Photo illustration by Tim Milk

Today The Local begins a recurring feature in which East Village historian Tim Milk takes a look at some neighborhood legends.

The spate of apartment break-ins that has gripped the East Village lately prompts me, by dint of experience, to say what I know by instinct is true: that we have been lulled into a collective stupor, and have become dizzy with the misconception that New York is safe.

Now, wait, let’s look at the term and what we expect of it. Safe is what we always want to feel, outside of our homes as well as in – calm and assured that we dwell in a world free of danger. But let me make one thing clear: I know my history, and I’ve been around the block. New York has always had crime. Our homes are always at risk.

Take the case, for example, of the Master Monkey Thief of the East Village.

When I first came here in 1979, urban myth had it that the police were hopelessly baffled by a series of burglaries. Back in those days, most people had these steel window gates that retracted accordion-style in a diamond-shaped pattern. The protection they offered, compared to modern gates, was minimal. The space between diamonds was perhaps eight inches, big enough to allow some nefarious stranger’s arm to reach inside. Horrors! They were also easily twisted apart by strong guys with crowbars. But as long as those old rattling gates held fast, the evil was kept outside.
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Michelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

There’s been a lot of activity in recent days around the subject of transportation and pedestrian safety in the neighborhood and we begin this morning by taking a closer look at some of the recent coverage. DNAinfo has an informative post about five surveillance cameras that have been installed along the M15 bus route on First and Second Avenues.

The cameras will be used to help enforce a ban against vehicles riding in the lanes (exceptions are made for right turns and picking up or dropping off passengers) and drivers are subject to a fine between $115 and $150. Bowery Boogie posted a photo of a group cyclists towing rolling billboards to publicize the violations.

The benefits and drawbacks of bike lanes, a source of much debate in the neighborhood, is the subject of a piece in The Times. And over at City Room, they want to hear from readers – few New Yorkers are as well-versed in this issue as we are here in the neighborhood so go ahead and weigh in.

For the past six months, Steven Hirsch has used a combination of photography, video, and monologue to document the tribe of tattooed denizens who hang out on Crusty Row in Tompkins Square Park.

“There has been an evolutionary change in Crusty subculture. It’s a much darker scene now than it was even two or three years ago. Many of the kids today are heroin addicted. From my interviews, I realize most come from the suburbs or rural areas, leaving behind broken homes or parental abuse. That’s not necessarily a recent trend, obviously, but the level of despair seems to be higher than ever.”—Steven Hirsch
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It might be difficult for someone to take a band that describes itself as “zombie jazz” all too seriously, but Father Figures, a group composed of five friends who describe their music as just that, is a musical force with a serious and earnest mission – aiming to resurrect a dying breed of jazz musicians with its strong improvisational sounds, eclectic inspirations, and a distinct blend of fun.

“The music is a culmination of all of our influences,” explains Adam Schatz, tenor saxophonist for the group. “We all listen to a ton of different artists and styles, metal to punk to free jazz to soul to tropicalia, and all of it influences the way we compose and play in subtle ways, so that the outcome sounds completely personal, but is still drawn from our own personalities and the music we love.”
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Timothy Krause

They say there is a chemical in turkey that makes you sleepy.

Now, it’s safe to say no scientific institution or study has actually proven this information. The truthiness of this bit of knowledge goes unquestioned because on every Thanksgiving day the fact is loudly announced by the obligatory young and obnoxious cousin/child of a neighbor/stranger’s nephew to a room full of people who are wiping gravy sweat from their brows. Often, it’s the last thing many people hear before drifting off into a tortured, caloric slumber.

It is for this reason alone that Thanksgiving shouldn’t be celebrated at home. Since our fair collection of loud and populated street corners means this city never sleeps, we certainly can’t be sleeping on Nov. 25 ; we have things to do. Funkmaster Flex and Swizz Beatz will be at Webster Hall, and after that it’s straight to Union Square to stand in the line at Best Buy. If we sleep, someone will steal our spot.

However, some East Village residents who actually admit to having a family – and maybe, god forbid, a life before their days of wearing a leather jacket – do get nostalgic for sweet potatoes and gizzards. Luckily, a few restaurants are providing prix fixe menus for gobblers of gravy and gratin. And, thank your holy fowls, it’s all the same delicious East Village food at the same reasonable prices.
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Jenn Pelly The new Wired store at Broadway and East Fourth Street offers a range of gifts for the geek in your life. Below: QR code artwork traces ancestry via DNA strands, a Wampa rug and a USB typewriter.

Jenn Pelly

‘Tis the season to geek out hard — at 692 Broadway, at least. Currently home to Wired magazine’s sixth annual pop-up store, the space will be granting holiday wishes of hardcore technophiles and plugged-in teens alike through Dec. 26.

The three-story location, formerly Tower Records until 2006, is an 8,000-square-foot techie mecca, coined by Wired as an “experiential gallery.” Entering feels like stepping out of a time machine into year 2050. As The Local took a spin through on Friday, shoppers — namely thirtysomething males dressed in black with sleek haircuts — tested a dynamic array of cutting-edge gadgets, from Smartphones and flat-screen televisions to a futuristic tennis table. The Wired lifestyle’s glossy pages came to life, its pulse kept by a looming, minimal techno beat.

With over 200 Wired-curated products on display, this year’s holiday outpost is the magazine’s biggest and “most centrally located” to date, according to senior editor Jason Tanz. “It’s a sign of how much faith we have in tech culture,” Mr. Tanz told The Local on Friday. “We view it as a central part of life in New York. Downtown is clearly the cultural hub of New York, and technology is becoming a larger and larger part of that.” Previously in SoHo and the Meatpacking District, the shop’s in-store events will include “GeekDad” family days, wine tastings, and musical events: DJ Nomi Ruiz and Gordon Voidwell on Dec. 1, Ra Ra Riot on Dec. 8, and Tokyo Police Club on Dec. 15. (RSVP required.)

Mr. Tanz likes the store’s Antique USB Typewriter ($499-699), and the “Star Wars” Lego chess set — “People who have no interest in ‘Stars Wars’ have to admit it’s pretty cool,” he said — but topping his wishlist is a set of sleek, wooded Davone Ray speakers ($5,995).
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Michelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

On Friday, we wrote about how – despite the efforts of preservationists – permits were issued that would allow for the re-development of two townhouses at 326 and 328 East Fourth Street. EV Grieve has more details about what changes are expected to occur at the properties, including a look at the work plans.

In other neighborhood news, we’d like to offer congratulations and commiserations to Marc Canora, chef at Hearth restaurant on the corner of East 12th and First Avenue, who made it to the finals of “Next Iron Chef” before finishing as runner-up to Tribeca-based chef Marc Forgione.

There are two interesting historical looks at the intersection of Broadway and East 10th Street. Ephemeral New York has a then-and-now post featuring photographs of the intersection in 1911 and today. And EV Transitions examines the growth of Grace Church and the origin of the bread line that used to stretch from the old Fleischmann’s bakery nearby.

And The Villager has an update on Ray’s Candy Store, including details on how it fared with the Health Department’s revised sanitary inspection grades for restaurants.

Vivienne Gucwa discusses photographing the ever-changing landscape of the East Village.

“I started documenting my walks around New York City neighborhoods in an effort to capture the evolving landscape of the city. The East Village is a place that I spend a tremendous amount of time in and it’s a neighborhood which embodies this constant evolution.”
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C.C. Glenn The various brands of Beaujolais Nouveau 2010, which made its debut Thursday night.

Wielding an 18-inch baguette in one hand and a bottle of Beaujolais Nouveau in the other, Luis da Silva marched around Jules Bistro on St. Marks Place Thursday night wearing a kitschy black apron.

Le Beaujolais est arrive! the manager’s apron declared, the universal cry that the young, fruity, barely fermented (and to some, barely drinkable) wine has hit the shelves and bars.

Around the world, the third Thursday of November marks the official release of Beaujolais Nouveau, the wine crushed from 100 percent Gamay grapes from the Beaujolais region of France, in the southernmost part of Burgundy.

Most wine connoisseurs, vendors and drinkers agree that Beaujolais Nouveau isn’t actually that tasty. A marketing ploy, an advertising maneuver – call it what you will – it’s no secret that the Beaujolais Nouveau is marketed to be a grandiose event, albeit misguided.

French native Geoffroy de Guibert, who met a handful of other French friends for the celebration at Jules Bistro, says, “No, it’s not good. You know it’s not a good wine. You know it’s kind of a disgusting wine, but it happens once a year. It’s just for the event.

Because the wine is not aged, it is best served chilled (and is likely to taste worse as it warms to room-temperature). And while it may not stimulate your palate, the young wine can serve as an indicator of the vintage’s success. Each year the nouveau tastes different: last year it hinted at banana, this year the jury’s still out. “It’s about the weather, it’s about rain, it’s about sun,” says Chloé Descombes, another French native celebrating the event at Jules Bistro, agrees. This year? “I’d say it’s a good wine,” says Ms. Descombes.
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Jack-o-lanterns have come and gone, but pumpkins are still lighting up menus around the neighborhood. Some people look forward to pumpkin spice lattes, but I’m always excited to see what creative offerings local restaurants come up with each year. I set out on a mission to find the East Village’s best dishes — both savory and sweet — starring autumn’s iconic vegetable.

Carolyn Stanley Pumpkin pancakes at Cafe Orlin.

Cafe Orlin
41 St. Mark’s Place, 212-777-1447.
At Café Orlin, I was able to get my fix before noon with pumpkin pancakes with cinnamon-spiced yogurt. The pancakes are dense and not too heavy on the pumpkin or the sugar (though I was happy to make use of the side of syrup).
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John Galayda John DeRobertis.

In April 1904, Paolo DeRobertis opened a bakery on First Avenue between 10th and 11th Streets, which he named Caffe Pugliese, after his birthplace in the Apulia region of Italy. Today, John DeRobertis Jr., grandson of Paolo DeRobertis, commutes to New York City daily from Nutley, N.J. to work at the bakery (now renamed DeRobertis Caffe) to continue the long family tradition.

Mr. DeRobertis, who grew up on 11th Street, says he is filled with memories from his childhood every time he looks out the store window. “I take pleasure in serving our customers, who come from all parts of the world and seeing their pleasant faces,” Mr. DeRobertis says.

The bakery is open every day from 9:00 a.m. until midnight and ships orders across the country. “All of the baked goods are made on the premises,” boasts Mr. DeRobertis. He says that the best-selling items are the shop’s Pignoli cookies and cannoli. “We also have a huge selection of wedding cakes. If people see a wedding cake they like, they describe it or bring us a picture, and we recreate it,” he adds.—Deanna Yurchuk

Spencer Magloff Preservationists had sought landmark designations for these two buildings at 326 and 328 East Fourth Street.

On the same day that two preservation groups held a news conference urging the Landmarks Preservation Commission to reconsider refusing to designate a pair of 170-year old buildings at 326 and 328 East Fourth Street as historic landmarks, the Department of Buildings awarded permits for both buildings to developer Terrence Lowenberg.

“This is truly outrageous,” said Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, who learned from The Local that the permits had been issued.

“It’s tragic that the Landmarks Preservation Commission sat on their hands for more than three months and allowed this to happen,” said Mr. Berman, whose group led the landmark designation effort. “A wonderful piece of the city’s history will likely be destroyed due to the city’s inaction.”
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When New York University announced that it was abandoning a proposal to build a fourth structure on the Silver Towers site, it changed the direction of its expansion plan.

Activists opposing New York University’s “2031 Plan” for expansion won’t have the “Silver Sliver” to kick around anymore.

That was the news yesterday afternoon as the university announced it would not be filing with the Landmarks Preservation Commission for approval to build the tower, which would have been the tallest building ever constructed on Bleecker Street. Although criticism of the tower had come from many quarters, the death blow seems to have been the hostility of internationally renowned architect I.M. Pei, responsible for the design of the three buildings already on the landmarked Silver Towers site. In news accounts, the proposed tower was disparagingly nicknamed the Silver Sliver.
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Michelle Rick

Good morning, East Village.

The Villager reports that the overhaul of St. Brigid’s Church at Eighth Street and Avenue B might cost significantly more than expected.

According to The Villager, the church’s $10 million restoration fund has already been exhausted and there is still extensive structural work to be done. While church officials have deflected The Villager’s report they have not offered a timetable for when the work at the church will be completed.

In other neighborhood news, Bowery Boogie looks at the Bowery’s role in shaping modern slang, including such phrases as “chum” and “kick the bucket,” which Boogie suggests were popularized by notorious 19th century “street thugs” whose slang “never quite faded from our collective lexicon.”

Ephemeral New York offers up an item about neighborhood style, circa 1984, as seen in the pages of an old copy of the East Village Eye.

And EV Grieve, who blogged the EV Lambo to fame, may have found a rival for the neighborhood’s automotive affections.

Boots were big news during the fall 2010 runway shows and they’re the footwear choice du jour in the East Village. Designers like Alexander Wang and Tommy Hilfiger put their own spin on the now-ubiquitous lace-up styles, while Rag & Bone sent studs and zippers down the catwalk.

With that in mind, The Local hit the streets to check out Villagers’ feet. From rugged combat booties and knee-high riding boots, to fringed platforms and slouchy Westerns, here are some of the most popular looks on fashion-forward locals.

NYU Journalism’s Sophie Hoeller and Sally Lauckner report.

Sophie Hoeller Cienfuegos, 443 East Sixth Street.

The Volstead Act prohibiting the sale, manufacture, and transportation of alcohol from 1919 to 1933, may be a thing of the past, but secret bars (many of which are in our own backyard) are here to stay. These tucked-away little corners offer visitors a haven away from a city and a neighborhood overrun with bars and people. The allure of a clandestine bar lies in the thrill of the chase, the effort of finding the place, landing a reservation and actually getting past secret (and sometimes not-so-secret) entrances. Once seated and sipping old-school drinks without fear of arrest, comes a feeling of being in the know, an insider, and being able to make other New Yorkers feel like tourists.

Here’s our guide to the East Village’s most happening “secret” bars of today. Of course, we can’t guarantee access.
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Colleen Leung The author during a workout.

The East Village is home to many expensive gyms, but some of the best places to work out are free – you just need to be creative! One of the few things I dislike about life in New York City is all the construction, but every cloud has a sliver lining. While it can be an eye sore, construction scaffolding is great for doing pull-ups.

Anyone who’s walked beneath scaffolding has no doubt been tempted to jump up, grab a bar and go for it. Those things are practically begging to be swung around on, hung from or climbed.

With that in mind, my brother Danny and I decided to get a scaffold workout in recently during the morning commute. While everyone around us scuttled off to school or the office, we did all kinds of pull-ups and other exercises without setting foot in a gym. In typical New York fashion, however, most people passing by didn’t even seem to notice. Watch the video below for more.

Al Kavadlo is a personal trainer, freelance writer and author of the book, “We’re Working Out! A Zen Approach to Everyday Fitness” (Muscle-up Publications, 2010). For more information visit www.AlKavadlo.com.

Dan Nguyen

Good morning, East Village.

There’s more information this morning about the disappearance of the mural of President Obama over at Sixth Street and Avenue C. DNAinfo reports that the owners of the space, RCN, said that they removed the mural because they considered it a piece of “illegal graffiti.” A spokesman for RCN told DNA that they never endorsed the creation of the mural, which was done by Antonio Garcia, who paints under the name Chico. (The mural was also connected to recent news events: one of the assistant painters who helped Mr. Garcia create the mural is Jairo Pastoressa, who has been charged with murder in a fatal stabbing Oct. 25.)

EV Transitions offers some striking stills and newsreel footage documenting the 1956 fire at the old Wanamaker building at Eighth Street and Broadway. According to Transitions, 187 firefighters were injured in the blaze, which took 25 hours to control. The 50 million gallons of water that were used to put out the fire also flooded the Astor Place subway station causing enough damage to shut down the BMT and IRT subway lines for two days.

And, from a more recent page in history, The Villager reproduces an image of the old Tent City in Tompkins Square Park taken in the late ’80s or early ’90s.

Looking to go out to eat, but don’t want to leave the kids or the neighborhood behind? Community contributor Rachel Trobman takes a look at some local restaurants that make dining out with children a breeze.
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