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

[Updated] This morning's community meeting in Tompkins Square Park

Reps from the 9th Precinct and Parks Department met with East Village residents this morning in Tompkins Square Park to discuss ongoing issues with the park, including drug use and sales. 

Given the time (10 a.m.), not many people could attend (including me). The 9th Precinct's commanding officer, deputy Ralph A. Clement, was a featured speaker.

One resident had this to say about the meeting: "It turned into a total shit show. Lots of yelling. Biggest argument was closing the park versus foot patrol." 

Another resident said that it was not at all productive.

   

Per CBS New York: "Residents want NYPD, the Department of Transportation and Parks Department to work together more effectively to enforce curfew, make arrests and keep the park clean and safe."

Here's the coverage from CBS New York...

   

Fox 5 has a report here. Updated Dec. 3: The Village Sun has a recap here.

Thanks to Steven for the photo and video clip

Why is this area of Tompkins Square Park now closed to the public?

This morning at 10, reps from the 9th Precinct along with other elected officials are expected to be in Tompkins Square Park for a meeting to discuss "community concerns" about the Park. 

One question that may come up: Why is the area of the Park behind the fieldhouse/office locked up? The locks arrived on Nov. 8, and since then, park-goers no longer have access to the space that includes the Slocum Memorial Fountain as well as picnic tables, sprinklers (during the summer) and other less-traveled spaces. 

There isn't any signage to explain why this part of Tompkins is no longer accessible to the public.

One Park worker said this happened after Sue Donoghue, commissioner of the New York City Department of Parks and Recreation, paid a visit and saw used needles in this area. (There was also a reader report about an OD back here in late October.) Another TSP worker had no idea why the gates were locked. The Parks Department did not respond to a request for comment. 

Over the weekend, someone placed a sign (since removed) noting that "staffers are allowed to frolic there" ... and to call the Manhattan Borough Commissioner for Parks ...

Today's meeting is scheduled at 10 a.m. inside Tompkins at Ninth Street and Avenue A. 

Thanks to Steven for the photos.

Gratin, a new gallery, debuts on 5th Street and Avenue B

Gratin debuted on Nov. 9 on the NW corner of Fifth Street and Avenue B. (First reported here.) 

The gallery's inaugural exhibition, titled "The Sniffer," features paintings by Amitesh Shrivastava, an artist originally from Khairagarh in Central India, in his first NYC solo show. 

His work will be up through Jan. 10. Hours: Tuesday through Saturday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

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

A for rent sign now hangs on the front window of the Luna Cafe Lounge, marking the official end of the bar-restaurant (cafe-lounge) at 166 Second Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street...

We first spotted the signage for the establishment, related to the Luna Cafe in the Bronx, last March. And we're honestly not sure when they opened (or closed). All nine of their Instagram posts arrived on the same day: Nov. 13, 2021. And we never heard from them again. 

This is such prime EV space, and nothing has worked since Dunkin' closed here in 2010.

In the past 12 years, we've seen these places come and go: Meyhane, Medina's Turkish Kitchen, Entrez Bar & Grill, Farfasha, Dinah, Pomodora and now Luna Cafe Lounge.

Thanks to Steven for the photos! 

Wednesday's parting shot

A moment with nature this afternoon along 10th Street and Tompkins Square Park... photo by Jose Garcia...

Let there be sidewalk here on Avenue C!

We've received several messages from readers noting that workers have been removing the longstanding sidewalk bridge on the west side of Avenue C between Sixth Street and Seventh Street ...

The sidewalk bridge and construction equipment has been up along these NYCHA-owned buildings since at least 2015. The sidewalk was freed in October 2017, but it was short-lived as a heavier-duty bridge arrived a short time later. Hopefully, that doesn't happen again.

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

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

I recently walked around the neighborhood with East Village artist and fellow photographer Moxie.

She carefully loads her pink Instax mini instant camera and cheerfully informs me she’s in second grade and is 7-and-a-half years old. She said that she likes to photograph nature. So our walk included a visit to La Plaza Cultural community garden on Ninth Street and Avenue C, where Moxie was inspired by some koi fish, birds and squirrels.

We then walked over to Tompkins Square Park for some candid dog photos and posed (people) portraits.

When we run out of time (and are getting low on film), Moxie shows me the images she’s shot.

We wrapped up by talking about her history with the craft and her photo plans for the future.

“Well, I’ve been doing photography for about 2 years. I really wanted to try photography because I’ve been doing art my whole life. I love painting, making jewelry and crafting, so I thought it would be great to try photography. I like taking pictures of people and animals around the East Village. 

Sometimes I take pictures of flowers too. Taking pictures of people is interesting because people are interesting. I like to capture a moment of me and my friends together. I keep every photo that I take in my albums, even if they’re weird or silly. And I plan to keep taking photos. I want to try changing the colors on the lens, and someday I want to try other kinds of cameras.”

9th Precinct to address community concerns about Tompkins Square Park

We are also using this medium to invite all concerned residents to Tompkins Square Park this Thursday, November 17th at 10AM to discuss community concerns in regard to the park. Come voice your concerns to us, your community board and local politicians and other City Agencies!! pic.twitter.com/kWQcJ7EdUw

— NYPD 9th Precinct (@NYPD9Pct) November 15, 2022

The 9th Precinct is hosting a community meeting in Tompkins Square Park tomorrow (Thursday, Nov. 17) at 10 a.m. "to discuss community concerns" about... Tompkins Square Park. 

Based on the 9th Precinct's tweet, it sounds as if other local elected officials and Community Board 3 members will be in attendance. 

There has been an uptick in resident complaints about drug use and sales in the Park. 

Meeting spot: Inside the Park near Ninth Street and Avenue A.

Noted, good-God-not-another-one edition

Coming soon, midblock to the north side of 10th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue — Galactic Smokers. 

Thanks to Steven for the photo