Roll It Up returns on 7th Street

Roll It Up is back open (as of yesterday) at 63 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The nautical-themed shop specializing in rolled ice cream opened last Aug. 26 ... then closed in November for the season...

Closing ceremony for the Squirrel Hotel & Resort this evening on 7th Street

This is happening tonight over at the Sam & Sadie Koenig Garden on Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D...



"Finally, we can celebrate Spring's uprising with the closing reception for the Squirrel Hotel & Resort."

The event is 6-8 p.m. Per the sign, nuts and World Peace cookies will be served.

Actress Drea de Matteo on her life at 123 2nd Ave.

The Post today has an interview with actress Drea de Matteo, who talks about losing her home of 22 years during the fatal gas explosion on March 26, 2015.

de Matteo, born and raised in Queens, was 21 in 1993 when she moved into the second-floor apartment at 123 Second Ave., one of three buildings destroyed following the explosion and fire.

“I was holding parties there. It was wild,” she said. She put her funky stamp on the space with Gothic tables and chairs from her dad, Albert, who owned a furniture company. She added black lights “so at night it was [like] a discotheque — the whole apartment glowed. It was a little gypsy caravan,” she said.

The apartment, above Sam’s Deli and the restaurant Pommes Frites, saw her through life changes: opening a vintage clothing store, Filth Mart; landing her first big role, on “The Sopranos,” in 1999; winning an Emmy in 2004. As her star grew, de Matteo stayed put — even once she became engaged to musician Shooter Jennings, son of country music legend Waylon Jennings, and gave birth to their two children. (Jennings and de Matteo later split.)

“I brought both of my children home from the hospital to that apartment,” she recalled.

The pad also became a sanctuary at the end of 2014, a year after her father died. De Matteo’s mom downsized from the Whitestone home where the actress had grown up and moved the family’s most treasured possessions into the loft. The pad housed “everything meaningful and valuable” in her life, de Matteo said. She lost it all in the blaze. “Every single photograph is gone, every videotape of my dad . . . my children’s footprints.”

Nonetheless, the actress said, “I can live without all that stuff. I am just happy to be alive.”

In June 2016, de Matteo and several dozen other residents filed a $17 million suit in Manhattan Supreme Court, alleging the city and Con Edison, along with the owners of the restaurant Sushi Park and contractor Neighborhood Construction Corp., failed "to observe significant and dangerous 'red flags' … failing to take any steps to protect the public and their property."

Last fall, the owner of No. 123, who is not implicated in any of the various lawsuits, sold the empty lot to Ezra Wibowo under the LLC 123 Second Ave. Corp. for $6 million.

Meanwhile, multiple readers have noted the arrival (last Sunday night/Monday morning) of this graffiti on the east-facing wall of 43 E. Seventh St. ...


[Photo by Steven]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: 2nd Ave. explosion — landlord, 3 others charged with 2nd degree manslaughter; showed 'a blatant and callous disregard for human life'

Former residents talk about landlord Maria Hrynenko: 'it was clear she wanted to get rid of anyone with a rent-regulated apartment'

Report: 123 2nd Ave. is for sale

Selling 123 Second Ave.

A few more details about the sale of 123 2nd Ave.

Start your Sunday off right

Baguettes and cigarettes on Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street.

Diversions: Watch Iggy Pop's 1st appearance on Letterman 35 years ago

Dangerous Minds yesterday uncovered the clip showing the first time that former EV resident Iggy Pop appeared on "Late Night with David Letterman" ... back in December 1982.

As cherrybomb summarized:

After being introduced by Dave, Iggy jangles out onto the stage wearing bright red boots, turquoise blue eyeshadow, fierce black cat eyeliner, and blush. He spazzes brilliantly through the frenetic single “Eat or be Eaten” and then heads to the couch for the interview segment with Dave. And that’s when we get to the really good stuff.

Today in Lambo sightings on East Houston

Not sure if this part of this stable ... photo today by Derek Berg

Previously

Best wishes to David Peel

[Photo of David Peel, 2nd from left, from last summer by Steven]

Several readers have passed along word that longtime LES resident David Peel suffered a heart attack yesterday.

Here's an update from a friend of the musician: "After life-saving open heart surgery, David Peel is on a pump resting in the hospital but he needs additional surgery, next week, to remove critical blockages."

Good vibes to David Peel who has suffered a heart attack and is in surgery.

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) March 31, 2017

As The New York Times noted in a 2012 profile, Peel was "a fixture at counterculture marches and demonstrations beginning in the late 1960s."

He is best known for his seminal counter-culture albums, such as 1968's "Have a Marijuana" on Elektra Records, with his band the Lower East Side.

His 1972 record "The Pope Smokes Dope" on Apple was produced by John Lennon and Yoko Ono.

Here's footage of Peel and the Lower East Side performing with Lennon and Ono in December 1971 on "The David Frost Show"...



Peel remains a regular presence at summer concerts in Tompkins Square Park.

H/T Rob D.

A look at the scene from yesterday's manhole explosions on 12th Street and Broadway

Crews from Con Ed and Verizon along with some personnel from the FDNY and NYPD remain at the site of yesterday morning's manhole explosions on Broadway at 12th Street

The streets have reopened ... the sidewalk on the east side of Broadway near the Strand is closed...



A scene from yesterday morning...

3 manholes were smoking, 2 blew from pressure & fire. No injuries to civilians -#FDNY Dep Chief Bob Carroll pic.twitter.com/PMbvJx6OrU

— FDNY (@FDNY) March 31, 2017

Per the Daily News:

The blasts were likely caused by damage from salt laid down during winter snowstorms and washed into the underground system by Friday morning’s rainstorm.

No one was injured and a Con Ed spokesman said there was no disruption in service.

The corner businesses were open ... the Bean and Pret a Manger ...



The Strand, which was not open for the day at the time of the blasts, lost several windows. They will be back open today.

👋🏻We will be open for business today!👋🏻 Come see us at noon 👀

— Strand Book Store (@strandbookstore) April 1, 2017

'Karma Police' at the Gatsby Hotel

The Gatsby Hotel on East Houston at Forsyth has a new mural to liven up its rather generic exterior ...



The piece is by Brooklyn-based Rubin415 and titled "Karma Police."

Here's a much better look at it...

My newly finished mural "Karma Police" on Lower East Side in Manhattan for @newallen_ny. Thanks to everybody who stopped by, @angelsereno91 for assisting me, @documentarygirl for the documentation. Also thanks to @karindumaire and @just_a_spectator today for helping me to shoot the mural and extra special thanks to @milanelman and @franconorhal for all their great work and for making this happen. #rubin415 #thenewallen #nyc #newyorkcity #newyork #lowereastside #eastvillage #gatsbyhotel #thegatsbyhotel #houstonstreet #easthouston #forsythstreet #minimal #copper #spraycanart #publicart #art

A post shared by Tony "Rubin" Sjöman (@rubin415) on Mar 31, 2017 at 5:16pm PDT

Today in possible Tyrannosaurus rex sightings on St. Mark's Place

Photo by Grant Shaffer

Reality of the 'Situation'

Alison Moyet is releasing her ninth solo record this summer ... and heading out on a tour, which includes a stop at Irving Plaza on Sept. 15. Tickets for that show went on sale today.

The above video for "Situation" is from her time with Yaz (Yazoo!) from 1982.

Updated: Manhole explosions reported near Union Square

The Strand "currently closed" but "safe" after multiple manhole blasts this morning https://t.co/k8LXqjgaFU pic.twitter.com/VN55fDFE4P

— PIX11 News (@PIX11News) March 31, 2017

Emergency responders have been on Broadway between Union Square and 12th Street after a series of manhole explosions just after 8 this morning.

No word yet on the cause. There weren't any reports of injuries either. Will update when more information becomes available.

Hi Strand fam, thanks for checking on us this morning. The Strand (& books) are safe!! We are currently closed, stay tuned for updates. ❤️

— Strand Book Store (@strandbookstore) March 31, 2017

Updated noon:

Some details from the Daily News:

The blasts shattered the windows of the Strand Bookstore, which had not yet opened for the day, and forced the evacuation of 826 Broadway next door after eleveated carbon monoxide levels were detected, officials said.

The second manhole exploded under an FDNY firetruck that had rolled up to respond to the first explosion, damaging the vehicle, officials said.

The blasts were likely caused by damage from salt laid down during winter snowstorms and washed into the underground system by Friday morning’s rainstorm.

Updated 1:15 p.m.

Here's more from an updated WABC 7 report:

Multiple manhole fires that led to evacuations and building damage Friday, likely were caused by salt used on roads during snowstorms.

Salt laid down during winter washed into the underground system, according to the New York City Fire Department. When snow melts and mixes with salt, it can spark fires and explosions.

As for damage..

Three buildings had broken windows: 60 East 12th St., 70 East 12th St., 77 East 12th St.

There was interior damage and high carbon monoxide readings in 826 Broadway, which led to evacuations. In the basement of 817 Broadway, there also were high carbon monoxide readings.

There weren't any injuries reported.