A Rising Tide of Typos Makes the Official Start of Summer More Memorable
Memorial Day is the unofficial start of summer--and therefore time for our Special Jubilee Beach Edition. I just dived into the ocean of items on my desk and all I can say is: Come on in--the typos are fine!
Today’s selections (see accompanying) include:
* A guarantee from an air-conditioning company that could be accused of blowing a lot of hot air (submitted by Peggy Maher of Mission Viejo).
* Our yearly “Duh!” item about a certain windshield hindrance to driving (from Suzan Moore of Lomita).
* A tanning parlor’s marquee in beach-deprived Houston (snapped by Jackson Sleet of L.A.).
* And, for those worried about their physiques, a company that will tighten your stomach, as well as repair your car frame (from Harriet Klein of Palm Springs).
What will they think of next? Margaret Smith of Mission Viejo saw a mention of a bathing suit made of a fabric that was advertised as being--get this!--”washable.”
For those who never want to leave the beach: Dan Huston of Laguna Beach noticed that one cemetery was selling “ocean view” plots--just the thing, Huston figures, “for the buyers of glass-topped coffins.”
Surf City North: Mention was made here of the Trade Winds’ 1965 hit, “New York’s a Lonely Town,” about a Southland board-rider whose family moves to the East Coast. The song implied that Pasadena was a surf mecca.
But Carlo Panno reminded me that it was unique for another reason. The line “From Central Park to Pasadena’s such a long way” was followed in one version by the words “And there’s no KRLA”--a reference to a popular Pasadena-based rock station of the time.
The same version of the song went on to say “I feel so out of it walking down Broadway/Sure do miss KRLA.”
“I think the producers of the song were playing kissy-face with KRLA,” said Steve Propes, author of the book “L.A. R&B; Vocal Groups.” “That’s the only song I can recall that mentions a station’s call letters.”
KRLA is now a talk station. Sure do miss the old KRLA.
A name that doesn’t hold a lot of water: In a Sunset magazine ad, my colleague Paul Duginski noticed that the city of Costa Mesa brags about its shopping sites, cuisine and “endless miles of breathtaking beaches.”
Which is interesting because Costa Mesa has no beaches. Snooty old Newport Beach is blocking its way.
By the way, there’s a movement afoot to change Costa Mesa’s name. To Not-on-the-Costa Mesa? Not on your life. Believe it or not, a local citizens group wants to make it Costa Mesa By-the-Sea, further misleading gullible tourists from such inland cities as Pasadena.
If the Costa Mesa group wants an eye-catching name, maybe it should re-adopt the one the area was once known by: Goat Hill.
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miscelLAny: Don’t know if you heard, but Southland spots were largely snubbed in the annual “Best Beaches” survey of Dr. Stephen Leatherman, a professor at the International Hurricane Center at Florida International University.
The only local beach to make the list was Carpinteria, at No. 19. Just by coincidence, I’m sure, the Florida professor included seven Florida beaches in the Top 20. The survey made no mention of Costa Mesa.
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Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LA-TIMES, Ext. 77083, by fax at (213) 237-4712, by mail at Metro, L.A. Times, 202 W. 1st St., L.A. 90012 and by e-mail at steve. harvey@latimes.com.
