New prices for the world famous Pee Phone wiped away

Melanie first took the shot of the new prices on the world famous Pee Phone ... And I was not pleased to see the Verizon truck pull up the other day for some spring cleaning...




And soon, the world famous Pee Phone prices were wiped clean ...



(And see more of Melanie's photos here.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Polishing up the Pee Phone

The Village Inn hostel on Seventh Street closed by city

In recent weeks the city shuttered The Village Inn, the hostel that has been operating at 27 E. Seventh St. near Cooper Square.




The Village Inn is one of four in the city operated by the NYC Hostel Connection. (The Chelsea International Hostel, the Manhattan Inn and the Wanderers Inn are the other three.) Responding to a message on Facebook, a hostel rep said, "The status of the Village Inn is still pending."

The city has said that there are illegal hotel rooms in the residential building.

There's also a fairly lengthy discussion by an NYC Hostel Connection rep on Facebook regarding why the hostel was shut down:

[T]he big Hotel chains (e.g. Holiday Inn, Marriott, W, ad infinitum) have strong unions who's leaders have friends in high places in New York's political landscape ... When you're charging minimums like $300.00 per night and you start realizing your numbers are down because there are better options (i.e. Hostels) who do you complain to and/or attack. Answer: (Fill in this blank with your favorite Hostel). Despite the fact that this task force no longer reports to the Department of Buildings New York, they have taken to renegade tactics like unrelenting harassment in order to please their superiors (i.e. politicians, hotel union leaders – who, you got it, PAY THEM UNDER THE TABLE). ... So as our legal fees mount and we are forced to pay our Mortgages out of our own pockets...

A "new generation" for Avenue A Sushi

At least that's what the sign says. And I'm curious to see the gallery...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Avenue A Sushi is confusing us

Another pet supply store coming to Avenue B

B Chiropractic at 23 Avenue B closed up last month without much notice... No word on where Dr. Mike relocated...



Now, this space near Second Street is getting a new tenant... a pet supply store...



Meanwhile, another pet supply store remains for sale up the block...

Anna's song

This video has been making the rounds... a fan of the Brooklyn duo Tanlines used their song for a little love letter of sorts that he made for someone named Anna... (I believe Stereogum was first to post the video... I found the link via the Voice.) Anyway, the band liked it so much, they made it their official video... The whole this was filmed in the neighborhood, as you'll see...



It's a little twee for my tastes... I kept waiting for Michael Cera to show up or something...

Anyway, the video answers why I saw these messages scrawled around various places...

Dumbo drop: The Elephant shuttered again

The problems continue for Thai eatery the Elephant on East First Street. Per a tipster: They have a court order on their window today: “NYC vs. Thai Me Up, Inc.” closing them down. And the Elephant has had run ins with the law in previous years... like last July ... and May 2008... Word on the street is they allegedly served an underage auxiliary police officer. If the Elephant remains closed for any period of time, then perhaps the Lower Eastside Girls Club will be able to hold their annual free prom gown giveaway without having anyone call the cops...

[Update: The Elephant was back open this evening...the legal papers were still up on the side...]

[Image via]

325 E. 10th St. facing year-long gut renovation

An EV Grieve reader and fourth-generation resident of East 10th Street told me that 325 E. 10th St. (a few doors west of the Tompkins Square Library branch) is now undergoing a year-long gut renovation...(and there's another building behind here that's only accessible through 325...)





And bicyclists here should be warned about the dumpster in the street...



The reader passed along the photo below...




Somehow, according to the sign, the year-long renovation here will make all of our lives better...

By the way, apartments in this building were on the market as summer rentals last year.

Where's the B&H canopy?

Something is missing over at East Village institute B&H...



...namely the canopy... perhaps it's just in the shop for some minor repairs, and not an overhaul...




[Top photo via the Voice]

The Trader Joe's love connection

From Craigslist:

To every man who works at Trader Joes on 14th - w4m (Union Square) - m4w (East Village)
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

We love you, too.

And to clear something up: Not everyone likes to talk much. Odds are that the employee liked you but felt uncomfortable asking for your number at work. When in doubt, make the offer yourself.

The guys I work with are a pretty great group, most with college degrees, some with grad degrees. They're artists and musicians and writers and actors and comedians and models and rappers and photographers and filmmakers. Smart, guys creative guys doing manual labor, and sometimes, you have to ask them yourself.

You should give a name. TJ's Missed Connections often end well.

Maybe there is something about a man in a Hawaiian shirt uniform. And remember: When in doubt, make the offer yourself. I actually know someone who was arrested for making the offer...

I'll Always Love You Just The Same

This was the scene in front on the Charlie Parker Residence on Avenue B three weeks back...



...and now it looks as if the exterior work is nearly complete.



And as the house looked before...



Per the Charlie Parker Residence Web site: "Built in l849, this Gothic Revival-style rowhouse was home to the alto saxophonist Charlie Parker (Bird) from l950-l954. With Chan Richardson and their three children, Parker occupied the ground floor apartment at the height of his career... The Charlie Parker Residence was placed on the National Register of Historic Places in l994 by the U.S. Department of the Interior. In l999 the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission designated the Charlie Parker Residence a New York City Landmark, finding the house at l5l Avenue B has special character, historical and aesthetic interest and value as part of the development, and heritage and cultural characteristics of New York City, New York State, and the nation."

[Bottom photo via WallyG at Flickr]

Exclusive: The new HSBC branch will have two ATMs!

What a scoop! On Second Avenue and Ninth Street.




And only two ATMs? Lordy! HSBC will likely need to open another branch a block or two away to pick up the overflow...

Noted

13th Street.