This was no way to start a Monday

EVG reader bomarr spotted this pile of meat/bones/WTF this morning on the east side of Second Avenue at Sixth Street ...

The city really wants Jerry Delakas out of Astor Place

[Photo by James Maher from January. Find more photos here]

Apparently the city will stop at nothing to evict longtime Astor Place newsstand vendor Jerry Delakas. The Post reports this morning that the city has retained — for free — the services of powerhouse international law firm Proskauer Rose for the eviction process. Previously, the city used a Law Department attorney.

Said the steamed attorney for Delakas: "What this means is that while Proskauer could have used its pro-bono time toward protecting battered women or saving someone from execution, deportation or eviction. Instead, that time was taken up assisting the city in conducting an eviction!"

Delakas has been in the space for 25 years. He has been subleasing the newsstand from the family who held the license. However, in the eyes of the city, this is an illegal arrangement.

A city Law Department spokesperson told the Post: "The city must decide who can operate newsstands in a fair and evenhanded way. The fact that Mr. Delakas flouted the rules for so long cannot — and should not — be the basis for denying another vendor an opportunity that's rightfully his or hers."

As for retaining an attorney who works for a firm charging upwards of $800 an hour:

"The lawyer handling the matter worked on it while part of the city’s Public Service Program for young attorneys before she left to go into private practice," the spokesperson said. "It made complete sense for her to continue on the case given that she’d worked on it since its inception."

Does this make complete sense to you?

Read more about Jerry's situation at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.

Orchard Alley is back open

We were happy to see that Orchard Alley is back open ...

The community garden on East Fourth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D closed in the middle of July due to a "severe mosquito hazard" from the stagnant construction site at 27 Avenue D.

And as you can see, the garden is still looking lively for the season...

(NY1 covered the story in July. You may watch their report here.)

And from the back of Orchard Alley, you can see what's left of the garden at 321 E. Third St., which was sold in June to the vague 321 E. Third Street Realty LLC. for development. Still nothing on file with the DOB for the address.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Another parcel of East Village land ready for development

[Updated] East Third Street lot cleared of pesky trees, garden

Union Market signage up; Oct. 22 opening date set

The Union Market Watch continues on Avenue A and East Houston... The sign arrived on Friday...

A tipster now hears that the opening date is Oct. 22.

Previously on EV Grieve:
About Union Market coming to Avenue A and Houston

Mid-summer now at the earliest for Union Market on Avenue A and Houston

Blockbusters: Union Market coming to 240 East Houston; Discovery Wines looking for new home

The towers of St. Brigid's

Workers have removed the scaffolding from the north tower of St. Brigid's on Avenue B and East Eighth Street... and now we get to see both completed towers with their spires ...

Workers finished the south tower spires in July.

Demolition starts at 227 E. Seventh St.

Over on East Seventh Street near Avenue C, workers put up the plywood and dropped off the dumpster for the space last week ...

As we noted last month, there are plans to put up a six-story building (the DOB disapproved the first round of plans in July).

There are also permits on file with the DOB for demolition of this structure ... Dave on 7th got a quick look inside late last week...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Asbestos abatement on East Seventh Street, then a new 6-story building

EV Grieve Eatery Etc.: Updates on Bikinis, Graffiti and that kind of weird sushi place on the Bowery

Just a quick update on a few previously reported restaurant-bar items...

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Plywood is up where Friend House used to be on Third Avenue and East 13th Street... CB3 OK'd the application for this "full‐service American comfort food restaurant" (aka, bar) in June. One of the principals owns and operates two bar-restaurants in White Plains — the Brazen Fox and neighbor Ron Blacks.

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Workers have removed the iconic signage at Osaka Vibe Sushi, aka that kind of weird sushi place on the Bowery ... (the DANGER sign is gone too). A small plates place called Wisemen is in the works for the space. (BoweryBoogie has more about it here.)

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Workers have finally removed the Kate's Joint signage on Avenue B and East Fourth Street ... work continues on the incoming gourmet market...

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Several readers noted that Bikinis opened this past weekend at 56 Avenue C. We spoke with Petrit Pula, one of the principals for the Barcelona-style eatery, back in March. You can read that post here.

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On East 10th Street, Graffiti, the acclaimed small-plates place from chef Jehangir Mehta, is expanding to the storefront to the east, as we first noted ... into the space last occupied by Atelier Muse ... and you can see that the former bridal boutique is looking like Graffiti ...

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And on East Seventh Street, the folks at Gingersnap's Organic have removed the refrigerators with some of the to-go items...

Via Facebook, they told us that they're adding a new smoothie bar, made-to-order juices and more cafe seating...

The Daily News blows the secret of East Village Thai

The Daily News yesterday gave major props to the pad Thai at East Village Thai at 32 E. Seventh St. — ranking it among the best in the city.

Per the article:

The bean sprouts are crispy, the shrimp is plump, and both the flavor and portions are oversized. East Village residents would probably like to keep this hidden gem their own little secret, but such tasty Pad Thai, which is best when paired with a bright orange Thai iced tea, should be shared with the masses.

Old firehouse on East 11th Street no longer really looks like an old firehouse

In January, we posted about the former firehouse converted into residences on East 11th Street just east of Avenue B... two units were available to rent... the space is no longer on the market ...

... and it no longer has that firehouse look out front — workers painted it black yesterday.

Apparently black is in for former firehouses-turned-residences in NYC — just ask Anderson Cooper.

Updated: Dave on 7th notes that this space is now home, in part, to ALLDAYEVERYDAY, an integrated marketing communications and entertainment company whose clients include Michael Kors, Gawker Media and Cee Lo, among many others.

Peephole reminder

In case you missed our post from Saturday, East Village artist J. Kathleen White's latest peephole dioramas are now on display along the fence outside the Ninth Street Community Garden at Avenue C. You can check out the art anytime — not just when the garden is open.

The streaking sky

Photo by Shawn Chittle.

An EV Grieve Election 2012 update

Noted on Second Avenue.

The Bowery Bears (and Bunnies)

On Wednesday, BoweryBoogie noted the arrival of some blindfolded bunnies and bears hanging from power lines on the Lower East Side... He traced these to artist Manny Castro and electronic dance duo HeartsRevolution ...

Anyway, here's another batch from this past week on the Bowery at Great Jones...

In case you are looking to buy a pug French bulldog

You're in luck! Spotted these flyers around Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place this weekend...

Sunset trail

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Fight on the food line

Earlier today on Avenue A outside Tompkins Square Park. Photo by Steven Hirsch. (Follow him on Instagram here.)

At the East Ninth Street Block Party

Always a pleasant neighborhood gathering here between Avenue A and First Avenue... photos by Bobby Williams...

Why we still need Big Gulps and Double Gulps

Handy outdoor urinals, of course... So thank goodness they are exempt in the big soda ban!

For further reading:
Health Board Approves Bloomberg's Soda Ban (The New York Times)

Check out J. Kathleen White's excellent peephole dioramas for 2012

Since 2005, East Village artist J. Kathleen White has created a set of peephole dioramas and displays them along the fence outside the Ninth Street Community Garden at Avenue C ... Her 2012 set went up yesterday, and Bobby Williams took a look... and make sure that you stop by to appreciate them in person...

See her 2011 work here.

Jimmy McMillan will run for NYC mayor in 2013

[EVG file photo]

Catching up on some political news here. Yesterday, the Observer reported that Jimmy McMillan announced that he will run for NYC mayor in 2013. He made his announcement at Tammany Hall on Orchard Street, where he was performing a few musical numbers.

Per the Observer:

Mr. McMillan decided to launch his mayoral campaign at the concert ... after meeting two of the women who were performing in the show at a Dunkin’ Donuts in the Lefferts Garden section of Brooklyn. Dion McKenzie and Erika Buestami, who perform as Kowabunga Tyga, said they instantly recognized Mr. McMillan.

“We met Jimmy McMillan at Dunkin’ Donuts when Jimmy was doing his thing, campaigning and the rent is too damn high,” Ms. McKenzie said pointing towards her bandmate. “She just went up to him like, ‘Hey Jimmy, What’s up.”

He will be keeping with his Rent Is Too Damn High Party line. Before tossing his hat into the mayoral race, McMillan was running a presidential campaign as a Republican. He said that he will now support President Obama.

The Shadow knows, of course

The Damned with "Shadow Of Love" circa 1985.

Opening tonight, Pouring Ribbons on Avenue B, featuring drink matrix

Back in November, we noted that an "artisanal cocktail bar" was in the works for 225 Avenue B, the upstairs space that most recently was home to White Noise and Uncle Ming's. Per Zagat, this new bar, called Pouring Ribbons, (soft) opens tonight.

The bar is by the people at Alchemy Consulting — described on its website as "a firm based on increasing the profitability of bars and restaurants around the country through innovative beverage design." New York clients include Bar Seven Five at the Andaz Wall Street

As Zagat notes about Pouring Ribbons:

Each beverage is plotted on two scales, one ranging from refreshing to spiritous, the other from comforting to adventurous. Booze hounds are sure to go for the Hagar and Helga, the most spirit forward and exciting of the bunch — it's a mix of Linine Aquavit, Pierre Ferrand Dry Curacao, cumin syrup and cinnamon bitters.

You can find that drink menu here.

Meanwhile, how many artisanal cocktail bars can one neighborhood possibly support?

[Photo via Zagat]

What you have to do sometimes to get back into your own locked apartment

Go to the deli on the corner, borrow that cherry-picker thing, and retrieve your keys through the open window. Starring artist-musician-all-around-folk-hero Paul Kostabi.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Tompkins Square Park yesterday. Photo by Bobby Williams]

More about the proposed East Village nightlife district (The Villager)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission hears plans for proposed hotel on East Fourth Street (Curbed)

A history of the East Village in 10 objects (Off the Grid)

New additions to Jeremiah's Dreams of the Vanishing New York website

New look for TeaNY on Rivington (BoweryBoogie)

Final hearing for SPURA next week (The Lo-Down)

Photos of the Feast of San Gennaro in recents years (The Gog Log)

... and too late for you to attend the VIP event, but you can still smell like Lady Gaga...

Noted

On East 13th Street this morning via EVG reader Jed...

Next Saturday: Tour the East Village and Lower East Side Bike Friendly Business District

[Via BikeNYC]

Via Felix Salmon, we learn about this event happening next Saturday, Sept. 22, starting at 11 a.m.

Join Transportation Alternatives' Bike Ambassadors on a bike tour of some of our favorite Bike Friendly Businesses to commemorate the launch of New York City's first Bike Friendly Business District, in Manhattan's East Village and Lower East Side. We'll ride through the East Village and Lower East Side stopping by our favorite Bike Friendly Businesses and arts destinations along the way, including Pushcart Coffee, Veselka and the Nuyorican Poets Cafe. The East Village and Lower East Side Bike Friendly Business District — the first of its kind — is a network of more than 150 businesses and cultural institutions dedicated to promoting safe bike riding and better bike infrastructure in their neighborhood. Free food provided, but bring your bike.

Find more details at BikeNYC.org. The group will meet at Veselka, Second Avenue at East Ninth Street.

And you're pleased with this...? Not pleased? Being part of the first Bike Friendly Business District and all.