Sunday, November 22, 2020
A car fire on 4th Street
Week in Grieview
Posts from this past week include ... (and photo on Avenue A by Derek Berg)...
• Bluestockings hosting limited-capacity opening this holiday season in new LES storefront (Monday)
• A visit to Van Da on 4th Street (Thursday)
• A visit to Raul's Barber Shop (Tuesday)
• The Bean reopens on Second Avenue (Tuesday)
• Here's a look at the final RBG mural on 1st Avenue and 11th Street (Friday)
• The East Village Holiday Crawl is underway (Friday)
• This week's Gallery Watch column (Wednesday)
• Reader reports: E. 10th St. Finest Deli will close next month (Wednesday)
• San Loco's liquor license has arrived on Avenue C (Friday)
• This week's NY See panel (Thursday)
• Tile Bar returns (Monday)
• Two-plus years after devastating fire, Yakiniku West reopens next week on 9th Street (Thursday)
• AO Bowl softly opens on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)
• A glimpse of the 10-story condoplex to come to 14 2nd Ave. (Monday)
• High winds damage outdoor dining spaces on St. Mark's Place (Monday)
• A full reveal at 639 E. 9th St. (Wedensday)
• Former psychic medium hits the rental market on 2nd Avenue (Monday)
• Former Mace space for rent on 12th Street (Thursday)
And as seen on First Avenue...... be open, be free! 
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My So-Called tag
Saturday, November 21, 2020
Quest to co-name part of St. Mark's Place after Jimmy Webb continues
As we first reported on Oct. 5, there's an ongoing campaign to co-name part of St. Mark's Place after the late Jimmy Webb.
The online petition is nearing 4,500 signatures, including Jimmy's friend Slash from Guns N' Roses.
Tomorrow (Sunday!), employees from Webb's former boutique, I Need More, will be on St. Mark's Place to collect more signatures to co-name the block between Second Avenue and Third Avenue Jimmy Webb Place
Webb, a familiar figure in the East Village during his long tenure as the manager and buyer at Trash & Vaudeville, died on April 14 of cancer. He was 62.
He started working at his dream destination, Trash & Vaudeville, in 1999, and remained there until the shop relocated from 4 St. Mark's Place to Seventh Street in 2016. He opened I Need More on Orchard Street in October 2017. That store closed this past summer.
The process of co-naming a street within the confines of Community Board 3 is explained on this PDF.
Live from the Fiore Escape tonight
Tonight, Lower East Side-based singer-songwriter Jill Fiore will host another live-music session from her fire escape.
Like her first show on Oct. 24, tonight's mini-concert will feature fellow musicians Jason Taylor and the Baron as well as a special guest.
She got the idea for the shows back in the spring as she was recovering from COVID-19 and went out on her fire escape for some fresh air, as she told Roger Clark at NY1 this week.
You can catch the Fiore Escape at 6 p.m. on Essex Street between Grand and Hester (above Delancey Car Service!) Per the invite: Attendees must wear a mask or face covering and remain at a social distance on the sidewalk below.
The show will also be streaming on Instagram Live via @soundandfiore.
Photo by Bob Krasner
Friday, November 20, 2020
A sidewalk sale on Houston and 1st Avenue
"Pressure' drop
In case you already haven't heard this 500,000 times since it was released late last month... here's Karen O and Willie Nelson ("the Duet We Didn’t Know We Needed in 2020") with their soothing acoustic cover of "Under Pressure."
Here's a look at the final RBG mural on 1st Avenue and 11th Street
Vinny & O shared the top photo... and Elle posed for a few photos afterwards (thanks Lola Saénz for these photos) ...
The artist wrote a statement on Instagram explaining all the elements of the mural of the late associate justice of the Supreme Court.
Earlier this month, workers removed Shepard Fairey's "Rise Above" mural that had been on this space for the past four years.
open prison
open prison
an open prison barred in by infection
some mask to avoid some run toward
same ol’ being the answer to you ok?
a voice on the radio says to stay home
don’t leave town as people head for their
summer cottage probably return when
the cold bites to the radiators rattle
gutter fair come eat where you
parked your car step inside
for infection free eating deny deny
parks are full at weekends picnics
ball thrown some caught masks few
why bother young outside death only
a skull on a halloween black t-shirt
how many more will be taken our
jailer is doing very well never better
•
peter radley
The East Village Holiday Crawl is underway
The East Village Independent Merchant Association (EVIMA) and Cooper Square Committee have teamed up for an East Village Holiday Crawl for five weeks this November and December.
There's a theme to each week highlighting different types of specialty businesses — now currently in the "books + music" week.
The organizations are encouraging residents to shop locally to support independent businesses that have had a very challenging year during the pandemic.
You can check out this link to see participating merchants and the deals they're offering through Dec. 13.
And the EVIMA Intagram account will provide daily updates.
San Loco's liquor license has arrived on Avenue C
However, the pandemic apparently slowed down the paperwork, and the quick-serve Tex-Mex restaurant only just received their liquor license yesterday.
EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there for the occasion as owners Jill and Kimo Hing and son Dietrich (top right) assembled the area where they'll be making drinks... including a variety of margaritas...
And the first drink ordered: a cactus-pear margarita on the rocks ...
San Loco is open daily here from 4 to 10 p.m. Follow them at Instagram via this link.
San Loco's East Village presence dates to 1986. Our previous post has more background.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• It's official: San Loco is returning to the East Village
• It's official: San Loco is returning to the East Village
Is a McDonald's opening in the former Zum Schneider space on Avenue C?
Updated 1:30 p.m.
Several readers who got a closer look at the sign say it's a fake — it looks Photoshopped and it's taped to the outside of the door, which is suspicious.
Updated 11/22
The sign has been removed.
At this very moment, we're not sure it this is legit or not — possibly someone trying to be funny. (Still thinking of the Hooters hoax at the former 2nd Ave Deli site way back in 2006.) We'll look to get verification on this.
Zum Schneider, the popular biergarten and restaurant, closed here after 20 years in late February. According to Zum Schneider owner Sylvester Schneider at the time, the co-op's lawyer here on Seventh Street stated that the building had no intention to renew the lease.
If this is true, then it will mark the third McDonald's in the neighborhood, joining the one on First Avenue at 14th Street and on First Avenue near Sixth Street. (The outpost on Third Avenue closed in June 2017.)
Thursday, November 19, 2020
Thursday's parting shot
Flyer alert: More about Love and Sex on 10th Street
While there were those among us who thought this might be in the "guy-looking-for-a-girlfriend" guy orbit, we are assured that this is quite legitimate.
So far, there has been a lot of interested participants contact the number after seeing the flyers (and our post!), according to a rep for the production.
"The flyer was intentionally a little vague to not reveal too much about the project — it's in early stages of development with Imagine and Talos Films," the rep said.
They're now actively casting for the documentary series that seeks to "authentically capture love and sex across 10th Street."
"We’re looking for folks from all walks of life, in all kinds of stages of partnership," the rep said.
And why this street?
"We picked 10th Street because it’s such a culturally and socioeconomically diverse cross section of the city, the battleground of the gay rights movement, and — anecdotally — a place where a lot of hookups/breakups/makeups take place!"
The email: tenthstreet@talosfilms.com
Grant Shaffer's NY See
Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC...
A visit to Van Da on 4th Street
Text and photos by Stacie Joy
There is something magical watching a close-knit team work together to create something.
In that light, I was pleased to arrive early enough at the elegant and modern Vietnamese restaurant Van Da, 234 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B, to watch the chefs prepare, taste, and perfect the day’s special, tôm rim shrimp. It’s a seafood dish cooked over high heat with caramelized fish sauce, peppers and toasted cashews, all served over broken rice, which executive chef Mary Celine Bui calls “tortured rice” due to the process that it undergoes to become “broken.”
The dish is tasted by all staff members and discussed (chef Jay Bui, Mary’s husband and partner in the kitchen, offers to add some green onions), and notes are jotted down to inform diners about the special, before the chefs make a new batch with modifications under the watchful eye of owner Yen Ngo.
Yen, Mary and Jay go through several iterations of the plate before Yen is satisfied that it is ready for her customers.
Away from the kitchen, bartender Andrew Pisano gets his station in order and begins to prep the cocktail specialty ingredients (Thai basil, bird-chili–infused mezcal, passionfruit) necessary to complement the food menu.
Your restaurant opened last year to critical acclaim (per the Times and Eater), yet you consider the space an approachable neighborhood local. What has the neighborhood’s response been?
We feel so fortunate to have such amazing writeups and to be recognized by the Michelin. It’s such an honor. Restaurant businesses are so hard, we love this kind of recognition plus the reviews of our guests.
I live in the East Village so I understand both what the neighborhood offers and lacks in term of restaurants. There is definitely a lack of Vietnamese restaurants that offer an interesting and authentic menu, but which also offer beautiful aesthetic atmosphere and great service.
With that said, we keep our prices very competitive with other neighborhood restaurants. Our appetizers start at $7 and noodle entree at $15. Our neighbors love us and have been back regularly. Many have told us that we are their hidden gem.
What has been the biggest challenge for you since the city approved outdoor dining back in the summer?
There are so many challenges…including creating and spending money on a completely new type of setting. It’s hard to spend the money, not knowing if you can get it back. We are at the mercy of the weather. When it rains, you’ve suddenly lost 50 percent of your reservations.
It’s extremely hard to break even on the small numbers of tables that we have for outdoor seating. Our food is so complicated that we still need the same number of kitchen staff if we do 90 guests or if we do 20 guests. There is no way to cut them, so therefore out labor cost is 50 percent of sale.
What is your biggest concern as we head into winter? Is 25 percent indoor dining along with some outdoor space sustainable?
This is definitely the biggest challenge. It’s hard for people to eat outside in the cold. However, I agree that we need to keep everyone safe.
As a business owner, I want to be able to survive but I also want what best for everyone, so it’s tough to navigate the steps on indoor dinning.
Your dining hours are limited, with the restaurant closed on Sundays and Mondays, and not open for lunch. What prompted these decisions?
We are located on a charming but very quiet street. It’s impossible for us to open for lunch and break even with the food and staff cost. If we were on Avenue B, that might work, but I am not sure if that is true either. We have tried to open Sundays but it was not successful. People love to eat Sunday brunch and comfort food, rather than exotic food. The truth is labor cost is so high that you can lose much more if you open on quiet days.
You always have a good soundtrack playing in the background. What do you think is the key to a pleasing restaurant ambiance?
We are in a dense neighborhood, it’s so important for us to make sure the people who live nearby are not constantly bother by loud music and worse — bad music. As a diner, I also am completely turned off by terrible and loud music so that you have to scream to be heard.
We are in a dense neighborhood, it’s so important for us to make sure the people who live nearby are not constantly bother by loud music and worse — bad music. As a diner, I also am completely turned off by terrible and loud music so that you have to scream to be heard.
Normally, I ask business owners about what’s next for them, what their plans are going forward. Knowing that we don’t know a lot about how the pandemic and its surrounding issues will play out, what are your thoughts on the restaurant industry as we look toward next year?
Wow, this is a tough one to answer. I am very worried about the restaurant industry altogether. There are already so many closures and will be many more the next few months. In January and February of 2020, we were doing extremely well and thought that we are going to make it and become a neighborhood destination.
But, of course, with the pandemic and now winter coming, it’s very scary. Our landlord is really nice, though, and has reached out to see how he can help us hang in there for the next four or five months. So, if we can keep the losses to a minimum and make it until April 2021, we might be OK.
In the meantime, we can work on increasing our carry-out business, as that will be the only safe way for guest to enjoy our food without worrying too much about eating inside.
Two-plus years after devastating fire, Yakiniku West reopens next week on 9th Street
The restaurant, which offers Japanese barbecue, will reopen next Wednesday (Nov. 25), according to its Instagram account.
And here's a quick look inside the door...
AO Bowl softly opens on St. Mark's Place
The Japanese health-food cafe AO Bowl is expected to (softly) open today at 82 St. Mark's Place on the southwest corner of First Avenue.
A rep for the quick-serve establishment says that this is the "first-ever cafe in the U.S. to use vacuum blenders to create vacuum-pressed smoothies and juice on premise."
And more via the EVG inbox...
Using Blendtec technology, which prevents the oxidation of fruits and vegetables, AO Bowl juices retain over 90 percent juice compared to about 60-70 percent in standard juicing. Vacuum blending removes the air from ingredients within the blender, allowing juices to retain the majority of their original vitamin and mineral content.A fully plant-based menu with keto and paleo-friendly options features locally sourced or homegrown items including oat milk, bean sprouts, acai, granola, and market bowls like Adzuki Rice with Kombu and Grilled Pineapple Yams.
Workers gutted this single-level structure on the corner ... dividing the storefront into several spaces. The other new tenant here will be the Brooklyn Dumpling Shop one of these days.
The previous single occupant, Foot Gear Plus, closed in July 2018 after 40 years in business.
Smoothie images via AO Bowl
Former Mace space for rent on 12th Street
Mace relocated from Ninth Street to this larger space in early 2019.
Double Wide closed at No. 503-505 in March 2018 (much to the relief of some neighbors). Noise issues have been persistent here dating back to the Mundial and Totem days.
Wednesday, November 18, 2020
Gallery Watch: Cotton Mouth by Tschabalala Self
Text and photos by Clare Gemima
Cotton Mouth by Tschabalala Self
Eva Presenhuber, 39 Great Jones St.
Cotton Mouth presents as a formal critique on projected viewings (or constructions) of Black bodies in America. This show is physically and figuratively in your face, hitting the nail on the head with what needs to be addressed socially and artistically right now.
The demand of this politically charged work is potent with its use of scale and installation method especially. Cotton Mouth is striking, hard-hitting and an exciting insight into the trajectory of young artist Tschabalala Self (1990, Harlem). This is her first solo show at the gallery.
As you walk into the beautiful space that is Eva Presenhuber on the historically rich Great Jones, you will quickly find yourself surrounded by mixed-media paintings made out of materials such as fabric, thread, charmeuse, silk, velvet, paper, pigment, acrylic and canvas that completely dominate the space.
Cotton Mouth also features sculptures, drawings and an audio work spread across the two gallery floors.
The title of the show and Self’s making process simultaneously speak to slavery, and the mutually exclusive relationship that cotton has with the African-American experience.
The title of the show and Self’s making process simultaneously speak to slavery, and the mutually exclusive relationship that cotton has with the African-American experience.
The act of these characters stitched and painted into the canvas by hand carry an emotional and personal significance to Self, while also speaking to the historical devastations of Black slave labor in America. Each constructed character holds power over their self-presentation and external perception unapologetically, an act of power that Black people in America are denied daily.
The work is so hard not to touch based on the array of different fabrics used and sewn together. What was hard for me to believe is that through stitching and constructing, Self has made characters that undeniably hold their own presence and somehow even look different in age and personified life experience.
The work is so hard not to touch based on the array of different fabrics used and sewn together. What was hard for me to believe is that through stitching and constructing, Self has made characters that undeniably hold their own presence and somehow even look different in age and personified life experience.
Self has impeccably built each and everyone of these characters from scratch whether it be Lil Mama 2 with her plaid and tulle fringed pants or the two lovers in Sprewell that kiss in front of an incredible photo transferred TV. One of the characters even wears the artist’s actual jeans.
Self’s practice marries her interests in the psychological and emotional effects of projected fantasy with her sustained articulation of Black life and embodiment. Seeing every hand stitch in Self’s work shows the viewer how painstaking and timely it is to create. The labor in each stitch holds affection, memory and protection according to the artist, and I feel as though the painted hands directly applied to the gallery’s walls touch on this too.
Self’s practice marries her interests in the psychological and emotional effects of projected fantasy with her sustained articulation of Black life and embodiment. Seeing every hand stitch in Self’s work shows the viewer how painstaking and timely it is to create. The labor in each stitch holds affection, memory and protection according to the artist, and I feel as though the painted hands directly applied to the gallery’s walls touch on this too.
Cotton Mouth by Tschabalala Self is showing at Eva Presenhuber until Dec. 19
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Clare Gemima is a visual artist from New Zealand. New-ish to the East Village, she spends her time as an artist assistant and gallery go-er, hungry to explore what's happening in her local art world. You can find her work here: claregemima.com
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