Archive for category Good Living
Village Welcomes Silk Screeners to the Neighborhood
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on May 6, 2013
Urban Cricket and Pamela Barsky’s New Home on Essex
Moving into the premises at 29 Essex Street are Urban Cricket, creator of “fresh and funny” tee-shirts; and Pamela Barsky, maker of “crisp and funny” zipper bags.
The two concerns have been selling their wares at a wide collection of marketplaces, including the Hester Street Fair and at an outdoor table in Union Square, but decided it was time to settle down to a regular store.
Audrey Nasar and Gloria Erani of Urban Cricket, and Ms. Barsky had decided they did not want to be in Brooklyn and were happy to find a storefront in the Village which was not only well-located, but affordable.
There is no signage yet up on their shop, but they say they are going to use the name “29 Essex” and then “Home of Urban Cricket and Pamela Barsky. So far they are saying they are thrilled to be in a location south of Delancy.
Homer Back in Village
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on February 7, 2013
Richard Mishaan of Homer
Richard Mishaan’s home furnishings shop which previously graced commercial space on Madison Avenue from 1997 until 2008 is back, now in the Village. Until the Whitney Museum reclaimed its space back in 2008, Mishaan was selling stylish furnishings, including contemporary, vintage and his own more moderately priced designs.
Homer, as the store is called, will be organized according to “vignettes” to give decorators ideas to work with on their own.
“I want to give people design ideas and start a dialogue,” he said.
Mishaan says he will change around the store four times year, according to the seasons.
“We’ll lighten things up for summer,” he said, “and have more-substantial pieces for the holidays.”
Mishaan designs home décor for Bolier and lighting for Urban Electric. The new Homer can be found at 56 University Place at East 10th Street. Call for more information: (212) 744-7705.
Village Options for Super Bowl Watching
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on January 31, 2013
Where will you be on Super Bowl Sunday?
You don’t have to be a football fan to love the Super Bowl. Watching the game has become an American tradition almost as sacred as Thanksgiving, and probably a lot more fun. If you have been wondering where to go to enjoy the game in the company of some really rowdy revelers, then you have come to the right place:
• How about watching the game on a screen two stories high? For only $7 you will get pizza, snacks and at least one drink plus the privilege of seeing the game bigger than life. Check it out at the Nuyorican Poet’s Café at 236 East 3rd Street. Make your reservations on-line here.
• Pizza not your style for the Super Bowl? Well, how about buffalo wings, which will be served for free at half-time in the Chandelier Room of Fontana’s. The big screen there, plus $3 shots and happy hour prices should make the game an unforgettable experience. Fontana’s Bar is located at 105 Eldridge Street.
• At half-time Tammany Hall at 152 Orchard Street will present a DJ for the crowd’s listening and dancing pleasure. While watching the great game they will serve drink specials, wings and sliders. Sounds like fun to me.
It seems that no matter who actually comes up on top of the Super Bowl, everyone watching is a winner.
The Village Getting Spruced Up…
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on March 1, 2012
…But Don’t Forget the Man in the Street
It seems like there have been quite a few building renovations in the Village over the last year or so. Clearly lots of money has been spent. One may thus be forgiven for asking, what about the regular man in the street? The United Food and Commercial Workers Union Local 1500 (NY’s largest grocery workers union) is fighting for a minimum wage increase to a mere $8.50 an hour. That means no matter how hard the regular man in the street is working, there’s no way he’s going to be able to afford to live in the city and stay above the poverty line.
East 4th Street Building Restoration
Still, for those who want to live in denial and enjoy the bourgeoning beauty of the city, check out the new look for the building on East 4th Street. See how far it’s come in less than four years and try not to think about how that money could have been perhaps better used on the city’s residents. Today it looks absolutely fabulous and yet has still retained a sense of New York’s modern history. It just no longer has the decrepit look it was known for back in 2008 thanks to the Rod Rodgers Dance Company, Studios and Duo Multicultural Arts Center, along with NYC itself which all donated funds to ensure this renovation was made possible.
This building has definitely been through some major changes during its history, ranging from a place to meet; a German music hall; ballroom; gay cinema; location for performances; hang-out for the likes of Andy Warhol, Jim Carroll and others who screened various controversial films, and more.
School Building Renovation
But this isn’t the only building in the Village that has undergone a rather expansive facelift. Indeed, there was even a blessing delivered by Cardinal Egan to mark the huge amount of work that was put into improve the outlook and facilities of the St. Raymond High School for Boys at the end of last year. The work that was undertaken is now enabling the staff to provide a better Catholic education – that is more modern – to the students there. This was made possible by the construction of a brand new library/media center; music room; computer room; arts room; center for senior guidance and recreation area on the rooftop.
Library Opening
And then going back a few months to July of last year, the city saw the opening of the Morrisville Public Library, which took 9 months to complete. The original building dates back to 1903, when it was opened to the public with a mere 760 volumes. Donated by Susanna Phelps Gage, it was erected in the 1850 Gothic Revival–style home of Henry and Mary Phelps. Today, the library boasts close to 18,000 volumes, and has thus certainly come a long way from its humble beginnings.
So there really are some exciting changes in the Village that are modernizing the city of New York while still retaining its tradition. It’s just a shame many of the people living there are not enjoying such fancy renovations but are focused on where there next meal is going to come from.
Greek Revival Architecture on Colonnade Row
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on February 6, 2012
Colonnade Row
The East Village is full of things to do and see, including some astounding architecturally interesting buildings. At one site, known as Colonnade Row, there are four Green Revival mansions which were built in 1833. There were originally nine homes along this stretch of Lafayatte Street between Astor Place and East 4th Street, but the four remaining are enough to get a good feel for the elegance along this formerly exclusive strip.
The stonework on the buildings was done by inmates of the famous Sing Sing prison, and the once elegant (now a bit shabbier) buildings were home to the likes of John Jacob Astor and Cornelius Vanderbilt. Now these buildings serve as the homes of apartments, a lounge and a restaurant.
Little Secret Gardens in the Big East Village
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on January 23, 2012
Fence Around El Sol Brillante Sr
El Sol Brillante, Sr is a little park in the East Village which is part of the East Village Parks Conservancy. The park, located on the south side of East 12th Street between Avenues A and B, is a lush, well-tended oasis in an otherwise harsh environment. A wonderful wrought iron fence surrounds the premises with a whimsical structure that bespeaks the delight held within.
If you are interesting in helping care for the garden’s grounds, there are regularly scheduled volunteer gardening days. For more information about the East Village Parks Conservancy and the many green spaces which the organization is protecting and taking delight in, contact them directly.
- El Sol Brillante Sr
Authentic Italian Delicacies in Little Italy at Di Palo’s Fine Foods
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on January 9, 2012
Are you in the mood for that perfect lasagna or baked ziti that only you know how to make? But what you need is some fresh, flavorful and wonderfully fanciful cheese. Luckily there is such a place in Little Italy (where else?) called Di Palo’s Fine Foods.
Fine Cheeses Available at Di Palo's Fine Foods
Located at 200 Grand Street between Mulberry and Mott Streets, just stepping into Di Palo’s is a treat unto itself. Founded in 1910 by the current owner’s great grandfather Savino Di Palo, as a latteria, it wasn’t until four years later that Savino was able to bring the rest of his family to New York.
Through the years and generations the Di Palo family has striven to bring the wonderful traditional cuisine of Italy to the shores of the United States. Today the present owner, Lou Di Palo is true to that tradition.
Cheese is not the only item on hand at Di Palo’s. In addition they offer oil, vinegar, pasta, rice, other grains, cured meat, coffee, honey and preserves, sweets and specialty items from northern central and southern Italy. Stop by and see for yourself what a true Italian delicacy can mean. Maybe you can even get a new recipe for lasagna while you’re there?
Di Palo’s is open Monday through Saturday from 9am until 7pm and on Sundays from 9am to 5pm. Call 212-226-1033 for more information.
Exhibits at the Center for Architecture
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on January 2, 2012
Center for Architecture
Interested in architecture? Then the Center for Architecture at 536 LaGuardia Place is worth a visit. The Center for Architecture is the home to the American Institute of Architects New York Chapter, and is a lively nonprofit organization which prides itself on providing a large number of invaluable resources to the public and to professionals in the building industry.
The Center sponsors exhibitions, programs and other special events which strive to constantly improve the quality and increase the sustainability of the built environment. Goals of the Center include facilitating dialogue between design, construction and real estate communities while also encouraging collaboration all over the world.
Currently there are three exhibitions at the Center for Architecture. Building Connections 2011 will be shown until February 11, 2012, and brings to the public a selection of student work from the variety of communities served by the Center. The exhibit showcases the Center’s hands-on, project-based approach to teaching, including drawing, 2-D design and 3- model-making.
Until January 21st 2012 the exhibit Buildings = Energy will explore how it is possible to change our cities and out environment by taking a new, unconventional look at energy and its use.
Closing soon, on January 4th is the third exhibit at the Center, Building Back: 30 Years of Growth in New York City.
For more information on the Center for Architecture and any of these exhibits, call the center at: 212.683.0023
Corlears Hook Park
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on November 28, 2011
Corlears Hook Park
Located at the Southeastern curve of Manhattan Island between the Manhattan and Williamsburg bridges, Corlears Park is a great place to get gorgeous views of the East River, the bridges and the Brooklyn Navy Yard.
The spot was originally used by the Lenape Native Americans as a place to land their canoes due to its heavy marshland, and Dutch settles soon took over the area as a place to load and unload transport ships.
In the 17th century the Dutch Corlear family owned a large portion of this piece of land, and it’s from this family that the park takes its name.
Today the park is a haven for residents of the Lower East Side, offering a playground, dog run, baseball field, water fountain and a spray showers.
The park is administered by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation and is located at Jackson and Cherry Streets and the FDR Drive.
Historic Hamilton Fish Park: An Oasis of Fun in the East Village
Posted by nycrushhour in Good Living on November 21, 2011
Beaux-Arts Community Center Historic Landmark
Run by the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, Hamilton Fish Park has served the neighborhood of the Lower East Side for generations. It is a great place for residents to come and swim in the Olympic-size pool, play basketball, and romp in the playground. A recreation center offers adults and children after school and after work classes in computers, exercise and much more.
The park was established in 1900, and its gymnasium is one of New York’s most notable of small civic buildings. It was designed in 1898 by the same architects that did the Fifth Avenue Public Library, Carrère & Hastings. It is a classic and exuberant Beaux-Arts style building, and is the only remaining structure from the park’s original plan, and thus its status as Historic Landmark which was granted in 1982.
In 1936 an Olympic size pool was added, built by the famed WPA of the Great Depression years, one of ten others built throughout New York City, which changed the way millions of New York residents spend their leisure time. The Hamilton Fish Pond pool was so well respected that the US Olympic Team practiced there in preparation for the 1952 Games in Helsinki.
The 4.3 acre park was extensively renovated for $14 million and once again opened for business in 1992. The gymnasium was transformed into a community center with classrooms and meeting spaces, while the newly renovated pool gave a new life to one of New York’s favorite summer pastimes. New landscaping is distinctly modern, but was integrated with trees that have been in place since the early part of the 20th century.
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