[Updated] Reopenings: Ladybird, Lucy's, Phebe's; Josie's, Mona's and Sophie's return on Friday

This is an update to a post that we first published on March 7.

Several more bars-restaurants have reopened after a winter break ... several of the places closed in December when Gov. Cuomo ended indoor dining (at 25 percent) on Dec. 13. Indoor capacity will move to 50 percent on Friday.

The recent reopenings include: 

• The Ainsworth, 64 Third Ave. 

• Avant Garden, 130 E. Seventh St. 

• Barcade, 6 St. Mark's Place

• Cherry Tavern,  441 E. Sixth St.

• Empellón Al Pastor, 132 St. Mark's Place at Avenue A 

• Huertas, 107 First Ave.

• KGB Bar,  85 E. Fourth St.

• Ladybird, 111 E. Seventh St.

• Lucky, 168 Avenue B

• Lucy's, 135 Avenue A (photo of Lucy below by Lola Saénz)

• Mary O's, 32 Avenue A (open for a traditional St. Patrick's Day feast)

• The Penny Farthing, 103 Third Ave.

• Phebe's, 361 Bowery at Fourth Street

• Proletariat, 102 St. Mark's Place

• Ruffian, 125 E. Seventh St.

• San Marzano, 117 Second Ave.

• Saramsam, 111 E. Seventh St. 

• Superiority Burger, 430 E. Ninth St.

• Tarallucci e Vino, 163 First Ave.

• Tile Bar, 115 First Ave.

... and upcoming: 

• Indochine, 430 Lafayette — March 30

• Josie's, 520 E. Sixth St. — March 19

• Kindred, 642 E. Sixth St. — April 7

• Mister Paradise,  105 First Ave. — March 18

• Mona's, 224 Avenue B — March 19

• Sophies, 507 E. Fifth St. — March 19

• Van Da, 234 E. Fourth St. — April 1

... and San Loco just debuted new socially distant outdoor seating over at 111 Avenue C at Seventh Street...

Pitch in for this community cleanup on Saturday

A community cleanup is on the books for this Saturday (March 20!) from noon to 2 p.m. 

Per the flyer, residents will be focusing on Avenue B and Tompkins Square Park. 

Interested participants (RSVP to lucy@goles.org) are meeting at 171 Avenue B outside GOLES at 11th Street. Organizers are providing gloves, masks, sanitizer... and free coffee from sponsor The Roost.

Sisterly Love in Tompkins Square Park

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Billed as Sisterly Love, a "ritual to promote community, togetherness, and self-love" to "fight the isolation and bitterness of winter" and "rekindle the flames of love, self-worth, belonging and inner warmth," the NYC (dis)Order of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence hosted a gathering this past Sunday in Tompkins Square Park. 

Abbess Sister Jewdi Clench officiated at the ceremony that ordained a novice Sister, welcomed spring and sprinkled glitter in an aspersion blessing.

I spoke with organizer Sister Gladiola Gladrags (top photo) who said, "Our mission as Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence is to promulgate universal joy and expiate stigmatic guilt. We spread that message by 'manifesting' (appearing in habit) in our community, and holding various kinds of events, fundraisers, protests, rituals, etc. to raise awareness and help where it’s needed."

And why Tompkins Square Park as the site for this ritual event?

We have a long "sistory" with the community, especially the annual Drag March that begins in Tompkins. Along with the Church Ladies for Choice, we have been organizing, facilitating, and participating in the march since its inception during Stonewall 25 in 1994. So, it's natural that we would hold this ritual here. Many people in our community have been suffering so much pain and strife in the last year, we feel that by bringing people together, even if at a social distance, it will help and give hope to those needing it.

A sign of spring in Tompkins Square Park

While it may not feel like spring out there today... there are some signs of warmer weather ahead... Goggla shares these photos from Tompkins Square Park... showing the arrival of crocuses (above!) ... and irises ...

Zooming in on the iconic work of East Village-based photographer Roberta Bayley

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East Village-based photographer Roberta Bayley is the guest tomorrow night (March 17!) for the Coney Island Museum's Ask The Experts on Zoom series.

The evening includes a screening of the 33-minute documentary "Roberta Bayley: She Just Takes Pictures," which highlights her iconic punk-era photography from 1975 to 1986 (like the shot of Debbie Harry above!) ... and a Q&A session with Bayley and Beth Lasch, the film's director. 

Tickets are $5 and support the Museum and its arts programming. The session starts at 7 p.m. Find viewing details here. 

Dian Kitchen has closed on 9th Street

After nearly three years at 435 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, Dian Kitchen announced it was closing at the end of service last evening. (H/T VV!) 

The quick-serve restaurant specialized in rice noodles and other small dishes from China's Yunnan province. 

The Instagram message from the owners is below... they say they are moving out of NYC and hope to reopen Dian Kitchen where they land...

 

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Photo from 2018 by Steven

36 St. Mark's Place for rent again as Joe's Steam Rice Roll closes

Last week we reported that workers had emptied out Joe's Steam Rice Roll at 36 St. Mark's Place.

It wasn't immediately clear if this meant a closure — or renovation. After all, the quick-serve shop between Second Avenue and Third Avenue closed for seven weeks without any public notice in the fall of 2019.

Unfortunately, it looks like a permanent closure — the address is now on the RIPCO website. The rent is available upon request. 

Joe's debuted in the East Village in June 2019 ... and it seemed poised to break the curse of concepts that couldn't make it work in this space. This was the first standalone location for the business, described as a "cult favorite" by Eater, which got its start in a tiny storefront in Flushing.

No. 36 has seen a variety of openings and closings in recent years, including Cheers Cut, the Taiwanese mini-chain of fried foods ... Friterie Belgian Fries ... Fasta ("Pasta Your Way") ... and the $1.50 branch of 2 Bros. Pizza.

Photo by Steven; H/T Upper West Sider!

Hot dogs? How about Korean-style corn dogs for 147 Avenue A

Last week we mentioned that a new quick-serve restaurant was in the works for 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street. The work permits listed the business as a "hot dog store." 

Well! That's sorta accurate. Turns out "corn dog store" would have been an even better descriptor.

As Steven points out, there's now a QR code out front ... taking you to the website for Two Hands — "Seoul fresh corn dogs" ...

This looks to be the first NYC location for the expanding company that has franchises in California, Arizona and Nevada.

Here's a look at what to expect with their varieties of corn dogs...

... and here's some fetish promo footage via the Two Hands Instagram account...

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Monday's parting shot

The Gov. Cuomo wheatpaste as seen on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...

An open window at the former P.S. 64

An EVG reader shared these photos... showing an open window on the top floor of the former (and long-empty) P.S. 64 building — on the 10th Street side between Avenue B and Avenue C...

The reader, who reports seeing people on the roof here fairly often, believes yesterday's gale-force winds KO'd the window.

Developer Gregg Singer, who bought the property from the city during an auction in 1998, has wanted to turn the building into a dorm called University Square. The DOB continues to maintain a Stop Work Order — dating to August 2015 — on the property. 

In years past several local elected officials, community activists and residents have asked for the return of the building for community use. The building became the Charas/El Bohio Community Center after the school left in 1977. The group was eventually evicted when Singer took over as the landlord. It has sat empty these past 20-plus years, causing locals to be concerned about its crumbling façade. 

Report of a roof fire at 170 E. 2nd St.

There were some dramatic moments this morning as the FDNY quickly extinguished a rooftop fire at 170 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

FDNY on the scene of the rooftop fire at Ave A @ 2nd @evgrieve pic.twitter.com/yfQaH35swV

— Alice Bodemyr-Dunaway (@alicedunaway) March 15, 2021

Witnesses reported seeing "intense flames" coming from the roof.

No word at the moment what caused the blaze or the extent of the damage. 

Here's a view of the FDNY on the building's roof via @alicedunaway ...

Vinny & O shared images from Avenue A and Second Street...

Top photo via the Citizen app

Owners of Tribeca's Khe-Yo plan to bring Laotian cuisine to 12th Street

The owners of Khe-Yo, which serves Laotian cuisine down on Duane Street in Tribeca, have designs on opening a bar-restaurant at 503-505 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

They'll be appearing before CB3's SLA committee tonight for a new liquor license for the space...

The questionnaire on file at the CB3 website shows that the restaurant will hold 74 people inside and another 19 in the backyard... with proposed (post-pandemic) hours of 10 a.m. to 4 a.m. (with a 2 a.m. close on Sunday and Monday).

The virtual committee meeting starts tonight at 6:30. The Zoom link is here.

Until late last summer, this space was home to Mace, the high-end cocktail bar... which moved on to West Eighth Street. Mace relocated from Ninth Street to this larger space in early 2019. 

Double Wide closed at No. 503-505 in March 2018 (much to the relief of some neighbors). Noise issues have been persistent here dating back to the Mundial and Totem days.

H/T to the reader who shared these photos!