The Parks Department looks to be lighting up the 7th and A entrance to Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy

Earlier today, the Parks Department placed solar-powered lights on Seventh Street and Avenue A at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park... this comes a day after a delivery man was slashed in the face during an attack yesterday afternoon around 3:30 p.m. 

As of around 8 p.m., the lights weren't on...

Also today, the Parks Enforcement Patrol and the Department of Sanitation cleaned up the area around the chess tables ... though it still seemed to be business as usual later in the afternoon.

Miss you

 

Makes Me Sick Makes Me Smile, the debut album from Pretty Sick, is out now ... the new video here is for the track "Self Fulfilling Prophecy." 

The band, with local roots, will be at Bowery Ballroom on Nov. 21. 

Read our Q&A with vocalist-bassist Sabrina Fuentes from last December right here.

P.S.

Today is Bandcamp Friday, where the platform waives its revenue share, and all earnings go to the artists.

Thursday to Friday on 5th and A

Workers spent a good part of the day yesterday powerwashing the graffiti off of the Con Ed substation on Avenue A between Fifth Street and Sixth Street...

And by this morning... (pic by Stacie Joy) ...

Before yesterday's big scrub...

Noted

Photo by Garrett Rosso 

Following a slashing at the entrance to Tompkins Square Park on Seventh Street and Avenue A yesterday afternoon... someone has created a crime scene with an outline of a victim and fake blood... an artist's rendering of what took place.

According to police, an Uber delivery man on a bicycle was slashed. It's not known what led to the attack around 3:30 p.m.   

The beat goes on with new plaque honoring Ginsberg and Burroughs on 7th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Last evening, Village Preservation unveiled a plaque outside the former residence of Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs at 206 E. Seventh St. between Avenue B and Avenue C, where the two lived in a third-floor apartment in the early 1950s. 

According to NYU's Grey Art Gallery, "Ginsberg took some of his best-known photographs of the Beats in this apartment, on the building's roof, and on the fire escape."

Speakers included downtown poet Bob Holman, Ginsberg memoirist and playwright Bob Rosenthal, and filmmaker and culture critic Regina Weinreich.

Here's Village Preservation Executive Director Andrew Berman... 

... and the new plaque... 

A 1982 view of St. Mark's Place at 3rd Avenue

Looking east on St Mark's Place at Third Avenue circa 1982... with a view of Tompkins Square Park in the distance ... photo by Peter Bennett. 

Check out more of Peter's work here. We previously posted some of Peter's EV photos from the 1980s at this link.

Thursday's parting shot

Moon pic from Seventh Street at (almost) Avenue A...

Police: Delivery man slashed in face at 7th Street and Avenue A entrance to Tompkins Square Park

Photos by Stacie Joy

An Uber Eats bicycle delivery man was slashed in the face this afternoon around 3:30 on Seventh Street and Avenue A, police sources said. 

The injured man was taken to hospital, but his condition is not life-threatening, sources confirmed.

It's not immediately clear what led to the slashing, which an EVG reader said occurred right inside the park entrance. 

Police have once again closed off the area around the chess tables steps away from this entrance to Tompkins, something which has happened multiple times in recent years. There have been numerous reader reports about drug use, stolen property and fights in this space.

The annual Harvest Arts Festival starts tomorrow in East Village community gardens

The 11th annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival gets underway tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 7). 

This year's 9-day festival includes activities at dozens of East Village/LES community gardens, each featuring various performances, concerts, workshops and other related events. Check the LUNGS website here for the day-by-day, garden-by-garden schedule. 

The opening-night festivities are at La Plaza Cultural on the SW corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C... featuring "LGBTQ performers highlighting famed artists from the legendary Apollo Theater, with guest MC Lee Soldier Simmons." The show starts at 6:30 p.m.

These 'Friends' are looking to care for Tompkins Square Park

A group of East Village residents have come together to form Friends of Tompkins Square Park ... "neighbors working to build a new group to advocate for TSP." 

The group's first event is this Saturday (Oct. 8). Volunteers can meet at the Park office/fieldhouse at 9 a.m. to pick up trash and rake leaves.

On Oct. 15 from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m., Friends of Tompkins Square Park will gather in the main lawn/central plaza to plant flower bulbs and spruce up the garden areas.

Gloves and tools will be provided ... though you are welcome to bring your own favorite trash grabber or rake. 

City parks have faced maintenance staff shortages in recent months... which has been noticeable to East Village residents who frequent Tompkins Square Park. 

The Partnerships for Parks is mentoring Friends of Tompkins Square Park. 

Background: "Partnerships for Parks is a unique public-private partnership between City Parks Foundation and NYC Parks that supports and champions neighborhood volunteers by giving them the tools they need to advocate and care for their neighborhood parks and green spaces."

Zee Convenience & Smoke debuts on Avenue A

Zee Convenience & Smoke is up and running now on the SE corner of Avenue A and 13th Street. (Thanks to Steven for the top photo.)

The signage notes that available goods here include CBD/hemp, beverages, e-cigarettes, snacks and hookah.... and, per this interior photo by Lola Sáenz, paper towels and cigars...

We understand that ownership here operates other shops, perhaps Zee Smoke & Convenience (not to be confused with Zee Convenience & Smoke) on 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue.

Caffè Bene closed here in December after nearly six years in business.

And as previously noted ... back in May, the owners of Keybar on 13th Street between Avenue A and First Avenue were looking to relocate here, but the application didn't make it past Community Board 3. 

Wednesday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Enjoying the challah from C&B Cafe in Tompkins Square Park...