Week in Grieview

Posts from this past week included... (with a heatwave pic on Avenue A by Derek Berg)... 

• East Village Loves NYC issues a fundraising appeal to help continue feeding New Yorkers in need (Wednesday) 

• Remembering Penny Rand (Friday) 

• Portraits from the Park Prom (Wednesday) 

• Unofficial-looking signs now note a 10 p.m. curfew in Tompkins Square Park (Saturday) 

• Hot in the city: Pinc Louds bring the (pre) summertime fun to La Plaza Cultural (Monday) 

• Avenue C stalwart A & C Kitchen is back open (Thursday) 

• A Saturday walk through the East Village (Monday) 

• Openings: Cafe Sandra on First Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Openings: 7th Street Burger on 7th Street (Monday) 

• The Astor Place Greenmarket returns (Tuesday) 

• Happy Record Store Day (and Always Support Your Local Record Store Day) (Saturday) 

• The return of Stomp (Monday)

• New deli to be the toast of 9th Street? (Monday) 

• All along 1st Avenue with Neil Goldberg (Thursday) 

• New music now (1980-1986 edition) at the Museum of the City of New York (Friday)

• 8 a.m. old-timer Milano's returns to service on East Houston (Thursday)

• The Brindle Room is on the hunt for a new home (Wednesday) 

 

• Openings: Marinara Pizza debuts on 2nd Avenue (Tuesday)

• 787 Coffee makes it official at 159 2nd Ave. (Monday) 

• Here's the Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar signage on 2nd Avenue and 11th Street (Wednesday) 

• Mocha Red promises a 'Tulum Meets Wynwood Experience' on 4th Avenue (Monday) 

• First sign of Yoshino New York on the Bowery (Monday) 

• Lucky Star is a 1950s-style ice cream shop opening 3 downtown locations this summer (Tuesday) 

 ... and thanks to EVG reader Eliah ... who captured this (partial) rainbow shot after Tuesday's storm...

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Last day for Public Access on St. Mark's Place

Today is the last day for Public Access, the subterranean gallery at 8 St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue. 

Leo Fitzpatrick, a local resident and former director at the now-closed Marlborough Gallery, has been running the space since September. He announced the end of Public Access at this location in an Instagram post:

[I]t hasn’t always been easy but I enjoyed it immensely and intensely so thank you ... and to all the other gallery's out there THANK YOU ... unless you've opened your own you don't realize all the blood, sweat, tears and effort that goes into making it look easy. Until next time...

Exhibits have included works by pioneering skateboarder (and artist) Mark Gonzales and underground zine maker Weirdo Dave. (We particularly liked the "Dress Up My Lindsay" show.)

The gallery opened in January 2020 as JUICE before Fitzpatrick took over in the aftermath of the COVID-19 PAUSE. 

The gallery is open today from 2-7 p.m. The final show features work by local photographer-documentarian Clayton Patterson.

The Spring Zine Fair is underway on St. Mark's Place, and in community gardens

The Spring Zine Fair is underway now on St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue ... happening until 7 p.m. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community teamed up for this event.

Also! Don't sleep on the collaborative events at these neighborhood community gardens...   

Unofficial-looking signs now note a 10 p.m. curfew in Tompkins Square Park

Updated 6/13: There wasn't any curfew on Saturday night, and the Park remained open...

These homemade signs about a 10 p.m. curfew are now posted at entrances around Tompkins Square Park.

Last Saturday, the Park suddenly had a 10 p.m. curfew (instead of the usual and unofficial midnight). As Gothamist reported, the NYPD had at least two officers stationed at all nine entrances to Tompkins. Importantly: "The decision was made without any notice to the Mayor's Office, the local Council Member, or the public."

This came on the same night as riot-gear-clad NYPD officers clashed with park-goers in Washington Square Park over enforcement of a 10 p.m. curfew there. Union Square Park was also shut down at 10 p.m. last Saturday.

While there's now apparently a 10 p.m. weekend curfew in Tompkins Square Park, the one for Washington Square Park has been suspended, NY1 reported this morning. 

Meanwhile, it is not immediately clear who placed these unofficial-looking signs around the Park. (And one reader thought that "Park closes at 10 p.m." would be better than "Park closed at 10 p.m.")

This is the latest effort by the NYPD to crack down on everything in the Park from amplified music to zine sales.

Happy Record Store Day (and Always Support Your Local Record Store Day)

Today is the first of two Record Store Days set for this summer (the other being on July 17). 

You can find some RSD titles at a few of the local shops ... or you can pay them a visit anyway at your leisure... 

• A-1 Record Shop — 439 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

• Academy Records — 415 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

• Limited to One Records — 221 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

• Manhattan45 — 220 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue

• Stranded Records — 218 E. Fifth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square

And a special shout-out to Downtown Music Gallery, which celebrated its 30th anniversary last month. The shop got its start in the East Village, first on Fifth Street then the Bowery. Find them now at 13 Monroe St. in Chinatown.  

Free COVID-19 vaccines in Tompkins Square Park this weekend

The city is setting up a free COVID-19 vaccination center this weekend in Tompkins Square Park... no appointements needed today or tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. ...

Thanks to @EastVillageNY for the info!

Capitol gains

 

Putting this up in honor of the new exhibit that opened today at the Museum of the City of New York.

"New York, New Music: 1980-1986" features groups-musicians including DNA, Arthur Russell, the Cramps, 3 Teens Kill 4, Bush Tetras and the band seen here — Bad Brains, with a live clip for "Banned in D.C." from CBGB in 1982...

Remembering Penny Rand

Friends of Penny Rand gathered early last evening at the Tompkins Square Park dog run to celebrate the life of the longtime East Village resident.

Rand passed away suddenly on May 12. She was 71. 

Rand was a regular in the dog run with Leeluu, who's now staying with a relative.

Photo by Stacie Joy

A zine fair on St. Mark's Place and in community gardens tomorrow

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community are teaming up for a Spring Zine Fair taking place tomorrow (Saturday!) on St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. 

In addition, there'll be a series of collaborative events at community gardens throughout the neighborhood. 

Some details via the EVG inbox...

Join us as we come together after many months apart and gather local independent publishers and zine makers to honor the East Village's rich DIY and countercultural history.

Engage with the 40-plus New York-based exhibitors who will be tabling at the fair and browse an exceptional array of creative and experimental artists' zines and publications. Throughout the day, nearby community gardens will be hosting various programs, including composting workshops, poetry readings, concerts, leaf pressings and more! 

As we celebrate the East Village's artistic past and present, we're so excited to collaborate with local community gardens in acknowledgment of the grassroots reclamation of the Lower East Side’s unused space by gardeners, squatters and artists. Our fair guide will be in the form of an East Village Fanzine spotlighting local businesses, organizations and stories.

This link has many more details. 

And in the gardens...

New music now (1980-1986 edition) at the Museum of the City of New York

An EVG reader shares this about a new exhibit opening today up at the Museum of the City of New York titled "New York, New Music:1980-1986" ...

The exhibit features rare videos of several bands and musical groups including KONK and Bellhead at the Tompkins Square Park band shell, DNA, Arthur Russell, the Cramps, Tish & Snooky, Kid Creole, Richard Hell, the Del-Byzanteens, Bad Brains, 3 Teens Kill 4, Bush Tetras, James White, John Zorn ... and tons of ephemera and photographs. 

Yes! Road trip to Fifth Avenue and 103rd Street! Read more about it at this link.

The museum is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Friday through Monday (though today the doors open at noon).

H/T Mr. Baggs! Image via Museum of the City of New York

Catch the latest video premiere from Pinc Louds tonight at La Plaza Cultural

Pinc Louds, fresh off a rousing set at La Plaza Cultural on Saturday evening, returns to the community garden on the southwest corner of Avenue C and Ninth Street for a video-viewing party tonight of the band's new single.

"Aire Acondicionado" officially drops tomorrow, but you can check it out tonight. The screening starts at sundown, though the gates will be open earlier.  

Photo Saturday by Stacie Joy!

Updated 6/11:

Check out the new video below...

 

All along 1st Avenue with Neil Goldberg

Text and photos by Stacie Joy 

Like so many New Yorkers, especially those of us who live in the East Village, I was deeply moved by local resident Neil Goldberg's op-ed piece "Hallelujah Anyway, Anyway" in The New York Times earlier this spring.

A video piece that speaks of his experiences watching shopkeepers all along First Avenue rolling up their gates each morning, and how the city and our neighborhood have changed since he first started videotaping merchants in the early 1990s. A meditative piece dealing with twin viruses, first AIDS and now COVID, Neil reflects on change, impermanence, resiliency and hope. 

I recently met up with the artist and we walked along First Avenue from Houston to 14th Street on both sides and revisited some of the storefronts featured in his story. We even visited his former apartment building, where his name remains on the buzzer. 

We chatted about old favorites long gone like Baby Jake's, Black Forest Pastry Shop and Foot Gear Plus, and marveled at places that are (thankfully!) still here, such as Speedy Lock & Door, Gizmo and Cosmo's Launderama ...

You can keep up with Neil here ... and tune into his podcast, "She's A Talker."

8 a.m. old-timer Milano's returns to service on East Houston

Longtime (circa the 1880s!) daytime-drinking favorite Milano's reopened this week over at 51 E. Houston St. between Mott and Mulberry. 

Milano's had been closed since the PAUSE of March 2020. And now they're back to their longtime 8 a.m. to 4 a.m. hours. 

The same ownership also operates the Library (7 Avenue A), Doc Holliday's (141 Avenue A) and d.b.a. (41 First Ave.) — expect those bars to also reopen soon. 

Thanks to Martin Mahoney for the pic yesterday!

Avenue C stalwart A & C Kitchen is back open

A & C Kitchen, the affordable and reliable quick-serve Chinese restaurant these past nearly 30 years, is back open at 136 Avenue C between Eighth Street and Ninth Street. (Thank you Eden for the tip!) 

A&C had been closed throughout the pandemic, and people wondered if the place was done for good. Yelpers thought so.

They will be expanding their hours and menu items as business returns. 

EVG file photo

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Revisiting A & C Kitchen on Avenue C

Wednesday's parting shots

Christo, one of the resident red-tailed hawks of Tompkins Square Park, was up to something today... or maybe on to something. 

Steven saw big daddy swoop onto the side of a building on Ninth Street near Avenue A... intent on whatever was inside this hole in the wall ...

Read this if you parked along Avenue C right now

An EVG reader shared this following... 

We parked our car on Avenue C between Fourth and Fifth this weekend. We should not have had to move it until street cleaning on Friday. We are vigilant about checking for parking signs and warnings, hate tickets. We were good to go. 

Yesterday afternoon I even went to the car to grab something — everything still fine. Last night around 10 I went to walk the dog and saw massive road work being done all along Avenue C. They were towing cars out like it was a parade. I managed to run home and grab my keys to move my car JUST in time. 

Usually, when this happens, [the city] places signs up at least a day before to warn people. But for last night's work, this was not the case. Here's a pic [above!] of a paper sign closest to my car — it's still crisp and dry meaning it wasn’t put up until AFTER the rain late yesterday afternoon. 

How does the city get away with acting like this? I can’t imagine how many poor people came out to their cars this morning to find them missing. There were SO many cars to be towed because NO ONE had any idea because the city gave NO notice this would happen. Outrageous. 

And the work is set to happen again tonight.

But today the signs were all ripped down again. So people may have parked there today and will be towed tonight. Would be great to warn them.

Portraits from the Park Prom

On Sunday evening, a group of young adults from around NYC — some in high school, some recently out of high school — met in Tompkins Square Park for what they were calling a Park Prom. (Not to be confused with Promkins!) 

And, despite the heat, they were dressed for the occasion. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was there and took portraits of some of the attendees...

The evening was to include several bands, including Jade Tourniquet ...

Eventually, as the sun started to set, the NYPD paid a visit and shut down the festivities (no permit for amplified sound). 

The attendees continued on at another LES park... but not before a group shot ...

East Village Loves NYC issues a fundraising appeal to help continue feeding New Yorkers in need

East Village Loves NYC — the local volunteer group that formed last spring to feed people in need during the pandemic — has put a fundraising appeal to help keep them preparing meals for New Yorkers this year.

Via a recent Instagram post:

Truth is, we haven’t been able to raise enough funds to safely continue helping the city we love until the end of 2021. At this pace, we'll have to shut our doors by the end of the summer. Times are tough, the city needs us, and we worry that we won't be able to respond to the growing ask for help.

So if you are in a position to help, and only if you are in a position to help, we ask that you please consider financially supporting us this year, and by doing so, knowing that you will be feeding tens, hundreds, thousands of New Yorkers who need it most.

You can read more about helping at this link. 

In addition, Sougwen Chung, a Chinese-Canadian artist, created a piece of virtual art that she is selling as an NFT. She will be donating 100 percent of the funds to East Village Loves NYC. (Details here.)

As Gothamist reported yesterday, the need for emergency food resources remains high in the city:

As vaccination rates rise and the city approaches a full reopening, hunger may no longer be top of mind for many New Yorkers. But those working in food banks and pantries say demand is still much higher than it was before the pandemic, especially among groups that were already more vulnerable.

East Village Loves NYC — which has attracted some 400 volunteers — celebrated its first anniversary earlier this spring ... and in those first 12 months, the group has cooked more than 100,000 meals for New Yorkers during the pandemic ... not to mention donated 325,000-plus pounds of groceries and 7,000-plus pantry bags.

As they noted on Instagram:

What started with our team of five or six friends doing a cooking session to help their neighborhood, turned into a massive family of hundreds of volunteers gathering every week to deliver thousands of meals to New York City.

Early on, Ali Sahin, the owner of C&B Cafe on Seventh Street near Avenue B, donated his space on Mondays for the group to cook its meals. By last June, they had outgrown the space and started assembling deliveries at the Sixth Street Community Center between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

By the end of last summer, East Village Loves Queens expanded operations and announced its new name — East Village Loves NYC. 

Photo from May by Stacie Joy

Previously on EV Grieve:
• These East Village residents are helping feed families in Queens during the COVID-19 crisis

• East Village volunteers expand their outreach to feed more neighbors in need

• East Village Loves Queens expands: Meet East Village Loves NYC

• Volunteers at East Village Loves NYC prepare meal for Ramadan; celebrate 1st anniversary

Here's the Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar signage on 2nd Avenue and 11th Street

As we first reported this past December, Vin Sur Vingt Wine Bar is opening its seventh NYC location at 170 Second Ave. at 11th Street.

Signage is up now for the business. (Thanks to Steven for the photo!)

As a reminder, here's more about Vin Sur Vingt via their website:

The menu includes an extensive list continuously rotating of 250 wines – 50 wines by the glass – coupled with a light French fare menu. The intimate space was personally designed to resemble the most authentic Bar a Vin in France. A pewter-topped bar runs along its length, with large tilted mirrors hung along a copper plated ceiling to reflect cozy dim lighting. The relaxed ambiance is also prevailed by nostalgic melodies that play in the background. All this to ensure an experience that transports you to the very place where these elements were born.

No word on a specific opening date at the moment — just summer 2021 for now.

Until October 2018, this corner space was home to the original Liquiteria, which debuted in 1996. Founder Doug Green sold the business several years ago to a group of investors who then opened more outposts, all of which closed by late 2019.

The Brindle Room is on the hunt for a new home

Several readers have asked about the status of the Brindle Room, the restaurant that served "eclectic comfort food" at 277 E. 10th St. 

Workers recently removed the sign and cleared out the space here between Avenue A and First Avenue.

Owner Jeremy Spector confirmed that the Brindle Room is closed for now after 11 years at the address. 

"We are currently looking for a new location. We hope to be open this fall," he said in an email. "We're looking at spaces in the East Village. However, we haven't ruled out another neighborhood. We came close on a space. But it fell through. So we will keep trying." 

The Brindle Room was open for takeout during the early days of the pandemic but has remained closed since the spring of 2020. 

Photos by Steven