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My husband and I live in Pasadena. We moved from Los Feliz about 10 years ago. We have struggled to find LGBTQ+ events this far east. We can only hit up Boulevard so many times (although we love it). Any advice for finding LGBTQ+ events in Pasadena, Eagle Rock, Highland Park, Glendale or the SGV? I feel like there are bars out here that may host weekly events that I just don’t hear about. — Will Birnie

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Will, you are so right. While there are several queer bars around your former neighborhood (Hi Tops in Los Feliz, Akbar in Silver Lake, Club Bahia in Echo Park and Honey’s at Star Love in East Hollywood), they are few and far between in the eastern part of L.A. County. But your question sent me down a rabbit hole and I’m proud to report that I’ve found a handful of spots and regular events that you should check out in your area. (Shout out to my colleagues and everyone who responded to my request for help on Instagram.)

Highland Park is home to the Offbeat, which is one of my friend Jaycen Mitchell‘s favorite bars in the area. The beloved dive bar hosts karaoke nights, drag shows, live music performances, “RuPaul’s Drag Race” screenings and other themed nights throughout the week. “I’ve been able to see all of my favorite drag queens there in more intimate settings, and the DJs have had me and my friends dancing until we were the last ones there,” Mitchell tells me. Also in Highland Park is Blind Barber, a speakeasy that hosts Homo Happy Hour on Thursdays. Mitchell says the happy hour is always a good time and a chance to “show up as your authentic self, be in community and queen out with your girls.”

Then in Glendale, there’s Junior High, a nonprofit art gallery and inclusive gathering space that hosts a variety of events, including music shows, artist showcases, comedy nights, pottery workshops and more. A standout event is Fantasy Suite, a pole dance show that features queer dancers with varying body types. Cherry Jayne and Jax “Lil Sumthin” launched the queer strip club experience in 2022 after struggling to find work due to “fatphobia that plagues traditional strip club hiring,” they told me. The next event will take place Feb. 7 and will feature Valentine’s Day songs of love, lust and heartbreak.

At Footsies in Cypress Park, Latino queer artist and DJ Mino Sanchez and his boyfriend, Ivan Castaneda, who also DJs, have been hosting Gay Night for nearly four years. The event, which happens on the second Saturday of each month, features BIPOC queer DJs who spin house, disco, Spanish dance music, electronica, pop and international sounds. There’s also a drag performance at midnight. In El Monte, the San Gabriel Valley LGBTQ Center hosts Gayme Night on the third Thursday of every month. The all-ages event features karaoke along with video and board games.

And you already know and love Boulevard — it really is a gem (and it’s the only gay bar in Pasadena). Though it was at risk of closing during the pandemic, the 45-year-old bar survived and continues to host a drag trivia night on Tuesdays and a drag show on Friday nights hosted by Borgia Bloom Facade. Times food columnist Jenn Harris writes that the Boulevard bar has served as a “safe haven for the gay community in the area and an alternative to the West Hollywood bar scene.”

If you’re looking for a different type of community beyond bars and events, my colleague Jaclyn Cosgrove recommends Throop Unitarian Universalist Church in Pasadena. “My pastor, Rev. Tera Landers, likes to say she doesn’t like religion, but she loves church,” says Cosgrove, who also lives in Pasadena. “That’s in large part because of the community we have at [the church] including our choir, which has a large number of transgender and queer members. It is where I go to refill my cup every Sunday.”

I hope this list helps you and your husband find more spaces around your neighborhood to build community and have a great time.

Jan. 3 (UPI) — A magnitude 6.5 earthquake was recorded at 7:58 a.m. local time near Rancho Viejo. Mexico on Friday morning and shook buildings in the resort city of Acapulco along the Pacific Coast.

The earthquake, which was linked to more than 500 aftershocks, occurred during Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum’s first press briefing of 2026, has caused at least two deaths, The Washington Post reported.

The earthquake’s epicenter was 2.5 miles north-northwest of Rancho Viejo and 21.75 miles beneath the Earth’s surface, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.

The USGS reported little to no landsliding was expected and little to no population exposure to landsliding hazards from the event.

Some liquefaction is estimated with limited exposure to local populations, but some ground failure might still occur, according to the USGS.

Rancho Viejo is about 6 miles east of Acapulco in southern central Mexico, and strong shaking was reported in both locales, with some movement also felt 235 miles to the north in Mexico City.

No tsunami warnings were issued, and none occurred, although aftershocks are anticipated and could occur days or possibly weeks afterward and be of a similar magnitude, according to The New York Times.

Long-haul flights can feel daunting for both passengers and cabin crew. But while travellers can sit and put their feet up, what happens to the flight attendants on a long shift?

Travelling is fun but when it’s a long flight, it can feel quite draining for everyone on board. Passengers, however, get to tuck into countless meals served by cabin crew, watch multiple movies back-to-back and relax.

So when travellers get some shut eye, especially if it’s a night flight, those working on the flight still have a job to do. Luckily there are moments of the trip where they can get their feet up for some rest. A long-haul flight shift for cabin crew can reach up to 18 hours, although it’s around 12-16 hours with in-flight rest. This can sometimes extend to longer if there’s any delays along the way.

Now have you ever wondered how they rest? One flight attendant shared a video which showed a secret area where “no passenger is allowed” and it’s only for cabin crew staff to put their feet up.

In a video, Bryan, who boasts 5,000 Instagram followers, said: “People ask me: Where do flight attendants sleep when they have a 17-hour flight?”

Seconds later, he jumps into his pyjamas before taking his phone to show the secret area cabin crew can go to rest during their shift.

The title, which read: “A place where no passenger is allowed”, then shows the attendant walking up some stairs before showing a hidden cabin with beds and curtains.

It’s called CRC which stands for Crew Rest Compartment, and this is where they go when it’s time for their break. In the sleeping area, there is a seatbelt, which must be fastened in case of turbulence, some blankets and, of course, pillows.

There’s also overhead lights and even curtains for privacy, with a TV for “endless entertainment”.

His post garnered hundreds of likes since it was shared as one wrote: “Wow that’s awesome.” Another added: “I would sleep all the way through. No alcohol. No entertainment. Just rest. We need our bodies to perform on Earth. Thanks for sharing.”

A third posted: “Thanks for sharing! So cool to see ‘behind the scenes’ with the crew.”

How do cabin crew survive long-haul flights?

Flight attendants usually rotate their scheduled rest periods by using the hidden crew bunks. By doing this, it ensures there’s coverage during flights up to 16+ hours.

The crew members manage fatigue with routines, wellness, nutrition and use seniority to bid for better schedules, they also balance intense work with multi-day layovers to explore cities or rest before the next leg of their trip, often spanning several days.

Long-haul offers extensive travel for flight crew, while short-haul provides more home time. Often flight attendants choose this based on lifestyle preference.

Meanwhile extended periods away from home are common, with long blocks of days off after demanding trips to recover from the job.