Gen-Xers stoked for Festival of Books
Tomo Chien
March 13, 2026
Good morning. It’s Friday, and these are the five USC, Los Angeles, and California stories you need to know for today.
The newsletter will be off for spring break. Have a great week!
1.
The LA Times announced the lineup for this year’s Festival of Books, hosted, as per usual, on USC’s campus. Highlights of the April 18-19 event include a ton of people your parents would be stoked about: Larry David, Sarah Jessica Parker, Pat Benatar, Lionel Richie, Tina Knowles, and Mark Harmon.
2.
OK, so maybe you’ve never watched “Seinfeld” or “Sex and the City.” Students may be happy to hear that Ty Dolla $ign, the R&B singer known for “Blasé” and “Or Nah,” will headline this year’s Springfest concert on April 4. Grab free student tickets here.
3.
California is among 17 Democratic states that sued the Trump administration over its demand that colleges submit detailed demographic data to ensure compliance with the Supreme Court’s ban on affirmative action. Attorney General Rob Bonta called the ask a “fishing expedition.”
4.
Officials warned people to stay out of the water at several popular beaches thanks to high bacteria levels, just in time for a sweltering heat wave that’ll last through next week. Affected beaches are all north of Marina del Rey, including the Santa Monica Pier, Will Rogers State Beach, and Leo Carrillo State Beach.
5.
Architectural Digest compiled a list of the “Best Los Angeles Airbnbs,” and they are predictably majestic. Some highlights: a “zen” Venice beach cottage, a trippy Silver Lake hillside home, a Hollywood Hills villa with an infinity pool, and a secluded modern estate in Topanga.
