Week in Grieview

A$AP Rocky at A1 Records on 6th Street Friday to celebrate SNEEZE Magazine's new issue (he's on the cover that was shot in the shop). Pic by @a1recordshop

• The Aurea: Affordable housing planned for NYPD lot on 5th Street (July 14) 

• The most colorful building in the East Village isn’t permanently turning white (July 16) 

• Rabbit Books and Bar sets opening weekend for July 24-26 on Avenue A (July 16) 

• A look at the July applicants for new liquor licenses within Community Board 3 (July 13) 

• "Irregular," filmed at Sophie's, will make its world premiere next month (July 14) 

• Who is stealing the 'the' from the East Village? (July 15) 

• GonzoFest NYC brings Hunter S. Thompson celebration to Howl! Happening (July 16) 

• "Metal Soul Mercy" returns to the Slipper Room for an encore performance (July 17) 

• ICYMI: Good news for Mee Noodle Shop (July 13) 

• ICYMI: The Swiss Institute closes before opening its new Bowery home (July 15) 

• At Jenkem Magazine's skate block party in Tompkins Square Park (July 12) 

• RIP Hell Ride, now in skateboard heaven (July 14) 

• In viral video, skateboarder and SUV driver scuffle on St. Mark's Place (July 17) 

• Show Brain Sunday (part 1) with Diary, Tea Eater (July 14) 

• First president of japan caps Show Brain show with a joyous set in Tompkins Square Park (July 15) 

• Signage alert: Archives Of Us on 2nd Avenue (July 15) 

• The future condoplex peeks above the plywood on 9th Street and 4th Avenue (July 14) 

And on July 11, the Lower East Side People's Federal Credit Union marked its 40th anniversary on the NE corner of Avenue B and Third Street with a variety of entertainment ... (photos by Stacie Joy)...

Sunday's opening shot

A view of Buenos Aires, the Argentinian restaurant at 513 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... and where you know who they will be rooting for in this afternoon's World Cup final...

Saturday's opening shot

As Sophie's, 507 E. 5th St., opened the other day 

Today's weather looks Grim. 

Per Accuweather: "A few t-storms, some severe; smoke will lead to poor air quality in the morning, storms can bring downpours, damaging winds and even a tornado in the afternoon." 

And there's this "dirty rain" business. 

Great! Will pick up some Taco Bell and head to the shelter.

Friday's parting shot

A summer scene on 10th Street between Avenue A and B...

The 'Silent" treatment

 

The debut EP from Mouth Ulcers, a London-based four-piece, delivers a strong set of dark, gothic-tinged tracks. 

The video here is for "Silent Pictures."

Listening to it, it's easy to imagine Dave Kendall introducing the band on "120 Minutes" back in the day before sending viewers down another post-punk rabbit hole. RIP Dave.

'Metal Soul Mercy' returns to the Slipper Room for an encore performance

After a sold-out premiere in June, the original play "Metal Soul Mercy" returns to the Slipper Room on the Lower East Side for an encore performance on Wednesday, July 22. 

Written by Maci Zakarin and co-directed by Zakarin and Hana Lauer, the hourlong production follows four showgirls whose lives have unfolded entirely onstage. Their world is upended when a mysterious visitor forces them to question who they are beyond the spotlight. 

The performance blends theater, dance and camp while exploring themes of identity, friendship, community and performance. 

The cast features Mariama Condé, Doğa Ozbilun, Hana Lauer, Maci Zakarin and He-Myong Woo, with choreography by Kalie-Ann Nassoura. 

The show starts at 8 p.m. (doors at 7:30 p.m.) at the Slipper Room, 167 Orchard St. Tickets are available here. 

In viral video, skateboarder and SUV driver scuffle on St. Mark's Place

Multiple readers shared this video, shot by @michael_ohara00 and viewed more than 7 million times on X alone, from St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue on Wednesday afternoon.

Based on what we've been told and what appears in the clip, the current narrative is that the SUV either clipped a skateboarder or came very close. The skateboarder then struck the vehicle twice with his board, prompting the driver to (eventually) stop, get out, and confront him. 

Witnesses tell us passersby eventually separated the two. We haven't heard of any injuries or police involvement. 

Analysts give the edge to the skateboarder, who proves to be quite dextrous at getting the board away from the driver. 

Not quite The Warriors versus the Punks in Union Square... but it was an eventful afternoon on St. Mark's Place.

insane fight broke out on saint marks in front of me today… #nyc @whatisny pic.twitter.com/0pYneVIUtk

— Michael O’Hara (@michael_ohara00) July 15, 2026

Friday's opening shot

Another reader-submitted photo from last evening... Houston at Norfolk... 

The air quality is again deemed "unhealthy". 

Per reports: 

Air quality is expected to improve gradually by the weekend as shifting winds help disperse wildfire smoke. However, periodic smoke episodes may continue over the next few days, with additional plumes possible as long as wildfires remain active in Minnesota and Canada. 

As previously noted, in response to the wildfire smoke, the city is making free masks available at the locations on this map.

Thursday's parting shot

An EVG reader shared this Midtown view this evening... showing the wildfire smoke from Canada and Northern Minnesota covering the city... 

Per Gothamist: "The worst of the Canadian wildfire smoke should clear out of the city by Friday afternoon." 

BUT! 

The bad news is that some of it could return over the weekend and early next week — and also a chance that it could mix with rain on Saturday to blanket cars and streets with a nasty layer of soot.

Find free KN95 masks here. 

The most colorful building in the East Village isn’t permanently turning white

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Some neighbors have expressed concern about the sudden disappearance of the familiar colors at the southeast corner of Avenue B and Fourth Street. 

Not to worry: The white exterior is only primer. Antonio Echeverri, who has owned the building at 246 E. Fourth St. since 1992, told us that a new color scheme is on the way: red, gold and two shades of burgundy. The lavender and purple around the ground-floor entrance and grates will remain.

He refreshes the building about every five years. Painting is expected to begin soon and take about three weeks.

Echeverri, whose son, Michael, also lives in the building, has long selected — and sometimes mixed — the colors himself. 

He said the palette reflects the colorful buildings he remembers from his native Colombia. The building previously featured a violet exterior with red trim, along with touches of blue and gold. 

As The Village Voice reported in a 2016 profile, Echeverri bought the property when it was close to being condemned and gradually restored it, working apartment by apartment with a small crew and often doing the renovations himself. 

So, no, the white era isn’t permanent. Stay tuned for the next coat.

The heat isn't done yet — and neither is the wildfire smoke

The city's heat emergency plan has been extended through today as another day of 90-degree temperatures coincides with smoke from Canadian wildfires drifting into the region.

The New York State Department of Environmental Conservation is forecasting an Air Quality Index (AQI) of 200 for the NYC metro area today — considered "Unhealthy." Officials are urging New Yorkers to limit outdoor activity, especially those with heart or lung conditions, older adults and children.

Cooling centers will remain open today, and free KN95 masks are available at locations citywide. Locally, that would be at the 9th Precinct on Fifth Street between First and Second Avenues... plus our two library branches, Ottendorfer on Second Avenue and Tompkins Square on 10th Street. Find a map for other NYC locations here. 

According to The City Reporter, "when smoke from Canadian wildfires engulfed the city in June 2023, the boroughs turned suddenly orange, with air quality indices reaching 484 — the highest ever recorded." 

The City Reporter has more FAQs and resource info here.

Rabbit Books and Bar sets opening weekend for July 24-26 on Avenue A

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy

Rabbit Books and Bar, the incoming independent bookstore and café at 170 Avenue A at 11th Street, has set its grand opening weekend for July 24-26. 

Owners Marianna Vaidman Stone (above right) and her daughter Emily Samara Stone announced the dates on Instagram yesterday. 

According to the owners, opening weekend visitors will have access to limited-edition merchandise and can become "Founding Readers," a membership that includes future perks and special offers. 

We first spoke with Marianna and Emily in late May about their plans for the space, which will offer new books, coffee, beer, wine and community events. 

Previously on EV Grieve:

• A mother-daughter-owned bookstore bar is coming to Avenue A 

• Rabbit Books and Bar owners share an update ahead of a mid-July opening on Avenue A

GonzoFest NYC brings Hunter S. Thompson celebration to Howl! Happening

A three-day celebration of Hunter S. Thompson's life and legacy is coming to the East Village this weekend.

GonzoFest NYC takes over Howl! Happening Friday through Sunday with a lineup of talks, live music, art, panel discussions and spoken-word performances exploring the influential writer's impact on journalism, politics and American culture. 

The festival will focus on Thompson's political writing and activism, as well as his connections to the Beat Generation. 

Featured guests include artist Ralph Steadman and his daughter, Sadie Williams; Thompson's son, Juan Thompson; grandson Will Thompson; Joe Iconis, who will present songs from his musical inspired by Thompson's life; plus Phoebe Legere, Puma Perl, Penny Arcade, and other writers, artists and poets. 

Daily details here. 

Howl! Happening is at 6 E. First St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Wednesday's parting shot

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy 

If you stop by C&B café this week, chances are owner Ali Sahin will be cooking your breakfast or lunch.

Sahin is back on grill duty while members of the kitchen staff enjoy some vacation time.

C&B is at 178 E. Seventh St., just west of Avenue B.

First president of japan caps Show Brain show with a joyous set in Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy

If you like your Sunday afternoon concerts fun and unpredictable, first president of japan delivered.

The Brooklyn punk band headlined Sunday's free Show Brain concert in Tompkins Square Park, capping the afternoon with a joyous, high-energy set that blurred the line between performance and audience participation.

Lead vocalist Non Kuramoto (also a comedian and actress by trade) spent much of the set in the crowd — crowd-surfing, dancing and encouraging fans to join the fun as the audience eagerly obliged.

The band's sound blends punk, garage rock and math rock with a healthy dose of absurdity. (Their latest EP, Your Recommended Daily Intake of first president of japan, includes songs featuring humor, heart... and whale facts.) 

And faces in the crowd on this Sunday...

Hot Hot Hot!!!

The Heat Advisory remains in effect until 9 this evening, per the National Weather Service. 

The heat index will hover near 105 today. Find a list of beat-the-heat resources here. 

In addition, there's an Air Quality Advisory due to the smoke from the wildfires burning in Canada. 

The resources do NOT include sending out the city snowplows, which we spotted multiple times yesterday... reverse weather psychology? 

Headline inspo.

Who is stealing the 'the' from the East Village?

Outside the Mars Bar from 2009 

Is it "the East Village" or just "East Village"? 

That's the question posed in a New York Times piece examining a small but increasingly noticeable shift in how New Yorkers talk about neighborhood names. The article centers on the growing tendency — especially among younger New Yorkers and newcomers — to drop the definite article, saying "East Village" instead of "the East Village" (and "West Village" instead of "the West Village"). 

The trend has sparked spirited debate online, with longtime residents arguing that omitting "the" just sounds wrong. The story cites New York City walking tour guide Nicky Shapiro, whose TikTok video urging people to "hold onto their articles" drew hundreds of comments. 

Some readers blamed social media and abbreviated speech, while others said dropping "the" is simply more efficient. 

The Times also notes that neighborhood signs and maps typically omit articles for space, which may contribute to the confusion, and points to other naming debates, from "the Bronx" versus "Bronx" to the use of "L.E.S." for the Lower East Side. 

As for us? We'll be over here in the East Village.

Signage alert: Archives Of Us on 2nd Avenue

A new coffee and matcha shop is in the works at 84 Second Ave., between Fourth and Fifth Streets.

Archives Of Us, which got its start in downtown Los Angeles last year, is taking over the storefront. 

According to the business, the café will serve "ceremonial-grade" matcha sourced from Kagoshima, Japan, along with coffee in a minimalist, design-focused setting. The menu is expected to focus on coffee, matcha and a small selection of specialty drinks. 

Nai closed here last November... they were the first retail tenant here in decades at the once-mysterious address.

ICYMI: The Swiss Institute closes before opening its new Bowery home

We fielded a few reader queries about the Swiss Institute in the past 10 days.

As previously reported, the gallery space and the contemporary art nonprofit have closed on the SE corner of Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place...

... ahead of a move to its first permanent home — 250 Bowery near Stanton Street... expected to debut in the spring. 

The last day here for the Swiss Institute, which debuted at 38 St. Mark's Place in 2018, was on July 5.

They will be missed, but we do look forward to their new space. 

No word on what might take over this prime EV corner.

RIP Hell Ride, now in skateboard heaven

EVG reader Elliot noted that the Parks Department trashed the newly double-wide Hell Ride in the multipurpose courts/TF in Tompkins early this morning. 

We thank you for your service... (photos from Saturday by Stacie Joy)...