Samuel Sullivan Cox Sign Returns

When I first saw the Samuel Sullivan Cox sign beside the Samuel Sullivan Cox statue on the southeast corner of Tompkins Square Park this past Saturday, I thought it was new.

New sign?

As you can see from the date, however, the sign is from May 2014!

May 2014.

By my photo records, as early as September 2014, this sign was not here. There's no telling why it was removed, or why it took so long to return — but it's back, that's all that matters!

It sure is long in its description, no? Compare that to the sign describing the Harry Greenberg, Park Supervisor tree, along the East 9th Street corridor:

Harry Greenberg, Park Supervisor sign.

There can only be one explanation: like all the best East Villagers, Samuel Sullivan Cox was from Ohio!

#eastvillage #harrygreenberg #ohio #ohioans #samuelsullivancox #signs #statues #tompkinssquarepark

Bike Hazards

Back in late-Spring/early-Summer, I was riding my Citibike down Second Avenue, on my way home from work. Like all Citibikers, I stopped when the light turned red, at the intersection of East 10th Street.

Suddenly, a bird sitting above me pooped!

Luckily, I am charmed, so it missed me. Still, I am wary now, each time I stopped at this light.

Recently, they removed the old payphone that stood at this corner, and replaced it with this hole, and some reinforcing rods, and orange barrels, and caution tape:

Hole, reinforcing rods, orange barrels, and caution tape.

A day or two later, they replaced the hole with this cement covering:

Cement covering.

It probably won't have any effect on birds pooping, though. You still have to be wary… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #secondavenue #orangebarrels #10thstreet #birdpoop

Career Opportunities

I was walking up Avenue C this past weekend, when I saw these yellos signs taped to a lamp post:

Yellow signs.

On closer inspection, I saw that they were advertising new opportunities in the exciting field of international arms dealing!

New opportunities.

East Villagers are hoping this is legitimate, and not some kind of guerrilla marketing ploy for some upcoming movie!

#eastvillage #avenuec #signs #internationalarmsdealing #guerrillamarketing

The Dog That Got Away

I was walking across East 7th Street this past Saturday, approaching Avenue A, when a medium-sized, black-and-white dog ran past me and into the street, at this intersection:

Avenue A and East 7th Street intersection.

A van was turning right, onto Avenue A, and almost hit the dog, but it skittered sideways and avoided being hit. It then continued across the street, and ran down the sidewalk along Avenue A.

I suspected that it was returning home, the way it knew.

Let's hope so, or we'll be seeing some new Lost Dog signs soon!

#eastvillage #dogs #avenuea #7thstreet

Ray's Candy Store Update

Speaking of the beloved Ray Candy Store, I was walking up Avenue A this past Saturday, when I noticed something new about their new awning. Specifically: Ray is possessive again!

Possessive again.

It's not the way I'd have done it, and it only affects the name of the store — the fried oreos are still plural!

I also noticed that the awning is taking on the corroded look that the old one suffered from:

Corroded look.

You just can't win for losing!

#eastvillage #rayscandystore #awnings #avenuea #signs

The New Ray Candy Store

Now that the shock has begun to subside, it's time to examine the recent changes wrought upon the beloved Ray Candy Store on Avenue A.

I'll start by saying that I don't dislike the green, but why oh why did they have to paint everything the same color?!

With all the artists that reside in the East Village, they should have had a contest to submit ideas for the renovation. People would have lined up for the chance to do this, and not charged a dime!

I hate to say this, but it was better before. It was shabby, but it was a calm shabby — it looks like a giant Sour Patch Kids package now!

Well, there goes my chance of being unbanned from their Twitter feed!

#eastvillage #avenuea #rayscandystore #renovations #twitter #shabby

The Next Level

Since being out of the East Village for over a week, I have returned with new focus — it's time to take this blog to the next level!

Abandoned beans.

So stay tuned to find out what exciting things lie ahead… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #abandonedfood #4thstreet

Abandoned Walker

I was walking down Avenue C the other day, when I saw this abandoned walker on the corner of East 4th Street:

Abandoned walker.

It's strange that the back wheels were removed. I bet they were taken by anarchists!

#eastvillage #4thstreet #abandoned #walker #anarchists #avenuec

Too Hot To Boogie

August is a good month to leave the East Village — it's hot, and there's nothing going on!

One exception is the annual Tompkins Square Riot Reunion Weekend!! show.

Here is a sign I saw last night, on Avenue B and East 6th Street:

Tompkins Square Riot Reunion Weekend!! sign.

It seems that the turnout was not great though, according to my source.

What do you expect, with 100-degree temperatures? — even anarchists stay in the A/C!

#eastvillage #tompkinssquarepark #riotreunion #anarchists #avenueb #6thstreet

Regular As Clockwork

Just as the 17-year cicadas regularly appear, East Village Today regularly disappears!

Except it's every six months, and not every 17 years.

And I don't really disappear — I just travel far, far away… to the hinterland!

What's out there? I'm glad you asked! Here are some pictures:

Location signs.

Yonder cemetery.

Sunset.

Do you know what's not out there? Pokémon!

No Pokémon here.

I hope you enjoyed this little tour of the world outside the East Village!

#hinterland #signs