Remember When

April 30, 2003 MG emails: "I was noticing the plywood sheath around the restaurant site at Rivington & Ludlow (NW corner), and I was trying to recall the names of all the places that had occupied that corner. I came up with (in reverse chronological order): Noblé, Casa Mexicana, the Corner Lounge (?), something something, and Navia's Diner (circa 1998). Can you think back any farther? Does Navia Nguyen, the sometime model and proprietress of that horrible vegetarian diner, still live in that building? Any idea what's going in there now?" Anyone with better memories than ours? Regardless, we await the next restaurant on this cursed site. May it have as many empty tables as its predecessors.

Nice1 remembering Navia's diner.

The space on Clinton Street where Fanfulla Cafe was (now replaced by something else) is equally as cursed. Ever since it was converted a from thrift store there have been three failed restaurants in there...

Can anyone think of anymore "cursed" locations in the LES?

Posted by: MrNegative at April 30, 2003 03:44 PM

The word is that the boarded-up space is now being prepped for a much larger, east side 'ino ().>http://newyork.citysearch.com/profile/11313370/).

The original is a great little italian eatery and wine bar on Bedford Street. Should be a nice addition.

With any luck, it should be open by summer...well, that's the word, anyway.

Posted by: G at April 30, 2003 04:07 PM

Nothing that ever opened there was very appealing. What contributed to that was the tiny kitchen one could look into from the window on Ludlow st. Rarely is it good to see into a kitchen. (well some are designed that way and are great). There is a place on tenth street in the village (near smalls that always fails) Maybe idiots rent stores with bad landlords and rents to open thier resturants.?

Posted by: billy bob thighmaster at May 1, 2003 10:01 AM

navia is def not in the house. last heard, she headed out west to run away from a jones for powdery substance (navia logic), and to find more playmates that worship aliens.

Posted by: smrtazz at May 3, 2003 12:15 PM

For those who, for whatever reason, care about Navia... I've heard that she moved to Vietname and is now happily married to a French entrepreneus with lots of F$$$.

Posted by: nang at June 3, 2003 11:59 AM

yo LS! S.D. got me checking out gawker - which led me here.

And About this cursed corner of Rivington and Ludlow :

The story goes....
Upon getting wind of the hex , Casa Mexicana owner Tony (aka Carlos) went to santaria camp and poof! - renamed the place Noble. Same chef, same cute waitstaff, same menu (reworded, that is.)

To no avail.

His Current Employment Status: Freelance catering work.

This information is all true (save the santaria mention.)

Posted by: cland at June 25, 2003 10:19 PM

I heard that Navia moved to New Mexico to live with the actor Eric Stolz who she was seen with a lot around the time of her VEgie Diner.

Posted by: Stevo at July 25, 2003 09:16 AM

navia...if by chance you "get wind" of this...where are you??? yes, your former employee!!! ps: why didn't you tell me you were so famous!!! i would have kissed your ass more!!!(ha!ha!ha!) i am well (incase you're wondering) and,YES, it would be very,very,VERY!!! nice (???) to "hear" from U

Posted by: matthew at October 1, 2003 06:05 PM

ALthough I haven't heard from Navia in 3 years I know for a fact that she is living happily married, clean and sober in Vietnam. Nav- if you read this-Tess told me that she saw you and I have been looking for you for years!!!! The last we spoke is when you called me from London to see if you could stay with me in NY. Get in touch!!!!! susan

Posted by: susan trevisa at December 18, 2003 03:21 PM

I have no idea where Navia is.

Posted by: sheri at January 15, 2004 12:01 AM