Daniel Maurer

A judge fined the owners of IHOP $2,000 for soil on the roof of the restaurant and garbage bags and boxes obstructing an exit, court documents filed earlier this month show.

The ruling from the Environmental Control Board — a court that adjudicates violations to the building code — notes that the issues have been resolved. The soil on the roof, which may have come from a neglected rooftop garden, even resulted in a stop work order that has been lifted.

Meanwhile, Borough President Scott Stringer and Councilwoman Rosie Mendez sent a letter to the owner of the IHOP on 14th Street last month asking him to remedy issues regarding odors and noise from the restaurant’s rooftop equipment before going before a judge as “a good faith gesture to the community.” Read more…

Photos: Noah Fecks.

On the northern fringes of Avenue A, an intriguing storefront stands out amidst the taverns, slice joints, and coffee shops. Its façade is blank except for a built-in 1950s-style television that for years has played loops of video art, and its front door is usually open into the wee hours of the morning, offering a view into a cluttered wonderland of doll’s heads, figurines, dioramas, paint tubes, disco balls, 3-D artwork – even a tank of mice.

“What is this place?”, many a bar-crawler has asked.

For twenty years, 202 Avenue A has been the workplace of M. Henry Jones, an artist and animator who, among other things, is on a quest to advance and computerize a form of 3-D photography that was pioneered in the late 1950s but has now fallen mostly out of favor. Next month, he’ll have to vacate the studio, as new tenant has offered to pay nearly four times his rent. Read more…

If you want a piece of Mars Bar, now’s the time to ask. As you can see in video shot this morning, the wall separating the old dive from its neighbor has come down, and construction workers are clearing away wooden beams.

Meanwhile, a few blocks away, the 7-Eleven that had been slated to open on the Bowery last week was accepting deliveries this morning. A worker on the scene said it would finally open this Friday (an early Christmas gift to the East Village?). We’ve asked corporate headquarters for the official word.

Have your own photos of the Mars Bar’s demise? Add them to The Local’s Flickr pool.

Lit has announced that its holiday party, tomorrow at 9 p.m., will double as a benefit for Jonathan Toubin, the promoter, D.J., and “beloved fixture on the New York nightlife scene” (per East Village Radio) who was recently hospitalized in Portland, Ore. after being pinned by a taxi cab that crashed into his hotel room. We’ll add this to our holiday events calendar; in the meantime, see the flyer here.

I was born in the East Village in the 1940s and lived here for most of my life. I was active in the East Village cultural scene, and tried my hand at acting and stand-up comedy for a time. When I started using photography as a medium of expression, it became second nature for me to document local history through my lens. Today, I host a public access TV show on Manhattan Neighborhood Network (M.N.N.) called “Harvey’s Earth and Beyond,” and many of my ideas for my show come from my performance days in the East Village.

I shot this photo of William Kunstler rallying at Cooper Union. He was one of the most celebrated civil rights attorneys, having headed up the A.C.L.U., defending the Chicago Seven, the Black Panthers, etc. He was a master at public relations, especially with the press. I believe this was one of his last appearances before he passed away.
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At an opening at The Hole this evening, Lola Montes Schnabel (daughter of artist and filmmaker Julian Schnabel) will present what’s described as her first solo painting exhibition in the United States, “Love Before Intimacy.” Earlier this month, Danny Gold, a contributor to The Local, followed The Hole’s charismatic founder, Kathy Grayson, as she showed off Ms. Schnabel’s paintings at the N.A.D.A Art Fair in Miami Beach.

Lauryn Brooke Kathy Grayson.

While the big-money crowd flocked to Art Basel in Miami Beach earlier this month, a crew of downtown New York upstarts gravitated toward a younger alternative. At the N.A.D.A. Art Fair, the names on the gallery walls weren’t as well known, but the faces were familiar to anyone who had spent a good amount of time at Max Fish. (The art bar on Ludlow Street is just a handful of blocks from The New Art Dealers Alliance’s offices on Chrystie Street.)

Kathy Grayson, 31, owner of the Hole, was one such familiar face. Her gallery at 312 Bowery leads the pack of D.I.Y. art spaces that have recently opened up downtown. Raised in Washington, D.C., the Dartmouth graduate got her start as a receptionist at Deitch Projects, a duo of SoHo spaces that were among the most influential galleries of the last decade.

After Jeffrey Deitch left Manhattan to run the M.O.C.A. in Los Angeles, Ms. Grayson set off on her own. Her new gallery has hosted an impressive array of up-and-coming artists as well as its share of debaucherous opening parties.

N.A.D.A. was no different: Ms. Grayson produced four big events during the long weekend, and sold art out of two identical booths staffed by Dee and Ricky Jackson, the wunderkind designers for Marc Jacobs who happen to be twins. The name of the stands? “Déjà-Booth.” Read more…

Stephen Rex Brown Firefighters outside of Lil’ Frankie’s.

A fire in the walls at Lil’ Frankie’s, on First Avenue near First Street, was extinguished this afternoon before anyone was injured, firefighters said.

“It would have been a good fire in about 45 minutes if people hadn’t smelled it,” said Battalion Chief Steve Deloughry.

Twelve trucks and 60 firefighters arrived at the popular pizzeria at 21 First Avenue at around 2:10 p.m. after a resident on the third floor smelled smoke. Mr. Deloughry said that his crew “poked around for a while” trying to find the source of the smell, and at times suspected it was just coming from the wood burning oven at the restaurant. Eventually, firefighters did find the fire behind the ceiling and walls near the oven, and declared it under control at around 4 p.m.

An employee at Lil’ Frankie’s said the pizzeria will be open, but that as much as half of the dishes on the menu may not be available.

From zombies to yogis and from guitar orchestras to boom-box symphonies, the East Village has plenty to keep you (and the kids) in good cheer this holiday season. We’ll add more events as we hear about them – feel free to tip us off.

Courtesy of Merchants House Museum

SATURDAY, DEC. 17

“Tinsel Tunes by the Tinseltones”
Enjoy a century-worth of Christmas classics from the 1840s to the 1950s performed by members of the Bond Street Euterpean Singing Society. 7:30 p.m. Merchant’s House Museum, 29 East Fourth Street near Bowery, 212-777-1089, http://merchantshouse.org/calendar; $30.

“Christmas in NickyLand 2011”
Nicky Pariso will host a weekend of performances at one of the neighborhood’s only holiday cabarets. Special performances by Poor Baby Bree, David Cale, Ellen Fisher, Jon Kinzel & Vicky Shick, John Heginbotham, and many more. Saturday, 10 p.m.; Sunday, 5:30 p.m. The Club at La MaMa, 74A East Fourth Street between Bowery and Second Avenue, Second Floor, http://lamama.org/the-club/christmas-in-nickyland-2011/; $15.

“KIDS! Holiday Foods from Around the World”
Children ages 2-14 can learn the stories of Hanukkah, Christmas, and Kwanzaa through food at this event at Whole Foods. Young chefs will learn how to make popular dishes like potato latkes, chocolate eggnog floats, and African coconut cake. 12 p.m., different age groups start at different times. Whole Foods Market, 95 East Houston Street at Bowery, http://www.acteva.com/booking.cfm?bevaid=224428; $30. Read more…

Yesterday, The Local shared some ideas for cheap gifts around the neighborhood. If you’re up for spending a little bit more for the man of – or men in – your life, today’s your day.

Above:
1. “Walls Notebook,” $16.95 – Exit9 Gift Emporium (51 Avenue A)
2. Bear shoe horn, $32 – Odin (328 East 11th Street)
3. Raw leather belt, $90 – Oliver Spencer (330 East 11th Street)
4. “Hang Over” flask, $50 – Reason Clothing (436 East 9th Street)
5. 100% baby alpaca queen-sized quilt, $525 – Seyrig (305 East 9th Street)

Read more…

Photos: Noah Fecks

Over a month after a sign by “Mosaic Man” Jim Power was hoisted over the storefront at 165 Avenue A, near Tenth Street, Tompkins Square Bagels has finally opened. Yesterday, owner Chris Pugliese told The Local that he planned to soft-open this morning.

Mr. Pugliese said he planned to sell vegan and gluten-free muffins from LifeThyme Natural Market, coffee from Stumptown, pastries from Balthazar and Bread Alone, and bread from Amy’s Bread and Hudson Bread. Gradually, the shop will start making more of its own products – everything from cheesecake to muffins and cupcakes – but for now, the in-house bakers are focused mainly on bagels and bialys.
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Noah Fecks East 10th Street. Ben Shaoul’s building is one over from right.

The developer that spurred the Landmarks Preservation Commission to expedite a public hearing for a proposed historic district on East 10th Street said today that the designation would not affect his plans for a building on the block along Tompkins Square Park.

“It doesn’t make a difference if it’s landmarked or not — we’re going to comply with whatever is set forth by the governing parties,” said Ben Shaoul, who recently bought the building at 315 East 10th Street. “We intend to fully restore the façade to its original state, anyway.”

It was Mr. Shaoul’s application with the Department of Buildings to build a rooftop addition to the property that garnered the attention of the Commission, which is considering protecting the exteriors of the 26 buildings on the north side of Tompkins Square Park. By law, the Commission can fast-track the landmarks process if proposed renovations to a property would affect the historic aesthetic of a district up for consideration. Read more…

Even if you’re not a member of the “scene,” you may have seen the latex creations of The Baroness: one of her collars was worn in Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way” video; Janet Jackson wore her shorts and sleeves in W magazine. And her angel and devil outfits appeared in a Campari ad.

When she first started working out of her East Village studio in 1995, The Baroness sold from her website. Now, she runs a store at 530 East 13th Street, between Avenues A and B, where you can get a miniskirt for $75, an inflatable straight-jacket for $1,200, or a custom outfit for up to $10,000.

“But this is not a sex shop,” said The Baroness (her last name is Varcra but she goes solely by what she said is now her legal first name). “This is a sensual boutique.”

If you’re shopping for a latex Mrs. Claus outfit, visit the store tonight from 7 p.m. to 10 p.m. for her annual “lubricated shopping” holiday cocktail party and sale: light snacks, champaign, and 20% off. But first, watch The Local’s video as we accompany the designer and her latex-outfitted elves on their annual visit to Santa Claus at Macy’s Herald Square.

Haven’t started your holiday shopping yet? No worries. Everything that should be on your list can be found right here in the neighborhood. First up: The Local’s ten favorite gifts below the $50 mark, with more ideas to come.

1. Recycled-chain bottle opener, $9.95 – Sustainable NYC (139 Avenue A)
2. Mini coffee sampler, $24.99 – Porto Rico Importing Co. (40 St. Marks Place)
3. Flirt snap mittens (made local), $48.00 – Apartment 141 (141 East 13th Street)
4. Mobile Foodie Survival Kit, $32.95 –Lancelotti Housewares (66 Avenue A)
5. Brass & leather cuff, $27.00 – Soukou No.11 (320 East 11th Street)
Read more…

David Jarrett Details from a building within one of the two proposed districts.

A critical hearing regarding a proposed landmark district on East 10th Street has been expedited due to a controversial application for an addition to a building in the area, the Landmarks Preservation Commission revealed today.

Last week, the real estate magnate Ben Shaoul applied for an additional floor to 315 East 10th Street along Tompkins Square Park, which he had recently purchased. The rooftop addition, which would be a departure from the 26 buildings – most of which are four-story 19th- and 20th-century dwellings – that line the block, garnered the attention of the city Landmarks Preservation Commission.

“The reason we’re scheduling the date earlier than we planned is that the Department of Buildings notified the Commission’s staff this past Sunday that the owner of 315 East 10th Street had filed an application for a permit to construct a rooftop addition that could potentially affect the character of the proposed district,” wrote Elisabeth de Bourbon, a spokeswoman for the Commission. Read more…

Photos: Paul Wagtouicz

Since the Amato Opera closed in 2009, it has been one of the more notable vacant buildings on the Bowery. The opera’s founder died yesterday of cancer, and the building is still empty and on the market for $6.5 million.

The broker of the building at 319 Bowery, Lauren Muss, said she planned to show the property twice today. “It’s definitely interesting to people, it’s just about a price,” Ms. Muss said. “They make offers, then they disappear.” Read more…

Interior photos: Noah Fecks. Exterior: Stephen Rex Brown.

The tavernkeepers behind Bua on St. Marks Place, Wilfie & Nell in the West Village, and Sweet Afton in Astoria are set to add another bar to their portfolio. Mark Gibson said that he planned to open The Wren at 344 Bowery (the space at the corner of Great Jones Street that was formerly Sala) tonight at 5 p.m.

When The Local stopped in about an hour ago, the team was still putting the space together. Mr. Gibson, 37, said The Wren – named after the Wren Day festival in Ireland, where his parents still live – would be “primarily a bar with great food,” and he described the food, which will be served until at least 1 a.m. nightly, as “classic pub food but pushing it a little further.” Read more…

Michelle Rick

Billy Leroy is meeting with his landlord tomorrow to start planning a huge farewell party before he moves his tented antique shop on the Bowery indoors. The last hurrah, he said, would come at the end of January.

“We’re planning a week-long event of music, poetry, singers, songwriters, and films. There’s going to be a huge lineup. It’s the end of the old Bowery,” Mr. Leroy told The Local today. Billy’s Antiques and Props is moving inside a two-story building its landlord, Tony Goldman, is erecting on the spot in late winter.

Mr. Leroy plans to meet with Mr. Goldman tomorrow afternoon. “Tony’s all for it,” said Mr. Leroy. “He’s very positive about it.”

“There’s no one left from the old Bowery days. It’s been yuppified,” he said.

Daniel Maurer Seen on the Bowery.

Last month, Amber Tamblyn told The Local that she and her fiancée, comedian David Cross, planned to leave the East Village for Brooklyn at the end of this month. Mr. Cross has griped about changes in the neighborhood before: “A Subway Sandwich just opened up on Avenue B,” he told Bullett in August, “and a large frat/sports bar is coming to the old Café Charbon on Orchard and Stanton, so it’s truly time to go.”

Now he’s back at it, telling Gothamist:

I’ve been fed up with what’s going on for about five years. There are so many examples but let me just sum up. On Houston—I think between Second Avenue and Bowery, or maybe it’s Allen and Chrystie—there’s a big, huge 7-11 with big, beautiful 7-11 signs. [Ed: We think he’s referring to the one on Bowery.] There’s an IHOP on 14th Street, Subway sandwiches all over the place. The thing is, I left Atlanta a long time ago and I’m spending way too much money to live in Atlanta again, you know?
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Harold Schrader Anthony Amato

Anthony Amato, who founded the Amato Opera and trained generations of opera singers at his small theater on the Bowery, died yesterday morning on City Island. He was 91.

Rochelle Mancini, a former singer at the Amato Opera who helped Mr. Amato write his recently published memoir, said the cause was cancer.

From its founding in 1948, the Amato Opera served as a training grounds for young singers with grand ambitions. Mr. Amato was said to have a keen eye for talent, and the likes of Neil Shicoff, Mignon Dunn and George Shirley performed there before going on to play famous venues like the Metropolitan Opera and City Opera.

After stints in theaters around the city, the opera opened on the Bowery at East Second Street in 1964; a location that harkened back to the thoroughfare’s history as a poor man’s Broadway. Less than 10 years after its opening it would share the block with C.B.G.B.; a vivid example of the eclectic arts scene in the neighborhood. Read more…