A campaign to #SitOutSantaCon

SantaCon is scheduled for Saturday... ahead of that, DiMassimo Goldstein, an NYC-based ad agency, along with Crew Cuts, a broadcasting and media production company, launched a #SitOutSantaCon campaign. (The website notes that the campaign is also brought to you by "Decent People Everywhere.")

And there's a video, described this way:

This year, tens of thousands of people will flood the streets for SantaCon in cities across America. Like every year, adults will see overserved Santas, inebriated elves and reckless Rudolphs.

But what will the children see?

The #SitOutSantaCon website features a variety of posters and GIFs to share...



Not taking part in SantaCon is one thing. It's a choice. One problem with SantaCon, depending on where you are, is that you don't have much of a choice of being surrounded by it if you decide to venture outdoors.

As Jason Gilbert wrote for the Times in 2013 (in calling for a ban):

Perhaps most distressing about SantaCon is its size and the way that it shuts down and befouls dozens of blocks. Any East Villager (I am one) can tell you that the event makes doing absolutely anything beyond one’s front stoop an impossibility, unless you own swamp waders and a riot shield.

And...

For a New York City event of its size, however, SantaCon is distinctive, and arguably impressive, in that it contributes absolutely zero value — cultural, artistic, aesthetic, diversionary, culinary or political — to its host neighborhood. Quite simply, SantaCon is a parasite.

As for SantaCon 2017, organizers have yet to divulge what neighborhoods they'll congregate in this year.

Hot Pot Central closes on 2nd Avenue

[Photo via @jcastro_nyc]

After nearly a year in business, Hot Pot Central has closed on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and 12th Street. They closed after service on Sunday night. No word on why they shut down.

This was the third attempt by the owners here since March 2015 ... following DumplingGuo and, previously, Dumpling Go.

Shima had a good run on the corner here until January 2014. After Shima, the asking rent for the prime corner location had been $25,400 per month.

Stereo exchange: Bright Audio moves on Avenue A

This past weekend, Bright Audio moved out of its storefront of five years at 202 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street ... heading across the Avenue to No. 207...




[Photo by Lola Sāenz]

Owner Kerry Bright, a general contractor specializing in home theaters, first created custom audio and video systems in the basement of 205 Avenue A in the early 2000s. (Sales were by appointment only.)

Bright then opened the storefront selling high-end headphones, amplifiers, turntables, etc., at No. 202 in 2012. (Read more about his business here.)

Now it appears he's moving back to the pre-storefront era. Bright Audio has an online shop and offers custom installation.

H/T Lola Sāenz!

The former Venus Body Arts space is for rent on Avenue A

Venus Body Arts recently cleared out of its 4-year-old home at 31 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street.

And the listing for the storefront owned by the NYCHA arrived on the market yesterday. (The photo in the listing shows the wrong space.) Asking rent is $90 a square foot.

As for Venus Body Arts, owner Maria Tash, whose clients have included Scarlett Johansson, Beyoncé and FKA Twigs, first got her start in a Fourth Street studio in 1992. She moved the jewelry, tattoo and clothing boutique to this storefront in 2013. The locations on Broadway and in London remain open.

Get well soon, Dora!

[Photo last week by Ryan John Lee]

Last week, several residents reported a red-tailed hawk in some sort of distress on Ninth Street at Avenue C. Someone called the NYPD...


[Photo last week by Ryan John Lee]

...and eventually the hawk, believed to be Dora, one of the resident hawks in Tompkins Square Park, flew off into La Plaza Cultural.

In the following days, none of the Park's hawk watchers had seen Dora... raising some concerns about her health.

Goggla provided an update tonight: Turns out that Dora has an injured wing. She was picked up last night by the NYPD on Avenue C between 9th Street and 10th Street and was taken to Animal Medical Center. Her wing is not broken, but she is unable to fly.

You can head over to Goggla's site for more details.

Come home soon, Dora ...


[Photo by Steven]

You Gotti be kidding me: Mobster biopic pulled 10 days before release

[Photo in February by Daniel]

Back in February, crews were out on 10th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue filming scenes for "Gotti," the biopic starring John Travolta, seen above, in the title role.

"Gotti," directed by "Entourage" star Kevin Connolly, was set to open on Dec. 15.

Not anymore. The Tracking Board reports that Lionsgate dropped the film from its schedule and sold it back to its producers. There isn't any word on why Lionsgate decided to drop "Gotti."

Insiders say that "Gotti" would have given 10th Street its meatiest role since "My Super Ex-Girlfriend" filmed between Second Avenue and Third Avenue in 2005.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Mob scene on 10th Street as 'Gotti' crew and John Travolta hold forth

Today in sad-looking bears propped up by a tree on 1st Street

RIP Magdalena Wassiltschuk

Several readers have shared the news that Magdalena (Maggie) Wassiltschuk, a longtime resident on Ninth Street, died early last week.

I don't have any biographical information at the moment. A reader who lives on the same block between Avenue A and First Avenue said that she had cancer.

According to the reader, she lived for at least two decades at 415 E. Ninth St. and prior to that on Avenue B. She came to the city some years ago from Gettysburg, Pa., where she was a registered nurse.

Per the reader:

She was a huge animal lover and daily would sit on the stoop at 415, talking to everyone who passed by (well, primarily if they had a dog with them). She was a great neighbor. She was the first person who introduced herself to me when I moved to the East Village. Then, in typical fashion, she told me I should get a cat — and pointed at Ollie’s, that cat adoption place across Ninth street. When I finally did get a dog, it took her about two days to tell me the dog needed a friend and that I should adopt another!

She had very little, if any, family.

A neighbor created a small memorial, which has grown in recent days, on her building's entryway with a sign reading "Queen of the Stoop."

65 E. 2nd St. now with a little off the ask

Back in July 2016, we wrote about 65 E. Second St., the charming townhouse for sale between First Avenue and Second Avenue across from the New York City Marble Cemetery.

At the time, the asking price was $5.75 million.

Leslie J.. Garfield still has the listing... the ask is now $5.2 million. Here's the listing to refresh your memory (pay attention to Apt. 3!):

[T]his 4,600 square foot townhouse has been fully gut renovated into three gracious apartments overlooking the Marble Cemetery, the oldest public cemetery in New York City.

Originally built c. 1834 as a Greek Revival-style row house with cast-iron stoop posts and hand-railings, basket-style iron fire escape, rope moldings and historic wood casement windows and transoms.

65 East 2nd Street is located in the prime East Village, on the cusp of NoHo and the Lower East Side, surrounded by new condominium developments, cafes, boutique shops, and trendy restaurants. This turnkey townhouse is suitable for both end-users and investors alike, with the ability to move into the owner’s duplex with incredibly low annual expenses (Tax Class 2B and tenant paid utilities), while offering longterm upside in a rapidly developing neighborhood.

APT 1: Currently configured as a three-bedroom, three bath garden duplex featuring Central Air-Conditioning, custom chef ’s kitchen and cabinetry, high-end finishes, washer/dryer and two private outdoor spaces. Current tenant pays $8,750 per month. Lease Expires August 2018.

APT 2: Currently configured as a fully renovated three bedroom, two bath apartment featuring central air conditioning, gut renovated kitchen and bathrooms, 11’ ceiling heights, and unobstructed, sunlit views north. Current tenant pays $6,600 per month. Lease Expires July 2018.

APT 3: Occupied by a life-tenancy, this apartment is currently configured as a fully renovated three bedroom, two bath apartment featuring central air conditioning, gut renovated kitchen and bathrooms, 9.5’ ceiling heights, and unobstructed, sunlit views north. Tenant pays $500 per month in perpetuity.

... and two interior shots and the front view...

No trespassing (or hunting or fishing) at the former Cafe Orlin

In recent weeks several readers have noted that some travelers/crusties have been camped out overnight at the former Cafe Orlin outdoor space on St. Mark's Place east of Second Avenue... which prompted the arrival of no trespassing signs that someone (the landlord?) posted ... these particular signs include hunting and fishing along with the no trespassing for good measure ...



News broke in early September that the restaurant was closing after service on Oct. 15.

Grub Street reported at the time that "a new restaurant will open in its place." There haven't been any updates on that just yet, including with construction permits filed at the DOB.

Cafe Orlin opened in March 1981.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Cafe Orlin will close next month after 36 years in business (34 comments)

A milestone for 'Stomp'

[Photo of the new marquee from last week]

Today, "Stomp" celebrates 10,000 performances at the Orpheum Theatre on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

"Stomp" — created in 1991 by Steve McNicholas and Luke Cresswell in England — began its run at the Orpheum in February 1994.

People magazine noted the number of props the cast of the dance/percussion show has used at the Orpheum:

• 19,000 wood-handled brooms (glued, coated with marine epoxy, and covered with nylon strapping tape).
• 5,900 metal trash bins (three varieties of bins are used in the show — two imported from the UK, the third manufactured in the U.S.).
• 2,100 sheets of Masonite
• 600 wooden poles

For awhile, it looked as if "Stomp" wouldn't be holding any milestones here. In April 2015, the owners of the Orpheum were suing the producers of "Stomp" to prevent them from leaving the theater. However, a Manhattan judge ruled that the production was allowed to discontinue its contract and move on to a new theater in Midtown.

But! An arbitrator later ruled that the show must stay put after it tried to relocate to a competing playhouse uptown.

Here's some history of the Orpheum Theatre via Cinema Treasures:

The site on which the Orpheum stands is alleged to have been a concert garden as early as the 1880s and, as such, to be one of the oldest continuously operating places of gathering for entertainment events in New York City.

A 1904 NY Times article describes a visit to the Orpheum as an evening which began with entertainment from a Hungarian orchestra, continued with dinner in the 7 o'clock hour, and concluded with a three-hour stage show by a Viennese theatre company.

The theatre was part of the exploding Second Avenue Yiddish theatre scene in the early decades of the 20th century but was exhibiting motion pictures by at least 1921. By 1926 it was operated by the Meyer & Schneider circuit. Additional references indicate that it continued to do so through the mid-1950s.

Police seeking this grand larceny suspect on 11th Street

The NYPD is looking for a suspect who reportedly broke into a vehicle on 11th Street and stole nearly $2,500 worth of clothes and electronics.

According to Town & Village, the theft took place last Wednesday outside 526 E. 11th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Here's surveillance video via Patch:



Police described the suspect as "Hispanic, around 35 years old, 5-5 and 155 lbs. with a medium complexion." He was last seen wearing a green hat, black sneakers, black jacket and blue jeans.

Anyone with information that could help in the investigation is asked to call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477). You may also submit tips online.