Sunday, May 18, 2014

The 8th annual Anarchist Film Festival is today



From the Festival's description:

The AFF will be screening a variety of short films that celebrate the spirit of resistance and liberation amid the increasing criminalization of dissent around the world. The AFF, is a participatory event where the screenings spark vigorous discussion about the possibilities of political change and cultural transformation.

Find more info about the program here. Theatre 80 is at 80 St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.

Get good stuff today

Saturday, May 17, 2014

DanceFest 2014


[Photo by Bobby Williams]


[BW]

So the Dance Parade came on down into Tompkins Square Park today… here are just a few of the photos of the participants in the DanceFest via EVG contributor Stacie Joy …













Solving the woman with the jellyfish mystery that wasn't really all that mysterious after all



Several people have been asking what that mural/ad/banner thing is at the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and East 10th Street.

Turns out the answer is right up Fourth Avenue … It's a public art installation that coincides with an exhibit from model-photographer Amber Arbucci in the former Dryden Gallery Space at 129 Fourth Ave. near East 13th Street…



There are nude self-portraits … showing Arbucci swimming with five million jellyfish …



Here's an interview with Arbucci about what this is all about …

The exhibit opened yesterday … not sure how long it will be here…

Reminders today: Dance Parade, DanceFest and the Ukrainian Festival



Just taking an early morning look at the set up for the Dance Parade 2014 on St. Mark's Place … where it will end in Tompkins Square Park for the DanceFest from 3-7 today.



And it looks like the Delta Tau Chi float still needs work…



… and on East Seventh Street between Cooper Square and Second Avenue… prepping for the 38th annual Ukrainian Festival

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!



Phew! Just when you thought that you HAD ABSOLUTELY NOTHING TO DO TODAY. Here we have the Two Bridges/Third Avenue Street Fair from East 14th Street to East Sixth Street.

We were out so stupidly early, we were on the scene before the Italian Sausage People. So, sorry — no photos of cartoon pigs holding entrails sausages.



Anyway! Good day for traffic. With the Dance Parade going along St. Mark's Place and part of East Seventh Street closed for the Ukrainian Festival.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Street fair! Street fair! Street fair!

Friday, May 16, 2014

Up Up and away...



Here is "Up Is Up (But So Is Down)," the new single from Haunted Hearts (aka, DeeDee Penny of Dum Dum Girls and her husband Brandon Welchez of Crocodiles). Their debut album, "Initiation," is out May 26 on their Zoo Music label.

MoRUS announces 'Women of the Lower East Side' theme for 2nd annual Film Fest this August

The Museum has added an amateur film competition as well... details via the EVG inbox...

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) will present for its Second Annual Film Fest a selection of films by and about women who have shaped the history of the Lower East Side.

An eight-day event that will take place at a variety of East Village venues including theaters, community gardens and MoRUS, “Women of the Lower East Side” will kick-off Friday, Aug. 1 and run through Saturday, Aug. 9. Tickets go on sale June 15 at morusfilmfest.eventbrite.com or by visiting MoRUS during hours of operation.

To make this cinematic exploration of women making and remaking the Lower East Side more accessible to the community, MoRUS is calling for amateur filmmakers to compete for a spot in the festival. Submissions must tie into the “Women of the Lower East Side” theme and can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes duration.

The competition is open to filmmakers of any gender, any age and at any experience level who submit either a link to their film or a DVD copy of the film along with a brief artist’s statement and $10 entry fee to morusfilmfest@morusnyc.org or mail to MoRUS Film Fest, Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, 155 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18 at 5 PM ET. A jury comprised of local business owners, artists, activists and MoRUS volunteers will determine which films will be publicly screened on Friday, Aug. 8 at a venue to be determined. First, Second, and Third-Place Winners will be selected by the audience and awarded monetary/in-kind prizes. In addition, one film will receive the MoRUS Choice Award.

Further details regarding “Women of the Lower East Side,” including film line-ups, venues and collateral events will be updated as available here.

The First Annual MoRUS Film Fest was themed “Reclaimed Space” and drew more than 600 attendees over its seven-day run in August 2013.

But of course!: Former Norman's Sound & Vision space becoming a Dunkin' Donuts

[EVG file photo from August 2012]

After 22 years, Norman's Sound & Vision closed at 67 Cooper Square near East Seventh Street back in August 2012.

Now comes word via EVG Facebook friend Michael Hirsch that the space will become a — ding, ding! — Dunkin' Donuts.

Sure enough!

The DOB permits approved on Tuesday show work for a DD in this space...



Meanwhile, just give us a kick down here on the floor when a Starbucks or bank or 7-Eleven moves into the Kim's space.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition


[Crossing 2nd Ave. the other day via Derek Berg]

Second Avenue and East 7th Street in 1981 (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

One reason why Crunch is moving to the Bowery (BoweryBoogie)

How to find out if you live in a landmarked building (Off the Grid)

At Rikers with Cecily McMillan (Runnin' Scared)

Hester Street Fair expanding to Seward Park (The Lo-Down)

The filming locations of "The French Connection," now and then (Scouting NY)

Ephemeral New York in book form! (Ephemeral New York)

And here's another exhibit as part of Lower East Side History Month — Vanished Spaces.


[Image via Julius Klein]

From the EVG inbox...

ABC NO RIO presents “Vanished Spaces,” an exhibition of artist run gallery and performance spaces that no longer exist.
Featured spaces include, among others: Julius Klein’s XOXO, which ran from 1990-1997 on Second Avenue by, among a long list: Taylor Meade, Rockets Red Glare, Amos Poe, Tom Murrin (The Alien Comic), Edgar Oliver, Tony Millionaire and Wendy Wild.

Exhibition opens tonight (7-9) and runs through June 15

ABC NO RIO is at 156 Rivington St.

For gallery hours and more info., hit the ABC NO RIO website here.

OMG baby hawks! (UPDATED WITH VIDEO!)


[Photo by Francois Portmann]

Here are a few of the latest incredible photos that Francois Portmann has posted from the nest cam up on the Christodora House … where Christo and Dora's chicks hatched this past week.

The red-tailed hawk parents have also assembled quite a feast for the family — there are at least four dead rats stored in the nest. (Shouldn't that be refrigerated?)


[FP]


[FP]

Thank you to Goggla, who has been chronicling the activity here from Day 1. Head over there to find out where exactly the hawks have been discarding the rat carcasses ... as well as other habits of the new parents.

And find more hawk photos at Francois's photography site here.

Also, check out these hawk photos and video from the Christodora at the Urban Hawks website.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Red-tailed hawks nest on the Christodora House

The hawks of Tompkins Square Park have laid an egg at the Christodora House

More eggsciting hawk news from the Christodora House

Breaking (heh) news: The hawks of Tompkins Square Park are officially parents

P.S.

The baby hawks are becoming quite an attraction... here's a fellow Christodora House resident checking out the action...


[Photo Saturday by Bobby Williams]

Updated 11:16 a.m.

Francois has posted this video!

Listing for Kim's Video says space is 'ideal for Bank, 711, Starbucks'


[Photo from April 21 by Williams Klayer]

Oh, really?

The listing for Kim's arrived at Streeteasy yesterday... and it's doozy:

124 First Avenue between 7th and 8th Streets Store 1820 SF approximately- plus basement storage / office East side of 1st Avenue Ideal for Bank, 711, Starbucks, Cafe, Deli, Bakery ASKING $16,500 month Security 4 months Lease term 5 to 10 years.

As we first reported on April 21, Kim's Video and Music is closing.

In a letter to Kim's patrons, management wrote:

The point is, and you should be aware, that we are NOT closing because record stores are dying, business is bad, it's not like it used to be and oh terrible world. Not at all. The actual reason for our closing is that the lease is up in July and the rent is being raised to an amount we simply can't work with.

The space was previously home to the great Kurowycky Meat Products, which closed in the summer of 2007. The Kurowycky family still owns the building... and a reliable source tells us that a family member who now lives in the South is calling the shots on the rent.

Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] A really bad sign outside Kim's Video & Music on First Avenue (31 comments)

Source: Kim's staff looking for ways to save their store

More about the closure of Kim's: 'We are NOT closing because record stores are dying'

After 5 years, the Michael Mut Gallery closes on Avenue C



Michael Mut, proprietor of the eponymous gallery, let us know that he has closed down the space at 97 Avenue C near East Seventh Street.

In the past five years, the sliver of a gallery has offered 47 exhibitions and, as he put it, "some amazing collaborations with talented artists and curators."

In addition to his gallery work in recent years, Mut founded the nonprofit organization called The Love Yourself Project in 2010. Its mission: "Celebrating and empowering communities around the world, spreading a message of unconditional self-love."

The organization, he said, will need all his time and dedication moving forward. "I have made so many valued friends along the way and I am truly grateful for those friendships as well as the many volunteers and interns who have supported the gallery and its mission," he said.

Wednesday was the gallery's last day. The space is in a building owned by the NYCHA.

Important questions: What the hell is that?



Several people have asked us about the new ad or whatever that arrived on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and East 10th Street this week. Like, what is it for?

We have no idea!

But people seem to be noticing it. We spotted five different people taking a photo of the ad while we were standing there yesterday for a minute.

Anyway, just enjoy it! One of these days, something tall and glassy will likely be standing on this corner.

Updated:

Mystery solved here.