Scenes from 'Punk in the Park' with Non Residents

Photos by Stacie Joy 

On Sunday, NYC thrash metal band Non Residents, formed in 2019 by brothers Amarú and Roberto Fenoutt, headlined the Punk in the Park show in Tompkins...

At one point during the show, members of the crowd pulled apart an effigy dressed to resemble an ICE officer...

Parts of the effigy were subsequently set on fire ...

The scene also reflected a longstanding part of the park's identity: Music and political protest have a long, intertwined history in Tompkins Square Park.

At Drāvida, chef Aarthi Sampath explores the Indian diaspora — and finds a home in the East Village

Interview and photos by Stacie Joy 

Chef-owner Aarthi Sampath opened Drāvida at 211 First Ave. in late May, bringing together dishes inspired by Indian and South Asian communities worldwide. 

The restaurant is Sampath's first venture as an owner after some 15 years working as a chef. She's also a familiar face to Food Network viewers, having appeared on "Chopped" and "Beat Bobby Flay." 

Sampath, who moved to the East Village this past year, describes Drāvida as a love letter to the South Asian diaspora — shaped by years of travel, research and encounters with people whose families have roots in India but whose food traditions developed elsewhere.

We talked with her about opening her first restaurant, finding a home in the East Village, accommodating diners with dietary restrictions and what happens when a dish unexpectedly goes viral. 

How did you come to open Drāvida? 

I've been a chef for the last 15-ish years, since I came to the U.S.

Living in New York City, such a melting pot, I don't think I would have met as many people from the South Asian diaspora as I did here. You meet someone from Guyana whose grandparents were from India, or someone who's Malaysian-Indian because their ancestors left home for trade reasons. That's what inspired me. 

I kept working on the concept and traveling to different countries to explore the South Asian and Indian diaspora. What it really means is looking at what happened when Indians and South Asians left their home countries, whether for trade or as indentured workers. The spice trade created so much diversity around the world. That's the food we explore. 

Drāvida is a love letter to South Asians who live in New York. I met a South African Indian here! I don't think I would have met them anywhere else unless I visited South Africa. 

I wrote a rough draft of the concept in 2018 and started pitching it to investors. Everyone seemed to say it was too unique, too different. They'd ask, "Why don't you just do something that's tested, like a normal Indian restaurant?" 

But I didn't want to. Despite so many no's, I wanted to keep my motivation high. 

Eventually, I became a partner with CookUnity, the meal-delivery platform, and that helped me get the restaurant. That's how I was able to do it on my own. 

What made you choose the East Village? 

As a young cook, I worked on 23rd Street and 29th Street, near Broadway, and the East Village was one of the only places open late at night. We'd finish work at 11 or 11:30 p.m., and I felt like I belonged here. It reminded me of Mumbai because there's so much food, so much culture. 

Now that I've been living here for the last six months, I feel like this is community. I never felt that on the Upper West Side, where I was living at the time. I was a struggling cook, but I could always find something inspiring here, whether it was the best pizza slice, an excellent cookie or dessert, or amazing Chinese food. 

It was inspiring to see something new crop up in the East Village and feel like it was accepted. I'd walk from Second Avenue to First Avenue to Avenue A and B, sometimes late at night to get a nice cocktail. Even if I didn't have any money, I could feel alive just walking around. I felt like I was part of these parties, even if I wasn't.

How did you find this particular space? 

When I started looking for restaurants, I wanted to be in the East Village. 

The concept was so unique that I couldn't imagine seeing Drāvida anywhere else and people being interested in it. I looked at several locations, but when I walked into this space and saw the wood-fired ovens, I felt a sense of calm. [Ed note: Luzzo's was in this space until 2022.]

This was the first place I walked out of and immediately asked for a quote. Maybe it was the goodwill of the previous place. It could be a lot of factors. I believe in that. 

The wood-fired ovens were important because we're living in a world with so much AI and automation. We're even talking about robotics in kitchens! I thought it would be nice to go back in time and cook food from the start of it all, which is just fire. 

How many restaurants in New York get to do that? And I didn't know anything about how to open a restaurant.

You recently opened a downstairs speakeasy, Jam & Jaggery. Tell us about it. 

We've been open for several weeks, on Fridays and Saturdays for now. We'll eventually extend to other days. 

I met a mixologist from Brooklyn who's a partner in a bar called Mr. Mellow. I asked if he could help us. We only do low-ABV drinks, so I wanted really nice cocktails using lower-alcohol spirits and liqueurs. 

He's done a wonderful job, and the response has been great.

Is the drink menu different from upstairs?

Yes, it's separate. The upstairs drinks are more chef-inspired and seasonal. We just changed the menu for fall. We have a persimmon colada and a nice fall chai. We use chilies and make a spicy lemonade.

Downstairs is quieter, more of a speakeasy atmosphere, with spirit-forward drinks. But everything ties into the diaspora. We use spices, herbs and teas from different parts of the world.

How do you accommodate diners who are vegan, vegetarian or have food allergies or other dietary restrictions? 

We had someone come in who couldn't eat dairy, ginger or garlic because of religious dietary restrictions. We said, "Don't worry, just give us a little time." And we made her ramen without those ingredients, from scratch. 

I come from a hotel background. I've always thought we just have to make it happen. Even if we can give someone only one or two options, we should. She was almost in tears. She said that every restaurant she goes to in New York tells her they don't have anything for her, but we'd just made something. 

I don't have allergies, but I can't imagine what it would be like to live with one and not be able to eat so many things. We train our team to be considerate and come to the kitchen. We always try to make something. 

We have one dish with nuts, and we avoid peanuts and seed oils. I try to eliminate a lot of allergens myself so it's easier for us to work around restrictions. If there's a gluten allergy, maybe gluten is just one element of a dish. We can take it off and substitute something else.

What's been the best-selling dish so far? 

It's the blue crab curry ramen. Someone came in, ate it and posted about it online. It went viral. 

We realized we didn't want to make more than a certain number because the quality would start declining. The noodles are made from scratch. 

We also really like the crab we use and don't want to substitute another kind. There's a limited supply of jumbo lump crabmeat. So that's definitely the most popular dish. 

My personal favorites are the lobster and the lamb chops. Those are probably my top two of all time. 

But it's hard to choose because I love the crab ramen, too, and the chicken tikka masala. We put so much thought and time into testing every dish. I love them all!

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Drāvida is at 211 First Ave., between 12th Street and 13th Street. Find more information on the Drāvida website and Instagram.

A visitor one October evening

Via the EVG inbox... 

Early Sunday evening, long-time residents of Avenue A experienced a visitor. The visitor was perched outside one of their bedroom windows on the fire escape. A perch that for decades attracted the omnipresent cooing morning dove and neighborhood pigeons, occasionally a large, portly one. 

On this night, though, they were surprised by a very large, unexpected avian visitor perched in this very spot. It stayed long enough to pose for a few portraits, at least five minutes, before spreading its wings, dropping from its perch, then rising and soaring into the distance. 

The residents hadn't seen this in over 30 years and weren't sure the visitor would stop by again, but they'd be ready to greet them if they did.

EV Grieve's Week in Review

Posts this past week included (with a bewitching scene from St. Mark's Place) 

• DOT marks completion of Avenue B redesign (Oct. 15) 

• From bands to books, an East Village resident starts a new chapter (Oct. 15) 

• Parks to present 3 options for Tompkins Square recreation area (Oct. 14) 

• Todos Contentos y Yo También bringing Spanish-language books to 3rd Street (Oct. 12) 

• Benefit brings art and community together for families affected by ICE (Oct. 16) 

• Development team for 324 E. 5th St. affordable housing project to appear before CB3 (Oct. 13) 

• Report: Archdiocese says repairs are underway at Most Holy Redeemer (Oct. 16) 

• At the East Village Meat Market for Pierogi Day (Oct. 13) 

• At the Lower East Side Hispanic Heritage Festival (Oct. 11) 

• Kotobuki is back to full-service dining in the East Village (Oct. 15) 

• Justine Kurland's first retrospective continues at OSMOS on 1st Street (Oct. 17) 

• Scenes from the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade (Oct. 17) 

• The PEACE house loses a tree (Oct. 14) 

• 9-story hotel proposed for Allen Street (Oct. 13) 

• Openings: Table Mercato on 10th Street (Oct. 13) 

• Closings: Bake Culture on St. Mark's Place (Oct. 15) … Hokkaido Baked Cheese Tart on 2nd Avenue (Oct. 12) … Fat Boys Burgers on 1st Avenue (Oct. 12) 

• A Sunday afternoon at Sushi-Con (Oct. 14) 

• ICYMI: E-bike battery sparks apartment fire on Avenue A (Oct. 10) 

Sources: E-bike battery sparks apartment fire on Avenue A

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

The FDNY responded after 8 p.m. to a fire at 172 E. Fourth St., a 12-story residential building on the southwest corner of Avenue A. 

Sources at the scene said a lithium-ion battery overheated and the pack exploded inside a 10th-floor apartment. 

There was an initial report that a resident of the apartment suffered burns. We don't have further information at the moment on the person's condition.

The response brought a large FDNY presence to the intersection, with Avenue A shut down to traffic. Onlookers packed the sidewalk across the street in front of Key Food.

As firefighters checked adjacent apartments on the building's east side, the sound of breaking glass could be heard from the street.

It was not immediately clear how much damage the apartment or neighboring units sustained.

John Baer’s neighborhood views come into focus with monograph, exhibit

Photo from the 3rd Avenue El by John Baer 

A debut monograph devoted to the work of John Baer, a self-taught photographer who lived at 215 Second Ave. between 13th and 14th Street in the 1950s and often photographed the neighborhood from his fire escape, is out today. 

"John Baer: The Extraordinary Ordinary/A Memoir in Photographs, 1945–1954" brings together images Baer made in postwar Europe and 1950s New York City. 

He put away his camera in 1954, and his work remained largely unknown during his lifetime. After Baer died in 1994, his son, Andrew, discovered three boxes containing nearly 4,000 negatives and prints. 

The new book marks the first time a selection from the collection has been published. 

To coincide with its release, the John Baer Archive is presenting an exhibition of 40 photographs from the book at White Loft, 273 Grand St. (second floor), from Thursday through Saturday (Sept. 17–19).

Thursday's opening reception runs from 5-9 p.m. A discussion about Baer's work will take place from 6:30–7 p.m. with Andrew Baer and Megan Moynihan of the archive, along with members of the Paper Cinema Editions publishing team.

A book signing will follow.

Gallery hours are 11 a.m- 7 p.m. The exhibition and related events are free.

A break-in, an arrest and questions about the system: An East Village resident shares her harrowing story

Photos and interview by Stacie Joy 

A longtime East Village resident woke early Saturday morning to find an intruder in the bedroom of her apartment near Seventh Street and Avenue B.

The man had entered through an open fire-escape window, she said, and was standing at the foot of her bed, masturbating. After she threatened to call the police, he left the apartment. Officers later arrested a man nearby after searching the surrounding buildings and gardens.

The resident, whose identity EVG is withholding, chose to share her story to explain what she learned about responding in the moment — and to raise questions about the parole and court systems she is still trying to understand.

The following Q&A has been edited for length and clarity. Some details about the suspect's criminal history, parole status and pending case reflect the resident's understanding of events and have not been independently verified by EVG.

Can you tell us what happened? 

I came home Saturday night, and I went to sleep at about 12:30, and I woke up at about 4:20 a.m. because there was a man just standing at the foot of my bed, violently masturbating. 

It took me about 45 seconds before my brain could make sense of what was happening. I saw a solid mass moving violently. I couldn't really understand it. 

Finally, I sat up in bed and started shouting, "Get the fuck out of here," maybe six or seven times. He didn't respond. I couldn't really see him because it was dark. He didn't leave until I said, "I'm calling the police," and reached for my phone. 

How did he enter the apartment? 

He came through the building next door. Police found the roof door open. He then climbed over the roof, came down my fire escape and entered through my open bedroom window without waking me. 

What happened after you said you were calling the police? 

He went into the hallway and continued masturbating. He was wearing a white shirt, which is important because he left it on my bedroom floor and changed into a black one. 

When I went to call the police, he picked up a bag that he had left in my daughter’s room and slipped out the front door. My daughter wasn't home, thankfully. I locked the door behind him. I could hear him standing on the other side, and then I called 911. 

My neighbor had heard me screaming. He looked through his peephole and got a good look at the man as he walked downstairs. 

Based on the building's camera footage, we later learned that he disappeared into the garden. 

How was he found? 

When the police arrived, I rode with officers for about 20 minutes while my neighbor searched in another police car. 

We didn't find him, so we returned and stood on the street in front of a garden. My neighbor then saw him in the garden and yelled, "That’s him!" Everyone started yelling, "Get him!" The man scaled a wall into my neighbor's private garden. I ran upstairs to get the garden keys. 

When I came back down, I saw him running past me. He ran toward Avenue C, where officers saw him. He turned and ran back toward Avenue B, passing me again. Several officers chased him, caught him and placed him under arrest. 

I took pictures of him after the arrest. When my neighbor confronted him, he threatened my neighbor.

What happened after the arrest?

I gave a police report, and investigators processed the crime scene. I had to remain outside my apartment all day. The following day, I gave a deposition and testified before a grand jury. 

I also found the white shirt he left on my bedroom floor and brought it to the precinct. There is a lot of evidence. My understanding is that bail was set at $100,000. I wish he had been remanded, but he was not.

What did you learn afterward about his parole status? 

Another neighbor found the man’s bag in the garden. It contained a parole ID indicating that he had been released on Aug. 27. The crime occurred on Aug. 29, so he had been out for less than 48 hours. 

The bag also contained paperwork about his parole. It appeared to tell him not to use drugs or alcohol, to find legal employment and to maintain good relationships with his family. 

From what I saw, there did not appear to be information about services available to him. 

Why do you believe the system failed? 

From everything I understand, there was an outstanding felony warrant for his arrest, and he should have been detained. I'm trying to determine whose responsibility it was to identify that warrant and act on it. 

As far as I can tell, this never should have happened to me because he should have been rearrested after being paroled.

What changes have you made to secure your apartment? 

Window poles. They're easy to remove if you want to open your window, but people without bars on their windows and with a fire escape window are vulnerable.

[I bought] a set of poles for $25 on Amazon, and they're adjustable, and you can just stick them in your window so that nobody can open your window from the outside. Or you could get a gate that covers the whole window, but then no light comes in, and you feel like you're in a jail. 

Editor's note: FDNY regulations strictly govern window gate locks and access to fire escapes. Residents should ensure that any window stops or security devices allow for immediate, tool-free emergency egress from the inside.

What do you believe helped you during the incident? 

What finally got his attention was when I said I was calling the police. He didn't seem to hear anything I said before that, but he heard the word "police," and then he left.

How are you processing everything personally? 

I know that I'm incredibly lucky. People kept saying to me, "Oh, my God, this is my worst nightmare." But it could have been worse. I didn't wake up with someone’s hand over my mouth or a gun to my head.

I'm lucky that my daughter wasn't home, and I'm lucky that police caught him. I'm trying to protect women going forward. 

If officials can identify where the communication breakdown occurred, maybe somebody else won't have to go through this.

What systemic or legal concerns remain for you?  

Another upsetting development: Since this is considered a sexually motivated crime, an automatic restraining order was filed on my behalf — and it includes my name! I was told that he has a right to know it, but I don't agree with that. 

I'm also trying to understand how someone with his criminal history and what I believe was an outstanding warrant was released. I want to know where the system failed and who was responsible for acting on that information. 

Right now, I feel like a victim of the criminal justice system even more than the criminal.

EV Grieve's East Village Week in Review

Posts this past week included (with a photo of St. Brigid-St Emeric on Eighth and B)... 

• Buyer found for long-vacant Second Avenue development site (Aug. 5) 

• Another location of the Bean closes, leaving 1 East Village outpost (Aug. 6) 

• Repairs continue after water main break at 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Aug. 4) … Water main break floods section of 14th Street and 1st Avenue (Aug. 3) … update (Aug. 8)

• 12 injured in early-morning subway work train fire at Astor Place station (Aug. 4) 

• NY Copy Print & Ship Center has closed after 34 years on 7th Street (Aug. 3) 

• 9 Bleecker St. returns to market with a $6.5 million ask (Aug. 3) 

• At Night Club 101 with Pop Music Fever Dream (Aug. 7)

• Photos: Sunday in Tompkins (Aug. 5)

• ABC No Rio returns to Tompkins Square Park with a free afternoon of music (Aug. 3) 

• Show Brain Fest returns to Tompkins Square Park this weekend (Aug. 7) 

• Flamingos Vintage Pound to open another East Village shop (Aug. 3) 

• Salumeria Rosi eyes Labor Day reopening following building-related damage (Aug. 4) 

• At the Rush pop-up shop on Second Street (Aug. 2) 

• About "Gin Joint," the Apple+ series that filmed in the East Village yesterday (Aug. 6) 

• Scenes from the 46th annual Festival Calle 6 on Avenue D and Sixth Street (Aug. 2) 

• Reminders: "Irregular," filmed at Sophie's, makes its world premiere on Aug. 9 (Aug. 6)

• New innovation hub opens at Jacob Riis Houses (Aug. 5) 

• Signage alert: RedWhite Boneless Ramen on Allen Street (Aug. 5) 

• Across the Pond bringing European bakery and market to 7th Street (Aug. 4) 

• Champions Martial Arts taps out on 11th and C (Aug. 6) 

... and on Avenue A, someone thinks this tag is rather buns ... although we disagree, we do appreciate its usage in this case...

12 injured in early-morning subway work train fire at Astor Place station

At approximately 2:15 a.m. Tuesday, the FDNY responded to reports of a fire involving a four-car MTA work train at the Astor Place subway station in Manhattan.

Upon arrival, firefighters encountered heavy smoke at both street and station level from the fully involved vacuum… pic.twitter.com/NxxG3I0KOG

— FDNY (@FDNY) August 4, 2026

The following info comes via the @FDNY X account... 

Twelve people were injured early this morning after a fire involving a four-car MTA work train at the Astor Place station, according to the FDNY. 

The FDNY said firefighters responded to the station at about 2:15 a.m., where they encountered heavy smoke from a fully involved vacuum train operating below ground. 

A northbound passenger train entered the station during the fire... and was evacuated as crews battled what the FDNY described as a stubborn fire inside one of the vacuum train's filter compartments. 

Officials said, 12 people were injured, including five firefighters and seven civilians. 

The cause of the fire remains under investigation. 

The 4, 5 and 6 trains are now running without delays, per the MTA.

Mee Noodle Shop will stay open after all

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

It was a much different mood at Mee Noodle Shop & Grill this afternoon.

Just days after staff told us the longtime Chinese restaurant at 223 First Ave. between 13th and 14th Streets would close on July 15, there was reason to celebrate. 

Joyce Tang (below), the restaurant's de facto manager, rushed over to greet us, excitedly sharing a Chinese translation of EV Grieve's story from Wednesday about the planned closure, which she had prepared for Huang, Mee's owner.

"The boss says thanks to your story, we can keep going!" Tang said. "The landlord agreed to lower the rent by $3,000 a month, and so we continue to operate. We don't know how long, but for now, we are going forward." 

According to Tang, after discussing Mee's financial challenges, the two sides reached an agreement allowing Mee Noodle Shop to remain open. 

Huang, the owner — affectionately known as "the boss" — was on hand overseeing the lunch rush and beaming as orders streamed into the kitchen.

Earlier this week, staff told us the restaurant was being forced to close due to rising food and supply costs, steep delivery-app fees, and a decline in business. (Rent was NOT cited as a reason.)

The news comes as a welcome surprise for Mee's loyal customers. 

Since opening on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 13th Street in 1993, the restaurant has become a neighborhood institution known for its generous portions and affordable prices. The restaurant closed after a fire damaged the building in 2006, then returned to First Avenue in December 2013, just a few doors from its original location.

Tang also thanked neighbors who stopped in after reading about the restaurant's situation. 

"We were going to close, and now we can stay longer," she said. "Thank you to everyone who read the story and came to eat here. Please keep coming. We can cook for you.

"We are working things out to stay open," she added. "Your news made people help. We are grateful."

UPDATED 7/10: Mee Noodle Shop, another East Village mainstay, is staying open

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

H/T EVG reader Luke

UPDATED 7/10

A happy update: Mee Noodle Shop is no longer closing. According to staff, after this post, the owner and landlord reached an agreement to lower the monthly rent, allowing the longtime restaurant to remain open. Read the update here.

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Mee Noodle Shop & Grill, the longtime Chinese restaurant at 223 First Ave. between 13th and 14th Streets, is closing. 

According to staff, Wednesday, July 15, will be Mee's last day.

The reasons, they say, are familiar ones. 

"Things cost too much. We pay more money for everything — food, supplies — but we cannot raise the cost of the food." 

They also pointed to the growing cost of delivery apps. "Uber Eats takes 30 to 35 dollars of every hundred." 

And, simply: Business is down. "The owner says we are forced to close." 

The original Mee Noodle Shop opened on the NW corner of First Avenue and 13th Street in 1993, becoming a neighborhood favorite known for generous portions and affordable prices. Among its early regulars was Allen Ginsberg, whose favorite dish was the steamed flounder with ginger sauce.

The restaurant closed after a fire damaged the building in 2006. 

Following the renovation of the residential building, which later included a Starbucks, Mee Noodle Shop made a much-celebrated return to First Avenue in December 2013, just a few doors from its original home.

Staff members — some of whom said they've worked there for more than a decade — told us they're saddened by the closure and uncertain about what comes next. They hope neighbors will stop by for one last meal before the final day. (There was a Mee Noodle on Ninth Avenue that closed a few years ago, though it was owned by different people.)

When we stopped by this week, several diners were visibly surprised to learn the restaurant was closing. One regular kept asking the waitstaff, "You're joking, right?" before finally asking, "Why?" When they explained that business had fallen off, he glanced around the nearly full dining room.

"Now it is," a waitress said. "We've been here all day."

As always, the portions were generous, and the kitchen was happy to accommodate substitutions and special requests.

The closure also comes as another chapter of First Avenue dining begins across the street, where Dim Sum Bloom is preparing to open with a kitchen that includes an automated stir-fry robot.

For many East Villagers, though, Mee Noodle Shop represented something increasingly difficult to find: a reliable, affordable neighborhood restaurant that endured through changing times.

From the East Village to Kyoto: Masae Satouchi's farewell exhibition

Photos by Stacie Joy 

A two-day pop-up exhibition at the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) celebrates the work of longtime C-Squat resident Masae Satouchi, who is relocating to Kyoto, Japan, later this summer after two decades in New York. 

We stopped by the opening last night of "My Ritual of Becoming," a multimedia exhibition featuring Satouchi's photography, performance art, kimono creations, fire dancing, burlesque, and color art therapy. 

The show reflects on her 20 years in New York while looking ahead to what's next.

"My Ritual of Becoming is not the end of a journey," Satouchi says. "It is an invitation. If my work helps even one person remember who they were before the world told them who to become, then these twenty years have found their meaning."

Satouchi describes the exhibition as "a love letter to New York and to all the people who made it my home," while marking the beginning of a new chapter in Japan. 

If you missed last night's opening, today (Wednesday) is your final chance to see the exhibition. It's on view from 1-6 p.m. at MoRUS, 155 Avenue C between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

And scenes from last evening, including host-special guest Chris Flambeaux ...