No Dollface for the former Bar Virage space on 2nd Avenue

Dollface, Ravi DeRossi's vegan-diner concept, will have to find a home elsewhere.

A for-rent sign now hangs at the former Bar Virage on Second Avenue at Seventh Street.

Back in February, DeRossi appeared before Community Board 3 for a full liquor license for the space. However, CB3 issued a denial, citing among other reasons, its proximity to Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

But didn't Bar Virage have a full liquor license? Yes. Per the CB3 minutes from February:

Community Board 3 does not know whether a determination was made by the SLA about this house of worship when the previous applicant was considered for a full on-premises liquor license but believes that a full on-premises liquor should not now be approved within the proximity of this location to a longstanding house of worship in this community...

The minutes note, too, that "this applicant has also failed to submit any indication of its outreach to the community or support by the community for this application through petition signatures or other means."

In an email on Saturday, DeRossi confirmed that he will be looking for another spot for Dollface in the East Village.

Bar Virage closed in late December after 20-plus years in business. No reason was cited for the closure.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Ravi DeRossi plans vegan diner in former Bar Virage space

Call me by your...: Gallery-cafe combo By Name opening on the Bowery

By Name, an "art-inspired cafe concept," is coming soon at 324 Bowery near Bleecker Street.

The space will sell a variety of fruit-milk teas and bento boxes...



The By Name Instagram account states that their goal is to "create a contemporary art community for emerging artists to gain more exposure."





This space was once Agozar!, the Cuban bistro-bar that closed in November 2017. The other part of the former Agozar! is now Codex, which sells used and new books with a focus on literary fiction and art.

Sugar Sketch has closed on 2nd Street

Sugar Sketch, the bakery-cake shop on Second Street, has closed. A for-rent sign now hangs on the storefront between Avenue A and Avenue B. (Thank you to Salim for the photo!)

There's no mention of a closure on the Sugar Sketch website or social media properties.

Last spring, owner-baker Martina Nardo closed the space to retail business (though walk-ins with small orders were welcome), focusing on her catering operation instead.

The small bakery opened here in the fall of 2016. You can read our Q&A with Nardo here.

The Blind Pig wraps up 13 years on 14th Street

The Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub (home to Arsenal supporters in the English Premier League), closed after service Saturday night at 233 E. 14th St.

As previously reported, the owners of the 13-year-old Blind Pig were hit with an untenable rent increase.

There's a Loopnet listing for the space between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. The asking rent is $300,000 annually — $25k per month.

The closing festivities Saturday night included a set by the house band "previously called A Buncha Guys, now called: F*ck the L*ndl*rd," per the Facebook invite.

Public records list the landlord as the Berliza Corp.


[Image via Facebook]

Previously on EV Grieve:
The Blind Pig is closing on 14th Street following 50% rent hike

The Alley signage arrives on Cooper Square; more bubble tea on the way

Signage is up at 68 Cooper Square (across from Cooper Union) for The Alley, marking the first NYC location for the growing Taiwanese bubble tea chain.

Cutting and pasting this next section via Eater, who first reported on the Alley's June arrival:

With the aid of social media, Alley’s Instagrammable sweet drinks and decor have attracted fervent milk tea lovers to line up for hours for a sip of tea whenever a new store opens. Chinese people coin tea shops like the Alley as the “internet celebrity tea,” meaning the tea goes viral overnight on social media, like internet celebrities.

In the upcoming New York Alley, customers can pick a drink from a menu of two dozens teas that range from bubble tea to fruit tea. “Brown sugar deerioca” — the brand’s logo is a deer head — is a signature milk-based sweet drink with no tea in it. Alley’s other popular drinks are made of fresh milk and local black or green tea. The tapioca pearls, or what the Alley calls deerioca, are made by the restaurant.

The Alley abandons artificial syrup, instead using a syrup it makes from Taiwanese brown cane sugar. All the ingredients, save for fresh fruits, will be imported from Taiwan.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Alley Tea (@thealley.usa) on May 17, 2019 at 11:00am PDT

Sunday's parting shot

A moment at the Ukrainian Festival festival today on Seventh Street... photo by Derek Berg

Week in Grieview

[1st Avenue looking south toward 11th Street via Vinny & O]

Report: Ex admits to murdering Elizabeth Lee on Cooper Square (Friday)

Trader Joe's finally confirms that a Trader Joe's is opening on 14th Street at Avenue A (Wednesday)

A visit to Sei Shin Dojo on Avenue A (Friday)

Keeping up with the Joneses: Gabriel Stulman confirms plans for former Great Jones Cafe (Wednesday)

Update on the affordable housing planned for 204 Avenue A and 535 E. 12th St. (Wednesday)

The all-new Essex Market debuts in its new Essex Crossing home (Tuesday)

Prepping the former P.C. Richard & Son for demolition on 14th Street (Friday)

'The First Time I Saw The Ramones' at 72 Gallery (Tuesday)

The former Grassroots Tavern space on St. Mark's Place is on the market (Thursday)

2020 vision: New completion set for Rite Aid-adjacent condoplex on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

54-56 3rd Ave. is for sale, and there are air rights (Wednesday)

Emergency generator work underway at the Riis Houses on Avenue D (Wednesday)

Concern over new GreenThumb regulations for community gardens (Friday)

Nexus of the Juiciverse: Juicy Lucy's kiosk at 1st and 1st returns to action (Tuesday)

Meet Noodles debuts on 3rd Avenue (Thursday)

This week's NY See strip! (Monday)

A look at 119-121 2nd Ave. post sidewalk-bridge collapse (Monday)

Report: Microsoft signs lease for gas-station replacing office building on Lafayette and Houston (Thursday)

Ravi DeRossi's Fire & Water is closed for now on 7th Street (Monday)

Headless Widow signage arrives on 1st Avenue (Friday)

Jackdaw, coming soon to the former Durden space on 2nd Avenue (Monday)

Demolition watch: 238 E. 3rd St. (Tuesday)

Sandwicherie has closed on 4th Avenue and 13th Street; doomed corner status yet? (Monday)

With a new menu, Little Tong dropping the Noodle Shop on 1st Avenue (Thursday)

3 chances to hear about the city's plan to stormproof East River Park — and the East Side (Monday)

Steiner East Village retail watch on Avenue A (Thursday)

Bright Horizons signage arrives at EVGB on 14th Street (Monday)

Portraits from DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday)

... and a few photos via Steven from the 13th Annual Dance Parade yesterday along St. Mark's Place...













... and one last reader submission from the DanceFest yesterday in Tompkins Square Park... though he's technically not dancing...



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A ride to raise awareness for a protected two‑way bike lane on Avenue B

Tomorrow morning, a group of neighborhood parents and their children will gather for a bike ride to school... in show of support for a protected two‑way bike lane on Avenue B.

As we first reported on April 15, a movement is underway to secure bike lanes on Avenue B, an increasingly congested 14-block corridor currently without any marked paths for cyclists such as on Avenue A and Avenue C.

The idea came about via parents who bike their children to area schools — including the East Village Community School, the Children's Workshop School, Tompkins Square Middle School, the Earth School and East Side Community High School.

You can read more via a petition at this link.

As for tomorrow (Monday) morning, there are now two start locations — Grand and Clinton and the Stuy Town-14th Street loop just north of Avenue B.

Here's part of the invite:

Will you ride your bike with us on the morning of Monday, May 20 as New Yorkers come together to demand a safe, protected two‑way bike lane on Avenue B?

We invite East Village neighbors on a family-paced group ride of solidarity with parents who are already biking their children to school, just in time for morning drop-off. We’ll end our ride at local bike-friendly business The Roost, at 222 Avenue B, for an optional cup of coffee afterwards.

If you haven’t already, please sign our #BikeAveB online petition for a two‑way protected bike lane and join hundreds of families who are already asking for safer way to bike to school.

[Photo by Sam Bleiberg]

Previously on EV Grieve:
Making the case for 2-way bike lanes on Avenue B

The gates are open: You may visit the New York City Marble Cemetery today on 2nd Street

It's the first Neighborhood Open Day of the year today at the New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Here are the spring-summer open days here:

• Sunday, May 19
• Saturday June 15
• Sunday, July 14
• Saturday August 17

The cemetery is open on those days from noon to 6 p.m.

Read more about the history of this space at this link.

Meanwhile, here are the spring-summer open days for the New York Marble Cemetery at 41 1/2 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street:

• Sunday, May 26
• Sunday, June 30
• Sunday, July 28
• Sunday, Aug. 25

The cemetery is open those days from noon to 4 p.m.

Saturday's parting shot

Stormtroopers? Here? We're in danger. Photo along the Dance Parade route on St. Mark's Place today by Derek Berg...

Dancers in the Park

Hundreds of dancers took part in the DanceFest in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon at the conclusion of the 13th annual Dance Parade... EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there to capture some of the participants...

Reminders: the Dance Parade and DanceFest is today!

As you've likely noticed, barricades are up along St. Mark's Place (above) ahead of the 13th annual Dance Parade (and DanceFest!) this afternoon.

The parade begins at 1 p.m. at 21st Street and Broadway, and will feature live bands, DJs and a lot of dancers — more than 80 styles of dance and nearly 200 groups. (This link has a list of all the participants.)



The route eventually passes Astor Place and moves along St. Mark's Place ... wrapping up in Tompkins Square Park... where DanceFest 2019 happens from 3-7 p.m. "with choreographed performances, dance lessons, aerial and social dance – on five stages, all free to the public."

Rain date today for the annual 6th Street and Avenue B Community Garden plant and bake sale

Last Sunday, the annual 6th Street and Avenue B Community Garden plant and bake sale got rained out... so, they'll be hosting a do-over today from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Per the invite:

This is a fundraiser and the proceeds from sales goes to fund the 6&B Events Program that brings you FREE Events-Music, workshops, poetry, screenings and much more throughout the Summer months! Help support us — buy a plant, a yummy home-made baked good, a T-shirt and more!

Happening today: The 4th Annual Lower Eastside Girls Club Comix Fest

Via the EVG inbox...

The 4th Annual Lower Eastside Girls Club Comix Fest!
Saturday, May 18
11 a.m. - 4 p.m.
At the Lower Eastside Girls Club, 402 E. Eighth St. at Avenue D.

Meet the women (and men) who write and illustrate some of your favorite characters, including our host Fly Orr, Javier Cruz Winnik, the Fearless Feminists, Isabella Bannerman, Katherine Arnoldi, Women in Comics NYC Collective International, Bronx Heroes, the Spicy Mangoes & more artists & creatives TBA!

Comix Market:
Discover the coolest comics and zines available for sale.

Workshops:
Stop by our comics workshops and drawing stations led by NYC comic art professionals, Girls Club instructors and members (for kids of all ages!)

Learn how to make mini comics, create characters, develop story ideas, get drawing tips or just have fun reclaiming your power and creativity with crayons and sharpies!