Photo by Steven
As seen on Ninth Street between A and First today...
Sunday, April 12, 2026
Wall prep on 6th and C
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Work continues on the SW corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, where the wall is being prepped for a new mural by Thrive Collective's Marissa Molina — described as a "celebration of the neighborhood," per Jonathan Neville (below) of First Street Green Art Park.
He was joined by NYC-based artist OuterSource...
The wall previously featured the long-running "Alphabet City" mural, which lasted nearly 11 years before falling into disrepair and being relentlessly tagged. It was painted over last summer.
This one-story windowless structure — as mysterious as it is nondescript — is said to be used now by Astound Broadband, an American telecommunications holding company.
Noted
There weren't any reports of injuries.
Week in Grieview
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• Proletariat is closing for now on 7th Street (April 7)
• A Sunday shutter for Dim Sum Palace on 2nd Avenue (April 7)
• Another great song from Genre is Death (April 10)
• Veselka will once again be open around the clock on Fridays and Saturdays (April 9)
• Proletariat is closing for now on 7th Street (April 7)
• A Sunday shutter for Dim Sum Palace on 2nd Avenue (April 7)
• Another great song from Genre is Death (April 10)
And thank you to Pat Arnow for this photo — three ospreys perched above their nest across the river from East River Park's amphitheater (usually it's just one or two).
Participatory Budgeting vote underway in Council District 2
Through April 19, New Yorkers age 11 and up can vote — online or in person — on how city funding will be spent on local projects via City Councilmember Harvey Epstein's office.
In Council District 2, residents can vote on up to three of eight proposals. Projects focus on nonprofit organizations providing arts, culture, accessibility and ecology-focused programming.
Voting is available online at vote.pbnyc.org, at poll sites across the district, and at the temporary district office at 254 E. Fourth St. between Avenue B and Avenue C on weekdays from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.
Participating organizations on the ballot feature Pioneers Go East Collective, NYC H2O, Fourth Arts Block (FABnyc), Frigid NYC, Latinas on the Verge of Excellence, Chickenshed NYC, EVLovesNYC and NYC Belongs.
A view to a kill
In view is East River Park, currently getting gutted in what looks like a construction company parking lot. No grass. No trees. No life.
The latest in the Phase 2 construction, which began last September, required the closure of the northern section of East River Park — basically everything above Houston Street to 15th Street, including the three East Village access points over the FDR, track and field area, and the esplanade.
The timeline for completing this northern section of East River Park was pushed back by a year to the end of 2027, as we first reported here.
The "phased work operations" in East River Park started in November 2021 as part of a billion-plus-dollar East Side Coastal Resiliency project to elevate large sections of the Park by 8 to 10 feet above sea level, aiming to protect the neighborhood from future storm surges.
I was trying to find a pre-construction photo to compare the views... instead, here's a look from 1937 at what would be the FDR Drive and East River Park... before the arrival of the FDR (final section from 14th to 42nd completed in 1966) and Park (opened 1939).
We lost many good slaughterhouses.
Saturday, April 11, 2026
Saturday's parting shots
Photos by Stacie Joy
Spring Saturday street scenes from Avenue B (above) and Seventh Street...
... and Santo over on Ninth Street...
Streeeeeeet fair!
And it's better than the usual beard oil, perfume ("$30 and up") and Jimi Hendrix tapestry banners (though all that is available).
At the opening night of 'Arturo Vega: the merch master'
By Stacie Joy
A crowd gathered last evening at Howl! Happening for the opening of "Arturo Vega: the merch master," a new exhibit exploring the work and legacy of the Ramones' longtime visual architect.
Many familiar faces were taking in the show, including Dany Johnson and Scooter LaForge...
The show focuses on Vega's role in shaping the band's identity — from the now-iconic logo to a wide range of merchandise drawn from his personal archive.
Vega, who died in 2013, lived nearby on Second Street for years.
The exhibit runs through May 24 at Howl! Happening, 6 E. First St. Hours: Wednesday-Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Here's a look...
And no, these items are not for sale... but you can buy two Vega T-shirts.
Today (April 11) at 5 p.m., Sandra Schulman gives a talk about Vega and the "logo heard around the world."
Saturday's opening shot
Photo by Stacie Joy
In yet another sign of spring (here, here and here), the Knicks-adorned King Geronimo and Queen Loca were back last night at their usual spot along Avenue A after a winter break. (We last saw them on New Year's Eve.)
You can usually find the unofficial nightlife ambassadors putting on a flag-waving dance showcase here on Friday and Saturday evenings.
And Let's Go Knicks!
Friday, April 10, 2026
Friday's parting shot
Photo by Derek Berg
Worst-ever "Marty Supreme" reenactment... as seen late this afternoon in Tompkins Square Park...
'Red' alert
We have another new video from EVG faves Genre is Death ... a track from their forthcoming full-length debut on In the Red Records, set for May 1.
Check out "In the Red" above.
The noise-no wave duo of Taylor and Ty will have an album release show on May 3 at Madame X on West Houston Street.
Progress report
Thursday, April 9, 2026
Thursday's parting shot
The 'merch' world of Arturo Vega and the Ramones
Per the show description: "This is Ramones-centric, showcasing the incredible range of items designed by, or licensed by Arturo and exclusively from Arturo's collections and archive." 
To attend the Friday evening opening, you need to RSVP (due to demand) here.
On Saturday at 5 p.m., Sandra Schulman gives a talk about Vega and the "logo heard around the world."
Vega died in 2013 at age 65. He lived for years around the corner on Second Street.
The exhibit is up through May 24 at Howl! Happening, 6 E. First St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.
Hours: Wednesday-Sunday from noon to 6 p.m.
Images via Howl! Happening
Veselka will once again be open around the clock on Friday and Saturdays
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
It's official — Veselka is returning to an overnight schedule on weekends at Second Avenue and Ninth Street.
Starting April 17, the East Village mainstay will be open around the clock again, starting with just Fridays and Saturdays for now.
Before the pandemic, Veselka served customers 24/7 for nearly 30 years. When indoor dining resumed, the restaurant scaled back hours, with Birchard previously citing staffing challenges for all the shifts.
Owner Jason Birchard (above) shared the news with us yesterday.
Now, overnight service is making a comeback — at least at the Second Avenue location (not Brooklyn) — as staffing continues to come together.
So what is the power order during those late-night hours?
"Fried pierogies, borscht, potato pancakes — good starters," Birchard said.
Birchard will be on hand for the reopening night, along with VP of Operations Vitalii Desiatnychenko, a featured staff member whose journey we followed in the "Veselka: The Rainbow on the Corner at the Center of the World" documentary.
Now, late-night pierogies and early-morning borscht are back on the schedule, at least for part of the week.
A look at Cô Lạc, now open at 234 E. Fourth St.
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Cô Lạc recently debuted at 234 E. Fourth St., between Avenue A and Avenue B, following a "super soft opening."
Owner-chef Helen Nguyen (also of Saigon Social) has rebranded the restaurant, opting not to continue under the former tenant's name, Van Đa.
Instead, she chose Cô Lạc in honor of her mother.
In Vietnamese, "Cô" means auntie, and Lac is her mother's name — a familiar figure to many of Nguyen's friends growing up.
Nguyen said she initially planned to build on what her friend Yen created with Van Đa, but ultimately wanted something more personal.
The new menu reflects that shift, drawing on family recipes and dishes tied to her childhood.
Cô Lạc is open Tuesday through Saturday, 5 to 10 p.m.
Earlier this year, we stopped by as Nguyen was hosting a friends-and-family dinner... we got a look at the back and front of the house...
Signs of the times (and more signs) at 9 Bleecker
The new landlord has taken notice, posting warnings against posting — along with a few other messages, including: "I have an owner who loves me very much!" and "I'm a HISTORICAL building, NOT your CANVAS!"
As usual, the notices haven't slowed the layering of wheatpaste. (Do people really stop and read these before slapping up ads for Hello whipped toothpaste?)
An undisclosed buyer purchased the historic building just west of the Bowery last summer for $5.7 million. So far, there are no permits on file with the Department of Buildings for any renovations.
The address has a long history — most notably as the 41-year home of the Yippies, founded by Abbie Hoffman and Paul Krassner. The space closed in 2014 after a lengthy legal battle.
A lot has passed through those doors — and across those walls.
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