Earth School's Annual Fall Fair is tomorrow, featuring slime-making and the Pocket Lady

Here's the info via the EVG inbox...

Join us on Saturday (tomorrow) from Noon-5 pm in Tompkins Square Park (corner of Avenue A and 10th Street) for the Earth School's Annual Fall Fair, without a doubt the best family event of the season!

This eclectic celebration of fall is open to all, featuring lots of fun activities for kids of all ages:

—The Amazing Maze
—Wacky photo booth
—Make your own trick-or-treat bags
—Gourd and cupcake decorating
—Meet the Pocket Lady with pockets full of mystery prizes
—Games including mini-golf, bean bag toss, and basketball
—Face painting & hair braiding
—Slime making, origami, and much much more

Adults get to taste international foods, both homemade and from East Village restaurants, buy unique gifts, and score a bargain at the extensive clothing and book sale.

Funds raised go to support vital enrichment programs at The Earth School, Sixth Street at Avenue B. Support public education and have a wonderful time! Activities start at $1.

More info at this Facebook link.

Preparing for Saturday's dinner at Il Posto Accanto on 2nd Street

On one recent Saturday, EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by Il Posto Accanto, the rustic, 23-year-old Italian restaurant at 190 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, to watch husband-wife owners Julio Pena and Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta prepare for that evening's dinner.

Words and photos by Stacie Joy

Saturday morning prep with Bea and Julio is a chaotic and boisterous affair, with lots of good-natured teasing, yelling, gesticulating and discussion about food and family, the pressures of running a small, family-owned business in the neighborhood, and local gossip and news.



Bea selects and picks up her vegetables, fruits and meats from the Union Square Greenmarket and comes back to the basement kitchen at Il Posto Accanto to start finalizing the day’s meals.



Meanwhile, Julio shops for flowers and today, smoke tree branches, in order to decorate the restaurant space upstairs, all of which he transports in his bright yellow old-school Caddy, a familiar presence on the block.





The ’65 Eldorado convertible (originally painted champagne gold) was purchased right after Julio and Bea met and fell in love in 1992.

Downstairs, Bea is making spicy pork belly ragu, pesto, tomato sauce, vegan lentil soup, and yellow heirloom tomato salad with burrata and prosciutto, among other things. There are a couple of whole octopus bubbling away on the stove with a wine cork to keep them tender, some onions caramelizing in a pan, and individual servings of blanched spinach are being rolled into balls.





Bea is constantly in motion, tasting, adjusting, issuing kitchen orders and making videos on her ipad to post to social media. The kitchen staff (including Geovanny, Armando and Gonzalez) all seem to speak or at least understand Italian, which is a plus as that is the default language spoken.


[Gonzalez]


[Armando]


[Geovanny]

As Saturday progresses, decisions are made upstairs. The day’s drink has been created: a concord grape juice and prosecco cocktail.



The TV near the bar is now Chromecasting a soccer match while most deliveries, including breads, have arrived.





Finally, Bea and Julio sit down to map out their evening plans. The moment of quiet is short-lived, as Julio has to run to the bank and Bea starts offering (well, insisting on) tastings off her plate to some locals who dropped by: some egg omelet strips cooked in tomato sauce, and sautéed garlic and spinach.



You can follow along with Julio and Bea and the team on Instagram.

Dojo looks to have closed for good

It looks like Dojo has called it quits here on West Fourth Street and Mercer.

As I reported last month, the Department of Health closed the restaurant following an inspection on Sept. 13. (You can read the previous post here.) The inspection turned up 62 violation points, which appeared to be correctable items before any follow-up visit.

However, Dojo has sat empty with the yellow DOH sticked affixed to the front door these past four weeks.

Now, workers have removed everything that wasn't bolted down in the dining room...



... and the bar is packed up...



Yelp and Google both list the restaurant as closed.

Attempts to reach anyone at Dojo (via email, Facebook Messenger and the phone) were unsuccessful.

Perhaps there is some renovation afoot. There were rumors in 2013 that this place had closed, though there were renovation signs for customers then.

Dojo began in the East Village... first with the Ice Cream Connection on St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in March 1970. Tony Yoshida's Japanese-inspired vegetarian cuisine came along in 1974. And via the Dojo website:

In 1982, Dojo took over the space next door and expanded even more. Then in 1991, Dojo in the West Village was created – both Dojo East and Dojo West were favorite local gems. Unfortunately in 2007, Dojo East was closed down due to high rent. BUT Dojo West is still going strong!

Previously on EV Grieve:
Concern for Dojo, which has now been closed for 2 weeks

It's possible to get the Impossible Burger at Sidewalk now

Just like the sign says here at Sidewalk on Avenue A and Sixth Street.

Well, you probably know the story about Impossible Foods, the company founded in 2011 that counts Google Ventures and Bill Gates among its investors. Basically it's the plant-based burger that "bleeds." The burgers are getting into the mainstream.

This video via Wired has the back story and the science behind (or inside) them...



The burgers aren't entirely impossible (sorry!) to find around here. This Impossible Foods map lists area restaurants that serve them, including Central Bar on Ninth Street and Saxon + Parole on the Bowery.

In any event, Sidewalk is happy about their arrival...

View this post on Instagram

NOW SERVING THE IMPOSSIBLE BURGER!!! #eastvillage #vegan #itbleeds #madefromplants #impossibleburger #impossiblefoods

A post shared by Sidewalk Cafe (@sidewalknyc) on Oct 9, 2018 at 2:35pm PDT

C Lounge debuts on Avenue C

[Photo Wednesday night by EVG reader Kelvin]

Several EVG readers were surprised to see the opening this week of C Lounge, which debuted Monday at 14 Avenue C at Second Street. (Surprised, because there wasn't any kind of Community Board notice about its pending arrival with opportunity for community input, according to several local residents.)

The sidewalk sign shows offers of 2-for-1 happy hour (until 9 p.m.), $25 buckets of beer and $20 hookah.

Sherif Beshir, a principal of the Cozy Cafe on First Street and a co-owner of Mazaar Lounge on Essex Street, is said to be an owner of C Lounge. (Mazaar Lounge has had a controversial history as you can read here. And here.)

Santatorum, the hospital-themed cocktail lounge via mixologist Albert Trummer, quietly closed in this space back in the spring.

The Santatorum awning remains up, though black tape covers the previous business name...



Thanks to Nat Esten and Kelvin!

Thursday's parting shot

A naked woman in a cowboy hat posing in front of the newish cowboy mural on Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street... thanks to @Sahu for the photo.

Clouds and Con Ed

A late-afternoon look toward the east via EVG reader Durk Snowden...

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's this week's NY See, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's comic series — an observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood — and elsewhere.

2nd Avenue gas explosion defendants due back in court on Monday

There's another court date for Maria Hrynenko and three other people accused of manslaughter for the deadly explosion that destroyed three buildings at 119-123 Second Ave. in March 2015.

According to public records, Hrynenko, who owned No. 119 and 121, and the other three defendants will appear in court on Monday.



Records show that Hrynenko and the other accused have appeared in New York County Criminal Court 19 times since February 2016... and the outcome was the same — "adjourned/bail continued" — since their initial appearance...



To recap...In February 2016, Manhattan DA Cyrus Vance's office charged Hrynenko and four others with manslaughter and negligent homicide for their alleged role in the blast that killed two men and injured more than a dozen other people in the buildings between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

Vance's office charged Maria and her son, Michael Jr., along with contractor Dilber Kukic and plumber Jerry Ioannidis with manslaughter in the second degree, criminally negligent homicide and assault in the second degree, among other charges. (The final defendant, licensed plumber Andrew Trombettas, was charged with offering a false instrument​,​ for allegedly lending his name and license number to paperwork.)

The five were accused of installing an illegal gas system, which they hid from inspectors, at No. 119 and 121. All five pleaded not guilty.

An obituary posted last August at the Pizzi Funeral Home website stated that Michael Jr. died on Aug. 25, 2017. He was 31. A cause of death was not disclosed for Hrynenko, who was also called Mischou.

In early August, the development team behind the proposed 7-story condoplex at part of the explosion site (the former No. 119 and 121) received approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission for a high-end residential building with ground-floor retail.

The new building will include a commemorative plaque that honors Moises Locón and Nicholas Figueroa, the men who died that March 26, 2015.

Shaky Cohen's Nexus Building Development Group paid $9.15 million for the empty lots.

The third site, which was not owned by Hrynenko, sold for $6 million in 2016, but there aren't any development plans for that property, 123 Second Ave., yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Exclusive: 2nd Avenue explosion sites have a new owner

Dedicating Moises Locón Way and Nicholas Figueroa Way on 2nd Avenue at 7th Street

Soil testing underway at the 2nd Avenue explosion site

Owner of Tompkins Square Bagels wants to bring the old Liquiteria vibe back to the original space

[File photo via Liquiteria]

Liquiteria closed this past Friday after 22 years on Second Avenue at 11th Street.

However, the space may not remain vacant for too long. Christopher Pugliese, the owner of Tompkins Square Bagels, is exploring taking over the storefront, partnering with Taras Strachnyi, who runs beQu Juice on Ninth Street, for a quick-serve juice spot and health-focused cafe.

"We have already seen the inside and have a decent rent in place," Pugliese said. "The aim is to bring the old Liquiteria vibe back to the original space. I think we both agree that the juice business has gotten a bit too corporate and sterile."

In Pugliese's opinion, Liquiteria was kind of the Tompkins Square Bagels of the juice business until founder Doug Green sold the business several years ago.

"We want to bring that feel back into the business. Give it the same feel and vibe of Tompkins Square Bagels," he said. "We’d offer organic juice made to order. None of this pre-bottled nonsense. This means we would have an actual staff who would interact with the guests. I know that’s not in vogue these days but that’s how we are going to do it. We will probably have healthy breakfast options too."

Strachnyi, a longtime East Village resident, worked at the original Liquiteria, and left after Green moved on. He opened his juice business on Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue in January 2014. (Strachnyi would also continue running beQu.)

Pugiliese opened Tompkins Square Bagels on Avenue A in December 2010. The Second Avenue outpost arrived in November 2016.

As for this new, unnamed venture, "We are going to try. We hope to pull it off."

Pinks hosting 'Trash Bash' to protest the DSNY's decision to park garbage trucks on 10th Street

[Photo Monday by Steven]

The owners of Pinks, the bar and grill at 242 E. 10th St. west of First Avenue, are hosting a "Trash Bash" tonight as a protest of sorts over the Department of Sanitation's (DSNY) recent decision to park garbage trucks in front of their business.

As I first reported on Sept. 18, the DSNY is now using part of 10th Street for their fleet. The DSNY no longer has use of their garage at 606 W. 30th St., and are relocating their trucks elsewhere, including parts of 10th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

This move — apparently done without much, if any, consultation with Community Board 3 — has sparked numerous complaints from residents and merchants alike who have called out the problems with the smell, noise and negative impact on business.

As for tonight's festivities...

"We are trying an alternative playful community protest to inspire the DSNY to make changes," Pinks owner Avi Burn told me. "We would like those responsible for the decision to make a garbage truck parking lot out of 10th Street to imagine this happening right outside their residence or place of business.

"It's horrific and irresponsible and there are alternatives to be discovered with a little effort. There is always a solution. We understand the DSNY has missed some deadlines to communicate with CB3, this will not go away — they need to focus on it and come to a satisfactory resolution with us."

Here's what to expect this evening, via the Facebook event page:

Costume theme: TRASHY AND FLASHY.
Free entry for costumed guests. $10 suggested donation for all else.

8 PM: Join us for trash themed cocktails and dinner (Mexican Cuisine). Sign a petition against the DSNY's irresponsible actions

8:30 PM: Live music by Liah Alonso

9 PM: Trash-ion Show by Christopher Hardwick. Dress in trash pieces or anything related to "Trash." Pinks Gift Card prizes and giveaways to the winners and best dressed!

9:30 PM: More music, fun and resistance to the trash.

Parking aside, the DSNY hasn't been the best neighbor. On Sept. 27, a surveillance camera captured a DSNY employee dumping trash out of his garbage truck into a planter outside Pinks, ABC 7 reported.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Questions and concerns as the sanitation department begins using 10th Street to park garbage trucks

More trash talk about those garbage trucks parked on 10th Street

Coffee is in your future at this new café on 7th Street

Storefront renovations continue at 117 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue ... the help-wanted signage notes that the incoming business, Future You Café, is hiring baristas...



I don't know yet who's behind this venture. You can sign up to be on the Future You mailing list at their teaser website.



There is now some caffeine competition on this block: 787 Coffee opened earlier this month a few storefronts to the east. (Coffee and cold brew is also available right across the street at Becky's Bites.)

Hitchcocktober movie of the week — 'Shadow of a Doubt'

The Hitchcocktober movie of the week is... "Shadow of a Doubt" tonight at 8... at City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street.

From 1943, Joseph Cotton stars as Uncle Charlie, a calculating and charming killer who hides out in his relatives' small hometown. There, he befriends his favorite niece and namesake, Young Charlie (Teresa Wright). But she begins to suspect he may be the famed Merry Widow murderer!



Is good ol' creepy Uncle Charlie really the famed Merry Widow murderer??!?!?!??!?! Is Young Charlie really old enough to be in a bar?!?!?!!?!?!?!?

And the remaining Hitchcocktober slate:

Oct. 18 — "Strangers on a Train"

Oct. 25 — "The 39 Steps"

Halloween night — "Psycho"

Find advance ticket info here.

Grand Opening continues at the Dumpling Shop on 2nd Avenue

A little late to note that the Dumpling Shop is now up and running at 124 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. (They officially debuted on Sept. 26.)

This link will take you to their array of dumpling offerings.

They sell other things too, as you can see via the Dumpling House Instagram account...

View this post on Instagram

We’re “The Dumpling Shop,” but we’re prideful of our entire menu. Our pork belly buns are slow cooked in our braising liquid (¡secret recipe!) for at least five hours and then seared for some caramelized deliciousness! It melts in your mouth and releases an umami bomb followed by freshness from the arugula, spice from the sriracha, additional creaminess from the Japanese mayo, and a secret ingredient you’re going to have to guess. 🐷

A post shared by The Dumpling Shop (@thedumplingshop) on Oct 1, 2018 at 2:42pm PDT

View this post on Instagram

Looking to slurp up some noodles instead? Creamy and savory, the Sesame Noodles are vegetarian friendly with the sauce made in-house and tossed with freshly prepared noodles. Peanuts, cilantro, cucumbers, and sesame seeds round off the flavor party! 🍜

A post shared by The Dumpling Shop (@thedumplingshop) on Oct 3, 2018 at 2:07pm PDT

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Dumpling Shop moving into the former San Loco space on 2nd Avenue

Signage arrives for The Dumpling Shop on 2nd Avenue

Wednesday's parting shot

13th Street between Broadway and University today via Derek Berg...

Noted

An EVG reader shared this spray-painted marker from outside a building owned by the Kushner Cos. on Avenue A.

The message reads in part: "Jared Kushner owns this building. Know your enemy."

Not sure how widespread these are. I walked by four other Kushner-owned properties and didn't spot similar messages. One estimate puts the number of Kushner-owned East Village buildings at 31. (Only Steve Croman reportedly owns more East Village buildings.)

Jared Kushner stepped away from running the family real-estate business when he entered the White House in January 2017 to work for his father-in-law.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Jared Kushner not done buying every walk-up in the East Village

Reports outline how Kushner Companies is aggressively trying to empty 170-174 E. 2nd St.

Jared Kushner's East Village tenants wish he'd resolve issues closer to home

Report: Kushner Co. filed false paperwork with the city over number of rent-regulated tenants

[Updated] Williamsburg Pizza vying for East Village location on 14th Street

Updated: This item has been withdrawn from this month's agenda.

The owners of the popular Williamsburg Pizza have designs on opening an outpost at 226 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

And they're on this month's CB3-SLA docket for a beer-wine license...



A pizzeria in this spot makes sense, as the most recent tenant was the rather blah Krust, which closed in January after seven years at the address.

I haven't confirmed this yet, but it looks as if the WP team will be taking the small vacant space next door as well. The questionnaire at the CB3 website shows 9 tables here seating 24 people, plus counter space for eight along the east-facing wall. (Krust wasn't all that large.)

The proposed hours are 11:30 a.m. to 11:30 p.m. during the week, with extended hours Thursday through Saturday night.

If all goes well, then this will make the latest Williamsburg Pizza location... joining the original out on Union Avenue and the one on Broome Street on the LES. (Chef/owner Nino Coniglio also makes pizza at 310 Bowery.)

The pizzeria has plenty of fans (for example). And a few years back New York magazine gave them the Best Slice Joint nod.

Williamsburg Pizza is one of the applicants to appear before CB3's SLA committee this coming Monday. Part two of the October SLA committee meeting takes place at the Public Hotel, 17th Floor, Sophia Room, 215 Chrystie St. between Houston and Stanton. The festivities start at 6:30.

The gutting of 180 2nd Avenue continues

Gut renovations started late last year at 180 Second Ave. between 11th Street and 12th Street, where the existing building is getting a complete condoplexification with the addition of two more floors.



A look inside from the sidewalk reveals the extent of the gut job... and just how much work remains...


[Photo by Steven]

The ongoing work can't be much fun for the restaurants on either side of the property — Cacio e Pepe at No. 182 and Pangea at No. 178. (Go see a show in the backroom at Pangea!)



As a reminder from previous post, here's a rendering of the condoplex in making via Ole Sondresen Architect...



And the description:

This East Village residential building is elegantly comprised of four 2 bedroom units and two 1 bedroom homes. Each unit features its own private terrace with open views down 2nd Avenue. The apartments are composed of two programmatic wooden boxes housing closets, bathrooms, and mechanicals which allows for an open loft-like feeling in the rest of the living space. The building is designed to earn LEED Platinum and Passive House certification, integrating a green roof with solar hot water panels for each residential unit. Reclaimed wood planters are incorporated into each terrace allowing lush plantings to liven the facade.

The Chicago-based Polish National Alliance was the previous owner of No. 180. The building housed the Józef Pilsudski Institute of America, which is the largest Polish-American research institution specializing in the recent history of Poland and Central Eastern Europe. (They found a new home in Greenpoint.) An LLC bought the building for $6.75 million in June 2014, per public records. The owner is listed as Robert Stern.

As for the ground-floor retail space, the Ninth Ward, the previous tenant, is expected to return.

And a p.s. from this construction zone via Vinny & O ... a Bagel Zone sign greets any salmoners...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Residential conversion underway at 180 2nd Ave.; the Ninth Ward expected to return

The renderings for the all-new 180 2nd Ave. include Leonardo DiCaprio on a Citi Bike

Name reveal: Emmy Squared's grilled-pizza sibling will be called Violet on 5th Street

Violet is the name of the grilled pizzeria coming to 511 E. Fifth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Eater had the scoop yesterday on the name for the latest venture from Emmy Squared's husband-wife team of Matt and Emily Hyland. The place is named after the state flower of Rhode Island. Matt was born in Brooklyn, Emily in New Jersey, and they met at Roger Williams University in the Ocean State. (Hey, you learned two factoid about Rhode Island today!)

Aside from grilled pizzas inspired by the Providence-based Al Forno, the menu will feature recipes with Italian and Portuguese influences, per Eater.

Violet is expected to open in early November. And it seems on track given all the work going on in this former home of GG's.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Emmy Squared's owners are bringing grilled pizza to the former GG's space on 5th Street

Getting 511 E. 5th St. ready for new grilled pizza venture from Emmy Squared's owners

Countdown to grilled pizza on 5th Street

That Nutella Cafe is shaping up on University Place

More than a year has passed since news of the first NYC Nutella Cafe came out (via the Commercial Observer).

Anyway, the Nutella signage is now wrapped around the 2,200-square-foot corner space at 116 University Place and 13th Street. (The signage arrived perhaps a month ago.)

Nutella Cafe New York, which is expected to open next month, will feature a (duh) Nutella-inspired menu and specialty espresso beverages.

As previously reported, the Adjmi Architects-designed seven-story condoplex will feature one unit per floor. The starting prices for the homes are $6 million.

The corner previously housed University Place Gourmet as well as several adjacent storefronts, including Bennie Louie Chinese Laundry.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Major changes coming to University Place and East 13th Street

Report: Incoming condos for 13th Street and University Place will start at $6 million


[Photo from June 2015]