Checking in on Brooklyn Bean Roastery

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

Brooklyn Bean Roastery opened on Feb. 21 — and roughly had one month of business before New York went on PAUSE.

However, owner Khaled Abdelhaleem decided to keep the shop open for takeout here at 23 Avenue A near Second Street.

"I'm trying to be here for the neighborhood, to maintain, even if we sell one cup of coffee, we’re happy to be here to feed emergency workers," he said. "NYC helped me to become who I am as a businessman and I want to give back. If you see a store with its lights on — and there aren’t many right now — it makes people happy."



Iced coffees, lattes, espresso, and the baked in-house croissants and danishes are the current best-sellers. Other dishes include a veggie and three-cheese fatir (a flakey Egyptian pastry that can be made sweet or savory).

"We are one of the only places in NYC that makes this," Khaled told me. "It takes about 15 or 20 minutes to make, so you order it and we make it for you right away."


[Khaled Abdelhaleem sans mask and gloves just for the photo]

Hot meals are available for free to first responders from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. daily, and free coffee for first responders and law enforcement at any time. Current operating hours are from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m., but hours are subject to change.

Sunday's parting video

Late afternoon musical interlude provided by Jordan Baker, owner of Baker's Pizza at 201 Avenue A between 12th Street and 13th Street... playing on a piano with a broken pedal. EVG contributor shared the photo and quick video clip...



Baker's was also offering free pizza to essential workers.

More signs

More homemade signs spotted around the neighborhood... Vinny & O shared these photos from outside Tompkins Square Park on Avenue B at Ninth Street...



The top one reads: "The virus is you. Mask up."

The other sign: "The virus is US. Mask up!"

Week in Grieview

[Spring in Tompkins Square Park]

Posts from the past week included...

• RIP Miguel Grande, the Pasta King at Supper (Tuesday)

• Video: Man chases after Citi Bikers on 2nd Avenue for not wearing masks (Monday)

• Parkside Lounge owner Christopher Lee talks about his recovery from COVID-19 (Sunday)

• A moment of joy outside Mount Sinai Beth Israel (Wednesday)

• Desi Galli opens a pantry section, with meal kits, supplies — and baker's yeast! (Friday)

• Checking in on C&B (Wednesday)

• Starting today, Book Club will sell books, coffee, beer and wine to go (Friday)

• Ralph's Famous Italian Ices & Ice Cream makes it official on Avenue A (Wednesday)

• This week's NY See (Thursday)

• Go visit the Merchant's House Museum — online (Monday)

• Amelia and Christo's 2020 chicks make first appearance (Monday)

• Veselka is back! (Wednesday) And Veniero's! (Tuesday)

• Fei Ma returns with a takeout window (Friday)

• World's greatest chair discarded (Sunday)

• Isabella debuts on St. Mark's Place, joins sibling David's Cafe next door for takeout and delivery (Thursday)

• Weekend openings: Black and White, Cherry Tavern, Van Da (Saturday)

• 19-23 St. Mark's Place sells for $34 million (Thursday)

• Petal power! (Monday)

• Photos from the U.S. Navy Blue Angels and the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds flyover (Tuesday)

• Ding-A-Ling coming soon to Avenue C


[Escape from New York on 2nd Street]

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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics. (Monday)

A warning for 'selfish joggers' on 1st Avenue

Another COVID-19 Urban Etiquette Sign... this one on First Avenue between First Street and Second Street...



The sign's author writes:

Selfish joggers

who jog on this

block without

masks be warned —

We value the

lives of our

elderly

neighbors and

will throw stuff

on you from our

windows!!!

EVG Etc.: Sen. Hoylman blasts Samaritan's Purse possibly moving to Mount Sinai Beth Israel

[As seen on 13th Street]

The rent strike movement is underway, including in the East Village, where "a group of tenants wrote a letter to their landlord, NAL Management, asking to 'open a dialogue' on possible concessions for hard-up renters." (Gothamist and Curbed)

The evangelical group Samaritan's Purse is reportedly moving its operations from Central Park to Mount Sinai Beth Israel on First Avenue and 16th Street. (Patch) Reaction from local State Sen. Brad Hoylman:

The Central Park field hospital is closing soon. The bigots from Samaritan’s Purse have been invited to move their operation to First Avenue.

That’s nothing less than an insult to New York’s LGBTQ community. pic.twitter.com/3Kk1Wg9f0Z

— Senator Brad Hoylman (@bradhoylman) May 1, 2020

The struggles of Forbidden Planet during the COVID-19 PAUSE (NY1)

LES History Month is underway (Official site)

More on Downtown Bakery's reopening (Eater ... previously on EVG)

Check out Phil Kline’s "Every Night at 7," a musical tribute to the evening cheer for frontline workers (Vulture)

Podcast: The New Yorker's Peter Schjeldahl — a longtime resident of St. Mark's Place — "on his adventures in life as an accidental art critic." (ARTnet)

History of Slugger Ann bar and cocktail lounge at 301 E. 12th St./192 Second Ave. (Off the Grid)

The New Yorker's 24 hours of NYC in the time of COVID-19 includes the 7 p.m. cheer from Seventh Street (Official site)

"Betty," the "Skate Kitchen" spinoff on HBO, is really good (Los Angeles Times)

Free apples at Temperance Fountain

Someone has placed apples for the taking in the fountain of Temperance Fountain fame in Tompkins Square Park...



A kind gesture...

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

Cuomo on the Bowery

Finally had a chance to see the Gov. Cuomo/Superman wheatpaste on the Bowery at Houston... a collaboration between SacSix and Mr. Poop...



Still haven't taken a look at the Dr. Fauci/Dr. Spock wheatpaste...

Weekend openings: Black and White, Cherry Tavern, Van Da

[Image via Instagram]

Two bars that have been closed since mid-March are back for to-go service this weekend.

Black & White will be serving drinks (to take home!) today from the bar at 86 E. 10th St. St. between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Hours: 2-6 p.m.

Cherry Tavern is also back in service for the weekend, offering drinks to go from noon to 10 p.m. today and tomorrow at 441 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Meanwhile, Boris & Horton, the dog-friendly cafe on Avenue A at 12th Street, reopened their to-go window back on Monday for coffee and pastries (served only to mask-wearing customers, per their Instagram account). Open until 1 p.m. today.

As a reminder, SMØR, the Noridc cafe a few doors away on 12th Street, reopened on April 22. Hours: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

View this post on Instagram

New outdoor set-up dropping tomorrow 👍 if you’re in the neighborhood stop by and get your fix! . WAYS TO ORDER: 1) our website (www.smornyc.com) - link in bio! Pick up & DELIVERY! 2) @grubhub, @seamless, @caviar offers pick-up and delivery. 3) give us a call @ 646-478 8391. 4) stop by our curbside ordering set up and say hi (remember your mask 😉) . Doing a bunch of specials this weekend! More on that later.

A post shared by Smør (@smornyc) on May 1, 2020 at 11:44am PDT

Also! Van Da, the well-regarded Vietnamese restaurant on Fourth Street, is continuing its collaboration with chef Hannah Wong (of the incoming Brooklyn restaurant Haema), for a weekend takeout service.

You can find the Haema-Van Da menu, which changes each weekend, and order in advance via this form. You pick up the food at Van Da, 234 E. Fourth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B from noon to 8 p.m.

Stumped

Several readers have shared the new-look stump on First Avenue between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street... not sure at the moment who added the color to tree stump street artist Ian Dave Knife's work here...

Previously

Thanks to everyone who sent in photos... Steven was the first to spot it earlier in the week.

'Help' is on the way

Here's something from the new Ringo Deathstarr record that came out in late March ... the track is titled "God Help the Ones You Love."

Fei Ma returns with a takeout window

Fei Ma reopened this afternoon here on Avenue A at Fifth Street.

As you can see, they built a takeout window for quick pickup service (call ahead!). They'll be open daily from 11 a.m. to 7 or 8 p.m. You can find their reasonably priced menu here.

Hopefully, some of the neighborhood's other quick-serve Chinese restaurants will also reopen. (It hasn't been easy.)

H/T Paul Gale!