LUMA

Operating quietly for a few months under the radar, The Lower East Side Girls Club proudly debuted its Celebrate Cafe yesterday located inside The Bowery Poetry Club at Bowery and 1st Street in Manhattan. Pictured above is Sierra Williams, a member of the girls club, who officially greeted me when I entered the cafe. Celebrate Cafe is another one of the unique ventures The Lower East Side Girls Club operates in the neighborhood. The goal is to give girls and young adults who have traditionally been under served a place for community and to learn skills which they can then take into the world, with a sense of purpose and heart.

The food will be mostly locally sourced and organic and the girls club has partnered with a number of responsible, mostly small suppliers. The cafe will be open from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. daily and features reasonable prices - organic, fair trade & shade grown coffee, only $1! - and tasty food. I tried the vegetarian tamales and they were delicious! Other options include pizza, organic popcorn, grilled sandwiches, cupcakes, and daily specials. The iced tea was quite refreshing as well (and I am an iced tea connoisseur!).

You’ll also find artwork on the walls and poetry on the stairs featuring Pablo Neruda (see above photo), a table used by Dorothy Day from her residence a block and a half away, and a Poetry Pushcart featuring small press poetry and fairly traded greeting cards and arts and crafts.

The other programs the Girls Club runs include a CSA (Community Supported Agriculture, pick up at 1st Street and 1st Avenue), Sweet Things Bake Shop at 136 Avenue C and La Tiendita in the Essex Market (fair trade gift shop and cafe). They even have their own Girl Power Bars!

The cafe is just inside the eclectic, famous Bowery Poetry Club, open since 2002 hosting music, poetry, and political and social events.

Location: 308 Bowery at 1st Street, Manhattan.

Photos: Cathryn / Except for Girl Power Bar, Provided by Lower Eastside Girls Club