Foggy with a chance of a photo op

This morning via Bobby Williams.

Ray turns 80, and makes new friends

Last night, a few friends and neighbors gathered at Ray's Candy Store on Avenue A to celebrate the proprietor's 80th birthday. Per tradition, there was entertainment. Given the milestone birthday, organizers decided to up the ante and hire four entertainers... so last night, Miss Bunny Buxom, Jo “Boobs” Weldon, Miss Little Motown and Gal Friday took to Ray's for... this...

As we've written before, the annual birthday cheer is always a boost to Ray's spirits, a brief break from the 24/7 grind of the store and reminder how much people appreciate him...

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Thanks to Shawn Chittle for the photos. Find more photos (and in color!) from last night at Neighborhoodr.

[Neighborhoodr]

Oh, and the cake was from Veniero’s ...

There are more photos on the Ray's Candy Store Facebook page... like this one...

For previous birthday celebration photos, you can visit Bob Arihood's Neither More Nor Less for 2010 ... and 2009...

The Nuyorican Poets Cafe has a 2-story screen to watch the Super Bowl

As you may have heard, the Super Bowl is Sunday ... anyway, passing this along... part of an events email from the folks at The Nuyorican Poets Cafe, 236 E. Third St. between Avenue B and Avenue C.

On Sunday, join us for a Super Bowl Party with pizza, snacks and drink specials. Watch the Baltimore Ravens battle the San Francisco 49ers on our two-story screen (the biggest screen on the Lower East Side!) $7 tix include free food.

Please note that use of a vintage Sports Illustrated cover of the 49ers does not imply any endorsement in the game.

The Ramones and Television back on the Bowery, sort of

A reader asked if we had heard about a release date for "CBGB," the movie (biopic?) about Hilly Kristal and the rise of his club ... filmed last summer in Savannah, Ga., which subbed for the Bowery of the 1970s... crews replicated the inside of the bar in Savannah's Meddin Studios, where all the interior shots took place.

As far as we know, the film doesn't have a release date just yet for 2013.

Meanwhile, in looking at the production company's website, we did spot a few teaser stills from the film, including:

Merv Ferguson (Donal Logue) and Hilly Kristal (Alan Rickman) ...

... and the film's version of Television...

... and the Ramones...

[Click on images to enlarge]

According to an article in Rolling Stone last summer, "To maintain authenticity throughout the film, [the filmmakers] exhaustively researched other CBGB regulars, and consulted frequently with Television's Tom Verlaine, the Voidoids' Richard Hell and Talking Heads drummer Chris Frantz." Cheetah Chrome of the Dead Boys also has a cameo in the movie as a cab driver who hates the punk scene.

So, any plans on seeing the movie?

Previously.

Pearl Diner still closed, but there's a good sign

Late December, we noticed that the classic 50-year-old (plus) Pearl Diner on the fringes of the Financial District was closed. No sign... or sign of life. A casualty of Sandy.

However, on Monday, a reader noted that a "coming soon" was up now in the front window. We took a look...

Centre-fuge Public Art Project returns for second year; Cycle 7 debuts next month

From the EV Grieve inbox...

[March 2012]

Centre-fuge Public Art Project is proud to announce the continuation of murals on the trailer at First Street and First Avenue. Cycle 7 is the first installation of art in the new year.

In mid-2011 a drab, gray trailer, serving as a temporary office for workers on the 2nd Avenue subway line, popped up on the South side of First Street. For two years now Centre-fuge Public Art Project transforms the DOT trailer into a rotating street gallery. Artists create work on all visible sides of the structure with the art changing every other month. Anyone can propose an idea for work on the trailer.

The goal of Centre-fuge is not only to re-beautify an incredible block, but also to encourage the community to express itself in a public forum. With the closure of half of Houston Street, making underground way for the 2nd Avenue Subway line, the ever-growing presence of construction makes the area feel less like a neighborhood full of individuals and more like a work site full of barricades and jackhammers. Centre-fuge attempts to combat this effect. The project is dedicated in memory of friend, creator and Lower East Side neighbor, Mike Hamm.

Artists represented in Centre-fuge, Cycle 7 are Hellbent, Joe Iurato, Joseph Meloy, Matthew Denton Burrows, Nicholai Khan and Yuki. For more information on each artist, go to centre-fuge.tumblr.com/artist-bios. The recreation of Mike Hamm’s work is permanently installed on the eastern face of the trailer. A new Mike Hamm piece will be installed on the eastern face in April.

The seventh installation at Centre-fuge will be on view from February 10th until April 11th, 2013.

For more details, visit the Centre-fuge Tumblr. Previously.

Night hawk

Early evening in Tompkins Square Park by Bobby Williams.

[Updated] 7A will reopen Friday; management promises no painted fingers on the back wall

7A on East Seventh Street and Avenue A is closed this week for renovations — back open Friday at 6 p.m. ... the chalkboard out front notes that workers are installing a new sprinkler system, etc.

The sign also points out, "Don't worry we will not be painting fingers on the back walls again."

7A closed for renovations back in January 2011 ... and afterwards debuted the jungle motif...

Updated:

The work has proven to be more extensive and time-consuming than originally thought ... so the new re-opening date is Friday, Feb. 8.

[Updated] DOH temporarily closes Kelly's Sports Bar on Avenue A

EVG reader AC notes that Kelly's on Avenue A is closed this evening, and there's the telltale yellow DOH sticker on the front door. The inspection must have happened this afternoon — no record of it yet on the Health Department website. Perhaps they'll be back up and running by Thursday evening's Sabres-Bruins game.

Updated 1-30
The inspection report is now online. An inspector found 38 violation points in total for the following:

1) Food Protection Certificate not held by supervisor of food operations.
2) Sewage disposal system improper or unapproved.

EV Grieve Etc.: Mourning Edition

[Stealing Claire Forlani on Avenue C]

Jerry Stahl and Lydia Lunch at St. Mark's Bookshop (Slum Goddess)

Million-dollar development deal to maintain East 6th Street synagogue (DNAinfo)

Up close with the hawk of Tompkins Square Park (The Gog Log)

Video interview with Aron "The Pieman" Kay (Animal)

"The cool thing is, Avenue C is still kind of a 'secret' area of New York City, just starting to be discovered" (Fork in the Road)

The Landmarks Preservation Commission schedules public hearing for the Bialystoker Nursing Home building (The Lo-Down)

About the "Retro Bar & Grill" slated for the Holiday Inn on Delancey (BoweryBoogie)

Jefferson Market Library's amazing NYC book collection (Jeremiah's Vanishing New York)

RIP Don't Honk signs (Gothamist)

Spending $47,000 at Nello (Eater)

And a second Strummerville show has been added tonight at the Bowery Electric... Details here.