Kiss to rock parade: In a Scoopy world exclusive, we hear that Kiss — Paul Stanley and Gene Simmons, but no other former members of the ’70s superband — will be the grand marshals of this year’s Greenwich Village Halloween Parade. Kiss will be in full makeup (which is good, because everybody seems to like them better that way). Actually, it would be impossible for the former Kiss members to join them, at least in makeup, since after a falling out with their former band mates, Stanley and Simmons now own the exclusive rights to wear the Kiss makeup in public. Also, their lead float will include “six women,” specifically requested by Simmons, according to Jeanne Fleming, the parade’s director. “You’re scooping Page Six on this,” Fleming told us on Tuesday. … And in a first for the parade, the second float will have dogs and their owners, both dressed in costume. Several “high-profile dog-rescue groups” will walk along with them. The float is looking for people with dogs in costumes to join them in order to bring more awareness to dog adoption. To join, meet at 6 p.m. at Spring St. and Sixth Ave. and find Float 2, Bella Starlet’s Dog Float, right behind the Kiss float.
Furniture in Pier 40’s future? We hear from a source that H.D. Buttercup, a Los Angeles-based retailer, is interested in 500,000 square feet on Pier 40 for retail space. The Hudson River Park Trust, at the end of August, issued a request for proposals to redevelop the 14-acre W. Houston St. pier, which has 1.2 million square feet of usable space. The R.F.P. submissions are due Nov. 17. H.D. Buttercup in L.A. is described on a Web posting as a “massive, 100,000-square-foot furniture emporium…where more than 50 manufacturers become retailers, selling their products directly to the public.” The store is described as “huge” and “comfortable,” but “expensive.” The owner and creator of the store is Evan Cole, former chief executive of New York City’s ABC Carpet & Home, who has dubbed the store’s innovative sales strategy “manu-tailing.”
Will Smith park disaster: Jonathan Greenberg of Open Washington Square Park Coalition tells us people are really upset about the new Will Smith movie camping out in the park for two weeks. This is much longer than the typical film shoot, he said. His mom, Jane Greer, complains she feels less safe now because the production is turning off the lights around the park at night, according to Greenberg. Also, when she was walking through the park the other day, film crew members told her to avoid the black smoke that was being spewed around, since it’s toxic. “If the smoke’s toxic, then why is it in the park?” Greenberg asked indignantly. The film is apparently about post-apocalyptic New York — but it’s been a disaster for area residents, according to the park activist. The film shoot will reportedly continue one more week.
Hooray for body bags: We were passing Union Square on Sunday when we chanced upon the rally of the October 22 Coalition Against Police Brutality, Repression and the Criminalization of a Generation. Lynne Stewart, who last week was sentenced to 28 months in prison for aiding terrorism, was the keynote speaker. Flanked by black-beret-wearing members of the Young Black Panthers, Stewart sat listening as a member of the D 12 group spoke about Cuba standing up to the “imperialist beast” and, closer to home, a future showdown during which, he vowed, there will be “body bags and blood on both sides.” The crowd applauded, Stewart clapping right along with them. In her remarks, Stewart said she looked forward to a day when young men won’t have to fear police officers on the subways, and gave a shout out to Matula Shakur (Tupac Shakur’s stepfather), Sekou Odinga and other “political prisoners.” Stewart is still free pending her appeal. … Also at the rally was Geoff Blank, president of the No Police State Coalition. He said a jury recently found him guilty of two charges of disorderly conduct and one charge of using amplified sound without a permit at Union Square, but acquitted him of charges of inciting to riot. However, Blank said his days of using the electronic bullhorn without a permit are over — “I was arrested 18 times,” he said — but that he still hopes to change the law.
Perez Place: Community leaders, elected officials, family and friends of the late Armando Perez will join in a ceremony on Sat. Nov. 4 from 12:30 p.m. to 4 p.m. starting at the corner of Ninth St. and Avenue B for the co-naming of the street as Armando Perez Place. After the ceremony, there will be a performance by Son de Madre, a Cuban band, and free food in the La Plaza Cultural garden at Ninth St. and Avenue C. (The rain space is the Campos Plaza Community Center.) Perez, 50, who grew up in the Bernard Baruch Houses, was a Democratic district leader, Community Board 3 member and co-founder and creative director of the former CHARAS/El Bohio community and cultural center in the old P.S. 64, where Gregg Singer has been trying to build his 24-story megadorm. Perez was murdered in April 1999 in Long Island City when, while visiting his estranged wife, he was assaulted by two thugs as he was moving his car early in the morning.
halloween in the park: New among this year’s Halloween events is Tompkins Scare Park. Dubbed a “participatory theater” festival, the all-day event, on Sat., Oct. 28, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., is the creation of a group of artists and community theater producers. Family friendly by day and spookier by night, the fest will feature shows, music, exhibits and “interactive diversions.” “Expect humorous interactions and decadent revelry — embracing both the playful spirit of the holiday as well as serious artistic endeavors,” say the organizers, including Jim Glaser and Robert Prichard of Surf Reality fame. Performances include: The Million Superhero March with the “Feats of Strength” kids competition at 1 p.m.; IFAM’s Robot Rule at 2 p.m.; Vangeline Theater’s Sci-Fi Butoh Procession at 2:30 p.m.; Zombie Olympics at 3 p.m.; Kids Halloween Theater at 4:30 p.m.; Video Dome by Glass Bead Collective at 6 p.m.; Ambitious Orchestra, which will rock the main stage with haunting video productions by CAVE, at 6:15 p.m.; and the Theremin Society — wooo-wee-ooo (sound made by the Theremin, an early electrical musical instrument) — at 7 p.m. Other participants include Zero Boy, Collective Unconscious and many more.
hex and the city: Another fun-sounding Halloween event — and how could it not be, since it’s being cooked up by Florent Morellet? — is the “Hex and the City” bash at Florent restaurant at 69 Gansevoort St. in the Meatpacking District on Oct. 31, 8 p.m. to midnight. The gimmick: Come as your favorite “Sex and the City” character. “Best witch” wins a dinner for four.
Gauchos lasso honors: The Parade Ground Baseball League had its annual award dinner Monday night and the Lower East Side Gauchos took home a trophy in every age group. In the 16-and-under division, Jonathan Gonzalez was selected in a vote of league coaches as the Most Valuable Hitter in the spring season. Gonzalez has been the heart and soul of Gaucho teams since he was 13 and is being scouted extensively. In the 15-and-under division, the team was the star, as the Gauchos were voted the prestigious Best Sportsmanship Award. The 15-year-olds were coached by ex-Major Leaguer Oreste Marerro, and exhibited tremendous discipline and a remarkable work ethic all year long. In the 14-and-under division, lefty Nelson Jimenez was voted the Most Valuable Hitter of the summer season. Jimenez hit .533 and broke most of the Gaucho 14-and-under records. Not to be outdone, 14-year-old Christian Morel was voted the Most Valuable Pitcher of the summer season. Morel had many big victories for the Gauchos and was the starting pitcher in the Championship Game.
