Monday, June 14, 2021

Coyote Ugly ready to work it at new East Village home

The all-new Coyote Ugly is set to make its grand opening Wednesday at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...
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. 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.

Lovell previously said that the new EV outpost would be "a little bit nicer" with "better bathrooms."

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

d.b.a. reopens today on 1st Avenue

d.b.a. is back in action today starting at noon here at 41 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

This is the first day back for the 27-year-old bar since March 2020.

The same ownership team is also behind Milano's, which recently reopened on East Houston, as well as two other bars expected to be back soon — the Library (7 Avenue A)  and Doc Holliday's (141 Avenue A). 

EVG photo from April 

A smoke shop for 9th Street at Avenue A

Signage is up now for Villager Smoke Shop at one of the storefronts along 441-445 E. Ninth St. (aka 145 Avenue A). 

With this arrival, all six retail spaces here on Ninth Street are occupied... (Anine, which offers eyelash extensions, is the other most recent leaseholder) ... Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices and Ice Cream is in the Avenue A-facing storefront...
The previous newish retail tenants mostly vacated in 2019 in this Icon Realty-owned building.

H/T Steven!

Sunday, June 13, 2021

Sunday's parting shots

A new era for table tennis with the frying-pan paddles... photos today by Steven...

[Updated] Today's show in Tompkins Square Park was canceled

This afternoon's free concert in Tompkins Square Park, featuring headliners the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, has been canceled. 

The organizers – The Shadow — had their previously approved permit revoked by the Parks Department after the April 24 show. A lawyer for the organizers had been negotiating the return of the permits. 

And the NYPD and the Parks Enforcement Patrol were there to make sure the show didn't go on.
Stay tuned for an alternate date and further details. 

The screening of Rachel Amodeo's 1993 film "What About Me" was expected to still happen at sundown.

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Updated 4 p.m. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was in the Park and photographed a few of the bands set to play. Today was to be the debut of Girl Dick...
Hello Mary was set to open the show...
Both bands are now on a bill in Greenpoint at 113 Franklin St. starting at 8 p.m. ($5 cover!). 

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As a PS... There was a musician playing with a small amp in the center of the Park just after noon. He was not part of the scheduled show... and the Parks Enforcement Patrol on duty allowed him to play...
Photo by Steven

Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included... (with a heatwave pic on Avenue A by Derek Berg)... 

• East Village Loves NYC issues a fundraising appeal to help continue feeding New Yorkers in need (Wednesday

• Remembering Penny Rand (Friday

• Portraits from the Park Prom (Wednesday

• Unofficial-looking signs now note a 10 p.m. curfew in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday

• Hot in the city: Pinc Louds bring the (pre) summertime fun to La Plaza Cultural (Monday

• Avenue C stalwart A & C Kitchen is back open (Thursday

• A Saturday walk through the East Village (Monday

• Openings: Cafe Sandra on First Avenue (Tuesday

• Openings: 7th Street Burger on 7th Street (Monday

• The Astor Place Greenmarket returns (Tuesday

• Happy Record Store Day (and Always Support Your Local Record Store Day) (Saturday

• The return of Stomp (Monday)

• New deli to be the toast of 9th Street? (Monday

• All along 1st Avenue with Neil Goldberg (Thursday

• New music now (1980-1986 edition) at the Museum of the City of New York (Friday)

• 8 a.m. old-timer Milano's returns to service on East Houston (Thursday)

• The Brindle Room is on the hunt for a new home (Wednesday
 
• Openings: Marinara Pizza debuts on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday)

• 787 Coffee makes it official at 159 2nd Ave. (Monday

• Here's the Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar signage on 2nd Avenue and 11th Street (Wednesday

• Mocha Red promises a 'Tulum Meets Wynwood Experience' on 4th Avenue (Monday

• First sign of Yoshino New York on the Bowery (Monday

• Lucky Star is a 1950s-style ice cream shop opening 3 downtown locations this summer (Tuesday

 ... and thanks to EVG reader Eliah ... who captured this (partial) rainbow shot after Tuesday's storm...
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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Last day for Public Access on St. Mark's Place

Today is the last day for Public Access, the subterranean gallery at 8 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

Leo Fitzpatrick, a local resident and former director at the now-closed Marlborough Gallery, has been running the space since September. He announced the end of Public Access at this location in an Instagram post:
[I]t hasn’t always been easy but I enjoyed it immensely and intensely so thank you ... and to all the other gallery's out there THANK YOU ... unless you've opened your own you don't realize all the blood, sweat, tears and effort that goes into making it look easy. Until next time...
Exhibits have included works by pioneering skateboarder (and artist) Mark Gonzales and underground zine maker Weirdo Dave. (We particularly liked the "Dress Up My Lindsay" show.)

The gallery opened in January 2020 as JUICE before Fitzpatrick took over in the aftermath of the COVID-19 PAUSE. 

The gallery is open today from 2-7 p.m. The final show features work by local photographer-documentarian Clayton Patterson.

Saturday, June 12, 2021

The Spring Zine Fair is underway on St. Mark's Place, and in community gardens

The Spring Zine Fair is underway now on St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... happening until 7 p.m. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community teamed up for this event.

Also! Don't sleep on the collaborative events at these neighborhood community gardens...   

Unofficial-looking signs now note a 10 p.m. curfew in Tompkins Square Park

Updated 6/13: There wasn't any curfew on Saturday night, and the Park remained open...

These homemade signs about a 10 p.m. curfew are now posted at entrances around Tompkins Square Park.

Last Saturday, the Park suddenly had a 10 p.m. curfew (instead of the usual and unofficial midnight). As Gothamist reported, the NYPD had at least two officers stationed at all nine entrances to Tompkins. Importantly: "The decision was made without any notice to the Mayor's Office, the local Council Member, or the public."

This came on the same night as riot-gear-clad NYPD officers clashed with park-goers in Washington Square Park over enforcement of a 10 p.m. curfew there. Union Square Park was also shut down at 10 p.m. last Saturday.

While there's now apparently a 10 p.m. weekend curfew in Tompkins Square Park, the one for Washington Square Park has been suspended, NY1 reported this morning

Meanwhile, it is not immediately clear who placed these unofficial-looking signs around the Park. (And one reader thought that "Park closes at 10 p.m." would be better than "Park closed at 10 p.m.")

This is the latest effort by the NYPD to crack down on everything in the Park from amplified music to zine sales.

Happy Record Store Day (and Always Support Your Local Record Store Day)

Today is the first of two Record Store Days set for this summer (the other being on July 17). 

You can find some RSD titles at a few of the local shops ... or you can pay them a visit anyway at your leisure... 

• A-1 Record Shop — 439 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

• Academy Records — 415 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

• Limited to One Records — 221 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

• Manhattan45 — 220 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

• Stranded Records — 218 E. Fifth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square

And a special shout-out to Downtown Music Gallery, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last month. The shop got its start in the East Village, first on Fifth Street then the Bowery. Find them now at 13 Monroe St. in Chinatown.  

Free COVID-19 vaccines in Tompkins Square Park this weekend

The city is setting up a free COVID-19 vaccination center this weekend in Tompkins Square Park... no appointements needed today or tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ...
Thanks to @EastVillageNY for the info!

Friday, June 11, 2021

Capitol gains

 
Putting this up in honor of the new exhibit that opened today at the Museum of the City of New York.

"New York, New Music: 1980-1986" features groups-musicians including DNA, Arthur Russell, the Cramps, 3 Teens Kill 4, Bush Tetras and the band seen here — Bad Brains, with a live clip for "Banned in D.C." from CBGB in 1982...

Remembering Penny Rand

Friends of Penny Rand gathered early last evening at the Tompkins Square Park dog run to celebrate the life of the longtime East Village resident.


Rand was a regular in the dog run with Leeluu, who's now staying with a relative.

Photo by Stacie Joy

A zine fair on St. Mark's Place and in community gardens tomorrow

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community are teaming up for a Spring Zine Fair taking place tomorrow (Saturday!) on St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

In addition, there'll be a series of collaborative events at community gardens throughout the neighborhood. 

Some details via the EVG inbox...
Join us as we come together after many months apart and gather local independent publishers and zine makers to honor the East Village's rich DIY and countercultural history.

Engage with the 40-plus New York-based exhibitors who will be tabling at the fair and browse an exceptional array of creative and experimental artists' zines and publications. Throughout the day, nearby community gardens will be hosting various programs, including composting workshops, poetry readings, concerts, leaf pressings and more! 

As we celebrate the East Village's artistic past and present, we're so excited to collaborate with local community gardens in acknowledgment of the grassroots reclamation of the Lower East Side’s unused space by gardeners, squatters and artists. Our fair guide will be in the form of an East Village Fanzine spotlighting local businesses, organizations and stories.
This link has many more details. 

And in the gardens...