An appreciation: the Village East Cinema

The Village East Cinema on Second Avenue at 12th Street is one of my favorite places to see a movie here or anywhere.

And the theater was the subject of a recent feature at 6sqft, which provides a history of the space as well as details on the restoration of the main auditorium's ornate ceiling.

Per the post, which features photos by James and Karla Murray:

Village East Cinema was once known as The Louis N. Jaffe Theater, built in 1925-26 by the Brooklyn lawyer, developer and prominent Jewish leader Louis N. Jaffe. Jaffe built the theater as a permanent home for the Yiddish Art Theater to be devoted to the work of Maurice Schwartz, a renowned Yiddish speaking actor known as “Mr. Second Avenue.”

The Yiddish theater produced many of the creative figures of the 20th century American stage, including actors, directors, writers and designers, and had a major influence on theatrical form and content.

And!

Yiddish theater was performed at the Jaffe Art Theater from 1926-1945, but the theater itself changed its names numerous times and housed many different Yiddish theater companies. The theater later showed vaudeville productions and was used an off-Broadway theater venue, housing the original productions of “Grease” and “Joseph & the Technicolor Dreamcoat,” which both went on to Broadway.

The theater also was used to show burlesque, dance, concerts, and movies but finally closed in 1988. The interior was converted into a complex of seven movie theaters in 1991 in a way that retains most of the original spaces, but with new uses.

Read the whole post here.

The piece also notes that the theater is on both the State and National Historic Registers and its façade and interior including the lobby and domed auditorium are designated New York City landmarks.

A few other FYI things... all screenings before noon are just $8. And on Thursdays, moviegoers 55 and over can get $8 tickets for all times.

And there's a 75th-anniversary screening of "Casablanca" on Feb. 14.

Coming next week:
I went to the AMC Village 7 and got vertigo looking at the carpet...



Previously on EV Grieve:
At the Village East Cinema

98 Favor Taste signage arrives on St. Mark's Place

The signage arrived yesterday on St. Mark's Place at Second Avenue for 98 Favor Taste, as these photos via EVG Senior Signage Correspondent Steven show ...





The restaurant comes via Liju Lin, who has run the 99 Favor Taste restaurant in Sunset Park since 2011 ... and the Grand Street location since 2012.

The restaurants specialize in traditional Korean-style barbecue and Chinese hot pot meals.

Upon opening on Grand Street, the Voice gave 99 Favor an enthusiastic review... calling it "a feastly orgy: trays heaped with raw meats and fishes, feathery greens and fungi, boiling and bubbling pots, and popping and sizzling meats top every table. Diners crowd around, heads-down, slurping noodles and soup with chopsticks, only looking up to tend the meat, cooking at arm's distance away."

These storefronts have been vacant going on five years now. Timi's Gelateria Classica™ closed at the end of 2011 in one of the spaces… while Michael "Bao" Huynh's Baoguette Cafe shut down at summer's end in 2012.

Previously

Reader mailbag: A call to keep the lights on the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo from Tuesday]

EVG regular Jose Garcia writes in:

I've been wondering whether you think there might be any sympathy for keeping the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park lit beyond the holiday season.

Not sure who (Parks Department?) is responsible for it but for me at least it's become something of a beacon of hope and the beauty of our neighborhood given the toxic political atmosphere.

I'm guessing it would be a matter of costs and also perhaps it would be unhealthy for the tree?

The lights usually remain illuminated until some time in February... like in 2009, it was Feb. 7... in 2014, it was Feb. 17.

It was pretty nice to see it lit up that one St. Patrick's Day.

Some temporary signage for Abraco on 7th Street

Earlier this week, a temporary sign arrived outside the newish home of Abraço at 81 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Abraço owners Jamie McCormick and Elizabeth Quijada moved into this larger space from across the street from their former address back in September...

Perhaps the new sign will help those who think that Abraço closed at 86 E. Seventh St.



We've heard from a handful of people, who saw the for rent sign at No. 86 in recent months, asking when/why Abraço was no more.

The cafe, now in its 10th year of business on the block, has an active Instagram account showing some of the daily specials.

Progress at Little Tong Noodle Shop, coming soon to 1st Avenue

[Photos by Steven]

A worker has been painting the exterior of the former Schnitz space this past week on First Avenue at 11th Street...



As we first noted in late December, a self-described "fast causal" restaurant called Little Tong Noodle Shop is set to take over the corner spot.

The applicants were OK'd for a beer-wine license last month. (This item was not heard during the committee meeting on Jan. 9.) According to the questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website, the restaurant will be open daily from 11 a.m to midnight. The owners also plan on operating a four-table sidewalk cafe with 12 seats from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Simone Tong, who worked for Wylie Dufresne’s now-closed wd~50 on Clinton Street, is the chef. While work continues on the First Avenue space, Tong is hosting several preview dinners this month at Jimmy's No. 43 on Seventh Street, as Bedford + Bowery reported.

Meanwhile, here's a look at how the interior is shaping up via the restaurant's Instagram account...

Day 14. Aka- let's hide the WC. #noodles #chineserestaurant #chinesefood #yunnan #ricenoodles #eastvillage #nycfoodie #nycfood #nycrestaurants #eeeeeats #newyork #newyorkcity

A photo posted by Little Tong Noodle Shop (@littletongnyc) on Feb 1, 2017 at 2:04pm PST

No word yet on an opening date.

Schnitz, which served old-fashioned schnitzel sandwiches with unconventional toppings, was in operation from March 2014 to August 2016. Something Sweet, the family-owned bakery, was here until July 2012.

Previously on EVG:
Little Tong Noodle Shop taking the former Schnitz space on 1st Avenue

Last-minute things to do on Groundhog Day: See 'Groundhog Day'

The Bill Murray comedy from 1993 is playing tonight at 7:30 at Gobbler's Knob the Village East Cinema on Second Avenue at 12th Street. Tickets are $10 each and available here.

Condos at Rite Aid's new neighbor on 1st Avenue will range from $1 million to $6 million

[Pit work at 75 1st Ave. one recent evening]

As you may know, an 8-story condoplex — featuring 22 residences — is coming to the long-empty lot at 75 First Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

To date, we'd only seen photos of broker Ryan Serhant's team in suits brandishing shovels at a groundbreaking ceremony ... and not any of the actual new building.

Now though, Colonnade Group, the developer behind the project, has released some renderings, as first posted yesterday at The Real Deal.

75 First. Coming soon 😎

A photo posted by Ryan Serhant (@ryanserhant) on Feb 1, 2017 at 3:42pm PST

Here's an interior shot...


[Image via the Colonnade Group]

HTO Architects designed the building. The prices will range from around $1 million for a one-bedroom to $6 million for a three-bedroom. The amenities include a fitness center, lounge and library, private and common roof deck and bike storage.

As for No. 75's neighbor... the bears have been lined up for Valentine's Day...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Developer: A shorter building in the works now for 75 First Avenue

High-rise for 75 First Avenue back in play

Long-stalled First Avenue site now has a brand-new rendering

Report: Long-dormant 1st Avenue development site changes hands

Plywood report and the future of 75 1st Ave. (Spoiler: condos)

Mr. White bringing 'new Southern cuisine' to St. Mark's Place

As previously noted, February's CB3-SLA agenda includes an applicant vying for a beer-wine license at 121 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Here's more about the space via public documents (PDF) at the CB3 website. For starters, Mr. White will serve "New Southern cuisine." (The online application did not include a sample menu.)

The proposed hours are noon to 2 a.m. Monday through Saturday; 11 a.m. to 1 a.m. on Sunday. (The application notes that alcohol service will end at 2 a.m., with the restaurant closing one hour later "to allow the customer to finish his meal.") The configuration shows 10 tables seating 28 patrons, and two bars seating 19 people.

The documents also note that the principals have experience at the Grand National (now the Big Whiskey) and the Whiskey Brooklyn in Williamsburg.

No. 121 was last home to the Belgian Room, which the state seized for nonpayment of taxes in April 2015. (The reconfigured space includes the former Ton-Up Cafe next door.)

The February SLA committee meeting is Monday at 6:30 p.m. Location: The Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Sunday is the last day for Turntable Lab before move to new 10th Street storefront

[Image via Turntable Lab]

As we've been noting, Turntable Lab is leaving its 16-year-home on Seventh Street for a new space on 10th Street.

The store has announced that Sunday is the last day in business selling vinyl and stereo equipment here between Avenue A and First Avenue before reopening soon at 84 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue.

Here's more on the store's early days via their Instagram account...

120 EAST 7th STREET: Last week in the space, Sunday is the official last day before we reopen on 84 e.10th street... 2 years after launching turntablelab.com in 1999 (when our tagline was "Online Turntablist Goodz"), we started to scout our old NYU stomping grounds for a storefront. the rent was cheap because Alphabet City was still sketchy (you could still buy nickel bags at juice bars) and this space was a couple steps down with low ceilings. Previously it was a Japanese cafe that sold comic books. The picture is from the first day we got the keys, March 2001. We sold off the fixtures to the fridge guys on the Bowery (they totally ripped us off), then sanded the floors and painted the walls ourselves... #TTL7thSteet

A photo posted by @turntablelab on Jan 31, 2017 at 6:23pm PST

Previously on EV Grieve:
Turntable Lab reveals new 10th Street storefront

Barber shop cuts into 9th Street storefront

A barber shop has opened on Ninth Street just east of Second Avenue.

For now, Famous Cutz is having a $15 haircut special...



Ambica, a handcrafted jewelry shop, was previously in the storefront at No. 305.

Thanks to Steven for the photos

A sale that actually lives up to its billing

Outside the Cure Thrift Shop on 12th Street today... photo by Derek Berg

[Updated] Noted

That new Diane Von Furstenberg campaign is pretty edgy... photo today on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue by Derek Berg

Updated 5:55 p.m.

The signs have been ripped off the plywood...


[Photo by Derek Berg]