Fists of FroYo

After walking by the 16 Handles on Second Avenue the last few weeks and seeing this... "Now handling: Fist Pumpkin" ...

I decided to see just what Fist Pumpkin meant. Seemed like something I'd find at Urban Dictionary... but, according to a 16 Handles news release:

16 Handles™ ... welcomes back seasonal favorite ‘Fist Pumpkin,’ a beloved, limited edition frozen yogurt designed to capture the spirit and flavor of the autumn harvest.

“Fist Pumpkin got its name from the reaction we saw when guests tasted this flavor—lots of excitement and even a little fist pumping,” said Solomon Choi, 16 Handles founder. “We’re excited to welcome Fist Pumpkin back into the mix and to reunite our brand fans with a flavor that they look forward to all year.”

So now you know too...

Fall Friday flashback: In the Associated water aisle

On Fridays this fall, and probably winter and spring and... we'll post one of the 12,000-plus EVG, uh, posts from yesteryear... a fitting one today, as we overly prepare for Hurricane Sandy, who may or may not strike these parts on Tuesday... this Hurricane Irene-related post is from Aug. 26, 2011...

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A few minutes ago at the Associated on 14th Street near First Avenue. By Shawn Chittle.

Batman returns

EVG reader Teeny passes along this Batman sighting ... he was driving the old-school, Adam West-era Batmobile here on East 12th Street and First Avenue...

"Glad to be back in Gotham City," he said, though this was before he saw the eviction notice at the batcave.

Perhaps part of the promo for the upcoming "Dark Knight Rises" DVD release?

(And where was he a few minutes ago?)

Reader report: iPhone snatching ends in chase, brawl

Tonight on Ninth Street and First Avenue...

@evgrieve iphone snatching on 9/1 ends in street chase/ brawlrandom guys helping her punched.. Phone recovered. Mugger(s) gone? Cops

— Robby O'Hara (@robbyohara) October 26, 2012

Anyone else witness this?

Reflection of the times

Avenue A and St. Mark's Place this evening. Headline and photo via Shawn Chittle.

Alternate headline:
I'll be your mirrors

Eviction notice for Soho Billiards

[Photo from 2011 via BoweryBoogie]

EVG regular Spike passes along this item (slightly outside our usual coverage zone) ... Spike noticed that Soho Billiard was closed yesterday ... and today, there's an eviction notice on the door... There's at least one tweet noting that they closed after Sunday. There's nothing to indicate this on their website; their phone number is a constant busy signal.

The billiards hall has been here at East Houston and Mulberry since 1990.

BoweryBoogie had this to say about them last year:

Soho Billiards is truly the last of a dying breed, and occupies what is now a substantial swath of valuable corner real estate. Nice to see this adaptation, as their presence is always a welcome counterweight to the massive invasion of haute couture.

A dying breed now dead, apparently.

A scene from the Union Square Citibank today

A man diligently counting and organizing mounds of pennies. Tough times. Per the reader who took the photo: "Poor guy is scraping pennies together and these clowns own half the city."

Today's sign of the TSP Ratstravaganza

A reader noted this scene earlier today... after the meals were served to those in need on Avenue A along Tompkins Square Park... the remains...

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Tompkins Square Park, by Bobby Williams]

The case for neighborhood groups having a larger role in liquor license decision-making (The Lo-Down)

Middle Collegiate Church hosting an "irreverently reverent gospel experience" (NY1)

1930s photo of the Second Avenue El in the East Village (BoweryBoogie)

A quick East 9th Street now and then (Flaming Pablum)

More about L'Apicio on East First Street (The Daily News)

Celebrating the first year at Sauce (Eater)

Cupcake trend coming to an end? (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Late 19th-century life of actors at Union Square (Ephemeral New York)

Vote in the Village Voice's 2012 Web Awards, including Meme of the Year, Best GIF and Best Neighborhood Blog (The Village Voice)

Suitor in line for Lucky Cheng's space

The November agenda is out for the CB3/SLA committee meeting... we'll highlight the docket in full a little later... (You can find it here for now.)

A few quick notes. The folks from the incoming Blue Ribbon Fried Chicken on East First Street are down for a beer-wine license.

Also, there's an unnamed suitor for the Lucky Cheng's space. (The cabaret is now open on Times Square.)

I asked Lucky Cheng's owner Hayne Suthon for an update on the space this morning, and she wasn't quite ready to divulge the To Be Determined. "Not sure. The attorneys are negotiating still — one main tenant with a back up," she said via email.

In an interview with Suthon on Oct. 12, Blackbook's Steve Lewis had this to sale about the evolution of Lucky Cheng's and what is next:

All was good until the neighborhood changed. The East Village/LES's conversion from hipster heaven to dormitories for slaves and students left them without their base. Bachelorette and birthday shindigs filled the Lucky Cheng’s room,and Hayne eyed the new Times Square. A year or two ago, I told everyone in town that her space was available and the best game in town. Now, operators are clamoring for it and deals are done... almost. Someone will make it nice for those who are now around. Money will be spent to pay for the rent, the renovation, and other things. The neighborhood can now support that. Whatever fabulous that comes in will set a bar... a tone for the area.

Noted

Spotted on East Seventh Street and Avenue B this morning by EVG reader Steven Matthews...

Fire at 518 E. Sixth St. last night

We heard reports of a fire last night around 10 on East Sixth Street... A few more details have come it... the fire occurred in a second-floor apartment in the back of No. 518 between Avenue A and Avenue B.

According to EVG reader Emily, who witnessed the FDNY on the scene:

"We saw bright lights and heard glass shattering ... there were firefighters running up and down the fire escapes, through the building, shattering all the windows with crow bars. There was smoke flowing from the building."

And here are two photos of the rear of the building from this morning...

Anyone else have more details?

[Updated] RIP Christine Ebel, co-owner of Arcane at 111 Avenue C

[Via the Arcane website]

Word began circulating yesterday that the body discovered yesterday morning in a lot at 227 E. Seventh St. was Christine Ebel, the co-owner of Arcane, which is adjacent to the property on Avenue C. Ebel ran the French-Caribbean eatery with her brother, Benjamin Alter.

We'll update the post today when more information becomes available. Several people told us that the death was accidental. Meanwhile, a memorial is growing outside the restaurant at 111 Avenue C, where this was the scene early this morning...

Updated 1:56 p.m.

DNAinfo's Serena Solomon reports that Ebel, 52, apparently died after falling from a balcony. She reportedly lived in an apartment above the bistro. Other restaurateurs in the area are mourning her death.

"She was always there [at Arcane], always working," said [Edi] Frauneder, who is also the chef at Edi and the Wolf, "humming along to the pace of Avenue C."

A strange encounter on an East 11th Street elevator

A reader told me about this incident shortly after it happened ... and asked if I had heard about any other such encounters with the man who will be described below. The reader waited until he had video from the building security before sharing this:

On Sunday, October 14 at approximately 8 pm, I was followed from between 11th and 12th Streets on Avenue A and into my building on E. 11th St between Ave A and B and ultimately into my elevator.

He didn't press a button once we entered the elevator, so I asked where he was going, and he said [totally deadpan] "Your apartment."

I asked him what he meant, but, before he could answer, I quickly exited the elevator ... and entered my apartment. I then called the police, who checked the stairwells, floors and roof.

The guy was white, late 20s/early 30's, about 6-3, skinny build, long black hair slightly past his shoulders, beard/goatee, red/black checkered flannel shirt, dark jeans, chain wallet and heavy black shoes (maybe boots). He didn't look too scary or disheveled. Just appeared like a normal, hungover hipster.

The video shows the man stepping out of the elevator on the reader's floor, and then back inside. His intentions unknown. He left the building.

And what did the police say in response to this report?

"They just said, 'Yeah, this neighborhood is getting sketchy again.'"

Eric Drooker at MoRUS tonight

From the EV Grieve inbox...

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) presents:
Eric Drooker Slide Lecture
Thursday, October 25, 2012 at 8 pm
free
MoRUS's Storefront in C-Squat
155 Avenue C

Avenue B native Eric Drooker will give a slide lecture exploring his early years as a street artist in NYC and will trace the evolution of his graphic novels into animated films — and from his cover paintings of "The New Yorker," to his slow infiltration of the mainstream. The artist will talk about growing up on the Lower East Side and how the changing landscape has shaped his vision.

He'll screen animation he designed for the movie, "Howl," reminisce about his friendship with Allen Ginsberg and discuss the process of adapting the Beat poem into the recent "Howl: A Graphic Novel." He will accompany his lecture on various musical instruments.

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) is a living archive of urban activism opening in C-Squat's storefront on November 17th. The museum chronicles the East Village community's history and grassroots activism. It celebrates local activists who transformed abandoned buildings and vacant lots into vibrant community spaces and community gardens.

Looking at David Schwimmer's bricks

Oh, well, on a few of those recent sunny days (Saturday-Monday) ... the light was hitting the construction netting just right at 331 E. Sixth St., providing a glimpse of the new home that David Schwimmer — or someone he sells it too, if you want to go that way — will live in here between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

By the way, the saga story here is now entering its 14th month, starting with the demolition in the August 2011 of the circa 1852 townhouse that once stood here, a home described as an "Oasis in the East Village" ... 14 months of demolition and subsequent construction. Neighbors, how has that been going for you?

Previously on EV Grieve:
Is David Schwimmer the 'Friends' star who now owns the demolished 331 E. Sixth St. townhouse?

Outrage over total demolition of historic East Sixth Street townhouse

From the inbox: Developer says Arabella 101 85% leased on Avenue D

From the EV Grieve inbox...

The Dermot Company, developer and manager of the 12-story residential building, Arabella 101 [at 101 Avenue D], is pleased to announce that the building is now 85% leased. This marks another milestone for the Alphabet City residence, which just launched less than two months ago, and recently unveiled its landscaped roof deck.

Arabella 101 includes a mix of studio and one-bedroom apartments on the building’s upper nine floors, containing expansive windows, designer bathrooms, bamboo flooring, tenant-controlled air conditioning and heat, video intercoms and generous closet space.

A virtual doorman, game room, fully-equipped gym, laundry facilities, and bike storage are part of the amenity package offered to all residents. Residents also have access to the landscaped roof deck which offers picturesque views of lower Manhattan and the East River, and contains a grill, plentiful seating and a plethora of year-round plantings.

Remaining rents start at $2,400 per month for studios and $2,950 per month for one-bedrooms.

Previously.

FDNY responds to Tompkins Square Park trash can fire

Earlier this afternoon...

All clear.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Updated] Report: Body found in East Seventh Street lot

Manhattan: 227 East 7 St Crime scene being established in regards to a Dead body found in a parking lot.
— NY Scanner (@NYScanner) October 24, 2012

The address is actually an empty lot where a 6-story apartment building is in the works...

[Photo from September via Bobby Williams]

Will post an update when there is more information...

Updated 10:49

Per Gothamist News Map:
"PD does not have any perp info but the death does look suspicious in nature."

11:10

Dave on 7th sends along these two photos... NYPD on the scene and news crews arriving...

According to people on the scene, the victim is female. Police aren't saying if it's a homicide, but are trying to determine if the woman may have jumped.

11:25

Per the Post ... the woman is believed to be in her 30s.

"Cops said there were no obvious signs of trauma to the body. It was not immediately clear how the woman died, police said."

2:44

Via Dave on 7th...

5:09
A source told us that at least one news outlet has the name of the victim, and is interviewing people on Avenue C. A reader also notes that Arcane at 111 Avenue C is closed this evening. Nearly a dozen people are standing in front of the restaurant. The lot where the body was found is adjacent to the restaurant.

An officer by the CSI truck told passersby that the incident is not being treated as a homicide.

7:26

There's a memorial outside Arcane this evening. Multiple sources have identified the victim as Christine Ebel, who co-owned the restaurant with her brother Benjamin Alter.

10/25 6 a.m.

We'll update the post today when more information becomes available.

7:30 a.m.

Updated here.

Looking at some old favorites along Second Avenue

On Monday, we posted a 2001-2012 comparison photo of Gem Spa by James and Karla Murray ... turns out that was just a warm-up for a new post — A Walk Down Second Avenue, from 14th Street to Houston circa 2001.

The photographers, who published "Store Front: The Disappearing Face of New York," don't capture every business ... but they do highlight the old-timers and current favorites, such as East Village Meat Market and Block Drug Store, and now-closed businesses such as Jade Mountain and 2nd Ave Deli.

You can find the photos and text with some history here.