Free concert in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow afternoon

Featuring:

Wombat IN Combat, The Alienz, Dog That Bites Everyone and A-Truth.

Until then... here's Wombat IN Combat from May 30 in the park....

[Updated!] Exploding manholes on Avenue A and Seventh Street

[Updated 12:24] Whoa. Appears that this is much more serious than firefighters on the scene led me to believe. Gothamist is reporting that two buildings had to be evacuated. Per Gothamist: "The Fire Department is responding to multiple manhole fires on East 7th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A. We hear that two buildings (with 18 civilians) were evacuated and Con Ed is also on the scene."

You can see one of the fires here via @benjaminbojko:



Earlier.

A little excitement here on Avenue A and Seventh Street in the last hour... depending on who you ask, the manhole (no snickering!) cover here either exploded into the air.... Or! A lot of steam starting pouring from it... In any event, a lot of firefighters and ConEd workers responded to the scene... It was all under control, and the officials on duty didn't think that it was any big deal...









...the situation also provided a little entertainment for Marlene....

St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery Block Party under way

We were a little early. No corn for breakfast for us.

Avast, matey! Know ye th' Skull & Scuppers? I've a fierce fire in m belly t' swill a pint or two o' grog

Seventh Street and Avenue C. Sorry — just making up for missing “Talk Like a Pirate Day" last week.

City of dreams, laundry

The Wall Street Journal has an item today on the new book "New York: Portrait of a City" (Taschen, 560 pages, $69.99). Per the WSJ:

"Erika Stone's 1947 photograph of a Lower East Side tenement's brick-wall exterior seems to capture New York at two extremes: city of dreams (as rendered by an outdoor advertiser, anyway) and city of laundry."

[Erika Stone/Katrina Doerner Photographs, Brooklyn]

Is Superdive really open?

Superdive does look more open than usual... and the sign out front says they are open.... but as of 9 pm or so, it was deserted....

Just when you thought it was safe to go back to Avenue A...

Holy Keg Stand! Eater reports that Superdive has reopened!

This and the former Aces and Eights on the same day....?

[File photo]

Oh my genitals

From 1981, the Suburban Lawns.

Breaking! (former) Aces and Eights has reopened

Via a message from new GM Jamie-Lynn Argent:

"We're open again! With proper paperwork! Yay!"

And she adds in the comments: "We are still re-branding and re-naming! The contest runs until Oct 1st. Also feel free to stop by anytime and talk to me."

Above photo taken just after 5 today...

Previously.

Taco time on First Avenue

EV Grieve First Avenue correspondent Blue Glass notes that the new taqueria has opened here near 10th Street....at the site of the former Western Union. If anyone one checks it out, then please let me know how it is... Apparently there is another location in town too.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Western Union now delivering tacos

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

We have an update from EV Heave, who is pissed that he or she wasn't included here originally (EV Heave)

The person who throw bags of poop into the doorways of Marc Jacobs and Ralph Lauren stores (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

How is James Franco's 'Howl'? Here's one opinion that we trust (Patell and Waterman’s History of New York)

Dave has another message on his T-shirt (Nadie Se Conoce)

A big swath of Canal Street is for sale (BoweryBoogie)

Video from Max's Kansas City (Stupefaction)

How to avoid renting an illegal death trap of an apartment (Curbed)

A great shot of the old Howard Johnson's on Times Square (Greenwich Village Daily Photo)

It's Apple Day on Sunday (Lower East Side NY)

And our friend AWKWORD notes the (temporary) return of graffiti artist YME to NYC ... Plus! AWKWORD spotted this tag on Second Avenue... "Is this an old YME tag that never got buffed off the truck? Or is there some young wannabe YME out there...?"

Breaking! Select bus spotted on First Avenue

As a reader notes ... "Spotted: a select bus in motion on First Avenue. no passengers."

Soon, we will see a rise of the machines!

Jim Joe reaches new heights

We used to seeing graffiti writer Jim Joe's mark at street... like in this shot from EV Grieve reader Andrew....



...or...



Anyway, I'm not sure how long this has been up here... but I just noticed it the other day. I was standing across from 7B on Avenue B... and looked up...

Noted

Via @MScaduto: "Maybe because you're the type of girl who posts hundreds of flyers around the East Village."

Former Miracle Grill garden space sprouts $6K apartments

As mentioned earlier today, the former Miracle Grill space is on the market. And the eatery's garden is now an apartment building at 92 Seventh St. ... which, coincidentally enough, has just been revealed after months of hiding behind the scaffolding and sidewalk shed, etc., etc.

So here's what it looks like...




Looks pretty decent as far as these things go. But what will be happening on the inside?

I took a look at the listings.

There are studios going for $1,950. And there are photos...






...and the roof deck... (UFO!)



The apartments get bigger... There's a three-bedroom (convertible to four!) going for $5,995. Description:
Brand Spanking New! Luxury 3BR Conv 4BR Bedroom With Balcony, High Ceilings, Floor To Ceiling Windows, White Custom Cabinets, Black Corian Counters, Stainless Appliances, Key Elevator, Video Intercom and Laundry Room on Premises.

Hmm... home for a family or a party pad?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Miracle Grill garden not-so-suddenly looks like a condo

Renaming Aces and Eights: See you at Drink 'til U Stink!

As the new Aces & Eights GM mentioned the other day, the bar will rebrand itself whenever they reopen. To that end, "Aces & Eights LES will be holding a naming contest when we reopen and I am hoping to get input and support from not only our staff and customers, but also from residents in East Village and Lower East Side."

I'm all for second chances and certainly think the bar deserves one.... though I'm not so keen on contests. As our friend Billy Gray noted over at Guest of a Guest: "A noble gesture, maybe, but put on your snark-retardant suit." Indeed! Read on...

Although the contest rules and what not have yet to be announced, a few helpful EV Grieve readers jumped in with suggestions for a new name:

Esquared:
How about simply calling it "WOOOO!" — apt and succinct.

Bowery Boy:
Sleepy Neighbors Club
Silent but Deadly Bar & Grill
Up All Night Restaurant
Block the Sidewalk Bar
Old Neighborhood Bedtime Story
F the Sleepy Locals Lounge
Our Music is Your Music Bar
Baseline Vibrations... In Your Child's Bedroom Bar & Lounge

Glamma:
Puke Bar & Grill
There Goes the Neighborhood (Again)
Denegration
UES POS

Lux Living:
Chug 'n Chunder Grill
Beer, Bitches, & Burritos
Drink 'til U Stink
Superdive

It's a dog's life (circa 1985-1999)

Well, there have been some ugly accusations leveled against the proprietor of this website, EV Grieve. Given recent posts, some people are under the impression that this is a pro-cat, anti-dog site. Simply not true!

Uh, but seriously, the folks at East Village-based phoDOGraphy recently posted a set of pics titled "New York City Street Dog Photos, 1985-1999." As they note: "My neighborhood (the East Village/Alphabet City) would be unrecognizable to anyone who left in 1985. Photos from the dawn of phoDOGraphy reveal a much darker place, before there were restaurants and grocery stores with whole wheat bread."

And they gave us the OK to post a few photos from the set...so here are a few doggy (and ducky!) shots from the East Village...






Cat lovers, take note.... according to Mark at phoDOGraphy: "We have 7 cats, and I will eventually have a gallery of unusual cat portraits online, so stay tuned."

Marketing an East Village restaurant space

Last month, I pointed out the new "for lease" sign on the former Miracle Grill space on First Avenue near Seventh Street...



At the time, I didn't see any information on the space.... In recent weeks, Newmark Knight Frank have added more details... and here's how they're pitching the space... Curious the restaurants that they chose to highlight as neighbors...



Some of these places, of course, like Ninth Street Espresso, aren't even close to this space...Perhaps they were just going for a variety of sign fonts...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Miracle Grill garden not-so-suddenly looks like a condo

Rock with me: Billy Hurricane's is open (Bedlam too!)

Billy Hurricane's and its space mate, Idle Hands, opened this week at 25 Avenue B. Grub Street's Daniel Maurer swung by for a preview:

Signs advertising a 96-ounce “Das Boot” (à la Heidelberg), scorpion bowls, and “huge-ass beers to go” (meaning growlers) say it all. But this isn’t strictly a place for getting daiquiri-tarded: If popcorn doesn’t do, you can order wings, tater tots, an Andouille burger, a chicken po boy, a BLT, and the occasional beignet special (the menu will expand soon). And if your friends have dragged you here and you just can’t handle gimmicks like the “Wheel of Fortune” of drink specials, you can always retreat downstairs to the quieter bourbon bar, Idle Hands. Take a look at both.

No word whether the bartenders are attractive, sexy, fun and loud.

Also, Grub Street checked out Bedlam on Avenue C... You can read that here. To be honest, I was walking by the place last night and thought I'd see what was what. It was closed for a private party. Or so I was told.

If it's the end of September, then it must be time for Octoberfest

The annual Octoberfest at Zum Schneider starts Saturday... through Oct. 10...




[Via Zum Schneider]

Will the Germans take Avenue C again the fall?