St. Brigid's at night

The renovations continue... workers removed the north wall and are replacing it... when I look at it a certain way, I think I see the side of a cruise ship...





And here's a day shot for a different perspective...

Dumb questions: What is a French hot dog?

At Jule's on St. Mark's Place. And is it served with French fries? [The crowd belts him with bottles]

In case John Legend locks himself out

There's always a locksmith around when you need one.... On the gated driveway at 52E4, the 15 stories of condo on Fourth Street... where the Legend, Moby and others may or may not live...

An East Village map from 1966

Here's a map of New York City’s East Village in 1966 from John Gruen’s book “The New Bohemia.” Click to enlarge and check out all the long-lost spots... (Via.)

Ephemeral New York has more on the book, including a short excerpt.

Chase branch robbed on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place

We're getting word that the Chase branch here was robbed first thing this morning. No other information as of right now. And no word if any of the 37 other bank branches in the next few blocks were knocked off either.

Photo via Nasry.

On Oct. 10, the machines will rise

We've been discussing the coming changes to the M15 route along First Avenue and Second Avenue... The M15 Select Bus Service starts on Sunday.... and I finally got my hands on the MTA's newsletter that explains all this...



And — oops! — I missed the open houses.....



As someone who depends on the M15 for this and that, this may or may not be helpful....



And for your cyclists!



And pedestrians!



Wow. The MTA calls these Refuge Islands?! Escape from Refuge Island!



Meanwhile...




Well, I'm all for keeping an open mind to see how all this will work....

Previously on EV Grieve:
On First Avenue, the machines are taking over!

Ninth Street update; and graffiti artist Crash makes a return

There are several empty (and soon to be empty) storefronts along Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Avenue A...

Previously we've mentioned closures such as Atomic Passion and Sintir Cafe...





Giant Robot closed on Sept. 23... But a crew turned the space around quickly....



...it's now home to the Dorian Grey Gallery....




And they're opening with a great event on Friday.... per the release:

Pioneering Street Artist Crash Returns With Solo Show “Works of Paper 1980–2010” @ Debut Show of Dorian Grey Gallery in NYC’s East Village October 7 Artist’s Reception Will Include “Live Action” Art Event

WHAT: A solo show of works on paper spanning 1980 to today by CRASH, a legendary fixture on New York’s graffiti/street art scene for three decades. The 30 drawings and watercolors presented served as a virtual diary and workbook for the artist, a way of venturing into artforms not covered in his best-known large-scale murals and tags. The show will also be highlighted with a “live action” art performance during the opening reception, October 7, from 6 – 9 pm, when CRASH and TAT’S CRU will be spray painting on a silhouette image of an old IRT “redbird” subway car, the canvas for some of his most powerful early work.

WHERE: CRASH “Works On Paper 1980 – 2010” will be the debut of the East Village’s new art attraction, the Dorian Grey Gallery (DGG). Dorian Grey Gallery is a dynamic “pop up” retail venue geared at showcasing both established and emerging artists, presenting a diverse selection of exemplary art in an intimate and informative environment. DGG is a joint venture between veteran art dealers Christopher Pusey and Luis Accorsi.

Chico freshens up Doc Holliday's

To be honest, Chico's Doc Holliday's mural on Ninth Street at Avenue A was a little nicked up...



And so, as NYCETC captured on Saturday, Chico was back on hand to update his work...




And here's what it looked like yesterday...




PS
I really like the photos at NYCETC....

Watching football at DeRobertis Pasticceria and Caffe

I remember walking in East Village institution DeRobertis here on First Avenue a few years ago... it was a Sunday afternoon... and it was the first time that I noticed the 100-year-old-plus bakery-cafe had a few flat-screen TVs installed.... One of the women working there was really into the Jets game.



...nothing wrong with that, I suppose ... just seemed like a funny place to watch an NFL game... But, every so often during a big sporting event, I'll walk in here to catch a glimpse of the game....



...and maybe use the restroom...



I love this place.

That large suitcase left by the Mystery Lot

The site of an oversized suitcase here in front of the Mystery Lot on 13th Street the other day left me a little uneasy....



Considering the grisly discoveries in luggage here in the past. I took a closer look... just a stash of damp, moldy clothes...

Also, during the weekend, someone in need put together a temporary shelter here...

Buy a lot, get a couch?

Perhaps the owner of this stalled lot on 13th Street near Avenue B is sweetening the deal by throwing in some old couches ...



Previously on EV Grieve:
Stalled-project lot on East 13th Street gets partial makeover

"Apartment Eviction Sale - He Didn't Pay His Rent So We Through Him Out"

And do I detect a good deal of glee in the tone of this...?

Apartment Eviction Sale - He Didn't Pay His Rent So We Through Him Out (East 2nd Street)
Date: 2010-10-02, 4:32PM EDT

Former tenant has been evicted from a one bedroom apartment and his property has been defaulted. Mostly furniture, home electronics, bedroom set, living room items and more. List is below. Email for prices.

Rolling Executive Office Chair

Small Glass Top Computer Desk With Slide Out Draw
Simple and easy design. Metal frame with glass top. Has locking rolling coasters.

Rustic, Old Fashion Wooden Rocking Chair
Great chair. Sturdy. Very rustic and old fashioned like the ones used in old western movies. Unfinished dark brown wood.

Six Draw Computer Desk
Great desk. Very good shape. Has six draws. One can be used with hanging file folders if you wish. Solid construction in oak.

Black Stained Bi Folding Kitchen Table
Sturdy kitchen table only two years old. Black linear and fold down on both ends. Fit’s into many spaces.
Folded is 30 1/2 inches wide and 23 inches long. Unfolded is 48 inches long.

Five Level Storage Shelf – Very Durable And Sturdy. Used In Grocery Store.
Wood. 5 levels. Used as a backery rack in local grocery store. Just $25

Antique Chinese Village Montage From The 1960’s
A great piece for any space. Especially for those individuals who enjoy Asian art. Piece is made in three dimensional art form enclosed in a wooden and glass casing.

RCA Subwoofer / Speaker Combo System
Combination 2 way speaker system with integrated subwoofer in a divided enclosure and separate wire connections. Model RS2604.

Main driver = 25 watts Subwoofer = 50 watts

In good condition. One cabinet has a small piece detached but is held together with hi tinsel tape. It does not affect the performance of the speaker / sub system at all.

Vintage Green Hippie 5 Draw Dresser
A great vintage dresser from the later 60”s / early 70’s era. Green stained with vintage design. Still very durable but a great piece if you’re into eccentric furniture.

Full Size, Hand Painted Floral Female Mannequin
This uniquely painted mannequin is full size and sure to be a topic of conversation in any apartment or home. Painted from neck to toe (there is no head) Even her high heel shoes are painted. Arms and hands are detachable. Can also split in to at the waist.

[Hat tip, Blue Glass]

Your unwanted Superdive weekend recap

Friday night. Closed!



Saturday night. Open!

The 2-hour lines for Octoberfest at Zum Schneider this weekend

...and people dress the part...



Octoberfest here runs through Sunday.

White stripes

11th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Michael Shenker, 1955-2010

Longtime East Village homesteader Michael Shenker has passed away..... Friends placed a tribute in front of the former squat at 209 Seventh St., which he helped restore starting in 1987.

Here's a passage on the former squats by Lincoln Anderson in The Villager from 2009...

Michael Shenker came to live in the East Village in 1970, a 15-year-old, half-Jewish kid from Long Island. His model mother had been the Ipana toothpaste lady in TV commercials, which sometimes featured cameos by him and his brother. But things at home weren’t going well, and Shenker decided he had to get out.

The bohemian East Village, with its rocking music scene at the Fillmore East, naturally drew Shenker, an aspiring musician. At first, he was homeless, hanging out and crashing at night with members of a tough Puerto Rican gang. Working odd jobs — one saw him cleaning McSorley’s urinals — he eventually managed to get his own place. But the storefront he was living in had a fire, and then his rent quadrupled in the early 1980s, and he found himself again facing homelessness.

One day, he recalled, as he was sitting in Life Café, “This weird girl Natasha I used to play chess with looked over at me and said, ‘Mike, have you ever heard of squatting?’”

[Top photo by Fly; bottom photo by Caroline Debevec — both via The Villager]

He was also featured in New York from 1996. You can read that piece here.



I asked a few of his friends for comments:

Eden Brower:
I've known Michael since I was around 19 years old ... One thing about Michael is that before Ray's was going to be visited by the Board of Health for a few violations...Michael was there and helped with tiling the floor and cleaning. He also helped many of the squats with getting their electricity done. I'm sad that he's gone.

Barbara Robin Lee:
I'm going to remember him joyfully playing the piano with gusto and lots of talent. I loved his love for music and art. He was an amazing electrician. He was a strident political activist. He was a lover, a saucy flirt in the first degree. He knew no fear. That's about all I can say right now. Above all else, he was a good sober FRIEND!

Cops shutter Webster Hall during "the largest paint party in the world"

So last night, Webster Hall hosted DayGlow, billed as "the largest paint party in the world."


[Via]

Apparently it was quite large... so large, that we hear the NYPD swarmed the club.... giving everyone the boot... and shutting down 11th Street between Third Avenue and Fourth Avenue. Per DJ David Berrie, who played at the event, on Twitter: "Wowwww webster hall shut down by cops that's is by farr the most packed I've ever seen webster."

Which, as EV Grieve reader Eric described, "lead to 'Douche On Parade' on Fourth Avenue."