FIRST IMPRESSIONS: EL VEZ
Many of you have likely been to El Vez by now—if you could get in. The 190-seat restaurant is mammoth, but since it opened April 25, I’ve been hearing about packed crowds and hour-long waits. Is the fuss justified?

MOTHER’S DAY WEEKEND POP-UP FLOWER SHOP
BOND New York’s Tribeca team is partnering with local floral designer Flowers by Yasmine on a pop-up flower shop for Mother’s Day. Place an order online, and then pick it up at 25 Hudson—between Duane and Reade—on May 10 or 11 (10 a.m. to 3 p.m.). Or just drop by and choose a bouquet! Yasmine will also have cut flowers, scented candles, and macarons. Better yet, why not invite Mom to this weekend’s TOAST Art Walk, and surprise her with the flowers? BOND New York’s Tribeca office doubles as a gallery, and it’s participating in TOAST on May 9 (6-9 p.m.) and May 10-12 (10 a.m. to 6 p.m.). Sponsored.

A NEW FRENCH BAKERY IS OPENING IN TRIBECA
Arcade Bakery, located in a dramatic, European-style space, will bake fresh all day long and sell pastries and lunch items.

IN THE NEWS
••• 5/5: Michelle Obama lunched at Nobu today. Plus: 9/11 Memorial fences to mostly come down soon; Soho Rep gets a rave; costume designer owes the IRS; Greenwich Street green thumbs; SoulCycle’s bad karma; responders’ memorial.
••• 5/6: More condos. Plus: Pier Dance headliner announced; new public school for south Greenwich Village; community center raises rates; remembering Rev. William Grant; artist Nate Lowman.
••• 5/7: Preschool discrimination lawsuit. Plus: President Obama coming on May 15; Seaport Music Festival; local thefts; Silver Lining’s second act.

WHAT IS THE MEANING OF LIFE?
To be a good person? Raise a healthy and happy family? Achieve as much as we can? Enjoy the finer things of life? Have enough tucked away for a comfortable retirement? Many of us seem to have it all… but, something inside of us still says, “there has to be more to life than this.” If you resonate with the sentiment, and want to explore questions of ultimate meaning, we would like to invite you to a 7-week course called Alpha, starting on Wednesday, May 14th, from 7-9pm. The Alpha Course creates space to explore these questions in a safe, open-minded, judgment-free context. Email Jacob@lowermanhattanchurch.com for more details. Sponsored.

SEEN & HEARD
••• 5/5: The trash-bag teddy bear has arrived. (Reactions are mixed.) Plus: Welcome back, Chambers Street; Tribeca artists open their studios; something called “Holiday” shooting here; another Shinola store; fruit CSA; Exceed Physical Culture signage.
••• 5/5: Mickey Drexler’s townhouse. Plus: Peeking inside La Garçonne and Sweet Green; scoping out 48 Warren’s new windows and 84 White’s entrance; crab night; street-art carpets; new restaurant on Spring.
••• 5/6: The WTC Transportation Hub has sprouted a second quill. Plus: What you’re doing this Thursday evening; Xoos sale (including the fixtures); Downtown Boathouse tour and volunteering; another Duane Street addition; “Ghostbusters” history lesson; 460 Washington.
••• 5/7: Sweet Green’s opening date. Plus: The new Burger King; TOAST Art Walk’s opening exhibition; Café Noir; K&M Camera’s moving date; Tutto Il Giorno looking close; “Collective” shooting here; Hudson River Park auctioning celebrity experiences; 5 Beekman unveiling.

WARBURG REALTY TRIBECA’S NEW ART SHOW
Please join Warburg Realty for a cocktail reception celebrating the new art exhibit at our Tribeca office, Suzanne Ritger’s Tribeca Reflections. The opening is this Friday, May 9, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m.—which is also the first day of Tribeca Open Artist Studio Tour. Warburg Realty Tribeca will be open during TOAST’s hours Saturday through Monday (May 10-12), from 1 p.m. to 6 p.m. After Monday, the regular viewing times will be Monday through Friday, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. For more information on Suzanne Ritger and the exhibit, click here. Warburg Realty is at 100 Hudson Street (corner of Leonard St.). Sponsored.

ANOTHER DAY, ANOTHER INDEPENDENT STORE CLOSING
Manhattan Books couldn’t cope with tripled rent. The space might become a Hale & Hearty, and in the meantime, you can save on kids’ books and craft supplies.

DEMOLITION ON CHURCH STREET?
If a new owner can get air rights, the current building is coming down—and making way for one twice as high.

TONIGHT’S THE NIGHT!
Tribeca Citizen and Joy Gryson are throwing a party tonight from 5:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. Joy will be on hand to give style advice, and I’ll likely tell a few stories I shouldn’t. Plus: Save 25%! And purchases of $300 or more get a free Beach Street Travel Case, pictured below. It’s at 106 Franklin (a couple of doors west of All Good Things). Stop by and say hi!