AlphaBet Cafe is closed for renovations

Several readers told us that AlphaBet Cafe closed Tuesday here on East 14th Street and Avenue B… signs point to a renovation/remodel …





Not sure if this is an actual closed for renovations … or a "closed for renovations," where we never see the place open again … A new operator was on the February CB3/SLA docket for a new liquor license, but they were scratched from the agenda.

AlphaBet Cafe had a few bouts of the DOH last year… however, there's nothing on file with the DOH now pointing to a health-related closure.

A quick step back into the early 1990s East Village

[East 5th Street]

Gregoire Alessandrini has once again updated his excellent blog, New York in the 1990's Photo Archives ...

We thought we'd share a sampling of his latest uploads here from the early 1990s...


[East 7th Street]


[St. Mark's Place]


[Second Avenue]


[Astor Place]

Spend the rest of your day checking out all his photos here.

Some background: As a student here in the early-to-mid 1990s, he always carried a camera around with him ... and he has been uploading the photos from that time to his blog. He lives in Paris these days.

Previously

[Updated] How you can see the passage of the Moon across the Hyades from East 3rd Street

Via EVG regular Spike… looks as if Felton Davis has his rig setup on East Third Street at Second Avenue …



Not sure what we're looking at this evening… but if you head over that way, you'll find out…

Maybe this… from EarthSky:

As darkness falls in early April 2014, the waxing crescent moon is passing in front of the constellation Taurus the Bull. Taurus the Bull’s most prominent signposts include the dipper-shaped Pleiades star cluster and bright red star Aldebaran, which depicts the Bull’s fiery eye.

And from Universe Today (for tomorrow):

On the evening of Thursday, April 3rd headed into the morning of the 4th, the waxing crescent Moon crosses in front of the Hyades open star cluster. This is the V-shaped asterism that marks the head on Taurus the Bull, highlighted by the brilliant foreground star Aldebaran as the bull’s “eye”. Viewers across North America will have a ring-side seat to this “bull-fight” as the 20% illuminated Moon stampedes over several members of the Hyades in its path.

Updated 9:44 p.m.

Felton writes in with more information… and details on some upcoming sky shows!

Rim craters Furnerius, Petavius, Langrenus, Cleomedes, Geminus, Endymion, and the Mare Crisium put on a dazzling show tonight, as the three-day old crescent moon passed through Taurus about ten degrees below the Pleiades. When the light of the sun is shining across the craters it accentuates their shape, and left many people speechless, never having seen the moon in such detail, especially after a winter of non-stop clouds, rain and snow. Keep a lookout on Monday, April 14th for an eclipse of the moon, beginning just after midnight, and fully darkening the moon at 3 am Tuesday April 15th.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Searching for Comet ISON with East Village resident Felton Davis

Comet spotting with East Village resident Felton Davis

Discarded couch-chair matching sets of the day

East Sixth Street near Avenue C…



It looks better the closer you go… the more like technologically advanced form of extraterrestrial life…

In case you want to see a 'controlled fire' tonight

From the EVG inbox…

As part of a Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) training class, there will be a controlled fire outside of the East Side Community High School located at 420 East 12th Street in Manhattan tonight from 6:30 PM to 9:30 PM. Expect to see FDNY and NYPD personnel in action.

H/T Shawn Chittle

8 days and nights of Jim Jarmusch

[A scene from 1980's "Permanent Vacation"]

An 8-day retrospective of LES resident Jim Jarmusch starts tonight at the Film Society of Lincoln Center ... titled "Permanent Vacation: The Films of Jim Jarmusch."

From the description:

Over the course of a single-minded yet constantly surprising career that has now spanned more than three decades, Jim Jarmusch has become a beloved, forever-cool icon of independent American (and world) cinema. His movies combine a romantic wanderlust, a sense of humor both humane and deadpan, and a connoisseur’s appreciation of the highs and lows of art and popular culture (Elvis Presley, Yasujiro Ozu, and William Blake, for starters).

This complete retrospective — which includes 11 features and several shorts and music videos — leads up to the upcoming release of Jarmusch’s latest feature, Only Lovers Left Alive (a selection of the 2013 New York Film Festival, opening at the Film Society of Lincoln Center on April 11).

Here's one of the music videos that he directed ... "The Lady Don't Mind" by the Talking Heads from 1985...



Will be nice to see "Stranger Than Paradise" on a big screen (tonight at 7 and tomorrow at 1:30)...



Find the full schedule here.

H/T EVG reader Joe

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Fridge escape on East 10th Street! Photo by Michael Sean Edwards]

El Sombrero back open for now with new owners, sort of the same vibe (BoweryBoogie)

75 Essex St. back on market for $30 million (The Lo-Down)

Andrade Shoe Repair closing on University Place (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Measles outbreak on the LES (DNAinfo)

Why DC’s bikeshare is flourishing while New York’s is financially struggling (The Washington Post)

A visit to Execution Rocks off Long Island (Scouting NY)

Check out William Burroughs on film starting tomorrow (Anthology Film Archives)

... and via EVG reader Michael from yesterday ... it's customary to post photos of people wearing gorilla masks in Stuy Town...

Out and About in the East Village — early 2014 recap

We're taking a week off to provide a quick early spring recap...

So then! Here's a look back at our subjects so far from 2014 ... many thanks to East Village-based photographer James Maher and everyone who has taken part in this series... we'll return next week with Out and About in the East Village ...

Jan. 15 — Barbara Sibley

Jan. 22 — Alex Harsley, part 1

Jan. 29 — Alex Harsley, part 2

Feb. 5 — Tom Clark

Feb. 12 — Dawn Haberman

Feb. 19 — Mike Stuto

Feb. 26 — Dina Leor

March 5 — Eric Danville, part 1

March 12 — Eric Danville, part 2

March 19 — Margery Teplitz

March 26 — Pamela Joy

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

As you may know, the resident hawk pair of Tompkins Square Park have built a nest on the East 9th Street side of the Christodora House at Avenue B…







Goggla, who has been documenting the hawks in recent months at Gog in NYC, along with the other hawk watchers, were pretty sure that Dora (a name for now for the female hawk) had laid an egg on a nest on the 7th floor…

Well, she certainly has, as this photo by Francois Portmann at Gog in NYC shows …



Check out Goggla's recent posts here … and here … and here for more on this mating/nesting action.

Top photos by Bobby Williams

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

Memorial set for d.b.a. co-founder Dennis Zentek

[Photo by KM Keller via Facebook]

Dennis Zentek, who opened d.b.a. at 41 First Ave. in 1994 with friend Ray Deter, died on March 23 from injuries he suffered in a fall.

The folks at d.b.a., where he was the co-founder and owner, have released details about a memorial celebrating his life.

Via Facebook:

On Wednesday, April 16 at 4 pm SHARP, we will have a ceremony at the Marble Cemetery, on the north side of East 2nd Street between 1st and 2nd aves, around the corner from d.b.a. This will be a non-religious Celebration of Life and Memorial Service led by non-denominational Celebrant Sacha Jones. All friends of Dennis are welcome.

This will be followed by a New Orleans-style Second Line parade, leaving from d.b.a at 6 pm.

We will continue to honour and toast Dennis well into the wee hours at d.b.a., 41 First Ave. between East Second and Third Streets

Please, no flowers, but donations are welcome to Dennis's favourite charity - the d.b.a. bars!

His brother Ron wrote the following on Facebook on March 26:

Those of you who knew my brother ... will remember him as a unique individual whose greatest pride was saying he never worked a day in his life since as a Rock n Roll photographer, a bartender and finally a bar owner ... he was being paid for being at places he would have been anyway doing things he loved to do surrounded by beautiful women.

He passed [March 23] at Bellevue hospital from the head injuries he suffered in fall down a flight of stairs on [March 21]. To my knowledge, he never regained consciousness.

Deter died in July 2011 from the injuries he suffered in a bicycling accident.

Construction Watch: 31-33 Second Ave.

[Photo from 2009 by LuciaM via Panoramio]

As we first noted back in June 2012, Ben Shaoul was adding three new floors of residences at 31-33 Second Ave.

We've been watching the demolition/addition here in recent months… (a neighbor described it as a "bshaoul mess") …

November





January



This past Saturday



Eventually the building will be … this…



BoweryBoogie previously reported that a Petco-branded store is set for the retail space.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ben Shaoul planning a 3-story addition at 31-33 Second Ave.

Bracing for 3 new floors at 31-33 Second Ave.

And now, a reader politely takes exception with the United States Postal Service

[File photo by Gian G. via Yelp]

From the EVG reader mailbag via mdmn:

So the nightmare of the USPS continues. Not only are they still not attempting to deliver packages... I was home all Sunday, so bullshit a 5:09 pm attempt, and bullshit a notice was left... but now I'm told to pick it up at the branch that services 10009...

Where the fuck is that?

Is it the East 3rd Street location? The new East 14th Street location? The Madison Avenue Location? Or perhaps according to the USPS website, the still operating Peter Stuyvesant location that IS FUCKING CLOSED!!!

Fuck you USPS...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rants: the Peter Stuyvesant Post Office

Meanwhile, at everyone's favorite local post office branch...

Reader mailbag: What has happened to the Cooper Station Post Office?

The Peter Stuyvesant Post Office closes for good TODAY

A look at your new post office on East 14th Street

Exclusive 2nd look inside the all-new USPS retail outlet on East 14th Street

Red Hook Lobster Pound now open in Extra Place

[Image via Facebook]

Extra Place is no longer so lonely… Red Hook Lobster Pound officially opened its doors yesterday at 11:30 a.m….

Right now we are opening the doors at #RedHookLobster's newest pound in Manhattan! 16 Extra Place off of 1st st. bt Bowery & 2nd Ave.

— RedHookLobsterPound (@Redhooklobster) April 1, 2014

The well-regarded Red Hook Lobster Pound took over the vacated Oaxaca Taqueria space at 16 Extra Place. (Oaxaca Taqueria moved to East Seventh Street.)

Grub Street, who first reported on the opening yesterday, notes that the Pound has Narragansett Lager, Bronx Brewery's Pale Ale and Allagash White on tap. And they will have outdoor seating once spring is actually really here.

With this and whatever Momofuku is opening down the alley/Place, Extra Place may finally become the dining destination its developers touted some seven years ago, as we've cut-and-paste many times before.

Previously on EV Grieve:
With new restaurant opening, will Extra Place finally become a dining destination?

Extra Place now officially a Dead End

Extra Place and Heidi currently 'closed for renovation' in Extra Place

Red Hook Lobster Pound in the works for Extra Place

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Avenue A and East 9th Street]

Collapse scare at the Angel Orensanz Center (New York)

RIP Frankie Knuckles (Rolling Stone)

History of the Tompkins Square Lodging for Boys and Industrial School on Avenue B and East 8th Street (Off the Grid)

Landmarks Commission rejects 75 Essex application (The Lo-Down)

New York’s Pop International Galleries exhibiting 100 photos by Bob Gruen (FlavorWire)

The 40-year anniversary of Televison's debut at CBGB (BoweryBoogie)

The old New York of Diamond Way (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Pure Hell, the first African-American punk band (Dangerous Minds)

... EVG Facebook friend Dave Whitaker shared some photos from yesterday's film shoot in Tompkins Square Park... In "Time Out of Mind," a homeless man (Richard Gere) tries to reconnect with his estranged daughter ... and here is Mr. Gere. And some extras. And a sign.

Warsaw Bakery sign makes a brief reappearance on First Avenue

Workers put in a new awning yesterday at the Golden Food Market on First Avenue at East Seventh Street.

That's when they discovered the great old sign of a previous tenant — Warsaw Bakery...


[Photo by Molly Fitch]

Ali at the market said that Molly Fitch, who owns the International two doors up as well as the Coal Yard one block to the south, could have the sign for one of the bars.

Unfortunately, some carelessness took care of that.

"The workers basically dropped it onto the sidewalk smashing it all to bits," Molly said. "Oh well, another piece of 1st Avenue history lost again. It would have looked so cool in the backyard of the Coal Yard."

As for the bakery ... anyone recall when it closed? We heard it was in the early 1970s… And Molly heard that the storefront was a radio shop in the 1930s...

Will we finally be getting that 'fresh, artisanal bacon' shop in the East Village?

An EVG reader spotted this new sign over at 75 E. Fourth St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery...

...advertising a new business — Pigskin™ ...



"Fresh, artisanal bacon from all over the world."

"Bacon for bacon lovers."

Heh.

Well, this is likely a gag... Perhaps timed for April Fool's Day ... Or not!

The space is the former home of the FAB Café ... it's now the FABworks Storefront operated by Fourth Arts Block and Made in the Lower East Side ... not sure what is coming next to the co-working space. Maybe someone wants to get their bacon biz a go?

Red Pepper has apparently closed

[Photo from March 18]

Several weeks ago, a notice appeared outside Red Pepper saying that they are temporarily closed for "mandatory repairs" in the building…

Now there's a for rent sign outside ... marking the end of the Sichuan restaurant that opened last September at 324 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

A few more details (hard-boiled eggs!) about Max Fish, which hopes to return to the LES

As you probably know, the folks at Max Fish are hoping to have a revival in the Lower East Side… the bar, which had a nearly 25-year-run at 178 Ludlow St., is looking to move into the Gallery Bar at 120 Orchard St.

Paperwork filed ahead of this month's CB3/SLA committee meeting next Monday offers up some details about Max Fish 2014.

• Proposed hours are 4 p.m. to 4 a.m.
• The paperwork lists nine tables with 69 seats ("including couches") … plus "56 other couch seats."
• They are planning on using two levels (ground floor and cellar)
• They "may host scheduled performances, possibly 1 performance per week, and it may be advertised but the premises will not be turned over to promoters."

You can check out the very detailed CB3 questionnaire (which includes the floor plans) here (PDF!)

There's also a mention of a few basic food items for sale…



Behold the Max Fish hard-boiled eggs!

Also, check out BoweryBoogie, who had some more info yesterday about the new Max Fish.

Max Fish closed last July 29 after 24 years on the LES. Higher rents caused them to move out to Williamsburg, but plans there for a bar haven't materialized.

Previously on EV Grieve:
The art evolution of Ulli Rimkus and Max Fish

From Tin Pan Alley to Max Fish

[Updated] Max Fish is apparently moving to Brooklyn; eyeing August close date

There's likely some kind of April Fool's Day gag potential with this photo

Like, Hey, The Tompkins Square Branch of the New York Public Library just got a liquor license! Or, The Owners of the 13th Step bought The Tompkins Square Branch of the New York Public Library! Or something better.

Not that we're recommending an April Fool's Day gag. They usually are pretty lame.

As for the photo… the driver simply pulled over for a moment to look at a map.

Kung Fu Tea announces itself on St. Mark's Place

The Kung Fu Tea location at 241 E. 10th St. at First Avenue closed for business at the end of February. And as we first noted on March 3, Kung Fu Tea was moving over to 32 St. Mark's Place … formerly the home of 8 Crown Trade, the family run T-shirt and souvenir shop at No. 28 that was ousted by a rent hike last June…

As you can see in the photos, workers installed the new Kung Fu signage yesterday. No word on an opening date.


[Photo via @NFLtipster]

And here are your bubble tea choices within a very short distance… TKettle is directly next door while CoCo Fresh Juice & Tea is directly across the street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Kung Fu Tea closes on East 10th St.; move to St. Mark's Place apparently in the works