Oh really?: Rent is getting more expensive

Today, the Post takes a look at the latest real-estate industry reports ... and finds that rentals are getting — no shit! — more expensive. Manhattan rentals increased 8.6 percent last year. The average Manhattan apartment rent is now $3,309 a month.

The East Village is below that rate, with a downright cheap average of $3,027 a month. The above chart breaks it down by apartment size... Meanwhile, according to the report, the average vacancy rate in Manhattan was just 0.96 percent.

really

Two Boots turns 25

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Please join us tonight at 6 at Two Boots East Village (42 Avenue A @ E. 3rd St.), for our BIMBO RIVAS TRIBUTE, the first of our 25 special events marking Two Boots' 25th Anniversary.

Mosaic artist Carlos Pinto will unveil a fabulous new piece honoring the great LES poet Bimbo Rivas, whose paean to the neighborhood, "Loisaida," coined the term that has become part of our local dialect.

There will be free pizza ("The Luisaida," which pays tribute to local luminary Luis Guzman), free wine and beer (from our new upgraded wine and beer list), live music by the Stumblebum Brass Band, and poetry readings by the Nuyorican Poet's Cafe All-Stars.

Late this afternoon on Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place

By Bobby Williams.

Earlier today on Second Avenue and Seventh Street

Second Avenue and Seventh Street this afternoon. A Jessica Delfino photo/video shoot? Photos by Bobby Williams.

What we don't know about — the fellow on the ground next to the tree. (Rumors of it being Gruber MacDougal are untrue.)

Because you wanted two posts in one day about 5 Napkin Burger

Since our post from this morning, the 5 Napkiners added their signage here at 14th Street and Third Avenue...

Someone to watch over St. Brigid's

Two photos via EV Grieve reader Robert M. ... showing the continued progress at St. Brigid's... And we can likely interpret that top photo in many ways...

[UPDATED] Headless mayor found in boozeless bar

Did you see the exclusive cover story at the Post today? "The city Health Department’s far-reaching Partnership for a Healthier New York City initiatives proposes to slash the number of establishments in the city that sell booze." Which means? Reducing bar and liquor store "density."

UPDATED:

Um, anyway, the Post is now reporting that Bloomy nixed this whole idea. I'd still like to see the anon commenter's list of EV bars to remove...

Checking back in on Monday night's CB3/SLA committee meeting

[125 First Ave.]

We've written a little about Monday's CB3/SLA meeting, in which the committee denied a permit for a beer/wine license for BAD Burger on Avenue A. (This after owner Keith Masco wasn't interested in compromising the hours for the license.)

Otherwise, it seems as if the committee was in a pretty generous mood. Of the 11 agenda items that Eater reported on, 10 of the applicants were successful in getting a license/upgrade/sidewalk cafe, etc.

A few quick items of note from Sarah Rose's report (read the whole thing here):

• Yes to the seafood restaurant/seafood market/gallery at 125 First Ave. that we wrote about here.

• Yes to the Prune people taking over Belcourt that we wrote about here.

• Yes to an upgrade to a full liquor license for Goat Town on East Fifth Street.

And BoweryBoogie and The Lo-Down have more on that monstrosity approved for 199 Bowery.

The Wayland (soft) opens Friday

As you may have read at New York magazine or on Eater this week... the Wayland (soft) opens Friday in the former Banjo Jim's space on Avenue C at Ninth Street...

Eater posted the bar's cocktail and food menus here.

These previews featured some of the more specialty items, like the applewood-smoked ice in one of the drinks. Didn't see anything about beer. Funny question, but will they have beer?

"Menus aren't finalized but we are always planning on keeping a few beers in the $4 and $5 range," Rob Ceraso, one of the owners, told us via email. "Right now it's Modelo Especial cans for $4 and Bud Light and High Life for $5. Most craft beers are at $6 and we're working on being able to do a couple at $5 as well."

And they will eventually roll out some type of happy hour in the future.

As for the decor, apparently some of it has come via dumpster diving.

"We ended up rescuing almost all of the wood that we used in the bar from the [the Henry Street Settlement Day Care #3 building] that's getting demo'd around the corner from us," he said. "Most of it is original from 1875."

There will also be live music in the space. More on that later.

Previously.

Duke's is gone

After our post on Monday about Duke's on Avenue C ... several readers confirmed that the neighborhood bar near East Eight Street closed at the beginning of the year. A walk by yesterday confirms this: The signs had been removed; and workers have started taking down the bar...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Has Duke's closed?

Former Vampire Freaks space on the market

Shawn Chittle brings word that the former home of Vampire Freaks, which closed on Avenue A near 12th Street at the start of the year, is now for rent. No signs up (yet) ... but the landlord, Mr. Desider Weinberg, is asking $8,000 a month, including basement — good for 1,400 square feet.

And you may even get to keep this as it is ...

And you can you can still order the Vampire Freaks apparel online here.

Awnings for 5 Napkin Burger — and its sidewalk cafe

East Village resident Rob took this photo on the way to work yesterday ... not sure if the awnings at the incoming hamburger joint on 14th Street at Third Avenue will be big enough to cover their sidewalk cafe.

On Monday night, the CB3/SLA committee OK'd a sidewalk cafe for 5 Napkin, as Eater reported.

Previously, we questioned whether there was even enough room for a sidewalk cafe here. We took the following photos in the morning during the holidays. Just wait until, say, 7 p.m. some nice spring night.

Guess we'll find out.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Will there be enough room for a sidewalk cafe outside the new 5 Napkin Burger on 14th and Third?

When the Palladium came down

Speaking of 14th Street and Third Avenue... James and Karla Murray passed along the above shot that they came across in their archives — a mural revealed during the Palladium demolition... the view is looking east on 14th Street ... The Palladium closed in 1999 and was later torn down to make way for the NYU dorm of the same name...

Looking at an elementary school that costs $31,900 annually on East Second Street

[Rooftop rendering via the World Class website]

Back in July 2010, we had a post about the World Class Learning Academy taking over the LaSalle Academy space on Second Street and Second Avenue. As we learned, tuition for the U.K.-based independent school (for ages 3 to 11) could go as high as $32,000.

Anyway, the school opened back in September ... yesterday afternoon, Business Insider dropped a feature about the school. Abby Rogers reported how the older kids are learning about chocolate. They have a tasting day. The students will also visit a local chocolate maker and learn about chocolate-related issues, such as fair trade.

"That's what really sets us apart from everybody else," Headmaster John Taylor said when discussing the school's unique take on learning.

As Business Insider noted, students in kindergarten through fifth grade pay $31,900 in tuition annually. There's also a $50 application fee and a one-time $2,000 "new student" fee.

Anyway, in case you want a look inside the school, there's a slideshow here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Blimey!: World Class Learning Academy takes over La Salle Academy space on Second Street