Hotel at Orange County-L.A. Border Plays to Both Sides of Fence

The Sea Port Marina Hotel on Pacific Coast Highway, which sits near the Long Beach-Seal Beach border, displays a two-sided marquee. I’m not sure whether the hotel was making a comment about lifestyles differing on each side of the Orange Curtain, but. . . .

The marquee message seen by drivers coming from L.A. County trumpeted a scary-sounding rock concert: “Endless Summer . . . 20 Dead Flower Children . . . 9 p.m.-2 a.m.”

Drivers coming from Orange County, in contrast, saw this: “Sunday Champagne Brunch . . . 11 a.m.-2:30 p.m.”

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CRIMINALLY CINEMATIC: The city of Paramount’s newsletter relates that a patron at a local movie theater phoned L.A. County sheriff’s deputies to report that her car had been stolen. The deputy taking the report asked her what movie was playing. “With a groan,” the newsletter said, “she replied: ‘Gone in 60 Seconds.’ ”

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THE WEIRD, WEIRD WORLD OF ANIMALS: Elizabeth Holst of Westlake Village noticed a stern parking warning at a veterinary hospital (see photo).

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FURTHER EVIDENCE OF THE NEED FOR SOFT MONEY REFORM: Kevin Stock of Rossmoor saw this police brief in the Los Alamitos News-Enterprise: “August 13th, Los Alamitos Blvd., Block 11000, 2:41 p.m.: The ATM would not stop dispensing money.”

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ONLY IN BEVERLY HILLS: Beverly Hills dispenses traffic bulletins and other information to locals on AM 1500 radio, including this tip for dealing with killer bees: If you get stung, the station advised, you should remove the stingers with your fingernails “or a credit card.”

Which reminds me of a flier I saw from a loan company that was obviously written for Southern Californians. The company said it could lend money at low rates for all one’s needs, “such as cosmetic surgery.”

Steve Harvey can be reached at (800) LATIMES, 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 [email protected].