Campos Community Garden hosts its 15th annual Día de los Muertos celebration on Sunday

Campos Community Garden is hosting its 15th annual Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) celebration this Sunday (Nov. 1) from 2:30 to 5:30 p.m. at 644 E. 12th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

The free community event includes arts and crafts, Mexican hot chocolate and sweet bread, with a ceremonial dance by Cetiliztl Nauhcampa at 4 p.m. 

As in previous years, the garden's gazebo will house an ofrenda (altar), where neighbors are invited to leave photos, flowers, food and other mementos honoring loved ones, including people, pets, and places. Children can also make items to add to the altar. 

The ofrenda will be assembled today (Friday) from noon to 4 p.m. and will be open for viewing tomorrow (Saturday) from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

The annual celebration is made possible through the support of garden members, local businesses and neighbors. 

Volunteers are welcome throughout the weekend. Contact camposcommunitygarden@gmail.com for details.

On 11th Street, residents and businesses say e-bike congestion needs a lasting solution

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Residents and business owners gathered yesterday at the corner of 11th Street and First Avenue to urge the city to address ongoing e-bike congestion, blocked sidewalks, and sanitation concerns along the block. 

The press conference, themed "A Safer Corner for Everyone," was organized by the newly formed East Village Beautification Project, whose members say more than two years of complaints have failed to produce a lasting solution. 

Christine Renzi, a property owner on the block who founded the group about a month ago, said it already has more than 60 members.

"For more than two and a half years, we have been raising concerns about conditions on this block," Renzi said. "Residents and businesses have spoken up repeatedly, but we still do not have a real solution." 

She described sidewalks crowded with e-bikes, food waste, rats and difficulty accessing residential buildings and storefronts. 

She also questioned why so many delivery workers and their bikes have been concentrated on a single residential block. 

"Delivery workers deserve respect and appropriate places to gather," she said. "But this residential block is not an appropriate place for over 400 e-bikes and workers to gather unlawfully at all hours." 

Organizers cited the figure of 400 bikes, but it has not been independently verified. 

Renzi also criticized the lack of resident and business participation in discussions about the block's future, saying those most directly affected have not been invited to meetings with elected officials and delivery-worker representatives. 

"We need a win-win solution," she said. "We want to come up with an equitable solution for everybody." 

Several speakers described how conditions have affected their daily lives and businesses. Mike Paredes, the former owner of REVMPD, a consignment shop at 178 First Ave., a storefront south of the corner, said the congestion contributed to his decision to close the business in March.

Paredes, who now works as an MTA bus driver, said his store relied heavily on foot traffic and window displays to attract customers. As bikes and groups of people increasingly occupied the space outside, he said, that visibility suffered. 

"Owning the store was my dream," he said. "I'm here for the other businesses that are here, and I hope that they won't have to share the same story." 

Robert Zerilli, co-owner of East Village Institution Veniero's Pasticceria and Caffè at 342 E. 11th St. on the next block, said the problems extend beyond any one storefront.

"Small businesses depend on people walking through the neighborhood, looking through the windows, meeting a friend, coming for coffee, or something to eat," he said.

Zerilli said he knew of at least six businesses that had closed near the corner in the past two years, though he emphasized that he was not attributing those closures solely to e-bike congestion.

"This isn't about demonizing anyone. It's about balance," he said. "People need to work. Residents need to get around. Storefront businesses need to remain accessible." 

For Izabela Padula, who has lived on the block for nearly four years, navigating the sidewalk with her baby and stroller has become a daily challenge.

"When I leave home with my baby, I should be able to push a stroller down the sidewalk," she said, calling on the city to maintain clear pedestrian access. 

Longtime residents Beth Graves and Michael Anton also spoke about deteriorating sanitation conditions. Graves, who has lived in the neighborhood since 1974, said she sometimes struggles to get through the block while walking her dog to Tompkins Square Park. 

She also expressed concerns about discarded food and an increase in rats. Anton, a resident since 1981, directed some of his criticism toward the delivery-app companies themselves. He compared the difficult working conditions faced by delivery workers to those experienced by his immigrant grandparents in sweatshops. 

"DoorDash, Seamless, Uber Eats. You have made so much money," he said. "Do something for the people who have made that possible." 

Anton suggested the companies help provide off-street parking and gathering spaces for delivery workers rather than leaving the burden on residential blocks. 

Meanwhile, the block saw a cleanup effort yesterday afternoon. According to NYPD sources familiar with the operation, police worked with delivery workers to identify abandoned and derelict bikes.

The Department of Sanitation discarded and removed a dozen bikes. Police took two additional bikes obstructing the sidewalk to the 9th Precinct and vouchered them. Police said the bikes were turned over voluntarily. [Photo below by Jim Naureckas]

The cleanup followed continued NYPD attention to the block, though residents at the press conference questioned whether the improvements would last. 

"The NYPD was here yesterday and today, and we appreciate that," Renzi said. "But two days of attention are not a substitute for daily enforcement." 

Organizers are calling for coordinated action by the NYPD, Department of Sanitation, other city agencies and elected officials to keep sidewalks and building entrances accessible, address sanitation and develop a longer-term plan for delivery-bike parking.

Their message was that the city needs to find a solution that accommodates delivery workers without leaving residents and small businesses to contend with the same conditions day after day.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Deliveristas confront new hurdles after 11th Street bike sweep 

• Mass e-bike seizure sparks tensions and debate on 11th Street 

• Deliveristas face new enforcement in the East Village

Scenes from 'Punk in the Park' with Non Residents

Photos by Stacie Joy 

On Sunday, NYC thrash metal band Non Residents, formed in 2019 by brothers Amarú and Roberto Fenoutt, headlined the Punk in the Park show in Tompkins...

At one point during the show, members of the crowd pulled apart an effigy dressed to resemble an ICE officer...

Parts of the effigy were subsequently set on fire ...

The scene also reflected a longstanding part of the park's identity: Music and political protest have a long, intertwined history in Tompkins Square Park.

Tompkins Square Park recreation redesign heads back to committee after contentious CB3 meeting

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The proposed $9.93 million renovation of the Tompkins Square Park recreation area is heading back to committee after a contentious Community Board 3 meeting Tuesday evening that drew dozens of residents opposed to replacing the park's longtime fitness equipment. 

Rather than voting on the proposal, the full board agreed to have the Parks Department return with new presentations at the Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee meeting on Nov. 12. The plan is then expected to come back before the full board on Nov. 24. 

The decision followed a spirited public showing by dozens of supporters of the existing pull-up bars and basketball courts, many of whom marched from Tompkins Square Park to the meeting at P.S. 20 on Essex Street between Houston and Stanton, carrying signs and chanting.

Inside, the meeting grew tense as attendees challenged aspects of the proposed redesign. 

At one point, police were called. Two officers from the 7th Precinct responded, although no apparent violations were taking place.

"No one is doing anything wrong," one officer told me. "Someone keeps calling the precinct, so we have to respond." 

Community Board 3 Chair Arnette Scott repeatedly asked attendees to remain respectful and suggested that anyone unable to do so should leave. No one did.

Despite the tensions, the board allowed considerable flexibility during the public comment period, letting some people who hadn’t registered in advance speak and accommodating others who used another person's speaking slot. 

Among those addressing the board was Jahmal Kirwan, one of the organizers of the recent Save Tompkins Square Park gatherings. 

Kirwan and other speakers described their personal connections to the outdoor fitness area and the community that has developed around it.

The proposal, which CB3's Parks, Recreation, Waterfront, & Resiliency Committee endorsed on Oct. 15, calls for replacing the existing mini-pool with a new in-ground pool, renovating the basketball courts, replacing fitness equipment and resurfacing the recreation area. 

Parks officials say the work is needed to improve accessibility and safety, and they have revised portions of the fitness-area design in response to community concerns. 

However, longtime users continue to question the need to replace equipment they say remains functional and important to the neighborhood. They are also concerned about losing access during construction, which is currently projected to take about 18 months.

City Council Member Harvey Epstein also weighed in on the proposed redesign, calling for the city to preserve the existing fitness equipment while adding accessible equipment for people with disabilities. 

Epstein said his office had heard from hundreds of Lower East Side residents about the importance of the current equipment and the need for improved accessibility. 

He urged Parks to develop a modified version of its Option 3 proposal that would retain the existing equipment while expanding the fitness area to accommodate new ADA-accessible features.

Scott ultimately halted the anticipated vote amid interruptions during the Parks Department presentation.

The delay gives Parks officials and community members another opportunity to discuss the proposed changes before the full board considers the project again. 

Hot dog! Crif Dogs is back open on St. Mark's Place

Crif Dogs reopened yesterday at 113 St. Mark's Place after fallen trees from the late-September nor'easter temporarily shut down the longtime hot dog shop and its speakeasy sibling, PDT. 

Jeff Bell, an owner of PDT and Crif Dogs, previously said that one neighbor's tree fell into another neighbor's tree, leaving both resting against the building behind the businesses between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

"They're both now resting against the building behind me, and in a very precarious position that seems like they could fall," Bell said. "And if they do, they would fall in our backyard." 

Crews were spotted yesterday morning mulching the remains of the fallen trees...

Crif Dogs also marked its 25th anniversary during the closure. Not exactly how you'd want to celebrate a milestone birthday, but at least the hot dogs are back...

Signage alert: Matane on 1st Avenue

The facade work is complete at 59 First Ave., just south of Fourth Street, revealing the incoming tenant: Matane. 

EVG reader Danimal reports that an employee leaving the space confirmed that Matane will be a Japanese restaurant, with an opening expected sometime by the end of the year. (They have a spaceholder Instagram account here.) 

The storefront previously housed two short-lived dollar pizza shops. 

Matane will also have some Japanese restaurant company on this stretch of First Avenue, with Cho-Ko right next door.

345 Cantina closes on 6th Street; landlord takes possession of space

345 Cantina has closed at 345 E. Sixth St., just west of First Avenue, after four years in business. 

A sign outside the Mexican restaurant (and the ongoing construction mess) thanks customers for letting the business be part of the neighborhood. 

"It was an honor to serve you, and we hope to meet again," the handwritten message reads. The restaurant also posted a farewell message on Instagram on Oct. 16, thanking customers for their support and expressing hope of returning soon. 

Yelp currently lists 345 Cantina as temporarily closed, with a scheduled reopening date of March 2, 2027.

However, a city marshal's notice posted on the restaurant's door states that the landlord has taken legal possession of the premises following a Civil Court warrant. 

The notice lists Oct. 13 as the eviction date. It's unclear whether the restaurant's owners plan to reopen here or elsewhere.

345 Cantina opened in September 2022, taking over the space previously occupied by Tableside.

ICYMI: Hunan Slurp Shop closes on 1st Avenue

Hunan Slurp Shop has closed at 112 First Ave., just south of Seventh Street. 

The restaurant opened here in May 2018, bringing Hunan-style rice noodles and other dishes inspired by chef-owner Chao Wang's hometown of Hengyang, China. Wang, who spent 25 years as an oil painter, brought an artist's background to the restaurant, which later earned recognition from the Michelin Guide.

In a farewell message on Instagram, the Hunan Slurp team thanked customers for their support over the years. 

"From the first bowl of Lu Fen to countless dinners, celebrations, and memories shared around our tables, Slurp has always been about more than food." 

No reason was cited for the closure. The restaurant closed on Sept. 27.

The team here also runs Sofun Noodle Bar in Summit, N.J.

Wednesday's parting shot

On the main lawn in Tompkins Square Park...

No bikes seized, but questions remain over 11th Street enforcement

Reporting and photos by Stacie Joy 

An anticipated enforcement action targeting improperly parked delivery bikes on 11th Street near First Avenue ended this morning without any confiscations after NYPD officials inspected the block and determined that conditions did not warrant further action. 

The decision, however, prompted a tense exchange between police and community representatives over where delivery workers can legally park their bikes — and whether those rules are communicated consistently. 

The NYPD planned the enforcement action. But after inspecting the block, police officials decided not to seize any bikes.

Deputy Inspector Pamela A. Jeronimo told longtime Community Board 3 District Manager Susan Stetzer that conditions had improved considerably since her previous visit. 

"It was much different when I was here a few days ago doing the walkthrough," Jeronimo said. "It's not blocking a crosswalk right now. It looks very, very good." 

Stetzer asked how community organizations could advise workers when enforcement decisions seemed to vary day to day. 

"I think there's got to be regulations that everybody understands," she said. "Not — today it's OK to be on the sidewalk because it's not a problem, but tomorrow, we might take the ones on the sidewalk." 

Jeronimo said workers could park their bikes only in designated Department of Transportation spaces and at bike racks. She said bikes left on sidewalks, in vehicle parking spaces, near scaffolding, or in crosswalks could be subject to enforcement. 

Stetzer repeatedly requested the specific legal provisions in writing so community organizations could share and translate the information for workers.

"We can't even translate information because we don't know what the regulations are!" she said. 

Jeronimo said she would arrange for NYPD Community Affairs to provide the information. 

An ongoing challenge

The exchange highlighted an ongoing challenge for community groups working to address the concentration of delivery bikes along the block while protecting workers' ability to earn a living. 

Shawn Garcia, vice chair of Community Board 3's Transportation Committee, said local organizations have spent weeks coordinating with the precinct and immigrant support groups to communicate parking rules to delivery workers. 

"We're giving them one directive, and they complied with that to a large degree, which was not chaining their bikes up to city property," Garcia said. 

But community representatives later learned that bikes parked in vehicle parking spaces could also be confiscated. 

"The notice has not been clear, and it's mixed messaging, so the workers are trying to comply, trying to do their best," he said. 

Garcia said the lack of adequate designated parking space remains a central problem. He also raised concerns about the consequences of confiscation for workers who depend on their bikes for income and may be reluctant to navigate the legal process to recover them. 

"If you confiscate today, the work is still happening in the neighborhood," he said. "They're going to be somewhere else tomorrow, so we have to come up with a long-term, sustainable solution." 

One possible step is to identify and remove abandoned bikes.

Diamy Bah, a community liaison and operations manager with Cafewal, estimated that more than 10 bikes on the block had been abandoned. 

He said delivery workers could help identify those bikes through their weekly Wednesday community cleanups, although removing them is difficult because many remain locked. Bah also welcomed clearer guidance about where workers are allowed to park.

"If they say it's OK that it's here we are supposed to park, then we are going to do every day the outreach for them to park where they are supposed to park," he said.

Meanwhile, the East Village Beautification Project has scheduled a press conference for tomorrow (Thursday) at noon on the corner of 11th Street and First Avenue. 

Under the theme "A Safer Corner for Everyone," the neighborhood group is calling for city action to ensure safe, clean and accessible streets.

The gathering comes as residents, delivery workers, and community representatives continue seeking a longer-term solution to congestion and bike-parking issues along the block.

 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Deliveristas confront new hurdles after 11th Street bike sweep 

• Mass e-bike seizure sparks tensions and debate on 11th Street 

• Deliveristas face new enforcement in the East Village

At Drāvida, chef Aarthi Sampath explores the Indian diaspora — and finds a home in the East Village

Interview and photos by Stacie Joy 

Chef-owner Aarthi Sampath opened Drāvida at 211 First Ave. in late May, bringing together dishes inspired by Indian and South Asian communities worldwide. 

The restaurant is Sampath's first venture as an owner after some 15 years working as a chef. She's also a familiar face to Food Network viewers, having appeared on "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay." 

Sampath, who moved to the East Village this past year, describes Drāvida as a love letter to the South Asian diaspora — shaped by years of travel, research and encounters with people whose families have roots in India but whose food traditions developed elsewhere.

We talked with her about opening her first restaurant, finding a home in the East Village, accommodating diners with dietary restrictions and what happens when a dish unexpectedly goes viral. 

How did you come to open Drāvida? 

I've been a chef for the last 15-ish years, since I came to the U.S.

Living in New York City, such a melting pot, I don't think I would have met as many people from the South Asian diaspora as I did here. You meet someone from Guyana whose grandparents were from India, or someone who's Malaysian-Indian because their ancestors left home for trade reasons. That's what inspired me. 

I kept working on the concept and traveling to different countries to explore the South Asian and Indian diaspora. What it really means is looking at what happened when Indians and South Asians left their home countries, whether for trade or as indentured workers. The spice trade created so much diversity around the world. That's the food we explore. 

Drāvida is a love letter to South Asians who live in New York. I met a South African Indian here! I don't think I would have met them anywhere else unless I visited South Africa. 

I wrote a rough draft of the concept in 2018 and started pitching it to investors. Everyone seemed to say it was too unique, too different. They'd ask, "Why don't you just do something that's tested, like a normal Indian restaurant?" 

But I didn't want to. Despite so many no's, I wanted to keep my motivation high. 

Eventually, I became a partner with CookUnity, the meal-delivery platform, and that helped me get the restaurant. That's how I was able to do it on my own. 

What made you choose the East Village? 

As a young cook, I worked on 23rd Street and 29th Street, near Broadway, and the East Village was one of the only places open late at night. We'd finish work at 11 or 11:30 p.m., and I felt like I belonged here. It reminded me of Mumbai because there's so much food, so much culture. 

Now that I've been living here for the last six months, I feel like this is community. I never felt that on the Upper West Side, where I was living at the time. I was a struggling cook, but I could always find something inspiring here, whether it was the best pizza slice, an excellent cookie or dessert, or amazing Chinese food. 

It was inspiring to see something new crop up in the East Village and feel like it was accepted. I'd walk from Second Avenue to First Avenue to Avenue A and B, sometimes late at night to get a nice cocktail. Even if I didn't have any money, I could feel alive just walking around. I felt like I was part of these parties, even if I wasn't.

How did you find this particular space? 

When I started looking for restaurants, I wanted to be in the East Village. 

The concept was so unique that I couldn't imagine seeing Drāvida anywhere else and people being interested in it. I looked at several locations, but when I walked into this space and saw the wood-fired ovens, I felt a sense of calm. [Ed note: Luzzo's was in this space until 2022.]

This was the first place I walked out of and immediately asked for a quote. Maybe it was the goodwill of the previous place. It could be a lot of factors. I believe in that. 

The wood-fired ovens were important because we're living in a world with so much AI and automation. We're even talking about robotics in kitchens! I thought it would be nice to go back in time and cook food from the start of it all, which is just fire. 

How many restaurants in New York get to do that? And I didn't know anything about how to open a restaurant.

You recently opened a downstairs speakeasy, Jam & Jaggery. Tell us about it. 

We've been open for several weeks, on Fridays and Saturdays for now. We'll eventually extend to other days. 

I met a mixologist from Brooklyn who's a partner in a bar called Mr. Mellow. I asked if he could help us. We only do low-ABV drinks, so I wanted really nice cocktails using lower-alcohol spirits and liqueurs. 

He's done a wonderful job, and the response has been great.

Is the drink menu different from upstairs?

Yes, it's separate. The upstairs drinks are more chef-inspired and seasonal. We just changed the menu for fall. We have a persimmon colada and a nice fall chai. We use chilies and make a spicy lemonade.

Downstairs is quieter, more of a speakeasy atmosphere, with spirit-forward drinks. But everything ties into the diaspora. We use spices, herbs and teas from different parts of the world.

How do you accommodate diners who are vegan, vegetarian or have food allergies or other dietary restrictions? 

We had someone come in who couldn't eat dairy, ginger or garlic because of religious dietary restrictions. We said, "Don't worry, just give us a little time." And we made her ramen without those ingredients, from scratch. 

I come from a hotel background. I've always thought we just have to make it happen. Even if we can give someone only one or two options, we should. She was almost in tears. She said that every restaurant she goes to in New York tells her they don't have anything for her, but we'd just made something. 

I don't have allergies, but I can't imagine what it would be like to live with one and not be able to eat so many things. We train our team to be considerate and come to the kitchen. We always try to make something. 

We have one dish with nuts, and we avoid peanuts and seed oils. I try to eliminate a lot of allergens myself so it's easier for us to work around restrictions. If there's a gluten allergy, maybe gluten is just one element of a dish. We can take it off and substitute something else.

What's been the best-selling dish so far? 

It's the blue crab curry ramen. Someone came in, ate it and posted about it online. It went viral. 

We realized we didn't want to make more than a certain number because the quality would start declining. The noodles are made from scratch. 

We also really like the crab we use and don't want to substitute another kind. There's a limited supply of jumbo lump crabmeat. So that's definitely the most popular dish. 

My personal favorites are the lobster and the lamb chops. Those are probably my top two of all time. 

But it's hard to choose because I love the crab ramen, too, and the chicken tikka masala. We put so much thought and time into testing every dish. I love them all!

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Drāvida is at 211 First Ave., between 12th Street and 13th Street. Find more information on the Drāvida website and Instagram.