Author: harryhopbot

The Return of Le Figaro Café

Posted on by harryhopbot

While so many small businesses (which include local coffee stores and eateries) have been shuttered due to the local ‘safer at home’ order, there is one café that is actually making a comeback. 

Le Figaro Café had its time in Greenwich Village way back in the 1960s and boy did it enjoy the good times.  Patronized by famous people including Lou Reed and Sam Shepard, it was heralded as the place to be for beatniks in the area. It stayed opened for a while but in 2008 closed.  Backed by some investors, it is now set for a simplified relaunch, ditching the Le, under the name Figaro Café by partners Mario Skaric and Florence Zabokritsky.

Just before the pandemic hit the partners found a space to house the once much-loved café.  Now that they have returned to check it out they have been offered a great deal for the next two years.

With the culture of the sixties returning thanks to shows like The Queen’s Gambit and The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, what better time to get back to that day with a renovated café that will still have its cultural ties in the 1960s.

Local Architecture Gets Face Lift

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There are a few things in the work for the New York skyline.  First, the Sarcostyle Tower which has been proposed by Hayri Atak Architectural Design which would create something very unique for the skyline.  A large rectangle featuring curved, carved-out sides it would be placed right in the middle of Lower Manhattan’s historic office towers.  Inspired by human anatomy and cells this building is nearly 690 feet tall. It is being called the Sarocstyle as that is a muscle fiber and the project was inspired by biology.  It will provide unique angles of the skyline too.

Plans are further along in the pipeline for 109 East 79th Street’s condominium. A beautiful merger between historical prewar architecture with modern interior design, the 32 residences of the 20 floor building is being put together by award winning firm Steven Harris Architects LLP.  Sales are hoped to begin this year via Corcoran Sunshine Marketing Group.

Black Lives Matter Below 14

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We’ve all heard about the BLM movement but how has it manifested in our own neighborhood?  We take a look at this phenomenon through two lenses: corporate and art.

Black In Corporate is the brainchild of Candace Marie. Inspired by the work she put into the design and decoration of her own apartment, Marie explained:

“The art all came from different places. At the time a lot of Black-owned businesses saw a surge in people purchasing their items, so a lot of it was sold out. So I was piecing it together, trying to find the same aesthetics and things like that. It’s like this puzzle piece, trying to assemble a home.”

Enhancing the corporate world for everyone is vital. Marie’s company slogan is: “Championing for Black individuals behind ALL corporate walls – where changed is needed most.”  Through her work she seeks to create resources to help others thrive in their work not only exist.

In the realm of art, Destinee Ross-Sutton has recently made a “splash.”  The online exhibition she engineered for Christie’s was an immediate hit. Say It Loud (I’m Black and Proud)”  was a little different from a normal sale.  Anyone who wanted to buy a piece had to commit (via contract signing) that they would not flip the work!   Following the success of this project Ross-Sutton has created her own show “Black Voices: Friend of My Mind,” which opened just before Christmas in SoHo at an 8,000 sq. ft space that used to house the works of gallerist Paula Cooper.  Ross-Sutton’s exhibition is a first in the sense of being a “nomadic gallery” that will open in different cities worldwide.

New Eats in East Village

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Chinese hot pot in East Village!  Yes, the Dolar Shop is making its way to the East Village. A new restaurant that has 55 locations around the world has just made its debut here at 5 Third Avenue, St. Marks Place.  According to manager Johnny Sleek, since they see Manhattan as “the center of the restaurant world,” East Village is a great start.  Future franchises are planned for Chelsea and Midtown.

Another new kid on the block is chef Hong Thaimee’s East Village pop-up.  Ngam restaurant owner will be selling home-style Thai food in the East Village using ingredients she grows herself at her Hudson Valley Heermance Farm.

Halloween: Do It Safely

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While Halloween definitely was not the same as it historically has been, that did not stop downtown New Yorkers from celebrating the event.  True, the Greenwich Village Halloween Parade – that has been happening for close to five decades – got cancelled but there were still many cool and scary activities for people to enjoy, in a socially distanced way.

So what was on offer?  There was the virtual miniature puppet parade; the New York Public Library’s Virtual Dance Party; Halloween Water Towers – an interactive kids event learning how to build their very own water tower; the Halloween Spooky Singalong for 4-11 year old which also had a fancy dress competition.

Outdoor parties – in small numbers – were still permitted, but indoor events were cancelled.  But what was cool this year was how the Empire State Building became a (Hasbro’s) Simon Memory Game, in a giant version, available to anyone with a view of the building or a weblink!

Yes, it’s hard and yes things are different but the creative genius that New Yorkers (and others around the world thanks to technology) are privy to encounter is just wonderful!

Out and About in SoHo

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While the coronavirus is indeed preventing so much of our everyday lives from  happening as it used to, the innovation of policymakers, entrepreneurs and the guy who lives next door is very encouraging.  Here, we take a brief look at some of what is happening in and around the SoHo neighborhood.

First, there was the launch of the Open Restaurants Program, which gives local restaurateurs the opportunity to serve customers outside by having seating in the streets and sidewalks.  Thanks to the Mayor, this has become a permanent measure and will mean that people will still be able to enjoy eating out in a safe environment.

What’s also nice about it is that it has given other individuals – who ordinarily might not have offered food choices – to open up pop-ups.  Plus, as the city hopefully reopens, indoor dining capacity could go up to as much as 50 percent as we move into winter. However, in the meantime, there are ways to make the outdoor areas not so cold – such as electrical heaters – under guidelines De Blasio outlined at the end of September. Any propane used will require a New York City Fire Department permit. All of these measures have enabled over 10,000 to reopen across the city with the help of architectural innovations and local governmental support.

For those who want to try one of these corona-safe eateries, one example is the Vestry.  The new restaurant was opened by Shaun Hergatt in spite of coronavirus.  He explained:

“It’s about time people celebrate and look for something positive. I want to have an outlet where you can go away from the craziness and get back to some normality for a while.”

Using locally-sourced fresh fish, Hergatt focuses on the simple approach which he learned growing up in Australia.  As a boy he would go fishing with his grandparents and then grill the catch!  Likewise at Vestry he uses binchotan charcoal giving the fresh fish a smoky flavor.  Other items on the menu include chicken, beef, caramelized onion rice and more.

Bumping up Local Retail

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While there is a lot of local quiet, retail and entertainment are not completely dead. Yes, many businesses have been shuttered for a long time with no end in sight and hundreds of thousands have lost their jobs.  But all is not lost.

One example is Arias, the contemporary women’s fashion label launched by Nina Sarin Arias.  Famous consumers of the brand include: Priyanka Chopra and Gigi Hadid among others.  Her first store was recently opened at Manhattan’s 466 Broome Street. Spanning 1,500 square feet, Arias founded her label initially back in 2017 as direct-to-consumer.  She explained:

“It’s always been a dream to open a store and it means even more to me to do so in this unprecedented time. I chose to open our doors and show support for the city as our collections are made in New York.  It’s an important moment in my brand’s development and I couldn’t think of a better location than in SoHo, which is an intersection of fashion and art. The Arias woman has always shopped our brand online and attended our trunk shows. I am now able to share the world of Arias with my clients — an experience she has been waiting for.”

Other encouraging news are the government initiatives that have been put in place to help the local consumer.  One of these is the new parking regulations which make things a bit easier.  According to Executive Director of the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association, Jill Lamkin:

“Parking has always been one of the most difficult hurdles for businesses in Downtown Manhattan Beach and it’s further complicated by COVID. Our restaurants cannot welcome guests indoors and are surviving by serving outside. Locals embraced outdoor dining with overwhelming enthusiasm, and we are thankful! It does, however, further reduce our precious parking. Add beach-goers to that, and retailers and service providers are left with very little parking for the customers they so desperately need to survive. lease also help us by preserving parking for those who truly need it and we will save more of our businesses by allowing people to quickly drop into their favorite store, salon or grab a to-go meal. If you can walk or bike, please do. We know the shortened parking isn’t convenient, but we’re in survival mode and we hope you’ll support us in our efforts.”

Cycling Around Post-COVID-19

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So much is currently up in the air in our newly-normalized coronavirus environment.   One thing that has been positive is the increase of bike use around lower Manhattan. This of course is good for so many reasons: environmental, health and fitness, etc.  Indeed, a recent  report  found that this could possibly become the new way of commuting to work for those in the region.

In part, this new trend has been made possible by increased accessibility for cyclists through the bike lane network that currently stands at close to 2.5 miles and is due for further expansion. As well there are more Citi Bike stations.

Given that so many individuals are concerned about exposure to coronavirus through public transport, bike commuters are likely to increase.  In related news, the South Bronx – E. 160th Street and Tinton Avenue – was the location of the 1,000th docking station installed by Citi Bike within the five boroughs.  According to Ruben Diaz Jr., President of Bronx Borough:

“This is a huge milestone for New York City’s Department of Transportation, Lyft, Citi Bike and The Bronx, opening the city’s 1,000th Citi Bike station in our great borough. Considering how important the Citi Bike program has become to the city’s transportation grid, especially helping our essential workers and healthcare workers get around during this pandemic crisis, I look forward to working on helping this program continue its expansion into The Bronx and throughout New York City. Micromobility is New York’s transportation future, so I’m glad to see Citi Bike’s 1000th station in the Bronx. We need affordable, green and accessible transit options, especially in areas underserved by public transit. The Bronx has waited a long time for Citi Bike to expand into our neighborhoods and I’m looking forward to further expansion into my district and other Bronx communities.”