The event this year is once again sponsored by C&B Cafe and features the Carolers of Olde New York from Theater for the New City, along with refreshments from Veselka ... an enduring staple of December in the neighborhood.
Monday, December 1, 2025
When is the tree lighting in Tompkins Square Park this year?
Why neighborhood staple Casa Adela will be closed this week
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
If you had plans for any meals at Casa Adela this week, the lively Puerto Rican restaurant will be closed today through Friday for "structural chimney repairs," per signage for patrons.
The decades-spanning business will reopen on Saturday at 66 Avenue C, between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.
Top Secret Comedy Club makes its U.S. debut tonight on Avenue A
Photo by Stacie Joy
The Top Secret Comedy Club is set to debut TONIGHT at 44 Avenue A and Third Street (the former Upright Citizens Brigade Theater's UCBeast space).
Signage notes $1 admission (or "pay what you want") for the show starting at 8 p.m. You can visit the Top Secret website for more details and a list of comics.
Owner Mark Rothman, who started the UK-based comedy business 13 years ago, talked with EVG's Stacie Joy about what to expect. You can find that post here.
Game over for 8-Bit Bites on 2nd Avenue
An EVG reader shared this photo from the other day, showing that someone has closed up the quick-serve space that served smash burgers, fried chicken sandwiches, and wings alongside retro video games at 77 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.
Google also reports this location as "permanently closed."
The chainlet's other NYC outposts remain open.
Sunday, November 30, 2025
6 posts from November
• City Council weighs big roadway-dining changes; opponents cry bill-burying (Nov. 24)
• Glitter, Grover and good stories: Drag Artists for Expression NYC returns to the Tompkins Square Library (Nov. 13)
• Opening the Edge: A new green space for residents along Avenue D (Nov. 17)
• Jazz landmark alert: The Charlie Parker Residence is for sale on Avenue B (Nov. 10)
• Planned Parenthood closes its Manhattan Health Center on Bleecker Street (Nov. 5)
• Cauz for Pawz has opened in its new home on Avenue B (Nov. 5)
Week in Grieview
• City Council weighs big roadway-dining changes; opponents cry bill-burying (Monday)
• A standing-ovation moment: The wild project now owns its longtime East Village home (Monday)
• A look at '50 Years of PUNK,' opening at the Ki Smith Gallery (Friday)
• Harvey Epstein, Loisaida Center team up for 2,600-meal Thanksgiving giveaway (Wednesday)
• Former Bluestockings space now on the market on Suffolk Street (Friday)
• Evil Katsu announces Dec. 14 closure (Tuesday)
• Poco is now closed for good, though freebies remain (Friday)
• Under-renovation former Rite Aid on 1st Avenue now with plywood (Tuesday)
• Fresh paint at First Street Green Art Park (Wednesday)
• Signage alert: Tipsy Village on Allen Street (Monday)
• Pig & Butter is moving from Avenue B to Montclair, N.J. (Tuesday)
• Poetic justice: 6th Street building calls out a 'package-stealing fuck' (Sunday)
• Openings: S&S Bliss on 3rd Street (Monday)
Saturday, November 29, 2025
Saturday's parting shot
Photo by Stacie Joy
The Christmas decorations started going up today at Vazac's/the Horseshoe Bar/7B on Seventh and B... soon to be a winter wonderland inside and out...
Catch 'Caught Stealing' now streaming on Netflix
Despite an 84% on Rotten Tomatoes with solid reviews, the movie didn't catch on at the box office upon its Aug. 29 release ... even with a robust marketing campaign. (There's also a sense that this might be a film people return to — and appreciate more — in the years ahead. )
The EV-based Aronofsky filmed parts of "Caught Stealing" in the neighborhood last fall, recreating a 1998 version of the East Village with authentic details, including signage from Kim's Video and Benny's Burritos at their former storefronts.
From Double Down Saloon to the Quick Coin laundromat, we caught (sorry, we keep doing that!) a lot of the filming action around here.
One location we didn't note! The International Bar at 102 First Ave. near Sixth Street stood in for a Chinatown establishment that Austin Butler's character visits ...
While we didn't love everything about the movie the first time around in the theater, we're looking forward to seeing it again on the small screen — especially the East Village scenes.
Previously on EV Grieve:
• EVG Q&A: Darren Aronofsky on 'Caught Stealing' and revisiting the East Village of 1998 (link)
• IDLES pack into Night Club 101 for a surprise East Village set (link)
• 'Caught' celebrating: Why Austin Butler, Zoë Kravitz and Darren Aronofsky were at the Double Down Saloon last night (link)
Saturday's opening shots
Photos by Stacie Joy
Here's a look at the new mural outside the Second Avenue F stop at Houston... the work by Doug Groupp (@clown_soldier2021) shows three ICE agents subduing the Statue of Liberty...
Friday, November 28, 2025
Friday's parting shots
Photos by Steven
The seasonal scent as returned to Second Avenue at 10th Street as the Tree Riders NYC stand is up and running now ...
To here knows when…
Going back to 1988 for My Bloody Valentine's single "You Made Me Realise," roughly when the legendary shoegazers started to bring the noise.
The band has been closing their four-date UK and Ireland tour this week (first live shows since 2018!) with this track ... adding about six minutes of unbridled jet-engine-level distortion to the outro.
Videos from the Dublin, Manchester and London shows this week capture MBV back in full, deafening form. No word yet on any U.S. dates.
A look at '50 Years of PUNK,' opening tonight at the Ki Smith Gallery
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Fifty years after a magazine from downtown New York helped light the fuse for punk, the spirit of that era is crackling again on the Lower East Side — this time inside the Ki Smith Gallery, where "50 Years of PUNK" opens tonight.
Earlier this week, I stopped by the gallery, 170 Forsyth St., between Stanton and Rivington, as East Village resident John Holmstrom, the co-founder, editor, and illustrator of PUNK Magazine, and gallery owner Ki Smith, were putting the exhibit together...
The show brings together original work from artists, photographers and contributors who shaped — and were shaped by — PUNK Magazine, which championed the Ramones before their first record, put Blondie in print, and turned fanzine culture into something louder and more visual.
"This gallery show won't be your typical art gallery opening: It will be a celebration of PUNK Magazine, punk rock, and many of the people who contributed to this weird art and music 'thing' that took place in New York City in the 1970s, when it was bankrupt and depended on the arts community to bring it back to life," Holmstrom wrote in his Substack newsletter. "I like to think that we held up our end of the bargain."
Below (from left) photographer Nico Malvaldi, Smith, Holmstrom and Nour Shalaby, John's assistant ...
Upcoming events include:
• Dec. 13, 2-6 p.m. — Clothing Sale/Fashion Show. A Christmas sale featuring PUNK Magazine clothing, swag and memorabilia, including some rarely seen items.
• Jan. 7, 7-10 p.m. — Sex Pistols Tour Film Script: The Live Show. A reading of Holmstrom's account of the 1978 Sex Pistols U.S. tour, accompanied by images, on the tour's 48th anniversary.
• Early January — The Making of PUNK #1
Date TBD. Filmmaker Mary Harron, Holmstrom and others involved with the first issue will discuss how it came together.
• Jan. 11, 7 p.m. — Closing Party. Details to come.
Visit the gallery site for updates on programming as well as the list of the many notable contributors and photographers who made the publication a success.
"50 Years of PUNK" runs through Jan. 11. Gallery hours: Wednesday through Sunday, noon to 6 p.m.
The opening reception is from 6-9 tonight.
Former Bluestockings space now on the market on Suffolk Street
Photo by Stacie Joy
The former Bluestockings Cooperative storefront at 116 Suffolk St., between Rivington and Delancey, is now for rent.
Bluestockings Cooperative announced on Sept. 22 that it would be closing as a business at the end of 2025, marking the end of a 26-year run as an independent feminist bookstore, café, and radical community space. The retail space closed in September, while the online shop remained in operation.
In a statement, the worker-owners and staff said daily operations are no longer sustainable, citing health, financial and structural challenges. There was pushback to the narrative, as reported here.
The listing at the Meridian Capital Group website notes that all uses will be considered for the 2,500-square-foot space, "perfect for comedy club, wine bar, gallery, vintage clothing, or fitness." Asking rent: $13,950
There's also an "Inventory Blowout" classified on Craigslist, noting that a "Local, independent bookstore is going out of business and liquidating all appliances, furniture, and inventory assets. Photos available upon request, appointment-based shopping can be arranged, in-person pickup only."
Items for sale include a coffee maker, a coffee grinder, and zine racks and spinning displays.
Previously on EV Grieve:
A benefit concert this evening at Mercury Lounge for ABC No Rio
The lineup features Skull Practitioners, Art Gray Noizz Quintet and Female Genius ... with Grace Bergere starting at 6:45 p.m. Info here.
ABC No Rio, founded in 1980, is a volunteer-led nonprofit community center for arts and activism ... their new building is expected to open late next summer.
Mercury Lounge is at 217 Houston St. between Essex and Ludlow.
Poco is now closed for good, though freebies remain
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Poco, the longtime brunch hotspot and bar on the SE corner of Avenue B and Third Street, is now permanently closed.
As we first reported on Oct. 20, owner Sara Grizzle (pictured below) told EVG that after more than 16 years in the East Village, "it's time" to move on. She plans to relocate to Cape Cod, where she owns another restaurant.
There was an auction this past Tuesday to unload many of Poco's wares... Grizzle has also been putting several other items up for grabs outside the space.
No word just yet on what might be next for this corner spot.
Thursday, November 27, 2025
Wednesday, November 26, 2025
Wednesday's parting shot
Photo by Stacie Joy
After an aggravating time with a broken oven, C&B Café owner Ali Sahin (right) and Z celebrate the completion of all the pumpkin pies for Thanksgiving.
How to see the world premiere of this 1989 Keith Haring documentary next month
Artwork from The Keith Haring Foundation via Eventbrite
Keith Haring fans take note: a newly unearthed 1989 documentary about the making of "Tuttomondo" will have its world premiere on Dec. 20.
The film follows Haring as he explores Pisa, paints the now-iconic mural, and gives an extended interview — including the moment he lands on the title Tuttomondo. The screening also includes a first look at his previously unseen Polaroids, digital paintings and animations created in Italy.
A Q&A will follow with producer Andrea De Gioia, photographer Adrian Wilson (who's bringing a working Quantel Paintbox to demo Haring's digital process), and painter and Club 57 co-founder Frank Holliday. Filmmaker Brian ("Make Me Famous") Vincent moderates the discussion.
The afternoon (1-3) event, held at the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center on West 13th Street near Seventh Avenue (where Haring "famously painted a mural in the bathroom a month before heading to Pisa"), is free but ticketed, with no walk-ins. Only 100 spots are available.
Tickets become available tomorrow at noon here.
Fresh paint at First Street Green Art Park
Photos by Stacie Joy
A large new mural is in progress at First Street Green Art Park ... where we spotted FSG regular Lexi Bella at work on Monday...
... and joined by FSG curator Jonathan Neville...
No word on a completion date for the mural — weather- and holiday-dependent.
Enter the park either on First Street near Second Avenue or along Houston Street.
Harvey Epstein, Loisaida Center team up for 2,600-meal Thanksgiving giveaway
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Assembly Member Harvey Epstein and the Loisaida Center hosted their annual Turkey Drive on Monday for families in the 74th Assembly District.
Working with Rep. Dan Goldman, State Sen. Brian Kavanagh, Borough President Mark Levine and dozens of community groups, they distributed more than 2,600 Thanksgiving meals — including turkeys, chickens, pernils, and vegan roasts — to residents ahead of the Thanksgiving holiday from the Loisaida Center on Ninth Street near Avenue C.
The drive, now in its seventh year, has provided roughly 10,000 meals since launching in 2018.
Epstein said food insecurity remains a significant issue in the district, which includes portions of the Lower East Side, East Village and Midtown East, and that this year's effort marked their most extensive distribution to date.
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