Cake Shop will rock on

Some good news here for fans of Cake Shop... and live music venues... You probably read back in late April that the Ludlow Street cafe-bakery-bar-club was in some financial difficulties ... Anyway, Gothamist reported that the Cake Shop's crowdsourcing fundraiser, which ended today, was a success... As Gothamist noted, "Cake Shop had help from Clap Your Hands Say Yeah and Surfer Blood, who both played secret shows in support."

Noted

Spotted by EVG reader Blaine this evening on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place...

Watch a video titled 'Nazi chased out of Tompkins Square Park'

The 24th Annual Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows took place this past weekend with free concerts ... while we were there yesterday, it was mostly a low-key affair... a lot of bands, some speakers... Toward the end of the set by Yuppicide, the last band of the day, a man with a "flaming Swastika tattoo" on his chest was chased out of the Park after he took a few swings at people in the crowd... and it's on video.



It carried over from the day before, when the same man, joined by a female companion, were throwing punches. Also on video here.

Meanwhile, on a more peaceful vibe, here's Mickey Leigh joining David Peel for a song on Saturday...

Report: Big City Records NYC closing on East 12th Street

Jared Boxx has been selling records in the neighborhood for the last 15 years... now, according to a report at WNYC, his store of the last six years, Big City Records NYC on East 12th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B, is closing at the end of the month. The reason: Increasing rent.

WYNC notes that Boxx will still sell their hard-to-find vinyl on eBay and Discogs.

And it will be the third record store to close in the neighborhood this year ... following Rockit Scientist Records ... and Norman's Sound & Vision, who heads to Brooklyn after Aug. 16.

[Stephen Nessen/WNYC]

The East Fifth St. Tree Committee is alive and well, and they do not mess around

Been nearly a year since we checked in with the East Fifth St. Tree Committee ... a reader sends along the following update to the group's activities between First Avenue and Second Avenue...

Before...

Later...

There is a store for rent sign directly above BaoBQ

As you can see, there's a store for rent sign above BaoBQ here on First Avenue between 13th Street and 14th Street... the latest from Michael "Bao" Huynh opened in December... Not a good sign... But perhaps not surprising... Huynh seems to go through quite a few concepts, such as DOB 111 and Barbao on St. Mark's Place... The Croman 9300 listing says the space is available starting Sept. 1. The asking rent is $13,995.

Meanwhile, we'll see if BaoBQ is moving or closing...

Reader report: Woman on a stretcher outside Solas early Saturday morning

Per a reader early Saturday morning regarding Solas, the bar-lounge on East Ninth Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue...

"I heard some screaming coming from the street but I ignored it at first. It's utter chaos outside Solas on the weekends.

But the screaming got louder and more hysterical so I looked out the window and saw EMTs lifting some chick onto a stretcher. They took her away in an ambluance. This all took place around 1:40 AM"

The reader wasn't sure what transpired... though noted it didn't seem to bother many of the other Solas-goers...

We're not too familiar with Solas... So we took a look at what Yelp users thought. The latest review, 5 stars, is from a Queens resident who noted: "When I feel like dancing my face off and drinking like a fish, I come to Solas! Yes it gets really packed in the dance area and making your way over to the bar past the crowd is difficult but you get the club experience without having to pay cover or ridiculous $$$ for drinks. It's a win-win!"

Barrier hijinks in Tompkins Square Park

EVG reader Yuppie Scum Scott on 7th passes along these shots from the Park last night... Maybe it was the wind from that storm?

Or, as Scott suggested, just urban artists creating French Barrier Sculpture?

Either way, a far less gruesome discovery than a fake human kidney.

Asbestos abatement on East Seventh Street, then a new 6-story building

On Friday, notices arrived on the door here at 227 E. Seventh St. near Avenue C...

As you can see, the asbestos removal completion date is listed as March 13, 2013 ... Meanwhile, it turns out there are permits on file with the DOB for demolition of this structure ... then a new six-story "masonry building" here... (the DOB disapproved the first round of plans last month)...

And, per the DOB, plans for this building date back to 2004 ... though the job was withdrawn then...

Meanwhile, across the street at No. 222, all is seemingly quiet at the moment on the plans to turn the building into the Villa Capri condos...

The sign that appeared last fall is gone...

[Dave on 7th]

The DOB disapproved the plans for the extension/renovation in March.

Updated: Incoming Starbucks on First Avenue will have another window; walk up window perhaps?

[March 30]

Looking at the incoming Starbucks here on First Avenue at 13th Street ... workers are, uh, working on putting in a window, probably... (or maybe the double-brick look is in...)

Or. Perhaps it will be a walk-up window like at the McDonald's around the bend on East 14th Street...?

Updated 8-7

Oh, never mind...

Previously on EV Grieve:
Today in rumors of another Starbucks opening in the East Village

Starbucks confirmed for 219 First Ave., former home to Allen Ginsberg's favorite Chinese restaurant

Front loading for Irving Plaza shows just got more fancy

A little outside our normal geographic boundaries... but!

There has been a lot of activity over at the corner of Irving Place and East 15th Street... where the Galaxy Global Eatery closed at the beginning of 2011...

Last Thursday, Grub Street reported that two "nightlife operators" will open "a raw bar, a wine bar" serving "American fare." The new restaurant includes the space that belonged to the late 119 Bar, which Grub Street noted earlier as closing in February 2011, when front loading for shows at Irving Plaza forever changed...

Dryden Gallery moves away from Fourth Avenue

Back in April, we noted that the retail space on the southeast corner of Fourth Avenue and East 13th Street — currently home to Brothers Deli and Dryden Gallery — is for lease...

Anyway, just noting that Dryden has moved out of its space ...

... just over to East 12th Street between Broadway and University...

RKF still has the listing on its website ... so nothing must be imminent here just yet...

Perhaps when the Hyatt Union Square finally opens across the street...

[July 31]

Stormy Sunday II

On East Houston a little earlier this evening... Photo by Barbara L. Hanson...

Stormy Sunday

Photos by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] At the 24th Annual Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion show

EVG regular peter radley sent along a few photos from earlier this afternoon ... during the 24th Annual Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion shows...

Here's Fly Orr with Zero Content...

... and Ruckus Interruptus...

Political activist and criminal defense attorney Stanley L. Cohen was one of the guest speakers during the day...

[Bobby Williams]

[Updated Monday]
And the following photos are by Paul DeRienzo...

Cohen with The Shadow's Chris Flash

Frank Morales with Warcry Priya...

...Laura, Deb and Mary — "The women behind the reunion," per Paul...

...LES Jewels, the NYPD share a moment...

...and dancing...

Breaking: Christmas in August; O Come, All Ye Faithful

EVG reader Rob just sent this along from First Avenue near East Third Street... no newspaper for authentication purposes... (So the judges will deduct a few points off for that...) Still.

UGH: Another large tree branch falls in Tompkins Square Park

Walking to watch the Tompkins Square Park Riot Reunion Shows this afternoon, we noticed that the Meadow was empty... it is hot, but...

Turns out that it's closed. The reason: A large branch fell, as these photos by Bobby Williams show... UGH.

A Park worker told Bobby that the limb came down around 2 a.m. ... (apparently it was a little windy last night?)

Last time a branch fell in the Park, workers had to take down the whole tree. We can't lose another one. By my probably inaccurate count, we've lost eight trees in the Park since Hurricane Irene last summer.