Cherche Midi makes closing official

It’s been an amazing four years. Come join us for one final toast this weekend, we will remain open through this Sunday, June 10th.

A post shared by Cherche Midi (@cherchemidi_nyc) on Jun 8, 2018 at 4:05pm PDT

Cherche Midi, Keith McNally's French brasserie on the southwest corner of the Bowery and Houston, has officially announced — via Instagram — that it will close after service tomorrow.

Until now, it was a foregone conclusion that they'd be shutting down after four years in business. In March, Patch reported on a state filing announcing that the restaurant would be laying off its 46 employees on June 11.

A rep for Cherche Midi later confirmed a summer close to Grub Street, though didn't provide an exact date.

And as first reported in April, a listing for the space arrived at RKF...


[Image via RKF]

However, this listing has since been removed. (Leased?)

McNally, who also runs the Odeon, Balthazar, Minetta Tavern and Augustine in the Beekman Hotel, opened Cherche Midi in the summer of 2014 ... taking the place of his Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria, which apparently helped triple the rents of its neighbors.

In other Bowery closings, Hecho en Dumbo ends its eight-year run at 354 Bowery after service this evening.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Cherche Midi looks to be closing on the Bowery

Cherche Midi space on the market for new retail development on the Bowery at East Houston

Late spring cleaning for Samuel S. Cox in Tompkins Square Park

Thanks to EVG reader Sparber for these photos from Thursday... in which the Samuel S. Cox statue on Seventh Street near Avenue A in Tompkins Square Park gets a touch up heading into the summer...



Here's some history of the statue via the Parks Dept.:

After the statue’s unveiling on Independence Day 1891, the New York Tribune noted, somewhat less charitably, that Cox’s “usually genial countenance is strained” and “out of harmony” with the Congressman’s natural demeanor. “The likeness is not a good one, and the facial resemblance is hardly suggestive,” the article added. A New York Times account of the ceremony questioned whether the statue “will ever be greatly admired as a work of art.” Nevertheless, a reported 2,500 letter carriers came from as far away as New Orleans and Memphis to participate in the moving ceremony to honor Cox at the statue’s unveiling.

The statue originally stood near Cox’s home on East 12th Street at the intersection of Lafayette Street, Fourth Avenue, and Astor Place. In November 1924, due to a street-widening project in the vicinity of Astor Place, it was moved to its current location at the southwest corner of Tompkins Square Park.

At the time of the statue's arrival in Tompkins Square Park, several EVG readers questioned the wisdom of this placement, noting Cox's past as ambassador to the Ottoman Empire and his status as a native Ohioan. A few readers were also concerned about the street-widening project at Astor Place, with one noting the area would soon become "Lower Manhattan North" and "a playground for even more aristocrats!"

Cowboy up on A

Over on Avenue A yesterday, Solus (via the L.I.S.A Project NYC) started work on the above mural here between Third Street and Fourth Street...

And today...



This retail space has sat empty since the Citibank branch closed in January 2017.

And how the space was looking before the cowboy mural arrived...



H/T The Dusty Rebel!

Today, on 3rd Avenue, a street festival

Indeed. From 14th Street to Sixth Street.

At this hour, belts were the only thing available for purchase...



Other vendors were still setting up the tents and putting together the mannequins...



... and firing up the deep fryers...



The Cooper Square Committee is today's street festival (avenue festival?) host.

And as far as street festivals go, this is one of the better ones...

Friday's parting shot

First Avenue...

So 'Happy' together

Jungle recently released two tracks from their sophomore release, due out on June 22. The video here is for "Happy Man."

The London-based collective play at Brooklyn Steel on June 18. (That show is sold out.)

Mast Books now open in its new corner space on Avenue A

Several readers have noted that Mast is making its corner debut today on Avenue A and Fifth Street...



They moved here from a few storefronts to the south.

Last night, Mast hosted a conversation between Genesis Breyer P-Orridge and Ryan Martin in the new space.

EVG Etc.: Lower East Side Film Festival underway; new Essex Street Market concerns

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

City Council Member Carlina Rivera reportedly doesn't want 24/7 bus lanes on 14th Street during the L train shutdown (Streetsblog)

The Lower East Side Film Festival continues through Wednesday (Official site)

Details on Sunday’s Puerto Rican Day Parade (Curbed)

Report outlines concerns that longtime residents have about the new Essex Street Market (The Lo-Down)

The first comprehensive NYC retrospective of the work of filmmaker Betzy Bromberg (Anthology Film Archives)

Patti Astor revives Fun Gallery in Hermosa Beach, Calif. (The Beach Reporter)

Service on the new Lower East Side ferry route, including at Stuyvesant Cove, is on schedule to begin at the end of the summer (Town & Village)

When kids listen to Swans (uh, the band) (Dangerous Minds)

More IHOP-IHOb theories (The Post ... previously)

A quest to correct a mistake about the London Calling album cover, shot at the Palladium on East 14th Street (Flaming Pablum)

Caffe Vivaldi is closing after 32 years in the West Village (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

RIP Anthony Bourdain

People are waking up to the news that chef, author and TV personality Anthony Bourdain was found dead in a Paris hotel room. His employer, CNN, reports that Bourdain took his own life. He was 61.

CNN released this statement:

"His love of great adventure, new friends, fine food and drink and the remarkable stories of the world made him a unique storyteller. His talents never ceased to amaze us and we will miss him very much. Our thoughts and prayers are with his daughter and family at this incredibly difficult time."

Season 11 of the Emmy-winning "Parts Unknown" debuted on the network last month. Earlier this spring, Bourdain was in the neighborhood filming scenes for an episode to air this fall. Among his stops: Ray's Candy Store, John's of 12th Street, Veselka and Max Fish, among many others. He documented his travels through the East Village and LES on his Instagram account...

Egg creams with NY Hard Core pioneer. @harleyfflanagan at Ray’s Candy Store #AvenueA #CroMags #Stimulators

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on Apr 4, 2018 at 1:56pm PDT

The amazing @kembrapfahler_ #thevoluptuoushorrorofkarenblack #NYC

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on Mar 31, 2018 at 8:52am PDT

LEGEND Danny Fields , who signed The MC5 , The Stooges, The Ramones And is the living witness to everything that ever happened. Thank you! Watch the Doc “Danny Says” #Veselka

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on Apr 3, 2018 at 3:35pm PDT

The man who changed the world: @fab5freddy #NYC

A post shared by anthonybourdain (@anthonybourdain) on Apr 3, 2018 at 8:47am PDT

In February 2009, Bourdain's previous show, "No Reservations," aired an episode titled "Disappearing Manhattan." In the last segment, he stopped by Sophie's on Fifth Street to meet with writer Nick Tosches... here is a grainy clip showing 90 seconds or so of the three-minute scene...



As Bourdain said, "Sophie's in the East Village remains a good place to stop time."

Howl! Happening's Basquiat exhibit extended through July 29

Howl! Happening's current exhibit, "Zeitgeist: The Art Scene of Teenage Basquiat," was originally set to close after Sunday.

However, Howl! has announced that the group exhibition focusing on the artists and scene around Basquiat's teen-age, pre-fame years, has been extended through July 29. (Find more details here.)

"Zeitgeist" complements the recent theatrical release of Sara Driver’s documentary "Boom for Real: The Late Teenage Years of Jean-Michel Basquiat." That film's run continues at the IFC Center over on Sixth Avenue.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Teenage fan club: Basquiat exhibit opens tonight at Howl! Happening

Tarallucci e Vino East Village remains closed for renovations

Tarallucci e Vino remains behind plywood on First Avenue and 10th Street ... the cafe closed in mid-February for renovations. Per the sign on the door at the time: "After 16 great years ... it's time to spruce things up a bit."

This Tarallucci e Vino, the first in NYC (there are now five locations total), was to be back in action by the end of March.

The cafe's website now states they will reopen in the spring. (Well, there's still officially about two weeks left of that season.)

Anyway, some regulars are apparently getting restless for the return. Several weeks ago, regulars L and J wrote a message on the construction door: "You were supposed to reopen at the end of March. It's May 10th. What gives?"



UPDATED: The cafe reopened on June 12.

That's all for Lucky's Famous Burgers on East Houston

Lucky's Famous Burgers has closed after eight years at 147 E. Houston St. near Eldridge...



As BoweryBoogie, who first reported on this closure yesterday, noted, Lucky's had been on Deathwatch for the past few years. The retail space first hit the market in March 2014. A different broker has the listing now, with a $14,580 monthly ask.

The corner space next door sits empty as well...



... and Lucky's former neighbor on the block, the Sunshine Cinema, will soon be demolished for a boutique office building.

Lucky's still has two locations left in NYC — on 23rd Street and 52nd Street. Before landing on East Houston, they had a small shop on Avenue A next to the former Benny's Burritos. (Circa 2005?)