The Color Purple Doesn’t Wear Well on University Ave.

It’s not the topless bar itself.

The neighbors around the Star & Garter at 36th Street and University Avenue in a hardscrabble part of East San Diego have learned to live with its presence.

The big Las Vegas-style sign. The late-night traffic. The loud and interesting conversations between men and women in the parking lot that separates the bar from the Adult World pornographic bookstore next door.

None of these things is what is riling up the neighbors.

It’s the new color: shocking purple. Purple on the stucco building, purple on the stone facade, purple on the wooden fence, purple on the boarded-up windows, purple on the outside wall of Adult World, purple, purple, purple, even purple inside the bar (I checked).

“We can hear drivers slow down and start laughing at the color,” said Shirley Ratisseau, 63, who lives in a tiny bungalow behind the bar.

“It’s an eyesore,” said another neighbor, 55. “It’s already attracted gang graffiti.”

“They’ve had lots of colors over there, but this is the worst,” said Dorothy Munoz, who is in her 60s.

“Ugly,” said the manager of the Canada Steakburger Drive-In across the street, which, of course, specializes in Greek food.

As often occurs, in these matters of aesthetics, there is another side to the paint war.

John Nettles, who used to be a sportswriter for the San Diego Union and is now daytime manager for the Star & Garter, thinks the new color is modern and marvelous.

He notes that other flesh parlors (e.g., Dirty Dan’s and Pure Platinum) also use purple:

“Before this, our building was an ugly canary yellow. Purple, mauve, puce, lavender, teal, these are the modern colors. We’re bringing San Diego into the 1990s.”

It is a dispute for which there is no political remedy.

“We try not to regulate taste, except in certain areas like La Jolla Shores, where we get into paint shades,” says city architect Mike Stepner. “Anywhere else, if something is ugly, we figure it’s up to the customers and neighbors to let the owner know.”

By the way, neighbors say the color is so gaudy that it scares away the pigeons. I believe them, whether it’s true or not.

A Lot of Flip-Flopping

Here and there.

* The San Diego-based Jack in The Box chain is organizing 50-odd burger flippers for a Synchronized Spatula Engineers entry in this year’s Doo Dah Parade, the annual Rose Parade sendup in Pasadena, Dec. 1.

The flippers promise to hurl hamburger patties up to 25 feet in the air. It’s all in the wrist; if not, it’s on Colorado Boulevard.

* Mayor Maureen O’Connor leaves today for an international crime and drug conference in Paris.

* It pays to speak the language.

The special on Wednesday at El Goloso Restaurant in Logan Heights is lobster enchiladas.

On the Spanish-language menu it’s listed at $3.95; on the English menu, the same dish is $4.95.

* Karl Higgins, who departs today as chief of staff to Rep. Bill Lowery (R-San Diego), has written a check to the federal government for $280.48 to cover the cost of stationery, labor and postage for his farewell letter sent to 400 constituents.

“Given the size of the federal debt, I’m sure they’ll cash it right away,” he said.

* There’s big money in sports trading cards. That means big temptation for rip-off artists.

So the Upper Deck Co. of Carlsbad, a big manufacturer of sports cards, will install “security holograms” on its upcoming 1992 Major League Baseball Set to prevent counterfeiting.

* Ingeborg Drotleff, 64, of El Cajon has resigned as president of the House of Germany in Balboa Park, after a flap over her $20 contribution to David Duke.

What a Way to Go

El Cajon Judge Larrie Brainard was hearing some traffic tickets before doing some heavy sentencing on felony defendants.

A woman fighting a traffic ticket began to cry.

“No need to cry,” Brainard said. “It’s only a $50 ticket. Half of these people in court today are going to state prison.”

To prove his point, Brainard asked for a show of hands. He had underestimated.

Three-quarters of the defendants in the packed courtroom raised their hands.