Food cart vs. food truck at Union Square

As EV Grieve reader Blue Glass details in the photos below.... the new Souvlaki GR truck took up a spot on the west side of Union Square just above 14th Street yesterday...




This did not go over well with the hot dog vendors. They moved their carts to partially block the truck... and the carts were positioned in such a way that the hot dog/pretzel smoke would flow into the truck...



Regardless, people were still ordering food from the Souvlaki truck, which angered the hot dog vendor with the red shirt....

Eventually he exchanged angry words with the Souvlaki truck owner...



...and made faces at our photographer....




...despite the circumstances (like the hot dog guy yelling and making noise so people couldn't hear the orders at the Souvlaki truck), Blue Glass says the Souvlaki workers kept their cool....


As Blue Glass notes, "There is room for everybody."

Another pretzel ad plot twist

A quick Pretzel Crisps ad recap:

The first ad!



Complaints! Then!



Still, complaints! Now!



NYC the Blog has been busy reporting on this story. You can read it all here.


Previously on EV Grieve:
Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads


[Thanks to Thanks to EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing for the top two photos]

Your opportunity to help shape CB3's liquor license future

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Community Board 3 is hosting a Policy Meeting of the SLA & DCA Licensing Committee

Thursday, August 19 at 6:30 p.m. -- University Settlement at Houston Street Center -- 273 Bowery (at Houston St)

We will review and evaluate changes to Community Board 3's existing policies and procedures guiding the Board's approvals/denials of all types of liquor licenses for establishments within the CB 3 district. All previous "resolution areas" will be reviewed.

We want to hear from YOU!

Please fill out a "Request to Speak" form by 7 p.m. Speakers will be limited to 3 minutes.

· What are your plans/visions for the area?
· What are your concerns, problems?
· What do you want to retain in our neighborhood?

Here's the current policy.

Some pretty big picture questions up there...What do you want to retain in our neighborhood? We could be there all night.

This comment from Daria yesterday sums up what a lot of people have been saying here in recent years:

I used to look forward to new restaurants, excited like, to see what new places we'd have to eat at. now i feel like, "let's see what new places they are building for THEM."

that pretty much sums it up. stuff that used to open around here used to excite me because I felt like they were for those of us that live here. And now I feel like they are for those who don't.

Meanwhile, the current system seems arbitrary and dysfunctional for granting licenses... Like on Avenue B, Sigmund Pretzel Shop, which closes at 8 p.m., was denied a license to sell beer and wine... Meanwhile, a few doors down, Billy Hurricane's gets the OK for a two-level bar featuring a signature drink that will be limited to two per person. (Yes, I realize that this was a transfer from Midway/Rehab... and not a new license... still)

Pretzel logic

So... you remember that little controversy about the pretzel-ad campaign....like the one seen here on First Avenue and First Street...



NYC the Blog had been in touch with the pretzel people who said...

"Based on the feedback received from you and other bloggers, we will be taking the ‘You can never be too thin’ ads down."

The company has also apologized.

So they replaced the ad. And what did they replace it with?



Um.

Thanks to EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing for the photos.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads

Into thin air: Pretzel maker removing 'too thin' ads

As you may recall last Thursday, we posted this photo from EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing ... pointing out the new make-us-feel-badly-about-our-bodies ad on the northeast corner of First Street and First Avenue...



NYC the Blog has been all over this too... even corresponding with the company:

Perry Abbenante, Vice President of Marketing at Snack Factory LLC, maker of Pretzel Crisps, responded to an email request for comment shortly after, explaining that they have been monitoring the situation, and will be "making some adjustments to the campaign."

And now!

He just followed up, and informed NYC The Blog: "Based on the feedback received from you and other bloggers, we will be taking the ‘You can never be too thin’ ads down."

The company has also apologized.

Ads on First and First still want us to feel badly about our bodies

EV Grieve reader K. Knipfing points out the new ad on the northeast corner of First Street and First Avenue...



"You can never be too thin." As K put it: "A timeless message from Pretzel Crisps lightly reminding you that you will never reach any 'goal' when it comes to your body."

Previously at this spot, H&M advertised its $4.95 "bikini tops" ...

The CB3/SLA agenda looks to be a doozy in February

After a few ho-hum meetings the past several months, there's plenty here on the agenda to chew over...

SLA & DCA Licensing Committee
Monday, February 8 at 6:30 pm -- JASA/Green Residence - 200 East 5th Street at Bowery
Meeting agenda is here.

Let's take a look! (And my comments are in bold...)

Renewal with Complaint History
Banjo Jim's (Banjo Family LLC), 700 E 9th St (op)
[We need more places like Banjo Jim's...]

Sidewalk Cafe Application
Cafe Mocha, 116 2nd Ave

188 Ave A Take Out Food Corp, 188 Ave A
[This is Kool Bloo at 12th Street... they want a sidewalk bar...? Can't wait to hear what Jill has to say about this!]

Applications within Resolution Areas
Sigmund Pretzel Shop Inc, 29 Ave B (rw)

SPOT (ACO Bakery Inc), 13 St Marks Pl (rw)

St Marks PHO Corp, 13 St Marks Pl (rw)

Moon Pie Pizzeria, 31 Ave C (up/op)

Eat Pisode (Eat Pisode Inc), 123 Ludlow St (rw)

Cafe Allumette, 182 Ave B (rw)

Casa de Chabela Corp, 40 Ave B (op)

T Poutine LLC, 168 Ludlow St (rw)

Alterations/Transfers/Upgrades
Corp to be Formed, 14 Ave B (trans/op) (Butterfly)
[We reported on this bar coming here back in December...at Second Street]

88 Orchard (Robusto NYC Inc), 88 Orchard St (alt/rw/extend license to sidewalk cafe)

A&D Wine Corp, 65 2nd Ave (trans/op) (Crem Caffe)

93 Art LLC, 93 3rd Ave (trans/op) (Lit)

The Horse Box (Corp to be Formed), 218 Ave A (trans/op) (Cricket & Eddie)
[This was one of the five bars for sale in the neighborhood...rent was going for $5,200 a month]

Matsu Kado (Gaira Food Inc), 104 2nd Ave (trans/rw) (Spice)

Freemans (Freeman Holdings LLC), 191 Chrystie St (alt/op/expansion to 2nd floor, 2nd floor service bar, kitchen prep in basement)

Blvd Crash Mansion (199 Bowery Rest Group LLC), 199 Bowery (alt/op)

Corp to be Formed, 103 2nd Ave (trans/op) (Bounce Deuce)
[This is the Pita Pan place... the signage has been up...]

AR Restaurant (40 Mulberry Restaurant Inc), 40 Mulberry St (trans/op) (Antica Roma Restaurant)

Nomad (Sandwich Shop Inc), 78 2nd Ave (alt/rw/new bar, new handicap bathroom, install air conditioning, install gas oven)
[Ah! This is why the former Indian Curry Mahal was gutted...]

Barramundi (Torquay NY LLC), 67 Clinton St (alt/add/op)

New Liquor License Applications
Rivington Wine & Cheese Inc, 95 Delancey St (op)

Max (Luigi Iasilli), 36 E 2nd St (rw)

Zaitzeff (Ziatzeff 3 Corp), 194 E 2nd St (op)

Porchetta (Porchetta LLC), 110 E 7th St (eb)
[Have a beer now with your salty pork!]

New Lang Qi Zhong Hing Seafood Inc, 30 Market St (eb)

Chickpea (Chickpea at Houston Inc), 147 E Houston St (rw)

Cafe Amore Pizza (Cafe Amore of NY Restaurant Inc), 104 E 14th St (rw)

Corp to be Formed, 77 E 4th St (rw)

Kumo Restaurant (JRH Restaurant Group Inc), 214 1st Ave (rw)

Tallgrass Burger (Tallgrass Burger Company Inc), 214B 1st Ave (eb)
[214 First Avenue is the former Elvie's Turo-Turo]

Also on the liquor license docket: Sigmund Pretzel Shop

Sigmund's, the new gourmet pretzel shop at 29 Avenue B near Third Street, is applying for a license to serve wine ... which is fine (heh, rhymes)... but how about some beer for those pretzels? And has anyone been here yet? Just curious what this place is like...

Updated:

Food blogger (and EV Grieve reader) BaHa paid a visit to Sigmund's last month... She wrote about it at her site, With Leftovers. Briefly though, she said: "These babies are pretzels at their best."


Previously on EV Grieve:
Avenue B's pretzel logic

Avenue B's pretzel logic

Always Hungry reports that the long-dormant space at 29 Avenue B near Third Street is now home to the Sigmund Pretzel Shop, owned by two former Bouley staffers. Per Sigmund:

The Salted and Seeded Pretzels (three kinds: Caraway, Sesame and Poppy Pretzels) cost $2.50 each. Flavored pretzels (Jalapeño-Cheddar and Cinnamon Raisin) cost $3.00 each. There will also be pretzel dips: whipped butter, whole-grain mustard, cream cheese, warm three-cheese sauce, horseradish-mayo and Nutella. Pretzels come with one dip; additional dips cost 75¢ each. A half-dozen pretzels of any variety with three dips costs $16.00. A dozen pretzels with six dips costs $30.00.

(via Eater)

P.S.
The Steely Dan reference is to drive Slum Goddess batty. (Battier?)

An award for navigating "the wilds of don’t-ruin-my-neighborhood blogosphere resentment"

In Time Out's Eat Out Awards this week, the magazine's critics bestow the Best Sweet Revenge award upon Bespoke Chocolates. Why?

As if the seven levels of city-permit hell weren’t enough, chocolatier and former Union Square Cafe pastry staffer Rachel Zoe Insler also had to navigate the wilds of don’t-ruin-my-neighborhood blogosphere resentment before she even opened the doors of her unassuming bonbon shop. Insler placated the haters with patience and warmth — and won over everyone else with her pretzel-covered sea-salted caramels, cardamom-scented Turkish coffee truffles and the rest of her handmade sweets. 6 Extra Pl at E 1st St (212-260-7103)

Well, now. I hope you haters are happy now! Got your just dessert!

Noted

From the Strong Buzz via Eater:

If you’ve had enough of Red Mango, Flurt, YogoMonster and the dozen or other Pinkberry clones that have opened at warp speed around town, it’s time for you to check out Daydream, Union Square’s newest chef-driven frozen yogurt shop.
Owned by Gwen Butler and partners, the shop is fashioned like an old-school ice cream parlor with elegant Italian celeste marble tables and counters, walls and ceiling painted as a windswept blue sky, dark tiled flooring and glossy white high wood wainscoting.Their yogurt is prepared in four flavors from live cultures: green tea, pomegranate, and two styles of plain—one is low-fat with a creamy texture and the other is a light-textured nonfat ($3/$5/$6 for plain flavors, $4/$5/$7 for flavored yogurts).
But the hook at this shop is the toppings (30-85 cents each) which are all made in-house by chef Greg Pena (and some by Ian Russo) like butter rum crunch, peanut butter crumble, and chocolate covered pretzel bits. More unique toppings include infused and spiced wild honeys, organic fruit dust, dehydrated espresso, milled flax seed, honey roasted wheat germ, and chocolate block shavings grated to order. All their nuts are double-roasted for extra flavor, and we toast our coconut as well. Coming soon, they’ll be serving "moffles" which are mochi waffles.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Dare to Daydream! -- and eat Fro-Yo

Yankee Stadium 2009 Opening Day

Every so often, EV Grieve will -- gasp! -- venture above 14th Street. Such as catching a game at Yankee Stadium. Today, of course, is opening day at Yankee Stadium, the last one in its current home. (Not that they'll even play today -- looks like rain.) What will opening day in the schmancy new stadium look like next year? Here you go. Meanwhile, I'll go look for a $14 cup of Budweiser and $7.50 stale pretzel.