Vanishing New York Backup

Sprinkles, the cupcake chain that moved into Gino's , will now be dispensing cupcakes from ATM machines. [ NYDN ] "in the past few months I have come face to face with the distinct possibility that I’ve finally morphed into the species of specious Brooklynite I’ve always mocked." [ NYO ] First they took the old newsstands, now they want to get rid of "ugly" food carts . [ AMNY ] Searching for the hidden coal ovens of NYC. [ SE ] Inside Keen's pipe room. [ NYT ] Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space coming to C-Squat. [ EVG ] A story about tough New Yorkers and magical potions from Romy. [ WIC ] Lucy of Lucy's profiled in the Times, as her East Village dive bar "braves the area's latest affliction: affluence." [ NYT ] Are people getting stupider ? [ NYT ] In "the year without a winter" spring in New York City is fucked. [ NYT ] A treasure trove of old neon signs . [ NYN ]

Recently, we learned about cash mobs --they're like flash mobs, but their purpose is to infuse a local business with cash. The word goes out across social media, and a crowd (hopefully) shows up at a business to spend money. A little group of us started talking about this on Facebook and decided that our first cash mob destination will be Odessa on Avenue A . Goggla did the legwork, running the idea by the diner's manager, and they'll be ready and waiting for a mob on Wednesday, March 7, at 6:00 pm . At that time, meet at the "light" Odessa for dinner, then go next door to the "dark" Odessa for drinks. Bring cash. The "light" Odessa is at 119 Avenue A, and the "dark" Odessa is at 117. Spread the word (tweet, facebook, blog, whatever) and support this local business! What struggling small business in the city should we Cash Mob next?

As I approach my fifth year of writing this blog, I'm noticing the negative impact of too much Internet on my brain. Like Nicholas Carr writes about in The Shallows , I find that my thoughts are becoming bouncy, hard to hold, and it's difficult to get through reading an entire novel. Halfway through a chapter, I'm distracted. I have a stack of books I want to read, but strangely lack the desire for. It feels like not me. While I have considered stopping the blog, I'm not yet ready to do that. So I'm going to try a harm reduction approach and cut back. My first step will be no more Friday posts--unless something particularly newsworthy happens on a Friday that can't wait until Monday. I'm hoping this reprieve will hold off the complete zombification of my brain a little longer. (Let's see how long I can stick with it.) Thank you--and my brain thanks you.

VANISHING We've been hearing speculation for months that the wonderful Bill's Gay 90s would be closing. Now it's official. Marty visited this week and talked to the bartender and the owner. They confirmed that the last day for Bill's will be March 24 . Writes Marty, "It seems that the landlord isn't going to renew the lease and someone else is going to take over. The landlord hasn't revealed who this someone else is, but all bets are on John DeLucie, even though it's been denied in the press. My question is why would the landlord deny Bill's lease when they pack them in nightly." Bill's has been on 54th Street since 1924. Tallulah Bankhead drank here. Their website says: "this jewel in the crown of Roaring Twenties nightlife continues to defy the powers that be (progress now and development) while holding its sacred ground for a clientele, in some cases, four generations old ." But, as we know, the powers that be cannot be...

Vernacular Typography is the creation of graphic designer and Brooklyn native Molly Woodward, who has spent the past decade taking photos of the city's "found lettering." All over the city, and the world, local signage is disappearing and being replaced with mass-produced signs and the brands of global corporations. Molly is trying to preserve it--and she has a Kickstarter campaign to help do that. I asked her a few questions about "endangered local signage." from Vernacular Typography Q: How are you defining "Vernacular Typography"? A: I guess it should technically be Vernacular "Lettering," but I define Vernacular Typography as the found lettering that exists in the built environment and surrounds us everyday. It doesn't have to be pretty or use an existing typeface, it's just any visual representation of language. Q: How do you think New York City's vernacular typography differs from other cities around the country and th...

About a week ago, a Starbucks opened on the corner of E. 3rd Street and 1st Avenue. As Grieve pointed out, it's a Starbucks "Reserve," which means it's special. Starbucks says it's there to remind us of "the early days of the specialty coffee business that we helped to create." In other words, they want us to feel like we're in a real place and not a fake place. I guess that's why the signage is hand-painted on the bricks. It's more rustic that way. Maybe, if it looks authentic, it won't be egged or covered with GET THE FUCK OUT signs . Before Starbucks came to this corner, and before its predecessor The Bean, there was Little Rickie. Tom Perottet Originally opened on First Street in 1985 by Phillip Retzky, Little Rickie moved to 49 1/2 First Avenue in 1987. They sold nostalgic, kitschy novelties--a lot of Elvis and Jesus, Mexican Day of the Dead skeletons, and vintage stuff. It was a great little place. (You might argue that Little Ric...

VANISHED It has happened. After 119 years in business, after being on the brink of closure in recent years, the great Manganaro Grosseria on 9th Avenue has shuttered. all photos: my flickr, 2008 A reader alerted me this weekend, writing, "Walked by Manganaro's today and saw a sign that said they were serving their last Sunday lunch... The window display is bare and you can see the ancient glass and wood sliding doors. All of the photos are boxed up and on the floor. There are no more tables and chairs in the back. Out front, decades worth of paper signs, chairs, and baskets were in the trash. The place looks like a movie set now, empty and displaced from time. I fear the place will be gutted to make room for a Subway ." A call to the restaurant confirmed they are closed and their website has the following note: " As of February 27, 2012, Manganaro Foods will no longer be open in New York City. We will let you know when we re-open. Thank you for your many ye...