Christodora Shroud

The Christodora House, on the corner of Avenue B and East 8th Street, is probably the most beloved apartment building in the East Village.

And why not? Michigan-born musician Iggy Pop once lived here!

I was walking through Tompkins Square Park this past Thursday evening, when I saw that the Christodora House was being enshrouded:

Enshrouded.

It's nice to see when things are being taken care of — preserving the past, for future generations to admire!

#eastvillage #8thstreet #avenueb #christodorahouse #iggypop #renovations #shroud #tompkinssquarepark

Another Story About Callboxes

Speaking of Second Avenue call boxes, I saw this recent addition to the call box on Second Avenue and East 9th Street:

Recent addition.

Now, not only can you call the Police, you can call SAEY SMER!

You see that KATSU at the top? Apparently, these two work in tandem, as seen from this Instagram picture:

Instagram picture.

Last night, a new sign, announcing the opening of the beloved Famous Cutz joined the fray:

Joining the fray.

Its hard to imagine the East Village without our call boxes!

#eastvillage #call boxes #stickers #secondavenue #9thstreet #graffiti #famouscutz #saeysmer #katsu

Red Call Box, Red Post

Like many East Villagers, I ride my Citibike down the Second Avenue bike lane.

Through a combination of my average speed and the timing of the stoplights, I oftentimes find myself stopped at the corner of East 7th Street, which is where I saw a newly-painted call box (below). The painters must have had a bit of paint left over, because they painted the post beside it also!

Unfortunately, this occurred a month or so ago, when it was still dark at 5:30, so I couldn't get a decent picture of it.

Today, it looks like this:

Scribbled-on.

Last month, it looked a lot like this quick and dirty rendering:

Quick and dirty rendering.

Scribblers gonna scribble!

#eastvillage #call boxes #paint #secondavenue #7thstreet #bikelanes #graffiti

The Windy Day

It was so windy in the East Village this past Thursday!

How windy was it?

It was so windy, this cardboard box blew into the bike lane, on Second Avenue at St. Mark's Place:

Cardboard box in bike lane.

As if East Village bicyclists didn't have enough to deal with, getting all blown around themselves!

#eastvillage #bikelanes #secondavenue #stmarksplace

Signing Bonus

I was walking up First Avenue last night, thinking about the fact that when a store closes, overnight no one remembers what was there before!

As if to test this, I saw this Retail For Lease sign, between the beloved Saifee Hardware & Garden on one side and the beloved Dojo Sushi:

What was here before?

No idea.

Naturally, I took a peek inside:

Inside.

Whoever rents this place might get this chair — free!

Free chair.

How's that for a signing bonus?!

#eastvillage #saifeehardware #dojosushi #firstavenue #signs #chairs

Take Down Those Lights Update

When I posted the story "Take Down Those Lights" onto Twitter, for the benefit of my many Twitter followers, I @'d the New York City Parks Department, hoping to spur them into action:

Take Down Those Lights https://t.co/9hkULYIIG2 #EastVillage #TompkinsSquarePark #ChristmasTree @NYCParks @NYCParksDept pic.twitter.com/tBLOczOStH

— East Village Today (@zybkgex) February 21, 2017

Well, let me tell you, they wasted no time taking down those lights!

No more lights.

Next on the list: get them to replace this deformed tree with a nice one!

#eastvillage #christmaslights #tompkinssquarepark #christmastrees #parksdepartment #twitter

Bleached School Bus

I was walking down Avenue D yesterday, when I saw this bleached school bus, parked in front of the beloved Uncle Johnny grocery store:

Bleached school bus.

It says "Charter" on the back of it — I wonder if it's a school bus for a charter school?!

#eastvillage #avenued #schoolbus #unclejohnnygrocerystore

Almost Open

Back in January, I wrote about a Nike store set to open on Avenue C.

I passed by there again, this past Saturday, and saw that things are really shaping up there!

Shaping up.

Last night, I passed by again, and three guys were mopping the floor, and the door was wide open! I didn't take a picture though — it was too dark.

It can only be a matter of days or weeks now, maybe months, until East Villagers have their new, beloved Nike store!

Victory!

#eastvillage #nikestore #avenuec

Belted Hydrant

You never know what you're going to see when you go out a walking in the East Village!

Take this, for example: seen on Avenue D this past Friday:

Belt on a fire hydrant.

What can you even say about such a thing?

#eastvillage #belts #firehydrants #avenued

Dinah

Someone's in the kitchen with Dinah:

Dinah Restaurant.

Ha!

#eastvillage #dinahrestaurant #secondavenue