Monday, March 14, 2022

La Fleur Café to set up shop on 9th Street

Photos by Steven 

Signage is up for La Fleur Café at 437 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

One source says this will be a coffee shop-CBD shop hybrid. The Café's Instagram account describes the business this way: "Amsterdam ❌ Nyc. We are a minority and woman-owned business, with productivity and your health in mind!"

We reached out to the owners to learn more about what to expect here...
This retail spot was previously home to the Sullivan Street Bakery pop-up.

Avenue A Deli and Grill shapes up

Photos by Steven

The market-deli coming to 123 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place is shaping up.. temp signage on the front window reveals the name — Avenue A Deli and Grill...
Bit of a logjam now with like-minded businesses within a few blocks of each other on Avenue A... two new places have opened in recent weeks — one on the SW corner of Sixth Street ... the other mid-block between Sixth and Seventh... not to mention the recent renovation of Kamaran Deli & Grocery at 79 Avenue A at Fifth Street to include more to-go food options. Plus the places already in service — East Village New Deli at 115 Avenue A and Tompkins Finest Deli & Grill at 153 Avenue A.

The storefront at 123 Avenue A has been vacant since Tony (aka Abdul) died in the fall of 2018. Tony, who owned the building, ran the deli, which operated under various names in this spot for 25 years.

Sunday, March 13, 2022

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from Tompkins Square Park yesterday by Steven) ...

• Sunny's Florist is BACK (Monday

• Two Boots supporting Ukraine with 2 new pizzas, including the Mr. Ze (Monday

• Let's take another look at the eerie remains of the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B (Thursday

• A visit to Arka, the 71-year-old Ukrainian gift shop on 2nd Street (Tuesday

• A sign of spring amid the bulldozed remains of East River Park (Tuesday

• Mayor Adams visits the EV (Monday

• The art of East Village artist Tabboo! at Karma (Saturday)

• A sneak peek at El Colmado, opening soon on East Houston Street (Thursday

• Ramen Setagaya's St. Mark's Place location looking very closed (Monday

• Why the Fillmore East commemorative plaque is missing on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

• #Baonanas bringing their version of banana pudding to 7th Street (Wednesday

• Chef Tan signage arrives on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday)

• On 9th Street, wind sends sidewalk-bridge plywood onto 2 cars below (Tuesday

• World party on 14th Street: Hello, Bong World! (Wednesday

• Higher Empire announces itself on 1st Avenue (Thursday

• Report: 'Rowdy teens' blamed for series of attacks at Sheen Brothers on 10th and B (Tuesday

• Purple reign: Incoming Taco Bell now looking more like a Taco Bell (Monday

• Today is the day for the new, smaller TD Bank to debut on 3rd Avenue (Thursday)

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Indoor service is back at Abraço

For the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020, indoor service has returned to Abraço Espresso. (Thanks to Drew Heffron for the photo and tip!

The cafe had been selling their pastries and coffee drinks from a walk-up to-go system. 

Abraço is at 81 E. Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

Hours: 
Tuesday-Thursday: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. 
Friday-Saturday: 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. 
Sunday: 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Saturday, March 12, 2022

Saturday's parting shot

Photo on First Avenue and Seventh Street today by Derek Berg...

A sign of spring!

Despite the dreary weather today, Goggla notes that the cherry trees are beginning to bloom in Tompkins Square Park.

Oh, and some daffodils too...

Check out the 'Cityscapes' of Tabboo! at Karma

The work of longtime East Village-based artist Stephen Tashjian — aka Tabboo! — is now on display at the galleries Karma and Gordon Robichaux. 

Here's more via Karma
In these works, Tabboo!’s beloved stomping ground of New York City takes center stage, giving the viewer a chance to see the city through his eyes—a vantage imbued with possibility. The city has anchored Tabboo!’s practice across works on paper and on canvas. Rendered in quick, impressionistic gestures and a vivid palette, gray skies and iconic skyscrapers attest to its stoic beauty. 
In describing his turn to the city as muse, Tabboo! has said, "I made art about what was around me, what I knew… I know my plants. I know all my tchotchkes, my puppet collection, and New York City…. So that’s my subject matter." 
And! 
These sweeping cityscapes are reminiscent of the backdrops Tabboo! painted for his drag performances in the 1980s. Dramatic colorfields render the city in moments of transition, from day into night and back again. Gleaming windows are sprinkled with glitter, scattering the sun’s brilliance as it sets. 
An indelible energy soaks these cityscapes, many of which depict the view from Tabboo!’s apartment windows. "I paint from my Alphabet City apartment, which I've lived in for forty years," Tabboo! explains. Here's my big fancy artist statement: I don’t have one! I just do what I do." 
The work is on view at both Karma spaces on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B — Nos. 188 and 172. Gordon Robichaux is at 141 Union Square West. 

The exhibits will be on view through April 16. The two galleries on this block are open Tuesday-Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Gordon Robichaux is open Friday-Sunday noon to 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Tabboo! is the subject of a Guy Trebay profile the other day at The New York Times

An excerpt... 
The irony is by no means lost on Mr. Tashjian that, while just seven years ago he was collecting disability food stamps, the art world has suddenly discovered him hidden in plain sight at age 63 ... a cadre of collectors has emerged eager to acquire one of his paintings. "I'm pushing the work harder than ever,' he said. "I'm living," he added, suddenly tearful, "for all the people who couldn't."

By that he meant countless members of his generation lost to the AIDS epidemic. "Everything before digital, there's now a push to erase," he said. "And I am insistent on not being erased."
There's a separate preview piece of the exhibits at the Times here.

Top photo via Karma

Have we seen the last of the sinkhole on 1st Avenue at 5th Street?

Updated 3/14: We're back!

After multiple attempts at digging and patching, patching and digging, it appears the intersection of First Avenue at Fifth Street is officially sinkhole free.

Workers recently painted the crosswalk and bike lanes here again — a good sign that they likely won't have to do this again until the summer. 

You can find previous sinkhole coverage from this location here and here ... and here.

Thank you to everyone who wrote in about this!

Saturday's opening shot (and non-exclusive weather forecast)

The area is under a flurry of weather statements today. 

We will omit the customary byplay and go right to the Weather Channel for the latest... 
Description ...WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 9 AM THIS MORNING TO 7 PM EST THIS EVENING... 

WHAT...Snow expected. Total snow accumulations of up to two inches. Winds gusting as high as 50 mph. 

WHERE...Portions of northeast New Jersey, southern Connecticut and southeast New York. 

WHEN...From 9 AM this morning to 7 PM EST this evening. 

ADDITIONAL DETAILS...Temperatures will fall quickly late this morning into this afternoon resulting in a quick freezing of any standing water.
Here's more... with the National Weather Service predicting the snow to start in NYC "around lunctime" (I'm eating at 11:30 a.m.)... As is this wasn't fun enough, we also lose an hour of sleep tonight. #DaylightSavingTime

Friday, March 11, 2022

Broadcast 'News'

 

Local band Beechwood headlines Arlene's Grocery tomorrow night (March 12) ... as part of the New Colossus Festival taking place at several nearby venues through Sunday. 

The video here is for "Front Page News," from Beechwood's January release Sleep Without Dreaming.

Pre-spring look at the Tompkins Square Park mini pool

Photo today by Steven 

Outdoor city pools reopen on June 28 — who's ready for a dip in the Tompkins Square Park mini pool? (And yes — Tompkins Square Park has a mini pool!

Well! OK, the pool isn't quite in summer mode just yet... the fallen branch has been in the pool since September. The barricade is new(er)! 

Anyway, Parks staff say this will be removed (and raked?) ahead of pool season.

Stand With Ukraine

Photo at the Sly Fox on 2nd Avenue by Steven 

A recap of some recent Ukraine-related coverage around the neighborhood... 








Thursday, March 10, 2022

Thursday's parting shots

Thanks to EVG reader JOY for these photos... Hektad painted this mural in support of Ukraine in First Street Green Art Park this week...

Let's take another look at the eerie remains of the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Back on Dec. 23, we shared photos from inside the long-abandoned 6 Avenue B, the 6-story building on the NW corner at Houston. 

Recapping some of what we know (and have reported) about 6 Avenue B. The liquor store in the retail space closed when the owner passed away in 2009 at age 89. (Chico created the tribute to her in February 2010.) 

And as previously noted, this is one of the abandoned buildings owned by the estate of the mysterious team of Arthur and Abraham Blasof, now both deceased. 

Otherwise, there's some sporadic activity inside related to the cell towers on the roof. Otherwise, there don't appear to be any plans for this space. 

In the previous trip inside the building, EVG contributor Stacie Joy saw only a few units on the lower floors. She returned the other day and got a more complete look ...
Here's a look at some of the individual apartments... (there are two units on each floor). Each apartment is painted a different color: Green! Blue! Yellow! There was some wallpaper too. See for yourself...
... and paying the rent here — the T-Mobile cell towers...
... and the views from the top...
Previously on EV Grieve

A sneak peek at El Colmado, opening soon on East Houston Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Late last year, we mentioned that El Colmado, a market specializing in Dominican food, was in the works for 309 E. Houston St. between Clinton and Attorney. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the other day ... and met the father-son team behind the market... 
They are looking forward to opening this month ... and showed Stacie their new equipment, including a sandwich press and rotisserie chicken oven... 
Aside from offering a variety of sandwiches and to-go meals, El Colmado will also have some more standard market items for sale... 
The shop has an Instagram account as well.

Higher Empire announces itself on 1st Avenue

Photo by Steven 

Higher Empire signage arrived over at 71 First Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street in recent days.

According to the Higher Empire website, the business is described as a "cannabis club and delivery service." 

You can hit the website here for more on the products/services, etc. They have an Instagram account too. 

This storefront was previously Alex Shoe & Watch Repair. Alex never reopened after the PAUSE of March 2020.

Today is the day for the new, smaller TD Bank to debut on 3rd Avenue

Meanwhile, in bank branch news, the new, more compact TD Bank branch debuts today at 47-53 Third Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street. 

As previously mentioned, workers have been dividing up the retail space here, with TD Bank downsizing and vacating the corner spot...
No word if this branch will bring back a coin-counting machine to this location. (TD did away with them in 2016!)

A study cited by Banking Dive on Friday reported that "[b]ranch transaction volume has declined an average of 7% over the past seven years, while mobile payments are forecasted to grow 25% per year through 2026." So banks are shedding some real estate. 

According to the retail listing, the corner storefront will be available starting in September after its de-TD'd .... and with an ask of $150 per square foot. What type of vape shop would you like to see open here? 

Updated:

And then there was one...
H/T Steven!

Wednesday, March 9, 2022

The 'Law & Order' with recently filmed scenes on 7th Street airs tomorrow night

Photo on 7th Street on Feb. 8 by Derek Berg

As you may recall, on Feb. 8, crews for the all-new "Law & Order" filmed scenes on Seventh Street along Tompkins Square Park. (The neighborhood is no stranger to the show and its spinoffs through the years.)

Photos from the shoot (right here) saw Anthony Anderson's Det. Bernard and newcomer Jeffrey Donovan's Det. Frank Cosgrove investigate a murder, complete with a blood-splattered van on Seventh Street and, later, a candlelit memorial in the Park featuring an 8x10 of a young woman.

The episode filmed here airs tomorrow (March 10) on NBC at 8. (H/T Steven!)

Per the description of the episode titled "Filtered Life" ... 
Detectives Kevin Bernard and Frank Cosgrove investigate the disappearance of a social media star whose case takes the internet by storm; whilst A.D.A.'s Nolan Price and Samantha Maroun must weigh their decisions regarding the case against the wishes of the missing woman's family.

And the trailer, featuring a few glimpses of Tompkins... 

 

Previously on EV Grieve:

Tompkins Square Library to screen doc on East Village artist Jeffrey Cyphers Wright on Saturday

On Saturday afternoon, the Tompkins Square Library branch is hosting an in-person screening of "Cuckoo O'Clock," a 30-minute documentary about EV artist Jeffrey Cyphers Wright "and the creative community he is part of." 

Per the NYPL description:
From Allen Ginsberg to John Sex. From Cover Mag to Live Mag! From the gardens to the poetry bars. From La Mama to Howl! Romance, lyricism, grafitti, tall tales… please join us for this intimate, informative, and amusing portrait of a quintessential East Village resident. 
Filmmaker Luigi Cazzaniga rejoins Wright (Cazzaniga was Cover Mag's art director and fashion editor and photographer) to create a humorous and historic portrayal. Fast paced and cram-packed with EV lore, this is haute entertainment dressed up in rowdy downtown style.
A panel discussion will follow the film, which starts at 3 p.m. at the branch, 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The screening is free, though the NYPL suggests that you register online ahead of time here.

In an email about the documentary, the library says this is "the first in a series of films highlighting East Village artists and writers." 
 
Image via the NYPL