Cool Graffiti Coverup

Almost a year ago to the day, the graffitier known as COOL graffitied on the front of the formerly-beloved Hop Devil Grill, on St. Mark's Place near Avenue A.

Today, with construction work taking place at that location, the graffiti is covered.

Behold:

Graffiti is covered.

Wait… what's that I see?

Trash bag on construction fence.

It's a trash bag at the top of the construction fence!

My guess is someone dropped the trash bag out of their window, intending for it to land behind the fence, but it landed on the fence instead… and now blocks the fire escape!

It's like the wild west here!

#eastvillage #constructionfences #constructionsites #fireescapes #stmarksplace #trashbags

Cool Dumpy Building

I was walking down Avenue C the other day, when I noticed how dumpy this building, beside the beloved Fine Fare, is:

Dumpy building.

Just then, I noticed something very cool about this building also, namely: the newly-painted center window head and sash, and the cornice!

Newly-painted center window head and sash, and cornice.

It was just about that time that I noticed this building is being held up by metal supports connected to the building next to it!

Held up by metal supports.

Those aren't just any metal supports, there's a fire escape ladder attached — indeed, it's a fire escape for the building on the right:

Fire escape.

This looks like one of those symbiotic relationships: the building on the right gets to secure its fire escape with the help of the building on the left, and the building on the left gets to secure its upright position with the help of the building on the right!

Cooperation!

#eastvillage #avenuec #finefare #fireescapes

Blue Is The New Black

It used to be that the East Village was colorless — today, all that's changed!

I was walking across East 2nd Street the other day, when I noticed that the fire escapes of this building are the same color as the Citibikes parked across the street from it!

Behold:

Matching Citibikes and fire escape.

As if that weren't enough, while walking up Avenue D yesterday, I saw this:

Citibus.

A new Citibus!

Or city bus, if you prefer.

#eastvillage #2ndstreet #avenued #blue #citibike #fireescapes #citybus

Ray's Candy Store Awning

The awning of the beloved Ray's Candy Store, on Avenue A, must have been cursed by a gypsy!

This is what the awning looked like after its renovation, back in July:

Clean and new.

This is what it looked like yesterday:

Grimy — paint peeling off.

I thought maybe the grime was running down the fire escape ladder, but then I remembered that there's a hole in the top of the awning, to allow the ladder to extend down to the sidewalk, and any drippings would pass through it:

Fire escape ladder hole.

Hmmm.

It looks like this curse is worse than I suspected.

At least the curse doesn't extend to their Department of Health Sanitation Inspection grade!

Grade A.

#eastvillage #rayscandystore #firehazard #fireescapes #awnings #sanitationinspectiongrade

Virtually Hands-Free

East Villagers are busy people — they do not like to waste time.

And fires are such a nuisance! That's why this East 3rd Street fire escape ladder was lowered:

Ladder lowered, in case of fire.

Since many of the buildings in the East Village are virtual tinderboxes, you can never be too careful! With all the things you have to take with you in case of a fire: your electric guitar, your leather jacket, your smart phone, your drugs… who has time, or the free hands, to lower the ladder?

The East Villager's motto is: Be Prepared!

#3rdstreet #fireescapes

Smoking

East Villagers love to smoke. From hookah bars to price wars, cigarettes play an important role in any East Villager's life.

This East Villager on East 4th Street was so excited to smoke she knocked out the screen.

Smoking.

It looks like she knocked the screen out more than once. These window frames are seriously messed up — the lintel is even missing from the window above where she's sitting!

As much as East Villagers love squalor, recent events have pointed out it's not always the safest way to live.

Plus, as the Surgeon General says: Smoking Causes Lung Cancer, Heart Disease, Emphysema, and May Complicate Pregnancy… in the East Village Today!

#eastvillage #cigarettes #fireescapes