Around 250 parents and friends of the Children’s Workshop School gathered on Friday evening for a benefit that featured a silent auction of art by local artists, as well as a performance by the pop singer Lisa Lisa (of Cult Jam fame). As turned out, the organizers of the “SchoolAPalooza” didn’t have to pull too many strings to get the woman behind the 1987 hit “Lost in Emotion” to make an appearance: the principal of the school, Maria Velez-Clarke, is her older sister. The Local was there with camera in hand to document the festivities — as well as footwear signed by none other than the Material Girl.
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Former Weather Underground leaders Bill Ayers and Bernardine Dohrn expressed support for Occupy Wall Street protesters during a visit to Union Square late yesterday afternoon. The sublime later gave way to the ridiculous as the park was shut down at midnight and protesters challenged the police to a rap battle.

Speaking to a small group huddled on the west side of the square, the husband and wife duo praised the Occupy movement’s use of direct action. Ms. Dohrn said, “Agitation lights up the truth, and what Occupy has done by agitating in its nonviolent, beautiful, imaginative way, is to teach by shifting the frame, by re-imagining what’s possible. And what’s possible is that capitalism cannot solve our problems.”

Ms. Dohrn, a professor at the Northwestern University School of Law specializing in juvenile justice and human rights, urged the movement to remain independent. “You’re going to be beset, not only by the police forces and the military forces here, but by a lot of forces that want Occupy: Democratic Party, electoral forces, sectarian organizations,” she said. “But your brilliance was your independence.” Read more…

Union Square has a knack for drawing the talented, the bored, and the show-offs to its broad open spaces. For that reason I gravitate to this part of the city on a daily basis in order to capture some of its magic and to add some of my own. Now Occupy Wall Street protesters have bitten off quite a chunk of the south side of Union Square, and in response, police officers hover around the perimeter of the park, poised to stop anything unruly or obstructive. Despite surveillance, artists, street performers and park-goers don’t seem to shy away from self expression. Rush hour is a great time to take photos not only because the park is flooded with characters, but also because it’s then that the sun is likely to create interesting highlights and shadows on faces.
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Courtesy Kaelen Haworth

The East Village is “such a great mix of high, low, trendy, traditional, gritty, sophisticated,” muses designer Kaelen Haworth. The Toronto native and Parsons graduate has been designing her eponymous brand of polished womenswear since 2010, and finds a good deal of inspiration in the neighborhood. “There are millions of vintage shops in the area that are an interesting resource for designers,” she says. “I was late for work this morning but still debating running to the vintage shop at Second and Second to try on an awesome furry thing in the window.” And she digs her adopted home for more than just fashion: The designer recently clued us in to some “dangerous” cocktails and dog-friendly coffee spots where you might find her sipping with her French bulldog, Lola.

Favorite coffee spot
I like The Bean. They’re dog-friendly, which is cool because I have a dog and geek out over other dogs. Also I think the best coffee in my hood is from the Juicy Lucy stand on the corner of First and First.  It’s amazing and the staff is so nice. I don’t have to order anymore — they know I need coffee and lots of it before small talk. Read more…

A sign posted at Astor Place between Broadway and Lafayette Street indicates that The CW’s show based on Candace Bushnell’s “Sex and the City” prequel, “The Carrie Diaries” will be filming in the neighborhood on Sunday. The show will follow a 17-year-old Carrie Bradshaw, played by AnnaSophia Robb, through high school life in Connecticut. Adult Carrie was no stranger to the East Village: She attended Miranda’s birthday party at Lucky Cheng’s during the “Sex and the City” pilot, and one of her clothiers of choice, Patricia Field, is right here on the Bowery.

Daniel Maurer

A few weeks after filming at Hopper House the Coen Brothers are back, and taking advantage of NoHo’s cobblestone for their 60s flick “Inside Llewyn Davis.” A flyer on Bond Street between Lafayette and Bowery indicates they’ll be shooting Tuesday through Friday of next week. Cars must be moved by Monday at 9 p.m.

Photos: Scott Lynch

After celebrating early with the Hells Angels in the wilds of Queens, The Local spent St. Patrick’s Day proper in – where else? – the East Village. Of course we knew better than to look for green in the bars where Irish eyes weren’t exactly smiling on it; instead we had photographer Scott Lynch rove the streets near McSorley’s, Webster Hall, Penny Farthing, Village Pourhouse, Bull McCabes and other destinations. That’s right: he left the apartment on Saturday so you didn’t have to. If you did venture out, let us know how it went for you.

While on our daily perambulation on the Bowery, we noted that there is construction on nearly every block between St. Marks Place and East Houston Street. The experience was so intense we recreated it for our readers who can’t live it for themselves. Mouse over the cones, put on your headphones, and brace yourself for an immersive auditory experience.


Road Construction

The Times shares this hilarious — and depressing — video of filmmaker Casey Neistat staging blatant “thefts” of his own bicycle, many in the East Village. (One is right in front of the Ninth Precinct stationhouse). Can you guess how passersby react to the seemingly criminal act?

Sunday afternoon the Third Street Crew of the New York City Hells Angels transformed Jamaica, Queens into a scene straight out of a post-apocalyptic motorcycle movie. Roaring in on low-slung chrome-plated Harleys, roughly 500 tattooed riders seemed right at home in the desolate industrial terrain that hosted the 13th annual St. Patrick’s Day Bash.

All the ingredients were in place for a great time: corned beef, cabbage, a comely brunette serving $4 drinks, a rock and roll band and not a police car in sight. But Angels run a tight ship and there were no orgiastic drunken brawls observed by The Local. In fact, when a female reporter dropped her fountain pen, three muscular bikers scrambled to retrieve it. Perfect gents for at least one moment in time.

By 2 p.m. U.S. military veterans and iron workers on hogs were still arriving in a steady stream to the Portuguese recreational club on Liberty Avenue near 148th Street, greeting fellow wheelers with brotherly hugs and man-talk. They paid $20 a piece for admission to the club, lining up for the hearty catered lunch and taking in music by Hugh Pool and Buddy Cage from New Riders of the Purple Sage.

It was hard to hear and maneuver amid the crush of hulking alpha males in leather and denim, but it was clear that union members with their own motorcycle clubs vastly outnumbered the Angels at the event. These included bikers belonging to Locals 46 and 580 of the New York Iron Workers (currently working on the new World Trade Center) and to the United Brotherhood of Carpenters, New York City Council District. “We ride with our own clubs but we have respect for the Angels,” said the carpenters’ motorcycle club president Joe Urbano.

Of course, any public event with the cultural cache of the Hells Angels is going to have a merchandising component behind it. Angels clothing, including some items for women, was for sale along with copies of the club’s 2012 calendar (you’ll have to decide for yourself how it stacks up against the Fire Department’s calendar).

Kathie Gimino of Staten Island hawked black t-shirts and assorted “badass embroidery.”
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Heather Hollland These little dogs may be romping, but one local found that they, and their owners, are generally a sensitive bunch.

Tompkins Square Park has two dog runs: one for large dogs and another for small and timid ones. And it’s not just the dogs that are different – their owners seem to make up two distinct communities.

I recently took my friend’s Boston terrier, Chuck, to the small dog run (Chuck is not a big dog. I’ve seen bigger cats). It’s a serene place where most of the owners sit on a deck under a beautiful old American Elm. A man wearing white jeans and pink sunglasses spoke into a pink cell phone with a Hello Kitty bauble hanging from it. A woman sang a song about “all the little animals” (it’s refrain was about veganism) and handed out fliers depicting animal abuse at slaughterhouses.

Michael Clemens The gate that separates the big dogs from the toys.

The dogs in this area are precious. The Yorkies, Maltese and Chihuahuas don’t pick up toys as much as gently lick them. Some have coats more brilliantly white than the bleached teeth of their owners. Occasionally they play or wrestle with each other in the sand, but it’s a pretty civil affair.

Chuck didn’t exactly fit in this environment. He tore into the park like a kamikaze pilot, blazed around it twice, and tackled a Yorkie. As he held the dog’s paw in his mouth and forced it into submission the vegan stopped singing, Hello Kitty looked at Chuck in disgust and the Yorkie’s owner began yelling at me.
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OK dear readers, what the heck are these blind items all about? A fourth intriguing message has appeared in the window of the law office of Zenon B. Masnyj on East Seventh Street that hints at questionable goings-on at a credit union. Mr. Masnyj has told us in the past that he prefers to let the notes speak for themselves — the most recent one, pictured to the left, vaguely hints at “our money, their secrets.” Any East Village gumshoes have an idea what’s going on? Let us know in the comments or E-mail us.

“The Hells Angels don’t like publicity,” said Ron Kuby, the attorney for the bike club’s New York City chapter. So why have they advertised their annual St. Patrick’s Day bash by posting flyers on the windows of The Edge, a bar near their clubhouse on East Third Street? Before you go thinking this is an invite into the group’s notoriously private digs: The party won’t be held in the East Village. Or even in Manhattan. It’s due to be held in Queens.

(Oh, and the invitation isn’t entirely welcoming: a disclaimer at the bottom reads: “Unauthorized Use Of This Flyer Is Prohibited.”)

The five-hour gathering is set to take place this Sunday afternoon at a Portuguese recreational center on Liberty Avenue in Jamaica. The venue, which accommodates 350, was leased for $4,500.

Asked whether a reporter for The Local could attend the bash, a biker named Rick said, “Sure!” He smiled as he stood outside the clubhouse, wearing a sock hat against the chill and a prospect badge on his jacket, meaning he’s still seeking to qualify for full membership and voting privileges in the club. He said the Angels would be selling merchandise such as t-shirts during the event. Read more…

Courtesy of Katrina Bowden

Katrina Bowden will no doubt be recognizable to her East Village neighbors as 30 Rock’s resident hottie Cerie, who has been known to school her boss Jack Donaghy (Alec Baldwin) on the nuances of social networking. Though she is originally a Jersey Girl, Ms. Bowden, 23, says she was drawn to her home of the past two years “because I like the neighborhood and everything it has to offer: great restaurants, intimate wine bars and a fun downtown vibe.” It’s shaping up to be a thrilling year for the actress, who has three films coming out, including screamer “Piranha 3DD.” Even more exciting? She recently got engaged to her high school sweetheart, rocker Ben Jorgensen. Let’s hear where the happy couple likes to hang out.

Favorite people-watching
Pretty much anywhere! I guess a good place to do it though is at a corner coffee shop like Think Coffee or The Bean. Also, Tompkins Square Park is pretty incredible for people-watching (and cute-dog-watching!). They have a dog park within the park and I often stop to watch the dogs play. It’ll have to do until I finally get a dog of my own. Read more…