My City Was Gone

It's hard to even keep up with all of the closings of New York favorites. But the demise of La Luncheonette -- where I celebrated my birthday with my friend Larry months before his untimely death a decade ago -- is particularly sad. (That cassoulet!) Nearby Moran's -- where I celebrated my 40th with my entire family -- is gone now too, making the area almost hard to walk by.

To my east, the Garage restaurant on Seventh Avenue South is also calling it a day, after its rent was hiked to 50 grand a month. I'm almost afraid to see what's next ...

Ciao! Manhattan

Cola's -- a staple in Chelsea forEVER -- just put a sign that it has closed shop. The food was reliable and the service good, yet undoubtedly a rent hike meant its owners could no longer afford to stay in business. Another sad day for the neighborhood's once-bustling Eighth Avenue.

P.S. Up the avenue I see Tello's -- another longtime Italian eatery -- is closed for renovation. Although the sign sounds sincere, they've actually only been in that corner shop for a short time. It housed Mare for many years and Tello's was around the corner, so I'm not sure what this face lift is all about. Sadly these signs are often the first baby step toward oblivion.

Less Chatting 'n' Chewing in Union Square

Bummed to read the Chat 'N Chew is no longer with us. Although it wasn't the cleanest restaurant I've ever eaten in, it holds a lot of great memories for me, from eating dinner with a friend after getting shitcanned from my first job in New York City to discussing my memoir in its infancy with my literary agent turned friend, I've always had a soft spot in my heart for this little hole in the wall. Bring on the nail salon! Read HERE.