Everyone else in L.A. seems to have...

Everyone else in L.A. seems to have an agent, or is trying to get one, so the press conference made perfect sense.

A local youth organization held an exhibit in an apartment near USC Wednesday to show off the talents of its stable of budding artists. For $500, the pitch went, these painters will decorate the interior of an office or home--and the youth organization, Direction Sports, gets a third. The art style might not be for everybody: It’s graffiti.

Workers in the 777 Tower who want to get to the top quickly might consider the 52-story stairway race in their new building on Figueroa Street May 21.

A whiskey company is sponsoring the 777 endurance test for charity--and calling it the Straight Up.

The climb, which is open to the public, comes five months after attorney Alan Chabot won the John Welch Stairwell Ascent downtown. Chabot, running like a man who’s late for a court date, ascended 73 stories (sans briefcase) in 13:30 in the First Interstate Tower.

He rode the elevator down.

Did we just say First Interstate ? The company that printed up the discount coupons for a Montrose dry cleaner (see photo) gives the impression that those giant “I” logos on the tower may stand for something else.

CATHOLIC SIN, said the sign on one booth at the L.A. Diocese’s Young Adult Conference in Pasadena. “Let’s stop here,” said one early-arriving priest to another. “This looks interesting.”

It wasn’t what it seemed, explained Scott Reneau, who was setting up the booth. When Reneau posted the second half of the sign, it read:

CATHOLIC SINGLES NETWORK.

Hooray for . . . North Hollywood?

When the Academy of Television Arts and Sciences complex was dedicated the other night, City Councilman John Ferraro got so carried away that he declared:

“When people think of Hollywood, they will no longer talk of Hollywood and Vine. They’ll be talking about Magnolia and Lankershim.”

North Hollywood, as you may have guessed, is part of Ferraro’s district.

We can’t wait for a Lankershim Walk of Fame.

A downtown jewelry and loan shop is advertising several Mother’s Day specials on items “out of pawn as of 5/1/91.” So, why not pick up that “Ladies 14 Kt. Gold Baume & Mercier Watch” for Mom? She’d be so glad to have it back. (And don’t forget--she thinks she just misplaced it!)

miscelLAny:

The Air Quality Management District received 191,539 complaints of smoking vehicles by mail or phone (1-800-CUT SMOG) in 1990. The agency sent out 94,238 advisory letters to the vehicle owners, asking them to correct the problem. While compliance is voluntary, about one-fifth have reported doing so.