June | 2012 | Amusing the Zillion

Archive for June, 2012

Photo of the Day: Coney Island Pina Colada Girl

Posted in Food & Drink, Photo of the Day, Photography, tagged Coney Island, egg cream, pina colada on June 24, 2012| 1 Comment »

Coney Island Pina Colada Girl, Surf Avenue. June 23, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

If you’re thirsty for a pina colada, look no further than Desree’s Hawaiian hut. Free refills! Coney Island’s Pina Colada Girl is one of the Jones Walk evictees who was lucky enough to lease a new spot. Mermaid Parade Day found her on Surf Avenue. One of the signs on her booth stopped us in our tracks– EGG CREAMS! We’ll be back.

Opening Today: Coney Island Grimaldi’s Pizzeria

Posted in Food, tagged Coney Island, Grimaldi's, pizza, pizzeria, restaurant on June 23, 2012| 1 Comment »

Grimaldi’s Pizzeria, Coney Island. June 22, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

Yesterday, ATZ peeked inside the new Grimaldi’s Pizzeria on Surf Avenue in Coney Island to see what we could see. Workers inside said the restaurant was opening today! Today is of course Mermaid Parade Day and Surf Avenue will be thronged with tens of thousands of mer-people as well as folks watching the parade. We predict a very busy first day in Coney Island for the famed Brooklyn pizzeria.

Under construction for three months, Grimaldi’s is on the less traveled north side of Surf Avenue directly across from the Eldorado Skooters. Its sign is highly visible from the subway as well as the amusement area and should help attract customers. This week, a 3-D Brooklyn Bridge that lights up was hoisted by crane onto the sign’s New York City skyline. Inside the cavernous space, vintage photos of old Coney Island and the City’s rendering of the new Coney Island line the walls. Tables and chairs are set up and ready to welcome customers. Buon appetito, mermaids and mermen!

Grimaldi’s, 1215 Surf Avenue, Brooklyn, New York 11224

UPDATE April 1, 2013

In reply to numerous queries: No, Grimaldi’s Surf Avenue has not yet opened post-Sandy. It’s expected to re-open by May 1st

Sandy-Damaged Grimaldi’s Pizzeria in Coney Island to Reopen in 2 Weeks

UPDATE December 30, 2012:

Readers have been asking if Grimaldi’s is open year round. It would be open if it hadn’t been for Hurricane Sandy. The last time we dined there was on the eve of the hurricane! Unfortunately, Grimaldi’s is among the many local businesses that remain closed due to flood damage from Sandy and is expected to reopen in the spring. In the meantime you can visit the restaurant’s other locations, including DUMBO, Queens, Manhattan and Hoboken. This post about Grimaldi’s opening on Mermaid Day was #4 on “Amusing the Zillion’s Top 10 Coney Island News Stories of 2012.”

UPDATE June 30, 2012, 12 noon:

Grimaldi’s is open. Buon appetito!

UPDATE June 28, 2012:

After opening on Mermaid Parade Weekend, the new Surf Avenue Grimaldi’s got its first review from Devour NYC, who called it “a great tasting pizza and for $14 for a large pie, it may be the best deal in Coney Island.” The reviewer said there was an hour wait, so we decided to try it today–a Thursday. But Grimaldi’s was closed and our Coney friends were wondering if it was only open on weekends for now. ATZ phoned Joe, Grimaldi’s General Manager, who said they were closed temporarily due to a permitting issue with the City, and expected to reopen ~~on Friday, June 29, or~~ by July 1st. The pizzeria will be open daily from 11:30am or 12 noon. The Coney Island location does not have a phone yet, but we’ll post an update as soon as possible after it reopens.

Photo Album: Mermaid Avenue Murals and Public Art

Posted in art, Photography, tagged Coney Island, Funny Face, Mermaid Avenue, mural, Public Art, Steeplechase Face, street art on June 21, 2012| 6 Comments »

Mermaid Avenue Funny Face. June 18, 2012. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

In Coney Island’s revamped amusement area, hand-painted vernacular signage and public art are rapidly being displaced by custom lighted signs or painted over. Just a few blocks away on Mermaid Avenue, mural painting by local artists is still thriving. Walking from Stillwell Avenue to West 28th Street, ATZ came across work on almost every block, including a Funny Face touting “Parking for Puertoricans Only,” murals memorializing lost friends and a community art project celebrating growth and diversity.

One block north of Surf Avenue, Mermaid Avenue is the neighborhood’s shopping district, populated with stores, restaurants, churches and community organizations such as Astella Development and South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. As Woody Guthrie famously says in his song “Mermaid’s Avenue” written in 1950: “Mermaid Avenue that’s the street where all colors of goodfolks meet.”

Mural Memorializing Jose Chin, Five Deli Grocery, West 28th Street, Coney Island. Photo © Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The mural pictured above dedicated to the memory of Jose Chin is painted on a wall outside of Five Deli Grocery on West 28th Street and Mermaid Avenue. Coney Island artist Kwamin Serguson finished it on April 21, 2012, two years after Jose’s passing at age 22, according to an article in Astella Action News. The mural is one of several poignant memorials to lost youth that can be found on the sides of buildings.

Vision of Growth, created by Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium, is on West 27th Street at Mermaid Avenue. The 15 by 80 foot acrylic on cinderblock mural features images of Coney Island landmarks and highlights the diversity of the community. The project was part of Groundswell’s 2008 Summer Leadership Institute. “Artists Alex Pimienta and Jessica Poplawski worked with a team of youth to create a colorful mural celebrating the people, changing communities, and future of Coney Island,” says the project description.

Detail of A Vision of Growth: Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. Mermaid Ave at W 27th St, Coney Island. Photo by Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr

The young mural artists from the South Brooklyn Youth Consortium are Mohamed Abdelrahman, Michael Coleman, Shani Coleman, Nicholas Collazo, Ahmathya Edwards, Mashayach Edwards, Michael Ferrera, Angel Garcia, Andrea Gil, Doris Huey, Emily Lew, Carla Pierre Paul and Ken Zheng.

Detail of A Vision of Growth: Groundswell in collaboration with South Brooklyn Youth Consortium. Mermaid Ave at W 27th St, Coney Island. Photo by Tricia Vita/me-myself-i via flickr