Shepard Fairey mural gets boarded up, no trespassing signs

As Jeremiah first noted this morning, the Shepard Fairey vandalism magnet on Houston and the Bowery is getting covered up... this afternoon, a worker was also putting up "no trespassing" signs...





How long before that plywood is tagged?

Pretty things

Reminders tonight: A French film in Tompkins Square Park

It's "Love Songs" (Or, "Les Chansons d'Amour") starting around 8:30...

Per the description:

In the hope of rekindling their stalled relationship, Ismael (Louis Garrel) and Julie (Ludivine Sagnier) enter a playful yet emotionally laced threesome with Alice (Clotilde Hesme). When tragedy strikes, these young Parisians are forced to deal with the fragility of life and love. For Ismael, this means negotiating through the advances of Julie's sister (Chiara Mastroianni) and those of a young college student; one of whom may offer him redemption. French (with English subtitles)

And now, for some reason...

The 240 Houston fire on video

A passerby, Sheryl Jordan, captured yesterday's fire on video... there are five parts... here are the first three... You may access all of them via her YouTube page.

The $500 shot

Josh Spear took the first photo from yesterday's fire that showed the extent of the fire at 240 Houston ...

(Via Twitpic.)



The Post published his photo today...



Per Josh's Twitter feed, he negotiated a $500 fee for use of the photo from the Post ... and he is promptly donating the money to the FDNY Foundation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

All coverage here.

Assessing the fire damage this morning at 240 Houston

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Chris for this photo from a little earlier this morning ...



Meanwhile, BoweryBoogie has a roundup of media sources on the fire ... The Lo-Down has some nice shots too from yesterday.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

All coverage here.

East Village noise wars new battlefront: Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge

Sin Sin/Leopard Lounge is on the docket for the CB3/SLA meeting next Thursday for a liquor license transfer...

Stuart Zamsky, president of the East Fifth Street Block Association, calls the bar combo on the corner of Fifth Street and Second Avenue, a "notoriously bad neighbor."
Among the alleged disruptions: "Night after night of screaming, shouting into cell phones and loud music" and "fist fights are a common occurrence." (Their website advertises hosting birthday parties fro groups of 15 to 300.)

Zamsky is asking for residents who are directly impacted by Sin Sin and live in close proximity to it (on Fifth Street or Second Avenue) to sign the online petition (and include your building’s address with your signature). The petition is here.

You can also write a short letter entailing the difficulties you experience due to Sin Sin and forward it to Zamsky: east5thstreetba@mail.com

Also, as he notes, you can attend the meeting on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. — JASA/Green Residence, 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

If you live in the neighborhood but not necessarily in close proximity to Sin Sin, Zamsky says you can write a short letter entailing the difficulties you experience due to the proliferation of bars in your East Village/Cooper Square neighborhood and forward it to him: east5thstreetba@mail.com.

As Zamsky says: "Sin Sin received its license before the East Fifth Street Block Association began getting asking to agree to stipulations regarding their methods of operation. This license transfer application is the neighborhood’s opportunity to sit down with the operators and get them to agree in writing to conduct their business in a fashion that will allow residents to experience peaceable nights."

Previously, the East Fifth Street Block Association worked with the Lit Lounge owners on becoming better neighbors. You can read about that right here.



P.S.
If you do go the the Sin Sin website, then turn the volume down in advance. Party photo via the Sin Sin website.

Hope for Carmine's at the Seaport?

Earlier this week, amNewYork reported that Carmine's, the 107-year-old Italian eatery in the South Street Seaport, had abruptly closed. The reason: Higher rents.

The closure prompted a new post from the semi-retired Lost City. As Brooks wrote: "The decor was priceless, a dusty nautical theme, wooden bar, wooden booths, falling apart. It had its regulars and its lifer waitresses ... It had a soul and a life."

Jeremiah writes about Carmine's today. "It never ceases to amaze me how places so old can just shutter like that, after everything they withstood to survive."

I was kicking around my own little tribute as well...

[Photo by Goggla via The Gog Log]

However, an EV Grieve reader and reliable source told me that the owner is planning on reopening a little further down on Front Street in a few months.... I'll remain hopeful about this... and I wonder if they'll be able to transport that wood paneling to the new spot...

Cafe Mocha puts in claim on "best burgers in Manhattan"

Second Avenue at Seventh Street. I actually didn't know they even sold burgers...

An awful year for the corners of Avenue A

I suppose I'm not the only one who noted the awful fires on Avenue A this year... at 14th Street in May...



and at Houston last evening...

Report: Eight firefighters injured this evening at 240 Houston

According to the Times:

Nearly 140 firefighters were sent to battle the blaze, which caused no deaths or major injuries but spread anxiety throughout the neighborhood. Eight firefighters had minor injuries, including burns and smoke inhalation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston

After the fire: Double Down, Kelly's and Discovery Wines closed; grocery open

Things seem oddly normal tonight on Avenue A below Second Street...a few hours back, of course, some 180 firefighters were on the scene battling the blaze at 240 Houston and Avenue A...

On the east side of A between Second Street and Houston...the storefronts that were directly impacted by the fire... the Double Down looks open, but the sign on the door says otherwise... [Updated: Double Down was already closed for renovations before the fire.]



Kelly's and Discovery Wines are shuttered...



And, the one place that I thought would be closed, was open... Houston Deli & Grocery on the corner... According to the manager, "We were very lucky," he said. "But I don't know for how long. At any minute, water could come through the ceiling."




Meanwhile, at the entrance to 240 Houston, fire and Red Cross officials were on hand to help any displaced residents...



Previously on EV Grieve:
More on the fire at 240 Houston