"'Twas a dark week in the kingdom of Veggie Castle – formerly a White Castle converted to a vegetarian eatery on Church Avenue in Flatbush. First because someone got shot in their parking lot Thursday morning. But more importantly (and totally unrelated): They announced their imminent closure after a 10-year run.

The demise of this rare vendor of jerk tofu, porridge, elaborate juices and “Ital Jockey” – a brew of sea moss, bee pollen, Chinese herbs and cashews, among other things – shall be felt not only by the nabe’s Rastafarians and Caribbean residents, but by all those herbivores from Park Slope and beyond....." [Worst news ever]

In related, but better news, the Caribbean vegetarian restaraunt Mighty Diamond is open in Williamsburg (347 Graham Ave), and getting some good reviews.

"The Virgin Megastore’s space in Manhattan’s Union Square is being offered by a real estate broker for 2009 availability. According to retail sources, New York-based Winick Realty is shopping the space and has sent out packages highlighting its features." [Billboard] (as seen on Idolator who may also be getting shopped around.)

A Manhattan personal assistant has told investigators that she fatally bludgeoned her boss, the well-connected real estate agent Linda Stein, in the woman’s opulent Fifth Avenue apartment because Ms. Stein swore at her, waved a stick at her and blew marijuana smoke into her face, the police said today.

The assistant, Natavia Lowery, 26, of Brooklyn, was arrested this morning. At an afternoon news conference, Police Commissioner Raymond W. Kelly said Ms. Lowery had told the police that she struck Ms. Stein six or seven times on Oct. 30 with a four-pound exercise stick. [NY Times]

Fats & Bloomberg @ Pink Elephant, NYC - Nov 8, 2007 (CRED)

New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg today presented the Key to the City to music legend Fats Domino in honor of his efforts to raise money for struggling musicians in New Orleans following Hurricane Katrina. After the hurricane, which destroyed Domino’s home in the Ninth Ward and forced his evacuation to Baton Rouge, Domino returned to New Orleans to rebuild his house and help restore the City’s morale. [PR]

More pics like the 4 above @ othergroundnyc's Flickr. More good ones HERE & HERE.

I didn't see many Amy Winehouses.

Mo Pitkins, Sunday October 21, 2007

On Sunday night, Mo Pitkins swaggered off into the sunset with a 5-hour finale that captured the charm and the camraderie the venue had always been searching for. "Smoke 'em if you got 'em," announced the emcee, Wonder-Woman clad Seth Herzog, "because there's nothing left to lose." And so people did. The crowded audience of artists, performers, trendsetters, and friends soaked in the vibe for one last time. [The Apiary]

The distinctive Cuban Reuben sandwiches already a memory, patrons and performers packed Mo Pitkin’s House of Satisfaction Sunday night to bid farewell to the venue that was officially shuttered on Saturday. The 150 final revelers—including Moby and Penny Arcade—who populated the sidewalk, downstairs bar and dining room at the party’s high point seemed sad but resigned to the fact that the nostalgia palace would close after only a two-year run on Avenue A. [Village Voice]

Sorry to hear that Mo's is closing. I am very happy that I will get to do two last shows there. I have enjoyed doing many shows upstairs there for the last couple of years. The vibe reminded me of the old fez which as we know also closed. I am getting tired of all the good clubs closing. People are just not coming out to see live music the way they used to. Back in the late 90's, early 2000's when I worked with The Strokes shows were packed and every band was friendly with each other. Thanks again for all the shows you helped me get at Mo's.
Take Care, Kerri

(CRED)

I always convince myself that a huge show is going to be bad, but Arcade Fire proved me wrong at Randall's Island last night (Oct 06, 2007). I just saw them too - at another big show in Austin (City Limits) just a few weeks ago, and I couldn't get into that one at all (not their fault). Last night I felt completely the opposite. The video screens on either side of the stage had a lot to do with it - it wasn't just any video, it was the coolest live video I ever saw broadcast at a show, and it was especially helpful if you couldn't see the stage. My only regret is running out of there so quickly, that I missed Arcade Fire coming back into the crowd for a second encore. Set list:

1. Black Mirror
2. Keep the car running
3. Neighborhood #2 (Laika)
4. No Cars Go
5. Haiti
6. I'm Sleeping in a Submarine
7. My Body is a Cage
8. Cold Wind
9. Intervention
10. Antichrist Television Blues
11. The Well and the Lighthouse
12. Neighborhood #1 (Tunnels)
13. Neighborhood #3 (Power Out)
14. Rebellion (Lies)
Encore:
15. Headlights Look like Diamonds
16. Wake Up
Encore 2:
17. Kiss Off (Violent Femmes)

Two more important points.

1. Win announced that they sold 25,000 tickets aka $25,000 raised for charity
2. Win announced that they wouldn't be back to play NYC for a couple of years

Continue reading "Arcade Fire @ Randall's Island, NYC - pics"

"The Tub Project" in DUMBO - Sept 29, 2007 (CRED)

I've always liked the DUMBO Arts Under the Bridge Festival. I don't get "Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass" that often, so it's always a good excuse to visit the neighborhood. The art-stuff ranges from painting & photograph galleries, to political messages, to random people doing weird things in the street. DUMBO is always getting better - for instance Galapagos is moving there, and it's always getting worse - do any artists even still live there? Even with all the real estate development though, I still like to think of DUMBO as a progressive place - not the kind of neighborhood to overlook a blatant act of animal cruelty happening right on their own streets.....

Dondi the elephant in DUMBO - Sept 29, 2007 (CRED)

Using her massive trunk to hold brushes, Dondi the elephant paints and showcases her artistic prowess. A presentation by renowned artist Vitaly Komar, who established an elephant art academy in Thailand with fellow artist Alex Melamid, will follow. Special project initiated and exclusively sponsored by Two Trees Management & Dumbo Improvement District.

And in somewhat related news.....

A production of Shakespeare’s “Macbeth” will replace a hip-hop festival next summer in a DUMBO venue controlled by the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy — and organizers of the rap show believe that race played a role.

The Brooklyn Hip-Hop Festival — which brought thousands of people and big-name rappers to the park-and-condo waterfront development site in 2006 and 2007 — had already scheduled its 2008 production for the weekend of June 22.

But organizers were shocked last month to discover that the Brooklyn Bridge Park Conservancy had given those days to St. Ann’s Warehouse to stage a Polish rendition of that Scottish play. [The Brooklyn Paper]

Comedian Carolyn Castigilia is confirming that Mo Pitkin's is in fact closing its doors forever on October 20th. Carolyn is the producer of Chicks and Giggles, "a weekly showcase of the best female comics in New York" (at Mo Pitkin's). The last Chicks and Giggles will now take place on October 16th @ 8pm (free), and stay tuned to Mo's schedule for even more special last events.

The NY Post first broke the story earlier this month - that Mo's was for sale and might close at some point. That was followed shortly thereafter by a denial letter that didn't really deny anything, and now this - which if totally true, is even sooner than I imagined.