A mural to commemorate Polish history in the East Village

There's a ceremony tomorrow (Sunday!) afternoon at 1 at 104 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue to officially unveil a new mural... here are details from the media advisory sent our way via the Polish Cultural Institute New York...

On April 17 at 1:00 PM in New York’s East Village the ceremonial unveiling of a mural commemorating the 1,050 years of Polish Statehood will take place. The mural will be located on the wall of a building belonging to the Parish of St. Stanislaus The Bishop and Martyr at 104 St. Marks Place. Along with commemorating Poland's impressive history, placing the mural in the East Village honors Polish immigrants' footprint in the area.

We would like to highlight the Polish presence in the neighborhood by introducing a mural marking the 966 baptism of Duke Mieszko I, which was not only an act of faith, but one with significant political and social consequences.

Throughout the years there has been a strong Polish presence in the East Village. The neighborhood has witnessed many important events such as 1909's final tribute to Helena Modrzejewska (Modjeska) at the Parish Church of St. Stanislaus Bishop and Martyr established by Polish immigrants in 1872; Tadeusz Kantor's plays at La MaMa and events at the famous Polish National Home "The Dom" (which was known as one of the hippest hangouts of the 1960s). The East Village was also portrayed by Janusz Glowacki, and has inspired many contemporary artists, including those who have visited Ms. Ludwika "Lucy" Mickevicius in her famous Polish bar.

The mural's artist Janusz Gilewicz, was born in Poland and has lived in the East Village for years.

The celebration of the 1,050th Anniversary of the Baptism of Poland is taking place under the Honorary Patronage of the President of the Republic of Poland, Andrzej Duda.

How to decode the mural:

Polska
* A country of nearly 40 million people located in the center of Europe
* Polish Constitution of May 3rd 1791 was the oldest in Europe, and the second-oldest in the world (after the United States)
* 10 million Americans are of Polish descent
* In the New York City metropolitan area alone, nearly 135,000 people speak Polish


The Ichthys (“fish”) is a symbol of Christianity
* Much older than the cross, and still in use today
* In his novel Quo Vadis, Polish Nobel Prize winner Henryk Sienkiewicz showed early Christians using the ichthys as a secret sign to identify one another

966
* The year of the baptism of Duke Mieszko I, ruler of Poland, bringing the country into Western civilization
* Marks the beginning of the Polish state
* The Baptism of Poland strengthened the country’s position among its neighbors

The Flag of Poland
* In heraldry, white represents spiritual values and purity, and red, bravery and valor
*Both serves the compositional beauty of the piece and serves as a symbol of the multicultural heritage of this neighborhood.

The tax man's taken all my dough

Celebrating Tax Day (Monday) with the Kinks.

Time again to take a Load OUT!

FABnyc's biannual recycling and repurposing event returns tomorrow (Saturday), from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., 11 E. Third St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Per the FABnyc website:

Started in 2010, FABnyc noticed that materials, props, costumes and the like were being thrown out after each theater shows load out. In response, we organized Load OUT! as a way to divert what would otherwise be sent to the waste stream, and instead, brought to the hands of other artists and the public to reuse and repurpose materials for their next project.

Find out more details about the day here.

EV Grieve Etc.: Peace Pentagon exit; Mariella's Pizza closure

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams]

Details on where tenants of the Peace Pentagon on Lafayette and Bleecker are moving (The New York Times)

Mariella's Pizza on 16th Street and Third Avenue has closed (DNAinfo ... Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

Documents from the U.S. Attorney claim that former Assemblyman Sheldon Silver was involved in two extramarital affairs (The Lo-Down)

Drop The Mic Ice Cream Factory opening a pop-up shop inside ChikaLicious Dessert Bar on East 10th Street (amNY)

Red-tailed hawk updates from Tompkins Square Park and Chinatown (Laura Goggin Photography)

Drunken fight at Katz's (DNAinfo)

African and French film in conversation, including "Alphaville" (Anthology Film Archives)

The Nuclear Family exhibition, featuring work by Marguerite Van Cook, James Romberger and ClockWork Cros continues through May 1 (Howl! Happening)

Lower East Side man arrested for having sex with his girlfriend’s pet Maltese (Daily News)

Will LinkNYC's new Wi-Fi system help police watch you? (The Atlantic)

Panel convened by Cuomo recommends creating a permit system for pre-noon sales of alcohol on Sundays (Eater)

Another rent freeze for rent-stabilized apartments this year? (Curbed)

A look at "Rock and Rule" from 1983, an animated film with Maurice White of Earth, Wind & Fire, Lou Reed, Iggy Pop, and Chris Stein and Debbie Harry of Blondie (Dangerous Minds)

The Metrograph Theater enjoying early success on Ludlow Street (IndieWire)

Mickey Leigh's Ramones tour of Queens (The New York Times)

About Rolling Stone's Best Punk Records list (The Observer)

And today, Zachary Zamsky, 18, a student now at Boston University, makes his professional film debut as the lead in David Shane's short film "The Board," which is competing at the Tribeca Film Festival. The film follows a socially challenged high school kid who tests his ultimate system for making a successful first-time call to his crush.

Zamsky, who was born and bred on East Fifth Street, is the son of two former actors and active East Village residents. He has been acting since he was a kid, taking after-school classes at the former Children’s Aid Society on Sullivan Street. He attended the drama studio at the famed LaGuardia High School for the Performing Arts, graduating last June, and shot the movie over the summer and into the fall.


[Photo courtesy of Stuart Zamsky]

BP has closed on East Houston; 1 gas station remains below 14th Street in NYC

As we first reported, the BP station on East Houston and Lafayette was set to close yesterday to make way for a new office-retail building.

Workers were on the scene early this morning, as these photos via an EVG reader show, to start erecting a sidewalk bridge before the demolition. (The demo permits were filed in December 2014.)



The demolition includes the former Puck Fair space... the pub closed last month...



As for 300 Lafayette, once completed, the new building will encompass 80,000 square feet of "flagship retail and boutique office" ...


[Rendering by Cookfox]

As for gas, there's a BP on 23rd Street at the FDR. With this closure, there'll be just one gas station in the city below 14th Street — a Mobil on Eighth Avenue near East 13th Street.

Previously on EV Grieve:
How much longer will the East Village have gas stations?

Have you seen the glass tower in the works for Lafayette and East Houston?

Filling up: the status of 2 former East Village gas stations

Report: Boutique office building on East Houston and Lafayette at BP site a go

BP station on East Houston and Lafayette closes April 14

Report: Lack of gas stations downtown a concern

Reports: Man shot and killed on East 12th Street outside Campos Plaza last night

[Photo from last night by DR]

A man was shot and killed last night in front of Pedro Albizu Campos Plaza I on East 12th Street near Avenue C, according to published reports.

As PIX 11 reported, police received a 911 call around 10:44 pm. Elliot Caldwell, 23, had been shot in the back, polices sources said. He died later at Bellevue.

A neighbor told the Daily News that Caldwell grew up in Campos Plaza, and would return to visit.

Police haven't made any arrests and the investigation is ongoing, per PIX 11. CBS New York reported that a witness reported seeing a man in a red hoodie running from the scene.

Back in January, according to a report in the Post, an unnamed 23-year-old man had been shot in the left leg. Police said that the victim, who was trying to leave the scene in a cab, "was uncooperative and refused to give them a description of the suspect."

An NYPD patrol tower (SkyWatch) arrived on the scene shortly after the January shooting. The NYPD had recently removed the tower.


[EVG photo from February]

Updated 11:30 a.m.
DNAinfo reports that Caldwell, who lived nearby on 12th Street, had a 3-year-old son. "He was a great father. He changed his life for his son. He just got caught up in a bad situation," his aunt told DANinfo.

This is what's happening around here for Record Store Day 2016

The action starts tomorrow morning...

• Academy LPs, 415 E. 12th St. between First Avenue and Avenue A

Just a reminder that in addition to the best selection of Record Store Day releases, we'll be putting out a motherlode of used/vintage records this Saturday , including a SEALED OG press of this Black Merda going out at 12th st! #rsd16 #recordstoreday #blackmerda #vinylcommunity #recordstore #vinyligclub #vinylcollector #nomailorder #noholds

A photo posted by Academy Records NYC (@academyrecords) on Apr 14, 2016 at 10:49am PDT

• Good Records NYC, 218 E. Fifth St. between the Bowery and Second Avenue

Saturday is Record Store Day but we are putting out incredible stuff all week for our core customers so don't snooze!

A photo posted by Good Records NYC (@goodrecordsnyc) on Apr 11, 2016 at 6:53am PDT

• Other Music, 15 E. Fourth St. between Broadway and Lafayette

We're burning the midnight oil in order to get ready for Record Store Day. See you Saturday at 10AM!

A photo posted by Other Music (@other_music) on Apr 13, 2016 at 7:38pm PDT

• Turntable Lab, 120 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

#recordstoreday releases rolling in, see u @turntablelabnyc . . . #rsd2016 #rsd #recordstoreday2016 #rsd16 #vinylporn #recordcollection

A photo posted by @turntablelab on Apr 13, 2016 at 4:11pm PDT

• A-1 Records, 439 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

I think I'm buying this.

A photo posted by A-1 Record Shop (@a1recordshop) on Apr 14, 2016 at 12:23pm PDT

There are also some Record Store Day happenings at In Living Stereo on Great Jones at Broadway. Details here.

Find the official Record Store Day website here ... and the list of special Record Store Day releases here...

Dempsey's Pub on 2nd Avenue closes for good on Sunday

After 24 years in business, Dempsey's Pub on Second Avenue between East Third Street and East Fourth Street is closing its doors for good on Sunday night.

Reps for Dempsey's issued a press announcement yesterday. Per the news release:

Opening in 1992 as Jack Dempsey’s Pub, [the bar] quickly became the go to spot for locals and NYU students alike. The sports bar transitioned to Dempsey’s Pub in 1998 after being acquired solely by Tom O’Byrne.

Ask any NYU student or neighborhood local and they will be sure to have had a fond memory at this East Village institution. Since opening their doors they have cultivated a crowd that has depended upon their various programming from sports nights, to showcasing local Celtic bands on Tuesday nights, to their famous Wednesday trivia nights.

These popular events will be moving just around the corner to their sister pub, Slainte, located on 304 Bowery.

O’Byrne also owns Cooper’s Craft and Kitchen on Second Avenue at East Fifth Street. He told Bedford + Bowery yesterday that Dempsey's "reached the end of its cycle."

He also added that the changing nature of the neighborhood had played a part in his decision to close up shop. "Obviously part of it is related to costs, and the demand for the type of place like Dempsey's is not there anymore in the way it was before."

According to the closing announcement, Dempey's will run happy hour specials "such as $5 beer, wine and well drinks" through the weekend, "ending on Sunday with can-bottle beer specials all night."

Image via Facebook

A celebration of community gardens tomorrow (Saturday!)

Via the EVG inbox...

Wear your best springtime and garden themed costumes, bring posters, musical instruments, and join us in our parade through the gardens of the East Village

Parade starts at 1:30 p.m. at 6B Garden [West Side Ave B (E 5th & E 6th) making stops at:
• Tompkins Square Park [West side Ave B (E 7th & 10th)]
• Children’s Garden [West side Ave B (SW corner E 12th)]
• Campos Community Garden [South side E 12th (Aves B & C)]
• 9th Street Garden [NE Corner Ave C & 9th)]
• La Plaza Cultural de Armando Perez [SW corner Ave C & E 9th]
• The Secret Garden [NW corner Ave C & E 4th]
• Parque de Tranquilidad [South side E 4th (Aves C & D)]
• Orchard Alley [South side E 4th St (Aves C & D)]

Ending at El Jardin around 3 p.m. [North side E 4th St (Aves C & D)]

From 3-5 pm at EL Jardin there will be:
• Seed Swap (get some seeds to grow stuff!)
• Garden Membership Drive
• Gardens Rising Walkabout (gardensrising.org)
• Bicycle Check Up
• Solar 1 Educational program
• LES Ready
• Poetry, Music, Food

On the topic of community gardens... the 6BC Community Garden (East Sixth Street between Avenue B and C) Orientation is Sunday ... details are on the flyer below are at the garden's website here.

Burgers will be popping up this weekend at the former Northern Spy space on East 12th Street

After six years, Northern Spy's owners decided to call it quits this past February. However, the space at 511 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B will be put to use again this weekend.

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

Fleishers Craft Butchery is running a pop-up burger joint for one weekend ONLY, at the former Northern Spy Food Co. space today through Sunday. (Northern Spy Food Co. partner Christophe Hille is also CFO and an owner of Fleishers — hence the utilization of the NSFCo space for one last time.)

Menu

• Classic American Burger $12
Classic blend of NY State pasture-raised beef with American cheese, special sauce, red onion and lettuce

• 100% Grass-fed Burger $13
NY State grass-fed beef with lettuce, tomato and onion

• The Bacon Egg & Cheeseburger $15
Made from NY State pasture-raised beef & bacon blend, sunny fried egg, American cheese

• Beef Fat Fries $6

• Northern Spy's Famous Kale Salad $12

•Beer, Wine and Brunch Cocktails will be available

And, these burgers are for a good cause: for every burger Fleishers sells at the pop-up, it is donating 6 oz of NY State pasture-raised beef to Trinity Lower East Side's “Service and Food for the Homeless” kitchen on East Ninth Street and Avenue B.

Spotted: A one-eyed, one-horned, flying purple people eater (made of yarn) on East 9th Street

The latest yarn creation courtesy of @madebylondon arrived today outside La Plaza Cultural on East Ninth Street at Avenue C ...

Previously on EV Grieve:
An evolution in yarn at La Plaza Cultural

An enchanted yarn garden on St. Mark's Place

DumplingGo is closed right now

An EVG reader notes that brown paper is up on the windows at DumplingGo, the quick-serve restaurant on Second Avenue at East 12th Street. There aren't any signs up noting "closed for renovations"... the phone goes unanswered ... and the DumplingGo website has a "Error establishing a database connection" message.

However, there is a freshly approved permit for a "minor renovation of the existing restaurant" on file with the city. In addition, DumplingGo is on CB3's SLA docket (PDF here) on Monday night for a beer-wine license. (This application will not be heard before the committee.)

Anyway, this is likely just a closed for renovations for real (even though there isn't a note for customers).

DumplingGo opened here 13 months ago.