By  LPJ

Storm in the Bay Area, California during Christmas week, according to the weather report. Good thing, my flight to Los Angeles was scheduled before the start of the rains.

The exhilarating drive along the shoreline from Los Angeles airport ushered in my Christmas vacation at Hermosa Beach with my daughter Joy and son-in-law Matt. A most welcome and refreshing site was the stretch of fine beach dotted with scores of volleyball nets and light slash of foamy waves on the shore. Before reaching their home, however, was the unexpected stop at the Farmer’s Market in Playa Vista where I had a delicious bowl of pancit (Filipino noodle dish) and bites of spiced potstickers. I was most impressed with the fiesta atmosphere engulfing a wide array of crafts, food booths, vegetable and fruit stands. Attendees swarmed in front of food booths, hard pressed in deciding what to pick for lunch. The enticing aroma of various delicacies melded in the air. Joy chose my take-home of salmon and chicken noodle soups and zero-sugar baklava while she happily took her own pickled daikon. Matt dutifully carried the veggie bag that contained some fresh basil, as he rhythmically trudged in tempo with the music from the live band.

That was my first Christmas vacation day in LA. Second day was just as fun and spectacular.

I enjoyed a gorgeous performance of Nutcracker by the Long Beach Ballet at the Terrace Theater of Long Beach Performing Arts Center. This version was different from the first two I watched years ago. Here, the young Clara was awake for all the dance sequences, and took a very active role in the story line.  While in the other shows, where the Nutcracker introduced the performances, an elderly gentleman host of the party announced the series of dances.

Angela Carter, the Long Beach Clara, danced with such delicate grace and expression suggestive of her reaction to the flow of events on stage. The children’ s performance, accented with comical features, was most delightful. Tchaikovsky’s splendid music, skillfully played by the orchestra, spurred exquisite movements by fabulous ballet dancers that evoked imagination of sugar plums, snowflakes and flowers.  The Siamese twins and the Russian acrobatic dance steps were  most entertaining. While that was my third Nutcracker experience (from San Francisco and LA), that was Joy and Matt’s fifth (from Atlanta and LA).

The spotlight of my third vacation day was the drive through the Christmas light displays at Torrance. Little did I expect this community extravaganza to be so huge. As our car snail paced through this fantasy land, walkers joyfully strolled by or crowded around showcased glittery arrangements on the yards. The whole ambience was out of this world. I reveled in the holiday cheer flashed by every sparkle on the trees, yards and house facades. There must have been gazillions of sparkles in Torrance for Christmas.

On the more somber side on a cozy evening at Matt and Joy’s home, we watched the movie, One Battle After Another, a production marked by the acting genius of Leonardo DiCaprio and Sean Penn, and an intriguingly scripted storyline. There will be more movies on the big screen on cozy nights.

It’s Christmas Eve here in California. The excitement over celebrating the birth of Jesus is rife in the air, not to be marred even by the forecasted storm that rolled into LA today. Christmas is in the hearts. It’s in the homes. It’s with loved ones. Christmas with loved ones is always so special. Last year, I celebrated with my son John, daughter-in-law Natasha and grandson Eliott in El Cerrito. Besides the lush meals, the rowdy family game of roll the dice, and an exciting  recording Eliott did of me singing “My Funny Valentine”, a highlight was the fun family limo tour of San Francisco.

Merry, heartwarming and blessed Christmas to all!

Linda P. Jacob