Citi Bikes with larger baskets are now roaming the streets

Citi Bike yesterday unveiled more than 100 new bikes with larger, three-sided baskets, as seen here docked outside Cooper Union.

Motivate, Citi Bike's (now former) parent company, reportedly tested the baskets with riders and received a positive response. They'll be standard on new bikes now, per Streetsblog.



Unlike the old design (done this way to prevent people from dumping garbage in them, as Streetsblog noted)...


[Image via Citi Bike]

... the larger size will likely make it easier to transport pizzas and, maybe, mattresses...


[Photo on St. Mark's Place from 2013 by Julius Klein]

Tuesday's parting shot

Thanks to James and Karla Murray for sharing this photo tonight... a lightning strike over the East Village...

Noted

Crews filming for season two of the HBO series "The Deuce" are learning about a common problem in the neighborhood ... an EVG reader spotted this sign on a trailer parked on Third Street and Avenue A...



It's a rather lyrical note ...

Please check your feet

Dog Poo !!!

All over the place

Thank you Timmy!!!

(Also, register to vote.)

Where to enjoy your National Night Out with the NYPD today

The NYPD is celebrating the annual National Night Out today... which is:

National Night Out is an annual community-building campaign that promotes police-community partnerships to help make our neighborhoods safer, more caring places to live. It seeks to strengthen the relationship between neighbors and law enforcement, fostering a true sense of community.

The National Night Out-ing around here includes:

9th Precinct
321 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

Time: 2-7 p.m.

Activities: Face painting, music, entertainment, refreshments, games for children, giveaways, crime prevention information

PSA 4
East Eighth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D

Time: 4-8 p.m.

Activities: Arts & crafts, games, petting zoo, bouncy house, refreshments, crime prevention information

And a Night Out flashback to 2013...


[Photo by Slum Goddess]

Signage arrives for East Village outpost of Sakagura

Over at 231 E. Ninth St., signage is up for Sakagura here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ...



This former Robataya space will be the second outpost of Sakagura, which has been serving sake to New Yorkers since 1996 in Midtown.

Sakura Yagi, COO of the TIC Restaurant Group, confirmed the news in an email. "Customers will be able to enjoy selections from our renowned sake list as well as familiar, Sakagura-signature dishes as well as new dishes specific to our downtown location," she said.

Sakura and her father, Shuji Bon Yagi, operate a handful of nearby Japanese establishments, including Soba-ya, Curry-Ya, Rai Ken and Hi-Collar.

Expect a September opening date.

Robataya, which featured the robata technique of cooking proteins over a charcoal grill, closed at the end of 2017 after nine years in operation.

Lucky dog: Boris & Horton expanding on Avenue A

Workers are renovating the empty storefront at 195 Avenue A near 12th Street...



Boris & Horton, the dog friendly cafe next door, is taking over the space, which was Gabay's Outlet until the end of 2017.

The owners are on this month's CB3-SLA docket for the expansion. According to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website, they are "expanding seating on dog side of cafe."

As previously noted, daughter-father co-owners Logan Mikhly and Coppy Holzman created three separate areas in the cafe, including an indoor seating area where dogs can go but food cannot be ordered (this appears to be the area to be expanded), and a cafe separated by plexiglass where dogs are forbidden per Department of Health rules.

Boris & Horton opened on Feb. 2.

The August CB3-SLA meeting is Aug 20 at 6:30 p.m. in the Perseverance House Community Room, 535 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Nai Tapas Bar closes on 1st Avenue ahead of move to 2nd Avenue

As we first reported back on June 18, Nai Tapas Bar was moving this summer from its spot of eight years at 174 First Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street to 85 Second Ave.

Nai closed after service on July 29 (H/T B+B). Signage for the previous occupant, Xunta, which decamped to Williamsburg in 2009, was revealed in the move out.

A letter to patrons on the Nai website points to a September reopening on Second Avenue...



The space on the southwest corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street was previously home to Bareburger, which left for lower rents on Orchard Street in the spring.



Previously on EV Grieve:
Nai Tapas Bar moving from 1st Avenue to 2nd Avenue

Bareburger is leaving 2nd Avenue; new outpost slated for Orchard Street

Moving day for Bareburger

The Dessert Kitchen space is for rent on St. Mark's Place

A for rent banner recently arrived on the front window of The Dessert Kitchen at 94 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue.

The shop, which relocated here last fall, is still in business, serving its variety of "homemade Asian-fusion-styled desserts from Hong Kong, Taiwan and Japan."

The listing notes that possession can be arranged with notice of 30 to 60 days. Other listing comments include: "All uses considered" ... "Can be vented for cooking" ... and, obviously — "Motivated landlord."

The rent is available upon request.

Monday's parting shot

Just Christopher Meloni holding a chainsaw while filming a scene for the SYFY series "Happy!" on St. Mark's Place near Third Avenue... photo by Derek Berg.

The series is based on Grant Morrison and Darick Robertson's graphic novel. Meloni is Nick Sax, a former detective turned hired killer.

The red-tailed fledgling is having the most fun in Tompkins Square Park

The remaining red-tailed hawk fledgling continued to entertain Tompkins Square Parkgoers this past week... Steven shared these photos of Amelia and Christo's offspring at play the other day ... practicing his take offs and (crash) landings...





... and playing with a favorite toy — a piece of wood ...







... and Derek Berg caught the young hawk in flight...



Goggla has been documenting the fledgling here and here. She believes he hatched on or around June 1.

As she notes, "This fun time with the young hawk won't last long. As soon as he's able to fly and feed himself, he will venture off on his own to explore the world, so let's enjoy and admire him while we can."

EVG Etc.: More L-train shutdown talk; high praise for Bali Kitchen on 4th Street

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park yesterday by Derek Berg]

Tonight: MTA hosting public meeting on environmental impact of the L-train shutdown (WNYC)

A visit to Bali Kitchen on Fourth Street. "It’s a boon not only to the neighborhood, but to a city that, despite its wide-ranging dining options, only has about a dozen or so restaurants devoted to Indonesian cuisine." (The Village Voice)

CNN will air the remaining "Parts Unknown" episodes this fall, including the one Anthony Bourdain filmed in the East Village and Lower East Side (Los Angeles Times... previously)

Mighty Quinn's BBQ, which opened on 2nd Avenue and 6th Street in 2013, launching franchise opportunities to take brand nationwide (QSR — H/T Eater)

City cooling centers are open (NYC.gov)

Former East Village chef busted again for exposing himself to a subway rider (The Post)

Ghost signage on the Bowery (Ephemeral New York)

Screenings of Dennis Hopper's fever-dream "The Last Movie" from 1971 — also in a new digital restoration (Metrogaph ... "one of the great lost films of the 1970s")

...and tomorrow, East Village-based singer-songwriter Riley Pinkerton releases her debut full-length album, "Nothing Ever Is." She and her band are playing a record-release party at the Mercury Lounge tomorrow night with Mother Feather...

A post shared by Riley Pinkerton (@riley.pinkerton) on Jul 11, 2018 at 1:48pm PDT

Chelsea Thai debuts on 1st Avenue

[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

Chelsea Thai, a longtime favorite in that neighborhood, opened in its new home at 192 First Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street back on Friday.

Founder-chef Saruj Nimkarn (pictured above) relocated here after 21 years in the Chelsea Market. (He closed that space in January.)

You can find the menu (PDF!) here.

This Instagram post from January 2017 has more about Nimkarn...

Meet the owner of Chelsea Thai at Chelsea Market. Saruj Nimkarn is the founder,owner and head chef of Chelsea Thai. He grew up in Bangkok Thailand and came to the US when he was a teenager. He then decided that he wanted to bring a taste of his home to the states and opened up this restaurant so he could share his favorite comfort foods with all of us. One of the first restaurants in Chelsea Market, Chelsea Thai will be celebrating its 20th anniversary this year.

A post shared by Chelsea Thai (@chelsea__thai) on Jan 16, 2017 at 5:39am PST

Previously on EV Grieve:
Chelsea Thai coming to former Neptune space on 1st Avenue; Filipino fare for Avenue A