Now that Rosie & Ting's Chinese place is closed, the Mensans have had to move their "Friendly Friday" to Panchito's. You'd think geniuses would gather at a venue with a less silly name (though it did used to be the Fat Black Pussycat)...
...What is happening on this corner (10th St and 4th Ave) anyway? Next door Academy Records has closed, too, moving to 12th Street. Do I smell a big fat BANK coming down the pike? Doesn't take a Mensan to figure that one out. This corner is, after all, directly across the street from the Green East demolition where a hotel is rumored to sprout...
...But I could be wrong. My prediction about a bank coming to the spot currently being vacated by the Galaxy bodega may have been off the mark. Last night the man behind the Galaxy's counter told me a barbershop is coming. A barbershop? What is this, 1954? Could it be true?
In other chatter...
Not everyone's happy about a big ugly box blocking their view of the Brooklyn Bridge. [SBB]
This odd little low-rise in the Meatpacking District fascinates me with its heart-carved facade and For Lease sign hawking a historic cabaret with "highline patio" and "secret tunnels." If anyone else is curious about what's up with that, The Villager provides all the answers about a man who just might be the last surviving 70s-era NYC character in "MePa." [Villager]
A new East Village-based rant is born! Check out artist, writer (and VanishingNY commenter) Suzannah B. Troy's new blog.
Joining New York Lost and Twilight Becomes Night, there's a new vanishing New York documentary on the horizon and it's called...Vanishing New York. That title sounds awfully familiar. Anyway, the movie looks like a good one: Check out the trailer here.
Citifield? Ugh. Jeremiah, I've long thought about a blog devoted exclusively to the lost foods, food stores, and restaurants of New York. God know we're losing them fast enough. Perhaps a project for the new year.
ReplyDeleteOK couple of things
ReplyDelete1) I've figured out how we know it is not the sign of the apocalypse... there is still no SPENCER GIFTS in Manhattan proper.
2) All modern ballparks have a variety of "high end" food, they still have hot dogs, peanuts and beer. But baseball has been in such a slump, I believe it's Camden Yards which offers an "All-You-Can-Eat" ticket option.
3) Let's face it, as much as I agree with you, anything is an improvement on Shea Stadium.
Jeremiah - it would be really terrific if you did your own take on the Arrow Man. That Villager article was pretty comprehensive, but I'd love to hear more (and maybe see some inside pics!) from your point of view. He really is what New York used to be all about. What happened to these people?
ReplyDeleteAlso, this whole bloomberg business vs. small business - it amazes me that there's no large campaign about this - like shirts or buttons with bloomberg's face with an x through it. I know this is totally not your domain but it just amazes me that bloomberg is rarely called to task for what he's responsible for. You hear people rail about "corporations" but you don't hear them blame the mayor all that often.
You're right, anonymous, about Mayor McChee$e getting a free pass (the last man in the world who needs one!). You can thank the lapdogs of the media, the young corporate drones who flood our city daily and the developers and non-profits who sat down and plotted out ways to carve up the city in cahoots with Dashin' Dan Doctoroff. Not to mention the fact that the rest of us are sweating blood to say put, hanging on by a thread. Not conditions conducive to fighting the power, but we're going to have to learn!
ReplyDeleteSince Panchito's, per the Fat Black Pussycat jump, used to be on Minetta Lane and the sign says they're now on Macdougal, what's in the old space? Plus, a link to the cover of Southside Johnny and the Asbury Jukes' second album cover, showing the lane in all its
1977 glory.
http://pease1.sr.unh.edu/southside/CD/forreal.jpg
Word is that Bloomy essentially buys community groups' silence with handsome donations.
ReplyDeleteand lets not forget the jokers on community boards who sign off on these developments for chump change campaign contributions. bloomy is only the top of a rotten heap of decision makers chasing $ power respect.
ReplyDelete