EV Grieve

Tuesday, May 26, 2015

Squirrels continue to evolve in Tompkins Square Park

Photo late this afternoon via EVG reader Steven.

(And no — that's not an acai bowl.)

Reminders: CB3 fundraiser for 2nd Avenue is tomorrow night

Community Board 3 is presenting "Orchard Street Loves 2nd Avenue" tomorrow night from 7-10 at Lucky Jack's, 129 Orchard St. (between Rivington and Delancey).

It's $20 to get in, and all the proceeds go to Second Avenue businesses affected by the deadly gas explosion on March 26.

Selling off the former Hop Devil Grill

In early April, the State of New York seized sister bars the Belgian Room and Hop Devil Grill on St. Mark's Place near Avenue A.

The bars will not be reopening. There's now a sign up on Hop Devil's front door, noting a Tax Compliance Agent's Sale on Thursday morning here at 125 St. Mark's Place…

There is not a sign up at the Belgian Room. (There is a flyer up next door at the former Ton-Up Cafe, the space that separates Hop Devil and the Belgian Room. Ton-Up has been on the market since the fall. Likely just some overzealous sign hanging on behalf of the State.)

Meanwhile, there still isn't any sign of life a storefront away at the Luca Bar. A Marshal's notice appeared on the door at 119 St. Mark's Place in late April.

Looking in, it appears that part of Luca's ceiling came down…

… and there's some mail too…

So that's four spaces among five storefronts here on the north side of St. Mark's primed for new businesses …

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Belgian Room and Hop Devil Grill closed for nonpayment of taxes

The Marshal seizes Luca Bar (again) on St. Mark's Place

2nd Avenue Spice closes on June 1

The East Village Spice empire continues to downsize.

Notices to patrons are now up at the Second Avenue and East Sixth Street location … this Spice closes as of Monday…

[Photo via Michael Hirsch]

This move/consolidation with the First Avenue location was expected… this storefront has been on the rental market…

Meanwhile, Spice opened in the former Pukk space several weeks ago on First Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street.

The Fourth Avenue location closed in December.

Icon Realty bringing Sexyflow to Avenue A

The coming soon banner arrived for Sexyflow Hair Salon in the window at 205 Avenue A on Saturday … the person who shared this photo wondered if this is real … or some kind of gag or goofball invite for another art show in the space.

The sign appears legit. Plus the retail listing is no longer on landlord Icon Realty's website for the building here between East 12th Street and East 13th Street.

Perhaps Sexyflow might be a good first stop before hitting a rooftop party here.

Fancy Juice now open on 1st Avenue

Several readers noted the arrival of Fancy Juice this past weekend on First Avenue between East Fourth Street and East Fifth Street… selling various juices, milkshakes and, yes, acai bowls…

The storefront here at 69 First Ave. was previously home to Burkina (aka Got it 4 cheap™), which closed in March.

H/T Matt Rosen!

Spicy House is now Young Chow III on 3rd Avenue

Spicy House never reopened in early April after a bout with the DOH … Now, though, the owners here at 96 Third Ave. between East 12th Street and East 13th Street have turned the space into Young Chow III, serving seemingly the same reasonably priced Chinese and Japanese cuisine… the phone number remains the same too…

Young Chow closed on Fourth Avenue near East 13th Street back in late August 2013… posted signs said that they were moving to 96 Third Ave.

Monday, May 25, 2015

Reader report: Please don't destroy the trees

Via the EVG inbox…

Hey, thought this would be a great time to remind our transient college folks that it is not cool to destroy nature. Disgusting.

According to the reader, the above tree on East 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B was vandalized last evening by "a pack of drunken college kids … walking between bars and deciding to rip the branches off."

Meanwhile, in other tree news, a reader noted a downed tree on First Avenue near East Fifth Street yesterday…

… someone had removed it by this morning…

The reader was unaware why the tree came down, pointing out that someone unsuccessfully tried to prop it up with a stone…

And, if you'd like some closure, the tree is now around the corner on East Fifth Street…

Week in Grieview

[Photo of Savannah by Derek Berg]

The New York Public Library unveils OldNYC.org, an interactive map that brings its digitized collection of vintage photos to life (Thursday)

CB3 hosting fundraiser for Second Avenue (Wednesday)

Life at 114 E. First St.: Bed bugs, rats and the stench of decay (Tuesday)

The East River will play host to the city's Fourth of July fireworks for the second consecutive year (Wednesday)

Out and About with Robert Shapiro of Social Tees Animal Rescue (Wednesday)

Pilar Jewelry Repair has closed on East Seventh Street (Wednesday)

A new fence for the Second Avenue blast site; tributes to victims will remain (Monday)

Demolition of 118 E. First St. begins to make way for 9-story residential building (Thursday)

1-year anniversary for Mikey Likes It on Avenue A (Tuesday)

About the 56,610 square feet of new retail coming to East 14th Street (Wednesday)

Firefighter chases down alleged phone thief (Monday)

Union Square getting a bank branch-coffee shop combo (Friday)

Part of the former Life Cafe now for rent (Wednesday)

Peter Brant meets the neighbors (Thursday)

East Village Organic is now open on First Avenue (Saturday)

Two new sidewalk cafes (Wednesday)

20 years of "Kids" (Wednesday)

Kava bar coming to East 10th Street (Monday)

… and a He-Man sighting in Tompkins Square Park on Saturday…

[Photo by EVG reader Steven]

Mobi and Albert are missing

Readers shared information about two missing cats.

Spotted on First Avenue and East Ninth Street — details about Mobi…

---

Spotted on East Seventh Street and Avenue B — details about Albert…

Updated 7:47 p.m.

Albert was found! Behind Mary's apartment building…

Sunday, May 24, 2015

At the Loisaida Festival

The 28th Loisaida Festival was today on Avenue C... and EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared a few photos from the afternoon...

[Host Luis Guzmán]

... and a few shots from EVG contributor James Maher...

Look at the 3-week-old hawklets high above Avenue A

Here are the three baby hawks nesting 12th floors above Avenue A on the Ageloff Towers between East Third Street and East Fourth Street…

The photos come courtesy of James and Karla Murray … Christo and Dora's offspring are roughly three weeks old now… (The Two Hawks NYC site has some good nest shots from yesterday.)

Meanwhile, here's a view from Avenue A via Bobby Williams …

… and a bonus shot of Christo taking a break nearby on the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer on East Third Street…

[Photo by RyanAvenueA]

… and Christo out on the town last evening checking out the action on Astor Place…

[Photo by 8E]

As always, check out Gog in NYC for more on the hawks (and falcons!).

And you can keep tabs on the hawks via the Avenue A Hawk Cam.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

More eggsciting hawk news from the Christodora House

Breaking (heh) news: The hawks of Tompkins Square Park are officially parents

Hawk (and egg) watch continues on Avenue A, now with the help of a live webcam

Christo and Dora are parents! (Again!)

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Good news for those of you stuck in dreary old Manhattan this holiday weekend… The Two Bridges Neighborhood Council Street Fair is today on Third Avenue, from East 14th Street to East Sixth Street, probably.

Unfortunately, the street fair was in its early stages when we toured the grounds… just in the towing-some-vehicles-and-stuff phase …

However, we were afforded an exclusive sneak preview of what you will find today, among other items…

The street fair will also provide you a good opportunity to check out and maybe even test the new curbs the fellows have been putting in along Third Avenue/Cooper Square this past week…

Today in Tompkins Square Park

Saturday, May 23, 2015

[Updated] March Against Monsanto ending in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon

As of about 2:20 p.m., the group was on Second Avenue just below East 23rd Street… the march ends in Tompkins Square Park around 3…

Broadcast live streaming video on Ustream

Here's the website with details about the global march.

Updated 2:49 a.m.

The march has reached St. Mark's Place…

Photos via EVG reader Steven

Updated 9:37 p.m.

Bottom 3 photos via Bobby Williams