Wednesday, June 9, 2010

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition



Goggla tours the East Village community gardens (The Gog Log)

Jeremiah continues the hunt for Hopper's Nighthawks (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Alex is looking for some old photos (Flaming Pablum)

Boogie checks in on the new eatery destined for Bowery and Stanton (BoweryBoogie)

Eden follows the signs (Slum Goddess)

Karate Boogaloo has a reminder about the the fundraising sale at the Archive of Contemporary Music (Stupefaction)

And I like the new Mars Bar art...

Remembering Finest Pizza's wounded pizza mascot

Every so often I do that feature titled Posts That I Never Got Around to Posting (such as this one!)... usually an item that I found of interest, but never pursued. Or forgot about. I found the following in my drafts folder... this one becomes timely given the closure this week of the Finest Pizza and Deli on Avenue B...

You recall their (generic) pizza mascot...



As a reader passed along in the spring, a vandal ripped of his right arm....



...and discarded it a short distance away...



But! Abdul and company were able to reattach it...




I wonder what will happen to our wounded pizza man now that the store is closed?

Updated: Fire on Second Avenue


Per EV Grieve reader evilsugar25~ from last night:

Fire at 122 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Marks. Stomp theater (the Orpheum) evacuated, broken glass in the front windows of the Ukrainian Sports Club at122 ... at least eight fire trucks and cops galore. Crowds on the street. A different kind of NYC excitement.


EV Grieve reader RatherBeBiking took these shots a little bit later... (via his Flickr account)




Don't know the extent of the damage just yet... Anyone else have information?

[Updated] EV Grieve reader Fairfax Wright shared more photos:





You can find them via Flickr too.

Buckets of beer at the Neptune

You know, it has been a long time since I've eaten at the Neptune on First Avenue between 11th Street and 12th Street ... Too long! So I headed that way for a meal...



...and I was surprised to see this sign in the window...



A bucket of beers for $15? Wake up after 5? Seems awfully, say, Village Pourhouse-y for the Neptune... I suppose this is the reality for places such as the Neptune to compete with so many fratty bars around... they are reduced to this.

Even Porta-Potties get makeovers on the Bowery these days

Yesterday, BoweryBoogie and Curbed checked in on the progress at 257 Bowery, home of the new Sperone Westwater Gallery...



Meanwhile, to the important story here. I've been keeping tabs on the Call-A-Head for the construction workers at street level ... Even by Porta-Potty standards, this one was pretty sub-standard... But! Like many things on the Bowery of late, it had been converted.



...with the potential for a breeze...




And I finally got a look inside the space the other evening...




Not sure how much the owners are paying a square foot, but I do like what they have done with the limited space...

East Village eatery odds-and-ends: DBGB getting happy and cheap; Planet Rose expanding

I don't recall ever seeing this sign outside DBGB before... they want us to get happy with them now?



As discussed earlier, Planet Rose is expanding on Avenue A near 14th Street... and they have a new awning on the storefront to the left...



Last summer here!



This photo by an EV Grieve reader shows the continued progress at Motek, a coming-soon French creperie and cafe on St. Mark's Place near Avenue A...



Oh, and this on Fourth Avenue near 13th Street... I like the tag on the rolldown gate...



A note for smokers at Diablo Royale Este on Avenue A...



And the Brindle Room on East 10th Street serves Genesee...which I haven't had in about 25 years...around the time I thought they had stopped making it...

Sticker art by the Bald Man



Spotted on Third Street near Avenue A. Heh.

Tuesday, June 8, 2010

Lights out on Avenue A and St. Mark's



The traffic light, that is...

East Village noise wars go national



Thanks to Jeremiah Moss for including my thoughts in a piece for The Huffington Post titled, Fighting the Noise Wars -- One Blog at a Time. He also includes commentary from Jill at Blah Blog Blah.

Own half of a used Warhol on East Sixth Street

Here's a nice house for sale on East Sixth Street between Second Avenue and First Avenue... Let's take a look at some photos before delving into the new-to-the-market listing...







OK? Here's the listing:

Half ownership interest in a 20’-wide, four-story, Anglo-Italianate brick townhouse located on a highly desirable, tree-lined block in the heart of the East Village. Offered are the garden and parlor floors of approximately 2,400 square feet, with exclusive access to a large landscaped garden with pond, flagstone patio, established flower beds, and use of the finished basement with updated mechanicals, ideal for storage. Abutting the landmarked Community Synagogue, built originally as the historic St. Marks Lutheran Church, 321 East 6th Street is uniquely situated affording three exposures including oversized parlor floor windows. Many original details have been retained including the well-shaded high-stoop and second entrance below, wood-burning fireplaces, crown moldings, parquet and hardwood floors, and grandiose 13-foot ceilings. Use these two distinct and handsomely appointed floors as currently configured or join the two to create an expansive and gracious lower duplex. The entire property offers approximately 2,300 square feet of developable rights. The current Certificate of Occupancy reads for mixed-use; therefore, limiting financing to any potential purchaser. All expenses for the property are split equally between both owners. Lower two floors delivered vacant. Of note, this property was once owned by Andy Warhol in the late 1960’s.


And that's what my old journalism prof, Fiddlesticks, called burying the lead. Of note? I'd say!

Price: $2.4 million

Finest Pizza and Deli on Avenue B has closed



Finest Pizza and Deli on Avenue B and Fourth Street is now officially closed.




Despite cutting back their hours in recent months, business was apparently OK. According to a source, the owner abruptly closed up the shop on Sunday...a source says the store may reopen as another (no beer) deli. Meanwhile, the source says Abdul, who many people liked in the neighborhood, is out of a job (no warning, no severance) and is looking for something in sanitation.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Finest Pizza and Deli not closing because Le Souk went away

Disarmed and dangerous on Avenue B: Pizza statue maimed

"The penthouse paradise you've been waiting for"

Last Friday, we featured a seemingly swank penthouse on 50 Avenue A for $1.3 million... Well, hope that you didn't quickly squander your money on that dump... the REAL Avenue A penthouse is, apparently, at 107 Avenue A on the west side near Seventh Street ...

Per the new listing at Trulia (Halstead is peddling the space):

This East Village loft is the penthouse paradise you've been waiting for. Situated just off Tompkins Square Park in the red hot East Village, this rare apartment features three terraces, including one of the best outdoor decks in all of the East Village with a hot tub and breathtaking views of the park and city. The entire apartment has been gut renovated with an unparalleled attention to detail, including a chef's kitchen with high-end appliances and two bathrooms, one with a soaking tub and the second with a steam shower. The elevator opens directly onto the first floor of the loft, which features a laundry room, two bathrooms, a large living room / dining gallery, east and west terraces, and a spacious master bedroom with walk in closet. The second floor doubles as a gorgeous sunroom, guest bedroom, or den/office. Situated on Avenue A, across the street from Tompkins Square Park, this is the one of the trendiest downtown locations with the best restaurants and bars, nightlife, and more literally around the corner. This rare home will not last.


Hoo-boy.








The first open house is Sunday. Price tag: $1.995 million.

Dumpster of the Day (asbestos version!)




Being used here on Second Avenue at the Tisch School for the Arts...



Probably not one that you'll want to go dumpster diving in...



And I hope that it's never converted into a swimming pool...

A blue tarp compromise

Should the the blue tarp remain up ... or down along the 14th Street side of the Mystery Lot...

Well! Here's a solution:



Previously on EV Grieve:
Blue tarp down! [Repeat] Blue tarp down!