Wednesday's parting shots

The 6 a.m. view today of Mount Sinai Beth Israel on First Avenue and 16th Street... two hours before the hospital would close for good after 135 years of service to downtown New York...

Donald David, who took these photos, said his two children were born here. 

Background.

East Village musician Jesse Malin bringing his life story to the Gramercy Theatre

Yesterday, East Village musician Jesse Malin announced the details about his new show, "Silver Manhattan: A Musical Guide to Survival," which he described as "a play, a story and a concert performed live on stage with a full band" starting monthly this September.

"We will be working it up all summer to bring it to you," he said in the Instagram announcement. "While I am still recovering, I won't be touring for a while, so you might have to come to my neighborhood to see me and the boys do this thing."

Presale tickets for the shows at the Gramercy Theatre on 23rd Street start today. (Password: JESSE.) The public sale starts Friday. Find ticket info here. 

In May 2023, Malin suffered a rare spinal stroke that left him paralyzed from the waist down. Malin, a partner in several local establishments, including Niagara, 96 Tears and the Bowery Electric, returned to the stage for the first time since early 2023 this past Dec. 1-2 at the Beacon Theater, billed as "the largest hometown show of his career." 

He performed a set with his band. Then special guests, among others, Jim Jarmusch, the Hold Steady, Fred Armisen, Lucinda Williams, Rickie Lee Jones, Jakob Dylan, Butch Walker and J Mascis joined him on stage. 

On March 26, Malin was among the musicians to pay tribute to Patti Smith at Carnegie Hall. 

Malin, a Queens native, launched his music career at age 12 while fronting the hardcore band Heart Attack. He was later the lead vocalist of D Generation during the 1990s. Malin has become a prolific singer-songwriter with nine studio albums and an assortment of collaborations, including Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Billie Joe Armstrong.

Saved from the dumpster: Classic Lower East Side signage rescued

An iconic Lower East Side sign won't disappear with its storefront — it's headed to a museum.

Yesterday, workers from the New York Sign Museum (housed in space adjacent to Noble Signs in Brooklyn) removed the Louis Zuflacht/154/Smart Clothes sign from 154 Stanton St. at Suffolk Street, sparing it from an unceremonious ending in a dumpster. (Thanks to EVG reader Seth for the photo and tip!) 

The New York Sign Museum is a nonprofit foundation "dedicated to preserving and promoting the history of advertising and signage in New York City and the surrounding areas." 

The current two-story building on Stanton and Suffolk is due for a luxury upgrade, adding two floors and a penthouse. Here's a rendering showing the possibilities for a lux conversion at No. 154 (we haven't seen a final rendering) ...

According to Ephemeral New York, the sign dates to 1942 and served (until yesterday) as a "a time machine to the Lower East Side's midcentury days as a neighborhood crammed with cut-rate clothes and accessories shops — and aggressive store clerks hawking their goods to crowds of shoppers." 

Mr. Zuflacht was born in Austria in 1881 and arrived in New York in 1900. After an unsuccessful attempt at selling clothes at 184 Stanton St., Zuflacht took over No. 154 in the early 1940s and worked for decades with his sons at the tailor shop and haberdashery. He died in 1986. It's not immediately known when the shop closed. 

Since the mid-1980s, the space has been home to various businesses, including a vintage shop or two and the New York Studio Gallery. 

The subsequent businesses (and the landlord) kept the Zuflacht signage up through the years. 

Per Ephemeral New York: 

And why should they? It's a wonderful remnant of a certain era in Manhattan, and an accidental memorial to a man who invested much of his life in a Lower East Side garment district of inexpensive "smart" clothes for bargain-hunting buyers. 

And we're glad to see it preserved as part of the city's rich small business history.

Brooklyn's Maya Taqueria is bringing California-style tacos to Avenue A

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Ray's Candy Store will have a new neighbor this summer. 

Signage for Maya Taqueria arrived yesterday at 115 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. 

Maya has outposts in Park Slope and Prospect Heights. Per the Maya website: "For over 15 years we've been proudly serving a taste of the Mission District to the people of Brooklyn." 

The taqueria takes over for Green World Convenience, a smoke shop-deli combo that went dark last fall.

[Updated] Court clears way for Mount Sinai Beth Israel to close on 1st Avenue and 16th Street

Updated 4/9: The Mount Sinai Beth Israel Instagram account states that the facility closed this morning at 8. The emergency department was the last remaining service left at Beth Israel.

-----

Today, a New York appeals court rejected a community coalition's bid to keep Mount Sinai Beth Israel open on First Avenue and 16th Street, and the hospital said it expects "to complete the closure shortly."

Mount Sinai said it was opening an urgent care center in the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary of Mount Sinai complex on 14th Street and Second Avenue. 

Per NY1: 

"This urgent care center has already been constructed and will be ready to take patients prior to the hospital's closing," Mount Sinai said. 

While Beth Israel is no longer providing inpatient services, its emergency department will continue to accept walk-ins until the hospital closes for good, Mount Sinai added. 

As previously reported, Mount Sinai must operate a new 24/7 urgent care center near the hospital for at least three months and reach an agreement with New York City Health + Hospitals to invest in expanding Bellevue Hospital's emergency room and psychiatric emergency department. 

The coalition's pro-bono lawyer, Arthur Schwartz, told NY1 they will file an emergency motion with New York State's Court of Appeals. 

Mount Sinai officials have said Beth Israel lost $1 billion in the last decade due to dwindling cash reserves and reduced bed counts. 

The 799-bed teaching hospital was initially proposed to close on July 12, 2024.

Beth Israel was founded in 1890 on the Lower East Side and moved to its current location on 16th Street and First Avenue in 1929.

A visit to Holographic Studios on 2nd Street

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy 

Holographic Studios recently relocated from East 26th Street, its home since 1979, to 173 Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

I stopped by to speak with studio owner and creative director Sy Rivers to discuss what, exactly, holograms are, the journey from apprentice to owner, and how they are getting settled into their new location.

What is a hologram, and what can people expect when they visit the space? 

A hologram is a photograph of three-dimensional impressions that are on the surface of light waves. This means they are true 3-D, not an illusion! The holographic works in the gallery reveal more to the image and shift as you move around them, and also display beautiful rainbow colors due to the visible spectrum of light. 

There are two main types: reflection (where the hologram reflects light to create a three-dimensional image) and transmission (where light shines through). Both of these types are currently on display, as well as some more niche techniques. We also have a large amount of vintage holographic stickers and accessories from the 1980s and 1990s for sale, which make amazing gifts. Starting in May, we will also have a laser laboratory and darkroom available for classes.

What drew you to the East Village?

Our old location was very beloved due to its role in New York history, the history of holography, and all the amazing memories it holds from the last 46 years. But when our founder, Dr. Laser (aka Jason Sapan), decided to leave the city to pursue the next chapter in his life, it just made sense to have the Studio move into its new chapter with a location change. 

The East Village has personal significance for me as someone who grew up in the city and spent the formative years of my life in this neighborhood. I feel very proud to be continuing a legacy of local avant-garde art! It took five months to find the perfect spot, but when I saw the gallery on Second Street, it felt like everything aligned. 

Our old Studio was more of a hidden gem, but this space gives me the opportunity to introduce many more people to holography who otherwise may never have seen anything like this before. What we do is so unique, so it makes perfect sense we would find a new home in the East Village.

Can you tell us a bit about your journey from apprentice to owner? 

I've always had an interest in holography ever since I received a Polaroid Future Vision sticker as a child (which we actually sell at the Studio now). After producing my first holograms in college and returning home to New York upon graduation, I was looking for a way to continue studying this incredible medium.

I met Dr. Laser and started working at Holographic Studios as an intern. There have been so many incredible interns at the Studio who have gone on to achieve award-winning careers in their chosen creative field. Jason has been an inspiration to many, myself included. 

Over the years, as we became closer and cemented a mentor/mentee relationship, I expressed a desire to devote my life to the art of holography and make sure that it doesn't become a lost art. So when the time came for him to close up shop on 26th Street and move on to new horizons, I was the obvious choice to pass the torch and continue his legacy. 

What would you tell people about terminology: laser, hologram, holograph, etc.? 

The terminology can get a little tricky, so here's a quick overview.

LASER stands for Light Amplification through Stimulated Emission of Radiation. It is a device that produces a concentrated beam of light by stimulating atoms or molecules to emit light at particular wavelengths. We use different types of lasers for different types of holography. 

The preferred word is "hologram." A "holograph" is a handwritten document, not related to what we do. "Holography" is the word for the technique and art form, and a "holographer" is someone who produces holograms. All things pertaining to holography are referred to as "holographic." 

What has the neighborhood reception been like since you opened last month? 

The reception has been wonderful! It's been so great getting to know the community over the past few weeks. I look forward to forging and deepening connections with local art spaces, small businesses, and our neighbors going forward. 

Holographic Studios welcomes everyone. So come visit, whether you're interested in the medium, have an idea for a custom project, or want to see art and learn something new. 

Studio hours are: Tuesday 1 p.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday through Saturday 12 p.m.-6 p.m., or by appointment.

You can follow the Studio on Instagram for updates on exhibits and other special events.

Angels on A has closed

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

After 18 months at 66 Avenue A, Angels on A has closed. 

On Sunday, I came across a sales rack of clothing outside the partially shuttered storefront between Fourth Street and Fifth Street...

Inside, the store was nearly empty ...

Owner Angel Ramirez, who launched the business as Downtown Threads in the fall of 2023, said that they decided to call it quits. 

"With rising rent and real estate taxes so high, it didn't make sense to continue to operate," he said.

Still, Ramirez hopes to find a more affordable storefront somewhere downtown. 

"We are looking at a new space to potentially relocate, looking at spaces on the Lower East Side," he said. "I'm a lifelong resident of the area, and it hurts to have to close." 

He said people can follow the shop's Instagram account for relocation updates. 

"Thank you to the community for the continued support," Ramirez said. "In the last few days, we've received tons of really sweet messages of love and support. Appreciate everyone: Big hugs."

This was the third business Ramirez closed in this stretch of storefronts in the block-long building that sold in the fall of 2023. He was also behind Angels Boutique and Café Social 68/Viva! Café, which went dark in January. 

Three businesses remain on the once-livelier block — Mast Books, March Gallery and the liquor store, which changed hands earlier this year.

Openings: Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao on Houston Street

An EVG reader was surprised to see a new restautant up and running seemingly out of nowhere at 175 E. Houston St. at Allen. 

We couldn't find anything about Zhong Guo La Mian Xiao Long Bao other than the well-liked soup dumpling stall in the Chinatown Complex Market in Singapore. 

There's an extensive menu — served all day — with various dumplings, appetizers and noodle dishes.

Meanwhile, on the Allen Street side of the establishment, there's another sign for Blue Peak Villa... and another mystery.

This large space has been vacant for years... before Only Love Strangers, a bi-level jazz bar and restaurant concept from the team behind MáLà Project, opened here last April. The place was rebranded upstairs to become Comida Corrida, which served Mexican fare several months later. They were closed by the fall.

Monday's parting shot

Took this photo last Wednesday night... across from 266 Bowery between Prince and Houston... in the mid-1970s, it was home to the Blondie Loft on the upper floors, where Debbie Harry and Chris Stein lived, and the rest of the band rehearsed and crashed. And it was close to CBGB.

RIP Blondie drummer Clem Burke. He was 70.

Previously on EVG: 

• A look inside Globe Slicers, one of the most unique storefronts on the Bowery

RIP Clem Burke

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Blondie (@blondieofficial)

Clem Burke was 70.

Thank you all. Clem loved what he was doing. He lived his dream

[image or embed]

— Cʜʀɪs Sᴛᴇɪɴ (@chrisstein.bsky.social) April 7, 2025 at 10:18 AM

New East Village café aims to blend coffee and creativity

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Rupsi Shrestha left a career in corporate finance to open No Nazar Café, which debuted recently at 280 E. 10th St. But she's not just serving coffee and pastries — she's hoping to create a gathering space for creativity and connection.

"We want to have a conventional coffee shop from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. to serve drinks and pastries to the local community," Shrestha said. "In the later afternoon into the evening, we will transform into a social space and host activities such as painting, writing and poetry nights to bring people together and connect with the creative fields."

The café, which has a no-laptop policy, focuses on espresso-based drinks and matcha. They've also partnered with a few local bakeries to sell fresh croissants and baklava. In the near future, Shrestha plans to add specialty items like Turkish chai, Turkish coffee and Masala chai.

During a visit to No Nazar last week, Shrestha shared more about the space between Avenue A and First Avenue.

What's the story behind the business name?

No Nazar Café is inspired by the word nazar, which means sight, surveillance and attention, and is often symbolized by the evil eye. 

The legend of the evil eye is a widespread superstition, rooted in ancient traditions, that a malevolent gaze can bring bad luck or harm to the recipient. No Nazar Café signifies the warding off of bad luck and energy, focusing on good energy only. 

What drew you to the East Village? 

The East Village is one of the most inspiring communities I have come across. When I thought about opening a café, I wanted to showcase the community it exists in with a focus on local artists and fostering creativity. 

This creative drive led me to leave the corporate world and open this cafe, and that sentiment fuels our mission. 

One of our baristas lives a few paces up East 10th Street, and the rest of our staff frequent the area but live further north in Manhattan.

Hours: Monday to Thursday: 8 a.m. to 10:30 p.m.; Friday to Sunday: 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. 

You can follow No Nazar Café on Instagram for updates on programming.

Asphalt bungle: Rough walkway still a hazard near Tompkins Square Park field House

Photos Saturday by Steven 

It appears workers have finished repaving the area around the renovated (and still closed) Tompkins Square Park field house. 

Workers started the job on Wednesday, and one crew member said it would take two weeks to complete. (Two weeks usually means eight weeks.)

The new asphalt only extends the length of the field house and the area near the ping-pong table...

As these photos from yesterday show, the pocked pavement along the Ninth Street walkway — on both sides of the field house — remains unchanged. It's treacherous terrain for anyone with mobility issues and a long-overdue improvement that would benefit all parkgoers.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Asphalt jungle: New pathways for the Tompkins Square Park field house

Fancy Juice moving up 1st Avenue

Today is the last day for Fancy Juice at 69 First Ave. 

But don't worry if you're a fan. 

The purveyors of açaí bowls, smoothies and juices are moving from between Fourth Street and Fifth Street to 160 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street...

April 13 is opening day in the new space.

No. 160 has been vacant since Gizmo got rent-hiked from here early last year. (Gizmo is now at 626 E. 14th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.)

Fancy Juice arrived in the spring of 2015.

Signage alert: Bánh Mì Café on 10th Street

Bánh Mì Café, offering Vietnamese coffee and sandwiches, is coming soon to 241 E. 10th St. just west of First Avenue. 

It is primarily a to-go operation, though there is seating for a handful of patrons inside. 

Some signage remains from the previous business here, To East Sushi, which quietly closed earlier this year (photo below by Steven)...

To Eat Sushi offered fresh sushi and sashimi with sake and Japanese craft beer starting late summer 2023. 

There was no official word about the closure.

Signage alert: The Burger Guy on Avenue A

Signage is up for The Burger Guy (or "The Burger Guy"), arriving this summer at 147 Avenue A between Ninth Street and 10th Street. 

And not to be confused with Burger Man in Times Square. 

This will be the latest quick-serve establishment for the storefront since 2015, following Korean Street Foods ... Two Hands ... and Arepa Factory.

Weekend's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

From Friday evening, a stoop get-together at Sixth Street Specials. 

Read about the shop's future here.

Would Chelsea and Rick from season 3 of 'The White Lotus' live in the East Village?

Photo courtesy of HBO 

Season 3 of "The White Lotus" concludes tonight. 

In an attempt to get in on the news cycle (like that post!), Realtor.com throws out some ideas about where some of the season's characters might live (if they make it out of Thailand alive). 

The site speculates that a well-known East Village building on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue may be home to Rick (Walton Goggins) and Chelsea (Aimee Lou Wood).

• 224 E. 14th St Apt. 1 

Price: $3,250,000 

Chelsea and Rick: The two most popular characters on the show are an unusual pairing, with her youthful free spirit and his mysterious quest to get justice for his murdered father. Add to that the fact that both seem to live an entirely nomadic existence, and finding the perfect home for them becomes a near-impossible task. But if the duo are going to agree on anything, it would surely be laying down roots in New York's East Village.

Not only are there plenty of bars in which Rick can mull over his life choices, there is also a vibrant and very fashionable social scene in which Chelsea can find plenty of people her own age to spend time with. And, of course, this eccentric couple isn't going to settle for the average abode — so it seems only right that a funky East Village property serve as their permanent dwelling.

Previously on EV Grieve:

•  Once again, everyone's favorite 14th Street triplex with a garage door for a wall is back on the market

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a ballerina on Union Square by Derek Berg)... 

• Man sentenced for 2 March 2024 shootings in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday) 

• Housing lottery is underway for 49 apartments at the all-new 280 E. Houston St. (Monday) 

• Al fresco comeback: City’s outdoor dining program returns (Tuesday) 

• How to vote on what neighborhood projects receive capital funding from City Council (Monday) 

• Pasta de Pasta making return engagement in larger 1st Avenue home (Tuesday) 

• Openings: Pavlo Mochi on Avenue B (Thursday) ... Openings: Kawa Omakase, 12 Matcha, Shaji BBQ, El Camino (Thursday) 

• Asphalt jungle: New pathways for the Tompkins Square Park field house (Wednesday) 

• On 3rd Avenue, the East Village’s slimmest storefront is up for rent (Wednesday) 

• The East Village is now home to Manhattan's first 2D restaurant (Friday) 

• Signage alert: Maza on 7th Street (Thursday) 

• Letter perfect at the Village East by Angelika (Thursday) 

• Where can you buy magazines now in the East Village? (Wednesday)

• Wisteria watch underway for spring 2025 (Tuesday)

• The 2 retail spaces at 106 Avenue B are for lease (Tuesday) 

• Stuy Town grocery starting to look more Whole Foods-y (Monday) ... Whole Foods Market signage going up now in Stuy Town (Wednesday) 

... and thanks to everyone who shared updated photos of the new Whole Foods Market signage on 14th Street — this one via Vinny & O...

Star's Revenge (and friends)

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy 

From left on 2nd Street: Olive Faber and Emily Green 

This past Thursday night, Star's Revenge — Olive Faber and Emily Green — held a record release party at Berlin on Avenue A for the duo's latest single, "Me and My Friends." Joining them on the bill were Talli Sow and EVG faves Genre Is Death. 

"The Berlin show was the best Star's show yet — bringing a bunch of friends under one roof is what it's all about," Faber, who has played drums for Sunflower Bean, told us. "Our next show is April 16 at Mercury Lounge, and we're planning something really special for summer."

You can check out the band's music — spare, off-kilter indie pop that sticks with you — on all the usual streaming platforms. You can follow them on Instagram here.

Star's Revenge with friends...

1 night only: An art show at FTC on A

Unfortunately, we missed the one-night-only art show on Friday, adjacent to the FTC skate shop at 216 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. 

EVG reader Allan Yashin shared these photos... where the photography and artwork of more than 50 FTC family and friends were on display...

Some of the work may later be on display at the shop. 

FTC Skateboarding — a San Francisco-based brand that dates to 1986 — first opened here as a pop-up shop in the fall of 2023. 

FTC is open daily from noon to 7 p.m.