Volume 74, Number 28 | November 17 – 22, 2004
Scoopy’s notebook
Her name is Lola: Councilmember Margarita Lopez was in Union Sq. at the start of last month’s Critical Mass to make sure the cyclists were allowed to assemble peaceably and depart for their ride without hindrance or confiscation of their bikes by police. The cyclists even invited Lopez to join them on the ride, but she declined, saying she’s not the fastest pedaler. Matthew Roth, a spokesperson for Time’s Up!, said if Lopez comes to this month’s ride, on Fri., Nov. 26, they might offer her a lift in a pedicab, or bicycle taxi. “I have to laugh. I am a couch potato when it comes down to physical exercise,” Lopez told The Villager. “I have a bicycle. Her name is Lola. It’s in the basement of my building. But I think if I rode with them I would be the last in the group.” As for riding along in a pedicab, Lopez quipped, “That would be abusive to the person who is carrying me.”
Held down fort: Though he didn’t go to Ohio and Pennsylvania to work for John Kerry like many Downtown politicos, Village Democratic District Leader Arthur Schwartz said he felt a responsibility to stay in New York City and make sure things ran smoothly at the polls. On Election Day, he visited all 14 poll sites in the 66th Assembly District, Part A. At Westbeth, he helped separate people into lines for different election districts, since two districts had a heavy turnout but two others were light. Sometimes people just give up if the wait’s too long, Schwartz noted. “I felt I had a job and it was here,” he said.
Floggers’ fave gone: Once a favorite of patrons from the Meat Market’s former S&M clubs like Hellfire and Anvil after taxing nights of punishment, 24-hour diner Nick’s City Kitchen has vacated its space at the corner of 14th St. and Ninth Ave. Replacing it will be a new reportedly “casual” restaurant and nightspot from brothers Mario and Sergio Riva, owners of Candela at 16th St. and Irving Pl.
Changes districts: Jay Wilson, who ran in the City Council primary against Margarita Lopez a few years ago, has moved to Bedford-Stuyvesant in Brooklyn.
Difficult mosaic: Jim “Mosaic Man” Power is looking forward to being honored on Thursday with a People’s Hall of Fame Award from City Lore at the Museum of the City of New York. However, what the creator of the East Village’s Mosaic Trail of 80 decorated lampposts really needs right now is an apartment. He’s homeless and has been living on the steps of Grace Church, at least when police don’t bother him there. Making matters worse, someone recently slashed his loyal canine sidekick, Jessie Jane.
Time heals: Although some Christodora House condo residents who are members of the new East Village Community Coalition recently got together with the Save CHARAS Committee for a town hall meeting to get ideas on how to stop dorm developer Gregg Singer from demolishing the old P.S. 64, not too long ago such cooperation would have been unheard of. Bill Di Paolo, executive director of the Time’s Up! bicycling advocacy group, recalled when people used to toss beer bottles and cans into windows of the despised “yuppie” tower off Tompkins Sq. Park. “I have shatterproof windows,” admitted Carol Irving, E.V.C.C.’s executive director. “It stopped after ’92 to ’93, maybe ’94.”
Movie moment: As some guys were standing around on Avenue A last Saturday night recalling the rumors a few years ago of a new movie theater opening up at the old Yiddish theater between Seventh and Sixth Sts., a car rolled up with a projector on top and started showing a Walt Disney Tinkerbell cartoon on the old theater’s wall.
Correction: Although Community Board 3’s full board meeting was originally planned for Wed., Nov. 17, the board could not get the space for that night. As a result, the meeting will be held on Thurs., Nov. 18, at 6:30 p.m. at P.S. 20, 166 Essex St., between Stanton and E. Houston Sts. To save paper, C.B. 3 no longer mails out its monthly meeting agenda, which is online at www.cb3manhattan.org.
