Weekend's parting X video clip

Tuba soloist Matt serenades Avenue A Key Food Friday night shoppers pic.twitter.com/UrzW59py0P

— Stacie Joy (@Joy_of_photos) September 19, 2026

A lonesome foghorn blows ... as seen at Key Food this past Friday...

Line tensions boil over: East Village bookseller Bonnie Slotnick arrested outside Harry Styles pop-up on 2nd Street

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy

East Village bookseller Bonnie Slotnick, 72, is speaking out after spending roughly 12 hours in custody following an altercation with the line-management team outside the Harry Styles pop-up on Second Street.

For nearly a month, Harry Styles fans have been making their way to the East Village, where a "Together, Together" merchandise pop-up opened Aug. 26 at 22 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

The pop-up, scheduled to run through Nov. 1 during Styles' 30-show run at Madison Square Garden, has regularly drawn blocks-long lines of fans to the area.

On Friday afternoon, tensions over the crowds and line management escalated into an altercation involving longtime neighborhood bookseller Bonnie Slotnick. 

Slotnick, 72, who owns Bonnie Slotnick Cookbooks on the block, was arrested following a confrontation with members of the pop-up's line-management team. She said she subsequently spent roughly 12 hours in custody between the 9th Precinct and Manhattan Central Booking, with a stop at Bellevue Hospital.

EVG spoke with Slotnick about what happened Friday and what she described as weeks of problems associated with managing the lines outside the pop-up. 

We also spoke with members of the security/line-management team, whose account of Friday's confrontation differs from Slotnick's, as well as another Second Street business owner who described ongoing issues with the lines. 

Before recounting what happened, Slotnick wanted to address how the incident — and her role in it — might be perceived.

I feel like what this story can turn into, or maybe is ... a crabby old lady getting really mad at young people. And I don't really need that to be my image any more than it already is.

I want to make sure that whatever information comes out about this doesn't damage my business. I don't want people to be afraid of me, and I don't want people to think that I'm crazy, or that I'm a Karen. 

So, I hope this will reveal how stressful it's been to have this going on, on my block, and for months.

What happened on Friday? Can you walk us through it? 

I got to work a few minutes before opening, and a security guard, plus two others, were standing right in front of my shop. 

She was standing, not for the first time, where I park my bike, which is attached to the railing of the building. And she wouldn't move. I asked her to move again. She threw her hands up and said, "I don't talk to you." 

Then I can't remember exactly how the name-calling started. She has told me in the past that I'm uncivil to her. I had just turned around from locking the Kryptonite lock on my bike, and I had that key in my hand. Just the key. The shank was maybe an inch long. I held it between my fingers, and I shoved it in her face — actually more like at her neck. 

And she grabbed my hand and left a big bruise on my wrist. Then she yelled, "Assault!" and yelled to the other two people to call the police. I grabbed her hand to get it off me. 

Afterward, I heard the police say that she had a bruise on her wrist, and they called an ambulance. I wasn't around for that. I went into my shop and started to get ready to open. Five minutes later, two cops were there, and 10 minutes later, four.

What happened when the police came into the shop? 

They asked me what happened, and I told them. I told them that the situation had been going on for weeks and it was very upsetting. It was nerve-wracking to have to deal with hundreds of people outside my store and these security people. They brought in a female officer, and she patted me down and handcuffed me. They said they were arresting me. 

And you were taken to the 9th Precinct?

Yes. They took my knapsack, took everything out of it, and vouched it. They put me in a cell. I was there from about 2 until after 6 p.m.

The officer in charge of me took all my cards and everything from my wallet and taped them to a piece of cardboard, like a school project. I guess they have to do that. They gave it back to me last night. It reminded me of something you would do if you needed extra credit in third grade. Each card was taped in a neat little row.

There was absolutely nothing in the cell. They took the handcuffs off, but I couldn't read anything, and I didn't have my watch. I basically walked in circles and did bodyweight calisthenics and stretches.

I also sang. I discovered that the acoustics are really good in there, especially under the HVAC unit. I sang "Sometimes I Feel Like a Motherless Child" and "Big Rock Candy Mountain," which are like prison and depression songs.

The officer told me through the door what was going on, but the cell wall is covered with plexiglass, so it was hard to hear him. I didn't really understand that I was being taken to the Tombs afterward.

Then you were taken to Manhattan Central Booking?

They finally got the paperwork done, cuffed me, and put me back in the car. They cuff your hands behind your back, which isn't comfortable to begin with, but sitting in the car is really hard.

They took me down to the Tombs, and that is a really hellacious place. They stand you up against the wall while they check you in, then take you through a maze you could never find your way out of.

I had to walk on a floor that was being cleaned, so my shoes were wet, and then walk down two flights of stairs, cuffed, without being able to hold on to the banister. I have a kneecap that I broke two years ago and two big screws in my spine, so I was afraid I might fall.

Then they took me for a medical checkup, and my blood pressure was 188/69. They sent me to Bellevue. They took me in the police car, with lights and sirens, through the Feast of San Gennaro festival.

I was at the hospital for, I don't know, 45 minutes. I had taken my blood pressure medicine in the morning, so they couldn't give me more. I told them I was obviously in distress. By the time I left, my blood pressure had come down a little bit.

Then I went back to the Tombs, back through the same thing. I got searched a few more times, and at about 9:30 p.m. they put me in a cell with three other women.

I asked how long I would be there. What a stupid question! The guard said she had no idea. She did tell me that if I didn't get a docket number by midnight, because the court shuts down at 1, I probably wouldn't be processed that night and would have to stay until the morning.

I was sitting on a concrete bench on a concrete floor against a concrete wall.

At about a quarter to 1, I think, the guard called my name and took me upstairs. They cuff you to whatever piece of furniture you're near or sitting on, so they locked me to the bench.

Then they called me to speak to the Legal Aid lawyer, who comprehended the situation very quickly. Within a few minutes, they called me up in front of the judge, and someone read the charges.

What were you charged with? 

One count of menacing in the second degree.

What happened before the judge? 

The lawyer said it was outrageous that I hadn't been given a desk appearance ticket, which is what Officer Heaning originally told me he was going to try to do. It's basically a reservation for a future rendezvous with a judge. But then I was told that keys are considered a weapon.

The attorney said it was outrageous that I was taken to jail, especially given my high blood pressure and other ailments. He also said the charge made it sound like we were two neighbors having a dispute, rather than that I have a 29-year-established business and this woman is working for somebody who's completely outside the community.

The woman asked for an order of protection against me. The attorney asked the judge to deny that, which she did. And she gave me another court date in November.

I took pictures of the bruise on my arm, so we're equally injured. I'm going to make it clear that I was holding a key, that I didn't pull out a bunch of keys in order to kill this girl.

Then I went back, and my friends, thank God, were waiting for me, and we walked back to the shop. I rode my bike over to the Precinct to get my backpack and found out that when they take money you have on you and call it "safekeeping," they don't give it back to you. You have to go down to One Police Plaza and apply to get a check.

Luckily, it wasn't that much money, but I'll do that. That must be really hard for other people.

Are you represented by counsel? 

Yes. His name is McCarthy. He was from the Legal Aid Society and was appointed to represent me. I think he did a really good job, so I don't see any reason to look for somebody else. 

What's your plan going forward? 

I'm going to keep my big fat mouth shut, which is incredibly hard for me. 

What do you hope happens now? 

I want the whole thing to go away. I hope that when I come in tomorrow, it's not there. That's not realistic. I hope that the guy who owns the property, who's a guy from the neighborhood, Will Morgan, will do more investigation before he does anything like this again. 

I called him and spoke to someone on his staff. He apologized profusely and said they had no idea it would be like that. He was not aware that this pop-up would be so...

They're so sorry; they didn't intend it to be like this. These pop-up things are all over the city, but they're not for two and a half months. The line in front of my store is the American Express priority line. 

I know everybody on EV Grieve feels the same about the idiots who stand in line. I was trying to remember with some of my adult customers what we ever stood in line for. All I can remember standing in line for is going to the movies. Because if you didn't get a good place in line, you didn't get a good seat. Now everything is reserved in advance. 

Had there been problems between you and the line-management staff before Friday? 

The first day this thing appeared, the only thing I knew about it was that they had decorated the front of the building. I saw the woman who was painting. It was really kind of fun watching her paint. She was very nice. 

Then, a few days later, the lines started. 

As I've already said, I have a pretty nasty mouth, and I'm not in a good mood. And as I would walk by the line I would shout obscenities at them, and their guards didn't like that. They followed me.

One of the tall male guards said, "Don't do that." And I just yelled, "First Amendment! I can say whatever I want. I'm walking down the street. They don't even have to think that it's aimed at them if they don't want to."

This woman, Amanda, and a man named Manny came into the shop. They said, "OK, this is going to get more intense. Tomorrow is going to be the biggest day, and then after that it'll be over." 

Nobody ever told me that it was going until Nov. 1. Nobody ever told me anything, or told anybody else on the block, as far as I know. 

At some point, was your bicycle damaged? 

I had to get home to meet somebody at 5. I came out, got on my bike, and the front tire was completely flat. It had a three-inch slice in the side. I immediately thought it was probably not one of the girls waiting in line. I thought it was one of the staff. I called the property owner's office and told them about the tire, and they said they would pay for it. It cost me $89 to replace the tire, tube and labor. 

Did they? 

Not yet. I got a text from Amanda a few days later asking me to send a scan of the receipt so they could pay for the damage. 

After everything that's happened, what would make the situation better for you? 

It's a beautiful, quiet street with beautiful trees. I love my neighbors. Still, the best thing would be if it would just go away. They could put the whole line on the other side of the street, where there are no businesses. 

One last question: If Harry Styles came into the shop and apologized, would you accept it? 

I would be interested in receiving an apology. Yes. But it wouldn't make my day. It wouldn't make my life.

-----

H/T EVG reader Mike!

EV Grieve's East Village Week in Review

Posts this past week included (with a Friday afternoon view of Tompkins Square Park)... Never miss a post with the weekly EVG newsletter. Free right here. 

• Reports: 15-year-old girl dies after truck strikes Citi Bike on 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Sept. 19) 

• Exclusive: New proposal calls for replacing Meltzer Tower (Sept. 18) 

• A colorful comeback on 4th Street (Sept. 16) 

• The Walking Gallery brings art — and protest — to St. Mark's Place (Sept. 15) 

• Rally set for Sunday to help save the AMC Kips Bay 15 (Sept. 18) 

• Celebrating Chet Mazur at Otto's Shrunken Head (Sept. 14) 

• Cannoli believe it: the Feast of San Gennaro turns 100 (Sept. 17) ... At the opening night of the Feast of San Gennaro (Sept. 19) 

• A plea for help along the 14th Street and 1st Avenue corridor (Sept. 14) 

• Community gardens take center stage for the 15th annual Harvest Arts Festival (Sept. 17) 

• Dioramas time: The "Pools" are open on Avenue C (Sept. 18)

• A 6-story Basquiat mural is taking shape on the Bowery (Sept. 16) 

• After a 7-week closure, Salumeria Rosi is back on Avenue B (Sept. 14) 

• A look at the September docket for new liquor licenses in Community Board 3 (Sept. 14) 

• Today in urban etiquette signage (MAN PISS!) (Sept. 17) 

• Openings: Herbie's Burgers on 1st Avenue (Sept. 17) … Flamingos Vintage Pound on 1st Avenue (Sept. 16) 

• A sign of Stickett Inn on 10th Street (Feb. 15) 

• Raccoon patrol on 6th Street (Sept. 13) 

At the opening night of the Feast of San Gennaro

Photos and text by Stacie Joy 

The Feast of San Gennaro returned to Little Italy on Thursday for its annual run of sausage and peppers, fried everything, carnival rides, processions and packed streets. 

On opening night of this 100th edition, we spotted plenty of old-timers, gold jewelry, stogies, a gentleman in a fedora offering dinner and wine, and the Feast's religious procession making its way through the crowd. Holy water flowed freely — I received two blessings! 

There was plenty of deep-fried experimentation, too. Friends conducted an informal survey of the deep-fried rainbow cookies on offer, while this year's lineup also includes deep-fried PB&J Uncrustables. 

And then there was the Ferris wheel, creaking and groaning above the festivities. I politely declined the invitation to take a ride. 

Opening night was crowded, loud, raucous and expensive — in other words, the Feast of San Gennaro.

We already look forward to doing it all again next year. (The festival runs through Sept. 27, so you have time.)

Among the familiar faces was Lucy the Sausage Queen, who clarified an important Feast fact: Despite several booths bearing the Lucy's name, her stand is the one in the middle of the festivities — easy enough to identify by Lucy herself, stationed near the peppers and keeping an eye on the cash.

Her longtime slogan still stands: "Lucy’s hot, Lucy's sweet, Lucy's sausage can’t be beat!"

Updated: 15-year-old girl dies after truck strikes Citi Bike on 14th Street and 1st Avenue

Photo by Daniel Efram 

A 15-year-old girl died last night after a truck driver struck the Citi Bike she was riding with a 16-year-old girl at 14th Street and First Avenue, according to police and multiple published reports. 

The collision happened around 9:30 last night. Police said the driver of a large commercial vehicle was turning right from westbound 14th Street onto First Avenue when the truck struck the pedal-assist bicycle the girls were riding. 

A video obtained by Streetsblog appears to show the cyclist continuing across 14th Street rather than turning onto First Avenue, as police initially said.

Both girls were taken to Bellevue Hospital. The 15-year-old was pronounced dead there, while the 16-year-old was listed in stable condition. 

The truck driver remained at the scene and was questioned by police. The NYPD Highway Patrol is investigating the collision. 

Photos and video from the scene show the Citi Bike underneath the truck near the crosswalk. 

The truck bore the logo of Badger Infrastructure Solutions, a private company that provides excavation and related services.

Media outlets identified the victim as Daria Serkov, who lived nearby in Peter Cooper Village. 

Reminders! 2 great Block Parties today!

A reminder that two longtime neighborhood block parties are happening today. 

The 9th Street A-1 Block Association Block Party runs from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Residents and merchants will have items for sale, with the Moody Bastards providing original music, Americana and blues from 2 to 4 p.m., along with special guests. 

A block north — and a few avenues west — the 10th Street Block Festival returns between Second and Third Avenues from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

Expect vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, books, records and more, plus music from the Larry Luger Quartet.

Chilly scenes of Winter

 

A little blast of Winter as we head into fall... "nicotine" is a new collaboration between the Brooklyn-based Winter and Eyedress ... taken from Winter's EP out today — "Romantix Mixtape."

Rally set Sunday to help save the AMC Kips Bay 15

The campaign to keep the AMC Kips Bay 15 from going dark is heading to Second Avenue on Sunday.

Assemblymember Keith Powers and other local elected officials are expected to join neighborhood groups and residents for a noon rally outside the 15-screen theater at 570 Second Ave. at 31st Street.

Organizers are calling on NYU Langone to work with the community on a plan that would allow the theater to remain. Expected participants include Powers, State Sen. Kristen Gonzalez, Assemblymember Micah Lasher, Manhattan Borough President Brad Hoylman-Sigal, Councilmembers Harvey Epstein and Virginia Maloney, the Eleanor Roosevelt Independent Democrats and the Alliance for Kips Bay. 

As previously reported, AMC has said the theater will operate through the end of 2026 before closing after the property owner exercised its right to terminate the lease early. The multiplex opened in 1999, initially under the Loews banner, with AMC taking over in 2006. 

NYU Langone acquired the Kips Bay Plaza property, which also includes Fairway. The health system has said it is interested in the property as part of expanding health-care access in the community and is willing to discuss options with local stakeholders. Specific plans for the site have not been announced. 

The rally follows several weeks of community efforts to preserve the theater, including a letter from neighborhood groups urging NYU Langone to consider the importance of the cinema and other neighborhood-serving businesses at the complex.

Find more info at Save Kips Bay. Petition here.

Exclusive: New proposal calls for replacing Meltzer Tower

Image from the Meltzer Tower PACT resident presentation. 

The building design is conceptual. 

The heavy machinery and soil testing recently spotted on the grounds of Meltzer Tower now have a clearer context. 

Multiple residents along Second Street between Avenue A and First Avenue notified EVG of workers using a soil-boring machine in the tree-heavy landscaped area west of the 20-story senior housing complex at 94 E. First St. (Photos below by Stacie Joy from Sept. 10.)

The work raised concerns that NYCHA was again considering new construction on the property. A controversial 2013 "infill" proposal, which called for leasing NYCHA green spaces and parking lots to private developers, was shelved after community opposition. 

At the time of the recent testing, a few residents heard that NYCHA was conducting preliminary work in case it decided to build on the site. 

Presentations to Meltzer residents from March, July, and August show that NYCHA and its private PACT partners are proposing a new building beside the existing tower. 

Under the "build first" plan, residents would remain in their current apartments during construction and then move directly into the replacement building.

The new-building proposal was not part of the project initially described to the public.

In 2024, NYCHA announced that Meltzer Tower, Hernandez Houses and the Seward Park Extension would share $318.1 million in repairs through the Permanent Affordability Commitment Together program. 

The Meltzer PACT website still refers generally to upgrades, apartment renovations and site improvements. 

According to the new presentations, the plan would replace all 231 apartments at Meltzer Tower. Most residents would receive one-bedroom units, even if they currently live in studios. About 12 two-bedroom apartments would be available to qualifying households. Plans also call for larger apartments and elevators, improved accessibility, individual heating and cooling controls, and a 24-hour lobby attendant. 

Possible amenities include in-unit laundry, dishwashers, resident lounges, hobby rooms, a fitness center and outdoor space. Several of those features remain subject to NYCHA and resident approval. 

The project would also include at least 5,000 square feet for a community facility and indoor amenities, along with at least 5,000 square feet of outdoor amenity space. 

The case for a new Meltzer Tower

The proposal for a new tower comes as the PACT team has documented extensive repair needs in the existing building. The presentations are available as PDFs under a section titled "Resources for Residents" in recaps of the resident meetings on the Meltzer PACT website.

At a May 15 resident meeting, the PACT team said Meltzer Tower has more than $80 million in projected repair needs over 20 years, with many building systems beyond their useful life. The work would include repairs or replacement of the façade, roof and windows; heating and hot-water systems; plumbing and electrical systems; ventilation equipment; kitchens, bathrooms and flooring; and building security systems.

The presentation also cited asbestos in floor tiles and textured ceilings.

According to the PACT team, renovating the existing tower would still leave some limitations unresolved. Apartments could not be enlarged, parts of the building could not be brought fully up to current accessibility standards, and residents would have to temporarily relocate within Meltzer Tower while their apartments were renovated.

A change in management 

The proposal timeline shows that Meltzer Tower would convert from traditional public housing to Project-Based Section 8 under PACT next summer. Wavecrest Management would take over management of the existing building while the new tower is under construction. 

The presentations state that existing residents will not be rescreened based on income, credit or criminal history. Rent would generally remain at 30% of adjusted household income, and residents would retain the right to an apartment in the replacement building. 

Residents would sign new PACT Section 8 leases that renew annually and may be terminated only for good cause. They would not be charged additional fees or utility expenses greater than what they currently pay, according to the presentation. Households considered over- or under-housed, however, would be moved into apartments deemed appropriate for their household size. 

The current timeline — subject to change — calls for construction to begin in late 2027, with the building completed and residents moving into their new homes in late 2029. 

Unanswered questions 

The presentations do not explain what would happen to the existing Meltzer Tower or the site it occupies after residents move. It also does not say whether the site would eventually include additional housing or other uses. 

The replacement building's size and final location have not been determined, and the rendering shown to residents is conceptual. 

It also remains unclear how construction would affect the mature trees and green space on the western side of the property — the same area where residents observed the recent soil testing. 

Other questions include which amenities will make it into the final plan, who will operate the proposed community facility and what safeguards will be available to residents if construction extends beyond 2029. 

To date, meetings about the proposal have been limited to current Meltzer Tower tenants. Residents of buildings directly adjacent to the property along First Avenue and Second Street said they have not received any direct information about the proposed construction or its potential effect on their block.

While the final building footprint has not been determined, neighboring residents are concerned about what construction could mean for the existing green space.

"Many of the apartments on East Second Street look out over that park," one resident told EVG last week. "Building there would mean the destruction of the park, loss of all the trees, a minimum of one or two years of heavy construction, noise, dust, and dirt. And ultimately it would result in the loss of the cleaner air the park provides, fresh air, sunlight, and birds. In its place would be a tall building that would block out the light and air to all of the buildings surrounding the park."

A check of Department of Buildings records at the time of the soil testing found no new-building applications for the property. 

The next all-resident meeting is scheduled for Sept. 24 and described as a "New Building Design Charrette." According to the presentation, residents will be asked to provide feedback on indoor and outdoor spaces and terrace programming. 

The presentations shared from the spring and summer do not mention a public-review process.

The current Meltzer Tower, named after Lower East Side lawyer and community leader Max Meltzer (1908–1962), was completed in 1971.

Dioramas time: The 'Pools' are open on Avenue C

A fall classic returns. 

East Village artist J. Kathleen White has installed her latest peephole dioramas on the northeast corner of Avenue C and Sixth Street, outside the Francisco "Pancho" Ramos Community Garden.

This year's theme is "Pools"...

Take a peep at each diorama... perhaps during an event here for the 2026 Harvest Arts Festival. 

White started creating and sharing the dioramas in 2005. Revisit the early editions at this link.

Thursday's parting shot

A view of Second Avenue and Second Street tonight, looking north. 

What's going on with this lot? Read our scoop here.

Today in urban etiquette signage

Photo by Stacie Joy

Spotted on Seventh Street between Avenue B and Avenue C... a homemade reminder to share the greenery. 

The sign gets right to the point: DOG & MAN PISS KILLS PLANTS & TREES (DOGS CAN’T READ — YOU CAN).

There are even blank spaces to note how long it might take the offending plants and trees to recover. 

Also, dibs on Man Piss for a band name.

Community gardens take center stage for the 15th annual Harvest Arts Festival

The 15th annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival starts Friday (tomorrow!) evening. 

This year's festival, which runs through Sept. 27, features more than 50 free events in 30 East Village and Lower East Side community gardens. 

The 10-day schedule includes music, poetry, puppetry, theater, opera, dance, workshops and spoken-word performances. 

Opening night at La Plaza Cultural, on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street, begins at 6 p.m. with the Pressure Point Brass Band. Isabel Estrada Jamison and friends follow at 8 with Afro-Cuban folklore and Rumba de Corazón. 

All events are free and do not require tickets or registration. Find the daily, garden-by-garden schedule on the LUNGS website.

The 9th Street A-1 Block Party returns Saturday

The annual 9th Street A-1 Block Association Block Party is this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Residents and merchants along the block — Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue — will have items for sale. The Moody Bastards will provide original music, Americana and blues from 2 to 4 p.m., with Phil Dunn, Ari Martin, Dominick Mitchell and RK Watkins joined by special guests. 

As we've said, this is a top-two neighborhood block party — along with the 10th Street Block Festival. And they are both happening on the same day this year...

Antiques, music and more on 10th Street Saturday

The 10th Street Block Festival — a decades-spanning neighborhood favorite — returns Saturday between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

Hours are 9 a.m. to 6 p.m., with vendors offering vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, jewelry, books, records and more. The Larry Luger Quartet will also perform. 

The 9th Street Block Party is also taking place on Saturday — be sure to visit both! 

H/T Steven

Openings: Herbie's Burgers on 1st Avenue

Herbie's Burgers is now open at 109 First Ave., between Sixth and Seventh Streets. 

This is the brand's first Manhattan outpost, which started in Albany in 2021, with more locations opening across the Capital Region. There's also a Herbie's in Williamsburg. 

Herbie's specializes in smash burgers, shoestring fries and milkshakes. They also offer vegan burgers and a vegan version of their chicken sandwich and tenders. Find the menu here. 

Hours: Daily from 11 a.m. to 2 a.m.