Wednesday, January 18, 2012

Opening Friday, Booker & Dax, where you can find a red hot poker in your drink

Diner's Journal has more information on what is taking over the former Milk Bar space attached to Momofuku Ssäm Bar on 13th Street at Second Avenue.

The place is called Booker & Dax, a collaboration between Momofuku's David Chang and David Arnold, the director of culinary technology at the French Culinary Institute. (The bar is named after Arnold's two sons.)

Here's a passage from the piece:

You may, however, want to put on a lab coat, and perhaps some goggles, when the bartender sticks a device called a Red Hot Poker, heated up to 1,500 degrees, into a mixing glass of Pernod, lime juice, sugar and water. This results in a libation called the French Colombian. “The burning takes the ingredients to a new place,” Mr. Arnold said. The poker, which he custom-made, is modeled after the hot irons early American innkeepers would stick into customers’ cups to heat up their drinks.

The place opens Friday. And, according to Diner's Journal, "the debut menu will feature 16 cocktails, each at $14."

Tuesday, January 17, 2012

[Updated] Report: City approves East 10th Street Historic District; but Ben Shaoul's buzzer-beater gives him the OK to alter historic building

[Image via Curbed]

Curbed has news from this afternoon's public hearing at the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) regarding the East 10th Street Historic District.

"The LPC voted unanimously to create the East 10th Street Historic District."

The East 10th Street Historic District comprises 26 buildings on the north side of East 10th Street between Avenues A and B that reflect the 19th and 20th century history of the East Village.

The vote also effectively ends developer Ben Shaoul's plan to add a fifth floor to the existing four-floor building at 315 E. 10th St.

Updated:

Well, then. Curbed added this to their earlier post:

"While the LPC moved quickly to prevent Shaoul from altering the building, the good mood among preservationists after the LPC's affirmative vote dimmed when it was learned that the DOB issued the developer his construction permits this morning, just hours before the LPC hearing and vote."

Here's the paperwork from the DOB...


The city gave Shaoul the OK to convert the building from nonprofit use to residential — plus an addition floor to the circa 1847 building ... appropriately enough, on Friday the 13th.

Updated:

The Lo-Down has more on this story, including a statement from Elizabeth de Bourbon, the LPC’s director of communications.

[T]he lawyer for the owner contacted us to say his client plans to meet with us to discuss suggestions for the design of the one-story addition and is willing to work with LPC staff as they move ahead on their grandfathered permit.

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Diagrams provide idea of what David Schwimmer's house will look like on East Sixth Street

While we're waiting for the renderings of 331 E. Sixth St. to land in our inbox, we at least have a basic idea of what the under-construction, six-floor superhome will look like here.

Found these diagrams at the DOB site.


Looks like they'll be an elevator. Roof terrace. (Roof party!) No sign of a swimming pool.


Anyway, at least one local blogger is under the impression that David Schwimmer might be the mystery owner of this space.

Finally, the city logged a complaint yesterday from a caller who stated: "CONSTRUCTION ON A FEDERAL HOLIDAY W/O ANY PERMITS FOR DOING CONSTRUCTION ON A FEDERAL HOLIDAY. CLR STATES THAT SHE IS THE TENANT ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Is David Schwimmer the 'Friends' star who now owns the demolished 331 E. Sixth St. townhouse?

Outrage over total demolition of historic East Sixth Street townhouse

The last remnant of the Mars Bar on East First Street

The sidewalk art of Mars Bar owner Hank Penza is fading away from the wear and tear of the demolition of 11-17 Second Ave. ...


As seen last July ...

[Photo by Goggla]

Sidewalk shed checks out of the Hyatt Union Square

Progress to note here at the incoming Hyatt Union Square on Fourth Avenue at 13th Street...


Still a lot of work to do. Anyway. Wouldn't it be kinda nice it that was the final look up there?

Meanwhile, still waiting for the hydroponic bamboo garden and halo ...

[Image from Archpaper via Curbed]

The Standard East Village now has an address for its fence

Oh, we just keep noticing the slightest changes/additions at the former Cooper Square Hotel since it became the Standard East Village... look, the hotel address is now on the fence too!


Monday, January 16, 2012

Your chance to own Billy Leroy's desk — for free!

Earlier today, we pointed out some of the free stuff to be had outside Billy's Antiques on Houston... Proprietor Billy Leroy just provided us with an update — there's even more stuff for free...


...including Billy's own personal desk with sticker celebrating his MTA Sign Fiasco. Real Bowery History!


[Updated] Reader report: FDNY responds to smoke scare at BAD Burger

Shawn Chittle and Dave on 7th pass along word that the FDNY has responded to a report of smoke at BAD Burger on Avenue A near 11th Street... the FDNY is on the scene now...

Dave on 7th, who took these shots, reports: "No sign of fire. But BAD Burger employee reports that the kitchen and dining room filled up with smoke. Probably from the furnace. Nothing actually appears to be happening, which is a good thing."






Updated 1/17:
Owner Keith Masco provides an update in the comments.

Memorial for Dashane Santana on Avenue D


Outside the Rite Aid near Seventh Street. The 12-year-old died after being hit by a van while she crossed Delancey Street last Friday.

Hearing tomorrow for the East 10th Street Historic District


From the EV Grieve inbox...via the East Village Community Coalition

Six months after Community Board 3 unanimously supported it, the City's Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) has scheduled a hearing for the East 10th Street Historic District. The proposed district runs along the north side of Tompkins Square Park between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Unfortunately, the LPC has yet to schedule a hearing date for the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District. As the LPC waits, we risk losing more historic buildings in our community.

Please join us Tuesday, January 17th to testify in support of this district and urge LPC to move forward with the East Village/Lower East Side Historic District:


1:30 PM
LPC Public Hearing Room 1
One Centre Street (at Chambers)
9th Floor
-Please bring photo ID to enter the building

If you cannot attend the hearing, please email testimony to: comments@lpc.nyc.gov and copy EVCC at director.evccnyc@gmail.com or mail/fax to:

NYC Landmarks Preservation Commission
One Centre Street, 9th Floor
New York, NY 10007
(f) 212-669-7960

Previously on EV Grieve:
A bid to protect the integrity of 315 E. 10th St.

Landmarks Preservation Commission expedites hearing on East 10th Street Historic District

Free stuff outside Billy's Antiques


The gang at Billy's Antiques on Houston near the Bowery are putting out some freebies today. Billy's is now closed for the next year or so to make way for a two-story structure here. (Billy says that he will return.)

Noted

[via EV Grieve reader AC]

Seventh Street and Avenue A.

East 10th Street, 9:37 a.m., Jan. 16

Flyer campaign against Bar Veloce

evflip spotted these flyers along Second Avenue... from someone making allegations against the Bar Veloce management...


We sent an email to the "boycottveloce" account to learn more about this...

Does this mean more condos then? Your chance to claim a vault


Bobby Williams spotted this outside the New York Marble Cemetery on Second Avenue near Second Street yesterday...

Sunday, January 15, 2012

Dining on Avenue A late this afternoon

Late this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park along Avenue A... a red-tailed hawk sighting... photos by Bobby Williams...


...then a quick late lunch...




Week in Grieview

[14th Street near Second Avenue]

RIP Andrew Kowalczyk: The last East Village landlord of his kind? (Monday)

East Third Street lots hits the market for $6 million (Tuesday)

Duke's closed on Avenue C (Wednesday)

We counted the number of Subway sandwich shops in the neighborhood (Thursday)

CB3/SLA votes down a beer-wine license for BAD Burger (Monday)

A look at the abandoned theater inside the doomed East Village Farms (Friday)

A walk up First Avenue in 1997 (Thursday)

More development for East Houston (Friday)

Three-plus years later, 120 St. Mark's Place still doesn't have a Certificate of Occupancy (Monday)

Your chance to own the King's gyro rotators, gas griddle

King Gyro recently closed on First Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street ... the owners are now going for that Pudgie's-Nathan's-Arthur Treacher's combo.

Anyway, today at noon, they are unloading the stuff that they don't need for the new eatery...

[Photo by Bobby Williams]

East Village residents apparently really like having macaroni and cheese delivered

[EVG file photo]

Delivery.com has named S'MAC, the mac-and-cheese empire on East 12th Street, the city's busiest delivery service in the city. (This only takes in account deliveries made via Delivery.com from 2011; S'MAC took in more orders than any other restaurant that delivers, the Post reported.)

Co-owner Sarita Ekya told the Post that they make upwards of 50 deliveries an hour on Saturdays.

And as the Post points out, S'MAC (short for Sarita's Macaroni & Cheese) "the restaurant's name is a play on words that harks back to the bad old days when junkies lined up on East Village streets looking for a different kind of fix."

"East Villagers get it," said Ekya, a Nova Scotia native. "Other people will think it's just an abbreviated form of the whole name."

Saturday, January 14, 2012

Gold rush on Second Avenue

This afternoon on Second Avenue near 14th Street outside Finnerty's, the home to Bay Area sports... the San Francisco 49ers played the New Orleans Saints today...



Photos by Bobby Williams.