Someone artfully wrapped this drinking fountain in Tompkins Square Park with aluminum foil

Photos yesterday by Derek Berg

As seen outside the dog run... artist unknown RN... and NOT part of the field house reconstruction...

A new name and (familiar) owners for the currently closed Downtown Bakery

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

When Downtown Bakery reopens at 69 First Ave., the delicious and affordable quick-serve Mexican restaurant will have new (familiar) owners and a new name. 

On Feb. 21, as we first reported, the DOH closed Downtown Bakery for operating with an expired health permit. When we checked in with them last month, management was navigating the red tape to get a new permit and using the downtime to spruce up the small space here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.

Now we learn that the longtime owner decided to retire, and the veteran managers (from left above), Ivan and Mario Marín, are taking over the reins.

In addition, the brothers say they are changing the name to Downtown Burritos Cocina Mexicana. 

Ivan and Mario have worked for 20-plus years here and expect to make only a few cosmetic changes. They also mentioned the confusion regarding "Bakery" in the name — people would call and ask about baked goods. 

Meanwhile, they hope to reopen as soon as the interior renovations are complete...

Beloved Cafe has closed on the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

After nearly 20 months in business, Beloved Cafe has shut down at 196 Allen St. between Houston and Stanton.

The health-focused cafe has been dark in recent weeks. A rep at the San Francisco outpost confirmed the closure, stating, "Everything is so expensive there." The rep said, "At the beginning, it was so crowded, but then not busy enough."

Beloved Cafe opened in September 2021, offering organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls — not to mention fresh-baked sourdough doughnuts.

Owners Amy Vito and her husband, Kambiz Fahim, opened the original Beloved Cafe in San Francisco's Mission District in 2017.

Gotham — NYC's 'first cannabis concept store' — debuts today on Third Street

Gotham, the latest legal cannabis shop in the neighborhood, opens this morning at 3 E. Third St., just east of the Bowery. 

Gotham founder Joanne Wilson called the shop's concept "the next wave of cannabis retail." 

"Gotham is a reflection of New York's rich history and influence. We're proud to be one of the pioneers reimagining what the legalized cannabis market can become in the state," she said in a press announcement about the opening. 

And the two-level space features more than cannabis, focusing on art and music. 

Per the opening announcement: 

Gotham will feature a curated selection of retail, exhibits, and happenings that reflect New York's cultural zeitgeist. The 2,800-square-foot open-concept venue features an exhibition space that will display seasonally rotating shows featuring New York artists. For its inaugural show, Gotham will partner with Bright Moments to present an NFT gallery. The store will also feature a permanent installation by NYC-based multimedia artist Molly Lowe.

Gotham is open for in-person shopping and pick-up daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with delivery coming soon.

Back in January, this location reportedly drew opposition from management at Project Renewal, which operates a men's shelter and an in-patient substance abuse treatment on the block.

Updated ... adding this... 

Gotham partnered with STRIVE on this shop. 

From the release:

Gotham is committed to creating systemic change through the power of jobs, education and opportunity for those that were formerly incarcerated for cannabis. STRIVE is a nonprofit which provides a pathway to life-changing careers for those who face societal barriers to economic empowerment and upward mobility — including those impacted by the justice system. As a beneficiary, the nonprofit will receive a portion of the proceeds to fund its programs.

A J Crew for NoHo

And from the EVG tipline — coming-soon signs are up for a J Crew on the SE corner of Bond and Lafayette. 

The brand currently has nine outposts in Manhattan, including the men's shop (with coffee bar) that opened last September on the Bowery and Bleecker.

Wednesday's closing shots

A few new trees arrived today on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street (on the east side)... thanks to EVG reader Newman for sharing these photos...

'The Legend of Zelda,' bus edition

Nintendo Switch gamers may be excited to see this promo bus for "The Legend of Zelda: Tears of the Kingdom," the highly anticipated sequel to 2017's "Breath of the Wild" parked on First Avenue by 12th Street... (thanks to EVG reader Tony BonJovi for the pics!).

Nintendo is releasing the title on midnight Friday (on the East Coast). ... and no word on what kind of dungeons may be inside...

A new era for Bush Tetras

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Bush Tetras, the influential post-punk/no-wave band that got its start on the Lower East Side in the late 1970s, have announced a new full-length release, They Live in My Head, due out on July 28.

The band also released the first single, "Things I Put Together," last Thursday ... which Jon Pareles at the Times wrote, "reclaims Bush Tetras' muscle, dissonance and die-hard contrarianism."

Meanwhile, the band recently added bassist (and EV resident) Cait "Rocky" O'Riordan (top right). She joins founding members Cynthia Sley (top left) and Pat Place ... and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley, who stepped in on drums in early 2022 after the death of Dee Pop in October 2021.

Earlier last week, EVG contributor Stacie Joy met the foursome at Rivington Music Rehearsal Studios as they were preparing for a sold-out show at Union Pool on May 3. 

Afterward, the group walked over to Mughlai Grill Indian Restaurant at 6 Clinton St., running into downtown writer-performance artist Penny Arcade on the way...

The latest iteration of the band has been playing together for several months now.

They plan to work on new material together over the summer ahead of a European tour later in the fall.

"It sounds like when we first started," Sley said, "We're having a lot of fun."

And for the newest member? "It's been exhilarating — the basslines are so much fun," O'Riordan said. "And Steve 'Fucking' Shelley is on drums! We're all levitating all the time, and it's a beautiful thing." 

Check out the new single here...

 

The fruit vendor returns to Astor Place

We may have temporarily lost the cube (Alamo) on Astor Place, but we have gained a fruit vendor. 

EVG regular Lola Sáenz notes that Abdul the fruit vendor has returned to the sidewalk outside 51 Astor Place (and across from Cooper Union) for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020...

Welcome back, Abdul...

&Beer is a new pop-up concept on 7th Street

Ravi DeRossi's vegetable-centric Overthrow Hospitality has introduced a new concept on Seventh Street... last week saw the debut of &Beer at 21 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square.

The 14-seat counter space will host a rotation of pop-ups throughout the year — beginning with Mushrooms & Beer, led by Avant Garden chef Juan Pajarito. 

Per Overthrow:

&Beer will, naturally, offer a diverse selection of beers on-tap alongside bottles and cans curated by Proletariat's cicerone Ramon Manrique Hung, plus a selection of natural wines, paired alongside a mushroom-focused menu consisting of 12 offerings, all featuring mushrooms in various forms. The team has worked with local purveyors like Smallhold and Mushroom Queens to devise the focused menu.

The new spot is adjacent to Proletariat, which moved here last summer from St. Mark's Place. 

Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10 p.m.