Photos by Stacie Joy
We stopped by yesterday's punk show in Tompkins Square Park and caught a blistering set by NYC hardcore band Abism.
Did the crowd love them? You decide!
Sunday, July 12, 2026
Week in Grieview
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• Mee Noodle Shop will stay open after all (July 10)
• About TODAY's Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park (July 11)
• At Jenkem Magazine's skate block party in Tompkins Square Park (July 12)
• Scenes from WitchsFest 2026 on Astor Place (July 11)
• East Village-based director brings July 9, 1776, to the big screen with the doc "By George" (July 6)
And EVG reader Francine Lange shared the photo of a "coned" lion in front of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery on 10th Street and Second Avenue...
At Jenkem Magazine's skate block party in Tompkins Square Park
Photos by Stacie Joy
Skateboarding and culture magazine Jenkem took over the Tompkins Square Park multipurpose courts yesterday afternoon with a pop-up skate jam/block party featuring new obstacles, music and plenty of spectators.
The free event drew a steady crowd of skaters and onlookers ... some there to land tricks, others simply to hang out on a summer afternoon.
Here are a few scenes from the session...
Just (JAZZ!) Friends return to Albert's Garden this afternoon
Singer Marie Teichman, a familiar presence at the East Village community garden, will be joined by guitarist Finn Summerell for a set of jazz standards and popular songs from earlier decades.
The concert takes place from 2-4 p.m. at Albert's Garden, 16-18 E. Second St., between the Bowery and Second Avenue.
Admission is free.
Saturday, July 11, 2026
Saturday's parting shot
Scenes from WitchsFest 2026 on Astor Place
Photos by Stacie Joy
WitchsFest USA returned to Astor Place today, marking its 15th anniversary with a day of rituals, workshops, vendors, music and community.
Hosted by the NYC Wiccan Family Temple, the free festival celebrates contemporary Paganism and brings together practitioners and the curious alike.
Here are a few scenes from the day...
About this weekend's Show Brain show in Tompkins Square Park
• Seraphine's Cleaver (1:50-2:25)
• Tea Eater (2:45-3:15)
• Diary (3:35-4:10)
• Pons (4:30-5:10)
• First President of Japan (5:25-6:05)
It's a nice chance to catch (and maybe discover) some local bands without paying the usual venue cover...
WitchsFest returns to Astor Place TODAY
Photo from last year by Stacie Joy
WitchsFest USA marks its 15th anniversary on Saturday with a daylong celebration of contemporary Paganism at Astor Place.
The free event, hosted by the NYC Wiccan Family Temple, runs from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and features 60 vendors, a dozen workshops, live performances, rituals, authors, artists and community organizations. Details here.
Founded in 2011, WitchsFest brings together practitioners and organizations representing a wide range of Pagan and magickal traditions, including Wicca, Druidry, Hoodoo, ceremonial magic and folk practices.
Friday, July 10, 2026
Keep Comin' Up (to Tompkins Square Park)
Ahead of Sunday afternoon's free Show Brain concert in Tompkins Square Park, here's the new video from NYC's Diary.
The band recently announced its debut album, Spiral Bound (out Sept. 4 via Kanine Records), and "Keep Comin' Up" offers an early taste of its mix of garage rock, psychedelic pop and infectious hooks.
Diary is expected to play from 3:35 to 4:10 p.m.
Mee Noodle Shop will stay open after all
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
It was a much different mood at Mee Noodle Shop & Grill this afternoon.
Just days after staff told us the longtime Chinese restaurant at 223 First Ave. between 13th and 14th Streets would close on July 15, there was reason to celebrate.
Joyce Tang (below), the restaurant's de facto manager, rushed over to greet us, excitedly sharing a Chinese translation of EV Grieve's story from Wednesday about the planned closure, which she had prepared for Huang, Mee's owner.
"The boss says thanks to your story, we can keep going!" Tang said. "The landlord agreed to lower the rent by $3,000 a month, and so we continue to operate. We don't know how long, but for now, we are going forward."
According to Tang, after discussing Mee's financial challenges, the two sides reached an agreement allowing Mee Noodle Shop to remain open.
Huang, the owner — affectionately known as "the boss" — was on hand overseeing the lunch rush and beaming as orders streamed into the kitchen.
Earlier this week, staff told us the restaurant was being forced to close due to rising food and supply costs, steep delivery-app fees, and a decline in business. (Rent was NOT cited as a reason.)
The news comes as a welcome surprise for Mee's loyal customers.
Since opening on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 13th Street in 1993, the restaurant has become a neighborhood institution known for its generous portions and affordable prices. The restaurant closed after a fire damaged the building in 2006, then returned to First Avenue in December 2013, just a few doors from its original location.
Tang also thanked neighbors who stopped in after reading about the restaurant's situation.
"We were going to close, and now we can stay longer," she said. "Thank you to everyone who read the story and came to eat here. Please keep coming. We can cook for you.
"We are working things out to stay open," she added. "Your news made people help. We are grateful."
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