Penistrator clues: Haley Joel Osment owns one baseball hat, probably

So, you remember all that business about someone who looked something like Haley Joel Osment drawing a snow peepee on East 12th Street last January... (it made international headlines...)



Of course, there were some people who weren't convinced that this, indeed, could be the star of such motion pictures as "Artificial Intellignce: AI." Like, for instance, one commenter, who we'll call "JM," wrote: "maybe it's just some fratty white kid in a ballcap."

Last night, an anonymous commenter left a message on that post, saying: "the only way you can actually tell its him is from the hat. there are tons of pics/videos of him wearing that hat all over the place."

It's true, we found. Look! He wears a hat that looks similar to the person who was drawing a snick (snow dick) on that windshield...







P.S.

Belated kudos to New York magazine for naming the Penistrator one of the reasons to love New York in 2009...

Hard to explain

From the lead of New York magazine's feature on Julian Casablancas this week:

Julian Casablancas is at an impasse. The front man of the Strokes ... is gently haggling with a hostess at Momofuku Noodle Bar. She is insistent that the New York native leave his electric guitar and silver suitcase full of stage props unattended at the front door. (Hostess: "We can keep an eye on it for you." Casablancas: "Uh, sorry, no.")

-----

The hostess reluctantly finds a corner for his stuff and a perch from which he can watch it, and Casablancas apologizes once again: "I’m sorry. I just didn't want to leave it there. It's New York."

Noted

From a CNN/Money article titled Botox to vacations: Where bankers spend their bonuses.... As they note: After last year's dry spell, bonuses for top-level executives are expected to be sky high. Maybe even records." So what are they spending their money on?

Of course, the first status residence is in Manhattan, and bankers are already starting to check out the goods in advance of their windfall. They're putting up huge down payments, which has helped the $3 million to $5 million sector of the city's housing market to rebound, said Pamela Liebman, CEO of New York-based brokerage firm Corcoran.

At the low end, they can score a three-bedroom, two bath condo right on Central Park or a tony address on Fifth Avenue. The more adventurous poet-at-heart bankers can tap out buying a five-story Queen Anne on the Upper West Side or head to the once-bohemian East Village for two joined buildings that boast an owner's triplex with a stunning terrace -- and income-generating apartments and businesses below.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

For months and months and months we've been waiting to see what takes the former Max Brenner/Chocolate Bald Man/Slowly Rot My Teeth space on Second Avenue at Ninth Street. You bet we made the obligatory "will probably be a bank branch" joke...



As Jeremiah is now reporting... it's becoming a HSBC branch, the fourth bank branch in two blocks. Uh, at least it's better than a Starbucks?

More Avenue A woe: Lucy's business not so hot either (Neither More Nor Less)

Please do NOT click on this link if you loved the Cedar Tavern. You will likely want to punch something or someone (Curbed)

East Village resident ID'd as victim of last week's bus-bicycle tragedy on Delancey (DNAinfo)

A Madison Avenue movie mystery (Flaming Pablum)

Lobby bars for the Chelsea Hotel? (Chelsea Now via Grub Street)

Brooks is understandably aggravated about several things (Lost City)

Downtown Pix show kicks off today (Stupefaction)

From Fork in the Road:

At last night's Community Board 3 meeting, the owner of Plan B appeared to apply for a license transfer for — wait for it -- the tavern and salon he's planning to open in the Plan B space on East 10th Street. "We're re-tooling the concept," he explained. No, really?

A Dunkin' Donuts closed and moved on Fulton Street downtown...




Perhaps the former location will be replaced by another Dunkin' Donuts.

PayPal account established for Ray's Candy Store

A PayPal account has been established to help Ray's Candy Store. Those who are interested in helping out may use this e-mail address:

saverayscandystore@gmail.com

Previously:
Behind the landlord ultimatum at Ray's

For more updates, be sure to check out Neither More Nor Less. Bob Arihood always has the latest.

John Penley has a message for any future Ray's tenants

Meanwhile, longtime East Village activist/photojournalist John Penley has a new message atop his photo blog:

Avenue D's future

Back in July 2008, the building at Avenue D and Houston came down...




Now an empty lot waits for the inevitable development...






And any proposed development could grow with the closure of the Pioneer Supermarket...



Well, according to the Lo-Down, this is the new building in the works for this space:



As the Lo-Down reported:

Developers of a proposed apartment building envisioned on the northwest corner of Avenue D and Houston streets went before a committee of Community Board 3... They came with renderings of the planned development, which would include 166 studio, 1 bedroom and 2 bedroom apartments, as well as ground-floor retail. A representative for the owner estimated (based on 2011 projections) that the studios (600 sq/ft) would go for about $2800/month. There will also be 34 "affordable units," ranging from $460-$770/per month. The plans call for a 2500 sq/ft roof deck for residents.

In opposition to this proposed development, the Lo-Down quoted Joel Feingold, community organizer for the GOLES, as saying:

"Ave. D is one of the most densely populated public housing areas in the city... It is one of the last refuges on the Lower East Side for working class communities. This will be viewed as an incredibly hostile imposition. This building fits the exact caricature in people's minds of neighborhood loss and change. Despite the 34 units of affordable housing, that's a starting point... I think it's ludicrous to consider putting a building on Avenue D that's all glass and steel and costs $2800 for a studio. I think it's outrageous."



I'll be curious to see how this plays out...As the Times reported back in March 2005:

The frenetic about-face that transformed Alphabet City from a drug-infested no man's land to the epicenter of downtown cool hasn't quite made it to Avenue D, and some predict it never will. Capped at the south by the bustle of Houston Street and at the north by the soaring smokestacks of Con Edison's East River generating station, the 12-block artery remains largely a relic of the neighborhood's pre-hip past.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will Avenue D finally turn into Avenue C?

Looking at the Wall Street hotel that "will set a new tone of style and optimism in Lower Manhattan"

I saw this banner in front of the Stock Exchange yesterday ...



...Had to find out more about Andaz, the hotel/condo combo at the former JP Morgan Chase HQ on Wall and Pearl Street... been reading a little bit about this for the last three years .... now to some excerpts from the surefire candidate for the News Release Hall of Fame...

Andaz Wall Street, the only hotel situated on Wall Street, will set a new tone of style and optimism in Lower Manhattan when it officially opens on January 18, 2010. Andaz, Hyatt’s newest brand, is devoted to providing simplified, spot-on service and indulgent amenities for its guests.

And!

The 253 guestrooms start at a generous 345 square feet, making them some of the largest hotel rooms in New York City. A celebration of light and reflectivity, they feature loft-like ceilings and seven-foot windows. The rooms have a simple aesthetic of contemporary luxury, boasting dark stained oak floors, buttery brown leather headboards and benches, and lavender and camel sitting chairs. Other modern details include textured walls, bleached wood accents, and locally crafted, stenciled metal artwork designed by a Brussels-based artist.

And!

Set in a room that stretches the full-length of the hotel, the restaurant, Wall & Water, which opens for breakfast, lunch and dinner on January 25, features seasonal cuisine with ingredients sourced from the Hudson Valley. Large windows open onto striking views of the East River. The main dining area is furnished with live-edge wooden tables and beautiful glass and iron lighting fixtures. At one end, a 12-guest chef’s table is sheltered behind the open kitchen, and at the opposite end a private dining and meeting room, with views of the garden below, is ideal for entertaining. Bar Seven Five, named for its 75 Wall Street address, will serve classic American cocktails and artisanal appetizers prepared and served in glass jars.

And!

At all Andaz properties, the check-in and service are simplified. Without the doorman, bellhop, and concierge staff at the desk, there is one “host” for each incoming guest. Hosts are steeped in traditional hospitality training as well as a less conventional approach. Andaz understands that the staff at a hotel must be able to field questions and scenarios that one cannot always anticipate, and improvisational skills come in handy. Design house Theory has designed chic separates for the staff uniforms.

Let's just hope the market doesn't tumble 500 points on Tuesday ... that can be so awkward on a grand opening...

Remembering the Loew's Canal Theater

There has been plenty of press lately about the long-dormant Loew's Canal Theater on Canal Street at Ludlow. (Downtown Express had the story first; the Post had a follow-up piece yesterday.)

As Downtown Express noted:

The long-shuttered Loew’s Canal Theater in Chinatown could get a new life as a performing arts center.

The proposal to fix up and reopen the 83-year-old theater is far from a done deal, but the space’s owner agreed last week to do a feasibility study.

Designed by renowned theater architect Thomas Lamb, the 2,339-seat theater opened in 1926. Many of the original, ornate, terra-cotta details remain, although the seats were cleared out long ago when the theater was turned into a warehouse.

Here's a now-and-then look at the space.



If you're interested in more on this theater's history, you can visit Cinema Treasures, where, in the comments, you'll find links to these photos...




There's more about the theater here ... and here is a site with the original plans for the theater... and here are childhood memories of the theater from Knickerbocker Village.

Evolution looking for attractive female bartenders "who are willing to learn how to serve flair"

Yesterday we noted the (re)opening of Evolution on Second Avenue and Fourth Street...The lounge has posted an ad on Craigslist for two female bartenders.

To the listing! (which they posted in all caps):

EVOLUTION
68 2ND AVENUE(CORNER OF 4TH STREET)
NEW YORK NY 10003

WE ARE SMALL CHIC LOUNGE LOOKING FOR ATTRACTIVE EXPERIENCED WOMAN WHO ARE PROFESSIONAL BARTENDERS WHO WILL TRAIN EASY.
JUST OPENED THREE WEEKS AGO AND ARE WORKING WITH PROMOTERS
NEED INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE NOT EXPECTING TO EARN $300 PER SHIFT. AND LEAVE IF THEY DO NOT LOOKING FOR PROFESSIONALS WHO CAN STICK IT OUT FOR A FEW MONTHS TILL WE TAKE OFF. WE HAVE ALREADY HAD SUCCESSFUL NIGHTS WITH CELEBRITY PARTYS AND WILL CONTINUE.

WE ALSO ARE LOOKING FOR WOMAN WHO ARE WILLING TO LEARN HOW TO SERVE FLAIR.
IF YOU DO NOT HAVE FLAIR SKILLS WE WILL TRAIN.WE HAVE TALENTED STAFF WHO LOVE TO TEACH FLAIR

East Hardware now closed

In December, signs went up at East Hardware at 79 Third Avenue near 11th Street saying that the store is moving from its ground floor space in the Third North NYU dorm...



When I asked where they were moving, I received a blank look. Pause. "We're not. We're just leaving this location." The store is now closed, and there are no signs indicating a new location....



East Hardware joins the Mid-Atlantic Newsstand at Third Avenue and NYU has former tenants....

Happy ending for The Villager box

We recently noted that some drunken hooligans someone moved The Villager box from the west to east side of Avenue B at Eighth Street. Or perhaps it was that mighty wind from that weekend...?



Well, we went back over there to see what became of the box... turns out it was moved across Eighth to a new, perhaps, safer location...