People and Events

Expecting that they might end up in police custody, a group of Santa Monica city employees took some lessons this week on the best way to wear handcuffs and how to talk to arresting officers.

The officials will join Mayor James Conn and several hundred other protesters from throughout the country who will gather tomorrow for a demonstration against the arms race at the nuclear test site near Mercury, Nev.

City Atty. Robert Myers, a veteran of anti-nuclear protests, held a lunch-hour session on nonviolent civil disobedience to help prepare the 20 employees.

Usually, the arrests at the Nevada site (there reportedly have been about 3,000 in the last three years) are for trespassing when protesters cross onto site property. The arrests are largely symbolic, because the protesters are given citations and released, and the charges are routinely dropped later. Conn was arrested last June during a similar protest.

Drinks on the house--the non-alcoholic variety--will be offered in many area restaurants beginning next week as part of a “designated-driver” program sponsored by Mothers Against Drunk Driving. The way the plan works is that those going out to dinner select one member of their party to be responsible for driving everyone else home. That person gets free non-alcoholic drinks all evening.

Betty Johnson, a MADD spokeswoman, said the program will be done year round but is being emphasized over the holidays when drunk driving is at its height. Among the many places participating are Tony Roma’s, The Red Onion, Sagebrush Cantina, Los Angeles Hyatt Regency, Lawry’s California Center and the Sheraton Universal Hotel. Along with the free drinks, the designated driver also will get a lapel pin depicting a car key and a bumper sticker that says: “Be the Life of the Party.”

The Natural History Museum served up a 15-million-calorie white chocolate mousse cake Friday night to honor actor Jimmy Stewart and his wife, Gloria, for their service to the museum. The 100-layer cake, made by the chefs at the Biltmore, was 5 feet high, 6 feet wide and 3 1/2 feet deep.

Displayed at the party, which celebrated the museum’s current exhibit, “Hollywood: Legend and Reality,” were $30 million in baubles from the House of Harry Winston, the New York jewelry store, including a 200-carat, yellow diamond. In keeping with the movie theme, buffet tables were named after famous films. The “Gone With the Wind” table featured barbecued riblets and corn bread; “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” chilled mussels in vermouth, and “An American in Paris,” sauteed escargot and mushrooms. Among those invited to chow down were George Hamilton, Eddie Albert, Stuart Granger, Zsa Zsa Gabor, George Peppard and Drew Barrymore.

State Senate President Pro Tem David Roberti, a Los Angeles Democrat, won a legislator of the year award from the California Political Action Committee for Animals. The group gave him an “A” for his voting record on animal rights legislation, including this year’s bill making dog fighting a felony.

Assemblyman Robert Campbell (D-Richmond) also received an A report card from the animal rights group. Eight senators and 13 members of the Assembly received Fs.

Roberti said that pets and animal rights had never been a “major aspect” of his life until he met his wife. “When I started dating June years ago, she had two cats and was nervous that I’d never pay attention to them. Gradually June grew on me and so did her cats.”

Now Roberti has a dog--a keeshound--and four cats--Nina, Toby, Freddie and Suzie Q. He said he shuttles the pets back and forth between his Los Angeles home and Sacramento.

Fifteen elementary school students at Crescent Heights School trashed their toy guns Friday and received in exchange “safe” toys from Los Angeles City Councilman Nate Holden dressed as Santa. Holden authored the city’s new law prohibiting the manufacture, distribution and sale of realistic-looking toy guns. The law doesn’t go into effect until January, but Holden hopes parents will jump the gun and not buy the toys for Christmas.