Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo on 1st Avenue by Grant Shaffer) ... 

• A visit with Moxie, a nearly 8-year-old East Village photographer with an eye for nature (Wednesday)

• A visit to Azaleas, celebrating 20 years in the East Village (Tuesday) 

• EV Loves NYC preparing for its 3rd annual Thanksgiving event for New Yorkers in need (Friday)

• The tree lighting ceremony in Tompkins Square Park takes place on Dec. 11 (Monday) 

• This morning's community meeting in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday) ... Why is this area of Tompkins Square Park now closed to the public? (Thursday) 

• About 'Bomb Pop 2,' an 'ongoing conversation' at Bullet Space (Friday) 

• The Gallery Watch Q&A: Sneha S. on 'Portraits of the Revolution' (Saturday) 

• Bowery building once owned by Andy Warhol is up for auction (Tuesday) 

• City removes curbside dining structure at Amor Y Amargo on 6th and A (Saturday) 

• While we're waiting for the full reveal at 14 2nd Ave. (Monday) 

• Let there be sidewalk here on Avenue C! (Wednesday) 

• Gratin, a new gallery, debuts on 5th Street and Avenue B (Thursday) 

• That's all for the short-lived Luna Cafe Lounge on 2nd Avenue (Thursday)

• The Union Square Holiday Market is now open on Union Square this holiday season (Friday) 

• Heathily Deli has not been open lately (Monday) 

• Noted, good-God-not-another-one edition (Wednesday) ... Hey, what might be opening in this empty 1st Avenue storefront? (Monday) 

... and an attempt at humor for fans of the Citizen app...

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The Union Square Holiday Market is now open on Union Square this, uh, holiday season

The Union Square Holiday Market is back in action as of yesterday on the southern portion of Union Square at 14th Street. 

This winter season, the market, via Urbanspace, has 160 local and national vendors. Here's a link with the list of merchants. 

The kiosks will be up through Dec. 24. Hours: Monday-Friday, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Saturday, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.; Sunday, 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Closed Thanksgiving day. Rain or shine, etc.

Photo via @urbanspacenyc

The tree lighting ceremony in Tompkins Square Park takes place on Dec. 11

In case you are calendaring your upcoming holiday events... the holiday tree lighting is on tap for Tompkins Square Park on Sunday, Dec. 11 from 4-5 p.m. 

The 31st edition features familiar names: the Carolers of Olde New York from Theater for the New City and music from the Mandel & Lydon Trio ... with refreshments via Veselka and C&B. 

You can revisit photos from last year's event right here.

Delicore: The line to see Diplo at Katz's After Dark Sunday night

We received some curious queries about the long lines outside the venerable Katz's Delicatessen on Sunday night... as lines of partygoers stretched in both directions here on Houston and Ludlow. (Thank you to Lisa Holiday for the top pic!)

This was billed as "Katz's After Dark" — "Invite only, for the industry by the industry" — and presented by Red Bull, as part of their Summer Sessions series, and the clothing brand Mr. Saturday. 

Attendees received complimentary Red Bull cocktails from 11 p.m. to 4 a.m. ... and the usual Katz's fare.

There were four DJs on the bill, Joey Saturday, Mona Matsuoka, Gonnie Garko and headliner Diplo ...

This appears to be a one-time event, though there is a Katz's After Dark Instagram account in case there's ever a next time.

Katz's previously hosted Vogue's Pre Met Party this past spring. 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past holiday week included (with a photo on Seventh and A by Derek Berg)... 

• Steve Croman sells 8-building portfolio (Wednesday) 

• Thrift NYC sets up shop on 14th Street (Tuesday)

• Plywood removal at the former P.S. 64 (Thursday) 

• City raises hourly wage for lifeguards to ease pool staff shortage (Thursday) 

• Unarrested development: activity at the long-stalled corner of St. Mark's Place and 3rd Avenue (Friday ... Saturday) 

• Openings: A'more Caffè on 2nd Street at Avenue A (Tuesday) ... Murphy's on 9th Street (Wednesday)

• Giving Tuesday: the return of twice-a-week alternate side parking (Tuesday) 

• Report of a gas explosion at La Mia Pizza on 4th Avenue (Sunday)

• HAGS sets July 20 opening date on 1st Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Workers remove this elm in Tompkins Square Park (Wednesday) 

• Comings and goings on 10th Street: Montauk Salt Cave closes; and a new restaurant from 2 Momofuku vets (Thursday) 

• 4.5 years later: A tenant for the former Noho Star space on Bleecker and Lafayette (Tuesday) 

• Full reveal at El Churro on Houston and Allen (Wednesday) 

• Puff & Puff Convenience debuts on Avenue C (Tuesday) 

• The Ainsworth closes East Village location (Tuesday) 

... and speaking of the Ainsworth closing... a few readers asked (once again): Who's responsible for removing the curbside dining structure when a restaurant shuts down? The one outside the former Ainsworth on 11th Street at Third Avenue is one of the largest in the neighborhood...

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You can find items from Dress Shoppe II this summer at A Repeat Performance on 3rd Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

From left: Maegan Hayward, Sara Ann Rutherford and Delphine Le Goff

A Repeat Performance, the pop-up market extravaganza at the 3rd and B'Zaar space, has been extended through the summer.

The shop was set to close on Sunday after a three-plus-month run ... but the sales will continue here at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B through Aug. 28.

And the new crop of vendors, designers and artists will feature a familiar name starting today. Saroj Goya, who ran the recently closed Dress Shoppe II at 83 Second Ave. for more than 20 years with her late husband, will be selling her vintage Indian fabrics and clothing from the space for the summer. (You can read this post for more about the closing of Dress Shoppe II. Sales also continue at Etsy.) 

Here are some of the items via Dress Shoppe II...

"We feel so lucky to have The Dress Shoppe II as part of 3rd & B'zaar's A Repeat Performance market and are happy to have them back home in the East Village," said 3rd & B co-founder Maegan Hayward.

Hours here are 1-7 p.m. Wednesday through Sunday. Check out the 3rd and B'Zaar Instagram account for updates and features on the participating vendors.

A Repeat Performance, the bric-a-brac shop at 156 First Ave., closed in July 2019 after 39 years in business. The sign became available ... and the folks at East Village Vintage Collective on 12th Street became the proud new owners. (Maegan Hayward is an EVVC co-owner.)

Meanwhile, have a great holiday season... 

May 9

Thanks to EVG reader Garth for sharing these photos today from Fifth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square... where a discarded Christmas tree — complete with lights — lies conveniently in a move-in-ready bag... Just grab and go and be the holiday envy of your friends and neighbors this coming Memorial Day weekend...

'It's time' — A question about the Christmas wreath in Tompkins Square Park

Despite today's snowfall 😒 ... not everyone is understandably feeling the Christmas spirit this March.

Here then, a question via the EVG inbox: 

Any idea how we can get the dried-out holiday wreath in Tompkins Square Park taken down? It's time.

A groovy kind of love: 3rd and B'zaar back with a Valentine's Market this weekend

Like Air Supply, if you're lost in love, then you may want to check out the next pop-up market at 3rd and B'Zaar.

The mixed-vendor market and event space at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B will host a variety of local designers, artists, merchants and vintage sellers for this Valentine's weekend.

The Valentine's Market runs Friday-Sunday from noon to 7 p.m.

In a photoshoot with Stacie Joy, organizers (from left) Maegan Hayward, Sara Ann Rutherford and Delphine Le Goff paid homage to some 1980s excess and indulgence ...

3rd & B'Zaar debuted in late 2020 with a month-long Holiday Market followed by Sex, Love & Vintage in February ... Spring Into Pride in May and June ... Summer in the City in the summer and another holiday-themed pop-up late last year. 

You can follow them on Instagram for more info about vendors.

Workers finish demolition of the old retail spaces along 250 E. Houston St.; now what's next?

If you've walked by 250 E. Houston St. in recent days, then you likely noticed that workers have mostly finished removing the one-level strip of storefronts.

Demoliton started in mid-November ahead of a new mixed-used building for the property here between Avenue A and Avenue B. The demolition has been a challenge/nuisance to nearby residents — especially when jack-hammering starts at 7:30 a.m. on a holiday. There have also been dust complaints, per city records. 

Here's a look from late last week at the now-empty lot courtesy of EVG contributor Stacie Joy...

EVG reader Jim Knapp shared this photo below of the retail spaces at the start of the demolition. The businesses in these storefronts either relocated closer to the residential building at 250 E. Houston St. (Kapri Cleaners and the FedEx Office Print & Ship Center) or closed (Dunkin'/Baskin-Robbins, Subway, Mattress Firm and China Town).

Jim also shared a time-lapse of the building demolition, which you can find on YouTube. 

As for what's next, there's a filing with the DOB for a 6-story mixed-use residential building, as we reported on Jan. 3 ... (click on the image for more detail) ...

However, sources tell us that this was just a preliminary filing to allow for the demolition ... and that the plans for the building will actually be closer to the size/scope of the adjacent 13-floor residences at 250 E. Houston St., the former Red Square that opened in 1989. 

For now, not much will likely happen on the empty plots. 

Revisit this EVG post from 2016 for a photo of this property before Red Square arrived in the late 1980s.

Coddiwomple debuts on 1st Ave.

An outpost of Coddiwomple is now open at 213 First Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street. (They debuted this past weekend with a sandwich giveaway). 

This is the third location (following the Upper East Side and Hell's Kitchen) for the brand with the tagline: "Travel By Sandwich™️ Internationally inspired sandwiches made with local ingredients." 

Sandwiches include the Roman Holiday (prosciutto, mozzarella, pesto, fresh tomatoes, arugula and balsamic vinaigrette on ciabatta) and the Savannah Smash (chicken salad — pulled breast with secret mayo dressing — and avocados on warm baguette). Find their menu here. 

The EV location will have a dine-in option, per the Coddiwomple Instagram account.

Sunday's parting shot

We've lost the lights on the bottom half of the Tompkins Square Park holiday tree ... kinda back where we started last month. 

Photo by Steven...

Solving the Great Santa Claus Mystery of Tompkins Square Park

Late last night, the rando Santa Claus looked all aglow in an upright position under the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park, as these photos by EVG reader Jake Bowling show...

As we've been noting this week (here and here), someone brought this Santa figure to the tree in the park sometime Sunday night or Monday morning. 

At one point, Santa was standing proudly... other times, he was flat on his back, per hijinks. 

And through some detective work (our fee: $200 per day plus expenses) and some reader comments, we learned how Santa came to town to the park. (Early reports that Santa was nabbed from a lobby turned out to be incorrect.) 

This Santa had been holding forth outside East Village Social on St. Mark's Place this past holiday season. 

On Sunday night, someone from the bar transported SC to his new resting place... here's a video via Instagram showing Santa on the move (to the gentle strains of George Harrison's "My Sweet Lord."

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by East Village Social aka EVS (@eastvillagesocial)

Sadly, the trail ends here. Steven, our secret Santa correspondent, reports that there's no sign of the Claus in the Park today...

Hopefully, he'll be back again some day (or is that Frosty?).

Meanwhile, in Tompkins Square Park ...

An update on the decorative Santa figure that found its way underneath the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park early yesterday — or overnight Sunday. (First post here.) 

As EVG decorative Santa correspondent Steven noted, there was a moment of joy yesterday afternoon when good samaritans propped up the Santa for a more traditional and dignified Santa stance...

Unfortunately, the story doesn't end on a happy note.

No, at some point, TBD, Santa ended up flat on his back once again... as seen this morning...

Oh, dear.

DOUBLE OH DEAR!

Thankfully, the dog did NOT weewee on Santa. 

And to be continued, probably...

Here comes Santa Claus, here comes Santa Claus...oh

As seen this morning under the holiday tree in Tompkins Square Park... (thanks to Steven for the photos)...

At first glimpse, there were some SantaCon flashbacks. Then, concern for a possibly injured or inebriated individual dressed as Santa on this frigid Jan. 10. 

However, it is a life-size Santa figure. 

As we understand it, a resident left this in his lobby yesterday for the super to stow for the season. Someone ended up dragging Santa here instead. Update! This was the Santa out front at East Village Social on St. Mark's Place. They made a special delivery. God Bless us, everyone!

Mondays!

6 posts from December

A mini month in review... (with a photo from Dec. 11 by Derek Berg)...

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like (Dec. 23) 

• The Community Holiday Feast fed more than 600 people in Tompkins Square Park yesterday (Dec. 20)

• Letter perfect: City makes the MPH right on 2nd attempt (Dec. 20) 

• Did SantaCon contribute to NYC's current COVID-19 surge? (Dec. 18) 

• Report of a fatal fire early at 118 Avenue D (Dec. 16) 

• At the rally for Casa Adela (Dec. 13) 

Corinne Neary checks out of the Tompkins Square Library branch

Photo by Stacie Joy

After five-plus years as the manager of the Tompkins Square Library branch, Corinne Neary is moving on this holiday season.

Neary is heading to the Jefferson Market branch on Sixth Avenue when it reopens later this winter. (She worked there as a trainee and senior librarian before coming to Tompkins Square in November 2016.)

Patrons of this branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B have said that they appreciated Neary's attention to the neighborhood's history ... especially its writers and artists — past and present — with events such as the East Village Arts Festival and various walking tours. Her programing was also top-notch... and she has excellent taste in classic films (a Myrna Loy triple feature!).

We talked with her during the EVG podcasting days for a session in early 2019. Find that conversation here.

A 15-year NYPL veteran, Will Hall, takes over for Neary at Tompkins Square.

Welcome, Will, and thank you, Corinne... 

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (featuring Smoking Santas in Union Square by Derek Berg)... 

 • These East Village businesses are temporarily closing as COVID cases continue to climb (Monday)

• The Community Holiday Feast fed more than 600 people in Tompkins Square Park yesterday (Monday) 

• Reports: Did SantaCon contribute to NYC's current COVID-19 surge? (Tuesday) 

• RIP Robert J. Giurdanella (Wednesday) 

• Driver fleeing police charged in the hit-and-run death of delivery worker on Houston Street (Wednesday) 

• Because you've always wanted to know what the inside of the long-empty 6 Avenue B looks like (Thursday) 

• Another visit to the home of Frankie Christmas (Friday) 

• The end of the East River amphitheater (Friday) 

• Letter perfect: City makes the MPH right on 2nd attempt (Monday) 

• Cornerstone Cafe calls it quits (Tuesday) 

• Signage arrives for the new Urban Wine & Spirits (Monday) 

• Former August Laura space is on the rental market; building on the auction block (Thursday) • Arthur’s Barber Shop has closed (Tuesday) 

• Activity at the former St. Brigid School on Avenue B and 7th Street (Thursday)

• 1st sign of Raíz Modern Mexican on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

• 7-Eleven shutters on 14th Street (Monday)

• Bubbleology Tea has gone out of business on 1st Avenue (Thursday) 

• East Village Social has not been open in awhile (Monday) 

• EVG turns 14 (Tuesday — thank you for all the kind words about the site! ❤️) 

... and thanks to Goggla for this festive holiday shot from Seventh Street and Avenue B...

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A Lou Reed Christmas scene on St. Mark's Place

A holiday scene on St. Mark's Place... with Invader's Lou Reed mosaic still in place from late 2015 (and via the Lisa Project) ...

The Russian & Turkish Baths are back open on 10th Street

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

The heat is on just in time for the cold weather.

The Russian & Turkish Baths have reopened their doors at 268 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. Established in 1892, the popular bathhouse has been closed since the pandemic's start in March 2020. They reopened yesterday. 

Partners and brothers (from left) Dmitry and Jack Shapiro gave me a tour of the newly remodeled and renovated space...

Here are the hours during this holiday weekend: 

• Christmas Day: 11 a.m. until 7 p.m.

• Sunday/Boxing Day: 9 a.m. until 10 p.m. (9 a.m. until 2 p.m. men only; 2 p.m. until 10 p.m. coed). 

All patrons must be vaccinated and present proof of vaccination. Capacity, for now, is limited to 40.

Here's more info from the Russian & Turkish Baths website:

We will not be honoring prepaid admission passes or memberships at this time. We will reassess this policy in the New Year. Admission will be $50 per person.

Vaccination cards will be checked for all patrons. If you are not feeling well or are not vaccinated, you will not be allowed in the Baths. 

Dmitry and Jack's father, David, a longtime owner here, passed away in the spring of 2020. Boris Tuberman remains an owner ... and will still have the Boris weeks.