Junk Journaling with Mercy and Odin

An East Village resident has been planning and organizing a junk journaling (aka scrapbooking) event for Saturday evening. Details via the EVG inbox...

Junk Journaling with Mercy & Odin 

Wind down with paper scraps and glue sticks at this cozy East Village hang for self-expression and connection. 

No experience needed — just show up, grab a notebook, and make something weird and beautiful. All materials (and snacks) provided. Bring collage fodder to share if you're feeling generous. 

Hosted by Mercy of Mercy & Odin. 

367 E. 10th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C (in the Piragua Art Space that they are renting out) 

Saturday, May 31, 6-9 p.m.: $20 + $3.18 fee (We hear that in the future return guests will get a discount.)

 Find more info at this Eventbrite link.

Checking out the newly reopened area of East River Park

On Memorial Day, the city opened parts of the refurbished East River Park a little north and south of the Williamsburg Bridge. 

This marked the first time these areas have been open to the public since demolition work began as part of the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR) in late 2021. 

New amenities in this area include six regulation tennis courts, two basketball courts, picnic and BBQ facilities, water sprinklers, a passive lawn, and a flexible-use space.

The city will officially mark this reopening at 11 a.m. today. Several city leaders and local elected officials are expected to attend, including NYC Deputy Mayor for Operations Jeffrey Roth, DDC Commissioner Thomas Foley, Parks Commissioner Sue Donoghue and local City Council Member Carlina Rivera. 

We visited the newly opened section on Monday and found plenty of others doing the same. The BBQ area and tennis courts were mostly full, while the lawn was about half occupied with sunbathers and others enjoying the day's low-70s temperatures. 

Here's a look at this section of East River Park, which is currently accessible only via the new Delancey Street pedestrian bridge...

People we talked with liked the well-tended plantings, BBQ area and brand-new amenities. 

Still, it feels pretty sterile at the moment — especially without much shade (thanks to the hundreds of mature trees that were cut down as workers raised the park eight to 10 feet to help protect against future coastal storms and tidal flooding). 

According to DDC officials, 600 new trees have been planted in areas reopening, along with more than 21,000 new shrubs, grasses, and perennials. (In total, officials say they will eventually plant upwards of 2,000 trees in the new East River Park.) 

You can find some shade in the shadow of the Williamsburg Bridge and the (metal!?) umbrellas in the BBQ area. There are also new drinking fountains...

Here's the area around the former Fireboat House, which remains in place for now...

We were happy to be able to walk under the Williamsburg Bridge again and take in the water views. Still, you can't help but feel a little trapped, as park access is limited in either direction until the whole project reaches its expected completion date in late 2026.

This new space promises to get more crowded soon. The 10th Street pedestrian bridge closed along with those adjacent amenities on Tuesday. By the end of the summer, the complete north end of East River Park will be shuttered for the duration of the project. 

This is the second new area of East River Park to reopen. The adjacent ballfields 1 and 2 debuted last September. 

The folks at East River Park Action, who have advocated for a more resilient flood control plan for East River Park, share their thoughts on the new section in this post.

Flock this way: Flamingos Vintage Pound debuts on St. Mark's Place

Flamingos Vintage Pound is now open on the lower level at 4 St Mark's Place just east of Third Avenue. 

This marks a return to the neighborhood for Flamingos, which charges by the pound (for the clothes you want to purchase, not your personal weight). 

The store promises 10,000 items (we didn't count, but there are a lot), including T-shirts, denim, shirts, jackets, and dresses, all from various eras —1970s, 1980s, 1990s, Y2K, and more. Price: $17.99 per pound. (And the store is advertising this on Instagram: 30% off on items over 2.5 pounds — "every day, all year long. The more it weighs, the less you pay.") 

The official grand opening is tomorrow (Friday!) from noon to 8 p.m., with DJs from 5 p.m. on.

Flamingos, which has more than 40 locations in the United States and abroad, previously had stores on First Avenue near Ninth Street and on 11th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (There was also one on Stanton Street.) All three didn't survive the pandemic, with the First Avenue store being the last to shut down in the fall of 2021. 

As we've noted, until February 2016, 4 St. Mark's Place housed Trash & Vaudeville for 41 years. The store relocated to 96 E. Seventh St. in 2016.

The Hamilton-Holly House (aka 4 St. Mark's Place), built in 1831, was once owned by Alexander Hamilton's son. The landmarked building, which changed hands for $10 million in the spring of 2016 for $10 million, also underwent a gut renovation and expansion. 

All the city's a stage: 'Much Ado About Nothing' pops up on Astor Place

The Public Theater brings "Much Ado About Nothing" to Astor Place starting today, marking the 15th anniversary of its Mobile Unit. 

The free, family-friendly production is a bilingual, 100-minute adaptation of the Shakespeare classic. 

The show is here through Saturday (with a 6:30 p.m. start time each day) before hitting other parts of NYC through June 29 as part of "Shakespeare for the City." 

Find more details at this link.

Classic EV band Disturbed Furniture headlines night of local music at Parkside Lounge

If you're looking for a show to hit tomorrow night... via the EVG inbox...

On May 29, Disturbed Furniture will be playing one of its rare shows (the last one was July 2024) as part of a four-band concert of women-fronted East Village rock bands taking over Parkside Lounge for the night. 

Disturbed Furniture front-woman Alexa Hunter is in town for a visit to her East Village roots at the end of May and is getting the band back together for just one show, the first since the July 2024 Parkside show. 

Alexa and Disturbed Furniture were part of the legendary Club 57 crowd ... and the band's 45-rpm record is in MoMa's permanent collection for its Club 57 exhibit. Alexa lives in LA now, so we don't get to see her often enough. 

All four bands have been part of the East Village/downtown rock scene for many years. With the exception of Alexa, all the other frontwomen and many of the musicians still live here in the East Village. 

Admission is $5, and the music starts at 7 p.m. with FaithNYC... followed by Disturbed Furniture ... then The Patti Rothberg Coincidence and Valkyrie's Vendetta.

The Parkside is on Houston at Attorney. 

And leaving you with this classic Disturbed Furniture track ...

 

East Village AMA is happening now with District 2 City Council candidates

Four of the candidates for NYC City Council District 2 are taking questions today (May 28!) in an AMA Reddit.

Sarah Batchu, Harvey Epstein, Andrea Gordillo and Allie Ryan are taking questions at r/eastvillage until 8 p.m. Find the link here.

Packing up Sixth Street Specials

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Sixth Street Specials, the motorcycle repair shop known for its work on vintage Triumphs, continues to move out of its longtime home here on Sixth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

There has been a lot of activity recently, as the business will vacate the space by the end of the week.

As we first reported in March, owner Hugh Mackie (below, middle), who opened the shop in 1986, is retiring.

Shop manager Joshua Mackenzie is taking over the business and moving it to New Rochelle. The new location — formerly home to Urchin Custom Cycles at 11 Lincoln Ave. — will open on June 3 and operate Tuesday through Saturday from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Mackie and his family, who also lived in the building, are moving to Queens. The rest of the building, which has been on the sales market, is now vacant. 

Mackenzie (pictured below), who worked at the shop from 1997 to 2002 and returned in 2020, plans to continue the shop's focus on vintage Triumph motorcycles. He's keeping the name Sixth Street Specials "for now and for the foreseeable future." The shop's Triumph mural will be preserved.

"Hugh will always have a bench," Mackenzie told me previously. "It'll be my shop, but he'll always have access."

Here's a look at space as the move-out got underway...

To follow the shop's move and reopening, visit @6thstreetspecials on Instagram. 

After nearly 40 years, the move closes another chapter for this stretch of Sixth Street.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• After nearly 40 years, Sixth Street Specials prepares for its final ride in the East Village 

• A visit to Sixth Street Specials

Plywood up at Theatre 80

We received a slew of reader photos yesterday (first from Jose Garcia!) as workers were spotted putting up plywood outside Theatre 80 on St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue. 

This is the next phase of the extensive renovations and preservation efforts at the historic space. You can read our previous post for details on what has transpired here in the past two years with new owners.

Upperz Cafe and Bar announces closing date on 14th Street

Photo from October 2024 by Stacie Joy 

Upperz Cafe and Bar is closing on Saturday at 319 E. 14th St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The owners, siblings Marilyn Velazquez and Ramon Velazquez, made the announcement on Instagram, noting, "This decision was not made lightly, and we are so grateful for the support and love you've shown us throughout our journey." 

The all-day cafe debuted here late last November.

Anchors away

On Sunday, Cecil Scheib shared this photo of the anchor in East River Park, noting that the 10th Street pedestrian bridge would be closing today as the demolition and rebuilding of the park expanded alongside the East Village. 

We know very little about the anchor's history. One Flickr user stated: "Pulled from the East River, the origins of this anchor are unclear. When it was placed on the site in 1970, the plaque stated that the piece was donated by the F&M Schaefer Brewing Co. in memory of the William H. Brown shipyard." 

We also don't know what its future status is. 

Some precedent. Further south, workers removed the East River Park seals, housed near the former Fireboat House, in 2022 when construction began in that area. 

According to Sculpture House Casting, the spray fountain designed by Gerry Augustine is temporarily residing in their factory. The seals "will be cast in bronze and returned to the East River Park," the site states. 

We'll see if we can get a line on the anchor. 

Starting earlier today, the 10th Street pedestrian bridge is now shuttered, along with the adjacent playground, BBQ area, and basketball courts — marking the next phase of park shutdowns tied to the East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) Project. 

In addition, the northern esplanade with access to Stuyvesant Cove Park (through 18th Street) is closed.

Despite the closure of the "Con Ed lemon squeezer section," Edmund John Dunn noted that even with the signs and traffic cones, "bike riders and runners were still entering and leaving ..."

By the end of the summer, the track located off of the Sixth Street pedestrian bridge will shut down, at which point the complete north end of East River Park will be shuttered. 

When this takes place, East Village-based park-goers must head south to access any East River Park amenities. (BTW, a new track is in the works for the same space.) 

This PDF provides more background on the timing. 

As we previously mentioned, several refurbished East River Park areas around the Williamsburg Bridge reopened yesterday on Memorial Day, including the south tennis courts. 

We'll have photos of that area on Thursday. (If you follow EVG on Instagram, you can find some pics there.) 

 Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Park access shifts again: What's open and closed in East River Park starting Memorial Day as construction moves to the north

Rossy's Bakery & Café to close after 15 years on 3rd Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

A family-run bakery and café that's served its neighbors for the past 15 years is closing. 

Rossy's Bakery & Café, 242 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C, will soon shut down after opening in June 2010. 

Owner Roselia "Rossy" Caba confirmed the news, citing rising costs and the impending retirement of her mother, Norma Ortiz, who founded the business.

"After so many years, we decided to call it quits," said Caba, whose brother Gabriel Escalante is also part of the business. "With the way things are, it makes no sense for us to continue… We can't keep trying to be affordable to the community and still make money anymore. There is no profit. We just can't do it anymore."

Ortiz (below) began baking cakes for family and friends from her Second Street apartment. Demand quickly grew beyond her kitchen's capacity, and soon, the mother-daughter team opened their own storefront just a few blocks away.

Over the years, Rossy's became known for its hearty and affordable lunch plates — BBQ ribs, baked chicken, and rice-and-beans combos. Empanadas and smoothies were also popular picks for kids in the neighborhood.

But even with a loyal customer base, Caba says the numbers no longer add up. "I haven’t made a profit in a while," she said. "Everything we use is quality here, and that screwed me over. There's no margin." 

She's also taken on debt just to keep the business afloat. The business — minus the name — is now for sale as a turnkey operation, including the lease, equipment and established location. Caba says there are a few years left on the current lease and that the landlord is open to an extension. 

As for what she hopes comes next for the space? "Something for the community. A restaurant. Maybe Spanish food. Staying in the roots." 

Caba plans to return to her previous work in nightclub accounting. 

Ortiz, meanwhile, is officially retiring. "She's not baking cakes anymore. So if you want one, you’d better get it in now," Caba added. 

Rossy's will be missed — not just for its food, but for the sense of neighborhood it helped sustain. Who goes to Rossy's Bakery & Cafe? Neighbors, teachers, postal workers, construction and sanitation crews, police officers, firefighters, EMS, and other first responders. UPS and FedEx drivers. Kids after school. People craving home-style Dominican and Spanish food or a fresh-baked treat. The morning and midday crowd needing a Bustelo fix — coffee with frothy, sweetened milk. Regulars with a standing dinner plate order.

It was a place that served everyone and made everyone feel like a regular. Caba remembers your order — "She doesn't like pieces of fruit in her smoothie, so make it extra smooth," she reminds the staff. You may catch her out front in her fire-engine red muscle car, always quick with a joke and a smile. 

A neighborhood needs places like Rossy's.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• A visit to Rossy's Bakery & Café on 3rd Street

Neighborhood invited to help shape future of ABC Playground

Residents of the Lower East Side are invited to have their say in the future of a local park. 

NYC Parks is kicking off the design process for the renovation of ABC Playground, located adjacent to P.S. 20 on Houston Street between Essex and Norfolk, and is seeking community input.

A virtual public meeting takes place Thursday evening (May 29) from 6:30-8 to gather ideas and feedback from local residents. Attendees can share how the playground could better serve the neighborhood, from improved play structures to green space enhancements or accessibility upgrades.

Ideas collected during the meeting will help shape a preliminary design, which will later be presented to the Community Board 3 Parks Committee for public review.

Interested community members are encouraged to register in advance (link) to attend the meeting. 

Those who can't make the meeting can leave comments online afterward — for up to a week. The link will be here after Thursday's session.

This is a chance for local voices to help reimagine a community space that reflects the needs and priorities of those who use it most. 

Here's a look at the current playground...

... and we hope the frog will be part of any new plans!