Signs of Valentine’s Day (pizza) in the East Village

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Earlier today, we spotted artist Peach Tao painting Valentine's Day scenes on the windows at East Village Pizza on the southwest corner of First Avenue and Ninth Street.

Since 2019, East Village Pizza has offered heart-shaped Margherita, Pepperoni and White pies for the holiday — a tradition that returns again this month...

RIP Philip Van Aver

Photo for EVG from May 2015 by James Maher 

Philip Van Aver, a local artist, activist, and familiar presence in the neighborhood for more than half a century, died on Jan. 23. He was 86. 

Van Aver began his career in the early 1960s as part of San Francisco's artistic and literary scene, holding his first solo exhibition in Los Angeles in 1962. For more than six decades, he worked almost exclusively in his signature small-format gouache and ink paintings on paper, creating densely layered images that fused classical references, decorative motifs and personal obsessions. 

A longtime resident of the Lower East Side, Van Aver lived in the same apartment here since 1969 and became deeply embedded in neighborhood life. He chronicled the East Village through decades of change, often sketching in and around Tompkins Square Park, where generations of neighbors came to know him.

His work blends art history, vernacular culture, and queer New York imagery, often placing figures drawn from vintage ads and ephemera in dreamlike scenes where beauty and decay coexist. 

 

That vision earned a place in the collections of MoMA, the San Diego Museum of Art, the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, and others. As an illustrator, his work appeared in New York magazine, Vogue, Harper's Bazaar, and The New York Times 

 

Beyond his art, Van Aver was committed to Lower East Side organizing. He worked with Community Board 3 and the Landmarks Commission, supported CHARAS and other local groups, and remained active with the Coalition for a District Alternative (CoDA) and the Lower East Side Preservation Initiative. 

Friends describe him as both a meticulous artist and a devoted witness to the neighborhood's cultural history. 

"He was a fine artist, activist and a fixture of Tompkins Square Park chronicling the East Village for over 50 years," a neighbor told us. "We will miss him dearly." 

In May 2015, Van Aver shared his life story for this EVG post.

Tuesday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

DIY snow management on Fourth Street.  

UPDATED: NYPD arrests suspect in reported rape of teen in Stuy Town

🚨WANTED FOR A RAPE: On Thursday, January 29, 2026, at approximately 11:42 A.M., a 14-year-old female was approached by the perpetrator Germaine Parham in the vicinity of 1 Avenue and First Avenue Loop, in the confines of the 13 Precinct. Germaine Parham proceeded to sexually… pic.twitter.com/rLlWfDWAPJ

— NYPD Crime Stoppers (@NYPDTips) February 2, 2026

Updated 3:51 p.m. 

See below for news about the arrest...

-----

Police continue searching for a suspect in the reported rape of a 14-year-old girl in Stuy Town last Thursday morning.

According to police, the assault occurred around 11:42 a.m. inside a building near First Avenue and the First Avenue Loop. 

The NYPD has released images of the suspect, identified as 33-year-old Germaine Parham.

He was last seen wearing a black-and-gray knitted hat, a gray face covering, a white coat, camouflage pants, black boots and a camo-pattern backpack.

Anyone with information is asked to contact Crime Stoppers at 1-800-577-TIPS (8477) or submit tips online. All calls are confidential.

UPDATE:

UPDATE: Members of the NYPD assigned to the US Marshals New York/New Jersey Regional Fugitive Task Force in assistance with the Capital Region Regional Fugitive Task Force apprehended Germaine Parham in connection with this heinous crime. https://t.co/0VKrgj1zCZ

— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) February 3, 2026

Your turn to weigh in on Tompkins Square Park’s next round of upgrades

Residents have until Feb. 13 to submit comments about the latest proposed upgrades to Tompkins Square Park. 

During a virtual meeting last Thursday evening, NYC Parks kicked off the process for a reconstruction project involving the Tompkins Square Park mini-pool and basketball courts. 

Parks officials still want to hear from you, specifically: 

• What matters most to you in renovating the park? 

• What would you like to be able to do in the park that you can't do now? 

• What are the three most important improvements you want to see in the park? 

While these are more broad-ranging questions about the overall park, this is what's on the table for the 10th Street and Avenue B corner: "This project will demolish the existing above-ground mini pool and construct a new, expanded in-ground mini pool and reconstruct the basketball courts and adult fitness area." 

The mini pool would remain open only to kids and their guardians. (More background here about the funding.)

And the timeline is as follows, per the Parks website: 

• Design

The average time for design is 9-14 months. The design timeline for this specific contract will be established once the project scope is determined. 

• Procurement 

The average time for procurement is 9-12 months. The procurement timeline for this specific contract will be established at the conclusion of the design phase. 

• Construction 

The average time for construction is 12-18 months. The construction timeline for this specific contract will be established at the conclusion of the procurement phase. 

In other words, no time soon.

Submit your responses here.

Deli in the works for 5th and B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Renovations continue inside the storefront at 76 Avenue B on the NW corner of Fifth Street. 

Based on a look inside over the weekend, we're in for a corner market-deli... there's plenty of kitchen equipment, as well as a meat-and-cheese slicer...

This is already a busy corridor for assorted sandwiches (including Sunny & Annie's, Ben's Deli, and East Village Finest Deli). 

No. 76 was last home to the art gallery gratin, which relocated to the Lower East Side. Previously, Oda House, which served Georgian cuisine and other Mediterranean staples, closed here in August 2020 after more than seven years in service. Caffe Buon Gusto was here for a bit after the corner market, Zips.

Monday's parting shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

As seen on Third Street between Avenue A and Avenue B this afternoon — a familiar citywide winter scene as trash bags pile up atop the snow mounds.

Per a report in THE CITY today: 

"Given that the same sanitation workers who pick up trash have been clearing the foot of snow and ice that fell last Sunday, we are about one day behind on collection, and we ask for patience from New Yorkers while we catch up," Department of Sanitation spokesman Josh Goodman told THE CITY. "We are prioritizing trash and compost — the stuff that can smell — over recyclables, but we are picking up all streams, all across the city, just on a slight delay," he added.

Renee Nicole Good memorial vandalized outside St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery

Photo from Jan. 12 by Stacie Joy 

In recent days, someone vandalized the memorial honoring Renee Nicole Good and others who have died as a result of immigration enforcement outside St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery at 10th Street and Second Avenue.

Church officials responded in an Instagram post last evening, writing: "Our dignity cannot be erased."

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by St. Mark's Church in the Bowery (@stmarksbowery)

Local City Council Member Harvey Epstein also documented the damage...

 

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Council Member Harvey Epstein (@harveyforny)

A banner now hangs outside the church reading: "We will not keep silent. Our dignity cannot be erased." (Photos yesterday by Steven.)

... alongside an RIP message for Good, a 37-year-old mother of three originally from Colorado who was fatally shot by a U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement officer in Minneapolis on Jan. 7.

On Jan. 12, faith leaders and community members gathered at St. Mark's Church-in-the-Bowery for a Vigil of Lament and Hope honoring Good and others. The service included prayers, reflections, music and moments of silence, bringing together clergy and neighbors from multiple faith communities across the city.

The memorial for Good began to grow in the days after her death.

Progress report: Metro Acres Market build-out continues (and a signage fake-out)

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

An EVG reader shared the above photo from Friday, when Metro Acres Market signage arrived at the southwest corner of Fifth Street and First Avenue. The EVG newsroom emptied in anticipation of it going up to replace the Rite Aid sign. 

No sign of the signage over the weekend, however ...

So we checked in for an update with Ennis Said, who owns this location with his siblings. He said the sign had been scheduled to go up last week, but the installation conflicted with work on the outdoor stalls. 

And as for those — amid speculation about recycling or cart storage — Said confirmed they'll be used to display and sell produce outside. 

Meanwhile, here's a look around inside to see how the grocery is progressing ...

No word on an opening date.

While it is not related to the other Metro Acres Markets, residents may be familiar with the brand. One opened several years back on Clinton Street in Seward Park. 

The East Village Rite Aid closed last August. The 63-year-old pharmacy chain filed for bankruptcy twice in two years before shutting down entirely. 

The EV lease for the 8,500-square-foot space was auctioned off last summer. The auction was just for the lease, not the single-level building. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• Metro Acres Market confirmed for former East Village Rite Aid

Openings: Salumeria Rosi on Avenue B

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Salumeria Rosi finally made its East Village debut last Wednesday at 222 Avenue B between East 13th and 14th streets.

This is the second NYC location for the northern Italian restaurant and salumeria, which first opened on the Upper West Side in 2008. 

The new location closely follows the Uptown model, offering housemade pastas, salumi and imported cheeses, antipasti, and a concise Italian wine list, while adding a neighborhood café that opens earlier in the day. 

The café begins service at 8 a.m. daily, with coffee from Italian roaster Hausbrandt and a selection of breakfast pastries, including cornetti, sfogliatelle and maritozzi, as well as tarts and croissant sandwiches.

At 11:30 a.m., the dining room opens for lunch, serving panini alongside the full menu. Beginning at 5 p.m., the space transitions to dinner and bar service. (Find the menus here.)

The menu centers on northern Italian dishes, including seasonal antipasti, fritti, fresh pastas, etc. Standbys from the Upper West Side location carry over, along with nightly pasta specials and a few East Village-specific additions. 

Owner Andrew Loscalzo (below) designed the space himself, drawing inspiration from Milanese style and traditional salumerias.

The previous tenant here, The Roost, a coffee bar by day and speakeasy-esque cocktail lounge by night, closed in the spring of 2024. We first heard about Salumeria Rosi's plans around that same time.

On St. Mark's Place, Moody Tongue will house Tokyo-based Pizza Studio Tamaki

The Moody Tongue space on St. Mark's Place will soon be serving Pizza Studio Tamaki's pies, an acclaimed Tokyo-based pizzeria led by Tsubasa Tamaki.

The owners of Moody Tongue Pizza, Jeremy Cohn and Jared Rouben, are still the tenants and operating partners of this Pizza Studio Tamaki location.

Ahead of the opening at 123 St. Mark's Place between Avenue A and First Avenue this spring, the team will host a limited pop-up tomorrow and Wednesday from 6–11 p.m., marking Pizza Studio Tamaki's first appearance in the United States. 

According to press materials, during the pop-up, Tamaki will serve a small selection of pizzas and starters reflecting his Tokyo-style take on Neapolitan pizza ... where his dough is fermented for roughly 30 hours, made with a proprietary blend of Japanese and American flours, then baked at high temperatures in a custom oven. (Pete Wells has more about Tamaki at the Times here. You need pop-up reservations here.)

Following the pop-up, the space will be redesigned ahead of the permanent opening, with plans to refresh the concept while keeping Tamaki's core approach intact. 

Moody Tongue opened here in late 2024, billed as serving NYC's first Tokyo-Neapolitan pizzeria. 

Sunday in East River Park

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Taking in the river views from the open section of the Delancey Street pedestrian bridge with ferries and smokestacks....

[Updated] Flooding forces temporary closure of Avenue B Duane Reade

Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy 

Updated Feb. 2: The store is back open...

------

The Duane Reade-Walgreens on the corner of Avenue B and Second Street is temporarily closed after what staff described as a sprinkler-system leak that caused flooding inside the store.

A corporate spokesperson said, "There has been an emergency at this location and the store and pharmacy are temporarily closed." 

An employee told EVG that everyone is OK and crews are inside making repairs. Staff said the closure is temporary and the store is expected to reopen in the next few days. 

In the meantime, customers are being directed to the Duane Reade at 100 Delancey St. (at Ludlow) or the NE corner of Third Avenue and 14th Street.

H/T Salim!

Week in Grieview

Post this past week included (with a photo from St. Mark's Place — Physical Snowffiti? (sorry) — from Friday night).

Never miss an EVG post with the weekly EVG newsletter. Free right here. 

 

• Remembering longtime East Village resident Mary Buchen (Jan. 28) … and Mac McGill (Jan. 30) 

• Redesign in the works for the Tompkins Square Park mini pool (Jan. 27) 

• Crowdfunding effort moves to guard a tree around Tompkins Square Park (Jan. 28) 

• Where to find an official Warming Center close to the East Village (Jan. 29) 

• Local scenes from a day of "no work, no school, no shopping" (Jan. 30) 

• Something from nothing: A new coffee shop, Gnihton, opens on 11th Street (Jan. 29)

• It snowed! (Jan. 25) 

• Construction watch: 231 Bowery (Jan. 28) 

• Signage alert: Buena Vista on the NE corner of 2nd Avenue and 5th Street (Jan. 30) 

• Did you know? There's a Pizza Hut on the Lower East Side now (Jan. 28) 

• The East River shows off a rare winter look (Jan. 27) 

• New igloo to market? This deal won't last! (Jan 27) 

And thanks to all the EVG readers who shared snow pics this past week... here's one from EV resident Heather Dubin from Washington Square Park... dog sledding!

Saturday's parting shot

Photo by Derek Berg 

Along Second Avenue today...

6 posts from January

Sunday, Jan. 25, in the snow on St. Mark's Place 

A mini month in review... 

• The classic Japanese restaurant Beron Beron has closed on 1st Avenue (Jan. 5)

• Inside the film 'Irregular,' a love letter to Sophie’s (Jan. 13) 

• Community gathers at St. Mark’s Church-in-the-Bowery for a 'Vigil of Lament and Hope' (Jan. 13) 

• A look inside the sidewalk stations that test the East Village’s drinking water (Jan. 14) 

•  A 'cleanup only' operation on 11th Street and 1st Avenue (Jan. 17)

• Paulie Gee tells us more about his slice shop opening on 1st Avenue in the East Village (Jan. 20)

Saturday's opening shot

In the frozen tundra of Tompkins Square Park, spring bulbs remain in progress. 

Wind chill advisory in effect again over the weekend, with WC lows as low as -10. 

We might be speaking for the entire class here: Ready for spring.

Friday's parting shots

Photos by Stacie Joy

Thousands of New Yorkers took to the streets today as part of a nationwide day of action advocating for "no work, no school, no shopping" to protest the Trump administration's immigration crackdown in Minneapolis and elsewhere. 

In the East Village, there was a "ShutDown Sit-Down" outside La MaMa on Fourth Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue. 

"Let's sit in solidarity and show our neighbors that we care," organizers Lois Weaver and Peggy Shaw said. 

On Houston Street, we spotted some students heading to Foley Square, a gathering spot for protesters.

Remembering Mac McGill

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Fly Orr (@fly_peops)

A memorial celebration for Mac McGill, a longtime East Village artist, activist and homesteader, will take place tomorrow (Jan. 31) from 1–4 p.m. at St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery (Second Avenue and 10th Street). 

McGill, a native New Yorker who passed away last fall, was a familiar presence in the neighborhood for decades through his creative work and long-running advocacy around housing and environmental issues.

For Minneapolis

 

Several readers shared the video for Bruce Springsteen's protest song "Streets of Minneapolis," released on Wednesday in response to the shooting deaths of Renee Good and Alex Pretti. 

As of this morning, it was No. 1 on the iTunes charts.