Aug . 5

Not sure what it is about early August that's making people decide to discard a Christmas tree. Quitters!

Reader-submitted photo from 11th Street between First Aveune and Second Avenue.

RIP Oswald 'Ozzie' Rodriguez Jr.

The La MaMa theater community is mourning the loss of Oswald "Ozzie" Rodriguez Jr., who passed away on July 24. He was 81.

A passionate artist, playwright, actor, and longtime steward of La MaMa's history, Rodriguez dedicated decades to the East Village's legendary experimental theater on Fourth Street. 

Here is more from LaMama: 

It is with profound sadness that La MaMa announces the passing of our beloved Archive Director Ozzie Rodriguez (2/20/1944 – 7/24/2025). His love of and dedication to La MaMa, his careful stewardship of the Archive and his abiding friendship will be sorely missed by all of us. We send our love and prayers to his family and all those near and dear to him. We mourn with them the monumental loss of this great man. Our hearts are broken. 

He joined La MaMa in the early 1970s as a resident director under founder Ellen Stewart. In 1987, he became director of the La MaMa Archive, where he helped preserve and share the history of the Off-Off-Broadway movement. His dedication ensured that generations to come could access the stories, artifacts, and spirit of La MaMa's groundbreaking work. 

A bilingual playwright and actor, Rodriguez also founded two experimental theater companies and mentored countless artists. He is remembered not only for his stewardship of La MaMa's legacy, but also for his warmth, generosity, and belief in the power of community theater. 

LaMama is inviting friends and colleagues to leave their remembrances at this link. While plans are still underway for an official memorial celebration, an informal gathering will take place on Tuesday, Aug. 12, at the Community Arts Space, 74A E. Fourth St., between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

 For more on the La MaMa Archive, which Rodriguez helped shape into a vital resource, visit this link.

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Aug. 4

Thank you to the kind EVG reader for sharing this photo from along 14th Street in Stuy Town early this evening.

Unsure if the trash bag atop the tree is a disguise or a hat. (Or, possibly, both.)

Sunday in Tompkins Square Park

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday marked day 2 of the free shows commemorating the 37th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park police riot of Aug. 6, 1988. 

Although there was a good-sized crowd, it wasn't quite the stage-diving free-for-all we saw during parts of Saturday's shows. 

The afternoon also served as the Rock Against Racism concert, originally scheduled for May 4 in Washington Square Park but postponed due to rain. 

Bands yesterday included Frida Kill (below)...

The band told us this after the show: 

Getting asked to play Tompkins is a huge honor for the band. Half our band grew up going to the free shows in Tompkins — and being asked to come and play feels very full circle. The Tompkins Square punk community is such an important part of the East Village’s history and continuing to have excellent shows that are free and accessible to everyone is crucial — especially right now.

The afternoon concluded with headliners Rebelmatic...

... and in the crowd...

At the opening of Lidl on the Lower East Side

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Lidl opened its long-anticipated Lower East Side location on Friday, drawing lines as early as 6:30 a.m. for the official 8 a.m. opening. 

The ribbon-cutting ceremony, held at 7:40 a.m., marked the German supermarket chain's continued expansion into Manhattan (there's an outpost in Harlem that opened in 2022 with one planned for Chelsea), bringing its global store count to over 12,000, with more than 185 in the eastern part of the U.S.

The 23,000-square-foot space — formerly a Rite Aid — is located at the corner of Grand and Clinton streets, in a building owned by the affordable housing nonprofit Grand Street Guild. Lidl signed a lease for the property last summer. 

Opening day was as busy as you'd expect, with long lines at the entrance, free coffee and donuts for departing shoppers, and a DJ playing music near a union protest with an array of large inflatable rats outside the store. 

A union representative said the demonstration — limited to the morning hours — was meant to raise awareness about labor concerns, stating, "We don't want [people] to go without food, but we do want them to think about fair labor practices."

Inside, the store offered wide aisles, a mix of self-checkout stations and staffed registers, and a particularly PACKED bakery section, which included Lidl's well-known 49-cent butter croissants, flown in from Europe and baked in-store.

Lidl introduced two limited-time baked goods for the LES launch — a cinnamon raisin New York-style bagel and a banana nut muffin — as part of a rotating "Special Guest" bakery feature. 

Other offerings include a private-label meat line under the "Butcher's Specialty" brand, with items such as USDA Choice beef, organic and grass-fed options, and antibiotic-free chicken. The seafood section looked solid as well.

The eggs and dairy aisle drew a crowd as well. Eggs start at $3.75 a dozen, while a gallon of milk is $2.97.

Here are a few more scenes from opening day...

Lidl is open daily from 8 a.m. to 9 p.m.

La Fleur Café has moved on from 9th Street

La Fleur Café & Market has closed at 437 E. Ninth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue after more than three years in business. 

The Café's Instagram account states they are relocating, though it doesn't mention yet where. 

The woman-owned space offered "wellness, thrifting and community." By day, La Fleur provided a café service and coworking space... with alcohol-free specialty drinks (like the CBD-infused turmeric latte) in the evening. There were also open mics, artisan pop-ups, art shows and tarot readings. 

The DOH closed La Fleur for several months this spring and early summer, per a GoFundMe about the situation, "over a few minor but unresolved maintenance issues — including, unbelievably, a fine for not having plastic straws." 

Per the owner, Dee: 

This comes after nearly three years of personal sacrifice, rebuilding, and growth. I started La Fleur with my own savings, family support, and a deep belief in the power of community. We've hosted hundreds of events, championed small businesses, supported creatives of all backgrounds, and built something truly unique...all while bootstrapping and scraping by.

Signage alert: Boongs Grab & Go on 3rd Avenue

The owners of Boongs Café are opening a 24/7 grab-and-go market on Third Avenue at 11th Street. 

The aptly named Boongs Grab & Go will offer prepared meals, snacks, drinks and desserts from a retail space of NYU's Third Avenue North Dorm. 

No word on an opening date. (Boongs Grab & Go has an Instragram placeholder account here.) 

Boongs Café opened in January at 327 E. 12th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. The family-run business offers a variety of egg waffles, bubble tea and handmade Korean dumplings. The owners also operate Boongs Korean Fried Chicken on First Avenue in Midtown East. 

As for previous tenants on Third and 11th, Heavenly Market & Deli closed last September after 10 years in business ... taking over the storefront that housed Fern Cliff Deli, whose old sign was uncovered earlier this year.

Thanks to EVG readers Seth Treiman and Sung for photos and tips!

Tiki Tiki closes East Village space

After seven months, Tiki Tiki has closed its East Village outpost at 14 First Ave. between First Street and Second Street. 

Ownership told us via an Instagram message that they are relocating to Astoria. 

The business — A TikTok-friendly "sweet tooth's paradise featuring churros, skillet cookies, waffle sticks, and more" — also has outposts in Kew Gardens and West New York, N.J.

Weekend's parting shots

Photos by Susan Schiffman 

From Saturday night, more open hydrant action along Avenue A between Seventh Street and St. Mark's Place (previously) ...

Day 1 of the Tompkins Square Park riot reunion shows

Photos by Stacie Joy

Day 1 of the free shows commemorating the 37th anniversary of the Tompkins Square Park police riot of Aug. 6, 1988,  got off to an epic start yesterday with an — shall we say? — energetic crowd.

Let's take a look ... in the crowd and from the stage...

The set from Dollhouse was a highlight of the afternoon ...

Day 2 starts this afternoon with music expected at 2 p.m.