The stained-glass windows at St. Brigid's

Have you seen the newish stained-glass windows at St. Brigid's here on East Eighth Street at Avenue B?

Meanwhile, as you may have noticed outside St. Brigid's in recent weeks, there are a handful of union picketers...

Matt LES_Miserable spoke with the picketers last week ... and they claim that "the contractor is paying poor wages and using non-union labor." As The Villager points out this week, they are protesting against DanMar Electric, the subcontractor of record, doing all the electrical work on St. Brigid's — not this specific construction site.

Speaking of The Villager, Roland Legiardi-Laura files a lengthy piece on the good, the bad and the ugly of the 164-year-old church's renovation process. He also provides the history of how we got to this renovation phase.

Per the article:

So what do we have to look forward to after 164 years of striving? A really fine initiative that is probably a million dollars shy of becoming one of the best church restorations this city has ever seen: a living example of history, community and philanthropy combining to right a wrong that had been done to a neighborhood and a parish...

The crane event at Hyatt Union Square

Well, over here on Fourth Avenue and 13th Street... outside the incoming Hyatt Union Square, we can expect a bigass crane here on the dates below... we love cranes... and photos of them...

We think that they mean Feb. 18 and not 16. Since we didn't see a crane yesterday. In any event. No word on whether the crane will be lifting into place the hydroponic bamboo garden.

This is what an empty lot on East 11th Street near Avenue B looked like on Feb. 12, 2012

This year, we'll post photos like this of various buildings, streetscenes, etc., to capture them as they looked at this time and place... The photos may not be the most telling now, but they likely will be one day...

The third annual Two Boots Mardi Gras Ball is Tuesday

From the EV Grieve inbox ... This year's Mardi Gras king is writer-actor-performer-Warhol-star Taylor Mead... Living Theatre founder Judith Malina is queen ...

Two Boots has announced details of their 3rd annual Two Boots Mardi Gras Ball, a benefit for the Lower Eastside Girls Club to be held on Fat Tuesday, February 21, at NYC’s Le Poisson Rouge.

The Ball is produced and underwritten by Two Boots, with all proceeds going to support the Lower Eastside Girls Club.

The 3rd Annual Two Boots Mardi Gras Ball is Tuesday, February 21 at Le Poisson Rouge, located at 158 Bleecker Street between Sullivan and Thompson Streets. Doors open at 7 pm. Tickets are $20 a piece when purchased in advance – buy tickets now here; ticket price is $25 at the door. VIP tickets are available for $100 and include open bar until 10 pm, catered food by Two Boots and reserved seating.

Another co-starring role for Vazac's

"Person of Interest" filmed today here on Seventh Street and Avenue B.

Photos by Bobby Williams.

Rainy dog

Photo by Bobby Williams.

Noted

[Image via @BaohausNYC]

BaoHaus on East 14th Street has created the fried curry pork chop Taiwanese TBao in honor of Jeremy Lin.

People of interest

The CBS show "Person of Interest" is filming on Avenue B today... Jim Caviezel and (is that Kevin Chapman?) near Seventh Street. Photo by Melanie Neichin, who has more shots at East Village Corner.

EV Grieve Etc: Mourning Edition

[A look inside Something Sweet, by Dave on 7th]

More details from Monday night's CB3/SLA meeting (Eater)

Keith Haring died 21 years ago today (Off the Grid)

On the roof of the Chelsea Hotel (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

The last days of CBGB (The Guardian UK)

Traffic problems persist after Lake Bowery subsides (BoweryBoogie)

A fire last night on Eldridge Street (The Lo-Down)

The Wayland on Avenue C gets the Thursday Styles section treatment, which explains the use of "plaid-clad downtown types." (The New York Times)

A 70-year-old Mayor Bloomberg looks good for his age (The Wall Street Journal)

And Steve Cuozzo bestowed one star upon the Bowery Diner in the Post yesterday. The diner recently opened in the ground-floor space of the Sunshine Hotel. "Yup, another retro-proletarian pastiche of pressed aluminum, white tile, formica and 1950s pastels on the former Skid Row."

It's a great morning for a run!

Second Avenue and East Fourth Street this morning. Escapee from Dolphin Fitness?

Photo and headline inspiration via EV Grieve reader Blaine.