[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!

Avenue A and Tompkins Square Park in the rain — circa 2011

Sauce is hiring

From the EV Grieve inbox ... East Village restaurateur Frank Prisinzano is opening a new restaurant called Sauce on Rivington and Allen ... and they're hiring ... seeing as I know some people looking for restaurant jobs... here are details about the openings...

[The future home of Sauce]

Chef Frank Prisinzano, owner/founder of acclaimed East Village establishments FRANK RESTAURANT, LIL’ FRANKIE’S and SUPPER, will be opening a new Italian restaurant on the Lower East Side this Fall!

We are hosting 2 OPEN CALLS to build our team:
Monday, August 15th 4-6pm
Wednesday, August 17th 4-7pm

LOCATION:
Lil' Frankie's
19 First Ave (bet. 1st and 2nd Street)

Hiring for the following positions:
Hosts
Waitstaff
Bussers
Bartenders
Barbacks
Line Cooks
Prep Cooks
Dishwashers
Porters
Delivery
Phones

All experience a plus, but will train the right individuals.
Must want to learn about Italian wine and food. A pleasant, positive attitude a must! We are also going to be starting a food network in the space. This is a great opportunity to work on an incredible new concept with a leading chef and restauranteur!

Bring a resume if you have one.

If you are not available to come to the open calls, please drop a resume at one of our locations.

Frank 88 2nd Ave (bet. 5th and 6th Street)
Lil' Frankie’s 19 1st Ave (bet. 1st and 2nd Street)
Supper 156 E 2nd St (bet. Aves A and B)

Avenue A and Tompkins Square Park in the rain — circa 1967

A reader passed along a link to these James Jower photos from the George Eastman House Collection on Flickr... rain photos circa 1967 in Tompkins Square Park...

...and Seventh Street and Avenue A...

Spend the rest of this rainy day looking at the 1,000-plus set of photos here.

About the fire on East Ninth Street last evening

Last evening, an East Ninth Street resident told us about a fire on the block near Second Avenue...

[via]

According to DNAinfo, the blaze started in the second floor of 323 E. Ninth St. There were no injuries. The FDNY had the fire under control in less than 30 minutes.

Nobody puts baby in a van

11th Street near Avenue A this afternoon. Photo by Shawn Chittle.

Week in Grieview: Cheap beer, fast summer

Inexpensive grocery store beer here (Thursday)

A giant chipmunk (Monday)

Part of Sky East turning into an NYU overflow dorm (Tuesday)

The summer is going by too quickly, probably (Friday)

Why Cooper Union was a hotel for a day (Wednesday)

More about the BMW Guggenheim VIP opening-night party (Monday)

Montek Creperie closes (Thursday)

CB3/SLA recap (Wednesday)

Checking in on the TSP Ratstravaganza (Monday)

Crusty slumber party (Tuesday)

And after a rather unkind visit by the DOH, Mamani Pizza reopened this past week on Avenue A... having improved its score from a 64 to a 9, per the DOH website ...