New cat owner opens Cosmic Cat Cafe on 2nd Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Cosmic Cat Cafe opened last week at 170 E. Second St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...

The sliver of a storefront — previously a hair salon — offers up a selection of coffee drinks (and some teas)...

Owner-barista Sonam Chorda is a first-time cat parent ... and recently received two cats from the same litter. He loves them so much, and says "cats are out of this world, so Cosmic Cats it is."

And despite the name, there aren't any actual cats on the premises.

Daily hours: 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Thanks to the EVG readers who first told us about this opening!

La Pizza Italiya taking over the Baker's Pizza space on Avenue A

Signage is up for La Pizza Italiya at 201 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street.

The awning notes Pasta, Gluten Free and "Krunchy Chicken." (Quotes ours!)

La Pizza takes over for Baker's Pizza. Some recent history there: A "Permanently Closed RIP" message was posted atop the pizzeria's website in January. However, several weeks later, the pizzeria reopened (though not by original owner Jordan Baker). BPII didn't last, though, long as the gates came down and a closed/Department of Health notice arrived on the door dated March 31. A for-rent sign arrived in the summer.

Baker's arrived in February 2016 and quickly built a fervent fanbase.

No word yet on an opening date for La Pizza Italiya.

Kenneth Cole reopening Bowery outpost with a 'Temporary' concept

Now that the J. Crew Men's store is all settled in at 316 Bowery... Kenneth Cole is making a comeback a block to the north where signage shows a new concept on the way called Temporary...

Cole signed a 10-year lease here at Bond Street in 2015 ... the shop had been closed since the start of the pandemic, though the space has hosted several pop-up events. 

According to its website, Temporary will focus on men's essentials.

In 2016, the company announced it was closing all but two of its U.S. brick-and-mortar stores to focus on "its e-commerce and international business." The Bowery outpost was one of two that remained in service.

Buka bringing Nigerian cuisine to 1st Avenue

Photos by Steven

The Brooklyn-based Buka is bringing its homestyle Nigerian cuisine to 137 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street ... 

This will be a second outpost for Buka, which has a new location on Fulton Street in Bed-Stuy after launching in 2010. (This piece at Eater offers more details about what to expect from Buka.)

Per the Buka Instagram account, this East Village spot is expected to open on Oct. 1 with hours of 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. You can find a menu here.

The space was previously home to Drunken Dumpling, which debuted in the fall of 2016 and received favorable press for its gigantic soup dumplings created by the mother-son team here. The restaurant was closed for a good part of the pandemic, reopening back in November before going dark again in the spring. 

Yaki Sushi takes over for Hawkers on 14th Street

There's a concept change at 225 E. 14th St. 

A new venture called Yaki Sushi, featuring a lengthy menu for the venue's lengthy bar-like set-up, has taken over the storefront here between Second Avenue and Third Avenue... marking the end of Hawkers, which offered Southeast Asian street-style food since its 2010 debut. 

A Parish Picnic outside St. Stanislaus on 7th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Today, St. Stanislaus — New York's oldest (and only) Polish Roman-Catholic church — hosted a Parish Picnic on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy and shared these photos from the family-friendly event outside the church, which is celebrating its 150 anniversary... 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo on Avenue A by Derek Berg) ... 

• Big changes are coming to the iconic skate spot in Tompkins Square Park (Monday) 

• Community groups advocating for low-income housing on these 2 East Village sites (Tuesday) 

• Ella Funt & Club 82 looks to bring food, film and theater to storied 4th Street venue (Monday) 

• The [plant-baked] retail space is closing on 7th Street this Sunday (Friday) 

• The former Uncle Johnny grocery slated for demolition on Avenue D and 5th Street (Wednesday) 

• The great First Avenue Laundry Center is closing for renovations this fall (Thursday) 

• Good Beer has closed (Monday) 

• Crossroads Trading bringing the resale and vintage clothing to Second Avenue (Friday)

• Openings: Monsieur Vo on 2nd Avenue (Wednesday) 

• New York State is selling off the contents of Matthew Kenney's restaurant Sestina (Thursday) 

• Pretty much a full reveal at the incoming Empanada Mama (Wednesday)

• Former Tarallucci e Vino space for rent (Thursday) 

• Former Los Tacos space now a 787 Coffee training facility on 7th Street (Wednesday) 

• Longtime bar space at 68 2nd Ave. hits the rental market (Tuesday) 

• 1 guess on what is coming to this empty storefront on Avenue A and 13th Street (Monday) 

• Signage alert: Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen on 1st Street (Friday) 

• New 6th Street psychic apparently didn't summon psychic powers before taking this space (Thursday)

• A Link5G tower for Avenue A (Tuesday) 

... and speaking of Link5G towers, on Friday, EVG contributor Stacie Joy spotted workers erecting one on Clinton Street between Houston and Stanton... 

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

The return of Village Voices

Photos by Steven

The 2022 edition of Village Voices, an installation of 24 public art exhibits that honor downtown trailblazers and their legacies, is up now around the East Village, Greenwich Village and Noho. 

You can find several boxes on the fence along St Mark's Church in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue between 10th Street and 11th Street...featuring photographer-cinematographer Helen Levitt...

... abstract-impressionist painter Joan Mitchell ...

... and jazz great Charlie Parker...

Each box has a QR code that you can scan to hear more about the individuals. (As NY1 pointed out, Jesse Eisenberg and Edward Norton are among the narrators.) 

Once again, Village Preservation is behind this new work... you can read more about the exhibit, up through Oct. 30, right here. Find a map with all the locations via this link.

NYCHA officials appear before City Council: The latest from the Riis Houses water scandal

NYCHA officials appeared before City Council yesterday in an emergency hearing to answer questions about the agency's "lethargic response" to complaints about cloudy water and positive arsenic test results at the Jacob Riis Houses on Avenue D (Previously on EVG)... 

• NYCHA admits knowing of "cloudy water" at Riis Houses months before arsenic scare (Daily News) 

• NYC wants answers after tainted water scare (ABC 7) 

• Lab behind botched water tests at Jacob Riis Houses not authorized to perform work in NY, public housing officials say (Gothamist) 

• NYCHA could have fast tracked 24-hour water tests. Instead, it decided to wait weeks for results. (The City) 

• Malfunctioning water tank now under scrutiny as root of NYCHA arsenic crisis (The City)

Today, @NYCCouncil is holding an emergency hearing to investigate NYCHA’s response to concerns over water safety at Jacob Riis Houses.

For weeks we have demanded accountability and full transparency from NYCHA. We expect that today.

My opening remarks ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/103nB89ZsK

— Carlina Rivera 利華娜 (@CarlinaRivera) September 23, 2022

St. Stanislaus hosting a Parish Picnic on 7th Street this Sunday

 

Photos by Stacie Joy

Tomorrow (Sunday, Sept.25), St. Stanislaus — New York's oldest (and only) Polish Roman-Catholic church — is hosting a Parish Picnic on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Signage promises Polish cuisine and products, books, flowers, art and more ... from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

St. Stanislaus is also celebrating its 150th year...  

Noted (booted-Subaru edition)

After 15 days in the bus lane on Avenue A below Third Street, the booted Subaru without plates has been removed. (And please let us know if you spot it elsewhere, like another bus lane or the center of Tompkins Square Park.)

Where to watch the David Bowie documentary 'Moonage Daydream' locally

In case you wanted to see the fever-dream David Bowie documentary "Moonage Daydream" ... it's playing at several local theaters: 

• Village East by Angelika 

• Regal Union Square

• Regal Essex Crossing 

• AMC Kips Bay 15 

Here's more about Brett Morgen's well-reviewed film via Collider: 

"Moonage Daydream" is an explosive mixture of previously unreleased archival footage of Bowie and live concert footage. It is also the first documentary about David Bowie to be authorized by his estate. The film had its world premiere at the 2022 Cannes Film Festival where it received mostly positive reviews, with critics praising the film for its experimental, unconventional structure. 

And! 

Morgen received exclusive permission from the Bowie Estate to develop the film, the first filmmaker to receive such massive exposure to Bowie's huge litany of work. Morgen was granted unprecedented access to five million items belonging to Bowie, including paintings, drawings, recordings, photographs, films and journals.

 

Bowie, a longtime resident of Lafayette Street, died in January 2016.  

Stuyvesanthenge

From last evening... a look at Stuyvesanthenge, an event during in which the setting sun is aligned with Stuyvesant Street at Ninth Street and Third Avenue to 10th Street in front of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery...

Per Wikipedia: "Although the street runs diagonally in relation to the Manhattan street grid, geographically it is one of the few true east–west streets in Manhattan, since most of the grid runs southeast–northwest at a 28.9 degree offset."

'Foul' play

 

This is "A Foul Form," from the most recent release by Osees (aka OCS, Oh Sees and Thee Oh Sees) ... one of the best live bands around (IMO)... and they are playing tonight and tomorrow night out at Warsaw in Greenpoint.

The [plant-baked] retail space is closing on 7th Street this Sunday

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

After nearly 18 months at 117 E. Seventh St., [plant-baked] is closing its brick-and-mortar operation between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Sunday is the last day here for Parker and Yunsu, East Village residents who are partners in business and life. They started selling their creative baked goods from a to-go set-up in the spring of 2021.

The two started the bakery business during the pandemic. (Read our interview with them at this link for the backstory.)

They were able to break the lease at the small shop to focus on pop-up events and seasonal markets while also continuing to take bulk orders from another local location. Parker and Yunsu said they will also use this time to decide how they want to focus their energies next.

On Sunday, they'll make a final sale on their frozen cookie dough and other storable products... so scoop 'em up...  

The shop is open 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. (or when they run out of items) today and tomorrow with a 3 p.m. close on Sunday... 

You can keep in touch with Parker and Yunsu via email: getbaked [at] plant-baked.nyc. There's Instagram too.

H/T Kait!

Crossroads Trading bringing the resale and vintage clothing to Second Avenue

Crossroads Trading is opening one of its resale stores at 122 Second Ave. between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place. (Thanks to Steven for the photo.) 

The buy-sell-trade-consign retailer for men's and women's clothing and accessories has more than 30 locations across the country, with several outposts in NYC — including on West 13th Street and West 26th Street. 

The company, founded in 1991, works like this: "Customers sell their current, on-trend clothing and accessories for cash or trade credit." 

No word on an opening date... though, per the signage, they're hiring. 

The previous tenant here, Chinese Hawaiian Kenpo Academy, is now operating out of the Sixth Street Community Center.

Signage alert: Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen on 1st Street

Updated: Chomp Chomp is open as of Sept. 28

Signage for Chomp Chomp Thai Kitchen went up yesterday at 78 E. First St. just east of First Avenue. (Thanks to the reader for the photo!) 

We're told that this is from the same owner as the previous occupant, Prim Thai Restaurant, which went dark early last year after an August 2020 debut. (Con Ed work forced them to temporarily close several times in the fall of 2020 — along with neighbor Cafe Himalaya.) 

We'll check back in on them later...

Thursday's parting shot

The lights were shining brightly tonight up at Panna II (and the PII extension next door at the former Milon) on First Avenue near Sixth Street. 

An EVG reader told us the restaurants were dark last night, with a large family (about six people) standing outside saying they had a reservation. Everyone was confused.

The great First Avenue Laundry Center is closing for renovations this fall

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

In the days/weeks ahead, the First Avenue Laundry Center will be closing for renovations at 33 First Ave. at Second Street.

Fear not! The laundromat will reopen. 

EVG correspondent Stacie Joy recently talked with Anne DeVita, the 88-year-old manager (above left with her assistant Nellie). 

"The dryers haven't been working well since there was a fire a few months ago due to lint accumulation. The fire department had to come," said DeVita, who has worked here for 40 years. "The plan is to close down for renovations. I think it will happen after Rosh Hashanah and Yom Kippur, if I had to guess." 

The rest of the conversation went like this: 

How long will the laundromat be closed? 

"I don't know; your guess is as good as mine. Maybe a few months? When you see a sign out front saying 'CLOSED FOR RENOVATIONS' that will be it. In 40 years there have been no renovations. The owners are going to take out the nonfunctioning dryers and put in new ones."

All new washers too? 

"I don't know. Maybe they will paint too, or do some flooring work. I will be getting paid to be here every day to let the contractors and workers in. I'm not doing it for free."

Anyway, in our estimation, the frozen-in-time laundromat is PERFECT the way it is...

And H/T to EVG reader Steph! 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A visit to First Avenue Laundry Center

New York State is selling off the contents of Matthew Kenney's restaurant Sestina

Next Wednesday, the State of New York is auctioning off the contents of Sestina, vegan chef Matthew Kenney's pasta restaurant at 67 Second Ave. at Fourth Street. 

Reps for the Department of Taxation and Finance posted the notices yesterday on the restaurant, which the state had seized in late August for nonpayment of taxes.

The auction will occur at the restaurant. Go here to find what's available to bid on next week.

Sestina's Instagram account chalked up the seizure to "technical difficulties" back on Aug. 31.

Kenney opened Sestina in the fall of 2020, one of several restaurants he operates in the East Village.

Meanwhile, a Sestina just debuted in Culver City, Calif. 

This marked the fourth Kenney concept here in the past few years, following Plantmade, Plant Food + Wine and Arata.

There was also a revolving door of restaurants here before Kenney took over. La Contrada ... Contrada (not to be confused with La Contrada) ... Calliope and Belcourt all came and went since 2012.