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Eggnog is overrated! Surprise yourself this season with new holiday cocktails, experiential anti-Santa experiences, and hot toddies at hot spots across Los Angeles.
What’s on the menu: Snowball margaritas, naughty list negronis, and Nutcracker teas. If the names aren’t enough to get you in the door, then you’ve been grinching too long.
Why now: The holiday season will be over before you know it, so you deserve to have as much fun as you can.
If your Christmas fantasy involves being stranded on a desert island with a mai tai and a string of lights, then Gin Rummy is your holiday paradise. The soundtrack is holiday-themed, and Thursday to Sunday offers a live DJ spinning the kind of classics you can dance to. Keep an eye out for surfing Santa while you're sipping on a Christmas colada, made with dark rum, coconut, clove, cinnamon and lime (this is also available sans the spirits). Other must-haves include the frozen marshmallow daiquiri and the gingerbread mojito.
When and how: Christmas at Gin Rummy runs every day except Dec. 25. Happy hour is from 4 to 6 p.m. daily.
Explore the dark side of Christmas at Krampus’ Cove. This pop-up is making its fourth visit to Los Angeles with a macabre takeover of Night on Earth in the Hollywood Hills during select hours. Libations include a naughty list negroni, grinches need love too, made with vodka, pandan, and peppermint and a bourbon-based merry axe mas, with spiced cider and miso butterscotch.
When and how: Now through Dec. 28, at 6 p.m. and 8 p.m. nightly. The $25 ticket includes a welcome cocktail and a creepy Christmas guided tour. The bar is also open for walk-in service during regular hours. Reserve here.
The changing seasons bring a changing cocktail menu at Chef Suzanne Goin's A.O.C., with seasonal sips curated by head barman Ignacio Murillo. A Kentucky holiday is sure to keep you warm and cozy with flavors of bourbon, persimmon, lemon, and sherry. If you're keeping things alcohol-free this holiday, try the pentire ruby with Seaward free spirit, lemon, cranberry syrup, grapefruit and mint.
When and how: The restaurant is open Monday to Friday from 5:30 p.m., earlier on weekends. Happy Hour is from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Irish restaurant Patrick Molloys is holding a special Miracle at Molloys in collaboration with Miracle Pop-Up Bars daily from noon to 10 p.m. through Dec. 31. Kitchy-Christmas items include Griswold-style decorations and craft cocktails like the christmapolitan, made with vodka, spiced cranberry sauce, and absinthe mist, as well as the snowball old fashioned with rye whiskey, gingerbread, and wormwood bitters. There are three different non-alcoholic beverages on the menu, including the Silent Night, made with tart cherry, orange acid, and soda.
When and how: Mon, Tues, Wed, Thurs 11:30 a.m. to midnight, Friday 11:30 a.m. to 2 a.m., Saturday 9 a.m. to 2 a.m and Sunday 9 a.m. to midnight. Make your reservations on Resy.
Bar Director Kenzo Han of Firstborn has crafted a fresh hot toddy that pairs perfectly with fermented tofu and reflects the restaurant's Chinese-American sensibilities. Flavors include black oolong tea, Imo Shochu, Michter's Rye, lemon juice and zest, spruce tips and Angostura bitters.
When and how: Open Wednesday, 5 to 9 p.m., Thursday 5 to 9:30 p.m., Friday and Saturday 5 to 10 p.m., and Sunday 5 to 9 p.m. Reserve on OpenTable or grab a seat at the bar.
The Roger Room is camp meets craft cocktails, with garlands, vintage decorations, and way too much mistletoe to miss your magical moment. Signature sips include Santa's apple cider with Jack Daniels and Hennessy, along with a zero-proof apple cider with cinnamon and clove. The sugar plum fairy with Zacapa rum and a lemon-sugar rim is just as beautiful as it sounds.
When and how: The Roger Room is open weekdays 6 p.m to 2 a.m.., Saturday 7 p.m. to 2 a.m., and Sunday 8 p.m. to 2 a.m. They're even open Christmas Day with regular hours. Reserve your seat on Resy.
It's Elf on the Top Shelf with specialty cocktails from this beloved neighborhood watering hole. For the month of December, Big Bar in Los Feliz will be serving six seasonal cocktails, including the Oh snap!, which melds the flavors of an old fashioned and gingersnap rum into something truly special. It comes with a gingerbread man on the side, so you're never drinking alone. The recipe was created by Marina Spidla of MarinaMixes, whose Big Bar debut as guest bartender was delayed following the L.A. wildfires earlier this year. She'll be pouring all month.
When and how: Big Bar is open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. weekdays; Saturday 9 a.m. to midnight, Sunday 9 a.m. to 10 p.m.
If you're searching for your yuletide cheer at the bottom of a glass, consider Frosty's Christmas Bar. This immersive pop-up bar features photo ops, tons of Christmas decorations, and, of course, festive beverages. Timed tickets start at $24, but that price does not include the spirits needed to have you singing karaoke atop a jumbo Christmas ornament.
When and how: Reserve your tickets here for dates through Dec. 30. Frosty's is closed Dec. 24 and 25. Doors open at 6 p.m.
Weekends in December, guests can enter the land of sweets and sips with a Nutcracker afternoon tea at The London West Hollywood at Beverly Hills. The experience begins with tea from Rare Tea Company, including the special Nutcracker holiday blend with toasted hazelnuts and Madagascar vanilla. You can also add champagne by the glass. Themed tea sandwiches, scones, and sweets will also be served, like peppermint meringue tarts and freshly baked gingerbread cookies.
When and how: The Nutcracker afternoon tea is available Saturdays and Sundays through December from noon to 3:30 p.m. The cost is $84 per person and $42 for children 12 and under. Reserve on OpenTable.
The halls are decked at Casa Vega, with golden tinsel shimmering over every spot. This restaurant is like Las Vegas, where you're not sure if it's daylight yet — but that just means more snowball margaritas. They'll also be serving a Mexican coffee in an adorable Santa mug.
When and how: Casa Vega is open daily from 11:30 a.m. to midnight. Happy hour is from 2:30 to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday.
Bar Next Door on the Sunset Strip, from bar director and mixologist Brynn Smith, is your home away from home this festive season. The space has been glammed up in holiday fashion to match the cozy cocktails in your hand. Menu highlights include a BND mulled wine with ginger, whole spices, and Italian red wine, and a butterbeer, which is an adult take on the Harry Potter original, with butter, brown sugar and vodka.
The star of the lineup, though, might be the clarified coquito. This is a Puerto Rican classic made with Santa Teresa 1796 and Bacardí Carta Blanca rum, along with cinnamon, sweetened condensed milk, nutmeg, cardamom, and espresso beans.
When and how: The Bar Next Door is open Mon, Tues, Wed, 6 p.m. to 1 a.m. and Friday and Saturday 5 p.m. to 2 a.m. Closed on Sunday.
Nothing is merrier than mezcal, and the In Good Spirits Holiday Pop-Up at the Downtown L.A. Proper Hotel has got bites and beats to boost your evening. Think nightly DJs, tarot readings, chain-stitch artists, and small plates from Cabrillo restaurant. Drinks include a sugar plum old fashioned with Illegal Mezcal and a cranberry no-groni.
When and how: This holiday pop-up takes place in the Dahlia lounge Thursday through Saturday, from Dec. 5 through 20. Reserve on OpenTable beginning at 7 p.m.
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State Farm reaches settlement over emergency insurance rate hikes after last year’s Los Angeles County fires.
Why it matters: State Farm, the largest insurer in the state with about 20% market share, received approval for unprecedented emergency insurance rate increases in California last May. The company told the state that the billions of dollars it expected to pay out after the deadly fires placed it in financial peril.
Why now: The proposed deal among the state Insurance Department, consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and State Farm, disclosed late last week, comes after months of public hearings convened by the insurance department and settlement talks.
Read on... for more from the proposed settlement.
The Los Angeles County fires last year drove up insurance costs for many Californians. Now, a proposed settlement means some State Farm policyholders whose premiums rose won’t see additional increases, and others should even get refunds.
State Farm, the largest insurer in the state with about 20% market share, received approval for unprecedented emergency insurance rate increases in California last May. The company told the state that the billions of dollars it expected to pay out after the deadly fires placed it in financial peril.
The proposed deal among the state Insurance Department, consumer advocacy group Consumer Watchdog and State Farm, disclosed late last week, comes after months of public hearings convened by the insurance department and settlement talks.
Consumer Watchdog, which questioned the rate increases State Farm asked for, says the settlement saves the company’s California policyholders a total of $530 million. From the proposed settlement:
In addition, State Farm has agreed not to cancel any new policies this year, and it won’t be canceling some policies it had planned not to renew in wildfire-affected areas. The insurance department characterized those provisions as important to the continued stability of the state’s insurance market, which has been beset with availability and affordability issues.
“When consumer advocates are able to challenge the data and present their own analysis, excessive requests are reduced and consumers are protected,” said Harvey Rosenfield in a statement. Rosenfield founded Consumer Watchdog and wrote Proposition 103, the voter-approved law that governs insurance in California.
State Farm has paid out more than $5 billion in claims from the L.A.-area fires so far, said spokesperson Tom Hartmann.
After consumer complaints and lawsuits, the insurance department is investigating the company’s handling of claims from the fires and expects results from that examination later this spring.
The agreement, which must be approved by an administrative law judge, also requires State Farm to undergo additional review of its rates in 2027. The company will be required to make a one time 2.5% premium discount available to renewing policyholders if its ratio of premiums to available cash reaches a certain level; Consumer Watchdog litigation director Will Pletcher said the deal will give the group more timely access to the company’s annual financial statements to help keep it accountable.
The insurance department expects the judge to decide on the settlement by April 7. Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara will then review the judge’s decision and have the final say.
This article was originally published on CalMatters and was republished under the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives license.
Topline:
Iran's state media issued what it said was a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and keep up attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 13th day.
The Strait of Hormuz: The Iranian statement said the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for a fifth of the world's oil supply, should remain closed. It said Iran continues to believe in friendship with its neighbors but will continue targeting U.S. bases in the region. "The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used.," the statement said, according to an English version published by Tasnim News Agency, run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
Unclear of statement's authenticity: It was purported to be the new leader's first statement since he succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war. It's unclear if the statement was from Mojtaba Khamenei himself. There's been speculation about the leader's current condition and whereabouts. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that Khamenei was lightly injured early in the war.
Iran's state media issued what it said was a statement by Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, vowing to keep the Strait of Hormuz closed and keep up attacks on U.S. bases in the region, as the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran entered its 13th day.
It was purported to be the new leader's first statement since he succeeded his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in an Israeli strike on the first day of the war.
The statement said Iran will avenge the blood of its "martyrs," including the victims of a March 1 attack on a girls school in the city of Minab, which Iranian officials say killed at least 165 people, many of them children. NPR has confirmed the U.S. military is investigating how it could have targeted the school.
The Iranian statement said the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping route for a fifth of the world's oil supply, should remain closed. It said Iran continues to believe in friendship with its neighbors but will continue targeting U.S. bases in the region.
"The lever of blocking the Strait of Hormuz must undoubtedly continue to be used.," the statement said, according to an English version published by Tasnim News Agency, run by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard.
It's unclear if the statement was from Mojtaba Khamenei himself. Another person was heard reading out the remarks on Iranian state media, with a photo of Khamenei posted on the TV screen, as it was broadcast around the world.
There's been speculation about the leader's current condition and whereabouts. An Israeli official, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak publicly, told NPR that Khamenei was lightly injured early in the war.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
Here are other major updates about the conflict.
To jump to specific areas of coverage, use the links below:
Attacks on vessels | Oil stockpiles | Strikes across the Gulf | Israel-Hezbollah escalation | Iranian school attack
Two oil tankers were hit in Iraqi territorial waters near the southern port area of Basra, Iraqi officials said Thursday. It is the first oil-related strike reported in Iraq's waters during more than a week of war, in another sign of the conflict's escalation.
Iran, a critical ally of Iraq, took responsibility for attacking one of the tankers, which it said was owned by the U.S.
A port official said the attack targeted vessels near Basra's port approaches, and Iraq's security spokesman described it as sabotage.
Iraqi officials said one person was killed, and 38 crew members were rescued, with search operations continuing.
Iran has stepped up attacks on energy infrastructure and commercial shipping in response to U.S. and Israeli strikes, warning that the world should brace for oil prices to double.
— Jane Arraf
The U.S. confirmed it will release 172 million barrels of oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserve as part of a coordinated International Energy Agency (IEA) release of 400 million barrels from emergency stockpiles.
The U.S. contribution amounts to roughly 40% of the total, to be released gradually over about four months.
The IEA's executive director, Fatih Birol, said the goal is to keep the supply of oil flowing as the conflict disrupts shipping routes and energy infrastructure. But analysts warn stockpile releases can only partially offset prolonged disruption in the Gulf, where roughly a fifth of global oil consumption normally transits the Strait of Hormuz.
On Wednesday, President Trump said the price spike is temporary and said the reserve release would push prices down.
According to the popular app Gas Buddy, the current average cost of regular unleaded is now up to $3.61 a gallon.
- Camila Domonoske
Countries in the Gulf reported new incoming threats and interceptions Thursday, as Iran continued firing drones and missiles across the region – including at U.S. military bases.
The UAE's defense ministry said air defenses were responding to Iranian missile and drone attacks, and that sounds heard in parts of the country were from intercepts.
Kuwait's defense ministry said its air defenses intercepted ballistic missiles and drones that penetrated the northern and southern parts of the country's airspace.
Saudi Arabia said it intercepted and destroyed drones headed toward the Shaybah oil field.
The United Nations Security Council adopted a resolution on Wednesday condemning Iran for recent attacks across the Persian Gulf region, calling them a "breach of international law" and "a serious threat to international peace and security."
- Rebecca Rosman
The militant group Hezbollah launched its biggest rocket attack against Israel since the start of the war with Iran. The Israeli military said the Iranian-backed group fired heavy volleys toward northern Israel overnight into Thursday, triggering interceptions and sending residents repeatedly into shelters.
The Israeli military responded by launching more attacks against what it said were Hezbollah launch sites and command infrastructure.
Huge booms were heard across the capital and large black smoke billowed from the Dahieh neighborhood in south Beirut, while an attack in central Beirut – where thousands of people are displaced – killed 8 people and injured 31, according to Lebanese officials.
Wide evacuation orders for south Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs have displaced at least 800,000 people so far, according to the Lebanese government.
Lebanon, which does not have diplomatic ties with Israel, has unusually called for direct talks with Israel to end the escalating fighting with Hezbollah. Israel has not officially responded.
Israeli strikes on Iran have continued, with Iran firing missiles at Israel intermittently, including overnight.
Israeli military officials say about half of the missiles Iran has launched at Israel have carried cluster warheads, which spread out into smaller bombs over a wider area – increasing the risk to civilians.
- Daniel Estrin, Hadeel Al-Shalchi and Rebecca Rosman
The Pentagon has opened a formal investigation into the missile strike on an Iranian girls school that killed at least 165 civilians, many of them children, after a preliminary assessment suggested the U.S. was at fault, according to a U.S. official who was not authorized to speak publicly. The investigation is expected to take months and will include interviews with all those involved, from planners and commanders to those who carried out the strike.
If a U.S. role in the attack is confirmed, it would rank among the military's most deadly incidents involving civilians in decades. Congress created a special Pentagon office to prevent the accidental targeting of civilians but it was dramatically scaled back by Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth soon after he took office last year.
"This investigation is ongoing. As we have said, unlike the terrorist Iranian regime, the United States does not target civilians," said White House spokesperson Anna Kelly.
The Pentagon did not respond to a request for comment.
NPR previously reported — based on commercial satellite imagery and independent expert analysis — that the strike was more extensive than initially reported and appeared consistent with a precision strike on a nearby military complex, raising questions about whether outdated targeting information contributed to the tragedy.
- Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf, Geoff Brumfiel
Rebecca Rosman contributed to this report from Paris, Jane Arraf from Erbil, Iraq, Hadeel Al-Shalchi from Beirut, Daniel Estrin from Tel Aviv and Camila Domonoske, Tom Bowman, Kat Lonsdorf and Geoff Brumfiel from Washington.
Copyright 2026 NPR
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If you’re a soccer fan — or just a fan of South Korean phenom Son Heung-min — you may have heard that the Los Angeles Football Club planned to put up a larger-than-life mural of the footballer in Koreatown last month. But the mural has yet to appear.
More details: LAFC planned to reveal the mural during the launch of their 2026/2027 jersey at The LINE Hotel. Now the reveal has been pushed back to sometime in June.
Why now: The delay stems from issues with the city’s mural approval process, at least according to city officials.
Read on... for more about the mural of Son Heung-min.
The story first appeared on The LA Local.
If you’re a soccer fan — or just a fan of South Korean phenom Son Heung-min — you may have heard that the Los Angeles Football Club planned to put up a larger-than-life mural of the footballer in Koreatown last month. But the mural has yet to appear.
LAFC planned to reveal the mural during the launch of their 2026/2027 jersey at The LINE Hotel. Now the reveal has been pushed back to sometime in June.
The delay stems from issues with the city’s mural approval process, at least according to city officials.
Gabriel Cifarelli, a spokesperson for the Los Angeles Department of Cultural Affairs, said they received a mural registration application for the site. But the department said it could not issue a notice to proceed because the application was “ineligible and incomplete” under the city’s mural ordinance and administrative rules.
“DCA staff offered the applicant advice and further guidance, and remains available for questions,” Cifarelli said.
If a mural includes a team logo it is considered an advertisement and not original artwork, according to the city department. In that case, the permit must be issued through the city’s Building and Safety Department.
A new application has not been submitted through the mural program, Cifarelli said, and it was not immediately clear whether LAFC applied for a permit through the Building and Safety Department.
LAFC spokesperson Danny Sanchez didn’t confirm if a new permit has been submitted.
“The mural unveil was rescheduled to June to better align with World Cup festivities,” Sanchez said.
Dave Young Kim was commissioned to paint the mural and previously painted a Son mural on the side of the Crosby building in Koreatown in October, but that was only up for a few weeks.
He still plans to paint the mural on The LINE Hotel in June.
“I’m assuming at this point, LAFC is likely trying to line it up for a more opportune time,” said Kim. “The mural was originally supposed to line up with the launch of the new jersey so something similar.”
Leo Hernandez, 35, said he hopes the mural goes up before the World Cup.
“I didn’t know it was pushed back all the way to June,” he said. “I’ll be in Mexico for the World Cup.”
Hernandez, who goes by “El Soccer Guy” on Instagram and has nearly 50,000 followers, has been attending LAFC games since 2018. He said Son’s arrival to L.A. has brought a new wave of fans to the club.
“I’ve never seen so many Koreans,” he said. “He’s bringing a whole new community to LAFC. I don’t know if they love soccer or they love Son or both, but it’s amazing to see.”
“Son is starting to be my favorite on the team,” he added. “He’s so good. He wants the team to shine. And I love his positivity and energy.”
Topline:
There’s a lot of real Los Angeles mixed into the recent MCU series “Wonder Man,” now on Disney+, which makes for a version of the MCU that feels a little more grounded in reality, especially for Angelenos.
The context: Wonder Man is an action-comedy about two struggling actors also dealing with superhuman forces and secret government agencies — think The Studio meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. It's part of the Marvel Universe, but also feels accessible to viewers not that familiar with the MCU. Showrunner Andrew Guest told LAist that was by design, and was helped by grounding the show in an realistic portrayal of life in Los Angeles.
Read on ... for more about the real L.A. locations featured in Season 1, and why a Season 2 (if it does happen) might film elsewhere.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is all about people with superpowers living in a world very much like our own.
And there’s a lot of real Los Angeles mixed into the recent MCU series “Wonder Man,” now on Disney+, which makes for a version of the MCU that feels a little more grounded in reality, especially for Angelenos.
It's an action-comedy about two struggling actors also dealing with superhuman forces and secret government agencies. Think The Studio meets Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.
Sir Ben Kingsley reprises his Iron Man 3 character Trevor Slattery, the messy British actor hired to play a bad guy called The Mandarin. And Yahya Abdul-Mateen II plays Simon Williams, aka Wonder Man.
Through their adventures trying to book the gig-of-a-lifetime while surviving the perils of the MCU, L.A. landmarks and cultural references abound, and ground the series in a relatability for many Angelenos, including lots of inside jokes for those working in the entertainment industry.
There’s a series of roughly 100-year-old small, independent movie houses used as locations in Wonder Man — the Eagle Theatre now home to Vidiots, Westwood's Village Theater now operated by American Cinematheque (with views of The Bruin Theater across the street), and the Highland Theatre which closed in 2024.
Speaking of iconic L.A. spots breaking local hearts, the vintage bar within Echo Park’s Taix French Restaurant was used as an interior location for the series. Taix is closing at the end of the month to make way for new development.
“Taix, the Highland Park Theatre — these places that it was only three years ago were there,” Wonder Man showrunner Andrew Guest told LAist, “a lot of these establishments sadly, are not surviving. And this town is in a rough, rough place.”
(Though actor/director Kristen Stewart recently said in an interview with Architectural Digest that she bought The Highland Theatre and is restoring the building.)
Traffic is part of life in Los Angeles and with so many scenes shot in Hollywood, even the main characters of Wonder Man must experience that bumper-to-bumper frustration.
Though, because it is a TV show, they were able to indulge in the fantasy of beating that traffic in a way that in reality would be highly dangerous (and illegal).
“We got to shut down Sunset Boulevard for a little while to shoot a car going onto the sidewalk in front of the Palladium,” said Guest. And surprisingly, he explained, they didn’t have to shoot in the middle of the night to make the shot happen: “That was Friday night…. We didn't close all lanes of traffic. The street was open. We were shooting while Los Angeles was still going strong.”
The scene also references the frequent traffic back up during big shows at the Hollywood Bowl, even earning the show a social media repost of the scene from Chaka Khan.
Wonder Man includes an episode titled Pacoima where the main character visits his family and childhood home.
“My wife grew up in Chatsworth, and one of the things I found fascinating about her experience growing up there was that many of her friends and their families never went to Los Angeles,” said Guest.
“The idea that Simon grew up close to, but far enough away that Hollywood and Los Angeles did not feel like they were part of his life…so when he moved to the city, Pacoima is not a place he goes to a lot. And I feel like that's a part of L.A. that is true to this city. That doesn't get explored a lot and felt like it was another detail that we got to sort of throw into the show.”
There’s lots of other Southern California. references to enjoy from the Talmadge Apartments, an historic renaissance revival building on Wilshire Blvd., a mural of Danny Trejo, and even a cameo from Gisellle Fernandes, real-life L.A. broadcaster for Spectrum 1 News.
Should you get lost in the multi-verse, at least this L.A will be pretty familiar.
Guest couldn’t confirm anything about a possible Season 2, but told LAist, “It’s still on the table as an option, potentially."
As for whether a potential Season 2 would also film in Los Angeles and continue to highlight the city in new ways, Guest said it’s occurred to him that one of the best ways to write about Hollywood could be “ to send our show somewhere else because everybody in this town who's working has to move — whether it be Budapest or London or Ireland or Vancouver — very little is actually happening in this town. And that’s a story that I don’t think is being told right now about L.A.”
Season 1 of ‘Wonder Man’ is now streaming on Disney+.
Watch Julia Paskin's interview with actor/comedian X Mayo, who plays Simon Williams' agent in 'Wonder Man':
