Raymond Figueroa, president of the New York City Community Garden Coalition. (Photos by Ryan Krause)
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Elizabeth Street Garden Ralliers to City: 'Hands Off My Bush'
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nolita
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Subterranean Spot The Lø Opens Tomorrow With a ‘Secret Chef’
(Photos courtesy of The Lø)
The subterranean lounge opening at 19 Kenmare tomorrow has a “secret chef,” according to its menu. The folks at The Lø aren’t saying who it is, but Camille Becerra would be a safe bet. The onetime Top Chef contestant will soon open a restaurant, De Maria, in the space above The Lø, and the 50-seat lounge is operated by Becerra’s partner in the restaurant, musician/DJ/entrepreneur Grace Lee.
Skin-Like Sculptures, ‘Apocalyptic Trophies,’ and Other Art Events
(photo via Brandon Perdomo / Facebook)
MVMT: a solo exhibition by Brandon Perdomo
Opening Monday December 5 at The Living Gallery, 7 pm to 10:30 pm. One night only.
Multidisciplinary artist Brandon Perdomo presents a one-night-only exhibition, which includes photography and performance work. Though this is a solo exhibition, he has enlisted the help of two performances to fill the night: at 8 pm, Another Lopez, who is the subject of a photo series by Perdomo, will perform a live dance installation piece and at 8:30 pm the silly, catchy, trash-loving band Pinc Louds will be leaving their home base of the NYC subway underground to play a colorful set. There is an $8 suggested donation, vegan dumplings may make an appearance, and BYOB is welcome.
Gabriel Byrne, Electeds Try to Save Elizabeth St. Garden From New Threat
(photo: Cassidy Dawn Graves)
Walking down Soho’s Elizabeth Street can feel like a neverending vortex of high-class retail, where the designer clothing racks outnumber the people. That is, until you arrive at the lush, green Elizabeth Street Garden, between Prince and Spring Streets. The green “oasis” (as many have dubbed it) and community hub is once again being actively considered for a site for affordable senior housing, a decision that has long been opposed by Community Board 2 but supported by the area’s City Council member Margaret Chin.
The 20,000-square-foot garden is city-owned, but privately leased by gallerist Allan Reiver, who initially planned to use it to store his sculptures but opened it up as a unique respite from the city’s concrete surroundings, full of colorful flowers, green grass, seating areas, and many eye-catching sculptures. Volunteer-run, the garden has been used for community events, education, performances, film screenings, and an annual Harvest Festival. Some of these events draw hundreds of people, located in a neighborhood the NYC Parks Department has previously identified as “underserved by open space.”
Last week, news surfaced that the NYC Housing and Preservation Development (HPD) had officially issued a Request for Proposals to develop the land the garden stands on. Wednesday afternoon, dozens gathered in the garden for a press conference, bearing signs and passionately asserting their garden’s right to remain where it is.
Amy Sedaris Wants to Give You Some Motel-Room Art
(Courtesy of Super 8)
Somehow Amy Sedaris always seems to be around when paintings have to come down off the walls. Remember the Mondrian that Jacqueline was forced to part with in the new season of Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt? And how Sedaris’s character, spazzy socialite Mimi Kanasis, was taken aback when Kimmy approached her in Jacqueline’s empty apartment: “I thought you were a Jeff Koons sculpture of Ronald McDonald!”
Smile! Cafe Grumpy Is Coming to Nolita
(Courtesy of Cafe Grumpy)
Cafe Grumpy, the Greenpoint coffee roaster that shot to fame as Ray and Hannah’s place of employment in Girls, is opening a seventh shop in Nolita. The roaster just signed a lease at the Brewster Carriage House, the luxury condo building on the corner of Mott and Broome where John Legend lives.
News of the 15-year lease comes via broker Eastern Consolidated. The 19th-century building was once home to a factory that built carriages used by the Astors, Vanderbilts, J.P. Morgan, and Abraham Lincoln, the press release notes.
This Is What ‘Public Nude Looping’ Looks Like
(Photo: Joe Sabia)
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La Churreria Has Closed; Guess They Weren’t Making Enough Dough
Well, this is a bummer. One of our favorite Spanish spots, La Churreria, has called it a day. Just a month after we got all excited about a menu makeover that brought churro cups into the mix, the three-year-old sister restaurant of neighboring Socarrat has “closed for renovations,” per a Facebook message. But don’t get it twisted, heart-shaped churro fans: the Nolita cafe isn’t coming back. An inquiry reveals the ownership will be “launching a new concept,” with details coming soon.
You can still walk down to Despaña for something close to the Spanish-style sandwiches that La Churreria served. But why did this have to happen when churros were finally going viral?
AvroKO Opens a Cali-Style Superette With Ice Cream Sandos By Sam Mason of OddFellows
(Photo: Sebastian Pinzon, courtesy of AvroKO)
Hot on the heels of the new Dimes, here’s yet another eatery with a breezy, white-walled California vibe.
Gotta ♥ These Churros
(Photo: Daniel Maurer)
Where Valentine’s grub is concerned, I never thought my heart would stray from Doughnut Plant’s rose-petal doughnuts, but these heart-shaped churros really take the cake. And speaking of cake, La Churreria is also offering a churro cake for the V-Day season. Take a look.
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