Fall has officially arrived, and leaf peeping has already started in parts of east-central California’s Inyo and Mono counties.
For those of us down in Southern California, we can’t focus on the changing colors of leaves because we’re trying to find relief from the heat.
It feels like we’re stuck in perpetual summer thanks to El Nĩno and marine heat waves, which have caused high temperatures, extreme humidity and intense storms.
But don’t let that stop you from spicing up fall. There are so many TV shows to watch, books to read, concerts to attend and experiences to have right here in California or from the comfort of your home.
Earlier this month, my colleague Christopher Reynolds in Travel put together a list of 13 fall travel ideas, from California deserts to the coast, with a couple of mountain destinations mixed in.
And for those not interested in taking a road trip, my colleagues on the Entertainment team created a fall preview guide just for you.
Here’s a sampling from their great coverage.
California destinations to explore
The colors of fall are seen along California 168 in the Inyo National Forest along Bishop Creek in 2024.
(Brian van der Brug/Los Angeles Times)
Of all the places Christopher highlights in his guide, the Eastern Sierra is a standout for autumnal aura. U.S. 395 — which runs past Lone Pine, Independence and Bishop — is a great route for seeing fall color and mountain grandeur.
It’s a 5½-hour drive from Los Angeles, but if you’re pining for shades of the season, it’s worth it.
Two Essential California readers mentioned the highway in their responses to our reader question last week, which asked where to find fall color in California.
Carol W. suggests “heading south on Highway 395, then taking the June Lake Loop, which is a riot of fall colors.”
Bill W. told us he and his wife “love to drive along Highway 395, especially the June Lake Loop, for fall colors. With our anniversary on Oct. 17, it’s a tradition for us to visit this beautiful area during that time.”
New books to keep on your radar
The Times’ Entertainment editors called on some of the best in the book world to curate a list of this season’s most anticipated reads. Their selection includes entrancing translated texts, morally ambiguous characters and a foray into flash fiction (as in super, super short).
For autobiography lovers, the list includes the second memoir of Gloria Steinem, who died earlier this month at age 92. “An Unexpected Life” traces the initial glimmers of her political consciousness to her education at Smith College but shows how far she moved beyond genteel 1950s classrooms.
TV shows to watch
Several original “A Different World” cast members reprise their roles in the new version of the series, including Charnele Brown, left, Jasmine Guy, Kadeem Hardison, Darryl M. Bell and Cree Summer.
(Quantrell Colbert/Netflix)
Among a slew of TV shows making debuts this fall is “A Different World,” an updated version of the popular sitcom that ran from 1987 to 1993.
The groundbreaking sitcom has returned as a sequel, blending nostalgic callbacks with Gen Z storylines about mental health and activism. The initial push to revive the series was derailed in part by the allegations against the original show’s creator, Bill Cosby.
Another familiar title will premiere later this fall, centered on Jane Austen’s most famous work, “Pride and Prejudice.”
The 1995 BBC miniseries starring Jennifer Ehle and Colin Firth, and the 2005 film starring Keira Knightley and Matthew MacFadyen are the definitive, most popular screen adaptations of the work.
Now, the classic novel is getting its streaming-era adaptation with Emma Corrin (“The Crown”) and Jack Lowden (“Slow Horses”) as Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy.
Here’s more from our fall guide:
The 15 most intriguing theater offerings hitting SoCal stages this fall
The 17 fall movies we can’t wait to see
10 can’t-miss concerts this fall from Bruno Mars to My Chemical Romance
Dudamel’s return and 15 other classical music and dance shows to catch this fall in SoCal
16 ambitious art shows to see in and around L.A. this fall
Top stories
Waves crash along Capistrano Beach, where large boulders are used to protect homes.
(Allen J. Schaben/Los Angeles Times)
California’s plan to save homes could kill beaches
- With California’s coast getting pounded by strong waves amid a strengthening El Niño, homeowners and officials are turning to rocks, seawalls and sand berms to protect homes and vital rail lines.
- But there is growing concern that this defensive strategy will end up harming California’s famed sandy beaches.
- Although California is on alert for big storms and accompanying flooding due to a strong El Niño, it will also bring an upside: a bonanza of water.
Bills aimed at protecting LGBTQ people become law
- Gov. Gavin Newsom said the legislation was needed because of recent moves by the Trump administration that threaten that support.
- One of the six bills would provide housing, employment and other help to service members discharged from the U.S. military as a result of President Trump’s efforts to ban transgender people from serving.
$200 million-plus spent fighting and supporting the billionaire tax
More news
Commentary and opinion
Editor’s pick
More picks
Things to do
A visitor pushes through the final room of “The Horror Show,” the Academy Museum’s new exhibition exploring more than a century of the making of horror films.
(Kayla Bartkowski / Los Angeles Times)
Today’s recipe
Funke’s olive oil cake with citrus and candied fennel.
(Stephanie Breijo / Los Angeles Times)
Funke’s executive pastry chef, Shannon Swindle, calls this olive oil cake with citrus and candied fennel a seasonal cake, because you can add whatever fruit is in season as garnish. This recipe makes more candied fennel than you’ll need for the cake, but it keeps well.
Question for you
What’s a television show that takes place in California that you’d recommend to friends?
Tom A. says, “The canceled after one season (2010) ‘Terriers’ on FX was a great noir-ish, shaggy dog detective show set in San Diego. The great Donal Logue is the lead, solving crimes with his partner played by Michael Raymond-James.”
Email us at [email protected], and your response might appear in the newsletter this week.
Photo of the day
(Tony Avelar / Associated Press)
Games
Here’s today’s mini crossword, plus our other free, daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and jigsaw games.
Have a great day, from the Essential California team
Jack Dolan, investigative reporter
Hugo Martín, assistant editor, Fast Break desk
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Andrew Campa, weekend writer
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters
How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to [email protected]. Check our top stories, topics and the latest articles on latimes.com.
