Monday, April 29, 2024

Iconic East Village gay bar Boiler Room has closed ahead of move to a new location on 2nd Avenue

After nearly 30 years, the Boiler Room has closed (as of last week) at 86 E. Fourth St. near Second Avenue.

As previously reported, the no-frills LGBTQ+ bar is relocating around the corner to 45 Second Ave. between Third Street and Second Street...
The bar's Facebook page states that the new Boiler Room will open at the end of May in the space that was previously Timbuktu

According to management, the building's landlord at 86 E. Fourth St. had them in a two-plus-year court battle over pandemic-related back rent payments. A judge ruled in favor of the landlord, who requires a lump-sum payment without negotiations for current and future rent. 

Part of the new outpost will look familiar: Management said they were taking the well-worn bar from Fourth Street with them.

Previously on EV Grieve:

A Link5G tower for Avenue C

Updated 5/30: There's a petition to remove the tower here. 

-----

The East Village now has another unsightly Link5G tower, this one on Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. 

The EVG reader who shared this photo noted: "I'll never understand what force makes these exist."

Right-o! 

The first 32-foot EV tower arrived in August 2022 on Second Avenue at First Street ... then another on Avenue A at 12th Street. One was in the works for outside 184 E. Seventh St. at Avenue B, though there has been opposition to this one.  

A quickie recap via amNY in 2022: 
The new structures are operated as a public-private partnership by consortium CityBridge, and are a revamp of the old 10-foot kiosks the firm set up under former Mayor Bill de Blasio starting in 2015 with free Wi-Fi, USB charging ports, a tablet, a 911 button, and calling capabilities. 
EVG readers nicknamed these things "Phal-link," "deBlasiooo," and "32feetOfGray," among others

There has been political opposition to the 5G towers... read more about the advocacy that Village Preservation is doing here.

Coming attractions: The Oasis Cafe on Avenue A

Signage is up now for an outpost of The Oasis Cafe at 198 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street.

The bakery-dessert shop, which started in Flushing, also has locations in Astoria and Midtown (and they ship their sweets like eclairs, cheesecake and cookies nationwide). 

No word on an opening date. 

The address was most recently Auriga Cafe... and before that, the world-famous Empire Biscuit.

Openings: Hidden Grounds Chai & Coffee House on 3rd Avenue

An outpost of the Hidden Grounds Chai & Coffee House is now open at 36 Third Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

The brand, which now includes eight locations (six in New Jersey and one in Brooklyn), started on the Rutgers campus in 2013. 

This location offers several pastries and a variety of coffee and chai options to go. Find the menu here.

Hours: Monday through Thursday, 7 a.m. to 2 p.m.; Friday, 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.; and Saturday -Sunday, 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Sunday, April 28, 2024

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Jacob Ford 

A scene from a conversation today at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue and 10th Street with East Village native Ada Calhoun.

The author-journalist discussed her work, including the must-read books "St. Marks Is Dead" and "Also a Poet: Frank O’Hara, My Father, and Me."

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included... (with the word from 10th and A)... 

• At NYU, 'Gaza Solidarity Encampment' leads to arrests of over 150 people (Tuesday)

• Police searching for suspect in unprovoked daytime stabbing on 7th Street on April 9 (Monday

• The untold story of Snack Dragon's attempted East Village comeback (Tuesday

• An early-morning fire at 131 Avenue A (Wednesday) ... assessing the fire damage (Wednesday

• Violet times: An Earth Day look at the wisteria on Stuyvesant Street (Monday

• From the Poetry Window at East Village Books (Saturday

• Dan & John's has closed its original East Village location after 9 years (Tuesday

• The Charlie Parker Jazz Festival returns to Tompkins Square Park this Aug. 25 (Wednesday

• Celebrating the birth of the Pyramid Club at Howl! Arts (Thursday

• A benefit concert for East Village musician Jesse Malin (Wednesday)

• About Stylus, a private members-only club coming to the Lower East Side (Friday

• Workers removed a dead elm from Tompkins (Thursday) ... and the city has been planting new trees in the neighborhood (Friday

• Closing notices: J-Spec Wagyu Dining and Esora Omakase on 5th Street (Wednesday

• Openings: Pizza Pazzo on 1st Street (Monday)

• A retail reset at 20 St. Mark's Place (Monday)

• So long to the longtime sidewalk bridge on 12th Street, and hello to SMØR Bakery (Monday

• Sushi Fan has not been open lately on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

• Where to see Films on the Green this summer (but not in Tompkins Square Park) (Friday)

• A smoke and vape shop for the former Gaia Italian Café on 3rd Street (Wednesday

• A changing of the bar at 16 1st Ave. (Monday

... and beware of those dubious rental listings promising various "doorman amenities" (photo on 9th Street by Steven)...
---
Follow EVG on Instagram or X for more frequent updates and pics.

Local students help create a tribute to Basquiat at the 12C Outdoor Gallery

Photos by @galinskynow 

The 12C Outdoor Gallery has been coming back to life with the help of some local students.

Earlier this month, several artists, parents, and grammar school students went to work on a new mural on the corner of 12th Street and Avenue C. 

The piece is titled: "With Love from the LES to the Caribbean: In Memory of Jean-Michel Basquiat."
... and the final product...
The mural is a collaboration led by artists Savannah Zambrano and Andrea Amanda with students at P.S. 188 The Island School ... with the support of Loisaida Inc., Galinsky Coaching, Thrive Collective, Curated Concepts LLC, and the Lower Manhattan Cultural Council.

In early March, Brooklyn-based artist Danielle Mastrion finished the first mural outside the renovated building, paying tribute to Puerto Rican freedom fighter and spiritual luminary Pedro Albizu Campos. (Campos Plaza is directly across 12th Street.)
The 12C Outdoor Art Gallery previously featured a rotating batch of murals curated by Robert Galinsky. One constant throughout the years was the Gil Scott-Heron tribute that Chico created after the jazz poet, musician, and author died in 2011

Saturday, April 27, 2024

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

Creative use of the ping-pong table in Tompkins Square Park today... 

'In the Scheme of Things'

In honor of both National Poetry Month and Independent Bookstore Day...from the Poetry Window at East Village Books... featuring the work of Johnny H., an East Village poet...

"In the Scheme of Things"

What is a cocklebur waiting
For a bear that never comes
What does it do the day
But wave in the wind
At the end of a stem
What nature is this
To have gifted a purpose
Crafted a means
Assigned proper tasks
To chloroplasts and sun
Was it better that one day I,
Yes a mammal with no hair
To speak of
But new jeans and argyle
On a clumsy path
Through loblolly pines
Become a raison d’etre

East Village Books,  99 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue
Saturday hours: 1 p.m. until late

A last spring pop up for 3rd & B’zaar

Photo by Stacie Joy 
From left: Delphine, Autumn and Maegan

Today (Saturday!) from noon to 6 p.m. is the last pop-up at the current incarnation of 3rd & B’zaar, 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

There will be some deals inside and out via local vintage sellers, designers and other indie merchants.

The folks at the retail and event space will also be selling furniture and fixtures to make room for the next edition of 3rd & B’zaar coming later in May when vendors Lui & Lui take over for the next year.

Saturday's opening shot

Peak (?) wisteria on Stuyvesant Street...

Friday, April 26, 2024

A fifth of 'baethoven'

 

D.C.'s Ekko Astral recently released its debut record, pink balloons. 

The above video is for an earlier single this year titled "baethoven." 

Read more about the pioneers of "mascara moshpit" music here.

A tree-mendous scene

Workers from NYC Parks were spotted planting new trees today on Second Avenue at Sixth Street ... thanks to Carol from East 5th Street for the pic. 

And FYI: This link has info on requesting a new tree for a block.

About Stylus, a private members-only club coming to the Lower East Side

A private members-only club is in the works for the under-renovation 48 Clinton St. between Stanton and Rivington. 

An EVG reader shared the photo below... in which reps for the new concept, Stylus, placed notices in adjacent buildings.

The unnamed applicants will appear before CB3's SLA committee on May 13 for a liquor license for the space.
According to the document, "Stylus is a unique, purpose-built listening and gathering club for the curious and creative in the Lower East Side neighborhood." 

The document goes on to share some background about the applicants, who are "medical entrepreneurs and art veterans in the for-profit and nonprofit sectors."

And!
The family, whose love for music and art encompasses generations and continents, created Stylus with the intention of sharing artistic and culinary experiences with a vetted community of art enthusiasts, colleagues, and friends in an elevated environment.
Stylus will take up residence in the basement and ground floor, featuring seating for 60 and a listening space. The "curated food and beverage program" will include "thoughtfully crafted small plates, each uniquely designed to seamlessly complement the focused listening experience while highlighting the fleeting beauty of seasonal ingredients." 

The proposed hours are 9 a.m. to midnight daily, with a 1 a.m. close on Fridays and Saturdays.

The May CB3 meetings calendar has not been posted just yet.

No. 48 was once home to LoHo Studios, where artists such as Joey Ramone, Willie Nelson, Phish, Patti Smith, and Joan Jett recorded. The building was also one of two local properties previously owned by entities of the Blue Man Group. 

In 2018, Dr. Arani Bose, co-founder of the medical device company Penumbra, reportedly paid $5.4 million for the property.