An art collaboration to help support the Sixth Street Community Center

East Village resident Ali Fischbein has launched Sixth Street Art Coalition, a collaboration with local artists to create merchandise to sell to support the Sixth Street Community Center's emergency food pantry during the COVID-19 crisis.

Fischbein says all profits will go directly to the Sixth Street Community Center's emergency food pantry for local residents. (The Community Center was founded in 1978 between Avenue B and Avenue C.)

The first round of merchandise was released this weekend, featuring mugs by NY See illustrator (and EVG contributor) Grant Shaffer and a Frank Ape tote by Brandon Sines...





The Sixth Street Art Coalition will unveil more merchandise in the days ahead. You can find more details at their website or Instagram account. You can also donate directly to Sixth Street Community Center's emergency food pantry here.

Doubling up on the celebrations at Walgreens

[Photo from yesterday]

A happy Mother's Day and Valentine's Day from Walgreens on 14th Street and Fourth Avenue...

Samascott Orchards are back at the Tompkins Square Greenmarket

Today marks the return of Samascott Orchards to the Tompkins Square Greenmarket (haven't seen them in weeks) ... they are set up Seventh Street...





...and other vendors today until 4 p.m. ...

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Samascott Orchards will return to Tompkins Square Greenmarket this Sunday! Thank you for your patience and dedication. 🍏💚 Attending this Sunday 5/10: @breadalonebakery, @samascottorchards, Pura Vida Fisheries, @fledgingcrowvegetables, @meredithsbread, @stoneandthistle, @norwichmeadowsfarm. See you Sunday, we’re open 9am- 4pm! #gmktnyc @samascottorchards

A post shared by GrowNYC Manhattan (@grownyc_manhattan) on May 8, 2020 at 10:49am PDT

That moment when it started snowing

Because nothing says the second weekend in May in NYC more than a few minutes of snow flurries in the late afternoon... video clip here by Michael Quinn from St. Mark's Place and Second Avenue... outside the dearly departed Gem Spa...

Report: East River Park rebuild construction start now set for September

Caught this item in a Politico e-newsletter on Thursday... the first update that I've heard in awhile on the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, which includes demolishing and rebuilding East River Park ... the full story is behind a paywall:

An ambitious project to protect the Lower East Side of Manhattan from future storms is again facing delays. The city had been scheduled to break ground on the $1.5 billion project this spring, but is now scheduled to begin construction in September, city officials said during a Council budget hearing Wednesday.

The development marks the third delay for the major resiliency effort that was first envisioned in the wake of Hurricane Sandy and is meant to safeguard one of the city's most vulnerable areas to sea-level rise. Still, the de Blasio administration said the city’s five-year timeline for the project should remain intact, despite a delayed start and the ongoing coronavirus pandemic that has delayed some construction work throughout the city.

“I’m actually moving forward under the assumption that we’re still going to maintain our timeline,” said Lorraine Grillo, commissioner of the city’s department of design and construction.

On Feb. 6, opponents of the city's plan announced an Alienation of Parkland lawsuit on behalf of East River Park Action, a grassroots neighborhood group, and 90 other plaintiffs.

Spring break (temperatures in the 30s edition)

Along Avenue A this morning... when early-morning temps were in the 30s.

Sunny's Florist is open this weekend for Mother's Day

Was nice to see Sunny's Florist back open on Second Avenue at Sixth Street last evening...



The best florist in the East Village will be open today and tomorrow from noon to (business depending) 8 p.m. ... in case you might need flowers for a mother, loved one, frontline worker, etc. ...



They may also stay open for part of next week too.

City Cinemas Village East is selling very large bags of popcorn

In case you are looking for some movie-theater-quality popcorn to enhance your home streaming/DVD viewing... City Cinemas Village East on Second Avenue at 12th Street started (as of yesterday) selling very large to-go bags of popcorn from 4 to 7 p.m. ...

The bags are $20, and it will likely last until, say, 2033...


...it's also a way to help support the theater during the COVID-19 PAUSE...



Thanks to Lola Sáenz for the photos!

East Village crowdfunding update

We've added about 15-plus East Village businesses to our list of crowdfunding campaigns. (First posted on April 13: Find the link here.)

One addition arrived this week for Mary O's, the Irish pub on Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street.

Here's part of the campaign, via the Friends of Mary O's Committee to Keep Local Hospitality Alive:

Along with every other bar and restaurant in NYC, Mary O's has been economically devastated by COVID-19. While owner Mary O'Halloran's customers are missing her authentic, heartfelt "local hospitality" and she cannot for the time being host the birthday and anniversary parties and myriad school functions for which she's famous, Mary continues to do so much for the community — sewing masks, making meals for first responders, the list goes on.

It goes without saying that the financial hit has been brutal, and (astronomical) rent still needs to be paid. Mary would never serve us again if she knew we were doing this, but we'd like to ask you to consider contributing to the Mary O's fund, so that when this is all over — who knows when? — there will be a Mary O's to return to. To have Mary build us a Guinness, celebrate our kid's graduation, gratefully tuck into a shepherd's pie or make a milestone birthday a night of festive fun. And maybe — finally! — win a round of Drag Queen Bingo.

'80s night

Local trio Hennessey has a self-titled EP due out this summer... ahead of that, here's the video for the first single — "Let's Pretend (it's the 80s)."

Learn more about the band via this interview at V Magazine with lead singer Leah Hennessey.

A rooftop musical salute to frontline workers

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

I'm running late and it’s unclear if, due to rain, this event (on April 29) will be postponed. Billed as a citywide symphonic fanfare to honor courageous frontline workers, musicians Frank London (event co-organizer), Tine Kindermann, Tony Geballe and Thomas Linder are already setup on a rooftop on 12th Street near Avenue C.



I arrive a bit breathless, in part due to running in the rain with my heavy equipment, in part to the six flights of stairs, but also my stress that I will miss the strict 7 p.m. start time.

The 7 p.m. Clap Because We Care starts with the traditional banging of pots and pans and then the swell of clapping and cheering takes over, despite the rain, and the musicians — jokingly referring to themselves as the 6 Feet Apart band — start to play.


[Thomas Linder]


[Tony Geballe]


[Tine Kindermann]

Neighbors clap from their fire escapes, windows, patios and rooftops, and for about 10 minutes or so music fills the air. Here's Frank London on trumpet..



Everything seems quiet and still, and quite relaxed when they put down their instruments. Everyone poses for a socially distant group shot before I pack up my equipment and head back downstairs.

With thanks to Robert Galinsky for helping secure the roof and spreading the word of the event!

The East Village Social Distancing All-Stars

Another local musical tribute to note ... going back to Sunday evening for this ...

Here's EVG regular Daniel Efram with a recap:

Two musicians — a trumpeter and banjo player — started playing music from a fire escape on First Avenue near Ninth Street around 6:45, entertaining a couple of dozen onlookers as traffic slowed to accommodate for the welcome spectacle.

Calling themselves the East Village Social Distancing All-Stars, they played jazz with an old-time vibe: "It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing," "When The Saints Come Marching In" and The Star-Spangled Banner" were all dedicated to the Essential Workers ...

Dan has a video clip of this here.