EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Second Avenue this morning. Photo by Derek Berg]

Amsterdam residents fight back against Soho House with the help of LES Dwellers (BoweryBoogie)

Is there still a place for weird comedy in NYC? (Narratively)

Harsh? 0 stars for Han Dynasty on Third Avenue (The New York Times)

Coping with the disappearance of beloved places (Off the Grid, includes quotes from EVG and Jeremiah Moss)

Rothstein’s Hardware is leaving its storefront at 56 Clinton St. after 60 years (The Lo-Down)

After 38 years in Chelsea, Camouflage is closing (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Why John Varvatos doesn't get it (Flaming Pablum)

The gilded gas chandeliers of Bigelow Pharmacy in the West Village (Ephemeral New York)

... and via Dangerous Minds... the video for Slowdive's "Alison" from 1993 ... with a cameo by St. Mark's Place... and the shoegazers may be reuniting...

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.

By James Maher

Name: Alex Harsley
Occupation: Owner, 4th Street Photo Gallery
Location: East 4th Street between 2nd Avenue and the Bowery
Time: 3 pm on Friday, Jan. 17

I was born in 1938 in South Carolina. I was born as an illegitimate child within a family that was very conservative. Forgiven but not quite. The connection was never really made between my mother and my father. They came together under this affair and out came me. By that point my mother had abandoned me and my grandparents were basically bringing me up on a farm. In the kind of environment I grew up in you had to grow up fast. Back then it was pure survival. Corporal punishment was a natural thing. Where I was born it was this isolated place out in the middle of nowhere. There was a dirt road leading back there and that was about the extent. There were no telephones and no electric lines.

I had all kinds of duties. As a kid I was put to the task of picking cotton, cutting cane — the whole nine yards, without really understanding that most kids don’t do this. It was completely normal for me. I did not get the chance to know that this ain’t the way it’s supposed to be. I had to be self-contained in terms of being very confident with myself and being able to deal with the outside reality. There were parts of me that I had to keep sacred, mainly the way I thought. I simply could not express how I felt. I was not allowed to do that. I learned how to keep that compartmentalized.

Eventually, I began to understand the reality that I was living in and the conditions that were imposed upon me. I was in a worse position than a slave. I had no rights, absolutely no rights, and I was being abused. I decided this was it. Somebody beats you all of the time and you get to the point where it’s enough and you start figuring out how are you going to deal with this. You’re not an animal.

But then, another part of you comes out. That other part of you is the beast. I learned about that. The beast is an awesome, awesome thing. I began to realize that there was a beast in me and all I had to do is to call on it and I became strong. There was no pain. It all became hate. I guess they felt it because I no longer screamed, I no longer cried, I just took it. There was no satisfaction by the person who was abusing me. They’d try harder. Okay, cut the skin, it hurts, now I have to learn how to deal with that. This is when I was 9 years old. I learned a lot, I understood a lot, and I studied these folks. I had to know them. They saw who I was becoming and I guess they had to make a choice. They had to either call my mother to come pick me up, put me in reform school, or find a hole and knock me in the head real hard.

So my mother came and took me to New York. I had to learn everything all over again but I had that ordeal behind me. I lived in the Bronx. The Bronx was like it is today if you skipped the ‘80s. There were empty lots leftover from buildings that used to be there. The top was gone and you’d see the bricks where the basement was. No floors. They were like ruins. We used to play in all those different places. It was weird. It was like Halloween all the time depending on where your imagination was. We played 24/7, into the night. At 11 at night we’d still be playing. Most of the time there were 8 or 10 of us around but there was always somebody there. I was never quite alone. Our neighborhood was protected when I grew up because we were this group of kids there. And by the sixth grade I had finally got into women and I had a girlfriend. She ran off with this guy, Norman Butler. I will always remember Norman Butler, just what he looked like. Norman Butler was one of the people who murdered Malcolm X.

I used to work as a delivery boy delivering groceries and doing all different types of things to support myself. That was when I realized there was an economy in this town. How do you survive? Nobody’s told you really what to do or how to do it. You have to learn the ropes. By 1951, I was beginning to understand that the whole educational system simply was not compatible with the way I thought. So I went to the library and read quite a bit on my own.

I came out of school in ’58 and by ‘59 I had latched on to this photography thing. Somebody asked if I wanted a camera for $15. Something said I ain’t supposed to say no. It was not really in my interests back then. I was seriously into bicycling at the time. Then everything turned around in ’59 when I got a job working at the District Attorney’s office. I got that job underneath the wire. I became the photographer for the District Attorney’s office. Can you imagine? Within six months, I had taken over the photography department. I had found a level of legitimacy now. It kept these doors open. I kept wanting to do something else but the doors kept opening. Early on, I was forced to be responsible for myself and when it got around to it, I was always a very responsible person.

I got married, the assistant District Attorneys are coming to visit me, coming to my house. I was living off of Central Park West on 84th Street in a nice brownstone. Everything was perfect. I was 20. I was responsible, people were recognizing me, wanting to be associated with me because of what I knew, and then I got a letter saying, ‘Greetings…’

I realized this is what life had prepared me for. They had drafted me into service. That whole disciplinary that I had to deal with, I now had to do it all over again. I had to succumb to the system. I was forced to be a soldier and I had to confirm to that or otherwise I was going to have a lot of issues.

I got shipped down to South Carolina, through South Carolina all the way to Alabama, in 1962. Can you imagine? I was born, not there, but I knew about there. I grew up in the middle of all of that. I had to learn a whole level of discipline. I showed up the wrong way when I was being trained. They taught me how to deal with chemical, radiological and biological warfare, but what I learned was psychological warfare. I wasn’t interested in continuing in that area. It was the worst. Here I was, in the midst of these huge tanks filled with the worst. If anything happened to those tanks, if they busted? It was scary. But I had to put that behind me, just like I had done with all those other folks and continue with my journey.

I did three years in the Army. I learned a lot from the Army and they learned a lot from me. Let’s put it that way. When I got out of that and back to New York, I said, ‘Now what?’ 1964 was the beginning of my life. I got involved in meeting interesting people and all these things began to happen. I decided I needed to go deeper into this realm called photography. My mind opened up and I began to explore. I was working as a freelance photographer. I went to the World’s Fair, I met John Coltrane in 1964, and covered all of that stuff. I was doing all types of street work. I was out there. I was a freelancer, going wherever I needed to go.

I settled down in Brooklyn, figured out that was a bad place to live, got divorced and moved to the East Village, around ’65. I got a motorcycle and I had parties continuously, living on 11th Street and Avenue A. I was in this haze. It’s now a very important historical place — 501 E. 11th St. Every place I’ve lived in they’ve destroyed.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

We will have Part 2 with Alex Harsley next week.

As the sushi turns: Sushi Lounge now operating out of the former Natori space on St. Mark's

[From November]

Higher rents chased Sushi Lounge from St. Mark's Place and Avenue A at the end of October.

Turns out the Sushi Lounge folks were also the new owners of Natori up the way on St. Mark's Place. (The original Natori, a longtime favorite, closed in November 2012.)

Got all that? No? Us either!

Anyway, what was operating as Natori is now… Sushi Lounge. A worker confirmed that they are the same Sushi Lounge that anchored the corner of St. Mark's and A…





As for the former Sushi Lounge space, chef Alex Stupak will be opening his third restaurant here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Sushi Lounge has closed (17 comments)

Natori remains open on St. Mark's Place

3 things about Narcissa, the new restaurant at the Standard East Village

[EVG file photo of Café Standard]

The Standard East Village is ready to debut its new restaurant.

Florence Fabricant has a quickie preview of it at the Times.

• The place is called Narcissa, named for a cow on hotel operator André Balazs’s upstate farm, Locusts-on-Hudson near Rhinebeck.

• The place will serve "as much produce as possible" from said farm, Locusts-on-Hudson.

• The place "will convey a breezy informality that suits the neighborhood," Ms. Fabricant writes.

While "breezy informality" sounds nice, it also sounds like a different place than what the Help Wanted ad for the restaurant described.

THE IDEAL CANDIDATE IS:
• Charismatic and possesses natural ability to engage and serve diverse guests and high-profile clientele
• Confident and proactive without being overbearing.
• Able to thrive in a fast-paced, high-volume environment.
• A clear thinker in high pressure situations.
• A background with a 'farm-to-table', product driven menu.
• Conveys a personal sense of style and sophistication.
• Comfortable interacting with high-profile guests in fashionable & socially dynamic environments.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Big changes in the works for the Standard East Village lobby, outdoor space; Café on the Bowery anyone?

What it takes to work at the Standard East Village's 'highly anticipated' new restaurant

It's officially Rabbit Season now at the IBM Watson Building

The 14-foot red rabbit sculpture by Jeff Koons is now up and ready to leak pellets greet visitors to the IBM Watson Building at 51 Astor Place…



It was impressive enough to cause people to stop and photograph it during a snowstorm yesterday. (Present company included.)



Word is the thing weighs 6,600 pounds.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Meanwhile at the IBM Watson building, the Jeff Koons rabbit sculpture has arrived for the lobby

Silent night, ungodly cold night

A few scenes from Winter Storm Janus (Janus? Really Weather Channel?) last evening... courtesy of Bobby Williams...

It will get worse before it will get colder

First Avenue and East Seventh Street tonight.

Photo by Raquel Shapira.

There is currently no wait to play ping-pong now in Tompkins Square Park

Just FYI.

Photo by Derek Berg

$1 million bail set for driver who crashed into East Village Farm and Grocery; prosecutors mull homicide charges

[Fox News]

Queens resident Shaun Martin, who was allegedly drunk and high on PCP when he plowed his car into East Village Farm and Grocery last June, was ordered held on a $1 million bail today as the District Attorney's office weighs potential homicide charges, the Daily News reports.

Akkas Ali, the florist at the corner store on Second Avenue who was critically injured in the crash, died on Jan. 1. According to Serena Solomon at DNAinfo, Ali, 63, went into cardiac arrest when a tracheostomy tube that he needed to help him breathe because of his injuries became lodged in his throat.

Manhattan District Attorney Cy Vance originally charged Martin last summer with two counts of first degree vehicular assault, two counts of felony assault with serious injury, a felony count of operating a motor vehicle while impaired by drugs, felony driving while ability impaired, and felony DWAI by drugs and alcohol.

According to the Daily News, while free on bail in early December, police arrested the 32-year-old Martin for threatening to shoot someone while possessing cocaine outside a club in East Elmhurst.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] Car smashes into East Village Farm & Grocery on Second Avenue; 6 reported injured

Crowdsourcing campaign for injured East Village Farm and Grocery worker raises nearly $19,000

Report: Injured East Village Farm and Grocery florist has lost his memory, use of his voice

[Updated] RIP Akkas Ali

Snowy afternoon grifter alert

EVG reader the East 2nd Street Cadillac w/the tiger in it guy shares the following with us

The guy who has been written about numerous times on E.V. Grieve is making the rounds this afternoon. I chased him off East 2nd St. between 1st Ave & Ave A (close to the Taco stand) around 1 PM today as an unwitting lady was about to give him money.

He's the white guy who approaches folks on the street and his M.O. is usually something about his wife and kids being locked out of their car. He says he'll give you his driver's license or car keys or cell phone (probably all stolen items) for you to hold as collateral to prove that he's honest and will pay you back. Then he asks for anywhere from $10 to $50 or more.

Today he's saying that his car is stuck in the snow. He's in his 30's or 40's, slightly balding, about 5'9", 160 lbs with dark beady junkie eyes.

He is getting increasingly aggressive — especially with women — I've had female friends say that he's grabbed their arm or really stepped into their personal space or insisted that they come with him to his car.

He scares easily so stand up to the little punk.

Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village grifter alert: Beware the broken vodka-bottle scam!

East Village grifter alert: Beware the man with the sob story who offers you a wedding ring as collateral

Watson still hasn't learned how to shovel snow

Oh! Just a scene this afternoon outside the IBM Watson building (formerly known as 51 Astor Place) ... At least Ken Jennings can push a shovel.

Photo by Derek Berg

New restaurant getting their 'schnitz together' at the former Something Sweet space

Renovations are happening at the former Something Sweet bakery on First Avenue and East 11th Street… where Schnitz, which serves old-fashioned schnitzel sandwiches with unconventional toppings at Smorgasburg in Williamsburg and Dumbo, is opening its first proper restaurant...

Schnitz will serve sandwiches, soups and salads from its East Village location. (You can find their menu here.)

There's also a sign announcing their arrival…


[Photo by Blue Glass]

From the look of things, though, there is plenty of work left today before you can have your schnitzel.



Something Sweet, the family-owned bakery, closed in July 2012.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Smorgasburg favorites Schnitz planning restaurant at former Something Sweet on First Avenue

Something Sweet still looking for help to revive its beloved business

Something Sweet space for rent on First Avenue

Maria's Cafe is leaving the East Village for West Harlem

We recently heard that Maria's Cafe was leaving her sliver of a food stand on East Third Street and Avenue C… Our source said that she would be subleasing space from a restaurant on Broadway around East 10th Street… We had it wrong. Well, the Broadway part is correct … however, it's Broadway and 131st Street in West Harlem.

As we understand it, there just wasn't enough business anymore on this corner, where nearby storefronts have been boarded up … the building on the corner is in disrepair, and will eventually be demolished… Word is the buildings from 26 Avenue C to the corner will eventually be razed for housing of some sort…



Plans were filed with the city in July 2005 for a new 6-floor residential building here … The city disapproved the plans in May 2006, and nothing more happened with the project.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Maria's Cafe is leaving the corner of 3rd and C

Concern for 32 Avenue C

Digging in for the new dorm on Cooper Square

Just looking, via the handy blogger portals on the plywood, at the activity in the pit at 200 E. Sixth St. and Cooper Square, where a 13-story dorm for Marymount Manhattan College will rise …



Can't be any fun living adjacent to this site… we could hear the noise from a block away…

Previously on EV Grieve:
Something 28,998 square feet or so coming to Cooper Square (and goodbye Cooper 35 Asian Pub?)

Here's what's coming to 35 Cooper Square: 9-story dormitory

Proposed dorm for former 35 Cooper Square looks to be 4 floors taller

City OKs 13-floor dorm for Cooper Square

Updated: Here's what the newest East Village dorm will look like

2 new wine shops for First Avenue

Two new wine shops are coming soon to First Avenue… There's Urban Wine & Spirits at 45 First Ave. between East Second Street and East Third Street… in the former beloved We Buy Gold & Diamond storefront…



There is a web address, though it doesn't appear to be active yet…

Then! Up the Avenue between East Fifth Street and East Sixth Street … someone is taking over the former Tinto Fino space…



We don't know anything about this shop just yet..

Asbestos abatement underway at the former Salvation Army's East Village Residence

Just a quick follow-up to our post from last Wednesday about the pending demolition of the Salvation Army's former East Village Residence on the Bowery at East Third Street.

For starters, the asbestos abatement has apparently commenced here ahead of ripping down the building to make way for a 13-story mixed-use residential development.

As for that development, BoweryBoogie points out an intriguing (and pretty fucked-up) possibility … designer Giauco Lolli-Ghetti of Urban Muse bought the space for $19 million … As BoweryBoogie noted, Lolli-Ghetti has a 2009 patent on a "vertical integrated parking system" that connects each condo with a private parking space on the same floor.

Same-floor parking? Puts that bike storage room in the basement to shame.

Meanwhile, until No. 347 comes down, the party continues on the corner…



Previously on EV Grieve:
Whatever happened to that really ugly hotel planned for the Bowery?

Permits filed to demolish former Salvation Army residence on the Bowery

The Salvation Army's former East Village Residence will be demolished on the Bowery

Claim: 347 Bowery will be home to a 13-story mixed-use residential development

So long to the 'Girls' mural of East 12th Street

The mural showcasing the season premiere of "Girls" went up in the middle of last month on East 12th Street and Avenue A... outside Table 12 … And it was sorta lamely tagged a little later …

And now… a moment of silence … as EVG reader paddy523 notes… the mural is gone…



But the mural lives on happily whatever after… on our Vine account…

There's a 'Stop Croman' rally tomorrow morning at the New York Supreme Court building

From the EVG inbox tonight…



Lima's Taste was originally on East 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue… the restaurant is now on Christopher and Bedford… And here is one of the posters that a tenant created for tomorrow morning…

Report: The company that powers Citi Bike has filed for bankruptcy

Just a super quick post … picking this up from Gizmodo tonight:

Bixi — the Montreal nonprofit company that developed the technology that powers New York City's eight-month-old CitiBike program — filed for bankruptcy protection today, after it emerged that cities including New York and Chicago were withholding payments to the company. Could the news affect CitiBike? Maybe — but not just yet.

Uh-oh!

Head over to Gizmodo for the whole story.

[Updated] A new look for the magazine shop on Third Avenue and St. Mark's Place

[Photo by EVG reader William Klayman]

The plywood came off today at the former New Corner Magazine (or King's Magazine) on St. Mark's Place at Third Avenue.

The landlord told us that the space will remain a newsstand, though there will be "an upgrade in the operator and the space."

The space will have a more appealing look for the nerds employees of the new IBM business across the street at the IBM Watson building.

And the space will no longer have a little kiosk on Third Avenue… where DJ Lenny M held forth for so many years…

Updated 1/21

A reader tells us that the newsstand is now open... though it is not yet fully stocked.



Previously on EV Grieve:
New Corner Magazine closed for renovations; new operator to take over

What happened to DJ Lenny M?