Taking a 'Deep Dive' at Baker Falls

Starting tomorrow (Monday evening), Baker Falls is presenting its first art exhibition at 101 Avenue A between Sixth Street and Seventh Street. 

The evening (from 6-8) at the one-time home of the Pyramid Club includes a reading by local playwright-performance artist Edgar Oliver. 

Here's more about the opening via the EVG inbox...

"Deep Dive" is a site-specific constructed environment of sculptural objects and process paintings by Alex Wolkowicz. This is the first time Baker Falls has invited an artist to create an installation. The Pyramid Club has been iconic in New York City nightlife since its opening in 1979 and at the forefront of the downtown performance, drag, punk, gay and rock scene. 

"Deep Dive" honors the opening of Baker Falls and commemorates the Pyramid Club as a cultural touchstone for artists, performers, outsiders and drag queens. While under construction, Wolkowicz treated the space as an archaeological excavation site by collecting textures of the architectural details of the interior space using wet pouring techniques and graphite frottage rubbings. 

The "Deep Dive" exhibition is in conjunction with the production of a new play, "Rip Tide" at Axis Theater, by legendary downtown artist Edgar Oliver, about his formative years at The Pyramid Club. Oliver will perform original works at the opening reception ... 

The event also marks the official opening of the Baker Falls cafe in the downstairs "Fever Dream room."

"Deep Dive" will run until Jan. 9. You can RSVP for a free ticket here.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with a photo from the Loisaida Fall Festival on 3rd Street yesterday by Stacie Joy)...

• Tenants crowdfund to aid East Village super critically injured in high-speed car collision (Tuesday) 

• Why the benches were removed from across the street from the 9th Precinct (Monday) 

• The reconstruction of the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park begins on Oct. 16 (Saturday) 

• So the Tompkins Square Halloween Dog Parade will take place this year after all (Wednesday) 

• Thinking about Dennis Edge (Thursday) 

• Tenants and businesses are now without gas at 199 E. 3rd St. (Monday) 

• Here are J. Kathleen White's 2023 dioramas at the 9th Street Community Garden & Park (Friday) 

• Here's the next business for the former Grassroots Tavern space on St. Mark's Place (Tuesday) 

• The Hard Swallow is now closed (Thursday) 

• Posse officially in Effect now with the Beastie Boys on 14th Street and Avenue A (Thursday) 

• Behold this amazing miniature of Mars Bar (Tuesday) 

• Spellbound! It's the return of Hitchcocktober (Tuesday) 

• A Bank of America is checking into the corner of 2nd Avenue and 7th Street (Wednesday) 

• Retail spaces at the historic 4 St. Mark's Place are now for rent (Monday)

• In case you felt like seeing this exhibit featuring a classic Lower East Side bagel shop (Tuesday)

• Look at 6 Avenue B now! (Wednesday) 

• The Avenue Cafe bringing pastries and coffee to St. Mark's Place (Thursday) 

• Must be the season of the pop-up Halloween shop on Avenue A (Friday)

• 231 1st Ave. up to its 4th business in the past year (Wednesday) 

• 2 bad signs at Luzzo's on Avenue B (Thursday) 

• House of Munchies debuts on 1st Avenue (Monday) 

...and thank you to everyone for keeping tabs on the tire clamp story... the contraption is now outside the construction office in Tompkins... (photo by Steven)

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A final look at the Beastie Boys mural on 14th Street and Avenue A

Photo by Jon Furlong 

Here's a last look at the completed 8-story mural of the Beastie Boys on 14th Street at Avenue A.

As previously noted, Shepard Fairey, in collaboration with the Lisa Project NYC, created this stories-high work from a photo by East Village-based photographer Glen E. Friedman. 

The mural is part of the ongoing celebration of 50 years of hip-hop.

What a day that was: You can still see 'Stop Making Sense' in theaters

ICYMI: The newly restored version of "Stop Making Sense" has been in theaters in recent weeks to coincide with its 40th anniversary of Jonathan Demme's renowned concert film. 

Locally, you can catch it at Village East by Angelika (Tuesday's screening with a David Byrne Q&A is already sold out) ... Regal Union Square... and Regal Essex Crossing.

 

Sunday's opening shot

A fall-like morning out with temps in the low 50s ... a view from Tompkins Square Park...

Saturday's parting shot

A seasonal mural outside the Second Avenue F stop by Captain Eyeliner...

The reconstruction of the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park begins on Oct. 16

Photo by Stacie Joy

Signage went up yesterday about the long-anticipated renovations coming to the multipurpose courts in Tompkins Square Park. 

Per the posted signs, the work will begin starting on Oct. 16 and last until Dec. 1.

As we first reported, the Parks Department will reconstruct the multipurpose courts, adding various amenities, including a two-lane seal-coated walking loop and new asphalt.

According to a landscape architect with the Parks Department (from a presentation in February), there's a lot of "asphalt structural damage," and it "needs to be replaced and repaired. And the only way to do that is to take all the asphalt down to the sub base and put new asphalt down." 

Other additions: new benches, a kickball court, a high-low fountain that kids and adults can use simultaneously, and three new basketball backstops at the eastern end.

Skaters are worried the new asphalt will be either too soft or hard for skating, turning this decades-long hotspot into a useless spot.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Big changes are coming to the iconic skate spot in Tompkins Square Park 

Bless your pets at Trinity Lower East Side tomorrow!

Pastor Will let us know that the annual Blessing of the Animals takes place tomorrow (Sunday!) at Trinity Lower East Side Lutheran Parish on Avenue B at Ninth Street. 

Per the EVG inbox: 

Inspired by Saint Francis and his love for all God's creatures, on Sunday, Oct. 8, we invite all pets and their parents to join us for our beloved annual Blessing of the Animals!"

There are two opportunities for pets to receive a blessing:  

• At 11 a.m. our regular worship service indoors will become alive with activity as pets join in the prayer and praise! Please be sure all pets joining our service are well-behaved and potty trained. 

• At 1 p.m. a brief blessing will be given outdoors in our garden, perfect for any pets and parents who prefer a blessing on the go! 

Check out last year's coverage here.

Saturday's opening shot

The balloons are coming in nicely this fall in Tompkins Square Park...

Friday's parting shot

A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single blog post... above St. Mark's Place late this afternoon...

The 'Kiss' of life

 

Blonde Redhead returns with Sit Down for Dinner, their first record in nine years (worth the wait!). The new songs are said to be inspired by a passage from Joan Didion's 2005 memoir, "The Year Of Magical Thinking" — "Life changes fast. Life changes in the instant. You sit down to dinner and life as you know it ends."

The audio track here is for "Kiss Her Kiss Her." You can watch the band's epic video for "Sit Down For Dinner (Pts. 1 & 2)" only on YouTube. (There's an age restriction on it that prevents the embed function.) 

The NYC trio that formed in 1993 plays at Brooklyn Steel on Nov. 10. 

P.S. 

Today is Bandcamp Friday.

Must be the season of the pop-up Halloween shop on Avenue A

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Halloween pop-up shop debuted a few weeks back for the third season at 70 Avenue A between Fourth Street and Fifth Street (between Cafe Social 68 and Mast). 

Let's explore this further since it's Oct. 6 today (when did that happen?). The storefront seems fuller this year, with a little more creative use of the space... 

We always enjoy seeing the soon-to-be popular costumes the children might wear this year ... (pretending we don't see Ben Franklin — nerds!)...

... and for the patriots among us...

Costume aside for a moment (note to schedule the colonoscopy)...

And perfect! As we're handing out tabs of acid this Halloween...

Parents, if you are buying the Moshe/Moses costume for your child, please note this bag only includes the hat, neckpiece and robe (tastefully accented with blue sequin at the shoulders). Per the fine print, the "optional accessories" include a beard, mustache and shepherd's crook. (To save money on a fake mustache and beard, we suggest your child stop shaving through Halloween...)

... and here's the always-popular costume representing the private equity firm that bought your apartment building...

The shop's hours are 2-9 p.m. daily... 

Happy Halloweening! 

Here are J. Kathleen White's 2023 dioramas at the 9th Street Community Garden & Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

It's diorama season here on the northeast corner of Avenue C outside the Ninth Street Community Garden & Park. 

East Village-based artist J. Kathleen White's 2023 collection is titled "Flowers" ...

Let's take a closer look... 

• "Home"

• "Donkey"

• "Opera"

* "Veteran"

The dioramas should be up until early November — definitely check them out in person. 

White started creating and sharing the dioramas in 2005. Revisit the early editions here.

Celebrate National Pierogi Day at East Village Meat Market

Tomorrow (Saturday!), East Village Meat Market will celebrate National Pierogi Day... with all sales from the pierogi going to Ukrainian relief efforts. 

They'll serve six varieties from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the shop, 139 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street. 

And as we've seen, this event draws a crowd, so plan accordingly...

Posse officially in Effect now with the Beastie Boys on 14th Street and Avenue A

Photos by Daniel Efram

Work is wrapping up at the new mural on 14th Street at Avenue A featuring the Beastie Boys (Posse in Effect).

As previously noted, Shepard Fairey (below), in collaboration with the Lisa Project NYC, created this stories-high work from a photo by East Village-based photographer Glen E. Friedman.

The mural is part of the ongoing celebration of 50 years of hip-hop.

This afternoon, there was a dedication ceremony featuring First Deputy Mayor Sheena Wright and local City Councilmember Keith Powers ... and Lisa Project co-founders Wayne Rada and Rey Rosa (you can watch the broadcast here) ...

Last month, the city officially co-named the corner of Ludlow and Rivington Beastie Boys Square on the Lower East Side.

Dennis Edge

 Somehow he still feels present.

In the park nearby a fluttering

little bird, looking, hearing, 

calling their familiar call, 

Dennis, liked to sit here where he

could see the hawk fledglings

almost flying, what graceful beauty 

a paradox of pigeons take flight

His eyes followed their every move 

turning his long-lens camera, a warbler,

many warblers to know, and he did

a birder sits down on a bench

they list what birds seen and where

as light of evening eases, he stands

turns for home, pausing but wait …

Isn't that him now?

•

peter radley

Dennis Edge, 1938-2023 

Photo by Steven

Loisaida Fall Festival brings pumpkin-picking fun to East Village residents

Reporting and story by Stacie Joy

East Village residents are invited to the Loisaida Fall Festival on Saturday outside Mariana Bracetti Plaza at 251 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.

Kanielle Hernandez, the CEO/president of The Loisaida Foundry Inc., a lifelong resident here, talked about the inspiration behind the event.

"This is my third year serving the community through my foundation, and this year, I wanted to recreate a city version of a pumpkin-picking harvest festival," she said. "As a kid, I only saw this on TV and in movies, and I always wanted to experience it."

She continued: "When I became a mom, I was finally able to experience it and some wonderful small-town suburban life activities with my son. I'm blessed to have a vehicle, which allows me to do so, but it's not the case for most families in the community."

The Fall Festival will feature a pumpkin patch where each child will receive a ticket to pick out their own pumpkin for free and get a cup of apple cider. Via an art table from sponsor Loisaida Inc., the kids can carve and decorate their pumpkins.

The afternoon will also feature a reveal of the NYCHA beautification garden project in front of 251 E. Third St. For Hernandez, this is a significant development. She has been an outspoken advocate about the quality-of-life issues at the public housing complex (see links below).

"This is important to me because I was born and raised in this community. I'm a third-generation resident of the Lower East Side and a lifelong NYCHA tenant. I truly love my community, but when I started advocating for it, I was motivated by anger at the conditions we as a community faced with quality of life and public safety," she said. "I started off upset, but as I dived deeper into my mission to change things, I realized the issues surrounding us were deeper than I ever understood."

Saturday's Fall Festival is from 2-6 p.m. And despite some rain in the forecast, Hernandez said they will move forward with the event (city permits do not allow for rain dates).

"Bring your umbrellas and get your kids a free pumpkin, and support our awesome vendors who have worked hard to prepare for this event," she said.

Previously on EV Grieve:

• Local elected officials, NYCHA reps get firsthand look at the problems at Mariana Bracetti Plaza 

• Residents say dangerous safety conditions at Mariana Bracetti Plaza lead to illegal and hazardous activities 

• Another look at conditions in and around the Mariana Bracetti Plaza public housing complex

2 bad signs at Luzzo's on Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Marshal has seized Luzzo's La Pizza Napoletana on the SE corner of Avenue B and Second Street. 

A notice on the front door states that the landlord is now in legal possession of the premises...

In addition, there's a yellow closed notice — mostly peeled off — from the Department of Health. The DOH closed the pizzeria late last week following an inspection. 

According to public records, the most recent violations are: 

1) No approved written standard operating procedure for avoiding contamination by refillable returnable containers. 

2) Food Protection Certificate (FPC) not held by manager or supervisor of food operations.

The restaurant's interior is also in different stages of being packed up...

The pizzeria from the Luzzo's brand opened here in May 2022, coinciding with the closing of their 18-year-old coal-oven space on First Avenue. 

There's no word of a closure on the Luzzo's website or social media platforms.

Meanwhile, two new pizzerias are in the works for nearby on Avenue B — Potenza Centrale and Lollo.

The Hard Swallow is now closed

Workers have removed the sign outside The Hard Swallow at 140 First Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street (thanks to Steven for the photo). 

As previously reported, the bar closed after service this past Saturday night. This came two-plus months after the sudden passing of co-owner Leroy "Big Lee" Lloyd, who was 51. 

Maria "Sasha" Lloyd, his wife and business partner, hosted a closing-night party on Saturday — which also happens to be close to Lee's birthday — featuring regulars from the Coney Island Circus Sideshow. (Big Lee grew up in Coney Island.) 

While the Hard Swallow is done, Sasha's business partner will be keeping the space and eventually opening a new bar after going through the liquor license process. 

As for Sasha, a lifelong neighborhood resident, she's making a fresh start and will move to Hawaii in the weeks ahead. 

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by The Hard Swallow on its last night... and took a parting shot of Sasha...

... and a very full bar...

The Avenue Cafe bringing pastries and coffee to St. Mark's Place

Photo by Steven 

The Avenue Cafe is expected to open soon at 102 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The independent/minority-owned shop will offer a variety of coffee drinks and housemade pastries. This marks their first storefront after two-plus years inside the Jamaica Market food hall in Queens.

If you're on Instagram, you can follow The Avenue Cafe here. 

The previous tenant at No.102, Compilation Coffee, quietly closed last fall after a few months in business. (They recently resurfaced in Fort Greene.)