Updated 5/22: The docking station has returned.
Don't have any answers at the moment... though someone did ask if maybe it was stolen and sold on the block to the east...
Thanks to Steven for the photo...
Saturday, May 13, 2023
Citi hike? Docking station vanishes on 14th and 1st
Friday, May 12, 2023
Friday's parting shot (aka May 12)
Rust never sleeps
The Pittsburgh-based quartet Feeble Little Horse is releasing their new record, Girl with Fish, on June 9 via Saddle Creek.
The above video is for the lead single, "Tin Man."
And you can check out the noise-pop band on June 28 at the Music Hall of Williamsburg.
Baking news: The annual plant and bake sale is this weekend at the 6th & B Garden
Flyer by Briar Winters
The annual plant and bake sale takes place this weekend (Saturday and Sunday!) from noon to 5 p.m. at the 6th Street and Avenue B Garden
You can find the plants and baked goods here on the southwest corner of Avenue B and Sixth Street. Proceeds help fund the various events — music, workshops, poetry, screenings and more — during the year.
About the Hive Market & Flea tomorrow at PS19EVCS
The Hive Market & Flea will feature some arts and crafts, gently used clothing and accessories, and baked goods. Oh, and a raffle. Proceeds go to the school's Parents Association.
A visit to a Ketamine-assisted therapy practitioner
Photos and text by Stacie Joy
East Village resident and Ketamine-assisted therapy mental health counselor Jill M. Twohig, who practices out of an office on Second Street near Avenue B, agreed to talk to me about the treatment, its use, and its efficacy, and why people may choose this form of therapy.
For those unfamiliar with Ketamine and Ketamine therapy, can you walk us through the process? What is the medication, how is it administered (injection, lozenge, pill – something else entirely?), and what is it used to treat?
Ketamine can be administered through intramuscular injection, IV [intravenous], or a sublingual lozenge. The former two methods have been used in major hospitals and clinics under the supervision of an NP [nurse practitioner], while my practice uses a self-administered lozenge.
Ketamine has been clinically significant as highly effective in reducing and eliminating symptoms of Major Depressive Disorder, PTSD [posttraumatic stress disorder], OCD [obsessive-compulsive disorder], and alcohol dependence (which is a symptom of trauma).
As a therapist, I meet with the individual for a session or two in order to get a sense of therapeutic goals and prepare them for the medication’s effects. Then, a Ketamine-dosing session would start with my leading a guided meditation to assist with transitioning into a non-ordinary state of consciousness while the patient is lying down wearing eyeshades and ambient music playing.
A “sitter” is required to be physically present to provide anything the patient might need during the dosing period; the role is the therapist is to remain present and then provide integration during and after the session. This process typically lasts around two hours. Then, within a 48-hour period, we would meet to have a regular 50-minute talk therapy or integration session.
It’s an FDA-approved drug, but you mentioned insurance doesn’t cover the cost of it for off-label use. How does the application process to get a prescription work, and what is your role in guiding patients through the process? Is it a one-time use, a series of treatments, or an ongoing usage?
Ketamine was initially developed in the 1960s as a field anesthetic for soldiers during the Vietnam War. It has continued to be prescribed in operating rooms, in prescription form for humans, and in veterinary settings. Ketamine gained popularity as a club drug due to the hallucinogenic and euphoric properties accompanying the medication; the reputation as a horse tranquilizer came about as it was easier to steal from veterinary clinics than pharmacies.
For those interested in using Ketamine to treat mental health concerns, they first need to consult with a prescriber, like a psychiatrist or NP. It is not usually prescribed as a front-line medication; individuals would have to have trials of traditional SSRIs [selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors] or other medications before Ketamine is considered.
The recommended number of KAP, or Ketamine-assisted psychotherapy dosing sessions, is between 6-12, starting at a low dose and then increasing to help the patient gradually become comfortable with the effects. People have reported feeling relief from symptoms after the initial dose, although this is different for everyone.
The effects of Ketamine vary, depending on the individual. Timothy Leary coined the term “set and setting,” which refers to the mindset and context when taking a psychedelic, so it is important to go into the experience feeling comfortable and supported.
Depending on how the medicine is administered and the amount, the effects can be felt quickly or take up to 20 minutes. People report feelings of euphoria, dissociation, and peacefulness; side effects can include dizziness and nausea, so an antinausea medication is usually prescribed to take along with the Ketamine dose.
The acute effects last for about 30-60 minutes. However, the real success of Ketamine comes from long-lasting and permanent reduction and loss of symptoms from depression, PTSD, OCD, and substance use.
You practice from an office on Second Street between Avenue A and Avenue B. Are you mostly seeing local clients and patients? Do you also practice over Zoom or telehealth? Who is a typical client if such a thing exists?
I see people in the office on Tuesdays, Wednesdays and Thursdays and over Zoom on Fridays and Saturdays. The people who tend to seek me out are adults who identify with a segment of the counterculture, including nontraditional sexual/gender expression, sex workers and people in poly relationship structures, the LGBTQIA+ community, artists and performers. I also work well with those who ascribe to a more vanilla lifestyle.
How did you become involved in this treatment modality? You mentioned your tagline was Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’roll Therapy. Can you speak more about that?
I had been reading about the psychedelic renaissance in mental health treatment over the past several years, and it particularly sparked my interest when attending an online conference on trauma in 2020. Major leaders in the field of PTSD treatment and research were present, and they were speaking about the overwhelming efficacy of Ketamine, MDMA, and psychedelics in not only treating but also actually healing the effects of trauma.
In 2021, I was recruited by a start-up company offering online KAP to become a founding therapist and completed specialized training in the modality. Concurrently, I decided to pursue AASECT [American Associations of Sexuality Educators, Counselors and Therapists] certification as a sex therapist. I am now finishing my coursework and supervision requirements.
The “Sex, Drugs and Rock’n’Roll Therapy” tagline was coined by my boyfriend [local cartoonist Dave McKenna, who also designed her business card] when he pointed out that I specialized in sex and drugs in my therapeutic practice and also that I DJ! Regarding my therapeutic approach, I recognize and honor the difficulties, misunderstandings, and stigma attached to discussing sex and substance use, even within a therapeutic setting.
I see a lot of judgment among mental health providers around substance use and addiction as a disease that can only be cured through abstinence and traditional 12-step and rehabilitation programs rather than as a response to trauma and a way to manage anxiety, depression, and complexities of systematic oppression, to name a few contexts.
My approach is to uncover, understand and focus on the reason behind substance use and meet the individual where they are, either using a harm-reduction approach or 12-step, whatever works for them. In addition, I also like to incorporate music therapy in treatment.
Thursday, May 11, 2023
Stand back, here are photos from Night of 1000 Stevies at Irving Plaza
Photos by Stacie Joy
Saturday night saw the 31st edition of Night of 1000 Stevies — billed as the longest-running Stevie Nicks fan event on the planet — take flight at the Irving Plaza...
This year's theme paid homage "to the many angels in Stevie's songs and artwork." Here's a look at the angels and everyone else who took part...
Someone artfully wrapped this drinking fountain in Tompkins Square Park with aluminum foil
Photos yesterday by Derek Berg
As seen outside the dog run... artist unknown RN... and NOT part of the field house reconstruction...
A new name and (familiar) owners for the currently closed Downtown Bakery
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
When Downtown Bakery reopens at 69 First Ave., the delicious and affordable quick-serve Mexican restaurant will have new (familiar) owners and a new name.
On Feb. 21, as we first reported, the DOH closed Downtown Bakery for operating with an expired health permit. When we checked in with them last month, management was navigating the red tape to get a new permit and using the downtime to spruce up the small space here between Fourth Street and Fifth Street.
Now we learn that the longtime owner decided to retire, and the veteran managers (from left above), Ivan and Mario Marín, are taking over the reins.
In addition, the brothers say they are changing the name to Downtown Burritos Cocina Mexicana.
Ivan and Mario have worked for 20-plus years here and expect to make only a few cosmetic changes. They also mentioned the confusion regarding "Bakery" in the name — people would call and ask about baked goods.
Meanwhile, they hope to reopen as soon as the interior renovations are complete...
Beloved Cafe has closed on the Lower East Side
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
After nearly 20 months in business, Beloved Cafe has shut down at 196 Allen St. between Houston and Stanton.
The health-focused cafe has been dark in recent weeks. A rep at the San Francisco outpost confirmed the closure, stating, "Everything is so expensive there." The rep said, "At the beginning, it was so crowded, but then not busy enough."
Beloved Cafe opened in September 2021, offering organic juices, teas, smoothies, salads and plant-based bowls — not to mention fresh-baked sourdough doughnuts.
Gotham — NYC's 'first cannabis concept store' — debuts today on Third Street
Gotham founder Joanne Wilson called the shop's concept "the next wave of cannabis retail."
"Gotham is a reflection of New York's rich history and influence. We're proud to be one of the pioneers reimagining what the legalized cannabis market can become in the state," she said in a press announcement about the opening.
And the two-level space features more than cannabis, focusing on art and music.
Per the opening announcement:
Gotham will feature a curated selection of retail, exhibits, and happenings that reflect New York's cultural zeitgeist. The 2,800-square-foot open-concept venue features an exhibition space that will display seasonally rotating shows featuring New York artists. For its inaugural show, Gotham will partner with Bright Moments to present an NFT gallery. The store will also feature a permanent installation by NYC-based multimedia artist Molly Lowe.
Gotham is open for in-person shopping and pick-up daily from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m., with delivery coming soon.
Back in January, this location reportedly drew opposition from management at Project Renewal, which operates a men's shelter and an in-patient substance abuse treatment on the block.
Gotham partnered with STRIVE on this shop.
From the release:
Gotham is committed to creating systemic change through the power of jobs, education and opportunity for those that were formerly incarcerated for cannabis. STRIVE is a nonprofit which provides a pathway to life-changing careers for those who face societal barriers to economic empowerment and upward mobility — including those impacted by the justice system. As a beneficiary, the nonprofit will receive a portion of the proceeds to fund its programs.
A J Crew for NoHo
The brand currently has nine outposts in Manhattan, including the men's shop (with coffee bar) that opened last September on the Bowery and Bleecker.
Wednesday, May 10, 2023
Wednesday's closing shots
'The Legend of Zelda,' bus edition
A new era for Bush Tetras
Photos and reporting by Stacie Joy
Bush Tetras, the influential post-punk/no-wave band that got its start on the Lower East Side in the late 1970s, have announced a new full-length release, They Live in My Head, due out on July 28.
The band also released the first single, "Things I Put Together," last Thursday ... which Jon Pareles at the Times wrote, "reclaims Bush Tetras' muscle, dissonance and die-hard contrarianism."
Meanwhile, the band recently added bassist (and EV resident) Cait "Rocky" O'Riordan (top right). She joins founding members Cynthia Sley (top left) and Pat Place ... and Sonic Youth's Steve Shelley, who stepped in on drums in early 2022 after the death of Dee Pop in October 2021.
Earlier last week, EVG contributor Stacie Joy met the foursome at Rivington Music Rehearsal Studios as they were preparing for a sold-out show at Union Pool on May 3.
Afterward, the group walked over to Mughlai Grill Indian Restaurant at 6 Clinton St., running into downtown writer-performance artist Penny Arcade on the way...
"It sounds like when we first started," Sley said, "We're having a lot of fun."
And for the newest member? "It's been exhilarating — the basslines are so much fun," O'Riordan said. "And Steve 'Fucking' Shelley is on drums! We're all levitating all the time, and it's a beautiful thing."
Check out the new single here...
The fruit vendor returns to Astor Place
EVG regular Lola Sáenz notes that Abdul the fruit vendor has returned to the sidewalk outside 51 Astor Place (and across from Cooper Union) for the first time since the start of the pandemic in March 2020...
Welcome back, Abdul...
&Beer is a new pop-up concept on 7th Street
The 14-seat counter space will host a rotation of pop-ups throughout the year — beginning with Mushrooms & Beer, led by Avant Garden chef Juan Pajarito.
Per Overthrow:
&Beer will, naturally, offer a diverse selection of beers on-tap alongside bottles and cans curated by Proletariat's cicerone Ramon Manrique Hung, plus a selection of natural wines, paired alongside a mushroom-focused menu consisting of 12 offerings, all featuring mushrooms in various forms. The team has worked with local purveyors like Smallhold and Mushroom Queens to devise the focused menu.The new spot is adjacent to Proletariat, which moved here last summer from St. Mark's Place.
Hours: Tuesday-Saturday from 5-10 p.m.
Tuesday, May 9, 2023
Porta potties arrive in Tompkins Square Park for use during field house renovations
The restrooms in the Tompkins Square Park field house are now closed as part of an 18-month renovation getting underway.
In February, a Parks official explained that temporary toilets were not part of the contract "and cannot be supplied during construction." The alternative for public use during this period: The restrooms at the McKinley Playground on Fourth Street between Avenue A and First Avenue adjacent to P.S. 63/the Neighborhood School.
By March, though, Community Board 3 noted that porta potties would be on-site after all.
A close-up view... (photo by Steven)...
On Astor Place, the cube will BRB to spin again
As previously reported (first by THE CITY), the 1,800-pound cube is off to Bethany, Conn., for restoration by Versteeg Art Fabricators — a firm that also restored the cube in 2005.they stole the Astor Place cube! #NewYorkCity pic.twitter.com/hbypJzFgss
— g 🦅 (@aworldaIone) May 9, 2023
The cube had been out of commission with structural damage since late 2021. The barricades first arrived around the cube in December 2021, before the city removed them in late April 2022. At the time, we were told that the spinning mechanism for the cube, which manually rotates around a pole hidden in its center, was not working.
Tony Rosenthal's sculpture first arrived here in November 1967.
And Rosenthal's estate is picking up the estimated repair bill of $100,000.
From the Times:
Dave Petrie, the director of Rosenthal’s estate, said he was "concerned about the state of disrepair" the cube had fallen into..."The thesis was, we want to do this," he said. "The cost wasn't the issue. We want Tony's legacy to live on."
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