Australian shoppers (Updated: Is this the new home for Baorrito?)

A tipster notes that several real-estate types have been coming in and out of the former Australian Homemade ice cream/candy shop on St. Mark's Place near Avenue A of late...



The storefront has remained empty since July. Perhaps something new and horrible is imminent for this space...? Perhaps!...the "for rent" signs have been removed...



UPDATE: Oops. Missed this news yesterday afternoon on Eater:

Michael Huyh, the Conquistador of 2009 and new king of St. Mark's Place, confirms that he has just taken over the Austrailian space right next to Crif Dogs on St. Mark's near Avenue A. When asked whether or not that would be the location of his future Asian-Taco joint, Huynh said he wasn't sure, that he has three leases on St. Mark's Place to play with (Cherries is one of the others). However, if he does put the tacos here, he's considering calling it Baorrito.

"These guys love chocolate" — rats reportedly nibbling on packages at the Cooper Station Post Office

NY1 brings us the story about some unhappy residents at the Brevoort East on 20 E. Ninth St. who claim their packages are arriving from the U.S. Post Office full of rodent holes.

The packages are delivered to the building from Cooper Station Post Office on Fourth Avenue and 11th Street, where residents say rats are destroying their perishable packages.

"I went over to the post office and I said, ‘What’s going on here?’ And he laughed at me. He laughed!" says [resident Susan] Meyer. "And he said, ‘This is nothing! Wait until the holidays. These guys love chocolate.’"

And there's video!

Painful reminders: New Year's Eve is three weeks from tonight

Noted

[Via BuzzFeed]

Coming soon: Work starts on Cienfuegos at long-dormant (and soon-to-be-expanded) 95 Avenue A

As you may recall, the CB3 enthusiastically approved a liquor license (a new application in a resolution area, no less) for Cienfuegos, a Cuban eatery that will open on the corner of Sixth Street and Avenue A. This prime chunk of EV real estate has sat empty since that place called Le Zoccole shuttered...

Anyway, work permits have been issued for the restaurant, which will be run by folks currently or formerly associated with Mercer Kitchen, Death & Co. and Bourgeois Pig...



And it appears as if the space behind the restaurant is also being utilized....



According to the work permits: "INCREASE NUMBER OF OCCUPANCY FOR RESTAURANT.OBTAIN NEW CERTIFICATE OF OCCUPANCY."

By the way, CB3 also approved the sidewalk cafe for this spot...this promises to be a scene, and not necessarily in a good way...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The future of 95 Avenue A

Something finally coming to 95 Avenue A

The East Village expands westward to try to rent this $25,000-a-month mansion

While browing through apartment-for-rent listings for the East Village...this headline popped up:

“SINGLE FAMILY MANSION * BEST LOFT in TOWN * NEW RENOVATION”

And only $25,000 per month! And where is this in the East Village....?




Oh, just over on LaGuardia Place. According to the listing:

Located on the cross roads of SoHo and The Village, just steps from Washington SQ Park and evryhtign [sic] that DOWNTOWN NYC has to offer.

In any event, here's more on the space:

"THE BEST SINGLE FAMILY MANSION is BACK on THE MARKET. This Triplex LOFT has just undergone a meticulous GUT RENOVATION and is ready to go."

"There are currently FOUR bedrooms, a MASSIVE 200 sft LIVING ROOM with ceilings that hit the 30 foot mark, beautifully restored red brick walls, a chef's eat in kitchen that can easily accommodate a table for 6 and so much more. There is a proper dining room, 3 beautifully renovated baths, private laundry and 4 Exposures."

Curious if this is simply a mistake...or, perhaps, someone thinks the East Village may be an easier sell...

A voice from the Christodora's past

Yesterday, a new comment appeared on an old post, The Lower East Side: There goes the neighborhood, from June 2008.

Yes, I paid $3M for the Christodora House and I borrowed $2M of that at 24% interest. What a great building! What fun it was to renovate. The Black Panthers had been the last occupants. It was TRASHED. While my flooring subcontractors were installing the last of the oak flooring in the building, someone stole the engine and back seat out of their car which they had parked across the street from the building. The neighborhood was off the charts. I loved it. Sam Glasser December 9, 2009 1:41 AM

I'm not sure if this is actually from the Sam Glasser, who's now developing property in downtown St. Louis. Or maybe Sam Glasser did stumble upon the post and wanted to reminisce...

And I'm not really sure what to make of the comment, real or not. Hey, it was great back then! Sorry that I ruined the neighborhood! Not to bring all this up again, but, you know, the Christodora House was viewed as a symbol of gentrification in the neighborhood, and later a focal point of the "yuppie scum" protests during the 1988 Tompkins Square Park riots. (Read more at The Shadow.)

And if you're interested in a little more of the Christodora's history, there are plenty of sources, including this more recent piece from the Times dated Aug. 26, 1988:

In the 1960's, according to a search of historical records conducted by the building's developer, the city rented Christadora House to a variety of community groups, including the Black Panthers. But it was eventually boarded up, and then sold at auction in 1978 to a private bidder for $63,000.

The building changed hands several times before it was purchased in 1984 by a group headed by Samuel Glasser, who oversaw its conversion into 85 modern condominium apartments, using a $6.5 million loan from Citibank and tax abatements and exemptions under the Government's J-51 tax program.

"Nobody really had the nerve to develop such a big building in the East Village because it wasn't a tested market," said Amos B. Harris, an executive in Mr. Glasser's firm, SMG Construction Inc. We took the plunge and it worked."

Offering most of the apartments for $114,000 to $495,000, Mr. Glasser sold the majority of the units in six months, Mr. Harris said.

During the protests, many demonstrators accused developers of exerting pressure on the city to impose a curfew on the park to encourage gentrification. But building residents and Mr. Glasser said they had made no effort to influence the city's policy.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Lower East Side: There goes the neighborhood

The Christodora House circa 1934

Christodora House by M. A. Tricca
Born: Alanno, Italy 1880
Died: United States 1969
oil on canvas
30 x 40 in. (76.2 x 101.6 cm.)
Smithsonian American Art Museum via Flickr

Welcome to Hedonism

Did you see these ads along Second Avenue near Sixth Street (or was it Fourth Street?) for Hedonism Resorts in Jamaica?



Per their Web site:

Sleep in. Stay up late. Give up counting calories. Have a drink before noon. Give up mineral water. Dine in shorts. Talk to strangers. Don't make your bed. Go skinny dipping. Don't call your mother. Let your hair down. Don't pay for anything. Don't leave a tip. Be your beautiful self ...

Hedonism is a sandbox for your inner child, nourishment for the mind, body, spirit and soul. Pleasure comes in many forms. Choose one. Or two. Or more. And with absolutely everything included in one upfront price you never have to think about money. Not even tips. Just what to do next. And when.

Do we really need to travel to Hedonism Resorts to see activities like this?

Avenue C's Villaggio Pizza for sale

It's listed for $250,000. Between 11th Street and 12th Street. Hasn't really been the same since the new owners took over from the Village East Pizzeria folks a few years back. As NYSonglines noted, Village East Pizzeria was "the longest-surviving pizza parlor in the neighborhood, and was featured in the 1985 kung-fu movie The Last Dragon as Daddy Green's Pizza."

Noted

Young Sexy Girls With Beautiful Legs And Feet Wanted! (East Village)

Young Girls age 18-21 any ethnicity shoe size 3-5 wanted for Videos having their toes sucked and licked. Please send pictures of feet in heels, barefoot and body shots plus a contact number.

Was found under "talent gigs".

Craftermath debuts tonight for Skits N Tits

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Tonight marks the debut of Craftermath, a roving craft brigade.... The women who formed the group (Daniella, Jessica Delfino, Elisa Velasquez, Jenny Devildoll Gonzalez and The Chi-Ciones) are active in multi-disciplinary arts and they love odd, original art made from alternative materials like tampons, condoms and concrete ... and cheap, anti-corporate gift-shopping in the spirit of Reverend Billy and La Superette. They'll be selling their wares during the "Skits N Tits! One Year Anniversary Holiday Party" at the Bowery Poetry Club tonight...



For more on the Skits N Tits show tonight at 10 ($5 admission), go here...

Meanwhile, here's a sampling of the art created by the gals of Craftermath...