Tag Archives: West Village

The trial has finally begun for Elliot Morales, who bragged and laughed to arresting officers after gunning down a gay black man, Mark Carson, on a West Village corner in May 2013. The New York Daily News reports: The best friend of a 32-year-old gay man killed by a hate-filled sicko in the West Village in 2013 tried in vain …

From the American Theatre Wing comes a tribute to Manhattan’s famed singalong showtune bar. Clip recap: “Welcome to Marie’s Crisis, where showtunes come to die!” Come inside the historic piano bar in the West Village devoted exclusively to showtunes. Erected on the spot Thomas Paine died, Marie’s Crisis Cafe has spent the last four decades as an oasis for the …

It was two years ago next week that thousands of LGBT New Yorkers poured into the streets to protest the senseless murder of Mark Carson, 32, [photo], who was shot point-blank in the head after he said “yes” when asked if he was gay. The suspected killer, Elliot Morales, then 33, was apprehended immediately and reportedly laughed and boasted about …

Last night I attended the ribbon-cutting ceremony at the New York City LGBT Center, which is almost finished with a 14-month $9.2M remodeling that has dramatically reshaped the building, an 1844 structure that in 1938 became Food Trades Vocational High School. Leading the ceremony was Center executive director Glennda Testone and Edith Windsor, who announced that the Center will be …

This week marks the 20th anniversary of the premiere of Friends and at this writing hundreds are lined up in the West Village to enter a pop-up version of the show’s Central Perk coffee house where they can sip from those “stupid big cups which, I’m sorry, might as well have nipples on them.” Lots of Friends memorabilia is on …

In the face of soaring rent, Boots & Saddle is soon leaving its Christopher Street location after almost 40 years. The owners have found another location in the neighborhood, but the local community board has blocked their move. Community Board 2’s State Liquor Authority committee unanimously rejected Boots & Saddle’s bid to transfer its liquor license to the new location. …

The tiny but popular Christopher Street bar Boots & Saddle is closing after 40 years in business due to a large rent increase. The gay bar — known for its drag shows, packed parties and welcoming vibe — cannot afford to pay a rent increase on its space at 76 Christopher St. and will shut down soon after 40 years …

In May 2013, Elliot Morales (left) chased Mark Carson, 32, out of a West Village restaurant and shot him point-blank in the head after calling him a “faggot.” Last week New York City prosecutors declared that they will never agree to a lesser sentence in return for a guilty plea. “I can assure you there is not now or will …

This weekend as the world marks the International Day Against Homophobia & Transphobia, let us all remember that it was one year ago tonight that LGBT New Yorkers poured into the streets of the West Village to protest the senseless murder of Mark Carson, who was shot point-blank in the head after saying “yes” when asked if he was gay. …

Vanishing New York reports that the much-loved West Village diner Manatus will close tonight in the face of a rent increase to $50K per month. This is a sad day for the Village. Manatus has been in business since the mid-1980s, catering to the local LGBT clientele, and it is the last affordable, down-to-earth place to eat in that hyper-gentrified …

JMG reader Chris and the above Twitter user report that the NYFD is currently on the scene of a fire at the building that abuts the historic Stonewall Inn in the West Village. The building on the corner houses the Duplex, the famed gay piano bar and cabaret space. The fire appears to be limited to the building between the …

The lawyer for Elliot Morales, the man who murdered Mark Carson on a West Village street corner in May, said yesterday that he intends to present an insanity defense. Court-appointed defense lawyer Kevin Canfield served notice that he intends to present psychiatric evidence at trial. “It could be temporary insanity,” Canfield told reporters, declining to describe Morales’ reported mental state …

As if the closure of St. Vincent’s Hospital wasn’t enough of a stab to the heart of the West Village, the developers of the “individually crafted, high-end, state-of-the-art, luxury living” condos on that site have decided to jump up and down on the corpse. (Via my pal Mark)

In response the ongoing spree of anti-gay hate crimes, the NYPD has doubled the usual number of officers for tomorrow’s gay pride parade. The surge of officers will include twice the usual amount of plainclothes cops assigned to the area, where several gay people have been attacked since the beginning of the year, police said. “There’s been concern, rightfully so, …

PFLAG founder Jeanne Manford passed away in January at the age of 92. On Sunday this happened in the West Village: The Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, Parents, Families, and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG), and The Church of the Village unveiled a bronze historic marker now permanently affixed to the facade of this landmark church memorializing the …

Today’s celebration outside the historic Stonewall Inn begins at 5:30PM.  Expect a huge crowd and prepare to be fabulous.  DOMA champion Edith Windsor will be there! I hope to see a great JMG turnout!

Even though he repeatedly boasted about the crime at the time of his arrest, today Elliot Morales (left) pleaded not guilty to the hate crime murder of Mark Carson, who was shot in the face on a West Village street last month. “He thought he was tough, and I shot him. It’s the last thing he’ll remember,” Elliot Morales, 33, …

This afternoon a New York City grand jury formally indicted Elliot Morales (left) for the murder of Mark Carson. Multiple charges include second-degree murder as a hate crime. Morales’ lawyer pleaded “not guilty” even though Morales bragged about the murder during his arrest. The lawyer, Kevin Michael Canfield, later said Morales is not guilty of the slaying and is “devastated …

From their website: Family Research Council President Tony Perkins released the following statement regarding the charges filed in the Mark Carson murder case in New York City: “We denounce any and all acts of unprovoked violence. No American should be the target of violence – period. We hope and trust that justice will be served in that the perpetrator of …