Results tagged “les”

After two entertaining yet vicious slams on Hotel Griffou and Gus & Gabriel, interim Times dining heavy Pete Wells throws a one-star bone to The Standard Grill, which has been winning over critics despite the grotesquely exclusive velvet rope scene at the door. Wells declares that "it is not the place I would send friends who want to study the latest contortions of the yoga masters of haute cuisine. But it is exactly where I would direct anybody who needs to recharge by plugging straight into the abundant, renewable energy source that is downtown Manhattan." And yet! "The tiled, barrel-vaulted ceiling makes for treacherous acoustics. At times conversations across the room are beamed directly to your table. Sitting by the open kitchen one night, we heard an expediter shouting out orders as if he were communicating with cooks in Jersey City." Still, "with 100 seats in this room, another 100 in an even noisier antechamber, and 85 more on the sidewalk, it is a marvel that the kitchen reliably bangs out solid, flavorful food."

If you didn't know there was a National Homeless Soccer Team then you know now. NY1 reports that they're heading to the Homeless World Cup in Milan, but before making the trip are practicing on the Lower East Side. The co-ed team is made up of eight players, two hailing from NYC. Founder Lawrence Chann told the network, "I always underestimated the value of traveling and getting out, but you know it's really about raising the expectations of themselves and getting a different view of life and what's possible." One player, Ebony Wright, says, "My short-term goal mainly is to find an apartment because I'm so tired of sleeping outside and not knowing where I'll be able to put my stuff." You can read more about Wright (pictured) here.

Malta: Okay, this unappreciated Williamsburg restaurant isn't new—it opened some six months ago—but this little gem hasn't gotten the attention it deserves, and seems to be struggling in the shadow of the neighborhood's newer cool kids, such as Brooklyn Star, Vutera, and Walter Foods. Part of that may also have to do with the rather uninspired interior design, but tucked away in the back is Malta's hidden strength: a serene backyard garden that's often shockingly deserted. You might think the emptiness portends lackluster food, but Malta, open for dinner daily and brunch on weekends, is high quality at reasonable prices.

Recently a Starbucks customer witnessed a scuffle outside the store between an older gentleman and a bike messenger. The witness described the incident, on the the corner of Allen and Delancey, as such: "they ran into each other at the intersection. the old guy just wouldn't leave the bike dude alone, so the bike dude totally let him have it, POW! KRYPTONITE LOCK TO THE FACE LIKE 3 OR 4 TIMES!" Lucky for us, he filmed it:

Well, they didn't knock him on the noggin like the Tony Awards, but they did play his song "Talk Dirty to Me" without permission. Cityfile reports on the latest in ASCAP/BMI lawsuits filed against New York clubs, saying "Earlier this week, BMI and a collection of labels and artists filed suit against Pianos on the Lower East Side" for playing that tune and others. The companies have been on a rampage, attacking Jay-Z's 40/40 club, Hiro, Cafe Wha? and others, but the site makes a good point: "securing the rights isn't all that expensive. A blanket license from ASCAP, for example, supposedly goes for as little as a dollar a day." Maybe a little more; when we talked to ASCAP VP Vincent Candilora, he told us "the average annual license fee for all bars, restaurants, nightclubs and similar establishments is less than $2.50 a day. With a maximum annual cost of $912.50." Well, the club certainly charges enough for their drinks to cover that cost, no?

The against-all-odds LES mainstay, artist collective ABC No Rio, is back on top with news of money coming in for their rebuilding costs. Three years ago the deed of the Rivington Street tenement that's housed the group for 30 years, was sold to them for $1 by the Department of Housing Preservation and Development. Soon after they were told they'd need about $2.4 million to rebuild what was beyond repiar, and now the NY Times reports that $1.65 million has come in. Last week "the Manhattan borough president, Scott M. Stringer, and City Councilman Alan J. Gerson allocated $1.65 million for a new building. Mr. Stringer arranged for a capital grant of $750,000, citing ABC No Rio’s resilience and cultural value. The rest of the money came in the form of a grant of $450,000 from Mr. Gerson’s discretionary budget, which was matched with another $450,000 by the City Council. The money will be controlled by the Department of Cultural Affairs." Demolition is slated to begin around next Spring.

Storefronts on the Lower East Side are constantly changing. What used to be a cobbler's shop might now be a high-end boutique that later might become a pre-prohibition cocktail bar with an special "cobbler" concoction as a nod to the olden days. Anyway, tonight a new store is opening, but it's also closing! Yes, a comment on instability by a collective of artists. Stop by 55 Delancey Street from 6 to 9 p.m. tonight where 31 artists will be hosting an exhibition in a vacant store front. Read more about the project here.

No one likes to see another music venue shut down, but it's happening again, people. Grub Street declares, "We hear an off-Ludlow music venue with high ceilings, a mezzanine, a basement, and a capacity of 300 is trying to sell off the remaining eleven years of its $15,000-per-month lease. The tavern-club hybrid, once a destination among rocker-hipsters as well as the young glam set, comes equipped with cabaret and liquor licenses." This has to be Fat Baby or the Annex, but have either actually ever been a destination for rocker-hipsters? Maybe in a "we could see it being used as a generic backdrop in Nick & Norah's Infinite Playlist" or a "the cast of the Real World Brooklyn may have gone there" kind of way. Anyway, LES, take either as your sacrificial lamb, just keep your greedy paws off of Cake Shop.

       

Morrissey has been touring his 49-year-old ass off as of late, most recently with a series of smaller shows, perhaps the most intimate being this past Saturday at Bowery Ballroom. There was some notable between-song banter, and Newsday has a Top Ten list of Moz quotes from the night, including "I’m the type who just can’t find love," and "Who am I? This is a question that many have died trying to answer...I can only be identified on a slab, by the scars of pain." (Aw, give this guy a hug if you see him around town.) He also made note of the high security at the venue, saying, "We’re like a jealously guarded can of sardines." Wonder if anyone found love in the audience.

Just their luck—as Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson were embroiled in a late night fight this weekend, NY Post reporter Justin Rocket Silverman happened to be standing nearby. His story begins at Charlotte Ronson's after party at the Eldridge where Lohan seemingly chased her 31-year-old girlfriend from (just last Fashion Week the two were so happy at Charlotte's show!). The Rocket reports back that Lohan cried, "Samantha Judith Ronson, why are you doing this to me?" as she chased her down East 1st Street, high-heeled and lit-cigarette in hand. Allegedly Samantha stopped briefly on East Houston Street to whisper something, which Lohan responded to with: "What are you talking about? I've been with you all night!" (Implying that Lohan was in the only other room at the Eldridge: the bathroom. With the cocaaaaaaaaine?) Allegedly only Rocket and two photographers took notice and were following the escapade, and their voyeurism ended at the Bowery Hotel where the two took the fight behind closed doors. Drama! And here we were pretty certain those two had already broken up.

       

Last night the big Red Bull snowboarding event finally took place at East River Park, with around 20,000 fans sticking it out in bone-chilling weather. 16 riders were lucky enough to drop in from a nine-story structure, but only one took home the 1st prize of $50K: New Jersey’s own Shayne Pospisi. Finland’s Torstein Horgmo took 2nd place, with 3rd going to New Hampshire’s own Scotty Lago and Terje Haakonsen of Norway taking home Best Trick honors for "dropping into the 90-foot tall ramp with his back foot unstrapped from the binding, pulling off a one-footed method air as he kicked his rear foot out." Anthrax brought the rock to the event, playing a few songs along with Brooklyn’s Black Gold and Valient Thorr...and according to Anthrax's Scott Ian, Chuck D also performed with them. Here's some video of the boarders:

Second Stop: Gimme Coffee might want to give you a price break; seems there's now a bit of competition nearby. Located on Lorimer Street near the L station, Second Stop (pictured) brews Portland's acclaimed Stumptown Coffee and serves pastries (including vegan varieties) prepared by former Le Bernardin baker Merrin Frazier. Grub Street has photos and says the décor "elevates Second Stop above your standard coffeehouse. Lamps are from JP Morgan's Wall Street office; table bases are from the Oak Room of the Plaza Hotel, tile work was done with century-old tile from vestibules and foyers in brownstones around NYC, and the fireplace mantel was salvaged from Johnny Depp's townhouse in the West Village." 24 Lorimer Street, (718) 486-6850

   

The Lower East Side is about to get cool again, at least for a couple of days. On February 4th snowboarders will start taking practice runs down the ramp that's being built on the side of the East River (you can get a nice view from the Williamsburg Bridge right now). Then on February 5th they'll compete in an hour long contest, followed by a 7 p.m. Anthrax concert, followed by another hour of riding for the finalists. Here's a look at how the ramp (and snow making) are coming along—would you take a ride down this?

Milk and Honey, the dimly lit railroad bar on Eldridge Street with the fastidiously-prepared cocktails, "reservation only" policy, and unlisted number, blazed the trail for the city's current wildfire cocktail craze and speakeasy-style bars. In recent years, as owner Sasha Petraske has expanded his footprint with Little Branch, The East Side Company, new absinthe-centric White Star and that Community Board pariah Mercury Dime, Milk and Honey has also only gotten more popular, with the secret phone number posted on message boards and blogs as fast as Petraske can change it.

It was rough sledding last night for restaurant and bar owners seeking liquor license approval from Community Board 3, which covers the Lower East Side and the East Village, among other 'hoods. Perhaps the biggest loser was fastidious cocktail impresario Sasha Petraske (Milk and Honey), whose humble request to serve wine at his would-be wine bar Mercury Dime (pictured) on East 5th Street was mercilessly shot down, despite the fact that he's operated Milk and Honey on Eldridge since 2000 without a single noise complaint.

The film Captured documents the documentarian Clayton Patterson (watch the trailer after the jump), and will screen in New York on the 20th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park police riots, which Patterson famously filmed ("little brother is watching big brother," he's noted in the past). Recently, the artist, writer, community activist, and photographer who for the past 25 years has documented the Lower East Side...from drag queens to heroin addicts to rabbis...was arrested for taking photos. In an email, he stated:

"On Ludlow – between Stanton and Rivington – was arrested for taking photographs. The problem has more to do with police procedure on the street. On this day the street was not a frozen zone. People were allowed to walk through. Kids were hanging out. There was not a police-line. There was not even a fire, just a little smoke."

Even back in 1984 there was mainstream media attention on the ever-changing landscape of the Lower East Side and East Village. Real estate was "exploding," chain stores were popping up, and galleries were abundant. The New York Magazine cover story on May 28th of that year was titled: The Lower East Side -- There Goes the Neighborhood.

Actress Tatum O'Neal hasn't kept her battles with addiction a secret, but just when things in her life seem to be on the straight and narrow, the NY Post is reporting she got busted buying crack and cocaine on the Lower East Side. Seems the neighborhood still has its drug roots, the addicts just have Oscars on their mantles now.

Last year the National Trust For Historic Preservation named the Brooklyn Waterfront one of the 11 Most Endangered Places, and this year some of New York's land gets the honor. The Lower East Side has made the annual endangered list, which highlights the country's areas deemed at risk of irreparable damage.

Residents of Washington Heights and the Lower East Side may be noticing some production crews in their 'nabe this week, as filming begins for the redux of PBS's The Electric Company, which ended its series in 1977.

Orchard Street designer Doron Braunshtein (aka Apollo Braun, pictured) is at it again; in March he launched his "Who Killed Obama?" t-shirt and now he's added a new political statement to his line: the $250 "Jews Against Obama" t-shirt.

Almost all of the injuries suffered by tenants in Thursday night's high rise fire on the Lower East Side were preventable and the result of panic and poor decision making by residents. In addition to the 30 firefighters who reported injuries fighting the blaze on Grand St., 16 tenants of the 26 story building were injured--two seriously. FDNY officials say that all of the injuries to the tenants could have been avoided.

Hotelier Jason Pomeranc is creating posh microcosms of gentility all over the city. Since his luxury boutique hotel brand launched seven years ago with the opening of 60 Thompson, Pomeranc has opened two more New York properties, 6 Columbus and Gild Hall. Now, everybody's wondering when his next venture, Thompson LES, at 200 Allen Street will swing open its doors to what The Observer says has become "a no-man’s land of rats, dirty streets and prolonged high-rise construction projects."

Like it or not The Real Housewives of New York are getting air time every Tuesday, and each week they invite the rest of New York (and the world) into a little bubble they call home. Touring private schools for their French-speaking children, toting their kids off to auditions, getting away to the Hamptons and presumbably being "fabulous" at whatever else fills their social schedule.

Yesterday Gawker posted about a little-known LES space that, if you know the secret handshake, will open its doors to you. Once inside you'll find a reception room, a capacious old theater space... even fishtanks. The night Gawker stumbled in they found a band playing, and in booze-induced wonderment, took a short video clip. The clip was included in the post yesterday but now both have disappeared, becoming as mysterious as this secret club itself!

Blind item! What downtown venue was behind screwing over yet another band? We never did like blind items, so we'll just tell you through part of this letter we received from the disgruntled band behind the latest booking botch-up:

We had a really bad experience at the Annex, on Orchard St. last night. Basically we showed up for a 5:00 load in to find out that our show had been canceled. The two other bands on the bill faced the same problem. One of the bands had driven 5 hours through the rain from Boston just for this show, only to find out that it had been canceled. None of the bands had been called.

Continue reading "New Jersey Band vs. New York City"

Today marks the grand opening of the Moscot Museum. You know Sol Moscot, the lens shop with giant yellow bespectacled signs that look over the streets of New York like Dr. Eckleburg's eyes? Apparently they're not much less symbolic -- sticking around New York for the past 100 years is no small feat, and must stand for something. But a museum, really?The Moscot Museum will showcase never before released, historic black & white photographs of...