A Voice From the Past

I went to a flea market in Hell's Kitchen this past weekend. When I passed by a stall that featured this working phonograph, Al Jolson singing "Mammy" was playing. Swear to God. Clear as a bell. A sublime moment of chance.

Duane Reade Has Own Subway Entrance

By my measure, nothing about a Duane Reade should be cool. But, I'm sorry, this dedicated subway entrance on the lower level of the triple-decker Duane Reade at 42nd Street and Eighth Avenue is kinda neat.

I love exclusive subway entrances. They remind me a time when is was common for certain businesses, office buildings, restaurants and hotels that were near subway stops to enjoy the privilege of a special mass transit entry. There are a number of such portals still in use, including the one that connects Bloomingdale's to the Lexington Line. This Duane Reader passage, however, would seem to be a rare modern example.

"Dogs" and "Burgers" Come Down from Degraw Storefront

The Degraw Street store that briefly contained Ultimate Burgers & Dogs is now rid of the small signs that said "Burgers" and "Dogs." (See below.) Thank God. Hated those things.

As locals know, Ultimate's main claim to infamy was to take down the wonderful old "Grocery and Deli" sign that had been there for decades. (See below.) They claimed the old sign was hurting their business. Which was bullshit. Because just weeks after they put up the new signs, they closed anyway.

The change must have been made by Ted & Honey, the Clinton Street cafe that is taking over the space. So is it too much to ask for them to put the Grocery sign back up? That is, if the Ultimate doofuses didn't throw it away.

I apologize for my immoderate words. Whenever I think of that sign coming down for no good reason, my blood boils.

Carroll Gardens' Red Apple Closes

The Red Apple Chinese takeout joint at the southeast corner of Court and Sackett isn't exactly glamorous. But it is one of the oldest extant businesses in Carroll Gardens. Been there at least 20 years. Well, now it's closed suddenly. Not sure why.

Many old timers will remember this storefront as the longtime location of Vaccarino Flowers.

Astoria Meat Products

Meat

A reader wrote in wondering about the status of the above business, Astoria Meat Products, which has a cool sign, a neat display case and offers "Pork. Beef. Lamb. Veal." and "Homemade Bologna Sausages." I love the bold symmetry of the meats listed, how they all have four letters.

The reader said, "The last few times I swung by there the place was closed and all the display cases are empty. The front window is as always. There is no sign in the window or on the door to indicate a closing, vacation or whatever."

I called and there was no answer. I'm not familiar with the shop. Does anyone out there know anything?

Tasteless Owner, Jerky Hoteliers Screw Up Oak Room's Return

For years, New York waited for the reopening of the Oak Room and the Oak Bar, storied oases of cosmopolitan style and history. In 2008, after a lengthy renovation, the public was finally allowed to enjoy these beautiful rooms within the Plaza Hotel again. And now, due to incompetence and bad taste on a huge scale on the part of the owners of the Plaza and the Oak Room and Bar, the joint may close again by July.

Eli Gindi, the owner of the Oak Room and Bar, and a real estate developer best known for owning Century 21 (classy!) has mishandled the place from the start. The restaurant was poorly reviewed. The bar offered bad service and poorly made, expensive cocktails. And the tone was all wrong. The atmosphere felt tacky, nouveau riche, touristy. Gindi started losing money, so he resorted to bottom of the barrel tactics. There was once a drink named after Mel Gibson. (Now there's a touch of elegance!) There were tableside burlesque shows. And then Gindi struck gold with "Black and White" Saturday afternoon parties, in which young yahoos with money to burn bought bottles of Cristal and whooped it up. No Truman Capote ball, these. But they brought in a lot of money. However, the Plaza management didn't like it. It was bad for the hotel's image, said the pot to the kettle. A hotel that lets in people like Charlie Sheen and his sundry porn stars and prostitutes. Lease negotiations broke down, and the Plaza sued the Oak Room operators for millions. Now the Oak Room will likely close on July 31.

Why does the Plaza attract the attentions of classless schmucks? Remember: Trump used to own it. 

Hitchcock and God

Now here's the sort of programming that might actually make me go to church. I saw this poster outside a Catholic Church in Astoria. Sounds like an interesting series, and most inventive. I don't need much of an excuse to see "Shadow of a Doubt" or "Strangers on a Train," but the speakers sound good, too. I kind of want to know what a Monsignor might think of Farley Granger.

A Good Sign: Apple Tag & Label

Towering over old Long Island City.

Brooklyn Restaurant Had Hidden History

I have a renewed interest in Caselnova, the new, seemingly indistinct Italian restaurant on Columbia Street in Brooklyn. Why? Because it has a history I knew nothing about until today. (Also, I've eaten there twice recently, and the food is good, and the brick-oven pizza certainly worthy.)

A framed menu on the wall shows that the eatery is named after an earlier restaurant, one ran by the grandfather and uncles of the current owner. It was on 11 Sunrise Highway in Lynbrook, Long Island.

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Astoria's Ste. Honore Patisserie Is Closed

The St. Honore Patisserie, a French bakery that opened on Ditmars Boulevard in Astoria, Queens, in 1945, has closed. I was open as recently as a few months ago. I don't know what happened.

The bakery was an anomaly in the largely Greek and Italian neighborhood. It was bought by Alex Reyad in 2008. It was known for its macaroons, baguettes and apple tart. Particularly the macaroons. It specially made the treats for various private clubs in town, including the Knickerbocker, the Century and the Union Club.