Blank Street Coffee reopens on 1st Avenue and 13th Street

Photo by Lola Sáenz 

The green-fronted Blank Street outpost reopened on the NE corner of First Avenue at 13th Street. 

This outpost of the V.C.-funded coffee chain closed to the public in May 2023 to become a "training + innovation lab." 

With this return, the East Village is back up to two locations — joining the one on Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Friday's opening shot

Photo by Steven

It may be a little early for the dog days of summer.

In any event, we're told she has enjoyed chilling in the Tompkins Square Park compost pile in the mornings...

Thursday's parting shots

Last Thursday, we randomly took this photo of the historic 190 Bowery at Spring Street (where Supreme is now and the old Germania Bank buildling)... and posted in our Instagram Stories.

Illustrator Brad Heckman asked to use the photo for a piece... here's the final product...

Signs from an old chair: Remembering East Village standby Angelica Kitchen on 12th Street

From last night on 12th Street just east of Second Avenue... a discarded chair with a note: 

An original chair from 

Angelica Kitchen

An East Village Icon 1976-2017

(Sacrilege to see Five Guys opening on this street)

You can read more about Angelica Kitchen, 300 E. 12th St., here. 

Thank you to @ajathas for the photos!

Early voting ends Sunday ahead of Primary Election Day on June 25

Registered voters can cast their ballots as early voting continues through Sunday, June 23. Primary Election Day is next Tuesday, when polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. 

The primaries include state-level seats as well as Congressional contests. 

Races here are Representative in Congress 10th Congressional District (Democratic primary) and Judge of the Civil Court — 2nd Municipal Court District (Alice Tam Tien and Harold Bahr). 

Here's a sample ballot...

Several statewide candidates are unopposed in the primary and will not appear on the ballot, including Kirsten Gillibrand for reelection to the U.S. Senate, Brian Kavanagh for reelection to the New York State Senate, and Deborah Glick for reelection to the New York State Assembly. 

You can find your poll site here. Vote.NYC has more info here.

Schmuck announces itself on 1st Avenue

Renovations continue at 97 First Ave. at Sixth Street, where a cocktail lounge called Schmuck is in the works. 

There are now Schmuck wheatpaste posters on the plywood...

Reps for Miami-based bar owner Dan Binkiewicz appeared before CB3's SLA committee last November. Binkiewicz teamed up with bartenders Moe Aljaff and Juliette Laroui, late of Two Schmucks in Barcelona.

The World's 50 Best Restaurants site included Schmuck in its list of "11 bar openings to look forward to in 2024." 

Following their departure from high-ranking Barcelona bar Two Schmucks in 2022, Moe Aljaff and Juliette Laroui have been roaming the world as cocktail nomads in search of a new home. After a plethora of guest shifts around the world, in late 2023, they announced their new permanent residence in New York's East Village, set to open in partnership with Dan Binkiewicz of Sweet Liberty Drinks in Miami. 

Since obtaining the keys to the venue, Aljaff and Laroui have been rebuilding the space from the ground up ... to create a cultural hub that extends beyond just a space for great cocktails (of which there will be many). 

Schmuck will also offer Middle Eastern-style cuisine. (The CB3 questionnaire includes a sample menu.) The space is said to open later this summer. 

In the years since Banjara moved out in late 2013, the restaurants at 97 First Ave. have gone through multiple name changes/concepts, including, but not limited to, Figaro Villaggio, an Italian bar-restaurant that later changed its name to Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill. They eventually gave up part of the space to Apna Masala. 

In March 2015, Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill changed its name/concept to La Esquina Bar & Grill ... then the name evolved to La Esquina Burritos and Bar ... and eventually East Village Burritos & Bar. Then Spicewala Bar Indian Cuisine. And then Mancora moved here from across the street.

Bad Habit closing on Avenue A as owners will head west to start a family

Photo from January 2023 by Stacie Joy 

You have about three more weeks to partake in this Bad Habit. 

Javier Zuñiga and Jesse Merchant Zuñiga, the owners of the ice cream shop at 131 Avenue A between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, announced they are closing on July 14. 

Here's part of their farewell announcement: 

As many of you know, we founded Bad Habit out of our Brooklyn apartment towards the tail end of the pandemic. Freshly engaged, on the cusp of getting married, we formed this passion project having no idea where this crazy ice cream adventure would lead; we owe its success in large part to all of you, our loyal customers. Now we are on to a new adventure, welcoming a baby boy of our own on the West Coast, where we will continue churning, cooking and baking … this time just a little bit closer to the beach.

We hope you can join us before our last day of service on July 14 to stock up on pints, swing by for an ice cream sandwich, or just say hi. It has been our pleasure to host your engagement dinners, cater your weddings, and have you trust us for your little ones’ first taste of ice cream. 

Thank you for the adventure of a lifetime. 

The space, which also initially included Caleta, a 21-seat cafe that served beer, wine and small plates, opened in January 2023.

Bad Habit quickly gained a loyal following with concoctions that included olive oil, chocolate honeycomb, and dill & yuzu.

H/T Vinny & O!

Wondering about Wonderland Bar on 2nd Avenue

Signage for Wonderland Bar recently arrived at 96 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Sixth Street.

We only know a little about the new concept. Reps for the owners appeared before CB3's SLA committee in November for the bar-restaurant, which would offer an "Asian fusion menu" at the former Mermaid Inn space. (You can find their CB3 questionnaire here.)

The proprietors also operate Chili, a Sichuan restaurant on East 37th Street. 

Based on a look inside, it appears close to opening.

The Mermaid Inn arrived in the East Village in 2003, with several outposts to follow... they closed here during the pandemic, only to reopen then close again in the fall of 2022 after just seven weeks. 

Wednesday's parting shot

Photo by William Klayer 

In case a trip to Key Food was in your plans overnight... the grocery on Avenue A at Fourth Street will be closed from 1-4 a.m. for a "software update," presumably replacing all the store's 2400-baud modems. 

Hopefully, it won't impact Key's rather forgotten but appreciated mid-to-late-80s music playlist. (We heard T'Pau's "Heart and Soul" the other day.)

RIP James Chance

Photo via @jameschanceofficial 

The following first appeared yesterday on the James Chance Official Website...

James Chance, the singer, saxophonist, bandleader and composer who in the late 1970s emerged from New York’s "No Wave" scene to embody the genre known as "punk funk," died today [June 18] at the Terence Cardinal Cooke Health Care Center in New York. 

His death was announced by his brother David Siegfried of Chicago, who did not specify a cause of death but noted that the musician's health had been in decline for several years. 

James Alan Siegfried was born April 20, 1953, in Milwaukee, Wis. He began playing piano under the tutelage of nuns at his Catholic elementary school and took up alto saxophone at age 18.

... He moved to New York in 1975 and began using the name James Chance. He formed a quartet called Flaming Youth before joining No Wave progenitors Teenage Jesus and the Jerks, featuring singer, guitarist, and lyricist Lydia Lunch. (Recordings by this lineup were issued by ZE Records in 1979 as an EP, Pre Teenage Jesus And The Jerks.) 

In 1977, after a period of study with saxophonist David Murray, James formed the first version of the Contortions with guitarists Jody Harris and Pat Place, bassist George Scott III (deceased), drummer Don Christiansen, and keyboards player/vocalist Adele Bertei. 

Reviewing a May 1978 performance by the Contortions at Artists Space in Lower Manhattan, Roy Trakin wrote in New York Rocker magazine: "Mr. Chance immediately established his personal space at the top of his performance by kicking out all those artist types sitting crosslegged within about a six-foot radius of his band, as he snarled and smirked with unmerciful obnoxiousness. The band, meanwhile, lay down a thick mixture of semi-syncopated, twisted swirls of sound, creating a tension of unfinished beats and incomplete rhythms." 

Initially, the naturally shy and introverted frontman became known as much for his on-stage aggression as for his music. 

In 1979, an altered Contortions lineup (minus Adele Bertei and with David Hofstra on bass) released the debut album Buy on ZE Records. In the same year, ZE released "Off White" by James White and the Blacks, and the musician would toggle between these two appellations for the remainder of his career. 

"James was the first artist I signed and provided the blueprint for future ZE Records," says label founder Michael Zilkha. “I was seeking a fusion of disco and punk, and James was too. Once he transformed the Contortions into the slower and slinkier James White and the Blacks, it paved the way for my other bands and a slew of contemporaries. James was serious and devoted to his craft and a brilliant and original musician. It was an honor to work with him, and I will miss him greatly."

The Contortions' breakup was accompanied by acrimony over issues of credit and compensation. But any hard feelings would dissipate with time and James' occasional reunions with the former members. 

Beginning in 2003, James reunited with original members of the Contortions to perform a series of engagements, including two performances at the All Tomorrow’s Parties music festival in Los Angeles. James later reunited with friends Deborah Harry and Chris Stein for several guest appearances with Blondie, and he continued to tour internationally with several groups, including the French "Le Contortions," until 2019. 

His final live performance is believed to have taken place in March 2019 in Utrecht, The Netherlands. 

Guitarist Pat Place of the Bush Tetras writes: "I'm so sad to hear of James’ passing. Working with him in the early days of the Contortions was a roller coaster ride of fun, creativity and insanity. His loss is a great one for the downtown community and the music world."

Although James Chance recorded prolifically over three decades, releasing 20 albums during his 40-year career, only the ZE and ROIR labels issued more than one album of his music. Other releases appeared on small independent labels such as Invisible (Live Aux Bains Douches, 1980), Enemy (Molotov Cocktail Lounge, 1996), and True Groove (The Flesh Is Weak, 2016). 

 From 1979, here's a live version of "Contort Yourself" ...

 

Tuesday's parting shot

The early evening view from 1st and 1st...

Rent Guidelines Board approves increases for 1 million rent-stabilized apartments

Last evening, the city Rent Guidelines Board voted that rents for NYC's approximately 1 million rent-stabilized apartments will rise by 2.75% this fall. 

In a decision that has sparked controversy, the nine-member board, composed of mayoral appointees, approved a 2.75% rent increase for new one-year leases and up to a 5.25% increase for two-year leases, by a 5-4 count. These changes will take effect for leases signed on or after Oct. 1, per Gothamist. 

The board was reportedly considering 2% to 4.5% hikes for one-year leases and 4% to 6.5% for two-year leases. This was the third straight year for rent increases. 

Neither side was pleased with the outcome.

Indeed, the Board has once again proven itself to be a rubber stamp for hikes, continuing to line the pockets of landlords while deepening the suffering New Yorkers are experiencing amid a historic housing crisis.

— The Legal Aid Society (@LegalAidNYC) June 18, 2024

And... 

"Rent is income that buildings need to meet escalating costs, and we are hoping for an upward adjustment that recognizes the need to maintain buildings that are at and approaching 100 years old," Michael Tobman of the Rent Stabilization Association told The City. 

Politico noted that the vote "is fueling Mayor Eric Adams' political opponents."

The decision marks the lowest one-year increase approved under Adams, who frequently sympathizes with small landlords. Adams is up for reelection next year, and voters’ concerns over housing costs loom as a political liability. 

The increases under Adams, who assumed the mayoralty in 2022, stand in contrast to those approved under his predecessor, Bill de Blasio, who celebrated three years of rent freezes and never oversaw spikes above 1.5 percent in a given year.

According to reports, 11 tenant protesters were arrested outside Hunter College, where the vote occurred. 

Every major media outlet covered the vote... including ABC 7 ... NY1 ... NBC 4 ... and CBS 2.

Heat Dome watch now in effect

Photo from Houston at Allen/First Avenue

The Heat Dome is upon us. 

NYC has activated its Heat Emergency Plan for the first time this year as NYC and other parts of the northeast may see record-setting temps in the days ahead as the heat index will top 100°F. 

The National Weather Service has issued a hazardous weather advisory for the area.

🌞Did you know a heat wave is defined as 3 or more consecutive days of 90°F or higher. (heat index not factored in).
🌞 Last NYC heat wave: Sep 5-8, 2023
🌞The longest NYC heat wave occurred Aug 24-Sep 4, 1953
🌞There has never been a recorded 6+ day heat wave in NYC in June. pic.twitter.com/Q6k6blnu8G

— NWS New York NY (@NWSNewYorkNY) June 17, 2024

Per the city: 

High heat is a silent killer, posing a disproportionate threat to our most vulnerable residents: adults aged 60 and older, young children, and those with pre-existing health conditions like heart disease, diabetes, mental health conditions, or cognitive impairment. Air conditioning is the best way to stay safe and healthy when it is hot outside, but some people at risk of heat illness do not have or do not turn on an air conditioner. 

The city has a map of outdoor cooling options (including spray showers and drinking fountains) at Cool It! NYC and a Cool Options map. (The cooling centers are open as of today.)

There are just a few local cooling center options, including (the Tompkins Square and Ottendorfer library branches are also options)...

• Polish and Slavic Center, Inc. Older Adult Center 

103 E. Seventh St. 

9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

• Meltzer Social Club, Older Adult Center

94 E. First St. 

8 a.m. to 4 p.m., Monday-Friday

 

• Educational Alliance Sirovich, Older Adult Center

331 E. 12th St. 

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday-Friday

Asian Taste is back open on Avenue B and 3rd Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Asian Taste returned to service on Friday after a nearly nine-month closure due to a gas problem in the building on the NW corner of Avenue B and Third Street...

In late September,. During an inspection of 199 E. Third St., Con Ed found multiple leaks and shut off the gas to the entire Steve Croman-owned building, including the businesses.

The owners had been waiting patiently for the city-ConEd-FDNY approvals to reopen...

Asian Taste is open Tuesday through Thursday 11 a.m. to 10:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 11 a.m. to 11 p.m., and Sunday from noon to 10: p.m.

With the return of Asian Taste and A&C Kitchen on Avenue C back in March, we can update our round-up of the old-school Chinese restaurants in the East Village.

A look at Partea 1 year in

Photos by Stacie Joy

Partea has been open for a year now at 220 E. 14th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

This is Partea's second location, following its original outpost in Flushing. (An LA Partea is in the works.) The concept is "Street eats, bubble tea, and games in an energetic restaurant inspired by Taiwanese night markets." 

We hadn't visited the space yet and were curious, so we ducked inside as the business opened for the day.

Stepping inside, you find yourself in a lively environment, quite different from the somewhat dull surroundings of this stretch of 14th Street. Rows of anime-themed toys and games of chance, like the claw machine for plushie toys, await. You can purchase tokens for these machines using cash or credit ($1 per token) ...

Partea also offers fruit teas, and this month, they received conditional approval from Community Board 3 for a beer-wine license. The menu includes a variety of snacks, such as popcorn chicken, fried pork ribs, and Taiwanese fried tempura.

While Partea isn't likely for everyone (beware, migraine sufferers! There are so many triggers!), it undeniably has its unique charms.

The space is open daily from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. ... with a midnight close on Friday and Saturday (and a 2:30 p.m. start on Sundays).

Monday's parting shot

ICYMI: First Street Green Art Park is celebrating the legacy of the late gallery owner Patti Astor.

Starting on Saturday, a handful of artist came together to honor the co-founder of Fun Gallery on 10th Street, which showcased artists like Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat in the 1980s. 

There's still a large mural in progress... we'll post more photos when the work is complete. 

Astor died on April 9 at her home in Hermosa Beach, Calif. She was 74.

At the 4th annual East Village Zine Fair on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Stacie Joy 

There was an excellent turnout for the fourth annual East Village Zine Fair, which occurred on a near-perfect weather day on Saturday along St. Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue ...

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community co-presented the event, celebrating "the neighborhood’s history of underground print culture past and present." 

This year's event included over 120 vendors, a significant increase from the 40 that participated in Year 1 in 2021.

Here are a few scenes from along St. Mark's Place... 

Father Seán is leaving the East Village

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy

After three years in the East Village, Father Seán Connolly is moving to a new parish.

During his time here, he served both St. Brigid-St. Emeric on Avenue B at Eighth Street and Most Holy Redeemer-Nativity on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

"These parishes have become a true spiritual family, and I am proud of what we have accomplished together in both uniting and growing these two communities," he wrote in a recent church bulletin. "Yet, the needs of the Church extend beyond the limits of our neighborhood, and our archbishop, Cardinal Dolan, along with his priest personnel board, must look for new and creative ways to meet the needs of the faithful with fewer priests able to serve."

He said that he has been tasked with a new mission to be the pastor at the Parish of St. Margaret of Cortona – St. Gabriel in the Riverdale neighborhood of the Bronx. Wednesday is his last day here.

Msgr. Kevin Nelan, the pastor of Immaculate Conception on 14th Street at First Avenue, will become the administrator of St. Brigid-St. Emeric and Most Holy Redeemer-Nativity, "taking on the responsibility of providing priests to serve the sacramental needs of these two parish communities."

I appreciated Father Seán's kind, thoughtful presence in the neighborhood. He did what he could to help cut through the city's endless maddening bureaucracy at the former St. Brigid School on Avenue B and Seventh Street, which NYC has been leasing from the Archdiocese of New York for incoming asylum seekers. 

In a most memorable adventure last fall, Father Seán took me on a tour of Most Holy Redeemer's 232-foot tower, up a steep spiral staircase to see the restoration work of the clocks.

Father Seán will be missed here.

In his letter in the church bulletin, he said the feeling is mutual.

"I wish to thank all of you for your kindness to me ... I will miss you."