A visit to Ella Funt on 4th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Ella Funt debuted in late May at 78-80 E. Fourth St., just west of Second Avenue.

The stylish restaurant takes its name from drag artist Ella Funt, back when the legendary Club 82 was the place to be seen in the basement of this address. (One of the performers from that era has been involved with planning the new cabaret — more on that in a moment.) 

On a recent evening, I met co-owner Harry Nicolaou, whose family operates the classic Cinema Village on 12th Street between University and Fifth Avenue...

The staff was prepping for this evening's dinner service...

Marcus Jahmal painted the mural along the western wall in the dining room...

The most popular entree has been the whole fish (here was Dorado, but subject to change) with green-curry reduction and greens ...

... another in-demand dish has been the raviolo with spinach and ricotta, garlic scapes and confit egg yolk ...

The well-appointed space filled up quickly with an upbeat crowd...

Management appreciates the space's history and is creating a cabaret-theater in the basement that pays homage to the original Club 82. (We hope to have images of the space and info on the plans later in the summer as it's still under construction downstairs.)

The cabaret will be a nice addition to this Fourth Street corridor, which includes La Mama Experimental Theatre Club, the Duo Multicultural Arts Center, the Kraine Theater and the New York Theatre Workshop. 

And from my personal collection... a postcard from the original Club 82...

Ella Funt is open Tuesday through Saturday from 5:30 p.m. to 1 a.m. Find more info here. And if you're on Instagram, you can follow their account here.

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Given that the owners are so keen on the history of the address... here's a little more about it...

In the early 1970s, Club 82 became a rock club featuring the New York Dolls, Teenage Lust, Suicide and Another Pretty Face.

The subsequent iterations of the space included a movie theater and an all-male strip club. Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones tried to make a go of it as a music club again in 1990 with Woody's. The basement space reopened as the Bijou Cinema around 1992, per Cinema Treasures, operating in different capacities until 2018. 

Stillwater Bar & Grill was a ground-floor tenant, shutting down in the spring of 2019 after 15 years in service.

A visit to a Ketamine-assisted therapy practitioner

Photos and text by Stacie Joy

I’ve started to notice Ketamine therapy signs popping up around the neighborhood, but I don’t really know much about the medication.

East Village resident and Ketamine-assisted therapy mental health counselor Jill M. Twohig, who practices out of an office on Second Street near Avenue B, agreed to talk to me about the treatment, its use, and its efficacy, and why people may choose this form of therapy. 

For those unfamiliar with Ketamine and Ketamine therapy, can you walk us through the process? What is the medication, how is it administered (injection, lozenge, pill – something else entirely?), and what is it used to treat? 

Ketamine can be administered through intramuscular injection, IV [intravenous], or a sublingual lozenge. The former two methods have been used in major hospitals and clinics under the supervision of an NP [nurse practitioner], while my practice uses a self-administered lozenge. 

Ketamine has been clinically significant as highly effective in reducing and eliminating symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD [posttraumatic stress disorder], OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder], and alcohol dependence (which is a symptom of trauma). 

As a therapist, I meet with the individual for a session or two in order to get a sense of therapeutic goals and prepare them for the medication’s effects. Then, a Ketamine-dosing session would start with my leading a guided meditation to assist with transitioning into a non-ordinary state of consciousness while the patient is lying down wearing eyeshades and ambient music playing.

A “sitter” is required to be physically present to provide anything the patient might need during the dosing period; the role is the therapist is to remain present and then provide integration during and after the session. This process typically lasts around two hours. Then, within a 48-hour period, we would meet to have a regular 50-minute talk therapy or integration session. 

It’s an FDA-approved drug, but you mentioned insurance doesn’t cover the cost of it for off-label use.  How does the application process to get a prescription work, and what is your role in guiding patients through the process? Is it a one-time use, a series of treatments, or an ongoing usage? 

Ketamine was initially developed in the 1960s as a field anesthetic for soldiers during the Vietnam War. It has continued to be prescribed in operating rooms, in prescription form for humans, and in veterinary settings. Ketamine gained popularity as a club drug due to the hallucinogenic and euphoric properties accompanying the medication; the reputation as a horse tranquilizer came about as it was easier to steal from veterinary clinics than pharmacies. 

For those interested in using Ketamine to treat mental health concerns, they first need to consult with a prescriber, like a psychiatrist or NP. It is not usually prescribed as a front-line medication; individuals would have to have trials of traditional SSRIs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors] or other medications before Ketamine is considered. 

The recommended number of KAP, or Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy dosing sessions, is between 6-12, starting at a low dose and then increasing to help the patient gradually become comfortable with the effects. People have reported feeling relief from symptoms after the initial dose, although this is different for everyone.

What are the effects of Ketamine, and how does it make you feel? How long does the experience last? 

The effects of Ketamine vary, depending on the individual. Timothy Leary coined the term “set and setting,” which refers to the mindset and context when taking a psychedelic, so it is important to go into the experience feeling comfortable and supported. 

Depending on how the medicine is administered and the amount, the effects can be felt quickly or take up to 20 minutes. People report feelings of euphoria, dissociation, and peacefulness; side effects can include dizziness and nausea, so an antinausea medication is usually prescribed to take along with the Ketamine dose. 

The acute effects last for about 30-60 minutes. However, the real success of Ketamine comes from long-lasting and permanent reduction and loss of symptoms from depression, PTSD, OCD, and substance use. 

You practice from an office on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. Are you mostly seeing local clients and patients? Do you also practice over Zoom or telehealth? Who is a typical client if such a thing exists? 

I see people in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and over Zoom on Fridays and Saturdays. The people who tend to seek me out are adults who identify with a segment of the counterculture, including nontraditional sexual/gender expression, sex workers and people in poly relationship structures, the LGBTQIA+ community, artists and performers. I also work well with those who ascribe to a more vanilla lifestyle. 

How did you become involved in this treatment modality? You mentioned your tagline was Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’roll Therapy. Can you speak more about that? 

I had been reading about the psychedelic renaissance in mental health treatment over the past several years, and it particularly sparked my interest when attending an online conference on trauma in 2020. Major leaders in the field of PTSD treatment and research were present, and they were speaking about the overwhelming efficacy of Ketamine, MDMA, and psychedelics in not only treating but also actually healing the effects of trauma. 

In 2021, I was recruited by a start-up company offering online KAP to become a founding therapist and completed specialized training in the modality. 

The “Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll Therapy” tagline was coined by my boyfriend [local cartoonist Dave McKenna, who also designed her business card] when he pointed out that I specialized in sex and drugs in my therapeutic practice and also that I DJ! Regarding my therapeutic approach, I recognize and honor the difficulties, misunderstandings, and stigma attached to discussing sex and substance use, even within a therapeutic setting. 

I see a lot of judgment among mental health providers around substance use and addiction as a disease that can only be cured through abstinence and traditional 12-step and rehabilitation programs rather than as a response to trauma and a way to manage anxiety, depression, and complexities of systematic oppression, to name a few contexts. 

My approach is to uncover, understand and focus on the reason behind substance use and meet the individual where they are, either using a harm-reduction approach or 12-step, whatever works for them. In addition, I also like to incorporate music therapy in treatment. 

A visit with Chris Santana, the bookseller of Astor Place

Photos and text by Stacie Joy 

When we last checked in with Chris Santana, the bookseller of Astor Place had just released a rousing Christmas song. 

It's unseasonably cold out the next time we see him. 

"I set up the stand when it's 45 degrees or above and the wind isn't whipping," he says.

He has been at it now for two years at the start of this spring here on the corner of Third Avenue and Astor Place underneath the sidewalk bridge of Cooper Union's Foundation Building. 

"Cooper Union has been nice about it, and as you know, my First Amendment rights include selling literature or art without the need of a license," Santana says. "The hardest part of the whole gig is going all over the city digging for books, although there's a certain thrill involved. But the main thrill is making people happy when they get a book that we both think they'll really dig."

There's one constant at his stand. 

"I have an ongoing hand in the dissemination of The Urantia Book, and I’ve been at it for 40 years," he says. "It's a very challenging book, and it takes a degree of cool along with enthusiasm to introduce it. The last thing I want to do is come off as proselytizing when it comes to such an important book, and the bookstand has proven the best way I’ve found to introduce as casually as whoever is interested allows."

He also has a copy of his book, "The Drunken Tourist" ...

Santana has no set schedule for the corner nor a social media account with any updates.

Regardless, he's always a welcome presence. "See ya 'round campus," he says.

A quick visit to Butterdose, now open on 13th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

We've heard good things about Butterdose, a family-owned bakery-cafe that opened earlier this fall at 236 E. 13th St. between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the space the other day... and checked out the variety of cream puffs, egg tarts and muffins... not to mention various coffee drinks and teas...

The shop is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m. You can follow them on Instagram here.

A visit with Moxie, a nearly 8-year-old East Village photographer with an eye for nature

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

I recently walked around the neighborhood with East Village artist and fellow photographer Moxie.

She carefully loads her pink Instax mini instant camera and cheerfully informs me she’s in second grade and is 7-and-a-half years old. She said that she likes to photograph nature. So our walk included a visit to La Plaza Cultural community garden on Ninth Street and Avenue C, where Moxie was inspired by some koi fish, birds and squirrels.

We then walked over to Tompkins Square Park for some candid dog photos and posed (people) portraits.

When we run out of time (and are getting low on film), Moxie shows me the images she’s shot.

We wrapped up by talking about her history with the craft and her photo plans for the future.

“Well, I’ve been doing photography for about 2 years. I really wanted to try photography because I’ve been doing art my whole life. I love painting, making jewelry and crafting, so I thought it would be great to try photography. I like taking pictures of people and animals around the East Village. 

Sometimes I take pictures of flowers too. Taking pictures of people is interesting because people are interesting. I like to capture a moment of me and my friends together. I keep every photo that I take in my albums, even if they’re weird or silly. And I plan to keep taking photos. I want to try changing the colors on the lens, and someday I want to try other kinds of cameras.”

A visit to Azaleas, celebrating 20 years in the East Village

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

As I walk over to meet Azaleas NYC Lingerie & Swimwear shop owner Cindy Kahng, I remember the last time I saw the woman-owned and -operated boutique lingerie shop during a tense period in NYC’s pandemic history. 

It was June 2020 when stores were just reopening during Phase 1 of the PAUSE restrictions. 

I’m eager to see how Cindy is doing, how the shop at 140 Second Ave. is holding up, and to hear about the 20th-anniversary plans.

Congrats on the 20th anniversary! What are your plans to celebrate this milestone? 

Lingerie boutiques may be a destination store, but we try to cultivate the idea of Azaleas being your neighborhood boutique. Reflecting on the past 20 years, I know that I couldn’t have done it without the support of the community and the neighborhood. I’ve seen customers come in with baby strollers; their babies have grown and are shopping with us! 

We wanted to celebrate by celebrating the neighborhood and the community. We will be having an event [on Nov. 17] for this momentous occasion with a party at our neighboring Ukrainian East Village Restaurant. We hope to do more events with other neighborhood businesses or organizations in the upcoming months. 

How has it been keeping the shop going in recent pandemic years?

COVID was a huge test for my small business. Unfortunately, I had to shut down my second location in the West Village after four years. It was a difficult decision to make, and whilst that store was dear to me, I knew that the East Village was our home and where we wanted to remain. 

It was so nice to see our regulars come in post-vaccine and want to support us. In general, our dressing room serves almost like a therapy session, and it did even more so during the last two-and-a-half years. People needed connection and had lots of changes in their lives during those first two years and would occasionally have their hand held. 

There was a shift in customers’ needs during the pandemic; physical changes (covid weight), different work environments (WFH), and a desire for more comfort (loungewear). But this fall, it feels like people are finally returning to their daily lives and need basics for work and school. 

What would you tell people who may be intimidated by visiting a boutique lingerie store? 

Lingerie boutiques don’t have to be intimidating at all! Sure, we carry your special date-night items, but we also have your everyday cotton bra and undies. We try to make it feel like you’re shopping with your friends because shopping for innerwear is an intimate experience. 

Looking good also means feeling good so trust us to help you! If price is ever an issue, just tell your salesperson what your price range is — there’s never any shame in that! The salespeople know the product and can best steer you in the right direction.

Any plans for the next 20 years? 

Not sure yet, but we are planning on sticking around the neighborhood.

You can keep up with the shop on Instagram. Azaleas is at 140 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street.

A visit to Aliens of Brooklyn on 9th Street

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy

It’s 7 p.m., and I’m meeting Joseph Angel Tijerina, the artist/owner behind the Aliens of Brooklyn clothing and accessories brand, which recently opened its first storefront at 305 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, as he closes up for the day. 

It’s his birthday, but he’s agreed to chat with me about the history of the pop culture brand, his Mexican heritage, his ’90s-era Taco Bell inspiration, and his love of collabs with other brands — all before heading out to celebrate.

What is the origin of Aliens of Brooklyn? How did you arrive at the name, and what was the inspiration behind the brand? 

As a child of the ’90s, I recall watching the original “Ghostbusters” movie, going to my mother and telling her that I would live in New York City one day. And she then would shoot me down with a simple “No.” I would ask why, and she would say, “It’s too far and too big.” Plus, she’d miss me too much. But in my mind, all I did was dream big. 

I would later graduate from Wade College art school in Texas, and my mom would pass away from a heart attack. That was the catalyst that led me to move to New York. I had never even been to the city, just watched movies and dreamt about it.

Aliens Of Brooklyn came alive the moment I moved to Crown Heights in 2012. The culture, the vibe, the space where an artist could complete their puzzle of whatever it was that they couldn’t convey anywhere else. All my puzzle pieces were finally connecting. I was finally healing. 

The people in Brooklyn were so vibrant, and everyone dressed however they wanted. I never knew I could come to a place where trends were ever-changing and there felt like no rules. I think this is what they meant when they said to find your tribe. And I have no idea who “they” are. 

This brand is absolutely inspired by the people I’ve met and the ones I people-watch. I did Google to see if actual aliens were living in Brooklyn, and some articles popped up about sightings. I sort of knew this name was special, and so it stuck. 

It’s something about constantly feeling like an outsider and creating a world where everyone is actually invited to the party. Being in Texas was great, but I realized being in NYC was better. I could be OK with where I came from, who I’ve become, and who I was becoming. 

And although there is so much more to me than my race and sexual orientation, I absolutely embrace that I’m a Mexican American and an LGBTQIA+ brand. It makes me brave, and it might make people struggle to be brave too. I think the thing I’m really proud of is that I’m a Mexican who owns a successful business. I’ve always wished my mom could see me at this stage of my life because of how far I’ve come. I’d like to think that she’s around working through me somehow. 

You recently opened a shop in the East Village. How has a brick-and-mortar location differed from your pop-up and Artists & Fleas vending background? 

Well, the locals are this tight-knit community who basically have welcomed my brand with open arms, which is something I’ve always needed. We don’t always have to be pushed away. We can treat each other with respect and kindness. It shows with the East Village, and I was pleasantly surprised. I think they might recognize that I’ve come with an interesting point of view. And to me, art is exactly that. In my eyes, the East Village is always a place where the artists migrate, and I find that sacred and want to honor the history already created here. 

Pop-up markets can be really hard but also fulfilling once you hit your sweet spot of being satisfied with your brand, and it’s not always about the money. I think those are big lessons that many artists struggle with because what you love may not pay the rent at first, although it can. You just have to go back to the drawing board and problem solve for a bit. 

Doing markets for almost 10 years gives you a lot of experience. I’m so happy that the customers helped the brand become so successful by buying hats and beanies at our pop-ups. But having a hit item in markets doesn’t always translate to having a hit brick-and-mortar store. I am still learning, but with a store, I get to have a fully realized concept and aesthetic. I’m enjoying every moment of it.

Your Instagram teased the inspiration for your shop décor was ’90s Taco Bell. Has that come to fruition? 

[Laughs] A picture of Taco Bell in the 1990s was actually on my vision board for the store. I was inspired by the pastel motif, so I painted those exact colors on our walls. My brand is known for neon colors and tie-dye, but it is always evolving and ever-changing. 

I love the 1980s, 1990s and Y2K era. So, Taco Bell walls one day, and then we might be inspired by Blockbuster the following week. Who knows? I just know I’m going to try to make the customers smile and laugh when they walk by. 

You have done some collabs with other brands. Do you foresee future collaborations? And what’s next for the brand?

Collaborations are so fun and a lot of work as well. But it is great working with other small businesses or artists and cross-promoting your audiences. You gain all these wonderful people who only discovered you because of that collaboration.

I for sure can see myself doing many more collabs in the future. I will always pay it forward — some of my first gigs were popping up in front of another small business boutique and selling hats outside their front window on the sidewalk. 

I want to grow the business in a way that customers can customize anything they see in the store. Leonardo da Vinci said, “Art is never finished, only abandoned.” So, to me, that leaves space for all of us to make things happen. 

And there’s still so much art to be made and work to do. I can’t wait to see what happens next with the brand!

You can keep up with what’s happening with Joseph and the shop here.

Aliens of Brooklyn is open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m.