FEATURED EVENT OF THE WEEK | Saturday, September 25, 10am-5pm: The Return of the Annual London Terrace Street Fair| Nothing can stop this annual rain or shine event–except the two times when something did: In 2001 because of 9/11, and last year during the danger and uncertainty of COVID-19. Having observed the landscape since the vaccine because widely available, organizers gave the green light to the 2021 iteration of the Street Fair, whose block-long setting sees the side street of W. 24th (btw. 9th & 10th Aves.) teeming with tables taken by London Terrace residents, giving their closets and storage space some breathing room by tempting passersby with reasonably priced clothes, jewelry, and collectibles that reside squarely on the high-end side of the Flea Market Finds scale. They’re joined by independent artists from all over the city, alongside (whether at tables or strolling about) elected officials including Manhattan Borough President Gale Brewer and NYS Assemblymember Richard Gottfried.

“It means a lot to the neighborhood,” says event co-organizer Inge Ivchenko, currently serving as president of the London Terrace Tenants Association (LTTA), which organizes the event. “Everyone has found something here, whether it be a vintage leather jacket, or just a friendly smile.” Those smiles are built to last, as the revenue from this event (10′ x 10′ spaces are sold, vendors supply their own tables) is used not only to support the LTTA, but to prop up a number of local people and pursuits, whether they’re in need or simply needed. Full Disclosure: LTTA is an advertiser with Chelsea Community News (see their ad, to your right), and was the recipient of a donation this year. Even though the Street Fair brought in no money last year, “We donated twice to Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen during the pandemic,” noted Ivchenko. LTTA also donated $1,500 to the employees who keep London Terrace running, and asked that it be spent when they dined at nearby Chelsea Square, a 24-hour restaurant at W. 23rd St. and Ninth Ave. To all the recipients, said Ivchenko, the message was the same: “We need you, now more than ever.”

For more info, visit Facebook.com/london.fair. To reserve a vendor spot, call 212-633-0385 or email LTTAstreetfair@gmail.com. This being an outdoor event, there is no official COVID precaution policy, and it is not subject to conduct mandated by the Key to NYC program. There will be flyers suggesting Street Fair attendees wear masks if they are not vaccinated or in a vulnerable health condition. From 12-4pm, pose for a caricaturist who instinctively knows what you’d look like with a huge head and comically exaggerated features, quite possibly (no promises) placed atop a comparatively small body in an action stance (Golfer! Cheerleader! COVID-Compliant Chef!). The end result is yours to take home, free of charge, compliments of the London Terrace Tenants Association!

TWO EVENTS, Tues./Thurs. | Tuesday, September 21, 6pm: A Virtual Zoom Meeting Brought to You by the 13th Precinct Community Council and the 13th Precinct Community Affairs Office | The agenda is twofold, but don’t let the low number count fool you: There will be more than enough to confront and contemplate, regarding local crime stats and quality of life matters. First up, a precinct report from 13th Precinct Commanding Officer Deputy Inspector Angel Figueroa Jr., followed by comments and questions from the community in attendance. And how did they get there? By RSVPing by 3pm on Tuesday, September 21, via email to: nypdprecinct13@gmail.com. Include your phone number and preferred email address in order to get the Zoom meeting dial-in/call-in info, to be sent your way on September 20. “To streamline the meeting,” organizers note, “you may send questions beforehand” via email to Community Affairs reps Detective Vincent Arlotta (vincent.arlotta@nypd.org) or Gregory Creamer (Gregory.creamer@nypd.org). Closing out the year, similar meetings will be held on October 19 and November 16, with no meeting in December. To learn more about the 13th Precinct, click here.

Also this week, Thursday, September 23 at 6pm, a Sector D Build the Block Meeting | Build the Block meetings are open to the public and presented as a way for residents and stakeholders of a particular sector (the 13th Precinct has four, A through D) to discuss hyperlocal matters. Always in attendance are the NCOs (Neighborhood Coordination Officers) assigned to a sector and tasked with taking a very personal approach to the people who live and/or work in their area of coverage. For the Sector D perimeters, see the map atop this listing. To get info on attending the Zoom meeting, click here.

Wednesday, September 22, 6:30pm, the Eagle NYC presents Continuum | After a long, much-felt absence during COVID-19, legendary West Chelsea gay leather cruise bar the Eagle NYC has returned to host Continuum, their monthly intergenerational social series that speaks to the matters and mindset of generations past and current. Once again held as a live streaming event accessible via their Facebook page, this month’s installment welcomes James Polchin, author of Indecent Advances: Queer True Crime. As always, your host is drag queen Witti Repartee. A wit as quick as her name implies and a font of LGBTQ+ history, Repartee as moderator/host has proven herself as adept at presiding over a panel contemplating the legacy of Penn South resident and Civil Rights architect Bayard Rustin as she is holding her own as the emcee of a searingly sexual variety show. To view this event as it unfolds, visit the Eagle NYC’s Facebook page by clicking here. Also see the flyer below for details, and click here to check out the bar’s website, packing essential info on the brick and mortar location (554 W. 28th St. btw. 10th & 11th Aves.).

NOTE: The below event has been POSTPONED. Speaker Corey Johnson noted, in a 10:26am email of Thurs., Sept. 23: “I regret to write that due to a Flash Flood Watch beginning this afternoon at 4 PM through 8 AM on Friday, September 24 we have decided to postpone our Community Resource Fair. We appreciate everyone who sent us their RSVP, and we look forward to seeing all of you at a rescheduled date for our resource fair soon!” Given that it will be rescheduled, we’ll let this listing, directly below, stand:

Thursday, September 23, 6-8pm: Council District 3’s 2021 Community Resource Fair | The High Line’s 14th Street Passage is the COVID-minful outdoor location for this popular annual event organized by NYC Council Speaker Corey Johnosn, in his capacity as District 3’s (twice-elected, currently term-limited) Councilmember. At the Fair, COVID-19 vaccinations will be offered by NYC Health + Hospitals, as well as blood pressure tests, flu shots, and resources from dozens of community-based organizations and City agencies. Click here to RSVP. See the promotional poster directly below, for more details. This event will be conducted in compliance with the High Line’s  COVID precautionary protocols, which can be accessed by clicking here.

Call to Action from Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen | “September is Hunger Action Month,” noted Chelsea’s Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen, in an recent message, “and as you read this email, 1.6 million New Yorkers are wondering where their next meal will come from. We see the faces behind the statistics every single day. With the help of countless volunteers, partners, and donors, we’re providing tens of thousands of meals each week to everyone, from unhoused New Yorkers sleeping on the streets to parents trying to find a way to put food on the table while facing growing bills.” To learn more about the Soup Kitchen, click here. To support their work via this Hunger Action Month effort, click here. Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen is located 296 Ninth Ave.

Through Wednesday, September 22: The Irish Repertory Theatre presents Angela’s Ashes | Frank McCourt’s international bestseller turns 25 and gets a production befitting that milestone, when the Irish Rep’s Theatre At Home digital platform presents Pay Moylan’s production coming to us after a trip across the Atlantic. Book your tickets by clicking here. It’s been far too long since we’ve sat in the seats at this West22nd Street. Chelsea jewel—but from the very earliest days since COVID-19 put the kibosh on live performance, the Irish Rep has been one of the leading, and most watchable, voices in the great migration from brick and mortar to the digital realm. We back up that claim by encouraging you to visit the Irish Rep’s website, access their archives, and find out what’s current and upcoming. Visit that site by clicking here.

Through October 5, Hudson Guild Gallery Presents Denise Corley: Vigilance–Shields and Totems | Corley grew up in Detroit and received her BFA in Painting from Wayne State University. Currently living in Brooklyn, her work has been featured in many spaces including the Sideshow Gallery, PS 1, and BACA Downtown Gallery. Much of her recent work uses wire, molded paper, and packing materials to create striking, elegant three-dimensional effects. See the below flyer for viewing hours, and click here for the exhibit’s page on the Hudson Guild website.

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