Photo by Stacie Joy
We ran into Dave Sussman and Annamaria Pinna today on Ninth Street ... check out their band Vajra...
Saturday, April 18, 2026
A 'No Picnic' pizza party at Two Boots
Photos by Stacie Joy
Two Boots on Avenue A hosted a "No Picnic" after-party last night following the film's opening screening at the Film Forum.
Phil Hartman's black-and-white 1986 feature — a time capsule of an in-progress gentrifying East Village — is now back in circulation in a new restoration.
The gathering at Two Boots brought the film's past and present a little closer together, with friends, collaborators and neighborhood regulars filling the longtime pizzeria.
Hartman went on to co-found Two Boots not long after completing the film — tying the project and the space together in a way that still resonates nearly 40 years later.
There were one-night-only slices created in honor of "No Picnic," including Stripe, Annie and Dead Pimp (played in a cameo by Steve Buscemi)...
Also getting an honorary slice for the night was longtime East Village resident Greg Masters, here with Odetta Hartman...
In "No Picnic," Masters plays "The Walker," who you will see crossing the screen several times. (As for the Walker slice — sopresatta and sweet Italian sausage on a white pie.)
Masters had another important role in the film: The protagonist Mac's apartment was filmed in his longtime EV home, which he told us doesn't look that much different 40 years later.
Throughout the night, many members of the cast and crew stopped by, including Luis Guzman and Anne D'Agnillo.
Here's Hartman with the musicians, Daso and Carlos Acevedo...
Also on-hand: Joseph "Count Slima" Williams, an East Village poet, artist and longtime Two Boots staffer. (He also helped build the original Two Boots outpost on Avenue A.)
Slima's work is featured in "No Picnic" ... you can also spot his art at Sophie's on Fifth Street.
"No Picnic" continues at the Film Forum on West Houston Street. Film info here.
And the trailer to refresh your memory...
Previously on EV Grieve:
An a-peel-ing exhibit at Ninth Street Espresso (on 10th Street)
As you may have guessed, Arkle is a potato fan.
Per a show description:
Sometimes, when shopping for them, he’s struck by the character or charm of a particular potato and decides to make it a model for a painting. Over the years, this has happened many times; he has painted over 60 potato portraits.
Saturday's opening shot
Get your Vitamin D production assist while you can... as the April showers arrive tomorrow, along with temps in the 50s.
Friday, April 17, 2026
New from Lukka: 'Tombol'
Local psych-pop trio Lukka, led by East Village-based singer-songwriter Franzi Szymkowiak, has a new single out... check out the video above for "Tombol," featuring her bandmates Ashley Gonzalez on bass and Simon Fishburn on drums.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Ugh, Uggs: Pop-up ‘newsstand’ and a no-photos moment during a photoshoot on Avenue A
Top photo by Stacie Joy
A production crew set up a prop newsstand this afternoon on the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A — one of the busier corridors in the East Village, at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park.
The setup drew plenty of attention from passersby, given the steady foot traffic through the intersection.
Per a crew member: "It's a prop — the newsstand isn't real [Editor's note: Duh] and will be taken down the minute this shoot ends … soon. It's a commercial shoot for Uggs. You know, Uggs? You can see the models wearing them."
Less clear: the reaction to people doing what people do on a crowded corner on a nice spring day — stopping to look and take photos.
When we snapped a few pictures, someone from the production scolded: "Miss! You can't take pictures! Put down your camera! You are not allowed to photograph this."
Another crew member offered to "call the cops to take her camera."
For a temporary set planted in plain view at a high-traffic intersection, the no-photos stance seemed… ambitious.
[UPDATED] For-lease sign arrives at longtime home of Two Boots Pizza on Avenue A — surprising owner, staff
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
For-lease signs went up today outside Two Boots Pizza on Avenue A and Third Street — catching owner Phil Hartman and staff by surprise.
Hartman said they did not see the sign being installed.
The timing is less than ideal: Hartman is hosting a private after-party at the pizzeria tonight tied to long-awaited screenings of his 1986 film "No Picnic" opening at the Film Forum.
As previously reported, the longtime home of Two Boots — at 42 Avenue A — was recently listed for rent for the first time in decades amid ongoing lease negotiations.
Hartman has said he's "cautiously optimistic" about staying in the space, though the listing — and now the arrival of signage — adds a new layer of urgency to the situation.
Two Boots has been on Avenue A since the 1980s.
Hartman previously told us he'd find a home elsewhere in the East Village if necessary. He has no plans to leave the neighborhood he loves.
Whatever comes next, tonight belongs to Hartman.
Updated 4:18 p.m.
A tipster told us the sign has been removed... and we confirmed.
While Hartman said he had a cordial relationship with the landlord, he was upset when he learned the for-lease banner had been put up without his knowledge.
"I will get them to take it down," he told us.
Signed, sealed… not delivered? Warning posted on Avenue B mailbox
Photos by Stacie Joy
There's a notice taped to a USPS mailbox on Avenue B at Eighth Street.
The sign reads in part:
WARNING DO NOT MAIL YOUR TAXES HERE!!!!! Last night at 2:30 in the morning I saw a man fishing out mail from the mail box ...
The person who posted the warning says they plan to report the incident to USPS. (In case you do, too: 212-673-3771.)
Someone also glued the box shut for good measure... ditto for another mailbox on Avenue B and Third Street.
And now an EVG PSA: Use common sense when mailing anything important — and consider bringing sensitive mail directly to a post office... especially your "10 records or tapes for $1" postcard to Columbia House.
The end of 'Liberty' on 9th and A?
Will they paint around the "Liberty" mural by the UK street artist STIK? (Suuure!)
The mural arrived in September 2013... a gift from the long-closed Dorian Grey Gallery on Ninth Street... the work was to honor the history of Tompkins Square Park.
Also, what does the paint job mean for Chico's "Tombstone" mural outside Doc Holliday's? It is pretty nicked up...
Updated:
The crew packed it up by 4:30 with the north-facing wall left to do... or not to do?
Friday's opening shot
Thursday, April 16, 2026
Thursday's opening and parting shots
Avenue A's Key Food 1980s playlist, explained (sort of)
Interview by Stacie Joy
EVG photo on loan from Fotomuseum Winterthur
Following our post yesterday about the 1980s-heavy playlist at Key Food on Avenue A (and the introduction on the EVG Key Food Playlist on Spotify), an anonymous (and highly placed) Key source agreed to talk, with one caveat:
"This is some proprietary information that is highly sensitive and could be commercially very damaging should it be disclosed…"
With that, right to the Q&A.
Who is the Key '80s music lover who selects the deep-cut hits?
It's genuinely a mystery. There are a few options with this service, but we decided not to mess with a good thing.
Are you paying for a service for these amazing music selections? You mentioned they used to be on CDs, but now it's a system, correct?
It's a satellite radio service — there's a satellite on our roof. We used to get a new CD sent to the store once a month.
The Paso Muzak Series 3000 Integrated Professional Amplifier T3130BGM
Do you ever veto a song choice?
We do not and cannot interfere with the song selection process — it is sacred.
Aside from the December holiday season, are there ever non-1980s (or early) hits at The Key?
Why mess with a good thing?
Do you/does the '80s music lover have a selection of favorite Key hits?
Here is a non-exhaustive list:
• "Waiting for a Star to Fall" — Boy Meets Girl
• "Call Me" — Blondie
• "Hold On Loosely" — 38 Special
• "(I Just) Died in Your Arms" — Cutting Crew
• "Surrender" — Cheap Trick
• "Rock the Casbah" — The Clash
• And any Dire Straits song
When did the 1980s playlist start in Key history? Was it the actual 1980s, and nothing ever changed?
We took over the store in 1993, and that's when it became a Key Food, so it had to be after that.
Do you get feedback from customers and/or staffers about the music selection?
Aside from EV Grieve, not frequently. [Editor's note: AHHAHAHAHA.]
Do you ever turn a song up really loud and dance down the produce aisle singing along?
Only when no one is watching. The volume is connected to the intercom, so it would blast the intercom announcements if we did.
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So the source of the playlist remains unclear ... but the 1980s hits continue, uninterrupted.
Previously on EV Grieve:
Singapore Social is opening in the former Foul Witch space on Avenue A
Photo yesterday by Stacie Joy
Singapore Social, a Southeast Asian restaurant from the Singapore-based team behind Roberta's Pizza expansion in Asia and Europe, is coming to 15 Avenue A between Houston and Second Street.
Signage arrived this week.
Per the job-opening post, the concept will focus on dishes rooted in Singaporean, Malaysian and Indonesian cooking, including Hainanese chicken rice, nasi lemak, and laksa.
The food will be "served in a vibrant, social, neighborhood-driven space built for New York's young, curious, and culture-forward crowd," per the listing.
The space was previously home to Roberta's spin-off Foul Witch, which closed after service on Nov. 30 after nearly three years.
Roberta's co-founders, Brandon Hoy and chef Carlo Mirarchi, opened Foul Witch here in January 2023.
Openings: Whits brings the sliders to St. Mark's Place
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Whits had its grand opening last week at 34 St. Mark's Place between Second and Third Avenues.
The quick-serve venture is the work of Larry Kramer (above), who also operates Whitmans on Ninth Street (plus Hudson Yards) and Cello's Pizzeria next door here on SMP.
On the menu: sliders, hot dogs, fries and onion rings — hitting most of the core food groups. (Even more once the beer license comes through. Also, no vegan-veggie options yet, but those are in the works.)
When we stopped by, two couples dining here were quite enthusiastic about their meals...
Hours: Closed Monday; 4–11 p.m. Tuesday–Wednesday; noon–midnight Thursday; noon–2 a.m. Friday–Saturday; noon–11 p.m. Sunday.
First sign of Pizza PST on St. Mark's Place
In recent days, workers have added a black-and-white awning... along with a Pizza PST sign.
As previously reported, the Moody Tongue space here between Avenue A and First Avenue will soon be serving Pizza Studio Tamaki's pies, an acclaimed Tokyo-based pizzeria led by Tsubasa Tamaki.
The owners of Moody Tongue Pizza, Jeremy Cohn and Jared Rouben, are still the tenants and operating partners of this Pizza Studio Tamaki location.
In February, the team hosted a pop-up, which marked Pizza Studio Tamaki's first appearance in the United States.
Tamaki dough is fermented for roughly 30 hours, made with a proprietary blend of Japanese and American flours, then baked at high temperatures in a custom oven. (Pete Wells had a long read on Tamaki at the Times here.)
Moody Tongue opened here in late 2024, billed as serving NYC's first Tokyo-Neapolitan pizzeria.
You can follow the Pizza PST Instagram account for opening updates.
H/T Steven!
Wednesday, April 15, 2026
Wednesday's parting shot
[Updated] SantaCon president arrested; prosecutors allege misuse of funds
Photo from 20924 by Stacie Joy
See update below.
First posted on 4/15
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Is this the "con" in SantaCon?
The president of SantaCon was arrested today on federal charges accusing him of diverting hundreds of thousands of dollars meant for charity to personal expenses, according to CNBC.
Prosecutors allege that Stefan Pildes used funds from the ticketed holiday bar crawl, which claims to raise money for charity, for a range of purchases, including home renovations, luxury vacations, and a Manhattan apartment.
According to the indictment, only a small portion of the roughly $2.7 million raised through SantaCon was donated to charity.
A Gothamist analysis from 2023 found that "the organization raised $1.4 million through SantaCon programming from late 2014 through the end of 2022, and that less than a fifth of that money has gone to registered nonprofits."
Updated 4/17
The FBI released a bulletin saying they are "seeking victim information in SantaCon investigation."
Per the bulletin:
The FBI's New York Division is seeking to identify potential victims of Stefan Pildes, who organized and operated the annual SantaCon event in New York City, from at least 2019 to present. Pildes was recently charged with wire fraud. The FBI believes Pildes primarily targeted SantaCon attendees who purchased tickets to the event, as well as bars that participated in the event, between the timeframe of October 2019 to present.
Find more info here.
Don't Disturb This Groove: We made a 13-hour Key Food playlist on Spotify
By EVG and Stacie Joy
Read part 2 here: Avenue A's Key Food 1980s playlist, explained (sort of)
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If you've spent any time in the Key Food on Avenue A and Fourth Street, then you already know: the grocery's soundtrack — emanating from the ceiling speakers — leans heavily toward pop and alternative songs from the 1980s, with some early 1990s to break things up.
Not just a few familiar tracks in rotation — we're talking a steady stream of synths, power ballads and the occasional deep cut that has you lingering in the aisles longer than planned.
After a few reader notes (and several in-store listening sessions through the years), we decided to take this more seriously.
So… we made a playlist.
The EVG Loves Key Food playlist on Spotify is now live, currently 183 songs strong (about 13 hours) — all inspired by what's been playing over the store's speakers.
A quick note: just because a song made the playlist doesn't necessarily mean we like it. (In fact, many of these songs kinda suck, but we don't discriminate when it comes to the soundtrack of our shopping lives.)
You can find everything from the expected to the "wait, really?" — the kind of mix that makes a routine grocery run feel like a slightly surreal trip through, say, 1987.
Just ask Brooks Headley, owner of Superiority Burger and a Key Food soundtrack superfan.
Headley, who creates epic, Shazam-defying playlists for his vegetarian diner at 119 Avenue A, is always running to Key Food to grab things like three out-of-season tomatoes, ripe bananas, every pack of Arnold potato buns, and a case of broccoli. ("It's an integral part of R&D for new dishes," he says.)
Brooks, the floor is yours:
I have always been struck by the music! It’s so special. I am even apprehensive to be quoted about it. I love it so much! And don’t want to ever change. It's this pastiche of 80s music with an emphasis on deep cuts. I have been known to extend my shopping to finish out, say, "Talk of the Town" by Pretenders, or more recently, "Woman in Love" by Barbra Streisand, which had me belting out the words.I feel the best place for shazaming is near the tofu and tempeh at the end of aisle 1 near all the weirdo probiotic drinks (fuck Erewhon coming to NYC! All hail Key!) The crowd rules, neighborhood folks. Grocery stores are quiet despite being full of people. No one's talking, just silently cruising through. I swear to God I once heard the version of "Our Lips Are Sealed" by Fun Boy Three, but I didn’t take a video for proof, so did it even happen?
And now, 13 hours of the Key Food soundtrack ...
We'll keep adding to the playlist as new-to-Key tracks surface, as we did the other evening with "I'll Be You" by the Replacements, the lead single from the band's sixth studio album, Don't Tell a Soul, in 1989.
Coming tomorrow: A long-awaited revelation — just who is programming this music for Key? Answer HERE.
UPDATED: Small-dog run in Tompkins Square Park closed over tree safety concerns
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Updated: The small dog run is back open... crews were there trimming this morning. Looks like the tree is good to stay!
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The small-dog run in Tompkins Square Park has been closed in recent days due to a tree limb that Parks says could potentially endanger both dogs and the public.
A Parks Department source said crews initially arrived with a bucket to make some cuts but found more extensive damage than expected, prompting Forestry to take over.
Staff noted falling bark, cracking limbs and a deeper, less visible crack in the tree.
A service request has been submitted, and Parks is awaiting repairs. (Hopefully it is a repair and not a removal.)
There is no set timeline yet for when the run will reopen.
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