This week we’re featuring our LES Neighborhood Guide, highlighting open calls for artists, sharing how you can win a coolstuff hat and introducing you to our cool new friend: Eva Karabudak of Atelier Eva.
Kisa
The team behind C as in Charlie, the ‘23 Michelin Bib Gourmand hotspot known for their creative Korean cuisine, is bringing us a fun new concept. TOMORROW Kisa is debuting with a Korean diner experience to the heart of the Lower East Side on Houston & Allen St. Chef Simon Lee helms the kitchen, serving a hearty, seasonal ‘Baekban' home-style menu in a retro space featuring authentic Korean diner touches on Tuesdays-Saturdays, 5-11pm - walk-ins only!
R Slice by Roberta’s
Bushwick’s famed Roberta’s pizza is giving the people what they want…their version of the classic NY slice. The new spot, just next door, R Slice, just soft-opened serving up all of your favorite toppings (plus fun new specials like their “fire and ice slice”). See you there?
Tomorrow, cool kid clothing brand, Modei Studios, will be popping up at Early Yves with Black Star Vinyl for a vinyl swap meet. Stop by for snacks, new friends & vinyl and tunes by Mustafa Ali-Smith. All happening from 1-4p in Bed Stuy - grab your ticket now!
East Williamsburg’s Grimm Ales is celebrating Earth Day with a fun sip & swap event. Head over Monday the 22nd from 6-9p to swap anything plant related (pots, plants, cuttings, & tools). Bring what you can, take what you want! This event is free!
Holiday Market at Grand Central Terminal
Calling all artisans, craftspeople, and small businesses! We know we know…the city is just now warming up for the Spring & Summer seasons…but we wouldn’t be true New Yorkers if we weren't already looking at the year ahead. The Grand Central Holiday Fair will be coming back again next holiday season in the stunning beaux arts Vanderbilt Hall at 89 East 42nd Street from November 11 to December 24. The market is a six week long shopping destination and now is the time to apply to showcase your unique or handmade products. Apply now to be a vendor at New York’s only indoor holiday market in the city’s most famous landmark! The deadline to apply is May 6th.
Van Alen Points of Promise
Van Alen Institute is seeking artists to create a public art project that boosts public awareness about the impacts and evolving risk of flooding in Gowanus. They’re looking for NYC-area folks with 2+ years of experience as a working artist and who have completed at least 2 public-facing and/or community-engaged projects. The selected artist will receive $50K to realize their project - apply now before April 26th!
Guest Written by Suzie Maez
LES is much more than the groups of well-dressed skaters you weave through on your walk from the F train, and the list to prove that is finally here.
Strut down Manhattan’s runway while attending a handful of pop-ups, fleas, and art galleries spread through the streets of the Lower East Side. Here are some of the talks of the town.
We’ve been holding onto a handful of our classic coolstuff dad hats for a fun giveaway!
Here’s how it works: if you upgrade your newsletter subscription to paid between now and next Friday April 26th, we’ll put your name into a drawing to get your very own coolstuff dad hat (and a few other branded goodies).
3 winners will be notified before the next newsletter goes out :)
Ask us a question, recommendation, or well…anything in the comments section of the newsletter & we’ll reply within 24 hours. This is your chance for personalized NYC recommendations - from a date night spot in the West Village to the best time to visit the Union Sq Farmers market - we’ve got you covered! All you have to do is click the comment icon at the top or bottom of this week’s newsletter to get your questions over to us :)
See you in the comments?
Meet Eva, owner of Williamsburg tattoo studio, Atelier Eva. Originally from Turkey, Eva studied fine arts before starting her career in tattooing. She created Atelier Eva with a vision to reimagine the tattooing experience to one that is welcoming, inclusive, and tranquil for all - clients and artists alike. The studios feature elevated design, calming music, and even a signature scent, with a team of 20+ diverse artists specializing in various styles. Eva has tattooed the likes of Sam Smith, SZA, Chloe Grace Moretz, Joe Jonas and more.
What led to your interest in the art of tattooing?
I always loved to create art from a very young age, but I never planned to become a tattoo artist. I was attending art school in Ankara, Turkey when I started creating designs for a local tattoo studio to use, partly to help pay for my schooling. One day my friends at the studio encouraged me to try tattooing and I wound up working five hours straight on a piece. I’ve continued to pursue the craft ever since.
Tell us about the workshops and events your studio, Atelier Eva, hosts!
It’s always been the vision for our studio to be a creative destination that is not solely for tattooing. The name, “Atelier,” speaks to this, as we really wanted to create an artists’ workshop where creatives of all backgrounds can be inspired to create and share their work. We offer figure painting workshops on Sundays with artist Lucas Bononi, host art exhibitions featuring works from local and global artists accompanied by live music, and plan to offer other workshops like floral arranging beginning this summer. We’re very excited about our second annual “Art at Atelier” exhibition coming up on April 25th, as this year we’ve paired some of our resident tattoo artists with the featured painters to collaborate on exclusive tattoo collections inspired by their works, which will be available for booking throughout the month of May.
Do you have a main inspiration for your designs?
My style has changed and evolved quite a bit over the years. Early in my career I was well known for doing cross-stitch style pieces which were a style not often seen in the tattoo industry at the time. This was inspired by my grandmother who was super talented at embroidery and was an amazing woman in general. I then began doing my circular micro-realism designs, which is probably what I’m most known for now. They represent our own worlds and the stories we hold dear in our lives. We each have a window, a small path we love to travel down, and this circle represents that portal to our experiences and dreams. They often feature nature and landscapes, which I take a lot of inspiration from.
What’s your favorite part about the New York tattoo community?
My favorite thing about the New York tattoo community is that it's in New York! This city has such diversity-- the cultures, arts, and food worlds seem to intersect here. So I think the tattoo community becomes a reflection of that and it's wonderful. If you look at our studio nearly 75% of our artists were born in another country. It seems like every day there's a different language being spoken at our drawing tables.
What's your favorite tattoo you'd designed/given (if you have one!)?
That’s got to be the floral surround I did recently for one of my favorite clients Nick Accardi. The surround is in an oil painting style and was really rewarding for me from a technical standpoint (I did the Van Gogh piece previously).
Follow Along:
@atelier.eva
www.ateliereva.com
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Send your suggestions to hello@coolstuff.nyc – don’t worry, we always give credit where credit is due.
This week’s contributors:
Anna & Garrett Albury
Suzie Maez
Hi Cool Friends! I am graduating from grad school next month & would love to treat myself (and plus 1) to a mini vacay or staycay (if you will). I don’t have a car and would prefer not to rent one. I am open to going some place on the Metro North or LIRR for a few day in mid May. Would love to be near a beach or lake & visit a winery. Any suggestions!? 🌸