Verizon doesn't allow murals on its buildings — except for in Southern California

Earlier we posted an item about Verizon's ongoing battle with graffiti on their Second Avenue building... Perhaps a local artist like Chico could create a mural here? But! A Verizon spokesperson told DNAinfo, "We typically do not permit murals to be painted on our buildings" ... adding that the company will continue to paint over the graffiti as it goes up.

As EV Grieve reader T.E.V.B. pointed out in a Long Beach, Calif. newspaper... the article, titled Mural Brightens Verizon Wall, highlights the work of Long Beach-based muralist Roy Herweck.

Anyway, as for the Verizon wall on 13th Street, T.E.V.B. said, "A community mural there is a great idea."

[Image via]

Verizon brass content to keep battling graffiti artists on 13th Street

We've been documenting the battle for the brown wall here at the Verizon building on 13th Street at Second Avenue... (Previously.)

At DNAinfo, Patrick Hedlund checks in with the Verizon folks to see what the next steps are.

"We'll try to clean it off, and the next thing you know…" said Verizon employee Sam Ashraf, who manages the phone company's retail store in the building. "It just looks bad."

The NYPD's 9th Precinct has observed the building for years, even sending undercover officers to stake out the site and making numerous arrests, said Det. Jaime Hernandez, a 22-year-old veteran of the neighborhood.

To deal with the graffiti scourge, Hernandez suggested that Verizon bring in a muralist to paint the wall, noting that street art rarely gets run over by vandals because of the respect given to the work.

However, a Verizon spokesperson said that they don't allow murals to be painted on their buildings, and that they'd simply continue to paint over any new graffiti.

Sounds good coming from the company HQ. But what about the people on the ground here?

Ashraf told Hedlund that he's tired of seeing the eyesore each day on his way to work.

"It's miserable," he said. "But it's New York."

The Pigeon Lady proving more elusive than originally thought!

A reader snapped this shot on Avenue A near Ninth Street earlier today... just missing the notorious Pigeon Lady, though in time for the aftermath...

When Joey Ramone went to the day spa

Marjorie Ingall uncovered a long-lost treasure from her time at Sassy: An article from the never-published last issue (December 1994) in which the magazine sends Joey Ramone to a day spa. However, thanks to the Internet, the article — written by Andrea Linnett — lives on...

An excerpt!

With Joey's hair saturated, Getty placed a pure plastic cap on his head and led the famous songwriter to a heat-lamp throne, where he enjoyed reading about his socialite friends in Town & Country magazine. After about 20 minutes of pure 18-carat relaxation, Getty took Joey to the extravagant hair washing massage bed so he could receive an aromatherapy scalp rub and shampoo. Joey was on cloud nine as he purred, "I'm finding this very pleasant. I'm in nirvana. (not the band)"

Hairdresser to the rich and famous Hugh Mac Dill arrived to blowdry and style the golden voiced singer's newly revived locks to perfection. Joey's reaction? "My hair's fluffy full." Rejuvenated and ready for the fast-paced life of a superstar, Joey bid Brian and his team farewell, and headed home to his luxury apartment in Manhattan's superexclusive East Village, where a bag full of Aveda products awaited him for his whirlwind tour of glitzy Czechoslovakia.

You can read the whole piece here.

Writes Marjorie on her blog: "I remember everyone gushing about how terribly sweet and terribly shy Joey Ramone was on his spa day."

Related reading, kind of, on EV Grieve:
Forget James Cramer and his ilk, how would Joey Ramone invest in this troubled market?

Another reason why the super may have been pissed at Lady Gaga

[Photo by Cat Sitter in the City]

Yesterday, our friend Cat Sitter in the City told us that Lady Gaga was giving Anderson Cooper and film crew a tour of her old Lower East Side haunts, including her onetime home at 176 Stanton. This apparently ticked off the super, who called the NYPD to complain about her intrusion...

In any case, as a tipster told us, perhaps the super didn't want anyone to know that workers were renovating part of the building — without any proper permits from the DOB.

Also, several readers pointed out that this interview will be part of Cooper's "60 Minutes" feature on Lady Gaga that airs before the Grammy Awards on Feb. 13.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Anderson Cooper interviews Lady Gaga on Stanton Street; police called

Bad news-good news-maybe good news about Avenue A retail

The bad: East Village Pharmacy on Avenue A and Fifth Street has lost their lease...

The good: They're just moving to 41 Avenue A at the corner of Third Street, the site of the long-dormant coffee shop... this will help bring a little life to this lonely stretch of Avenue A...

Maybe good news: Maybe something else decent will move into the soon-to-be-empty East Village Pharmacy space... the sign says no restaurants, but food OK...

Jimmy McMillan just lost the cyclist vote

Jimmy McMillan, the rent is too damn, blah, blah guy, is running for president. He's even holding a news conference in Tompkins Square Park next week to announce his candidacy.

Meanwhile! The Local East Village conducted a Q-and-A with McMillan ... to an excerpt!

Bike lane use is a big issue in the East Village. How would you handle that issue?

Get rid of them. You have cars running up on bicycle lanes – people are getting run over. These are idiots! There are not enough bicyclists. I did a personal count. In one week in the East Village on First Avenue and Second Avenue, there were about 25 people on each avenue. It’s not enough. They’re better for states with warmer climates, like in Florida. You cannot have bicycle lanes where there is snow.

Today in subtle beer pong ads

Outside Amsterdam Billiards on 11th Street at Fourth Avenue.

Another Avenue B storefront for rent

Been some time since I did a count of the empty storefronts along Avenue B ... (Last time: December 2008.) Anyway, the space that housed the eclectic discount store is gone... meanwhile, a few doors down, La Bonne Bouffe closed in December...

Tonight in $250,000 cars parked on East Fifth Street

Maxwell Z. sends along a photo of this Rolls-Royce motor car (and the vanity plates read something like GUD MONY GUD DAY) ... I was thinking about saving to buy one like this.

Rockefeller Center holiday tree dumped on East 10th Street?

OK, OK... but this thing is enormous... bigger than the car behind it... the sanitation crew is going to need a bigger truck...

Anderson Cooper interviews Lady Gaga on Stanton Street; police called

Exciting international news developing now on Stanton Street ... CNN's Anderson Cooper with camera crew is interviewing former LES resident Lady Gaga. And our very own Cat Sitter in the City is on the scene. She filed a live report ... Lady Gaga is showing Anderson her old stomping grounds at 176 Stanton... it appears that they enter the building for a tour... afterwards, the pair walk toward Clinton Street, where a police car pulls up. Lady Gaga says hello, etc. They move on. Then! The police car pulls in front of 176 Stanton, where someone who could be the super emerges and starts screaming and gesturing. Basically, he's pe-od that Lady Gaga got into the building... Minutes later, the super is still screaming.

One other note. "She was not dressed properly for the weather," Cat Sitter reports. "But she's Lady Gaga." So, no sleeves, stockings, that kind of thing.