Worrying about Healthfully

Several EVG readers have expressed concern in recent weeks over the longterm health of Healthfully Organic Market, 98 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Per one reader: "The shelves are looking sparse ... and they seem to be posting their hours weekly."

As of this week, the shop has been closed during posted business hours. There's no word for patrons about a temporary closure on the door or elsewhere. (Healthfully's Facebook page has not been updated since 2012.)

And yesterday, a reader noted that there's a 40 percent off everything inventory sale going on...



At the end of the summer of 2011, Kim Kardashian, her sister Kourtney and 50 photographers discretely shopped at Healthfully.


[Photo by Zinno Park]

Live above the (soon-to-depart) Citibank at 50 Avenue A

[Photo from 2014]

As noted last month, the Citibank at 50 Avenue A is closing for good in January. Several readers commented that the building housing the bank branch is rather unattractive.

I never thought much about it. There is a residence in the building for sale. Perhaps it's much better from the inside. Here's a look at the listing via Streeteasy:

This beautifully renovated apartment, one of the loveliest two bedroom, two full bathrooms currently on the market in the east village, is spacious, serene, and light-filled. Three blocks from Tompkins Square Park, four from the F train, and a five minute walk to SoHo, it's location puts you in one of the most convenient and authentic spots from which to experience our magical city.

The new renovation includes sanded oak floors, a raised ceiling with painted beams, exposed brick in every room, open kitchen, mosaic tiles in the bathroom, and custom made, rustic fixtures and furniture, which can come with the apartment. Rustic wood wraps the roaring fireplace, there is washer/ drier setup in unit, stainless steel oven, microwave, dishwasher, air con units and a powerful heating system under the individual apartment's control. There is a ton of storage space in the apartment and additional small, medium and large storage units available in the basement.

Located in a super safe (a new camera intercom is going in this month), conveniently located building on Ave A and third, you are steps from a 24 hour grocery store with plenty of organic produce, one block from the newest and largest New York Sports Clubs, within two blocks of a 24 hour Duane Reade, Union Market, bookstores, art galleries, restaurants, community gardens bars, nightlife, theaters and so much more.

And two pics...





Asking price: $1.25 million. And there's an open house tomorrow afternoon from 2:30-4:30.

This post still has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

As I first noted back on Sept. 16, renovations for a Two Boots on Nassau Street in the Financial District turned up ghost signage for onetime tenant Loft's Candies...

It was unknown if Two Boots would keep the neon or have it removed...

Now East Village-based photographers James and Karla Murray report via Instagram that 2 Boots will be restoring the sign.

Per James and Karla: "Instead of just removing the signage, the good news is that Two Boots will be restoring the sign ... We love when we hear that a new tenant appreciates the history of a store and its signage. In this case, the Loft's sign features the candy store's mid century logotype."

The work on the sign started earlier this week...



Two Boots, which got its start on Avenue A (different location than its current home) in 1987, now has 17 locations in six states.

Previously on EV Grieve:
This post has nothing to do with the East Village, except for the part about 2 Boots Pizza

On Avenue A, Soothsayer is now Chao Chao

The family-owned Soothsayer, a contemporary Vietnamese restaurant at 171 Avenue A between 10th Street and 11th Street, is now going by Chao Chao.

Here's more about the new venture via its website:

Chao Chao means a number of things in Vietnamese, depending on various accent marks and their placement. All meanings are food and hospitality related: a welcoming “hello”, a warming “soup”, delicious “meatballs”, or “shrimp balls” a sizzling “wok”, and, the accentuation used for the restaurant’s name, tangy “fermented tofu”.

Chao Chao is the brainchild of Stuy-Town native, Stephan Brezinsky. The concept is based in his life experience, growing up around Alphabet City in the 90s, listening to the Beastie Boys, and going home to feast on his mother’s Vietnamese home cooking.

Here's a look at the menu...


[Click for more detail]

Soothsayer closed without any notice to patrons at the end of September. They were on CB3's SLA October docket for an upgrade to a full liquor license. (CB3 issued a denial on the license.) Soothsayer opened in January.

As for No. 171, it was the former home of 171A, a studio used by the Beastie Boys, Bad Brains and Reagan Youth, among other bands.

Thursday's parting shot

A view atop St. Nicholas of Myra Orthodox Church on Avenue A at 10th Street via Steven...

EV Grieve Etc.: Anti-Trump protests continue; the 'effortlessly cool' LES

[Subway art on 7th Street via Derek Berg]

Trump demonstrations in NYC (Gothamist ... B+B ... with more on the way)

After Trump's win, no clear answers for New York City's undocumented immigrants (Politico)

Yuh-Line Niou elected to State Assembly (The Lo-Down)

Arts and Election Day in the East Village (The New Yorker)

71-year-old man robbed twice in two weeks in the Wald Houses (Daily News)

A walk through the shops and galleries of the "effortlessly cool" Lower East Side (The New York Times)

A visit to Thursday Kitchen on East Ninth Street (The New York Time ...previously)

The elusive Cooper's hawk in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography)

A look at menu item at the new Nordic restaurant n’eat on Second Avenue (Grub Street)

Sales of air rights falling in NYC (The Real Deal)

"Anguish," an "undeservedly obscure, offbeat thriller" from 1987, plays Saturday afternoon at 4:45 (Anthology Film Archives)

Lou Reed’s “Walk On The Wild Side” 44 years later (Off the Grid)

...and over at Academy Record on 12th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

Putting out about 100+ punk singles at the 12th street shop. Here's some of them. #punk #uk82 #ushc #anarchyinyourbedroom

A photo posted by Academy Records NYC (@academyrecords) on Nov 9, 2016 at 1:53pm PST

Lucy remains missing

An East Village resident's apartment was burglarized late Saturday night. Upon his return home on Sunday afternoon, the person/people who did this left his window open... and both of his cats were gone. He found one in a courtyard... Lucy, pictured above, is still missing. (And she's not the same cat found the other night on Third Street and Avenue B.)

Lucy was last spotted in the schoolyard behind Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

[Updated] DOH temporarily closes McSorley's

The DOH temporarily closed McSorley's yesterday on Seventh Street near Cooper Square, as these photos by EVG reader Russell Kohn show...



The city has not yet posted yesterday's inspection online.

In 2011, the city made McSorley's dust off the bar's famous wishbones, placed there some 100 years ago by doughboys headed off to war...(McSorley's also had to remove bar cat Minnie McSorely.)

Given the bar's ample presidential paraphernalia, an inspection the day after Election Night seems curious.

Updated 4 p.m.

The inspection report still isn't online. (They had an A, with only two minuscule violation points following the last inspection in May.)

According to Gothamist, The Health Department's inspection yesterday "revealed several critical health hazards, including evidence of rat activity, food held at the wrong temperature, and conditions conducive to vermin and pest activity."

Bar owner Matthew Maher blamed the ongoing Cooper Square reconstruction for the rat mess.

Per DNAinfo:

"There was a whole load of building equipment here, when the city opened up the pipes and all that, and they just took that away a couple of weeks ago, and that was a haven for rats," he said, noting he had seen the rodents scurrying around near the site during the restoration project from the city's Department of Design and Construction, which included tearing up the pavement in the plaza to install a new gas main.

When a health inspector came by unannounced on Wednesday afternoon, rat droppings were found throughout the basement, said Maher, who suspected the vermin got in when workers installing a new heating system weeks prior failed to shut the basement door on the sidewalk.

Updated 11/11

The report is now online.

There were 42 violation points. The main three violations:

1) Cold food item held above 41º F (smoked fish and reduced oxygen packaged foods above 38 ºF) except during necessary preparation.
2) Evidence of rats or live rats present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.
3) Evidence of mice or live mice present in facility's food and/or non-food areas.

In the past two years, they've only had two violations points total.

Turntable Lab latest business to vacate 7th Street between Avenue A and 1st Avenue

[Image via Turntable Lab]

Along with a new website, the folks at Turntable Lab, providing one-step shopping for DJs, have announced that they "will be moving to a larger, more central East Village location." The Google Map link takes visitors to 10th Street between Fourth Avenue and Third Avenue. (Perhaps the space above Black & White that Wiz Kid Management vacated.)

Anyway, the owners of the 17-year-old Turntable Lab said that they will be providing more information on the new storefront soon.

This departure marks the latest business to either close or move away from the block. For instance, at No. 111, the wine bar Virgola and vintage clothing shop Village Style left earlier in the fall. Meanwhile, Porchetta is closed for now ahead of a move... and the owners of paint shop/boutique Verdigreen ceased operations in September.

H/T DrBop

I voted

[Photo by @chwhat]

Among the East Village residents voting today at the Theater for the New City on First Avenue — 105-year-old Tekla Husiak. Photographer Christina Holmes (find more of her work here) said that Husiak was out to cast her vote for Hillary Clinton.

Election Day tip

There are reports of long lines to vote this morning... such as seen in the reader-submitted photo here at Theater for the New City on First Avenue, where the line stretches back and around the corner on Ninth Street.

EVG reader Mel shared this:

The long lines at polling places are queues of folks who need to look up their Assembly and District numbers in order to sign in to vote.

To shorten the process, look up your Assembly and District numbers before heading to the polls here.

I knew my numbers, so it took me 7 minutes, start to finish, to vote.

Polls in New York State are open until 9 tonight.

Updated 10:30

EVG reader Terry Howell just voted at the Theater for the New City... he noted the long lines as well and added, "But if you know your Election District and/or Assembly District number, find a poll worker. They are canvassing the line frequently, and tell them you know your voting districts. They will take you inside and direct you to your table where the line is minimal.

The poll workers are very organized, friendly and helpful. TFNC being cramped as always and the crowd being large, they are doing an excellent job at keeping it moving. Let them guide you. The voters crowd is in a pleasant mood — happy to have it finally done!

A photo this morning from Manhattan School For Career Development on Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue via Derek Berg...

About the Alamo spinning again without barricades on Astor Place

Today is the 1-week anniversary of the refurbished Alamo's return to Astor Place.

The fencing has remained up around the cube, prompting some questions, like, What's up with that barricade?

Sandwich board signage arrived yesterday with an explanation...



The sign notes that "there remains a final phase of onsite restoration needed." Then! "Once complete, the barricades will be removed."

This will also allow city officials more time to find the REAL cube.

Porchetta has closed on 7th Street; owners searching for new location

[Photo by the Bride of 7th]

Porchetta has not been open of late on Seventh Street... a note on the door points to repairs here between Avenue A and First Avenue. A tipster told us that business has been slow.

I reached out to co-owners Sara Jenkins and Matt Lindemulder to see what was happening.

Lindemulder confirmed that the Seventh Street location of Porchetta has now officially closed.

"We are not permanently shut just moving. We have not yet found the right location yet but we are exploring a couple of options and are looking forward to getting up and running as soon as possible," he said via email. "One of those options is in the East Village but nothing concrete has materialized."

The quick-serve restaurant, which specializes in Italian-style roast pork sandwiches and platters, opened in 2008. There are plenty of fans. New York magazine called Porchetta’s porchetta "drop-dead delicious, abundantly juicy, aggressively seasoned."

Jenkins also runs Porsena and Extra Bar on Seventh Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

A look at the 12-floor retail-residential building coming to 79 Avenue D

The foundation work continues at 79 Avenue D, where a 12-story retail-residential building will rise here between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...



Last week, Real Estate Weekly offered a few more details on the project from L + M Development Partners.

The building ... is expected to have 110 apartment units, 22 of which will be permanently affordable. It will also have amenities such as a fitness center, landscaped roof deck, an outdoor terrace and a function room. The retail space on the ground floor has been pre-leased to drug store Rite Aid.

This past summer, workers demolished several one-level storefronts, including Rite Aid and Shady's pizza. In January, the Rite Aid relocated one block north to the vacant retail space in the Arabella 101 building. So it will be returning.

To date, we hadn't seen any renderings for the new building. GF55 Partners, whose area work includes Jupiter 21 and 48 Bond, are the architects of record.

In case you're curious, this is what No. 79 looks like via the rendering on the plywood...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Space that houses Rite Aid on Avenue D hits market for $22.5 million

Report: New 12-story, mixed-use building in the works for Avenue D

Permit pre-filed for new 12-floor building at 79-89 Avenue D