Drive-by shopping:Catrina Coyle, who works at a...
Drive-by shopping:
Catrina Coyle, who works at a bookstore in Sherman Oaks, received a phone inquiry from a woman asking for a certain title. Coyle told the caller the store had the book and asked if she wanted it held in reserve.
“Oh, no,” the caller responded. “I’m on a cell phone in the parking lot. I’ll be right in.”
NO MATTER: A while back, Dean Terlinden of Long Beach returned a piece of junk mail unopened, after first crossing out his name and writing “No Advertising Matter” in its place.
Somewhere, a computer duly noted the change.
Terlinden later received a personalized piece of junk mail from a company that prints genealogical books for different names. It began: “Dear Noad” (an abbreviated form of “No Advertising”).
The company asked Terlinden if he wanted to buy a history of the Matter family. The letter said the book contained a history of the Matters as well as “an international directory of virtually every Matter household with address.”
It ended with this clincher:
“You, Noad Matter, are listed in this section of the book.”
AS THE ONLY IN L.A. TURNS: David Croonquist of Lancaster sent along a classified ad from a local publication that reads like a soap opera, complete with melancholy ending (see excerpt).
BARKING ITS APPROVAL: When radio station Y-107 placed a billboard ad that said “we’re not even famous in Paramount,” that city passed a resolution conferring fame upon the station. It was signed by Mayor Manuel Guillen. And what was affixed to the resolution? Why the city porpoise--excuse us, the city seal (see accompanying).
FOUR-CAW RESTAURANT: Eating can be an adventure in the Southland. Carl Volkers of Vista found a restaurant that served, boneless sliced “lamp.” Sonia Appell of L.A., meanwhile, saw an ad placed by a restaurant that bragged that its brunch is so popular management has opened up side banquet rooms to “accommodate the crows.”
DRESSING US DOWN: Robert Lawton, Joe Brito and G.N. Van Essen, among others, chided us for writing that Glenn Miller had written “Tuxedo Junction.” Actually, it was written by band leader Erskine Hawkins and two college friends, Julian Dash and William Johnson.
WASN’T THAT LOUIS XIV’S FAVORITE CHAIR? Dan Fink of L.A. saw a notice for a Hancock Park estate auction that included a list beginning this way:
“Antiques: Lazy Boy. . . . “
miscelLAny
Did you read where Republican candidate Bob Dole, on a visit to L.A., referred to pitcher Hideo Nomo’s recent no-hitter as a great victory for the “Brooklyn Dodgers”? In previous speeches, Dole has talked of building a bridge to the past. Would that be a Brooklyn Bridge?
Steve Harvey may be reached at (213) 237-7083 (phone), (213) 237-4712 (fax), steve.harvey@latimes.com (Internet) and at Steve Harvey, Metro Section, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053 (by mail).
