[Updated] At the last night of the Pyramid Club on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Updated 11/28

On Nov. 22, Nick Bodor (the Library, Cake Shop, etc.) shared with us his plans for Baker Falls at 101 Avenue A. The old Pyramid will also feature a collaboration with the Knitting Factory. 

---

The Pyramid Club ended its decades-long run on Saturday night with a Halloween Dance Party Spooktacular.

On Oct. 19, management announced via Instagram that the iconic venue at 101 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street would be closing at the end of this month. 

The club had been dark since March 7, 2020, at the onset of the pandemic. In the spring of 2021, the Pyramid announced that it would not be reopening ... before making a comeback at the end of July 2021, opening on weekend nights in subsequent months. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the two-level space early on Saturday as revelers were starting to arrive and choosing between the 80s Night Dance Party on the main floor or an industrial Halloween with Defcon downstairs.

... by 10:30, the line for entry was a block long...

Overall, the mood was pretty upbeat for the last night at the Pyramid. People were alternately crying and laughing/dancing. 

Meanwhile, there are ample rumors that this won't be the end of the address as an entertainment venue.

Opening in 1979, the Pyramid ushered in an era of "socially-conscious drag performance, led by the likes of the Lady Bunny, Lypsinka and RuPaul," as Village Preservation once put it. In an oral history of the space, Tricia Romano noted: "[The Pyramid] served as a safe haven for freaks, geeks, weirdos, queers, and dreamers to come together and create. Sometimes it was bad; sometimes it was beautiful. But it was never boring."

Key Food is back to 24/7

Photos by Stacie Joy

For the first time since March 2020, Key Food is open once again 24/7 at the grocery on Avenue A and Fourth Street.

The new hours went into effect yesterday...

During the worst days of the pandemic in 2020, the store reduced its hours... and later kept a modified schedule due to challenges in hiring enough employees to fill the shifts ... as well as security (shoplifting) issues. 

No word yet on what to expect from the overnight playlist. 

A busy week for milling in the East Village

The neighborhood will be experiencing a lot of late-night milling — the removal of the top layer of a street's asphalt surface — in the week ahead.

According to the city schedule here (H/T Peter Feld!): 

On Monday (Happy Halloween!) and Tuesday, there's nighttime milling scheduled for Ninth Street between Avenue A and Fourth Avenue.

Then Tuesday and Wednesday nights, the milling happens on Sixth Street from Cooper Square to Avenue A ... and on Fifth Street from Cooper Square to First Avenue. 

And Wednesday-Thursday: Fourth Street from Avenue A to Avenue D; Second Street from Bond Street to First Avenue.

And, as these photos via Steven show, it appears workers will be using the reliable RX-900e, one of the most productive cold planers available (and more free RX-900e storage on First Avenue!) ... 

Sources say that "power and heavy-duty construction make the RX-900 the tool to own for high-productivity, half-lane, or full-lane milling."

Meanwhile, expect several weeks to pass before these milled streets are repaved. 

SantaCon 2022 is now on the clock

Something truly terrifying for your Halloween: SantaCon NYC 2022 is on the clock. 

SantaCon returns for in-person binging and bar crawling on Saturday, Dec. 10. 

No word yet on the route, participating bars, etc. — all that will arrive in the days leading up to Dec. 10. So you have time to make plans to be far, far away. 

H/T Steven!

Double-decker plywood report

A quick trip to the SW corner of 14th Street and Third Avenue... where Pinch points out there's now double-decker plywood surrounding the single-level storefront... it looks as if workers are trying to replicate the Green Monster at Fenway Park...

As previously reported, workers are renovating the space for an outpost of the Gen Korean BBQ House chain.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with an ad for "Halloween Ends" at the 2nd Avenue F stop) ... 

• RIP Peter Schjeldahl (Wednesday) 

• Deadly shooting reported at Campos Plaza (Thursday) 

• El Rinconcito closer to opening on Avenue C (Tuesday) 

• A look at Thayer, a new cafe-bookstore opening soon on Avenue B (Thursday) 

• At the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Festival (Monday) 

• An early morning robbery at Desi Galli (Friday) 

• The city removes the curbside structure from outside Pinky's Space on 1st Street (Friday)

• The East Village Mermaid Inn is now closed until the spring (Friday)

• Pruning day for the great wisteria of Stuyvesant Street (Monday) 

• After nearly 30 years, Meg has left the East Village (Monday)

• Memphis Seoul coming to 1st Avenue (Tuesday) 

• Looking at the past, present and future of curbside dining (Wednesday)

• Village Grannies is closing on 9th Street (Thursday)

• Plywood arrives ahead of Gen Korean BBQ House on 14th Street and 3rd Avenue (Monday)

• Kōbo by Nai watch on Avenue A (Thursday)

• Mealz debuts on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Openings: Sushi Mumi on St. Mark's Place (Wednesday) 

• About Brix Wine Bar, coming soon to Clinton Street (Wednesday) 

... and thanks to Richard Megna for sharing this photo from Sara D. Roosevelt Park... where the bench is either very uncomfortable or someone has really tight hamstrings...

-----

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

Skeleton crew at work on 7th Street

Photo by Derek Berg

Set up is underway for the 3rd annual Halloween Mask-Querade today on Seventh Street between Avenue A and First Avenue.
 

East Village restaurateur Ravi DeRossi's Overthrow Hospitality group is once again hosting a Trick-or-Treat Halloween festival for children ages 12 and under from 1-3 p.m.

More details here.

An appreciation: J. Kathleen White's dioramas at Ninth Street Community Garden & Park

If you've been by the Ninth Street Community Garden & Park in recent weeks, then you'll know that it's diorama season here on the northeast corner of Avenue C.

East Village artist J. Kathleen White's 2022 collection is titled "Spheres" ...

In order below are Hawk, Cat, Dragon and Corn... 

They'll only be up until early in November (we usually post these much sooner in the season).

White started creating and sharing the dioramas in 2005. Here's her work from 2021 ... 2020 ... 2019 ... 2018 ... 2017 ... 2016 ... 2015 ... 2014 ... 2013 ... 2012 ... and 2011.

Noted

A 30-second video clip showing a couple having sex in an East Village outdoor dining structure is — not surprisingly — going viral. (Thank you to the many readers who tagged EVG or sent the link.)

It happened this past Thursday night around 9:30 outside One and One on First Avenue and First Street. Twitter user @layajospe wrote: "Just witnessed a lovely couple fucking in an outdoor dining hut on 1st ave." 

The clip, now viewed more than 4.5 million times, shows some pedestrians passing by not paying any attention... while a few others seem to be aware of what's happening here at the nexus of the universe. 

You can watch the clip here.

Sunday's opening shot

Near peak fall at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery on Second Avenue and 10th Street...

Saturday's parting shot

View of the Hare Krishna tree today in Tompkins Square Park...

Carving out some quality time for Halloween at the Parkside

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Parkside Lounge was the scene of a recent bring-your-own-pumpkin (BYOP) carving competition ... and as EVG contributor Stacie Joy witnessed, it was a spirited affair here at the bar on Houston and Attorney ... with competitors taking the proceedings quite seriously...

... we don't actually who took home the trophies... but they all look pretty good...

The 2nd annual LES Halloween Book Crawl is tomorrow (Sunday!)

Six local merchants are taking parting tomorrow (Sunday!) in the second annual LES Halloween Book Crawl from noon to 7 p.m. 

The participants (the above flyer lists the discounts/freebies at each stop):

• Bluestockings, 116 Suffolk St.

• Book Club, 197 E. Third St.  

• McNally Jackson, 52 Prince St. 

• Pillow-Cat Books, 328 E. Ninth St.

• Sweet Pickle Books, 47 Orchard St.

• Yu and Me Books, 44 Mulberry St.

Celebrating the dead at Campos Community Garden

The annual celebration of Dia de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) takes place Sunday at the Campos Community Garden on 12th Street.

From 2-6 p.m., you can find arts and crafts ... as well as ceremonial dancing at 3 p.m.

The altar will also be open for residents to leave objects in memory of a loved one who has died.

Campos Community Garden is at 640 E. 12th St. between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

A pop-up thrift market today at El Sol Brillante

There's a pop-up thrift market today (Saturday, Oct. 29) at El Sol Brillante on 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

You can find vendors selling clothing and assorted housewares from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. There is a plant sale as well (plus live DJs).

A portion of proceeds to benefit El Sol Brillante Community Garden.

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

Today on Avenue A... I'm on the phone here.

'Teenage' kicks

 

For the Halloween weekend... the Cramps with "I Was a Teenage Werewolf" ... with live footage from August 1980 and  "Urgh! A Music War." (Not the best-quality video, unfortunately.)

The song also makes an appearance in "Halloween Kills," which you really don't heed to see. 

An evening of something not Halloween related at the Church of the Most Holy Redeemer

If you're looking for something not related to the Halloween weekend this weekend ... tomorrow (Saturday!) evening, the Most Holy Redeemer/Nativity Parish on Third Street is hosting An Evening of Sacred Vocal Music... featuring work by Bach, Handel and Parry. Find more details here. 

The concert starts at 7 p.m. at the church, 173 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Details about 'Hallowless,' a tribute to Jack Terricloth this Sunday

Here's info about an afternoon of music and a tribute in Tompkins Square Park this Sunday... details via the EVG inbox... 

Oct. 30 is the second annual gathering of Infernites in Tompkins Square Park. Fans of the circus punk cabaret collective The World/Inferno Friendship Society will gather to celebrate the life of their departed lead singer, Jack Terricloth. 

For 23 years, the Halloween-obsessed World Inferno band leader dependably threw an annual October bash called Hallowmas. Their lovingly devoted cultish fanbase would descend upon New York year after year to attend the festivities. Tragically, Jack passed away in May 2021 and World/Inferno's Hallowmas tradition ended. 

After a Halloween exhibition of Jack's artwork last year at C-Squat, fans gathered in Tompkins Square Park and played cover songs. Out of respect for not calling the event by the same name, the fans dubbed their gathering "Hallowless" and said they would be back next year to once again pay their respects. A tradition was born, the future is now, and Hallowless 2.0 is happening Sunday at 1 p.m. 

Jack Terricloth lived in the East Village from 1991 to 1994. He tended bar at The Continental and volunteered at Reconstruction Records. While in the LES, he fronted the punk band Sticks & Stones. After starting The World/Inferno Friendship Society in 1997, they went on to terrorize LES venues for the next two decades. World Inferno regularly played at ABC No Rio, Brownies, CBGB, Mercury Lounge, the Knitting Factory and the Bowery Ballroom. 

Throughout the past year, friends and family put together a tribute record that is coming out on Oct. 30. Proceeds going to benefit MusiCares. Hallowless in Tompkins is part of the record release celebration.

After the Hallowless celebration, the space in the Park will turn over to the Nick Zedd film festival at 6:30 p.m.

The East Village Mermaid Inn is now closed until the spring

Photos by Stacie Joy

After a 7-week encore, Mermaid Inn has gone dark once again on Second Avenue — until the spring. 

The East Village location has been removed from the Mermaid Inn Instagram account... and reservations are no longer available here between Fifth Street and Sixth Street. A spokesperson for Mermaid Inn said this outpost is "closing for the winter" and will reopen in April.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy took these photos at the space yesterday... 

This is a deflating development, as the restaurant reopened for business on Sept. 8. In the comments on previous posts, residents cheered on its return.
 

Mermaid Inn closed here during the pandemic. Co-owner Daniel Abrams and partner Cindy Smith decided to shut down the seafood restaurant in the wake of failed attempts to reach a workable rent deal, Eater reported at the time. 

There were later issues with a stringent State Liquor Authority that was delaying the reopening.

The Mermaid Inn arrived in the East Village back in 2003. There are also locations in Greenwich Village, Chelsea and the Upper West Side... with Mermaid Mexicana opening in the spring on MacDougal Street. 

Meanwhile, a big outpost is opening soon on Times Square.