123 Third Ave. shows its yellow belly

Still no sign of that "coming soon" sales office, though... 14th Street and Third Avenue.

A pizza empire grows on St. Mark's Place

On Monday, we pointed out that Totale Pizza (brick oven!) opened on St. Mark's Place just a few doors from the cheapza at 2 Bros ...



Well! Grub Street's Daniel Maurer has the details ... he reports that "the improbably elegant digs are the handiwork of Eli Halali, who owns 2 Bros. a couple of doors down with his brother." Read more here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another pizza place for St. Mark's Place

The Bowery, 6:01 p.m., May 26

Rolling out the pink carpet for AOL's 25th anniversary bash at the Bowery Hotel.

Report: Man arrested for kidnapping, attempted rape after finding woman passed out on Avenue C

An awful story from today's NYPD Daily Blotter in the Post today:

A thug abducted a drunken, unconscious woman from an East Village street, brought her to his apartment and attempted to rape her, authorities said yesterday.

Cuerin Fernanders, 35, scooped the 27-year-old woman from the ground on East Ninth Street near Avenue C at about 1:30 a.m. Friday, cops said.

The victim was on her way home and blacked out after having drinks with a friend.

When she regained consciousness, she was in Fernanders' apartment, with her underwear removed and her wedding and engagements rings missing, she told police.

She fled and reported the incident, and Fernanders was busted for kidnapping, attempted rape and grand larceny.

Exclusive: First look at "The Smurfs Movie" in the East Village

Please meet the next corner of the Bowery primed for something luxurious

Yesterday, Eater broke the news that a new eatery is in the works at the former Sunshine Hotel Annex on the Bowery at Stanton Street...

Now... it looks as if yet another corner of the Bowery is ready to fall into the hands of luxury ... The space is available immediately at 348-352 Bowery, which is these three properties:



The killer here is the corner of Great Jones... home of the auto repair shop... this business has been doomed for years... just waiting for the day to be swallowed up in the wake of the Varvatos-DBGB-Bowery Hotel luxury invasion... the listing says this 800-square-feet of outdoor space is available... and that restaurants are welcome! But of course!



Some facts from the listing:

neighboring tenants
John Varvatos, Rogan Jeans, Whole Foods Market, DBGB, Gemma, Double Crown, Il Buco, Pulino's Bar & Pizzeria, and Five Points Restaurant

comments
- Nightlife corridor
- Unbeatable 24 hour/seven-day-a-week traffic
- In close proximity to The Bowery Hotel and The Cooper Square Hotel
- Located among some of downtown's best eateries
- Can be combined
- Restaurants welcome

Can we put this one into our McNally Effect folder too? And here's how it all might fit together...



Meanwhile, one of the properties for lease is the former sales office for Village Green, your favorite eco-indulgent condoplex on East 11th Street...Given the apparent success of Village Green... an off-site office may not be necessary...

On East Fifth Street: Blue Jay vs. Cat (Plus! Cute cat video alert!)

There are several signs posted along East Fifth Street between Cooper Square and Second Avenue... (You can click on the post for a better view...) ... about a nest of baby Blue Jays... they are in danger of falling, but that's OK. The instructions on the sign tell you what to do in the event you find a dazed Blue Jay on the street...



And there's more information about what's happening here via AnimalTourism.com:

"The eggs have hatched in the fire escape nest built by blue jays on Fifth Street ... but that hasn't stopped the blue jay father from obsessing over the cat who lives down the block."

I'll say!



And there's video!

Cooper Square Hotel finishes building fence that looks just as out of place as the hotel

As I noted yesterday, workers were fencing in the garden spot along East Fifth Street outside the Cooper Square Hotel... How many Popsicle sticks were used to make this?




However, as you can see, the Coopsters left a slot in the Popsicle sticks for any fancy car parties they may have this summer...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Residents discuss the problems created by the Cooper Square Hotel: Meanwhile, across the street, a party for a sports car

One brief moment outside the Crazy Landlord Building

Monday afternoon, I spotted someone hanging something or another on the Crazy Landlord Building at Third Street and Second Avenue...



Less than 24 hours later, the sign (I think it was a stenciled Arizona Immigration piece) had been removed by Crazy Landlord Street Art Cleaners...



Previously on EV Grieve:
"Crazy Landlord" cleans up his corner: Here comes a "sexier Balthazar"

Cafe Colonial says goodbye

BoweryBoogie brought the sad news that Cafe Colonial on Houston at Elizabeth was closing for good last evening... I stopped by just after 6 p.m. to see what was what... Cafe Colonial owner Luciane Gilan left a message behind on the mural...



...while the inside was already cleared out...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Cafe Colonial owner says Pulino's opening helped triple her rent

Future of 276 Elizabeth apparently doesn't include the Cafe Colonial

Shepard Fairey's mural tagged and cleaned and tagged again ... again

I can't even keep track of this anymore... the tags are cleaned off, only to return bigger and better...

Read the previous Shep coverage here.

Charlotte Ronson filming something on the Bowery today

Spotted just north of Houston.

The agony and the Ecstasy: A report from the EV Grieve Eau Claire Bureau

A story from May 13... though relevant given "The Smurfs Movie" is filming here now... and, well...

A 16-year-old boy was charged Wednesday in adult court in Clark County with four drug-related felonies, including selling Ecstasy in tablet form of cartoon characters Papa Smurf and Homer Simpson.

(Source: Eau Claire Leader-Telegram)

NYPD impounds President Hoover's car collection

At First Avenue and Seventh Street... For a film shoot, of course... but which one?

Mystery lot singing the blues?

All sorts of new developments here in the vacant lot (or mystery lot, as Curbed calls this space) between 14th Street and 13th Street east of Third Avenue... Aside from some colorful new tags, there's a mysterious blue tarp hanging on the 14th Street fence...





Your guesses are welcome as to what the blue tarp is for...

Previously on EV Grieve:
An appreciation: That empty lot on 13th Street

Another view of the Mystery Lot

Westville East still looking to add a sidewalk care; calls out "mean-spirited neighbors"

Last week, the CB3/SLA committee denied Westville East's request to add a sidewalk cafe... As The Lo-Down reported, the sidewalk cafe license was rejected "on the grounds that Avenue A is already overburdened with bars and late night crowds."

Tonight, the full CB3 will apparently hear their case...signs up in the window at Westville on Avenue A and 11th Street explain what's what... they also call out some "mean-spirited neighbors..."

Graceland's graffiti is going, going...

I mentioned this a few weeks ago... better check out the remaining tags at the former Graceland space on Avenue A and Second Street sooner rather than later ... workers were starting to scrub down down the building yesterday afternoon...




Previously on EV Grieve:
Appreciating Graceland's graffiti

Ghost signage at former Telephone Bar and Grill?

The exterior work on the former Telephone Bar continues on Second Avenue near Ninth Street... EV Grieve reader Miranda sent this shot along from last Friday morning, when the work was really getting started outside...



Made easier, of course, without those pesky old red telephone booths... and work continued yesterday... So... What I can't recall... is that Bar & Grill sign part of the old Telephone signage from a few years back?




It just doesn't look like signage for what is coming to this address, the lovingly named 13th Step...

Previously on EV Grieve:
The 13th Step sure to be big with the AA crowd

Jurassic Pipes on East 10th Street

Yesterday, I was walking down that nice stretch on East 10th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue...on the way to drop off the CB3 application forms for my friend Chloe*...



...when I came upon these workers and these...these... pieces of something...



At first, I thought it was some sort of... of ... steampunk exhibit... I finally asked the worker. He said that they were removing the old boiler. Good lord... I think this is an Benjamin Maugham original!

--------

* not really

The Sex and the City II economy tour

From Gadling.com yesterday... some NYC specials based on "Sex and the City II" ... and this is just... depressing...

New York City's Pod Hotel, a budget-minded property on East 51st Street, has put together one of these anti-SATC packages.

Starting at $139 per night, the "Don't Get Carried Away" package includes one night in a bunk-bed room at the Pod, two cupcakes from Buttercup Bake Shop, a Brooklyn cocktail at East Side Social Club, and a knock-off designer handbag from Canal Street.

This package is a refreshing alternative to other SATC-themed packages, which typically have heftier price tags (can you say luxurious suites, Magnolia Bakery cupcakes, Cosmopolitan cocktails, and designer brands?)

And I just can't tell if this is supposed to be funny or not.