Mikey Likes It and Tompkins Square Bagels join forces for first collaboration

Two Avenue A mainstays — Mikey Likes It Ice Cream and Tompkins Square Bagels — have teamed up for a Black History Month special with part of the proceeds going to benefit the Loveland Foundation.

The two just debuted a new cream cheese flavor and specialty sandwich. For this creation, the two reinterpreted Mikey's popular Southern Hospitality scoop... combining TSB's cream cheese with chopped, candied praline pecans, chunks of mini pecan pies from Abu’s bakery in Bed-Stuy and pecan pie filling.

Thrill-seekers may also order the Southern Hospitality cream cheese on an everything bagel with strips of bacon (you have to ask for Mikey's Southern Hospitality sandwich). 

For the rest of February, 10 percent of the sales from these items will go to the Loveland Foundation, a therapy fund for Black women and girls. 

The two shops plan to collaborate more in the future. 

"Mike and I have been talking about doing something together for years. Running a small business alone can totally consume you, and no matter how many times Mike and I bumped into each other on my walks home from work, we could never find the time to pull it off," TSB owner Christopher Pugliese told me about Mikey's founder, Michael "Mikey" Cole. 

Pugliese called Cole about this idea last Wednesday, and by Friday, Cole was in the TSB kitchen on Avenue A. 

"We had a blast and plan to do more collaborations together as well as some other charities feeding the homeless and hungry on the Lower East Side and in Harlem. Mike does a lot of charity work and when I asked him if I could join in he was very welcoming to the idea," Pugliese said. "I have to tell you, at one point he was working with my guys and I was looking over at him and I was just so happy he was there and that his place is around. COVID has taken so many small businesses. I really hope people in the East Village will show their support for Mike's place. I can't stress enough what a great, kind, big-hearted guy he is."

Novum EV comes into full view

The sidewalk bridge and scaffolding recently came down at the new 7-floor residential complex with 20 units — known as Novum EV —  at 238 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. (Thanks to Stacie Joy for the photo!)

Sales are still pending for the 1- and 2-bedroom units (and penthouse). Noted amenities on the plywood signage include a fitness studio and wet bar, outdoor recreation area, cold storage and triple glass exterior windows.

Landlord Vinbaytel Property Development is behind several other East Village condos in recent years, including at 227 E. Seventh St., 67 Avenue C and 26 Avenue B.

Workers demolished the previous building on the lot, a two-level structure once owned by the Blue Man Group, in the summer of 2019. 

Novum EV is situated between the historic Nuyorican Poets Cafe and the great Rossy's Bakery & Café ... and across the street from the trouble-plagued Mariana Bracetti Plaza.

Previously on EV Grieve:
7-story residential building planned for former Blue Man Group facilities on 3rd Street

Tuesday's parting shot (aka Prince is home safely)

Missng cat alerts went out yesterday after Prince's foster mom fell returning home from the vet, and the carrier broke open... Prince was believed to be along Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... 

Derek Berg took this photo around 5 ... after a search volunteer spotted Prince on the block. He is now home safely.

Blue Christmas

EVG reader SB spotted this discarded Christmas tree today on Third Street... colorful enough to make for a nice Easter decoration if you can hold on to it until early April...

More than one can bear

As seen today on Eighth Street at Avenue C... thanks to Heather Dubin for the photo!

Village Cafe & Grill debuts on 4th Street

Village Cafe & Grill opened back on Friday here at 128 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue... EVG correspondent Stacie Joy stopped by for a quick look...

As previously noted, the cafe (no indoor seating — takeout and delivery only) has an extensive menu featuring everything from bagels to burritos to burgers... not to mention a variety of wraps, sandwiches, salads and desserts.... breakfast, lunch and dinner... looks reasonably priced — you could get out with two eggs on a roll and a small coffee for less than $5... 

They are open daily from 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. Find their website here. They are also on also the usual third-party delivery platforms. Phone: (917) 388-2249.

Village Cafe & Grill takes over the space from Bali Kitchen, which closed this past Aug. 1 after business dropped during the pandemic. The Indonesian restaurant opened in September 2017. Owners Jazz Pasay and David Prettyman were looking to continue a catering business as well as other pop-up ventures. 

Lilly's Shakes & Crepes is now open on Avenue C

Lilly's Shakes & Crepes recently debuted here at 134 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street...

As the name implies, the shop sells a variety of crepes, smoothies, coffee drinks and fresh-squeezed juices, including some Stallone-related tributes called The Rambo, Rocky and Ivan Drago. (You can view a menu here.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos... and watched a Lilly's staffer whip up a strawberry-banana Nutella crepe for a customer...

Lilly's, which is open daily from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m., also sells sodas, water and other deli-type items...

Lights on! Panna II expands into the former Milon space on 1st Avenue

As we first reported, Panna II was expected to take over the former Milon space at 93 First Ave. at Sixth Street.

That transition happened fairly quickly for the longtime Indian restaurant ... as Panna II reopened in both upstairs spaces this past Friday with the return of indoor dining at 25 percent. (Top photo from last night.)

Here's a look early Saturday evening inside Panna II via EVG contributor Stacie Joy ...   

... and next door — the Christmas and chile-pepper lights still burn brightly inside the former Milon...

For now, the Milon signage remains outside, which has caused some confusion... though you'll know by the lack of dueling hosts out front trying to one-up each other about which place is a better dining spot.

Milon, the Indian-Bangladeshi restaurant that first opened here in 1982 never reopened after the PAUSE of March 2020.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• So long Milon

Development site on 14th Street and Avenue C remains dormant

Back on Friday, Crain's New York published an article titled "Luxury condo developer plans new project by Stuy Town border." 

The story is behind a paywall, and so without a subscription ... there was speculation that the piece was in reference to the long-dormant southwest corner of Avenue C and 14th Street... right across from Stuy Town. 

No, turns out the new development — a 10-story, 50-unit residential building — is slated for the empty parcels at 305-311 First Ave. between 17th Street and 18th Street. 

As for 14th and C — 644 E. 14th St. to be specific... that site remains in stalled-development mode...

A quick review of some history here: Last spring, Shulamit Prager’s Opal Holdings sold the property to Madison Realty Capital for $31.3 million.

Opal had plans for a 50-unit mixed-use building on the site. 

There hasn't been any construction activity at this site since the end of 2017. However, there has been some behind-the-scenes wrangling. In May 2019, PincusCo examined city records to find that several developers have spent hundreds of thousands of dollars to lobby the city for NYCHA air rights. (The latest listing noted that "additional FAR" is available.) 

According to the PincusCo investigation, Madison Realty Capital hired one of the city's most active lobbying firms, Capalino+Company, to approach the NYCHA about the air rights at Campos Plaza II adjacent to this property.

In November 2019, a new listing for the property positioned the corner as a "unique build-to-suit opportunity." According to the listing at Lee & Associates, the site "can be developed as a residential/commercial mixed use building" that's "ideal for schools, health care/medical, not-for-profits, retail." There wasn't a mention of price.

And that's where we are. This corner property last housed the single-level R&S Strauss auto parts store, which closed in April 2009.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Development back in play for East 14th Street and Avenue C

• More details on the sale of 644 E. 14th St.

• Here comes a 15-story retail-residential complex for East 14th Street and Avenue C

• Prepping the former R&S Strauss auto parts store for demolition on East 14th Street and Avenue C

• City OKs 15-story mixed-use retail-residential building on 14th and C

• 14th and C now waiting for the Karl Fischer-designed 15-story retail-residential complex

• 14th and C still waiting for its Karl Fischer-designed retail-residential complex

• Report: New owners for the empty lot at 14th Street and Avenue C

Mid-afternoon squab break

A moment with Christo, one of the resident red-tailed hawks in Tompkins Square Park... photo today by Steven...

The return (again) of indoor dining

Indoor dining resumed on Friday in NYC at 25-percent capacity. 

Gov. Cuomo originally ended indoor dining in the city in December after two-plus months ahead of an expected holiday-related spike in COVID-19 positivity rates. 

Now, with a decline in the positivity rate and with hospitalizations, Cuomo eased restrictions, including pushing back the curfew by one hour from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. 

A take on all this via Eater: 

Not surprisingly, differing opinions abound on how to handle the latest return to indoor dining. Some owners are grateful for any loosening of operating restrictions and look forward to offering a handful of seats for customers, others are opting to take a wait-and-see approach before reopening their own establishments, and still others are planning not to reopen until COVID-19 vaccinations have been more widely distributed.

This past holiday weekend, EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by a handful of East Village establishments that were welcoming back diners inside ... starting with Il Posto Accanto on Second Street (above).

What follows are some snapshots of the first weekend of indoor dining in 2021 ...

... Book Club on Third Street...

... Subject on Suffolk Street near Houston...

... Remedy Diner on East Houston...

... Bin 141 on Avenue A at Third Street...

... Takahachi on Avenue A...

... Upstate Craft Beer & Oyster Bar on First Avenue ...

... Panna II on First Avenue (which is also open in the former Milon space) ...

... Royal Bangladesh on First Avenue...

... Nón Lá Vietnamese Kitchen on Fourth Street...

... Popeyes on First Avenue ...

... Divya’s Kitchen on First Avenue ...

... Bibi Wine Bar on Fourth Street...

... 5C Cultural Center & Cafe on Avenue C at Fifth Street ...

... San Loco on Avenue C...

... and Lavagna on Fifth Street near Avenue B...

Happy Presidents Day

From the shelves at the Essex Card Shop on Avenue A... with Abraham Lincoln (right) and ... there was some debate over who the JFK looked more like. Someone suggested Seth Meyers.

Sunday's parting shot

Photo today by Derek Berg...

Head over heels: Happy Valentine's Day

As seen today on Third Avenue just steps past St. Mark's Place...

If you read this post, then you know what this is about. 

Photos by William Klayer... 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• About that rolled-up carpet in the crosswalk

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included ... (with a photo of the basketball courts in Tompkins Square Park earlier in the week by Vinny & O) ...

• Local elected officials, NYCHA reps get firsthand look at the problems at Mariana Bracetti Plaza (Tuesday) 

• City's first plant-based community fridge is up and running outside Overthrow on Bleecker Street (Monday) 

• Essex Market regulars Davidovich Bakery opening an outpost on Avenue A (Friday) 

• A labor of love: 3rd and B'zaar's latest seasonal pop up open through February on 3rd Street (Wednesday) 

• Our dwindling number of diners (Monday) 

• Gallery Watch heads to Half Gallery (Wednesday) 

• So much face-touching in this week's NY See panel (Thursday) 

• Police searching for suspect in 1st Avenue assault on Wednesday afternoon (Friday) 

• New photos of suspects wanted for brazen attack last month on 3rd Street and 1st Avenue (Wednesday) 

• Black Seed Bagels and chef Bobby Hellen launch Black Seed Pizza (Thursday) 

• A Valentine’s Day pop-up: Never Ending Taste coming to Yellow Rose (Friday) 

• Construction watch: 302 E. 2nd St. (Wednesday) 

• Construction watch: 298 E. Houston St. (Thursday) 

• Kyuramen debuts on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Mi Salsa Kitchen, serving Cuban cuisine, announces itself on Houston and Allen (Thursday) 

• Superiority Burger reopens on March 12 (Wednesday) 

• Reader report: A mini return of the former Stuyvesant Market on 14th Street and Avenue A? (Tuesday) 

• Casse-Cou Chocolate bringing vegan treats to 4th Street (Monday) 

• A new tenant for the former JAM Paper & Envelope space on 3rd Avenue (Wednesday)

• Succession to the throne on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Village Dream Tattoo & Piercing shop has apparently closed (Tuesday) 

• How about some more bubble tea for St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

---

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Gov. Cuomo extends closing time for bars and restaurants by 1 hour

On Friday, Gov. Cuomo announced that closing times for restaurants and bars will be extended from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. statewide beginning today. 

Cuomo set the 10 p.m. curfew in mid-November as the number of COVID-19 cases continued to rise in New York. 

The rollback of the curfew was due, he said, to the decline in hospitalization and infection rates throughout the city and state. 

Per his announcemnt:

"Our decisions are based on science and data and we adjust as the virus adjusts. The infection rate and hospitalizations have continued to significantly decline. Accordingly, we have adjusted with arena and catering hall openings with rigorous testing and limited capacity indoor dining openings in New York City. We will also move the restaurant and bar closing hour from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m. statewide on Sunday. We will continue to follow the science and react accordingly. If we keep the infections down and vaccinations up, we will continue to stay ahead in the footrace against this invisible enemy."

On Friday, Cuomo said that the NYC daily positivity rate was 3.91 percent — the lowest percent since Dec. 19. 

As Eater noted, some in the restaurant industy were hoping for a midnight curfew. (Some are also hoping for a return of overnight subway service — especially for restaurant workers.)

News of the curfew rollback came on the same day as indoor dining — at 25 percent — returned to the city.

Image by WindAwake

Sunday's opening shot

As seen today (Valentine's Day!) at the Ninth Street Community Garden and Park on Avenue C...

Saturday's parting shots

New work by Manco Studio in Tompkins Square Park today... photos by Derek Berg...

EVG Etc.: Making it work at Theater 80; Celebrating the Lunar New Year

• Local chefs from 886, Málà Project, Fish Cheeks and Nowon have teamed up to raise awareness about the rise in hate crimes against Asian Americans (Eater)

• Police say a few protestors from the Black Trans Liberation NYC rally on Thursday night vandalized Jackdaw on Second Avenue and 13th Street (Daily News) 

• Stuyvesant Town-Peter Cooper Village resident Janice Rosario, a choreographer and teacher, launched a nonprofit to help those in need in public housing (Dance Magazine) 

• Study shows that the Second Avenue F stop has some of the highest levels of air pollution in subway system (The Guardian) 

• Restaurants left vulnerable after NY's commercial eviction moratorium lapses (Eater) 

• A feature on the College Student Pantry at Trinity Lower East Side on Avenue B and Ninth Street (B+B ... previously on EVG)

• Theater 80 on surviving during the pandemic (NY1)

• Katz's made it through the 1918 pandemic. Here's how the deli managing COVID-19 (CNBC)

• Where to eat and celebrate the Lunar New Year (Gothamist) 

Photo from last night at the New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street

Some love for the late Sylvain Sylvain on Valentine’s Day

An array of artists and musicians are taking part in a tribute to the late Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls tomorrow evening. 

The virtual show will feature a mix of stories, performances and videos from David Johansen, Debbie Harry, Thurston Moore, Henry Rollins, Clem Burke, Lenny Kaye, Bob Gruen and many more. 

"A Celebration of the Musical Life Of New York Dolls' Sylvain Sylvain" is being presented by Rolling Live Studios and the Bowery Electric. Tickets for the show, which starts at 7 p.m., are $15. (Find the link here.) 

Sylvain, co-founder and guitarist of the New York Dolls, died on Jan. 13 of cancer. He was 69.

Previously on EV Grieve:

On the phone with Sylvain Sylvain of the New York Dolls