Editor's note: We are taking a few days off for the holidays but will be back in your inbox Wednesday.
Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It's Saturday, Dec. 23. Here's what you need to know to start your weekend:
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Four ways to spend the holidays in L.A.
A sunny day with a high of 67? That's the kind of Christmas only Los Angeles can provide.
If you're spending the holidays in L.A., we've got some ideas on what to do.
Make reservations or order takeout
Christmas dinner cooked by the elders in my family has me so spoiled that I didn't even realize restaurants stayed open. Several Los Angeles-area restaurants will be available for Christmas Eve and Christmas, serving savory dishes like seafood gumbo and lasagna bolognese and sweet treats like peach cobbler. Make reservations if you're planning to dine in.
For those craving New York-style Chinese American food, the crab rangoon and dumplings are just some of the delicious items on the menu at Genghis Cohen in Fairfax. If a fancy brunch is more your jam, Fig in Santa Monica offers a special menu for Christmas Eve and Christmas Day with patio seating that overlooks a glittering pool.
Track down a tamale vendor
How about celebrating the holidays with some of the best tamales in L.A. and Orange County? Hearing the neighborhood vendors shout, "Tamales! Tamales!" is a year-round joy. But when you're busy cooking and need to figure out what to do in the meantime, those tamale vendors are right on time.
From plantain-wrapped options drenched in Oaxacan mole to sweet variations filled with strawberries, there's a tamale for everyone.
Hit the slopes
Snow season in California is off to a slow start in some areas, especially those closest to Los Angeles. Big Bear Mountain resort — a two-hour drive from L.A. — is expected to have little to no snow accumulation over the holiday weekend.
But hope isn't lost. Other parts of the state have gotten enough snow to start ski season at some of the most popular resorts.
Mammoth Mountain in the Eastern Sierra predicts about three inches of snowfall this weekend. So if you're up for a longer drive, California's highest lift-served, four-season resort, with a summit at 11,053 feet, could provide excellent skiing and snowboarding .
Explore California's tallest sand dunes
An August storm caused widespread flooding and forced the closure of Death Valley. Since October, the park has slowly started to reopen access to some of its attractions, including Eureka Dunes. Less than six hours from L.A. are the tallest sand dunes in California, rising about 680 feet above the neighboring lake bed.
The climb to the dunes' summit is not easy, as it is steep and the loose sand gives way beneath your feet. But the sweeping views at the top are the ultimate reward.
The week's biggest stories
Former President Trump faces two major U.S. Supreme Court decisions: whether he can be prosecuted for election interference, and whether he's disqualified from seeking reelection. (Associated Press)
Politics
Housing and homelessness
Crime and courts
Health and environment
More stories
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Column One
Column One is The Times' home for narrative and longform journalism. Here's a great piece from this week:
(Jason Allen Lee / For The Times)
Thirty years ago, Time magazine asked if L.A. was 'going to hell.' Are we there yet? To find out, we asked 17 prominent Angelenos to weigh in. There was consensus that this is a fraught time for Los Angeles — nearly every participant mentioned the scourge of homelessness when contemplating the issues affecting the city. That's in stark contrast to the 1993 Time story: Homelessness wasn't mentioned at all.
More great reads
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your weekend
Kumi Suio, a Japanese tour guide from Gardena, dances in front of a mural featuring newest Dodger player Shohei Ohtani by artist Gustavo Zermeno, Jr. on the wall of Ocean View Liquor store in Hermosa Beach. (Christina House/Los Angeles Times)
Going out
Staying in
L.A. Affairs
Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.
Who was this man? And how could I keep him away from me? (Jennifer Luxton / For The Times)
I froze my eggs and put starting a family on hold. Was it a mistake? I planned to scale back on consulting, freeze my eggs and live in Antarctica for a year before starting my family alone. The universe had other plans.
Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team!
Elvia Limón, multiplatform editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
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