Ravi DeRossi temporarily closing his East Village restaurants; offering free meals on Christmas Eve

Ravi DeRossi has decided to temporarily close his East Village restaurants until January, a pause that started this past Friday.

An Instagram post notes: "It wasn't easy, but we believe a better way to spend these next few weeks is by reassessing, reflecting and recharging. We hope to start the new year with clear minds and prepared for whatever it throws at us!"

His Overthrow Hospitality group includes the vegan-based Ladybird, Amor Y Amargo and Saramsam. 

However, while the restaurants may be closed for dining now, there's activity behind the scenes. On Christmas Eve Thursday, Overthrow Hospitality will be serving free, plant-based three-course meals to anyone in the community who would like one. 

The meals will be available from 2-6 p.m. on Thursday at Amor Y Amargo, located at 443 E. Sixth St. at Avenue A.  

"It really just comes down to us wishing for everyone in our community to have a hot meal for the holidays," DeRossi said in a statement. "It's not much, but we hope it will bring a little bit of joy to everyone who will partake. I'm excited to spend this day with my team, cooking and serving those who would like a free meal on Christmas Eve."

The notice states that social distancing will be practiced, and masks will be available for those who need them.

Overthrow Hospitality said it has served more than 40,000 free meals to those in need since the beginning of the pandemic.

H/T Vinny & O

The now-closed Bleecker Street Bar looks to relocate to Broadway

Bleecker Street Bar is hoping for an encore presentation. 

The neighborhood bar's 30-year tenure on the corner of Bleecker and Crosby came to an end back in August. Per the owners at the time: "All of our efforts to negotiate a reasonable lease extension with our landlord have failed." 

However, they have a new spot lined up just around the corner at 648 Broadway between Bleecker and Bond (see top photo) ... and in recent weeks they've been collecting signatures via iPetitions. You can find that link here. 

Meanwhile, their former home remains empty... and right next door to the Noho Star — still vacant after three years.

Teso Life is open on St. Mark's Place

Teso Life, a Japanese variety store, is now open in the lower space at 19-23 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (First reported on Feb. 13.)

Per the Teso Life Instagram account, the shop "offers the widest selection of quality accessories, beauty and lifestyle products from Japan.

They are open daily from noon to 9 p.m. ... and this marks their fourth NYC location.

This is just one of the two new tenants in the space that was previously home for 16 years (RIP October 2019) to St. Mark's Market. 

T-swirl Crêpe opened here back in the fall... they previously had an EV outpost on 14th Street...

H/T Steven!

Sauced Up! spreads its wings on 2nd Avenue

Sauced Up! is now open for business at 77 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street. 

It was more than a year ago since we first saw signage for the quick-serve establishment, which, aside from wings, offers sandwiches, fries, tater tots, etc. You can find their menu and ordering info here. 

An EVG reader who shared news of the opening stopped by for takeout and reports: "the chicken was delicious." 

Several other readers have said they are pleased by seeing a new business open along this stretch where there were four consecutive empty storefronts ... the encampment in front of the now-closed Nostro seems to have scaled back. Closed storefronts are now limited to Atlas, Nostro and the psychic.

Photo from Dec. 14

Sunday's parting shot

Creative recycling in Tompkins Square Park today... photo by Derek Berg...

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week include... (and thanks to Derek Berg for the photo from Tompkins Square Park)

• The latest from the fire-damaged Middle Collegiate Church: the New York Liberty Bell survives (Monday)

• It snowed! (Thursday ... and Thursday) 

• Lovewild Design debuts on Avenue C (Friday) 

• Report of a small fire inside the empty P.S. 64 building on 9th Street (Thursday)

• NY AG: Madison Realty Capital to pay more than $1 million for victims of fraud and tenant harassment (Wednesday) 

• Celebrating 41 years of the Pyramid Club (Tuesday)

• Gallery Watch: In the Woods by Sally Saul at Rachel Uffner Gallery (Wednesday) 

• Theater in Quarantine presents a world premiere from an East Village closet (Monday) 

• East Village bars and restaurants temporarily close down again (Tuesday) 

• Restoring the Blondie mural on Bleecker and the Bowery (Monday) 

• A new look (and name!) for the East Village Neighbors Fridge (Friday) 

• Workers clear lot ahead of new-building construction on 6th Street and Avenue C (Wednesday) 

• A visit to Stoned Gourmet Cannabis Pizza (Friday) 

• New York Sal's Pizza bringing slices to 14th Street (Monday) 

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday) 

• Break ins at A break in at Kolkata Chai Cafe (Tuesday) and East Village Finest Deli (Wednesday)

• Rapid COVID-19 testing center opening on the Bowery (Monday)

• Steel structure for new Houston Street office building continues ascent (Monday) 

• Here then, the renovated 84 2nd Ave. (Tuesday) 

• Sanitation worker spares snowman's life on 7th Street! (Thursday) 

• Former Finnerty's space for rent on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

And remember...

... and this too! (Thanks Delphine for the photo!) ...

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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

O Christmas trees!

The Tree Riders wrapped up their 10th season of selling Christmas trees outside St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue yesterday afternoon. 

As noted yesterday morning, they only had 16 trees left... and they went quickly. 

One Tree Rider said that they sold more trees in 2020 than in previous years... citing fewer tree stands this year and a demand for live trees from homebound residents who were celebrating the holiday sooner in such an awful year.  

As Fortune reported earlier this month:

Christmas trees — along with wreaths, lights and other decor — are in high demand this year as many Americans embrace holiday festivity in the face of rising coronavirus cases and bleak predictions for the winter months.

Key Food on Avenue A at Fourth Street also sold out yesterday... ditto for the Bueno East Mart down the block at Third Street...

The stand on 14th Street at First Avenue allegedly sold out last weekend ... while Greg's on East Houston at Essex has two rather spindly trees left as of 8:30 a.m. today ...

Yuletide procrastinators may still be able to nab a free tree that has already been discarded... Vinny & O spotted this one yesterday on First Avenue at Second Street... perhaps left behind by someone who is traveling for the holidays...

EVG Etc.: Crowdfunding for B&H Dairy; Selling off Gem Spa

Photo by Derek Berg

 

• Two East Village businesses detail their retail struggles (ABC 7) 

• Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church, which was destroyed by fire on Dec. 5, talks about celebrating Christmas in 2020 (WNYC ... previously on EVG)

• B&H Dairy on Second Avenue is in danger of closing again (GoFundMe) 

• The great Cozy Soup 'n' Burger on Broadway at Astor Place could use some business too (Official site)

• Gem Spa is auctioning off its sign, rolldown gate, etc. (Official site ... previously on EVG) 

• Investigation: NYPD used excessive force during George Floyd protests (Gothamist) 

• New York State doing its best to permanently shutter restaurants (NBC 4)

• Second-generation Chinese New Yorkers are trying to help businesses in Chinatown establish an online presence and adapt to the pandemic (Gothamist) 

• The future of independent theater (B&B)

• A food vendor on 14th Street — in 1904 (Ephemeral New York) 

• 10 punk Christmas songs (Alternative Press)

• Diversions: The Stooges and the legend of "Metallic KO" (Dangerous Minds)

• And I appreciate Alex keeping the blogging spirit alive in this era of Substack, etc. He always has interesting posts. Give him a visit. (Flaming Pablum) 

A holiday market at Ace Bar today

Ace Bar is holding its first-ever Food Drive/Holiday Market today from 1-8 p.m. 

Via the EVG inbox: 

"We will be accepting food donations as well as pet food and pet supply donations! We will be selling at home drink kits (including @bleeckerstreetbarnyc award-winning Bloody Mary mix!). 

Shop local artists and designers SAFELY for all your holiday gift giving needs! @priscillas_petals @stmarksmasks @kellyvirginia.jewelry @foundbyfetch and @displaybydelphine are a few of the artists/vendors we have ...

Ace Bar has a curbside space on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Spike

The crew at the Tree Riders stand on Second Avenue at 10th Street put the finishing touches on Spike this morning...

It's cool to take a pic of Spike, but please don't pee on him. (I'm talking to your dog.)

Speaking of trees, as of 8:12 a.m., there were 16 left here for sale six days before Christmas. I asked if they brought in fewer trees this year. No, they actually had more this year... the Tree Rider on duty chalked it up to fewer stands around the area this year.

Friday's parting shot

The intricate snow sculpture is on Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery... Deborah Blau created this in about two hours the other evening ... in an Instagram post, she notes the name: Either "The Goddess of 4th Street" OR "Dreaming of Better Days." 

Photo by Derek Berg

RIP Sam Jayne

 

Sam Jayne, the talented singer-songwriter of Love as Laughter and Lync, has died. He was 46. 

According to his friends and multiple media outlets, he had been missing since Dec. 7. There was a frantic social-media-driven search for him. Police found him in his car on Tuesday. An NYPD spokesperson told Pitchfork that a preliminary investigation didn't show any "signs of criminality." (Update: His family created a website in his memory. According to his family, he died of an undiagnosed heart condition.)

Jayne had been bartending at Daddy's and Clem's in Williamsburg. 

This Brooklyn Vegan post has tributes from his many peers in the music business. The above video is for the Love as Laughter track "Coconut Flakes" from 2007.