LABJ L.A. stories

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Big Bike

Maybe it should be called the “Big Cannondale.”

It’s not another one of those catchy nicknames that Shaquille O’Neal likes to give himself. Instead, it could describe the bicycle that the Lakers center has put up for auction online.

This year’s regular season and playoff MVP donated his $25,000 custom-made Cannondale for auction on Ubid.com, with the proceeds going to benefit World TEAM Sports, a charity that helps the disabled.

“The thing is unbelievably big,” a Ubid spokeswoman said. “We had our (human resources) director stand next to it and the seat goes up to her nose.”

Although the size of the bike makes it hard to imagine anyone but Shaq riding it, the bidding has heated up since the Lakers won the championship last week, jumping from about $2,200 before the big win to about $3,200 as of late last week.

The bidding ends June 28.

Star-Struck

The next time you gaze up into the heavens, consider this: the planets may be giving you zits.

Well, not exactly. But Agoura Hills-based spa owner Monique Moore will argue that people with different astrological signs require different kinds of skin treatments. She’s devised a zodiac facial to help her clients match their treatments with their signs.

She says Virgos do well with chamomile. Libras and Tauruses can often benefit from ylang-ylang oil. Aries… well, you get the idea.

“We’ve done a lot of research and devised a program of aromatherapy because there are oils best suited for each astrological sign,” said Moore. “People may think it’s far-fetched, but everything is affected by the planets and the Earth, so it’s really self-explanatory.”

Name Change

With the ink barely dry on Tribune Co.’s acquisition of Times Mirror Co., the name Times Mirror Square has already been dropped from the one-square-block downtown monolith that houses the newspaper.

Now it’s only listed as a simple street address 202 W. First St. in the pages of the newspaper.

How do Angelenos feel about the downtown landmark losing its lofty-sounding name?

“The only kind of reaction I’m aware of was people asking about the different mailing address,” said L.A. Times spokeswoman Nancy Ward.

Secrets of Youth

What are the advantages of being 100 years old?

Well, if you’re British and live in Southern California, you’re invited to an afternoon tea aboard the Queen Mary in Long Beach to celebrate the Queen Mum’s 100th birthday.

The British American Business Council of Orange County is putting on the tea, complete with crust-less cucumber sandwiches, scones and cakes, on July 11 so centenarians can share their secrets of aging with health experts.

But it hasn’t been all that easy to find English immigrants who’ve made it to the century mark. “We’ve been ringing up old folks’ homes and assisted-living programs,” said Linda Cruse, council spokeswoman. “We’ve been ringing the daughters of the British Empire.”

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