Reader report: Beware the Amazon Fire TV Stick

An EVG reader, who works from home, shared this (including the above photo) about the Fire TV Stick...

My web connection really slowed down. Once I got on my Verizon wireless modem setting online with one of their tech people, it turned out that along with my devices listed as connected there was also an Amazon device connected. I do not have an Amazon wireless device. Turns out it is an Amazon Firestick, the device you connect to a TV to get Amazon streaming video.

Verizon said that there are apps for phones now that can be used to figure out your wireless passwords easily. It is commonly done with Amazon Firesticks since they take a lot of bandwidth. Once I changed my password and wireless network name the device was no longer listed as connected. The tech said she changed her wireless name and password every other month due to this.

The reader shared this because it "may save a lot of people aggravation."

East Village Cheese remains closed

Another weekend went by without the East Village Cheese Shop being open for business at 80 Seventh St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The storefront has been shuttered since Dec. 7.

Several readers have now reported (via the building's super) that the power is off inside the shop. As one reader noted, "It's going to get gross in there soon." (If not already.)

This temporary (for now) closure has been a popular topic in EVG reader emails. Several people have been looking for cheese alternatives. One popular choice is Barnyard Cheese on Avenue B between 10th Street and 11th Street...


[Image via Yelp]

Other East Village possibilities via readers include the Westside Market on Third Avenue at 12th Street ...





... and Union Market on Houston at Avenue A...



Previously

Partial vacate order and violations for sidewalk-collapse building on 4th Street

A few more details have emerged regarding the partial sidewalk collapse outside 125 E. Fourth St. Saturday morning.



According to the Daily News, a worker at the nail salon was preparing to open the shop around 10:40 a.m. here between First Avenue and Second Avenue when a 5x4 section of the sidewalk caved in, sending the worker plunging into the building's basement.

EMTs took the salon employee to Bellevue. Her injuries were not life-threatening, per the News.

The city issued a partial vacate order at the address, which temporarily closes the salon and the adjacent business, Manny's Barber Shop.

Per the News: The Department of Buildings issued "aggravated violations" to the property owner for failing '"to maintain the building in a safe manner." Public records show a court date of Feb. 1.

This is a co-op building. Public records list the owner as: 125 East 4th Street Owner Corp.

Viking Waffles signage arrives on Avenue C

Some signage arrived Friday at 137 Avenue C near Ninth Street, which is home to Viking Waffles...



The space serves as both a wholesale manufacturing business and (eventually) a retail outlet for the popular protein-rich waffles that are sold online and at several health-food stores and gyms, including Barry's Bootcamp. (Benedicte Engen, a Crossfit trainer, is the founder of Viking Waffles.)



In any event, it doesn't appear that the Avenue C space is ready for retail just yet.

No. 137 went under extensive renovations (it's basically a new building) in recent years. The building's ground-floor was previously home to drunk-brunch hotspot Sunburnt Cow until April 2014.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Former Sunburnt Cow space on Avenue C is the new home of Viking Waffles

Renovations in store for 137 Avenue C, home to the Sunburnt Cow

The Sunburnt Cow closes for good at the end of this month

137 Avenue C, hollow on the inside


[Photo from April 2014]

Pinky's Space bringing quick-serve food options to 1st Street

The Pinky's Space neon is up at 70 E. First St. just west of First Avenue... this will be the first location for Pinky's, which has ambitious plans to open multiple outlets near commuter hubs (here being across the street from the F stop).

Here are details from a crowdfunding campaign for the business:

Pinky's will be a GRAB & GO food chain offering a 7 item menu with multiple locations located in small venues (approximately 150 sq/ft) next to high traffic NYC subway stations. We will offer healthy Southern American & French style cuisine served hot and packaged fresh in vibrant packaging creatively designed for easy commute and convenient dining.

The Pinky's team is Wesley Wobles, a personal chef and cookbook author, and Mimi Blitz, who spent nearly two decades working for her mother's catering company and bakery in New Orleans.

Pinky's has a website here. No word on an opening date.

The space previously (and briefly) served as a gym for Marcus Antebi, the Juice Press founder-CEO who opened his first store next door in April 2010.

Some Steiner East Village retail speculation

Some locals have been curious about what retail tenants might be coming to Steiner East Village on Avenue A between 11th Street and 12th Street... workers recently put up paper on the windows, fueling speculation that something imminent is in the works...



However, a source tells us that Steiner reps are still in the preliminary stages in considering retail leases in the nearly 11,000 feet of retail space at the condoplex.

You can likely count out a Trader Joe's and Target, which are opening on 14th Street and Avenue A. (Duane Reade is always a popular jokey choice, though they are currently downsizing locations.)

The idyllic rendering at the Steiner East Village website shows what looks like a restaurant/wine bar in the corner space on 11th Street along with some smaller shops...



Ripco Real Estate still has a listing for the address that dates to 2014.

Season's greetings from the FDNY on 2nd Street

EVG reader Bill Buchen shares these photos of Santa arriving at Engine 28/Ladder 11 on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C this afternoon ...

Week in Grieview

[1 explanation for the recent cold weather via Derek Berg]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Bea Arthur Residence nearly ready to accept first tenants on 13th Street (Thursday)

After 42 years on St. Mark's Place, the Grassroots Tavern closes on New Year's Eve (Monday)

Permits filed to renovate Webster Hall (Tuesday)

MTA, DOT outline plans for life without the L train (Thursday)

Fire at 80 E. Third St. (Friday)

Sidewalk bridge finally hauled away from the Verizon building on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday)

The latest installment of I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant (Friday)

EVG contributor James Maher has an exhibit at the Manny Cantor Center titled "Storytelling in our Immigrant City" (Monday)

Traffic lights for the East Houston-FDR-East River overpass (Monday)

$1 coffee talk (Thursday)

Another case of stolen packages from an East Village lobby (Wednesday)

243 and 245 E. 2nd St. asking nearly $18 million (Wednesday)

Citi Bike of the week (Thursday)

Honeyhaus is the latest departure on 11th Street (Monday)

Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday)

A look at the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree (Sunday)

Checking in on the Moxy hotel project (Tuesday)

Applicants looking to bring live jazz to the former East Village Tavern (Monday)

The "other" hawk (Sunday)

More about Poke N' Roll, coming soon to 9th Street (Tuesday)

Gramercy Kitchen debuts on 3rd Avenue (Tuesday)

Chat 'N Chew looks closer to reopening on Union Square (Wednesday)

Boris and Horton, the dog friendly coffee shop, now hiring on Avenue A (Monday)

House of Fluff pops up on the Bowery (Tuesday)

Construction watch: 606 Broadway and 300 Lafayette (Wednesday)

... and yes, these were seemingly everywhere after Friday evening's snowfall... plenty more where these came from...


[Photo by Steven]


[Photo by Lola Sáenz]

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Report: Law firm files lawsuit against Jared Kushner for unpaid bills

Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello, a law firm that represented Jared Kushner’s real-estate company in dozens of eviction and housing court cases, is now suing him for unpaid bills, the Daily News reports.

Per the report:

The law team Cornicello, Tendler & Baumel-Cornicello filed a lawsuit in Manhattan Supreme Court on Dec. 7 against Kushner Cos. and 19 of its subsidiaries that own or manage properties. Cornicello seeks $102,000 for work it did between December 2014 and May 31, 2015.

In 2014 and 2015, Cornicello represented Kushner properties in at least 32 landlord-tenant cases, mostly involving apartments in the East Village, records show.

A Westminster rep told the News that they are "working to resolve the matter."

As the News notes, East Village tenants and local elected officials have accused Kushner Cos. and its property manager, Westminster, in lawsuits and in other complaints of using harassment-as-eviction tactics through the years.

In 2013, Kushner started buying up some 40-plus buildings in the East Village. According to the Cooper Square Committee, only Steve Croman owns more residential buildings in the East Village than Kushner does.

Kushner removed himself as the company’s CEO back in January to become a senior adviser to his father-in-law, President Trump.

Reader photo at 118 E. 4th St. from March 6.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Tenants claim: Kushner and Westminster want to destroy this building's beautiful garden

Reports outline how Kushner Companies is aggressively trying to empty 170-174 E. 2nd St.

Local politicos join residents of 2 Jared Kushner-owned buildings to speak out about poor living conditions, alleged harassment

Jared Kushner's residents at 118 E. 4th St. would like gas for cooking and some heat

Jared Kushner's East Village tenants wish he'd resolve issues closer to home

Saturday's parting shot

Photo on Avenue A from this morning...

Report: Sidewalk sinkhole injures 1 on 4th Street

Person falls in large hole in East Village sidewalk, officials say https://t.co/UrwFHyzKnL

— NBC New York (@NBCNewYork) December 16, 2017

There's not much information available at the moment about a 5x4 section of sidewalk that gave way this morning on the north side of Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The Daily News and NBC 4 report that one person was taken to Bellevue with unspecified injuries.

At the 9th Precinct's holiday party

EVG contributor Derek Berg stopped by the 9th Precinct's annual holiday party this morning on Fifth Street ... and shared these photos of the festivities...

Video: Opening night at MoMa's Club 57

[Image via]

As you likely read about somewhere, "Club 57: Film, Performance, and Art in the East Village, 1978–1983" opened last month at MoMa ... the retrospective explores the influential venue at 57 St. Marks Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (This exhibit has generated a lot of press... most recently with this interview published Thursday at The Brooklyn Rail with guest curator Ann Magnuson.)

Yesterday, MoMa posted this video from the opening...



You have until April 1 to catch "Club 57" at MoMa.

H/T Christine C.!

Santa is coming (came) to the 9th Precinct

The 9th Precinct's annual holiday party is going on right now ... until 1 p.m. on Fifth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

And there's probably a SantaCon joke here somewhere...

Nobody makes a better entrance then #SantaClaus arriving at our #EastVillage neighborhood party #NYC @NYPDCommAffairs #NYPDConnecting pic.twitter.com/oJ0mzrkjy8

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) December 16, 2017

[Updated] Report of a fire at 80 E. 3rd St.

FDNYalerts MAN 2-ALARM 80 E 3 ST, MULTIPLE DWELLING FIRE IN THE SHAFT BETWEEN BUILDINGS,

— FDNYalerts (@FDNYAlerts) December 16, 2017

The address is between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Fire in East Village pic.twitter.com/bkPOcgIKBF

— Nick Shippers (@nickshippers) December 16, 2017

Updated 12/16
NY1 reports one person was injured. (The report described it as non-life threatening.)

FDNY officials said the fire started in a shaft on the third floor of the five-story building. No word on a cause yet.

Updated 9 a.m.

A look at the building now...





Updated 10:45

An EVG reader who lives in the building shared these photos of the apartment where the fire started...



The resident of this unit has apparently lived in the building for a very long time...



The reader lives in the back of the building ... and that apartment only suffered minor water damage. People living in the front needed to leave. Those apartments have extensive water damage.

Much ado about 'Nothing'

"Nothing Feels Natural," the debut record from Washington, D.C.'s Priests, made a few top-10 lists this year... the above video features live versions of "JJ" and "Nothing Feels Natural."

Noted

10th Street and Avenue B this afternoon...

EV Grieve Etc.: Lead-dust nightmare on 12th Street; more vendors for the new Essex Market

[A view on Avenue A yesterday by Grant Shaffer]

An ongoing lead-dust nightmare in this 12th Street building currently owned by Madison Realty Capital (The Villager)

City Council passes bill to increase transparency for urban renewal areas (The Lo-Down)

Thoughts on "What About Me," Rachel Amodeo's drama shot in the East Village in the early 1990s, playing Dec. 27 and Jan. 1 as part of MoMa's "New York Film and Video: No Wave–Transgressive" series (The New Yorker)

Critic Robert Sietsema likes Gino Sorbillo Pizzeria, recently opened on the Bowery (Eater ... previously)

Incoming vendors at the New Essex Market include a new concept from Radouane Eljaouhari, who ran Zerza (and briefly, the dubious 'Merica) on Sixth Street (The Lo-Down)

A cinematic celebration for Jonas Mekas’s 95th birthday (Anthology Film Archives)

A feature on the mother-son who run Au Za’atar on Avenue A at 12th Street (The Daily Meal)

Some photos from the East Village Arts Festival at the Tompkins Square Library (Slum Goddess ... previously)

Essex Crossing rental will be named for Sonny Rollins (Curbed)

The Luke’s Lobster’s "Star Wars" giveaway (The Voice)

From the Gilded Age, Christmas in the tenements (Ephemeral New York)

And several EVG readers have shared crowdfunding campaigns currently underway for two East Village residents... Barbara Caporale, a longtime community gardener and activist who has lived in the neighborhood for 40 years, is in danger of losing her home. You can read about the campaign here. There's also a campaign for Jimmy Carbone, owner of the currently closed Jimmy's No. 43 on Seventh Street. The campaign is to help him cover medical treatment and other debts. Read about that here.

I Am a Rent-Stabilized Tenant

East Village resident Susan Schiffman has been photographing the apartments of rent-stabilized tenants living in the East Village for her Instagram account, I Am a Rent Stabilized Tenant. She will share some of the photos here for this ongoing EVG feature.



Photos and text by Susan Schiffman

Tenant: Johnny Rozsa, since 1999

When I moved here in 1999 I [started] living on Avenue A. I sublet from a friend of mine and I had that place on Avenue A for two years. It was a railroad apartment and it was really nice. I didn’t need an AC because there was a magical through breeze. When I moved out I found my present flat accidentally.

This apartment and the apartment next door were both available. The apartment next door had a basement. Mine has a sunroom, so I went for the greenhouse. That’s been there for like 30 or 40 years. I brought all of my stuff over, I just walked it all over from the other apartment.



What do you love about your apartment?

Even though it is tiny, it is warm and cozy in the winter. It’s got 12-foot ceilings ... so it doesn’t feel cramped. And it’s only me. I don’t need to be in LA in a 12-room mansion — I don’t need that. I’ve had that and it’s OK that I don’t have that now. I also had a little cabin in the woods in the middle of Beverly Hills. It was sort of like this.

What I love about this is I have the backyard and I have the Park in the front. Look at how quiet it is. I don’t hear sirens, I don’t hear anything. It’s quiet. It is dead quiet. I’ve got so many pluses. I don’t feel like I’m in New York City — I feel like I’m upstate somewhere.

It’s nice to have the greenhouse so the lemon tree will survive the winter. I love the mourning doves, hundreds of them, every day. It’s just like living in the country.

















If you're interested in inviting Susan in to photograph your apartment for an upcoming post, then you may contact her via this email.