At lunch with Orlov

Rick Orlov of the Daily News is called the dean of L.A. City Hall reporters in Cathy Seipp's "Media Circus" column in today's CityBeat -- on the job since 1988. "The Riordan administration was more fun because they were so unprofessional politically," Orlov says. "Riordan would just say whatever was on his mind, whereas [Mayor James] Hahn has been around politics since he was five years old." Orlov uses a cane since being diagnosed with diabetes and losing some toes. One quibble: the column talks about Orlov scooping the Times on some stories (and presumably other City Hall reporters such as David Zahinser of the Breeze). True enough, but it flows the other way too.

Also in City Beat: Dennis Romero handicaps the possible candidates for mayor.