Week in Grieview

[Photo in Tompkins Square Park by Derek Berg]

Posts this last week included...

• Let's stroll through Tompkins Square Park on this June 1, 1967 (Wednesday)

• John's of 12th Street remains closed due to mechanical issues (Monday)

• C&B foregoes curbside cafe space after city can't seem to decide on outdoor dining guidelines (Thursday)

• 6 E. 2nd St., home of Ramones history, is for sale (Monday)

• Winter Flowers looking radiant this summer (Friday)

• Checking in on Foxface Al Fresco on St. Mark's Place (Thursday)

• Out on a walk with Touchy Blinky (Wednesday)

• Openings: Green Garden Buffet (Thursday)

• Checking in on the Parkside Lounge (Friday)

• The new-look storefronts at 99 Avenue B (Thursday)

• Punjabi Grocery & Deli is reopening (Tuesday)

• Enter Phase 3 (Monday)

• This week's NY See panel (Thursday)

• Hoops return to the Tompkins Square Park basketball courts (Tuesday)

• A first: Katz's unveils some sidewalk seating (Friday)

• Tac N Roll awaits an insurance assessment (Thursday)

• 12th Street ghost signage (Wednesday)

• On 2nd Street: Life, liberty and the pursuit of Happiness (Monday)

• Construction watch: 15 Avenue A (Tuesday)

• Illumina East closes on Avenue B (Monday)

• 2 years in, Suki relocates to larger space on 1st Avenue (Tuesday)

• Professor Thom's doesn't look to be reopening (Wednesday)

• Rumors: A new tenant for the long-empty bank branch on Avenue A and 4th Street (Tuesday)

... and new in Tompkins Square Park this week... at the St. Mark's Place/Avenue A entrance...



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Follow EVG on Instragram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

Reader report: The alarms at the Avenue A NYSC have been ringing since Thursday night

Via the EVG inbox...

The burglar alarms at the New York Sports Clubs outpost at 28-30 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street has been going off CONTINUOUSLY since Thursday night. It's going off on both the front interior of the building (flashing florescent lights inside the front entrance along with sounds), irritating the merchants nearby, and VERY definitely at the rear of the building. Those of us whose apartments back up to rear of their building are being driven crazy!

According to the reader and nearby resident, calls to 311 get transferred to 911, where nothing has come from the complaints. Queries to NYSC have not been returned.

The gym has been closed since March 16. In early April, the New York state Attorney General's office ordered NYSC to stop charging membership dues during the COVID-19 closure.

Reminders: It's Book Swap Saturday!

Book Swap Saturday enters its fourth week outside the Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Per the organizers: "Let's share our used books to help us get through this pandemic together. Leave some and take others."

The free book swap is from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. But get there early if you want the "naughty" ones...



And EVG Book Swap Correspondent Stacie Joy did check the bag — it was empty!

Vision quest

Montreal's Freak Heat Waves have a new record out in September... this is a single from that release called "Dripping Visions."

A report of a package thief on 3rd Street

An EVG reader shares this from a building on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B...

Somebody in my building buzzed in this package thief, who took my stuff. In addition to his backpack, he's got a giant suitcase, so I'm betting my building isn't the only one he hit.

Also:

I can't decide if I'm glad his mask is below the chin, so we can see his face, or if I'm annoyed that he's breathing all over the narrow hallway.

EVG Etc.: Concerns about an increasing homeless population; realities facing live-music venues

[Morning at 9th Street Espresso via Vinny & O]

• Explaining the increase in the homeless population in the East Village and Lower East Side (B&B) LES residents complain about growing number of homeless encampments (NY1)

• Report: NYCHA residents say their living conditions have continued to worsen and many oppose the de Blasio administration’s plan for resolving the fiscal crisis confronting the city’s largest affordable-housing program (CityLimits)

• "Claims from the NYPD's top cops that an uptick in gun violence has been caused by bail reform efforts and emergency releases from Rikers Island due to COVID-19 continue to prove baseless, without any data surfacing to back them up." (Gothamist)

• Manhattan rental vacancy hits another all-time high (The Real Deal)

• East Village bar owner Jesse Malin on the crisis facing live-music facilities: "Very few venues are going to be able to survive being closed this long" (Rolling Stone)

• Delivery apps still taking a big bite out of NYC restaurant profits (The Indypendent)

• The National Community Reinvestment Coalition used data from the American Community Survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau to rank the cities on gentrification during a five-year period ending in 2017. San Francisco-Oakland was No. 1, followed by Denver, Boston, Miami-Fort Lauderdale and New Orleans. NYC was No. 7 (USA Today)

• Martin Scorsese to direct David Johansen documentary (Pitchfork)

• Funhouse by the Stooges turned 50 years old this week (Flaming Pablum)

Checking in on the Parkside Lounge

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

When we last checked in on the Parkside Lounge in April, owner Christopher Lee shared his story of recovering from COVID-19.

The corner bar on Houston and Attorney opened for take-home drinks on July 3, and debuted a small area for curbside seating on the Fourth of July.


[Christopher Lee]

On the July 4 holiday, Lee created the day’s special (the Thirsty Patriot, a vodka and soda drink) and taped up signs on the newly built outdoor seating. The local artist who built it, Joe Kay of Six Quarter Studio, stopped by for a beer and some last-minute adjustments. Soon, the first customers begin to arrive...








[Lucille the bartender]

Parkside’s hours are flexible right now. You can keep an eye on the bar's Instagram for updates.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Parkside Lounge owner Christopher Lee talks about his recovery from COVID-19

Winter Flowers looking radiant this summer

More Winter Flowers have arrived along the fence at La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C at Ninth Street...









Rolando Politi created these unique sculptures from discarded materials in 2000, and displayed them at the community garden. The Winter Flowers, numbering nearly 250, had to be removed when La Plaza received a new fence last year.

He started hanging them back here in May.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Winter Flowers return this spring at La Plaza Cultural

A first: Katz's unveils some sidewalk seating

Katz's, which has remained open this spring with takeout and delivery, debuted its first-ever (in 132 years!) outdoor seating this week... there are six socially distant tables set up on the Ludlow Street side of the deli here at Houston...



And as I understand it, you buy the food inside and bring it out... there isn't any table service.

Thursday's parting shot

The mural for July outside the Second Avenue F stop... art by Sara Erenthal...

Because we haven't had a tropical storm yet this year

[Photo on Avenue A yesterday by Derek Berg]

Via the EVG inbox...

The New York City Emergency Management Department today urged New Yorkers to prepare for potential impacts of Tropical Storm Fay. The National Weather Service has issued a Tropical Storm Warning for New York City in effect from 6 a.m. Friday through 2 a.m. Saturday. A Flash Flood Watch is also in effect for the City from 6 a.m. Friday, July 10 through late Friday night.

With Fay’s track expected to impact NYC, NWS is forecasting moderate to heavy rain to move into the area early Friday morning, continuing throughout the afternoon before tapering off around midnight Saturday. A total of 1 to 2 inches of rain is forecast with this system, with locally higher amounts of 2 to 4 inches possible. Severe thunderstorms cannot be ruled out with this system.

High winds are also in the forecast on Friday, with sustained winds 35 mph to 45 mph and gusts up to 50 mph. Winds are expected to taper off overnight Friday into early Saturday morning.

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC.

C&B foregoes curbside cafe space after city can't seem to decide on outdoor dining guidelines

[Photo via @candbnyc]

We've heard from several frustrated restaurant owners in the neighborhood who abruptly had to change their curbside dining setups at the request of the city — despite following the city's instructions to the letter.

Pete Wells at the Times reported on the mixed messages courtesy of the city back on July 2.

Under an emergency program launched on June 22 to aid the ailing restaurant industry, some 6,800 establishments citywide were authorized to serve food and drinks on sidewalks and curbside spaces.

Inspections have continued this past week, and places such as Il Posto Accanto on Second Street have had to tear apart their solid and previously OK'd curbside dining arrangement – within 24 hours or risk losing their outdoor dining permit.

C&B Cafe on Seventh Street between Avenue A and Avenue B posted about their experiences on Instagram yesterday:

This is how the story goes. Three different city/state officials came the last four days to give us different information about how we should practice the outdoor dining. Also we have four different emails from DOT about the guidelines suggesting different ways of building the spaces.

As you can imagine it is time-consuming and expensive to constantly change/build based on new information we get. Since the city is not covering all those expenses and labor we decided to keep the outdoor space as [owner Ali Sahin's] garden. He is going to try and keep these wonderful plants alive for the rest of the summer and hopefully find a permanent home for them once this thing is over.

Sahin decided against fighting the bureaucracy any further as C&B is primarily a takeout space to begin with.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• A second look at Phase II dining in the East Village

Checking in on Foxface Al Fresco on St. Mark's Place

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

During the COVID-19 crisis, Ori Kushnir and Sivan Lahat, the owners of Foxface, have continued to be creative with their the shop inside the William Barnacle Tavern at Theater 80 on St. Mark's Place just west of First Avenue.



Back in the spring, the East Village residents introduced several new offerings, including Provisions, a pantry of sorts, and the Foxface Farm Stand, where you can order farm-fresh items such as eggs, dairy, meats and honey. In addition, there's the Bread Stand, where fresh baked bread is available.

Now they've unveiled Foxface Al Fresco, a curbside dining option with a summer seafood menu, including local oysters and lobster from Maine. Lorcan Otway, Theater 80's owner and the proprietor of the William Barnacle Tavern, is offering a selection of wines and cocktails.



Ori told me that he had carefully set up the restaurant’s outdoor cafe to the city’s code, only to be told by the Department of Transportation that it was no longer following specifications and that they had 24 hours to correct the situation and to be in compliance, then reapply for approval. He was also told the restaurant faced hefty fines if they didn’t comply.

Foxface was featured in the Times last week. As Pete Wells reported:

Mr. Kushnir lost two days of business, he said, in addition to the more than $3,000 he had to spend on new, 18-inch-deep planters. "Anybody who tried to do the right thing the first time, and is trying to do the right thing now, is spending thousands of dollars on this," he said.

The couple show me the new planters they had built, and the repurposed plywood from the places that had boarded up during the pandemic. They speak about the research they conducted at the greenmarket before buying a tent, and about the confusing and fluctuating governmental requirements for restaurants to operate under PAUSE.

Our conversation is cut short by the arrival of the reservation-holders eager for their 5:30 dinner reservations...





For now, Foxface is open Thursday through Saturday... they are serving sandwiches from noon to 4 p.m., and dinner from 5:30 to 9:30 p.m. Keep tabs on the hours, menus and specials via Instagram. (And they are promising something special for this Sunday.)

The new-look storefronts at 99 Avenue B

After nearly five months, the plywood came down Tuesday outside the under-renovation storefronts at 99 Avenue B between Sixth Street and Seventh Street...



Looks a little more life-like than the broker's rendering... the spaces are both available. No mention of the rent.



The space on the left was home to Manitoba's, which closed in June 2019 after 20 years in service. A little bit of the old exterior from the bar run by Handsome Dick Manitoba of the Dictators is still visible through the new front door...



The other vacant space was East Side Ink, who moved one storefront to the south in early 2017.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Manitoba's has closed

• The former Manitoba's space receives the plywood treatment on Avenue B

Tac N Roll awaits an insurance assessment

Several readers sounded the alarm over the site of an empty Tac N Roll at 124 E. Fourth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Tac N Roll owner Eric Wong offered an explanation. His quick-serve food shop was looted late on May 31, along with many other local businesses...


[Photo on June 1 by Stacie Joy]

"[We] cleared out all the damages and equipment and are waiting on the insurance company assessment regarding the riot/vandalism in our store," he said in a message. "We would love to serve the neighborhood again depending on how much we get back [to be able] to order new equipment and fix our damaged decor. Hopefully, it would be soon."

Most recently, Tac N Roll was sharing the space with the pop up Black 6 Coffee Trading Co. The veteran-owned company, which was created to fund the nonprofit organization the Black 6 Project, was serving coffee and a variety of breakfast parathas.

Wong, a Marine veteran, opened Tac N Roll here in December 2015.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• The Black 6 Coffee Trading Co. takes up temporary residency on 4th Street

Openings: Green Garden Buffet

Reposting this info that originally appeared on EVG on July 3.

Green Garden Buffet opened on June 29 at 332 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue.


[Photo by Lola Saénz]

For the time being, owner Tamika Gabaroum or one of her assistants will serve you at the door from a buffet setup that's billed as healthy French food. (Another reader described it as Chadian, as Gabaroum is originally from Chad.)

This system is still a work in progress. You need to indicate just how much you want of the daily menu items. On my last visit, I had the okra, sautéed zucchini, sautéed spinach with garlic and baked sweet potatoes. (They also usually have a meat or fish of the day too.)

Gabaroum is a former public health advocate with the Peace Corps who served in UN Peacekeeping Missions in the Democratic Republic of Congo. She was an early recipient of a loan last summer as part of the East Village Revitalization Loan Fund for small business owners. (You can read more about the partnership with City Councilmember Carlina Rivera and community advocates here and here.)

Green Garden Buffet is open daily from 1 to 10 p.m. The food is all served to go.

The Tompkins Square Library is hosting this online discussion with Alan Kaufman

The Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street continues to offer compelling online programming.

This conversation is happening tomorrow night (Thursday, July 9) from 7-8 p.m.:

You're invited to join us as we host celebrated neighborhood author Alan Kaufman, who will be reading and discussing his work. Now a San Francisco resident, Alan was a long-time East Villager, and our neighborhood has had a major influence on his work. He will be discussing his works "Jew Boy," "The Outlaw Bible of American Poetry" and "The Berlin Woman."

You can register via this link.

Meanwhile, the NYPL has eight branches opening on Monday. Unfortunately, the East Village locations are not among those reopening on Monday. For now, the closest open branch will be Epiphany on 23rd Street and Second Avenue.

Photo of Alan Kauffman by Stacie Joy

12th Street ghost signage

In recent days, a crew has been working on 188 Second Ave. at 12th Street ... where they have uncovered some ghost signage — LEANERS.



This was likely one of the many shops in the area specializing in horseshoes. Leaning, of course, is the throw of a horseshoe so as to lean against — but not encircle — the stake, a game popular in early saloons. In a different era, it became a place for Leaners, who have attitudes and behaviors that are very similar to those of partisans.

Kidding, it was a cleaners of some sort.

The space is currently home to Strings, home of the Monster Hell Ramen Challenge.

Thanks to Shiv and everyone who sent in photos of the signs!

Let's stroll through Tompkins Square Park on this June 1, 1967

Fans of the Grateful Dead likely know that the band's first East Coast outdoor show took place on June 1, 1967 — right here in Tompkins Square Park during the Summer of Love. (We wrote about it here.)

A recent article about the gig on NYSMusic.com provides more details on how the show transpired and why the NYPD asked the Dead to play in Tompkins Square Park ...

[The hippies] that had descended upon Manhattan’s Lower East Side grew fond of playing their congas and bongos at the park. Puerto Ricans, the neighborhood majority, wanted their music to be prevalent and the Black community also fought for control of the musical output. Over the last few weekends, fighting at the park had become rampant.

Most recently, 38 people were arrested at Tompkins Square Park on Memorial Day after being confronted by police for sitting on the grass where they were playing music, both park violations. Per a Village Voice article from June 8, 1967, "A couple of cops went over to the park and told the hippies to shut up and get off the grass. The kids laughed, and kept singing. The cops ordered them to leave. 'They laughed at us,' patrolman John Rodd explained. 'That's when the trouble began.'" 

Throw in all the other issues that the summer of 1967 undoubtedly brought and it becomes clear that local police were in danger of losing their city, as far as popular opinion went, and needed to rethink their tactics. 

Part of the NYPD's plan: a free show by the Grateful Dead.

After some initial reluctance, they were nudged to accept after lead guitarist Jerry Garcia spoke up, seeing it as a chance for outsiders like them to bring another community together via music.

The NYSMusic.com post includes a 5-minute video clip that was new to me via the Associated Press that shows scenes from the Park on this June 1, 1967... and in some places (RIP the bandshell!), the Park doesn't look all that different 53 years later...







As the details on the video note: "Some 3,000 'hippies' found a place for themselves in the sun of tompkins square park to show police that they cannot be intimidated" ... please note that the first two minutes of this clip does not have any audio...