Tuesday, October 5, 2021

The Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade returns on Oct. 23

ICYMI: The 31st edition of the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade takes place again at the East River Park Amphitheater on Oct. 23 from noon to 3 p.m.

The Farmer's Dog, a service that delivers freshly made pet food, is this year's sponsor. Organizers are also looking for volunteers to help on Oct. 23 (must love dogs?). Volunteer info is at this link.
 
The Dog Parade, which outgrew Tompkins Square Park, took place in East River Park in 2018 and 2019. Last year's pandemic version was mostly virtual with a small in-person/dog event at Lucky on Avenue B.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

Fish story: Crab Du Jour bringing seafood boils to 1st Avenue

An outpost of Crab Du Jour is opening at 225 First Ave. between 13th Street and 14th Street. The coming-soon signage arrived late last week. (Thanks to Pinch for the photo!

This is the latest NYC location for the expanding chain described as a Cajun Seafood Boil & Bar. 

Per the restaurant's website:
Crab Du Jour offers experience-driven seafood dining in a fun, communal atmosphere, perfect for friends and family. Our Cajun-inspired eatery is known for fresh seafood boils (made for sharing) and an array of signature house-blended sauces, to enhance the experience. 
We offer everything from delicious starters like wings, po-boys, chicken tenders, and seafood favorites such as fried fish, shrimp, crab and oysters.

This address was previously a Checkers, which closed late last year after six years in business.

Y7 reopens along 250 E. Houston St.

Y7 Studio, the hip-hop-fueled yoga center, reopened yesterday for in-person classes along 250 E. Houston St.

The studio had been closed since March 2020, offering virtual classes instead. Y7 has been in this space since December 2018.

As previously noted, a Pure Barre outpost is also coming to this retail strip between Avenue A and Avenue B, per the fitness chain's website. Not sure what space they are taking. (We incorrectly thought it might be the Y7 storefront.) Pure Barre is a ballet-inspired fitness regimen mostly centered around the handrail used in ballet training — the barre. 

And as we've been noting, there's been a storefront shuffle along this renovated retail stretch. Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center moved from the unrenovated spaces a few doorways down East Houston. 

The old retail section of this strip is apparently coming down to make way for an unspecified new development.

Monday, October 4, 2021

A night (on Thursday!) of live music and art at 3rd & B'zaar

The next holiday market at 3rd & B'zaar starts on Nov. 26... ahead of that, expect to find more one-off events... Such as! 

On Thursday evening from 7-9, EV-based artist/musician Alex Carpenter is headlining a night of art and music in the space at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Carpenter will be showcasing new video works as part of his performance, and will also be officially launching his new release "Chord From the Second Delphic Hymn." 

Other art and artists will be part of the show, including dancer Elayna Lopez...
Photo by Stacie Joy

P&T Knitwear Co. bringing books, coffee and podcasts to the Lower East Side

P&T Knitwear Co., an independent bookstore and cafe, is slated to open in early 2022 at 180 Orchard St. between Houston and Stanton. 

The publishing industry newsletter Shelf Awareness first reported on this arrival. 

According to the report by Alex Mutter, Bradley Tusk, the venture capitalist and philanthropist who founded the Gotham Book Prize last year, and general manager and buyer Julie Wernersbach, are behind the new venture. 

Per Shelf Awareness:
"He wants to give back to New York," Wernersbach said of Tusk, adding that he's a "huge reader" and "loves the city." The store's name comes from the name of a knitwear company co-founded by Tusk's grandfather in the early 1950s, which was located just a few blocks away from where the bookstore will open. "He wanted to pay homage to the neighborhood, and create a good bookstore for New York and the Lower East Side." 
Another major part of the project for Tusk and Wernersbach is making sure that the store's booksellers are well compensated, have health insurance and are able to "make a real living wage in NYC." Given what the bottom line looks like for a bookstore, that could make for an "exciting challenge." Said Wernersbach: "We're putting our staff and community first."
The 3,000-square-foot bookstore will include "an events amphitheater with built-in seating" as well as a podcast studio that community members will reportedly be able to use for free in this retail space connected to the Indigo Hotel.

H/T Marjorie!

Weekend reopening recap: Blue & Gold, Tom & Jerry's

Rocktober '21 is off to a fine start for fans of two longtime bars that reopened for the first time since March 2020 — as noted here.

On Friday, Blue & Gold, 79 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, returned to action (this post has more background) ... ditto for Tom & Jerry's over at 288 E. Elizabeth St. near Houston ...
B&G photo by Steven
T&J H/T to Garth and Ryan

The Brazen Fox becomes the Ugly Duckling

Signage for the Ugly Duckling has arrived on the NW corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street (thanks to Doug for the top pic!) ...
In April, we reported that hospitality veteran Curt Heugel's Host Restaurants, whose portfolio includes concepts such as Bill's Townhouse, Campagnola and Printers Alley, was behind a new unnamed venture... which was to be the previous tenant — the Brazen Fox.

Anyway, they rethought that decision... and the two-level sports bar is now going as the Ugly Duckling (same ownership).

Drunken Dumpling will be serving up its large soup dumplings again soon

Several businesses are reopening after 18-month layoffs during the pandemic (see Blue & Gold and Tom & Jerry's).

Also on the list: Drunken Dumpling, which is expected to be back soon at 137 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

The place looked like a goner, with stacks of mail piled up inside the front door. However, EVG contributor Steven saw activity inside the space last week... The DD Instagram account also posted that the restaurant will be serving again this fall. 

DD opened in the fall of 2016 and received favorable press for its gigantic soup dumplings created by the mother-son team here. 

Superiority Burger vying for liquor license for new Avenue A space

Community Board 3 just released its schedule of meetings for October ... including the SLA & DCA Licensing Committee, taking place on Oct. 18. 

Among the items on that agenda — a new liquor license for 119 Avenue A... where Superiority Burger is taking over the Odessa space (which also had a full liquor license here) ... the public notices went on the storefront over the weekend... 
Looks as if they'll be vying for some sidewalk seating as well (sidewalk cafe is circled on the above document). We'll explore this and other applications as they are posted online. 

As you may know, Superiority Burger signed a lease for the address here between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place, first reported by Grub Street in August.

ICYMI: Quartino Bottega Organica has closed on Bleecker Street

I missed this one. Quartino Bottega Organica closed back in August at 11 Bleecker St. just west of the Bowery...
According to Quartino's website, the owners are opening a new restaurant in Genoa, Italy — "60 miles from our farm in Pieve di Teco." 

This was a lovely low-key spot with housemade pasta and bread and whose customers through the years included David Bowie, Lou Reed and Willem Dafoe.

The restaurant got its start at the South Street Seaport in 2000 before moving to Bleecker in 2004.

Xing Fu Tang is now open on 2nd Avenue and St. Mark's Place

The Taiwan-based Xing Fu Tang, a bubble tea chain specializing in brown sugar boba, debuted on Saturday on the northwest corner of St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue. 

There was a line (and crowd!) when we walked by around 8 p.m. This is the second NYC location for Xing Fu Tang, joining the one in Flushing.

Our previous post has more about this corner space (133 Second Ave./37 St. Mark's Place) in recent retail years. 

P.S. 
And we don't know if a foot rub is $32 or $36 upstairs. (Someone asked last time about the dueling signs.)

Sunday, October 3, 2021

[Updated] Vandal on skateboard defaces new George Floyd bust in Union Square

Photos by Lola Sáenz 

Updated 10/26: Police reportedly arrested 37-year-old Micah Beals on the LES in connection with this vandalism.

Someone defaced a bust of George Floyd this morning on Union Square. 

According to police and published reports, a man on a skateboard tossed paint on the memorial before taking off around 10 a.m. The NYPD released this surveillance video... Volunteers and producers of the public art installation called SEEINJUSTICE later cleaned the paint off the bust.

Somoene vandalized the same statue of Floyd in June while it was on display in Flatbush, Gothamist reported.
The 10-foot statue of Floyd and one of John Lewis and Breonna Taylor were just unveiled on Thursday. They were created by artist Chris Carnabuci and will be on display here until Oct. 30. 

The statues of Lewis and Taylor were not vandalized...

Week in Grieview

Posts this week included (with a photo on Second Avenue by Derek Berg)... 

• Airbnb strike: Authorities impound vans used for overnight stays in the East Village (Tuesday

• To get Corey Johnson's attention, East River Park activists chain themselves to a tree at City Hall (Wednesday

• RIP Faith Laugier (Sunday

• MAJOR changes coming to the aisles of Key Food (Wednesday

• An early morning visit with NY1's Roger Clark (Thursday

• Scone mania: At Mary O's, an Irish blessing and 20,000 pounds of self-raising flour (Tuesday

• Volunteers needed for the Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry (Friday

• The Wild Son plans for daytime expansion with a lunch counter next door on 1st Avenue (Monday)

• Police looking for suspect who assaulted an Uber driver on 14th and 3rd (Friday

• Gallery Watch: Sei Smith — Portraits of You at Ki Smith Gallery (Wednesday

• Openings: Beloved Cafe debuts on Allen Street (Friday

• Eastanbul Gyro Kebab and Smyrna Bakery appear to have closed at 200 Allen St. (Friday)

• Metrograph and its Commissary reopen on Ludlow Street (Friday

• The Mayfly debuts on East Houston (Wednesday

• Danish coffee shop La Cabra debuts on 2nd Avenue (Thursday

• Looking at the new mosaics inside the 1st Avenue L stop (Monday

• Hellbound: Café de L'Enfer popping up on Avenue A this fall (Thursday

• Afternoon bringing Korean hot dogs, mochi doughnuts and croffles to St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

• Good news-bad news for fans of Pouring Ribbons on Avenue B (Sunday

• Desi Stop Deli signage arrives on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday

• MSCHF on the Bowery (Monday)

• The new-look SW corner of 1st Avenue and 3rd Street (Wednesday)

Earlier this past week, the landlord painted over part of the mural wall (taking out three murals) on Second Street at First Avenue...
East Village Walls had been curating this spot (at no cost to the landlord) for the past six years. The landlord is apparently using the space now for an advertiser.

-----

Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

A moment or two at the Anarchist Bookfair

The 15th Anarchist Bookfair took place yesterday at La Plaza Cultural on the southwest corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C. 

There was a nice turnout, as this pic by EVG contributor Stacie Joy shows (click on the image to go big)...
... and two other scenes...
... with an appearance by Monty Cantsin...

Sunday's opening shots

Tompkins Square Park ⬆️ ... and Avenue A near Ninth Street ⬇️

Saturday, October 2, 2021

Saturday's parting shot

A view along East Houston near Second Avenue...featuring the work of photographer Joseph Rodriguez on the fence of First Street Green ... with the condo called Treetops rising in the background.

The pics, part of the Photoville Festival, will be up here until Dec. 1.

Someone called the police about the 6th Street sinkhole

The heavy rains that Tropical Storm Ida brought on Sept. 1 caused a large sinkhole to form in the tree pit and sidewalk outside 338 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Previously: de Blasio Spider Hole.)

Yesterday, one month to the date that the sinkhole formed, someone called the police about the situation. The report showed up on the Citizen app...
We did receive confirmation that a squad car arrived on the scene... and apparently, the officers called this in to whatever city agency would need to get here to fix this. 

Top photo by Steven yesterday

Fall classic: Nexus Flea returns to 1st Avenue

The Nexus Flea returns today to First Avenue and Second Street... expect to find vendors selling vinyl records, vintage clothing, handmade jewelry, concert t-shirts and more from 2-6 p.m.

Post updated to note move from First Street to Second Street.

Friday, October 1, 2021

Blue & Gold Tavern IS BACK OPEN

Well! As at least commenter and several EVG readers said... Blue & Gold Tavern reopened tonight at 79 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue for the first time in 18 months. 

We were just speculating about their status the other day. Anyway, enjoy

Thanks to Steven for the photo...

P.S.
Also reopening tonight: Tom & Jerry's at 288 Elizabeth St. near Houston. (H/T Garth and Ryan!)

Adult swim

 

Local singer-songwriter Vlad Holiday has a new EP out on Nov. 5 titled Write Me Off the Show. The video here is for the single titled "Skinny Dipping."

Also, today is another Bandcamp Friday, in which the platform foregoes its revenue and gives the bands all the $$$ from the day's sales.