St. Mark's Birdbath

Alone together again

St. Mark's Place and Cooper Square this afternoon... via Bobby Williams.

Former Bleecker Bob's space back on the market

Bleecker Bob's was priced out of its longtime home on West Third Street this past year, closing for good in April.

And, as you may recall, a Forever Yogurt franchise was set to take over the space, even sporting an oh-so-cutesy record logo on the front door during the summer.

Apparently there won't be FroYo here, at least according to a Facebook update today from Bleecker Bob's:

wow....
today we give a big FUCK YOU to the assholes at Forever Yogurt who closed down a 45 year old landmark record store to build a bullshit froyo shop and now pulled out of the lease!!!

the storefront at 118 west 3rd is now for rent.

Last that we saw, the space for going for $17,000 a month. (Alex has a photo of the rather homemade "for rent" sign here.)

Previously on EV Grieve:
Bleecker Bob's is for rent

Bleecker Bob's won't be moving to the East Village — or anywhere else, for that matter

Ev Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[On East 4th Street, photo by Michael Sean Edwards]

Last-minute volunteer opportunities for Thanksgiving Day (DNAinfo)

A list of free Thanksgiving meals across the LES (BoweryBoogie)

An update on the renovations at HiFi on Avenue A (the HiFi Blog)

The new 84 Third Ave. could have been a lot taller (Off the Grid)

A look at the new Vape Lounge (NYU Local)

A review of Somtum Der on Avenue A (The New York Times)

The Jefferson Market's future (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Remembering the K Cafe (Flaming Pablum)

When it was really fucking cold the other day (Slum Goddess)

The Roseland Ballroom will be demolished to make way for a 50-story building (New York Post)

Snapshots of the Rolling Stones on tour in the U.S. in 1965 (Dangerous Minds)

Finally, in case you wondered what a party for the tech set at the Russian & Turkish Baths on East 10th Street looked like. Photos from this event have been making the rounds, so... ValleyWag said that the party "fell just short of Stefon-level absurdity. There was, however, enough wood paneling and strung out girls in bikinis to remake that Fiona Apple video."


[Find more photos by Nicky Digital here]

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Jenny Adams
Occupation: Writer/Photographer
Location: East 7th Street between 1st and 2nd Ave
Time: Monday, Nov. 25 at 1pm.

I’m from Birmingham, Ala. I grew up there and then went to the college of Charleston. I grew up in the south, went to college in the south and planned to live in the south my whole life. I wasn’t really the adventurous type until after college. And then I moved to Montana on a whim. Somebody had an extra bedroom for rent for $200 a month. My lease was up so I decided to move there for six months. Once I did that it opened the door to the idea that I could do it.

So I moved to New Zealand and lived there for a year. I was 23 and waited tables and worked on a vineyard for spare change, picking grapes for 60 cents every 5 pounds. That’s what a lot of the backpackers do. And then I started running out of money so I moved to Thailand for a few months. I wasn’t working but I had $1,000 left — and you can live for a really long time on $1,000 in Bangkok.

When I went broke, I came back to America. I was not happy. My parents said, ‘You’ve got no money and you’re being a delinquent.‘ I wanted to be a writer. I’ve always wanted to be a writer. My mom’s a writer, my aunt’s a writer and my grandma’s a writer. Of course I had that whole ‘I want to be a writer’ thing but you can’t just go out and write. You have to have a background. My mom actually owned a magazine at the time, so I was like, ‘Sweet, you’ll just give me a job,’ and she was like, ‘No, you have no experience and you don’t know what you’re doing.’ It was the best lesson I’ve ever had. I just expected her to hire me.

So I enrolled in grad school at the University of Mississippi, Ole Miss, in 2006 and I worked in an office in Mississippi for three years as a writer. It was a little painful but it ended up being a good experience. And then things started to happen. I moved back to Alabama and my mom gave me a job. I also got a writing job in Alabama working for a nightlife magazine. I’ve always been in the nightlife segment of writing. It started out with the industry, behind the scenes, stuff for the trade magazines. And then I broke into the consumer side, reviewing bars and spirits.

I lived in Alabama from ‘07 till ’09, when I moved here. I was sick of Alabama and was thinking about moving to New York. I knew nothing about the city, but I said I wanted to move to the East Village because that’s where all the writers lived. So I moved into an apartment on Avenue D. I had never seen anything like it. I vividly remember the first person I saw on heroin. I had never seen anyone just outside on heroin, just freaking out on the sidewalk. Before I had moved here I hadn’t seen poverty in the same way. Alabama, where I lived, was super green and clean and safe. Everybody had a sprinkler and two kids and a dog. And then I moved here and was like, ‘whoa.’ At first I thought I wasn’t going to be there very long. Maybe I’d move someplace less ‘crazy.’ But now I love it and I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else.

Sandy was a surreal time but it was also one of the best times I’ve ever had. Everybody worked so hard during the day and then at night you made new friends because you didn’t have a phone. My building got hit hard. We had tons of water in the basement. Our super lived down there in a livable space. It was completely flooded and his stuff was all destroyed. Sewers backed into the building. It was just a mess. He lost everything.

So I went uptown and got on GoFundMe to raise $1,000 for my super. I didn’t even have emails of anyone in my building but I said let’s try. And we had $600 within 45 minutes. I left it up and the next morning it was at $2,000. We raised close to $12,000 in 6 days. So I gave the super $1,500 and ended up distributing the rest of it out throughout the neighborhood. I did not realize, to give away $12,000 piece by piece, is a lot of work. We went and bought blankets for people. We went to the soup kitchens. All my friends helped. Most of it was $100 here and $200 there, going to buy groceries and shipping them to the Rockaways.

A couple of the supers who worked in the lower-income buildings on East 12th somehow found me and were like, ‘Our building have a bunch of elderly and they’re really poor and don’t have anything.’ So we went down to Target and bought 55 jackets and blankets. Just to watch these supers … take it upon themselves to find me and other people to help get them blankets and space heaters … was a really cool moment.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Sidewalk bridge and scaffolding arrive ahead of planned New York Sports Club on Avenue A

A sidewalk bridge arrived Monday outside Gracefully at 28 Avenue A.

And yesterday, workers started erecting scaffold outside the familiar Burger-Klein façade, as this photo via EVG reader Jennifer Kellow shows...



As we reported on April 29, New York Sports Club has plans to open a gym above the market. In May, CB3 approved "the BSA special permit application by New York Sports Club to operate a physical culture establishment/health club at 28-30 Ave A on the 2nd thru 5th floors with entrance on the 1st floor."

Meanwhile, though, the application is still waiting the OK for the Department of Buildings, who stamped a "disapproved" on the first round of plans in April.


[EVG photo from spring 2013]

Furniture seller Burger-Klein occupied the building as early as 1939. Read more about the history of the Burger-Klein building at Off the Grid.

Previously on EV Grieve:
RUMOR: New York Health & Racquet Club taking over the space above Gracefully on Avenue A (24 comments)

New York Sports Club in the works for Avenue A

Have an early Thanksgiving at the Stage today

Today at EVG favorite the Stage Restaurant at 128 Second Ave. … turkey served with sweet potato stuffing, one vegetable, mushroom gravy, cranberry sauce, pie or cake, and coffee of tea — $14.25.

And tomorrow you can compare it to the Odessa's Thanksgiving special.

East Village resident organizes SantaCon Detour, a SantaCon without the drunks and various amateurs

East Village resident Abby Ehmann, who helped organize the original SantaCon here, is behind SantaCon Detour, which she discussed with DNAinfo yesterday:

"It's a SantaCon for people who have been doing it for 10 or 15 years and are tired of it being co-opted by busloads of college kids from upstate or drunken 22-year-olds from the suburbs."

The alternative SantaCon Detour seeks to recapture what Ehmann and others described as the event's countercultural roots as a "dress-up, anti-shop-'til-you-drop culture jam," and not "a bar crawl" or "puke fest."

And!

"If you're a 22-year-old, you're going to see [Detour SantaCon] is going to be a bunch of 50-year-olds," she said. "We wouldn't want them, and they wouldn't want us. They want to be with slutty Santa elves. They want to be drinking in the streets and jumping on taxis."

SantaCon Detour is now in its second year. It will start at the same location as the main SantaCon on Dec. 14, but then the group will go do their own thing.

According to the SantaCon Detour 2013 description at Wherevent:

If you joined up with us last year, you know the program: Trying to SAVE SantaCon by having our own, smaller contingent … This year I plan to, again, hijack a hoard of my Santa friends after the initial meeting location and take them to a spacious place with seats and some brunchy type food (and booze, of course). From there Santa will be on the move to a few fun photo ops and end in the early evening at a venue with drinks and dancing.

[Stock photo by Maria Dryfhout]

Meaty Le Village replaces veggie Table Verte on E. 7th St.

We were surprised the other day to see a new French bistro called Le Village open since Nov. 23, per the sign) in place at 127 E. Seventh St. ...



The new menu is long way from the self-described "vegan-focused French vegetarian bistro" that was Table Verta. There isn't any mention of a change in concept/closure on the Table Verta social media platforms.

Table Verta opened in October 2012, and was the sister restaurant to the previous tenant — Taureau, which relocated to Broome Street.

Local politicians call on SantaCon ' to adopt good-neighbor principles'

[Dave on 7th, from 2011]

From the EV Grieve inbox…soundbite alert!

Coalition of Local Elected Officials Calls on SantaCon to Adopt Good-Neighbor Principles

New York, NY – Today, New York State Senator Brad Hoylman, along with State Senators Liz Krueger and Daniel Squadron, Assembly Members Richard Gottfried, Deborah J. Glick and Brian Kavanagh, and City Council Members Daniel Garodnick, Rosie Mendez and Margaret S. Chin, announced a set of principles organizers must follow to rein in the annual scourge known as SantaCon. During this massive pub crawl, thousands of participants dressed as Santa Claus overwhelm neighborhoods, violating numerous laws and regulations and creating major hazards to public safety along the way.

The coalition of officials recognize that SantaCon may be a short-term boon to a select group of local businesses, but it imparts many adverse impacts, such as vomiting in the streets, public urination, vandalism and littering. In a letter sent today, the officials requested that SantaCon adhere to the following three principles:

1) Make public and follow defined routes;

2) Ensure respectful participants; and

3) Implement a comprehensive safety plan.


“What should be a frivolous and lighthearted event has become little more than a costumed parade of drunken lawbreaking,” said Senator Hoylman. “Any large event in New York has to be respectful of its surrounding community. To avoid ending up on the naughty list again, SantaCon organizers must adopt these principles and maintain an orderly event.”

The coalition letter reiterated a request that Senator Hoylman made to SantaCon organizers last month to work with local Community Boards and the New York City Police Department to identify ways the event can significantly mitigate its impact on the communities it visits. Despite assurances from SantaCon organizers that they would work with the NYPD, no details have been made public.

“For hundreds of years merry-making in taverns, beer halls and bars has been part of the fabric of life in our city, but there’s nothing merry about a costumed, abusive crowd wandering the streets spreading mayhem,” said Senator Liz Krueger. “If SantaCon’s organizers want to spread cheer instead of fear in our neighborhoods this holiday season, they’ve got some work to do.”

“’A group of drunks in Santa suits walk into a bar’ might sound like the start of a joke, but there's nothing funny about SantaCon,” said Assembly Member Richard Gottfried, who represents Hell's Kitchen/Clinton. “If the organizers and participating bars can't protect the public, the police and the State Liquor Authority need to act.”

“Our communities have suffered by the actions of participants of SantaCon for too many years. While I appreciate patronage to small, local businesses, this event does so at the expense of public health and safety of participants and community members. A thoughtful, public plan must be established and made available,” said Assembly Member Deborah J. Glick.

“Dress as Santa to go drinking if you must, but you’d BETTER be good, for goodness sake,” said Assembly Member Brian Kavanagh.

“Anytime we have a large, organized event in New York City, we need to ensure that the NYPD and local communities know what to expect,” said Council Member Dan Garodnick. “We are looking to the organizers to develop a plan that allows the fun to continue while respecting the rest of the community.”

“We have made a list of guiding principles for this year’s SantaCon—and we’re checking it twice. While everyone appreciates holiday cheer, it is important that the organizers and participants respect the surrounding neighborhood and work toward a festive but safe event,” said Council Member Margaret S. Chin.

Reactions?

Watch Richard Hell narrate a video on the New York music scene

All Saints and Dazed & Confused have teamed up to present a video on the NYC music scene… and narrated by punk rock pioneer and author Richard Hell.

Aside from Hell's thoughts, the 7-minute video features performances by 7th-grade rockers Unlocking The Truth, ethereal duo Starred and the indie folksters Widowspeak.

Here's a soundbite from Hell, who may be talking about the music scene … as well as life here in general:

"Things always change. And New York teaches you that. It's healthy to know that and to learn not to be sentimental or nostalgic because you can't stop it."

Check out the video...

For those about to shop

The East Village Community Coalition has compiled the seventh edition of their Get Local! Guide to locally owned and operated stores. You can find it here (PDF!)

Per the EVCC website:

Spending your money locally helps small businesses thrive in the East Village.

Local shopping also:
• Keeps more money in our community
• Creates local jobs with fair wages
• Sustains small business owners who defend our neighborhood’s identity
• Spending your money locally helps small businesses thrive in the East Village.

The newly available 7th Edition lists more than 450 local merchants and is available in shops and cafes in the neighborhood.

The EV Grieve Gift Shop is almost not really open

Speaking of shopping, we're ramping up the EVG Gift Shoppe for Friday. Among the items that you actually won't be able to buy:







We're also open to gift suggestions.

East Village Shoe Repair has closed

Back in February, we heard that the custom-shoe specialists at East Village Shoe Repair at 1 St. Mark's Place would be closing… unable to continue to make it work here. However, not only did they remain open, but owners Boris Zuborev and Eugene Finkelberg also had the 100-square-foot space renovated.

And that was that… until several tipsters on the block passed along word that the shop closed for good this past Friday. (One tipster said that the marshal was on the scene to seize the store.)

This weekend, a small handwritten note, since removed, said that the store was closed, and there was a number for people to call to arrange pick up of their shoes.

Here's a post from April 2010 on Style Bubble notes:

" ...characters like Boris and Eugene are diminishing in cities... that encounters in grimy holes where they gesture to their faded albums with shoe polish fingers are few and far between... I maybe over-romanticising but I did feel ever so slightly enrichened by a visit to this particular shoe repair joint..."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Will a rent hike force out East Village Shoe Repair on St. Mark's Place?

Rustico is now open on First Avenue

Rustico is now open at 135 First Ave. near St. Mark's Place. We don't know too much about the place, other than that they specialize in crêpes and serve Italian coffee (per the chalkboard sign out front).

The address was previously home to Iconic Hand Rolls, which closed in April after 10 months in business.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Crêpes for First Avenue?

Plans for luxury housing with a gym and penthouse filed for part of the Children’s Magical Garden

[Photo from May via MoRUS]

Developer Serge Hoyda has filed plans for a six-story, six-unit residential building on part of the Children’s Magical Garden on Norfolk and Stanton streets, according to a report today at BuzzBuzzHome.

Citing security and safety concerns, workers erected a fence on part of the property in May that Hoyda owns, much to the dismay of residents, community activists and local poltiticians, who wanted to maintain the entire space as a community garden.

In late June, the Department of Housing Preservation and Development transferred ownership of the remaining sections of the garden to the Parks Department to protect the parcel as park space. (Read more about this at DNAinfo.)

Per DNAinfo from June 27: Community gardeners hoped "to convince Hoyda to give up his part of the lot or participate in a land swap in which the city would give Hoyda another block of land in exchange for the full Children's Magical Garden."

According to the proposed work plans, the new building will measure 7,242 square feet and include a gym and a penthouse.

Hoyda purchased the lot in 2003.

H/T Curbed. Find more background on the Children's Magical Garden at the Lo-Down and BoweryBoogie.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: Children’s Magical Garden under siege on the Lower East Side

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Michael Sean Edwards]

Meet Sprinkles, the firehouse snake of East 2nd Street (DNAinfo)

Three centuries, three views of East 14th Street (Ephemeral New York)

The Keith Haring mural at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender Center on West 13th Street (Dangerous Minds)

Sting and others at La MaMa's annual benefit (The Wall Street Journal)

A call to tame SantaCon (BoweryBoogie)

Sampling Otto's Tacos on Second Avenue (Eater)

"Everybody Street," a new documentary on street photography (Flaming Pablum)

Revisiting Chantal Akerman's "News from Home" from 1977 (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Teen mugshots from 100 years ago (Bowery Boys)

An end to the knish shortage? (Eater)

More proposals for the former Domino Sugary Factory (Curbed)

... and, mysteriously enough, perhaps, a dead chicken in a box on East Fourth Street...


[ Derek Berg]

Is this the new home for the St. Mark's Bookshop?

Last Thursday, Publishers Weekly reported that St. Mark's Bookshop had found a new retail space "in the East Village in a space near Avenue A and Third Street." The article didn't mention where, exactly, the rent-challenged new store will be.

According to the article, the shop will leave its Third Avenue home and its Cooper Union landlord for a space that "would be about half of the store's current size, or 1,300 sq. ft."

So where exactly is this relocation going to happen? We understand that the owners aren't ready to divulge the details. Readers made some guesses on Friday.

The most practical space is 136 E. Third St., where Landmark Bicycles was housed before moving to the northwest corner of East Third and Avenue A.

The NYCHA is the landlord at No. 136. Here is a description of the space:

136 East 3rd Street
Rentable Square Footage: 1,328
Rent: $60.00 per square foot
$79,680 per year/$6,640.00 per month

The square footage is right. And the space is ready for a new tenant. The NYCHA notes that an application is in process for the space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: St. Mark's Bookshop prepping fundraiser ahead of possible move to Avenue A

The Space at Tompkins looking for some help with its Thanksgiving meal

Starting today, The Space at Tompkins will have use of the storefront at 75 E. Fourth St. this week for an array of events.

From Kathryn Villaverde, director of community relations at The Space at Tompkins:

This means we will have the special opportunity to host a Thanksgiving Dinner for our participants. We are fortunate to have a generous donor sponsoring the meal. However, we do not have the proper tools to keep the food warm throughout the afternoon. If someone you know has food warming supplies (e.g. sterno hot box, hot plates, food wells, heated shelves) that they can lend us for the day, it would be so greatly appreciated!

If so, then you may email her here.

Here's the Space at Tompkins Facebook events page with details about other workshops and readings at the pop-up space this week.

The Space at Tompkins is a harm reduction organization providing aid and support to the transient homeless community.

Demolishing 100 Avenue A

We noticed a few workers on top of 98-100 Avenue A on Friday… they were jackhammering away...



And a rooftop view...


[Photo by Paul Dougherty]

The former movie theater/grocery is coming down to make way for Ben Shaoul's retail-residential complex here between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street. The rendering posted on the plywood shows a new building looking like this...



A retail listing that we posted in May stated that the building will contain 40 residential units.

Also on the plywood outside 98-100 Avenue A…



Previously on EV Grieve:
A little bit of Hollywood on Avenue A

East Village Farms is closing; renovations coming to 100 Avenue A

Inside the abandoned theater at East Village Farms on Avenue A

Reader reports: Village Farms closing Jan. 31; building will be demolished

Asbestos abatement continues at 98 Avenue A, Ben Shaoul's latest East Village trophy