Looking back: Red Square and gentrification

[Photo by Stephen L Harlow, via his Flickr page.]

In the last few weeks, I've posted several archival articles that discussed the gentrification of the East Village/Lower East Side, including one from the May 28, 1984, New York magazine ("The Lower East Side: There Goes the Neighborhood") and one from the Sept. 2, 1984, New York Times ("The gentrification of the East Village").

The New York piece focused on the Christodora House, which some viewed as a symbol of gentrification in the neighborhood, and later a focal point of the "yuppie scum" protests during the 1988 Tompkins Square Park riots. I recently came across an additional good read that examines another symbol for change in the East Village/Lower East Side: Red Square, the luxury apartment building (featuring a statue of Lenin on the roof) that opened in June 1989 at 250 E. Houston St. between Avenues A and B.

Frederique Krupa, a Paris-based designer and writer who teaches at the Parsons School of Design, wrote a fascinating article on Red Square that was published March 10, 1992. The article is online here at translucency.com.

In the article, she interviews two key people involved in Red Square's creation, Michael Rosen, a former NYU professor of radical sociology who now lives in the penthouse of the Christodora, and Tibor Kalman, the renowned graphic designer who passed away in 1999. (In a review of the 1998 book "Tibor Kalman: Perverse Optimist," The New Yorker wrote, "A witty, eclectic tome of images and writings . . . spanning the career of the graphic designer . . . the man behind Benetton's Colors magazine; a Communist-theme apartment building called Red Square that hastened gentrification on the Lower East Side while seeming to subvert it...")

Krupa's article on the revitalization of the East Village, and the role of Red Square in this, is far too complex to summarize in a blog posting.

However, one passage is particularly interesting: The Red Square marketing campaign. She notes, "[I]nstead of doing a slick brochure like so many buildings now have, they are marketing the coarseness of the area as the primary selling point.

"The Disneyfication of the area and its population, written like a movie script, is obnoxious."

She then quotes part of the Red Square brochure copy:

"A seamstress and a presser, shy as villagers falling in love over the accompaniment of whirring sewing machines and sweet tea...[fade to...] The lint of sweat shops swept out by raucous Spanish accents...[fade to...] Long haired poets silk-screening posters for the revolution...Today it's an after hours club. Or is the apartment where the incredible Dutch model with one name lives with Mr. Wallstreet?"

Krupa continues with a description of the brochure, which I'd love to see for myself:

"Considering that Mr. Wallstreet is most likely one of the prospective tenants of Red Square, the last quote reads like bad subliminal seduction. Never mind that the account executives may well be forcing out the pressers, seamstresses and long-haired poets. The sepia-toned cover features a kissing, tangoing white couple swinging a piece of cloth in a standard tenement apartment, with its open shelves and small windows. He wears a large, stylish suit; she wears a plain, loose dress. He has short brown hair in a standard businessman haircut; she has long, peroxide-blond hair. The standard clock is on midnight. Wires dangle down from strangely placed sockets. The picture appears ordinary, yet it is incredibly strange that it would be chosen for the cover. These people are probably celebrating the fact that they will be able to trade in the five story climb for an elevator and crumbling walls for new construction. In other words, they are trading reminiscence for amenities."

Perhaps this trying-to-be-provocative approach served as the template for the free-for-all that is now the Lower East Side with the multiple hotels and high-rise condos like The Ludlow, which according to its site, "connects the buzz of the neighborhood with the tranquility of home."

By the way, the community work of Michael Rosen since Red Square should be noted. Krupa writes that he "is now focusing solely [on] subsidized housing for the poor . . . as well as construction of half-way houses and shelters for battered women. His early ventures are then seen as an anomaly to his social convictions." As a Nov. 23, 2006, article in the Times on Rosen notes, "He dresses shabby chic and rides his bicycle to community meetings to fight what he sees as insensitive development." As this article in the Aug. 4-10, 2004, issue of The Villager reports, Rosen has held various fund-raisers to protect the special character of the East Village. He and his family have been part of helping save St. Brigid's, creating the Kids' Art Bike Ride for the Lower East Side, among many other admirable endeavors.

[For more of Stephen L Harlow's amazing photos like the one above, please visit his Flickr page.]

MoRUS announces 'Women of the Lower East Side' theme for 2nd annual Film Fest this August

The Museum has added an amateur film competition as well... details via the EVG inbox...

The Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space (MoRUS) will present for its Second Annual Film Fest a selection of films by and about women who have shaped the history of the Lower East Side.

An eight-day event that will take place at a variety of East Village venues including theaters, community gardens and MoRUS, “Women of the Lower East Side” will kick-off Friday, Aug. 1 and run through Saturday, Aug. 9. Tickets go on sale June 15 at morusfilmfest.eventbrite.com or by visiting MoRUS during hours of operation.

To make this cinematic exploration of women making and remaking the Lower East Side more accessible to the community, MoRUS is calling for amateur filmmakers to compete for a spot in the festival. Submissions must tie into the “Women of the Lower East Side” theme and can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes duration.

The competition is open to filmmakers of any gender, any age and at any experience level who submit either a link to their film or a DVD copy of the film along with a brief artist’s statement and $10 entry fee to morusfilmfest@morusnyc.org or mail to MoRUS Film Fest, Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, 155 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18 at 5 PM ET. A jury comprised of local business owners, artists, activists and MoRUS volunteers will determine which films will be publicly screened on Friday, Aug. 8 at a venue to be determined. First, Second, and Third-Place Winners will be selected by the audience and awarded monetary/in-kind prizes. In addition, one film will receive the MoRUS Choice Award.

Further details regarding “Women of the Lower East Side,” including film line-ups, venues and collateral events will be updated as available here.

The First Annual MoRUS Film Fest was themed “Reclaimed Space” and drew more than 600 attendees over its seven-day run in August 2013.

A rally in support of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project; activists lose appeal

1) This morning, a group of self-described LES stakeholders are holding a rally supporting the $1.45-billion East Side Coastal Resiliency Project (ESCR), currently underway along East River Park. 

According to a media advisory, representatives from the Good Old Lower East Side (GOLES), NYCHA TA Leadership, Coalition for a District Alternative (CODA), an independent political organization, and members of the Frontline Communities Coalition will be in attendance. 

Their media statement includes:

ESCR is one of many critical life-saving infrastructure projects needed to protect NYC residents from the devastating impacts of climate change. Without the completion of ESCR to provide flood protection, a resilient park, and improved drainage systems, Lower East Side including NYCHA's infrastructure will remain susceptible to deterioration, putting the future of residents at great risk of loss of life, evacuation, and potential loss of homes. 

And:

Frontline Communities Coalition refutes the misinformation campaign specifically targeted to play into the fears of people of color and the residents of public housing. ESCR is about saving lives and in doing so it will also save the homes and East River Park itself for future generations. 

This morning, the rally takes place at 11 on Sixth Street at FDR Drive between the Jacob Riis and Lillian Wald Houses.

2) Yesterday, the state Court of Appeals denied activists' bid to hear their case. 

As NY1 reported:

In a terse, 20-word ruling, the court rejected allegations that the city side-stepped state law by not seeking a vote approving the plan in the state legislature. Judges in earlier phases of the suit had already ruled in the city’s favor twice. 

The court also rejected the activists' motion to hold the city in contempt of court, after the city continued to cut down trees in the park following a judge's order in the case, issued last week that appeared to require the city to pause construction.

A lawyer for the activists, Arthur Schwartz, told the Post that the whole process "has been shameful."

"It has never been necessary to destroy the park in order to get flood protection for the people of the Lower East Side," Schwartz said. "Tens of thousands will lose a local park for the next 5 to 7 years, maybe more."

In an Instagram post, East River Park Action, which had been fighting the city over this version of the plan to stormproof the park, said:

This is truly a sad day, not only for us but for all parkland. This decision sets a terrible precedent for all parkland... All they have to do now is tack on some park-related excuse to whatever they're doing and it will not need to go through alienation or state oversight. They could put a building in a park and say it's for environmental research for the park and it will be ok. Thank you for your support. We are in mourning.

East River Park Action and other activists have said some alternatives could preserve much of the park and protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise — one that doesn't cause 1,000 mature trees to be chopped down.

In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan discussed over four years of local meetings. As Gothamist reported: "City officials cited fears about maintaining a floodable green space, as well the disruption to motorists on the FDR Drive and potential dangers to Con Ed's power lines under the previous proposal."

The current plans call for gutting East River Park — burying the existing 57.5-acre park under fill and elevating it by 8-to-10 feet above sea level.

The city shut down East River Park below Stanton Street on Dec. 6 and has been working — sometimes around the clock — to cut down trees and remove park amenities. Workers are currently demolishing the amphitheater.

East River Park remains open above Houston Street. The city has previously estimated that work will be complete by the end of 2026.

As the Hotel Indigo and Mr. Purple continue efforts to be part of the LES neighborhood

We’re toasting to a new neighborhood to explore + new discoveries made at #mrpurplenyc. Cheers! #HotelIndigo pic.twitter.com/VI0CFMDKgQ

— Hotel Indigo (@hotelindigo) December 10, 2015

The recently opened Hotel Indigo on Orchard Street continues to try to make inroads with the local community. The latest effort: a nighttime light show titled The Color of Discovery.

From the press invite:

With the launch of The Color of Discovery, the Hotel Indigo brand is set to expose consumers to a one-of-a-kind, community experience like never before. The Color of Discovery leads travelers to explore and discover the local neighborhoods of each Hotel Indigo property through a series of mnemonic reveals. The brand’s message is to deliver a unique boutique experience at each location and the color Indigo is the emblematic of each unfolding adventure.

To launch this campaign, Hotel Indigo Lower East Side New York is hosting an event exposing the culture of the Lower East Side (complete with graffiti art, performances and neighborhood elements) while partnering with Dawn of Man and Lee Quiñones to bring the new campaign to life in a truly imaginative display of 3D projection art that incorporates the signature Indigo mnemonic, thus revealing each aspect of the local scene.

[Photo by James and Karla Murray]

At one point, it looked like the projection of an old tenement projected on the new building that the Hotel Indigo replaced. BoweryBoogie noted this morning that this Color of Discovery is helping the hotel further solidify "its sense of self, you know, just in case you didn’t realize the towering 23-story building was there."

Then there is the hotel's 15th-floor bar called Mr. Purple.

According to initial reports, the bar, featuring an outdoor pool, was named after Adam Purple, the well-known Lower East Side environmentalist and activist, who died on Sept. 14 at age 84. (The Gerber Group, who operates the bar space, later seemed to backtrack on this.)

On Nov. 24, a rep for the Gerber Group sent us the following statement in regard to Mr. Purple to show that they are committed to supporting the local community:

The name of the bar and restaurant was established when the project was first conceptualized in 2014. It was indeed inspired by Lower East Side resident David Wilkie, who became known as "Mr. Purple." A gardener and activist, he was an iconic figure who dedicated his life to beautifying and improving the neighborhood. A mural was painted in his honor and can be seen on display in the lobby area of the hotel.

Also, in honoring Wilkie's dedication to the neighborhood, the restaurant is committed to supporting the Lower East Side community through several initiatives including partnerships with the Bowery Mission and local businesses such as Russ & Daughters, il laboratorio del gelato and Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery who are all featured on the restaurant's menu. Additionally, through the Lower East Side Employment Network (LESEN), 30 percent of jobs at the hotel have been allocated to local residents.

After posting this statement, we heard from Russ & Daughters, who wanted to set the record straight:

Russ & Daughters doesn’t have a partnership with Mr. Purple or Hotel Indigo. That restaurant simply purchased smoked salmon at our shop one time. We never authorized them to use our name on their menus or in their promotional materials.

We then contacted the Bowery Mission to see if they do have a relationship with the hotel. In an email, James Winans, chief development officer for the Bowery Mission, told us the following:

The Gerber Group reached out to The Bowery Mission a number of weeks ago. They seem genuinely interested in getting to know The Bowery Mission and learning how they can help us serve our homeless and poor neighbors. The Gerber Group has made an initial financial contribution and spent a morning volunteering at the Mission.

Part of this relationship also included Mr. Purple donating a $1 to the Mission from every drink sold on Thanksgiving eve and Thanksgiving.

Meanwhile, in a report yesterday, BoweryBoogie noted further tension between the bar and some local community members, particularly those who were friends with Adam Purple.

Multiple sources tell us that there was actually a meeting earlier in the year between Adam Purple and the Gerber Group. While the hotel was still under wraps. Purple apparently never gave them permission to use his name or his likeness and did not sign any documents to that effect.

And!

We hear whispers that a large contingent wants to approach the hotel with positive solutions ... If the hotel is open to hearing these ideas and willing to speak with a representative from the community, they are saying, then there might be a way to honor Purple’s legacy, and at least might make a clueless concept a bit less offensive.

The short list of ideas includes asking the hotel to create a proper memorial in the bar with a display of photos and info about Adam, taking the “Mr. Purple Burger” off of the menu [Purple was a devout vegetarian] or replacing it with a garden burger, and educating the staff on the real story of Adam Purple.

For the time being, New Year's Eve reservations are now being accepted at Mr. Purple...

🍾💜🍾💜🍾 Celebrate #NYE at Hotel Indigo LES @mrpurplenyc!GA + table packages are on sale now #nye #2016 #nye2016 pic.twitter.com/v9dFFKYkof

— Hotel Indigo L.E.S. (@HotelindigoLES) December 8, 2015

If you're interested, the VIP Table Package No. 3 is $3,000 ...



Previously on EV Grieve:
[Updated] The upscale hotel bar with a pool named for the late environmentalist Adam Purple

[Updated] The Gerber Group responds to criticism over Mr. Purple

[Updated] The Gerber Group responds to criticism over Mr. Purple

Last Tuesday, we noted that the newly opened Hotel Indigo on Ludlow Street included a 15th-floor bar called Mr. Purple.

According to an article in WWD, the bar, featuring an outdoor pool and cocktails in the $14-$15 range, was inspired by Adam Purple, the well-known Lower East Side environmentalist and activist, who died on Sept. 14 at age 84.

News that the upscale bar named itself for Purple, who, in the mid-1980s, created a five-lot, 15,000-square-foot garden amid the ruins of the Lower East Side and spoke out against unchecked development, prompted criticism from some readers/residents here and here and here.

The Gerber Group, who operates the bar space, sent us the following statement this morning in regard to Mr. Purple to show that they are committed to supporting the local community:

The name of the bar and restaurant was established when the project was first conceptualized in 2014. It was indeed inspired by Lower East Side resident David Wilkie, who became known as "Mr. Purple." A gardener and activist, he was an iconic figure who dedicated his life to beautifying and improving the neighborhood. A mural was painted in his honor and can be seen on display in the lobby area of the hotel.

Also, in honoring Wilkie's dedication to the neighborhood, the restaurant is committed to supporting the Lower East Side community through several initiatives including partnerships with the Bowery Mission and local businesses such as Russ & Daughters, il laboratorio del gelato and Yonah Schimmel Knish Bakery who are all featured on the restaurant's menu. Additionally, through the Lower East Side Employment Network (LESEN), 30 percent of jobs at the hotel have been allocated to local residents.

The lobby mural in question is the work of prominent graffiti artist Lee Quiñones, who grew up on the Lower East Side in the 1960s and 1970s.

Updated 11/25

A representative from Russ & Daughters reached out to us with a statement:

Russ & Daughters doesn’t have a partnership with Mr. Purple or Hotel Indigo. That restaurant simply purchased smoked salmon at our shop one time. We never authorized them to use our name on their menus or in their promotional materials.

Brooklyn will now host the Mr. Lower East Side Pageant

[Photo last year by Walter Wlodarczyk]

Funny thing happened on the way to the 16th annual Mr. Lower East Side Pageant — it's moving to the Lucky 13 Saloon in Gowanus.

Here's more from the Pageant's creator, Rev. Jen, on Facebook:

Sadly, the infamous Mr. Lower East Side Pageant, which was originally scheduled for January 31st at Cake Shop was cancelled at the last minute due to the "fun police" and fear of penile exposure. So in a bizarre turn of events it's moving to Brooklyn! This is OK, given the Lower East Side is a state of mind and frankly, the Lower East Side can suck it, as all creative activity has been exiled from the neighborhood due to greedy landlords. (Landlords recently almost exiled me from the LES in housing court!) I'm pretty sure that someday, the Mr. Lower East Side Pageant will be held in New Jersey.

You can find more details and the rest of Rev. Jen's announcement on the Facebook event page.

H/T The Lo-Down!

Founder of the East Village History Project can no longer afford to live in the neighborhood

The Times has a nice piece today on the East Village Trivia Night held at the Bowery Poetry Club this past Tuesday. As the paper reports:

“Who was born there? Who died there? Who was shot there?” said the organizer of the event, Eric Ferrara. “We’re interested in everything that’s notable and not so notable.”

Indeed, even before the neighborhood trivia contest began, there was much discussion over the little matter of what to call the neighborhood.

Although contemporary maps generally refer to the area of the East Side between 14th Street and Houston Street as the East Village and reserve the Lower East Side label for the neighborhood south of Houston, most older maps call the entire area the Lower East Side. Some old-timers eschew the East Village name as an aspirational invention of real estate interests trying to pump up property values.

“I use East Village professionally because it is what people know today,” Mr. Ferrara said. “But with family and comrades we still call it the Lower East Side.”

Ferrara grew up on Suffolk Street and is a fourth-generation Lower East Sider. He and some like-minded residents started the East Village History Project in 2001. (Their mission: raise the public's awareness of the East Village/Lower East Side's historic significance and influence in world history.)

The article ends on a rather sad note...it's a shame that a lifelong resident and passionate advocate for the area has to now live elsewhere...

Mr. Ferrara said that he does not reflexively oppose gentrification, but lamented that he had recently moved across the East River to Brooklyn after being evicted from a rent-stabilized apartment on East Third Street.

“I can’t even afford to live in my own neighborhood anymore,” he said.

It's May — time for Lower East Side History Month

Today is May 1, which, among other things, means that it's time for Lower East Side History Month, an annual "celebration of the rich and diverse history" of the neighborhood.

Per the EVG inbox:

Each year in May, Lower East Side cultural and community groups, small businesses and residents create a variety of public events, exhibits, tours, and learning opportunities. All events take place in the historical boundaries of the Lower East Side.

Conceived and launched by Downtown Art and FABnyc in partnership with LES-based cultural and community groups, LES History Month aims to connect our present to our past, exploring how our history can inform and inspire our future.

First week activities (all free) include:

• Saving History: Community Advocacy in the East Village
Saturday (11 a.m.) and Sunday (1 p.m.)
East Village Community Coalition, northwest corner of 11th Street and Avenue A
Details here

• East Village LGBT Historic Sites Tour
Sunday, 4-6 p.m.
Theatre 80, 80 St. Mark's Place
Details here

• Wild Edibles Walking Tour — East River to the Lower East Side
Sunday, 11 a.m.
Meet at East River and 23rd Street
Details here

Find the full May schedule at this link.

Out and About in the East Village

In this weekly feature, East Village-based photographer James Maher provides us with a quick snapshot of someone who lives and/or works in the East Village.



By James Maher

Name: Yadi Maria
Occupation: Student/Waitress
Location: 2nd Street between Avenue A and B
Time: 3 pm Friday, June 14

I’ve been here since I was 4 years old. I’m 22 now. I grew up on 3rd and C, although I took a short 5-year break, when we moved to Danbury, Connecticut. I guess you could say those were the most important years of my adolescence — from 6th grade to sophomore year, but then I came back because it was just too quiet.

I’m a student at BMCC at the moment. I’m studying business administration. I’m actually looking for jobs. I usually hostess in the neighborhood at diners and bars and places like that. I’m also developing my own online vintage clothing website. It’s going to be solely online. That’s what I’m working on now.

It’s fun waitressing around here although it’s not the same as living here and just walking the streets. A lot of people come to the Lower East Side to eat, to party, and to bar hop so you meet a whole bunch of different people from outside of the neighborhood. It’s different from the people you see living here. This is the place to be. It’s very interesting to walk down just one block. I like to walk around the entire Lower East Side and explore the nooks and crannies. You always find some place new no matter how long you’ve lived here for.

I loved growing up here and I love it here. The neighborhood is very diverse and very inspiring. There are people from all over the world with different styles, different everything, and a lot of energy. We’re different from everyone else. For example, my boyfriend is from Queens and over there I guess you could say they’re more tight-knit. They’re not as social as we are here in the Lower East Side. There are open personalities here. A lot of my friends from Queens and Brooklyn, they’re not like that. They see me talking to people all over the place and they’re like, ‘how do you do that?’ That’s just how it is over here. And they say, ‘Well it’s not like that where we live.’

My family is Dominican. My mom is a single mom. She raised 4 kids on her own. I’m the youngest one, the baby. My oldest brother is 33. We came here from the Bronx actually. Things got rough with my father, so my older brother took it into his own hands to move my mother away from him. And my father ended up getting deported, so we’re free from his craziness. I didn’t really know him though.

My oldest brother is my father figure. I don’t know anything other than the Lower East Side, but my brother tells me that we have it so much better here than he did growing up in the Bronx. That was the South Bronx in the 1980s. He used to tell me crazy stories about that. We moved here because it was a nice area. The Lower East Side, if you know the history of it, there’s a history of immigrants coming to this area. It was known for that. He did his research and came to visit a couple of times and he liked it. He felt like this would be a good place for his younger siblings to grow up. Also, the schools are good. I mean, they have their flaws but they’re good enough, especially compared to where he came from.

We’re close knit and very family oriented. We like to hang out together, barbecue, go out to the park and just do family things. For Father’s Day we’re all going to go out to watch a Mets game.

James Maher is a fine art and studio photographer based in the East Village. Find his website here.

Looking at "ABC No Rio Dinero: The Story of a Lower East Side Art Gallery"

[Exterior of ABC No Rio's Animals Living in Cities show with dog stencils by Anton Van Dalen, 1980. Photo by Anton Van Dalen]

Marc H. Miller sent along a note to tell me about a major addition to the 98 Bowery Web site ... Indeed.

The previously out-of-print book ABC No Rio Dinero: The Story of a Lower East Side Art Gallery from 1985 is now online. Miller and Alan Moore edited the book.

Here's more about what you'll find from the 200-page book that's now all online ...

With new layouts and color scans, the online version of ABC No Rio Dinero preserves the early history of a pioneer Lower East Side art space that was the unplanned progeny of the "Real Estate Show," an illegal exhibition in an abandoned, city-owned building squatted by artists on New Year’s Eve 1980.

[Outside the "Real Estate Show" at 125 Delancey. Photo by Anne Messner]

Compiling art and articles from the period, sections of the book spotlight Collaborative Projects Inc. (Colab), the Time Square Show, the South Bronx art space Fashion-Moda, Group Material, PADD, and East Village music and art in the 1980s. Amongst the featured artists and writers are young, up-and-comers of the 1980s like Kiki Smith, Tom Otterness, John Ahearn, Tim Rollins, Walter Robinson, Jeffrey Deitch, and Bob Holman; the No Rio stalwarts Becky Howland, Bobby G, Peter Cramer and Jack Waters; photographers Martha Cooper, Lisa Kahane, and Tom Warren; and established voices like Lucy Lippard, and -- in a poetry section edited by Josh Gosciak -- Amiri Baraka, Miguel Pinero

.


[ABC No Rio at night during the Tube World exhibition. Photo by Jody Culkin]


The photo below is from the Crime Show, from Jan. 15-Feb. 6, 1982. According to the book: "The Crime Show, organized by John Spencer, had the biggest crowd of any opening, perhaps an indication of the relevance of the theme. For years, the economy of the Lower East Side was to a great extent based upon organized crime -- the sale of drugs, and illicit industry involving entire families in its wide range of tasks. Crime of all kinds in the neighborhood remains high. One artist experienced this first-hand on her way home from an opening when she was mugged in the subway. It is probably safe to say that every artist on the Lower East Side knows someone who has been mugged or robbed. Household burglaries are endemic, as the heavy gates on neighborhood windows testify."


[Photo by Harvey Wang]

The book also includes the orignal ads... "The ABC No Rio book was a labor of love mostly pushed by volunteer labor. Along the way a few small grants paid for typesetting, veloxes and other preparatory material. However, as the book neared completion a daunting financial reality confronted us: we needed a substantial sum to get the 200-page book printed. The solution was advertisements placed in the back of the book. Bettie Ringma volunteered to be our ad representative and quickly discovered receptive clients among the galleries representing No Rio artists and the many fledgling businesses betting their fortunes on the emergence of the East Village as a trendy art center. Today these advertisements gathered in 1985 are a time capsule of the first moments in the careers of up-and-coming artists and of some of the early hot spots of the short-lived East Village art scene."

Here are a sampling of the ads:






As Marc says, the ABC No Rio art space is still going strong today, maintaining a commitment to an interactive aesthetic that mixes art, politics and community.

And as you know, ABC Rio will soon begin construction of a new facility.

Find the whole ABC Rio book here.

Previously on EV Grieve:
Life at 98 Bowery: 1969-1989

Opinion: COVID-19 + Storm Surge = Catastrophe for the Lower East Side and East Village

[Photo by East Village resident Amy Berkov]

Op-Ed by Pat Arnow

An especially dangerous hurricane season starts this June. “With top hurricane forecasters predicting 16 named storms and warning of potentially up to four major Category 3, 4, or 5 storms this year, a hurricane hit in the midst of a pandemic is likely,” writes Craig Hooper in Forbes.

A storm flooding the Lower East Side and East Village would be even worse than Superstorm Sandy that devastated our neighborhood in 2012. Besides facing damage to our homes, we could be forced into shelters, exposed to the potential spread of coronavirus. “There is no plan in place to support virus-safe social distancing for hurricane evacuees,” says Hooper.

Seeking protection now

Months ago, the Mayor and City Council promised to study interim protection for our Lower East Side and East Village neighborhood. We have nothing. Our lives are at stake. We need flood barriers now.

This is not a new demand by neighborhood residents. It has been one of the reasons for widespread community opposition to the $1.45 billion East Side Coastal Resiliency (ESCR) plan. The project will take at least three years (and likely much longer) to build flood protection.

This badly conceived flood control project would be a disaster for our neighborhood under normal circumstances. During this pandemic, the flaws in the plan are even more stark.

Demolishing a park during a pandemic

Sixty percent of the 1.2-mile park will be closed and bulldozed this fall. That’s a problem. It’s the only place in the neighborhood to go for fresh air and exercise with room enough for social distancing. We should keep 100 percent of the park open for the duration of the pandemic.

That’s especially true now that so many of the NYCHA campuses in our area have been torn up and surrounded by chain-link fences. Hundreds of large trees have already been felled. Twelve playgrounds have been closed. This is construction for a flood control project.

However, protection is for the buildings and utilities only. Residents will still have to evacuate during a storm surge. How can those who are displaced be protected from COVID-19?

Demolishing more than half of the park will cause even more damage during this pandemic. “The majority of conditions that increase risk of death from COVID-19 are also affected by long-term exposure to air pollution,” reports The New York Times. The park eases the effects of our city’s pollution. If dust-raising construction begins during the pandemic, we can anticipate additional fatalities, because “even a small increase in exposure to fine particulate matter leads to a significant increase in the Covid-19 death rate.”

This is a neighborhood that already suffers higher rates of asthma and other upper respiratory diseases, due to emissions from traffic on the adjacent FDR Drive.

The pandemic just adds to the arguments the community has been making all along about the mental and physical health effects on our community from the ESCR, and why it is important to redirect the plan.

“I was so pleased to see how the entire path from 34th Street all the way south was so frequented the last few days in particular. Bikers, runners, walkers, dogs, baby strollers — just how it should be. I couldn’t help thinking if the pandemic came one year later [when the park is torn up], we would have no refuge,” says Lauren Pohl, a local resident.

“Perhaps the city can reallocate the funds from destroying our green space to trying to provide food to so many in need and help with rent and the like,” Pohl suggests.

The densely populated neighborhood along the park could use it. This is the unwealthy side of the Lower East Side and East Village. Residents are suffering now from the economic impact of New York’s shutdown — and from high rates of infection from Covid-19.

Seeking a green recovery

Now New York City is facing a potential shortfall of $9.7 billion in tax revenue in 2020 and 2021. The economy is free falling into a depression era-disaster. Does it make sense for the government to invest $1.45 billion in a flood control project that does not provide flood protection for years and that will destroy a park that is vital to the health of the community?

Legislators must revisit the poorly conceived ESCR project and come up with a better plan that provides immediate flood protection, saves the open green space of East River Park and does not endanger the health of our community and that includes community input and oversight. We need a truly green recovery.

-----

Pat Arnow is the founder of the grassroots community group, East River Park ACTION, which advocates for flood protection with minimal destruction of the park.

The opinions expressed in this post do not necessarily represent the the editorial position of this website.

May is Lower East Side History Month

Via the EVG inbox...

Lower East Side History Month is an annual celebration of the rich and diverse history of the Lower East Side. Each year in May, Lower East Side cultural and community groups, small businesses and residents create a variety of public events, exhibits, tours, and learning opportunities. All events take place in the historical boundaries of the Lower East Side, which includes the East Village, Chinatown, Two Bridges and Loisaida.

The activities officially commence on Wednesday evening with the opening reception for an exhibit titled "A Photographic Journey Through the East Village." The photos will be on display all month at ILevel, an installation gallery, at 37 E. Seventh St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square. Details here. Find the full calendar of events here.

1st Bitcoin ATM arrives on the Lower East Side

Via the EVG inbox...

CoinSource, the secure BTM network with instant transactions, has unveiled the first Bitcoin ATM in New York City’s Lower East Side at 61 Delancey Street. Located within the N&N Delancey Smoke Shop, the newest CoinSource Bitcoin ATM joins a national network of secure, easy-to-use Bitcoin ATMs (BTMs) stretching from San Diego to Las Vegas to New York City. As one of 22 companies that submitted an application for New York’s BitLicense, CoinSource is permitted to fully operate in New York State.

The CoinSource BTM in the Lower East Side is located at 61 Delancey Street between Eldridge and Allen Streets ... The ATM can be accessed from 10 AM to 3 AM, 7 days per week.

The Lower East Side CoinSource BTM tenders instant bitcoin purchases with cash. In addition to providing the only the Bitcoin ATM machine south of Tompkins Square Park and East of the Bowery, the Lower East Side CoinSource BTM offers attractive rates to customers with standard fees at 7%, and with large purchasers and high-volume customers accessing even further reduced fee levels.

Oh, and in was you were wondering, there is one Bitcoin ATM that we know about in the East Village... at Le Village, 127 E. Seventh St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. This ATM is operated by a different vendor than the one on Delancey, and its hours are likely limited to when the restaurant is open. This machine has a fee of 15%, per the company website.

Here then, the Lower East Side Quality of Life Improvement Plan

[The Mayor at Max Fish via @NYCMayorsOffice]

The city yesterday unveiled a new etiquette campaign aimed to douse the flames of the hellish nightlife inferno that engulfs the Lower East Side on weekends.

Here's the release on the pilot program via the city:

The Lower East Side Quality of Life Improvement Plan is a multiagency plan to improve quality of life for New Yorkers living in one of the city’s densest nightlife districts. The plan is focused on 6 blocks of Orchard and Ludlow Streets between Houston and Delancey on the Lower East Side.

Improvements will reduce traffic and pedestrian congestion on the street and make garbage sweeping routes more effective. Nightlife patrons will also see a new etiquette campaign encouraging them to be more respectful aware of their surroundings.

Residents and businesses often complain of late-night horn honking and loud voices as traffic stops due to double-parked cars dropping off and collecting passengers on narrow streets.

The plan addresses residents' and businesses’ concerns and make their neighborhood more livable, and was designed with the support and input of the community and businesses and has the buy-in of residents, business owners, workers, and local officials.

The components of this plan include:

New parking regulations to ease traffic congestion, reduce noise

• DOT implementing “No Standing” rules overnight: from midnight to 6am on the west sides of Ludlow and Orchard streets, and 7 pm to 7 am on the east sides, seven days a week.
• Removing parked cars overnight eases congestion, honking and other noise.

Sanitation sweeper schedule coordinated with bar closing times for greater effectiveness

• Street sweepers will now operate between 3 am and 6 am, to better capture all the litter dropped by late-night patrons of bars and restaurants.
• The old schedule from midnight to 3 am was less efficient, because many streets were swept before closing time, leaving hours for patrons to drop litter.

Increased enforcement of for-hire vehicles

• TLC will increase enforcement patrols to clamp down on unlicensed for-hire vehicles double parking and making unauthorized pickups.
• A 10-person squad of TLC officers and supervisors will conduct random patrols between 11pm and 3am at least once every Friday and Saturday night.

"Night Owl" etiquette campaign urging patrons to be more considerate

• Office of Nightlife [Night Mayor!] and NYPD creating and distributing signs to bars and clubs with tips for theft prevention and other helpful tips.

Here are two of the "Night Owl" signs that will appear on LinkNYC kiosks ...





"The world loves New York nightlife, but we also have to take care of the New Yorkers who live where others play," Mayor de Blasio said in a statement. "We are creating cleaner, quieter streets to improve quality of life while ensuring bars, restaurants and clubs can thrive."

You can watch a recap of the press conference here...

The city that never sleeps has to look out for the New Yorkers who live where others play. Join me on the Lower East Side. https://t.co/UYvFf1vUak

— Mayor Bill de Blasio (@NYCMayor) October 22, 2019

So that is the plan... now the reaction...

Updated 9 a.m.

Speaking of reaction...

Office is a waste of taxpayer money, & was created by lobbyist & propped up by bogus EIS report touting all the $ nightlife brings (after lumped in w/ MSG, getting icecream at 6pm w/ your kid, & Broadway). We have a homeless epidemic, not enough good schools, trains suck! Focus! https://t.co/8aORWPKeCy

— LES Dwellers (@LESdwellers) October 23, 2019

Raising awareness of the East Village/Lower East Side

The East Village History Project aims to educate folks on the East Village/Lower East Side through programs, walking tours, performances, arts and historical exhibitions. Eric Ferrara is the executive director of East Village History Project. He talked to EV Grieve via e-mail about his memories of growing up on Suffolk Street, why it's difficult for him to move away from New York City and how to learn more about the neighborhood.

You're a fourth-generation New Yorker. What's your earliest memory of the EV/LES?

Well, to tell you the truth, it was kind of gritty. We're talking about the early 1970s when the city was going bankrupt. But it was a real tight neighborhood with multi-generational families who all knew each other. My family's run-down tenement building on Suffolk Street had a closet-size tire-repair shop on the first floor and a junk-strewn abandoned lot next door. It was one of those bathtub-in-the-kitchen relics -- common at the time but probably barely exist anymore with all the remodeling and development going on. The immediate area was predominantly Hispanic by this point, with some other left over Slavic and Jewish working-class families (I am half Ukrainian) and a few "hippies" sprinkled in. Underground/independent mechanics lined the blocks. Stray cats roamed freely from one generous old lady's yard to another. Kids played on the sidewalks until all hours (the most popular games were stoop-ball and stick-ball.) People were on the streets all day and night shopping, hanging out or hustling; It was all about the hustle: work, drugs, cigarettes, 8-tracks, auto-parts, whatever -- everybody had a game. There was a shadow economy in NYC that I'm not sure exists anymore.



You've lived other places, but you always came back to NYC. Why?

This I ask myself almost daily... "why!?!" I guess New York City is in my blood. It is where I feel comfortable. Like being in the company of an old friend or something. Sure, he still owes you $50 bucks, but you know your safe and you can be yourself.

Jeremiah Moss, BoweryBoogie and other writers chronicle the ongoing changes in this neighborhood and elsewhere. What's your reaction when you read that, say, another mom-and-pop shop closes in the neighborhood....?

As a historian, I understand this is the nature of the city. Manhattan was built on commerce; set up as a trading post on day one. The Dutch did not arrive and say, "Hey, this is a great place to incubate arts, culture and affordable housing..." That stuff was a byproduct of the ebb and flow of capitalism. This neighborhood in particular has undergone several extreme population changes since the early 1800s, and we are going through another one now. But on a personal level it saddens me greatly. I'll leave it at that until my lawyer is present.

When you give people tours of the EV/LES, what tends to garner the biggest reaction?

Well, the Drinking Tour never disappoints -- but contemporary images of this neighborhood in the 1970s and 80s really shock people who are not aware of the drastic changes. Rows of abandoned, burned out and boarded up buildings; entire swaths of blocks in rubble; homeless sleeping in tents; drug dealers; and so on. I don't want to disillusion people that the entire neighborhood was run-down and entirely dangerous... there were also incredible arts and activism breeding during this time period and a largely hard-working, middle-class population. But I use these particular images to drive the point home of how far we have come.

People also seem to love the gangster stories. Many criminal legends grew up and started their careers on these very streets. We dig deep into the early lives of guys like Luciano, Lansky, Siegel and Rothstein, which the History Channel always skims over. Our Five Points and Women Movers & Shakers tour are also very popular. The Five Points is the birthplace of the melting pot -- and genesis of modern day, working-class, multi-ethnic, industrial America; And some of the most influential women in American history spent time here on the Lower East Side.



What is your favorite part of the tours?

It is really great to meet people from all over the world every day. And I love when long-time locals attend and provide personal experiences. It helps me learn and make up the bigger picture. But the guests I probably appreciate the most are new residents interested in learning about the history.

For those folks not familiar with the East Village History Project,
can you give them a quick overview of what you do?

We are a nonprofit organization made up of native and veteran EV/LES/NY'ers who are active community members and historians. Our goal is to research and accurately document the great history of the Lower East Side and present it to the public through various educational programs (like the walking tours). The idea is to raise public awareness of the historic significance of the greater Lower East Side. EVHP has teamed up with several other local historians, preservationists, museums and educational institutions to provide the most authentic experiences possible. We recently opened the East Village Visitors Center in partnership with the Bowery Poetry Club at 308 Bowery. Here the public can come in at any time and interact with us directly and learn about the neighborhood.

P.S.
The East Village History Project also has a new Web site.

[Photo of Tompkins Square Park and the LES via the East Village History Project]

New brief says city must stop plans to raze East River Park

Opponents of the city's plan to demolish East River Park provided an update on their lawsuit in a new brief filed yesterday.

Via the EVG inbox:

Without state oversight, New York City could demolish East River Park and build a levee but would not be obliged to return the entire 1.2 mile riverfront to parkland. The city could also exceed its five-year construction timeline.

Those are two of the reasons why state oversight is needed for the massive $1.45 billion flood control project, says a brief filed July 20. The document is a response to the city’s argument that state approval is not needed.

The lawsuit, East River Park Action et al v City of New York, originally filed in February, asks to halt the East Side Coastal Resiliency project that is scheduled to begin this fall. It also asks to declare the City Council vote last November approving the project “null and void.”

Attorney Arthur Schwartz with the nonprofit Advocates for Justice argues in July 20's 42-page brief that the city is required to seek Alienation from the state. Alienation is the use of parkland for non-park purposes, even for brief periods.

Schwartz notes that "Closing the East River Park, whether completely or in phases, will disproportionately affect the health and well-being and recreational opportunities of low-income New Yorkers who live in the neighborhood around the Park."

Schwartz, a West 12th Street resident, previously filed lawsuits against the city's 14th Street Busway.

You can read more about Alienation of Parkland, the basis of the lawsuit, at this link.

Last November, City Council signed off on the hotly contested flood-protection plan that will bury/elevate East River Park by eight feet as part of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project. Construction is now expected to start this fall.

---

Meanwhile, tomorrow night, there's a candlelight vigil set for the Park.

Via the EVG inbox:

"We are gathering in solidarity with Black Lives Matter, specifically against the ecocide that continues to harm Black and Indigenous lives globally; to grieve the thousands of lives, neighbors and loved ones lost to COVID'19; and to come together in protection of land, trees, and the wellness of our community on the Lower East Side,” says vigil organizer Emily Johnson, an artist in residence at Abrons Arts Center and a land and water protector from the Yup'ik Nation.

"In the center of a pandemic the city will destroy the Lower East Side’s only large outdoor green space for wellness and exercise, raise toxic dust and cut down 1,000 trees, reducing air quality and putting residents — especially elders and those who are immunocompromised — at greater risk for and with COVID-19," says Johnson.

The procession starts at 7 p.m. at the Abrons Arts Center amphitheater. Details and directions at this link.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Opinion: COVID-19 + Storm Surge = Catastrophe for the Lower East Side and East Village (Feb. 7)

• More details on the city's new plan to keep East River Park partially open during flood protection construction (Oct. 3, 2019)

• At the march and rally to save East River Park (Sept. 21, 2019)

• An annual reunion in East River Park (Aug. 4, 2019)

• A visit to East River Park (July 10, 2019)

'11 Minutes of Hell' on the Lower East Side

Via the EVG inbox ...

The LES Dwellers, a grassroots community group of residents of the Lower East Side, released videos [yesterday] that illustrate how bad the Lower East Side's Hell Square continues as late night bars and clubs continue to foster a SantaCon-style environment of binge drinking, public urination and vomiting, brawls and arrests every weekend.

The rampant party and hoards of drunks in the area drains police resources, forcing them to focus their time and attention to thousands of people who descend on the Lower East Side every weekend to party without regard to the local residents and businesses.

What is depicted in the videos is not outside the norm but is the norm. The bars, lounges and "restaurants" in this area over serve alcohol creating a dangerous environment.

The LES Dwellers called on Community Board 3 to address the issue immediately by working with the NYPD, the State Liquor Authority and local bar and business owners to resolve the recurring problems in Hell Square, which is the area bordered by Houston and Delancey, and Allen and Essex streets on the Lower East Side.

"This weekend was an outrage — ranking as one of the worst on record: It was SantaCon without the costumes," the group said in a statement. "Assaults and crime are up in our neighborhood due solely to the proliferation of late night liquor licenses in the neighborhood. And what's worse, on a day when NYPD lost two officers, the last thing the city needs is for the police to spend time and resources policing a man-made mess of debauchery. Police resources are wasted every weekend to babysit a bunch of drunks," the group said.

One video, filmed for a continuous 11 minute period at 3:30 am EST on Sunday, Dec. 21 on Ludlow and Stanton Streets, features a group of drunks stumbling north on Ludlow street and approaching Piano's Bar to enter. They're told that the bar is closing and they can't enter, so they leave the bar yelling obscenities and stumbling into the wall when the cops show up. Disregarding the police presence, the group gets into a knock-down brawl in the intersection of Stanton and Ludlow and police arrest 2 of the fighters. The video's hashtag is #11minsofhell.

Dozens of police arrived at the scene where the video captures a woman who has fallen and hurt her leg on the street and is struggling to get back up, followed by music blaring out of the front door of the Dark Room bar. Then, as the police continue to deal with the fight, a man is seen within 15 feet of the police urinating in a boutique clothing store's doorway and virtually falling asleep standing up.

And now for your viewing pleasure...



And!

1st look at the Women of the Lower East Side Film Fest from MoRUS this summer

From the EVG inbox...

Female rebellion, the humanity of the homeless and struggles of immigrant workers are among the themes of the initial offerings of the Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space's (MoRUS) Women of the Lower East Side Film Fest kicking-off Aug. 1, with a screening every evening at various indoor and outdoor venues through Aug. 9.

Opening night (Aug. 1) will feature "What About Me," which Billboard described "as much a bohemian time capsule as it is film art." Using Tompkins Square Park and its environs as a backdrop, with a procession of downtown legends including Dee Dee Ramone, Rockets Red Glare and Johnny Thunders in cameos, director/actor Rachel Amodeo traces the steps of a woman’s decline after she loses her apartment.



"What About Me" will screen at Anthology Film Archives at 8 PM.

"Your Day Is My Knight," a documentary sharing stories of immigrant residents of a “shift-bed” apartment in New York’s Chinatown, will screen on Aug. 2 at Orchard Alley Community Garden, 350-54 E. 4th St. The film’s director, Lynne Sachs, as well as other participants in the film, will be in attendance to introduce the screening with an informal Q&A afterwards.

Suzanne Wasserman's "Sweatshop Cinderella: A Portrait of Anzia Yezierska" will screen on Aug. 3, also at Orchard Alley Community Garden. This short film mixes archival stills and footage, silent film excerpts, letters, newspaper clippings, and interviews to provide a sense of the Jewish Lower East Side in the 1920s through the 1950s and the life of the critically acclaimed Jewish-American novelist. Director Suzanne Wasserman will be in attendance for a Q&A following the film.

Closing night on Aug. 9 brings feminist tour de force "Born in Flames," a comic fantasy set in America 10 years after a Second American Revolution. Filmmaker Lizzie Borden will be in attendance.

A limited supply of all-inclusive passes for $20 are now on sale at Eventbrite or by visiting MoRUS, 155 Avenue C between 9th and 10th Streets during hours of operation. Admission to each individual screening will otherwise require a suggested donation of $5.

Further details regarding the MoRUS Women of the Lower East Side Film Fest, including film lineups, venues and collateral events will be updated as available here.

There's also an amateur film competition this year.

Details!

MoRUS is calling for amateur filmmakers to compete for a spot in the festival. Submissions must tie into the “Women of the Lower East Side” theme and can be anywhere from 30 seconds to 10 minutes duration.

The competition is open to filmmakers of any gender, any age and at any experience level who submit either a link to their film or a DVD copy of the film along with a brief artist’s statement and $10 entry fee to morusfilmfest@morusnyc.org or mail to MoRUS Film Fest, Museum of Reclaimed Urban Space, 155 Avenue C, New York, NY 10009.

Deadline for submissions is Friday, July 18 at 5 PM ET. A jury comprised of local business owners, artists, activists and MoRUS volunteers will determine which films will be publicly screened on Friday, Aug. 8 at a venue to be determined. First, Second, and Third-Place Winners will be selected by the audience and awarded monetary/in-kind prizes. In addition, one film will receive the MoRUS Choice Award.

Shopping woes on the Lower East Side

Crain's checks in today with an article titled Lower East Side's fashion faux pax ... here are a few excerpts of the piece by Adrianne Pasquarelli:

Initially expected to be the next SoHo or West Village, the Lower East Side is getting an F as a shopping destination. Since February ... several other apparel shops, including trendy In God We Trust, have given up on the Lower East Side. Others, such as accessories purveyor Bag and fashion boutique Convent, have announced their imminent closures. Businesses complain that landlords, anticipating completed developments, have been jacking up rents, though several construction projects are still stalled with recession-related woes.

And!

The influx of nightlife has only driven up rents, making the area even less appealing for emerging boutiques. In the past 18 months, asking prices in the neighborhood have jumped, increasing 20% following recession-related drops. Now, asking rents on prime streets range from $100 to $150 a square foot, while secondary areas are closer to $65 a square foot, according to brokers.

And!

“If I was a landlord, I'd want to fill the block with cool local stores so the foot traffic is cool—we don't need another NoLIta or SoHo,” said Julie Noyce, In God We Trust's general manager. “The Lower East Side has always been for artists and rock 'n' rollers — if you get rid of that local flavor, then it's just Steve Madden and a bunch of bars.”

[Updated] "Artists, filmmakers, movie theaters — we're getting pushed out of Manhattan"

That's Ray Privett, programmer at the Two Boots Pioneer Theater. In a New York Sun feature today, Privett discusses his latest project: the Queensbridge Theater. According to the article, "As envisioned, Queensbridge will occupy an entire building in Long Island City housing a restaurant, a dance floor, and a space for concerts and performances. Mr. Privett said the venue, which is scheduled to open in the fall, will ideally remain open for 20 or 21 hours a day and cater to both Manhattanites and local residents."

More from the article:

It is yet unknown whether Mr. Privett's decision to remain involved in the local film scene will help to assuage mounting fears that Manhattan is no longer a place where independent artists can thrive. Queensbridge, for starters, has left the borough entirely.

"This is all definitely part of the general trend," Mr. Privett said. "With Queensbridge, I'm working with a lot of people from the Lower East Side who can no longer continue having things on the Lower East Side. People in the film world are going to Texas and Germany. Artists, filmmakers, movie theaters — we're getting pushed out of Manhattan, and my evolution is yet more proof of that."

[Updated] Ray Privett left a comment to this post...He had posted a few clarifications to the Sun article:

The Pioneer is still open. My departure from the Pioneer did not close the Pioneer, nor did the two things coincide. Indeed, my successors booked the three films mentioned in the first paragraph of Mr. Snyder’s article. Clearly, the Pioneer can do interesting things without me. Hopefully they continue to. Good luck to them.

Moreover, the Lower East Side’s gentrification did not cause me to leave the Pioneer. I have never claimed it did.

I left the Pioneer because professional opportunities emerged at the Queensbridge Theater - which is not a movie theater but a performing arts club, and which is now where the bulk of my efforts have shifted. Meanwhile, in film related endeavors, I felt I could be more effective as my own boss.

However, while gentrification did not cause my shift to Queens, that shift does coincide with the general trend of Lower East Side arts people relocating to the outer boroughs. For example, several of my colleagues in Queensbridge have tilted much of their work to the outer boroughs.

Nonetheless, they still sometimes put on shows in the Lower East Side and elsewhere in Manhattan. Many will continue to do so; from time to time, I know I will, too.