A celebration of Streit's Matzo Factory starts tonight on Avenue A

When we exchanged emails with filmmaker Michael Levine the other day, the East Village resident had just lugged 1,200 pounds of matzo-making machinery and 800 pounds of matzo to Avenue A from Rockland County.

Levine's documentary, "Streit’s: Matzo and the American Dream," which explores the history of the family-owned matzo factory on the Lower East Side, debuts next Wednesday at the Film Forum.

Ahead of that, Art on A Gallery, 24 Avenue A between East Second Street and East Third Street, will feature an exhibit on Streit's starting tonight. (Levine shared the photos in this post while setting up the exhibit yesterday.)

"We'll have archival photos of the Rivington Street factory from the 1920s-1950s on display," Levine said. "We'll also have a photo series from 2015, just before the factory closed, by Joseph O. Holmes."

Other exhibit highlights include:

• Original machinery from the Streit's factory on display (Streit's saved seven tractor trailers of machinery from the factory — basically everything but the ovens — to rebuild at the new factory in Rockland County as a museum.)

• Work by Judi Harvest, an artist who has been creating gold-leafed matzo since 2000. She's creating a wall of special pink-gold matzos in honor of Streit's.

• Archival video projected on the rear wall of the gallery, shot at the Streit's factory in the 1940s.







"I had this idea when I thought about the fact that this would be the first Passover in a century without Streit's having some kind of physical presence in the neighborhood," Levine said. "There are so many people who would make their annual pilgrimage to the factory, and while I couldn't give them that, I wanted there to be some place for them to go and get in the holiday spirit, as it were. Streit's didn't sponsor any of this in any way — nor did they have any financial/editorial say in the film — but they're excited about the idea."

The four buildings that housed Streit's, vacated last year, are set to be demolished next week to make way condos.

"The idea of those buildings coming down, and maybe even more so what will replace them, makes me sick to my stomach," he said, "but I suppose if it has to happen, maybe [the film and gallery show] might provide a little more perspective than usual on the significance of that loss." (As Alan M. Adler, a great-grandson of Aron Streit, the business’s founder, told the Times in January 2015: "[T]he reality is that operating a modern factory in four old buildings has finally caught up with us.')

The opening is tonight from 8-10. (The exhibit will be up through May 5.) Members of the Streit family as well as several of the factory workers will be at the gallery tonight.

The documentary plays the Film Forum April 20-26. You may find tickets here.

114 E. 10th St. returns for a few million more

In September 2014 we wrote about the new-to-market townhouse at 114 E. 10th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. Didn't take long to find a taker — public records show that the address changed hands for slightly more than the $7.5 asking price in December 2014.

Now the owner — an LLC with a Pinecrest, Fla., address — is reselling the home. No. 114 is back on the market, though the price is now $9.85 million.

Here's the listing over at Douglas Elliman:

Beautifully renovated six bedroom townhouse designed in the mid 1800's by one of the most important architects of the day, JAMES RENWICK,JR. He is best know for his design of St. Patrick's Cathedral on Fifth Avenue. Well located on a street which has been called "The Most Beautiful Street in the Village".It also has been home to many famous people ,one being the prominent architect, Stanford White.

This outstanding house combines the preservation of original detail and a complete renovation which allows for the luxury and convenience of today'smodern world. Features include central air and heat,video,intercom,security and alarm system. Designer furnished. Real Estate Tax/annual $20,212.

And some photos...







No mention this time around of the sauna and outdoor shower on the roof.

Previously on EV Grieve:
This East 10th Street townhouse includes rooftop shower and garden apartment for staff

Images via Douglas Elliman

Report: 1st U.S. outpost of Michelin-starred Tim Ho Wan opening on 10th Street and 4th Avenue

[EVG photo from December 2014]

Hong Kong-based chef Mak Kwai Pui is opening his first U.S. location of Tim Ho Wan, his Michelin-starred dim sum parlor, on East 10th Street and Fourth Avenue, the Voice reported yesterday.

The restaurant is expected to open this fall. Here are more details via the Voice:

Prompted by the Michelin stars, there are often hours-long lines of out-of-towners at Tim Ho Wan's Hong Kong locations — where Mak originally intended to feed locals at bargain prices. Mak tells the Voice that his designs on the U.S. involve appealing to the culinary tourists who seek his food abroad.

And!

Steamer baskets of plump prawn dumplings, Mak's signature trio of baked buns stuffed with barbecue pork, and Chinese-sausage-stuffed glutinous rice wrapped in lotus leaf all remain under $5. Even now, the tissues within the boxes placed atop each table serve as napkins.

The address here in Midtown South previously housed Spice, which closed in December 2014.

H/T Steven!

Ian Schrager’s Public Hotel at 215 Chrystie St. will have plenty of places to drink and eat

Been meaning to do another post about Ian Schrager’s Public Hotel at 215 Chrystie St. just below East Houston...as you can see on the horizon (these photos are from mid-March)... from many different vantage points...







Sigh. Because someone will ask!



When completed, the 28-story Herzog & de Meuron-designed building will feature 376 hotel rooms via Schrager's Public Hotel brand, topped off by 11 ultra-luxury condos, including PH3 that is selling for $18.75 million.

Hotel aside, the property promises to be "a luxe nightlife playground," as the Lo-Down recently put it ... including two restaurants from famed chef Jean-Georges Vongerichten. In total, there are 11 venues within the complex, though not all will serve booze. (Maybe just 8?) Still, enough licenses that CB3's SLA committee had a special session Monday night just for this application.

And Schrager was even there for part of the four-hour meeting, where some nearby residents expressed concern over the potential for the high-end nightlife wooshow. Here's Allegra Hobbs at DNAinfo with some meeting coverage:

Ultimately, [CB3] members approved all interior spaces as presented, but recommended the outdoor spaces, one of which is glass-enclosed, shut down at 10 p.m. When asked whether Schrager would comply with the request, a lawyer for the hotelier did not comment.

Schrager’s reps assured community members their sound-proofing methods would lock in any loud noise, but still agreed to meet with neighbors to test out the methods once installed in addition to quarterly meetings with tenants during the first year of the hotel’s operation to gather feedback.

BoweryBoogie attended the meeting as well:

Schrager opened proceedings with an introduction, conveying his intention to create “something great for the neighborhood” that embodies the spirit of the area. He went on to toot his track record across forty boutique hotels, yet in condescending tone. Assumed the panel wasn’t familiar with his vision and how to license hotels. There were frequent defensive outbursts.

A bounty of Bowie tomorrow night at the Anthology Film Archives

Tomorrow night!!! Big Bowie Bash: A Tribute...Redux Bathe yourself in #Bowie with Anthology’s encore presentation of the “KGB Movie Friends” very hefty and heartfelt, 4-plus-hour BIG BOWIE BASH: A TRIBUTE! Join us for a bounty of everything Bowie, with clips, videos, performance footage, interviews, and miscellany! A singular experience not to be missed that will have you singing, crying, laughing, gasping, and ... dancing in the streets!

A photo posted by Anthology Film Archives (@anthologyfilmarchives) on Apr 13, 2016 at 8:34am PDT

This four-hour "Big Bowie Bash" starts at 7 tomorrow night at the Anthology Film Archives, 32 Second Ave. at East Second Street. Find more details here.

Iggy Pop in Tompkins Square Park

EVG reader Juliet passes along these photos of Iggy Pop from late this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park... filming something or another... (any idea who he's with???)



Maybe the former East Village resident is giving another tour of the neighborhood?

Anyway, Iggy played the United Palace last night in support of his fine new record, Post Pop Depression. (Alex shares a few thought on the show here.)

And Iggy — aka James Newell Osterberg, Jr. — turns 69 on April 21. So happy early birthday Iggy...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Go on a tour of Iggy Pop's East Village in 1993

4Knots Music Festival returns to the South Street Seaport this summer; Guided by Voices headline

Via the EVG inbox...

The Village Voice is proud to announce the lineup for its sixth annual 4Knots Music Festival, being held in its original home at the South Street Seaport on Saturday, July 9th. For this year's festival, the Voice is expanding their variety of genres to include Americana, Hip-Hop, Electronica, and more. 4Knots 2016 will feature performances by Guided By Voices, The Strumbellas, Protomartyr, Car Seat Headrest, Kirk Knight, Girlpool, Bayonne, Diane Coffee, Promised Land Sound, and Mild High Club, plus more bands to be announced soon.

The Voice is thrilled to announce it is returning to our roots with a free festival this year as part of the re-established Voice mission to bring music, art and culture to New Yorkers under the new ownership of Peter Barbey.

And here's a summery song by one of the bands on the bill... Girlpool...

Report: U.S. Attorney Preet Bharara now looking into deed lift at 45 Rivington St.

Preet Bharara, U.S. Attorney for the Southern District of New York, is the latest official to probe the sale of the former Rivington House on the Lower East Side, Politico New York reports.

The deal under the de Blasio administration's watch in November is already under investigation by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, the city Department of Investigation and City Comptroller Scott Stringer.

To recap: In February 2015, Allure paid $28 million for the property, promising that 45 Rivington — the former Rivington Center for Nursing & Rehabilitation — would remain a health facility. In November, a city agency lifted the the deed in exchange for the Allure Group's $16 million payment to the city. Earlier this year, Allure then reportedly sold the property for $116 million to the the Slate Property Group, a condo developer who plans to create 100 luxury residences in the building that overlooks Sara S. Roosevelt Park.

The mayor has said he was unaware of the transaction until last month. City officials have accused Allure of misleading the administration about its intentions.

The Wall Street Journal reports that Bharara's office "is also examining whether donors to the Campaign for One New York, a nonprofit supporting Mr. de Blasio’s agenda and run by his allies, have benefited from favorable treatment from the mayor’s administration, people familiar with the matter have said."

A de Blasio spokesperson told the Journal that the administration didn't have any knowledge of a federal probe but would cooperate fully with any investigation.

Confectionery, a vegan chocolate shop and bakery, coming soon to 440 E. 9th St.

[Photo via Steven with assistance by EV Arrow]

Thanks to EVG regular Scuba Diva for this tip... a new vegan sweets shop called Confectionery is set to open next month at 440 E. Ninth St. near Avenue A.

The retail shop will be a collaboration between vegan chocolate company Lagusta’s Luscious and bakery Sweet Maresa's ... both of New Paltz and Internet fame.

VegNews described the new place this way: "Confectionery will feature items from both companies such as Sweet Maresa macarons and baked goods and Lagusta’s Luscious chocolate bars, barks, and truffles."

The shop is currently hiring.

The previous tenant in this space, Makki Deli & Grocery, closed in December after just nine months in business.

[Updated] TakeMeHome Rotisserie Chicken hasn't been open lately

The quick-serve restaurant at 151 Avenue A between East Ninth Street and East 10th Street has been dark for the past 10 days or so.

There's no answer on TakeMeHome's phone. And Seamless says the restaurant is now closed.

TakeMeHome did close without a note or notice in December 2014 — just three weeks after opening. (We were told the owner's wife had a baby.) Unfortunately, the closure looks more permanent this time.

In any event, people we talked with generally liked the food — large portions for the price. Never seemed to catch on, though.

San Loco closed here in February 2014. High-profile restaurateurs Ken Friedman and April Bloomfield were seeking a liquor license to open a bar cafe here in May 2014, though CB3 did not offer their approval, and the two decided not to pursue the space.

Updated 4/21

After being closed without any notice for the past two weeks... the restaurant is back serving chicken...

Early-morning wake-up call courtesy of alarms at PS 64

[File photo by Bobby Williams]

A few years ago, residents who live by PS 64 at 600 E. Sixth St. near Avenue B were treated to a morning wake-up call courtesy of alarms from the school.

That was January 2014. As we're hearing, the morning alarms returned several months ago. One resident said this occurs between 6 a.m. and 7 a.m. "The alarm sounds and all the emergency strobe lights go on in the school, lasts for about a minute," the resident said. "This happens every every school year until there's enough complaints about it for them to get it fixed."

One resident recorded a video the other morning... you can see the strobes... the alarm doesn't come through as loudly as if you're right next door, but you get the idea...

Capital One Café opens July 11 on Union Square

[The same photo we posted yesterday]

In a thrilling post yesterday, we noted the faint progress at 853 Broadway at East 14th Street... where a combo Capital One-Peet's Coffee-den of slackwork space with Wi-Fi is coming soon.

How soon? An EVG reader shared a letter from Capital One...



...which notes that the new location will open on July 11. The letter also states that the Capital One branch at 21 University Place at Eighth Street will close after the business day on July 8. (As we recall, that space was most recently a BBQ restaurant.)

H/T Josh

The Children's Workshop School Schoolapalooza 2016 is Friday night

Schoolapalooza, the annual fundraiser for the Children's Workshop School at 610 E. 12th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C is Friday night (April 15) from 6-10.

Here is the flyer via the EVG inbox...



Late 1980s chart-topper Lisa Lisa (she is principal Maria Velez-Clarke's sister) will perform (and please no yelling "Lost in Emotion"...)

This year's palooza is at St. Nicholas Myra Church on East 10th Street at Avenue A. More details are here.

Wax on: Mr. Moustache Coffee Shop signage arrives on East 14th Street

Today, workers put up the sign for the incoming cafe at 227 E. 14th St. — say hello to Mr. Moustache Coffee Shop.

We hope to find out more about the shop soon. This space here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue housed Russian Souvenirs until last July.

Thanks to EVG reader Cristine for the photo!

Previously on EV Grieve:
The former Russian Souvenirs will become a coffee shop on East 14th Store