The bodega is fairly standard issue, yet feels somewhat “classier” than most.  Probably due to the sleek wood countertop and the three light fixtures that greet you upon entry.  There is a decent selection of sandwich fare and the staff is very friendly.

Have you been there yet?  What do you think?

Allen Street Deli, 203 Allen Street, (212) 475-0940

At around 6:15 pm yesterday, two caretakers in a fully-extended cherry picker erased the extraneous doodles. This fresh batch of work caught the eye of numerous passing pedestrians, many of whom stopped for photo ops. The above-mural scrawls were quite popular during their short run, though. Boogie reader T.E.V.B. said it best: “If all the tags were only within the confines of the mural space, it might have portrayed different types of messages, e.g. the control of public space for street/graffiti art.” McGee tested the man, but lost the battle.

Saturday afternoon, a group of young skaters took a break from grinding the recently “mall-terated” Allen Street Mall to check out the neighborhood wildlife.  The boys happened upon a baby rat running in the bike lane, mere feet from northbound traffic.  Boards dropped, and out came the cell phones and cameras. Meanwhile, the daytime drinkers at Epstein’s didn’t notice.

All seemed worried about the welfare of the rat, but none were brave enough to scoot it away from danger.  Enter one older man who quickly kicked the vermin into the street.  It was squashed almost immediately.  The move elicited cries from the skaters, most of whom called him a “fuckin’ animal killer.”  Cat food, now.

Be sure to check out EV Grieve’s latest coverage here.

This wound cuts pretty deep. In the wake of Mark David Chapman’s recent parole hearing postponement, coincidentally, Chico’s John Lennon mural at 9 Avenue B has vanished.  Definitely one of the best pieces in his vast body of work. Instead, we are now left with drab brown paint.

[Photo Credit: Wally Gobetz]

Even the “You may say I’m a dreamer” lyric was erased, leaving only the “I heart L.E.S.” slogan above the security gate. At least for now. The thirtieth anniversary of John’s murder is December 8. It promises to be a high-profile media event.

That massive “mall-teration” undertaking on the Allen Street Mall is hastily drawing to a close.  Over the weekend, volunteer artists working on scene informed us that the sidewalk masterpiece should be completed sometime in the next couple weeks, contrary to what we thought earlier.

There are a handful of new additions to the public art project, which is backed by the Hester Street Collaborative.  First, each of the circular neighborhood maps are now oriented by so-called compass benches which pivot on a wheel.  Since their installation, we’ve witnessed many passersby spinning around as if on a merry-go-round.

Next up is the dual-toned stencilwork tagged on the white crosswalk bars.  The blue lettering spells out a chronological account of the various immigration waves to the neighborhood throughout history.  The orange lettering, on the other hand, reveals the history of the Allen Street Mall space itself.

And lastly, the three mall medians between East Houston and Delancey are each numbered.

Local skaters have already planted a flag here, as the compass benches facilitate a basic trick park of sorts.  A moving obstacle with some added grind space.

The job call will be held at 183 East Houston, and is scheduled between 4 pm and 7 pm on Wednesday, September 1. Guess business is okay at this branch in light of the parent company’s financial woes.

[May 2010]

All the street-meat eaters out there can thank the World Cup for the arrival of Souvlaki GR.  According to the website, the owners dreamed up the idea during the match between Greece and Argentina.

Not surprisingly, the truck will park in midtown to capitalize on the lunch crowd, but head to the East Village and Lower East Side for late night. Here is their menu:

It’s really no secret that the leather vendors on Orchard Street are hanging on for dear life.  Their demise is gradual, but seemingly inevitable in the face of the gold rush.  Sunday pedestrian malls don’t attract so much foot traffic anymore, and many of the old-school storefronts are quietly shuttering.  One-by-one. And now another. Rita’s Leather Fair at 143 Orchard Street has been vacant for months.

Renovations were underway in June, but are now presumably complete.  Indeed, the requisite Misrahi Realty sign just recently surfaced, as did a real estate listing on their website.  Here are the deets.  Of particular note is the reference to our neighborhood as an “up and coming hotel district.”

Neighborhood: Lower East Side
Price: $5000
Size: 800
Lease: 5-10 years
Restrooms: 1
Exits: 1

800 sq ft store with 400 sq ft basement

In the heart of the lower east side!

Located between Rivington and Delancey street,
next to many retail shops and restaurants. Prime
location in this up and coming hotel district.

Rita’s Leather Fair was already a displaced victim, thanks to the construction of the ever-hated Hell Building.  Before the wrecking ball, the leather shop was located at 176 Orchard Street.

[Photo Credit: Curbed]

Just head to the Allen Street entrance of the 2nd Avenue F stop where a plastic nameplate is still affixed to the iron light pole. Let’s see how long it takes the MTA to figure this out.

How has the loss of the V train affected you?