Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week include (with a photo from Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg)...

• Cinema Paradiso looks to bring foreign and independent films to Avenue A, though CB3 isn't completely into it (Monday)

• Report: Now there's an East River Park construction lawsuit (Monday) 

• There are 3 (!!!) chicks for red-tailed hawks Amelia and Christo in Tompkins Square Park (Tuesday) 

• Expanded C&B Cafe nearly ready (Tuesday) 

• This East Village Easter footage from 1966 includes a crucifixion in Tompkins Square Park (Friday) 

• NYPL plans to expand services at all branches by mid-July (Tuesday) 

• Gallery Watch checks out My Snake is Bigger Than Your Snake (Wednesday) 

• Mom is sweating in this week's NY See (Thursday)

• Checking in on 2 under-renovation properties along this charming block of 7th Street (Thursday) 

• Sunspot! (Wednesday) 

• Another Tony's Pizza for the East Village, this one for the former Vinny Vincenz space (Wednesday) More pizza for a former pizzeria (Thursday) 

• 32 Avenue C is now shorter (Tuesday) 

• Ray's Pizza & Bagel Cafe owner eyes new concept for 2 St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• The Ukrainian Museum is back open on 6th Street (Friday) 

• Coyote Ugly makes it official on 14th Street (Friday) 

• Opinion: The overlooked stakeholders and potential bias in the Open Restaurants program (Wednesday)  

• Yubu bringing Korean food and beverages to 7th Street (Tuesday) 

• Original Nicky's Vietnamese Sandwiches lives on in a new Avenue A location (Monday) 

• Report: Man stabbed, robbed of his e-bike in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday) 

• Openings: Sanshi Noodle House on 2nd Avenue (Monday) 

• Little Rebel announces itself on 2nd Avenue (Monday) 

• Coffee shop slated for 194 1st Ave. (Thursday) 

... and from Friday in Tompkins Square Park, a tree climber (photo by Steven) ...

It sparked a mini-debate — yes, climbing a tree in an NYC city park is illegal.

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics. 

EVG Etc.: The fate of Raphael Toledano's bankrupt EV portfolio; the free fitness classes on Avenue B

• In $153 million deal, Madison Realty Capital closes on Raphael Toledano's bankrupt East Village portfolio (The Real Deal ... previously on EVG) 

• A long read on the reconstruction plans for East River Park (Curbed) 

• Mayor de Blasio signs Open Streets bill into law (amNY ... previously on EVG) 

• New Yorkers on the CDC's new mask guidelines (Gothamist) 

• An East Village-focused look back at the pandemic's darkest days (The Nation) 

• The new show at the Housing gallery on the LES pays tribute to Steven Cannon, founder of the East Village-based A Gathering of the Tribes (Hyperallergic ... previously on EVG) 

• A list of the free fitness activities on the Open Streets of Avenue B (Instagram ... flyer) 

• Joyface reopened on Avenue C and Seventh Street this past week (Instagram) 

• Rough Trade's new NYC home — after seven years in Williamsburg — will be in Rockefeller Center (Official site) 

Photo of a familiar car around the neighborhood from Sixth Street between Avenue C and Avenue D

Checking in on the grocery cart garden

The grocery cart garden that arrived last spring on Fourth Street at the Bowery ... has survived is first year... and as these photos from today show, the garden is thriving...

As the sign says: "Please do not remove plants!"

Sunday's opening shot

For anyone keeping track, the Blondie mural on Bleecker at the Bowery has been restored ... this after being tagged last month... after being restored back in December.

Shepard Fairy's mural has been here since August 2017.

Saturday's parting shot

Thanks to Steven for this photo of the young hawk watchers in Tompkins Square Park... the resident red-tailed hawks, Amelia and Christo, have three chicks in the nest this spring...

May 15

As seen today on Fourth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue... thanks to Carol from East 5th Street for the photo!

Crate digging!: A soft reopening today with sidewalk sales at A-1 Records

A-1 Records is closer to in-store shopping again... ahead of that today (Saturday!), the Sixth Street mainstay will be holding a sidewalk sale featuring "tons of cheap LPs and 45s." 

The shop has been online only for sales during the pandemic (with curbside pickup too). 

A-1, which opened in 1996, is at 439 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Image via Instagram

The Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place will be 'opening soon'

Updated: Reopened as of May 17. The Starbucks on Avenue A and St. Mark's Place remains closed (10 to 14 days now?)... however, there is an addition to the "temporarily closed" signage... a handwritten note with a smiley face stating "opening soon" ...

Starbucks opened at this spot in August 2017.

Bring it on

 

We've featured the music of local band Pom Pom Squad several times in the past... they recently released "Head Cheerleader" (video above!) from their first LP, Death of a Cheerleader, out on June 25. 

And Pom Pom Squad will be supporting Bully out on tour later this summer.

Who's on 1st? East Village Flea

The next East Village Flea (aka Nexus Flea) happens tomorrow (Saturday!) on First Street and First Avenue (Peretz Square) from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. 

The flea market started on April 3 (relive that one here!) ... and they're running every other Saturday for now. In case you haven't been yet.

Why you might see Art in Odd Places on 14th Street this weekend

Via the EVG inbox...this is happening today through Sunday...

Art in Odd Places (AiOP) 2021: NORMAL, curated by Furusho von Puttkammer, invites artists to critique and dissect the American Mythos for AiOP’s 16th annual public art and performance festival taking place from Avenue C to the Hudson River along 14th Street ...

Visit the AiOP website for more details and a list of participating artists.

This East Village Easter footage from 1966 includes a crucifixion in Tompkins Square Park

James Maher, our longtime blog friend (and creator of this now-retired EVG series), shared a 3-minute video clip with us. His grandparents and mother were born and raised on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The video below is from Easter Sunday 1966 in the East Village. It starts on Fifth Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. You'll also see some scenes in Tompkins Square Park where, at the 1:40 mark, the kids are treated to an interpretation of the crucifixion of Jesus. 

James' cousin Donna, one of the girls in the video, provided some narrative: 

My dad shot these videos. We were all going to Easter Mass at Most Holy Redeemer then to Nana Julie's and Grandpa Walter's for Easter lunch. We were waving to my Grandma Anna in the window. Others on the street were are family friends and neighbors all getting together for Easter. 

The hippies had moved into the neighborhood and basically took over the Park. On Easter, they built their version of the crucifixion with human skulls, etc. It didn't last long as some of the local guys knocked it down because it upset their wives and mothers. 

The street-front store is next to the Chic Choc bar [now Sophie's]...it belonged to Willie Silverman. He and his son Sidney bought closeouts from department stores and wholesalers. Every night the neighborhood would gather in front of his hole in the wall to see what crap bargains we could get. These were great times!"  

See for yourself... (and there is no sound on the clip)...

 

Video shot by John Sagan!

The Ukrainian Museum is back open on 6th Street

The Ukrainian Museum reopened on May 5 at 222 E. Sixth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square ... back for the first time since the PAUSE in March 2020. 

Among the current exhibits: "In Bloom: Nature and Art," which "explores the impact of the flower motif through the prism of Ukraine’s folk art traditions and the works of its preeminent artists of the 19th, 20th, and 21st centuries." 

The museum, founded in 1976 by the Ukrainian National Women's League of America, is open Wednesday through Sunday from 11:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

There is a limited capacity for now and masks are required. You can check out the visitor info page for more details.

Coyote Ugly makes it official on 14th Street

The Coyote Ugly signage went up yesterday at their new saloon at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. (Thanks to Pinch for the photo!)

No mention yet of an opening date here on IHOP Way.

As we first reported this past September, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (That space is currently going under a gut renovation for lord knows what.)

In announcing the closure, CEO and founder Lil Lovell had this to say in a video clip: "After sitting closed for six months due to COVID restrictions, we simply can't afford to pay the rent." 

This First Avenue location was the original Coyote Ugly — featuring bartop dancing, body shots and guilt for ordering water. There are now more than two-dozen global outposts.

No. 233 was previously home to the Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub, which closed in June 2019.