Il Piccolo on 28th & 10th closed last week.

Il Piccolo closed last week after many years—at least four based on how many years I’ve been on the block. This sucks because Il Piccolo used to be an incredible space with a heated outdoor patio that stayed open throughout lockdown. The food was good too, and while I wouldn’t make spending $20 on avocado toast (Il Piccolo called it “Avocado w/ No Breaks”) a regular thing, I highly enjoyed making it an irregular thing. This place will be missed.

“Billions” filming on our block on Friday, February 3.

Billions season 7 is filming on our block on Friday, February 3. They’ve shot on our block before, and those long trucks you seeing parked on the block (top right) are basically the actors’ dressing rooms.

A lot of the time they label the individual doors on the trucks by the names of the characters (Bobby, Taylor, Chuck, etc.—for those who watch the show), so you can whether your favorite actor is going to be on our block on Friday.

Hot Girls Against Dicktators?

So this sticker is stuck on the fencepost on the southwest side of 29th Street and 10th Avenue. Hard to argue with the concept on a superficial level—hot girls against dic[k]tators.

Evidently the website is some sort of fundraiser to raise awareness about an armed conflict that broke out near Armenia in 2020. Well, hot girls against dicktators, consider at least one person on the block moderately more aware of this issue.

Dog food truck!

So evidently there are such things as dog food trucks, and I know this because I saw one a few days ago outside of the dog park on 23rd & 11th. The truck is called the “Woofbowl Fast Food Truck,” and you can read about it here. Only in New York.

Summertime Sadness

Oddly compelling little scribble on the northwest side of 29th Street & 10th Street. I’m more familiar with the more traditional seasonal affective disorder, but different strokes for different folks I suppose. Your neighbors might just be able to help you through it.

Check out this guy on 29th & 10th.

First update in a month. Has this guy always been next to the vacant lot on 29th & 10th? Never noticed it before if so. Seems like he’s wondering what to do with the lot next door….

Whose bike is this (part 2)?

So both this block and block association have some pretty deep experience at this point with old-school style bikes and cars, and I suppose when it rains it pours; the hits keep coming; the rich get richer, etc. etc. What I’m trying to say is that as long as I keep modes of transportation from another era while I’m out and about, I’m going to keep taking pictures of them and posting them on here. Neighbors, I like your style.

Meet block residents Monty and River.

So Monty and River are joint dogs of the day today, but the facts that (i) they’re both puppies, and (ii) I’m a bad photographer mean that you don’t really get a clean shot of what they look like. Monty is the one staring into the camera wondering what on earth he got himself into; River is the one with Bosco energy, and regular readers will know that I’m a big fan of Bosco energy. Regular block walkers will see these two out all the time.

Billions is filming on our block next Wednesday.

Billions is filming on our block next Wednesday. Based on some limited texting with friends and my review of the trailer for Season Five, which is the season currently shooting, this one follows a hedge fund manager named Bobby Axelrod as he wears a hoodie and growls at people in suits while the people in suits occasionally growl back: Billions Season 5 Part 2 (2021) Official Trailer | SHOWTIME - YouTube. Very cool. Very cool block.

Whose bike is this?

So this bike has been parked for essentially the entire summer on the northwest corner of 28th Street & 10th Avenue, and I like it. This seems like the type of bike Timothee Chalamet would ride in Call Me By Your Name and I feel like I’m coming-of-age just a little bit every time I pass by it. Pairs quite well with our last sweet city ride. As always, we do it in style.