Monday, September 17, 2018

Convicted felon Steve Croman featured on CNBC's 'American Greed' tonight



"American Greed" — CNBC's true crime series that "examines the dark side of the American Dream" — features disgraced landlord Steve Croman in an episode that airs tonight at 10.

Croman's segment, titled "Lousy Landlord," will be on the second half of the episode. (Watch the trailer here.)



Croman was released from the Manhattan Correctional Facility on June 1 after serving eight months of a one-year jail sentence and paid a $5 million tax settlement following criminal charges brought by the AG's office for fraudulent refinancing of loans and tax fraud.

In a separate civil case, Croman agreed to pay $8 million to the tenants he was accused of bullying out of their rent-regulated apartments.

An independent management company is now overseeing Croman's residential properties — including 47 buildings with 617 units in the East Village — for the next five years.

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners



Interior renovations started in earnest last week at 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

As previously reported, Emmy Squared was originally thought to be taking over the space. (Emmy Squared instead opened on First Avenue at Fifth Street.) And No. 511 remained in a dormant state following GG's departure last December.

Emmy Squared owners Matt and Emily Hyland recently announced that they will serve grilled ­pizza here, as New York magazine first reported.

The Hylands reportedly went to "grilled-pizza mecca" Al Forno in Providence, R.I., on their first date while they attended Roger Williams University.

Eater had more about grilled pizza:

It’s known for being crisp on the bottom but tender inside, with some smokiness from the grill. There’s not a lot of it in NYC, which is something the Hylands are familiar with after making Detroit pizza happen here with their breakout hit Emmy Squared.

The still-unnamed grilled pizzeria, which is expected to open in November, per New York, will also offer non-pizza dishes such as housemade pastas and grilled fish.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Whatever happened to... Sammy's Halal?



Going on nine months now since the Sammy's Halal signage arrived at 109 First Ave. between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

And not much has seemingly happened with the space. (Chicken remains "Chiken" on the sign.)

The interior has a no-frills, 1970s basement rec room look...



Google lists the location as "permanently closed" even though the place was never actually open (and there's a five-star review!) ...



The address was previously the Polish G. I. Delicatessen, the Eastern European specialty foods shop closed in July 2016 after 21 years in business.

Sunday, September 16, 2018

Week in Grieview


[A Saturday night scene on 2nd Avenue]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Stannard Farm pulls out of the Greenmarket; 20-plus year veterans of Tompkins Square Park (Friday)

A 9/11 moment at Engine Company 5 (Tuesday)

City Council to hold public hearing Monday on hotel next to the Merchant’s House (Friday)

A visit to the Streecha Ukrainian Kitchen on 7th Street (Tuesday)

The EVG podcast: Al Diaz on BOMB1, SAMO© and Basquiat (Friday)

This week's NY See (Thursday)

Met Fresh now open on Avenue D (Monday)

A few more details about Madame Vo BBQ, coming soon to 2nd Avenue and 6th Street (Wednesday)

Cholo Noir space now for rent on 6th Street (Monday)

Reader report: New owners for Fine Fare on Avenue C? (Wednesday)

Full reveal at 253 E7 (Monday)

BarBacon opens on 4th Avenue (Thursday)

On 2nd Avenue, signage arrives for Dim Sum Tea House (Wednesday)

Reader report: Avenue B Cleaners Cromanated (Monday)

About Joya Loves Louie, opening soon in the former Café Orlin space on St. Mark's Place (Monday)

Looking at two dormant Bowery storefronts (Tuesday)

Start me up: Waiting on a Friend opens on 1st Avenue and St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

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Sunday morning with the juvenile red-tailed hawk in Tompkins Square Park



Steven shared these photos of the juvenile red-tailed hawk in Tompkins Square Park this morning... he was calling out for food in hopes that his parents, Christo and Amelia, might drop off something to eat...



The juvenile appears to be fully healthy after battling (possibly) West Nile Virus in recent weeks...





Hawk watchers aren't sure how much longer this juvenile will stick around the area before moving on to start his red-tailed hawk life elsewhere...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The EVG podcast: Red-tailed hawk talk with Laura Goggin

The EVG podcast: More hawk talk with Laura Goggin

The Village View tag sale is today (Sunday!)



The semi-annual sale is in the playground behind 60 Avenue A — at the corner of Fourth Street and Avenue A ... from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The New York City Marble Cemetery is open today for strolling and exploring



There's a Neighborhood Open Day today at the New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Via the EVG inbox...

The Cemetery grounds will be open from noon until 6 p.m. Stroll around and explore some New York history, or bring a book and a blanket and hang out under the trees for a while. Free admission, no reservations necessary.

Saturday, September 15, 2018

Saturday's parting shot



The Abracadabra Field Trip Mobile jam bus on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place tonight...

Sunday jazz at Albert’s Garden on 2nd Street



Via the EVG inbox...

Join us at Albert’s Garden to listen to the Chromatone Quintet, whose jazz repertoire will help usher in the fall season.

Date: Sunday, Sept. 16 (Tomorrow!)

Time: 4 to 6:30 p.m.

Albert’s Garden, begun in the 1971, is one of the oldest community gardens in Manhattan and offers a serene respite from the stress and noise of the city. It features a goldfish pond and a striking wall mural by the Belgian street artist Roa.

Location: 16 E. Second St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue.

Today at La Plaza: BBQ, the Hallucination Station Market and 'Three Green Suns'



The Loisaida Center continues its third annual Garbagia program today with a performance of "Three Green Suns," based on a story by Rolando Politi, at La Plaza Cultural on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C. (Politi created the upcycled art that adorns the La Plaza fence.)

Here's more via the EVG inbox...

Loisaida is proud to bring our community an ongoing summer program, Garbagia, highlighting and revitalizing the migrant experience, our neighborhood's historical inventiveness, and ecological resilience.

2-5 p.m.: Hallucination Station Market — a second-hand and upcycled art market where the creatures and characters of the program will be the sellers and makers of their own products.

5-6 p.m.: "The Three Green Suns" is "the vision of a future that is here — climate change, cleaning planet, Reduce and ReUse, we are becoming Redeemers and Waste Pickers to arrive at Hallucination Station and experience 'The Three Green Suns.'"

There's also mention of a BBQ at 2 p.m.

Find more info at the Loisaida Center website here.

Friday, September 14, 2018

Friday's parting shot



Photo from early this evening on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...

'Future' shock



This is "Future Me Hates Me," from the recently released debut record by the Beths, a quartet from New Zealand.