A pizza for Count Slima

[Photo of Count Slima by Walter Wlodarczyk]

Joseph "Count Slima" Williams worked for the Two Boots family for 30-plus years, starting with helping build the original location at 37 Avenue A in 1987.

He has retired from Two Boots ... and now the pizzeria has named a pie in his honor.

Starting today, you can grab a slice of the Count Slima, featuring bacon, andouille meatballs and tasso ham on a thick Sicilian crust...

Man, mutant, legend...Get ready for a whole lotta Count Slima! This special new pie is named in honor of the legendary poet and East Village icon Joseph 'Count Slima' Williams and is the newest addition to our Daily Specials rotation. Grab it on Tuesday at any Two Boots or catch the man himself on the street in the East Village or probably (or definitely!) at the pool table at Sophies! Artwork by @mikerothart #twoboots #pizzapioneers #definitely #CountSlima #pizza #nycpizza #nycfood #art #pizzaart #pizzeria #eastvillage #sophieseastvillage #legend

A post shared by Two Boots Pizza (@twobootspizza) on Jun 2, 2017 at 2:25pm PDT

Even if you don't see Slima playing pool at Sophie's (on Fifth Street between Aveue A and Avenue B), you can still see his artwork that adorns some of the walls there.

Rebranded Atomic Wings reopens this week on 1st Avenue

[EVG photo from August 2016]

The Atomic Wings location on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street closed late last summer... and stayed that way for several months before reopening in the fall under new management ... only to close again earlier this spring.

Anyway, the Wing team is reopening on Friday in a rebranded space... with a new catchphrase: Authentic. Awesome. Atomic...


[Photo last week by Steven]

Here are some particulars about the grand (re)opening via Facebook:

Come WING IT with us on June 9th for our GRAND OPENING!

Enjoy the sounds of DJ Reach, and specials like FREE French fries to the first 100 people and FREE waffle [fries?] with any tender order through the entire weekend! Did we mention we're also raffling off a brand new mountain bike to one lucky guest!!

There are multiple AW locations in the NYC and surrounding area.

[Updated] Looking at David Choe's finished product on the Bowery mural wall

David Choe wrapped up work on the Houston/Bowery Mural Wall early this morning (4 a.m.) ... here are some details of the mural...





Here's what the wall looked liked on Day 1 — May 28...



The mural will be up through October. Curious if Goldman Properties will keep the security detail on it until then.

Updated 6/9

Hyperallergic has a post titled "How the New Bowery Wall Commission Puts Rape Culture on Display." Read it here.

Hurricane Season 2017: Do you know your zone?

The New York City Emergency Management Department launched a new phase of the “Know Your Zone” hurricane awareness campaign today to encourage residents to find out whether they live in one of the city’s six hurricane evacuation zones. (The 2017 Atlantic hurricane season officially started this past Thursday and continues through the end of November.)

This year's campaign features new ads that highlight personal preparedness tips from Community Emergency Response Team volunteers. That part is pretty straightforward.

Here's more from the city's news release ...

A 2017 Preparedness survey conducted by Global Strategy Group indicates that while 67 percent of New York City residents say they feel very or somewhat informed about what to do in the event of an emergency, one in four (25 percent) remain unsure about whether they live in a hurricane evacuation zone. In addition, the percentage of residents who say they live in an evacuation zone but cannot identify which zone they live in has increased by 7 points since a similar preparedness survey conducted in 2015 (2017: 57 percent don’t know, 2015: 50 percent didn’t know).

Hurricane evacuation zones are based on coastal flood risk resulting from storm surge (the “dome” of ocean water that is pushed ashore by the winds and low barometric pressure of a hurricane), the geography of the city’s low-lying neighborhoods, and the accessibility of these neighborhoods by bridges and roads. The city may order residents who live in a zone to evacuate depending on a hurricane’s forecast strength, track and storm surge.

The screengrab of the zone map shows this neighborhood ... Zone 1 is basically the area that got hit hard during Sandy, from the East River west to Avenue B, south to the north side of Seventh Street. Anyway, you can type in your address at the NYC Hurricane Evacuation Zone Finder here. (The address in the screengrab above is for Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A at Seventh Street. Zone 5!)

Noted

An EVG reader shared the above photo from this afternoon... a new arrival at Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street — a promo for Citi Habitats (the number and info is for the Upper West Side office) inside the entrance to the grocery store... apparently two people ran into it before Key personnel adjusted its placement.

It appears from the photo that the bottom portion of the display might hold, say, disposable plastic cutlery and napkins...

Report: Landlord claims management company was responsible for the 2nd Avenue gas explosion

Sixteen months after the DA charged Maria Hrynenko and several others for their role in the deadly Second Avenue gas explosion, the landlord is now claiming that her management company was "careless and reckless" in its work, according to court papers.

The New York Post first reported on this yesterday. Per the Post:

The landlord accused of wrongdoing in the deadly 2015 East Village gas explosion is blaming someone else.

A Manhattan management company hired to install gas meters in the basement of one of the three buildings owned by Maria Hrynenko was negligent in its work and failed to warn people about hazardous conditions, Hrynenko claims in a new lawsuit.

Andrick Management LLC was reportedly hired to install gas meters in the basement of one of the three buildings. (The Post did not have comment from Andrick.)

Hrynenko, 57, is facing charges of manslaughter, criminally negligent homicide, assault and reckless endangerment.

Investigators have said that an illegal cost-cutting gas delivery system at 121 Second Ave. may have caused the blast that killed two men and injured a few dozen other people as well as destroyed three buildings — 119, 121 and 123 Second Ave.

As we reported on Friday, a reader spotted a survey crew on the northwest corner of Seventh Street and Second Avenue. One of the workers said that they were surveying the site ... and said they were there representing the buyer of 119 Second Ave. and 121 Second Ave. In March, lawyers for some of the victims said that a sale of the empty lots could potentially jeopardize the settlements of the victims.

Reminder: Public forum set to discuss special business district in the East Village

As we reported last week, Community Board 3's Economic Development Committee is hosting a public forum on Wednesday evening to discuss a proposed special district in the East Village "to encourage retail diversity and promote small and independent businesses."

Find more details via a Q-and-A on the CB3 website on the issue. Or last week's post.

Here's a flyer that the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation created for the event...



The meeting is Wednesday from 6:30-9 p.m. at the Sirovich Senior Center, 331 E. 12th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Public forum set to discuss special business district in the East Village (27 comments)

Artichoke Basille's Pizza signage arrives at new 14th Street location

[Photo by Pinch]

Back on Friday, workers hoisted the new Artichoke Basille's Pizza signage at 321 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue — across the way from their current location that has been closed since the fire on May 26.


[Photo by KT]

We first spotted plans for the new location this past November.

Team Artichoke hasn't offered up much about the new 14th Street Artichoke. Co-owner Francis Garcia told Eater in April that the lease is up at No. 328, "so they took that as an opportunity for bigger and better. The new location will allow for expanded offerings, like cauliflower fritters, broccoli rabe sandwiches, and more."

There also hasn't been much more on the fire, which started as the pizzeria was closing up for the night/morning. An FDNY source told the Post that the fire didn't appear to be suspicious.

The Department of Buildings issued a partial vacate order on the building:

DUE TO FIRE DAMAGE 2 STORES AT LEFT AND RIGHT OF 1ST FLOOR, 10 FRONT APTS AT LEFT AND RIGHT SIDE FROM 2ND STORY TO 6TH STORY, 4 APTS AT MIDDLE OF RIGHT SIDE OF BUILDING FROM 2ND STORY TO 5TH STORY

It's not clear how many residents are currently in the building.

Artichoke's first location opened on 14th Street in 2008. There are now eight other locations, in Brooklyn, Queens and Berkeley, Calif.

In addition, the Artichoke website is featuring information about franchising...



Thank you to EVG readers Pinch, KT and Tyler for sending photos!

Chao Chao has not been open lately

Chao Chao, the 6-month-old contemporary Vietnamese restaurant at 171 Avenue A, has not been open for business the past two weeks, according to multiple neighbors.

There isn't any notice about a temporary closure on the front door or online. While the phone number is still active at owner and chef Stephan Brezinsky's restaurant, reservations aren't available and delivery via Caviar notes that Chao Chao "does not exist." We reached out to the publicist last week who sent us Chao Chao's opening notice and have yet to hear back.

Chao Chao evolved from Soothsayer, which opened in January 2016. The restaurant then closed without any notice to patrons at the end of September 2016. Brown paper covered the front windows for several months before the space re-emerged as Chao Chao last November.

In October 2016, CB3 issued a strong, two-plus page denial for an upgrade to Soothysayer's beer-wine license to full liquor. You can read the official meeting minutes here. The denial starts on Page 12.

Among other reasons, "the applicant proposed using the backyard area for dining, although no certificate of occupancy was provided to demonstrate the legality of the commercial use of the backyard and there had been numerous complaints from residents regarding commercial use of backyards in this neighborhood."

Upon seeking their initial full liquor license in July 2015, Soothysayer placed signs around the storefront asking residents to "join us as we rally for our liquor license and for the approval to open a cozy back patio."

The previous tenant here, B.A.D. Burger, closed in January 2015 after three-plus years. B.A.D. Burger was never able to secure a beer-wine license for the space. After CB3 denied his beer-wine request in 2012, B.A.D. Burger owner Keith Masco reportedly called the board "fascist."

What will the art market bear for this?

[Photo by Derek Berg!]

This was the scene this morning on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... where this [admittedly photogenic] giant teddy bear was spotted sprawled out on the sidewalk, empty cup and toilet paper not far from its outstretched paws.

Seeing as it was plopped right outside their door, the folks at the Shape of Lies decided to turn the bear into an art project...




[Photo by William Klayer]







Unless marked, all photos by Derek Berg!

Noted

An EVG reader shared this from Clinton Street just below Stanton Street on the LES... the reader wondered how this was possible.

Seems obvious that the chair was there before the city installed the light pole.

Week in Grieview

[Photo by Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Public forum set to discuss special business district in the East Village (Wednesday)

City approves co-naming the northwest corner of 7th Street and 2nd Avenue Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa Way (Thursday)

High-rent blight: Senator's report finds nearly 10% vacancy rate on parts of 1st and 2nd avenues (Friday)

Looking at the future home of 14th Street's 2nd Trader Joe's (Tuesday)

Out and About with photographer Roberta Bayley (and Stella) (Thursday)

Report: Suspect in 6th Street slashing seeking a sentencing deal in court (Wednesday)

The Shake Shack effect? McDonald's on 3rd Avenue at St. Mark's Place has closed after 20 years (Friday)

Hello again: black crowned night heron spotted in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

Love Gang is moving on 9th Street (Tuesday)

Love and shrooms for Gregg Allman outside the former Fillmore East on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Report: Morton Williams won't be taking over the 14th Street Associated after all (Wednesday)

...crosswalk moments on Second Avenue and Seventh Street yesterday...



[Photos by Derek Berg]

Esperanto offshoot closes on 1st Street; may return elsewhere (Tuesday)

The Pride Ribbon Project at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery (Thursday)

Moustache has closed on 10th Street (Tuesday)

Reader report: A buyer for 119 and 121 2nd Ave., site of the deadly gas explosion? (Friday)

Shiina opens on 3rd Avenue (Friday)

Against the Grain yields to sustainable omakase restaurant on 6th Street (Wednesday)

Celebrating a Grateful Deal anniversary in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday)

Ramen Setagaya reopens after renovation on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

The Continental's 5-shot deal bumped from $10 to $12 (Tuesday)

No Malice Palace 'waiting for legal things to happen' on 3rd Street (Tuesday)


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