Opinion: Angelyne's status as an L.A. icon deserves a reboot
I used to look askance at Angelyne. In the 1990s and early aughts, I’d see her around town, on one of the now-iconic billboards (image, name and nothing more) or driving her Pepto-Bismol pink Corvette like Barbie brought to life, and I would think: This is everything I like least about Los Angeles. What I’ve…
Newsletter: The dark side of Orange County
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Wednesday, Nov. 20, and I’m writing from Los Angeles. Newsletter Get our Essential California newsletter My colleague Christopher Goffard has spent years finding the darkest corners of a place where the sun shines approximately 278 days a year. Goffard is the reporter bard of Orange…
PG&E shutting off power to 450,000 people in Northern California
About 450,000 people will be without power starting at 7 a.m. Wednesday as dry weather and strong winds roll through Northern California, increasing the risk of fires. The number of affected customers was cut in half from Pacific Gas & Electric’s original estimates, affecting 18 counties. The shutoffs will begin with Lake, Mendocino, Napa, Solano…
Grammy nominations in classical go to the L.A. Phil, Gustavo Dudamel and 'Sustain'
The Times called Andrew Norman’s “Sustain” the best piece of new music in 2018, and on Wednesday the Grammy Awards nominators hinted they just might agree. “Sustain” earned Grammy nominations in two key categories: contemporary classical composition, where composer Norman will square off against Julia Wolfe, Caroline Shaw and Wynton Marsalis, among others; and orchestral…
How the Grammy nominations sidestepped Lana Del Rey's F-bomb
Lana Del Rey’s “Norman F—ing Rockwell!” didn’t shy away from expletives, but the 2020 Grammy nominations announcers sure did. The first test arrived when singer-songwriter Bebe Rexha read the list of nominees Wednesday for song of the year. “Always Remember Us This Way,” “Bad Guy,” “Bring My Flowers Now,” “Hard Place” and “Lover” came and…
At 61, country rebel Tanya Tucker earns surprise Grammy nominations
Every few years at the Grammys, the country community rallies around an older, critically beloved but commercially marginal artist. In 2005, it was Loretta Lynn for “Van Lear Rose,” her collaboration with Jack White. In 2017, it was psychedelic roughneck Sturgill Simpson, whose album of the year nod was no less surprising to him than…
Rosalía is the first Grammy best new artist nominee recognized for music in Spanish
Spain’s Rosalía is making more Grammy history. The flamenco-inspired hip-hop artist scored two 2020 Grammy nominations Wednesday morning — one for best new artist and the other in the Latin rock, urban or alternative album category for “El Mal Querer.” This makes Rosalía the first best new artist nominee recognized for music recorded entirely in…
Balloons, surfing Santas and the wackiest parade ever for your weekend near L.A.
Hot air balloons, surfing Santas and a wacky parade can be part of your weekend. Cathedral City Colorful balloons paint the desert sky from sunrise to sunset at the Cathedral City Hot Air Balloon Festival at the Cathedral City Heritage Commons Amphitheater. Watch the balloons glow at an outdoor concert on Nov. 22, a pancake…
Are you tough enough to take the polar bear plunge? If so, here's where
It’s California, so you don’t usually start your new year freezing, except if you are a fan of the polar bear plunge. Many of the swims are on New Year’s Day and raise money for charity, but all of them are guaranteed to take your breath away. Here are several places to take the plunge.…
Airlines order 50 Boeing 737 Max planes, a boost for the grounded jet
Boeing Co. secured orders for 50 737 Max narrow-body planes, padding its tally at the Dubai Airshow while building momentum for the grounded aircraft ahead of its potential return to the skies in coming weeks. Kazakhstan’s Air Astana signed a letter of intent for 30 jets, Boeing announced Tuesday, while an undisclosed customer bought 20,…