Today in tasteful video postings

We do not know much, if anything, about this video ... other than that someone filmed it on East 14th Street at Second Avenue fairly recently (given that it only has 16 pageviews at the time we posted it) ... and the man in the video is wearing a diaper.

Thanks, maybe, to the EVG reader who forwarded us the link.

September's CB3/SLA docket is amazingly small

Wow, just nine items (nine items!) on the September CB3/SLA committee agenda. That just might be a record-low.

Anyway! First of all, the meeting is Sept. 8 at 6:30 p.m. — Community Board 3 Office, 59 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

And now!

Applications within Saturated Areas
• To be Determined, 98 Ave C (wb)

This is the vacant storefront between Alphabet City Beer Co. and Alphabet City Wine Co. Don't have info on this applicant just yet.

• Taqueria Lower East Side (Barraza Foods Inc), 121 Orchard St (op)

• Nadico Hotel LLC, 163 Orchard St (op)

• Epicure Kitchen LLC, 45 Ave B (wb)

Oh, one of those long-empty spaces where LeSouk enjoyed its reign of terror.

Sidewalk Cafe Application
• Berkli Parc Cafe (HH Hospitality LLC), 61 Delancey St (small unenclosed)

New Liquor License Applications
• Taqueria Saint Marks (Barraza Foods Inc), 79 St Marks Pl (op)

• Sliders (Aleppo Slider LLC), 647 E 11th St (upgrade to op)

Haven't met anyone who has been to this place.

• To be Determined, 171 E B'way (op)

• Huertas (Molinero LLC), 107 1st Ave (upgrade to op)

Huertas, a restaurant featuring "the cuisine of Northern Spain," opened back in April.

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b=beer only | wb=wine & beer only | op=liquor, wine, & beer | alt=alterations

Yonekichi closed to prep for official grand opening

Yonekichi had its (soft) opening last Monday at 236 E. Ninth St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Several readers have pointed out that the rice burger specialists have been closed the past few days... a sign on the door notes that they will be back for their grand opening soon...



And there might be at least one resident pleased about this development.

You can check out the restaurant's website for the TBA grand opening info.

Sunrise, sunset

From this morning, a shot from the Manhattan Bridge looking toward the Lower East Side by EVG Facebook friend Derek Loris...



... and from last evening, a view toward East 12th Street with some bonus ravens atop the water tower by James and Karla Murray ...

A visit to Enz's Boutique

Photos and text by Stacie Joy

After seeing Facebook posts after the recent one-year anniversary party for the Park Slope location of Enz's, we decided to revisit the original Enz's (home of Real Rockin’ Clothes) in the East Village.

Owned and operated by Mariann Marlowe (photo above), the rockabilly and retro clothes shop has been at 125 Second Ave. location for the past 13 years after relocating from St. Mark's Place. (The store dates to the 1970s on Grove Street.)

Mariann mentioned that she always wanted the shop to be on Second Avenue and she has done wonders for the slim space that used to be a cellular phone store.

Every surface is packed with clothes (for men, women and kids), accessories and products, jewelry and makeup for sale. The shop carries designs for sizes xxs to xxl so most folks can be clothed there.

We asked Bianca Dagga to model some of the clothes that Mariann designed and styled, as well as a few from other retro clothiers.

Mariann (a one-woman whirling dervish) didn’t stop moving, talking, cleaning and styling; travel plans were made, images taken, people clothed, smiles exchanged and neighbors chatted up. Mariann has designed for and clothed artists ranging from Dirty Martini and Amanda Lepore to Lou Reed and Debbie Harry. (She has also worked on shows such as "Law & Order" and "Satuarday Night Live.")

During the brief time we were in the shop many people dropped by to shop and talk shop. Drag queens looking for something couture and spectacular, a duo of sisters with their mom looking for high-waisted skinny jeans and ’50s-inspired tops, and international traveler Alejandro who graciously agreed to pose with Bianca (and who tried very hard to get her number). Layrite pomade was mandatory for this look.

Enz’s is open every day, usually from noon until 8 p.m. The store has policies that can seem a bit off-putting if you aren’t familiar. First off, you need to be buzzed into the shop. And appointments are strongly suggested, especially if you plan to try on items in the surprisingly spacious dressing rooms or receive styling assistance from Mariann or one of the shop gals.

More about Empellón al Pastor, opening this fall on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

Work continues at the former Sushi Lounge space, where Alex (Empellón Cocina, Empellón Taqueria) Stupak is opening a restaurant this fall here on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place.

New York magazine has a preview of the new place:

Empellón al Pastor [is] Stupak’s most casual place to date (he calls it a bar and tortilleria), hard by the western entrance of Tompkins Square Park and situated in the corner space that once housed the punk-rock dive Alcatraz. It’s a lot of firsts for Stupak: open kitchen, no reservations, paper plates, disposable cutlery, five micheladas (including one devised by Wylie Dufresne), and no desserts. The idea is to strip everything down to the bare minimum, both to keep costs low and to remove all potential obstacles between taco and customer.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Chef Alex Stupak vying for former Sushi Lounge space on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place

As the for rent signs turn on Avenue A

Here are a few scant details about chef Alex Stupak's new venture on St. Mark's Place

CB3 OKs liquor license for Alex Stupak's new restaurant on St. Mark's Place

New sidewalk bridge for 309 E. 8th St. as tenants face landlord Steve Croman in court

[309 E. Eighth St. file photo]

As The Real Deal reported, five tenants of 309 E. Eighth St have filed suit seeking a halt to construction at the building owned by Steve Croman of 9300 Realty.

This is on top of the lawsuit some residents filed against Croman here claiming that he has has engaged in a "campaign of harassment, abuse and neglect" since taking over the property between Avenue B and Avenue C in December 2012.

According to The Real Deal, Croman will face the tenants today in New York City Housing Court.

Meanwhile, on Saturday, we noticed a truck parked in a rather dangerous fashion on Avenue B at East Eighth Street. Workers were unloaded pieces for a scaffolding.



Turns out that it was for a new sidewalk bridge outside 309 E. Eighth St.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Steve Croman facing another lawsuit from East 8th Street residents

Report: East 8th Street residents sue landlord Steve Croman, allege intimidation, harassment

Watch a lot of people speak out against Steve Croman and 9300 Realty

Report: State Attorney General launches Steve Croman investigation

Noted

An EVG reader spotted the above flyer on East Sixth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C ...

For "no charge," the the videographer will "help you make a short video to relay your message." Examples listed include "You need to level with your parents about something. You need to tell your buddy his breath stinks. Maybe you've loved someone for a long time in secret?"

Also, helpfully — "This is not a joke."

Openings: Be Juice and Snowdays Shavery

Be Juice is up and running now adjacent to the new Basics Plus at 91 Third Ave. between East 12th Street and East 13th Street. (Previously)



Snowdays Shavery, serving snow cream, opened Friday at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue. (Previously)

Phebe's closed 'for a little facelift' on the Bowery

Phebe's Tavern & Grill on the Bowery at East Fourth Street closed after business Sunday ... the signs posted to the front windows explain...

The Phebe's website points people to their sister bars up on Third Avenue — The Penny Farthing and Linen Hall.

As for the renovations, the place looks pretty gutted. We saw bar sinks where tables used to be.

Maybe it will look like this again when the work is done...

Untitled Queen on East 5th Street

Untitled Queen photographed by Derek Berg today on East Fifth Street at Second Avenue.

Checkers headed to 1st Avenue

[EVG photo from July]

Higher rents forced longtime tenant Gabay's Outlet to leave First Avenue for a new home at 195 Avenue A earlier this summer.

Work permits at the old storefront at 225 First Ave. between East 13th Street and East 14th Street reveal the new tenant — a Checkers.



In April 2013, Crain's reported that the fast-food chain was going to add another 22 restaurants in NYC by 2015.

A Checkers opened in Tribeca in 2009. There's also a location in Hamilton Heights.

Here's the official Checkers story via the company website:

Checkers & Rally's restaurants were born out of the idea that a bland and flavorless burger was downright bad and that Americans everywhere deserved a better tasting burger — one that was unexpectedly bold, made-to-order and priced at a value that was hard to beat. Founded by experienced foodies with a renegade spirit, both the Checkers & Rally's unique double drive-thru concept, with its over-the-top checkerboard squares, chrome styling, red neon signs and of course the food, was an instant hit. These two new burger experiences were hot, fresh and served with a smile. People were hooked, and the world of cookie cutter corporate burger establishments was about to change.

Arlene Spiegel, a restaurant consultant, said this to Crain's about Checkers:

"I see them filling the space between quick-service-restaurants like McDonald's and gourmet burger concepts," said Ms. Spiegel. But she cautioned that it may be difficult for a suburban drive-thru concept to adapt to an urban market.

Previously on EV Grieve:
After 45 years on 1st Avenue, Gabay's Outlet is on the move