Exit… Stage

Rumor has it that the beloved Stage Restaurant is closing for good, after being closed since last year, when Consolidated Edison discovered that the gas lines had been "inappropriately accessed"  and shut off their gas. This was followed by the Department of Buildings issuing a Full Stop Work order.

This was the scene outside yesterday evening:

Outside Stage Restaurant yesterday evening.

Stage was not that popular with East Villagers. First of all, there were no tables — only a line of stools at a counter! Also, the food was not very good.

Oh yes, and they didn't take debit/credit cards!

Hopefully, something will open here with better food, and a safer space!

#eastvillage #conedison #secondavenue #signs #stagerestaurant

New Line

I was walking up Second Avenue this past Sunday, when I saw this sign, taped to a lamp post:

New Line Productions, Inc.

As you know, East Villagers are always excited when this neighborhood is used to film TV shows, and films! Drivers move their cars hours in advance — tow-truck drivers rarely have to move anything!

True to their word, the film crew was set up along East 4th Street, Monday morning:

Set up Monday morning. 

I think it's a film about the new Second Avenue subway line, hence: New Line Productions!

Second Avenue subway line.

It's done with CGI… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #cgi #filmmakers #movies #secondavenue #subway

Re-Parcelling Second Avenue

Ever since the aftermath of the Second Avenue explosion and fire around this time last year, the vacant lot that was left behind was undifferentiated; it was a single lot.

A little while ago, it was re-parcelled:

Re-parcelling fence, view 1.

Re-parcelling fence, view 2.

It's important to know where the property lines are, so you know where to position the rat traps!

It looks like the rats come from the property on the corner (the left side of the picture) — the traps all point that way!

#eastvillage #secondavenue #fir, #eastvillageexplosion #fences #rattraps

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

Sale Over

The Great 50%-Off Sale at the beloved St. Mark's Bookshop, on East 3rd Street, is now finished. Yesterday was their last day open.

Sale signs.

East Villagers didn't really care for the books sold at St. Mark's Bookshop, that's why the discount was not increased to, oh, say, 90% — I don't think they could have given these books away!

Unsold books, on the last day.

Hopefully, once they're gone, this space will be occupied by something more popular:

16 Handles!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #signs #stmarksbookshop

Goodbye To Trash & Vaudeville

I was walking across St. Mark's Place yesterday, when I saw a gaggle of shoppers outside the beloved Trash & Vaudeville, which made me think to myself: "Hey, East Village Today, isn't this the last day Trash & Vaudeville is open at this location?"

"Why yes, it is!" I responded, and I went inside to take some fare-thee-well pictures.

I haven't been inside Trash & Vaudeville since the mid-1980s, and let me tell you this: It hasn't changed a bit!

Behold, upstairs:

Upstairs/front.

Upstairs/back.

The sign on the back wall reads: Rock and Roll Kids Clothes — aren't these all kids clothes?!

Speaking of kids, a couple of teenagers were with their father, when one pointed to the t-shirt wall and said: "It's your shirt!"

Somewhere, a t-shirt printer has never changed the plates on his silkscreening machine.

Next stop, downstairs:

Downstairs/front.

Downstairs/back.

Do you know how Dr. Martens boots became so popular? The sound man at CBGB was being bitten on his ankles by fleas, so he went to an Army/Navy store and bought a pair of black boots. True fact!

A fun time was had by all, while The Stooges's "No Fun" blared from the speakers!

East Villagers can hardly wait for Trash & Vaudeville to re-open in their new location — maybe they'll sell newer clothes!

#eastvillage #drmartens #stmarksplace #thestooges #trashvaudeville

Waiting For the Bus

I was walking up Second Avenue this past Friday, when I saw this line of people waiting for the bus:

Waiting for the bus.

It made me think: If Lou Reed were alive today, and lived in the East Village instead of on the Upper West Side, he might have written a song something like this:

I'm waiting for my bus
A monthly bus pass, in my hand
It's always frequent, it's never late
First thing you learn is that the MTA is going your way!
I'm waiting for my bus 

By the way, if you're wondering what those numbers are on the right side of the picture, outside the beloved Professor Thom's bar, wonder no more!

#eastvillage #citybus #lost #loureed #mta #professorthoms #secondavenue

Pranksters

East Villagers are a fun-loving lot — they love a good prank!

This morning, I was walking across East 7th Street, past Tompkins Square Park, when I saw the remnants of a tree TP'ing:

Remnants of a tree TP'ing.

Not a lot of TP, to be sure, but it's possible there was more at an earlier time, and some exemplary East Villager cleaned it up, since when I passed the trash can across from the park, on Avenue A at St. Mark's Place, I saw this TP in a trash can:

TP in a trash can.

Having fun, and cleaning up after — that's the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #7thstreet #stmarksplace #tompkinssquarepark #trashcans #trees

Mystery Solved

If you've spent any time walking around the East Village, you've probably wondered: What's the deal with those green mailboxes?! Are they just olive-drab graffiti magnets?

Walking down Second Avenue this past Sunday, like Scooby-Doo, I solved the mystery:

Mystery is solved.

They're used to hold the items the letter carrier needs, like a cup of coffee!

This one got knocked over.

#eastvillage #graffiti #greenmailboxes #mysteries #secondavenue

Umphrey's Monday

If you're a fan of the jam band scene, like Phish and the Grateful Dead, influenced by progressive rock artists such as King Crimson, Yes, Pink Floyd, Frank Zappa, The Mahavishnu Orchestra, and early Genesis, as well as heavy metal bands such as Iron Maiden and Guns N' Roses, and it's a Monday, then Corlears on East 3rd Street is the place for you!

Check it:

Umphrey's Monday.

And their coctails are handmade!

* * *

Here's a video of Umphrey's McGee, the inspiration behind Umphrey's Monday — nothing too fancy!

#eastvillage #corlears #3rdstreet #signs #umphreysmcgee