Spies like us: So long to the 7-month-old 'My Spy' ad at the AMC Village 7

After nearly seven months watching over Third Avenue, the four-story ad for "My Spy" has been removed from the AMC Village 7 at 11th Street...The ad arrived in late February to woo potential moviegoers to see the family-friendly action comedy starring Dave Bautista... which was set to open on March 13, but never made it into a theater with the COVID-19 crisis.

And the ad, with a forced grimace from the gentle giant, brought comfort to travelers along this corridor in these recent challenging months.

This reaction to our tweet yesterday perhaps sums it up best...

May Bautista continue to watch over us all, amen 🙏

😇😆

— This Isn't Michael (@micheil) September 26, 2020

Theaters remain closed in the city. However, there has been activity inside this AMC outpost of late. 

Saturday afternoon in Tompkins Square Park

From yesterday afternoon in Tompkins Square Park, where a fall show brought together a handful of bands, speakers and local artisans that attracted people of all ages... EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these images...

Noted

Spotted my first film shoot notice since... late February? Have no idea what this is for (who's calling Larry?) ... most likely for some kind of commercial ...  there were several posted along Avenue A between Houston and First Street.

Restrictions on film, TV and commercial productions in NYC were loosened up when the city entered Phase 4 in late July... productions are currently limited to 50 people and can’t interfere with hospitals or COVID-19 testing centers, etc.

Reader report: Needles in the dugout at East River Park

From the EVG inbox... via a reader who was at East River Park today...

While my family and I were playing tag in the baseball field along the FDR, we came across a pile of about 12-14 syringes scattered in the dugout. We called 311 and they didn't give us much confidence that they would clean that up. I am horrified. We need to make people aware that this is happening in places where children play and that 311 isn't terribly concerned.

ICYMI: City makes outdoor dining permanent

And in news you likely read about yesterday, Mayor de Blasio announced that the City's Open Restaurants program will be extended year-round and made permanent. The extension also applies to Open Streets: Restaurants, which provides restaurants expanded space on 85 car-free streets citywide on certain days.

Here are some particulars from the city's press release about how restaurants will able able to protect diners from the winter-time elements: 

Heating 

As cooler weather arrives, the City will allow restaurants to incorporate heating elements into their outdoor dining setups. Electrical heaters will be allowed on both sidewalk and roadway. Propane and natural gas heaters will be allowed on sidewalks only; they will remain prohibited in roadway seating. Propane will require a permit from FDNY and compliance with FDNY regulations for outdoor use, handling and secure outdoor tank storage overnight. Official guidance on what will be considered approved installation and use of heating elements will be released before the end of September, and restaurants are prohibited from installing heating elements until guidelines are released and followed.

Tents

Restaurants will also be permitted to use tent enclosures to keep diners warm. In partial tent enclosures, at least 50 percent of the tent’s side wall surface area must remain open and electrical heaters are allowed. In full tent enclosures, the tent’s side walls may be closed but occupancy limitations will be capped at 25 percent of capacity, and indoor dining guidelines must be followed; electrical heaters will also be allowed. Enclosed structures, such as plastic domes, will be allowed for individual parties and must have adequate ventilation to allow for air circulation.

The New York Philharmonic Bandwagon will be pulling up to Astor Place today

 

The New York Philharmonic Bandwagon will be on Astor Place today (Saturday!) as part of a Get Out the Vote event with Joe's Pub. 

In addition to a "pull-up" performance by members of the Orchestra and special guests, a volunteer from the League of Women’s Voters of New York will be onhand to sign people up to vote and to answer any questions about voting.

The festivities begin around noon-ish. Visit this link for a rundown on today's program, which includes a "West Side Story" suite.

The New York Philharmonic launched this drive-up series on weekends in late August.

Today's free show in Tompkins Square Park

There's a free concert in Tompkins Square Park this afternoon (hours listed as 1-7 p.m.)

And info via the EVG inbox...

It's that lovely time of year when neighbors get together to celebrate the cultural vitality of their community in our beloved Tompkins Square Park. 

In addition to speakers, information tables with local crafts, we will have the following musical talents:

> The Acute

> Evil Kim Evil

> Acorn Slim (with Dead Dean) 

> Jennifer Blowdryer Soul Experience 

> Skitzopolis 

> SEWAGE (with Spike Polite)

> The Love Pirates 

> Grace The Enemy 

> Ruckus Interruptus 

> Soul Cake 

> Rebelmatic (with surprise guest CV)  

AND: Seth Tobocman (WW# Illustrated) will do a slide show with Eric Blitz and John Wagner.

 Find more info about the show sponsored by The Shadow right here. (Image via the Facebook Events Page)

An afternoon of roofless comedy for the people and the plants on 11th Street

Local resident Harkness Granger is hosting a comedy show "for the plants and the people" this afternoon at the 11th Street Community Garden, 422 E. 11th St. between First Avenue and Avenue A.

The show is at 4 p.m. There's a suggested donation of $5. And masks are mandatory for the limited capacity event.

Sen. Hoylman responds to anti-Semitic graffiti on 1st Avenue; 'Go to Hell, Nazis'

Early this morning, State Sen. Brad Hoylman spotted this moving truck with anti-Semitic graffiti parked on First Avenue between Third Street and Fourth Street.

The graffiti on the Katz Moving truck included multiple backward swastikas and the numbers 1488, signifying the white supremacist "14 Words" pledge. The Senator's office reported this to both the NYPD and the Anti-Defamation League. It was not clear when the graffiti was added to the truck of the Long Island City-based company.

"Hate is not welcome in our district, in Manhattan, or in any other part of our city," Hoylman said in a statement. "The perpetrators of this attack must be caught and held accountable. Close to 40,000 Jewish Holocaust survivors live in New York City. It hurts my heart to think that the many people who found refuge in America are still being targeted by this hateful ideology."

Just saw this on the west side of 1st Avenue between 2nd and 3rd streets. Sickening. The perpetrators must be found and held accountable.

Go to hell, Nazis. pic.twitter.com/VzrRZ5Urns

— Senator Brad Hoylman (@bradhoylman) September 25, 2020

Soak up the 'Sun'

 

Sunflower Bean, a band with some East Village roots, released a new single last week titled "Moment in the Sun" ... along with a summery video.

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around NYC ... as well as political observations on current events...

Tats Cru pay tribute to Bittman 'Bimbo' Rivas on 2nd Street

Photos by Stacie Joy

Tats Cru created a new mural this week on Second Street at Avenue A... paying tribute to Bittman John "Bimbo" Rivas (1939-1992), who coined the term "Loisaida" in 1974...

There are also street scenes that depict these COVID-19 times...

H/T KTMac!

Save the date: The 9th annual Lungs Harvest Arts Festival is Oct. 3-4

An abbreviated version of the annual Lungs Harvest Arts Festival is taking place on Oct. 3-4 in participating community gardens around the East Village.

Here are a few details via the EVG inbox...

It's 2020 and we are all stuck inside somewhere ...  This year's festival is dedicated expressing our situation through art ...  sharing the reality of what is going on in our lives

All the exhibits will take place behind the garden fences with the audiences on the sidewalks.

The audience will be moving, fluid. The art stationary. We want to foster our wild variety of sentiments through our art. We are all politically bent, given the times and election. Vote with your ART too. Let people know how you feel.

This as an Art exhibit and the gardens are the Green Museum.

It's perfect for touring audiences to visit and enjoy our community gardens.

More details will be on the Lungs website closer to the festival.

'We're just hoping for some miracle'

[Nomad photo from June by Stacie Joy]

ICYMI: The Times had a sobering piece Wednesday titled "9 of Every 10 Restaurants and Bars in NYC Can't Pay Full Rent."

Mehenni Zebentout, the owner of Nomad at 78 Second Ave. between Fourth Street and Fifth Street is predominately featured. 

Nomad, a North African and Mediterranean restaurant in the East Village, shut down in March after the pandemic engulfed New York City, leaving its owner unable to pay the full $11,500 rent for months.

After opening for outdoor dining in June, the owner, Mehenni Zebentout, has struggled to pay 70 to 80 percent of the rent. But he had to cut his staff from nine full-time employees to four part-time workers. And his landlord still wants Mr. Zebentout to pay what he owes from the spring.

"We're just hoping for some miracle," he said. "I believe, according to my experience, two out of three restaurants will close by December, and I'll be one of them if there's no help from the city or the government."