Monday, November 18, 2013

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

Sunday, November 17, 2013

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

Saturday, November 16, 2013

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...

Friday, November 15, 2013

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.

Reader mailbag: Where is a good place to get a cup of coffee in the East Village before 6 a.m.?

[Free ad for the EVG favorite the Stage]

OK, technically it was a Twitter mailbag… as the question came via a tweet… Anyway!

Can we talk about how hard it is to find a cup of coffee in the East Village before 6 am? Any recommendations for 24-hour spots?

Well, many of the coffee places (whatever you might like — 9th Street Espresso, Mud, The Bean, Think, Everyman, Third Rail, B Cup, Ost, etc., etc.) tend to open at 7 a.m. and beyond.

So. Quickly. Rays's Candy Store, Gem Spa, Sunny & Annie's…

How about it? (Unacceptable answers include 7-Eleven and "Make it at home your self lazyass.") We know that people don't seem to be too opinionated about coffee and coffee shops, right? Don't be too shy!

-------------

We often get reader queries ... asking for help with, say, donating clothes or books ... or finding an East Village-based caterer... If you have a question for the masses, then try the EV Grieve email...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Reader mailbag: Places to eat that have that old East Village vibe (45 comments)

Reader mailbag: What do I do about my new neighbors who smoke pot all the time? (52 comments)

Free Cooper Union presents #TwoWeeksOfLeaks



From the EVG inbox…

Free Cooper Union has received a collection of anonymously leaked confidential documents pertaining to The Cooper Union’s Board of Trustees and the Administration of Jamshed Bharucha. For the next two weeks we will be releasing one document per day to our press contacts.

Bharucha and the college’s trustees have claimed to run a transparent and accountable administration, yet the community has unilaterally been barred from participation in decision-making and access to financial and organizational information. On Nov. 11, the Board prematurely cancelled the election of a student representative because the process adopted by students was too democratic. Transparency without accountability means nothing, and Cooper’s Board has demonstrated that they are accountable to no one.

In addition to documents queued for release in the next two weeks, Free Cooper Union is calling for additional leaks pertaining to the mismanagement perpetrated by Cooper Union’s past and present Board and Administration. Information may be emailed to cooperunionsos@gmail.com or sent to our voicemail at 917-746-5634.

In celebration of open flows of information, on Nov. 24 from 6 to 9 pm, students will be performing a second reading of the Board transcript leaked this summer by The Village Voice at e-flux, 311 East Broadway.

And here is yesterday's selection:

Today’s document is a guide of “Helpful Information for Administrative Assistants” to former president George Campbell. The guide is highly indicative of the oppressive corporate culture and the luxurious wasteland of hierarchy and bureaucracy that have come to characterize Cooper Union’s administration:

“Office Cautions:”

“The blinds in the Reception Area must be drawn to the same level at all times...This is the President’s pet peeve.”

“Unless you like being admonished by the President about using his office as a highway, it’s advised that you refrain from [walking through] while he’s around.”

“When ordering lunch, ask to have all salad ingredients brought separately (GC is allergic to cucumbers, Lawrence and Ronni do not eat onions). That also allows you to construct the salad yourself and make it look nicer.”

“He likes weak coffee, black. Place coffee thermos and mug to the left of his computer.”

Hotels: Dr. Campbell likes to stay at nice hotels when on College business: Ritz Carleton is his favorite, especially while in LA (he always stays at the Ritz Marina Del Rey when in the LA area — make sure to book the executive level suite, ocean view room).”

Cars: Dr. Campbell prefers to drive a luxury SUV during the winter and a luxury Cadillac in the summer/spring or in warm climates. If a luxury car isn’t available, order a convertible. He likes to have a car on almost all of his trips as he prefers to drive to different venues.”

CB3 not into Ben Shaoul's zoning variance for 515 E. 5th St.

News on the never-ending saga regarding developer Ben Shaoul's additions to 515 E. Fifth St. On Wednesday night, Community Board 3's Land Use, Zoning, Public & Private Housing Committee voted to recommend that the Board of Standards and Appeals (BSA) deny the zoning
variance application filed by Shaoul's reps.

Members of the Tenants Association of 515 East 5th Street say that the CB3 vote will clear the path for the case to be heard at the BSA. "It might take a month or two for all the necessary paperwork to change hands, but the decision probably won't be made until the middle of next year," said one Association member.

A recap on the situation here: The BSA had previously ruled that Shaoul needs to remove the 6th and 7th floors. However, his attorneys had requested that the city grant a zoning variance to "permit the constructed enlargement, minus the penthouse, to remain."

Given the seven-plus-year history here, this is likely far from being resolved. The extra floors were added in 2006.

You can read more about the history here at the Post, Curbed, DNAinfo and The Villager.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Never-ending battle wages on over additional floors at 515 E. Fifth St.

CB3 hearing on illegal rooftop additions at 515 E. 5th St. re-scheduled for another month

Never-ending battle over additional floors at 515 E. Fifth St. promises to keep being never-ending

'Beautifully executed meditations on neighborhood life' at Dorian Grey Gallery



From the EVG inbox...

The work of legendary neighborhood artists James Romberger and Rick Prol is on exhibit at the Dorian Grey Gallery on East 9th St. The show has been extended through Nov. 23. The works are beautifully executed meditations on neighborhood life.

Find a preview of the show, as well as background on Romberger and Prol, right here.

[Image: James Romberger, 2nd Street Lot, Pastel on paper, 2004 via Dorian Grey]

Thursday, November 14, 2013

Evening on Avenue A




Photos by Bobby Williams

OK, who dropped the bag of whippets?



EVG reader Sam S. spotted these on East Fifth Street... We have them now in case you need to finish making the whipped cream for your sundaes, or pies or biscuits.

Lunch break



Ah, fall! Me. You. The leaves! And a red-tailed hawk eating a rat in Tompkins Square Park.

Photo today by Gail George.

Report: The Strand used sprinklers to prevent the homeless from sleeping alongside the store

DNAinfo reports that the Strand used sprinklers to prevent the homeless from taking shelter at night alongside the bookstore on East 12th Street at Broadway.

"It was to keep people from sleeping out there," said a Strand bookseller who asked that her name not be used. "People used to sleep over there and in the morning we have to put out the book carts, so it was a little bit difficult and uncomfortable for some people."

However, a store manager denied that the sprinklers were intended to drive away the homeless, rather that they are used for cleaning the sidewalk.

And a reaction from Marcus Moore of Picture the Homeless: The sprinkler tactic was "an attack on the homeless population" and "this is not what caring people do to each other."

[UPDATED] About Whale and Crown, a new exhibition space in a former deli on Avenue C

rae bk food center
[Photo by Mark White.]

You may have seen the transformation of the former deli on Avenue C at East 12th Street … it was turned into a gallery space late last month for Brooklyn-based artist RAE. The show opened on Oct. 26.

Turns out the space is the idea of East Village resident Jim Chu, the longtime owner of several bars at 145 E. Houston St., most recently White Rabbit, which closed in August.

"It didn't take long for me to come up with something more fun and less commercial," he said of what he's calling Whale & Crown, a space for art and exhibitions at 656 E. 12th St. at Avenue C.

We asked Chu a few questions about the space.

Were you purposefully looking for something less commercial after White Rabbit... or did this just kind of fall into place?

I didn't know what exactly I was going to do after White Rabbit, but I needed something more organic, without the pressure to be commercial. The business I left on Houston Street in 2013 was very different than the one I started on 11th street between B and C in 1992. I have never been the person to build 'coolness,' make a scene or any of that. I ran places where my neighbors came in and my neighbors were doing cool things so cool things were happening on their own.

When my rent got to $15,000, there isn't room for anything organic. About a month after I closed White Rabbit my friend approached me about the bodega around the corner from my apartment, and it encapsulated all of these ideas.

What's the thinking behind Whale & Crown?

Although the opportunity originally came to me through a neighbor, Whale & Crown is a shared opportunity. There's no way it was possible to do this on my own — so I called on a great group of designers, entrepreneurs and artists and everything came together in less than a month. We lucked into an amazing space that is in limbo, but perfect for experimentation. RAE had mentioned an idea of this installation he wanted to do in a bodega more than two years ago. I always told him it was impossible, but this was a perfect fit.

What kinds of events/exhibits do you want to see in the space?

The space is a resource. We have ideas and sometimes we'll use it for them. The rest of the time the space will be occupied by people we know, people we meet, friends of friends, strangers that reach out to us with the kind of idea that we latch onto. In many ways it's like an exquisite corpse — each contributor adds their part to the conversation.

Meanwhile, you can still catch RAE's exhibit through Saturday.

Exhibition hours:
Thursday - Saturday 2 pm-7 pm.

Updated:

The space is now called Specials on C

Idle Hands stretching out on Avenue B


[Photo via Ray LeMoine]

After three years of life below Billy Hurricane's and later Station B, Idle Hands — the "Bourbon, Beer & Rock" bar — is taking over the entire space at 25 Avenue B. (East Village Eats first caught wind of this impending change this past Friday.)

The official grand reopening is this coming Wednesday, per the Idle Hands website.

Billy Hurricane's quietly became Station B back in June.

And a lot of people pretty much hated Billy Hurricane's, like Robert Siestema, who wrote this about the place for The Village Voice in May 2011:

You look up at the street sign and realize you're in the hippest nabe in the world, the old E.V. And it dawns on you that soon the entire length of Avenue B will be lined with shit holes like this, crass dining and drinking establishments that might have been invented by Guy Fieri. Yes, now we're in the Fieri-verse, a realm of ostentatious overconsumption so abject, that nori rolls may come wrapped in bacon so as not to frighten the regulars with seaweed.

Meanwhile, East Village Eats is optimistic about this Idle Hands takeover. "Honestly, I think this is a good thing for the neighborhood," he wrote.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Whatever happened to simple bar names...concepts?

Billy Hurricane's looking to hire attractive, sexy, fun, loud and pushy female bartenders who are still in school — and rock

Incoming on St. Mark's Place: coffee, pizza



A quick look at two new storefronts on St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. As we first reported back in July, Box Kite Coffee, a shop operated by barista Cora Lambert, is opening at 115 St. Mark's Place. Work continues on the space previously occupied by The Tuck Shop.

We haven't heard about an official opening date just yet. A look inside the under-renovation space reveals they have a little way to go before serving coffee here.



Meanwhile, across the street at 130 St. Mark's Place, there's the new Falanghina Pizza Bar.




Whole Earth Bakery and Kitchen, which had been at 130 St. Mark's Place since 1991 (34 years in business total), closed for good on Dec. 29, as we first reported.

Aside from rising rents, business had been down... and, of course, Sandy didn't help matters. And it wasn't easy in recent years for owner Peter Silvestri, as he faced eviction several times. (You can read the back story in this article from The Villager from 2007, when the community rallied around Whole Earth.)

The shop faced eviction again in the fall of 2011 ... They were reportedly occupying the space under a sublet agreement. While Whole Earth Bakery was up to date on rent payments, the holder of the lease was allegedly delinquent.

As The Villager reported last December, Whole Earth Bakery's rent rose from $1,100 a month in 1991 to $5,300, an increase about three times faster than the rate of inflation.

We miss Whole Earth likely more than any other recent closing.

As for the new tenants, the restaurant partners are Riccardo Pieroni who co-owns Ton-Up, the newish Italian wine bar across the street, and Huey Cheng, who owns Kura, the Japanese restaurant next door, according to a report in The Local last February. Michele Bruni is the third partner.

Per The Local:

Mr. Bruni, who also got a degree from New York University Stern School of Business, hoped East Villagers would be able to put the Whole Earth Bakery controversy behind them and give his new restaurant a chance. "Sometimes places need some new faces," he said.

As for their food, per The Local:

The Neapolitan pies at Falanghina will be made in a brick wood-fired oven, with Italian ingredients (the pizzaiolo will also be imported). Pastas, appetizers and a Italian desserts will be made on the premises.