That's a helluva note to post on the office fridge

From the Times today, in an article titled Shock Greets Move to Close Amato Opera in May:

[T]his weekend a note from Mr. Amato was posted on the refrigerator in the offstage area at the company’s home in a small building on the Bowery in the East Village: he was shutting down the company after this season.

“Now, with Sally gone, I have decided that it is time for me to start a new chapter in my life,” the note read. “It has been a great 60-year run!”

In an interview on Monday, Mr. Amato said he had sold the building; the club CBGB was a neighbor for years before it, too, closed.

“I’m 88 years old, and I’m a little tired,” he said. “I have a few years left.” Mr. Amato said he might write his memoirs and wants to establish a foundation to give awards to young singers, conductors and directors. He also plans to study scores, especially Wagner’s.

Curbed has more details on the sale.

The moon...and those red lights!...at the Christodora House

Even spookier!

From firing her "personal organizer" to cutting back on facials, a Long Island millionaire copes with the recession

The New York Post has the sad story, which strangely reads like a personal ad.

Ruin of the Bowery nearly complete: Last season for the Amato Opera

After 60 years the Amato Opera will close its doors after this season. Anthony Amato, the company’s 88-year-old founder, gave the news to his company before Saturday night’s performance of “The Merry Widow.” Mr. Amato said he had sold the opera’s building on the Bowery in the East Village. (New York Times)

Founded in 1948 by Tony and Sally Amato (she passed away in 2000), the Opera has called 319 Bowery home since 1964. Here's an excerpt on the Amato Opera that appears on its Web site. From an article written by Sondra Zuckerman Diaz:

Amato Opera opened originally with two goals in mind: to present entertaining opera at popular prices, and to give singers a stage on which to gain much-needed experience in full-length productions. The early company utilized students from Tony Amato's opera classes. ... Early performances were free because union regulations would not allow them to charge admission. Contributions were requested during intermission. Tony Amato had invested his own money to get the company started. At 319 Bowery, when admission could be charged, tickets were $1.20 an reserved seats, $1.80. In 1975, 15 years later, ticket prices were only $3-4 a performances. Today, at only $23 for an orchestra seat, ticket prices are still a fraction of what is charged at other opera houses. Amato is believed to be the only self-sustaining opera house in the United States. ... The Amato Opera is often referred to as a "mom and pop" operation.

Here's a video created by Columbia Graduate School of Journalism students on the Bowery Poetry Club and the Amato Opera.(The Opera portion begins around the one-minute mark.)



Jeremiah has more on the Amato from last January.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

"The growing number of New York neighborhood blogs — there are nearly 200, many in Brownstone Brooklyn, but there are others in communities like Inwood, Harlem and Astoria, Queens — has amplified the city’s already boisterous discourse, raised the ideological stakes in discussions of even the tiniest issues and turned upside down the old chestnuts about urban isolation." Blogging about a neighborhood? Who would do that? Losers! (New York Times)

The Times also breaks down the latest census figures. It's a portrait of how the city has changed since 2000. On the LES: 55 percent more adults with bachelor's degrees; 43 percent more households of men living alone; 24 percent fewer Hispanic residents.

Historic 61 Fifth Ave. ready for the wrecking ball to make way for...a 10-story mixed-use building, (A Fine Blog; read Jeremiah's history of the location, which once housed a Schrafft's.)

From Scoopy's Notebook: EV Slacktivist leader John Penley wills his photo archives; an illegal hostel on East Third Street. (The Villager)

No pants on the subway (Gothamist)

Kim's Video collection on the way to Italy (New York Post; earlier)

Live above Robin Raj

At 114 Third Ave. At the old Grace and Hope Mission. Given the proximity to bars, a store full of snacks, NYU...I expect that apartment to look something like this soon...




Previous Robin Raj coverage on EV Grieve.

Save the date

Those red lights at the Christodora House

Spooky.

A sign at the Holiday

My pulse quickened a bit yesterday when I saw a sign attached to the front of the now-closed Holiday Cocktail Lounge. I hoped that it would say:

All is well. We will reopen this Friday.

Or something like that.



Hmm.

Meanwhile, Patrick Hedlund notes the story in his Mixed Use column in this week's issue of The Villager:

The no-frills pub, between First and Second Aves., has served as a watering hole for artists and eccentrics for more than four decades. It’s worth noting that another East Village dive, Sophie’s on E. Fifth St., encountered similar troubles a year ago due to the failing health of its owner, but managed to negotiate a deal to stay open. Stay tuned.

True, though Sophie's and Mona's never closed for any business while the bars were being sold...the bars did stay in the family.

Blink, and there's a Vitamin Shoppe

Just seems like yesterday that I mentioned a Vitamin Shoppe was opening on 14th Street and First Avenue...The last few months have seemingly zipped by...and Vitamin Shoppes must be easy to create.

Go Gators? Go home

East Seventh Street.

Snow job

Keep it classy. On Avenue B.

Returning to the scene of the crime

Walking on St. Mark's last night around 7:30, I noticed the usual number of cops making the rounds, eyeballing the crowd, keeping the peace, etc. Not very noteworthy. However. I'm still thinking about the stupid piece from the Post yesterday:

JUST LIKE OL' CRIMES
NYPD'S LETUP STIRS FEARS OF '80S FLASHBACK

There are so many problems with this article. In the "Alphabet City" section alone. The piece begins "Residents and business owners fear..." So what residents do they speak with? A 21-year-old NYU student. That's it. Maybe find someone who has lived here a little longer and likely doesn't move away during the summer? And while Mitch is a very credible source at St. Mark's Comics, he's the only EV business owner the Post talked with. So let's not get into this plural stuff guys. (And there's one quote attributed to him -- I'd be interested in hearing what else he said to the reporter.) Worse, is the imagery that somehow being homeless is the same thing as being a criminal.



And hey -- nothing against poor Carolyn here. Not really her fault a reporter made a poor judgement in selecting a source and asking a speculative question . . . for an article on the NYPD relaxing its enforcement of petty "quality of life" infractions that may turn the city back into a set for Death Wish. She wasn't even born yet.

Anyway. Thank you to everyone who commented on the previous post.

Unborn yesterday

No doubt you've seen the movie posters for The Unborn plastered around the neighborhood...such as these at 6th Street and Avenue C. The movie opened yesterday in theaters.



First reaction? What the fuck is Gary Oldman doing? He plays a rabbi. In the shot below below, Gary reads the script. Yuk, yuk.



Ugh. At least we were spared The Unborn Gratuitous Butt Shot posters for the teenaged audience.

Dang

Was reading Alex's excellent essay on Jeff Buckley over at Flaming Pablum earlier today. He mentioned 1994. And releases from that year. Like Orange. By the Jon Spencer Blues Explosion. Good stuff. So....



And is this one of those videos that Weird Al did for them...?

"Flapper skirts on a bride of Christ! I don't like undercover nuns"

Continuing with our celebration of Elvis's birthday, which was, uh, yesterday. With! Change of Habit. Set in NYC. 1969. Elvis is a doctor. Mary Tyler Moore is a nun. Bring some butter for this corn. Here's the first 8 minutes (with Spanish subtitles...) showing some vintage Midtown NYC.

A belated b-day salute to Elvis

Crud. Meant to post this on his birthday, which was yesterday. Elvis was born Jan. 8, 1935. Here's an excerpt from a press conference he did June 9, 1972, at Madison Square Garden prior to a four-show stint there.



Here's a transcript of the press conference.

Noted

From The New York Post today:

If the NYPD relaxes its enforcement of petty "quality of life" infractions, it could be a turning point back to the days when murders, muggings and mayhem plagued the city, says a law-enforcement expert who played a key role in developing the crime-busting policy.

"You might be pointing to a tipping point," said George Kelling, who helped formulate the "broken windows" approach to policing that was the model for Mayor Rudy Giuliani's successful zero-tolerance policy.

"It's too early to tell . . . but the consequence might be more street crime."

By the way, what does a sleeping homeless man have to do with "murders, muggings and mayhem"?

One small step...

From Hunter-Gatherer: Six-month-old dessert place OKO on First Avenue (Momofuku Place) is closed for "renovations" after opening six months ago....

NYC Young Republicans already missing Bush

YOUNG GOPERS: 'O,' THE PAIN! BUSH LEAGUERS MOURN BARACK ERA (New York Post)