A memorial for Merlin

There's now a tribute to Merlin here on Avenue A at Sixth Street by the ConEd substation.... marking the anniversary of his death.





Per the Times:

There are few certainties in this changeable city. But on Avenue A and Sixth Street, a place that has been convulsed by change in recent years, one thing has remained constant through the riots and real-estate booms: Merlin, a 41-year-old homeless man who uses only one name, has made the intersection's southeast corner his residence for eight years. Neither blizzards nor blistering heat have routed him from atop a set of wooden pallets in front of a Con Edison substation.

"People move in and out of the neighborhood, but I never budge," he said last week, lounging beneath a pair of tattered umbrellas, his only guard against the sting of the sun. A stroke has left him partly paralyzed, and frostbite cost him several toes three winters ago.

To strangers, he is but another intrusion on the East Village's gritty streetscape, a reason to avert their eyes. But to many local residents, he is a cherished asset: a timekeeper, a message center, a town crier and a source of good, solid conversation. "Merlin is a social hub," said Tatiana Bliss, 25, a local artist. "If you're looking for someone, Merlin probably knows where they are. If you want to leave something for a friend, he'll make sure they get it. He makes this crazy city feel like a small town."

[Thanks to EV Grieve reader Anna for the photos]

CBS 2 finds that some bicyclists ride through red lights and stuff in the East Village

CBS 2 camped out in the East Village to find some outlaw bicyclists. And they did! It's Bike Bedlam! (Catchy!)

NEW YORK (CBS 2) – The NYPD is on a ticket blitz, giving cyclists more than 15,000 violations so far this year. Many pedestrians say it’s about time and fear the city’s push to get people pedaling has led to danger on the streets and sidewalks. Some have even dubbed it “bike bedlam.”

The Big Apple is racing to become the bike capital of the world and the Bloomberg administration has added more bike racks, paths and lanes.

However, as CBS 2’s Tony Aiello found out, spending a few minutes along the new bike lane on First Avenue makes clear that plenty of New Yorkers have little liking for the biking.

“It would be one thing if the bike riders obeyed the lights and things — they don’t,” Lower East Side resident Amber Rogers told Aiello.

In a recent 20 minute period at First Avenue and Sixth Street, CBS 2 counted 17 bike riders running red lights and more than two dozen riding the wrong way and against traffic.

There's video, but CBS embedded the wrong code....

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Creature for the tip.

StreetsBlog discussed some of CBS2's week-long report here.

Cheap Shots — sans truck bombs and graffiti — gets the OK for a license renewal

Cheap Shots was first up last night on the CB3/SLA docket.... Back in June, the fuzz busted the First Avenue joint for allegedly serving minors... (and I thought the new incarnation was to be called Spanky and Darla's? Well, no matter... this wasn't mentioned... )

The bar's attorney was there, as was the newish owner ... she also owns the lost bra parlor the Patriot Saloon down on Chambers (where they were hiring "shameless slut bartenders" — woo!) ... anyway, the kindly lawyer, who struck me as a little grandfatherly, discussed how the bar has been trying to change its image.... with a straight face, the lawyer said Cheap Shots had a reputation for being "a young person's bar."

So! The management:
• Removed all the video games
• Cleaned off all the graffiti from the interior
• Changed the jukebox
• Added soundproofing
• Removed the all-you-can-drink-for-free special for people who were celebrating their birthday
• Stopped serving pitchers of beer with shots in them (truck bombs! Woo!)

(I haven't been here since the spring or so, so I can't independently verify any of these claims...)

And so on... There have been four recent complaints under the new ownership....one in December, two in March and one in June... But the owner said that they've had friendly discussions with neighbors... and helped rectify noise problems... Per the underage bust, they now have two bouncers working on weekends and an ID scanner... two residents spoke out against the bar... one resident said that she felt uncomfortable walking by the bar when the patrons are outside smoking. She said she found their body language — unpleasant.

The owner seemed genuenly concerned upon hearing this... A CB3 board member suggested that the bar figure out a sidewalk traffic control system, perhaps adding a corral to keep people more separated from passersby....

In the end, the committee approved a license renewal for Cheap Shots...

After hearing about the bar's efforts to be less youth friendly, I decided to walk by after the meeting... and here's the sign greeting folks on the sidewalk...

The East Village gets two new sidewalk cafes

Also on the CB3/SLA agenda last night — two applications for sidewalk cafes..... First up, Penny Farthing on Third Avenue and 13th Street.... The former restaurant here, Cafe DeVille, had a sidewalk cafe...In addition to nine tables (18 seats) on Third Avenue, Penny Farthing will have four tables (eight seats) on 13th Street.... The hours: Noon to 10 p.m. Sunday through Thursdays; to 11 p.m. on Friday and Saturday. Not much discussion... People seem to like this place... and it was quickly approved....

Then! Team DBGB took the stand, the lawyers with by far the best-looking suits in the audience. (Actually only one lawyer took the stand; the other two sat in the back.) Head DBGBer Daniel Boulud was not in attendance, by the way... So the DBGB sidewalk cafe plans to have 15 tables (30 seats) on the Bowery... with some kind of self-supporting grates as barriers... Hours of operation: Noon to 11 p.m. Monday through Thursday; till midnight on Friday and Saturday; and 10 p.m. on Sunday.

The committee quickly gave their approval, with someone even throwing in a gratuitous Daniel Boulud compliment...

Westville East debuts its sidewalk cafe

Speaking of sidewalk cafes...



As you may recall, Westville East (WE) applied for a sidewalk cafe in the spring... and it didn't go so well.... the drama included posting a note on their door calling out their "mean-spiritied neighbors." (Doing so in a 29-word run-on sentence, no less!)

Anyway! Long story! And now WE has debuted the tables....



Oh, and there was more drama... we heard that Councilwoman Rosie Mendez intervened to help get the number of tables reduced for neighbors who are upset over the sidewalk cafe... (Updated 9:29 a.m.: Mendez's office confirmed this.)

Perhaps with fewer tables, WE can spring for some barriers to block out the ample pedestrian and vehicular traffic...

Avenue B loft with Corinthian columns is apparently "every hipster's dream"

Oh, disregard that top photo. Those are the Corinthian columns out front of my apartment, which were given to me by late great-great grandfather, Zeus Grieve...

Now back to the post....

Well, when we last checked in at the former Newsboys' and Bootblacks' Lodging House and Tompkins Square Lodging House for Boys and Industrial School, Children's Aid Society .... Jeez, OK — you know, that place where Matt Dillon has been living on Avenue B and Eighth Street...



...we were checking out a loft with a stage ...

Now, another milestone loft is on the market in the building, which was erected in 1887...

Per the listing:

Live and work in this huge, open loft . Facing Tompkins Square Park, on Avenue B, in the most incredible landmark East Village building. 12 foot ceilings and huge windows, this 2 bedroom corner loft apartment is every hipster's dream! Live totally "outside the box" in every way and wow your friends as they enter this one-of-a-kind space. Corinthian columns. Great south and west light. Steps to the best of the East Village. Nothing else like it. Video intercom system. Sorry no shares.

And hipsters — keep dreaming... the rent is $7,000.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Remembering the Revolutionary

Or if that dump on East Eighth Street is too fancy for you, then try this one...

Religion and weather together on the 8's

On 11th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

One rather lousy photo from this evening's monsoon

On First Avenue.

Madonna and Sean Penn got married on this date in 1985

Just felt like mentioning that...



And you may already know this story... Andy Warhol and Keith Haring collaborated on this painting as a wedding gift...


[©The Andy Warhol Foundation for the Visual Arts]

By the way, three years later, someone stole the painting from one of Madonna's homes... The FBI was on the case... The Smoking Gun posted all the details on the case back in 1999.

Anyway, happy 25th anniversary!

The community board-State Liquor Authority drinking game

To help pass the time during the dull stretches of community board/state liquor authority meetings... we started getting stupid(er), like, given the boozy topic, maybe we should create a drinking game to play ...

So! You have to do a shot every time an applicant says:

"I just want to be part of the community."

"I'm just a guy from the neighborhood."

Someone speaking against a proposed bar/restaurant says, "I like the concept, just not on this block."

Someone speaking against a proposed bar/restaurant uses any of the following words: fraternity, sorority, hell, zoo, spring break, Bourbon Street or woo woo.

The applicant wears a Bluetooth throughout his or her presentation.

Two shots if:

A priest speaks for the applicant.

The applicant's previous restaurant experience was working as a club DJ or promoter.

The applicant has 500 signatures in support, though only 3 of the residents actually live on the block in question.

The applicant says that his or her new place will be an upscale restaurant that will be open until 4 a.m.

The applicant says that the new place will be for the neighborhood, with entrees starting at $32.

They just want the license to pair wines with dessert.

The applicant's attorney says, "This is New York City -- it's supposed to be noisy."

Supporters of the applicant suggest that, if opponents don't like noise, they should move to, or move back to, [Ohio, Delaware, Schenectady, et al]

Three shots if:

The bar name is a nod to homeless people, welfare recipients, alcoholics or serial killers.

The applicant says that he or she is willing to work with the community, and to prove it, the restaurant/bar will close at 1 a.m. on Sundays.

The applicant uses the words "artisanal" or "gastro."

Four shots if:

The applicant uses the words "artisanal" and "gastro" together.

You're told dear old mom from the Old Country will be the chef.

The applicant says if he or she doesn't get approval, the space will likely become a chain store, bank or halfway house for pyromaniacs.

The applicant says that the restaurant will sponsor art classes for kids in the neighborhood.

Chug if:

The applicant gives each committee member an envelope with cash.*

The applicant promises to keep the spirit of the previous owner's establishment alive by having the now-deceased owner stuffed and mounted over the bar.

* We're not suggesting this has ever happened...

Outside the Mars Bar, a tribute to Roy

Roy, who prepped the Mars Bar in the morning for the day ahead, passed away earlier this summer... and now there's a tribute to him outside the bar...





The art is by Terry Galmitz, who had a show starting yesterday at the Mars Bar...

For more photos of Roy, visit The Gog Log.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Roy in the morning

It wouldn't be a CB3/SLA meeting without a Superdive scratch!

In the last six months, Superdive has been on the CB3/SLA agenda five times for a transfer, alteration, etc. ... and each time, the Superdivers have been a scratch... the keg-tappin' gang is now off tonight's agenda too...

They need to go for nine!

Sick nine times? sound bite  Ferris Bueller's Day Off sound bites

Seriously, though, I asked Superdive officials what is happening... when I last checked in with them, they were at the beach... Via e-mail:

... at the beach right now in fact!
Still undecided in regards to landlord's generous buyout proposal (he really wants a neighborhood restaurant for space)... adjourned till September. Got to roll, surf is calling!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another month, another Superdive scratch; Plus, Avenue A bars give it another go tonight

Superdive not going 5 for 5 this CB3/SLA meeting

Breaking: "Fear not — the SUPERDIVE sign burns brightly!"