Friendly Advice: Pace Yourself

When a Southern Californian vacations where the pace is slower, it can be difficult to adapt. Wendy Andruschak of Gardena realized as much when she found herself racing to catch a train, the “Ghost Train of Old Ely,” in that Nevada town.

“We got a late start and made it to the station right when the train was supposed to leave,” she said. “We ran up to the ticket window to purchase the tickets. The woman behind the counter was taking her time counting our money and stamping the tickets and I was kind of rushing her. Finally, she said, ‘Don’t worry honey, this train won’t take off till I give it permission to.’ ”

Andruschak said the woman paused and added: “You’re from L.A., aren’t you?”

THERE WON’T EVEN BE ANY LEASHES: Audrey McAfee of Foothill Presbyterian Hospital writes that, contrary to a report in another newspaper, children will not be placed behind bars at the hospital’s fund-raising brunch on Sunday (see accompanying).

SPEL CHEK: Alicia Elkort found a freeway sign that contained an unsightly error--one that reminded me of another variation spotted some years ago by Don Durkee (see photos). The latter seemed to warn of a new variety of pig.

NOM DE BOOZE: Ownership recently changed at the Redwood, the half-century-old L.A. bar on 2nd Street that was a model for the newspaper saloon in the old “Lou Grant” TV show.

But one person who’s not going anywhere is waitress Alice Broude, who has been exchanging quips with customers since 1952. Why would anyone think that Broude would retire at the age of, well, 80 or so?

Anyway, one recent night Broude got to talking about the days when the Redwood had a piano bar featuring the stylings (as we used to say in the 1950s) of Lou Wilson. The crooning pianist was so popular that the joint’s marquee said: “LOU NIGHTLY.”

The only problem, explained Broude, was that “people thought his last name was Nightly.”

Lou Wilson/Nightly didn’t care as long as he collected plenty of tips nightly.

FINAL L.A. INSULT OF THE DAY: “Toilet-to-tap,” the controversial proposal to return treated waste water to the drinking water supply in L.A., has predictably drawn the notice of outsiders.

San Francisco Chronicle columnist Scott Ostler wrote it’s “a great idea, because in a designer-savvy, style-conscious place like Los Angeles, it makes sense that the water would match the air.”

IF TOILET-TO-TAP PASSES . . . : Expect to see a return of those bumper stickers that say, “Save Water--Drink Beer.”

miscelLAny:

Regarding Seal Beach’s headaches with an overpopulation of rabbits and an absence of seals, Chris Koreivo of Long Beach writes: “ I think renaming the city Bunny Beach would not only solve the problem but bring in a few extra tourists.” Especially of the male variety.

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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, Times Mirror Square, L.A. 90053 and by e-mail at steve.harvey@latimes.com.