Volume 74, Number 45 | March 16 – 22, 2005
Scoopy’s Notebook
How about us? The Landmarks Preservation Commission tried to intervene at the last minute to save the Odd Lot building at University Pl. and 14th St., built in 1949 and designed by noted retail architect Morris Lapidus, from being demolished, but was too late — the structure’s signature glass-and-metal tower had been razed. Andrew Berman, executive director of the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, said he wishes the commission would make the same sort of interventions to block development in the Far West Village. “While we’re always happy to see the Landmarks Preservation Commission taking vigorous action to protect buildings…the Superior Ink building [at Bethune and West Sts.] will likely be in a similar situation very soon, along with five other buildings in the West Village. These are buildings that people in the city and all across the country have asked to be preserved.”
Xena to Natty: David McWater, chairperson of Community Board 3, recently got a plug in the Village Voice for his new bar, Vasmay Lounge, which he opened on E. Houston St. and Suffolk St. at the end of last year. Vasmay, which replaces the former Meow Mix lesbian bar of “Xena”-night fame, is named after a neighborhood bar that was there before. “Who else but me would have named it that?” said McWater. Another unique feature, Vasmay may be the only place on the Lower East Side where you can get a Natural Light beer, a.k.a. “Natty Light.”
Out and proud, for Lopez: Assemblymember Deborah Glick said that contrary to a report by Scoopy a few weeks ago, she has been very open in her support of City Councilmember Margarita Lopez for borough president. “I’ve been publicly supporting Margarita all along,” Glick said. Along with Glick, Lopez’s backers include U.S. Representative Nydia Velazquez, State Senator Martin Connor, former City Councilmember Ronnie Eldridge and Bronx City Councilmember Annabell Palma. “I think it is probably the most diverse group of supporters that any of the borough president candidates has put together,” Glick said. Maybe we were influenced by the press release that Assemblymember Scott Stringer recently put out, trumpeting his endorsement by State Senator Tom Duane. Both Glick and Duane are out-gay politicians and their endorsements are seen as key to garner the gay and lesbian vote.
Parade of ‘stars’: Organizer Joey Skaggs has really outdone himself with the lineup for this year’s upcoming New York April Fool’s Day Parade. This year’s event, the 20th annual, will march down Fifth Ave. to Washington Sq. Park at noon, and feature ex-CBS anchor Dan Rather as grand marshal; a Swift Boat Veterans for Truth float, sinking in a sea of lies; a mud-wrestling float, with Michael Moore taking on all challengers; and the Indiana Pacers and Detroit Pistons “We’ll Kick Your Butt” float (bystanders are invited to throw beer); Donald Trump handing out pink slips while wearing one; Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger shouting “girlie man!”; ex-New Jersey Governor James McGreevey announcing “I am a gay American”; Sponge Bob screaming “I am not gay!”; Attorney General Alberto Gonzales looking for someone to torture; Zell Miller ranting “Dissent is treason!”; Howard Dean just ranting; Olympic gold medalist Michael Phelps toasting the crowd again and again; and Prince Harry dressed as a Nazi looking for the Halloween Parade. Guess what? April Fool’s!
District 2 spin: The two new Hispanic candidates’ entering the City Council District 2 race are Michael Lopez and Mildred Martinez. Lopez is disabled and lives in public housing on Avenue C and Fifth St. According to Robert Caballero, a local East Side politico, Lopez is claiming “he’s the only one of the eight candidates who actually has a child, and that he has ‘name recognition’ ” — mainly being that his last name is the same as the incumbent, Margarita Lopez. Martinez is president of the Campos Plaza Tenants Association, also in the East Village, and has run for office before, including against Assemblymember Steve Sanders in 2000, though she was knocked off the ballot against Margarita Lopez in 2003. Caballero, perennial president of the Committee to Defeat Margarita Lopez, is relishing the fact that more candidates are entering the fray to challenge frontrunner Rosie Mendez, Margarita Lopez’s chosen successor. Caballero says he’s still supporting another candidate, though, Reverend Joan Brightharp — “because she asked first.” But he added, “Mildred’s running to win. Michael’s running to win. They’re offering an alternative to the Hispanic community.”
Li-Lac still blooms: Li-Lac Finest Chocolates is sweet as ever in its new Village location, 40 Eighth Ave., at Jane St., where it moved in January after 83 years on Christopher St. An article in The Villager of Feb. 16 on Christopher St. businesses said the shop had closed down. “Very misleading — totally wrong,” said Martha Bond, Li-Lac owner, “especially since our ad on the same page said ‘follow the aroma to our new location.’” The article neglected to say that the store had relocated to Eighth Ave., as previously described in the Jan. 19 Villager in an article “Chocolatier changes locations but quality’s constant.”
Plaid is out: Plaid nightclub at 13th St. and Fourth Ave. recently closed. Plaid was best known for being where grunge rocker Courtney Love brained a fan with a microphone stand while performing.