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 Ludlow Manor, 95 Delancey Street. Photo credit: Grub Street. Community Board 3 is out with the agenda for next month’s meeting of its liquor licensing committee. The March 19th shindig should be an interesting one.
First off, the beleaguered Ludlow Manor will be back before the board once again in their quest to expand their liquor permit to the second and third floors of 93 Ludlow/95 Delancey. As we have reported, both the State Liquor Authority and CB3 have been less than receptive to past overtures from this bunch. You can read about the whole saga here. Continue reading CB3 March Liquor Docket: Ludlow Manor Returns For More Punishment
 
 Photo by Cynthia Lamb. 
(Today’s column was originally published in September of last year)
Like many New Yorkers, I take pride in having a list of “off the beaten track” food establishments I hit on a regular basis. This is practically a cliché: it seems like every old schooler knows where to find what they consider “the best,” whether it’s pizza, bagels, cannolis, pickles, Italian sausages, burgers or perogies. Younger folks’ lists include items such as tacos, ramen, banh mi and soup dumplings. When pressed, some of us will even admit that we “discovered” many of our favorite places on a friend’s recommendation.
In that spirit I decided to check in with my buddy Peter Ho this week. Peter is an ardent food adventurer; a man after my own heart who has tipped me off to a number of neighborhood places over the years. He’s also a regular at Clandestino (the bar at 35 Canal Street), often bringing samples of his latest discoveries to share with patrons and staff. I figured it would be fun to ambush him there, ply him with a glass of wine and share his latest enthusiasms. Continue reading JP’s Food Adventures: Roast Pig in Chinatown
 Architectural renderings: NYC DOT. Last night, Community Board 3 signed off on the city’s plan to turn Forsyth Plaza, the triangle adjacent to the Manhattan Bridge, into a public park. The proposal now goes to the Public design Commission for final approval. Click through for images from the Department of Transportation’s presentation to a CB3 committee earlier this month. Continue reading CB3 Approves Plan For Forsyth Plaza Park
 Scorsese interviewing his parents at their home on Elizabeth Street, in the film "Italianamerican." This month’s installment of the always fascinating LES Heritage Film Series will include film legend Martin Scorsese interviewing his parents in Italianamerican (1974, 26 min., 16mm). Scorsese visits with them in their home on Elizabeth Street while they are preparing dinner. His parents (who are both apparently very good story-tellers) open up about their experience as Italian-American immigrants, and reminiscence about the Scorsese family in Sicily.
Also screening: City of Contrasts (1931, 28 min., 16mm) by Irving Browning. The film features images from New York City during the Depression, “exploring roof-top luxury as well as street-level reality.” Continue reading Scorsese and the City Come to the Heritage Film Series
 Marilyn Louie's newsstand has been located at 18 Bowery for 35 years. Newsstand operator Marilyn Louie took her battle against City Hall to Community Board 3 last night. She won the board’s support in the form of a resolution urging bureaucrats to reverse a decision forcing the relocation of a newsstand that has stood at 18 Bowery (Pell Street) for 35 years.
Louie got more good news yesterday, as the Department of Consumer Affairs agreed to give her a one month extension to find an alternative location. It’s the second extension Louie has received since CB3 and City Councilmember Margaret Chin began advocating on her behalf. In response to our inquiries yesterday, a spokesperson for Consumer Affairs said, “the city continues to work with Marilyn Louie to find a solution that is consistent with siting criteria.” Continue reading City Gives Newsstand Operator One More Month at 18 Bowery
One week ago, the founders of The Delancey Underground launched a Kickstarter campaign in support of their dream of building a park in an abandoned trolley station below the Lower East Side. So far it’s been remarkably successful. With more than a month to go, $60,000 of the $100,000 needed to stage a large-scale demo in the Essex Street Market has already been raised.
A couple of days ago Delancey Underground co-creator Dan Barasch acknowledged there have been some sizable donations from big backers. But he added that lots of small contributions (many just $1) have rolled in. There were 900 Kickstarter supporters as of midday today. Continue reading Delancey Underground Raises $60,000 in One Week
When I first spoke with Ed Sanders, Fugs co-founder and Lower East Side royalty, for Interview Magazine, he expanded my mind. His perspective on the neighborhood I had grown up in shaped my own point-of-view, adding a psychedelic, violent, richly artistic layer to the streets I remembered from my own youth.
It’s been four decades since Sanders’ wild music and poetry poured out into the streets of the Lower East Side from his bookstore, first located on East 10th Street, then on Avenue A. Ed’s memoir, Fug You: An Informal History of the Peace Eye Bookstore, the Fuck You Press, the Fugs, and Counterculture in the Lower East Side (Da Capo Press) was recently released. Original lithographs, wildly sexual and Egyptian inspired pages of his magazine, are now on display at Boo Hooray Gallery to further celebrate the legacy he left in the Lower East Side and in the larger arts community. Continue reading Boo Hooray Gallery Celebrates Counterculture Icon Ed Sanders
- In a move that is causing more than a little unease in Chinatown, Comproller John Liu’s campaign treasurer is arrested on fraud charges (NYT).
- The Manhattan Bridge bike tour ends Monday (Gothamist).
- Joe Sheftel prepares to open his Lower East Side gallery (Artinfo).
- Apartment Porn: take a look at adman Richard Christiansen’s Grand Street loft, which is meant to look as though “Donatella Versace had designed an opium den in Chinatown.” (NYM)
- Jeremy Lin as Atlas — brought to you by TATS Cru and Bucky Turco (Animal).
- Really? Have a look at the ridiculously long line for free pancakes (EV Grieve).
 17 Essex Street. Photo by Lois Stavsky. We’ll see rain showers this morning, followed by a steady rain later in the day, continuing into the evening. Look for a high of 41 and high winds at times.
 Congee Village, 100 Allen Street. Here’s a follow-up on Saturday morning’s fire at 101 Orchard Street/101 Allen Street. This afternoon Congee Village management says they expect to reopen Friday, after making repairs in the kitchen.
While the Fire Department has not yet determined a cause, it appears the fire began in the restaurant and smoke then worked its way through the building’s ducts. Today workers were removing large equipment from the kitchen and hauling it away. They’re also taking the opportunity to give the place a good scrub-down inside and out. Congee Village posted a sign on its front door advising customers that the establishment is “closed for maintenance.” They were encouraged to visit Congee Bowery (207 Bowery). Continue reading Fire at 101 Orchard: Congee Village to Reopen Friday
 185 Orchard, the former home of Landbrot Bakery. Here’s your Tuesday afternoon Lower East Side restaurant/bar news:
- It has been months since the scheduled opening of Landbrot, the German bakery at 185 Orchard Street. The latest guess, reports the Real Deal, is late next month.
- Eater picks up on Chowhound chatter, noting that South China Garden on Elizabeth Street is closing. There’s also speculation that a new hotel development on the block could lead to other closures, including Jing Fong.
- Kupersmith on Clinton Street has a sausage and beer tasting tonight; $40, from 7 p.m.-8:30 p.m. RSVP to fun@kupersmithnyc.com.
 The owners of the grocery at Essex and Canal attracted quite a lot of attention thanks to a dapper snowman. Photo by Jonathan Zalman. Editor’s note: Last winter, Lower East Side residents became well acquainted with the small grocery at Essex and Canal streets, thanks to the presence of a large snowman sitting outside the store. But there is, of course, a story behind every snow creature! Jonathan Zalman, a new contributor to The Lo-Down, tells us more.
The friendly corner grocery at 1 Essex Street is owned and operated by LES residents Dong Wang and Helen Chen, and this past December marked the first anniversary for their burgeoning business. Dong and Helen were married in 2003 and have two lively young boys, Zhen Yuan, 9, and Hao Fen, 8, who, along with the grocery, are the fruits of a decade-long romance across continents and proof that the American Dream is still attainable. Continue reading Behind the Essex Snowman, an Immigrant Family’s Story
Earlier this month, we reported on the “Madison-Jackson,” a luxury condo development in an old school building across from the Vladeck Houses. The building includes many amenities, including a rotating art exhibition program in the ground-floor common area. Today there’s news of the first art opening in the converted space.
“Celebrity real estate guru and developer” Michael Bolla has put out a press release talking up the new building in general and the art happening in particular. There will be an opening preview of photographer R.L. Ireland’s “The Five Elements,” tomorrow evening from 6-8 at 371 Madison. A portion of the proceeds will benefit the Sylvia Center, which promotes healthy nutrition in children. Continue reading Art Opening to Be Held Tomorrow Night at “Madison-Jackson”
- Shawn Portuguez was arrested on Rivington Street last week for no apparent reason. What does the incident tell us about the city’s “stop-and frisk” policy, which focuses predominantly on black and Latino communities? (Gothamist)
- State Senator Daniel Squadron wants to know if NYCHA-dedicated cops were re-assigned to Occupy Wall Street (Metro).
- Sheldon Silver is hosting a fundraiser for Assembly Democrats in Washington tonight, as the fate of the state’s redistricting process remains uncertain (Politics on the Hudson).
- Snack van catches fire on East 2nd Street (EV Grieve).
- After the latest flop at 71 Clinton, a brief history of this troubled space (Eater).
 East River Park. Mostly sunny skies with a high of 47 and high winds at times. Looks like rain Wednesday and Thursday.
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