Scharf attack

On Wednesday, BoweryBoogie noted that Brooklyn-based artist Kenny Scharf had started his work on the Deitch Wall at Houston and the Bowery... here's a progress report...

The work continues at St. Brigid's

There have been several "alarming rumors," according to The Villager, about the renovations at St. Brigid's on Avenue B and Eighth Street....I walked by the site earlier this week.... and there was a lot of work going on...Still continues to look like a major operation....

Remembering what St. Brigid's looks like

Seems like forever since we last saw St. Brigid's on Avenue B at Eighth Street with the scaffolding and sidewalk shed, etc.... Here's a shot (via) from 2000 or so...



And from the NYPL digital archives... a view of the church in 1928...



...and 1935...



Photos from NYPL. 1928-35

The suspects list has been narrowed down to 8 million people

Waiting for the N/R at Union Square.

FDNY Twitter account pulled after Post article?

Per the Post today:

The firefighters of Engine Co. 28 and Ladder Co. 11 in the East Village have begun posting unsanctioned tweets to alert local residents when the company is unable to respond to emergency calls, The Post has learned.

"We're just trying to let people know when we're not around," said a source familiar with the instant-messaging tactic, which has nothing to do with the FDNY's official Twitter account.

According to unofficial Fire Department logs obtained by The Post, Engine Co. 28 and Ladder Co. 11 were pulled out of service on 20 occasions last month for everything from mechanical failure to training, and to cover other firehouses when other units are pulled from service.

"Technically, you're going to increase response times," said the source. "People should know when their fire company is out of service. It's the taxpayers' money. It's your money."

The FDNY claims that units are routinely pulled from service for various reasons and it does not present a danger to the public.
"There is ample coverage on the Lower East Side," said an FDNY spokesman. "There are redundancies built into the response."

I've been following the feed too... Unfortunately, it appears that someone removed the account...

Thanksgiving dinner at the Hotel Manhattan

Circa 1900... click the image to increase the photo size... $1.25 for venison steak in chafing dish? Outrageous! Damn yuppies...



The hotel was located at 42nd Street and Madison Avenue.

[Via NYPL]

Children of the damned

If you do go to Rolf's for a drink or some pig fat this holiday, then please do not play with the dolls. They are evil.

Birds

An army of pigeons ready for action on Avenue A at Seventh Street...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning edition

Inside Bird's house on Avenue B (The New York Times)

The gingko trees of East Eleventh Street (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

What Guss's Pickles on Orchard looks like now (Racked)

Wall Street types have regained their swagger (The Dealbook)

Tracking an LES burglary suspect (BoweryBoogie)

More on former Butcher Bay space on East Fifth Street (Diner's Journal)

And case you missed the new-look Deitch Wall news from yesterday... here's what it looks like now... 12ozProphet has more on the tribute... which was short-lived.


[Photo via Eddie Brannan]

Is 147 First Avenue the current ugliest building in the East Village?

A reader sent along a note about 147 First Avenue at Ninth Street... most recently the home of Angelica's Herbs ...



The e-mail read, in part:

Have you seen what has to be the plug-ugliest building in the EV, 147 1st Avenue, NW corner of 9th Street?

It used to be a herb store ... and it might become a restaurant soon.

But what about the ugly floors above it? The ones that are boarded up and look more like an ex-prison than anything else?

The ones that make the building easily the ugliest in the EV?

Hmm, I don't know. Is this the ugliest building in the East Village?




[Sidewalk photo by Blue Glass]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ninth Street and First Avenue shocker: Motel ... Hello?

Blockbuster: 147 First Ave. set for demolition

Tough time of year for pet owners?

EV Grieve reader Anna had an interesting pet-related walk home last evening... First this "urgent" sign on 12th Street between Third Avenue and Second Avenue... We're curious about the urgency....



Then! On Avenue A between Ninth Street and St. Mark's Place.... We're curious why this woman's neighbor gave her dog away....

The mystery of the abandoned delivery bike in Stuy Town

EV Grieve reader Nixta sends along these photos of an abandoned restaurant delivery bike that has been locked to this tree in 4 Stuyvesant Oval in Stuy Town since.... Halloween!





Nixta notes there is now a Stuy Town "Remove your bike" notice... Still, questions remain!

So... what happened to the delivery person? How much longer will the bike stay locked to the tree? Who locks a bike to a tree?

Bus lane blockage question

An EV Grieve reader sends along this (admittedly, blurry) photo of the First Avenue bus lane... asking if they city will issue this work crew a fine for blocking the bus lane...

A quick scene from pre-Thanksgiving

Second Avenue near Ninth Street.

Hotel Toshi hit with all sorts of violations on East 10th Street

Last month, Hotel Toshi, the short-term apartment rental network, took over the front building at 325 E. 10th Street... The various Hotel Toshi properties around the city have had plenty of run-ins with the city... And now 325 E. 10th St. is part of that elite club.... A tipster noted all sorts of NYC Buildings violations posted at 325 this morning...





Among the violations cited by the all-caps crew at the DOB: "OCCUPANCY CONTRARY TO DOB RECORDS,WORK DOES NOT CONFORMS TO APPROVED PLANS."

To be continued, for sure.

Bookstore-cafe wanted for the Bowery Poetry Club

Last month, Celebrate Cafe, operated by the Lower Eastside Girls Club, moved out of the Bowery Poetry Club.... Bob Holman, the Club's proprietor, is now looking for a new tenant. The other day on Facebook he posted, "Anybody know anybody who wants to start a bookstore or Cafe?"

I asked Bob what his ideal candidate would be ... (Fantasies allowed too!)

"My ideal candidate is The Edwin Denby Bookstore/Gallery/Coffee Shoppe/Dance Hall!"

You can go to the Club's website for contact info and all that....

Where Eddie's Tower of Toys once stood

As you probably remember, workers dismantled The Tower of Toys — created by Eddie Boros in the community garden at Sixth Street and Avenue B — back in May 2008.



Earlier this fall, a new arbor went up very near where Eddie's iconic tower once stood. Seeing this new structure gives me pause every time.



I keep waiting for this to get taller... with the addition of stuffed animals and what not ... But this structure is nice and clean and functional... and not much to look at... kind of like parts on NYC today...

Is Octavia's Porch an insensitive name for a restaurant?

Yesterday, we posted the sign for "Top Chef" alum Nikki Cascone's new eatery at 40 Avenue B called Octavia's Porch.

This prompted a strong reaction from EV Grieve reader Cookiepuss. I'll replay the comment here:

This is something that's beyond offensive. The name Octavia's Porch is a reference to the main street in Trastevere, Rome's Jewish Ghetto.

Considering the continued annihilation of the Lower East Side, including its rich history of Jewish immigrants and culture makes this that more disturbing, and not only that, you wanna talk about a ghetto. Many of the people who live in the very immediate area live below the poverty line and have great disparages, so tell me how does this help the situation. It doesn't.

This is just another restaurant that is catalytic towards gentrification!

Grub Street noted that the eatery is "named after the main street in Rome’s Jewish ghetto, as a nod to the couple’s Jewish-Italian heritage." That's nice, I like heritage.... but... a little history:

During a time of an increase in anti-semitism, Pope Paul IV created the Jewish Ghetto in 1555. 4000 Jews were walled in on 7 acres of land. The Jews had to wear yellow scarves and caps, couldn't own property and a curfew was enforced. The Ghetto walls were finally torn down in 1848. In 1870 after Italian unification they were granted full rights and citizenship.

So the food here at 40 Avenue B will celebrate this heritage? Menu items include:

• Niman Ranch Beef Frank, Spiced Beans & house Kraut
• Brisket on Rye with Pickled Red Onion
• Maple & Ginger Roasted Turkey Sandwich, farmstead cheese, Beer Mustard
• Grilled Vegetable- Matzoh Lasagna
• Long Island Duck Breast with Cardamom glazed Baby Carrots
• Wild Salmon with Sweet Potato Latkes, Cucumber & Apple Mostarda

The Chocolate Library ready for checkout

The Chocolate Library is now open on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue... And EV Grieve reader Michael Fivis filed a report... "Lively grand opening. Dude working was really kind. Tasting samples and music." But, um, are there books or music...? "Just chocolate. I was expecting a sly name for another new bar! But it's actually just — a library of chocolate. Tons of square IKEA shelves filled with product."

Icy boxed on Avenue A

Back in May, NYC Icy opened up its new digs on Avenue A near Seventh Street...



EV Grieve reader Steven Matthews, who sent the above photo, has passed along word that the Icy store is now closed for the season, as you can see here....