EV Grieve

Wednesday, February 17, 2021

Gallery Watch: Time Dilation at Perrotin Gallery

Text and photos by Clare Gemima

Walking into this show will leave you star-struck by the (literal) crystallization of time and memory through Daniel Arsham’s grandiose and hyper-realistic sculptures.

The array of resin sculptures lining this beautiful gallery expand on the idea of what has been, or is actively sacred, and how the definition has been shaped by cultural, social and digital life. The screen in which we all know far too well has allowed ancient treasures an elongated life-span, a ploy Arsham somewhat inverts with his use of analog and digital in the making of his Pokémon series. Classical statue meets pop-cultural Japanese mythology. Two sources that inhabit an infinite amount of online heritage explode as resurrected time stamps in Time Dilation, a showcasing of neo-sacrality at Perrotin Gallery.

This show is joyously playful and delusionally dream-like. Time Dilation makes you ponder on what cultural signifiers will exist well beyond the 20s, and what of them will be glorified or worshipped. Will Charmanders one day be Gods? Will Ancient Grecian sculpture be deduced to existing only as kitsch online graphics? Is this what we’ve come to rely on when we see art depicted with rock, crystals, ceramics or marble? Time, labor and love regardless of its historic gravitas?

An extremely popular show, I would suggest visiting the gallery early before it becomes over-powered with keen visitors. Time Dilation is extremely Instagrammable, making it a slightly harder show to navigate but it is definitely worth the effort.

Time Dilation will be showing at Perrotin until Feb. 20.

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Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com

City releases COVID-19 vaccine data by ZIP code; where do local neighborhoods rank?

For the first time, the city has released data broken down by ZIP code to show who is receiving the COVID-19 vaccine.

The stats released yesterday by the Health Department show that 10464 (City Island in the Bronx) has the highest vaccination rate, with 25 percent of residents having received both shots ... followed by 11004, which covers the Bellerose, Douglaston and Little Neck neighborhoods in Queens, with 20 percent of the population having been vaccinated.

At the other end: 11208, 11212 and 11368, covering Cypress Hills, East New York, Ocean Hill, Brownsville and Corona, where only about 2 percent of people in those areas have received both shots.

(A note: The data does not include information on how many adults in each ZIP code are eligible for the vaccine under current New York state guidelines.)

Per the Times:

Officials in New York City released new data by ZIP codes ... that they said underscored troubling disparities in the city's vaccination effort, with the share of residents who are fully vaccinated in some wealthier Upper West and East Side ZIP codes, which have high proportions of white residents, reaching up to eight times the rate in parts of predominantly Black neighborhoods like East New York.

Said the DOH's First Deputy Commissioner Torian Easterling during a press conference: "The figures published ... show the scale of the challenge in front of us. Just as we've seen, there's a much smaller proportion of vaccines going to Black and Brown New Yorkers. We see these geographic disparities bearing out as well."

As Gothamist noted, Mayor De Blasio "insisted the vaccine program was designed with NYC's historic health disparities in mind, and with enough vaccine doses — he says about a half-million a week — the disparities would be alleviated. But he also faulted vaccine hesitancy and distrust for exacerbating the gaps in who is getting vaccinated."

Meanwhile, how do East Village and Lower East Side ZIP codes stack up?

Here's a look at the data... 4 percent of adults in 10002 have been fully vaccinated... followed by 5 percent in 10003 ... and 5 percent in 10009...

You can find the full city map here...

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, February 16, 2021

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

Monday, February 15, 2021

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...