating clothes to the Bowery Mission this summer

In case you are doing some late-summer closet cleaning this weekend or next...


This link has donation details. The Bowery Mission is at 227 Bowery between Stanton and Rivington at Prince.

Viking Waffles opens on Avenue C


[Photo by Vinny & O]

The Viking Waffles retail space is now open at 137 Avenue C near Ninth Street.

The storefront now sells the popular protein-rich waffles that were previously only available online and in several health-food stores and gyms, including Barry's Bootcamp. (Benedicte Engen, a Crossfit trainer, is the founder of Viking Waffles.) There are several tables and chairs inside, and you can order your waffles with a variety of toppings.

Here's the menu...



The space will continue to serve as the HQ for Viking's wholesale manufacturing business.

It's a new era for the address, which went under extensive renovations (it's basically a new building) in recent years. The building's ground-floor was previously home to drunk-brunch magnet Sunburnt Cow until April 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Sunburnt Cow space on Avenue C is the new home of Viking Waffles

Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

A request not to leave any more bread at the Great Jones Cafe


[Photo from July 14]

The Great Jones Cafe remains closed (since July 10) ... yet the bread deliveries continue. The box that arrived on July 14 sat outside for several days before someone eventually emptied it.

Yesterday, an employee in the garage next door put up a sign asking the delivery people to stop leaving the bread...



The 35-year-old restaurant near the Bowery has not opened for business since the untimely death of owner Jim Moffett on July 10.

The status of the Great Jones Cafe is unknown at the moment. One tipster said that a broker was showing the space on Wednesday.

Up to 4 more retail spaces available to join Target on 14th Street



In case you missed the hoopla, Target opened last Wednesday on 14th Street and Avenue A. (Recaps of what transpired on Saturday with the store's homage to the neighborhood's past can be found at the following outlets, among others: Racked ... Noisey ... Pitchfork ... The New York Times ... Jezebel ... Vice ... Forbes ... The Architect's Newspaper ... Minneapolis/St. Paul Business Journal ...)

So that takes care of just one of the retail spaces in the new EVGB residential complex at 500 and 524 E. 14th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

There are potentially two more storefronts for rent adjacent to Target...



...and two more at No. 524 toward Avenue B...


[Confusing, because this photo is looking to the west]

Newmark Knight Frank has the listings... the storefronts are part of what's being billed as "the East Village's most dynamic block" ...







Perhaps in the future we will see a CVS No Rio (that is @danieltbrennan's joke!) or a Sam's Club 57.

Also, on the north side of Avenue A, we're still waiting to learn what's coming to the retail space in the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office... Trader Joe's still? Doesn't seem like the best time for any business to open with the ongoing L-train entrance work ...



Anyway, in case you needed a reminder of Target's arrival... along Avenue A...





... or Sixth Street and First Avenue...



... or 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...



... or The Weather Channel app...

Thursday, July 26, 2018

A fledging in Tompkins Square Park, and in rehab

As Goggla reported yesterday, Urban Park Rangers removed the older of Amelia and Christo's fledglings, who fell sick, in Tompkins Square Park. (More on that in a minute.)

Meanwhile, the younger fledgling continued to entertain in the Park ... Steven shared these photos from today...













... eventually the fledgling took a bow...



... and then went up into a tree and ate a pigeon or something...



As for this fledgling's sibling... Bobby Horvath of the Wildlife in Need of Rescue and Rehabilitation Inc. (WINORR) posted an update on Facebook. Per Bobby:

After being delivered to the Animal Medical Center the exotics dept. did blood work to check for West Nile virus, lead and rodenticide poisoning. Early results showed anemia and exposure to rodenticide so immediate treatment was started. It may also have either of the other 2 ailments but those results won't be known for a day or 2. Medication and supportive care hopefully can reverse any damage and this young male can recover.



Interestingly enough, he's at the same facility as Dora... I'm not sure how you'd describe this relation...

Updated 7/29

Unfortunately the fledgling died early this morning. Early test results showed anemia and exposure to rodenticide. More to come...

Free stuff alert in the former Paquito's space on 1st Avenue



Steven shares this from First Avenue just south of Ninth Street... inside the old Paquito's Restaurant space... there are free dishes, glassware, coffee cups, etc. ...



The sit-down Paquito's closed last December after 25 years. That storefront is for lease. Paquito's maintains a to-go counter and delivery service in the space next door.

Grant Shaffer's NY See


[Click on image for more detail]

Here's this week's NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood (and sometimes elsewhere).

[Updated] Sick red-tailed fledgling taken away from Tompkins Square Park for evaluation


[Photo by Goggla]

In recent days we've enjoyed watching the younger of the two red-tailed fledglings frolicking in Tompkins Square Park.

However, as Goggla noted, Amelia and Christo's older fledgling has kept a lower profile, staying perched in a tree.

And yesterday, the hawklet looked unwell. NYC Urban Park Rangers Rob Mastrianni and Nick Baisley came to the Park, and took the hawklet to the Animal Medical Center for testing and evaluation, Goggla reported.

Here's a video of the capture...



Visit Goggla's site for more photos and updates.

Updated 7/29

Unfortunately the fledgling died early this morning. Early test results showed anemia and exposure to rodenticide. More to come...

Vegan Love arrives on 10th Street



Vegan Love is now in soft-open mode (as of Tuesday) in the former Quintessence space on 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

As we understand it, the chef from Quintessence is behind this raw-food venture. Vegan Love offers a smallish menu featuring several burgers (guac and mushroom) as well as a variety of create-your-own salads. In addition, there are sides, including daily soups, air-baked sweet potatoes and squash mac and cheese, as well as smoothies and desserts.

While there are several tables and stools inside, given the menu items, it looks to be a good to-go option.

Quintessence, the 17-year-old raw-food cafe, closed back in late June without any notice for patrons on its website or social-media properties. The space has been under renovation this past month.

Previously