Virtual 'Spring Rituals' via the Ukrainian Museum on Saturday evening

The Ukrainian Museum on Sixth Street between Second Avenue and Cooper Square is hosting a virtual event this Saturday evening titled "Ukrainian Spring Rituals: Songs & Conversation."

Here are details via the EVG inbox...

This celebration of Easter and spring will lead off with a brief discussion of Ukraine's rich Easter traditions and their pre-Christian pagan roots by Lubow Wolynetz, the Museum's curator of folk art, followed by performances of traditional Ukrainian springtime melodies by Go_A (Ukraine), Balaklava Blues (Canada), and Ukrainian Village Voices (U.S.).  

 Our special guests from Kyiv, Go_A, draw inspiration from traditional vocal repertoires associated with springtime rituals. Go_A is Ukraine's official entry in the Eurovision Song Contest in Rotterdam on May 18–22, a competition that draws millions of viewers around the globe. Go_A has recorded a special set specifically for The Ukrainian Museum.

Iryna Voloshyna, a graduate student at Indiana University's Department of Folklore and Ethnomusicology, conducted an interview with the electro-folk group's members, which will be presented during the event. 

You can find more details about the event at this link ... find the free registration details here. The program begins Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

The Ukrainian Museum remains closed during the pandemic. You can check out their virtual exhibits here.

Bluestockings officially reopens Friday in new Lower East Side home

The new home for the Bluestockings Cooperative has its official grand opening on Friday at 116 Suffolk St. between Rivington and Delancey.

Bluestockings shared the info with EVG via Instagram...

The volunteer- and collective-run bookstore and activist space hosted a soft, limited capacity reopening for the holiday season back in November.

A successful crowdfunding campaign, which raised a little more than $100,000, allowed Bluestockings to build out the new home.

Bluestockings opened at 172 Allen St. between Stanton and Rivington in 1999... before moving on at the end of last July. 

You can follow the Bluestockings Instagram account for updates. The hours: Tuesday-Sunday from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Previously on EV Grieve:
• Today is the last day for Bluestockings on Allen Street; new LES location in the works

A little of the old Coyote Ugly at the new Coyote Ugly on 14th Street

Work continues at 233 E. 14th Street between Second Avenue and Third Avenue ... where the address will one day be the new NYC home of Coyote Ugly.

EVG regular Pinch got a look inside the open door the other day... and spotted the Coyote Ugly signage from the old (and original) location on First Avenue mounted on the wall ...

As we first reported this past September, Coyote Ugly permanently closed its home of 27 years at 153 First Ave. between Ninth Street and 10th Street. (That space is currently going under a gut renovation.)

In announcing the closure, CEO and founder Lil Lovell had this to say in a video clip: "After sitting closed for six months due to COVID restrictions, we simply can't afford to pay the rent." This was the very first of the Coyote Ugly saloons — featuring bartop dancing and body shots. There are now more than two-dozen global outposts.

The Blind Pig, the sports bar/pub, closed after service in June 2019. At the time, the owners of the 13-year-old Blind Pig said they were hit with an untenable 50-percent rent increase.

A print edition of the Village Voice is now out

At the beginning of the year, The Village Voice, the city's iconic weekly paper that folded in 2018 after a 50-plus-year run, returned online with new ownership in Brian Calle, the chief executive of Street Media, the owner of LA Weekly. 

Calle told the Times that they'd be quarterly print editions... and the first one is apparently out this week...

Per the Voice's Instagram account:

Back in 2017 we stopped the print edition of the Voice. Turns out that, like Joe Biden, we just needed a few years off. Look for the Spring 2021 edition of the Voice, distributed to select boxes around town, retailers, eateries, bookstores, and apartment buildings.

Expect to see longtime columnist Michael Musto's byline again... he pens an Oscar night preview for the print edition (and online). 

I have not seen an issue out in the wild just yet. (A reader said she picked one up on Astor Place.) 

When the news of the brand's revival arrived in late December, there were warnings from the (now ex-) writers who worked for Calle's LA Weekly... describing it as a "zombie publication," among other things. (See this post for more.)

Monday's parting shots

Goggla shared these sunset pics tonight from First Avenue and Fifth Street ... noting the spotlight effect through the clouds...

At the March to Save East River Park

An estimated 500 people turned out yesterday for the March to Save East River Park. 

Participants, carrying noise-makers and homemade signs, gathered in Tompkins Square Park and made their way over to East River Park along Avenue B, with a stop outside the Fourth Street office of local City Councilmember Carlina Rivera, who has voiced support for the city's plan to cover the park with eight feet of fill for flood control and cut down 1,000 trees. 

The march, organized by East River Park Action, ended at the amphitheater, where there were an array of speakers, including neighborhood activists, several candidates for City Council and Manhattan Borough President and the poet Eileen Myles, who served as emcee. (Recaps at Gothamist and NY1.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos from along the march and in East River Park...

Opponents of the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project demand a "real environmental review" of the $1.45 billion plan to protect the Lower East Side and surrounding neighborhoods from a 100-year-flood event and sea-level rise. 

Opponents of the city's current plan — where workers will raze the 57.5-acre plot of land, bulldozing 1,000 mature trees and rebuilding the park atop eight feet of landfill — say there are better ways to preserve the park and provide flood protection, such as the one mapped out in the years after Sandy.

In late 2018, the city surprised community stakeholders by announcing a complete overhaul of a plan discussed over four years of local meetings.

In October 2019, the city announced that they would phase in the construction, so only portions of the park are closed to the public at any given time. According to various reports, the city has committed to leaving a minimum of 42 percent of East River Park open to the public. It is projected to be completed in 2025, a timetable opponents say will never be met.

Meanwhile, the city officially kicked off the East Side Coastal Resiliency Project this past Thursday via an announcement by Mayor de Blasio.

As previously reported, the lowest bids have come in, and they've already exceeded the budget by $73 million, which doesn't cover the entire project. 

Previously on EV Grieve: 

• City tries again with the release of a Value Engineering Study for East River Park

• Report: Lowest bids for East River Park construction are $73 million over budget 

• East River community group gets action on the release of (heavily redacted) Value Engineering Study

• Advocacy group: The city's Value Engineering Study for East River Park does not exist

Concern for the main lawn in Tompkins Square Park

The large lawn space in the middle of Tompkins Square Park is attracting attention for its barren look this spring... prompting concern from some Park regulars ... 

Per one TSP regular: "The main field is in terrible condition. It needs to be reseeded soon to be in good shape for summer."

As noted before (here and here), budget cuts have prompted volunteer groups to pick up trash, weed and rake parts of the Park's gardens.

The most recent inspection report (from August 2020) posted to the NYC Parks website found the overall condition and cleanliness of Tompkins to be "unacceptable."

Thanks to Steven for the photos!

On the CB3-SLA docket tonight: applicants for the former Brazen Fox and Loverboy spaces

Tonight is the second of the two CB3 SLA committee meetings for April. 

Here's a look at a few of the items on the agenda:

• Entity to be Formed by Curt Heugel, 106 3rd Ave (op) 

Hospitality veteran Curt Heugel's Host Restaurants, whose portfolio includes concepts such as Bill's Townhouse, Campagnola and Printers Alley, is behind a new unnamed venture for 106 Third Ave. at 13th Street.

The questionnaire for the space shows proposed hours starting at 10 a.m. with a 4 a.m. close (the outdoor cafe portion would have an 11 p.m. curfew).

Heugel and his partners also operate Jackdaw on Second Avenue at 13th Street. 

This two-level corner space was home to the Brazen Fox, which closed during the pandemic. 

 • Entity to be Formed by Michael Perry, 127 Ave C (op)

A new venture called Two Perry's is in the works for 127 Avenue C at Eighth Street.

The space would be a cafe offering breakfast and lunch during the day with a bar-restaurant service in the evenings. According to the questionnaire on file at the CB3 website, the proposed hours are 7 a.m. to midnight, with a 2 a.m. close Thursday through Saturday.

Loverboy, specializing in pizza and slushy drinks, closed here during the pandemic after nearly three-plus in business.  Before Loverboy, the corner space was home to multiple establishments, a list that includes Lumé, the "Epicurean drinkery," ... Life — Kitchen and Bar … which had taken over for Verso. Other restaurants here in the past nine years include Caffe Pepe Rosso and Caffe Cotto. 

Items not heard at Committee 

• Sushi by M (Sushibym2 LLC), 300 E 5th St (wb) 

Sushi By M, which currently offers an omakase experience from a compact space on Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery, is moving to a more high-profile spot on the southeast corner of Second Avenue and Fifth Street (last occupied by Spiritea, and pictured above).

This larger space for Chef Tim would include six tables (seating 12 patrons) and a sushi counter for 16 guests. The daily hours are listed as noon to 11:30 p.m.

• Woman in Wine LLC, 413 E 12th St (wb)

Alessandro Trezza, whose establishments include Have & Meyer in Williamsburg, is opening a small plates/dessert and wine bar at 413 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue. 

The questionnaire shows daily hours of 4 p.m. to midnight. The document includes a sample menu.

This mid-block space was previously Zadie's Oyster Room.

Tonight's meeting starts at 6:30. You can find the Zoom info here. 

Reopenings: Ukrainian East Village restaurant, Little Poland

In case you missed the posts (here and here) from last Friday afternoon...two East Village mainstays on Second Avenue reopened for the first time since March 2020... 

The National Ukrainian Home restaurant (aka Ukrainian East Village restaurant) at 140 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street ... and Little Poland, 200 Second Ave. between 12th Street and 13th Street ...

And the hours...

Ukrainian East Village restaurant: noon to 11 p.m. daily 

Little Poland: 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily

Top photo by Steven

ICYMI: Starting tonight, you can stay out until midnight at a bar or restaurant

Last week, Gov. Cuomo announced that closing times for restaurants and bars will be extended from 11 p.m. to midnight statewide beginning today. 

Per Eater: 

It's a minor win for restaurant and bar owners who have been calling on elected officials to lift the state's pandemic curfew for months and seen only incremental change. 

"It's great news," says one south Brooklyn bar owner, who requested anonymity in order to speak freely. "No curfew would obviously be better, but we do have to watch out for 'Cinderella Covid' which only comes out at midnight."

As Thrillist pointed out: "Subways are still out of service from 2 to 4 a.m., too, which could pose a challenge for hospitality workers trying to get home once the new curfew goes into effect."

And the reaction from Andrew Rigie, the executive director of the NYC Hospitality Alliance:

The extra hour is good news for restaurants, bars and customers, but we need to also lift the rule that prohibits customers from being seated to eat at a bar in NYC, and revisit removing the requirement that a “food item” be served with a drink. @theNYCalliance https://t.co/z80fuV8QRA

— Andrew Rigie (@AndrewRigie) April 14, 2021

In February, Cuomo moved the closing time from 10 p.m. to 11 p.m.

Also,  the governor said that spectators will be allowed at horse and auto races at 20 percent capacity, beginning on Thursday... which is also the opening day for the spring season at Belmont. 

Image by WindAwake

Sunday's parting shot

This afternoon, the Loisaida Center hosted a "spiritual cleansing ceremony" featuring the amazing bateria drumming of Batala NYC at La Plaza Cultural on Avenue C and Ninth Street ... 

Derek Berg caught the group as they first performed on Avenue B.

P.S. 

We'll have photos from today's March to Save East River Park later on...

[Updated] Report of a trash fire outside Saifee Hardware

The FDNY responded to a trash fire on the sidewalk on the Seventh Street side of Saifee Hardware at First Avenue just before 8 p.m. ... firefighters were quickly on the scene and extinguished the blaze... no word on the cause at the moment. 

Thank you to Susan Schiffman for the photo...

Updated:

Around the same time a short distance away... there was a report of a dumpster fire on Avenue A at Fifth Street ... thanks to @quinnfoconnor for this photo...

Week in Grieview

Posts from the past week included (with a photo outside Restoration Antiques on 12th Street by Derek Berg) ... 

• RIP Arthur Farrier (Wednesday) 

• A visit to Leopold Masterson’s 'Diamonds, Razors & Champagne' (Thursday) 

• The artist who captured the sounds of East Village community gardens during the pandemic (Tuesday)

• Ukrainian East Village restaurant is back (Friday)

• Ditto for Little Poland! (Friday) 

• Gallery Watch visits the new group show at the Hole (Wednesday) 

• That first awk apartment get-tother post vaccines in this week's NY See (Thursday) 

• Remembering Joey Ramone (Thursday) ... and Jimmy Webb (Wednesday) 

• La Cabra opening a Scandinavian coffee roastery and sourdough bakery on 2nd Avenue (Monday) 

• Reader report: It's 'rats galore' at this long-empty 1st Avenue lot (Monday) 

• On the CB3-SLA docket: Tiger Lily, Lamia's Fish Market, Little Rebel (Wednesday) 

• Openings: Burrata Pizza on Avenue A, Sal's Pizza II on 14th Street (Monday) 

• Cooper Union's Urban Umbrella (Tuesday)

• A new home for this Citi Bike docking station (Friday)

• A campaign to help 'Clean Up' CB3 (Friday) 

• Pizzeria primed for 128 2nd Ave. space (Wednesday) 

• Gong Cha debuts on St. Mark's Place (Monday) ... while Two Hands debuts on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

 ... speaking of Two Hands — the Seoul-style corn dogs are proving to be popular so far... a reader shared this photo of the line from Friday at noon here on Avenue A at Ninth Street ...

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Follow EVG on Instagram or Twitter for more frequent updates and pics.

The return of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot; happy No. 457 William!

In case you're making plans for next weekend... via the EVG inbox...

Will Shakespeare turns 457 on Friday, April 23. 

So on April 23 and 24, from 7 to 8 p.m. members of The Drilling Company's Shakespeare in the Parking Lot Company will mount "Happy Birthday Shakespeare-457" in the parking lot of The Clemente Soto Vélez Cultural & Educational Center, 107 Suffolk St. at Rivington. 

Hamilton Clancy, artistic director of The Drilling Company, home of Shakespeare in the Parking Lot, writes, "It's essential to get our theater professionals back to work and to bring live theater safely back to the City. Who better to lead the way than William Shakespeare?"

The tickets are free but limited to 50 participants for each show. For them at this link. 

Per the organizers: Masks and temperature checks required; social distancing observed.

Sunday's opening shot

The cherry blossoms are blooming on Third Avenue at Ninth Street...

Saturday's parting shot

A moment from the Street Riders NYC's Justice Ride XXII on First Avenue ... the ride started at the Barclays Center. Photo by Derek Berg

Open days for the New York Marble Cemetery on 2nd Avenue

The circa-1830 New York Marble Cemetery, 41 1/2 Second Ave. between Second Street and Third Street, will be open to the public tomorrow (Sunday) from noon to 4 p.m. ...

Thanks to Pinch for the tip and pics from the first open day a few weeks back.

Here's the schedule through September...

Sunday, April 18: noon – 4 pm

Saturday, May 1: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, May 2 – Annual Reception & Owners Meeting: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, May 30: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, June 27: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, July 25: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, Aug. 29: noon – 4 pm

Sunday, Sept. 26: noon – 4 pm

The New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street between First Avenue and Second Avenue does not have any open days scheduled yet.

A way to support local bands at All the King's Horses Cafe on 12th Street

Some local bands will get a chance to sell their wares tomorrow (Sunday) during a pop-up event at All the King's Horses, the newish cafe that opened last fall at 521 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and Avenue B. 

Per the flyer, reps for the bands will be selling merch — clothing! records! zines! — from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. (Recommended: Hennessey.)

ICYMI: Pete Davidson to play Joey Ramone in Netflix biopic

Pete Davidson will produce and star in I SLEPT WITH JOEY RAMONE, a new biopic chronicling the life of the king of punk — whom we lost 20 years ago today.

The film, directed by Jason Orley from a treatment by Davidson and Orley, is based on Mickey Leigh's memoir of the same name. pic.twitter.com/4r49gZfsmo

— NetflixFilm (@NetflixFilm) April 15, 2021

The first reaction I heard was that Pete Davidson was too short for the role. He's 6-3. Joey Ramone was 6-6. 🙄 

More details at Deadline.

Saturday's opening shot

Tagged again on Bleecker at the Bowery. The Blondie mural had been restored back in December. 

It might get 'Lout'

 

The Horrors recently released a new EP — the band's first new music in four years. 

And as you'll hear in this audio clip for "Lout," they've taken a turn into the industrial metal aisle. 

A YouTube commenter tracked the band's progression: Garage Punk --> Art Rock/Shoegaze --> Dream Pop/Synth Pop ---> Cyberpunk/Industrial.

Ukrainian East Village restaurant is back

Dang. Busy late afternoon for reopenings. The National Ukrainian Home restaurant (aka Ukrainian East Village restaurant) reopens at 5 p.m. today at 140 Second Ave. between St. Mark's Place and Ninth Street, per Steven...

First time back for the 51-year-old mainstay since March 2020.