Monday, December 27, 2021
Monday's opening shot
Cornerstone Cafe postscript
Last week, the Cornerstone Cafe on the NE corner of Avenue B and Second Street announced its closure after 10-plus years in business.
In an Instagram post, the Cornerstone cited the ongoing pandemic and the city's related mandates and restrictions for the closure.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy later ran into owner Rocco Opramolla. Aside from the reasons stated above, he said that the landlord raised his rent this year. He was previously paying $4,000 a month, which allowed him to offer specials such as the $4 breakfast.
Rocco said that he just couldn't pay the new rent, which he didn't disclose, with all the NYC COVID-19 restrictions.
Before owning his own restaurant, Rocco spent nearly 25 years working as a meat cutter, a profession he may revisit. He's nearing 60 and not too far from retirement age, and he plans to visit his kids in San Diego and then take "a little vacation" and relax after 10-plus years of running the restaurant.
He'll decide what to do when he gets back early next year. Rocco says he might open a new place if things are different going forward, but he couldn't do it during COVID time.
He is very thankful for the neighborhood support. Stacie asked if there was anything that could be done to assist him, and he said no; his mind was made up. He seems at peace with his decision.
The new Urban Wine & Spirits is now open
As previously noted, a wine bar is also in the works for the storefront... ownership says that the wine bar, set to debut in the spring, will have a separate entrance on the Third Street size.
Meanwhile, the shop will be hosting tastings and events once it's safer to do so.
Jorge Arias, a partner in The Sampler in Bushwick, opened Urban Wine & Spirits here in March 2014.
Wine store hours: Monday-Thursday from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m., with an 11 p.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays. Sunday hours: noon to 9 p.m.
City posts notice of a clean up in the abandoned curbside dining structure on 6th Street
Per the notices, city crews will clean up this space beginning today...
As previously mentioned, several readers-residents have complained about the lengthy structure on the Sixth Street side. The bar-restaurant August Laura closed in the corner space here in early December. Up to 10 people were said to move into the structure the night workers cleared out the restaurant. Another reader said that it has become "a 24-hour shooting gallery."
August Laura's small structure on Avenue A has been boarded up to prevent people from entering...
While the retail space is for lease, 94-96 Avenue A is also set for auction on Jan. 31 with an opening bid of $4.8 million. Penn South Capital paid $9.6 million for the property in March 2019. The building's new owners added a one-floor extension here in 2020.
Given that the building is for sale, it's likely that there won't be a retail tenant in the space for some time.
In October, Mayor de Blasio ordered the Department of Transportation to remove unused dining structures erected as part of the Open Restaurants program. City workers have reportedly taken down dozens to date, including the curbside dining structure outside the shuttered Auriga Cafe at 198 Avenue A at the time.
The Department of Transportation (DOT) is working to make the Open Restaurants program permanent. Gothamist has a recap of some of the issues here. A previously undisclosed survey shows support for the program, per Streetsblog.
The Department of City Planning and DOT launched a public survey to improve the designs and rules regarding permanent outdoor dining setups. You have until the end of the year to share your thoughts on the program with the city. Find the survey at this link.
Updated 6 p.m.
It appears that city did clean out the Sixth Street structure ... photo this evening by Steven...
Previously on EVG:
Sunday, December 26, 2021
Week in Grieview
• These East Village businesses are temporarily closing as COVID cases continue to climb (Monday)
• The Community Holiday Feast fed more than 600 people in Tompkins Square Park yesterday (Monday)
• Reports: Did SantaCon contribute to NYC's current COVID-19 surge? (Tuesday)
• RIP Robert J. Giurdanella (Wednesday)
• Driver fleeing police charged in the hit-and-run death of delivery worker on Houston Street (Wednesday)
• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like (Thursday)
• Another visit to the home of Frankie Christmas (Friday)
• The end of the East River amphitheater (Friday)
• Letter perfect: City makes the MPH right on 2nd attempt (Monday)
• Cornerstone Cafe calls it quits (Tuesday)
• Signage arrives for the new Urban Wine & Spirits (Monday)
• Former August Laura space is on the rental market; building on the auction block (Thursday)
• Arthur’s Barber Shop has closed (Tuesday)
• Activity at the former St. Brigid School on Avenue B and 7th Street (Thursday)
• 1st sign of Raíz Modern Mexican on 1st Avenue (Thursday)
• 7-Eleven shutters on 14th Street (Monday)
• Bubbleology Tea has gone out of business on 1st Avenue (Thursday)
• East Village Social has not been open in awhile (Monday)
• EVG turns 14 (Tuesday — thank you for all the kind words about the site! ❤️)
... and thanks to Goggla for this festive holiday shot from Seventh Street and Avenue B...
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Early arrivals
Here's the first post-Christmas Day drop-off at the MulchFest drop-off location on Avenue A at Ninth Street, as EVG Drop-off correspondent Steven notes this morning.
As a reminder: The two-day MulchFest extravaganza in Tompkins Square Park is set for Jan. 8-9 from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Saturday, December 25, 2021
A Lou Reed Christmas scene on St. Mark's Place
The Russian & Turkish Baths are back open on 10th Street
Text and photos by Stacie Joy
The heat is on just in time for the cold weather.
The Russian & Turkish Baths have reopened their doors at 268 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.
Established in 1892, the popular bathhouse has been closed since the pandemic's start in March 2020.
They reopened yesterday.
Partners and brothers (from left) Dmitry and Jack Shapiro gave me a tour of the newly remodeled and renovated space...
Here are the hours during this holiday weekend:
• Christmas Day: 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.
• Sunday/Boxing Day: 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (9 a.m. until 2 p.m. men only; 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. coed).
All patrons must be vaccinated and present proof of vaccination. Capacity, for now, is limited to 40.
Here's more info from the Russian & Turkish Baths website:
We will not be honoring prepaid admission passes or memberships at this time. We will reassess this policy in the New Year. Admission will be $50 per person.Vaccination cards will be checked for all patrons. If you are not feeling well or are not vaccinated, you will not be allowed in the Baths.
Dmitry and Jack's father, David, a longtime owner here, passed away in the spring of 2020. Boris Tuberman remains an owner ... and will still have the Boris weeks.
Dec. 25's opening shot
Friday, December 24, 2021
Anyway, anyhow, anywhere
Maybe a song you haven't heard 100000000x this season... from 2013, it's !!! with "And Anyway It's Christmas."
He'll be coming through the air conditioner...
Another holiday visit with Frankie Christmas
Text and photos by Stacie Joy
We last checked in with the undisputed king of East Village Christmas, Frank “Frankie Christmas” Bianco, at this time last year.
This year Bianco, a Brooklyn native who has lived here since 1980, welcomed us back to his winter wonderland apartment on Avenue D with an update on the lighting schedule...
“This year, I shattered my previous record and was able to put up a total of 11,875 lights, about 1,500 more than last year. To finish by Dec. 1, I usually start decorating as soon as the Labor Day weekend finishes. For the last couple of months, it took me about 200 hours to complete each room in my apartment. I usually spend an hour or two each night of the week decorating and get the bulk of it done on the weekends, where I may spend up to eight hours decorating.”
What else is new?
“It’s a tradition to get at least a half dozen Christmas tattoos every year since moving down to the LES. I have 11 new snowflake tattoos and the Grinch’s hand holding an ornament. Similar to my Christmas tattoos, I always make sure to add a few new decorations to my apartment as well. I purchased a Christmas Tree from Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland, the largest Christmas store in the world located in Frankenmuth, Mich., and my favorite new addition, a Swarovski 2021 snowflake ornament.”
“In 2022, I’m somehow putting up more lights than I did this year! It’ll be tough, but I’m confident I’ll be able to [string more than] 12,000 lights. I’ll also be returning to Bronner’s Christmas Wonderland to find new additions to my collection, and most important spread the Christmas Spirit!”
Read our Q&A with Frankie from last year at this link.
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