Shakespeare in the Parking Lot returns tonight in a new LES parking lot

[Macbeth photo by Jonathan Slaff]

After nearly 20 years of free performances in the municipal lot on Ludlow and Broome, the folks behind Shakespeare in the Parking Lot were left at the end of last summer without a home thanks to the incoming Essex Crossing mega-project.

Tonight, the Drilling Company begins anew behind The Clemente at 114 Norfolk St. between Rivington and Delancey. The season kicks off with a rendition of "As You Like It" and running through July 26. A production of "Macbeth" begins on July 30, presented through Aug. 15.

Find all the details here. The performances are Thursday-Saturday starting at 8 p.m.

Moonstruck Eatery is now open on Avenue A

A reader passed along word that the restaurant opened this week at 167 Avenue A between East 10th Street and East 11th Street … as we've been noting, the owners of Moonstruck Diner were going back to a diner concept after trying Ethos Meze East Village in the space.

We haven't seen the menu ourselves… the reader said there was standard fare, such as omelets, sandwiches and burgers, among other items…

These boots were made for...

A moment on First Avenue and East Fifth Street today via Derek Berg...

Former Mary Help of Christians property getting the plywood treatment

Activity continues this week in and around the lot off Avenue A between East 11th Street and East 12th Street that was formerly home of Mary Help of Christians.



As these photos from EVG reader Greg Masters show, workers this morning are erecting a plywood fence around the site...





... where, in a few short years, there will be a mixed-use building with ground-floor retail and 82 market-rate condos via developer Douglas Steiner.

Previously on EV Grieve:
New residential complex at former Mary Help of Christians lot may include rooftop swimming pool

Meet your new neighbor on Avenue A

Permits filed to demolish Mary Help of Christians church, school and rectory

Preservationists call for archeological review of former cemetery at Mary Help of Christians site

The 'senseless shocking self-destruction' of Mary Help of Christians

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Jeremy X. Halpern
Occupation: Entertainer
Location: Key Food, Avenue A
Time: 2 p.m. on Monday, July 6

I’m from Boston but I’ve been here for over 30 years. I’m an artist and basically you only got a couple choices, LA or New York and LA was out of the question. So New York was the one. I went to NYU and I’ve been living around here since then. Never really moved out of the neighborhood.

I do performances. If you go weirdos.com, you’ll see the video performances that I do. I have a cable-access show for local New York. The artwork is very weird, very strange, totally uncommercial, but I’m also working on a TV show, which is very commercial. It will probably make lots of money. But that, I’m just producing that. All my personal work is completely out to lunch.

Right now I’m performing in Ziegfeld’s Midnight Frolic. Currently, I’m playing the owner of a French club in the 1920s. It’s like a precursor to the haunted mansion at Disney World. I’ve also done some theatre here at the Metropolitan [Playhouse].

I’m involved with the burlesque community around here. There’s still a big community. My girlfriend is Dirty Martini, who is one of the top burlesque performers in the world. Everything is still very much vibrant and it’s really a nice community. The theatre community is sort of like, ‘what’s my motivation,’ you know? Whereas the burlesque community is sort of like, ‘let’s go, let’s do it.’ There’s much more performance art and much more variety.

When I moved in it was the early 1980s, it was still much more like the warzone. My parents were terrified. They couldn’t believe it. Unlike most people, I’m not really that upset about the change. That’s New York and I wasn’t surprised by it. I enjoyed it very much back then. When my band performed in the bandshell in Tompkins Square Park ... all of the homeless people danced on the stage. That was really wonderful. But it’s also got its perks now. It’s nice to be able to have the park a little cleaner and have the neighborhood be shinier and full of restaurants and shops. So I’m okay with that.

In general, I find the neighborhood very addicting because it’s still full of creative energy. I love it and am totally addicted to it. You know, I went to Burning Man a few years ago, and that was great ... but it’s tough in the desert and I kept thinking all the creativity that I’m seeing in Burning Man, I see in the East Village, and I don’t have to live in the desert. The East Village is a great experience and continues to be. I mean, we just saw a poster for Penny Arcade when we walked in [to Key]. I know Penny. There’s still a community feeling there and there’s still a feeling of the history of what the East Village has meant ... I’m still thrilled about this place. It’s still very fun to walk out of my door and find myself there.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

A look inside the last East Village gas station

The Mobil station at Avenue C and East Houston closed last September. (Recent media reports said that the BP station on Second Avenue at East First Street was the last EV gas station. They shut down at the end of June 2014.)



As for the all-new 11 Avenue C… last we heard, Lloyd Goldman's BLDG Management had designs on a 10-story building with a retail component on the oddly shaped lot, according to the Commercial Observer.

Previous plans called for a 9-story building. Either way, nothing seems to be happening with that application, which the DOB rejected in April 2014 for incomplete drawings, per city records.



Meanwhile, back at the station… we never noticed this before… but someone punctured holes in the garage doors… offering a glimpse inside...





Also, as previously noted, the building adjacent to the station at 249 E. Second St., arrived on the market in the spring — air rights included — for $6.95 million.

Previously on EV Grieve:
You have a little longer to get gas on Avenue C

Plans filed for new 9-story building at site of Mobil station on East Houston and Avenue C

State seizes Mobil station on Avenue C and Houston for nonpayment of taxes

New residential building for former Mobil station lot will be 10 floors with 0 zero affordable units

Via Della Pace Pizza officially opens tonight on St. Mark's Place

Last Thursday night, Via Della Pace Pizza had a grand opening party at 130 St. Mark's Place near Avenue A … where the owners of Via Della Pace on East Seventh Street took over the Falanghina Pizza Bar space.

The pizzeria officially opens for business tonight at 5...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Via Della Pace opening a pizzeria on St. Mark's Place tonight

Watch 'Clueless' for free tonight on 9th and B

The outdoor summer film series continues tonight at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on East Ninth Street at Avenue B.

For free out in the church garden tonight: "Clueless."

A Trinity rep tells us: "We basically throw a sheet up on the building and then kick back and watch a movie. People bring snacks, drinks (alcoholic drinks are fine. We're Lutheran, so we appreciate a good cocktail.). Just something fun to do."

The doors open 7:30. Film starts around 8 or whenever it is suitably dusk-y out. (If it rains, then Trinity moves the film inside.)

As for "Clueless" …



And upcoming at Trinity:

Aug. 12 — "Mrs. Doubtfire"

Sept. 9 — "West Side Story"

Oct. 21 - "Ghostbusters II"

[Updated: Cancelled] Films in Tompkins return tomorrow night with 'Dog Day Afternoon'

The free films return to the Park for the month of July … and according to the organizers, this year's lineup was hand selected by Matthew Broderick, Christie Brinkley, Billy Joel and James Franco.

The series starts tomorrow night with "Dog Day Afternoon."



You may arrive at 6 for the free film, which starts at sundown. The band City of the Sun will play a set before the movie.

You can head to the Films in Tompkins Facebook page for any updates. The Films in Tompkins sponsors are TD Bank, Boulton & Watt and Drexler's, the new bar opening this summer in the former Ella space at 9 Avenue A.

Updated 7-9

Threat of rain cancels tonight's screening ...

Blowing the doors off of the Horseshoe Bar in the name of television

Last night, part of Avenue B was blocked off so that crews for the Netflix-Marvel Comics series "AKA Jessica Jones" could film a scene at East Seventh Street… plans called for a simulated explosion at Vazac's/Horseshoe Bar.

EVG regular Peter Brownscombe stopped by for the scene… which happened at 10:42…









... and via Instagram...

They say the East Village is over but it looks like...

A video posted by @aronkelly on Jul 7, 2015 at 7:59pm PDT

Not exactly the Rosato brothers trying to strangle Frank Pentangelli…