DIY food- and beverage-related crafts have soared in popularity in the past several years, and we'll bet you can think of at least one or two friends who have at least flirted with a homebrewing hobby. Though equipment-heavy and time-consuming, there are enough people making their own beer in this city to fuel a number of loose organizations as well as a Brooklyn homebrew tour, a private living room crawl that nets the brew-curious a chance to try some of the borough's best home-crafted ales and lagers.

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Voice Places

Goodbye, Stand

Jonathan Morr's seven-year-old burger joint Stand closed last week in Greenwich Village. Grub Street reported that its website went kaput ("Stand4 is closed Thank you for your business") and that many of its innards were auctioned off on Monday.

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Voice Places

Veselka Bowery closed on Sunday

Veselka Bowery closed on Sunday after 18 months in business. The Ukrainian restaurant has been a staple in its original location on the corner of Second Avenue and East 9th Street, but the second outpost's closure did not come as a surprise to many; it was usually near-empty. Management posted a note on Facebook on Sunday that said, "Veselka Bowery wants to thank all our old friends -- and the new friends we made along the way -- as we close our doors today at 4 p.m. for the last time." 9 E. 1st St.; 212-387-7000

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Flickr/ wburg

La Villita, a Mexican bakery on the corner of Grand Street and Bedford Avenue, was forced to close at the end of February after the landlord raised the rent from $5,000 to $10,000. The GW News learned the bakery closed on Feb. 28 after 17 years in business. Owner Alfonso Sosa and his family ran the bakery, and neighbors claimed it was the only place in the area where they could find an egg sandwich and a cup of coffee for $2.50.

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Voice Places

d'Espresso closed on Lower East Side.

Lower East Side coffee shop d'Espresso closed on Stanton Street, Bowery Boogie reported. The Italian-style cafe opened in 2008 and expanded to midtown in 2010 (the midtown location will remain open). 100 Stanton Street

Midtown Lunch discovered a "hidden gem"--an unnamed Indian buffet operating out of a bodega on Fifth Avenue. But after going back for another meal, the blog learned the bodega shut down the buffet because employees in the building complained about the smell. The building manager asked the bodega owner to stop serving food indefinitely. 420 Fifth Avenue

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Marx

Summer Fruit Tart from Birdbath Bakery

City Bakery announced on Sunday it would close its First Avenue location of Birdbath Green Bakery, a 240-square-foot outpost with no signage and just stacks of cookies in the window. Its kitchen had been the home of dough mixing and baking for the entire mini-chain since 2005. But all the baking that was done at the First Avenue location will now take place near Union Square, much closer to City Bakery on 18th Street, Maury Rubin's mothership. Macaroon-lovers will have to travel to one of the other locations for the Passover treat.

Voice Places

PJ Hanley's, the oldest bar in Brooklyn, closed.

Capucine's Restaurant in Gramercy will close on April 1, according to Jeremiah Moss. A new sign was posted in the restaurant's window that said, "Our last day of this business is April 1st, 2013. Thank you to all our patrons for your 33 years of support. Rent not affordable." 327 Second Avenue

P.J. Hanley's, hailed as the oldest bar in Brooklyn, closed on St. Patrick's Day, according to Gothamist. The bar, known as the place where Al Capone met his wife, had been open for 139 years. Crain's reported that owner James McGown filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in February. A Belgian beer garden will take its place on Court Street in May. 449 Court Street, Brooklyn

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Voice Places

Diners will have to wait a few months to eat at Kefi

Over the next two weeks, the Times Square outpost of hotel chain Yotel will close its three restaurants, Grub Street reported. DohYo, Terrace, and Four were all run by chef Richard Sandoval and served Latin-Asian cuisine. The restaurants employed 102 people, and also provided room service to hotel guests. A Department of Labor WARN notice said the shutters were because of a "termination of the restaurant agreement." 570 Tenth Ave.

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Flickr/ bionicgrrrl

Bibimbap burger at Social Eatz

Angelo Sosa's Social Eatz closed on March 1 in Midtown East. Ryan Sutton tweeted a letter he found posted on the restaurant door yesterday morning that announced its shutter. Sosa Restaurant Group will debut a new restaurant concept in the same location over the next few weeks. Sosa posted on SocialEatz.com, "Some of your favorite Social Eatz dishes may just make a comeback appearance in 2013." 232 E. 53rd St.

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Voice Places

Saigon Grill brought Vietnamese food to the Upper West Side, but after two closures due to health-code violations, its doors have shut for good, West Side Rag learned. A note dated February 26 hung in a window and said, "Restaurant official closed. We're sorry for inconvenience with you." 620 Amsterdam Ave.

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