neighborhood watch

The East Village Has Gone Euro. No, Really.

Coney Island: Here, 105 years ago today, Thomas Edison electrocuted a rogue elephant to prove the power of direct (versus alternating) current. He even filmed it. And where was PETA? [Gothamist]
East Village: Local biz owners are banding together against chain stores. Meanwhile, the trendy hood’s so overrun with Euros that stores have started accepting, uh, euros. [Vanishing New York]
Long Island City: Bollywood comes to LIC, hip-hop style, in this cute video. Shakalaka, baby! [LICNYC]

Lower Manhattan: Speaking of fragile beauties, scope out the rickety-looking timber trusses holding up this stately old gal at Broadway and Reade. [Curbed]
Park Slope: A handy new MTA sign tells you where to get your bike back once the city takes it, while another new sign in Cobble Hill wants you to feel okay about … well … just stuff. [Gowanus Lounge]
Roosevelt Island: Uh-oh, another wall of the beautiful ruins of that nineteenth-century smallpox hospital fell down last week! Someone stabilize that creepily gorgeous old thing! [Gothamist]
West Village: André Balazs is promoting his forthcoming, High Line–straddling Standard Hotel with a 2008 calendar featuring the hottie wait staff. Unfortunately, everyone seems to have kept their clothes on. [Gridskipper]
Tim Murphy

The East Village Has Gone Euro. No, Really.