May 21, 2011
Well, if this guy is right, this may be the last MAD post, so I thought I’d go right back to the place where I started: Ray’s Candy Store in the East Village. Last week Ray got fucked over fined and shut down by the DOH, over and over again. You can read about it over at Bob Arihood’s great blog, Neither More Nor Less. Here’s the story as it broke and just like when you tip your masseuse enough, there was a happy ending. Great reporting and photos by Bob! Ray’s is open again, hooRAY!
Let’s go congratulate Ray!
Here we are in the East Village, just a few blocks and we'll be there.
Wow, check it out, they're screening a Charlie Chaplin movie on this building!
Very cool! But we have to get to Ray's, let's go!
There's Ray's, straight ahead and it looks like the lights are on.
To quote EV Grieve, YES! Ray's is open again!
A glance in the window confirms things are operational at Ray's again.
Love trumps the DOH any old day of the week.
Let's go inside and see what's shaking.
I got a vanilla milkshake and here's Amy making it.
And here she is serving it up and showing her cool grilled cheese painting that's in the front window. Nice!
And here's the man himself, Ray! He manages a smile, even though he has a shitload of fines from the DOH. Stop by and help him out if you can. Tipping is allowed at Ray's and will help him stay open.
Great pull quote on the wall, sorry about the fuzzy photo!
Two free toppings!
These people were in town all the way from Texas and came by to support Ray's, very cool indeed!
Obligatory Ray's mirror shot!
To Ray's! The best candy store in NYC and the world! Stop by and help him stay open. And fuck the DOH. If you're afraid of a little dust in your hotdog you shouldn't be eating in New York City.
Ha! Deja vu on the way home. Usually I'd say, "Goodnight and see you tomorrow after dark," but considering the outlook for today, I'll just say, "I'll see you in hell, later tonight!"
While there was a happy ending to this tale, Ray’s troubles aren’t over. Now he’s socked with thousands of dollars of fines and he was out of business for several days. If you live in the city stop by and buy something from Ray and if you can, leave him a decent tip. If you don’t live in New York you can still help out by visiting Ray’s online store and buy a product emblazoned with the Ray logo! Let’s help keep this man in business!
Ray's Candy Store
113 Ave. A (Near 7th St.)
Further reading: EV Grieve, Neither More Nor Less, Grub Street and Jeremiah’s Vanishing New York.
You might also like: Candy Corn, Candy Canes and Candy Darling.
Four Other Rays
Ray Charles
Ray Davies
Margaret Ray
Raymond J. Johnson (You can call him Ray.)
Candy says I hate the big decisions,
That cause endless revisions in my mind.
(Surprise link...click on it...I dare you!)
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Bonus Section!
Rapture T-Shirt by “Boris!”
Resident MAD artist, “Boris” has designed a special t-shirt for today’s special Rapture moment. Order one and show everybody that you survived Judgement Day! And if the shit really does go down? Well, order one anyway and put it on a credit card, it’s not like you’re going to have to pay the bill afterwards! Here’s what “Boris” has to say about it: “Be the First (or Last) in your Neighborhood to wear this (soon to be) Collectible. You can't take it with you, so you might as well buy a T-Shirt. Wear It Like There's No Tomorrow.” This collectible t-shirt is available for a limited time only, so get yours before hell freezes over, it may happen sooner than you think! Check it out and buy one here: Rapture T-Shirt.
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And speaking of Rapture, Gene and Smoopy, two thirds of the BBC (Baltimore Bar Crawlers) are in town and on their way to their 1,967th bar yesterday, they snapped a picture of the kook the man Gene described as, “The end of the world guy.” Yikes, he's almost as scary looking as the Cardboard Box Man!
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And a final cartoon from Jaws. Goodbye everyone! I hope they allow blogs in hell!
33 Comments
Reader Comments (33)
Glad Ray's is reopened.
Great of you to go back to "Square One" for "Rapture Eve".
I'll have to stop by the online store and show my support as I am not in NY.
Thanks for the "pimping" Daddio!
To quote Debbie Harry...
"I said don't stop, do punk rock."
Amen.
I hope I'm not jinxed now - since I ran to the End of the World Guy :(
Nice return visit to Ray's! Glad he beat the DOH! And Boris's t-shirt? LMFAO! See you in hell later! LOL!
@"Boris:" Amen to that! Great shirt idea and design!
@GENE: We'll find out later tonight!
@Barfly: To Ray's! And yeah, the "Boris" Rapture shirt rules!
Nice job! I'll definitely be heading over to Ray's with a big tip this weekend!
Dante's Inferno Test - Impurity, Sin, and Damnation
Welcome to the Dante's Inferno Hell Test, the original and the best. This ... is based on the description of Hell found in Dante's Divine Comedy. Answer the questions ...
www.4degreez.com/misc/dante-inferno-test.mv
Check out this link before it's too late...I took the quiz and I found out I got the fifth circle...'The wrathful and the Sullen'...and it's appropriate, I'm pissed off like a son of a bitch 'cause it's fuckin' doomsday and I never got around to trying one of RAY'S EGG CREAMS!!! CARDBOARD BOX MAN...TAKE ME NOW...PLEASE!!!
Jaws, that link is lethal! I don't even want to tell anyone what circle I'm in. It's not good. And then I took the personality test & have discovered how schizoid I am. Aagh!
@ onemorefoldedsunset; I answered one of those answers on the test; "Nuke 'em till they glow in the fuckin' dark"...I think that one sealed my fate...
@onemorefoldedsunset: Tell Ray I said hi when you go!
@Jaws: I'm in the second circle, fared better than I thought I would! See you in hell in a little bit! I hope they have beer there, I know it'll be warm, but still...
Here's an alternative title to today's blog post.
@Jaws: Made 7th circle. The description said "blagh, blagh, blagh, perpetually molested", so it might not be all bad.
Ray's must be supported and thanks for getting the word out,,,,those small mom and pops are dying and the DOH is just nitpicking with BS. End of the world? ask that preacher that started the end of the world judgement day if he would kindly donate all his money and all his followers money to Ray,,,,hate to see his world end and Ray stuck with all these bills.
@csp: Ha ha ha! Great linkage!
@Al: Nitpicking is the word for the DOH! They really stuck it to Ray. I hope he can stay afloat for the next two hours, after that we're all history anyway!
great to visit ray's again...not a new york native but seems that doh doh doh,,,i mean DOH has a tendency to pick and choose who they target...is that mayor mike behind the curtain?...alla the wizard...glad to see ray's back opened...ordered my second t-shirt this afternoon...hope ray gets some of that coinage...
“It is better to spend one day contemplating the birth and death of all things than a hundred years never contemplating beginnings and endings.
~ Buddha quotes
rr
Just left Ray's ... hotdog ... got a "Save Ray's" t-shirt ... and some beignets ... and left a good tip. Ray is a cool dude ... and everyone is wonderful here !
@rr: Damn nice of you to buy a Ray's shirt, he does get money from that! And a perfect quote as always!
Is we Dead yet?
@csp: No, I'm still trying to learn the chord structure to "Truckin.'"
Fuck John Wayne & This Site .
@JHwang: Uhhh...okay. Nice to hear from you!
damn 6:50 here...so i guess it's either heaven or hell just has it's always been...actually ordered a boris rarture t too...the jaw's t is still in the queue...next pay day...
Go to Heaven for the climate, Hell for the company.
~Mark Twain
rr
@rr: I got a "Boris" shirt too! Will be showing it off as soon as I get it! To no Rapture! We're Alive! And JHwang is pissed, but about what no one seems to know.
Great photos Marty from the area I know and love. We survived it is 7:54PM. Rupture in the rapture. My fave malted is the chocolate/vanilla swirl one.
Ok I understand the Dept of Health, but "and Mental Hygiene" is what shut Ray's down? I'm a bit intrigued by that dept now. After scrolling through Bob's site, I don't think you should have a feature where you try to track down Jewels. Ray's is another place I would love to stop by next time I'm in NY. That list is getting long though, I need to visit more than once every 15 years. And they offer ketchup on their hot dogs! Hope they stay open for a long time.
@Jason "Come on Pilgrim
You know he loves you!
Levitate me."
Don't be so unenraptured.
Rays looks awesome - I can totally get behind a place that has beignets and a poster with a chick wearing a braided sweat-band. Definitely on the list for the next time we visit.
@Melanie: Stop by the Mars Bar tomorrow around 4pm to go to the Chller party!
@kari: I will definitely introduce you to Ray the next tim you're in town!
@csp: I'm still trying to wonder what Jason is so pissed off about! I didn't do anything to him. #whitewine
I gotta say it..... Amy's makin' it for me. She iz so kewt!!!1!........
@MAD: I dunno why Jason is so perturbed. It's not like he quoted the perfect Pixies lyric that appeared to be a John Wayne reference but was actually an in song Larry Norman reference on a supposed day of the Rapture; only to realize no one else listens to the Pixies.
And you do know the The Pixies even if you don't realize it. (Link also appropriate)
Not feeling guilty about the length of this comment because today is my yesterday and two days ago for Marty.
Time travel bitches.
Sorry Marty , had no one to beat up yesterday , so I took it out on your site .
Thank you for buying my product, Marty. But I think you're using it wrong. #subtle
@Britta: We'll definitely go there on your next visit! You'll love Ray!
@lzzrdgrrl: Agreed!
@csp: It's all about time today!
@Jason: Please, no hating on me today! I'm stressed as it is!
@Just For Men: #understood #ButNotReally #AreYouWhiteWhine?
I was at Mars Bar at 3PM and 3:30PM.I just found out about your invitation to the Chiller Party--aye carrumba. I took a few photos. I hope one day soon I will meet you and Goggla!!! So close and yet so far.