Have Door, Will Travel

I was walking down Avenue A last week, when I saw someone in front of me turn onto East 3rd Street, carrying a door:

Carrying a door.

He stopped in front of the entrance to the First Houses courtyard:

First Houses courtyard.

There's no knob on this door — I hope he doesn't get trapped inside, if it closes!

#eastvillage #firsthouses #3rdstreet #avenuea #doors

The Exploded Car

Speaking of the bad old days, I was walking across East 3rd Street this past Saturday, when I saw this exploded car:

Exploded car.

Naturally, I had to take a look inside:

Front seat.

The back seat was missing:

Back seat missing.

And finally, the rear window:

Rear window.

The rumour about how this happened is preposterous, so I won't repeat it.

Let's just say: Nobody saw nuttin'!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #avenueb #explodedcars

New ATMs

It's been almost a year since the Chase Cash Mob, to help keep Chase banks in the East Village. At that time, two branches had closed, and the Chase ATMs removed from the local Duane Reade drugstores!

I am happy to report (to holders of Citibank accounts) that the Allpoint machines have been replaced with new Citibank ATMs!

Behold, in the Duane Reade on Avenue B and East 2nd Street:

Citibank ATM.

Naturally, I had to visit the Duane Reade on Avenue D and East 1st Street also:

Citibank ATM.

It doesn't help people with Chase accounts, but we still have one branch in the East Village, on Second Avenue and East 10th Street — Citibank account holders don't have any!

#eastvillage #1ststreet #3rdstreet #atms #avenueb #avenued #citibank #duanereade

A Riddle

Where do East Villagers go when they wake up in the morning?

To work!

Going to work.

Some walk to work, and others walk to the subway!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet

Today Is The Day

It's here: 7-Eleven Day!

In case you're new to the East Village, and don't know where the local
7-Eleven stores are, I will tell you.

One is on the corner of Avenue A and East 11th Street.

This is what it looks like:

Local 7-Eleven on Avenue A.

The other is on The Bowery, just above East 3rd Street.

This is what it looks like:

Local 7-Eleven on The Bowery.

You know the routine: visit both for two free slurpees — I know I will!

#eastvillage #11thstreet #7eleven #7elevenday #avenuea #slurpees #thebowery #3rdstreet

Fashionably Early

I don't know about other East Villagers (OK, yes I do!), but I like to arrive early when I see a live comedy show at the beloved Upright Citizens Brigade Theater East, on East 3rd Street.

By the looks of it, I'm not the only one:

Instagram: "I'm first in line!"

Nothing is more fashionable than being the first person in line behind the velvet rope!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #uprightcitizensbrigadetheatereast #velvetrope

Gone, And Forgotten

Back in February of this year, there was some question as to the economic health of the beloved New Carolina Deli Grocery, on the corner of Avenue D and East 3rd Street.

That question has been resolved:

Closed.

That leaves only No-Name Grocery Inc. and L.E.S. 7 Day Deli & Grocery for your scary, snack-food purchases!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #avenued #closed #newcarolinadeligrocery

Graffiti Motorcycle

I was walking across East 3rd street this morning, when I saw these orange doodles sprayed on this motorcycle cover:

Orange doodle-graffiti.

The doodles look like voodoo symbols: eyes and stick figures and squiggles and such. The bottom says: "GO BACK &". I wonder what the other side says? "TRY AGAIN"?

 I wonder if the owner did this, or some vandal?

#eastvillage #motorcycles #graffiti #motorcyclecovers #3rdstreet #voodoo

Weird Windshield

This sure is a curious phenomenon that I noticed, walking across East 3rd Street last month — there is more rain where the wiper blade travels across this windshield than there is where it misses!

Behold:

More rain, etc.

This may not have anything to do with being parked in the East Village, but it's on par with most of what happens here!

#eastvillage #rain #cars #windshieldwipers #3rdstreet

Another Rickety Old Gate

This rickety old gate on East 3rd Street looks like it would be hard to open from the inside:

Hard to open.

That's the kind of inconvenience East Villagers crave — all that's needed is a weldy-sculpture tree guard in front of it!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #ricketygates

Big Ugly Mess

Some times when you're walking around the East Village, you come upon something which can only be described as a big, ugly mess.

Such was the case when I was walking across East 3rd Street, one month ago to this very day:

Big ugly mess.

(I don't think it's stopped raining in all this time!)

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

Surely this couldn't have come from the beloved Root & Bone! They're… beloved!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #rootandbone #trash

Pointless Bird Spikes

Most people don't think of bird spikes as pointless — their pointiness is their very reason for existing!

These bird spikes, however, are completely pointless:

Pointless bird spikes.

In case you can't see what I'm talking about, here is a close-up:

Close-up.

Maybe they're not meant to keep birds away; maybe they're meant to keep people from discarding their cups in that particular spot!

#eastvillage #birdspikes #3rdstreet #abandonedcups #pointless

Bench Up, Bench Down

I was walking across East 3rd Street — lo, these seventeen days ago — when I saw this metal bench, chained to these air-conditioner-accommodating anti-theft bars:

Bench, chained.

That's one way to stop people from walking away with your bench!

However, the very next day, the bench was upended!

Behold:

Bench, upended.

It's hard to know if it was a frustrated thief, or a satisfied vandal, behind this chicanery!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #antitheftbars #benches #vandalism

FlootArt

Sometimes when you go walking around the East Village, you see things that stand apart from other things. One of these things is called #FLOOTART.

The first one I saw was at the intersection of Avenue B and East 3rd Street, and I didn't take a picture. I do remember thinking, when I saw it, "Ooh! Spirograph!"

Very soon after, I saw another one, this time on East 3rd Street between Avenues B and A, and I took a picture:

A picture of #FLOOTART.

I haven't seen any others since then — maybe these were the only two? — but I'm keeping an eye out!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #avenueb #avenuea #flootart #art

Abandoned Citibank

While everyone knows the plight of Chase Bank in the East Village, not as many are familiar with a similar situation going on with Citibank!

Here is an abandoned Citibank location, on Avenue A between East 3rd and 4th Streets:

Abandoned Citibank.

Unlike with Chase Bank, this was the only Citibank branch in the East Village, so its closing did not have the same impact as the closing of the Chases.

Still, added to the Chase closings, it's another step closer to becoming an under-served neighborhood… again!

#eastvillage avenuea #3rdstreet #4thstreet #citibank #underserved

Hatless Jester

Long ago, East Village Today discovered the location of the beloved Two Boots Pizza central business office, on East 3rd Street.

It's not known if this is still the central office, what with the sign gone! One thing is certain though: the oil standpipe makes a spiffy hatrack!

Spiffy hatrack.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

Somewhere in the East Village, a jester is hatless!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #jesters #standpipes #twobootspizza

Abandoned Lamp

When these signs were first put up, cautioning people to keep this area on East 3rd Street clear, they were probably thinking of parked cars, not lamps:

Keep this area clear.

East Villagers belove to participate in the share economy, whereby they abandon their non-working appliances on the sidewalk for someone to take and sell!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #abandoned #lamps #signs #freegans #shareeconomy

Banana Peel On A Ledge

Speaking of bananas, the beloved Ave. D Cleaners on East 3rd Street, just in from Avenue D, is not a place you'd expect to find a discarded banana peel, and yet, there is was:

Discarded banana peel.

Here is a close-up:

Close-up.

At least it wasn't wasted, like so many others!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #bananapeels #avenuedcleaners

Vespa Impairment

Citibikes were not the only vehicles impaired by the recent snowfall. Vespas (and Vespa-like scooters) were also affected, as can be seen here this past Thursday morning, outside the beloved Ave. A Deli & Food Inc., on the corner of Avenue A and East 3rd Street:

Vespa (or Vespa-like scooter) impaired.

Luckily, Vespa owners are not bound by the same restrictions as Citibike riders, so they were free to scoot off, once breaking free of the retaining wall!

#eastvillage #3rdstreet #aveadelifoodinc #avenuea #snow #vespas

All Grocerys 50% Off

East Villagers do love a good sale!

This past week, the beloved New Carolina Deli Grocery, on Avenue D and East 3rd Street:

New Carolina Deli Grocery.

…had the most amazing sale ever:

Most amazing sale ever.

With these prices, this won't last long!

#eastvillage #avenued #3rdstreet #newcarolinadeligrocery