Long vacant Mexican restaurant Nopal Del Este on 13th Street and Avenue A is apparently on its way to becoming a new Lebanese restaurant / lounge / cafe called Al Diwan, as per the signage pictured above ...

In other East Village news, I was stopped in front of my building last night by a man looking for signatures to petition for a liquor license at his soon-to-open Japanese restaurant, also in the vicinity of Al Diwan. He told me he hasn't yet chosen a name for the place, but is toying with the idea of "Fu"--"as in 'F-U.' It's my name," he explained.