A new mural for a new restaurant opening at 97 St. Mark's Place

Cecilia, a new bistro via Russell Steinberg, opens later this summer at 97 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. More on Cecilia later. (You can visit the CB3 application from January here.) 

And ICYMI: Longtime East Village-based artist Stephen Tashjian — aka Tabboo! — recently created the mural outside the address...

This space was mostly recently Luz Cafe and Taberna 97... and for 31 years it was home to Yaffa Cafe (RIP 2014).

In 2016, workers painted over the mural that had been on the wall since 1993 — a portrait of Lika Ramati, the former co-owner of Yaffa Cafe... a heart mural via Hektad arrived next for the Taberna 97 era.

This is not a drill! Why you need to see this new mural on 12th and C at night

NYC-based artist Tom Bob is known for incorporating urban objects into his murals.

For the newest work at the 12C Outdoor Gallery on the SW corner of 12th Street and Avenue C, Tom Bob used a light fixture on the building in a piece titled "Jack Hammer Head Lamp."

"His creations expand our imaginations and inspire us to view public spaces with a refreshed perspective and joy,” 12C curator Robert Galinsky told us.

Storefront renovations commence on the SW corner of the Bowery and Houston

Renovations are underway on the SW corner of the Bowery and Houston. Plywood arrived last week outside the long-vacant spaces at a building with multiple addresses (282-284 Bowery plus 87-91 E. Houston St.).

We don't know anything at the moment about what might be next here.

The last tenant at 284 Bowery was Cherche Midi, Keith McNally's French brasserie that closed in June 2018. (Before this, McNaly had unleased Pulino's Bar and Pizzeria.)

A for-lease sign arrived on the building in March 2023, only the second time we recall this space on the market in the past six years.  

This corner has also been a hot spot for street art these past six years. The construction plywood now covers the storefronts, obscuring murals that include the George Floyd tribute by @fumeroism that arrived in early June 2020.

There was also the recent arrival of this Marvin Gaye wheatpaste by @stikki_peaches...

Sunday's parting shots

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Brooklyn-based artist Michela Muserra recreated her mural, titled "Despues de la lluvia" ("After the rain"), on 12th Street and Avenue C today. 

As we noted on Friday, someone painted over the brand-new work several days after Muserra completed the painting at the 12C Outdoor Gallery.

Muserra completed the work today during the annual Loisaida Festival ... we'll have photos from the festival later...

Someone painted over this brand new mural on 12th Street and Avenue C

Update 5/25: Michela will be recreating the mural here on Sunday during the Loisaida Festival.

Earlier this week, Brooklyn-based artist Michela Muserra (seen in the top photo taken several days ago) finished a new mural on the SW corner of 12th Street and Avenue C — aka the 12C Outdoor Gallery. 

This morning, residents awoke to find that someone had hastily (and inexplicably) whited out the mural. We're told the white paint was still wet.

A block source told us that a few parents and students from the Children's Workshop School "were standing in front of it, openly sad and almost weeping that something so beautiful got destroyed." 

We hear that residents filed a police report ... and were told that "the perps" were captured on multiple surveillance cameras and could charged with criminal mischief. 

Muserra titled the work "Despues de la lluvia" ("After the rain"), a sister mural to one that she created in Caguas, Puerto Rico. 

This morning, she reacted to the vandalism in an Instagram post: "Oh well, not mad to be honest. I can redo that in a matter of hours, not even worried about the paint. That is not the problem. The problem is their miserable life where apparently the most exciting thing is to go over other people's work. A work done for the community."

The work was completed ahead of the annual Loisaida Festival this Sunday.

The corner building is owned by the city and managed by Asian Americans for Equality in conjunction with the Tenant Interim Lease Program, the Affordable Neighborhood Co-op Program, and Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Ownership is planning to press charges, we're told.

Sunday's opening shot

Knicks legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier as seen in First Street Green Art Park ... mural by @mcmaniphes. 

And the ol' do-or-die game 7 between the Knicks-Pacers is at 3:30 p.m. at MSG.

Thursday's parting shot

This week, a new mural arrived outside 50 Avenue A between Third Street and Fourth Street. It was created by L.A.-based artist Corie Mattie and curated by the Lisa Project NYC.

Frank Ape's bright ideas on Houston

Local artist Frank Ape (aka Brandon Sines) created a new mural this week outside the Ridge Hotel on Houston at Eldridge. 

As he wrote on Instagram, "This mural is all about bringing your ideas to life. Each colorful ape represents a new idea trying to break out." 

Previously on EV Grieve:

Planet of the Frank Ape: Q-and-A with artist Brandon Sines

King Flaco outside the 2nd Avenue F stop

Here's the final Flaco tribute mural outside the Second Avenue F stop on Houston.

Nite Owl, an Oakland, Calif.-based artist known for his expressive murals of owls, created this King Flaco memorial mural. (Check out his work on Instagram.)

Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, was found dead on Feb. 23 after apparently colliding with a building on the Upper West Side. As the Associated Press put it, "Flaco ... escaped from New York City's Central Park Zoo and became one of the city's most beloved celebrities as he flew around Manhattan." 

Flaco also spent eight days in the East Village and Lower East Side this past November. 

An East Village tribute to Flaco

Photos by Laura "Lulu" Reich 

Here's an in-progress look at a Flaco tribute mural going up outside the Second Avenue F stop on Houston.

The work is, appropriately enough, by Nite Owl, an Oakland, Calif.-based artist known for his expressive murals of owls. (Check out his work on Instagram.)

Flaco, the Eurasian Eagle-Owl, was found dead on Feb. 23 after apparently colliding with a building on the Upper West Side. As the Associated Press put it, "Flaco ... escaped from New York City's Central Park Zoo and became one of the city's most beloved celebrities as he flew around Manhattan." 

Flaco spent eight days in the East Village and Lower East Side this past November. Flaco was first spotted in the East Village on Nov. 6 at the Kenkeleba House Garden off Avenue B and Third Street. He was seen repeatedly over the next few days here and on the Lower East Side.

Updated 6/8: See the final mural here.

Sunday's opening shot

A new arrival this past week outside the Second Avenue F stop at Houston ... a Knicks tribute by Jappy Agoncillo. 

Apparently this will only be up through the weekend... and ahead of Game 1 between the Knicks and Pacers tomorrow evening. 

Check back later for our analysis on how the Knicks contain Tyrese Haliburton.

Saturday's opening shot

Fresh Flowers arrived this past week outside the Second Avenue F stop. 

Mural by Mort and Paolo Tolentino.

Monday's parting shots

A look at the recently completed mural on the NE corner of Avenue A and Sixth Street (alongside Offside)... the work is by LeCrue Eyebrows...

Friday's opening shot

Morning along St. Mark's Place. 

Also, Easter is next weekend. 

 The bunny art outside David's Cafe by @poieverywhere was completed this past November...

Faceless Charlie Brown mural is now headless

The brickwork continues on the east-facing wall of east-facing wall at 402 E. 12th St. near First Avenue.

As noted, a crew here is working on the bricks, though we don't know the extent of the project — it looks like the whole wall is under repair.

Jerkface created the wall-size mural back in the fall of 2014.

Your faceless Charlie Brown mural update from 12th Street

The Faceless Charlie Brown(s) mural appears to be going, going ... here on the east-facing wall at 402 E. 12th St. near First Avenue.

As noted, a crew here is working on the bricks, though we don't know the extent of the project.

Jerkface created the wall-size mural back in the fall of 2014.

Thanks to EVG reader Charmaine for the photo!

Good grief! Is this the end of the faceless Charlie Brown mural on 12th Street

From the tipline... a crew has been doing brick on the east-facing wall at 402 E. 12th St. near First Avenue.

We didn't spot any work permits on file with the city, so we're unsure of the project's scope... and whether this might mean the end of the Faceless Charlie Brown(s) on a pitcher's mound. TBD. 

Jerkface created the wall-size mural back in the fall of 2014.

Honoring Puerto Rican freedom fighter Pedro Albizu Campos with a mural on 12th and C

Brooklyn-based artist Danielle Mastrion finished her mural yesterday on the SW corner of Avenue C and 12th Street that pays tribute to Puerto Rican freedom fighter and spiritual luminary Pedro Albizu Campos ... and directly across the street from Campos Plaza...

The mural is the first outside the newly renovated 656 E. 12th St., which the city officially unveiled on Tuesday. The renovation will provide some affordable housing options for the neighborhood.

For several years, the walls outside No. 656 housed the 12C Outdoor Art Gallery, which featured a rotating batch of murals curated by East Village-based artist and speaker Robert Galinsky.

Expect more new murals on the wall in the months ahead.

This work was unveiled via Galinsky Coaching, the Loisaida Center and L.E.S. CommUnity Concerns.

Friday's opening shot

New this week outside the Second Avenue F stop... MM by WizardSkull. 

Oh Mickey, you're so fine...

Thursday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

A new mural in the works on Seventh Street at First Avenue ... via Valentin...