An assortment of masks on East Village streets

A roundup of face masks — homemade (from a bra, as seen in the last photo) or store-bought — spotted on East Village streets by Derek Berg in recent days...



























On April 2, Mayor de Blasio urged New Yorkers to wear face coverings, such as cloth masks or bandanas, when going out in public to help slow the spread of COVID-19.

A list of East Village crowdfunding campaigns

In recent weeks, many East Village merchants — or their patrons — have established GoFundMe pages to help them stay in business or compensate employees during the COVID-19 crisis.

What follows is an alphabetical list of the crowdfunding campaigns that we've received. Let us know in either the comments or via email of other East Village businesses who are crowdsourcing right now...

• Ace Bar

• Amor Y Amargo; Honeybee's and Mother of Pearl

• Anyway Cafe

• Avant Garden

• B&H Dairy Cafe

• Barcade St. Mark's

• Beauty Bar

• Bibi Wine Bar

• Big Bar

• Bite

• Black & White

• Boilermaker

• Bowery Ballroom/Mercury Lounge

• Brindle Room

• Butter Lane Cupcakes

• C&B Cafe

• Cafe Mogador

• Cooper Still

• dba

• Dlala Salon

• Death & Co.

• Double Down Saloon

• Dream Baby Dream

• Factory Tamal

• Gem Spa

• Gnocco

• Gray Mare

• Holiday Cocktail Lounge

• The Izakaya NYC

• Jane's Exchange

• Jeepney

• Josie’s, Mona's and Sophie’s

• KGB Bar

• Kafana

• Khiladi (The Indian restaurant on 11th and B is collecting money to deliver meals to hospital workers.)

• La Sirena Mexican folk art

• Lavagna

• The Library

• Limited to One Records (via Patreon)

• Lucien

• Lucky

• Maiden Lane

• Mary O's

• Mimi Cheng's (specifically for their Dumpling for Doctors plan)

• Mochii

• Niagara, Lovers Of Today, Tompkins Square bar, Cabin Down Below

• Nomad

• Nowhere Bar

• Nublu

• Otto's Shrunken Head

• Pangea

• Paradise Hospitality (the parent company of East Village bars Boulton & Watt, Drexler's, Mister Paradise, Paper Daisy)

• Parkside Lounge

• The Phoenix

• Pink Olive

• Pinks

• Planet Rose

• Porsena

• Raclette

• The Roost

• 787 Coffee

• The Roost

• Sake Bar Satsko

• Scratcher

• Shampoo

• Sing Sing Avenue A

• SOMA Cakes (for hospital workers)

• Spiegel

• Standings

• Superiority Burger

• Swift Hibernian Lounge

• 2A/Treehouse ... as well as Berlin Under A

• Takahachi

• Think Coffee

• Third Rail Coffee

• Three Jewels

• TIC Restaurant Group (includes Sobaya, Rai Rai Ken, Hi-Collar, Sakagura, Decibel, Curry-Ya, Otafuku, Shabu Tatsu, Hasaki, and Cha An)

• Tile Bar (along with Magician)

• Tompkins Square Bagels (All donations to this fund will be used to support the hospitals, first responders and homeless shelters in New York.)

• Tuome

• Turntable Lab

• Village Square Pizza

• The Wayland (plus Goodnight Sonny, The Wild Son and Lost Lady)

Another look at the COVID-19 memorial on Avenue A and 10th Street

There are new additions to the memorial on the southeast corner of Avenue A and 10th Street that arrived on March 26 (first reported here).

It was originally erected in honor of Edd Conboy, a licensed therapist and director of social services at Broad Street Ministry in Philadelphia, who died on March 20 of a stroke. He was 69. His brother Jim, an East Village artist, created this as his family was unable to hold a funeral in the midst of the COVID-19 outbreak.

As noted, the memorial has continued to evolve... people adding flowers and tallying up the deaths due to COVID-19... and sharing some conspiracy theories related to 5G... (these photos are from Saturday)...







Jim Conboy created the styrofoam sculpture, titled "Transfiguration." A handwritten message on the mirror still reads: "U are not alone, We all reflect your spirit."

The Post picked up our original story in the print edition yesterday.

EVG Etc.: tracking COVID-19 cases by zip code; remembering Little Italy butcher Moe Albanese

[At Sake Bar Satsko via Andrew Adam Newman]

• New data shows that Hispanic and black New Yorkers are dying from COVID-19 at higher rates than other racial groups (Gothamist ... the City)

• ProPublica, the nonprofit newsroom, has a coronavirus tracker that compares positive cases in the city by zip code. As of April 10, 348 of the 782 people tested in the 10009 zip code have had a positive result, which is 44 percent less than the NYC average. Find the tracker here.

• City Hall's COVID-19 budget adjustments (NY Post ... Streetsblog)

• RIP legendary Little Italy butcher Moe Albanese (Eater)

• Elizabeth Blackwell, NYC's first female medical doctor — not to mention the first woman to practice medicine in the entire country — opened her clinic in this neighborhood (Ephemeral New York)

• Rev. Dr. Jacqueline Lewis, senior minister at Middle Collegiate Church on Second Avenue, talks about the meaning of Easter this year (WNYC)

• A tour of what's still open in Chinatown (Eater)

• How Christo and Amelia are faring this week (Laura Goggin Photography)

• 12 classic books about the East Village and Greenwich Village (Off the Grid) Looking for a book? You can still order online at Third Street's Book Club (Official site)

• Classic Stage Company on 13th Street has moved its Classic Conversations Series online (Official site)

• "Never Rarely Sometimes Always," which some critics are calling the best film of the year, had an abbreviated run at the Angelika. It's now available to stream. (Reviews: Artforum... AV Club)

• About East Village-based musician and bar owner Jesse Malin's new live YouTube show (B&B)

• Actress Julia Fox, an East Village resident, on what movies she's rewatching from home (Vulture)

• Diversions: "Twin Peaks" turned 30 this week (SYFY Wire... Newsweek ... The New York Times)

... and via the 9th Precinct...

While you were stay(ing)-at-home, these nearly 900 glassines packed with heroin were bound for our #EastVillage streets. Luckily they never made it!—thanks to the sharp eyes 👀 of our Field Intelligence Sergeant and Anti-Crime Team. #NYPDProtecting pic.twitter.com/xbUu25ipfW

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) April 10, 2020

City locks up basketball courts, exercise bars in Tompkins Square Park

[Photo yesterday by Steven]

The city locked up the basketball courts yesterday in Tompkins Square Park in a move to prevent people from using the pull-up bars, parallel bars and other equipment in the fitness area.

This comes after the city removed the hoops from the backboards, closed the playgrounds, shut down the dog run and sealed up the handball courts.

With each day, some residents wonder when the entire Park will be locked up for use during the CONVID-19 crisis.

East Village Neighbors lend helping hands to Vision Urbana to assist local residents in need

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

In response to the COVID-19 crisis, newly formed mutual aid group East Village Neighbors, in conjunction with Invisible Hands, teamed up to help deliver food to East Village and Lower East Side seniors and low-income residents through Vision Urbana’s food pantry initiative.

I tagged along recently as a dozen volunteers arrived at the makeshift command center in Seward Park to help Vision Urbana’s director, Eric Diaz, get food to 150 families and individuals.



















This is only one of ways that East Village Neighbors has been helping out in recent weeks, a list that includes assistance with shopping, deliveries, and/or matching those in need with services and goods available via other resources.

"This effort is as much about our volunteers as it is about who we are helping," longtime resident and East Village Neighbors founder Diane Hatz told me. "We’re in uncharted times right now, and no one knows what the aftereffects of the daily anxiety and isolation gripping so many of us will be, so I thought bringing the community together might help in more ways than one."

Interested in helping out? Volunteers can sign up via this form.

If you need assistance, you can fill out this help-request form, email EastVillageNeighbors@gmail.com or call 917-994-1074.

You can learn more about — and support — Vision Urbana at this link.



Previously on EV Grieve:
East Village Neighbors here to help during the coronavirus outbreak

Handball courts now locked up in Tompkins Square Park

Following the closure of the playgrounds and dog runs as well as the removal of the hoops on the basketball courts ... officials have now locked up the handball courts in Tompkins Square Park in an effort to curb possible overcrowding.

Several residents have wondered if (or when) the entire Park will be locked up for the duration of the COVID-19 crisis.

Thanks to Eden for the photo!

Tuesday's parting Instagram clip

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Steven Fabian (@stevenfabiantv) on Apr 7, 2020 at 4:39pm PDT

A serene East Village rooftop scene late this afternoon featuring a boy, his bike and a dog... thanks to Steven Fabian for this!

Noted

Someone spraypainted this message overnight on the Con Ed substation along Avenue A.

There were reactions to it on Twitter...

If Joker was in a pandemic https://t.co/G2eExCsMua

— John-Michael Jalonen (@John_Mike_) April 7, 2020

Everybody wants to be FDR https://t.co/ahkxqqoXrL

— southpaw (@nycsouthpaw) April 7, 2020

this is sort of what Cuomo was saying for a while early on, then he stopped https://t.co/J5R4o7gCoe

— Ben Max (@TweetBenMax) April 7, 2020

I don’t know, i don’t think No Fear’s rebrand is going to work https://t.co/UPgXwP6o9H

— Chris (@ThunderPittRoad) April 7, 2020

The Tompkins Square Park dog run is now closed

In an effort to combat against potentially overcrowded spaces, the Parks Department yesterday shut down dog runs citywide, including in Tompkins Square Park.

The dog runs will be closed until further notice. Per the Parks Department: "Our parks remain open to dogs and pet owners to get fresh air and exercise; however, dogs must be kept on a leash according to park rules, and dog owners must keep social distance."

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos at 1 p.m., a few hours after the order was put into effect...







The closure of the dog runs comes on the heels last week of playgrounds shutting down.

Mystery of the Anti-COVID-19 volunteer drone task force

There's some mystery surrounding the drone that was spotted flying over East River Park yesterday telling people to maintain social distance.

CBS News posted a video of the drone, which played the following message over loudspeakers: "This is the Anti-COVID-19 volunteer drone task force. Please maintain a social distance of at least six feet. Again, please maintain social distancing."

Some people thought the voice sounded familiar...

Life immitating "Robocop". https://t.co/RM6ja5SJCI

— Paul Lidicul (@PaulLidicul) April 6, 2020

An NYPD official said that it was not behind the drone. The FAA is reportedly investigating, per The Hill.



H/T Edmund John Dunn!

Edge of Tomorrow

Bayou shares this photo from the front window at Whiskers Holistic Pet Care, 235 E. Ninth St. at Second Avenue... featuring the words to "Tomorrow" from "Annie."

NY PAUSE extended through April 29

New York on PAUSE is extended through April 29.

Schools and non-essential businesses will remain closed.

Public health is our first concern.

— Andrew Cuomo (@NYGovCuomo) April 6, 2020

In case you missed the announcement today — Gov. Cuomo has extended the NY PAUSE order through April 29, meaning that all non-essential businesses will be closed for another month. The restrictions went into effect on March 22.

RIP Edgar Artur Cajamarca

Sad news from Miss Lily's 7A on the corner of Seventh Street and Avenue A. Edgar Artur Cajamarca, who worked in the kitchen as a prep cook, died on March 24 due to complications from COVID-19. He was 46.

Here's more via an email from the Miss Lily's team (thank you to the readers who shared this):

We are very sad to announce the passing of our colleague and friend Edgar Artur Cajamarca...

Born in Ecuador on April 23, 1973, Edgar moved to New York in 2000. He joined Miss Lily’s in June 2016 as a delivery man at the Houston St. location before moving over to Miss Lily's 7A where he worked first as a dishwasher and then was promoted to prep chef.

A humble, hard working, much loved member of the kitchen crew, he was always a great team player. Edgar’s first love centered around his family. He was a devoted father and son. He was also an avid Barcelona FC fan and well known for his notable commitment to riding his bicycle to and from work to his home in Brooklyn, no matter what the weather.

Edgar is survived by his children Johanna, Paul and Christian, the children’s mother Maria, and his mother Maria Chunchi.

Edgar was working on building a house for his mother in Ecuador and if we could raise the $10k to fund its completion that would be incredible. Most of our team have already contributed and with only a few thousand dollars to go we are reaching out to our community to see if we can reach the goal. Every dollar donated would go directly to completing his mother's house ...

Please take care and be safe.

To date, they've nearly doubled their $10,000 fundraising goal.

Miss Lily's 7A Cafe closed for service on March 15 for the duration of the health crisis.

Mudspot Café closes for the week

[Photo today by MP]

Mudspot Café has announced that it's closing for the week here on Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. Aside from coffee, Mudspot had been selling a variety of pastries, grocery items as well as beer and wine in recent weeks.

Here's part of their message via Instagram:

Dear mudpeople,

we are taking a breath and closing for what is expected to be a pretty tough week in nyc. we aim to re-open monday 4/13.

thank you to our amazing staff for their unmatched endurance and beautiful souls. and thank you to all the health care and essential workers on the frontlines, who don’t have the luxury of staying home this week.

we all owe you a debt of gratitude...

Meanwhile, their online shop will continue to ship coffee.

A webinar for East Village small business owners

From the EVG inbox via the East Village Independent Merchants Association...

The programs and initiatives in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security (CARES) Act that was just passed by Congress are intended to assist business owners their immediate needs. These programs are beginning to come online each day. As of today, applications for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) are live.

We know that applying to these programs can be complex and often raise more questions than answers. To that end we are hosting an in-depth legal webinar with the generous support of Freshfields Bruckhaus Deringer in partnership with Community Board 3. After a guided how-to of the PPP application process, the Freshfields team will be available to answer questions.

The webinar for East Village small business owners is tomorrow (Monday, April 6) at 1 p.m. You can register and find more details via this link.

Last day for Two Boots for the next few weeks

Two Boots Pizza on Avenue A and Third Street is taking a break after service today.

The longtime pizzeria hopes to return the week of April 20. Here's more via Instagram...

View this post on Instagram

We are AMAZED at the support we have received, not just during this unprecedented time in our history, but for the past 33 years. We will see you sooner rather than later ... #weareinthistogether #twobootspizza #nyceats #veganeats #itsnotgoodbyeitsseeyoulater #pizza #nycpizza #pizzalovers #pizzalove #nycfood #nycrestaurant #nyc

A post shared by Two Boots Pizza (@twobootspizza) on Apr 4, 2020 at 1:56pm PDT

Another 'Star Spangled' cheer for health-care workers on 7th Street

Once again tonight, the #ClapBecauseWeCare cheer for health-care workers and first responders featured an electrified "Star Spangled Banner" here on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

And there were two special guests: two off-duty ER doctors from Albert Einstein College of Medicine in the Bronx who drove up via a police escort. (They had seen the previous night's video.)

Alice Owen and Randi Himelfarb shot these videos...

Village Farm Grocery has closed for now on 2nd Avenue

The corner market on the northeast corner of Second Avenue and Ninth Street closed yesterday...



This after reducing hours in recent days. As EVG correspondent Steven noted, Village Farm Grocery remained open even after the blackout and Superstorm Sandy... and they are the latest neighborhood deli to close during the COVID-19 crisis.

Meanwhile, several blocks to the south on Second Avenue... East Village Farm and Grocery at Fourth Street is open — but only for deliveries... no customers permitted inside...

Friday's parting shot

Outside Forbidden Planet on Broadway today... photo by Derek Berg...