People and Events

It’s all in a day’s work for the three Delianedis brothers who were honored Wednesday for 102 years of service to the City of Los Angeles. The luncheon party was held at Alex Delianedis’ workplace, Fire Station No. 56 in the Silver Lake area. Alex, who has been with the Los Angeles City Fire Department for 32 years, prepared large helpings of his famous shrimp salad for guests and the other two honorees, his brothers George, 59, of La Crescenta, and John, 67, of Monterey Park.

John, who is a parking meter manager, first punched in with the city 42 years ago and then urged Alex to apply with the Fire Department years later. George hired on with the city’s Social Services Department as an investigator 28 years ago. It’s the first time the three have dined together at the firehouse, and it was something they’ve wanted to do before retirement (which Alex is considering for next year).

“It’s an honor to celebrate with three guys who have served the city well,” said Tom La Bonge, deputy to Councilman John Ferraro, who provided an ice cream cake for the party. “And we were lucky to have Alex cooking. He’s one of the great chefs on the Fire Department.”

Two other Delianedis brothers chose government work, too. Socrates recently retired from the Air Force, and Ted is a building inspector for the City of Santa Barbara. Their father, Demanedis Delianedis, 90, is a retired tailor.

Asked if they liked working for the city, Alex answered, “You think we would have been here 102 years if we didn’t?”

Another of the Fire Department’s great chefs also celebrated a long stint with the city by preparing a feast for his friends Wednesday. Capt. Barney Nipp, 58, of Fire Station 10 downtown, cooked prime rib, baked potatoes, homemade German chocolate cake and sour cream raisin pie for 21 people to mark his 30 years in the department.

It only sounds like firefighters spend all their time in the kitchen. Nipp was one of the 150 firefighters who climbed 34 stories to knock down the Union Bank fire earlier this week.

Bob Stupak’s not a firefighter, but he recently found that where there’s smoke there’s fire. The owner of Vegas World Hotel and Casino, he decided to quit his four-pack-a-day cigarette habit. To shore up his will power, he designed a billboard bearing the notary public seal of Clark County, Nev., and a vow to pay $300,000 to anyone who catches him smoking. He reserved a billboard spot on the Sunset Strip in Los Angeles--right below the Marlboro Man.

When Gannett Outdoor Co. advertising executives found out what his message was going to be, however, they nixed the ad for that location, saying it competed with the other. But a compromise was reached and Stupak’s ad can be seen in the 8300 block of Sunset. Stupak, meanwhile, says: “I can’t even go into the men’s room without someone following me in, hoping to catch me light up. This is rougher than pulling an inside straight.”

And more hot news:

Summer is the most popular time in Los Angeles for redesigning bodies through plastic surgery, doctors say. But, alas, once you’ve got it you aren’t supposed to flaunt it in the sun. All the beautiful people undergoing nose bobs, face lifts and tummy tucks are being told to cool it. Sunburn not only delays the healing process, says Dr. Ronald Iverson, president of the California Society of Plastic Surgeons, but also can increase scarring. The society recommends sitting in the shade away from all the pool side action, gooping up with sunscreen and covering up anything that went under the scalpel. Once plastic surgery is done, it usually takes weeks to heal well enough to be exposed to even moderate sunlight.

Well, there’s always Christmas in Palm Springs.