A sad day for Mother Earth at the former Sapporo East

Renovations continue at the former Sapporo East space on First Avenue and East 10th Street … the 30-year-old Japanese restaurant closed for good at the end of December, as we first reported.

However, the space will remain a sushi restaurant. Yuji Umeki, who manages Kenka at 25 St. Mark's Place, is one of the principals at the restaurant that will be called Beronberon. EVG regular William Klayer, who took these photos on Friday, hears that they will be offering a menu very similar to Sapporo East's offerings.

Unfortunately, the renovation plans didn't include keeping Chico's longtime "Love Mother Earth" mural on the East 10th Street side… or the ad for Crystals Garden next door. (While the murals were nicked up, people liked them — based on how many readers passed along news of their demise this past weekend.)







Workers blacked out the murals on Saturday…


[Photo by EVG reader Fallon]


[Photo by EVG reader Fallon]

For now, just a section that reads "Love Moth" remains. We understand that workers will be adding windows in this space.


[Photo by Kevin Decatrel]

It will be 'easy to convert' Launderette into a restaurant on 2nd Avenue

Late last month, the owners of the longtime laundromat at 97 Second Ave. near East Sixth Street posted a detailed letter about why they are closing their business later in the summer. (You can revisit that post here.)

Now the brokers put up a "for lease" sign in the front window … showing a "rendering of possible new storefront" and offering other details about the space…



… such as it will be "easy to convert to restaurant" and something about hot air.

Oh, and the asking rent per the listing: $25,500 a month.

Desi Shack signage arrives on Fourth Avenue

The second Manhattan location of Desi Shack is coming soon to Fourth Avenue at East 13th Street. The signage appeared late last week.

Here's their description: "Desi Shack is a casual restaurant that offers New Yorkers a new take on Indian and Pakistani food. Our simple menu offers endless choices. We serve fresh grilled food, giving you the option to customize your meal the way you want it."

And here's what New York magazine had to say about Desi Shack after its Lexington Avenue shop opened in the fall of 2011: "Truly authentic it’s not, but quick, satisfying, and cheap is good enough."

The Shack is located next to the incoming Liquiteria…



The spaces previously housed a Blimpie and Young Chow.

H/T Andrew Fine!

Miss Lily's 7A Cafe is open

Although tomorrow night is the official opening for Miss Lily's 7A Cafe on Avenue A and East Seventh Street… several EVG readers have noted that the restaurant is (softly?) open tonight for business… EVG reader Darbi Worley notes that the hostesses are inviting passersby in for dinner or drinks…



If you go, then please let us know how it was/is …

Updated 4:09 p.m.

Here is the menu via Eater... who has a preview of the interior here.

Lily 7a Menu

Miss Lily's opens tonight at 6.

Report of a falling air conditioner on East 13th Street

Just watched a massive AC fall out of a window and nearly kill a guy. Fuck. @evgrieve

— David Fitzgerald (@david_fitz) May 18, 2014

he dodged it but it was a close call. @evgrieve

— David Fitzgerald (@david_fitz) May 18, 2014

And afterwards… no one was around to claim responsibility for it…



This occurred on East 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue … mid-block on the south side of the street…

Previously

Week in Grieview

[Avenue A the other day]

An arrest in the deadly attack of Ruan Wen Hui (Thursday)

Exclusive: East Village Radio is signing off after 11 years (Wednesday)

Rumors: The Brant Foundation is buying Walter De Maria's workshop-home on East Sixth Street (Tuesday)

Baby hawks! (Friday)

CB3 says no to Friedman-Bloomfield cafe concept (Monday)

El Sombrero closes for renovations (Monday)

St. Mark's Bookshop signs a lease for a new home on East Third Street (Wednesday)

6-floor building in the works for former LaVie space (Monday)

A Dunkin' Donuts is taking the former Norman's Sound & Vision space (Friday)

Listing for Kim's Video says location is good for a bank, Starbucks or 7-Eleven (Friday)

Miss Lily's 7A Cafe opens Monday (Thursday)

Basic Plus moving into the Surprise! Surprise! storefront? (Thursday)

Lebrini's Pizzeria has been sold (Monday)

Matiell Consignment Shop leaving the East Village (Thursday)

Empire Biscuit had to be closed on National Biscuit Day (Wednesday)

Out and About with Alan Lefkowitz (Wednesday)

Westside Market revealed on Third Avenue (Tuesday)

Plantworks is closing after 40 years (Tuesday)

The Mars Bar 2.0 = The Pink Elephant (Monday)

Mother's Day on Avenue A (Sunday)

118 E. First St. is on the market with air rights (Wednesday)

When the moon showed off (Monday)

Merry May 12 Christmas! (Monday)

Waiting for the bike lanes to reappear on East Ninth Street and East 10th Street (Tuesday)

East 14th Street demolition getting serious (Wednesday)

[Updated] Something is happening at 2 Bros. Pizza

The $1 sliceria at 32 St. Mark's Place is currently closed. Bill the Libertarian Anarchist passes along word that workers are tearing up the floor preparing to close the shop … this according to one of the workers doing the floor tearing up.

The 2 Bros. at 36 St. Mark's Place (with the upscale $1.50 SUPREME slice!) is open a few storefronts to the east with all the $1 slice signage.

However, one worker at No. 36 said the shop at No. 32 will reopen later this week, though he initially tried to avoid the question…



So there you have it, kind of. Closed for good or reopening Thursday! To be continued…

Updated 5:31 p.m.

The $1 2 Bros. is back open today with a new floor… so much for our info!

The fucking TD Bank branch is now open on Second Avenue

Hey, that TD Bank branch anchoring the Jupiter 21 building on Second Avenue at East First Street officially opened yesterday. We walked by and were greeted by no fewer than 14 TD employees on the sidewalk offering free coffee and pastries or something pastry like. They were friendly! (But we missed the TD mascot!)

Did anyone go in to be among the first 100 visitors to receive a free gift? If so, then please let us know what the gift was!

And, as you know, the corner space was home to the Mars Bar until 2011… And, well, what the hell…


[Photo from 2006 by Ixtayul Martinez]

Meanwhile, some WTF variation of the Mars Bar is returning to East First Street … in a cafe-restaurant-club combo that will feature a juice bar and quinoa bowls.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Mars Bar is becoming a fucking bank branch

So where's that fucking bank branch that's taking the former Mars Bar space?

The fucking TD Bank signage arrives at the former home of the Mars Bar

The 8th annual Anarchist Film Festival is today

From the Festival's description:

The AFF will be screening a variety of short films that celebrate the spirit of resistance and liberation amid the increasing criminalization of dissent around the world. The AFF, is a participatory event where the screenings spark vigorous discussion about the possibilities of political change and cultural transformation.

Find more info about the program here. Theatre 80 is at 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

Get good stuff today

DanceFest 2014

[Photo by Bobby Williams]


[BW]

So the Dance Parade came on down into Tompkins Square Park today… here are just a few of the photos of the participants in the DanceFest via EVG contributor Stacie Joy …

Solving the woman with the jellyfish mystery that wasn't really all that mysterious after all

Several people have been asking what that mural/ad/banner thing is at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and East 10th Street.

Turns out the answer is right up Fourth Avenue … It's a public art installation that coincides with an exhibit from model-photographer Amber Arbucci in the former Dryden Gallery Space at 129 Fourth Ave. near East 13th Street…



There are nude self-portraits … showing Arbucci swimming with five million jellyfish …



Here's an interview with Arbucci about what this is all about …

The exhibit opened yesterday … not sure how long it will be here…