More alterations for the Pride and Joy space

We've been watching work continue at the once-dormant Pride and Joy BBQ on First Avenue… workers filled up the dumpster Saturday from the East Second Street entrance.



As you may know, celebrity BBQ chef Myron Mixon was going to open a restaurant/saloon in the former Lucky Cheng's space. (Read that post here.) But a subsequent lawsuit between Mixon and his partners threw the opening in doubt.

Turns out that his remaining partners are moving forward with a 220-seat "draft house" and "honky tonk" featuring three bars and about 20 TV screens, as DNAinfo reported. (Last month, the SLA approved a liquor license for the space with a 4 a.m. closing time.)

Meanwhile, the city OK'd a permit on Nov. 1 for "structural alteration work," which "includes new openings through masonry walls and floors for existing eating and drinking establishment." The work permit shows an estimated total cost of $82,000. What we saw through the open door looked to be on the gutted side.

The space was seemingly ready for BBQ action, after crews previously gut-renovated away the former Bento Burger and Lucky Cheng's. There was even a preview event here with Mixon back in May… which prompted the one Yelp review, a four-star affair in which the author stated: "The pork belly mac and cheese was equally exquisite. I can imaging filling a large, clean tub with this delightful concoction and then diving in and eating my way out."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Myron Mixon's Pride & Joy BBQ now in the works for the former Lucky Cheng's space

Fire reported at incoming Pride and Joy BBQ on East Second Street

Myron Mixon lawsuit puts opening of Pride and Joy BBQ in question at former Lucky Cheng's space

Free screening of 'American Meat' tonight at the 6th Street Community Center

From the EVG inbox...



Here's a little more about the documentary via the film's website:

American Meat is a pro-farmer look at chicken, hog and cattle production in America.

Beginning with a history of our current industrial system, the feedlots and confinement operations are unveiled, not through hidden cameras, but through the eyes of the farmers who live and work there. From there, the story shifts to Polyface Farms, where the Salatin family has developed an alternative agricultural model based on rotational grazing and local distribution. Nationwide, a local-food movement of farmers, chefs, and everyday people has taken root... But could it ever feed us all?

The 6th Street Community Center is between Avenue B and Avenue C.

Signs of the upcoming holiday at the end of December, Part 19

At Veselka.

And here's one food blogger's description of the soup:

Impossibly clear, the deepest ruby red, redolent of spices and earthy mushrooms, Veselka’s Christmas Borscht appears for maybe 45 days a year sometime around Thanksgiving and disappears with the New Year. Born out of the meatless Christmas eve dinner customary in Eastern European countries, the broth is made of beets, laced with vinegar and savory spices and is served with a few tiny mushroom pierogis and a delicate dusting of dill. I could eat this soup every day for the rest of my life and when it’s around I do my best.

(And don't worry if you missed the first 18 parts of this series. They're available on demand.)

Empire Biscuit is now open around the clock on Avenue A

Hey everyone....we're 24 hours today! #lardlove

— Empire Biscuit (@empirebiscuit) November 18, 2013

No way to treat a Lady (Gaga)

Avenue B and East 12th Street.

[Updated] Behold the cooktop sidewalk garden on St. Mark's Place

The other day, we noticed some discarded cooktops lying on the sidewalk along St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... and this morning, we noticed that someone (that one guy who you always see on the block) used them to help created a little sidewalk garden where this tree once lived ...



Updated 11-19

The garden didn't fare so well overnight...



Updated 11-20





Updated 11/21





Updated 11/22



Updated 11/23

Your opinion wanted about the current state of chain stores in the East Village

From the EVG inbox… via the East Village Community Coalition (EVCC)...

Formula Retail Community Workshop
The Neighborhood Preservation Center
Tuesday, November 19, 6-8pm
232 East 11th Street
Limited space, rsvp required to melanie@evccnyc.org or 212.979.2344

And more details via the EVCC website:

EVCC is working to protect independent, small businesses within the neighborhood in order to maintain the diverse, unique community that has existed for so long. Over the past four years, increases in chain businesses can be see in both 10009 and 10003 zip codes that make up the East Village.

Currently there are roughly 115 chain stores located within the square half mile the makes up the neighborhood. Several New York city and regional plans site unique neighborhoods and independent stores as extremely important for New York’s future. Yet, according to the Center for Urban Future, 2012 marked the fifth consecutive year there was a net increase in national chain stores throughout the five boroughs.

Other places have already started taking action in defense of their communities. Examples of formula retail regulation can be seen in both New York City’s own Upper West Side and the city of San Francisco. In 2012, after having issues with store frontages being largely occupied by banks and apartment lobbies three corridors on the NYC’s Upper West Side were rezoned as “Special Districts”.

The new zoning limits the store frontage sizes and certain store conversions or changes in use. San Francisco is the largest urban area in the US to have strict formula retail business restrictions. The city zoning only allows formula retail in certain neighborhoods, requires neighborhood notifications before any chain retail is allowed to be built, and can limit the size and type of formula retail allowed in a given area.

You can buy a CBGB T-shirt to help the family of the Stromboli Pizza worker killed cycling home

Cesar, a long time employee of Stromboli Pizza on First Avenue and St. Mark's Place, died from injuries he suffered bicycling home from work on Oct. 21. He leaves behind a wife and three children.

Tim Hayes, who owns the CBGB brand and is the founder of the CBGB Festival, was recently in Stromboli and heard the news of Cesar's death. Hayes returned later with several hundred CBGB shirts that he donated to Stromboli.

The pizzeria is now selling the T-shirts for $10. All proceed's go to Cesar's family to help with any expenses.

"I also have 3 small kids of my own. I feel so badly for his family. I hope that it helps," Hayes told us. He said that he'd bring back more T-shirts, if necessary, to raise more funds.

Previously, a resident who has lived near Stromboli since 1985 set up a crowd-funding campaign. With less than two weeks left in the campaign, $2,405 has been raised. Find the GiveForward link here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Updated: Stromboli Pizza worker killed cycling home from work

A good sign on First Avenue

The plywood is off the under-renovation storefront at 223 First Ave. … showing a teaser for Mee Noodle Shop, which is returning to the East Village after a seven-year absence.

Mee was previously on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 13th Street. No word on an opening date just yet.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Starbucks confirmed for 219 First Ave., former home to Allen Ginsberg's favorite Chinese restaurant

Mee Noodle Shop returning to First Avenue (28 comments)

A scene outside Solas early Saturday morning

[Early Saturday morning]

Back in January, some fed-up residents on East Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue took to Vimeo to document the unruly behavior that they witnessed outside the bar/club Solas.

We hadn't heard much from the residents… until this past weekend.

Early Saturday morning around 3:30 there was another fight outside of Solas. I was awoken by the sounds of a few women screaming and the bouncers' voices, of which I know by heart at this point. I looked out my window and there was a small crowd gathered around someone flat on the sidewalk. The police and an ambulance showed up.



I didn't see the police take anyone into custody but they did tell various parties to leave the scene and go home. Too much alcohol and testosterone. Same shit different weekend. The guy on the sidewalk was eventually helped to the ambulance and was treated.

This altercation aside, the residents note some improvement here… since the videos, the residents can only recall 5-6 fights these past 10 or so months...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Woman on a stretcher outside Solas early Saturday morning

Reader report: Solas patrons turn sidewalk shed into after-hours hot spot

Fed-up residents launch 'Solas Gone Wild' (84 comments)

Banjara has left First Avenue

Oh, just a quick follow-up to note that, as previously reported, Banjara has moved away from First Avenue and East Sixth Street … and is now sharing space with its sister restaurant Haveli on Second Avenue.

As one Banjara staffer explained, "business down, rent up."



Previously on EV Grieve:
Banjara space yielding to Figaro Bistro Grill, 15 comments

Banjara moving soon to the Haveli space on Second Avenue

Apparently Vella Market isn't returning

Over on Avenue B and East Fourth Street, Vella Market closed without any notice in early October.

A reader heard that the Vella folks had been in a dispute with their landlord over backpay on rent. (There was also that hefty Con Ed bill.)

Anyway, "for rent" signs went up on Friday.

Vella had just opened in April. We liked the place. The previous tenant, Kate's Joint, the 16-year-old vegetarian eatery, closed in April 2012.

Now we'll likely get more of those franchise rumors for this prime corner.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader report: Organic market taking over former Kate's Joint space

For rent signs going up at Kate's Joint; and here come the Starbucks rumors

Marshal seizes Kate's Joint

In the fog

Photo by Bobby Williams

Shadows and fog tonight on East 14th Street

Thanks to EVG reader Emily for the photos…

Week in Grieview

[Second Avenue, photo by Grant Shaffer]

About the new exhibit space at the former deli on East 12th Street and Avenue C (Thursday)

Renovations for HiFi (Wednesday)

Out and About with Nico. D. Smith (Wednesday)

Continuum Coffee closes (Monday)

It kinda snowed for a minute! (Tuesday)

The Strand and sprinklers (Thursday, 35 comments)

Jill Anderson closing on East Ninth Street (Wednesday)

Fair Folks & a Goat opening shop on East 11th Street (Monday)

Where to get coffee before 6 a.m. (Friday)

A "Missed Connection" at Veselka, maybe (Monday)

Idle Hands expands on Avenue B (Thursday)

Oaxaca Taqueria closes Extra Place location with move to East 7th Street (Tuesday)

The East Village of Michael Sean Edwards (Friday)

More changes for 37 St. Marks's Place (Tuesday)

CB3 not into Ben Shaoul's rooftop addition on East Fifth Street (Friday)

A look at the Jefferson's progress (Thursday)

Missing the Mars Bar, still (Tuesday)

New York City's first holistic vapor lounge is opening in the East Village (Monday)

Empire Biscuit (Tuesday, 71 comments)

Important questions on East 12th Street

A lone Christmas holiday tree stand sits, seemingly discarded, on East 12th Street near First Avenue. Is it from last year? Or in place for this coming Christmas holiday?

Today in photos of a Green Bay Packers fan getting into a cab on East 14th St.

A proper gentleman always removes his Cheesehead Hat upon entering a motor carriage.

Uh, go Giants?

9:21 a.m., East 11th St. and Avenue A, Nov. 18

[Photo via VH McKenzie]

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee reveals its policy about carts

By now, some people may know better than to chain a bike to the tree guards on East Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square … to be fair, they have no mercy for your cart either.

You've been warned! Bam.



Photos yesterday by Derek Berg

Previously on EV Grieve:
The East Fifth St. Tree Committee back in action

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

And now, a word from the East Fifth St. Tree Committee

Strike a pose

Today's red-tailed hawk in Tompkins Square Park… photos by Bobby Williams.

The first nice Sunday of 1987 in the East Village

Spotted this over at the always-interesting Flaming Pablum and wanted to share it here… It's a video from Nelson Sullivan titled "The first nice Sunday of 1987 in the East Village."

We've posted some of Nelson's videos from this era before, like here … and here.

A commenter at Flaming Pablum noted that Sullivan's archive is now at the Fales Library at NYU.

Sullivan died of a heart attack on July 4, 1989.

Noted

Kick is right… First Avenue at East 14th Street...

Brody is missing

An EVG reader passed along this flyer to post … spotted this morning up on East Ninth Street near Avenue A...

So this time we went waaay over there

The Cramps in 1981 doing a cover of Hasil Adkins' "She Said."

The Strand using sprinklers to evict the homeless — now in comic form

As DNAinfo first reported yesterday, the Strand installed an outdoor sprinkler system to drive away homeless people sleeping under their red awning along East 12th Street, according to employees. (Management had said the sprinklers were there to clean off the sidewalk.)

The incident prompted Strand employee Greg Farrell to draw a comic based on his firsthand experience of the situation.

The comic is posted at the blog "Strand Ask Us," a nine-part account of the labor struggle that took place between the workers and management at the bookstore in the spring of 2012. (A book on this is due next year from Microcosm publishing.)

Farrell said that the sprinklers were installed this past summer. "So, in fairness, there was no risk of anybody freezing to death at the time."

Updated 2:17
At Vanishing New York, Jeremiah Moss discusses the sprinkler situation ...:

So many of the corporations in the city do horrible, inhumane things every day, on a much larger, often global scale, than spraying water on the homeless. Boycott the businesses that rely on sweatshop and child labor. Boycott the businesses that commit horrifying daily acts of animal cruelty. Boycott the businesses that deliberately destroy the fabric of our communities--and our environment. Do not boycott the Strand. To attack the Strand and not Apple, Amazon, The Gap, and others like them, is a gross misplacement of anger and energy.

The East Village of Michael Sean Edwards

EVG contributor Michael Sean Edwards shared some recent photographs with us from around the neighborhood… and we're sharing them with you… (click on image to enlarge, yes)





















Through the years, we posted some of the 1970s-1980s photography of Michael Sean Edwards (like here ... and here) Find more of Michael's photos here.