Work moves to the backside of St. Brigid's

The renovations continue at St. Brigid's on Eighth Street and Avenue B. Workers put up scaffolding on the church's backside last week...

Meanwhile, the crew continues to rebuild the church's northern wall...

Oh, and some bonus photos that I took back in early January. Don't you miss the snow?





Previous EV Grieve St. Brigid's coverage here.

Wannabe

Only just noticed this the other day under the scaffolding at Spice on Second Avenue and Sixth Street.

City unveils new plan to patrol First Avenue bike lane

Pigeons!

I love this photo by James Maher. Reprinted with permission. Find more of his photos here.

'You lose it here, you're in a world of hurt'

On Friday, EV Grieve Technologically Advanced Form of Extraterrestrial Life Correspondent Bobby Williams spotted the Predator from, um, "Predator" outside Tokio 7 on Seventh Street...

Perhaps the masses were getting a little too close... there's now a fence around Mr. Predator...

Remember: He's using the trees.

Bonus...

"Mars Needs Red Riding Hood'

Last week, DNAinfo spotted a Jesus-"Confessions of a Shopaholic" movie poster mashup on Second Avenue at Seventh Street... Apparently Poster Boy has struck again... here on First Avenue near DeRobertis, there's a "Mars Needs Moms" - "Red Riding Hood" (two movies that no one will see!) combo along with a Public Service Announcement about the benefits of reading neighborhood blogs books.

Thanks to @cultofsoc for sharing the photo.

Graffiti moon

From a rooftop on lower Second Avenue. [Justin V. via his roommate Brian M.]

Efforts continue to save 35 Cooper Square

Flyers are up outside 35 Cooper Square... Interested parties may attend the CB3 meeting Thursday evening....

March 10 at 6:30 pm — BRC Senior Services Center — 30 Delancey St. (between Chrystie and Forsyth)

Photo courtesy of EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams

'Crazy Landlord' back to being crazy!

Nearly two years have passed since we first noted the "crazy landlord" sign on the long-dormant corner of Second Avenue and Third Street.

Last we heard something called the Belgian was moving in... As the owner told Eater:

The large french doors will open to a wraparound sidewalk cafe sitting 40 or so under large colorful awnings. It will be romantic yet appropriate. Think a sexier Balthazar marries a corpulent Fette Sau and the offspring is The Belgian.

We've lost track of those plans. The corner has seemingly been quiet in recent months... And now, as this photo taken by EV Grieve reader Salim shows, the corner space is apparently back on the market. And the landlord just take it anymore!

Previously.

[Updated] Bringing 'the tradition of the old Knitting Factory and Tonic' to 34 Avenue A

Last Friday, we reported that Two Boots founder Phil Hartman's name is attached to the new venue proposed for 34 Avenue A, the space that was most recently Aces and Eights ... and Mo Pitkin's before that ....

Hartman sent us a note during the weekend with a few more details on the space:

I've been approached by a local music booker/promoter about helping get the old Mo's space re-opened as a music venue. His vision is to carry on the tradition of the old Knitting Factory and Tonic, and I love the idea of seeing the space revived for the use for which it was created, and to wipe out the stain that was Aces & Eights. There would also be a restaurant component on the ground floor.

My role is as an advisor and a cheerleader — I live and work within a block from there and think it would be great for the neighborhood. So, no, I'm not "re-opening Mo Pitkin's" but hopefully the spirit of that place, and of the old East Village, will be revived!

This is one of the items on the docket for the SLA & DCA Licensing Committee next Monday at 6:30 pm — JASA/Green Residence - 200 E. Fifth St. at the Bowery.

[Updated]
Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo reports this afternoon that concert organizer Todd Patrick, aka Todd P, is also involved in the project. You can read more about Todd Patrick in this Voice profile from 2006.

A Gathering of Tribes faces an uncertain future on East Third Street

Colin Moynihan at the Times reports on what could be the end of A Gathering of Tribes on East Third Street. The building that has housed the arts and cultural organization at 285 E. Third St. between Avenues C and D is on the market for $2.995 million.



Per the article:

The news sent shudders through generations of poets, artists, musicians and others, who felt a strong sense of devotion to A Gathering of the Tribes, a gallery and salon in the building, and to [Steve] Cannon. A former humanities professor, who taught for 25 years at city university campuses including Hunter College in Manhattan and Medgar Evers College in Brooklyn, Mr. Cannon decided in 1991 to turn the building, which he had bought for $35,000 in 1970, into a salon and open house where practically everybody was welcome.

Per the listing at Marcus & Millichap:

INVESTMENT HIGHLIGHT
• Four Free Market Floor-Through Two Bedroom Apartment
• Approximately 3,000 Square Fee
• 22 Feet of Frontage on East 3rd Street Between Avenue C and Avenue
• Possible Conversion into a Single Family Townhouse
• 1,100 Square Foot Garden Located Behind the Building

Cannon sold the three-story federal-style townhouse to its present owner — Lorraine Zhang — in 2004 believing that he would be able to occupy the second floor for at least a decade.

Meanwhile, according to the article:

"Mr. Cannon said he was exploring whether he had any legal recourse to oppose the sale in court. At the same time, he said, he would reach out to friends and arts patrons to see whether any of them might be interested in buying the building and turning it into an artists’ residence and cultural center."

326-328 E. Fourth St. now a shell of its former self

Not much left of the addresses here between Avenue C and Avenue D.... You can see right through 328 to the buildings on Third Street...

As the Times noted back September, the houses date to around 1840 ... "That these houses have remained virtually unchanged in the past 170 years is miraculous and noteworthy..."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Historic East Fourth Street artists' collective soon to be condos

Two side-by-side townhouses on East Fourth Street await your renovation

City doesn't give a shit about these historic East Village townhouses

More pages of novels appearing on the East Village streets

Last Monday, we noted the presence of a single page from a novel or something on Seventh Street and First Avenue...

Perhaps this sparked some kind of trend... we've noticed other pieces of fiction now in place around the neighborhood... such as on Fourth Avenue and 10th Street (home of the Scribbler!)

And Avenue A between Seventh Street and Sixth Street ...

I inexplicably didn't take a photo of Page 2 ... And yesterday's rain likely wiped these all out...

Cowgirl Cupcakes (and Burritos) now open on East 10th Street

Back in December, we noted the Cowgirl Cupcakes was taking over a storefront on East 10th Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

EV Grieve reader Leesy reports Cowgirl opened yesterday...

While she didn't sample the food, she did go in for a look... she notes the staff is very cool and excited to be part of the neighborhood... and that the place kind of smelled like, say, San Loco ... per the menu, burritos are the first item listed... Per Leesy: "I guess it just seemed odd that a place with cupcake in the name was more like Burritos."

Anyway, everything on the menu is vegan...

Souvlaki GR opening set for next Monday on Stanton Street

Back in January BoweryBoogie reported that food-truck favorites Souvlaki GR were opening an eatery at 116 Stanton St. just west of Essex Street. (New York Street Food had the scoop.)

EV Grieve contributor Samo happened by during the weekend and spoke with with Kosta Plagos, one of the owners. Opening date is slated for next Monday. Souvlaki will accommodate 40 inside ... and Plagos would eventually like to have sidewalk seating. "Concept is that you will feel like you are sitting in the streets of Mykonos."

BoweryBoogie has more on their food truck here.

[Updated] When will Veselka on the Bowery open?

After posting the coming-soon sign for Veselka Bowery on Saturday, we sent the folks there a note asking when they're expecting to open...

We didn't hear back from anyone at Veselka. We last heard that the location will open in mid-March, per the Feast.

[Updated 2:30]
From Fork in the Road:

"Our opening date will probably be in May. Maybe early June, but we're hoping to be faster than that," said Veselka owner Tom Birchard, who mentioned that this new location will be similar to the one on Second Avenue, but will have a full liquor license and be "a little less dinerish and a little more restauranty."

As for the menu, he notes that "Everything will still be inexpensive and casual but we'll have some really exciting items. We're looking for inexpensive caviar, and we're going to have lots of vodkas from Eastern Europe which will be great because the food goes great with it."

Community facility available on East Second Street

The plans for the new luxury homes at 229 E. Second St. between Avenue B and Avenue C included a community facility on the ground floor... we were curious if this would actually happen... Apparently yes, as the newish sign shows...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Million dollar condos hit the market on East Second Street

229 E. Second St. sprouts a roof deck

Cutting condo prices by 20 percent on East Second Street

East 10th Street, 8:31 p.m., March 6

In the rain

Earlier today ... by EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams.

Noted

Fourth Avenue and East 10th Street.

Broken flowers

Outside the Peter Jarema Funeral Home on East Seventh Street today.

Week in Grieview

[Outside McDonald's on First Avenue]

Seizure causes smash-up at St. Marks Place and Avenue A (Tuesday)

Sidewalk is closed for renovations (Wednesday)

Putting together the pieces of Grace Farrell's last days (Tuesday)

A transformer fire at ConEd (Wednesday)

Charlie Sheen was on TV for some reason (Monday)

A Playboy Playmate and Bao teaming up for fried chicken and waffles on St. Mark's Place (Friday)

No more Junk on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday)

Another Juice Press coming soon? (Thursday)

Death & Co. had to close for a few days while waiting for its liquor license renewal (Thursday)

While we were suddenly quoting "Predator" (Friday)

ICTTS officials disqualify this tree from competition

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Rob D. for the above photo of this poor thing spotted during the weekend on Avenue A between First Street and Second Street.

However, since receiving this photo, officials at the International Coalition of Tree Tossing in the Spring (ICTTS) said that we cannot include this tree in this year's competition. An official said there is a little-known codicil in the ICTTS constitution that mandates trees must still have 75 percent of its branches intact to qualify.

13th Street, 9:47 a.m., March 6

Putting the Bowery to canvas

EV Grieve correspondent Bobby Williams took these shots yesterday afternoon in front of 35 Cooper Square...

A British immigrant on the LES

EV Grieve reader Samo notes a 53 MG on Forsyth and Houston that drew admiring stares yesterday...

Some FYI per Jalopnik:

The '53 MG TD came with a 54.4 horsepower pushrod four-cylinder engine (yes, that extra 4/10th of a horse was so important that MG included it in the power rating) and was priced at $1,945. That was about $1,500 less than The General's new sports car, the '53 Corvette, but 200 bucks cheaper (and orders of magnitude better-looking) than the Triumph Mayflower. Budget-minded car shoppers who wanted to go a little less sporty could buy the bargain-basement '53 Ford coupe- which probably outperformed the prewar-technology MG TD in just about every category save parallel parking ability — for just $1,734.

About HiFi (and long live El DJ!)

So yesterday afternoon, several readers noted the presence of some big yellow NYPD notices outside HiFi on Avenue A ... While we usually do call/e-mail for details on something like this, we did not yesterday. We quickly posted the photos. And we assumed the worst — as we've seen in other situations involving bars and the NYPD.

So while the bar did receive a summons from the NYPD, it did not have any impact on their business hours. HiFi was open as usual yesterday afternoon. We apologized to the folks at HiFi last evening. And we're sorry for causing any unnecessary hysteria among fans of the bar.

Meanwhile, onward!

Long live El DJ 2.0!

Here's a nice piece on El DJ by Chantal Martineau at Fork in the Road.

Signs of spring on Avenue C

The Church of Earthalujah starting 3-month residency at Theatre 80

Starting tomorrow night, The Church of Earthalujah begins a three-month-or-so residency at Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place...

I asked Rev. Billy what attendees can expect.

The Church of Earthalujah at Theatre 80 is not a political rally in a theatre, not a comedy in an improv club, and not a church service with great music — but if isn't all three, you get your money back.

Find out more about what Rev. Billy is up to right here. Find him on Twitter here.

The Church of Earthalujah
Reverend Billy and the Stop Shopping Gospel Choir
Theatre 80, every Sunday through June, 7:30 PM, 80 St Marks Place
$10, no one turned away

Here's your Veselka Bowery signage

Here we are at the coming-soon Bowery/First Street location of Veselka...

We last heard that the location will open in mid-March, per the Feast.

And here was a progress report from September.

March 5

On East Second Street. And for authenticity purposes. The Holiday Tree Street team placed a copy of today's Post of New York next to the little fellow.

Meanwhile, apparently some upstarts in Park Slope think they can horn in on this late tree tossing thing. EV Grieve reader Kate sent along this shot from March 1 on Eighth Avenue and 10th Street...

Go back to Brooklyn! Uh. Or something!

Eminence Front

Thanks to EV Grieve reader Duke for these photos of the EV Lambo v2.0 from last night on Avenue A... (credit for headline also goes to Duke...)

Today in celebrity endorsements of Clinton Street Baking Co.

[Via]