touchstone

The Westside Pavilion was one of the city’s premier shopping venues and a cultural touchstone for generations of Angelenos, appearing in movies, television shows and music videos.

While the Menendez case has become a touchstone in the true-crime genre spawning viral debates about abuse, privilege and punishment, the parole board’s decision rested on prison records and behavioral assessments, not public opinion.

Country music has long been a conservative cultural touchstone, valorizing patriotism, liberty and small-town Americana.

Whether the lunch becomes a footnote in papal history or a touchstone for others will depend on how religious and political leaders respond.

Thirty years ago, the coming-of-age romantic comedy “Clueless” opened in movie theaters and went on to become an enduring American pop culture touchstone.