Kissing Zone: a New Sign of Rampant Sex?

With all the talk lately about sex in East County, there was a major scoop in the making when San Diego at Large came across a sign on Los Coches Road directing motorists to the Buss. Dist. in Lakeside. The ramifications of a special kissing zone in the rapidly growing community boggled the mind.

Had the civic leaders of Lakeside convinced the county to enact a special adult entertainment area--”Kisses for Sale”--in their town? Sure, the neighboring City of Santee decided against the “combat zone” approach. But maybe Lakeside, ever anxious to increase its sales tax base, had coyly created a home for the racy nude spa which was refused a business license last week in La Mesa as well as for the topless dance joint that met with a similar fate in Santee and the controversial nudist resort in Ramona.

On the other hand, it didn’t seem inconceivable that the pendulum had swung the other way. Perhaps all these unseemly developments had prompted kissing to be outlawed in Lakeside, except, of course, in the Buss. Dist.

Alas, the answer was none of the above. Turns out the sign is the newest malapropism turned out by the state Department of Transportation. The misspelled sign directing motorists to Lakeside’s business district will remain, however. A Caltrans spokesman said that once misspelled road signs are erected, it isn’t economically advantageous to take them down.

Claws in Those Paws

Fear not, East County, for there are still signs that your moral fiber remains strong. An innocent-looking, but decidedly attractive, young waitress at Bobby McGee’s pins a button showing a tiger with a slash through it to her skin-tight leotard uniform. No pawing, get it?

A recent luncheon customer--and he couldn’t have been the first--cleverly asked the waitress about the button. Her response: “My father makes me wear it.”

No News; Know Nothing

Sylvester Murray, who takes over as San Diego city manager next month, flew in from Cincinnati to meet the local press last week. The session produced no news of substance--Mel Buxbaum, press secretary to Mayor Roger Hedgecock, asked reporters not to ask Murray about local issues “because he doesn’t know anything about San Diego yet.” Buxbaum also said the press conference would be brief because Murray’s schedule was busy. “I just want to cut down the number of times he has to say, ‘I don’t know,’ ” Buxbaum explained in making the request.

Hurting for an angle, reporters then asked Buxbaum what was on Murray’s busy San Diego itinerary. “I don’t know,” was the press secretary’s rejoinder.

Far-Flung La Jolla

The name La Jolla has been borrowed by many a merchant hoping to add a touch of class to a commercial venture--oftentimes even when it is miles from the prestigious address. A check of the San Diego telephone directory revealed 27 businesses outside the community that use a La Jolla moniker. Many were in nearby Pacific Beach, but some were as far away as El Cajon Boulevard in East San Diego and Encinitas in North County.

While the exploitation of La Jolla by outsiders makes the blue blood boil on Prospect Street, city officials say they have no power to restrict the use of the name. In fact, they’re planning to capitalize on it themselves--for a low-income housing project, of all things.

Next year, a 381-unit apartment complex to be built with $25 million in bonds issued by the city will open on Lebon Road, in the University City community. The name chosen by the city Housing Authority for the project? La Jolla del Sol Apartments.

Mayor Roger Hedgecock was incredulous at the inclusion of “La Jolla” in the name, although he joined a unanimous City Council recently in approving the issuance and sale of bonds for the project. “I’m tired of seeing the name La Jolla where it doesn’t belong,” the mayor said. “We can’t stop private individuals from doing it, but this is a city project. If it’s not in La Jolla, it shouldn’t be called La Jolla.”