Mysterious, rolled-up thing delivered to Tompkins Square Park

What do you think it is? Photo by Bobby Williams yesterday.

Before Zoltar, there was Treasure Chest

Sure, Zoltar (now repaired!) is getting all the publicity these days, but for my money, nothing beats the Treasure Chest on East 14th Street near First Avenue. I've long admired this game of chance outside the Community Grocery & Candy store.

For starters, I like its battered, I-Survived-the-Apocalypse look. You could ram it with an M14A (or M14D) bus and the thing would still gamely make you work for that pink teddy bear.

It seems like every time that I see it, there's another chain or tag on it. And more tape. Lots of tape. Perhaps holding it together, preventing its treasures from spilling out on the sidewalk...

And, recently, I finally saw another admirer admiring it... and playing! But he was gone by the time I got up to it... I was hoping that we could start a Facebook group or something.

Awnings and storefronts come and go around here. But not the Treasure Chest. Long live the Treasure Chest!

Fall Friday flashback: Commenter comedy gold

On Fridays this fall, and probably winter and spring and... we'll post one of the 12,000-plus EVG, uh, posts from yesteryear... like this self-serving one from Oct. 31, 2011...

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Unfortunately, our busy social schedule prevented us from attending the Official Grande Opening of the new Upright Citizens Brigade theater/theatre on Avenue A and Third Street on Saturday night. On Saturday night, we drank alone again at the Blarney Cove.

Dave Itzkoff at The New York Times has an article on the opening, including details on the challenges of getting the space ready. (You know — Hot Chicks Room sign drama.) As for some of the entertainment Saturday night, Itzkoff noted:

A second show at 9:30 offered a grab bag of acts that were, in theory, supposed to keep their sets to five to seven minutes. Sue Galloway, who plays an ambiguously accented comedy writer on “30 Rock,” performed a character piece about a drunken office worker singing an aggressive version of “I Will Follow Him” at a karaoke night; David Cross, the “Arrested Development” star, read remarks posted on the East Village blog EV Grieve that complained about the Upright Citizens Brigade’s arrival. (“Go back to campus, you new jack cornballs,” one outraged commenter demanded.)

As a thank you, all the commenters who chimed in on the Upright posts will receive replica fruit plates that the guests enjoyed there Saturday night.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Your 'Hot Chicks Room' sign update

[Updated] Resident starting a petition to have the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign removed at the Upright Citizens Brigade (47 comments)

Breaking: UCB will remove the 'Hot Chicks Room' sign!

'Hot Chicks Room' sign will now bring ruin to compost

Dreams never end

Several readers told us that they were seeing New Order tonight (now over) or tomorrow at the Roseland Ballroom ... which is the perfect excuse once again to post all this ... New Order played the Ukrainian National Home on Second Avenue (between Ninth and St. Mark's) on Nov. 19 1981.

And here is a video of the entire show via our friend Karate Boogaloo at Stupefaction.

Wylie Dufresne bringing fancy cocktails for foodies to former Plum Pizzeria on Second Avenue

Here's some foodie action for this stretch of Avenue Woo. Grub Street is reporting that noted LES chef Wylie Dufresne (of wd~50 on Clinton Street) is opening a place at the former Plum Pizzeria at 157 Second Avenue.

Per Grub Street:

Alder will be a 50-seat pub. It will open in the former Plum Pizzeria space ... The kitchen will serve "modern casual food and well-crafted cocktails," according to a rep for the restaurant. The name Alder is the Old English analog for Ellery, the name of Dufresne's second daughter.

Reader report: Mysterious late-night activity at the former Cabrini Center

[Bobby Williams]

As you know, work continues on converting the former Cabrini Center for Nursing and Rehabilitation into residential apartments on Avenue B and East Street via developer Ben Shaoul.

Meanwhile, a tipster notes some late-night activity behind the building, where the construction staging is taking place. The tipster notes that construction usually takes place between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m. (and with permit, on Saturdays). Recently though, a few workers returned at 8-9 p.m. Now, a few more developments have made our tipster curious.

To the tipster:

To begin, they've covered the gate with plastic sheets (perhaps to keep out the wind) but also obscuring the site from any onlookers from outside on the street.

Of more interest though, there have also been several unmarked white vans after hours. Most suspicious was [Tuesday night], because this was the latest and largest vehicle I've seen yet. I heard the bang of the truck gate opening at 2:30 am.
There was a large unmarked white truck with a few non-uniformed men in dark clothes.
There was also a red truck and a beige minivan — one of the vehicles belonging to a man in a white shirt.

They were in and out in less than half an hour quickly moving garbage bags. This is odd because there is a large dumpster right beside the truck that could have been used or a garbage disposal service could have been hired. Perhaps it's just my imagination and there is nothing to hide and its merely waste materials that need to be specially delivered to the dump. Yet its still suspicious that they would do this after hours — especially after midnight.

Any theories...?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cabrini Center patients out by the end of today; closes for good June 30

Tompkins Square Bagels robbed; suspect captured on surveillance cameras

This was the scene outside Tompkins Square Bagels late yesterday afternoon on Avenue A...

Later, on the phone, owner Christopher Pugliese explained what happened. On Tuesday, TSB received a delivery around 12:40 p.m. During a lunch rush, the staff didn't notice that the vendor didn't close the basement doors on the sidewalk. That's when a man apparently walked down into the cellar.

A TSP employee entered the basement and spotted the man, who claimed that he was a city inspector. The employee went upstairs to find Pugliese. During that time, the man quickly left.

Upon closer inspection yesterday, Pugliese noticed that several small items were missing, most notably a laptop. The police who responded to the call said that they have been on the hunt for a man who has allegedly robbed a handful of other local restaurants.

The NYPD told Pugliese that the man captured in TSP's basement surveillance cameras is the person they are seeking to question in connection with the other robberies.

Said Pugliese: "Police say this guy is fearless."

Isn't there an app for that?

EVG reader Paul Kostabi sent along this photo from Lafayette and Great Jones yesterday... resourceful smartphone owner tapping into a lamp post for a charge... We'll probably really marvel at this one in about, oh, 50 years.

Like The Virgins, practicing for the very first time...

So, as you may have heard, some residents have been annoyed about The Virgins practicing in the lead singer's apartment on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and East Seventh Street. (DNAinfo had the story yesterday; the Post followed-up later.)

Per DNA's Serena Solomon:

"I think they are so full of themselves they keep their window open," said the resident, who declined to provide her name, at a meeting of the Ninth Precinct Community Council Tuesday night.

Though she admitted that the band's sound is polished, the 25-year resident of the block said the regular racket has been going for three weeks straight.

Perhaps it was all prep work for their CMJ show last night at Brooklyn Bowl. (And they have a new record coming out early next year.)

But some people like that this happens!

Kirk Villalobos, 33, who works at the popular French fry eatery Pommes Frites, said he can also hear the band playing from the restaurant and that patrons often step out of the spot to start dancing on the sidewalk.

"I like their music," Villalobos said, adding that he's heard the band rehearsing in the space for months. "Especially the guitarist when he plays a good solo."

(Will the city fine Pommes Frites for not having a cabaret license?)

Funny, though, that any bands actually still live around here.

To the Post!

"It's an odd choice for them to be right there," said the neighbor who admitted that she actually owns some of their albums. "Most bands are in a garage in Brooklyn."

(By the way, The Virgins have only released one EP and one album.)

And, finally, back to DNA for the classic "If you don't like/want" quote:

Andrew Mitchell, 34, who said he lives next door to The Virgins' practice space, has heard the band playing on numerous occasions, but always during "reasonable hours" of the day.

"A lot of people would say, if you don't want a band rehearsal near you," he said, "don't live in the East Village."

[H/t Madonna for that dreadful headline inspiration]

A plan to replace those floor-to-ceiling windows at 117 Second Ave.

EVG regular peter radley sent me this photo yesterday showing workers erecting a sidewalk shed on Second Avenue at East Seventh Street where that Song 7.2 place is now...

There are plans on file dated Aug. 29 with the DOB for the following here:

EXTERIOR RENOVATION AT 2ND STORY ONLY. REMOVAL OF EXT. ALUMINIUM & GLASS CURTAIN WALL/ STOREFRONT . INSTALL NEW INSULATED BRICK AND METAL STUD AT EXTERIOR WALLS WITH NEW WINDOW OPENINGS. PROVIDE AT THE LEVEL OF FLOORING & CEILING OF 2ND FL NEW WATERPROOFING COOPER FLASHING.

Hmm. "Removal of ext. aluminum & glass curtain wall/storefront" on the second floor.

That would be the distinctive characteristic of the corner building... and part of an old favorite — the Kiev, which closed in 2000. (Jeremiah has a history of the Kiev here.)

[2007, via Curbed]

[1979, By Michael Sean Edwards]

I'm not very good at DOB-speak, but it sounds as if the landlord wants to brick up the floor-to-ceiling windows... Sounds a little generic. The city disapproved the plan on Monday. And as of last week, this building is now in the new East Village/Lower East Side Historic District.

So what I don't know at this point: Because plans were filed before the Historic District designation, are the potential renovations OK to move forward? (If the city approves the plans.) Or will the building be protected from such a renovation that would change the character of a building because it is now in a Historic District?

Also, Song 7.2 was closed Monday and Tuesday ... they were back open last night with this sign...

Wash day at St. Brigid's yesterday

... where workers were hosing down the church on the East Eighth Street side. Photo by Bobby Williams.

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: New awning for HiFi; 'training event' for L'Apicio

Just a few random items from the last few days/nights...

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We like HiFi on Avenue A. We also like restaurants/bars with awnings (mostly). That said. HiFi now has a new-look front with an awning...

[Bobby Williams]

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Over on East First Street in the Shoppes at Avalon Bowery Place, L'Apicio is closer to opening... there was a soft opening of sorts last night...

Sign called it a "training event." The New York Times noted that "some entrees, like roast pig, will be available family-style, for sharing." And apparently they have good meatballs.

And here is the kitchen entrance.... adorned with new art...

Did you get to say goodbye to those GIANT SUSHI ROLL PHOTOS along here?

[Last summer]

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And another sign of fall: People's Pops recently closed for the season on East Seventh Street...

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And a reader noted the chalkboard outside outside Fresco Gelateria on Second Avenue...