Making the most of the last days of summer

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Good morning, and welcome to the Essential California newsletter. It’s Saturday, Sept. 9. Here’s what you need to know to start your weekend:

• The end of summer is upon us!
• Pharmacies are making millions of mistakes
• The East L.A. parade, which celebrates Mexican Independence Day, is Sunday
• And here’s today’s e-newspaper

Making the most of the last days of summer

In two weeks, summer will officially be over. Good riddance. It has been the hottest Northern Hemisphere summer ever measured (and this is the second-hottest year on record so far, too). Not to mention the 5.1-magnitude earthquake that struck Southern California in the middle of Tropical Storm Hilary a couple weeks ago.

I didn’t move from New Orleans for this.

Fall is more my speed. The weather cools and we get the consistent mid- to high 60s temperature.

But if you’re mourning summer’s forthcoming departure, we’ve got good news:

Dolphins are still playing alongside the ferries to Catalina Island and swan boats are floating through Echo Lake Park.

“There’s still time for hills to be climbed, waves to be caught, cocktails to be confronted, and Dodger Dogs to be consumed,” The Times’ Christopher Reynolds wrote in his list of things to do in L.A. before summer ends.

If you want to soak up the heat before it’s too late, walk through 5 acres of blooming roses at La Cañada Flintridge’s Descanso Gardens, or jaunt through the Getty Center’s four surrounding gardens. Indulge in one of the best frozen treats in L.A: ice cream!

Few things mark the last days of summer in SoCal more than the end of the Rose Bowl’s summer flea markets. Rummage through countless vintage items to your heart’s content on Sunday, the last market of the summer. You won’t be able to hunt vintage treasure there again until October.

Whether you plan to spend the rest of the summer indoors or outdoors, enjoy the remaining days before the superior season takes over.

The week’s biggest stories

(Jim Cooke/Los Angeles Times; photos via Getty Images)

• California pharmacies are making millions of mistakes, mostly at chain pharmacies such as CVS and Walgreens.
• Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood home was granted a temporary reprieve from demolition after a unanimous L.A. City Council vote.
• In the final chapter of her long career, Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s private affairs are being scrutinized as never before.
• As the Colorado River shrinks, some surprising new allies are on board with the controversial ‘one-dam solution.’
• If you’re a Charter Spectrum customer jonesing for ESPN, ABC, Disney Channel, here’s where to watch.
• Actor Danny Masterson was sentenced to 30 years to life in prison on Thursday after being convicted of raping two former Scientologists.
• Q&A: Here’s what comes next for Julio Urías and the Dodgers after his arrest.
• Nancy Pelosi says she’ll run for reelection in 2024 as Democrats try to win back House majority.
• Even the least expensive areas of California are becoming less affordable, and more desirable.
• The ‘fuss’ over Burning Man proves we care about the wrong people stuck in the mud, Erika D. Smith writes.

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The week’s great reads

(Elana Marie / For De Los )

Column: ‘Slop on a tortilla:’ Why the defense of Mexican and other cultural food is personal. People get emotional when others deride their culture’s cuisine because, as columnist J.P. Brammer writes, they see it as extensions of themselves, of the place they grew up, of their families’ kitchens. “I think there’s something really endearing about that.”

More great reads

• How California got its good name — a 1500s novel and scores of fascinating people.
• Clarence Avant’s political power: The ‘Black Godfather’ had the ear of three presidents.
  

How can we make this newsletter more useful? Send comments to essentialcalifornia@latimes.com.

For your weekend

Chimney Creek Campground, Owens Peak Wilderness.

(Josh Jackson)

Going out

• 🏕️ National parks too crowded? Try these 9 breathtaking BLM campgrounds near SoCal
• 🖼️ See the mess and playfulness of relationships in Carmen Argote’s show at the Institute of Contemporary Art, Los Angeles
• 🏄 Think you’re ready to surf in SoCal? Here’s how to avoid angering the lineup
• 🇲🇽 The annual East L.A. Parade kicks off Sunday with activities to celebrate Mexican Independence Day and Mexican culture

Staying in

• 📖 What would a university of the canceled look like? Read this novel
• 🥐 Try this time-saving cheat to making Nancy Silverton’s twice-baked croissants
• 🧑‍🍳 Here’s a recipe for Park’s BBQ ‘Magic Sauce’ Marinade and Bulgogi
• ✏️ Get our free daily crossword puzzle, sudoku, word search and arcade games.

L.A. Affairs

Get wrapped up in tantalizing stories about dating, relationships and marriage.

(Janet Yingxi Lin / For The Times)

I wanted an open marriage. Would my husband agree? Last spring, after eight years of a stable partnership, Natalie and her husband opened their marriage. It was the push they needed to jump into the deep end together.

Have a great weekend, from the Essential California team

Elvia Limon, multiplatform editor
Kevinisha Walker, multiplatform editor
Karim Doumar, head of newsletters

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