Good morning. It's Friday, April 19. Here's what you need to know to start your day.
The largest literary festival in the nation is back
What types of books do you enjoy reading? Nonfiction is my go-to. I get lost in the pages of memoirs, autobiographies and biographies. Reliving a different time and exploring history is my escape.
One nonfiction subgenre I've always wanted to get into but felt intimidated by is cookbooks. Although they are the fourth-largest category of nonfiction sold in the U.S., I find myself resorting to TikTok for recipes.
Well, this weekend is the perfect time to explore some of the best cookbooks for spring and a variety of other books at the L.A. Times Festival of Books.
An anticipated 155,000 people will come together for the largest literary festival in the nation starting Saturday on USC's campus. You can expect another year of readings, discussions, panels, signings and demonstrations featuring an eclectic lineup of authors, filmmakers, actors, journalists and personalities.
General admission is free, but tickets for indoor sessions and conversations with participants are available for purchase.
What's new
After a year's hiatus, the cooking stage is back! An assemblage of well-known chefs, internet personalities and cookbook authors including actor Tiffani Thiessen of "Saved by the Bell" fame and humanitarian and James Beard award-winning chef José Andrés will talk about their cookbooks, "Here We Go Again" and "Zaytinya," respectively.
For the first time, the L.A. Times will livestream recipe demonstrations and conversations on the cooking stage and panel discussions on a range of topics, as well as scenes from around the festival. Rolling coverage will publish on latimes.com with real-time highlights shared across social media (Instagram, Facebook and X).
What big names to expect
The "Drag Race" stage isn't the only one RuPaul will grace this year. The television personality and author will be part of The Times' Ideas Exchange series Saturday, where he'll discuss his new memoir, "The House of Hidden Meanings." Tickets are required to attend the session.
Other notable authors and personalities appearing over the weekend include Henry Winkler, Kerry Washington, Ed Begley Jr., Lois Lowry, Viet Thanh Nguyen, Jonathan Lethem and George Stephanopoulos, just to name a few.
More cool events at the festival
Book to Screen events include an episode screening of ABC's police procedural "Will Trent," featuring author Karin Slaughter and the series' showrunners. There will also be a screening of Hulu's eight-part drama series "Queenie," based on Candice Carty-Williams' eponymous novel, scheduled to premiere in June.
Mariachi Cielo Lindo performs at the La Times En Español stage during the Los Angeles Times Festival of Books at USC in 2022. (James Carbone)
The L.A. Times en Español stage, now the Latinidad stage, will feature children's readings, conversations about fútbol with Angel City FC and a 30th anniversary celebration of the 1993 cult crime classic "Blood In Blood Out" with director Taylor Hackford.
See the full schedule and purchase tickets here.
Today's top stories
Raul Urena, the first transgender mayor of Calexico and a current council member, speaks with farmworkers after they teased Urena for wearing a dress. (Dania Maxwell / Los Angeles Times)
California politics
Israel-Gaza
Courts and crime
More big stories
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Today's great reads
Answers to your burning weed questions. (Los Angeles Times photo illustration; Photos via Getty Images)
How do you handle neighbors who smoke weed? And other burning weed questions answered. What do you do if you're annoyed by your neighbors smoking weed? How do you find clean wax? What are my first steps in using cannabis to combat appetite loss from chemotherapy? Why doesn't L.A. have more weed lounges?
Other great reads
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.
For your downtime
Produce at the Weiser Family Farms stand at the Topanga Farmers Market. (Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Going out
Staying in
And finally ... a great photo
Show us your favorite place in California! We're running low on submissions. Send us photos that scream California and we may feature them in an edition of Essential California.
(Bishop Elegino / For The Times)
Today's great photo is from L.A. based fashion and conceptual photographer Bishop Elegino of Gage Crismond. A multidisciplinary artist, Elegino recognizes something in the Acne Studios rivet wine box bag from the brand's spring/summer '24 collection that's always been present in his personal style: utility.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor and Saturday reporter
Defne Karabatur, fellow
Christian Orozco, assistant editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
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