EVG regulars Vinny & O shared these 8 a.m. photos from down at the Brooklyn Bridge...
Wednesday, May 27, 2020
Anonymous East Village restaurant owners continue to feed those in need of a meal
Text and photos by Stacie Joy
In mid-April, I learned about an East Village family who owns a restaurant, and decided to make meals for people in need around the neighborhood. (You can revisit the post here.)
I was invited back to help and document their efforts during the COVID-19 crisis. At their closed-to-the-public restaurant one recent day, I watched the owners, a married couple, making food boxes for 60 homeless and hungry neighbors.
The meal plan is pan-roasted rosemary chicken, mixed roasted vegetables, fruit salad and a croissant. Pineapple juice, cookies, plastic cutlery, socks and face masks accompany the boxed meal. (Pads and tampons are also available for those who need them.)
This is a team effort: the funds were donated by East Villagers following the publication of the story, the face masks were made and donated by local artist Tine Kindermann, the shopping, prepping and serving of the food by the restauranteur couple. I’m documenting it all, from the shopping at Costco and Jetro, a restaurant supply store, to the cooking and plating.
We load up the couple’s car and head out to feed people on the street. There isn't any shortage of people in need of a meal, and I'm touched by their appreciation of the boxed meals.
After we distribute the last meal, the couple talks about their volunteer work and the reaction to it.
The response to the story about your family’s project of making home-cooked meals and care packages to feed our vulnerable homeless neighbors was overwhelming. How did that reaction impact you?
The feeling of community and camaraderie was truly gratifying. The original point of doing this was just to get food in the belly of hungry people. Putting it on a neighborhood news site for public consumption took it a step further. I am grateful that it brought the plight of the homeless in our neighborhood out into the open so we can talk about it.
A lot of East Villagers subsequently wrote in asking if they could donate to your project, and all told, raised about $1,000. How did you decide what to do with the funds?
Honestly, it was a little overwhelming! We figured if people were inspired enough to donate money out of their own pocket, we should just continue with the same idea.
This is the second time you have attempted this project. What changed from your initial distribution? What worked, what didn’t and what changes might you make for the next round?
Last time we made 24 meals, this time we made 60, which, of course, took a lot longer. We need to work on our efficiency and time management for the next project. We will still make home-cooked meals with fresh ingredients; as this is by far what excites those receiving the meals the most.
One change we would like to make, based on the feedback, is to prepare something that can be more easily split/saved. So if they would like to stretch it into two meals it will hold up nicely.
Can you speak a bit about what the experience was like for you both? Not just the prepping and planning, but the actual delivery of the meals and care packages?
Seeing people in dire need of something as basic as food is highly distressing, and their gratitude takes it to a whole other level for my husband and I. It’s a very humbling experience. Once the person you’re approaching realizes that you are not a threat, but are there to help them...that you actually see them, their guard drops. They often smile and their whole mood changes.
We also noticed that passersby acknowledged what we were doing by saying "thank you" and "God bless." Hopefully having fewer people outside has revealed a problem that we all already knew was there, but has been easy to ignore. It’s not as easy to ignore anymore, and maybe that’s a good thing.
Did anything surprise you? What do you want people to know about the experience?
Encountering so many people in good spirits in the midst of such hardship is always a wonder.
But really? The hard truth is that I am constantly surprised — and disheartened — at the human condition around us. People within arm’s reach with no food, no shelter, no health care, no bathrooms, no dignity... it’s disgraceful. The person that affected me the most on this day was a young man, probably around 20 years old. It was raining, and people were mostly off to the side somewhere, trying to stay dry. They would stay in the shadows until they saw that we were handing out food, and then come out.
He, like the others, started to walk over with his hand outstretched. As he approached, he repeatedly asked if we knew where there was a bathroom. He was visibly upset and was saying "They took the Porta-Potties out of the park, nobody will let me use their bathroom, everything is closed, there is no place to go!" To rob someone of the dignity of access to a bathroom is cruel. It’s dehumanizing. It broke my heart that we had no answer for him.
With their permission, I’d like to note our neighbors who donated to this effort. Ralph Westerhoff, Christine Debany, Esther Kim, Claire Malloy, Danielle Piendak, Jaimie Pham, Julie Irwin, Marissa Briggs, Kate Angus, Joanna Kuflik and Rebekah L. A few requested anonymity, but all have our gratitude.
The couple later set up a third meal distribution, which I'll share in an upcoming post.
Baby hawks in Tompkins Square Park starting to branch out this spring
Another day, another milestone for Amelia and Christo's three red-tailed hawklets in Tompkins Square Park.
As Goggla documented, one of the adventurous chicks — possibly the youngest of the three and with what looks like a little white mohawk on its head — started branching this week.
The other two will likely follow their sibling very soon... the first step before fledging the nest. The three are six-plus-weeks old now.
Steven captured this action shot ...
... as well as the parents taking a spin over the Park...
San Loco is back open on Avenue C
San Loco reopened yesterday at 111 Avenue C between Seventh Street and Eighth Street. For now, the quick-serve Tex-Mex restaurant is open for takeout and delivery from 4-10 p.m. daily. (No alcohol here.)
San Loco, which made its East Village debut on Second Avenue in 1986, opened on Avenue C back in December. This location had been closed during the COVID-19 crisis, with their support of frontline workers happening from the Stanton Street outpost.
Explosion site condoplex shapes up
Here's a look from yesterday at 45 E. Seventh St. at Second Avenue, where work on the explosion site condoplex continues (the job is in the approved category at the Essential Active Construction Site).
One noticeable addition: the bracing for the perforated cornice parapet ...
... that was so prominent in the rendering...
[Rendering via Morris Adjmi]
As noted previously, this high-profile project is on two of the three lots destroyed during the deadly gas explosion here on March 26, 2015.
The Morris Adjmi-designed building will include 21 condo units as well as ground-floor retail. Residential units are one, two and three bedrooms. The Tavivian Team from Douglas Elliman will be responsible for the sales.
You can find all the background about this project and its history at this link.
Tuesday, May 26, 2020
Someone put out a box of free toilet paper
Bayou spotted this in-demand product on 10th Street and First Avenue ... and there is a note: "This is an abundant universe. Stop hoarding!"
When the Post Office is out to lunch
There was a lunchtime line today at the Peter Stuyvesant Retail Post Office on 14th Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue... turns out the branch was closed for lunch between noon and 1:30 p.m., something P.O. regulars here can't recall seeing before... the lobby doors were also locked, so patrons couldn't even drop off pre-paid mail or check their mailboxes...
Thanks to Sonya!
Chair notes
Some discarded chair signage from today on 10th Street and Second Avenue... some concern about the fate of this seat...
The first note reads: "Chair is for overnight security. Do not take it. Do not throw it away."
And the second note: "Security guards that use the chair, please put it back where it belongs!!!"
Thanks to Lola Saénz for the photos!
Neighborhood Food Swap in action
Several community leaders recently launched the Neighborhood Food Swap to help feed families in need on the Lower East Side during the COVID-19 crisis.
To date, the group, which includes John M. Blasio, Alana Sivin and Aura Olavarria, have identified 31 multi-person families who could use a meal. They've also collaborated with two East Village restaurants, S'MAC on First Avenue at 12th Street, and Khiladi on Avenue B at 11th Street, to serve as partners and deliver the meals.
Thanks to $500 in donations to the Food Swap website, S'MAC owners Sarita and Caesar Ekya delivered meals for 90 NYCHA residents living in the Baruch Houses on Houston and Columbia Street this past Thursday evening. EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there as the volunteers distributed the meals ...
[Sarita and Caesar Ekya]
You can learn more about the Neighborhood Food Swap here.
Winter Flowers return this spring at La Plaza Cultural
[Photo Sunday by Dave on 7th]
Winter Flowers, the unique sculptures that adorned the fence at La Plaza Cultural for nearly 20 years, returned to part of the community garden/green space over the weekend.
Last spring-summer, La Plaza received a new fence here on Avenue C at Ninth Street. The previous chain-link fence was sagging in spots and in need of repair.
With that, the handmade sculptures from discarded materials that Rolando Politi started creating in 2000 had to be removed in the fall of 2018. The collection had grown to nearly 250.
[Photo from September 2018]
While GreenThumb community gardens operating on NYC Parks property are currently closed to the public (open to gardeners only for necessary maintenance) you can check out the Winter Flowers along the fence simply walking by... and we've already heard from several residents who said they were happy to see Rolando putting these colorful creations back along Avenue C...
Somos extends COVID-19 testing at St. Brigid
The temporary COVID-19 testing site has been extended by a few more weeks behind the former St. Brigid School at 119 Avenue B between Seventh Street and Eighth Street.
The site, run by Somos Community Care, also has new hours: 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. Monday through Friday. As EVG contributor Stacie Joy reports, walk-ins are still possible but they would prefer that you make an appointment. Somos reps also promised better staffing of the phone lines. (Several readers reported that they couldn't get through to make an appointment.)
Both diagnostic and antibody tests are available.
Previously on EV Grieve:
At the COVID-19 testing site at St. Brigid
Cafe Himalaya is back open
Cafe Himalaya, the Tibetan/Nepalese restaurant at 78 E. First St. between Avenue A and First Avenue, recently reopened for takeout and delivery.
They are open from noon to 9 p.m. (or so) Tuesday through Sunday.
The restaurant, which opened in 2001, also recently started an Instagram account if you want to see their daily specials and/or menu items...
Monday, May 25, 2020
A Memorial Day Weekend pizza and mask giveaway on Avenue D
Text and photos by Stacie Joy
If you happened to be on Avenue D yesterday, then you may have been treated to free slices (courtesy of Avenue D Pizza), bottles of water, masks and gloves during a Memorial Day Weekend event for local residents...
The giveaway was sponsored by Prison to the Streets, Lawyers & Labels, I'm Everywhere and LES Tha 6th Boro.
Re-openings: International Bar, Hearth
More and more restaurants and bars are reopening for take-home service. Notable reopenings include International Bar at 102 First Ave. at Sixth Street. Molly & Co. have set up a table at the front door to order drinks to take home daily from noon to 8 p.m.
--
[Hearth photos by Lola Saénz]
Hearth reopened yesterday on 12th Street at First Avenue ... for now, they're offering a take-home drink service from 2 p.m. until dark ...
Coming soon from Hearth: A new food menu with take-home and delivery service ... as well as some pantry items.
Other recent reopenings include the Bowery Electric on the Bowery and Kelly's on Avenue A (Thursday through Sundays)...
For more on what's open, check out this interactive EV map.
... word from the East Village
... word from the East Village
you asked me how things are.
I now live in a quiet, even for
a ghost town, streets walked
by the masked, all keep their
distance.
There are still the noise makers
and air breathers, mask sneerers.
There are no readings to attend,
books to buy, the Libraries
now empty rooms.
Yet the parks oasis upon oasis.
Still to enjoy the great Elms, the
summer bird migration and that
chance of catching a darling bird
with a shutters click.
Then home to walk my hallways,
read my own books, then sit before
this one eyed God, who lets me
share with ones too far away.
•
peter radley
Photos by peter radley
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