Clothes Color in a Hazy Shade

I love products with names inspired by living conditions here, everything from the Sig-Alert ride on the Santa Monica Pier to the “Gridlock” carpet pattern introduced by a Santa Fe Springs company. In the New York Times, I noticed an ad for some women’s clothes that were available in “smog blue.” (see accompanying).

I phoned the store and was told by a rep that smog blue is “in between smoky blue and slate blue.” She seemed a bit hazy on the concept.

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SPEAKING OF AIR QUALITY: Evelyn De Poister of Santa Monica says she likes driving her Taurus, but not as much as her mechanic thinks she does (see accompanying).

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THE SPELL-CHECK BUG STRIKES AGAIN: Sara Meric of Santa Monica sent along a singles ad from a woman who mentioned that she was attractive and “well-healed.” Asked Meric: “After years of therapy?” (I would have guessed after cosmetic surgery.)

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CAUGHT RED-FINGERED: A man arrested on suspicion of spousal abuse chewed off the skin on his fingertips in an apparent attempt to blur his fingerprints, El Monte police said. But a day or so later, the skin grew back and darned if those fingerprints weren’t showing again. An investigation revealed that he had five aliases--and five warrants for his arrest.

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY ANYWAY: Since I brought up the celebration of the Original Pantry’s 75th birthday this year, I’ve heard from a couple of party poopers. One colleague pointed out that the “Original” designation isn’t exactly correct because the Pantry was first located a few blocks west of its current site on Figueroa Street (by the way, on moving day, food was served at both locations so the 24-hour restaurant could preserve its “Never Closed” claim).

Which brings up a second point. The place was indeed shut down for a few hours last year by health authorities. OK, OK, let’s make the slogan, “Never Willingly Closed.’

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L.A. VERSE: You’ve read about the newly discovered earthquake fault under L.A., the killer bees buzzing this way, fire ants on the march. No matter.

After I printed one would-be city poet laureate’s complete work, What a mess/Los Angeles, a couple of readers took exception.

Rex Knowles of Claremont wrote:

Yes

I guess

It’s a mess

But hey!

I love L.A.

Mark Featherstone was more to the point:

If L.A. isn’t smooth

Feel free to move.

I love L.A. too. I just wish the earth didn’t feel so free to move.

miscelLAny:

Postal workers who became notable for reasons other than going postal, according to “The Book of Lists” by David Wallechinsky and Amy Wallace, include actor Dan Aykroyd, author Charles Bukowski, singer Bing Crosby, mogul Walt Disney, author William Faulkner, actor Sherman Hemsley (“The Jeffersons”), actor Rock Hudson, aviator Charles Lindbergh and football coach Knute Rockne. Of course, Rockne did scream a bit in the locker room now and then.

Steve Harvey can be reached by phone at (213) 237-7083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com and by dog sled at L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, Los Angeles 90053.