It's not just you — the whole area smells like smoke. Here's why.

Due to NJ wildfires, NYC residents may see or smell smoke. Guidance: https://t.co/EOStLz9R6e. A Red Flag Warning is in effect citywide until 6PM today, 11/9. Exercise caution w/ outdoor flames. Immediately report fires to 911. Multilingual & ASL Link: https://t.co/fCMmaLTzmK pic.twitter.com/eqSvrNhY5m

— NYCEM - Notify NYC (@NotifyNYC) November 9, 2024

People were asking if there was a fire overnight in the East Village... No, the smoke you smell is due to wildfires in New Jersey... and probably Prospect Park...

It’s 70 degrees in November, and Prospect Park is burning.

I was on the ground tonight in Brooklyn as @FDNY crews battled a brush fire with support from @NYCEmergencyMgt, @NYPDnews, and @NYCParks.

After the driest October on record, NYC is under a DROUGHT WATCH, which highly… pic.twitter.com/xD6rpL7MV7

— Mayor Eric Adams (@NYCMayor) November 9, 2024

Saturday's opening shot

Early morning walk through Tompkins Square Park on this 11/9/24...

Friday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

On St. Mark's Place between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

Saturday on the Open Streets of Avenue B: LES Sustainability Fair

Info via the EVG inbox... the event is tomorrow (Saturday!) from noon to 3 p.m. on Avenue B between Eighth Street and Ninth Street: 

Join EVCC and LOSCC for an afternoon of planet-friendly activities and acoustic entertainment on Avenue B Open Street! There will be tours, live music, and workshops by and for our community! 

12-3 p.m. 

• GOLES +UrVoice Environmental Justice Survey 

• FABnyc Paper bead-making workshop 

• Kadidja Handmade herbal footbath workshop 

• 12 p.m. tour 

Leisurely walk highlighting neighborhood green infrastructure led by Green Map's Wendy Brawer. Meet at Avenue B and Ninth Street. 

• 1 p.m. tour 

Visit the Tompkins Square Park pollinator garden's diverse flora & fauna, led by Amy Berkov. Meet at Avenue B and Ninth Street. 

And the music lineup: 

12 p.m. Tine Kindemann Musical Saw

1 p.m. Ethan Silverman Jazz Trio

2 p.m. Kiki and the Fellas Loisaida Latin Groove

Art of noise

 

Going back to 1990 for the first iteration of the Breeders (Kim Deal, Tanya Donelly and Josephine Wiggs).

"When I Was a Painter" is on the band's first record, Pod. 

Meanwhile! Kim's debut album, Nobody Loves You More, will be released on Nov. 22.

On Sunday, a sneak preview of Mary O's Irish Soda Bread Shop ahead of its Nov. 16 grand opening

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

On Sunday, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., Mary O'Halloran will serve neighbors and friends Irish soda bread scones and coffee or tea at her new shop at 93 1/2 E. Seventh St., a warm gesture from her and her family ahead of the grand opening.

The signage states, "It will be a very special gathering as I really look forward to opening here on 7th Street!"

Mary O's Irish Soda Bread Shop will officially open at 7 a.m. on Saturday, Nov. 16, between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

Also, painter Pablo O. Garcia was making Mary's signage at the shop yesterday.

As we first reported in July, O'Halloran, proprietor of Mary O's on Avenue A, was opening a shop dedicated to the scones she started making and selling by the box during the pandemic. The scones became a big hit, helped by Roger Clark's visibility at NY1 and a hugely successful fundraising effort via Brandon Stanton of Humans of New York. 

The new shop's main attraction is soda bread scones, which she makes from her mother's recipe in Ireland and serves with jam. She's also offering coffee and tea. 

Mary O's will continue as it has for the past 14 years at 32 Avenue A between Second Street and Third Street.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Mary O is bringing her scones to 7th Street

The return of O'Flaherty's, now on Allen Street for the next month with Matthew Barney & Alex Katz

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

O'Flaherty's is returning for a month-long exhibit at 165 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington.

This comes after the gallery-performance space spent a memorable 18 months at 44 Avenue A before an August departure. 

The new exhibit featuring work by Matthew Barney and Alex Katz is titled "The Bitch." The opening reception is tonight between 6-8.

Artist, curator and owner Jamian Juliano-Villani invited us to check out the bi-level space the other night as they prepped for the opening...

"165 Allen Street is the coolest — come see it," said gallerist Billy Grant (below), who mentioned that the space was previously a brothel.

"The show is really fucking awesome, you'd better see it," said Juliano-Villani of "The Bitch," on view at 165 Allen St. through Dec. 15. 

O'Flaherty's previously had a year-long run at 55 Avenue C at Fourth Street, culminating with a packed show in July 2022. 

"We're here for a fucking month," said Juliano-Villani, "after that, no clue."

About the Community Boutique & Café, an inclusive gathering place on 12th Street

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Tomorrow marks the soft opening of The Community Boutique & Café, a community-driven market at 515 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

The founders are Soudavone Khamvongsa (above left) and Settareh Barakhshan.

Here's their mission via a recent Instagram post: 

The Community Boutique is a unique retail and cafe space designed to uplift our community, local makers, and small businesses. Every visit offers a warm, personal shopping experience where you can connect with the stories behind your favorite handcrafted items. We're founded by two women of color, a Lao Refugee and an Iranian Immigrant. 

Our goal is to create an inclusive and vibrant gathering place for our community to connect, shop local, and enjoy a cup of tea and coffee in our cafe like you're meeting old friends. 

The market will carry handmade goods including soaps, candles, and jewelry.

Here's more about the soft launch opening tomorrow (Friday) evening...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by The Community Boutique & Café (@thecommunityboutique_)

Owner of 2 Brooklyn restaurants taking over the Lollo space on Avenue B

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

There are new operators for the restaurant space at 27 Avenue B between Second Street and Third Street.

Nico Dona (below on the right) and two partners, William Garfield and Amanda Bender, are preparing to open an Italian restaurant called Maretta.

Dona, who is friends with the owners of the last tenant, Lollo Ristorante Pizzeria & Bar, plans a soft opening this weekend. 

Maretta will be an all-day cafe open daily. (They do have a liquor license, with a cocktail menu plus beer and wine.) There will be no Resy apps, as Dona prefers old-school walk-ins (or a phone reservation). There's a placeholder Instagram account here. 

Dona also owns Anything in Prospect Lefferts Gardens and Bacàn in Williamsburg.

More stabilization work today at the former P.S. 64/Charas/El Bohio Community Center

Photo and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Stabilization efforts will be taking place today at the former P.S. 64/Charas/El Bohio Community Center ... which means Ninth Street between Avenue B and Avenue C will be closed to through traffic. 

Reps for Q Impact Solutions, which led a presentation about the future of P.S. 64 last month, shared this info:

Contractors plan to be on-site to make immediate repairs at the southeast façade along the Ninth Street frontage of the building. This stabilization/make-safe work will include the infill of an open gap in the terracotta coping and performing repairs to a step-crack where the sloped coping units meet the brick party wall adjacent to the neighboring property. 

We expect the duration of this repair work to last one day. The work will require the use of a boom lift positioned on the street, similar to what was used during the recent façade investigation work in September. Street closure will be necessary for a portion of the day. 

Posted notices state the crane work will occur from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. 

According to public records, 605 East 9th Community Holdings LLC bought the property from longtime owner Gregg Singer for $57 million in a transaction filed on Jan. 9. 

Discussions are underway to determine the building's future use and the extent to which it will serve the community.

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Rehabilitation of the former P.S. 64 could take 4 to 6 years, cost over $100 million

Renovations underway at the former Boulton & Watt

Plywood arrived this week outside the former Boulton & Watt space on the NW corner of Houston and Avenue A, marking the start of renovations here. 

The bar-restaurant closed in July after 11-plus years, and this is the first activity that we recall at the space (aside from someone living in the now-removed side patio). 

Owners Paradise Hospitality (Mister Paradise, Wiggle Room, Pretty Ricky's) announced "some exciting news about a new project in this space" at the time of the closing. They haven't disclosed anything further. 

If you miss B&W, you can always plan for a meal while arriving or departing from JFK's Terminal 4 (Gate A3).

EVG Etc.: Election Day the day after

Sunrise from 3rd and A today

• Where Donald Trump's policies are likely to affect New Yorkers (Gothamist)

• How Trump's mass deportations and tariffs would impact NYC's economy (The City) 

• Mayor Adams vows to fight for rights of New Yorkers after Trump election victory (ABC 7) 

• Adams was way off the political radar last night (Politico) 

• How your NYC neighbors voted in the election (The City) 

• NYC voters approve most local ballot measures (CBS News) ... Voters approved four of the mayor's five ballot proposals in a blow to City Council (Politico) 

• NYCHA tenants, including at the Riis Houses on Avenue D, sue the city, saying the agency does not disclose hazards such as lead and rats (Gothamist) 

• Village Preservation study finds high housing growth policies like "City of Yes" tend to make neighborhoods more white (PDF here)

• ICYMI: SNL spoofs EV resident and Assembly Member Harvey Epstein (City & State ... NBC)

• A curbside dining farewell tour (The New Yorker) 

• Book Club Bar turns 5 on Saturday (Official site... previously on EVG) 

• How Frank Kabatas, the owner of East Village Pizza, spends his Sundays (The New York Times)

• East Village well-represented in the best-coffee-in-NYC listicle (Eater) 

• A listicle of the East Village's best restaurants (The Infatuation) 

• Elbow Bread now open on Canal and Division (The Infatuation)

• The Berlin-founded Cabin Gallery debuts on Henry Street (artnet) 

• An Insomnia film series includes "Taxi Driver" and "Fight Club" (Metrograph)

Election Night 2024

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

On an unseasonably warm evening, bars throughout the city hosted Election Night watch parties, capping what some media outlets called a "historically tumultuous and competitive election season" in a deeply divided nation. 

Here's a look around at a few East Village watering holes...

For some places, it was business as usual, such as Lydia's on First Avenue, where sports dominated the TVs.

On Second Avenue, Downtown Social had the largest turnout of any place I went (by a landslide). It was a viewing party for the New York Young Republicans. There was a long line and tight security. While I wasn't permitted inside, security allowed me to take photos from the outside.

The bars were all likely closed when, at 5:34 a.m., the Associated Press called the race, reporting that Donald Trump was elected the 47th president of the United States.

Election Day 2024

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by NYC Votes (@nycvotes)

Find info about the ballot and your pollsite here.

B Cup Café is on the move on Avenue B

After 18 years on the SW corner of 13th Street and Avenue B, B Cup Café is moving to a new home — and just a few storefronts to the south. 

Café ownership recently announced the news in an Instagram post, citing that their landlord did not offer them a lease renewal.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by B Cup Cafe (@bcupcafe)

They will relocate to 204 Avenue B between 12th Street and 13th Street in the months ahead. (The photo below is courtesy of EVG reader Russell.)

No. 204 underwent a gut renovation after a June 2023 fire at B-Side, the bar in the building's retail space. (B-Side and the building's landlord parted ways in the fall of 2023; B-Side hopes to reopen at 131 Avenue C.) 

B Cup owner Guy Weizmann said they will be expanding the café's menu and have later hours with the addition of a beer-wine license. 

While he'll miss the corner space, he said he was happy to relocate nearby and "tried to do the best for the community, our customers, and our staff." 

If you're on Instagram, you can follow the B Cup account for updates.

A new East Village vintage clothing store opens, and a cat is the curator

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy

Eloise & Daisy, a vintage and second-hand shop, recently debuted at 506 E. 13th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

Eloise (pictured above) is the proprietor, and Daisy the cat is the lead curator...

There's a mix of high-end clothes and accessories here, with $5 and $10 bins plus a rack of $20 and under stuff...

Eloise & Daisy is open Tuesday through Sunday from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., with an 8 p.m. close on Saturdays.

You can find them on Instagram here.

Coming attractions: Mrs. Green on 14th Street

ICYMI: A new business called Mrs. Green is coming soon to 328 E. 14th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Thanks to Pinch for these photos.)

According to the homemade signage, the business will offer healthy fare like salads, juice, smoothies, etc. (Since these photos, management has added a banner to the plywood.)

The landlord eventually divided this storefront in two long after the last tenant, Artichoke Basille's Pizza, relocated across the street in June 2017. In the summer of 2022, the bubble tea shop Pila de Boba opened in the other space. 

About a Keith Haring poster exhibition to benefit Le Petit Versailles on 2nd Street

Details via the EVG inbox... 

Allied Productions, Inc. and Le Petit Versailles Community Garden are proud to host a special exhibition featuring four rare posters by iconic artist Keith Haring at ELKEL, the menswear boutique in the same building where Haring once lived during the peak of the Downtown East Village art boom in the 1980s.

The posters, generously donated by Sur Rodney (Sur) formerly of Gracie Mansion Gallery, will be available for purchase during the exhibition, with proceeds directly benefiting Allied Productions, Inc. and the revitalization of their venue, Le Petit Versailles, the community garden on Second Street between Avenue B and Avenue C. 

Reception: Thursday, Nov. 7, from 5-8 p.m. 

Nov. 8-10 from noon-6 p.m. 

ELKEL, 325 Broome St., between Chrystie and the Bowery 

More details here.

The former Houston Village Farm is for rent

Officially closing the book on Houston Village Farm. 

For rent signs arrived on the storefront on Thursday here on the SW corner of First Avenue and Fourth Street. This was after the business didn't open for several weeks, and there was no notice to patrons. 

This was Houston Village Farm's second iteration ... the previous one closed in the spring of 2022 due to little business and high rent. New owners took over the space in 2022, but the store name remained the same. 

No sign of the listing just yet at the Gavious Realty site.

Halloween night with Pretty Sick at Bowery Ballroom

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Sabrina Fuentes brought a Pretty Sick show to Bowery Ballroom on Halloween night. 

This was a one-off show for Pretty Sick, which Fuentes founded in 2013 at age 13. The band, which includes Ava Kaufman (drums) and Ben Arauz (guitar), released a new EP, the more electronic Streetwise, this past summer. 

We caught up with Fuentes, her bandmates and friends backstage...

Then we went out to watch a frenzied crowd enjoy Pretty Sick in a sold-out Bowery Ballroom...

Keep tabs on the band via Instagram.