Old Rusted Eyesore Now Haven of Lush Greenery

The Red Hook-ish corner plot where Hamilton Avenue meets Summit Street in Brooklyn has long been commanded by an old industrial shed made of sheets of rusted corrugated metal. For a long time, the shed was filled with old cars and the land around it overgrown with weeds. In the past year, the cars and weeds have been cleared out, but the shed remained as ugly as ever.

Now it has become the home Liberty Sunset Garden Center, which recently left its home further south in Red Hook. The land surrounded the shed is now a lush forrest of greenery, instantly changing the address into a sort of beauty spot.

The area has a wealth of garden centers. In addition to two along Van Brunt Street, Gowanus Nursery is virtually around the corner from Liberty's new location.

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Lost City Asks "Who Goes to Villa Berulia?"

Readers have been urging me to make Villa Berulia in Murray Hill the subject of a "Who Goes There?" for more than a year. I finally made it there this week. I'll have to go back to get that Dalmatian stew.

Who Goes There? Villa Berulia

Villa Berulia, a white-tablecloth, lunch-and-dinner Italian restaurant run by Croatians, has been gathering little attention and much moss on E. 34th Street near Park for 30 years. Hiding in plain sight behind an almost anonymous facade, it's family run, and beloved by the older members of dignity-starved Murray Hill.

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McDonald's of Mordor

Why is the McDonald's on Canal Street paint pitch black? A subtle message to those who would consider eating there?

Lost City: New Orleans Edition: Clover Grill

The Clover Grill, in the French Quarter, looks the kind of new diner that intentionally tries to look older than it is. The details just seem too perfect. But it actually is an old joint, founded in 1939 as far as I can tell. It advertises "world's best best hamburgers." Now, that's chutzpah. Even in New York, places just vie for the best burger in the city. Apparently, they're cooked under a hubcap in order to keep up the juices. What would the NYC DOH say about that?

Lost City Asks "Who Goes to Randazzo's?"

Randazzo's Clam Bar is one New York eating institution that hasn't become a caricature of itself. It's talks like a Brooklyn clam bar and walks like a Brooklyn clam bar. May it ever do so.

Who Goes There? Randazzo's Clam Bar

"This is the only place I'll eat raw clams," said the reedy man in the red t-shirt. In a Quentin Tarantino version of "Gilligan's Island," he'd play the title character. "People forget there used to be three Randazzo's." The cute cashier, dressed in sweat pants and a t-shirt bearing the Greek letters of a sorority, looks up, as if in response to a favorite topic. "This was the straight clam bar. Then there was a sit-down restaurant next door. And a surf and turf place. And they were always packed."

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Classic Jade Mountain Chow Mein Sign Is Missing

A couple months ago, I expressed concern that Shoolbred's, the bar that occupies that space long held by old-school, East Village Chinese institution Jade Mountain—wan't taking care of the old "Chow Mein" neon sign that still hung from the second floor. The lights, long ablaze, had gone out, depriving the community of a lovely visual delight, as well as a link to history.

Now comes more disturbing news from EV Grieve. The sign is gone completely. There's construction netting over the old building and work is being done. That's the obvious reason the sign was removed. But will it be returned?

Meanwhile, JVNY reports this comment from a reader:
"Spoke to Dean Maroulakos the General Mgr of Shoolbred's and Ninth Ward today. He asked that anyone with historic/preservation concern for this sign please contact him through email at info@ninthward.com or call his cell 646 275 0461 so he can direct you to the landlord."

That would sound like the sign is not coming back, which would be a crying shame. But at least it may be preserved. It's very probably the last of its kind in the City.

Dining Choices in Times Square

Found this page of ads in an old theatre magazine from the late 1940s. My choice? As much as I like me some frogs legs Provencal, I want to go "where the cast and audience meet and act like gourmets."

FYI, the location of the Normandie Restaurant is now a parking lot. The China Clipper was supplanted by a shiny skyscraper. And Melody Lane is now the site of Fox News.

Steak Chops Sea Food

From Chelsea to Riverdale. It's what it's all about, man. Or, it was.

Shortest Business Name in New York

Es' Shoe Repair. You expect shoe repair shops to be small. But this one in Riverdale also has a small name. Es? What kinda name is that? First name? Last? Nickname? Short for something?

We'll never know. Because this isn't actually Es' Shoe Repair anymore. As you can see, the "Es" has been half rubbed out. The official name of this hole in the wall is, prosaically, Riverdale Shoe Repair. (Yawn.)

Lost City: Philadelphia Edition: A Good Sign: Benash Liquor Store

Caught sight of this extraordinary sign as I was driving out of Philadelphia. It's actually not in Philly, but across the Delaware River in Cherry Hill, NJ. It's been in business since 1947. The store itself is one of those sinister, low-bodied, white, windowless jobbies.