Disturbing trends: Truck nuts in the East Village

EV Grieve reader Atron passes along this photo from Sixth Street at Avenue B ... Despite being around for years now, this is the first time that we can recall seeing truck nuts, or, bumper balls, on a vehicle parked in the neighborhood. Maybe we just haven't been looking hard enough.

The abandoned bike as an urban garden (or vice versa)

The urban garden as an abandoned bike?

Anyway, we've always appreciated the abandoned bicycle as some kind of street art. (Oh, the one below... we're charging $50,000 for it!)

Last week, when there was sun, blue glass noted this installation/takeoever in progress on Second Avenue near 10th Street...

Or as Jeremiah put it yesterday: "The fate of bicycles in hot and jungly post-Apocalyptic New York."

The Banjo Jim's sign is gone

Banjo Jim's was able to stay open nearly two weeks longer than expected ... last night, though, the live music spot on Avenue C and Ninth Street had the final of its farewell shows... Earlier in the day, we noticed that someone had already removed the Banjo Jim's sign...

And last night...

A rainbow for your commute

Our friend BaHa sends along these shots from a little bit ago...

[Updated] Report: Fire at Flea Market Cafe on Avenue A this afternoon

That's the word from Patrick Hedlund at DNAinfo, who reports that a small fire started inside the cafe near St. Mark's Place this afternoon. The fire broke out while the restaurant was closed. The FDNY had the blaze under control in less than 25 minutes. Paramedics treated one firefighter at the scene for minor injuries, according to DNAinfo.

Photos by Bobby Williams

Workers chopping down the trees at 51 Astor Place

You know all those nice trees out front of 51 Astor Place?

Workers are on the scene chopping them down right now...

...to make way for the ugly new office building here.

Previously.

Jerry Delakas' Astor Place newsstand will live a little longer

[Photo via Facebook]

Jerry Delakas, operator of the iconic newsstand on Astor Place, as been given a temporary reprieve from efforts to evict him, the Post reports today. He now has until November until the city can toss him. And the fight continues.

Read more about Delakas at Jeremiah's Vanishing New York.

Open Mic returns to Sidewalk tonight

From the EV Grieve inbox

[Photo by Katie Sokoler for Gothamist]

The Music is Back at Sidewalk Cafe. Legendary Open Mic Returns to its Renovated Home August 15

After five months in exile, Sidewalk Cafe's open stage returns to the back room of the newly renovated East Village restaurant. For more than 18 years Sidewalk has hosted what has become a landmark event each Monday, a marathon open stage that has helped propel the careers of many songwriters and performers including Regina Spektor, the Moldy Peaches, Jeffrey Lewis, Diane Cluck and Darwin Deez.

During the restaurant's renovations, that community banded together immediately and continued at an alternate location. But now that the restoration is completed, the Sidewalk's open stage and nightly shows are back in buffed-up new digs. The doors are open for anyone who wants to perform or become part of Sidewalk’s rambling corps of talented and eccentric regulars. The open stage is run by Ben Krieger, who took over for founder Lach in 2008. Sign-up at 7:30 pm, music from 8 pm until everyone has played or the club closes at 4 am.

You can find more about the new stage at the Sidewalk's Sidewalk blog here.

The release also thanked Steve Cannon at the Gathering of the Tribes, where the group held Open Mic nights these previous months. The Gathering of the Tribes could use your support too.

33-unit, Karl Fischer-designed building rising at former home of Community Board 3 member

On Friday, Curbed reported that a Karl Fischer-designed, 33-unit apartment building is coming to 316 and 318 East Third Street, which is between Avenue C and Avenue D.

In May 2010, we posted info about the sale of the four-story brick townhouse dating to 1900. It was on the market for $3.995 million.

According to the listing, "The townhouse is surrounded on 3 sides by bucolic garden, open lawn and mature trees. The townhouse itself is not landmarked, and there are approximately 22,900 buildable square feet available to the purchaser of these combined 2 lots, offering myriad opportunities for creative expansion."

Several readers and tipsters at the time said that the home was owned by Barden Prisant, a member of Community Board 3. Prisant confirmed this via a message on Facebook. We sent him a message on Facebook asking for comment on Friday. We have not heard back yet.

Meanwhile, Karl Fischer is keeping busy in the East Village. On July 21, we first reported that Fischer is bringing his luxurious touch to 427 E. 12th St., where a six-story, 11-unit residence will rise.

The TSP Ratstravaganza — in video

From the director of "Bed Bugs 2: Bugs in Space."



Thanks to EV Grieve reader Atron for this.

Why you don't always want to follow the 2nd Avenue Deli van

Yes!

Oh.

Second Avenue at First Street.

Burkina's new First Avenue home

BoweryBoogie pointed out a few weeks ago that hip-hop clothing shop Burkina NYC was moving from its home the last 16 years on Houston ... to a new location on First Avenue... Anyway, signs are up at the new space near East Fourth Street.... Careful — you might miss it!