The Day | The East Village’s New ‘It’ Girl

9th street community gardenAlice Gao 9th Street Community Garden

Good morning, East Village.

On the heels of her Times profile, Budd Mishkin visits the apartment of Vashtie Kola, the “East Village ‘it’ girl” (look out, Chloe Sevigny) who directs music videos, plans parties, blogs about fashion, and is “the first woman to design an Air Jordan sneaker.”

The Lo-Down has posted the September agenda for Community Board 3’s SLA & DCA Licensing Committee. Ichibantei is applying for wine and beer and Heathers is seeking to renew its license despite a complaint history.

Neither More Nor Less spotted workers cleaning up trees in Tompkins Square Park yesterday.

According to EV Grieve, the Ave. A Mini Market stayed open during Irene but is now mysteriously closed and empty.

The newly expanded Bean is also coming to First Avenue and Ninth Street, according to Grieve. Think there are already plenty of coffee options in the neighborhood? Don’t tell it to the East Village man who, according to DNA Info, walked up to 39th Street just to hit the city’s first location of the California-based chain, The Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf.

Grub Street reports that Ron Ancheta, a “vet of the Blue Ribbon restaurants,” will open Ugly Kitchen in the shuttered Veloce Pizzeria space next week. Expect Asian-Latin fusion dishes and cocktails, with a focus on grilled meat.