1 reason to look forward to September

 

Brett Morgen's David Bowie documentary "Moonage Daydream" just premiered in the Cannes Midnight Screenings section. 

The film has a September release... and the first trailer dropped yesterday. Check it out. 

And the official blurbage about the film... 

From Oscar-nominated filmmaker Brett Morgen, director of "Cobain: Montage of Heck," and featuring never-before-seen concert footage, MOONAGE DAYDREAM is an immersive cinematic experience; an audio-visual space odyssey that not only illuminates the enigmatic legacy of David Bowie but also serves as a guide to living a fulfilling and meaningful life in the 21st Century. 

MOONAGE DAYDREAM is not a documentary. It is a genre-defying cinematic experience based on one of the most iconic and global rock stars of all time, destined to be one of the defining cultural moments of the year The film has the full support of Bowie's estate and features many of his greatest tracks, as well as previously unseen concert footage.

Bowie, a longtime resident of Lafayette Street, died in January 2016.  

'Justice' league: A street co-naming on 6th and Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy

On Saturday, community members and local elected officials celebrated the co-naming of Avenue B and Sixth Street "Avenues for Justice Way."

Avenues for Justice, founded here in the late 1970s, helps provide an alternative to jail for young adults, offering services such as job training, education and mentoring. 

Some history: 

Robert Siegal, a New York University law student, opened his Lower East Side apartment to local teens to use as a safe haven where he could help them with schoolwork and provide them meal tickets to the NYU cafeteria. After going to court and convincing a judge to keep one teenager out of jail, Siegal realized there was a more important service he could provide. 

In 1977, Siegal launched a court advocacy program to keep young people out of jail, collaborating with Angel Rodriguez, a longtime Lower East Side resident and youth worker at the local Boys Club. They named the program for Andrew Glover, a New York City police officer. PO Glover patrolled the Lower East Side and had steered young neighborhood residents away from crime by providing after-school activities until he was fatally shot in the line of duty in 1975. 

The Andrew Glover Youth Program is at 100 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street.

A little earlier, Angel Rodriguez christened a replica of the street blade... 

In the early 1980s, Avenues for Justice opened its headquarters in the Manhattan Criminal Court ... and in 1999, AFJ established a second community center in Harlem.

You can read more about AFJ here.

Guerra Paint is now closed ahead of move to Williamsburg

Photo earlier this spring by Stacie Joy 

After 37 years in the East Village, Guerra Paint & Pigment Corp. has closed up shop at 510 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B ahead of a move to Williamsburg.

As we first reported earlier this month, their building has a new landlord and "a triple net lease with untenable terms." 

This week, Guerra Paint moves the retail operation to its Williamsburg warehouse at 21 Wythe Ave. between N. 14th and N. 15th streets. They expect to be open on May 31.

Guerra Paint wrote in an Instagram post announcing the last day: "We will miss you, East Village!"

Founder Art Guerra passed away in May 2021. He was 81.  

City frees tree entombed in concrete on 3rd Street

Photo from yesterday

As noted last Tuesday, to combat rats burrowing in the tree pit outside 185 E. Third St., building management decided to cover the space in concrete. 

Several readers had previously called 311 to alert them of this issue. (The concrete will inhibit the tree's ability to take in water and oxygen and could likely result in its death.) 

The city has since closed the service request on this block between Avenue A and Avenue B, noting: "NYC Parks performed the work necessary to correct the condition. We notified the building owner yesterday, ordering them to remove the concrete from the tree pit. The concrete was removed on Thursday, May 19, 2022."

Reader report: Empanada Mama opening at the former Papaya Dog space on 14th and 1st

Multiple readers tell us that Empanada Mama is opening an outpost on the NW corner of 14th Street and First Avenue (the former Papaya Dog space). 

A worker at the under-renovation space told EVG regular Pinch that an an "empanada" place is opening here... a commenter went on to specify that it will be an Empanada Mama, which, if true, will make the fourth location in NYC, including the one at 95 Allen St. 

Papaya Dog shuttered here with 0.0 warning last fall, ending a 16-year-run of slinging cheap eats from this corner.

Are you ready to Puff & Pass?

Another week, another incoming smoke shop. 

Signage went up on Saturday (H/T Steven!) for Puff & Pass at 50 Second Ave. adjacent to Proto Pizza at Third Street.

Puff & Pass joins other new like-minded businesses in the East Village, including Smokers Zone 1, Manhattan Smoke Shop, Higher Empire, Paint Puff 'N' Peace, Smart Smokers and Bong World. 

No. 50 was previously home to Cloud99 Vapes, which closed in early 2020. 

Opening at the 292 Theatre/Gallery: 'Hard Journey in Space and Time'

A new exhibit, "Hard Journey in Space and Time," debuts tomorrow (Tuesday!) at 292 Theatre/Gallery, 292 E. Third St. between Avenue C and Avenue D. 

The show features new paintings, drawings and installations by Regina Bartkoff, Charles Schick, Curt Hoppe, Rick Prol and Al Diaz. 

Schick was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer last November. While he is doing well, there won't be any big opening party. Visitors are also asked to wear masks in the gallery space. 

The gallery is open tomorrow from 1-5 p.m. ... afterward, you can visit the space Wednesday through Sunday from 1-5 p.m. The show closes on July 31.

Acclaimed Adda Indian Canteen relocating to the East Village

Adda Indian Canteen, the acclaimed restaurant from the Unapologetic Foods team, will be relocating from its current Long Island City home to 201 First Ave. later this year, EVG has learned.

One of the workers renovating the storefront between 12th Street and 13th Street told EVG correspondent Steven about the new tenant last Thursday. A rep for Unapologetic Foods confirmed the news about Adda's upcoming move.

Adda will make the third restaurant in the East Village from the Unapologetic team of Roni Mazumdar and Chintan Pandya. Fried-chicken outpost Rowdy Rooster opened at 149 First Ave. in February ... while the kebab-focused Kebabwala is slated to debut soon at 82 Second Ave.

Upon opening in the fall of 2018, Grub Street declared that Adda "could be the most exciting new Indian restaurant in New York." ("Unparalleled" and "thrilling" were other headline adjectives.)

No. 201 was previously home to Jeepney, the Filipino gastropub that closed last September after nine years at this location. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo.

SMØR is opening a bakery (with bread!) on 12th Street

We've heard rumors that SMØR, the Nordic cafe at 441 E. 12th St., was opening a second outpost on the block between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

This past Friday, the SMØR team announced the new concept via Instagram: Please welcome SMØR Bakery to the block.

We can’t wait to bring you fresh sourdough loaves & rye bread, warm pastries, coffee, sandwiches & much more! 

We’ll also have a mini general store where you can buy anything from pickled herring & smoked salmon to rye chips, grab & go dips, sauces, various imported goods & more!

They are aiming for a summer debut. You can follow the bakery's Instagram account for updates.

SMØR debuted in February 2019...

... the bakery will be two storefronts to the west...

A bubble tea shop for this long-vacant storefront on 14th Street

Pila de Boba, offering bubble tea, macarons and ice cream, is a new tenant for 328 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

The shop was scheduled to open this past Friday, per its Instagram account.

This space — now divided into two storefronts — has been vacant since Artichoke Basille's Pizza relocated across the street in June 2017. Before the move, the pizzeria suffered damage during a two-alarm fire. The FDNY said the fire was accidental — "due to heat from the pizza oven flue."

Various brokers have been trying to lease this space since early 2018. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo, and Pinch for keeping a watchful eye on the space.