Let them eat California: When the tourism...

Let them eat California: When the tourism industry threw a party in honor of the state’s 142nd birthday Wednesday at LAX, guests were treated to an eight-foot-long, California-shaped cake. It was topped by marzipan depictions of such “landmarks” as the Golden Gate Bridge, the HOLLYWOOD sign and the 5 freeway. The 5? How inappropriate. As every motorist knows, the 5 has never been a piece of cake.

She’s no Murphy Brown: Dan Quayle has had his differences with the entertainment industry, but he’s very much on the side of Holly Wood.

Wood is the director of the Bush-Quayle campaign for the 44th Assembly District in the Pasadena-La Canada Flintridge area. She acquired the last name through marriage, she said, after her boyfriend promised her: “Marry me and I’ll put your name in lights.”

Where are their family values?The Mountains Conservancy Foundation, which surveys wildlife numbers here, recently heard from a Malibu resident who stumbled onto a couple making love in his back yard. A couple of mountain lions.

“His flashlight didn’t even scare them,” reports foundation spokeswoman Garrie Mar. “They stopped and looked right at him. He decided not to push it. He left and they went on with their business.”

Speaking of beasts: People are invited to drop by the San Fernando Mission with their favorite critters next month at what would more accurately be called the Blessing of (Most of) the Animals.

List of the Day: A San Fernando Valley woman who had just visited the Queen Mary told the Associated Press that Long Beach should keep the financially sinking attraction. “It’s a legend,” she said. “Without it, what is Long Beach?”

Just a darn minute. Long Beach has dozens of tourist spots, including:

1. Bert Grimm’s Tattooing (est. 1927), which claims to be the oldest in the industry.

2. A huge dome, which the Spruce Goose will soon be vacating.

3. A large collection of plastic seaweed used as artificial kelp along the shoreline to protect against erosion.

4. The National Anti-Perot headquarters, manned by perennial mayoral candidate Ski Demski.

5. Joe Jost’s (est. 1924), possibly the oldest bar/pool hall in Southern California.

6. A pyramid-shaped basketball arena planned for Cal State Long Beach (unless neighbors’ protests win out).

7. A “sculpture” consisting of four beams of light rising 8,000 feet from a downtown building.

8. Artist Wyland’s 116,000-square-foot whale mural on the circular Long Beach Arena.

9. The first Hof’s Hut--considerably enlarged since it opened with 15 stools in Belmont Shore in 1951.

10. The only foot paraphernalia museum in the nation, displaying such items as foot-shaped lamps, foot-shaped skateboards and the size 26 shoe of a basketball player.

Now, who needs the Queen Mary?

miscelLAny:

During the L.A. Olympics of 1984, the 100-kilometer team bicycle race was staged on the Artesia (91) Freeway.