Reminders: The Astor Place Greenmarket is back on Tuesdays now through Nov. 23

ICYMI! The Astor Place Greenmarket returned for the season last week.

From 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., you can find the following vendors: 

• Kernan Farms Vegetables from Cumberland County, N.J. 
• Remsburger Honey & Maple Honey & maple syrup from Dutchess County, N.Y. 
• Wilklow Orchards Orchard and small fruits, vegetables, cider, baked goods and jams from Ulster County, N.Y.
• Runner & Stone Baked goods from Kings County, N.Y. 

This marks the second year for the market, located on the south plaza at Astor Place (Eighth Street-Lafayette). It will be here through Nov. 23. More details at this link.

Photos from last Tuesday by Steven!

At the Spring Zine Fair on St. Mark's Place

On Saturday afternoon, Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community teamed up for a Spring Zine Fair along St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

More than 40 local independent publishers and zine makers lined the block, which was closed to traffic. (There were also several collaborative events at community gardens throughout the neighborhood.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by to browse the array of creative and experimental publications... 

... and the organizers (from left to right) ... Mia Greenberg, Emmett Pinsky, Johanna Reitveld, Em Brill and Hayley Earnest. (Not pictured: Ryan Vasta.)

The Loisaida CommUnity Fridge opens tomorrow on 9th Street and Avenue B

The Loisaida CommUnity Fridge and Pantry will debut tomorrow morning at 11 at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B at Ninth Street.

As previously reported, the nonprofit L.E.S. CommUnity Concerns is behind the launch of this 24/7 fridge and pantry. Per the organizers:

It will be guided by the philosophy of "take what you need, leave what you can," with the goal of providing relief to community members experiencing food insecurity, reducing food waste from local restaurants/groceries, and supplementing the non-24/7 food pantries in the area.

The organizers are also looking for local residents to help maintain the fridge and provide other types of administrative support. Find the volunteer form right here. They are also accepting donations of fresh, healthy food, including canned goods. (Please label fresh food with date and ingredients.)

Trinity's Services and Food for the Homeless (SAFH) has served meals to those in need for more than 30 years. Last September, they launched College Food Pantry, which aims to help "address food insecurity among college students of all ages and backgrounds."  

This will be the third local community fridge launched since the start of the pandemic ... joining the East Village Neighbors' Fridge and Pantry outside S'Mac on First Avenue and 12th Street and the one outside Overthrow on Bleecker Street near the Bowery.

Details on the additional funding for the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project

The city has announced new details about plans for East River Park after the years-long gutting commences later this year. 

According to an announcement by Mayor de Blasio and published reports, additional funding — totaling $145 million — will allow for a new amphitheater (with roof), more amenities at Murphy Brothers Playground and a flyover bridge for the narrow bikeway at 14th Street.

In addition, Deputy Mayor Vicki Been confirmed in a letter that the Lower East Side Ecology Center's compost yard would be able to return to its longtime home upon completion of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project.

NY1 had more details on the amphitheater: 

The reconstruction project ... was set to demolish the current amphitheater and replace it with a smaller stage, albeit one without a roof... 

Now, an infusion of $4.83 million that was announced by Mayor Bill de Blasio will allow the city to create a roof structure for the amphitheater, said Ian Michaels, the executive director of public information for the city’s Department of Design and Construction, which is overseeing much of the park's overhaul. 

City Hall did not respond to a question about where the funding is coming from.

Michael Marino, the founder of Friends of Corlears Hook Park, which is across the FDR from the amphitheater, told this to NY1: "I don't think it should have taken this long for this to happen. I feel like every once in a while, after years of the community complaining about something, we get a little crumb, and that's supposed to appease us."

Marino said he is pleased that the amphitheater will have a cover of some kind, but is still concerned that the current plan does not include bathrooms or sufficient seating for performances. 

 A covered amphitheater would offer "that grandiose vision" for people entering the park, he said. 

Renderings of the new amphitheater show that it is considerably smaller than the current version, which can seat an estimated 2,500. Instead, the new space looks to hold 400.

Here is the list of other "improvements" that the city announced back on Thursday:

• $5.8 million to build a comfort station at Murphy Brothers Playground, a 1.27-acre park at Avenue C and East 17th Street. The playground was already scheduled to receive updated recreation facilities and flood protection. Other improvements to the playground will include a new basketball court, new synthetic turf ballfields, a new dog run, a new power source for the existing Little League scoreboard, and enhanced landscaping.

• $129 million, in a separate capital project, to the Department of Transportation to fully fund a future flyover bridge that will improve bike and pedestrian access through this critical part of the Greenway. The bridge will span the "pinch point" area of the Manhattan Greenway as it passes 14th Street along the East River, where the Greenway narrows to just a few feet wide to fit between the river, the FDR Drive and adjacent Con Edison facilities. The bridge construction will be coordinated with ESCR.

The announcements aren't likely to appease opponents of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project, who have demanded a "real environmental review" of the $1.45 billion plan to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise. 

Opponents of the city's current plan — where workers will raze the 57.5-acre plot of land, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill — say there are better ways to preserve the park and provide flood protection, such as the one mapped out in the years after Sandy.

In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan discussed over four years of local meetings.

In October 2019, the city announced that they would phase in the construction, so only portions of the park are closed to the public at any given time. According to various reports, the city has committed to leaving a minimum of 42 percent of East River Park open to the public. It is projected to be completed in 2025, a timetable opponents say will never be met.

As previously reported, the lowest bids have come in, and they've already exceeded the budget by $73 million, which doesn't cover the entire project. To date, the city has yet to select a contractor, a process mired in a lawsuit at the moment.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• City tries again with the release of a Value Engineering Study for East River Park

• Report: Lowest bids for East River Park construction are $73 million over budget 

• East River community group gets action on the release of (heavily redacted) Value Engineering Study

• Advocacy group: The city's Value Engineering Study for East River Park does not exist

Coyote Ugly ready to work it at new East Village home

The all-new Coyote Ugly is set to make its grand opening Wednesday at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

As we first reported this past September, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. In announcing the closure, CEO and founder Lil Lovell had this to say in a video clip: "After sitting closed for six months due to COVID restrictions, we simply can't afford to pay the rent." 

This First Avenue location was the original Coyote Ugly — featuring bartop dancing, body shots and guilt for ordering water. There are now more than two dozen global outposts.

Lovell previously said that the new EV outpost would be "a little bit nicer" with "better bathrooms."

No. 233 was previously home to the Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub, which closed in June 2019. 

d.b.a. reopens today on 1st Avenue

d.b.a. is back in action today starting at noon here at 41 First Ave. between Second Street and Third Street.

This is the first day back for the 27-year-old bar since March 2020.

The same ownership team is also behind Milano's, which recently reopened on East Houston, as well as two other bars expected to be back soon — the Library (7 Avenue A)  and Doc Holliday's (141 Avenue A). 

EVG photo from April 

A smoke shop for 9th Street at Avenue A

Signage is up now for Villager Smoke Shop at one of the storefronts along 441-445 E. Ninth St. (aka 145 Avenue A). 

With this arrival, all six retail spaces here on Ninth Street are occupied... (Anine, which offers eyelash extensions, is the other most recent leaseholder) ... Ralph’s Famous Italian Ices and Ice Cream is in the Avenue A-facing storefront...

The previous newish retail tenants mostly vacated in 2019 in this Icon Realty-owned building.

H/T Steven!

Sunday's parting shots

A new era for table tennis with the frying-pan paddles... photos today by Steven...

[Updated] Today's show in Tompkins Square Park was canceled

This afternoon's free concert in Tompkins Square Park, featuring headliners the Voluptuous Horror of Karen Black, has been canceled. 

The organizers – The Shadow — had their previously approved permit revoked by the Parks Department after the April 24 show. A lawyer for the organizers had been negotiating the return of the permits. 

And the NYPD and the Parks Enforcement Patrol were there to make sure the show didn't go on.

Stay tuned for an alternate date and further details. 

The screening of Rachel Amodeo's 1993 film "What About Me" was expected to still happen at sundown.

--- 

Updated 4 p.m. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy was in the Park and photographed a few of the bands set to play. Today was to be the debut of Girl Dick...

Hello Mary was set to open the show...

Both bands are now on a bill in Greenpoint at 113 Franklin St. starting at 8 p.m. ($5 cover!). 

--- 

As a PS... There was a musician playing with a small amp in the center of the Park just after noon. He was not part of the scheduled show... and the Parks Enforcement Patrol on duty allowed him to play...

Photo by Steven

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...

---

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

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...