ANDREW W.K.
Clad in signature head-to-toe white, Andrew W.K. sits at Lucy’s, one of his favorite bars on Avenue A, and considers what makes the East Village a beacon of nightlife for generations of partygoers.
The neighborhood has a magnetic charm, he decides, which can be experienced more easily than explained.
“There are places where you feel like you’re participating in something amazing,” he says. “It’s a feeling in the air that emerges from a place we can’t really see.”
As the official Professor of the Party for TheScenebyStoli, andrewwk is ready to salute the local characters and venues – past and present – that turned streets like Avenue A into cultural movements spanning decades.
“Stoli is the definitive vodka,” he says, noting the brand’s distinct heritage and authenticity. “Just like the East Village, it’s exactly what it is and nothing else.”
PYRAMID CLUB
What better place to celebrate the East Village than the Pyramid Club?
For the last 35 years, the iconic club has been the scene of many epic moments in New York’s notorious nightlife history. From Andy Warhol, to Madonna, to Debbie Harry – the Pyramid Club has served as a home to icons, artists, and trailblazers that put their own unique spin on nightlife and forever changed the face of partying.
Conceived as an intimate performance space for struggling East Village performers, the Pyramid Club evolved into an explosion of artistic experimentation, paving the way for downtown drag culture and dynamic artists like RuPaul and Lady Bunny.
Today the club remains a nexus of creativity and acceptance – a place where nightlife past and present are celebrated with anything-goes enthusiasm. The Pyramid Club is truly a cultural landmark that has kept the party going.
RAY ALVAREZ, RAY’S CANDY SHOP
Ray’s Candy Store on Avenue A has been feeding the minds, bodies, and souls of East Villagers since it opened its doors in 1974. Whether you’re craving an old-fashioned egg cream, late-night fries, or a discourse on the works of the Persian poet Rumi, you’ll find it here behind the counter at Ray’s tiny, 24-hour storefront.
Originally from Turkey, Ray, now 81, arrived in New York in the late sixties after spending nearly a decade onboard a destroyer in the Turkish navy. He’s seen the neighborhood change from behind his counter, but remains a beloved fixture in the ever-changing East Village community.
“People used to come in wanting hot dogs,” Ray joked. “Now they want organic arugula salad!”
More than its assorted munchies however, people are drawn to Ray’s for the man himself. Each year, his friends from the neighborhood throw him a birthday party, and locals regularly chip in to help him move boxes or fix a broken ice-cream machine.
In the late-night shuffle from bar to bar, loyal customers routinely pop in to grab some grub and say hello to Ray.
“I just wanted say hi!” one woman said, smiling and sticking her head through the doorway. “He’s the nicest person in the world.”
LUCY’S
At first glance, Lucy’s looks like the quintessential East Village dive: a colorful bar, pool table, graffiti-covered restrooms. But there’s warmth inside that comes from more than the red lights and flowing drinks – and it keeps generations of customers coming back for more.
With a big smile and a heavy pour, Lucy, the bar’s loveable namesake, can be found serving drinks and stories to droves of locals and tourists who pass through her famous Avenue A watering hole.
Over the years, Lucy has become an unlikely patron saint of East Village nightlife. Though the neighborhood has changed since she began tending bar in the seventies (after bartending there for 18 years, Lucy became the official owner in 1997), she believes the spirit of acceptance is what keeps the scene alive on Avenue A. At Lucy’s bar, everyone is welcome.
“People come here from all over the country – people of all ages,” she said. “I just love talking to them.”
JEREMIE DELON, A-1 RECORDS
Good music is an indelible part of the culture on Avenue A, as essential to nightlife as cheap drinks, bodega ATMs, and 4 A.M. slices of pizza.
As the proprietor of A-1 Records, Jeremie Delon has your music needs covered in spades. His shop has provided the soundtrack to countless East Village bars, clubs and parties since opening back in 1995. No matter what you’re into – hip-hop, disco, jazz, soul – you’ll find something to tickle your fancy hiding in the stacks at this veritable Valhalla of vinyl.
Whether you’re an amateur DJ or vintage collector, everyone is welcome to come in and browse.
“I think we have a lot to offer, culturally-speaking,” Delon says of his shop. “This neighborhood isn’t elitist. Music speaks to everyone and everyone has a voice. We’re a place where people from all walks of life can come in and share stories. There’s still authenticity here.”
ADAM KIRSCH, BLIND BARBER
The Blind Barber, East Village barbershop by day, speakeasy-style bar by night, was created when co-founder and owner Adam Kirsch and his partners decided to create an intimate neighborhood hangout – a place their friends could come to look good and feel good.
Since opening their doors in 2010, the Blind Barber has been business in the front and party in the back; a popular nightlife and lifestyle destination for stylish East Villagers in the know.
Now with a West Coast location and a line of men’s grooming products, the secret is out, but the party shows no signs of stopping. According to Adam, it’s all about remembering your roots as you grow.
“I grew up down here and I love it,” he said. “I’ve watched the neighborhood evolve. It’s been cleaned up, but it’s still the East Village. At Blind Barber, we’re not trying anything too elaborate. We keep things simple and encourage variety and creativity.”
DARIN RUBELL
Darin Rubell knows New York City nightlife.
Growing up, he first learned the ropes from his family. His father and grandfather worked in the restaurant business, and his cousin, the late Steve Rubell, was co-owner of the legendary disco Studio 54.
After bartending and waiting tables throughout college, Darin realized his own passion for nightlife. He set out to put his own spin on the family’s entrepreneurial legacy and opened several successful venues in Manhattan and Brooklyn. Today, Darin’s bars Ella and Boulton & Watt have become go-to destinations along Avenue A. He also produces summer movie nights in Tompkins Square Park.
With a unique background and intrinsic sense of what makes nightlife work, Darin emphasizes the importance of understanding the personality of a neighborhood when opening a new space.
"It’s always a challenge to make something your own while preserving the energy of the neighborhood,” he says. “Every neighborhood and every block needs something different. The East Village brings this eclectic group of people together. It’s a mixing pot – the true definition of New York.”
SING SING
It’s hard to resist the siren song of karaoke – especially after a drink. If there’s a better way to kick off a weekend than grabbing a microphone and belting out “Total Eclipse of the Heart” we’ve yet to find it.
At Sing Sing karaoke on Avenue A, people of all ages and vocal abilities can steal the spotlight and indulge their inner rock star. Whether you’re tone deaf or the next Donna Summer, the lounge offers something for everyone.
According to manager Duayne Gordon, karaoke may be the great equalizer:
“We see college students, celebrities and everyone in between. People come here because there’s an energy of acceptance – it’s embracing. When you’re here you can be whoever you want.”
The beloved lounge offers non-stop entertainment and has become an iconic staple of East Village nightlife since it opened back in 2000. If these walls could talk, they’d sing.
LADY GUGU
Meet Leo “Lady” Gugu – stylist by day, downtown drag diva by night.
When time travel becomes a reality, Gugu will be holding court in the Palace of Versailles. Until then, you can experience his decadent brand of debauchery once a week on Avenue A.
For the last four years, Gugu and his partner DJ Paisley Dalton have hosted an epic Thursday night dance party at Eastern Bloc, where people of all ages, genders, and orientations gather to dress up and party down. It’s an anything-goes celebration of fashion, music, and artistic expression – all fundamental parts of Avenue A nightlife.
According to Gugu, the East Village is a place where different lifestyles are more than accepted – they’re welcomed.
“What makes this scene special is the energy,” he said. “The people here want to surround themselves with creativity. You can put your own spin on it and be who you are.”
COMEDIAN LIZ MIELE
Working on Avenue A, comedian Liz Miele sees evolution all around her – from comedy and live performance venues opening and closing, to jokes that grow from ideas into laughs. Few things in the East Village are as constant as change, and for Liz and the close-knit group of creative people who live here, it’s all part of the charm.
“This neighborhood is full of people who came to New York to put themselves out there and do something creative. It’s what the city is known for,” she says. “For me, it’s one of the last places where artists can live.”
Together with her sister Emily, Liz hosts themielesisters’ Variety Show, a monthly showcase of comedy, music, and magic held at the Sidewalk Café. She recently recorded a comedy album, “Emotionally Exhausting,” and is about to embark on a European tour.
After being a part of the comedy scene on Avenue A for more than a decade, Liz is beginning to see her hard work pay off. She recalls the sacrifices she’s made to get to this point, and some of the help she ’s received along the way. According to Liz, the East Village is a community where people help each other out – where the kindness of others is neither forgotten nor left unreturned.
“If I ever make it, I’m going to owe everybody in this neighborhood a sandwich,” she says with a laugh.
AMANDA ARNOLD, DROP-OFF SERVICE
Drop-off Service, a cozy laundromat-turned-bar, has everything you’d look for in an East Village hangout: dim, candle-lit booths, a killer happy hour, and a stained glass jukebox with everything from London Calling to Highway 61 Revisited.
But a great bar is nothing without great service.
From her station behind the bar, Amanda has been observing nightlife on Avenue A for the better part of a decade. One thing she’s noticed is the loyalty and devotion that patrons have to their bartenders.
“It used to surprise me how often people go out to see certain bartenders,” she says. “But with so many bars between here and Houston Street, service is what sets you apart from the pack. When you’re good at what you do, you develop a following.”
Much like the East Village itself, Drop-off Service draws an eclectic crowd with its interesting history and unpretentious atmosphere. It’s a neighborhood gem where they’ll remember your name, and perhaps more importantly, your drink.