Late-night fireworks

There were all sorts of tweets around midnight of gunshots, maybe, but more likely fireworks ... we haven't been able to pinpoint the exact location... Shawn Chittle took this photo looking southeast toward Tompkins Square Park...

Anyone have a fix on the location?

Safe ... for now

Many thanks to EVG reader John S. for the photo... back early in the morning with more news... some of it even pertinent ...

Meanwhile in Zone A...

An EVG reader notes some buildings in Zone A, which had a mandatory evacuation today... and it puts to rest the current rumor that the city cut the power to these areas tonight...

You can always count on Ray's

@evgrieve WE'RE OPEN ALL NIGHT!!!

— Ray's Candy Store (@RaysCandyStore) October 29, 2012

At the Punk Rock Storm Evacuation Center

Manitoba's on Avenue B...

Con Ed shutting off some steam service

Several residents have told us that their landlords are turning off the hot water... here's the official release from Con Ed on the matter.... an excerpt...

Con Edison is also in the process of shutting down steam service to some buildings in areas of Manhattan that may be prone to flooding. If the steam pipes were to get inundated with flood water externally, the temperature difference could make the pipes dangerous.”

One reader said that her landlord announced this in an email, and she's in Zone B.

[Updated] Sandbags were going for $4.99 today

At Saifee Hardware on First Avenue...photo via EVG reader AC....

Updated

Got an update... here are the size of the bags...

Pre-Sandy scenes from this afternoon

Tompkins Square Park closed around 2 p.m....

... the Farmer's Market broke down around 4...

... and some scenes of the East River before the storm...

Via Bobby Williams...

Soccer practice in Zone A

Via Steven Matthews...

[Updated] The line to checkout at Key Food at 3 p.m.

Via an EVG reader...

The good news: They have plenty of Bounty left.

Updated

The scene at 6:50 via EVG regular jdx ...

Meanwhile, in things that likely have nothing to do with Hurricane Sandy (I hope...)

Randomly on the Q train this afternoon... spotted this fellow in a loincloth exiting at 23rd Street...

City shuts down Tompkins Square Park

The City said that it was shutting down all Parks at 5 p.m. today in anticipation of Hurricane Sandy's high winds. However, workers locked the gates around Tompkins Square Park just after 2 p.m.

Con Ed amassing the troops in Union Square

Via EVG reader faces ...

And via James and Karla Murray...

Pre-Sandy ops: Village East Cinema removes letters from marquee

Pre-Sandy spot grocery check

C-town on Avenue C via Crazy Eddie...

Key Food on Avenue A via @Vivnsect ... a shot of the check out from the back of the store....

Bloomberg orders mandatory evacuation for Zone A

City info here. (PDF)

More info to follow...

Update:

Another map...

Tompkins Square Park closing at 5 p.m.; plus MTA shutting down the system

Reminder: all @nycparks are closing at 5 PM today. The wind is picking up now. #Sandy

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 28, 2012

Last subway trains at 7 PM, last MTA buses at 9 PM tonight. #Sandy

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 28, 2012

Mayor: All @nycschools are closed tomorrow. #Sandy

— NYC Mayor's Office (@NYCMayorsOffice) October 28, 2012

In case you were expecting that Fresh Direct order this afternoon...

Uh-oh. AN EVG reader and resident passes along this email from Fresh Direct:

“We regret to inform you that your order for Sunday, October 28, has been canceled due to the expected closure of the Mass Transit system by the MTA Sunday evening. With the storm expected, we want to make sure the drivers you have come to trust have an opportunity to get home safely to their families.”

This is for all orders that were scheduled for delivery after 2 p.m.

Per the reader:

So, if you expect all the things that you needed from Fresh Direct to show up today after 2 pm, better run like hell to the stores, like I just did, and pick from whatever is left on the shelves.

Scenes from Sandy Sunday morning

...and from the EVG Twitter account...

Tompkins Square Greenmarket open on A. twitter.com/evgrieve/statu…
— evgrieve (@evgrieve) October 28, 2012

Spot check: no line outside Trader Joe's on E14th, but 50-60 people waiting to check out.
— evgrieve (@evgrieve) October 28, 2012

Spot check: Food Emporium Union Square well-stocked and fairly empty. twitter.com/evgrieve/statu…
— evgrieve (@evgrieve) October 28, 2012

Most overheard observation so far this a.m: "The wind is starting to pick up." (and true)
— evgrieve (@evgrieve) October 28, 2012

Steamed on Avenue A and East 10th Street

Per EVG reader Chris this evening on Avenue A and East 10th Street...

Sounds like a jet engine up close — hear it really loud inside halfway down Ave A. Con Ed's got a truck there. Just seems like a lot of steam.

Accident on 9th Street and Avenue A this afternoon

Does anyone know what happened here...?

The EMTs wouldn't say at the scene...

Photos by Bobby Williams.

If you are looking to buy some candles...

...then let me recommend Santos Variety on Avenue C between East Sixth Street and East Fifth Street...

They have an excellent selection of Jesus spiritual candles between $2 and $9 depending on the size...

Even if you weren't buying to prepare for Sandy, it's a great little shop to appreciate... Oh, and it's a cash-only store. No credit cards.

If you don't like hurricanes, then move to...

As you may have heard, there's a storm on the way, and it looks to be a doozy. Per the Weather Channel:

Hurricane Sandy, moving north from the Caribbean, remained a Category 1 hurricane early Saturday, and was expected to make landfall Monday night near the Delaware coast.

"Do not focus on the intensity of the storm, it is a minimal category 1 hurricane right now, but certainly nothing like any category1 that we have seen," said Hurricane Specialist Carl Parker on The Weather Channel. "It is a very large storm, a hybrid storm, the area of strong winds is going to be absolutely enormous by the time it come into the northeast, and that’s why it is going to be a high-impact system."

Sandy is expected to interact with a pair of winter weather systems as it moves inland, becoming a monster storm bringing nearly a foot of rain, high winds and up to 2 feet of snow. Experts said the storm would be wider and stronger than last year's Irene, which caused more than $15 billion in damage, and could rival the worst East Coast storm on record.

Sounds bad, which is why I'm leaving now for Aspen. You can reach me courtesy of Don Johnson. Good luck! Let me know how it goes!

But seriously, we'll be around to pass along any pertinent storm information...

It has begun...

The pre-Sandy line at Trader Joe's this morning on East 14th Street... via @mattlehrer ...

Meanwhile, plenty of water this morning at Whole Foods Bowery via ‏@superterrific ...

Bomb Pop closing party tonight at Bullet Space

Between Avenue C and Avenue D... Costumes are encouraged for the party too.

There will be bloodwrestling tonight...

Via our friend Our Lady of Perpetual PMS and The Gorgeous Ladies of Bloodwrestling...

A few highlights:

7 pm: freaks & fiends mix & mingle for the last hour of the fantastic, cheap happy hour! Grab your poolside seat in the splatter zone!

8 pm: Showtime! Live bloodwrestling with ridiculous characters and vendettas, set to punk rock!

9 pm: Costume contest! Get creative or get bled on.

*Live half-time entertainment by JESSICA DELFINO, the Lower East Side's Queen of The Obscene & original dirty folk rock queen.

And per the invite:

NO COVER, NO ASSHOLES or DOUCHEBAGS!
This is a mixed event. Anyone interfering with the true spirit of fun and sports satire of our underground-themed events will be removed, possibly dismembered.

[Updated] Stray cat on East Seventh Street needs a home

A message from an EVG reader on East Seventh Street...

I have the sweetest cat hanging around my garden for a few days. Do you know anyone who would be interested in him? A young male... let's you rub his tummy and a real darling.

Serious inquiries only to the EV Grieve email

Updated 10-28

Per Dave on 7th: "The neighbor who was going to take the cat in for the storm took him to a vet ... and the vet found a chip with owner info on it." And the kitty and owner have been reunited...

Today in the El Sol Brillante Jr. Garden

Come to the light and dark side

Love And Rockets with "Yin And Yang The Flowerpot Man" circa 1986

Arcane back open tonight

An EVG reader notes that the French-Caribbean eatery at 111 Avenue C near East Seventh Street has reopened for tonight. On Wednesday morning, the body of co-owner Christine Ebel was discovered in a construction lot on East Seventh Street adjacent to the restaurant. Read more here.

This weekend: Tompkins Square Halloween Punk Concert

From the EV Grieve inbox...

Join us for a two-day Halloween festival on Saturday + Sunday, from 2 pm - 6 pm. Lots of bands, poetry and performers ...

Here's the latest line-up for Saturday, from 2 pm - 6 pm:

• The Purple Hearts (home-grown rockers, fronted by Joff Wilson)
• Gabriel Don (kick ass poetess with her poet posse)
• Rucjus Interruptus (old school LES rockers)
• Blue Berry High Heels (female rockers)
• Crusty P (female punk rapper)
• The Cynz (female punkers)
• And, we've got NICO (formerly of Leftover Crack + Star Fucking Hipsters)

Brought to you by The Shadow...

Last Unicorn tonight at the Pyramid

The third installment of Last Unicorn, an "artisanal dance night." (And maybe it will be the last with Sandy on the way...doom!)