Mazmaza is the 4th restaurant to try 320 E. 6th St. since last September

Until earlier this month, 320 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue was Amoun Kitchen and Lounge, a Moroccan restaurant and hookah bar...



Then the gates stayed down and someone painted over the Amoun awning... and now the place is Mazmaza, which also serves Moroccan cuisine...



There has been a lot of changes at No. 320 since last September, when Zerza announced it was closing for renovations. Then came 'Merica, co-founded by Zach Neil, an owner of the Tim Burton-themed Beetle House a few doors away on Sixth Street as well as the now-closed Stay Classy, the bar for Will Ferrell fans on Rivington Street. (An investor who teamed up with the owners of Stay Classy is now reportedly suing them.)

'Merica, an alleged attempt at satirizing the "real America," closed after three weeks in business... with Zerza returning to service for four months. Then Amoun now Mazmaza. Next!

Gelato shop opens on Avenue A

Workers removed the plywood from around the northwest corner space on Avenue A and Ninth Street back on Friday. (Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photos.)



As previously noted, a gelato shop is opening here... the place is called Gelarto ... (it appears to be the first U.S. outpost of this Italian brand)...



Gelarto opened on Sunday afternoon ... an EVG reader said they have a variety of gelato flavors as well as milkshakes and cappuccinos.


[Photo by Steven]

A help-wanted ad for the place describes it like this: "We are a Gelato Café in the east village of Manhattan. Think sophisticated flavors, italian cafe and the Italian lifestyle our product hails from. We handcraft all of our gelato from scratch in Italy. We also prepare gelato creations."

Previously here ... Cafe Pick Me Up moved out in May 2015 after 20 years in business. They were housed at 145 and 147 Avenue A, and had two different landlords — Icon on the left, Steve Croman on the right. Café manager Rossella Palazzo told DNAinfo in March 2015 that a rent hike from No. 145 landlord Icon Realty was the reason for the closure.

Updated 6/21

The bricks were painted white out front.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rent hike forcing Cafe Pick Me Up into its smaller space next door on Avenue A (59 comments)

[Updated] Cafe Pick Me Up expected to close for good after May 31

Ghost signage and (eventually) gelato at 9th Street and Avenue A

Report: Lease extension in the works for 14th Street Associated

Owners of the Associated Supermarket on 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue are receiving a new lease, though it's unknown at the moment what the duration will be, Town & Village reports.

Stuy Town’s management would not reveal how long the extension is expected to last or other details about the agreement, which was reached on Friday.

Joe Falzon, a co-owner of the store, said, “My partners and I appreciate StuyTown Property Services’ approach and willingness to work with us as we set out to understand how the future changes on 14th Street will impact our business. We’re committed to our customers and employees and will continue to provide quality service and products as Associated has done for over 20 years.”

Last month, there were reports that Morton Williams was taking over the grocery space in Stuy Town when Associated's lease was up on Dec. 31. However, after learning that a Trader Joe's was coming to the new development at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office across the street, Morton Williams decided against the property.

The new Trader Joe's is scheduled to open in the second half of 2018, according to a press release from the market.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Associated owners not having any luck shopping for a lease renewal on East 14th Street (34 comments)

Petition drive underway to help save the Stuy Town Associated on East 14th Street

Report: New Stuy Town owner pledges to keep a grocery story on East 14th Street, but it may not be Associated

Report: Morton Williams will take over the Associated space on 14th Street (27 comments)

Report: Morton Williams won't be taking over the 14th Street Associated after all

Sunday's parting shot

Christo with dinner in Tompkins Square Park tonight... photo by Bobby Williams...

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Ranger Rob brings a new red-tailed hawk to Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday ... Saturday)

And that's pretty much it for the former 112-120 E. 11th St., demolished to make way for a Moxy hotel (Monday)

Starbucks is coming to Avenue A and St. Mark's Place (Monday ... Friday)

"Sesame Street" and Chrysler team up in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

A nice collection of street photos from an EVG reader (Friday)

Tenant advocacy group names the city's worst landlords; Icon and Steve Croman in top 10 (Monday)

Out and About with Miss Joan Marie Moossy (Wednesday)

Tagging the Bowery mural wall (Monday) David Choe's Bowery mural site of anti-rape protest (Saturday) ... and now it's gone (Sunday)

Report: Drinking or urinating in, say, Tompkins Square Park, no longer a criminal offense (Wednesday)

Shoolbred's is closing (Thursday)

Christo and Dora's hawklet fledges (Wednesday)

Protection for Haven Plaza on Avenue C in case of another powerful hurricane like Sandy (Thursday)

Becky's Bites bringing cream cheese creations to 7th Street (Wednesday)

Mancora has apparently closed on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

Gastropub — 'Your new playground' — slated for former Guayoyo space on 1st Avenue (Friday)

At the start of the Body Pride Parade in Tompkins Square Park (Sunday)


[Yarn leak via London Kaye on 7th Street photo by Derek Berg]

Base camp: Looking at the Bowlmor Lanes-replacing 22-story condoplex (Tuesday)

Rally in support the Public Theater at Astor Place (Thursday)

Looking for answers about this chicken's death in La Plaza Cultural (Sunday)

Full FULL reveal at 347 Bowery (Thursday)

Another barber shop for Avenue A? (Wednesday)

Sweetgreen opening in former University Diner space (Tuesday)

Cork 'n Fork is now Gomi on Avenue A (Monday)

Union Square Duane Reade available for sublease (Tuesday)

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[Updated] David Choe's work has been painted over on the Bowery Mural Wall

Updated with a statement from Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall.

That's it for David Choe's mural on East Houston and the Bowery. The mural was painted over in the last 24 hours.

It's not immediately known who was responsible for the white out. The mural had been defaced multiple times since it was completed early on June 5. (The work was scheduled to be on view through October.)

Choe's work on the high-profile wall caused a stir, bringing back the story from 2014 in which he bragged about a sexual assault before later saying that he made the whole thing up. However, that wasn't an isolated incident. As Caroline Caldwell detailed at Hyperallergic, "The artist has an impressive history of making public statements that attempt to normalize or make a joke out of rape." An anti-rape protest and performance art piece titled "NO MEANS NO" is scheduled here today at 5 p.m. (Updated: Find a video clip here.)

Meanwhile, Choe issued an apology on his Instagram account yesterday ... complete with a blank image...

How does one apologize for a lifetime of doing wrong? Through my past three years of recovery and rehabilitation, I’ve attempted to answer that question through action and understanding. In my life I’ve struggled deeply with an unnatural amount of hatred I’ve had towards myself. Most of my life I’ve been a scared hurt shame filled person, trying to mask my insecurities with false confidence and an outwardly negative behavior to validate myself as worthy. In a 2014 episode of DVDASA, I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had sexually violated a woman. Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen. I have ZERO history of sexual assault. I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about. I was a sick person at the height of my mental illness ,and have spent the last 3 years in mental health facilities healing myself and dedicating my life to helping and healing others through love and action. I do not believe in the things I have said although I take full ownership of saying them. Additionally, I do not condemn anyone or have any ill will towards those who spread hate and speak out negatively against me, no one will ever hate me more than I hated myself back then. Today I’ve learned to love and forgive others just as much as myself. It’s been a rough journey but i am grateful to be alive and to dedicate myself to shining the light I have found within myself and live in service and gratitude. I am truly sorry for the negative words and dark messages I had put out into the world.

A post shared by DAVID CHOE (@davidchoe) on Jun 16, 2017 at 7:54pm PDT

Updated 12:30 p.m.

The wall white out happened after midnight...

Bowery Mural buffed overnight. A coworker sent me these on IG at 12:30. @DIRT_WORSHIP @vandalog pic.twitter.com/Zw1FyrvcuV

— 4rilla (@4rilla) June 18, 2017

Updated

Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall, posted a lengthy response about the Choe mural on her Instagram account...

When Keith Haring’s mural appeared on the Bowery wall 35 years ago, that wall achieved legendary status. Through the years, we have privately funded the wall to make it a platform for world class art. Our sole motivation is to share beautiful artwork with the city of New York. Our selection of artists has always been based on talent, diversity of styles, and aesthetics. We have featured local and international artists, prominent and emerging ones, men and women. Our selection has never been an endorsement of the artist’s personal life or past behavior, nor do we believe we are in a position to judge a person’s character or morality. We have heard the voices of those of you who have protested our selection of David Choe for the Bowery wall because of his past statements about women. We admire your courage in speaking out against the glorification of rape culture. It is never acceptable to objectify women or to joke about rape. Mr. Choe has now spoken for himself and publicly apologized for his past behavior and the dark words he put into the world. We commend him for publicly acknowledging what he privately shared with us before we selected him. We believe his sincerity. In a broader sense, your voices have prompted us to question whether we should evaluate the character of the artists with whom we work, and automatically disqualify from consideration those who have behaved inappropriately. This debate is universal and not unique to the art world. We honestly don’t know the right answer. Where do we draw the line? None of us is without flaw, and what often differentiates artists and inspires them to greatness is their personal struggles with darkness, and their willingness to confront their insecurities and commit to heal and help others. We are proud of the impact we have made in the street art world. We are always hopeful that our choices have positive ripple effects, not negative ones. Perhaps this experience will stimulate the conversation about everyone’s responsibility to contribute to tolerance and understanding. We remain committed to providing a canvas for millions of people to be inspired by the creativity of artists from all walks of life.

A post shared by Jessica Goldman Srebnick (@jessicawynwood) on Jun 17, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

Repairs set for trash can-eating sinkhole in Tompkins Square Park

Workers are in the process of starting repairs on the sinkhole that has been growing this past week at the Eighth Street/Avenue B entrance to Tompkins Square Park.

The entrance-exit remains closed...



No word on what else might be in the sinkhole...

Saturday's parting shot

Photo during the afternoon downpour on Second Avenue by Derek Berg...

Cab needs a Lyft on 6th Street

Well, that sucks... Goggla shares these photos from this afternoon's downpour... when a cab got stuck in a deceiving, rain-filled hole in a construction zone on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

[Updated] David Choe's Bowery mural site of anti-rape protest tomorrow

[Photo from Thursday]

Updated 6/18: The mural has been painted over.

David Choe's mural on East Houston and the Bowery has been tagged multiple times in the past week, as Hyperallergic has been documenting.

There is mounting criticism over Choe's residency on the Bowery Mural Wall. As Caroline Caldwell detailed at Hyperallergic, Choe "has bragged about his predatory sexual behavior."

There is a protest planned here late tomorrow afternoon. Here's artnet News with details:

The Bowery Mural, currently home to a controversial work by street artist David Choe, will be the site of an anti-rape protest and performance art piece titled “NO MEANS NO” on June 18. The high-profile street art location has come under fire for offering a platform to Choe, after he bragged about a sexual encounter that sounded anything but consensual.

The protest is organized by curator Jasmine Wahi, co-owner and director of the Gateway Project Spaces, and founder and director of Project For Empty Space, both in Newark. "This piece is intended to examine examples of violent and predatory misogyny," reads the Facebook invite to the event. "Our aim is to provoke widespread rejection of the continued normalization of rape culture by bringing visibility to the topic."

The performance will take place simultaneously at Union Square South and in front of the Bowery mural on Houston Street, from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In 2014, on an episode of his podcast "DVDASA," Choe admitted to co-host Asa Akira that he had engaged in what he called "rapey behavior" with a masseuse at her spa. He later claimed that his confession was simply "bad storytelling in the style of douche."

Buzzfeed and XOJane were among the media outlets that called him out on his actions. His alleged rape fixation is outlined here with multiple citations from his quotes.

Here's a comment via EVG reader East Village Community Member on a previous Choe post:

Public art is supposed to be a benefit to the communities in which is it is shown. Supporting David Choe and normalizing his public boasts of sexual assault against women is irresponsible and harmful to our society as it perpetuates rape culture. Choe may get big art commissions, he may be rich, he may be a celebrity.

However, he is an inappropriate choice for public art in our community. The Bowery Mural Wall is a project of the corporate Goldman Properties. They have been irresponsible in presenting a public art project by Choe in our neighborhood. Choe's offensive actions and comments should not be supported or normalized but should be condemned. I'm not advocating censorship of his art, but in my opinion he is an inappropriate choice for a public art project in our community. Wouldn't we rather see projects by artists who have something constructive and positive to contribute?

Swoon, who had the Hurricane Sandy-themed work on the Bowery Mural Wall in 2013, spoke out against Choe on Instagram:

I just read the transcript of your rape story and I thought to myself wowwww, this guy honestly thinks he's being edgy while he celebrates within the safety of the same metaphorical locker room that has long protected Donald Trump, Bill Cosby, and countless entitled date raping predators of whom there are too many to name.

Why reinforce the most disgusting aspects of the already dominant mainstream culture while playing it off like it's some fun taboo or wild boundary crossing adventure? The day Trump got elected is the day you must have had to admit to yourself that there's nothing transgressive about your rape stories. Rape culture is all around us, and you choose to "entertain" by being just another drop in the bucket of violence.

Art gives us so many more ways to express sexuality and confusion than just normalizing rapist shop talk. To be honest I have a hard time believing there is not a major element of truth to the tale. As someone who comes from a family of survivors of sexual violence I can tell you first hand that the ripple effects of the actions and attitudes that you put forth as cool destroy more lives than you may even have the capacity to imagine. I hope you wake up soon.

Several people have spray painted rapist on the wall... this one remains...



Goldman Global Arts, the wall's landlord, has yet to address the growing controversy. The mural was slated to remain up through October.

We can't stop thinking about how inspiring and exciting it was to have @davidchoe at the #BoweryWall! Here is a teaser of his process. Stay tuned for more!

A post shared by Goldman Global Arts (@goldmanglobalarts) on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:11pm PDT

Updated 6/18

Here's a clip from the Sunday evening protest/performance...

An incredibly powerful performance and protest entitled "No Means No" curated by Jasmine Wahi @browngirlcurator at the site of David Choe's Bowery Mural. Feeling honored to have witnessed these amazing artists fighting to dismantle rape culture, and fucking proud of the voices and fists raised today in the fierce NYC heat. #nomeansno #resist #nycart #artasresistance #dismantlerapeculture #jasminewahi #bowerywall

A post shared by Bella Hall (@whiskersonkitten) on Jun 18, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

Updated 6/19

Here's video via The Dusty Rebel...

Flatbush puts on an early-evening show in Tompkins Square Park

The new red-tailed fledgling provided some early Friday evening entertainment in Tompkins Square Park.

On Wednesday, Ranger Rob (aka Rob Mastrianni, a Manhattan Ranger supervisor) released a juvenile red-tailed hawk into the Park that had been injured earlier in the month in Brooklyn.

Nicknamed Flatbush (he fell from a nest on Flatbush Avenue), the hawklet started practicing to fly... EVG hawk-watching correspondent Steven shared these photos...







He eventually made it as high as the fence...







... and a contemplative moment captured by EVG reader Alberto Means...



Eventually, Ranger Rob, an East Village resident, safely put Flatbush back into a tree for the night... (these two photos are by Bobby Williams)...



Ranger Rob also let Flatbush use the radio to prank some other rangers (JK!) ...



In a very encouraging sign, Steven spotted Christo, one of the adult red-tailed hawks in the Park, bringing the rescued hawklet some food (????) yesterday morning...

Eco-Fest & Block Party today on 6th Street

Between Avenue B and Avenue C between 11 a.m. and 5 p.m. — rain or shine...

Here's what you can expect via the Block Party website:

All ages / Free / Open to the Public

Solar Power / Music / Community Gardens / Bicycling / Composting / Urban Agriculture / Yoga / Public Spaces / Permaculture / Theater / Green Roofs / Dance / Community Supported Agriculture / Maps / Cantestorias / Science / Hemp / Seed Bombs / Beekeeping / Puppets / Geothermal Energy / Plastic Free / Diversity / Art / Wind Power / Food

Alone together again

Seattle's Chastity Belt recently released their third record, the excellent "I Used To Spend So Much Time Alone."

And they are playing the Music Hall of Williamsburg on Tuesday. The above video for "Dull" was taped during a visit to WFUV in 2015.

EV Grieve Etc.: Monkey business at the Anthology; pigeon problems on Bond Street

[Photo on 2nd Avenue by Derek Berg]

A deep dive on Essex Crossing (The New York Times)

The Mayor is taking questions during a Town Hall on the LES next week (The Lo-Down)

Meanwhile, de Blasio seemingly getting more proactive about subway woes (Curbed)

Rundown of Pride Week events (Official site) ... and LGBT history in the East Village (Off the Grid)

Cinematic primates have their moment in the Simian Vérité film series (Anthology Film Archives)

A look at the East Village Hare Krishna movement via "Hare Krishna! The Mantra, the Movement and the Swami Who Started It" opening at the Village East Cinema (B+B)

There's an interactive new play that will recreate "Panic in Needle Park" on the LES (Gothamist)

Landlord sues Bond Street tenant for feeding pigeons, creating poop-filled sidewalk (New York Post)

Billionaires chase after Basquiats (Bloomberg)

Last weekend for group show "Wrong Side of History" (Bullet Space, Third Street between C and D)

Podcaster Taxstone pleads guilty to Irving Plaza gun charges (DNAinfo)

How Citi Bike started a transportation — and advertising — revolution (Fast Company)

Ranking NYC ice cream (Eater)

A posthumous album coming next month from Suicide's Alan Vega (Dangerous Minds)

On the street

EVG Facebook friend Roy Lee, a former East Village resident, was back in the neighborhood earlier this month... he shared a few photos that he took...

















Previously on EV Grieve:
Found photos in the East Village from the early 1990s

Gastropub — 'Your new playground' — slated for former Guayoyo space on 1st Avenue

An EVG tipster let us know that renovations are underway at 67 First Ave., the former Guayoyo space on the northwest corner of Fourth Street ...



Signs on the door point to a venture called Mabi (or Space Mabi?), a gastropub...



Their motto is "Your new playground" ...



Guayoyo, the low-key, family-owned Venezuelan restaurant, never reopened after an early-morning basement fire on Jan. 13, 2015. In a follow-up inspection, Con Ed discovered a gas leak at the address.

In April 2015, an employee said they hoped to have the restaurant reopened soon. That never happened as repairs and red tape ensued with the landlord, Icon Realty, and Con Ed. (Read more about the situation here.) Guayoyo vacated the lease in August 2016, 20 months after the fire. A message posted on Guayoyo's Facebook page read in part: "Unfortunately we are forced to close the doors despite the efforts made to ensure its reopening during this year and a half of forced closure due to circumstances beyond our control."

The husband-wife team who owned Guayoyo previously ran Kura Sushi at the address, which dates to 1988.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Guayoyo has been closed now for 1 year

Plywood arrives for the incoming Starbucks on St. Mark's Place and Avenue A

Workers started putting up the plywood on the corner of St. Mark's Place and Avenue A yesterday.

As we first reported on Monday, the paperwork is on file at the Department of Buildings for a Starbucks in this now-combined corner space that previously housed Nino's and Hop Devil Grill.

No word on a tentative opening date just yet for the Starbucks. There are other questions too, as posed by @EdenBrower, who took the above photo...

@evgrieve how big is the @Starbucks going to be?? pic.twitter.com/eiURc9Bf8B

— EdenBrower (@edenbrower) June 15, 2017

Previously on EV Grieve:
Starbucks confirmed for Avenue A
Updated 6/17

The final plywood product...

Rally in support the Public Theater this evening at Astor Place

[Photos by Steven]

There was a rally this evening at 6 on Astor Place to support the Public Theater and "condemn corporate censorship" ...



As you may have read, criticism in right-leaning media outlets prompted Delta and Bank of America to pull support of the Public Theater's production of "Julius Caesar" in Central Park ... which portrays Caesar as a Donald Trump-like character (and you likely know what eventually happens to Caesar...)

Per the Times:

A clash between Trump supporters and an iconic Manhattan arts institution over what kind of art is appropriate was perhaps inevitable in this hyperpartisan age. The proudly iconoclastic Public Theater is the birthplace of “Hair” (the Vietnam-era antiwar musical) and “Hamilton” (the hip-hop musical celebrating immigrants). And [Oskar] Eustis, the Public’s artistic director, is an unabashedly left-leaning theatermaker who believes in the value of provocative art.

Defenders of the production, including some theater critics, describe the Public’s “Julius Caesar” as nuanced, complex and loyal to Shakespeare’s text — a cautionary tale about the costs of political violence.

The Public, located nearby on Lafayette, released this statement on Monday...

#WeAreOnePublic. pic.twitter.com/HkOKxFIKsT

— The Public Theater (@PublicTheaterNY) June 12, 2017