First Crusties of Spring — 2018

It's that time of the year again — it's time for the return of the crusties!

I saw these crusties on St. Mark's Place last night, outside the formerly-beloved JAS Mart:

Crusties last night.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

It looks like they changed their uniform color!

Not to be outdone, here is the first robin of Spring, on East 6th Street this morning:

First robin.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

His uniform color hasn't changed.

#eastvillage #6thstreet #crusties #jasmart #robins #stmarksplace

Crusty: The Gathering

East Villagers have different ways of navigating crusties, as seen in this picture taken last Thursday.

The two entering from the left walked in the gutter to avoid them, while the man in the center (quite possibly reading East Village Today on his phone!), wandered unawares into their midst!

Navigating the crusties.

The lesson here is: If you read East Village Today on your phone, find a place to sit down — you don't want to trip and fall into a nest of crusties!

#eastvillage #stmarksplace #noloitering #crusties #jasmart #selfpromotion

Crusties & Signs

As I wrote back in early March, the owner of the formerly-beloved JAS Mart on St. Mark's Place prepared for the annual return of the crusties by taping up No Loitering signs inside his store.

Walking across St. Mark's Place this past Sunday, I saw that the signs are not working:

Signs not working.

And yet, a one short block away, the signs are working:

Signs are working.

Proving once and for all: If you want to keep crusties from loitering in front of your establishment, put the signs in the shady areas where they don't sit!

Crusties love sunshine!

#eastvillage #crusties #jasmart #signs #stmarksplace #sunshine #noloitering

The First Crusties of Spring

Leonardo DiCaprio was right about the effects of global warming, not only on movie production but on the migration of species!

Witness this, seen last Sunday on Second Avenue — the crusties returned early:

Crusties returned early.

Many crusties like to spend their days loitering on St. Mark's Place. The formerly-beloved JAS Mart has already prepared for their return:

Prepared for crusties' return.

Here's a close-up:

Close-up.

East Villagers welcome the crusties with open arms — which is another way of saying they like to keep them at arm's length!

#eastvillage #crusties #jasmart #signs #stmarksplace

The Busker

The East Village is famous for its buskers — you can't swing a cat without hitting one!

I was walking across St. Mark's Place last Saturday when I saw this busker in front of the formerly-beloved JAS Mart:

Busker in front of JAS Mart.

To be kind, here's a close-up:

Close-up.

They say that he won't last too long in the East Village — he'll catch a Greyhound bus for home, they all say. But they're dead wrong, I know they are. 'Cause he can play that there guitar. And he won't quit till he's a star… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #stmarksplace #musicians #buskers #jasmart