Celebrating the Summer Solstice (today!) with Make Music New York

Today, Make Music New York rings in its 16th year celebrating the Summer Solstice with more than 1,000 concerts on streets, sidewalks and parks across the five boroughs. 

In the East Village, there are scheduled shows in Tompkins Square Park and on Astor Place... not to mention several community gardens. This map provides more details.

A special shout-out to Albert's Garden, one of the oldest community gardens in Manhattan (established 1971). 

From 6-8 this evening, you can find Just (Jazz) Friends, an ensemble playing vocal and instrumental jazz standards focused on the American Songbook, Brazilian jazz, and occasional forays into pop/R&B classics from the 1960s and 1970s. Poet Davidson Garrett will also make an appearance. Albert's Garden is at 16 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery.

Taco Bell grandly opens on 3rd Avenue and 13th Street

Photo by Jefferson Siegel 

Taco Bell has debuted on the SW corner of Third Avenue and 13th Street ... a pending arrival we pointed out here and here ... and, heh, here. 

Posted hours: 8 a.m. to 1 a.m. "or later."

As previously noted, there was a Taco Bell at 58 Third Ave. between 10th Street and 11th Street until sometime in late 2007 or early 2008. Welcome back? [Ducking]

Monday's parting shot

The New York City Marble Cemetery on Second Street at dusk...

At the Zine Fair on St. Mark's Place

Photos by Stacie Joy 

Hundreds of zine enthusiasts turned out on Saturday for the second-annual Zine Fair on St Mark's Place between First Avenue and Second Avenue.

Printed Matter/St. Mark's and 8-Ball Community teamed up once again for the event that featured more than 70 independent publishers, zine makers and artists. (There were also several collaborative events at community gardens throughout the neighborhood.)

EVG contributor Stacie Joy shared these photos of some of the buyers and sellers ...

Why is the SE corner of 2nd Avenue and 5th Street a dumping ground for artificial Christmas trees?

Photo by Derek Berg 

An important question! And one that we don't have the answer to at the moment. 

For starters, this pile, now slightly less organized, appears to be the same batch of artificial Christmas trees that Carol from East 5th Street spotted back on Friday. 

This is on the curb (bike lane) outside the new location of Nai Tapas Bar at 84 Second Ave. and Sushi by M at 500 E. Fifth St. 

Why did someone have 10 or so fake trees in their possession? Why not simply put them in storage until it's time to decorate for Christmas this coming July 4 weekend?

EVG Etc.: Ridership surge swamps Citi Bike; Velazquez endorses Rivera

Photo on 1st Avenue by Derek Berg

• The latest on the Open Restaurants Program, with comments from East Village restaurant owners (The City) 

• Labor shortage keeps Veselka from being open 24/7 (Insider) 

• At Zaragoza Deli & Grocery on Avenue A: "An East Village home for Mexican family recipes" (CBS New York) 

• Police look for hit-and-run scooter rider who struck 2 year old on Suffolk and East Houston (1010 WINS) 

• Ada Calhoun reflects on her East Village childhood (The Post ... previously on EVG) 

• Ridership surge swamps Citi Bike (Streetsblog) 

• Early voting underway (Gothamist) 

• Rep. Nydia Velazquez endorses Carlina Rivera in crowded NY-10 primary battle (Daily News via AOL) 

• Hanging with the red-tailed hawk fledglings in Tompkins Square Park (Laura Goggin Photography) 

• Lawsuit: Russian oligarch throws NYC developments into disarray, including 238-240 E. Third St. (The Post) 

• A profile of Mia Yoo, artistic director of La MaMa Experimental Theater Club (The New York Times) 

• Suspect in LES subway attack arrested in Baltimore on rape charge (The Post)

• Man starts fire inside Eldridge Street spa, injuring two people (CBS New York) 

• More about Loisida, the new LES-based clothing brand via Carson Lovett and cumgirl8's Veronika Vilim (Paper ... previously on EVG) 

• A Chinatown dining guide (Eater) 

• The Egg Rolls, Egg Creams & Empanadas Festival is coming back for its 21st edition (Thrillist)

Report: Concern over the potential sale of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary

Last week the Post reported on the ongoing rumors about the sale of the New York Eye and Ear Infirmary at 218 Second Ave. and 13th Street. 

"Worried doctors and staff members" told the paper's Steve Cuozzo that the circa-1902 building "might be sold and demolished for a new building." 

The building, part of Mount Sinai Health System (and the location of a Marlon Brando scene from "The Godfather"), "is at the center of a three-way drama involving medical care, historic preservation and a potential real-estate windfall." 

Per the Post: 

In the interest of "streamlining" and reducing costs, Mount Sinai is gradually moving surgery, clinical, ambulatory and other departments to locations it has around Manhattan — a claim which Sinai did not dispute. Some doctors said the stealthy process will ruin the "synergy" of having all the functions in one spot and diminish patient care. 

And... 

They fear that Mount Sinai will eventually empty the old building and an adjacent one built in the 1960s at 310 E. 14th St. to clear the way for a lucrative sale to a developer. One doctor who didn't want to be named said, "Mount Sinai is going to close this building and make whatever they can on it." 

Earlier this spring, Village Preservation launched a campaign to request landmarking for the building. 

According to the Post, a new building could have up to 210,000 square feet of floor area. Real-estate sources told the paper that the land could fetch in the neighborhood of $70 million.

Sunday's parting shot

Photo by Peter Brownscombe 

An outdoor procession via St. Stanislaus for the Solemnity of the Most Holy Body and Blood of Christ (aka Corpus Christi) today on Avenue A ...

50 years of 'Deep Throat'

Photos by Stacie Joy 

The Slipper Room, the performance arts theater at 167 Orchard St., hosted a 50th-anniversary screening of "Deep Throat" — the first adult film to secure a mainstream theatrical release — on June 12. 

The premiere of the 4K digital version included a cocktail party, go-go dancers, film screenings, a Q&A session and a 1970s-themed burlesque show. (You can read about the film's complicated legacy here. Or here.)

Gerard Damiano Jr. (photo above) and Christar Damiano (middle below), the children of "Deep Throat"'s writer and director Gerard Sr., were at the premiere... as was EVG contributor Stacie Joy...

"The Deep Throat at 50" tour continues throughout 2022.

Week in Grieview

Posts this past week included (with watercolors in the rain Thursday morning)... 

• East Village Loves NYC issues a fundraising appeal to help continue feeding New Yorkers in need (Monday) 

• Proposed plans now call for a 24-story residential building on 14th Street and Avenue C (Tuesday) 

• Essex Card Shop getting closer to reopening on Avenue A (Tuesday) 

• Remembering Maximiliano Contreras at the Parkside Lounge (Friday) ... Remembering Jose Fernandez (Monday) 

• 'Alien' nation: East Village duo the Acute release debut full-length record (Wednesday) 

• Office building for 3rd Avenue and St. Mark's Place moving forward after developer secures $70-million loan (Monday) 

• City once again closes the area around the chess tables in Tompkins Square Park (Thursday) 

• At the book party for Ada Calhoun's 'Also a Poet' (Friday)

• 'Summer in the City' with East Village writer Jennie Willink (Saturday) 

• Suki Japanese Kitchen expands in East Village relocation (Thursday) 

• Checking in on the Bowery Mural Wall 'on pause' (Thursday) 

• Proletariat opens in new 7th Street home (Friday) 

• The all-new 360 Bowery is in the piledriving and jackhammering phase (Monday) 

• Coming soon: Ando Patisserie on 10th Street; Unique Omakase on 1st Avenue (Wednesday)

• Desert Rose Café has apparently closed on 9th Street (Wednesday) ... Report: Raclette has closed on 12th Street (Monday) 

• Openings: Fries Factory on 14th Street (Wednesday)

• Team behind Ichibantei eyeing 100 3rd Ave. (Monday) 

• Sales underway at the 'bespoke' La Botanica on 6th Street (Thursday) 

And several readers noted a passed-out Santa yesterday morning outside the KFC on Second Avenue and 14th Street... he was apparently OK and sleeping off something...

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

A Juneteenth Celebration with live music on Astor Place this afternoon

Joe's Pub at the Public is hosting a Juneteenth Celebration this afternoon on Astor Place. 

Here's the free outdoor concert lineup: 

• 2 p.m. — Juneteenth LP (pictured above) 
• 3:30 p.m. — Carmen Rodgers 
• 5 p.m. — Nikara Warren

Top photo via the Juneteenth LP website

Sunday's opening shot

Photo by Stacie Joy 

Yesterday, Shahrzad Ghadjar celebrated the first anniversary of her shop, Spooksvilla + Friends, at 309 E. Ninth St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue. (Check our Q&A with her from April at this link.) 

Her father was on hand for the occasion. 

And a Happy Father's Day to all fathers, dads, father figures, etc. 

Saturday's parting shot

Sunset shot courtesy of @cecilscheib...

'Summer in the City' with East Village writer Jennie Willink

Photos by Stacie Joy

Longtime East Village resident Jennie Willink, pictured above with her "muse and canine inspiration," Cosmo, is now a first-time middle grade novelist. 

Her book, "The Peonies: Summer in the City" (with Alix Sloane) was released earlier this month by DiAngelo Publications.

"The book all takes place in and around the East Village and celebrates our neighborhood, friendship and community with honesty, humor and lots of dogs," she told us.

And the plot:

The novel follows the story of Poppy and Esme (aka The Peonies) two 11-year-old best friends who live in the same apartment building in New York City’s East Village where they share a lively, non-traditional "friend-family" and are practically inseparable. But on the last day of fifth grade, the girls’ parents drop a bomb: Esme and her family are moving to California. 

After the shock wears off, the tweens set out to earn enough money to purchase two very special, very expensive, matching friendship necklaces. They start a dog walking business, Peony's Prancing Pups, and the adventure begins.

And, importantly, she noted that a neighborhood blog, "East Village Update," plays a major role in the success of the young protagonists. 

Today (Saturday) from 6-8 p.m. marks the official launch at Boris & Horton, the dog cafe on Avenue A at 12th Street. On July 12, she's also doing an event at P&T Knitwear on Orchard Street.

A Summer Kick-Off Block Party on 4th Street today

Cooper Square MHA II is hosting a summer kick-off block party today from noon to 6 p.m. on Fourth Street between Second Avenue and the Bowery. 

Via the EVG inbox... 

Join us for a fun-filled day with Cooper Square MHA II as we host our first summer block party! Food, raffles, resident flea market, magic show, face painting, a bouncy house and performances by DJ Tony Bonilla, Sonido Costeño (live salsa), Rod Rogers Dance, 4th St. freestyle battle and more!

It's Record Store Day, June edition (and record store appreciation day always)

Today (Saturday, June 18!) is part 2 of Record Store Day 2022... the pandemic and vinyl supply-chain issues caused some titles to be pushed back from their original release date. 

So here we are. There are new titles out today. Not sure how each of our local shops might be celebrating the day. Limited to One at 221 E. 10th St. will have some crate-digging opps with a handful of rare and out-of-print vinyl as well as some ticket giveaways "and who knows what else." (!!!) The shop opens at 11 a.m.

Here's a list of EV record stores...

• A-1 Record Shop 

439 E. Sixth St. between Avenue A and First Avenue 

• Academy Records 

415 E. 12th St. between Avenue A and First Avenue

• Ergot Records 

32 E. Second St. between Second Avenue and the Bowery 

• Limited to One Records 

221 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue 

• Manhattan45 

220 E. 10th St. between First Avenue and Second Avenue 

• Stranded Records 

218 E. Fifth St. between Second Avenue and Cooper Square

June 17

OK! So they are artificial... why discard them now when you need to put them up again in early August? 

Second Avenue at Fifth Street today by Carol from East 5th Street...