Eden shared the photo, noting: "Not enough business, and the rent is too high."
The pizzeria, which arrived here as F&F in late 2011, served budget-friendly 99-cent slices and other items like Jamaican beef patties.
Monday, March 29, 2021
F&M Slice Pizza has closed on Avenue C
You can bet your bottom dollar that you'll find things for $1 and more here
Signage also promises toys, pet supplies, party supplies (balloons, much like the ones at the front door, and wrapping paper, not White Claw Variety Packs)...
Longtime tenant JAM Paper & Envelope closed here in January 2018 after 25 years in business. The company closed its storefronts in a shift to e-commerce.
Sunday, March 28, 2021
Week in Grieview
• Donations for Ryo, who returned home after a months-long hospitalization to find an empty apartment with new locks (Thursday)
• A walk around inside the long-abandoned — and ghoulishly beautiful — P.S. 64 (Thursday)
• Hate crime arrest made in assault of Asian woman on Astor Place (Tuesday)
• A visit to First Avenue Laundry Center (Tuesday)
• The shirtwaist dress on the Bowery (Wednesday)
• On the runway along Avenue B (Tuesday)
• More scaffolding — and now demolition — for this troubled Avenue C corner (Friday)
• Van Da to treat NYC's 'Warrior Women' to dinner on its 1st night back (Friday)
• This week's NY See finds a lovingly cradled bottle of wine (Thursday)
• Gallery Watch heads to Canada (Wednesday)
• Report: Hate crime investigation on Allen Street as 66-year-old Asian man assaulted (Sunday)
• Bagel Boss to preside in storefronts on 14th Street, East Houston (Monday)
• There's now a sidewalk bridge outside Cafe Himalaya (Tuesday)
• The disappearing pay phones along Avenue A (Wednesday)
• 2 break-ins on 7th Street (Friday)
• This new map will immerse you in the neighborhood's Greek Revival style (Friday)
• Planet Taco now orbiting 2nd Avenue (Monday)
• With lease up, Squish Marshmallows will look for a new home (Monday)
... and someone decided to toss a rock through an Avenue A-side window at Union Market last night ...
And now, YOUR NEW RITE AID SIGNAGE ON 1ST AVENUE
As you can see, gone are the blue and red chevron color blocks (sob!) with a new blue and green (Seattle Seahawks-esque) logo that includes a graphic of a mortar and pestle with an herbal sprig.
This "integrated rebranding effort is part of Rite Aid’s RxEvolution strategy ... to transform the company into the leading whole health destination that treats mind, body and spirit," per a press release.
Saturday, March 27, 2021
Tokio7 reopens today
Tokio7, the consignment shop on Seventh Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue, reopens to the public today.
Since January, they had only been selling online and taking in-person appointments.
Moving forward, they'll be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily... only five people inside at a time... and cash only at the moment.
The shop closed late this past August ... several months after someone looted the place.
Tokio7, which sells second-hand designer and vintage clothing, shoes and accessories, debuted on the other side of Seventh Street in 1996 ... before moving to this location in 2010.
---
And if you're on this block, you could swing by Enz's. Owner-designer Mariann Marlowe opened her rockabilly and retro clothes shop at 76 E. Seventh St. in December.
Marlowe had previously operated the shop at 125 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place for 18 years after relocating from St. Mark's Place. (The store dates to the 1970s on Grove Street.)
Exploring Planet Taco
Last evening, Eater critic Robert Sietsema shared his thoughts on the place...
Excerpt!
The menu became bewildering in its length. There are 13 Mexican tacos, 3 tacos representing American cities, 4 national tacos, and 3 named after planets. As if that weren’t enough, 11 sauces are available in a rainbow of colors. Beyond that, there are soups, burritos, Mexican rice, grilled fruit, fajitas, fried calamari, avocado fries and regular fries, quesadillas, bowls, nachos, tres leches cake, and dessert tacos.Ownership plans to whittle down the menu items as soon as they see what's moving.
And?
I’m pleased to report the Mexican tacos are generally solid, and priced on par with the neighborhood at $3.75 to $6. Naturally, there’s birria. The corn tortilla has been dipped, the consomme deeply flavored, and the meat copious, though not as tender as it might be. Even with this slight defect, it’s the best birria taco in the East Village.
However, the al pastor was better in the Mexican category, with a painstaking micro dice of fresh pineapple on top. The chorizo was actually made with intact sausage rather than the usual ground sausage, and it flung off a bit of heat; while the adobo chicken, coated with a lackadaisical red sauce, was a bit dry; it was the only one we wouldn’t gladly order again.
The quick-serve shop is open daily from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Find the menu here.
Photo on March 20 by Steven
March 26
EVG reader 8E shared the above pic from last night on Astor Place and Broadway.
In this era of disinformation, deep fakes and alternate trees, 8E did attempt to verify the date of the find, though could only secure a paper from March 25.
Friday, March 26, 2021
Friday's parting shot
Remembering the two men who died that day, March 26, 2015:
The 'Sweet' hereafter
Japanese Breakfast (aka Michelle Zauner) released a single earlier this month... ahead of a new record out on June 4... the video, an homage to "The X-Files," is for "Be Sweet" ...
Pinc Louds to play Tompkins Square Park tomorrow (Saturday!) afternoon
Lead singer Claudi played a solo set last Saturday in the Park ... where Steven took the top pic... and Stacie Joy the one below...
Previously on EV Grieve:
This new map will immerse you in the neighborhood's Greek Revival style
Village Preservation has unveiled an impressive new interactive map celebrating the many examples of Greek Revival architecture in Greenwich Village, the East Village, NoHo and beyond (look for guest appearances from Staten Island, Brooklyn Heights and Chelsea).
The launch coincides this week with the 200th anniversary of the beginning of the Greek War of Independence, which helped inspire Greek Revival architecture in America, where the young democracy looked to the world's first democracy and its struggle for independence as a template for architectural expression.
Local entries that showcase the Greek Revival style include Colonnade Row on Lafayette Street, St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery and what's now the East Village's Sixth Street Community Synagogue (originally the Evangelical Lutheran Church of St. Matthew, pictured above).
"You'll find many other familiar landmarks, as well as some obscure ones and surprises, as well as great Greek Revival buildings of these neighborhoods which have been lost over the years, and some of the original Ancient Greek models that inspired them," said Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman in an email. "It's a great way to mark the anniversary of an event that took place over 5,000 miles away which nevertheless had such a profound effect right here at home and can still see today."
You can access the map and more history at this link.
More scaffolding — and now demolition — for this troubled Avenue C corner
"Activity at the corner again. At first, it sounded like they were finally taking down the sidewalk shed, but they're actually putting up additional barriers and appear to be readying for construction work of some kind."
As previously reported, residents have long complained about the drug activity on this corner. On Jan. 18, a 36-year-old man was shot and killed here. According to published reports, the man was shot multiple times around 8:40 p.m. Since then, the NYPD has parked a patrol car here.
The sidewalk bridge has helped give cover to any activity here... for the past eight-plus years.
At one point, there were plans for this corner... with the filing of permits with the city in July 2005 for a new 6-floor residential building here. The city disapproved the plans in May 2006, and nothing more happened with the project.
However, the landlord filed a permit in the fall of 2017 with the DOB to "rebuild exterior walls; replace windows and sistering of floor joists to address" the various violations on file.
And now — several years after the initial repair work? According to newly issued work permits, there are plans to "partially demolish the building." In January, there was a permit — since withdrawn — to demolish the building's "second, third and roof floors."
Public records list the landlord as Abraham Benelyahou of Fairfax Management Corp. In 2014, the Daily News referred to him as "Manhattan's worst landlord."
[Via Google in 2010]
Van Da to treat NYC's 'Warrior Women' to dinner on its 1st night back
Photo of Yen Ngo from November by Stacie Joy Van Da, the modern Vietnamese restaurant at 234 E. Fourth St., reopens April 1 here between Avenue A and Avenue B.
And on the opening night, owner Yen Ngo plans to honor the women who have helped "lift our city up and forward."
She explains in an Instagram post:
Throughout history, women have always carried communities forward, uplifting one another, providing life and nourishment in all forms (and hardly get the credit for it.) History repeats itself again throughout this pandemic, hearing so many stories about women who have lifted their communities and led the way through a worldwide crisis, offering hope and inspiration to those around them.
We've been mulling over ways to re-open in exactly 1 week on April 1st that honor what NYC has fought through and, at the same time, honor the women who have held the torch to lift our city up and forward.
On Thursday, April 1, we are dedicating our opening night to treat 75 of these heroic women and a companion to thank them for their courage, resilience, and leadership with a special fixed menu and wine pairing.
Please help us treat our local NY Warrior Women to an evening out by nominating them ...
The deadline to nominate someone is 8 p.m. on Monday. And you need to do it on Van Da's Instagram account.
Previously on EV Grieve:
2 break-ins on 7th Street
As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reports, the thief broke into Peter Jarema Funeral Home, where he trashed the office and made off with several iPads and laptops.
As Danny Buzzetta, Jarema's owner/director, notes, they're not a cash business.
Meanwhile, at Ruffian Wine Bar, the thief took cash, electronic items and personal stuff, per partner/co-owner Patrick Cournot ...
Ruffian had released a montage on Instagram Stories of the suspect from surveillance footage ...
In more positive developments: Fawzy and Ola at B&H Dairy on Second Avenue reported on Instagram yesterday that the NYPD has arrested the thief who broke into and robbed the lunch counter (he took the entire register with its $500) this past November.
Per their post: "He was caught due to fingerprints left in the restaurant. He's facing up to eight years in prison. Apparently, the same perp had robbed several other businesses in the neighborhood, one on St. Mark's and another on Avenue C."
Reopenings: Double Down Saloon on A
The bar, the sibling to the Las Vegas original, is now open from 4-11 p.m. under the current 50-percent capacity and other COVID protocols here between Second Street and Houston.
This post has a list of some other recent reopenings.
Thursday, March 25, 2021
Thursday's parting shots
Donations for Ryo, who returned home after a months-long hospitalization to find an empty apartment with new locks
Sierra Zamarripa, the owner of Lovewild Design, 136 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street, is collecting donations for a longtime resident who came home after being hospitalized with COVID-19 only to find new locks on the door to a now-empty apartment.
Here's more via Sierra:
I am reaching out in hopes of finding support for our neighbor Ryo.
A few months ago Ryo was taken away by ambulance ... some weeks after that a crew was in the hallway cleaning out his apartment and we thought he had died. In fact, a friend of his set up a memorial to him in front of his building at 133 Avenue D asking if anyone knew what had happened to him.
Yesterday Ryo returned home after hospitalization and months of COVID rehabilitation. He arrived to the building to find his locks changed and his apartment emptied out except for his piano and tortoise, who was left alone for months.
Ryo had worked throughout the pandemic as a restaurant worker. He has no shoes, no toothbrush, no documents or ID, no passport, no fridge or stove.
He needs assistance to get his life back and move forward.If you are able to contribute non-monetary donations, we'll be collecting donations at Lovewild Design. We’re open 12-6 p.m. Wednesday to Sunday.
He's medium build, wears men's 9.5/10 shoes wide, 38 waist and cannot take in perishable food yet until building management installs a fridge.
Here's a spreadsheet on what has been donated.
There's also a GoFundMe now at this link.
Ryo lives at 133 Avenue D between Ninth Street and 10th Street in a building said to partially owned by former Yankee Alex Rodriguez. Ryo did stay in the apartment last night thanks to a donated mattress. It's unclear at the moment if he will be able to stay there moving forward.
Updated 8:30 p.m.
Page Six has more on the story, including that Barbara Corcoran is also an owner of the building.
A rep for Corcoran defended their actions, saying they "made every effort to locate the Resident including calling local hospitals and contacting Adult Protective Services.""After APS was alerted to the situation, an APS caseworker was assigned to the Resident," the rep, Mitchell Kossoff, said. "Despite the effort of the APS caseworker and this office, the Resident could not be located and the apartment was cleaned by a company that specialized in bio clean-up services on Feb. 17, 2021. in conformity with all governing regulations."
Gothamist has a report here.
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 walk around inside the long-abandoned — and ghoulishly beautiful — P.S. 64
Photos by Stacie Joy
There have been reader reports lately of people inside the school, including on the roof. The FDNY responded to a fire here in December.
The other day, EVG contributor Stacie Joy, accompanied by a friend, walked through the wide-open gate to look around the former school and Charas/El Bohio Community Center. (The plywood has since been shored up, cutting off this entry.)
After seeing her photos, I asked Stacie for more about what she saw inside the school, which developer Gregg Singer bought in a city auction in 1998.
Why did you decide to enter the former P.S. 64?
It was kind of a whim. I’d heard reports of what was going on inside and I was, as a photojournalist and longtime East Village resident, curious…and the door was open.
I originally planned just to take some shots of the exterior but when I saw I could get inside the building I decided to document it for posterity. I have a history of getting into places and I felt it was important to see — and share — what was inside.
What did you first notice after entering the building?
The smell! It’s pretty unpleasant. A mix of urine and funk, with top notes of mold/mildew and, I think, animal death and decay. I also keyed into the sounds…there is a lot of dripping noise, echoes and scurrying and flapping from the animal inhabitants. Hundreds of pigeons live inside, plus the rats.
It’s almost pitch-black as you enter and there are shards of broken glass everywhere. There is evidence of other people bleeding from getting caught in the shattered glass or broken planks and exposed nails. I could also hear and feel the wind as it moved through the building. It was eerie and spooky and ghoulishly beautiful. It had a bit of a post-apocalyptic feel to it, at least until you made it up to the roof.
Based on your photos here featuring discarded cans of spray paint and fresh graffiti, it appears people have been inside recently. Did you see any evidence of anyone who may be living inside? Did you think anyone else may have been present while you were there — perhaps just hidden from view?
I did not see evidence of anyone living in there. I didn’t want to disturb anyone who may be living inside, and I wanted to be as respectful of the space as possible for an uninvited guest. There are, I think, six floors including the basement, plus the roof, but I only spied the wall art left behind, and evidence of parties: empty White Claw cans, condoms, teenage graffiti, love notes and messages, mostly centering around sex and drugs, plus some social justice themes.
What is your assessment of the building’s current condition?
It looks like at one point work might have begun — there were some supplies on the first floor ... but also evidence of a fire. The place is gutted down to the crumbling brick and studs, and there are hazardous holes in the floors and walls.
The space is soaring, empty and vast. I kept thinking about what it could be, and what a luxury it must be to have so much space to live or work in. The ceilings are so high! And there are so many windows, though most of them are busted out.
I was with a local artist who marveled at the graffiti and was covetous of the space, and what could be created there. We both felt changed and deeply affected by our time inside.
In years past several local elected officials, community activists and residents have asked for the return of the building for community use.
Wednesday, March 24, 2021
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