Free tomato seedlings on 7th and A

Someone carefully placed these seedlings out on Seventh Street and Avenue A at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park this morning.

The neatly written sign explains:

These seedlings were raised on a windowsill. Grown from seed (from a beefsteak tomato from Trader Joe's).

Planted on Feb. 20, so they should bear fruit in 4-6 weeks.

Plant them in a big pot (they'll get big!) (the paper pots will dissolve)

If you want to grow them outside, they'll need to be hardened off. (Google it. It's easy)

Thanks to the reader for this photo!

East Village Neighbors here to help during the coronavirus outbreak

A group of residents have formed East Village Neighbors, a volunteer group to help out with activities, such as shopping and dog walking, for anyone who may need assistant during the COVID-19 crisis.

There is a volunteer form at this link.

They also have a Facebook Group here.

Want to help?

Several people have reached out to ask about volunteering in the neighborhood — such as shopping or running errands for those who may need help or don't feel comfortable being outside... spotted this flyer on Avenue A at Fourth Street...

Holidays in the East Village (part 2)

[Lower East Side Coffee Shop, 14th Street]

Here's part two of Stacie Joy's holiday photos from around the neighborhood (find part 1 here).


[Double Down Ruck and Buck holiday event, Avenue A]


[At the Essex Street Market Christmas stage]


[6&B Community Garden holiday party]


[Caroling with the Third Street Music School Settlement]


[Otto's Shrunken Head, 14th Street]


[Jennifer Cafe, 4th Street]




[Veniero's, 11th Street]


[Sixth Street Specials]


[Kmart, Astor Place]




[The head witch at Enchantments creating a Yule candle, 9th Street]


[Message from the East 5th Street Tree Committee]




[Park It Parking garage, 11th Street]


[Avenue B]


[Ray's Candy Store, Avenue A]


[Tompkins Square Park]

Previously on EV Grieve:
• At the 28th annual Tompkins Square Park tree lighting

• Day 1 of the Cookie Walk

• Santa fires up Christmas on 2nd Street

At Festival Calle 6

The annual Festival Calle 6, a celebration of the Lower East Side's diversity and heritage, took place yesterday on Sixth Street between Avenue D and the FDR...



EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by and shared these photos from a gorgeous Saturday afternoon...









Entertainment included Latin pop duo Castro y Gambino...



... and Jose Luis as Michael Jackson...

Shop and stroll on 9th Street this weekend

Today and tomorrow (Saturday and Sunday!), the merchants of Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue are celebrating the holiday weekend with a "shop and stroll" event on the block.

Per the EVG inbox: "Look for the balloons in front of the participating stores, and stop in to see what specials they are offering."

Sebastian Piras took the above photo last month of the Ninth Street merchants, who gathered on a local stoop for "A Great Day on 9th Street," a quasi recreation of the famous Art Kane photo "A Great Day in Harlem."

'A Great Day on 9th Street' this Sunday

Via the EVG inbox...

On Sunday (April 28), the merchants of East Ninth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue are gathering on a local stoop for "A Great Day on 9th Street," a quasi recreation of the famous Art Kane photo "A Great Day In Harlem."

Afterwards, stroll down both sides of the street and check out the various specials the stores are offering.

Come celebrate our community of small businesses.

#shopthe921

Spring into a new season tonight with the 10th annual Zoroastrian fire jumping event

[Photo from 2017 by Ryan John Lee]

Tonight marks the 10th Annual Zoroastrian Fire Jumping Event ... taking place from 6:30 to 8:30 in the Firemen's Memorial Garden, 358 E. Eighth St. between Avenue C and Avenue D. Updated 1:30 p.m.: The event will now take once place again at La Plaza Cultural on Ninth Street and Avenue C.

Here's a recap via the EVG inbox...

Jumping over fire is a symbolic gesture to start a fresh new year. This tradition is celebrated for ringing in the Persian New Year and has been celebrated since at least 1700 BCE of the early Zoroastrian era. There will be music, dancing and snacks; wear your best fire-proof pants.

The Rude Mechanical Orchestra will also be playing.

The event is in a different location this year with the new-fence installation underway at La Plaza Cultural Community Garden on Avenue C and Ninth Street.

I reached out to Simin Farkhondeh, a community activist and professor at the School of Visual Arts, who has choreographed and produced the event since its inception here. I started by asking her if the new location might pose any addition challenges. She also provided more background as well as her fire-jumping experiences growing up in her native Iran...

For me, this event is very spontaneous each year. It comes together because the community loves it. The very first time I did it was 2010 and people came to the garden, helped make the fires and we jumped and had a wonderfully freeing time doing it.

This year will be like every year and the change of space should not impact the experience. We strive to make it a powerful and fun and safe event.

It will be the 10th time I've worked on having this spiritually elevating, spring welcoming event. The way I experienced it in my youth, in Iran, was as a spontaneous event that the community felt necessary to do to welcome and get ready for spring. It was done without permits from any government entity or such. We would go out into the street and community members would gather tumbleweed and build fire's together. Then we would jump over them.

On my street, we had about 15 fires, from the entry of our street, down to the end of it. All the neighbors would come out. It was an energizing, freeing experience and community building, and that spirit is what I've tried to preserve each year.

It is clear that this exhilarating event speaks to people not only who come from the Zoroastrian tradition but also brings together folks from across the spectrum of cultures. What binds us is the connection to the earth and the elements.

As in past years, many people and groups are helping ... The folks from the Fireman's Garden, who have been at our event and cherish it, have generously offered their garden to us. A lot of expats from the various Middle-Eastern communities, including Armenians, Iranians and Afghans, are going to be there as well as the folks from MoRUS and Time's UP, who in the past two years have helped a great deal to make this happen.

As in the past years, the event is organized to be a lot of fun, but also safe for all members of the community, especially children and families. As in every year, I plan to have the customary dried fruit and nuts available for people to enjoy. Since about five years now, there also has been a band present at some point of the evening, so we can dance and be merry after jumping the fires and cleansing our souls from the winter blues and from last year's troubles.

Wednesday, March 20, is the vernal equinox, which marks the beginning of spring and Nowruz or New Year for people of Iran, Afghanistan and other places. We will be making ourselves ready for that.

Help for Juan Carlo, the flower vendor at Bueno East Mart on Avenue A

This flyer was posted in a residential building on Third Street near Avenue A.


[Click to go big]

According to the flyer, Juan Carlo, who works overnight selling flowers at the Bueno East Mart on the southeast corner of Third Street and Avenue A, was "brutally beaten up by two assailants" early Saturday morning.

"He sustained a broken nose and lacerations to his face and arm. Several hours later — because he didn't want to leave his station unattended — he made his way to Beth Israel."

Neighbors have started a fund to help with his medical bills. There's a donation jar now at Mary O's, the Irish bar-restaurant at 32 Avenue A between Third Street and Second Street.

Updated 5 p.m.

Patch reports that Carlo was trying to stop the two men from stealing flowers. The suspects reportedly punched Carlo and slammed him to the ground.

H/T Carl Bentsen

Get well soon, Mikey

[Photo via Instagram]

If you've been on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, then you've likely seen Mikey Evans. He was born and raised on the block, and has lived his whole life at 190-192 E. Second St.

He hasn't been feeling well of late, and Julio Pena and Beatrice Tosti di Valminuta, the husband-wife owners of Il Posto Accanto at No. 190, are collecting get-well wishes for their longtime friend.

Here's what they had to say via Instagram yesterday:

Mikey has been a little under the weather. A lot of you, near and far, noticing his absence have been asking for news. We do not have much in terms of updates, but if you want to drop off a get-well card at Il Posto, we will make sure he gets it. Love and well wishes are always a good idea.

Beatrice later told me that Mikey is "the all-around greeter of Second Street — the sunshine of the block with his smile." When Julio and Beatrice opened Il Bagato in 1995, people thought that Mikey was the owner. "And we liked that."

Block Party on, 9th Street

Time again (tomorrow!) for the annual block party on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

Annual 9th Street A-1 Block Association Block Party

Saturday, Sept. 1​6​, 11 a.m. – 5 p.m. (no rain date)

Live Music (from noon - 4 p.m.)

MUSIC LINE UP:
Ginga Pura
EV-3
Sea Kelp (Originals)
Ron and his Personal Demons
BroadBand

Resident artists, crafts people, and photographers will be showing and selling their work, and residents will be selling a la "stoop sale" — antiques, bric-a-brac, clothing, accessories, music, jewelry, etc.

Block businesses include:

• Beetle Bug (florist), Enchantments, Flower Power (herbs), Love Gang (clothing), Mr. Throwback (vintage clothing and accessories), Ollie's Place (cat adoption), Pink Olive (gifts), Polytima (jewelry), Puppy Love Kitty Kat (pet supplies), Reason Outpost (clothing)

• Restaurants/Cafes: Cagen, Good Beer, Superiority Burger, Tacos Morales, Thursday Kitchen, Whitman's, Zucker Bakery

• Hair Salons/Barbers: Crops for Girls, Lovemore & Do, Maria Mok Salon, Neighborhood Barber, Tsumiki Salon

At the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer carnival today

Earlier we mentioned that it was Day 2 of the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer carnival … EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by for a look …

















The church is on East Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B … the carnival entrance is behind the building on East Third Street …