Want to look like a million bucks without spending anywhere near that? Who doesn’t? The Guerilla Shopper has mastered the fine art of finding a great deal. Her Code Word column will decode where to shop, eat, and spend your hard earned dough – while keeping you out of debt. This Guerilla Shopper is in the trenches of New York City, now you can join her!

Is it a Sin? John Varvatos Store: 10003

OK, I am only going to say this once and MUCH to my chagrin: the new John Varvatos store in the old CBGBs space is like the ultimate goth rock bachelor pad. It kicks so much ass. It truly does. I really wanted to hate it and spit in its general direction, but whomever they hired to design and architect it should win an award.

It appears that they have kept the old walls and some of the old details. It is painted entirely black and features an altar of burning candles in red glass holders as well as a giant black chandelier that is actually a bunch of regular-sized chandeliers that are grouped together on the ceiling to take on the vibe of a giant alien-like lighting phenomenon. There is a section of old school high-end stereo equipment and on the other wall a bunch of old rock vinyl. There are giant stained glass windows hanging high on the wall where the middle of the bar used to dwell. There are pictures and posters of all the regular suspect rockers on the walls.

Oh! And the men’s clothes and shoes are exceptional as well. However they are rather expensive (a $900 cotton sport coat?), so I’m not sure who will actually shop here. Young up-and-comers can’t afford it. Real rock stars will get it for free. So I guess the merch at Varvatos will be worn by those who are a fortunate combination of the two.

For more of Guerilla Shopper’s fashion faves click here.

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What are your “guilty” New York pleasures?
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For the ultimate mix of old and new, and a little something all its own, head to the East Village. Vintage toys, magazines, and clothes of all kinds can be found at Love Saves The Day. If you are missing your School House Rock lunchbox, Smurf miniatures, or an awesome 80’s era leather jacket, you can probably find it here in Leslie Herson’s home for all things nostalgic. When you are done looking back, Blue and Cream showcases the cutting edge of high-end fashion. With labels such as Charlotte Ronson, Alexander Wang, L.A.M.B., and Herve Leger, Jeff Goldstein has created a haven for the modern fashionista. And the truly original can be themselves at legendary fashion designer Patricia Field’s home on the Bowery. A little bit Hollywood, a little bit old school, and a little bit for everyone can be found downtown.

Love Saves the Day
119 2nd Avenue, 10003

Blue and Cream
11 E 1st Street, 10003
www.blueandcream.com

Patricia Field
302 Bowery, 10012
www.patriciafield.com

What Are Your East Village Shopping Destinations?

Post A Comment And Let Us Know!

“It’s the audience that makes you a star.” Well, since 1934 audiences have delighted in the acting talents of Brooklyn-born Fyvush Finkel, who goes Back on the Block with CiNYC Host Hank through Manhattan’s Lower East Side. This artisan of the stage and screen was born Philip Finkel in 1922, adopting the stage name of Fyvush (Yiddish for Philip) when he started his almost 35-year career acting in New York’s Yiddish Theater. Mr. Finkel made the move to Broadway in 1964 in the original production of Fiddler on the Roof, eventually landing the lead role of Tevye the milkman during his 12-year run with the show. He was nominated for 2 Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe in the early ‘90s for his role as lawyer Douglas Wambaugh on the television show Picket Fences, winning the Emmy in 1994. Most recently the former furrier appeared in the television series Boston Public and returned to the stage in David Ives’ Off-Broadway play New Jerusalem with the Classic Stage Company. In this special segment of Back on the Block, Hank and Fyvush visit East Village landmarks John’s and The Orpheum Theater, to talk about a life well lived…and still going strong.

John’s
302 East 12th Street, 10003

Orpheum Theater
126 Second Avenue, 10003

www.orpheum-theater.com

To view more Back on the Block entries click here

Where do you go to see great theater?

Post a comment below and let us know!

In New York City, the stomach rules. Day or night, you can find culinary delights from every corner of the world and in every price range. Thankfully, the NYC Food Guy can help you savor every bite. Lawrence is a native New Yorker whose goal is to let people know where to find delicious and affordable food throughout the city. His Code Words column does just that with reviews, tips and tricks that will keep you sated.

NYC Food Guy loves the East Village for its culinary variety and its old school New York vibe. What better way to celebrate the diversity than a food tour? But with almost 300 eateries south of 14th Street and east of 3rd Avenue, how would I narrow my tour down? Simple, I imposed two requirements: 1) A meal had to be under $10 and 2) There could be no wait staff. Bonus points awarded to late night spots.

Miss Menu & I hit 6 spots Sunday and were pleased with every spot except one.

First spot we hit up was Vanessa’s Dumplings where we ordered:

Steamed Vegetable Dumplings ($4.49) which despite NYC Food Guy’s carnivorous inclinations, were pretty tasty. Check out the innards. We also ordered a Sesame Pancake with vegetables ($2.49).

Review:
The steamed veggie dumplings were delicious. They were freshly steamed and very flavorful. Inside I found mushrooms, scallions, cabbage, carrot, and a little tofu.
The sesame pancake, despite its lack of sesame seeds, was spot on. It was fluffy inside and crisp on the outside. The vegetables were fresh and flavorful. Cucumber, cilantro, carrot, bean sprouts, and shredded lettuce were all dressed in a very light vinaigrette-like substance.
Total price with two drinks: $9.65
Open until: 10:30PM

Walking south on 14th street, Thai Me Up was next…
You’re looking at just one half of the Black Pearl Sandwich we ordered. Seven vegetables plus chicken in a sweet soy sauce flavored with sauteed Thai seasonings, something our gracious host Amir called “The BBQ sauce of Asia.” Lettuce, tomato, a touch of mayo and some additional spices are added before serving.

Review:
Excellent. When all was said and done, this was my favorite meal of the tour. The Black Pearl Sandwich was a total break from the norm. Steam fried and sauteed mushrooms, corn, cabbage, peppers, carrots, and broccoli, plus lettuce, tomato, a little mayo, sprouts, and some additional spices added post-sautee, all inside a fresh, hollowed out baguette. It was like an entire Thai meal in a sandwich, a revolutionary idea. At first, the Black Pearl Sauce was reminiscent of Hoisin sauce, just spicier and more garlicky. As I continued eating, however, the mayo melded perfectly with the Black Pearl Sauce and the vegetables to create a delicious Thai-flavored juiciness that permeated each crispy, steaming bite.
Here’s how Thai Me Up works:
1. Choose your vehicle: Sandwich, Noodles, or Rice.
2. Choose the filler: Tofu, Chicken, or Beef.
3. Choose a sauce: Black or White Pearl.
Everything is steam fried and sauteed with just a tiny bit of canola oil if necessary and then served to order.
Price: $7.59
Open until: 12AM Friday & Saturday, with later hours come summertime

Turning off of 14th onto 1st Ave, Vinny Vincenz was stop number 3…
Sicilian slices are where it’s at. Here’s a look at the delicious corner slice I ordered. They also make a mean Margarita slice.

Review:
Vinny Vincenz always gets the job done. Their Sicilian slice is light, airy, and crisp with the cheese to sauce ratio favoring the mozzarella, perfect for a Sicilian. The sauce is sweet but mildly bitter and doesn’t overpower the slice. The crust is crispy but not burnt. It’s airy not doughy or gummy like some lesser Sicilians. This is a great late night spot after a night in the East Village. I’ve left Crocodile Lounge, where they give you a free mini pie with every drink, just for a slice of the good stuff at Vinny Vincenz.
Price: $2.35 for a Sicilian Slice
Open until: 4AM Friday and Saturday

While Miss Menu considered waving the white flag, NYC Food Guy was pumped for stop number four, Zaragoza, on Avenue A off 1st…
This chipotle-chicken taco was spicy and delicious. Take a look at the juicy chicken include a nice, light watermelon soda to wash it all down and its a meal you won’t soon forget.

Review:
Forget Tehuitzingo and Tulcingo del Valle on 10th Avenue in Hell’s Kitchen, Zaragoza provided the most delicious and authentic taco I’ve had since the Red Hook Ball Fields. The chicken was moist, tender, and fresh. The bite from the chipotle was subtle at first but combined with the chiles in the tomatillo sauce to provide a serious spice. The tomatillo struck a great balance between the chiles, jalapenos, and garlic, all without being too watery. The double tortilla was essential to support the weight of the lettuce, chopped onions and cilantro, and the chicken and green sauce. The Jarritos, a soda imported from Mexico, was candy-like in its flavor but remained light and not overly sweet.

Zaragoza, unwelcoming and unassuming from the outside, is really just a small Mexican grocery store that happens to serve some homemade delicacies. As I watched the friendly owner sprinkle fresh manchego cheese over a massive burrito, he told me Zaragoza is open until 4AM on weekends, a god send for future East Village nights.
Price: $2.25
Open until: 11PM weekdays, 4AM Friday and Saturday

Good thing stop number five, Crif Dogs, was 6 blocks away on St. Marks and A, I needed time to digest…
Because once we arrived, it was time to feast. NYC Food Guy ordered the Chihuahua, a bacon wrapped hot dog covered in avocado and sour cream ($4.50, add 50 cents for salsa) while Miss Menu went with a Veggie Corn Dog ($4.75)and we split a small order of Tater Tots ($2.50).

Review:
Wow. Kind of mind-blowing. The Chihuahua was ridiculously delicious and decadent. The bacon was crispy and melded perfectly with the juicy, beefy dog. The bun was ordinary but it didn’t matter this was a Dog Show. The Veggie Corn Dog was nothing special. It was huge and the batter at the edges was tasty, but it wasn’t cooked enough in the middle. The fake beef flavor of veggie dog was too strong for me.
The Tots, however, would have made Napoleon Dynamite jealous. They were crispy, wafer-like, and potatoey on the inside, delicious in a way lunch ladies can only dream of. Spicy yellow mustard and ketchup graced the table while RC Cola products populated the soda gun and a two-headed Stewart’s Root Beer/Red Birch Beer fountain sat at the side of the counter.
Not enough? Crif Dogs has two, yes two, Ms. Pac Mans in store. One is the sit down variety; the other is the standard arcade. Need more? They also have a three-game arcade featuring Millipede, Centipede, and Catan, the similar game with the space ship.
Resting on the border between the East Village and ABC City, Crif Dogs has no delusions as to who they may be catering to with their offer of “Stoner Packs”. Four artery clogging mystery bags of Crif Dogs’ delicacies starting at $10 and ascending $10 more from Pack 1 to 4, the latter something they claim you will never be able to finish.
Price: $7.50 each
Open until: 1AM Sun. & Mon., 2AM Tues. thru Thurs., & 4AM Friday & Saturday

Full yet? NYC Food Guy always has room for dessert. But maybe he should have passed on Cecel Cafe Crepe…
Where the unique crepes come shaped like ice cream cones and filled with pastry-cream. I ordered the large Apple Tatin and Miss Menu wanted some straight up Nutella but the crepe-man misheard and added the pastry-cream…

Review:
Disappointing. The crepes, though thin and cooked fresh, didn’t retain any heat as a result of the refrigerated pastry-cream. The cream itself was what you’d find in a cream puff. Tasty but nothing special. The apples in my crepe were also unheated and as a result my overall reaction was lackluster. Miss Menu was even more disappointed. As if it wasn’t enough that she dealt with her botched order, the Nutella was fake. Yes, impostor Nutella. It was obvious something fishy was going on when it was squeezed from a sauce bottle and it was even more obvious upon first bite. It clearly says Nutella on the menu, but unlike a rose, Nutella by any other name, is not still Nutella.
Price: $4 for the small, $6 for the large
Open Until: 12AM Sunday through Thursday, 2AM Friday & Saturday

————–
Phew. Part I is complete. I’m comfortably full. Then again it’s two days later and I’m still comfortably full. I jest. Truly, this was a great experience. I still have about 35 places on my East Village to do list and I’m pretty pumped for Part II, so keep your eyes peeled eaters because the fun has just begun.

To check out more adventures from the NYC Food Guy go to www.nycfoodguy.com

James De La Vega stands quietly in his St Mark’s Place gallery. His sidewalk chalk drawings have been transferred from the street to canvas, and pictures of his Mom as Picasso – or his mom just plain hating on him – hang throughout the space. A woman with a stroller opens the door and shouts from outside.

“Excuse me? Do you know what grades that school is down there?” she asks, referring to the elementary school a few doors down.

He answers her as politely as he can, half expecting her to apologize for her haste.

Instead she says, “Thanks. I’ll be back,” as if offering some sort of consolation for not coming in and browsing. As if that’s what most artists would want to hear. But De La Vega isn’t like most artists.

“I’ll be here waiting,” he replies smugly as she shuts the door.

He snickers for a minute, then says, “It’s not so much arrogance as it’s brutal honesty.”

And it was honest. This honesty is evident in his work, as well as in his 10009 gallery, which he refers to as a NYC institution. Its purpose is to cut through all the bull, to actually reach people, specifically New Yorkers, on another level. It’s that kind of keeping it real De La Vega expresses and embodies both in everyday life and in his art.

“Pressure to survive in the big city can make you lose sight of your dream. Hang in there.” The idea isn’t new, and chances are it’s appeared before in inspirational tear-off calendars or coffee table books, but never as graffiti. Yet according to De La Vega, it’s not.

“I never identified with the graffiti movement; there’s a certain amount of deviance and negativity that comes with the connotation,” he says.

Since avoiding jail time for one graffiti-related incident back in his Spanish Harlem days, the artist is sensitive when it comes to the name “graffiti artist.” Instead, he’s a self-proclaimed sidewalk philosopher, a guerrilla performance artist, an artist for and of the street.

What challenges De La Vega in his quest for positivity is the audience to whom he’s reaching out. He believes New Yorkers are famously thick-skinned. Notions about becoming your dream are lost in a concrete sea of huffs, puffs, and “whatever’s.” But De La Vega’s message seems to have found a way to get through. He is an icon in the Spanish Harlem neighborhood where he first started out, and now that same street cred has followed him down to the East Village where he reigns as a kind of St Mark’s Confucius.

There’s a level of hard core no nonsense that makes New Yorkers listen, or at least stop to read, depending on where the message is positioned.

“I’m not trying to Walt Disney or Sesame Street this message. That’s not De La Vega. It’s creating a unique language that reaches people to tell them to do something with their lives, to push forward, to fight back.” This is something many New Yorkers already know, or else they wouldn’t live here, but all could stand to hear it more often. And when they’re ready, like the lady with the stroller, De La Vega will be waiting.

www.delavegainternational.com

Ellen Stewart originally founded the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club as a venue to develop and present new performance work. Playwrights, composers, poets, musicians and dancers have all been able to express themselves during the almost fifty years the theatre has resided in the East Village. This creative and nurturing environment has brought artists from all over the world, while also taking La Mama’s resident companies everywhere from the Ukraine to Colombia.

http://lamama.org/

What brought you to New York?
I came to New York twice, actually. I moved to New York from home in Rhode Island right after college, swearing it was the best thing to do for my career. A little over a year into my first stint in New York, I got sick of it. Admittedly, I lived in Greenpoint, I worked like a dog, and I was here for the Blackout in 2003, so that probably didn’t help to solidify any love for New York that I had. I left New York City in disgust, and moved to Vermont.

You don’t know what you’ve got till it’s gone, and a year later, I missed New York badly and moved right back. I haven’t looked back since. I call that period in Vermont “my sabbatical.”

What do you love about living in New York?
I have a love/hate relationship with New York. The things I love are also the things I hate. I love the subway, but I hate the MTA. I love where I live, but I hate the rowdy teenagers who wake me up every morning. I love the nightlife in New York, but I hate paying six dollars for a beer. I love the fact that New York is a 24/7 town, but I hate it when a truck will rumble down my street and wake me up at 3am. I love the fact that I love all these things about New York, but I hate the fact that I hate them all, too.

What do you think makes a New Yorker?
There are plenty of born-and-bred New Yorkers who will swear that transplants like me will never be New Yorkers. I guess they forget that this city depends on people moving from other places.

To me, you become a New Yorker when you stop doing the things that I complain about on my blog. When you stop walking like a tourist, when you learn to get in a cab before you tell them you’re going to JFK, when you stop paying a $30 cover to gawk at celebrities in a nightclub, and when you learn to love New York’s idiosyncrasies and start complaining about other people doing those same things… that’s when you become a New Yorker. It’s a slow, steady process of adaptation.

What surprises you about New York or New Yorkers?
Nothing surprises me anymore. When I moved here five years ago, I think there was just one surprise: New York makes order out of chaos. The chaos scared me before I moved here. Anyone who doesn’t embrace it is bound to hate New York.

When you leave New York, what do you miss the most?
I miss greeting the bartenders and the regulars at my neighborhood bar, Professor Thom’s. I miss the meaningless small talk at my bodega. I miss the fact that the lady at my laundromat always greets me by name when I walk by. It’s always the little things that I miss – these are the things that always bring me comfort when I come back home to New York.

Do you know any tricks or insider info?
Do I know any tricks? What kind of interview is this?!

Oh, those kind of tricks. Yeah, sure I do. And those tricks come from years of city living. For example, don’t bother buying a backpack – you’ll never be able to wear it here and you’ll annoy everyone else in a crowded subway car if you even try. Don’t ever live along the G Train. If you decide to live in the outer boroughs, be prepared to find your neighborhood haunts and make them your own, or you’ll find yourself spending hundreds of dollars on cabs from Manhattan every month. Also, if they’re around this spring, go to the Red Hook Ball Fields and feast on as much real Latin American food as you can… before the city tries to shut them down again.

Tell us about your blog… what is the premise, what are your main coverage areas, how did you get started?
My blog started without a purpose at all. I was just throwing stuff up in the early days that I thought was particularly funny. When I started, I was in the midst of the honeymoon period of my second stint in New York. When that faded, I seemed to find my voice when I started getting angry or whiny. I don’t have a geographic focus, but since my humor is mostly observational, you’ll find me around home in the East Village more than anywhere else. I don’t really limit myself to any topic, but I always try to keep it tongue-in-cheek. No matter how angry I might sound, I’m a pretty light-hearted person. When people take what I say on my blog too seriously, that’s when it gets me into trouble.

Best corny tourist attraction that you secretly love?
I’d hardly call it a tourist attraction, but whenever I have some spare time on a nice day, I go downtown and take the Staten Island Ferry round trip. The views are still breathtaking, and if you take it at sunset, it’s better than any sightseeing spot in New York – at ground level or 86 stories high.

Best neighborhood bar?
Professor Thom’s (219 2nd Ave.) has been my regular spot for almost two years now. I must admit – I was born and bred a Boston Red Sox fan, and this bar is the Red Sox fans’ home base in New York City. They have a great selection of microbrews, a food menu that I know by heart, and over a dozen TVs to watch the Red Sox, Patriots, Celtics, Bruins… or the Yankees, Giants, Knicks, or Rangers, too.

Best late night joint?
I can never limit myself to just one spot. Whenever I have a visitor in my neighborhood, they always insist on Veselka for late-night eats. But I prefer the cheaper and less crowded Odessa on Avenue A. I was introduced to Odessa by one of my good Ukrainian friends less than a week after moving to New York. Their pierogi are fantastic, but it’s their borscht that really hits the spot.

Last cultural thing that you did (movie, museum, theatre, etc…)?
I saw The Farnsworth Invention last night. I love Aaron Sorkin and there’s a soft spot in my heart for non-fiction, even if he does take some liberties. I’ve always been a fan of Hank Azaria, so it was an easy sell to get me to that show. Coincidentally, the screenplay of the last movie I saw was written by Aaron Sorkin, too: Charlie Wilson’s War. Phillip Seymour Hoffman deserves an Oscar nod for that one – if they even have the Oscars this year.

Best fancy schmancy restaurant?
I am very blessed to work in a field where I get the opportunity to have business lunches at places I could never afford on my own. I’ve always been a big fan of Blue Water Grill (31 Union Sq. W.) for both its location (close to home, close to the office) and its seafood (I come from The Ocean State – it’s tough to win me over with fish). Toloache (251 W. 50th St.) just opened a few months ago, but it’s quickly becoming my favorite Mexican restaurant in the city. It’s as close as you can get to being authentic without being completely overrun by tourists or being served on a soccer field in Red Hook.

Best place to meet members of the opposite sex?
Most likely, a screening of Sex and the City: The Movie. Although they’ll have absolutely no interest in you, because they’ll be too busy looking for Mr. Perfect after the movie. Then, years later, they will turn to E-Harmony when they realize that Mr. Perfect doesn’t exist, nor does he make a six-figure salary or live in a massive loft apartment. No, I’m not bitter at all.

Best moviehouse?
Any movie theater in New York – preferably one with stadium seating – before noon. I rarely go to the movies, because I can’t justify paying $12 to sit in a dark room for two hours while being bombarded with advertisements that can probably offset the cost of seeing the movie to begin with. Why does seeing a movie at 11:45am cost half as much as seeing it at 12:15pm? It’s one of this city’s great mysteries.

–
Chris Carrara
http://eastvillageidiot.com
chris@eastvillageidiot.com

If it’s not this or that, it must be Other Music, the ultimate resource for those looking for what’s happening in today’s music scene. They also offer rare releases from every genre. “It’s one of the best spots to pick-up CDs that are hard to find,” says regular customer Sabriena Stone. When your iPOD needs an update, Other Music is the place to find the obscure, the underground, or whatever else you want to hear.

www.othermusic.com

15 East 4th Street, 10003

CBGB’s closed, R and R and Sin-e are done, and The Continental is no longer band-friendly. Underground music is becoming more and more, well, underground. One Village venue still delivers- Club Midway. Walk through the upstairs lounge to descend the narrow back staircase, and you’ll find yourself in rock reverie. The ceiling is low and the simple stage is barely raised above the floor, putting you eye-to-eye with the musicians. The mostly-standing room capacity is less than 100, guaranteeing an intimate show every time. Check out their website for a full line-up of bands to come.

25 Avenue B, between East 2nd and East 3rd Streets
www.clubmidway.com

EXTRA: The Best of New York City’s Local Bands

New York City is a breeding ground for the musically-inclined. If you’re in the mood for some homegrown talent, check out these local acts that are totally worth the cover.

Semi-Precious Weapons
SPW’s fusion of glam and garage rock paired with front man Justin Tranter’s “queen” attitude and stage antics make for an unforgettable show every time. Fans eat it up.
www.semipreciousweapons.com

Death of Fashion
These guys set the standard for hipster chic, and are adored by fashionistas and the art crowd alike. Originally from Indiana, these guys are settled in New York City now. Hey, everyone has to come from somewhere, right?
www.deathoffashion.com

The Pervs
These rockers are bringing punk back to its truest form, and aren’t afraid to “get pervy” with their crass lyrics and writhing dance moves.
www.thepervsnyc.com

Au Revoir Simone
This all-girl group is fast making headlines with their blend of indie and electro. They’re touring the world in the summer and fall of 2007, but will be back home in New York City for a few select shows.
www.aurevoirsimone.com

La Bruja
This Renaissance woman of pop culture combines poetic elements with Latin, hip hop and Reggaeton on her album, Brujalicious.
www.labrujamusic.com

Northern State
The female version of The Beastie Boys, this all-girl trio has been making beats and dropping rhymes since 2000. With their intelligent, political, and often whimsical lyrics, they are redefining what it means to be a hip hop group.
www.northernstate.net