Out and About in the East Village

In this ongoing feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village or Lower East Side.



By James Maher

Name: Miss Joan Marie Moossy
Occupation: Performer
Location: Clinton Street
Date: Monday, June 12 at noon

Read part 1 of this interview here.

I’ve had a lot of jobs in New York. I worked at the Limelight in the art department. I worked at the Puck building as a party manager. I worked as a casting assistant. I worked for Stripe First Generators, working on a generator on movie sets and street fairs. I’ve had a lot of interesting jobs here. I’ve been lucky in terms of hitting jobs where it was at the high point of the place. I used to do a show on WBAI and then MNN called "Let Them Talk" with a boyfriend Paul DeRienzo. I’m also now doing a detective series set on the Lower East Side on YouTube called "Miss Moossy's Neighborhood Mysteries."

I worked at the Limelight in its heyday. I was there from 1984 to 1988. And at that time I had a boyfriend who worked at the Pyramid as the lighting guy, so we had the club scene down. In the beginning, we did major installations, like every day at the Limelight. We had a big budget, and the Pyramid was more low budget. The Limelight had the celebrity scene. The Pyramid had the experimental, avant-garde scene. I knew all these people who worked at the Pyramid, so I danced on the bar sometimes. And that’s how I met Ethyl Eichelberger, who was a playwright and performer, and I worked for him for the last four years of his life. He died in 1990.

I started as his stage manager, and then he wrote parts for me in his plays. He showed me I could talk on stage, because when you dance you don’t really say anything. I sang in his plays — things I thought I could never do, but he pushed me and I did it, and it was life changing, really.

He committed suicide in 1990. He had AIDS, and I think he feared the loss of intellect, because he was a very bright individual. I’ve been working on perpetuating his legacy. And it’s not just me, it’s definitely a group effort, and we’ve been successful at it — he certainly deserves it. Twenty-seven years later his legacy is still going, and I’m proud of that because it’s a commitment of gratitude for me. He did so much for me and taught me so much. You know, I had been a dancer, which in the 1970s was not quite the same thing as being a dancer now – we were kind of scumbags. I don’t know how else to put it. We were not considered respectable members of society.

New York’s a tough town. You can’t really get around that for all the joy and inspiration it provides to people — it can be difficult. My life has the balance, and I’m incredibly grateful to have the youth I had here in this neighborhood, but yeah there were hard times. There were the things that really impacted, I don’t think just me, I think I’m talking for a generation of people. There were things that happened that deeply affected all of us, that colored our lives.

AIDS decimated this neighborhood, and it decimated my friends. It caused a portion of our youth to be spent nursing people to their death, which is a unique experience for young people. I mean unless there’s a war, most young people go through life without a lot of deaths. There’s always going to be death, but death in that magnitude and concentration, that happened here too. When you have multiple friends sick, and you’re running from apartment to apartment trying to help, this is your life. It’s a big part of it. It certainly wasn’t just me. It was a lot of people.

I never imagined I’d get old and it would be like this. When you’re young, you don’t realize, you think it’s all going to stay the same forever, you’re never going to get old. But here you are this many years later. I didn’t think I’d live, because when you watch all your friends die, you think, ‘Well, I’m going to die too.’ I’ve been taking care of these guys, they’ve thrown up on me, everything’s happened that would put you at risk, so you figure, yeah, I’ll die too. So I never envisioned myself in my 60s.

Those were the things on the hard side, and obviously on the pleasant side I’m a happy person by nature. I loved it and I still love it — I adore New York. There are a lot of things that I like about living here. I love to walk around the neighborhood. Freedom is one of my highest ideals — the freedom to be who you are and do what you want to do. There is a certain amount of anonymity compared to a smaller arena, where everybody watches everybody. You know, for a weird person it’s nice to just be able to walk the streets and people aren’t judging everything.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Retail space with tragic past now on the market for the first time in decades

Nearly one year has passed since workers were spotted clearing out the long-empty storefront at 84 Second Ave. between Fifth Street and Fourth Street.

A worker said that Betty Sopolsky, the owner, had recently moved away around the same time as an LLC with a Hempstead, N.Y., address bought the building for $5.125 million, per public records. (A few EVG readers said that she was estranged from her family, and only a niece remained.)

Now, in the last few days, retail for rent signs arrived on the building (thanks to Goggla for the photos!)...







As previously noted, there have been several deaths inside this house. This is from The New York Times, dated Jan. 18, 1974:

The nude body of a 40-year-old woman propietor of a tailor shop that rents tuxedos on the Lower East Side was found bludgeoned to death. The victim was Helen Sopolsky of 84 Second Avenue, near fifth Street, whose shop is one flight up at that address. The motive of the attack was not determined immediately....

As far as some longtime residents can remember, the storefront has remained empty since Helen's death. The perceived lack of activity inside the building along with the preserved window display on the second level was long a source of mystery.

Here's Jeremiah Moss writing about it in 2011:

It seems the shop has stayed virtually frozen in time since that terrible moment. The dinner jacket, never hired out to a party, is white beneath its dusty plastic, and the shirt and tie are the orange sherbet color of baby aspirin. Above hangs a crooked neon sign announcing DRESS SUITS TO HIRE. The ITS in SUITS is broken and dangling.

[Photo by Jeremiah Moss]

For now the only mystery here will be with who arrives as the new retail tenant.

Flowers for a former Juice Press on 10th Street

This sign with the name Catherine Muller arrived at the empty storefront at 279 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. According to her website, Muller is a floral designer and teacher with outposts in Paris, London, New York and Seoul.

It's not exactly clear at the moment what will be in this storefront — a floral school or a retail shop.

You can find examples of her floral arrangements at her Instagram account.

It will be the first tenant here since Juice Press packed up and left in the spring of 2015. While JP is expanding like crazy, this was the one time they closed a location, due to, we heard, ongoing frustrations with landlord Steve Croman.

Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photo!

A new meaning for bank fishing

EVG regular Jose Garcia spotted this on Ninth Street near First Avenue... and part of our ongoing found fish-heads-on-sidewalk series (like here and here).

P.S.
What is bank fishing?

Down at 1st

EVG reader William Klayer shares these photos from this morning at East Houston and the FDR along East River Park ... showing a tree casualty from yesterday's late-afternoon/early-evening storms that passed through the city...



The tree appears to have fallen roughly where first base is on the ballfield... (looks like field 4?)

San Loco is closing its 2nd Avenue location after today

After today, San Loco will no longer have a presence in the East Village.

The quick-serve restaurant took to Instagram yesterday to announce that they are closing on Second Avenue between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place.

We are heartbroken to announce that we are closing our 2nd Ave location due to a rent increase that is unsustainable. Tomorrow, June 20th will be our last day of business. Our other #sanloco locations will remain open so please come visit us. Thank you 2nd avenue for 30+ years, we will surely miss you. 💔#supportsmallbusiness. #theskyiscrying #vivasanloco

A post shared by SAN LOCO (@sanloconyc) on Jun 19, 2017 at 3:52pm PDT

We are heartbroken to announce that we are closing our 2nd Ave location due to a rent increase that is unsustainable. Tomorrow, June 20th will be our last day of business. Our other #sanloco locations will remain open so please come visit us. Thank you 2nd avenue for 30+ years, we will surely miss you.

Owner Jill Hing, whose brothers opened this location in 1986, talked to Jeremiah Moss last November about their struggles to stay in business.

There are many factors that contribute to our struggle to survive — and the noose definitely keeps tightening. Our customer base has been mostly squeezed out of this neighborhood as a consequence of hyper-gentrification. Rent is a constant source of stress. In our case, as with many long-standing businesses, we are at the mercy of the landlord and live in fear of our next rent renewal.

They can raise your rent exponentially to just force you out, or they can charge you above market because they know moving is not a viable option. For example, one of our location's lease is up in the spring, we have been tenants there for 20 years, but still they are asking about 15-20% above the comps around us because they know moving is expensive, disruptive, and can cost us our liquor license (although San Loco obtained the liquor license it stays with the address). And regardless of our good standing with the community board, we could be denied a new license, or most likely, be given one with limitations. There are moratoriums on most blocks now because of the over saturation of restaurants/bars in the neighborhood.

Rent aside, there's also more competition, with Otto's Tacos and Taqueria Diana opening nearby in recent years.

The Avenue A San Loco closed in 2014 after 15 years in business.

More about plans to add 2 levels to this possibly haunted 10th Street beauty

Plans to add a two-level extension to the long-empty townhouse at 104 E. 10th St. between Third Avenue and Second Avenue are moving forward.

Tonight, CB3's Landmarks Committee is hearing a proposal on the partial rooftop addition, which is "set back 14 feet at the first level and 18 feet at the second level," per the paperwork...



Here's a look at a rendering ...



... and some detailed plans (find more here)...



As previously reported, the townhouse, built in 1879, will be converted into a single-family home. The address, once the property of reclusive real-estate baron William Gottleib, sold in 2013 for $3.5 million to an entity going by North Sydney LLC.

No. 104 is within the St. Mark's Historic District and needs the proper approvals before moving forward with any vertical extensions. (The work permits were last disapproved in November.)

The building has been vacant for years. The last (and lone) tenant was playwright, poet and performance artist Edgar Oliver.

This article from 1998 in The New York Times suggests that the place could possibly be haunted. But as Oliver said at the time, "The house I do believe is haunted. Alas, it is only with memories."

Previously on EV Grieve:
Plans to convert the haunted beauty 104 E. 10th St. into a single-family home with 2 extra floors

The charmingly shabby interiors of 104 E. 10th St

[An interior photo from 2012]

Recognizing 27 Cooper Square's role in local history

When developers of the Cooper Square Hotel (now the Standard East Village) were buying up properties to demolish to make way for their 21-floor building, two residents of 27 Cooper Square declined to leave their longtime home (the two had secured artists' loft status in the 1980s, and weren't legally required to move) ... and so the circa-1845 tenement became fused together with the new structure.

Today, No. 27 houses part of the hotel, including administrative offices and the front desk. (The residences remain upstairs.)

And tonight at 6, the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation is unveiling a plaque at the building between Fifth Street and Sixth Street to note its importance in neighborhood history.

Via the EVG inbox...

GVSHP and the Two Boots Foundation will commemorate the role of 27 Cooper Square as an important nexus for artistic and cultural movements that continue to reverberate today with the unveiling of a historic plaque.

In the 1960s, this 1845 former rooming house became a laboratory for artistic, literary and political currents. Writers LeRoi and Hettie Jones, their Yugen magazine and Totem Press, musician Archie Shepp and painter Elizabeth Murray all had homes here. The vacant building was transformed into a vital hub of cultural life, attracting leading figures including those from the Beats and the world of jazz. It was also the childhood home of a second generation of East Village artists and thinkers.

GVSHP and Two Boots Foundation will install a plaque on the building at 27 Cooper Square to mark the significance of the site in the artistic legacy of the East Village. Speakers will include, Accra Shepp, photographer and son of world-renowned saxophonist Archie Shepp who lived in the building beginning in the 1960s, and writer and poet Hettie Jones, who still lives at 27 Cooper Square will speak about the importance of this building as a hub of creativity.

Unfortunately, neighboring 35 Cooper Square didn't fare as well in subsequent years.

Updated:

250 E. Houston is officially no longer Red Square

Just noting that the Red Square signage was recently removed from 250 E. Houston St. between Avenue A and Avenue B...



The 13-floor building changed hands for a reported $100 million last fall... The Dermot Company has stated they are "creating a more updated style and fit for the cool East Village neighborhood" with the renovations at the retail-residential complex.

Red Square opened for occupancy in June 1989. Workers removed the building's statue of Lenin from the roof last September. It's now standing on a nearby rooftop on Norfolk Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rumors: Red Square has been sold

New ownership makes it official at the former Red Square on East Houston

Apartment listings at 250 E. Houston look to offer glimpse of former Red Square's future

Long-vacant retail space hits the rental market at 250 E. Houston St.

Monday's parting shot

[Click to go big]

Thanks to EVG reader R. P. Tanaka for this excellent double rainbow shot from this evening...

Rainy days and Mondays

As previously reported, it is raining. And Bobby Williams was out in the middle out it... and shared this from Tompkins Square Park.

HDFC homeowners to rally at City Hall Wednesday morning

HDFC homeowners are holding a rally on the steps of City Hall this Wednesday morning. The above flyer has all the details.

As previously reported, there are proposed new regulations on nearly 1,200 privately owned co-ops, including a number in the East Village.

Here's a recap from an EVG reader and co-op resident about what's happening from an earlier post:

This new proposed Regulatory Agreement is overreaching and would result in a loss of autonomy and decision-making abilities that benefit HDFC buildings, as well as costing individual shareholders hard-earned equity.

The new rules include a 30 percent flip tax on all units when they sell; the requirement of hiring outside managers and monitors at our expense; a ban on owning other residential property within a 100-mile radius of New York City; and more draconian clauses. Community meetings to discuss the agreement have been contentious and hostile, and so far not one HDFC in the entire city has publicly supported the plan. Very few HDFCs in the city need financial help and we strongly oppose a "one size fits all" regulatory agreement that will cost us money, resources, and most important, value in our home equity.

For more background, you may visit the HDFC Coalition website here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Meeting on Jan. 17 for shareholders living in HDFC buildings

CB3 will hear HPD presentation on HDFC regulatory agreement this Wednesday night

Mancora returning to 1st Avenue in new location

Last week, we reported that Mancora had closed... and workers had gutted the interior of the Peruvian restaurant here on Sixth Street and First Avenue.

However, over the weekend, signs arrived noting that Mancora was going to open across the street (H/T to EVG reader JP on 7th St.) ...





...and there are signs at Spicewala Bar Indian Cuisine with the Mancora message...





Mancora's arrival will likely stop the restaurant carousel that has been going on since Banjara moved to Second Avenue in 2013.

So after Banjara, Figaro Villaggio, an Italian bar-restaurant, opened in January 2014. They later changed the name to Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill and, by November 2014, gave up part of the space to Apna Masala. In March 2015, Figaro Cafe Bistro Bar & Grill changed its names/concepts to La Esquina Bar & Grill ... then the name evolved to La Esquina Burritos and Bar ... and eventually East Village Burritos & Bar. Then Spicewala Bar Indian Cuisine. And, soon, Mancora.

Mazmaza is the 4th restaurant to try 320 E. 6th St. since last September

Until earlier this month, 320 E. Sixth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue was Amoun Kitchen and Lounge, a Moroccan restaurant and hookah bar...



Then the gates stayed down and someone painted over the Amoun awning... and now the place is Mazmaza, which also serves Moroccan cuisine...



There has been a lot of changes at No. 320 since last September, when Zerza announced it was closing for renovations. Then came 'Merica, co-founded by Zach Neil, an owner of the Tim Burton-themed Beetle House a few doors away on Sixth Street as well as the now-closed Stay Classy, the bar for Will Ferrell fans on Rivington Street. (An investor who teamed up with the owners of Stay Classy is now reportedly suing them.)

'Merica, an alleged attempt at satirizing the "real America," closed after three weeks in business... with Zerza returning to service for four months. Then Amoun now Mazmaza. Next!

Gelato shop opens on Avenue A

Workers removed the plywood from around the northwest corner space on Avenue A and Ninth Street back on Friday. (Thanks to EVG regular Daniel for the photos.)



As previously noted, a gelato shop is opening here... the place is called Gelarto ... (it appears to be the first U.S. outpost of this Italian brand)...



Gelarto opened on Sunday afternoon ... an EVG reader said they have a variety of gelato flavors as well as milkshakes and cappuccinos.


[Photo by Steven]

A help-wanted ad for the place describes it like this: "We are a Gelato Café in the east village of Manhattan. Think sophisticated flavors, italian cafe and the Italian lifestyle our product hails from. We handcraft all of our gelato from scratch in Italy. We also prepare gelato creations."

Previously here ... Cafe Pick Me Up moved out in May 2015 after 20 years in business. They were housed at 145 and 147 Avenue A, and had two different landlords — Icon on the left, Steve Croman on the right. Café manager Rossella Palazzo told DNAinfo in March 2015 that a rent hike from No. 145 landlord Icon Realty was the reason for the closure.

Updated 6/21

The bricks were painted white out front.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Rent hike forcing Cafe Pick Me Up into its smaller space next door on Avenue A (59 comments)

[Updated] Cafe Pick Me Up expected to close for good after May 31

Ghost signage and (eventually) gelato at 9th Street and Avenue A

Report: Lease extension in the works for 14th Street Associated

Owners of the Associated Supermarket on 14th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue are receiving a new lease, though it's unknown at the moment what the duration will be, Town & Village reports.

Stuy Town’s management would not reveal how long the extension is expected to last or other details about the agreement, which was reached on Friday.

Joe Falzon, a co-owner of the store, said, “My partners and I appreciate StuyTown Property Services’ approach and willingness to work with us as we set out to understand how the future changes on 14th Street will impact our business. We’re committed to our customers and employees and will continue to provide quality service and products as Associated has done for over 20 years.”

Last month, there were reports that Morton Williams was taking over the grocery space in Stuy Town when Associated's lease was up on Dec. 31. However, after learning that a Trader Joe's was coming to the new development at the former Peter Stuyvesant Post Office across the street, Morton Williams decided against the property.

The new Trader Joe's is scheduled to open in the second half of 2018, according to a press release from the market.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Report: Associated owners not having any luck shopping for a lease renewal on East 14th Street (34 comments)

Petition drive underway to help save the Stuy Town Associated on East 14th Street

Report: New Stuy Town owner pledges to keep a grocery story on East 14th Street, but it may not be Associated

Report: Morton Williams will take over the Associated space on 14th Street (27 comments)

Report: Morton Williams won't be taking over the 14th Street Associated after all

Sunday's parting shot

Christo with dinner in Tompkins Square Park tonight... photo by Bobby Williams...

Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams]

Stories posted on EVG this past week included...

Ranger Rob brings a new red-tailed hawk to Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday ... Saturday)

And that's pretty much it for the former 112-120 E. 11th St., demolished to make way for a Moxy hotel (Monday)

Starbucks is coming to Avenue A and St. Mark's Place (Monday ... Friday)

"Sesame Street" and Chrysler team up in Tompkins Square Park (Monday)

A nice collection of street photos from an EVG reader (Friday)

Tenant advocacy group names the city's worst landlords; Icon and Steve Croman in top 10 (Monday)

Out and About with Miss Joan Marie Moossy (Wednesday)

Tagging the Bowery mural wall (Monday) David Choe's Bowery mural site of anti-rape protest (Saturday) ... and now it's gone (Sunday)

Report: Drinking or urinating in, say, Tompkins Square Park, no longer a criminal offense (Wednesday)

Shoolbred's is closing (Thursday)

Christo and Dora's hawklet fledges (Wednesday)

Protection for Haven Plaza on Avenue C in case of another powerful hurricane like Sandy (Thursday)

Becky's Bites bringing cream cheese creations to 7th Street (Wednesday)

Mancora has apparently closed on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

Gastropub — 'Your new playground' — slated for former Guayoyo space on 1st Avenue (Friday)

At the start of the Body Pride Parade in Tompkins Square Park (Sunday)


[Yarn leak via London Kaye on 7th Street photo by Derek Berg]

Base camp: Looking at the Bowlmor Lanes-replacing 22-story condoplex (Tuesday)

Rally in support the Public Theater at Astor Place (Thursday)

Looking for answers about this chicken's death in La Plaza Cultural (Sunday)

Full FULL reveal at 347 Bowery (Thursday)

Another barber shop for Avenue A? (Wednesday)

Sweetgreen opening in former University Diner space (Tuesday)

Cork 'n Fork is now Gomi on Avenue A (Monday)

Union Square Duane Reade available for sublease (Tuesday)

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[Updated] David Choe's work has been painted over on the Bowery Mural Wall

Updated with a statement from Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall.

That's it for David Choe's mural on East Houston and the Bowery. The mural was painted over in the last 24 hours.

It's not immediately known who was responsible for the white out. The mural had been defaced multiple times since it was completed early on June 5. (The work was scheduled to be on view through October.)

Choe's work on the high-profile wall caused a stir, bringing back the story from 2014 in which he bragged about a sexual assault before later saying that he made the whole thing up. However, that wasn't an isolated incident. As Caroline Caldwell detailed at Hyperallergic, "The artist has an impressive history of making public statements that attempt to normalize or make a joke out of rape." An anti-rape protest and performance art piece titled "NO MEANS NO" is scheduled here today at 5 p.m. (Updated: Find a video clip here.)

Meanwhile, Choe issued an apology on his Instagram account yesterday ... complete with a blank image...

How does one apologize for a lifetime of doing wrong? Through my past three years of recovery and rehabilitation, I’ve attempted to answer that question through action and understanding. In my life I’ve struggled deeply with an unnatural amount of hatred I’ve had towards myself. Most of my life I’ve been a scared hurt shame filled person, trying to mask my insecurities with false confidence and an outwardly negative behavior to validate myself as worthy. In a 2014 episode of DVDASA, I relayed a story simply for shock value that made it seem as if I had sexually violated a woman. Though I said those words, I did not commit those actions. It did not happen. I have ZERO history of sexual assault. I am deeply sorry for any hurt I’ve brought to anyone through my past words. Non-consensual sex is rape and it is never funny or appropriate to joke about. I was a sick person at the height of my mental illness ,and have spent the last 3 years in mental health facilities healing myself and dedicating my life to helping and healing others through love and action. I do not believe in the things I have said although I take full ownership of saying them. Additionally, I do not condemn anyone or have any ill will towards those who spread hate and speak out negatively against me, no one will ever hate me more than I hated myself back then. Today I’ve learned to love and forgive others just as much as myself. It’s been a rough journey but i am grateful to be alive and to dedicate myself to shining the light I have found within myself and live in service and gratitude. I am truly sorry for the negative words and dark messages I had put out into the world.

A post shared by DAVID CHOE (@davidchoe) on Jun 16, 2017 at 7:54pm PDT

Updated 12:30 p.m.

The wall white out happened after midnight...

Bowery Mural buffed overnight. A coworker sent me these on IG at 12:30. @DIRT_WORSHIP @vandalog pic.twitter.com/Zw1FyrvcuV

— 4rilla (@4rilla) June 18, 2017

Updated

Jessica Goldman Srebnick, CEO/founder of Goldman Global Arts, landlord of the mural wall, posted a lengthy response about the Choe mural on her Instagram account...

When Keith Haring’s mural appeared on the Bowery wall 35 years ago, that wall achieved legendary status. Through the years, we have privately funded the wall to make it a platform for world class art. Our sole motivation is to share beautiful artwork with the city of New York. Our selection of artists has always been based on talent, diversity of styles, and aesthetics. We have featured local and international artists, prominent and emerging ones, men and women. Our selection has never been an endorsement of the artist’s personal life or past behavior, nor do we believe we are in a position to judge a person’s character or morality. We have heard the voices of those of you who have protested our selection of David Choe for the Bowery wall because of his past statements about women. We admire your courage in speaking out against the glorification of rape culture. It is never acceptable to objectify women or to joke about rape. Mr. Choe has now spoken for himself and publicly apologized for his past behavior and the dark words he put into the world. We commend him for publicly acknowledging what he privately shared with us before we selected him. We believe his sincerity. In a broader sense, your voices have prompted us to question whether we should evaluate the character of the artists with whom we work, and automatically disqualify from consideration those who have behaved inappropriately. This debate is universal and not unique to the art world. We honestly don’t know the right answer. Where do we draw the line? None of us is without flaw, and what often differentiates artists and inspires them to greatness is their personal struggles with darkness, and their willingness to confront their insecurities and commit to heal and help others. We are proud of the impact we have made in the street art world. We are always hopeful that our choices have positive ripple effects, not negative ones. Perhaps this experience will stimulate the conversation about everyone’s responsibility to contribute to tolerance and understanding. We remain committed to providing a canvas for millions of people to be inspired by the creativity of artists from all walks of life.

A post shared by Jessica Goldman Srebnick (@jessicawynwood) on Jun 17, 2017 at 12:56pm PDT

Repairs set for trash can-eating sinkhole in Tompkins Square Park

Workers are in the process of starting repairs on the sinkhole that has been growing this past week at the Eighth Street/Avenue B entrance to Tompkins Square Park.

The entrance-exit remains closed...



No word on what else might be in the sinkhole...

Saturday's parting shot

Photo during the afternoon downpour on Second Avenue by Derek Berg...

Cab needs a Lyft on 6th Street

Well, that sucks... Goggla shares these photos from this afternoon's downpour... when a cab got stuck in a deceiving, rain-filled hole in a construction zone on Sixth Street between First Avenue and Avenue A...

[Updated] David Choe's Bowery mural site of anti-rape protest tomorrow

[Photo from Thursday]

Updated 6/18: The mural has been painted over.

David Choe's mural on East Houston and the Bowery has been tagged multiple times in the past week, as Hyperallergic has been documenting.

There is mounting criticism over Choe's residency on the Bowery Mural Wall. As Caroline Caldwell detailed at Hyperallergic, Choe "has bragged about his predatory sexual behavior."

There is a protest planned here late tomorrow afternoon. Here's artnet News with details:

The Bowery Mural, currently home to a controversial work by street artist David Choe, will be the site of an anti-rape protest and performance art piece titled “NO MEANS NO” on June 18. The high-profile street art location has come under fire for offering a platform to Choe, after he bragged about a sexual encounter that sounded anything but consensual.

The protest is organized by curator Jasmine Wahi, co-owner and director of the Gateway Project Spaces, and founder and director of Project For Empty Space, both in Newark. "This piece is intended to examine examples of violent and predatory misogyny," reads the Facebook invite to the event. "Our aim is to provoke widespread rejection of the continued normalization of rape culture by bringing visibility to the topic."

The performance will take place simultaneously at Union Square South and in front of the Bowery mural on Houston Street, from 5 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

In 2014, on an episode of his podcast "DVDASA," Choe admitted to co-host Asa Akira that he had engaged in what he called "rapey behavior" with a masseuse at her spa. He later claimed that his confession was simply "bad storytelling in the style of douche."

Buzzfeed and XOJane were among the media outlets that called him out on his actions. His alleged rape fixation is outlined here with multiple citations from his quotes.

Here's a comment via EVG reader East Village Community Member on a previous Choe post:

Public art is supposed to be a benefit to the communities in which is it is shown. Supporting David Choe and normalizing his public boasts of sexual assault against women is irresponsible and harmful to our society as it perpetuates rape culture. Choe may get big art commissions, he may be rich, he may be a celebrity.

However, he is an inappropriate choice for public art in our community. The Bowery Mural Wall is a project of the corporate Goldman Properties. They have been irresponsible in presenting a public art project by Choe in our neighborhood. Choe's offensive actions and comments should not be supported or normalized but should be condemned. I'm not advocating censorship of his art, but in my opinion he is an inappropriate choice for a public art project in our community. Wouldn't we rather see projects by artists who have something constructive and positive to contribute?

Swoon, who had the Hurricane Sandy-themed work on the Bowery Mural Wall in 2013, spoke out against Choe on Instagram:

I just read the transcript of your rape story and I thought to myself wowwww, this guy honestly thinks he's being edgy while he celebrates within the safety of the same metaphorical locker room that has long protected Donald Trump, Bill Cosby, and countless entitled date raping predators of whom there are too many to name.

Why reinforce the most disgusting aspects of the already dominant mainstream culture while playing it off like it's some fun taboo or wild boundary crossing adventure? The day Trump got elected is the day you must have had to admit to yourself that there's nothing transgressive about your rape stories. Rape culture is all around us, and you choose to "entertain" by being just another drop in the bucket of violence.

Art gives us so many more ways to express sexuality and confusion than just normalizing rapist shop talk. To be honest I have a hard time believing there is not a major element of truth to the tale. As someone who comes from a family of survivors of sexual violence I can tell you first hand that the ripple effects of the actions and attitudes that you put forth as cool destroy more lives than you may even have the capacity to imagine. I hope you wake up soon.

Several people have spray painted rapist on the wall... this one remains...



Goldman Global Arts, the wall's landlord, has yet to address the growing controversy. The mural was slated to remain up through October.

We can't stop thinking about how inspiring and exciting it was to have @davidchoe at the #BoweryWall! Here is a teaser of his process. Stay tuned for more!

A post shared by Goldman Global Arts (@goldmanglobalarts) on Jun 6, 2017 at 12:11pm PDT

Updated 6/18

Here's a clip from the Sunday evening protest/performance...

An incredibly powerful performance and protest entitled "No Means No" curated by Jasmine Wahi @browngirlcurator at the site of David Choe's Bowery Mural. Feeling honored to have witnessed these amazing artists fighting to dismantle rape culture, and fucking proud of the voices and fists raised today in the fierce NYC heat. #nomeansno #resist #nycart #artasresistance #dismantlerapeculture #jasminewahi #bowerywall

A post shared by Bella Hall (@whiskersonkitten) on Jun 18, 2017 at 3:28pm PDT

Updated 6/19

Here's video via The Dusty Rebel...

Flatbush puts on an early-evening show in Tompkins Square Park

The new red-tailed fledgling provided some early Friday evening entertainment in Tompkins Square Park.

On Wednesday, Ranger Rob (aka Rob Mastrianni, a Manhattan Ranger supervisor) released a juvenile red-tailed hawk into the Park that had been injured earlier in the month in Brooklyn.

Nicknamed Flatbush (he fell from a nest on Flatbush Avenue), the hawklet started practicing to fly... EVG hawk-watching correspondent Steven shared these photos...







He eventually made it as high as the fence...







... and a contemplative moment captured by EVG reader Alberto Means...



Eventually, Ranger Rob, an East Village resident, safely put Flatbush back into a tree for the night... (these two photos are by Bobby Williams)...



Ranger Rob also let Flatbush use the radio to prank some other rangers (JK!) ...



In a very encouraging sign, Steven spotted Christo, one of the adult red-tailed hawks in the Park, bringing the rescued hawklet some food (????) yesterday morning...