Perfect Paint Color for Angelenos

Considering a new paint job for her house, Ruth Harmer-Carew of L.A. visited a Sears store and came across these Dutch Boy colors: “Covered Wagon,” “Wild Goose Chase,” “Big City Beige” as well as one obviously tailored for Southern California, “City Smog.” She steered clear of the smog.

LETTER IMPERFECT: Jay Fromla noticed that the speed limit on the grounds of the Veterans Administration Center in West L.A. is “20 PMH,” whatever that means (see photo).

HAMLET IN PANTOMIME? A press kit for Miramax Films’ “Welcome to Sarajevo” says that one of the stars, Goran Visnjic, has appeared in “numerous theater productions, most notably playing Hamlet at the age of 21.” Then the blurb adds: “ ‘Welcome to Sarajevo’ is his first speaking role.”

DRY WIT: On its 216th birthday Thursday, L.A. broke a 70-year-old record for dry spells, going without rain for the 198th straight day.

How dry was it? It was so dry, says Paul Ecker of Diamond Bar, that “baseball umpires at Dodger Stadium invited Roberto Alomar over during interleague play to spit on them.”

RESEDA RUSE: “The O’Dooles of Reseda,” by Tim Ballou and Linda Higgins, belongs to the genre of books in which the authors write put-on letters to celebrities, hoping for unintentionally funny responses.

In this case, the fictional O’Dooles are identified as “members of an earnest hard-working American family who live in the unpretentious Los Angeles, Calif., suburb called Reseda.” In one letter, the O’Dooles’ “son” writes singer Tom Petty and says, “I’ve been listening to your song ‘Free Falling’ over and over and over again. I can really relate to it being a ‘long day living in Reseda’ with a ‘freeway running through the yard.’ ”

The son goes on to say that he’s heartbroken over a romance and wonders if he and Petty could write a song together.

Petty’s response? No fool, he sent the authors back a cheery note saying that his next album “will be in your local stores by Thanksgiving.”

NAKED ERROR: Dan Stirling sent along a correction that appeared in the newsletter of the Sunset Mesa Property Owners Assn. in Topanga (see excerpt). This would never happen in unpretentious Reseda.

ATTN. AARON SPELLING: Forget about Pacific Palisades. You should develop a series titled “Sierra Madre.” There are myriad plot possibilities in that foothill town--in the Sierra Madre News’ police log alone. Consider just two:

* Aug. 21, 1:35 p.m. . . . A resident reported that a woman in a blue sundress with a light purse wandered into his yard asking about a schoolteacher. (Or was that a scene in a Tennessee Williams’ play?)

* Aug. 26, 9:50 p.m. . . . A resident reported a possible forced entry at his home. The officer responding found no signs of forced entry, only a large bug smashed on the edge of his door.” (Or was that a scene in “The Fly”?) On second thought, Aaron, forget about “Sierra Madre.” How about “Azusa”?

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John Secia of Agoura Hills wondered if the fact that Direct Casket, a cut-rate coffin maker, sponsored the traffic report on KNX radio the other day was a commentary on the dangers of Southland roadways. It may well be. Drivers, let’s try to hold it under 75 PMH, what do you say?