This Wednesday January 26, 2011
come see “Upon My Word”
a musical play written by Alec Coiro, produced by Erin Krause.
I saw it once and it is HILARIOUS! And I am going back for more!!!
Buy tix soon because it will sell out again!!!
THE BLEECKER COMPANY/Arclight Theater
152 WEST 71ST ST

Yesterday, Monday morning, around 3:30am, a small homemade bomb went off outside a Starbucks on 92nd Street and 3rd Avenue.  The blast destroyed an outdoor bench, shattered some of the store’s windows, and was heard and felt by nearby residents.  So far, surveillance footage and one witness implicate two teens in the crime.

I strolled by the victimized Starbucks later in the day, around 7pm.  A few news vans were parked in the area, but the bench and broken glass seemed to have been replaced and the place was up and running, packed with coffee drinkers.

And across 3rd Avenue, Ron Burgundy was on the scene, interviewing the locals.

Links:
Small Bomb Goes Off Outside Upper East Side Starbucks [NY Daily News]

Carnegie Hill is changing fast.  I go to the West Coast for one week and Petak’s closes! Katie texted me while I was in Las Vegas and I was shocked.  I walked by the empty store the other night and passed a man carrying a Petak’s bag- I looked at the sign on the store window, then at him and he returned a knowing, sad look.  Soon the plastic Petak’s bag won’t be a UES accessory like the Fairway bag continues to be on the West side.

LISTS FOR CARNEGIE HILL (confined to my limited walking area)

CLOSED/MOVING

• Petak’s = Closed (I lament the loss of their chicken noodle soup, chicken nuggets, and skinny potato pancakes they had only during holidays, among other things.)
• Bolton’s = Closed (always wondered who shopped there except my grandmother when she used to visit from the nursing home in Philly when I was little.  Bolton’s was in that spot for at least 30 years?)
• Didi’s Children’s Boutique = Closed  (out of all the baby stores I did think this one was kind of cool because of all the wooden German import toys.  Could find unique gifts.)
• Schatzie’s Prime Meats = moving to the West side (shoot, need to take advantage of the Dirty Briscuit Sandwich special before they move.  Only ever get the soup.)
• Feldman’s IV Hardware = Moving further East (was convenient to have a hardware store on the corner but was really overpriced.  i saw they had a clothing rack there for $40.  bought the exact same one instead at Bed Bath and Beyond for $20, thing was a piece of crap and returned it for full refund.  Would have been even more pissed if I have paid $40- but wouldn’t have had to go as far for the return.  would they have taken it back?  BBB has good no questions asked return policy.
• Village Designer Shoes = closed with sign that said co-op tripled our rent (old school signage, very UES shoes but here and there some good deals and cheap slippers)
• Romeo’s Barbershop = closed (had only opened recently, gave haircuts, developed film, repaired shoes and computers…too bad…that was my dad’s new haircut spot)
• Boghen Pharmacy = closed (old-school fancy pharmacy – one of the few business on Park Avenue)

MUST STAY

• Petak’s (closed)
• Blacker & Kooby
• Mark Millikin – and I bet they will stay- have they not cornered the market on ceramic cows on wheels?  Such a ridiculous place it makes me kind of happy.
• Jackson Hole
• New Amity Restaurant
• Sarabeth’s
• Gerald Bland – not reeeaally, but out of all the recent antique stores in the area I like this one- has really eclectic collection, some art deco, some mid-century, some older, and not bland at all!
• Yura – I don’t like Dean & Delucca’s uptown.  I prefer the smaller catering places like Petak’s (R.I.P.) and Yura – great baked goods!
• Moormends – If only because they now have a mini version of the old P.S. I Love You store inside.

WHAT I WOULD WELCOME IN THE EMPTY SPACES

• Gourmet catering/food store that sells local produce like Forager’s in DUMBO.
• Specific specialty food store like Pickles & Olives, etc. on 1st Ave (Can never have enough of these)
• Bakery (remember Ecce Panis?  never enough bakeries either)
• Something like DTUT! i.e. a coffeeshop hangout (Hard to make money from all the lounging people do, maybe they can swing some added income by selling merchandise, or it could be some rich person’s vanity project)
• Radio station a la East Village Radio but with a crazy Uptown twist.
• Small art gallery to make up for the loss of Project Room 88

WHAT I DON’T WANT TO MOVE IN

• Baby clothing store – we especially don’t need any more French ones.
• Chain stores like Duane Reade or Walgreens
• Bank storefront
• Another Viand or Three Guys Restaurant- we have enough.

I’m calling a little break here, because I don’t have time to really do the quality work for the site that I want to – although I promise to come back soon with some substantial stuff – but for now please check out:

The U.E.S. Journal’s Budget Guide to the U.E.S. in the new travel issue of the zine
Take the Handle.