Hot New Indian Replaces Hot Old Indian

What: LGBT History of the East Village:
A Walking Tour
When: Sunday, June 26
12:00 – 2:00 P.M.
Where: meeting location available upon registration
Cost: free; reservations required
RSVP: rsvp@gvshp.org or 212-475-9585 ext. 35

Co-sponored by the Lower East Side History Project

Back in the 1880s queer and transvestite bordellos opened on the Bowery not far from the theaters where, 80 years later, Andy Warhol staged transvestite musicals for gay audiences. The East Village was home to the pre-eminent gay artists of the 20th century—Allen Ginsberg, Andy Warhol, Taylor Mead, William S. Burroughs, Quentin Crisp, Klaus Nomi, Keith Haring, among many more. On this walking tour, we will explore significant sites of gay history, along with the artists, writers, and musicians whose contributions dovetailed with LGBT culture. (More information)

Interesting fact. The new Best Buy at the corner of 14th and 4th will be open all night.

A few co-op residents were spotted among the mostly NYU throng that congregated in Union Square last night to celebrate Obama’s victory. Want to watch a bit of video capturing the excitement? Click here. And also here.

This week (May 23 to May 27), Contractors will continue to excavate earth and rock, and load out material. We will complete the underpinning of the adjacent buildings. Installation of rakers, line drilling, lagging and sheeting around the perimeter will progress as well. Concrete foundation walls are scheduled to begin.

The following week (May 30 to June 3), we will continue line drilling, rock excavation, and loading out, as well as lagging and sheeting.

Concrete foundation walls will progress.

The upscaling of 14th St. continues just three doors down, where Le Petit Belge has opened. Stop in for a Belgian waffle. $3.50 is a bit pricey for what’s essentially a zeppole, but they are pretty good, and who would have ever thought we’d have a takeout place on our block that features not one but six crystal chandeliers? New York magazine says: “When the waffles-to-go kiosk that Belgian expats Maor Livni and Greg Galel had planned for Logan Airport was nixed by a security-crazed fire marshal, the partners transplanted the business to Manhattan, where they’ve converted the former Tavalon tea shop into Le Petit Belge. A shrine of sorts to all things Belgian—or at least to Liège waffles, various imported chocolates, and paper cones full of mini-pancakes they call “poffys”—the shop takes a cannily ecumenical approach to New York snack food. That’s why it also serves frozen yogurt, provided by Berrywild, and rugalach made with Callebaut chocolate. And tea drinkers will still find the Tavalon line, in hot, frozen, and bubble varieties.”