Posted on Wed, Jan. 29, 2003
	By HEARNE CHRISTOPHER JR. Columnist

Block party

Everybody knows all about the sleeper hit of the year, "My Big Fat Greek Wedding." But commercial real-estate kingpin David Block tapped into it last May by being host to the local premiere and cast party as a benefit for the Emilie Rosebud Diabetes Research Foundation, named after Block's daughter.

"Nobody even knew anything about the film or the stars at the time," Block says. "Nobody knew that the writer and female star, Nia Vardalos, was going to become a big star or that the movie would become one of the biggest hits of the year."

How Block pulled off the mega-schmooze: luck.

"My sister, Candy Block, in California works with a lot of entertainers," Block says. "And we only had three days to put it all together. I was in Las Vegas when they said OK."

Because it was all so last-minute, invitees got in for free, Block says. Still the foundation raised $21,000.

"I was pretty surprised," Block says. "But everybody came out of the movie smiling, and Nia was just a princess, a doll. Sweet a gal as you'd ever want to meet. And it really reflected in the movie, too."

We've heard ...

• Don't try this at home. Block's brush with the Greek wedding flick turned out to be a learning experience. Because of the bride's father's use of Windex as a cure-all in the flick.

"It really works!" Block testifies. "People have told me it really works. They get a pimple, and they spray Windex on it."

Block's even tried it.

"I use it on my dogs all the time, and they love it," he says. "And sometimes I use it on my kids, to keep 'em out of the room. Just kidding."