Cyn Darling Ariel Palitz with Darryl McDaniels from Run DMC.The owner of the neighborhood’s hip-hop haven is looking to expand her brand and open a new business that goes beyond the club scene.
Ariel Palitz, the owner of Sutra Lounge on First Avenue, put her club on the market last week — only a few days before she celebrates its seventh anniversary.
While insisting that her business was making as much money as ever, Ms. Palitz admitted to The Local that she has been mulling over a new endeavor in the East Village.
“It’s a unique idea. It will have food, alcohol, there will be unexpected services — it’s going to be an unexpected twist on what I think the future of nightlife is,” she said, without going into further details. Read more…
DNA Info reports that the police have arrested Froylan Andrade, 39, of Elmhurst, Queens for allegedly groping a woman on the Union Square station’s platform. The victim, a 19-year-old City College student, earlier told The Post that she punched her attacker in the head and took a photo of him after he boarded the train.
Meredith Bennett-SmithJohn Aliseo’s photograph is stark and haunting: a woman with a lined, worried face stares past the camera, her back to the setting sun. On Wednesday, it was perhaps the most popular photograph at the opening of an exhibition at the Mark Miller Gallery on Orchard Street. “Our Eyes, Our Lives” premieres the work of residents at Barrier Free Living, a shelter on East Second Street that specializes in serving individuals with disabilities and victims of domestic abuse.
The exhibition was the brainchild of photojournalist Emily Anne Epstein, 26, a staff photographer at Metro newspaper whose grandparents hail from the Lower East Side. She first visited Barrier Free Living last year as part of a work assignment documenting the affects of budget cuts on shelters across the city. After she photographed the shelter’s residents, they asked her so many questions about her camera, she decided to return in May to teach them. Read more…
Music by Andrew Bean
Last month, The Local told you that after nearly 35 years of making blank walls beautiful, graffiti artist Antonio “Chico” Garcia is taking his talents to South Beach for the foreseeable future. For what may be his last East Village mural, Chico painted two bobwhite quails on the roll-down gate of Bobwhite Counter, opening soon on Avenue C between Sixth and Seventh Streets.
“It’s a pretty bird and a symbol for southern wildlife and also agriculture,” said the restaurant’s owner, Keedick Coulter, 33, who hails from Virginia, where bobwhites are common.
Watch The Local’s video to see Chico paint the mural and hear his thoughts about the talent that he also believes is a curse.
Who’s this walking south on First Avenue, just one face among thousands enjoying the East Village on a crisp fall evening? Here’s a hint: The native New Yorker (recently seen at Café Orlin) got her start as an actress at La MaMa before going on to achieve global fame alongside Matt Damon in the Bourne trilogy. Global fame or not, Julia Stiles went largely unnoticed as she waited at a traffic light on 12th Street and First Avenue at about 8:30 p.m. on Saturday night.
Good morning, East Village.
On Halloween, The Local spotted a dance party in the middle of the intersection of St. Marks and First Avenue, and shortly after, a raging fistfight on the same street between Second and Third Avenues. Footage of the dance party has now hit YouTube, and the Vimeo clip above shows chaos down the street as well, though we’re not sure it’s the same melee we saw: a confrontation erupts as youngsters take over the street and jump on the roof of a car, seemingly denting it in.
Happier footage posted to YouTube: A clip from “‘Following Srila Prabhupada,” showing the Hare Krishna founder chanting in the park as Allen Ginsberg and others look on.
In the Post, Maureen Callahan describes Karl Fischer (currently involved with projects on East 12th Street and East Third Street) as the city’s “most loathed architect,” and a creator of “glass-curtained boxes flecked with grim brick or concrete, characterless high-rises in bohemian areas that, like uninvited party guests, seem to neither know nor care that they are profoundly out of place.” Read more…
Paul Defiglia A box that used to be loaded with rat poison.
Paul Defiglia Another broken box.Someone broke open a handful of bait boxes loaded with rat poison along Houston Street last night, leaving the deadly pellets scattered on the sidewalk, a reader tells The Local.
Our tipster said that she noticed the turquoise poison on the sidewalk on Houston Street between Second Avenue and Avenue A (once “the most ratted place around”) this morning. A visit to the site later in the day revealed that the boxes had indeed been broken open — including ones on First Street — but no poison was anywhere to be found. The tipster had pressed officials from the Fire Department and the Department of Environmental Protection to clean up the mess.
Still, be alert when walking your pets in the area.
Seen something like this? E-mail us about it, and add your photos to The Local’s Flick pool.
“As someone whose history with photography consists of shooting street, photojournalism, and fashion, I’ve always looked at photography as a way to see reality. Some people think that all photography is art. I feel that art is only one aspect of photography. A sub-genre if you will.” Read more…
Nick DeSantisMaria TashIf Beyoncé Knowles wants a piercing to go with her latest manicure, she’ll soon have a new place to go. Jeweler and body artist Maria Tash – whose roster of clients includes Britney Spears, Cynthia Nixon, Christina Aguilera, and Mickey Rourke – will open Venus Body Arts at 31 Avenue A. The jewelry, tattoo, and clothing boutique will fill one of the last vacant properties in a group of nine storefronts owned by the New York City Housing Authority, at its First Houses development.
Ms. Tash told The Local that she signed the lease with N.Y.C.H.A. three weeks ago. Venus Modern Body Arts, the shop she has operated on East Fourth Street since 1992, will close once the new one opens – possibly in time for the holiday season. Her flagship store on Broadway, Venus by Maria Tash, will remain open. Read more…
Teany, the Lower East Side cafe that many still associate with its former co-owner Moby, has been pouring more than just its signature organic teas. An investigation by The Local revealed that it has also been serving beer without a license.
According to a representative of the New York State Liquor Authority, the unassuming vegetarian cafe’s wine and beer license expired on February 28, 2010, and no application for a renewal is on file. But a Yelp review from May 29, 2011 mentions the option of “beer and wine if you want a little alcohol to go with your meal,” and on Oct. 20, this reporter was able to purchase a bottle of Heineken. Read more…
As most East Villagers sit down to brunch on Sunday, four East Village residents who are members of the East River Park Track Club hope to be completing the last of their 26 miles in the ING New York City Marathon. Local resident Ken Constantino, 38, founded the club in 2010 as a way to promote running and fitness in the park: A $40 annual fee gets members access to weekly group runs, various running tools and individual coaching by a certified Road Runners Club of America coach. For the past few months, Mr. Constantino has been training with three neighbors: Sandra Yu; Shannon Markel, 31, a five-time marathon runner; and Mario Svirsky, 52, who said he hoped to come in at under four hours, 45 minutes, so he can be featured in The New York Times. In The Local’s video, the runners discuss their grueling training regimen and tell us why they do it.
Lauren Carol Smith Earlier this week, The Local took you inside Adria Petty’s East Ninth Street home, now on the market for $1.995 million. As we mentioned then, Ms. Petty – a photographer and a director of music video, commercials, and documentaries, as well as the daughter of rock star Tom – moved to the East Village around 2000, and believes it’s still a happening place – starting with her own block. As proof: some of her favorite destinations.
Best antique shops
Archangel across the street from me is run by two beautiful antique dealers. The woman on the right has her store, and the husband on the left has his store. She specializes in buttons and all this cool stuff. My favorite store in the East Village is Repeat Performance on First Avenue. It’s owned by a really lovely woman who runs an orphanage overseas. She has some of the most awesome stuff — vintage typewriters, lamps, light fixtures, paintings. She just has the best taste. Read more…
Daniel MaurerHaving finally recovered from our hangover, we can now report that on Monday night, L’asso opened the doors of its construction site for a Halloween party that ended in a cracked bathroom sink and a kicked-in front door. In a corner of the unfinished back dining room, co-owner Greg Barris, dressed as the Alchemist from Alejandro Jodorowsky’s film “The Holy Mountain,” was seen chatting with fellow comedian Reggie Watts, who had earlier made an appearance on the “Conan” show. Yesterday, Mr. Barris said that the Nolita pizzeria’s East Village outpost, at 107 First Avenue near East Sixth Street, will open within three weeks, bringing with it an assortment of new entrees and a focus on healthy cuisine. Read more…
Suzanne RozdebaThough some were all atwitter about Veselka’s Bowery’s new cocktails last night, the restaurant itself tweets that it will open for dinner tonight, with extended hours to come. And look: Menupages has the menu! The Local first took you inside Veselka Bowery, where Michael Sullivan is chef, in August.
The Observer hears that Edward J. Minskoff Equities has secured a loan from Bank of America valued between $165 and $200 million, for construction of its office tower at 51 Astor Place. The Observer paraphrases Mr. Minskoff as saying the building “promises to be among the most technologically advanced buildings erected in Manhattan in the past decade.”
The Villager discovers that Mike Falsetta, a friend of Bob Arihood, has taken control of the photographer’s two blogs along with Mr. Arihood’s brother: “As for Arihood’s voluminous photo archives of East Village street life, Falsetta said the hope is to give it to someplace where it will be publicly accessible, such as the New York Public Library. There are also plans in the works for a photo show sometime next year.” Read more…
Photos: Noah Fecks
Hamid Rashidzada tells us that he and his partner in Summit Bar, Greg Seider, opened Prima, their first restaurant together, on East First Street yesterday. This will be a neighborhood affair: Not only did the duo enlist Mathieu Palombino (of Motorino and the forthcoming Bowery Diner) as well as David Malbequi (formerly of BLT Fish, now of Bowery Diner) to design a seafood-centric dinner menu, but they’re also teaming with Ken Nye, the owner of Ninth Street Espresso.
Once coffee service (from 8 a.m. till 5 p.m.) starts in a couple of weeks, Prima will be the only restaurant carrying Ninth Street’s full array of espresso drinks, according to Mr. Rashidzada. In the meantime, it’s open for dinner from Sunday through Wednesday from 5 p.m. till midnight and till 1 a.m. from Thursday through Saturday (the bar, manned by Mr. Seider, will stay open for cocktails an hour later). Read more…
Daniel Maurer From left: Edward Klaynberg and Eric BrodyWhen The Local told you about the new gallery and preschool at 41 Cooper Square, we mentioned that a coffee bar, Au Breve, was also planned for the space that the Preschool of the Arts leases from Cooper Union, in the ground floor of the school’s iconic new academic building. Earlier today, the operators, Edward Klaynberg, 28, and Eric Brody, 33, told us they’re aiming for a soft-opening next Monday. The duo is still talking to local suppliers about pastries and the like, but this much is certain: The coffee beans will be delivered daily from Brooklyn Roasting Company’s Dumbo plant.
Daniel MaurerMr. Brody, a real estate developer who grew up in Park Slope, said that given the cafe’s limited space, he and his partner are aiming for an espresso bar with a “European-type flavor”: “We’re interested in people coming in, having an espresso shot, talking, and moving forward to keep everything flowing.” A few seats will accommodate Cooper Union students, parents of preschoolers, and anyone else wanting to tap into free WiFi and linger over a cup of French press coffee. Sidewalk seating will be added once the weather is warmer.
Asked how he felt about the standoff between Cooper Union and the St. Mark’s Bookshop a couple of blocks away, Mr. Brody said, “Us being in the real estate field, we just pay the rent.” (Mr. Klaynberg, who was raised in Bensonhurst, is also a developer as well as a real estate broker and construction manager.) “Do your thing, God bless you, work it out.” He added, “Cooper Union has been a real inspiration for a lot of designers and people we deal with in this industry, so we wish them the best.”
Jamie Larson Owner of St. Mark’s Bookshop Terrence McCoy, along with Borough President Scott Stringer, Cooper Union President Jamshed Bharucha and others.Cooper Union has eased the St. Mark’s Bookshop financial burden — somewhat.
A day after students from the school protested the possibility that they would have to pay tuition for the first time in more than a century (we’ve now added video of that demonstration to our initial post), politicians, community activists, school officials and the bookshop’s owners officially brought the two-month rent dispute to an end at a press conference this morning.
Under the agreement for the next year, Cooper Union will, as reported by The Times last night, cut the bookshop’s rent by $2,500 from its current rate, $20,000 a month.
Cooper Union will also forgive $7,500 of the shop’s debt and send a team of students to work with the owners on creating a new business plan. The agreement, which only last week seemed dead in the water, should save the store $40,000 over the next year, according to Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer, who took credit for bringing an end to the standoff.
Read more…
Wooly and warm winter vests are all over the place this season. From faux fur to slimming variations of the puffy vest, this outerwear accessory is an easy way to personalize your everyday look and give your boring trench a break. This week, we take a look at some thrift-store finds and fun winter vests from around the neighborhood.
Last year, Aida Salgado – concerned about the path her son Donovan “Keith” Salgado was taking – started an anti-violence group called Mothers and Fathers in Arms. On Oct. 17, she received the gut-wrenching news that her middle son – who had started associating with a gang called the Money Boys, though she said he was not a member – was shot to death at the age of 17, just a few blocks away from her front door in Campos Plaza. (Hockeem Smith, 24, was charged in the shooting.)
According to Ms. Salagado, youth violence has only worsened in her neighborhood of 20 years since she began reaching out to teens and other parents a year ago. She now believes it’s out of control. Organizations like the Boys Club of New York on 10th Street and Avenue A serve as an alternative for young boys in the East Village who face pressure to join gangs (Ms. Salgado’s three sons, including Keith, spent time there as children), but as The Local’s video shows, they can only do so much.
Scott LynchYesterday when The Times reported that Cooper Union agreed to give St. Mark’s Bookshop a rent reduction of $2,500 per month, we mentioned that Manhattan Borough President Scott M. Stringer promised a formal announcement at 11 a.m. today. Now a press release from Mr. Stringer’s office informs that he’ll be doing so at the Bookshop along with Cooper Union’s president, Jamshed Bharucha, and the store’s co-owners.
According to the Post, a woman got a photo of the man who she said groped her on the subway platform at Union Square. “He went on the train and sat down as if nothing happened. I was hysterical. I yelled that he just groped me. I literally started punching him in the head,” City College senior Shyane DeJesus tells the paper.
The Huffington Post has a great interview with Billy Leroy of Billy’s Antiques, who tells a classic “Bowery story” about the time he bought a preserved tiger from a drunk man for $1,200 and turned around and sold it to the Museum of Natural History for $16,000. He says that the “old New York” is dwindling and becoming a gated community. “We have a sense of pride because we’re holding on,” he says of his antiques and oddities tent on Houston Street. “We’re the old New York. We’re really holding on by our fingernails.” Read more…
