Nabe News: November 29
Animal NY caught up with Kenny Scharf, and learned that the artist is not worried about vandals tagging his mural. “No, I’m not Shepard Fairey. Not to knock him or anything, but I’m not putting up wallpaper made safely in a studio.” [Animal NY; Previously]
What the new Madison Square Garden will look like. Expect twin 200-foot-long catwalks above the ice/court! [Curbed]
A new Converse specialty sneaker store opens at 560 Broadway in SoHo. We’re still waiting for the LES-branded Chucks [Racked]
The fascinating history of Rat Island, a 2.5-acre parcel just off the Bronx. It was often a stepping stone for escaped prisoners from nearby Hart Island, and later became home to a sanitarium. The land hit the open market last year for $300,000 [Ephemeral NY]
An interview with Paul Jurczyk, the new captain over at Polonia on First Avenue, who is completely changing the joint to something more “sophisticated.” “My staff and myself are hoping that the old customers which really enjoy to nag and complain will find somewhere more suitable to their liking.” [EV Grieve]
Capital NY has an extensive article on the brief life of Superdive, and its effect on the East Village neighborhood. A must-read [Capital NY]
Fine Jewish dining on the Lower East Side at Moskowitz & Lupowitz. The restaurant once lived at Second Avenue and Second Street [Vanishing NY]
Recent Stories
Mayor Adams Vetoes Bill to Fine Non-Artists Residents in Upzoned SoHo and NoHo
The SoHo/NoHo Rezoning saga took a new turn last Friday when Mayor Eric Adams vetoed the controversial bill (Intro 2443A). The last-minute legislation, introduced by former Councilmember Chin, would levy fines against residents occupying JLWQA units without official “artist certification.” The odd JLWQA acronym isn’t the call sign of some defunct NYC radio station; it […]
Gaia Cafe Planning February Return with New Essex Street Locale
Gaia Italian Cafe, a locals favorite, is gearing up for a return. An early pandemic victim, Gaia shuttered its sub-level operations in the summer of 2020 after nearly a decade on East Houston. Then word came through last July that namesake chef-owner Gaia Bagnasacco signed a lease for the ground floor of 119 Essex Street, […]
‘Be My Baby’ and a Strange 1965 Visit to Parisi Bakery (Ronnie Spector RIP)
Ronnie Spector, the chanteuse who fronted the Ronettes in the 1960s with her signature vocal yearning, died yesterday. She was 78. She passed after “a brief battle with cancer,” according to a statement from her family. In tribute to her life and music, we’re re-publishing the following piece from a few years ago highlighting the […]
The Decimated State of East River Park
It’s full throttle with East River Park demolition. Nothing now stands in the way of the $1.45 billion coastal resiliency project. Tree stumps dot the park from East Houston to Corlears Hook, onetime green space which now resembles the blackened wasteland of a post-apocalyptic novel. In all, some 990 trees are being sawed into submission. […]
How to Help Essex Card Shop Rebuild After Devastating Fire on Avenue A
Monday afternoon, a two-alarm fire ripped through 47 Avenue A, destroying the long-running Essex Card Shop. While the cause of the fire is still under investigation, Saba Aslam, daughter of the shop owner, launched a GoFundMe campaign to help rebuild the business. “Every single corner of this store is burned, damaged, and destroyed,” the appeal proclaims. […]
