The week ahead in SoCal classical music: Handel's Messiah and more
Here is a list of classical music performances in L.A. for Dec. 15-22: American Youth Symphony Brass Ensemble Classical and holiday favorites. Laemmle Monica Film Center, 1332 2nd St., Santa Monica. Sun., 11 a.m. Free; reservations required. eventbrite.com A Christmas Festival of Nine Lessons & Carols Music by Briggs, Adelmann, Paulus, Josquin des Prez, Berlioz,…
The week ahead in SoCal dance: 'Nutcracker' mania
Dance performances in Southern California for Dec. 15-22 includes several different productions of holiday favorite “The Nutcracker.” Holidays Around the World Mexican ballet folklorico, Bollywood dance, German folk dances, Chinese lion dance, live music and more. Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Julianne and George Argyros Plaza, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa. Sun., 11 a.m.-4:30…
Calendar Feedback: '50 songs': Bonus Tracks
Randall Roberts did a great job on “50 Songs for a New L.A.” [Dec. 8] but missed a big one. Where is Collective Soul’s “Hollywood” (2007)? This tune perfectly captures the sunny, synthetic, sexy energy of La La Land. This is Tinseltown anthropomorphized into a sweet object of desire. The Neko Case song you cite,…
Yosemite's got snow. Badger Pass Ski Area ready to open
Badger Pass Ski Area in Yosemite National Park is scheduled to open Friday for downhill and cross-country skiing as well as snow play. There’s about 3 feet of snow at the high point, and more may be on the way. National Weather Service forecasts say the ski area could gain up to half an inch…
What's the best way to get to LAX? Here are some options
Question: I’ve had mixed results getting to LAX. There are a lot of bad reviews for shared vans. I’ve also had bad results getting picked up at LAX by one car service. Do you have any suggestions? We will have four heavy bags.Jim RagsdaleDuarte Answer: If you live in Duarte, here’s the best way to…
Letters: A mixed bag of experiences and opinions on Airbnb
I was surprised and happy to see that someone was able to get some semblance of justice from Airbnb (“Airbnb Hits an Impasse,” On the Spot, by Catharine Hamm, Dec. 8). In August I booked a home through Airbnb for our biannual cousins trip and had an experience with the host. I booked a home…
Go wild at three of Arizona's best animal parks
1/9 Mazi is one of about 135 animals living at the nonprofit Keepers of the Wild in Valentine, Ariz., which is open to visitors year-round. (Lara Kraft) 2/9 In a former life, Ruckus was primarily used for photo opportunities. The Bengal tiger now lives at Keepers of the Wild in Valentine, Ariz. (Lara Kraft)…
Stocks edge up to new highs after China trade deal becomes official
Stocks on Wall Street closed out a listless day Friday with tiny gains that were enough to propel the Standard & Poor’s 500 index and the Nasdaq to new record highs. The United States and China revealed they have reached an initial deal in their long-running trade war. The Phase 1 agreement means the U.S.…
In Karina Miller's kitchen, there's room for just one cook | My Favorite Room
Film producer Karina Miller finds respite and creative autonomy in her cozy Studio City kitchen, where she’ll happily cook for you — just don’t try to help. “The short answer is control. I like to cook by myself, because as soon as somebody else is in the kitchen I have to manage them, and I…
Sperm start-ups bet on declining male fertility
Start-ups want men to track, improve or freeze their sperm, hoping declining male fertility will become just as big a business opportunity as women struggling to conceive. Legacy and Dadi provide kits for men to send their sperm to labs for testing and freezing. YoSperm and ExSeed use devices attached to smartphones to analyze sperm…