Here's the latest installment of 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 NYC.
Monday, March 11, 2019
Grant Shaffer's NY See
Here's the latest installment of 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 NYC.
Reminders: the Ottendorfer Library is back open
[Photo this morning by Steven]
The NYPL branch at 135 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street reopened this morning at 11.
The branch had been closed since last August so that workers could install a new fire alarm and life-safety system.
Ottendorfer is open 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Thursday; 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Friday and Saturday. Find a list of their free monthly events at this link.
And as a bonus, a 1930s-era photo of the branch via the NYPL Digital Collections...
Good Records NYC is closing, though the shop will continue to sell vinyl as Stranded Records
[Image by Arlene F. via Yelp]
Used and vintage-vinyl dealer Good Records NYC is closing on March 24 after 14 years in business.
However, on April 1, Stranded Records, a like-minded San Francisco-based shop that runs the Superior Viaduct label, will take over the space at 218 E. Fifth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.
Good Records owner Jonny Sklute explains in an Instagram post from Saturday:
Lots of things will remain the same. most of the staff is staying. most of the inventory is too. Stranded will honor Good Records gift certificates and trade credit for a period of 3 months — through the end of June. most importantly, there will still be vinyl records to dig and purchase and add to your collections, in the same bins, at the same location.
On a personal note: we had a great run in the greatest city, and it could not have been done without YOU. big up to all our customers, from the daily and weekly regulars to casual stoppers-by; all current and former staff, friends, allies, plugs, and simply great collectors from across the globe; thank you for making us your favorite, year after year, from 3rd Street to 5th Street, from the well-worn classics to the new discoveries to the wtf-unclassifiable; thank you for the laughs, the knowledge, the stories, the good vibes, and of course, your hard-earned purchases.
thank you for making our little shop a special and unique place in a world of rapidly increasing homogeneity. thank you for knowing and proving that vinyl is valid and dope and real and worth millions of dollars, long before big corporations agreed with us or saw reason to exploit those facts.
I am moving on, but the platter keeps spinning. I look forward to releasing more music on my new imprint — @thekeysystem — and working with Superior Viaduct on this transition and other creative endeavors.
Hanoi House expanding on St. Mark's Place
For starters, the Hanoi Soup Shop signage is now up at 115 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.
As Eater first reported in late December, the operators of the Vietnamese restaurant Hanoi House at 119 St. Mark's are opening a soup-centric cafe in this spot. (Past tenants at No. 115 include the pop-up shop Mr. Bing, Water Witch Mercantile, Box Kite Coffee and the Tuck Shop.)
Meanwhile, they also plan to expand into the empty storefront next door to their current restaurant ... (this space was previously Five Tacos). The owners are on tonight's CB3-SLA docket for a liquor license for this space... the CB3 notice states the alteration here will include a new entrance, host desk, bar and waiting area...
According to their plan via the online questionnaire at CB3's website, the building's landlord will open the walls between the two spaces so that patrons can enter the restaurant from the waiting area. The landlord will "create a new residential corridor on the west side of the expanded space."
That expanded space will include an eight-seat bar and six-seat dining area.
Hanoi House opened in January 2017. Based on the expansion, business must be pretty good... Eater noted "it soon became packed for its hip vibes and uncompromising flavors" ...
Previously on EV Grieve:
Hanoi Soup Shop's on for 115 St. Mark's Place
The Annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant returns to the neighborhood for its 20th edition
[Fun With Fritz in 2018 by Walter Wlodarczyk]
After several years in exile, the Mr. Lower East Side Pageant is coming back to the neighborhood for the 2019 edition, said to be the 20th annual*.
Reverend Jen, the longtime MC, is hosting again this year. She shared details about this year's event, happening March 23 at Bedlam, 40 Avenue C between Third Street and Fourth Street.
Per her media advisory:
It's time for the annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant whereupon the women and gay men of New York and Parts Unknown choose one lucky man to rule the area South of Houston and East of the Bowery.
The 20th annual Pageant will prove to be an extra glamorous affair, much like the Ms. Universe Pageant, if all the contestants were hairy and liked Budweiser. To compete in this cutthroat Pageant, contestants need not live on the Lower East Side. (Because, no one can afford to anymore.) They simply must possess qualities, which would make them a proper representative of the neighborhood. (What those qualities are, we're not sure ...)
They also must prepare for the following three categories: 1.) One-Minute talent competition. 2.) Swimwear, and 3.) Evening Wear combined with Q&A. Contestants must show up no later than 8 p.m. to compete or, they can email Rev. Jen in advance.
The chosen Monarch will also receive a slice of pizza from Rosario's, a 6-pack of Budweiser and the knowledge that he has been chosen by the people. Runner-up will receive the dubious title of Mr. Tribeca and will get to wear a smaller vagina-shaped crown throughout the year.
Prizes will also be awarded for "Best Male Tits," "Best Nutsack" and congeniality. Appearances by past Mr. Lower East Sides and musical acts will make the evening especially magical.
The 20th Annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant
Saturday, March 23, 8 p.m.
Bedlam, 40 Avenue C near Third Street
$10 (free for competitors)
* One Mr. LES Pageant historian is disputing this claim, noting that this may only be the the 19th-and-a-half installment of the pageant, given that the 17th edition was stopped while still in the first round.
Previously on EV Grieve:
At the annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant (in Queens)
Perk Espresso and Coffee Bar opens this week on 14th Street
Perk Espresso and Coffee Bar will make its debut
No word yet about who the operators are... and other vital info, such as menu offerings.
This makes the second cafe to open along this block in recent months. Dua Kafe, serving Albanian-American cuisine, debuted in November at 520 E. 14th St.
No. 534 had been Tasty Tasty Chinese Take Out (and previously Tasty King) until August 2017.
Former No Malice Palace for rent on 3rd Street
For rent signs are now in the window of the renovated storefront at 197 E. Third Street west of Avenue B (in the former No Malice Palace space).
According to the listing at the Dartmouth Company:
Size: Ground - 1,212 SF + outdoor area | Basement - 1,145 SF
Asking Rent: Upon Request
Vented restaurant space available on trendy East Village block.
Landlord delivering brand-new glass storefront.
Located in Manhattan’s most exciting dining neighborhood.
The building that housed NMP had been on the sales market for the second time in three years. (Didn't see any sign of a recent sale here via public records.)
No Malice Palace opened in 1999. Owner Phil Sherman died in November 2016 ... various signs on the gate in 2017 noted that they would reopen, but were just "waiting on legal things to happen." NMP remained closed until early December 2017, when it emerged as a pop-up holiday bar called Donner and Blitzen's Reindeer Lounge. No Malice Palace returned then in January 2018 before shutting for good last April.
Plans for a bar called Down and Out never materialized here.
An EVG reader mentioned that a bar had opened in the space last fall... which prompted the arrival of the Laurel & Hardy Urban Etiquette Sign...
1st of the new businesses at 20 Avenue A is now open
As we've been noting, the former Chase branch at 20 Avenue A at Second Street has been divided up into four retail spaces (not three like the 20 Avenue A Watchers originally thought!) ... and the first business debuted last week... here's Halo Spa...
They offer spa-like things such as threading, waxing and facials.
Still waiting for the Grand Opening of Alphabet Pizza, which will serve up 99-cent slices.
And the corner space will be a deli-market —based on the refrigeration unit we saw workers wheel in early January...
[Early January]
Not sure yet what the fourth space here will bring. What pairs well with a deli, spa and 99-cent pizza? (You don't really have to answer that.)
Chase vacated this storefront in November 2015.
Sunday, March 10, 2019
Week in Grieview
[This morning's view of Tompkins Square Park]
Stories posted on EVG this past week included...
Basics Plus is closing on 3rd Avenue (Monday)
The touching story of Terry and Charlie in I Am a Rent-Controlled Tenant (Thursday)
Reincarnations: St. Dymphna's set to return late spring-early summer on Avenue A (Tuesday)
Longtime East Village resident Frederic Tuten's "Young Life" (Wednesday)
Gabriel Stulman vying for former Great Jones Cafe space (Monday)
Fiaschetteria Pistoia returns to service after December fire (Friday)
This week's NY See (Monday)
Introducing Village Preservation (Monday)
Where Citi Bike has expanded on East Village streets (Wednesday)
Open house! MTA officials will explain what's happening during the L-train non-shutdown (Wednesday)
Claim: After 40-plus years, Moishe's Bake Shop has closed on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)
The Ottendorfer Library branch reopens Monday (Friday)
The current state of 84 2nd Ave. (Tuesday)
The current state of 20 St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)
Buffalo Exchange headed to Broadway (Friday)
Renovations taking place in the fire-ravaged former home of Yakiniku West on 9th Street (Thursday)
A visit to Now Yoga on 4th Avenue (Friday)
A Basquiat-at-the-Brant Foundation reader (Wednesday)
C&B Cafe debuts outpost on St. Mark's Place (Monday)
... and in future storefront-rental news, the Domino's outpost on Allen Street just south of Houston relocated to Stanton Street...
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