In memory of Michael Shenker

Yesterday in Tompkins Square Park. Photos courtesy of Bobby Williams.

Previously.

The barber of the Vill

Second Avenue near 11th Street.

The urban pumpkin patch

I've noticed that a lot of people have been taking this photo on St. Mark's Place...and I can see why...

Seventh Street restaurants team up for Breast Cancer Awareness Month

On Tuesday, a handful of eateries on Seventh Street will be donating 10 percent of their sales to the Susan G. Komen Foundation for Breast Cancer Awareness month. The participating restaurants are: Xoom, Luke's Lobster, Butter Lane and Caracas.

Mars Attacks!

New work by Avi Spivak, who was featured in The Wall Street Journal's Mars Bar feature yesterday.

Reminders: Memorial for Michael Shenker today in Tompkins Square Park

Previously.

A chivalrous cyclist

From Craigslist:

Bicyclist Saves Girl w. Luggage - w4m - 24 (East Village)

A thank you to the nice man in a gray hoodie and red scarf who used his bicycle to block me from the angry homeless man outside my building as I struggled to get my luggage through the door.

Let the weary traveler buy you a drink?

Dupin' and Hoopin'

Knicks legend Walt "Clyde" Frazier in his NYC home circa 1971... via Curbed National via @si_vault,

Bright bike

St. Mark's Place near Avenue A.

Noted

Sanctuary fades

With a belated RIP to Michael Been.

...still counting

Tomorrow is the last day to view "...still counting" at the Michael Mut Gallery at 97 Avenue C near Seventh Street.

Per the website:

"…still counting…" is Mr. Mut's continued expression of hope for peace and transformation of humanity. Since the devastating incidents of 9/11, the ongoing reports of death in Iraq and Afghanistan, the constant presence of killing in the media and entertainment, Mut has taken his deep feelings of sadness and crafted this unique and haunting artistic expression.

Outside the Mystery Lot today

Who's going to the bike lane protest?

The bike lane/etc protest is at 5 today at 14th Street and First Avenue.... Looks like EV Grieve will be stuck at work... so if anyone happens to be there and wants to file a brief report... we'd very much appreciate that....grieve98@gmail.com

Tearful anniversaries: A look back at the EV Lambo

First, press play. (Or not.)



Was just about this time last week in which the world was introduced to the EV Lambo...


[EV Grieve reader Joe]

It brought immediate media attention. (Daily Intel ... Runnin' Scared) ...

And we saw the birth of @EVLambo.

We fought. We flirted. We fell in love.

And now. Nothing. Like A-ha, we've hunted high and low for the EV Lambo.... nothing.

We've had our hopes crushed. We saw a flash of orange by the Mars Bar... and we ran! Ran until our legs were bloody stumps a few feet away... Crushed, like an orange. A different orange sporty car!



Oh, just that other orange sporty car.


[ Via Flickr]

EV Lambo, where are you?

And one day it suddenly seems like fall

Timi's Gelateria Classica™ opening in former Andy's Chee-Pees space on St. Mark's Place

After a little speculation this week, we have confirmation what's coming to the former Andy's Chee-Pee's space on St. Mark's near Second Avenue: Timi's Gelateria Classica™ — "a gelato franchise for the 21st century, with true Italian artisanal gelato made fresh daily."




This is the first U.S. location... per the website:

A unique blend of Italian recipes from Veneto's renowned gelato experts and local, farm-fresh ingredients, Timi's Gelateria Classica™ is a zero-mile concept that brings a high-tech gelato experience from Italy to NYC for the first time. More than your typical gelateria, it will highlight the sweet and savory sides of Italian dairies with the unique combination of a mozzarella bar, a café proudly serving Lavazza, Italy's favorite coffee, and frullati bar for all-season, daylong options. Timi's Gelateria Classica™ Italiana NYC will be the flagship location for the Italian mini-chain, which has successfully launched its stores throughout the world in countries such as China, Mexico, Romania, and of course, Italy.

The upstairs will feature an Internet cafe. Look for it to open next week.

Meanwhile! On the corner! Roastown has a new sign...

First Avenue, 11:46 a.m., Oct. 15

Rumors: John Varvatos is reportedly looking for a buyer

Thanks to a reader for passing along this item from The Wall Street Journal's Bankruptcy Beat blog titled Kristal Estate Open to Selling CBGB Name. The last two paragraphs are particularly interesting:

Meanwhile, there’s buzz surrounding the club’s old digs at 315 Bowery in Manhattan’s East Village, which wasn’t among the assets sold to CBGB Holdings. Men’s fashion designer John Varvatos set up shop there in 2008.

The New York Post reported this week that Varvatos, whose rock ‘n’ roll-worthy designs have been worn by Iggy Pop and Alice Cooper, is seeking a buyer to help him get out from under a heavy debt burden. The designer’s current owner, VF Corp., (which owns Lee, Wrangler, Nautica and The North Face) declined to comment on “rumors and speculation.”

[Photo via]

Bike lane extravaganza

First!
A reminder that tonight is the bike lane/pedestrian island, etc. protest on 14th Street at First Avenue...



We all had a few things to say about this here. (147 comments!)

Second!

Last Friday, Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer held a press conference on Second Avenue and St. Mark's Place to reveal results of an “unprecedented survey of bike lane safety.”

Stringer and company compiled during data during morning and evening rush hours between Oct. 5 and Oct. 7 And he found down here:

• Dooring (car doors opening as a cyclist approaches) – 19 infractions at St. Marks Place & Second Avenue; 77 total infractions

The Lo-Down was at the news conference and has a full report here.

Columnist Michael Goodwin didn't think much of Stringer's plan at the Post:

Cycle of stupidity

Manhattan Borough President Scott Stringer sent his staff out to stare at dopey bike lanes popping up all over town. They saw all kinds of what he called safety violations, ranging from taxis and pedestrians using the lanes to cyclists going the wrong way and running red lights.

His answer: a bigger bureaucracy and higher costs. Stringer wants better signs, a public-awareness campaign and strict enforcement by cops.

No thanks. The NYPD is cutting back on anti-terror teams because it doesn't have the cash. Further diluting the force by having cops patrol bike lanes makes about as much sense as the lanes themselves, which is zero.

Third!

How about using these experimental bike lane spotters like the one here on Fifth Street and First Avenue to crack down on law-breaking cyclists, motorists, pedestrians, skateboarders and Rite Aid shoppers...





Fourth!

There are signs up now offering some directions...




Lastly!

When are we getting lanes for unicyclists! These guys are psychos!