Party at Cooper Square Hotel

Jill left a comment yesterday about a party she attended at the Cooper Square Hotel. Thought you may enjoy it.

The party was in the 21st floor suite. As far as hotel suites go it was nothing, and let me tell you I've seen a lot of them in lots of cities. Except for the view it was pretty vanilla. They took out the furniture so maybe with furniture it might be better, but really... The giant wraparound deck had no cover from the sun/rain, nor was there furniture out there either (again, maybe for the party they took it out.)

De rigeur slidy wood floors, big windows, very plain "minimalist" I suppose but to me it looks forlorn. The one couch was so wide you coudn't sit back without putting all your legs on it, which is not a good look at a party. I was the only one sitting/perching.

Tiny elevators with a very very long wait. In fact, they mixed the guests in with the party goers so the people who were paying hotel guests couldn't get to their rooms in a reasonable amount of time.

An elevator load of party goers had an argument with one worker when we couldn't get to the 21st floor via elevator, and then they wouldn't let us up the stairs from the 20th floor. He accused us of wanting to sneak in - this to a group of fairly middle aged people in business clothes. Ha! He threatened to call security. I begged him to call security. A handiman we ran into fixed the elevator to bring us up.

When I was leaving there were a few young people hanging around the front desperately trying to get in, and the bouncer wouldn't let them through. There was absolutely nothing for them inside, but they sure thought they were missing something, only because they weren't allowed in.

Butter Lane will revisit liquor license application in the fall

As you may know, Butter Lane Cupcakes was looking to apply for a liquor license (beer and wine only). Maria Baugh, one of the shop's owners, discussed Butter Lane's intentions in an e-mail to me back in June. (For special events, promotions, wine pairings with cupcakes, etc.) Anyway, Butter Lane initially appeared on the CB3/SLA docket in June and July, but their name was later scratched.

I asked Maria for an update:

We are postponing the application until fall. We're expanding more quickly than we had anticipated in different areas -- wholesale and catering, for example -- and need to concentrate on those for the moment. But we will pursue in the fall.

Tompkins Square Park lights covered

The lights in TSP usually look like...



And now, some of them are covered...for unknown reasons...? (Oh, right — as a reader points out, for the movies. Like tonight's showing of "Claire's Knee." For some reason, I hadn't noticed this before...Is it a good idea to leave the lights covered on nights that movies aren't playing?)





And at night...

Pedestrian vs. bike messenger

At Delancey and Allen on the LES.



From COED

Via BuzzFeed

Next round of Aqueduct racino plans unveiled, including a 425-seat buffet

Now that the OTB is ready to file for bankruptcy, Aqueduct officials have unveiled two of the plans to turn the racetrack into a racino. Again.

As the Daily News reports:

"We want to make it a place that both reflects the old New York and the new New York and the community within which it sits, which is Queens," said Bob Blakeman of PS&S Design, the project's architect.

Some 1,200 video slots could be open by April. All 4,550 machines would be running by November 2010, officials said.
A 300-room hotel, garage, racing museum, shops, restaurants and 2,500-seat entertainment center would be done in 2012.
The group's plan would give the state $101 million upfront.

SL Green Realty Corp. partnered with Hard Rock to draft a rival plan that includes a 425-seat buffet and eight-station food court.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Thanksgiving at Aqueduct

Thanksgiving at the Aqueduct, Part 2

Why didn't Time Out give any credit to Jim "the Mosaic Man" Power?

He's the creator of the iconic image seen on TONY's new cover, of course. But we didn't see him get any credit in the issue.



And on the Web:



Here's Jim's Web site.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Uh-oh

An appreciation: That empty lot on 13th Street

Between Third Avenue and Second Avenue. The empty lot has been discussed for years. It has sat vacant since 1986. The Jefferson Theater was here. According to Cinema Treasures:

[T]his theater was located at 214 E. 14th Street near Third Avenue. The entrance was a narrow space between two tenement houses with the bulk of the theater (auditorium) located in 13th Street. The Jefferson operated at least into the 1970s and was demolished in 2000. Today, the site is filled with bricks and debris from the demolition and the old Jefferson as passed on.

Here's what it looked like near the end, via Forgotten NY:



Despite threats/promises of development through the years, the lot -- 23,000 square feet -- remains empty. But for how long? So, until NYU or something comes along...

Earlier this week:








The previous week:

WIll Permanent Brunch be serving booze?

Permanent Brunch, at 95 First Ave, near Sixth St., apparently finally opens tonight or Monday. The place was supposed to open last fall, but didn't. Since then, they've collected assorted stop work orders. (Looks like they may owe the city $5,000 too.)




Whatever. People buying a few of those $6 doughnuts will take care of that!

Meanwhile, in yesterday's post on PB's bacon bar, Goggla asked this: Do they have a liquor license? Good question! The writeup at UrbanDaddy, which specializes in getting the scoops on the douchiest places around, mentioned something about Bloody Marys. Though I didn't finish the article. (You try to finish it!) A doozy of a piece on PB in the Examiner mentions a "Champagne List."

I didn't see an active liquor license listed for PB on the SLA Web site. [Update: A commenter says PB purchased the license from the previous tenant.]

Perhaps after serving brunch for a few months, some new owners can come in with a big dumpster. They fill it with booze. Anyone is welcome to swim in the alcohol -- just as long as you have a reservation. The dumpster can fit up to 60 people. The name: Permanent Drunk.

Rethinking the treehouse office

On 11th Street near Avenue B.

Ad for Julia Child movie is oddly erotic

First, though, the latest ad to grace the building on Third Avenue near 12th Street.



And, um. Really? I'll say nothing else, in fear that I will appear in a blurb for the movie...

"Julie & Julia is finger-lickin' good!"
-- EV Grieve

Noted

"Mayor Michael Bloomberg, who has pushed an ambitious green agenda and cast himself as a national environmental leader, routinely runs afoul of his own anti-pollution policy by letting his official SUVs idle, sometimes for more than an hour." (AP)

Uh-oh

And on the Web:

Noted

Permanent Brunch, which opens to the public Monday on First Avenue near Sixth Street, features a bacon bar.

Speaking of pigs

Peter's: A disappearing face of New York disappears

Last July I did a post titled The grocery stores of St. James Place. I've always liked Peter's grocery at 25 Madison St. on the corner of St. James Place down on the outskirts of Chinatown and the LES. And for good reasons. You don't see many old-school storefronts like this anymore.



A great sign.



And I love the corner angle.

Unfortunately, when I went by the other day, Peter's was gone. I'm not sure how long ago it disappeared.






Peter's is featured in "Storefront: The Disappearing Face of New York," by James and Karla Murray. Peter's was owned by Peter Migliorini, who took over the business from his father (also named Peter).

Knickbocker Village has a post on Peter's.

So what will become of this unique space?

Walking by the Cooper Square Hotel is always good for a photo opp

Last night.

And now, a short history of walking by the Cooper Square Hotel!















Now you see it...



...now you don't.