Sup 'Sup Magazine At McNally Jackson Books

Here is welcome news for music magazine devotees and/or anglophiles. Seen at McNally Jackson Books, the note reads:

McNally Jackson has been trying to get 'Sup magazine for years. This London journal is one of the few cutting edge music mags not to have retreated solely to the web, and its editors and writes not only truly care about contemporary music, but have vibrant points of view on the subject worth reading.

Doug

Of course, you can check out 'Sup online too, at http://supmag.com, but that's obviously no substitute for milling about one of New York City's favorite bookstores browsing through your own copy, with a french soda at the cafe.

Previously:

• McNally Jackson Books Unveils Print On Demand Machine
  
• McNally Jackson Books Remodels Cafe
  

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Offensive Abortion Billboard Appears In Soho, Everyone Gets Date Wrong

[UPDATED BELOW] The provocative billboard seen above on 6th Avenue at Watts Street in Soho seems to have attracted coverage from every major New York City news outlet today. And understandably so, as the billboard is incredibly offensive. As Suman Raghunathan told WNYC "...it is incredibly offensive; and its a crazy confluence of racism and classism." But for unknown reasons, it seems most everyone has erroneously reported the date the billboard was erected.

It should be noted the photo above was taken last week on Friday, February 18, so the billboard has been up since at least then. The New York Daily News reported the billboard was put up today. The New York Times reported it was erected Tuesday night. WNYC wrote "this week." DNAinfo reported the date as "earlier this week." The Village Voice: "...a giant new billboard today." WABC News went with Tuesday.

MyFox, NY1, and The Huffington Post did not note the date. Gothamist decided to go with "just unveiled," which you could argue is or is not accurate! That one should get discussed in a huddle. Looks like New York magazine is the only outlet which won't need to make an edit, as they described the billboard as "recently unveiled."

NYC The Blog called Marissa Gabrysch at LifeAlways, the people behind the billboard, to confirm the exact date the billboard was erected. (UPDATE 02.24.11: In a phone call this morning with NYC The Blog, Marissa said she was not sure what day the billboard was erected and explained LifeAlways bought the ad space with an agreement that it would be up by the beginning of this week. As LifeAlways held a press conference yesterday afternoon about the ad, she surmised it's possible people just assumed the billboard went up yesterday as well. [The date was not noted in the press release/PDF.] Marissa elaborated: "If anyone called me and asked when the billboard went up, I told them I did not know." She's also offered to call the company that put the billboard up, to inquire what day they did so.)

UPDATE: More discussion about the billboard on NYC The Blog's Facebook page.

Previously:

• T-Mobile: Network Faster Than New Parents Moving To Park Slope
• HSBC: Hollywood Trails Iran In Percentage Of Women Filmmakers
• Mid-Century Political And Commercial Advertising Remain On Lower East Side Building
• Pretzel Crisps Commits To Changing More Advertisements In NYC And California

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Moncler's SoHo Boutique Embraces Miner Chic

The Moncler boutique on Prince Street in SoHo has styled their window in miner chic, likely inspired by the Chilean miners of 2010. View photo in larger size here. Does this mean we can expect Egyptian inspired fashion this spring? 

Previously:

• Twitter Bird Taunts Soho Residents
• Hopeful Restaurateur In SoHo Reaches Out To Community
• Morini Embraces Italian Riveria Esthetic
• Squeegee Men Return To New York City

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Twitter Bird Taunts Soho Residents

The Twitter bird strikes again! And this time it seems to be taunting all those women laughing alone eating salad, or in this case, patrons who have just left Once Upon a Tart in Soho on Sullivan Street north of Prince Street, where this bird was spotted out front situated in a tree. See the one spotted this summer on Mott Street, below.

Hopeful Restaurateur In SoHo Reaches Out To Community

The "for lease" sign that used to hang at 5 King Street, just south of Houston, is soon to become a "just opened" sign. The optimistic owner has posted flyers around the neighborhood reaching out to residents, hoping to allay any fears and 'build community.' Poor guy must have nightmares about Anna Wintour showing up at the Community Board 2 meeting next Wednesday and speaking out against the restaurants application for a liquor license. To head her off at the pass, the owner has posted flyers posted around the neighborhood inviting residents to call or email with any questions or concerns they might have, in advance of the CB2 meeting.

"It is a small space of 1,200 feet," the flyer expains. Not some huge eyesore of a place like Pulino's. See the flyer in large size below.

Morini Embraces Italian Riveria Esthetic

Morini, a new restaurant opening soon at 218 Lafayette Street south of Spring, (in the former space of the notorious The Falls) has removed the construction shed and unveiled their new colors, Italian Riviera style.

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Squeegee Men Return To New York City

Photographed on the corner of Varick and Watts Streets last night, Maurice was happily washing the windshields of commuters heading into the Holland Tunnel, singing along to the music playing in his headphones while his wife sat nearby.

Are squeegee men making a return to New York City? They were last seen on the corner of Bleecker and Bowery by EV Grieve in June. Before that, they were last seen in 1995.

Related:
Argh! Squeegee Pests Are Back [New York Post]
Return of the Squeegee Men [New York Press]
The perils and pride in cleaning glass [New York]
About New York; Squeegee Men, Still Around, Still Relentless [The New York Times]

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

UPDATED: Has The Christian Audigier Soho Store Closed?

The windows at Christian Audigier's Soho branch on Prince and Lafayette Streets have been papered! This doesn't look good. Has it befallen the same fate its neighbor Parasuco succumbed to, and fallen out of fashion? Are the male fashionistas of New York City moving on to other clothing lines featuring bedazzled dragons?

The windows were thoroughly papered, completely obscuring any view inside, so it's impossible to catch a glimpse inside to see what was going on. An inquiry to Christian Audigier via Twitter was not yet returned. 

I can tell you one thing. If they have closed, my friend Foley is not going to be happy.

UPDATE: Racked gets an employee on the phone, who tells them "the store 'may or may not reopen' and they 'don't have details yet.'"

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New Coach Store Opens In Soho; Aspirational Fashionistas Get Excited

One can almost feel the excitement of 24-year-old aspirational fashionistas all over Soho who can't afford a Bottega Veneta bag or those must have Gucci sandals. Because a new Coach store has opened on Prince Street, at the corner of West Broadway. Yup, don't deny yourself. Everyone deserves a new pair of sneakers, every inch stamped with the Coach logo, made by the hands of 11 little girls in Turkey.

If Liz Lemon did not put the purchase of Coach products into her Dealbreakers book, it needs to be added to the addendum.

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Turning Empty (And Illegal?) Ad Space Into Pop Up Parks In Four Easy Steps

Summertime in New York City means a lot things. Mister Softee; Legs; Fourth of July; Hanging out in the park. It also means time to get your planting on. As seen here in the photos taken last night on the corner of Spring and Lafayette, the numerous white, empty advertising boards at street level—many illegal and now empty due to recent enforcement actions by the DOB—make perfect pop up parks; green graffiti if you will.

Follow the four easy steps below, as shown in the photos, to create your own pop up wall gardens on street level (illegal?) ad space.

Sloane NYC Closes; Designer Opens Eponymous Boutique On Greene Street

Sloane NYC closed their doors on the corner of Mott and Broome streets, but not all is lost for those who loved owner and designer Brian Stanziale's one of a kind pieces. Stanziale has opened an eponymous outlet at 112 Greene Street, inside The Garment Room. Sloane NYC was on Mott St since October of last year at a favorable rate but without a lease. Now the landlord has a leased tenant and Brian found a new space.

Note a new awning has already been installed above a small part of the space advertising "The Hole." Sounds so dirty and degenerate, like The Cock (the original Cock on Avenue A). A walk by the blackened windows of The Hole one night last week showed a woman feverishly and, with great success, hip-hop dancing in front of a mirror.

Lost Duck? Call Mr. Brainwash AKA Douchewash

These yellow flyers have been posted all over SoHo, the East Village and neighboring streets last week (see: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6). The series above, however, has been altered and offer clues to whomever is looking for a lost duck. (Click through for larger version). One message directs you to call "Mr. Brainwash AKA Douchewash," and the other two leave names and phone numbers. Those are your leads. You can skip Steve's number, area code 431. That area code does not exist.

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Petrosino Park Undergoing Large Scale Improvements

Little Italy's Petrosino Park appears to be falling into disrepair, going to pot even.

After much fanfare when it  re-opened in October—the triangular shaped park doubled its previous space and was a welcome addition to the neighborhood—the little park that could has been beset by constant closures and repairs on one side or another. Or as is the case now, on all three sides!

I've heard from a reliable source the work happening now is necessary to correct problems with the original contractor. I have not confirmed this. 

With so much repair taking place at the park now, NYC The Blog phoned Council Member Margaret Chin's office yesterday and spoke with staff member Patricia Owen to get the 411.

Will The Arts & Craft Market On Spring And Wooster Make It To Another Summer?

The little arts and craft market at 144 Spring on the corner of Wooster Street might not make it another summer. The prime corner lot is for lease by Sinvin Realty for up to five floors of Build-to-Suit space.

With the voyeuristic and modern Croc Superstore newly opened across the street, 144 Spring might be the ideal spot for a Ray-Ban flagship.

Below, see two renderings from Sinvin showing a potential building in the lot.

Felix Morelo: I Hope You Die

Felix Morelo's normally cheerful work takes a sinister turn in Soho where he writes: "I hope you die."

The drawings became progressively more friendly the farther east he traveled. Does Morelo prefer Little Italy to Soho? It appears so. See the progression of his recent work below, where you can click through for a larger version.

From left to right, after hoping you die in Soho, Morelo implored you to "go fuck yourself." He became more pleasant when he reached Nolita, leaving a "bad good luck spot" and then finally in Little Italy, a community "PDA Spot." 

NYC The Video: Scene Outside 3 Alarm Fire In Soho

This was the scene at the intersection of Crosby and Broome Streets in Soho last night as firefighters suppressed a fire on Crosby Street just south of Broome at approximately 10:00pm, as neighbors and news media gathered.

The fire appeared to be located at 33 or 37 Crosby Street, seen here in Google Street View, right in front of the UPS truck.

ABC 7 Online reported four people were injured, including two firefighters. The fire "burned through the roof and filled the top three floors with flames," by the time firefighters arrived.

Michael Varian, who has a shop at 35 Crosby, has reported the fire was at 37. He shared a photo of his shop online and fretted over a broken window, complaining that firefighters were "effectively bulls in a china shop," when they entered his business get to the back of the building.

See pictures of the scene on NYC The Blog's Facebook page. 

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Paul Richard - NW Corner of Elizabeth at Prince

Previously:
Paul Richard - SE Corner of Spring and Mulberry
Paul Richard - Spring and Broadway

290 Mulberry St: Art Project, Residential Apartments Nobody Wants, Or Both?

According to their website, Arts Corporation is a multimedia laboratory interested in the intersections of art, architectural design, and technology. It seems they might also be responsible for the colorful light display previously seen at 290 Mulberry, if the placard at right seen affixed to it's sidewalk shed is accurate. (click through for larger version).

It identifies the multi-color light show as an art project—indeed it identifies the whole building— (a la Paul Richard) as an art project titled: Your Lights Are On But You're Not Home, 2009. An installation of "indefinte duration," consisting of Halogen and Neon Lamps, Times, Electrical Cord, Concrete, Brick, Glass, Steel, and Plastic: 40' x 60' x 140'. It was made possible "courtesy of Cardinal Investments," the developer behind 290 Mulberry. It seems a little cheeky in light of the big problems the building is facing. As well, the placard was haphazardly affixed with double sided tape, and I never noticed it there prior. Arts Corporation did not respond to an email inquiry looking for confirmation.

For more information on 290 Mulberry, check Curbed.com for complete coverage where their most recent post on the building reports the project's lender "is attempting to foreclose on the building and force a sale," "the building's construction manager filed its own lis pendens seeking over $1.7 million in unpaid fees," and "no apartments are listed as being in contract."

[Arts Corporation]
[290 Mulberry St]

Please No Shitting Or Pissing

Seen on Jersey Street, the alley between Lafayette and Mulberry St, a half block south of Houston. I'm curious how much an issue the human excrement has been since they painted this request.

House For Sale: Prince Street

Saw this gentleman on Prince St selling house music on CD. He goes by DJ NYCK, and clearly knows how to create a bit of sanity and sanctuary for himself on a little slice of sidewalk in New York City. I mean, cmon, check out that garden! Men who rock out with their own personal gardens are, far the most part, hotter than any of those you'll see on The Sartorialist, save for elderly european men maybe. So now you know.

You can see in the photo at right, his play on words doesn't end with the sign at his feet. His discs contain real estate jargon, and his business is called "Soulful Real Estate Locations." Indeed.

Below is a sample track from the CD. If you enjoy it the you might like to try the whole CD. DJ NYCK can be reached at Houseforsale [AT] Yahoo.com.

DJ NYCK: House For Sale - Track 9