Falafels for lunch today...? Oh, on second thought...

Great ad placement.

Friday Photo Follies

The makeover at Zips continues: Now the graffiti is gone

As I noted last Friday, the former Zips Deli on Avenue B at Fifth Street is getting a makeover



The hot rumor — which means it's wrong — is an upscale diner-type place. (As long as it's not another cafe-bakery-small-plates-type place. Or a bar. Or yogurt. Or...)

Anyway, while on the way home from work, I noticed the paint job...and removal of the graffiti...





This will not make the Graffiti Friend of EV Grieve very happy.

Meanwhile, the work permit made an appearance the past week.

The Haunting of the East Village

"The Haunting of Connecticut" finally opens today...Hoorah! I'm tired of seeing these ads around the neighborhood showing what looks like a young man....



who spent too much time at happy hour....

Tough Love

I stood outside one of the windows on the East Seventh Street side of the former Love Saves the Day store. I wish I could describe the noise coming from the inside.



It was like hundreds of tiles were being smashed...it almost sounded frenzied, as if someone handed rowdy teens a few cases of Sparks and some sledgehammers and said, "you won't get into trouble."

Anyway, as Jeremiah reported, the space will become the neighborhood's 300th ramen joint. Not much left inside.



Still not used to seeing this space so, well, empty.



[Photo via Newsday by Damion Reid]

Where is Karen?

Speaking of Loves Saves the Day...what happened to Karen? Despite LSD closing, she told me on Jan. 24 that she would continue with her flea market in front of this location — or on the other side of the street, whatever they're calling the former location of the Kiev.



However, I don't recall having seen her lately...Has anyone spotted her around the neighborhood...or know what happened to her?

For further reading and viewing:
Love Saves the Day is Closing, Karen wants to remain here in the East Village (YouTube)
Karen Saves the Day (Jeremiahs's Vanishing NY)
Last Trip to LSD (Jeremiah's Vanishing NY)
End Comes for Outpost of East Village Counterculture (New York Times)

One more thing: No more pay phones at the old LSD spot

Back on Jan. 13, I wondered how long the pay phones outside the former Love Saves the Day store would last...



I have my answer: They were removed this week.

Does Duff have junk in the trunk?

We continue to follow what will likely be the most important story coming out of the East Village this year. Runnin' Scared had the following tidbit about Hilary Duff's junkie turn on "Law & Order: Special Guest-Star Unit" from Monday:

In the scenes, we are elsewhere informed, Duff is looking to "score" some "stuff," and acts all mouthy to Ice-T, who says something "street."

Word!

Meanwhile! My Hilary Duff/SVU connection sent along the Duff photos that adorn this page. We thank you for that, Hilary-Duff-photo-e-mailing stranger.



Anyway, I can't wait for the Vanessa Hudgens-Zac Efron remake of "The Wire." (Oops, not yet April 1...)

Noted

There's an ugly Police Blotter item in this week's issue of The Villager about a man who lives on St. Mark's Place. He was arrested for menacing his girlfriend with knives. As the report stated:

The suspect told the victim, “You don’t know who you are messing with. I’m from Detroit,” according to the assault charge filed by the Manhattan district attorney.

From the EV Grieve Holmby Hills, Calif. Bureau

LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The widow of producer Aaron Spelling is placing "The Manor" in the exclusive Holmby Hills neighborhood on the market for a jaw-dropping $150 million, making it by far the most expensive home for sale in the U.S.

Let's do it again: Ruby's likey to return

Grub Street has the scoop on the Coney Island boardwalk scene.

[Photo via New York by Melissa Hom]

Reminder: The Vanishing City Part II on Sunday

Kirby has all the details at Colonnade Row.