New Paint

Because so many East Villagers ride Citibikes to work, they don't often get to see the inside of the First Avenue F subway station (the East Village's favorite!).

For this reason, very few are aware of the painting that's been taking place of late.

Behold:

New paint.

Why some areas get paint and others don't is a mystery!

By the way, did you know this?

Litter stops here.

It starts again just outside the station!

#eastvillage #paint #ftrain #trashcans #litter

Massive Kitty Litter Spill

East Village riders of the uptown F train were surprised as ever yesterday morning to see this massive kitty litter spill on the formerly-beloved V-train side of the platform:

Kitty litter spill.

No one knows how this happened, but the rats had better stay away from here — there's sure to be a lot of cat goings-on!

#eastvillage #ftrain #vtrain #kittylitter

Lost Collar-Stay

Every now and then, for reasons too numerous to enumerate, instead of walking or riding a Citibike, I must take the subway to work. It seems onerous at the time, but this time it worked in my favor!

I was on the uptown platform of the Second Avenue F train a couple of mornings ago, when I saw this:

A collar stay.

For those who don't know, collar stays are smooth, rigid strips of metal, horn, baleen, mother of pearl, or plastic, rounded at one end and pointed at the other, inserted into specially made pockets on the underside of a shirt collar to stabilize the collar's points. The stays ensure that the collar lies flat against the collarbone, looking crisp and remaining in the correct place. It is an essential accessory!

East Villagers love their collars to look crisp and remain in place!

#eastvillage #ftrain

Abandoned Pizza Update

Two days ago, I told the story of abandoned food at the First Avenue F Train station. It was one of those "slice of life" stories that make the East Village so unique. Little did I suspect then that the story would continue!

Yesterday, I saw this when entering the First Avenue F Train station:

Pizza on a step.

As I suspected would happen, some conscientious East Villager knocked the pizza off the railing and onto the ground, where it belongs. But instead of just lying there and decomposing, it's slowly making its way into the subway! I might even wind up in the track bed, where it will be devoured by a rat!

The circle of life continues… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #litter ftrain #firstavenue

Misplaced Litter

When the town of Herculaneum was excavated, archeologists found evidence of meals being served, that were abandoned when the people evacuated.

Outside the First Avenue station of the F Train, something similar has occurred:

Abandoned pizza, rootbeer, and styrofoam.

This was not an instance of someone walking to the trash can to dispose of a dirty napkin; it was 8:30am, and raining. This food was definitely abandoned in a hurry!

East Villagers are conscientious people though — I'm sure in no time, someone pushed these items off the railing and onto the ground!

Keeping litter where it belongs… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #ftrain #firstavenue #litter

Sag Fail

I was on my way to the F train at the Second Avenue station, when I saw these pants on the stairs:

Pants on the stairs.

How does someone lose their pants, I wondered? Then it came to me: sag fail!

So, let this be a lesson: pull up your pants, East Villagers!

#eastvillage #subway #pants #ftrain #secondavenue

Photographers of the East Village

The East Village is probably the best neighborhood in all of New York City for photographers — everywhere you go, there's something to take a picture of. As a result, photographers can be seen everywhere!

I saw this photographer, and her assistant, last night, at the top of the First Avenue entrance to the F Train:

Photographer and assistant, outside the First Avenue F Train station.

I don't know what their subject was; the camera was pointed directly at the advertisement atop the railing. People exiting with the ad behind them? Traffic moving with the ad in front of it? The ad itself? Who can say?

All that can really be known is that more great pictures of the East Village Today now exist, to spread East Village coolness to the world!

#eastvillage #ftrain #cool #photographers #firstavenue

Construction Train at 2nd Avenue

It's been a long time since I've seen one of these:

Construction train.

There are different versions of these types of trains: money trains, that pick up money from token booths; garbage trains, that pick up garbage from station trash cans; and construction trains, that move construction equipment and supplies around, and are used when working on the tracks.

You usually only see these trains at night. I used to see a lot more of them, back when I took the subway at night. These days, if I have to go somewhere at night, I call a car service!

If you're wondering what this has to do with the East Village, I took this picture in the Second Avenue F train station the other morning, on my way to work. Just to give you an idea of how long I've been in the East Village, I can remember when this track was used for the V train! The V train doesn't even exist any more!

#eastvillage #ftrain #secondavenue #vtrain

Houston Street

It occurred to me yesterday that, for as long as I've been writing this blog, I haven't taken any pictures on Houston Street. The reason is simple: It's the least cool street in the whole East Village!

Imagine a wall around a kingdom — the outside of the wall bears the brunt of the elements beating against it. It's good that it exists, but no one really wants to go there.

Still, I've walked up Third Avenue, and across East 14th Street. So today I decided to venture across Houston Street. I took a Citibike over to the station near Avenue C, locked it up, and began my trek to the 1st Avenue station of the F train, my destination.

Today's pictures are a record of that journey.

#eastvillage #houstonstreet #avenuec #firstavenue #ftrain