Today in epic poems discarded on 2nd Avenue

Derek Berg spotted a copy of "Hermann and Dorothea" up for grabs on Second Avenue... hard to read the inscription, dated 1883, because of the lack of emojis...

Out and About in the East Village 2017 recap and news about 2018

On Aug. 1, 2012, we introduced a new feature by East Village-based photographer James Maher called Out and About in The East Village. The feature, which provided a snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village, is going on hiatus. Here's more from James:

Thanks everyone for helping create this nearly five-and-a-half-year Out and About project. I'm going to have to step back from it for awhile as my wife is due soon with our first child, which we're really excited about.

It's been an incredible experience that has taught me so much more about the spirit of this neighborhood. I can't imagine there are many other places where I could run outside for 30 minutes or an hour and come across such inspiring and interesting people, week in and week out, so willing and enthusiastic to stop and chat about their lives and the neighborhood.

There were many weeks where I was overworked or tired and not feeling like standing on a street corner, and those were always the times where I came back having shared a small moment with the most incredible people. I would often walk back feeling so much more inspired and energetic than when I had walked out the door.

Thanks to everyone who has stopped for an interview and opened up to a complete stranger. I hope I did you all justice — I definitely tried my best. Thanks to everyone's comments each week, of which I read every one of them. And thanks to Grieve for the sharp editing and advice. It's been a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

And now, here's the 2017 recap...



Jan. 11 — Ali Sahin

Jan. 18 — Eric Rignall

Feb. 1 — Lola Sáenz

Feb. 8 — Lola Sáenz, Part 2

Feb. 15 — Delphine Blue

Feb. 22 — Delphine Blue, Part 2

March 1 — Mark Seamon

March 8 — Merle Ratner

March 22 — Jennifer Brodsky

April 5 — Terry and Harmony

April 12 — Elizabeth Atnafu

April 19 — James, the Leather Man

May 3 — anonymous

May 18 — Gustavo Roldan

May 24 — Jerry Shea

June 1 — Roberta Bayley (and Stella)

June 14 and June 21 — Miss Joan Marie Moossy

June 28 — Sierra Gilboe Zamarripa (and Cecilia)

July 12 — Grace Kang

July 19 — Brian Breger (and Molly)

Aug. 9 — Puma Perl

Aug. 16 — Heidi

Aug. 23 — Felix Velazquez

Aug. 30 — David Anderson

Sept. 20 — Pepe Flores

Sept. 27 and Oct. 4 — Nancy Blum

Oct. 18 — Jay Yang

Oct. 25 and Nov. 2 — Siobhan Meow

Nov. 8 — Margie Segal

Nov. 15 — Ronald Rayford

Dec. 6 — Holly DeRito and Tulip

And previous recaps by year:

• 2012 here

• 2013 here

• 2014 here

• 2015 here

• 2016 here

Neapolitan Express pulling into 29 2nd Ave.

Late last month we noted that a pizzeria was coming to the empty retail space at 29 Second Ave.

Reps for Neapolitan Express are on CB3's SLA committee docket in January for a beer-wine license for the space between First Street and Second Street. As of now, only the application, which doesn't provide as many operational details as the questionnaire, is on the CB3 website.

Neapolitan Express, a growing chain that started as a food truck in 2013, is also opening an outpost adjacent to the Ed Sullivan Theater in Midtown. Their other locations are in East Harlem and on Wall Street.

A post shared by Neapolitan Express NY (@neaexpress) on Dec 21, 2017 at 9:19am PST

Here's more about them via the Neapolitan website:

Originally launched in 2013 as the world’s first Eco Friendly Food Truck, Neapolitan Express was officially introduced by lead investors, energy innovators and business tycoons T. Boone Pickens of Clean Energy Fuels. Powered entirely by alternative energies, the Neapolitan Express pizza truck reduces greenhouse gases by up to 99%. Our patent-pending fueling technology fully powers truck operations, while simultaneously cuts down pollutants to a fraction.

The Cock moved moved a few blocks north from No. 29 in December 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Pizza in the mix for former Cock space on 2nd Avenue

Classic Man Barber Lounge coming to 9th Street

A small sign is up for Classic Man Barber Lounge on one of the renovated storefronts at 445 E. Ninth St.

Here's more about them via their Facebook page: "A premium barber shop offering New York's professional and progressive gentlemen excellence glooming services in a therapeutic and multicultural environment." The shop's website points to an early 2018 opening.

This will be the fourth business to take up occupancy in Icon Realty's renovated storefronts here along Ninth Street at Avenue A ... joining Poke N' Roll, Beetlebug and Mahalo New York Bakery. GelARTo anchors the corner slot.

As for Classic Man, they will provide another option in a fairly crowded nearby hair-cutting market, including Neighborhood Barbers a few doors away at 439 E. Ninth St. Bonefade Barbers recently opened at 115 Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. Also nearby: Three Seat Espresso & Barber at 137 Avenue A between St. Mark's and Ninth Street and Ben's Barbers at 217 Avenue A between 13th Street and 14th Street. There are three barbers/salons on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue as well as Ace of Cuts on Sixth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Thanks to Steven for the photo!

Crunch time at the Kellogg's NYC Café on Union Square

The Kellogg's NYC Café has been up and running on the northern section of Union Square since Dec. 14.

The space on the second level of 31 E. 17th St. (above the AT&T store) offers bowls of cereal (there's a a DIY cereal-creation station) as well as Pop Tarts and a variety of coffees and teas.

EVG reader Harry Weiner stopped in for a quick look...





Harry said that the cafe wasn't crowded ... other observations: "actually an inefficient use of space in terms of seating... and merchandise for sale. I wasn’t tempted to eat anything. I can’t imagine that sales will cover the rent."

Here are the current specialty bowls of cereal via the Kellogg's NYC Café website...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Oh Gr-r-reat! Kellogg's cafe opening slightly delayed on Union Square

Pizza Rollio bringing its skinny slices to 9th Street

[Photo via Steven]

Pizza Rollio is opening an outpost on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue, where it will sell its super-thin, arugula-topped pizza served in long strips that patrons can roll up.

The pizzeria is owned by Miyuki Talwar and her family, who run similar establishments in the Philippines.

This will be the third Pizza Rollio in the city, joining the Plaza Hotel Food Hall and on West 18th Street.

Here's more about their pizza from the Daily News in 2016:

In a city with pizzerias on almost every corner, Pizza Rollio serves the seemingly impossible: a totally unique pie. Its rectangular creations are light and delicate — built on paper-thin sheets of dough that are baked and sliced into wide ribbons perfect for wrapping around peppery bites of alfalfa sprouts and arugula, the salad-y condiment served with every order.

(God)mother knows best! Try "The Godmother" today, made with fresh figs, blue cheese, and mozzarella. Double tap if you'd like to try a roll! #pizza #nycpizza #theplazafoodhall #theplazahotel #igfood #pizzarollio #🍕

A post shared by Pizza Rollio (@pizzarollio) on Aug 23, 2015 at 10:02am PDT

And via DNAinfo when Pizza Rollio opened an outpost on West 18th Street early this year:

In addition to its classic margherita pie, Pizza Rollio serves specials like “The Godmother" topped with fig, gorgonzola and mozzarella; the “Eggs Benedict” topped with Canadian bacon, fresh egg, chives and hollandaise sauce; and the “Mushroom Truffle Madness,” with mushrooms, truffle oil and mozzarella.

This storefront on Ninth Street was previously the longtime home of the salon Crops for Girls.

Malcriada morphing into Bar Taco on Avenue C

Malcriada, a self-described "Latino Gastropub," is closed for now at 185 Avenue C near 12th Street.

There's signage up for a new venture called Bar Taco. Not sure if the same operators are behind the next iteration of this space.

Malcriada opened on Super Bowl Sunday, replacing Kaz, which closed after nearly seven months in December 2016. Before that, Cafecito operated for 14 years. The Cuban-specialty restaurant closed at the end of January 2016.

Report: The SBS15 has the worst on-time arrival in the MTA fleet

[Old EVG photo]

Comptroller Scott Stringer’s office released details back on Friday on the city's slowest and most chronically late bus routes.

A familiar route is atop one of the lists. As the Post reported, the analysis tagged the SBS15, which goes between East Harlem and South Ferry via First or Second Avenue, with the worst on-time performance: 34 percent.

You can read Stringer's full report here.

Former Wall 88 space for rent on 2nd Avenue

The for lease sign arrived late last week at 104 Second Ave. at Sixth Street, where Wall 88 last conducted bar-restaurant business.

This officially brings an end to Wall 88, whose gates closed for good in late October. However, there was never any official closing announcement ... and the agency Wall 88's owners hired to do their social media apparently never got the news... generic happy hour and brunch messages continue to populate Wall 88's Facebook...



The restaurant serving pub fare opened back in March. There was a quick turnaround here after Lions BeerStore closed following 16 months in operation.

P.S.

Bring back Bamboo House to this corner (because someone always brings this up)!


[Photo via Jeremiah Moss]

Window watch at 32 E. 1st St.

Here's an end of the year look at 32 E. First St. (aka 24 Second Ave.), the 10-story 31-unit condoplex at the site of a former BP station... the windows are (mostly) all in... soon enough, we'll see that advertised limestone exoskeleton ...



Sales started in September, with homes ranging from $1.175 million to $8.7 million. There will be ground-floor retail too.


[Via CityReality]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Check out the new 10-story building for the former 2nd Avenue BP station

2nd Avenue residential complex now complete with renderings on the plywood