Sunday, October 27, 2013

RIP Lou Reed

He died today at age 71. (Rolling Stone)

"It's such a perfect day, I'm glad I spent it with you."

Week in Grieview


[New warning signs up for residents on weekends]

The L.E.S. Dwellers demand an impartial investigation of CB3 (Monday) while Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer voices his concern over CB3's action (Tuesday) ... and CB3 stands by its decision (Wednesday)

What do I do about my pothead neighbors? (Friday, 50 comments)

Heathers closes (Saturday)

More upscale restaurants for Extra Place (Thursday)

James Renwick, Jr.'s Vegas vacation (Wednesday)

Ronald McDonald and Banksy on the LES (Monday)

And Banksy's Grim Reaper (Friday)

Out and About with actor Tom Kopache (Wednesday)

Historic Grace Memorial House gets a bath (Monday)

CB3/SLA highlights: Liquor license applicants for former bakery, pet shop and hardware store (Thursday)

ConEd shares steps its taking to prevent the East 13th Street substation from exploding again (Wednesday)

The former Boca Chica will become a high-end cocktail bar made to look like "a seedy late-70s dive bar" (Wednesday)

Ben Shaoul suing to keep his additional illegal floors (Tuesday)

Update on the Mobil station on Avenue C (Thursday)

More about the Russ & Daughters Café space (Thursday)

Former lumber yard on Great Jones sprouting several new floors of residences (Tuesday)

New look for the former 9th Street Bakery (Monday)

The Citi Bikes program isn't profitable ... yet (Friday, 32 comments)

A bad sign at Vella Market (Tuesday)

Roseland Ballroom makes closure next spring official (Tuesday)

At RAE's 'Word of Mouth'

rae bk food center

The former deli on Avenue C at East 12th Street has been transformed into a gallery space for Brooklyn-based artist RAE. The show opened last night ... Mark White shared a few shots before the crowds arrived ...

grilled cheese

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Find more of Mark's photos here.

Word of Mouth
October 26 - November 16, 2013
Corner Avenue C & East 12th Street
Exhibition hours:
Thursday - Saturday 2:00 pm-7:00 pm
*(closed on Halloween)

The Voice interviewed RAE on Friday.

Saturday, October 26, 2013

And now, 18 photos of dogs in Halloween costumes



The 23rd annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade took place this afternoon... and EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there to take a lot of photos... A sampling of this year's costumes...



































Updated:
Slum Goddess has a lot of photos and video here.

'I see an Ace of Hearts coming your way'



An EVG favorite at the 23rd annual Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade today.

Photo by Derek Berg

Dogs? What fucking dogs?


Today's hawk in Tompkins Square Park. Not impressed by dogs in costumes.





Photos by Bobby Williams

RAE's 'Word of Mouth' exhibit opens tonight in vacant corner deli on 12th and C



From the EVG inbox...

"WORD OF MOUTH"
RAE
October 26 - November 16, 2013
Opening: October 26, 7-10pm
Corner Avenue C & East 12th Street

Post-opening exhibition hours:
Thursday - Saturday 2:00 pm-7:00 pm
*(closed on Halloween)



The Voice interviewed the Brooklyn-based RAE yesterday. Excerpt!

I've been working on this show for about a year and a half, and I always wanted to do something inside a store because every time I went into a store, the signage and everything in there, to me, felt like art. The misspelled signs, how things are put together haphazardly on cardboard always appealed to me. Just the imperfections of things. It just made sense for me to have a show inside a space like this, but obviously I wanted to take over the space. Even if you have an entire gallery, you still have limitations. Here, there are no limitations for me. I can do whatever I want. I almost have to hold back because I want to write on the ceilings and the floors.

Photos via Mark White

Fall, in bloom



Goggla shared this photo from yesterday in Tompkins Square Park... where fall is on display...

That's it for Heathers ... for now

[Image via]

Word on East 13th Street was that Heathers would close at the beginning of December. However, that closing came earlier than expected, as Grub Street first reported late yesterday afternoon. Per Grub Street, "the locks have been changed illegally."

Ray Lemoine and Michael Herman took over the bar just east of Avenue A during the summer of 2012.

Back to Grub Street:

Lemoine and Herman say they were gradually being pushed out of the bar, which came with a history of complaints and controversy. Initially, a cash settlement with the landlord established an end date of December 1, 2013 for the East 13th Street space.

Heather Millstone opened Heathers in 2005 ... and the bar quickly became a lightning rod for noise complaints. (The Times had a lengthy article in January 2007 about the ongoing noise issues between the bar and neighbors.) You can read more about the bar's CB3 issues here.

We asked Lemoine a few questions via email last night about what's next.

What are your feelings about how things came to a rather abrupt end here?

Sad. Staff is sad, customers are sad. But I'm kind of happy I can stop drinking for a bit. Would have a proper send off.

Are you looking to relocate in the East Village?

We have a few great options right nearby and are looking to close a deal ASAP. We love the North East Village.

What's your assessment of the East Village nightlife scene these days?

I like many of the old bars. I love Lit for its club scene. But there aren't many cool new spots despite all the blogs telling you about these cool new spots. ACME is great, but it's in NOHO. Cocktail bars and $9 sandwich shops should be banned. Nightlife is pretty dead in the East Village in terms of, say, hearing a great DJ and dancing and not paying $12 for a drink. I miss The Hole. I mean, now that Heathers is closed, there isn't even a lesbian/heroin rock bar left in the East Village (frown face).

There's a Boycott 7-Eleven rally tomorrow

Via the EVG inbox from the No 7-Eleven blog...

Friday, October 25, 2013

Banksy's grim reaper and the old Bowery ghosts


[Image via jerebles]

As you may have heard or seen, Bansky's latest street installation is on East Houston and Elizabeth ... at the site of Billy Leroy's former big tent.



The above video of the Grim Reaper Bumper Car comes from the official Banksy site, which includes an audio guide. (Banksy labeled this Bowery on his site.)

Catch it while you can, I mean, if you want to. Tonight through Sunday, dusk until midnight, apparently.

Find more photos, and what not, at Gothamist... BoweryBoogie ... and AnimalNY, who posted this video...



We reached out to Billy Leroy for comment... he is currently in Los Angeles... enjoying the start of the third season of "Baggage Battles" on the Travel Channel.

He said he was unaware that Banksy would be using his former Billy's Antiques spot for this installment.

"I support art and I like Banksy's work," Leroy said via email. "A year and a half ago we did the whole Death thing and buried the old Bowery with music. It's a compliment that a world-class artist would do a similar idea. The ghosts of the old Bowery told me they are still happy,
but will never allow anything to be built on that spot."

Come aboard



"Hellbound" by the Breeders from 1990.