A place in the Sun: An installation series on St. Mark's Place celebrates the daylight

Starting tomorrow for the fall equinox, The Flint Collective NYC unveils a temporary installation series titled "Suncast" that maps "memory and daylight moments" along St Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Here's more via the EVG inbox: 

Six artists from the Collective responded to the challenge of creating works that 1) transform our perception of the street; 2) "catch" light rather than produce light and 3) use minimal material to allow the light effect to take center stage. 

The experimental format was devised as an inversion of the electric light art festivals common to other major cities. In contrast to the spectacle of the typical light festivals that extend the night culture, the daylight interventions presented an opportunity to celebrate small moments in our Everyday and contribute to the character of streets before sundown.

The opening festivities start tomorrow at 11 a.m. at 97 St. Mark's Place... followed by an artist walk at noon. 

The work will be up through Sept. 29. This link details the different installations and timing on events.

Reader report: Trash bags are starting to pile up in Tompkins Square Park

Updated 5 p.m.: Someone removed the bags... 

EVG regular Salim notes that bags of trash have accumulated at several locations in Tompkins Square Park since Sunday. 

He reported the garbage to the city via 311 on Monday and again today. 

Meanwhile, the piles are growing...

Explore neighborhood community gardens during the 13th annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival

The 13th annual LUNGS Harvest Arts Festival begins tomorrow night (Friday, Sept. 20). 

This year's festival, which runs through Sept. 29, includes 10 days of free activities at dozens of East Village/LES community gardens. Each garden features 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 event at La Plaza Cultural on the SW corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street starts at 6 ... showcasing Avon Faire, performing traditional Celtic and English folk songs, and Source and Abdoulaye Diabate, providing "a vibrant and danceable mix of music of Guinea and Mali with a jazz inflection."

The annual 9th Street Street Block takes place this Saturday

The annual 9th Street A-1 Block Association Block Party is this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. 

Residents and merchants along the block — Ninth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue — will have items for sale. Expect some live music, too. 

As we've said, this is a top-two neighborhood block party (this and the 10th Street Block Festival). 

As of now, Saturday's weather forecast doesn't call for any rain, which is a good thing. The city doesn't allow make-up dates, and last year's edition was rained out.

The storefront at 60 2nd Ave. (the former Black Ant) is for rent

Photo by Steven

A for-lease sign has arrived outside 60 Second Ave. between Third Street and Fourth Street. 

The listing isn't online at Meridian Capital Group just yet.

This marks the official end of Black Ant. During the summer, a sign was up stating, "We are temporary [sic] closed." (This despite an Instagram post stating their last day was June 2.)

The closure coincides with the recent sale of the two buildings at 58 and 60-62 Second Ave., which sold for nearly $14 million.

The Black Ant opened in May 2014. The place drew generally solid reviews and attention for its ingredients, including "tribal delicacies like grasshoppers, worms and, yes, the namesake ant." 

Tacombi is now closed for renovations on 12th Street and 3rd Avenue

After 14 months in business, Tacombi has closed for renovations on the NW corner of Third Avenue and 12th Street.

EVG reader Doug points out the posted signage, which states the taqueria "is temporarily closed for needed renovations and changes."

All exterior signs of Tacombi have disappeared, including the painted wall branding and awning along the 12th Street side where the entrance is.

The brand's latest outpost opened in July 2023 after an extensive renovation here. 

The East Village location was a departure from Tacombi's typical dine-in format and featured a communal standing table for patrons. 

Now to theories (aka totally guessing)! 

Tacombi will take the currently vacant corner space and create a dining room for Tacombi-ites. That vacant corner slot just so happens to have a 14-day Rent Demand on the front for a little more than $100,000 for a business that never opened called Flying Pig. (Mmmm, flying pig.)

As two or three may say, bring back Funkiberry!

Last night's partial lunar eclipse from 2nd Avenue

A dispatch about last night from Felton Davis of the Second Avenue Star Watchers...

Last night, some of the Second Avenue Star Watchers could not agree whether that was an actual shadow of the Earth in front of the Moon or just some clouds.

Per Felton: "The partial eclipse was certainly a subtle event!" 

The partial lunar eclipse coincided with this week's Harvest Moon and was visible from most of North America, all of South America, Europe, all but the easternmost parts of Africa, western portions of Asia and Russia, and parts of Antarctica, per Space.com.

Today in pothole repairs

Photos by Derek Berg 

After three-plus months, a crew today filled in this 2024 Pothole to Watch in the bus lane on Second Avenue between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...

All good, though we will miss seeing what someone might drag into the street (trash cans, orange reflective traffic cones, wood pallets) next to warn motorists about the hole...

The 12th annual MoRUS Film Festival coming to a community garden near you

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) on Avenue C is once again hosting its end-of-summer tradition — its annual film fest, a four-evening event at different community gardens in the neighborhood. 

The festival, titled "Every Little Thing Adds Up," highlights "urban grassroots environmental activism — revealing how community organizing, direct action and education have led to a more sustainable city and helped to combat climate change." 

The films begin tomorrow evening at La Plaza Cultural on the SW corner of Ninth Street and Avenue C. 

In addition, on Saturday afternoon, the annual NYC Anarchist Book Fair will take place at La Plaza Cultural. That evening, MoRUS is collaborating on the Emma Goldman Film Festival, which is set for Tompkins Square Park. 

You can find more details on the festival and the featured films right here. Advance tix are available at Eventbrite. You can also buy tickets on the evenings of the screenings in the garden venues. (There isn't any admission for the films in Tompkins.)

A quick conversation about 'The Chat,' a short film by East Village resident Artie Brennan

"The Chat," a short film by longtime East Village resident Artie Brennan, is part of the SOHO International Film Festival this weekend. 

"This film is the most personal piece of art that I have ever made," Brennan, an actor, comedian and filmmaker, told us. "It deals with the conversation a couple has to have when the wife is diagnosed with breast cancer." 

The narrative hits very close to home and is based on the difficult conversations he and his wife had after learning she had cancer.

As he wrote in his director's statement: 

"We are people who find the funny in most things, and this was no exception. The real-life conversations were adapted into the screenplay and with her approval, I decided to make the film in hopes that others who have to have 'The Chat' will find it comforting in knowing they are not alone." 

His feature, in which Brennan stars opposite Emmy Harrington, is part of the Grand Streets Program that screens Saturday at 2 p.m. at the Village East by Angelika on Second Avenue and 12th Street. You can find ticket info here. 

And a quick preview...

 

Coming attractions: Noona's Ice Cream + Bakeshop on 5th Street

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Renovations continue inside 304 E. Fifth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue, where entrepreneur Hannah Bae is opening her first storefront — Noona's Ice Cream + Bakeshop.

Bae, a Queens native, launched her brand of Asian American ice cream flavors eight years ago. Her products are sold in several NYC businesses, including H Mart. 

She announced her pending East Village debut at the start of the summer, and she provided an update on Instagram last week: 

We're currently under construction and based on all the work that needs to be done, we hope to see you sometime in the later half of next month. We appreciate your eagerness for the opening... 

When Noona's opens next month, it will offer scoops of ice cream, mini sundaes, ice cream sandwiches, ice cream cakes, regular cakes, and other baked goods. 

You can read more about her in this Eater feature. 

This storefront was previously home to Anna. Designer Kathy Kemp moved her business to the Garment District late last year.

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Lola Sáenz 

Snow is coming (?). As seen on 10th Street at First Avenue today.

It's National Voter Registration Day!

Photo by Derek Berg 

It's National Voter Registration Day, so you may see volunteers around the neighborhood (and city) helping people check their voting status. You can also do this online.

A 3-day festival to celebrate Tompkins Square Park and the Tompkins Square Library

EVG photo from last November

This year marks the 120th Anniversary of the Tompkins Square Library branch, " and for each year of its existence, the library's closest and most beautiful neighbor has been Tompkins Square Park, located just across the street." 

To celebrate that milestone and pay tribute to the Park, the library is hosting several events in the days ahead curated by East Village photographer Robin McMillan and Laura Sewell, executive director of the East Village Community Coalition. 

The events occur on Thursday evening, Saturday afternoon, and Sept. 24. This NYPL link has more details and registration info. 

The library is at 331 E. 10th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.