RIP Pilar Limosner

Several longtime East Village residents, all integral members of the local arts scene, recently died. We will honor them in the days ahead. 

Pilar Limosner, a decades-long East Village resident and fashion designer who made her mark in the neighborhood's vibrant 1980s art scene, died on June 2. According to her obituary, she died of cardiac arrest. She was 67. 

Here's more about her life: 

She shared a boutique named Batislavia on Avenue A with fellow fashion designer Carmel Johnson. It was there that Pilar launched several collections under her own label and the storefront became a popular hangout for many East Village artists. Pilar's clothes were also sold at Patricia Field's original 8th Street retail store. 

In addition to fashion design and construction (including millinery,) Pilar choreographed and performed in various rock venues and New York clubs (such as Danceteria) and even worked the front door of the famous club AREA where she was always memorably decked out in her own creations. Pilar was an active member of the neo-Dada Club 57 and receives mention in the MOMA retrospective catalogue (Club 57: Film, Performance, and Art in the East Village, 1978-1983) for her performance work there with the band Los Microwaves. 

Pilar's adventurous spirit is best exemplified by her enthusiastic membership in an informal East Village "arty" motorcycle club that was active in the 1980s. She was often seen astride her English-made "metal beast" fearlessly negotiating the mean streets of New York while fashionably dressed to the nines. 

A memorial will be held in her memory at a later date. You can find updates on @pilarlimosnernyc. 

Photo by Robert Carrithers

Celebrating the life of longtime community garden activist Clyde Romero

Clyde Romero, a longtime East Village resident and co-founder of the LES Ecology Center, passed away in January. 

This Wednesday evening, June 22, there's a memorial "to honor his life as an artist, community and environmental activist" at the LES Ecology Center, 213 E. Seventh St. between Avenue B and Avenue C, from 5-9 p.m. (Rain date is Thursday night.)

A memorial fund has also been established in honor of Romero, "who has been the driving force for designing and programming the garden over the last 30 years ... Help us honor his contributions and ensure the garden will flourish for many decades to come." 

Find the fund link here. 

Romero would have turned 85 on June 22.

Remembering Maximiliano Contreras at the Parkside Lounge

Photo by Stacie Joy 

There's a memorial at the Parkside Lounge in honor of Maximiliano Contreras, a bartender here who died in a fall at the Delancey-Essex station early Sunday morning. Contreras was 24. 

Parkside ownership said they are gutted by the loss. In an Instagram post, they described Contreras this way: "He was such a bright light, kind person and utterly unique." 

At the bar on Wednesday, staff and patrons shared remembrances, including how funny Contreras was with snappy lines, how he handled patrons at the bar (a friend to everyone) and how universally adored he was. 

Contreras, who lived in Ridgewood, was born in Mexico, where his family remains. His friends have launched a GoFundMe campaign to help his family pay for funeral expenses. 

According to published reports, Contreras died after hitting his head in a fall onto the J train tracks at 1:45 a.m. Sunday. Police believe he may have been drunk and lost his balance. 

"There are very few people I look forward to knowing the rest of my life, and he was one of them," his longtime friend Angus Baigrie told the Daily News. "He was incredibly funny. Just a gorgeous human being who had this hilariously acidic tongue that was rarely unkind."

Remembering Jose Fernandez

Photos by Stacie Joy

Friends came out today to pay their respects to longtime LES resident Jose "Joe" Hernandez, who died late last week. He had been hospitalized with liver disease. Hernandez was 71.

In recent months, Hernandez was among the handful of unhoused residents living in tents along Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C, a stretch of sidewalk that has been a frequent target of the Mayor's encampment sweeps. (This was at least the eighth time in recent months where the city conducted a sweep here.)

Hernandez, pictured above, told this to EVG contributor Stacie Joy in April:

I've been here for four months now. I am looking for a one-bedroom apartment for my wife and me. I'm retired now. I was a superintendent and building manager for buildings on the Lower East Side. When I was younger, I worked for the Board of Education on Eldridge Street and Forsyth. A friend of mine was sleeping here on Ninth Street, and he was leaving his tent, so I took it. I get a pension and Social Security. Being homeless is not easy, including with the police department. They are very rude. They want us out of here. My wife is Amalia Jordan; we're common law. She’s staying at Masaryk Towers. 

During the vigil today, the NYPD and other city agencies returned to this sidewalk space and tossed the belongings of the individuals here.

Here's more from 1010 WINS, in a bad-look story for the city administration, "Cops sweep East Village homeless encampment during vigil for dead resident."

Mourners, including residents, neighbors, activists and a reverend from the church across the street, were outraged that police had chosen to carry out the sweep during the vigil.

And... 

After police and sanitation workers had finished destroying the camp, the vigil continued as planned, though maybe tinged with more anger and bitterness than it otherwise would have been.

As 1010 WINS noted, "After getting robbed twice in city shelters, Hernandez decided he preferred to live on the streets — where he spent his final years as his health failed."

He lost all his clothes and stockpile of food during a sweep in March.

"The sanitation truck stands there, and they start throwing everything in the truck," he said. "I was living there… They throw all the stuff out, clothing. They were begging but they didn't care."

Hernandez's "loved ones remember him as a kind, gentle and loving person, who, despite having very little, took immense joy in giving."  

RIP Bobbie Hondo

Photos from October by Stacie Joy 

Bobbie Hondo, a regular in recent years on the downtown performance scene, died on May 31 in her native El Paso, Texas. She was 28. A cause of death was not revealed. 

Here's part of a feature obituary celebrating her life: 

Her independence, unmatched energy, beaming with life spirit and candor, embraced her community. She utilized her voice to provide the impulse, her experiences and determination to advocate for reframing the reality of the issues that impacted her community. Bobbie stood as a symbol of light, inspiration and strength for all humans, in a world conflicted to find equality, free of fear and shame.

Tributes to her on Instagram highlight her talent, creativity and kindness.  

You can read more about her life and some remembrances from friends and families here. 

Above photo: Hondo with her friend Lida Fox (left), vocalist-bassist of cumgirl8 during a show at the Knitting Factory last fall.

A memorial show in Tompkins Square Park for Al Landess

Today is the birthday of Al "Hammerbrain" Landess. He would have been 55 years old. 

The longtime local resident and veteran of the NYC hardcore scene died on Feb. 15 of cancer. 

There's a memorial show in his honor tomorrow (Saturday, May 14) starting at 2. Here's info via the EVG inbox... 

A veteran of Riot Days in and around Tompkins Square Park from 1988 to 1991, Al energetically played countless punk shows in the park with Hammerbrain and with Damned Kids, his stage presence always coming through. 

Join us as we present a memorial event in Tompkins Square Park to honor him, featuring friends and bands that knew and played with Al over the years. 

There will also be an open mic between acts, during which anyone who would like to say something about Al can share with us. 

Performers include: 

• HAMMERBRAIN 

• COFFIN DAGGERS 

• NOOGIE 

• DIYING BREED 

• SEWAGE NYC 

• SKITZOPOLIS 

There will also be a special appearance by the Lower East Side's own Fighting Radical Irish priest, Father Pat Maloney. 

This memorial is being brought to you by Ned (Hammerbrain + Damn Kids), Johnny Vee (Public Nuisance), the Coffin Daggers, Chris Flash (The SHADOW) and Al's longtime life partner Joannie.

Remembering Paul Adrian Davies

Longtime East Village resident Paul Adrian Davies died last month at age 69.

His friends and family are gathering early Tuesday evening (May 10) for a celebration of his life ... 5:45 p.m. in the Green Oasis Community Garden on Eighth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D.

Read more about Paul here.

[Updated] About Raife Milligan, the NYU student who police said was killed by a drunken driver on Houston Street

Raife Milligan was a junior studying BioChemistry at NYU with aspirations of becoming a doctor. 

On Monday, around 2:45 a.m., Milligan was crossing Houston Street at First Avenue when police said he was struck by a Chevy Camaro. Witnesses said the car was speeding. 

EMTs transported Milligan to Bellevue with severe head trauma. He died later this week. He was 21. 

Milligan was from Jasper, Ind., where a family friend has established a GoFundMe to help with expenses. 

From the fundraiser: 

He just loved life to the fullest always thinking of others first. While in New York he did volunteer work delivering food to the elderly. He loved playing video games ... He also had a huge passion for playing volleyball. He joined a club volleyball team at NYU and loved every single minute of it. He found a great group of friends when he first came to New York. They all loved hanging out by the Hudson River watching sunsets and throwing frisbee. He had a profound love for the Beatles and has acquired quite the collection of vinyl records. 

He loved his family with all his heart especially his twin, Reece, as well as his sister, Ryanne and brother Reid. His twin nieces, Coltrane and Era, adored their Uncle Raifey. 

Raife was one in a million. Brilliant beyond his years. Saying he will be missed is an understatement. He impacted so many lives in a positive way and will be greatly missed. 

According to the Daily News yesterday, police charged 49-year-old Queens resident Michael De Guzman (also spelled Deguzman in some media reports) with drunken driving and vehicular assault. Per the News: "He was released without bail after a brief arraignment proceeding. None of the charges were bail eligible, officials said." [Updated 5/7: The Post reports that De Guzman was "than 1.5 times over the legal blood-alcohol limit at the time of the crash." In addition: "De Guzman was charged with felony vehicular assault in the second degree and two counts of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated, according to the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. He was arraigned and granted supervised release at the request of prosecutors."

De Guzman was reportedly driving eastbound when he struck Milligan. De Guzman then collided with a Honda CRV driven by a 52-year-old man. De Guzman, two of his passengers, and the other driver were all taken to Bellevue Hospital in stable condition, per reports. 

Since December, the driver has reportedly received four camera-issued speeding tickets per a lookup of his license plate. [Updated 5/7: The Post reports "the vehicle also gathered 25 parking tickets, including one for blocking a crosswalk in Queens and another for violating a 'no standing except authorized vehicles' ordinance in Brooklyn."

As an EVG reader told us in our post on Monday: "The sound of the car speeding down Houston — rapidly upshifting through the gears — was so loud it woke me up." The reader then went to the intersection. "There were witnesses who were extremely upset — it was awful." 

Three New Yorkers, including 16-year-old Bronx resident Alissa Kolenovic, were killed by reckless drivers in the past week. As Gothamist reported, pedestrian deaths are up 44 percent in the first quarter of 2022 compared to last year. 

On Monday morning, Mayor Adams unveiled a new $4-million public education campaign, "Speeding Ruins Lives, Slow Down," which was panned by safe-street advocates and journalists.

Image via GoFundMe

RIP Howie Pyro

Image via @officialdgen 

Howie Pyro, the prolific musician, producer and DJ, died yesterday of complications from COVID-19-related pneumonia following a liver transplant and liver disease, according to published reports. He was 61.

Rolling Stone described the Queens native as "an integral yet unassuming fixture of New York's gritty punk scene in the Seventies and Eighties, part groundbreaking artist and part observer." 

Here's more from Rolling Stone's feature obituary: 

As leader of the scrappy band the Blessed — all of its members were underage — he played fearlessly in front of luminaries like Joey Ramone and Debbie Harry at CBGB and Max's Kansas City in the Seventies, befriending many future stars along the way... 

Born Howard Kusten on June 28, 1960, in Whitestone, Queens, he adopted the moniker Howie Pyro around the age of 15; it was the same time he relocated to New York’s epicenter of the punk movement, the Lower East Side. In 1977, Pyro formed the Blessed ... In the Eighties, he assembled the ahead-of-its-time grunge outfit the Freaks with his future wife Andrea Matthews; Pyro’s fellow Whitestone native Jesse Malin worked as the group's roadie. 

In 1991, Malin, Pyro, guitarist Danny Sage, drummer Michael Wildwood, and guitarist Richard Bacchus came together to form D Generation, an attitude-heavy Noo Yawk group that mixed Seventies punk with Eighties aggression. 

Malin, the East Village-based musician and bar owner, remembered his longtime friend and collaborator in an Instagram post last night: 

We made our world together. From Whitestone, Queens to Madison Square Garden and every crazy, dirty little place in between. I learned so much from him. He made this planet a much better, cooler, weirder, and more beautiful place. For decades he impacted so many different kinds of people and so many different scenes all over with his style, his taste, his music, his knowledge, his Art, his fashion, his attitude, his humor, his records, his movies, his bravery, his swagger, his smile, his heart, and his compassion.

There are numerous tributes to Pyro on Instagram, including...

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Pyro's family says donations can be made in his memory to the UCLA Division of Liver and Pancreas Transplantation.

RIP Paul Adrian Davies

Paul Adrian Davies, an East Village mainstay since his arrival in 1978, passed away on the weekend of April 15. He was 69.

Originally from Cardiff, Wales, the affable "self-taught photographer" lived on Seventh Street between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

Davies is known for documenting and publishing a book around Rolando Politi's installation of the Winter Flowers at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden on the SW corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street. In 2000, Politi began decorating the fence top with sculptures of flower-like whimsical (movable) assemblies created using packaging waste. 

Davies also captured East Village-based scenes from the COVID pandemic in a series of photographs titled "Six Feet Apart But Still Together," featured at the Tompkins Square Library branch. 

Here's described his approach to photography on his website: 

I am particularly drawn to the "street" in the widest context of that word. The "street" could be a temple in India, a marketplace in Mexico, a protest in Barcelona or the New York subway.

I like to observe the activities that take place in these settings and look closely at how people present themselves and interact with one another. I also enjoy the random events which happen in these environments and create unique moments and images. 

I am very interested in the dialogue which takes place on the "street" via graffiti, murals, scribblings, stickers and posters. I view this as a strong and important alternative to traditional communication channels such as print, television and even the internet. 

Friends are planning a celebration of his life next month. 

Updated:

The memorial is Tuesday, May 10 at 5:45 p.m. ... at the Green Oasis Community Garden on Eighth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D.

Remembering International Bar owner Molly Fitch

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Molly Fitch, a longtime East Village resident and the owner of International Bar, died on Dec. 12. She was 51. 

Yesterday, her many friends gathered at the bar at 102 First Ave. near Sixth Street to honor her memory.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there and shared these photos...

She is missed.

RIP Billy the Artist too.

RIP Nick Zedd

Nick Zedd, a longtime East Village resident who spearheaded the Cinema of Transgression film movement, died yesterday in Mexico City where he resided since 2011, according to his Instagram account. 

The artist and filmmaker, born James Harding, was 63. 

According to a recent GoFundMe campaign, he had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver, hepatitis C and cancer. 

Zedd spent his career on the fringe, directing no-budget films including "They Eat Scum" (1979), "The Bogus Man (1980)" and "Geek Maggot Bingo” (1983), and editing The Underground Film Bulletin from 1984 to 1990. In 2004, Zedd started making a TV series with his then-girlfriend, Reverend Jen, called "The Adventures of Electra Elf." 

Per a 2015 feature in Filmmaker Magazine:

Back in 1985, Zedd coined the term the “Cinema of Transgression” to describe the campy movies full of shocking sex and violence that he and other artists like Lydia Lunch, Richard Kern, and Kembra Pfahler were making on the Lower East Side. They were scrappy movies shot on 16mm often with pornographic punchlines.

Among the social media tributes...

R.I.P. Nick Zedd, the NYC underground filmmaker who coined the "Cinema of Transgression" movement. pic.twitter.com/FxsqQLPsQk

— Film at Lincoln Center (@FilmLinc) February 27, 2022

Farewell to American filmmaker Nick Zedd (1958-2022), who spearheaded the 'Cinema of Transgression' movement in the 1980s, edited the Underground Film Bulletin and joined the dots between Kembra Pfahler, Richard Kern, Tessa Hughes Freeland, Lung Leg and Lydia Lunch. pic.twitter.com/OveAVS3Jbh

— Robin Rimbaud - Scanner (@robinrimbaud) February 27, 2022

Extremely sad to hear of Nick Zedd's passing. The real deal. His work (along with Kern, Lunch, Wojnarowicz, Dick, etc) is a necessary station for anyone with even half an interest in what lies beyond the gated enclaves of boundaried taste. A mad genius of the cinema.

— thee deklane (@theedeklan) February 27, 2022

RIP Nick Zedd, one of the realest to ever do it. Watched all his films (and public access work 🙃) in a 24hr period a few months back and permanently broke my brain in the process. Max respect to a true underground king! pic.twitter.com/QSmGGF3pi9

— ᘻᓰᖽᐸᘿ 𝔹 (@_RareArt) February 27, 2022

Zedd is survived by his partner of 15 years, Monica Casanova, his son Zerak and step-daughter Amanita Funaro. 

You can read an EVG interview with Zedd from 2013 before a retrospective at the New Museum right here.

RIP Al Landess

Al Landess, a longtime local resident and veteran of the NYC hardcore scene, died on Feb. 15 of cancer. He was 54. 

Landess — aka Al Hammerbrain — was the frontman, guitarist and songwriter of Hammerbrain (later Damn Kids). He also worked for years at Benny's Burrito's on Avenue A and Sixth Street until it closed. He later managed Kelly's Sports Bar on Avenue A. 

You also likely saw him playing at or attending one of the free shows in Tompkins Square Park through the years ... or walking with his partner Joanie and their huskie Augustus. 

Friends and family started a fundraiser. Here's more via GoFundMe: 

When Al passed away this week after months of battling cancer, his beloved longtime partner, Joanie Koveleskie was by his side, and now she needs our help. All donations will go directly to Joanie to cover funeral expenses, medical and household bills, and to provide her some relief and room to grieve during this devastating time. 

The East Village will never be the same without Al's presence. He will be missed as much as he was loved. 

Friends are planning a memorial in his honor this spring at Otto's Shrunken Head. More details on that when they are available. 

Image via GoFundMe

RIP Hanne 'H7L' Lauridsen.

Photos by Stacie Joy from 2014 

Longtime East Village-based multimedia artist Hanne Lauridsen died Sunday at age 84. 

A friend said that the Danish-born Lauridsen, also known as Hanne H7L, "peacefully passed away in her home on East 11th Street, cared for by loving neighbors and surrounded by her art." (A cause of death was not revealed.)

Even if you didn't know Lauridsen, you likely saw one of her art cars parked on the street...

... or cross-country skiing in one of her leopard outfits whenever there was a snow cover on the streets. (She was immortalized in The New York Times one snowy day outside Tompkins Square Park here.) 

This bio outlines her expansive career that saw her exhibit in galleries in the United States and Europe.

We'll update this post if there's information about a celebration of her life.

RIP David Simon

Several readers have pointed out a small memorial on the SW corner of Second Avenue and 11th Street for David Simon, a familiar presence here who recently passed away.

The Rev. Anne Sawyer at the adjacent St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery told us that she had a fond memory of hosting a 70th birthday party for David on the church property last year. "He asked if we could have a BBQ, so we did," she said, noting that she didn't have any other details on this passing at the moment. 

"I would be happy to host a celebration of life or memorial for anyone who would like to gather," she said.

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

RIP Billy the Artist

Photo from December by Stacie Joy

According to friends, Billy Miller, a longtime East Village resident, better known as Billy the Artist, died last night.

His friend, the artist Gregory de la Haba, posted this tribute on Instagram:

With heavy heart, the legendary New Yorker, Billy The Artist (William Miller) died peacefully in his sleep last evening at Beth Israel Hospital after succumbing to the ravages of cancer.

He was a tremendous light in my life and always made me smile from ear to ear. He was "Pura Vida" whose art adorned products worldwide from Swatch to Nescafé. His first big gig was to paint panels for the broadway stage of RENT that captured the energy and vibrancy of the East Village, the place he called home for the last 30 years. Collector Steve Cohen recently purchased one of his famous cows and musician John Baptiste enjoyed playing his custom piano. His entire life was dedicated to art. And in sharing in the love. 

Rest in peace, my beautiful, beautiful friend.

We'll update you when more information on his passing becomes available.

Billy had created several books in the past two years, most recently last month with "East Village Closed" — a photo illustrative experience of life in the East Village during the pandemic as seen through Billy's eyes.

Billy loved the East Village, where he found the love and inspiration for his work. He will be missed.

Updated 1/25: 

There will be a celebration of Billy's life on Feb. 20 at the Long Pour, 155 Second Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street at 3 p.m. Details here.

RIP Robert J. Giurdanella

Robert J. Giurdanella, a fixture in this neighborhood where he was born and raised, died on Dec. 6. He was 89. 

He helped run family businesses Giurdanella Bros. Inc. on Bond Street and Bella Tiles, whose showroom on First Avenue at 11th Street closed in 2018 after 35 years in business. The warehouse remains around the corner on 11th Street. (The family also owns these buildings, among others in the neighborhood.)

Here are some passages from a colorful online obituary:

He was one of a kind and a true legend. He wanted things His Way. "My Way" by Frank Sinatra was his song. He was tough, yet compassionate. He was arrogant, yet humble. He liked to scream to get his point across (though always denied he was yelling), but he loved to laugh and smile more. 

He loved to be surrounded by family and friends and enjoyed nothing more than the holidays to visit with all our friends and have home-cooked meals. When he "helped" in the kitchen, he used no less than 4 bowls, 5 pots and pans, 20 utensils and 3 dish towels, not to mention the counter mess.

And...

While attending elementary and high school, he worked as a carpenter with his father and uncle at Giurdanella Bros. Inc. on 12th Street in Manhattan. Most notable to him was that he constructed incubators for the Board of Health so they could study snails. 

Robert loved photography and developed his own film in his own darkroom. He started Five Star Photos and was a wedding photographer for a couple of years. He also made Gold and Bronze shoes as mementos from baby shoes. When home on leave, he would hang out on 14th St & 3rd Ave with his friends. 

He is survived by his wife Ann (Fodera) Giurdanella of 64 years; children, Christine Giurdanella-Renzi and husband Peter Renzi, son, Carlo Giurdanella; grandchildren, Nicholas Anthony and wife Margaret (Thibadeau) Renzi, Alexandra Nicole Renzi, and Robert Jake Renzi.

RIP Molly Fitch

Photo of Molly (above left, with Tyler and Billy the Artist) from early 2020 by Stacie Joy. Updated to include a comment from the Post.

Molly Fitch, a longtime East Village resident and the owner of the International Bar at 102 First Ave., died last night, Dec. 12. She was 51.

The bar's Instagram account confirmed the sad news. Details about the cause of death have not been made public.

We lost the most valuable, most authentic, most mythical creature in our lives last night. We are terrified of saying goodbye and putting our love and heartbreak into words. We celebrate the life of our owner, our friend, and creator of our little East Village family at the International Bar — an institution open to those who need a place to call home.

We remain open 7 days a week at regular hours. Please give our team the love we need to continue to serve the East Village community with Molly's legacy.

The International Bar has had several iterations in the East Village, first at 119 St. Mark's Place in the 1970s then later at 120 1/2 First Ave. In 2008, Molly and Shawn Dahl reopened the International and kept the downtown spirit going until the landlord didn't renew the lease. In November 2017, the International merged with its sister bar, the Coal Yard, at its current location, 102 First Ave. at Sixth Street. 

"She was an embodiment of the old East Village, a pre-commercialized downtown New York where small businesses and punk rockers and individuals could make it," former bouncer and bar manager David O'Donnell told the Post.

I spent time at both the International and the Coal Yard and had the opportunity to get to know Molly. I always thought she was one of the kindest and coolest people I've ever met.

We were also neighbors for a while on Eighth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. I've long been a very early morning person, and I'd run into her outside: me on the way to work and her coming home from closing up the bar.

Once, on a frigid January Monday morning, she insisted on driving me to Astor Place so I could catch the 6 train for work. We got in her rustic pickup truck, and I remember it was warmer outside than inside. We laughed the whole way to Astor Place.

Celebrating the life of David Joffe

Friends will be coming together tomorrow evening (Nov. 22) to celebrate the life of longtime East Village resident David Joffe, who died on Nov. 1. He was 81. (Thank you Eden for the flyer.) 

The memorial takes place outside at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on the SE corner of Ninth Street and Avenue B starting at 5 p.m. The evening includes some complimentary food, including hot dogs and fries from Nathan's. (In case of rain, the memorial will move inside Trinity.) 

Even if you didn't know Joffe, a flea market vendor, you likely saw him on Avenue A or in the Tompkins Square Park dog run (RIP Cookie) wearing one of his many goofy and/or provocative T-shirts ("Oh No! I'm Becoming My Mother!")

 

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RIP Gary Auslander

Gary Auslander, a local hospitality veteran and longtime resident of First Street, died on Oct. 31. According to a Facebook post by his son Isaac, Auslander suffered a heart attack. 

His friends and loved ones are gathering this evening at 6 at the Lazy Llama Coffee Bar, 72 E. First St., west of First Avenue, to celebrate his life and share stories. 

Auslander's projects included Cajun favorite Baby Jake's on First Avenue and Baby Jupiter on Orchard Street.

He is survived by his wife Susan and sons Jake, Issac and Eli. 

----

H/T Dave on 7th; Baby Jake's photo from 1997 by Dave Buchwald.