Hells Angels Forever: The Abridged 3rd Street Version

An abridged version of the early 80s documentary Hells Angels Forever has been uploaded to YouTube, edited down to a 14 minute clip of "most of the footage that was filmed on 3rd [Street]" in front of the Hells Angel club house in the late 70s.

"I lived across the street from the clubhouse for 10 years," wrote the YouTube user who uploaded the clip, "from mid-1970s to mid-1980s. The first guy speaking is Howie Weisbrod, who's apartment was directly across the street from mine. Next guy is Big Vinny Girolamo, who later lost his life in a knife fight with an Oakland Hells Angel, back in 1979."

New York City: Looking For Recognition On YouTube

It seems if you record or are featured in a video showcasing outrageous behavior, particular physical violence, an awareness exists, a hope even, that it will be disseminated online. Take these employees at Primavera Pizza & Pasta in midtown. A recent fight that erupted in their pizzeria was hardly over before they all gathered around to relive the action by viewing it on a witnesses camera. One even expressed their desire to see it on YouTube, going so far as to offer a title. "Fighting at Primavera Pizza & Pasta," he suggested, repeating himself for emphasis. "Fighting at Primavera Pizza & Pasta."

Angel "LA II" Ortiz Tagging Up The East Village

Artist Angel "LA II" Ortiz has been busy. As you can see in the photo at left, (nicked from EV Grieve), Ortiz recently embellished the Joe Strummer mural on Seventh Street and Avenue A with his LA ROC tag and a few highlights. DNAInfo reports he was arrested for tagging a wall on Second Avenue last week. And he once again left his mark on the Bowery Wall, as well as recorded a short video recounting a weekend out with Keith Haring, his one time collaborator, in the 80s. A commenter on EV Grieve isn't happy with Ortiz's recent burst of activity, "who's suddenly leaving his mark all over these days." "Personally," they wrote, "I'm pissed, cuz the E-ville is NOT his, no matter how many places he leaves his name." True, the East Village does not belong to one man. But Ortiz has been around for a few decades, so maybe he can have a just little of it?

More on Angel Ortiz:

• Little Angel Was Here: A Keith Haring Collaborator Makes His Mark [The New York Times]
  
• Keith Haring's Silent Partner [The Village Voice]
  
• The Fabricated History [Clayton Patterson]
  
• LA II Art

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: EV Grieve

Opening Today: PAINTERS X 10 At TNC Gallery

L-R: Darlin Frometa Blue Poodle, Sean Noyce The Apathetic Booby

Peter J. Ketchum, favored artist of NYC The Blog, sends word about a show he's curating, opening today at TNC Gallery in the East Village, "one of the largest and oldest alternative gallery spaces in lower Manhattan." The show, with "painting that spits, drips, twists, amuses, disturbs, soothes," features the work of Velveeta Heartbreak, Liam O’Brien, Scott Geyer, Vladimir Ginzburg, Daniel Caspera, Darlin Formeta, Sean Noyce, Ian McGillivray, Jeffrey Faerber and Lawrence Quigley.  Hours are 12 - 6 and the show runs through May 2. Read more below.

You Live In The East Village: Time To Get Wasted!

The East Villages' Odessa encourages passersby and potential customers to 'get wasted,' beckoning them into the establishment to have a shot and a beer, or a margarita. Because you live in the East Village and hate yourself and this city, you might as well just 'get wasted' at Odessa and then go knock over trash cans on your walk home.

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Trashing The East Village

Seen in the East Village on an early Sunday morning, trash cans throughout the neighborhood were knocked over, spilling their contents about the sidewalk and street. A stellar member of the community no doubt, just having some fun on a drunken walk home.

La Plaza Cultural To Parents: Please Curb Your Children

A patron of Alphabet City's La Plaza Cultural kindly requests that your curb your children while visiting the lovingly cared for and nurtured cultural and green space.  

Related:
Turning Empty (And Illegal?) Ad Space Into Pop Up Parks In Four Easy Steps
Tomato, Spearmint And Sunflowers Take Root In Petrosino Park
NYC Trees VS NYC Dogs: Piss And Sh*t War Continue

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

A Little Bhangra With Your Punjabi In The East Village

After finishing up a gig last month, musician Derek Beres of the band EarthRise SoundSystem stopped into Punjabi Grocery & Deli at 114 1st St between 1st Ave and Ave A. "The saag is spiced perfectly, the gulab jamun not too sweet," Beres explained, "and vocals ring out non-stop through the night."

He ordered his food and stood at the counter ready to eat, tapping out a beat. What followed was an amazing impromptu performance of Bhangra.

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Video Credit: Derek Beres

East Village Man

On the street over the weekend, a man stood on 1st Avenue in the East Village wearing an outfit so perfect it gave me pause. High fashion bohemia masquerading as 1920 thrift store? And the way it was all put together was extraordinary. The colors, the fabric, the textures. Layered perfectly, one complimenting the next. Even little details like turquoise gems and gold jewelry were accounted for. In a final gesture, a scarf with fringe was draped around his neck.

I walked by and stared at him. “I love your outfit,” spilled out of my mouth. He looked behind himself, then looked at me again, a smile cracking his face. “Yah, yours” I told him, “it’s amazing.”

He lit up. “Its Yves St Laurent from 1920,” he gleefully explained, pawing his scarf and becoming animated. “I was on the Titantic. I modeled for the Beatles. I’m friends with Patti Smith. I was a model in the 70s.”

"I want to take you picture, may I?" He told me he was in a car accident a few years ago, “that’s why.”

“That’s why what?” I asked.

“That’s why I wear these things. In case I ever get hit by a car again and die.”

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credits: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Pizza Restaurant Offers New Lunch Spical

The East Village's Stromboli Pizza at St Marks Place and 1st Avenue (map) is offering a new lunch spical. Two slices of pizza and a soda for $5.00. That's a pretty good lunch spical if you ask me.


» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

Marijuana Found Growing Wild On East Village Sidewalk

New York City is officially and literally going to pot. The evidence is above, thanks to friend of NYC The Blog Bunny Lane, who shared this photo showing a nascent marijuana plant spotted yesterday at 1st Street and 2nd Avenue.

What's going on y'all?? This little guy joins pot plants recently seen in Brooklyn and Union Square. Is this a public art project meant as wry commentary on how New York City is going to pot? You can't tell me otherwise. Sure beats the Heroin Stamp Project at White Box Gallery last month.

Also, if marijuana is a gateway drug, the City might want to reconsider their decision to remove a pamphlet on safe intravenous drug use from the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene's website.

Enjoy foraging for this weed, though it's most likely been spoken for.
 
Previously:
Grapevines Grow On Perry Street
Tomato, Spearmint And Sunflowers Take Root In Petrosino Park
Wild Fruits (And Drugs) In Manhattan

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Bunny Lane for NYC The Blog

Citizens And Pols Rally At Rent Guidelines Board Meeting

Watch video of Brooklyn's District 45 City Council Member Jumaane D. William address residents and media outside of The Great Hall at Cooper Union during a rally outside the Rent Guideline Board hearing yesterday, June 17, 2010.

City Shuts Down 'Cheap Shots' Bar With A Leg Drop From Top Turnbuckle

Cheap Shots, a "balls-out dive bar with rock-bottom drink specials" at 140 First Ave between 9th St. & St. Marks Place, was slapped with two court orders yesterday shutting the place for "illegal activities."

After serving underage auxiliary police officers on at least three occasions as of late, as well as being the scene of a couple of physical kerfuffles, the City of New York had enough. Allison L Arenson, attorney in the office of the Legal Bureau of the Police Department and plaintiff in this case, has laid out the city's case in pages of arguments, which were laying on the sidewalk out front.

All You Can Drink: $40 At Ikura Sushi In East Village

All you can eat sushi for $32.00 at Ikura in the East Village, but never mind that. More importantly: it is all you can drink for $40.00, including tax and tip. If those troublesome college kids running amuck in the neighborhood had any self-respect they would be trying to, and succeeding, in getting their moneys worth at Ikura. First person to become persona non grata gets a badge from Foursquare.

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credits: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

McNewYork: McDonald's Walk Thru Window Comes To Manhattan

McDonald's has added a walk-thru window to their location at 14th and 1st in "mcnewyork." Witnesses have seen the window utilized, with people queuing in lines even. "There is a legit line of people at the walk-thru at the McDonalds on 14th," tweeted Sam Wagner.

Associate Editor Samantha Murphy happened upon the walk-thru service and snapped a photo of an actual customer at the window waiting for an assumed delicious hamburger and apple pie. Who has photos of the scene on a weekend night? Perfect material for a new straight to book photo Tumblr: Iateatamdonaldswalkthru.tumblr.com

» Follow NYC The Blog on Facebook and Twitter. Photo credit: Paolo Mastrangelo/NYC The Blog

The East Village Middle Collegiate Church Holiday Concert

The Jerriese Johnson Gospel Choir of the East Village's Middle Collegiate Church holds a Holiday Concert every year. This year's concert, Takin' it to the Streets, was held Dec 20, (See photos here).

The choir is an uplifting, soulful group, and if you missed the concert this year, Middle Collegiate Church holds services and events all week. I do believe they have choir every Sunday at 11:15am; you can find out more information on their website. Below, watch video from the Holiday Concert featuring the chorus singing a rousing rendition of Go Tell It On The Mountain...

Talking With Todd Patterson And His Search For A Vegan Drummer

Someone in the East Village is in need of a vegan drummer. "Must like sad music. Imagination and personality valued more than technical skill."

Upon spying the flyer seen here, NYC The Blog grabbed a pen and pencil, and set out to find more about the band.  Thumbing through a phone book, Drummer, Vegan, was listed there; right before Drummer, Vera.

When that turned out to be the wrong number, we tried the email listed on the flyer: "How is your search for a vegan drummer going?" we inquired. Todd Patterson graciously responded, responding that the band, The Mercy Word, are currently going through the responses they received. "So far, there's only a few candidates that I would call serious."

Is everyone in the band vegan?

"I'm a longtime vegan and activist, my bandmate is not (although he's progressive in every other way). I just thought it'd be great if we could get vegans to fill the rest of the spots in the band. After making ads that talked up our influences (e.g. Nick Drake meets Neil Young,  and not getting much response, I figured I'd try another tack."

But what about non-vegans, will they considered?

"Non-vegans will definitely be considered for the band. It's most important that they like the music and want to be a part of the band. I don't write animal rights songs, by the way. A lot of my songs are character studies, most are minor-keyed."

So now you know.

Seen in East Village: Wanted: Vegan Drummer

The flyer reads: "Must like sad music. Imagination and personality valued more than technical skill."

Graduate of Hampshire College a plus?

Those interested are invited to email vegandrummer99@gmail.com, where a request for information has not yet been returned.