Anti-flu shot campaign extends to Avenue B

Spotted near Duane Reade on Avenue B and Second Street. Three defaced signs makes if an official trend. (See here.)

Thanks to EVG reader Noah Shannon for the photo!

Updating: Crime scene on 2nd Avenue and 7th Street

[Photo by Derek Berg]

There are multiple reader reports of a crime scene on Second Avenue at Seventh Street this evening. Several people have said that they've seen blood-soaked clothing on the sidewalk.

Will update when more information is available.

@evgrieve street is closed and there's blood everywhere. Not sure what happened. pic.twitter.com/4Svhwy1E7i

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) November 4, 2016

Updated 7:04 p.m.

From a tipster:

"Some poor guy got stabbed in the neck."

The tipster said this happened on Second Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Seventh Street.

"Blood was everywhere. I didn't see the stabbing but walked by when he was on the stretcher Was so gross. The suspect fled wearing a green sweater."

Updated 7:31 p.m.

An officer at the scene said that the victim's wound was not life-threatening

Updated 11/7

The victim in the attack left several comments about the incident, which happened inside 129 Second Ave.:

I was stabbed twice in the neck and once in the back. My spine is fractured. All the positivity from total strangers is amazing and thank you for that. And btw I am not a crusty heroin addict. I don't do any drugs. I'm surprised it hasnt been easier to find pictures of the incident online. There were so many people hanging around taking videos/photos. The attack occured inside 129 in broad daylight and I have seen footage of the attackers. If anyone has any photos/videos during the event it would be a great help to the police and myself. There were two attackers one was on a black bike with a black jacket the other was in jeans, a green jacket, and black hat. After the attack they headed west on east 7th st. So far they are still on the streets.

And...

The police havent put out any information yet. There were two men. One was on a old black bycycle he was about 5' 9"-5'10", black ball cap, 'stocky build', african american, his face was more round, eyes slightly closer together than I would expect. I didnt notice any tattoos. Most of their bodies was covered. I hit him very hard on the left side of his face and he may have a cut or bruise near his ear or temple. The other guy was wearing a green jacket with a ball cap and jeans, he had a beard and bald head, he had darker skin than me. Could have been african american or maybe dominican, he was very large maybe 6'1"-6'3", muscular build. I have seen video of the attackers entering into the aparmtent building. Someone that lived in the apartment building actually let the men inside. I think he was trying to be friendly. That just shows if you dont know them or you havent seen them in your building dont let them threw the door.

[Updated] Reader report: Resident injured trying to rescue drone from 12th Street rooftop

Late this afternoon, the FDNY responded to a report of an injured person on the rooftop of the abandoned 535 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.



Here's information pieced together from a resident on the block based on witness accounts...

A woman apparently created a rope made of sheets to lower herself from No. 531-33 to retrieve her drone on the rooftop below.

The sheet rope didn't hold, and she fell to the adjacent roof. One person on the scene said that she was unconscious but OK.



Another reader shared this photo ... showing a police officer holding the drone...



Updated 11/5

Gothamist has more details on the incident.

Last night, our correspondent first identified the victim as a man... an NYPD sergeant at the scene last night said the person was a woman. This morning, however, an NYPD spokesperson said that the person is a man.

The man, who is in his 50s, was taken to Bellevue Hospital.

Per Gothamist:

Due to the complexity of the fall, the FDNY and NYPD's ESU had to perform a high-angle rescue utilizing an FDNY tower ladder. The building where the victim fell, 535 East 12th, is an abandoned building and access was limited due to security measures taken to secure that building from squatters.

The drone, a Yuneec Typhoon Hexacopter, costs nearly $1,000, per Gothamist.

Updated 11/6

The Post reports today that the victim, identified as Cris Piedrahita, 55, remains in critical condition.

Report: Shaun Martin receives 20 years to life for death of East Village Farm and Grocery florist

Shaun Martin, who prosecutors said was drunk and high on PCP when he plowed his car going 90 MPH into East Village Farm and Grocery on Second Avenue on June 19, 2013, which led to the death of florist Mohammed Akkas Ali, was sentenced today to 20 years to life.

During a sentence hearing last month, Martin's lawyer, Arthur Aidala, tried to have the charges dismissed, arguing that his client was so intoxicated he couldn't be held accountable for murder by displaying a "depraved indifference to life," per the Daily News.

During the sentencing today, Martin, a 35-year-old Queens resident, "got little sympathy from Manhattan Supreme Court Justice Melissa Jackson as she sentenced him on charges including murder and aggravated vehicular homicide," as the Daily News reported.

Martin's excuses — that he was self medicating for psychiatric disorders and addicted to drugs — do not negate what he did, the judge said.

She said his family “did everything they could to help you every single time but you continued to use drugs."

Aidala said he'll file an appeal on Martin's behalf.

"It's a tragic day for many families," the lawyer said outside the courtroom. "Two lives were lost here — Mr. Ali and Mr. Martin."

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Car smashes into East Village Farm & Grocery on Second Avenue; 6 reported injured

Crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises nearly $19,000

Report: Injured East Village Farm and Grocery florist has lost his memory, use of his voice

[Updated] RIP Akkas Ali

At Sugar Sketch, a new bakery on 2nd Street

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy

Sugar Sketch opened earlier this fall at 172 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. I recently stopped by the bakery to speak with Martina Nardo, owner and cake designer.


[Owner Martina Nardo]

Where did the name Sugar Sketch come from?

Sugar Sketch started as a cake design shop. I launched the company in 2013, and I was only taking orders online. I would rent kitchens around the city to bake and assemble my cakes. Before it became Sugar Sketch, the name was Cakely Ever After, but it was never finalized with an LLC, so it never became an official name. Also, clients were having a lot of trouble spelling it, and I would miss many emails because of this.

I came up with the name Sugar Sketch with the help of one of my best friends, writer Richard Lopez. When thinking of a name, we focused on the process involved in making a decorated cake: after discussing a theme with my clients, I usually make two or three sketches, each with a different technique, to give my clients several options in pricing. Once the client approves a sketch, I make it into a cake. “Sugar Sketch” came from this concept.

You’ve been in business since 2013. What made you decide to open a storefront business in the East Village now?

Two years ago I started working at Pip’s Place as a cake decorator. Pip’s was a great gluten-free bakery on the Upper East Side with truly delicious gluten-free treats. After a few months working there, Denise [the owner of Pip’s Place] and I decided to join forces and offer fondant-decorated gluten-free cakes.

I moved my tools into her second location in Murray Hill and together we launched this new idea. Pip’s Place baked gluten-free cake layers, and Sugar Sketch decorated them. At the new studio, I would decorate by the window, which attracted a lot of attention from people walking by. Within six months, orders had increased drastically, and I realized the importance of having a store front.

In July 2015, Denise decided to leave the food industry behind to take on new adventures, and I decided to open a storefront on my own. Gluten-free baking is very different from regular baking, and I didn’t feel comfortable offering a product I hadn’t had a lot of experience with, and that’s why I switched back to my own recipes, which are not gluten free. However, we are now working on a few gf flavors to expand our menu, and we hope to be able to include them by next year. Of course, I wouldn’t recommend it to anyone who has Celiac disease, because Sugar Sketch is no longer certified gluten free.


[Counterperson and barista Bria Staley]

How has the process of opening a local small business been for you?

The past year has been incredible. It is without a doubt the hardest and most exciting project I have ever taken on, and although some days present challenges that seem too big to face, I am very proud of how I’m handling it all, and very excited about the future of Sugar Sketch.

This year has taught me a lot about myself; I believe it has been one of the most informative years of my life and I am looking forward to transforming and growing along with this business. Manhattan is definitely challenging — expenses are high, and New Yorkers are quite skeptical, but I am determined to make my way into their hearts! I truly believe that with consistency, determination, and very hard work anything can be accomplished.

This entire year wouldn’t have been possible without a strong team; I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for them. And of course, none of this would be possible without the endless support of my mom — she’s been my biggest fan from day one, witnessing and supporting my various breakdowns as well as all the happy moments, and I am so very grateful to have her by my side.

Sugar Sketch is the result of eight long years of endless hours in the kitchen, various chefs screaming and throwing silverware around, and many, many burnt croissants and deflated macaroons. I think the most important thing is to keep moving forward, learning from my mistakes and, most important, being open to changing, adjusting, and aiming to be better than the day before. I try to do this not only with my product, but also with the business itself. Biggest lesson I learned is to never take things personally and never become too attached to any given structure. Things will change for the better, and it’s important to keep an open mind.

What has been the reaction so far from the neighborhood?

The East Village is the best neighborhood! I really couldn’t have found a better location. The entire block has been incredibly warm and friendly and welcoming me to the neighborhood with flowers, cards, messages, and balloons. It is the first time since I moved to the States 12 years ago that I feel like I am truly a part of a community, and it is magical. I feel safe here, and at home.

You were born and raised in Italy. How is NYC different than Rome when it comes to pastries? How is it similar?

The biggest difference I have found between NYC and Rome is the amount of sugar used in desserts. I don’t love really sweet desserts, and my goal when I first launched Sugar Sketch was to offer a product that wasn’t too sweet. I have been adjusting my recipes for years, and I am always moving forward and thinking of new ways to improve my desserts. I have received a lot of feedback the past few weeks on this, and I am very happy to hear people are noticing this difference and enjoying it.







The Sugar Sketch hours are:
Monday - Closed
Tuesday-Thurssday — 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.
Friday — 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Saturday — 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.
Sunday — noon to 8 p.m.

Find Sugar Sketch on Instagram here

Video: An in-progress look at Tompkins Square Bagels, opening this month on 2nd Avenue

The Second Avenue location of Tompkins Square Bagels is inching toward completion... there have been a few delays at 184 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street (for instance, there was an electrical problem with the main line to the building).

In this video filmed the third week of October, owner Christopher Pugliese discusses what patrons can expect from this location and offers some details about the space.



As for the opening, he's looking at Nov. 14.

Video filmed by Shawn Chittle

Previously on EV Grieve:
A 2nd Tompkins Square Bagels confirmed for former Open Pantry space on 2nd Avenue

Tompkins Square Bagels makes it official on 2nd Avenue

The new Tompkins Square Bagels will arrive before the 2nd Avenue subway

'Merica dream fades as Zerza returns to 6th Street

After less than three weeks in business, 'Merica, described as "the most American bar and restaurant in the world," has apparently closed here on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Thanks to EVG regular Creature for the tip.)

The red, white and blue awning now advertises Moroccan Mediterranean food... and the menu for the previous tenant, Zerza, has returned... (now La Zerza)...



It was a whirlwind month or so here. The well-liked Zerza closed in late September. Then came the Facebook page for 'Merica, co-founded by Radoune Eljaouhari, who ran Zerza, and Zach Neil, an owner of the Tim Burton-themed Beetle House a few doors away on Sixth Street as well as Stay Classy, the bar for Will Ferrell fans on Rivington Street.

As Patch reported:

Neil said he, a Christian, and Eljaouhari, a Muslim, bonded over making fun of "all things America." Especially during this election season, they find Americana to be exceptionally funny, Neil said.

"I mean it's just crazy that Donald Trump is running for president," he said.

Crazy, sure, but not really funny.


[Photo from last Friday]

The décor included rifles, NASCAR memorabilia ... as well as TVs showing episodes of the Chuck Norris vehicle "Walker, Texas Ranger." It was supposed to be a humorous, tongue-in-cheek homage to the "real America" ... there were advertised debate nights, where diners could discuss a variety of topics, humorous or otherwise, during this divisive election season. (There was a "House of Cards" trivia and dinner scheduled on Election Night.)

The menu, full of comfort foods with names like the Walmart, the Hog Beast and the Boo Boo Burger, included topical items such as the The T-Rump Mexican Burger and the Hillary Burger, "a 100-calorie lie" — a triple bacon cheeseburger topped with mac and cheese.

Despite some opening publicity (including a segment on "Good Day New York"), the dining room sat empty. (One direct neighbor claims that he never spotted one person inside, other than employees.)

Around 1 a.m. on Wednesday, an EVG reader says that she saw a worker taking the "Taste the Liberty" words off of the awning "using some kind hair drying or torch." Sounds pretty American.

Previously

Noted

An EVG reader shared a photo of this sign spotted on Avenue A and Second Street. It reads:

Beware!!!

There is a couple in the LES with and grey and white pit bull they're sicking on random victims.

The woman is about 5 feet tall with brown hair and the man is about 6'2" with a cloudy eye. These people are predators!!!

Be careful and call the police!!

A change in food vendors on 1st Avenue and 6th Street

Just noting the arrival this past weekend of a gyro-falafel cart on First Avenue at Sixth Street... this prompted several readers to ask what happened to the fruit-vegetable vendor who's usually here. I last saw him on Saturday afternoon...


[Photo not from Saturday afternoon]

Jimmy McMillan's ad for a German car-rental brand is suitably strange

Last time that we heard from East Village resident Jimmy McMillan, he was announcing his retirement from politics, specifically the Rent Is Too Damn High Party, under which he ran for mayor, governor and, for a moment, president.

Now, as Adweek reports, McMillan has sold his trademark to Sixt, a German car-rental giant for its first ad campaign in the United States.

Per Adweek: "It seems the two have the same budget-conscious message, and at least one of them is in on the joke."

Here's the ad, which includes roles for journalist Cenk Uygur of the Young Turks and Josh "The Fat Jew" Ostrovsky.



And I'm not sure about what came of the ongoing eviction battle over his rent-stabilized apartment of nearly 40 years on St. Mark's Place. I haven't seen him on that block since the summer. Perhaps he has been busy filming commercials.

Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group planning Martina for 55 3rd Ave.

Danny Meyer's Union Square Hospitality Group, whose well-regarded establishments include Gramercy Tavern, the Modern and Union Square Cafe, have plans for a new restaurant on Third Avenue and 11th Street.

The group is applying for a new beer-wine license for 55 Third Ave., and are on this month's CB3 SLA committee docket.

According to the questionnaire (PDF!) on file at the CB3 website, the new venture is called Martina. There isn't any mention of the style of food that will be served.

The application shows that the space will hold 13 tables with a proposed sidewalk cafe with four tables. (The overall capacity is listed at 75 or below with nine employees.) The proposed hours are 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday; until 1 a.m. Thursday through Saturday.

Here's a look at the layout via the questionnaire...



So what space is this restaurant taking? 55 Third Ave., aka Eleventh and Third, is the 12-floor building that recently went through a top-to-bottom luxury renovation. No 55, which is between 10th Street and 11th Street, is currently home to two retail tenants: M2M, the Asian grocery chain, and The Smith. M2M is apparently moving away to make room for Wagamama. The Smith isn't going anywhere.

So where does this leave Martina? There is the building's former lobby on the 11th Street side (across the street from NYU's Third Avenue North dorm).







This month's SLA committee meeting is Monday, Nov. 14 at 6:30 p.m. CB3 will hold the meeting in the Thelma Burdick Community Room, 10 Stanton St. at the Bowery.

Water Witch Mercantile opening in the Box Kite space on St. Mark's Place

An EVG reader shared the above photo from last night around 11:15 ... showing employees making final preparations to open Water Witch Mercantile at 115 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. (We hear that they are opening today.)

Here's more about Water Witch via their Facebook page: "We are your neighborhood provisions shop with specialty sandwiches, leavened breads, cured meats, artisanal cheeses, and craft beers." (The Water Witch Instagram account mentions growlers of beer for sale and a late-night menu. That menu is not online just yet.)

Coffee is a centerpiece here too (Updated: no espresso, just drip) ... just like its predecessor, Box Kite Coffee, which abruptly closed in early August. After a rather pointed goodbye note ("Taste is the most important aspect of coffee and we were the only game in town") on the chalkboard sign inside the front door, ownership announced a reopening several days later.

In any event, Box Kite has been reimagined as Water Witch with the market/expanded food offering. (A recent Craigslist ad for staff called this a "new specialty food store in partnership with Box Kite Coffee.")

N'eat now serving Nordic fare on 2nd Avenue

You may have noticed this plot come together in recent days outside 58 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street... the new restaurant is n'eat.

Here's more about them via their website:

Our philosophy is rooted in showcasing New Nordic fare, with a strong focus on seasonal and locally sourced ingredients. The menu is influenced by both old-world and progressive Nordic cooking techniques, while also remaining clean, fresh and simple.

Guests can expect a casual dining experience, whether dining at the bar for a glass of wine and a few snacks, or sitting down to enjoy dishes from the a la carte menu—we hope to offer a welcoming respite and relaxed atmosphere.

Menu items (the items below are all $16) include:
• Poached egg yolk - Brussel sprouts - "Gammel knas"
• Pickled onion - Silver onion - Pear - Smoked crème
• Baked haddock - Sea buck thorn – Apple - Turnips
• Cured scallops – Mussels – Radishes - Butter milk
• Potatoes puree – Duck heart – Bacon – Onion
• Chicken confit – Carrots – Burned garlic sauce

Find the full menu here.

The hours are 6-11 p.m. Sunday-Thursday; until midnight on Friday-Saturday.

With this opening, we officially say goodbye to Cellar 58. The low-key Italian restaurant closed for renovations in May ... and, as far as I know, never reopened.

Updated 1 p.m.

Gothamist has a preview today on n'eat here.

Per the post:

"We use whatever makes sense from the New York area," Allan Jensen, n'eat's general manager said. "New Nordic cuisine is all about using local ingredients and being true to that. Everything is local, fresh, strictly in-season. There's a lot of fermenting and pickling—the region is cold, so in the winter it's hard to grow anything. So we use ingredients from the best of both worlds—it would be crazy to import everything."

Photo via Instagram

A 'Stop the Demolitions' rally tomorrow on 7th Street

[EVG photo from September]

Last week, the Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) announced that they will not consider a row of pastel-colored residences on Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D for landmarking.

Preservationists hoped to have the buildings, which date to the 1840s, landmarked ... in part to spare the demolition of 264 E. Seventh St. for some unspecified new development. (In early September, a permit was filed with the DOB to demolish the 3-level house.)

Tomorrow at noon, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is organizing a rally outside the buildings on Seventh Street. Via the EVG inbox...

In September, GVSHP and allied groups reached out to the city’s Landmarks Preservation Commission to urge them to landmark 264 East 7th Street, and the adjacent houses at 258, 260, 262, and 266 East 7th Street. Once part of what was known as “Political Row”, these five ca. 1842 houses, located between Avenues C and D, have rare and beautiful intact Greek Revival ornament, and are linked to the history of the early development of New York’s waterfront and to critical political figures of the 19th and early 20th century in New York.

In spite of this fact the Landmarks Preservation Commission recently responded saying they did not consider the buildings worthy of landmark designation.

Sound familiar? Earlier this year the City also refused to landmark five 19th-century Beaux Arts tenements at 112-120 East 11th Street, between 3rd and 4th Avenues.

One small positive note: due to the 2008 East Village rezoning which GVSHP and other groups fought for, the height of any new development on this block of East 7th Street is limited to 75 feet in height after setbacks. Previously there were NO height limits for new development on this block.

Visit here to send a letter to the Mayor online.

The rally starts at noon tomorrow (Friday)...



Previously on EV Grieve:
City says no to landmarking row of 7th Street homes, clearing way for demolition of No. 264

A few more details about the sale of 123 2nd Ave.

Back in late September, news arrived that the lot that housed 123 Second Ave., one of three buildings destroyed following the deadly gas explosion in March 2015, sold for $6 million.

The buyer was reported as Ezra Wibowo under the LLC 123 Second Ave. Corp. While there haven't been any details divulged about what might be coming to the property, Crain's this week provided a few more details about the deal.

The $6 million sale price for what’s now a vacant lot at 123 Second Ave. is likely higher than what the building that stood there would have commanded. The sellers, who originally asked $9.7 million, had taken a $499,000 mortgage on the building in 1999, and it generated gross revenue of $283,580 in 2014, per real estate research website Reonomy.

Moreover, the September sale price for the lot is comparable to what larger nearby apartment buildings have traded for in recent years. The new owner of 123 Second Ave., an investor from the West Village, could not be reached regarding any development plans — and none have been filed with the city — but it’s unlikely such a choice spot will remain undeveloped for long.

No. 123 housed Pommes Frites and Sam's Deli and several residential spaces. Maria Hrynenko, the owner of 119 and 121 Second Ave. faces various charges (along with four others), including involuntary manslaughter.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: City claims immunity in tenant lawsuit over deadly 2nd Avenue gas explosion

A Drybar opens on Ludlow Street tomorrow

EVG reader Alta Tseng shared this photo from... 179 Ludlow St., the building next to Katz's...

As the Commercial Observer first reported in August, the California-based salon chain Drybar signed a 10-year deal ($150 per square foot) in the retail space of the condoplex

And Drybar, the 13th in the city and the first in this neighborhood, opens tomorrow (Friday!) per the signage.

The condoplex earned the nickname "The Rat Castle" from the Voice back in 2008. (The then-abandoned project attracted rats galore at the time.)

As BoweryBoogie noted in August: "An ironic name for this Hell Square newcomer, though; in an area pillaged with liquor licenses, a Drybar moves in."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Notorious 'Rat Castle' being pitched as 'Swank' on Ludlow Street

Duane Reade's efforts to offer flu shots still don't seem all that appealing

At the Duane Reade on Third Avenue at both Street...

Oct. 20!


[Photo by @edenbrower]

This week!

Attorney General files lawsuit against local landlord Marolda Properties; accused of intimidating rent-stabilized tenants

Via the EVG inbox this morning...

Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman today filed a lawsuit against Marolda Properties, Inc., a Manhattan property management company that manages rent-regulated apartment buildings in the New York City metropolitan area including in Chinatown and the Lower East Side, and affiliated landlords that own the buildings.

The lawsuit is the result of a joint investigation between the Attorney General’s Office and Governor Andrew M. Cuomo’s Tenant Protection Unit.

The lawsuit, filed in New York Supreme Court, alleges that Marolda Properties and the other defendants improperly sought to evict rent-regulated tenants by serving notices and bringing proceedings in housing court falsely alleging that the tenants no longer occupied the premises as their primary residence. The lawsuit also alleges that defendants refused to renew tenants’ legally-required leases, overcharged and failed to account for rent paid by tenants, did not conduct necessary and proper repairs and renovations, and engaged in other harassing, deceptive and retaliatory behavior.

The affiliated landlords named in the lawsuit include Green Leaf Associates, LLC, Forsyth Green, LLC, Forsyth Blue, LLC, 83-85 Baxter Street, LLC, 7 Rivington Street, LLC, 90 Elizabeth St., LLC, Ludlow 65 Realty LLC, 13-15 Essex Street, LLC, 145 Ave. C., LLC, and 100 Forsyth Associates, LLC.

Read the full release from the AG's office here.

145 Avenue C (649 E. Ninth St.) sold in 2011 for $9.7 million. An entity named Ninth and C LLC is listed as the building's owner, according to public records. At the time of the sale, a resident told us that Marolda Properties would manage the building. Ninth and C LLC has an address in Houston.

Out and About in the East Village

In this ongoing 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: Candice Brewer
Occupation: Pharmacist
Location: Avenue A, between 2nd and 3rd
Time: 3:30 on Monday, Oct. 31

I sell drugs for a living. I’m a pharmacist. I’m an Army brat, so I’m from all over the place.

I moved here in 1978, I’ve lived on 7th Street and 11th Street, and then I moved down to below Houston Street in 1986. Everybody I knew lived down here. Affordability brought me here too, because it was a real dangerous neighborhood. I certainly didn’t go to the lettered avenues. That was way too scary, and there were blocks that I wouldn’t even walk during the day. They were too deserted.

If you ever looked at some of the old photographs, you’ll see that there was nothing going on. The buildings were burned out; the cars were trashed. I would walk home in the middle of the street, because people could come out from between the junked cars and places like that. I had the keys in my hand, and always checking before you opened your door so somebody wasn’t behind you. I’ve come out of my house and seen the police going, ‘Freeze!’ And I’ve seen busts where they’ve knocked down doors… and all the helicopters. Now I’m the scariest thing on Avenue C.

Like all of Ludlow Street, Orchard Street went dark at 5. It was all fabric stores and a lot of it was gravestone stores. The Mercury Lounge was a store for gravestones and you got free parking for a half an hour — you know, cause you could make that decision in half an hour. You can see along Suffolk Street, there are still some of the hoists and tackles on some of the old buildings, so they could pull the gravestones in to do the carving.

I love the music scene. You’d see a lot of interesting people, and there were a lot of artists living around here. There used to be such good clubs around here. It was really a fun time. The Ludlow Street Café, which doesn’t get a lot of press anymore, was the first bar on Ludlow Street, and that was like our living room. I think that came in around 1985, maybe even before Max Fish I believe. We would have parties there, Christmas parties, and birthday parties. It really was our community center – our country store so to speak.

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

Grand Sichuan has closed on St. Mark's Place

An EVG reader shared the news that Grand Sichuan in the upper level at 19-23 St. Mark's Place is now closed ... there is a 30-day notice of termination taped to the front door here between Third Avenue and Second Avenue...



The restaurant, which received high marks for its Sichuan cuisine, was one of four related Grand Sichuan restaurants in Manhattan.

We don't know the official reason for the closure.

Former employees here had been taking part in regular boycotts outside the restaurant. Among the employee allegations: Stolen tips, no overtime and no minimum wage. Per Gothamist:

In 2012 the Chinese Staff & Workers Association filed a charge against the East Village location for firing two workers and issuing a final warning to another. The case was tried in 2013 and the company was found to have "engaged in certain unfair labor practices" and forced to backpay wages.