Derek Wu, who opened the restaurant in 2016, announced on social media a few days ago, “I am no longer involved with the restaurant, as it has been sold and is now under new ownership.” Wu explained that he’s working on opening a new place on the Upper West Side, which will be, “dedicated to showcasing the authentic flavors and traditions of Cantonese cuisine.”

Wu told Chris Cohen of Gourmet magazine that his departure from the Chinatown/Lower East Side restaurant was due to “personal reasons” and he said his dream has been to open a spot uptown. When we went by Wu’s for lunch this week, there were some new faces behind the counter, but no other obvious changes just yet.

Almost from the beginning, Wu’s Wonton King has been a favorite of the food critics, and Derek was a big reason why. As The New York Times noted in a 2017, “Derek suavely handles the floor and the restaurant’s Instagram account, which includes shots of guests like the chefs David Chang and Mario Batali and the occasional menacing Alaskan king crab…”

Wu’s replaced another Cantonese restaurant, Wing Shoon Seafood Restaurant. The space was once home to the legendary Garden Cafeteria, a center of Jewish intellectual life on the Lower East Side for generations until it closed in 1983.

In his Instagram post, Wu said, “I want to thank each and every one of you for your support, loyalty, and friendship over the past ten years. Whether you visited us once a week or once a year, you became part of our story. The memories we created together, the conversations we shared, and the trust you placed in me and my team mean more than words can express.”

I recently talked with the founders, Tra Nguyen and Jon Wang, about their new endeavor and how Slo Slo Studio came to be in the neighborhood.

The duo has been living in Brooklyn for the past decade, and Jon had been working at a ceramic studio, before they decided to open Slo Slo. Jon is familiar with the neighborhood because he used to live on Eldridge Street, when he was a line cook for a few different local restaurants (including Thing Tu on Orchard Street and Golden Diner — pre-pandemic).

Tra works in the nonprofit sector, developing community-centered arts programs and spaces, so they saw an opportunity to combine their skills when it came to creating their first business together.

They were excited to have found the space (formerly Vida sign printing shop) through a listing shared by the non-profit organization Welcome to Chinatown. “The landlord was looking for a tenant from the neighborhood that they could connect with,” Jon said.

“We were always playing around with the idea of trying to open a cafe or something,” he added, “but then I just got really into ceramics. And it just seemed like something I could really wrap my head around — in terms of something for the neighborhood.”

“We were looking for something in Bed-Stuy originally,” Tra said. “But then we expanded our scope and [were looking] to have a place for Asian-Americans, and for people of color, to be a part of. And we really wanted to be some of those people who could open a studio and be able to host the community.”

“Jon was working at a studio in Bed-Stuy and we just felt like there was a need for more diversity. More representation for a lot of different artists and friends that we are connected with,” she said.

“Ceramics has a really rich history amongst Asian cultures. It’s nice to be able to celebrate that a little bit,” Jon added.

The memberships are generally for people who have worked with ceramics before and are more self-directed. Memers have full-time access to the studio, along with storage space for their creations and the studio will fire their work for them.

Beginner drop-in classes are offered once a week and are often taught by Jon. He said they are perfect for newcomers who might not have even touched clay before. “It’s just an opportunity for them to come in and get their hands dirty and try it out.”

More in-depth classes are 6 – 8 weeks, once a week, and allow participants to learn the full process.

Slo Slo also offers one-off workshops, focused on different themes, and they have a community market coming up in mid-June, which will include some vendors – set up on the sidewalk, featuring work from artists and jewelry designers – along with snacks.

As for the process of working with the clay, it’s not something that cannot be rushed, (hence the name) which only adds to the good vibes in studio.

You can learn more about what’s happening at Slo Slo here.

Known as the Lower East Side’s largest Puerto Rican-heritage and Latinx neighborhood block party, the festival features live performances, food, activities for the whole family and presentations from many local organizations. This year’s theme, “Our AmeRícan Thing,” honors the legacy of poet Jesús “Tato” Laviera and promises a diverse lineup of music, theater, and community activations. Find performance schedules, hosts, street activities and more here.

Artist Siyan Wong’s exhibition “Make it 10 Cents” and silent auction opened on April 14th and runs through May 28, 2026 at Welcome to Chinatown (115 Bowery) to help raise the funds to pay canners and host this event. A Community Panel discussing what’s at stake in passing the bill will take place at ISS Storefront for Ideas (127 Walker Street) as part of the Mulberry Bend Exhibition.

The teams ask: “If you know your local canners, please share with them that on Tuesday 5/26, 8am-12 noon, all cans and bottles are redeemed at 10 cents, except for dairy and juice containers, at a pop-up redemption center in Columbus Park, Chinatown.”

We spoke with members of the non-profit and the creative team on The Lo-Down Culture Cast a couple years ago, when they had just landed on the LES. You can hear that conversation here or watch it here.

This year’s lineup includes:

𝙼𝙰𝚈 𝟸𝟻: Extraterrestrial Intelligence: Olivia Shao + Sun Ra Arkestra (sold out)

𝙹𝚄𝙽 𝟸𝟸: Soundscape Ecology: Andrew Farnsworth + special guest [TBA very soon]

𝙹𝚄𝙻 𝟷𝟻: Territorial Pissings: Gotham Coyote Project + Lady Pink

𝙰𝚄𝙶 𝟷𝟿: Urban Landscape: Alex Wolfe + special guest [also TBA but prob in July]

𝚂𝙴𝙿 𝟸𝟹: Habitat Loss: Eric Sanderson + Legs McNeil

You can buy tickets here.

The New York Workers Circle School is a secular, progressive Jewish Sunday school focused on cultural heritage, social justice, and community building. Our program includes Yiddish language, Jewish traditions, activism, Israel – Palestine from a diaspora perspective and a B’nei Mitzve program. Classes are held twice a month on Sundays on the Lower East Side.

Our dynamic educators bring diverse backgrounds in arts, activism, and Yiddish, valuing children as the change-makers of tomorrow, centering voices often marginalized in Jewish culture, and creating a welcoming environment for multifaith, multiracial families with diverse gender identities, family structures, and Jewish journeys.

During the Open House, children can enjoy live music, Yiddish singing, and crafts while parents connect with current families and learn more about our program. Children ages 6 months to 13 years are welcome.

In Tompkins Square Park, exact location will be provided once you register.

Please contact New York Workers Circle School Director Madeline Solomon at msolomon@circle.org with any questions.

Rain date: June 7

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You can listen to the full episode here or anywhere you get your podcasts and you can watch the full episode on our YouTube channel here.

Price: $695,000

Maintenance: $1,980.00 monthly

Prime East Village location!

Located in a lovely Art-Deco elevator building, this sunny and spacious one bedroom, one bath residence is a perfect oasis to call home. This wonderful abode boasts wood floors, high ceilings and beautiful pre-war architectural details throughout.

As you enter the home you are greeted by a lovely entry foyer. The windowed kitchen has high ceilings, stainless steel appliances and great counter space.

The generously sized rooms and wonderful layout is perfect for both everyday living and entertaining. There is a windowed bath and generous closet space throughout.

Built in 1928, 99 East 4th Street is a six story, 66-unit pet friendly condop building, consisting of the residential coop and two condominium commercial spaces.

There is a central laundry room, bike room, storage (fee) and air-conditioner storage. Monthly assessment of $283.66 until March 2028.

Pied-a-terres not allowed.

See more HERE.

Listed by: Joseph Sheehan

call: 917-715-8908

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An unforgettable language immersion experience filled with discovery, culture, and fun.

Learn Mandarin, explore NYC, and make memories that last long after summer ends. Whether your child is discovering Mandarin for the first time or expanding existing skills, our Chinese Language Immersion Camp offers a rich, engaging experience that sparks curiosity, builds confidence, and inspires a lifelong love of language and culture.

Learn more here.

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