[Updated] A really bad sign outside Kim's Video & Music on First Avenue

Ugh. Ugh. Ugh. EVG regular William Klayer spotted a store closing banner outside Kim's on 124 First Ave. this morning.

There isn't any mention of a closure yet on their website, Facebook or Twitter accounts. We'll see if we can get more info about what is happening here.

It's the latest/last blow for the mini chain of stores specializing in experimental, foreign and independent movies and music.

The Kim's Video that you loved to hate/or hated to love on Avenue A closed in 2004. The Kim's on Bleecker Street became a Duane Reade in 2006. Mondo Kim's closed on St. Mark's Place in December 2008.

This remaining location, with its esoteric DVD collection, opened in 2009.

In September 2012, there were published reports that proprietor Yongman Kim was going to open an "interactive pizzeria" in the new Arabella building on Avenue D. We haven't heard a thing about this since then.

Updated 1:51 p.m.

Kim's posted a message on the store's Facebook page, noting that despite a successful Record Store Day this past Saturday, "sadly we will be closing our store on 1st Ave. No closing date yet but 30% off ALL VIDEO and MUSIC. (all formats and NRs as well)."

The hawk egg watch continues at the Christodora House

[Photo by Francois Portmann]

Here are two of the most recent photos of the eggs belonging to the hawk couple (Christo and Dora for now) of Tompkins Square Park. They're up on the East Ninth Street side of the Christodora House … at Avenue B…


[FP]

These photos are courtesy of photographer Francois Portmann … find more egg photos right here.

And, as always, head over to Goggla's Gog in NYC site for the pair's latest adventures.

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

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

More eggsciting hawk news from the Christodora House

Real-estate offices invade the boutique-filled block of East 9th Street

There are two newcomers to the boutique-filled block of East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue… given the rising rents, makes sense that we'd find two real-estate offices opening shop along here…



Universal Realty Group takes over the space left behind by Azure, the skin care and laser center and thrift shop… And up the block is Next Step Realty …



According to the Next Step website: "The Next Step Realty finds apartments for recent college graduates relocating to Manhattan."

In new non-real-estate businesses on the block … Honest Chops, billed as "the first all-natural halal meat store in Manhattan," recently opened… and VERA MEAT has launched a second shop at No. 305.

'Farm-to-table Mexican' coming to former Boukiés space

The Boukiés space on Second Avenue at East Second Street won't be empty for too long.

The Times reported last week that Vicki Freeman, Marc Meyer and Chris Paraskevaides, who own Cookshop, Hundred Acres and Five Points, will convert the corner space into a Mexican restaurant.

Said Freeman: "I’m calling it farm-to-table Mexican."

The Greek-themed Boukiés closed in March after a two-year run. In April 2013, owner Christos Valtzoglos sued the State Liquor Authority over an "illegal agreement" with Community Board 3. Boukiés only had a beer-wine license. Perhaps the new owners will somehow be able to secure a full liquor license.

Speaking of Mexican food, the Black Ant is getting ready to open just one block away… on the east side of Second Avenue north of Third Street…



The owners of Ofrenda in the West Village are behind Black Ant, which is billing itself this way: "Innovative Mexican cuisine & cocktail bar."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Boukiés has 'permanently closed' on Second Avenue

Team behind Ofrenda bringing Black Ant to the East Village

H/T Eater

Avenue C 'residents with children' not happy with Babel Lounge

We spotted this sign on Saturday over at Babel Lounge and Hookah Bar on Avenue C near east Eighth Street…

"Your club will be shut down if you continue to disturb the peace of this neighborhood."

Signed,
Ave. C residents with children

Babel doubled in size recently when it took over the late Duke's spot next door.

That's apparently it for Exchange Alley; is 424 E. 9th St. a doomed restaurant location?

Last Monday, we noted that Exchange Alley on East Ninth Street had not been open for the past week or so. Everything was still in place inside. It looked like a working restaurant.

In recent days, we noticed that the space had been cleared out … and paper is now hanging in the front windows. The phone is no longer in service either.

Perhaps we can say that this is a jinxed/doomed location for a restaurant? Exchange Alley, which opened in August 2012, was the latest to give this space a try between Avenue A and First Avenue … where Olivia, Sintir and Zi' Pep all closed in fairly quick succession.

As Eater put it, "Exchange Alley opened to some decent buzz, but most of the big critics skipped the restaurant, and the hype quickly died down."

Huertas officially opens this week on First Avenue

We've been watching the progress over at 107 First Ave. between East Sixth Street and East Seventh Street, where Huertas, a restaurant featuring "the cuisine of Northern Spain," is set to debut.

Fork in the Road reports that chef-owner Jonah Miller will officially open the doors tomorrow evening (they've been in soft-open mode since last Tuesday).

Here's more about Miller, who started working in restaurants in the city at age 14, via FITR:

Miller's inspiration comes from a variety of experiences. "When I was coming up, it was a time when Spain was influencing cooking throughout the world," he says. "That and the fact that Spanish was spoken in kitchens made me want to study abroad in Spain in college. When I was there, I realized the experience of eating in Madrid is not really available in New York."

So he built it, giving an East Village space a revamp to make it feel old — "We want people to feel like they've been here before," he explains …

This address was previously home to L'asso EV, the pizzeria that closed in July 2013.

Here's is the restaurant's website with more info and menus and stuff.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Huertas, opening this spring on First Avenue

Twist-ing the night away, though it's no longer self-serve

Several readers pointed out that Twist was open for business this past weekend on Avenue A… Some folks put the place up for dead, as the fro-yo shop between East Fifth Street and East Fourth Street had not been open much during the past 3-4 months…

But! It is open… with a new look … and the the place is no longer self-serve. Someone will serve it for you. (Gelato is also on the menu.)

Twist opened last September.

Meanwhile, unlike Twist, Twister on Second Avenue is officially closed.

Easter Sunday

Well, while walking toward East River Park late this afternoon… we spotted this scene on Avenue C … a woman pushing a fake Xmas tree… We have nothing to prove that this actually happened today and not, say, Dec. 28. (Though it was likely snowing then!) Maybe take our word for it?

Via the EVG Twitter account

[Updated] Easter at the makeshift altar on East 12th Street

A look today at the makeshift altar on the East 12th Street plywood …



… where Mary Help of Christians once stood…



Developer Douglas Steiner awaits city approval for his retail-residential complex at the now-empty lot.

Photos by EVG reader Alta Tseng.

Updated 8:13 p.m.



UGH. EVG reader Amy L. Anderson shared these photos from about 4:30 … someone destroyed the makeshift altar. Happy Easter!



Updated 9:11 p.m.

Alta just let us know that someone made an effort to put the altar back together…





Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Makeshift altar arrives at former Mary Help of Christians Catholic Church

Week in Grieview

[Shoot for Calvin Klein sunglasses on East 7th St. Friday via Derek Berg]

NYPD looking for this attempted rape suspect (Tuesday)

Behind the postponement of the Howl! Festival (Friday)

Kushner and friends want to destroy this building's garden, tenants say (Tuesday)

Yoo's Convenience Store is closing on Second Avenue (Monday)

Take a look at the all-new plans for 75 First Ave. (Friday)

Hey, it snowed! (Wednesday)

AlphaBet Cafe has closed (Friday)

Speculating about the future of the Tifereth Israel Town and Village Synagogue (Thursday)

Citi Bike continues to inspire (Tuesday)

Portico repair underway at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery (Thursday)

Sign campaign to end the noise on this rooftop (Monday)

OddFellows bringing ice cream to East Fourth Street (Tuesday)

The Russ & Daughters Cafe is shaping up (Wednesday)

Insomnia Cookies coming to the East Village (Wednesday)

At the memorial for d.b.a. co-founder Dennis Zentek (Wednesday)

The July 4 fireworks returning to the East River (Monday)

Exchange Alley has apparently closed (Monday)

Virage remains closed for renovations (Wednesday)

James Spader alert (Wednesday)

Lunar eclipse! (Tuesday)

Speaking of moons… from East 11th Street Thursday evening via Grant Shaffer…

[Updated] Today in maybe-strange things hovering in the sky

EVG Roving Photographer Bobby Williams happened to have his camera pointed down Tribeca way… when THIS appeared…



Non-plausible theories welcome.

Updated 2:37 p.m.

Thanks to the several readers who sent along this alert from the NYPD…

A private architecture firm will conduct height surveys of buildings in Manhattan today, Sunday, April 20th, and tomorrow, Monday, April 21st. The architectural height surveys will consist of a large balloon aloft approximately 800 feet today from 11 a.m. until 8:15 p.m. in the vicinity of Chrystie and Stanton Streets, and tomorrow from 7 a.m. until 8:30 p.m. in the vicinity of East 58th Street and Sutton Place.

[Updated] Easter at St. Brigid-St. Emeric

On Friday, workers installed a new sign for St. Brigid-St. Emeric …

Meanwhile, the cross that the church put out here on the corner of Avenue B and East Eighth Street two weeks ago made it through this holy season without being tagged, stolen, etc.



A reader seriously asked us if the plastic casing was bulletproof. We really have no way of checking that.

Updated 10:30 a.m.

Jesus is now inside the plastic casing.

NBA action on Avenue A

[Photo via @fashionbyhe]

Several EVG readers noted that someone was projecting some NBA games/highlights this evening on the side of 220 Avenue A near East 14th Street….

Not the first time that we've seen some NBA action along Avenue A…

Min's Market is closing today

[Photo via @TheWeeklyNabe]

Last call today for Min's Market on the southeast corner of Clinton Street and East Houston. Not surprisingly, a rent hike is to blame for this ouster.

Meanwhile, stuff is mostly on sale…



H/T Mike Brown/@Lot71

Record Store Day is underway

Here's the scene on East Fourth Street outside Other Music… where the line went around the corner on Lafayette … the store opened at 10.

Photo via Vinny and O …

More details on the Day here.

Good Friday on Avenue C

Photos by Bobby Williams

Hey, it's Record Store Day tomorrow

As the headline says, Hey, it's Record Store Day tomorrow.

Here's a list of the special releases/limited editions that will be available (for a price) at participating venues. (Who's going for the Ray Parker Jr. 30th anniversary "Ghostbusters" theme vinyl?)

Among the local record stores taking part…

Kim's, opens at 8 a.m. — details here

Other Music, opens at 10 a.m. — details here

Turntable Lab, opens at 10 a.m. — details here

And at Academy on East 12th Street …

Academy Records East Village store opening 10am for @recordstoreday ! We have tons of RSD merch as well as a killer selection of used recs!!

— Academy Records NYC (@AcademyRecords) April 17, 2014

Find the list of all the local venues here.

As always, we enjoy supporting local record stores year-round…Good Records NYC ... A-1 Records ... Sounds ... Rainbow Music...

This is the 'End'

The Jesus and Mary Chain and "The Living End" from 1985.

That pre-Easter rush

[Photo by William Klayman]

Wow. Here's the line early this afternoon for East Village Meat Market on Second Avenue... where everyone is stocking up for Easter...

The Times featured the shop in the City Room yesterday...

The weeks before Easter are now the market’s busiest time of year, as this vestige of the old community continues to draw customers, many who once lived nearby, or who worshiped at St. George Ukrainian Catholic Church. Long departed from the neighborhood, they, or their families, now travel hours to shop for holiday fare they say is difficult to find elsewhere.