Apocalypse now? Here comes the End of Avenue A Block Association

RyanAvenueA spotted the above flyer on his front door last evening… too late to attend the meeting the newly formed (and apocalyptically named) End of Avenue A Block Association had at Boulton & Watt.

At the meeting, reps from Boulton & Watt, The Library, Ella, 2A and Yerba Buena were expected to attend. Curiously enough, reps from bars (Double Down and Kelly's) on the east side of the Avenue were not listed.

The flyer also did not contain any contact information for prospective members or bloggers.

The Dee Dee Ramone Exhibition arrives at the Hotel Chelsea Storefront Gallery next week

Via the EVG inbox...

The Dee Dee Ramone Exhibition will be held in Dee Dee’s home turf of NYC for the first time ever at the Hotel Chelsea Storefront Gallery (222 West 23rd Street), from December 10th, 2014 – January 1st, 2015. The launch of this exhibit will offer a preview of the soon-to-be-released Fender Dee Dee Ramone Limited Edition Signature Precision Bass guitar, a tool used by the enigmatic Ramone to leave his indelible fingerprint on rock history for generations to come.

This historic exhibition sanctioned by the rock legends’ own estate, will celebrate all of the facets of Dee Dee’s long-lasting artistic legacy: a founding member of the Ramones, one of the most influential punk-rock bassists and primary, prolific songwriter of world famous group, as well as his work in the visual arts – proving that Dee Dee, who began painting more seriously in 1996, was an artist in every sense of the word. The breadth of Dee Dee’s art and achievements is so wide that one of his paintings, to be featured in the exhibit, was recently showcased in a question on America’s favorite quiz show Jeopardy.

In addition to featuring Dee Dee’s art, writings and fashions, the Dee Dee Ramone exhibition will also include iconic photographs by the likes of Bob Gruen, Mick Rock, Chris Stein (Blondie), Ed Perlstein, Stephanie Chernikowski, Keith Green and more.

Previous exhibits of Dee Dee’s work have been held at La Luz De Jesus and famed street artist Shepard Fairey’s Subliminal Projects galleries in Los Angeles, and is now being presented in New York for the first time.

Holiday happenings at 7B

Early this morning, we spotted some of the holiday decorations arriving at 7B/Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar ... and since then, there has been plenty of progress in the annual trimming of the bar on Avenue B at East Seventh Street...

EVG regulars Riley McCormick and Riian Kant-McCormick share these photos...





No word if any bartenders were injured during the decorating festivities...



Previously on EV Grieve:
The 7B days of Christmas the holidays

Keith Haring sculpture arrives at 51 Astor Place

51 Astor Place, already sporting a Jeff Koons lobby rabbit, is home for now to this Keith Haring sculpture.

Workers this morning were preparing to install the "Self Portrait" from 1989.





No word at the moment if the sculpture (a replica?) is on loan or will be here permanently on Third Avenue at St. Mark's Place ...

City deems East Village Bed & Coffee an 'illegal hotel' on Avenue C

East Village Bed & Coffee has operated as a bed and caffeinated-beverage breakfast these past 16 years at 110 Avenue C near East Seventh Street.

No longer, though. A sign on the door explains…



The city issued a Partial Vacate Order on Nov. 24 … noting an "illegally converted 2 family house and business … into 11 class B rooming units."

DOB officials affixed this notice to the door last Monday.



As we understand it, East Village Bed & Coffee, despite its history, got caught up in the state's Airbnb crackdown … and its proprietor, longtime East Village resident Anne Edris, is beside herself.


[Photo by Laura Zelasnic]

Top photos by Dave on 7th

Does this 'Alphabet City' mural on Avenue C represent the community?

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

If you've been over on the southwest corner of Avenue C and East Sixth Street in the last week or so, then you've likely seen the new mural in progress on the (rather mysterious) RCN Cable building.

The mural, called "Alphabet City," is the work of Brooklyn-based artists The Yok and Sheryo who work for the Jersey City-based arts group Green Villain.


[Photo last week by Magic Brian]

All this has arrived with controversy, according to The Villager:

Is RCN whitewashing Loisaida culture and history? Celebrated street artist Antonio "Chico" Garcia and the community group Loisaida Inc. are crying foul after the company nixed their plan to create a mural celebrating L.E.S. “heroes” on the RCN cable building on Avenue C.

Apparently RCN officials are still pissed at Chico for his unauthorized Obama-McCain murals back in 2008. (RCN finally had them painted over in 2010.)


[EVG photo from 2008]

Elizabeth Colon, a founder of Loisaida Inc., told The Villager, "Is that what they think the community is, ‘A, B, C, D’? When we were talking about representing 50 or 60 years of Lower East Side history?"

You can read the rest of The Villager piece here.

And here was how the RCN wall was looking back in the summer…



Previously on EV Grieve:
RCN Cable discovers 'illegal graffiti' two years later

Holding up 95 Avenue A

Just looking at the structural repairs underway at 95 Avenue A at East Sixth Street.

Ravi DeRossi told Eater last month that the building housing his bars Cienfuegos, Amor y Amargo and Gin Palace is sinking into the ground.

Gin Palace closed on Nov. 6 and is expected to be out of commission for at least two months. (The other two bars remain open.)

Looks like a pretty serious operation...



The repair costs are estimated at $100,000.

From cleansing souls to cleansing clothes at 96 Avenue B

Workers are fitting 96 Avenue B – previously home to the Hare Krishnas — with a laundromat, EVG contributor Dave on 7th notes.

The Hare Krishnas moved out of their home here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street back in July 2011 ... The space has been vacant since then.

Previously, from 1990-1995, 96 Avenue B was home to Metropolis Vintage Apparel...

[1994, via Richard Colligan]

...which has been at 43 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street since 1995.

Plans to add two floors to the existing two-floor building never materialized. East Yoga is housed on the second level.

Benefit show tomorrow for Food for Life at Tompkins Square Park

Via the EVG inbox this evening…

Our 4th annual tribute to "The Band" and their epic farewell show. Benefitting the great work done by Food for Life at Tompkins Square Park, and their 3x weekly program of serving hot, healthy meals to anyone in need.

Here's the Facebook event page with more details on the show tomorrow night at The Bitter End at 147 Bleecker.

Noted

@evgrieve Best thrown out bed ever. pic.twitter.com/F2h0y8TgRq

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) December 1, 2014

Spotted this evening on First Avenue and East Fifth Street… maybe the rain just cleaned it and didn't ruin this treasure…

Oh fudge, Puddin' popped for incomplete paperwork

The City has temporarily closed Puddin', the small shop at 102 St. Mark's Place that sells pudding, pudding-filled cakes and Frozen Puddin' Pops.

The note on the door here between Avenue A and First Avenue explains: "Oh fudge! We forgot some paperwork. Be back soon!"

Fire at 251 E. Houston St. temporarily closes Gaia Cafe

[Photo Wednesday via EVG reader Chris Mason]

Last Wednesday night, we reported on the fire atop 251 E. Houston St. between Norfolk and Suffolk.

While there weren't any reported injuries, ground-floor tenant Gaia Cafe sustained some water damage.

According to BoweryBoogie, the 5-year-old Cafe is closed until further notice.

Gaia's Facebook page notes the following:

Due to a fire in the building, the cafè has been closed due to some damages ...we still do not know when we will open again... Sorry for any inconvenience...

Reader report: Is there a rabid squirrel near the Tompkins Square Park main playground?

From the EVG inbox this morning...

Saw a black squirrel in Tompkins Square Park playground acting very aggressively and making a horrible growling sound. Never heard a squirrel making any noise before.

It was perched on a branch of a tree in the playground by Avenue A and 9th Street. It would sit perched on a branch wheezing/growling and breathing rapidly, then run off rapidly and return to same branch and repeat same growl.

This tree is on the inside-the-park side fence in middle of playground near the revolving pole with a triangular base.

Tried to report this to Parks Department and to 311 but just got the runaround.

I don't want any kids to be bitten by a rabid squirrel — especially my kid.

According to the Center for Disease Control, rabid squirrels are extremely rare. Per eHow: "Healthy squirrels can be noisy, bold and curious. They often chatter and make scolding sounds at humans and dogs. Rambunctious behavior in squirrels does not denote rabies."

Simone Martini Bar has closed

The 15-year-old Simone Martini Bar closed for good following service Saturday night.

The space here on First Avenue at St. Mark's Place will yield to a new venture from the proprietors of The Wayland on Avenue C. According to paperwork (PDF) on file ahead of last month's CB3-SLA committee meeting, ownership is planning for an establishment with a "tavern/seafood-style menu."

As previously noted, the change here officially brings an end to Yaffa Cafe, Simone's sister restaurant that closed nearby at 97 St. Mark's Place earlier in the fall. After the closure, some items from Yaffa were added to Simone's menu.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Team behind The Wayland eyeing Simone Martini Bar space