EV Grieve

Saturday, November 28, 2020

Saturday's parting shot

A moment – featuring Dance to the People, as seen here — from another great show in Tompkins Square Park today via Pinc Louds... this was likely the band's last performance in the Park this year... photo by Derek Berg...

3rd & B’Zaar Holiday Market now open for the season

The 3rd & B’Zaar Holiday Market has opened its doors at 191 E. Third St. between Avenue A and Avenue B... offering "unique gifts at affordable prices." A group of local merchants, artists and designers are behind the venture, which will remain open through Dec. 24.

The Market, which debuted yesterday, is open Wednesdays through Sundays from 1 to 6 p.m. Guests are limited to a few at a time indoors (masks are required to enter).

Earlier in the week, Stacie Joy stopped by while some of the vendors were prepping the festive space... (from left): Delia Anne Parker, Sara Ann Rutherford, Frank New, Delphine Le Goff, Maegan Hayward and Alex Carpenter...

And the list of artists, makers and merchants currently signed on to vend here:

• Maegan Hayward/East Village Vintage Collective
• Delia Anne Parker/Delia Anne Art
• Delphine Le Goff/Display By Delphine
• Frank New/Man Your Style
• Sara Ann Rutherford/Greenwell Goods
• Alex Carpenter/Art by Carpo
• April Howard/Kingdom of Brooklyn
• Ariana Valdes/RiRiPurpose
• Chad Johnson/Tiki Billy
• Charles Branstool/Exit9 Gift Emporium
• Cira Reyes/Cira Vintage Finds
• Colton Ackerman
• Corey Woods
• Darkin Brown
• Jackie Rivera/Jackie Hates You
• Jane’s Exchange
• Kadidja Kabore Lamport/Kadidja Handmade Collection
• Kate Goldwater/AuH2O
• Kate Wollesen/K Styles)
• Katie Monahan/Found
• Laura Texter/St Marks Masks
• Lynn Freidus/Random Accessories
• Nora Balaban
• PJ Cobbs Arts
• Rebecca Duckert
• Robert McIntyre/Robert Austin Designs
• Ron Holtz/Printopia Gallery
• St Vincent
• Stephanie Fleck/Grandmother Goods
• Vanessa Monsalve/Eclectic Wolf Fashion
• Vorachon Roongsri/Vintage Vorachon

Another Book Swap on 10th Street

Back in the summer, some East Village residents started a Book Swap Saturday outside the Tompkins Square Library branch on 10th Street between Avenue A and Avenue B... the swap is making a return ... tomorrow from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. you can find Book Swap Sunday.

Via the EVG inbox:

Let's share our used books to help us get through this pandemic together. Leave your donations, and take home some others. Reading is a safe survival tactic!

Photo from last summer by Stacie Joy

Someone stole the safe from Nowon on Wednesday night

This past week, chef-owner Jae Lee celebrated the first anniversary of Nowon, his well-regarded restaurant that serves Korean-American fare at 507 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and Avenue B.

And on Wednesday night, someone stole the safe from the establishment.

Lee launched a crowdfunding campaign yesterday offering more details:

We had a burglary at our restaurant on Wednesday evening. Our entire safe itself was stolen. We had over $2,000 in cash. Safe itself was over $1,000.

I spent the entire day today speaking to cops, detective and forensic team. The crook knew exactly where to go, which makes me think he has been here before and knew exactly how to move to not get caught on camera except the office.

I am raising money to just get back what I lost. I would appreciate anything, honestly. I’ve never fundraised for myself before so if you have any questions or even words of encouragement, I will take it.

Within 14 hours of the GoFundMe, Lee raised the money — and more, and he deactivated the fundraiser.

The restaurant also released a photo of the suspect from the surveillance video...

Friday, November 27, 2020

Friday's parting shot

Black Friday, and we had the first fake snow sighting of the season... crews for "Tick, Tick... Boom!" — a musical drama directed by Lin-Manuel Miranda based on the semi-autobiographical musical of the same name by Jonathan Larson — are back on Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery. (The cast includes Andrew Garfield, Alexandra Shipp, Vanessa Hudgens, Judith Light and Bradley Whitford.)

Photo today by Derek Berg.

A slice of 'Life'

Last weekend, after an ill-advised doomscroll, I was feeling a little down... walking along Avenue A, a cyclist went by with a speaker attached to his messenger bag. This song by the Damned was playing... which I hadn't heard in years. A fleeting moment that lifted my mood. From the under-appreciated Strawberries LP from 1982, this is "Life Goes On."

Oh look at the opossum in Tompkins Square Park

An EVG reader shared these photos from Tompkins Square Park today ... where an opossum was spotted lurking in some holly bushes... right there!

Nearly three years have passed since our last opossum sighting here (whatever happened to Nicodemus Punch Sugarpop aka Parachute ChingChing Yanoonoo aka Opie...?)

Updated 7:30 p.m.

Steven and Eden had a sighting this evening...

Previously on EV Grieve:
• The opossum has pretty much made Tompkins Square Park her/his home now

• The opossum of Tompkins Square Park — now on video

• Opossum where art thou?

• Opossum drama in Tompkins Square Park

Grant Shaffer's NY See

Here's the latest NY See panel, East Village-based illustrator Grant Shaffer's observational sketch diary of things that he sees and hears around the neighborhood and NYC...

A break in at Popeyes

The NYPD is at the Popeyes location on First Avenue between Second Street and Third Street this morning... after a report of a break in here...

As you can see, someone smashed in the front door.

According to the Citizen app at 6:49 a.m., "two suspects reporteldy fled from the scene on foot." It's not known at the moment if anything was taken.

The fried-chicken franchise opened here on Oct. 17.

A visit to Hello Banana Vintage

Vintage veteran Bailey Leiter has opened her very first shop... Hello Banana Vintage — named from a Tommy James and the Shondells song, "I Am a Tangerine" — debuted last weekend at 156 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street.

Bailey got the space via Amy Van Doran when she closed Modern Love Club last month. Turns out She used to live in an East Village building owned by the same landlord as 156 First Ave. So she has a good working relationship with them and is excited to be open.

EVG contributor Stacie Joy stopped by the well-curated shop for a look around...

The shop is open Tuesday-Sunday from noon to 8 p.m. Follow Hello Banana on Instagram here.

There won't be an official SantaCon this year

SantaCon, set to terrorize NYC again on Dec. 12, is officially off, organizers announced on their website this week.

In the usual tone-deaf humor that has been a hallmark of SantaCon through the years, the announcement (screengrab above) reads in part: "All of the reindeer got the 'rona, so the elves have advised Santa to hold off on the in-person merriment."

The announcement also reads "there is no official SantaCon in 2020," leaving open the potential for unofficial Santa pub crawls this holiday season.

In any event, SantaCon organizers offer alternatives to "spread merriment (not infection) this year." Suggestions include donating to Helping Hearts NYC and, more on brand, playing a drinking game to "light up your holiday spirit like Rudolph's suspiciously red nose."

Thursday, November 26, 2020

A Thanksgiving feast for neighbors in need at the East Village Community Fridge

Text and photos by Stacie Joy

This morning, a few dozen volunteers got together to prepare and serve Thanksgiving holiday meals to those in need at the East Village Community Fridge, located at S’MAC on the northwest corner of First Avenue and 12th Street.

East Village residents cooked, wrapped, labeled and bagged homemade meals while local restaurateurs Jill and Kimo Hing of San Loco and Marco Canora of Hearth provided additional supplies and assistance.

Spearheaded by organizers Diane Hatz of East Village Neighbors mutual aid group and Sarita and Caesar Ekya of S’MAC, this effort fed more than 75 individuals and families.

Says Sarita, “Today is a wonderful day for many and a yet also terribly lonely and hard day for many. We wanted to bring some joy through food to those who otherwise wouldn’t get that. Isn’t that what true community is all about?”

Diane added, “The pandemic has really brought out a sense of community in the East Village. Every day I see more and more neighbors dropping things off at the fridge, and more and more local businesses are donating items and even hosting fundraisers. Most people who donate to the fridge drop off a few items as they go by, and others are stopping to take a few things they need. This really is a collective community effort.”

Today’s bagged meals included items like turkey and gravy, stuffing, cranberry sauce, roasted veggies, cornbread, green bean casserole, shortbread cookies, and slices of pie.

Masks were also provided to those who needed them. If you are interested in making a donation to the Community Fridge, then you can bring labeled, wrapped food by anytime or make a cash donation here.