Beach

Pirating, as evidenced by centuries of stories and one of the greatest theme park rides, has long fascinated. Seafaring and sword fighting imply adventure. Dice games? Bluffing and strategy. And if you’re really lucky, maybe you’ll find a mermaid.

Audience members seen during a production of “Pirates Wanted,” an interactive production from Last Call Theatre.

(Gabriella Angotti-Jones/The Los Angeles Times)

Last Call Theatre, a local interactive-focused performance group, has found a way to give us a taste of buccaneering — without the pesky consequences of being captured by the Royal Navy or succumbing to a rum-induced liver disease.

For one more weekend in Long Beach, theatergoers can live out a mini marauding fantasy on an actual ship at “Pirates Wanted,” a limited-run revival of the troupe’s 2024 show. It’s theater, but it’s also a choose-your-own-adventure-style game, one with branching narratives, multiple endings and even life lessons.

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The show is set on board the American Pride tall ship docked at Long Beach’s Pine Avenue Pier, a 130-foot schooner that today is primarily used as an education-focused vessel. Stand still and feel the lean and long boat gently rock on the waves. But you’ll rarely be stationary on the wood-heavy craft. With a cast of 14 and an audience capacity of 55, “Pirates Wanted” explores the full top deck of the ship, which is accessible via a small portable stairway.

The setup: As audience members, we are to be trained as pirates in 17th century England, with much of the cast performing in exaggerated accents. The drama: Our captain’s previous ship was marooned under suspicious circumstances. To complicate matters, a long-lost sibling, also a pirate with his own troubling history, is here to judge the crew’s seaworthiness. The show begins with a speech from Capt. Souvanna (Bonnie-Lynn Montaño), who sternly demands a vocal “aye” from the audience as the ground rules are laid out. Follow them, Souvanna warns, or risk being thrown into the harbor.

Captain Souvanna (Bonnie-Lynn Montaño) and Captain Draken (Shelby Ryan Lee) share a moment during immersive theater production “Pirates Wanted.”

In moments, we are free to wander and link up with various crew members for our pirating lessons. The so-called “treasures of the seas” aren’t going to be pillaged without our help, and I soon find myself improvising sea shanties and engaging in a game of liar’s dice. I stumble over relearning how to construct a knot — important, I am told, in case I’m tossed overboard and need to quickly lasso myself to a raft — but have better luck mimicking a figure 8 with my sword. We have tasks to complete — or games to play, rather — which are ultimately an excuse for conversation.

Ask a roaming bard about the previous ship’s fate and a host of stories start to unravel and reveal themselves — love affairs, hidden secrets, lost maps and the requisite discontentment among the ship’s keep. What would a pirate narrative be without talk, for instance, of mutiny?

Oats Weetle (Mads Durbin) climbs a mast during a dramatic scene in “Pirates Wanted.”

“Pirates Wanted” is heavily active, and one won’t discover all of the show’s narrative paths. Wander, for instance, to a compartment at the ship’s bow, and you may hear conspiratorial whispers. Hang in the aft, and there might be talk of a siren on board. I saw others with treasure maps, and only caught murmurs of the romantic soap operas unfolding among the crew. Love letters were lost and recovered, and at one point I was pulled aside, a pirate whispering to me to ask if there was an illicit affair on board between a member of the crew and the British Navy.

Audience members take in “Pirates Wanted.”

Like all of Last Call’s shows, there are multiple ways to watch — or play. One can opt to be a relatively passive observer trying to overhear conversations and uncover the various storylines. But it’s advised to lean in, to hop from character to character armed with questions and the willingness to go on assigned quests. Here, the latter rely heavily on gossip. Early on I was tasked, for instance, with asking the various pirates about their feelings over losing their last ship, only I was told not to use the word “feel” in my line of questioning (after all, one must trick a pirate into vulnerability).

Throughout, “Pirates Wanted” explores how to navigate complicated family drama and romantic relationships when value systems — you know, looting and pillaging versus not — don’t align. There are metaphors if you go looking for them, specifically on having to live much of one’s life in the closet, but “Pirates Wanted” places a heavy emphasis on silliness too.

Last Call over the last three years has established itself as one of the more prolific companies on the city’s immersive theater scene, regularly hosting two or three shows per year. The troupe has already announced a winter time traveling production, “The Butterfly Effect,” set to debut Nov. 8 at Stella Coffee near Beverly Hills. “Pirates Wanted” last year became one of Last Call’s best reviewed productions.

Throughout “Pirates Wanted” audience members will be tasked with quests, sometimes seeking hidden items.

“It definitely was our most critically and financially successful show we put on,” says Ashley Busenlener, Last Call’s executive director. “Who doesn’t like pirates on an actual ship?”

“Pirates Wanted” leans campy, a vision of the lifestyle more informed by Disneyland’s Pirates of the Caribbean than any historical fiction. It also tackles subject matter not often seen in pirate tales, such as feelings of being misunderstood and the struggle to be one’s true self.

“One of the things that I often notice about pirate media is a lot of the time you see pirates and the majority of time they are white men,” Busenlener says. “That’s not who I think I pirates are. We were very intentional … in creating a cast that we felt represented what piracy should be.”

In turn, many of the actors are female, queer and hail from diverse backgrounds. The goal, says Busenlener, was to show that anyone can be a pirate.

“Pirates are the people who were outside of society,” Busenlener says. “They were breaking rules and laws and taking power into their own hands. That’s something we wanted to reflect.”

There are multiple story tracks in one “Pirates Wanted.” In one, captain Souvanna (Bonnie-Lynn Montaño) may face a mutiny.

And it’s represented in one of the show’s most affecting narrative branches, one in which a half-mermaid spent their life presenting only as human out of fear. It’s intimate drama laced with mysticism, an adult theme ultimately handled with a hint of levity for this family-friendly show.

It also gets to the heart of Last Call’s ambitious with “Pirates Wanted.” Come for the swashbuckling — and the chance to learn some sword-fighting moves — but stay for the emotional adventure. Just don’t be surprised if you leave the pier suddenly talking in a fake British accent.

Tall ship the American Pride in Long Beach, home for one more weekend to immersive theater show “Pirates Wanted.”

Alnmouth in Northumberland is a beautiful seaside village with a dog-friendly beach, independent shops, and wildlife – and it’s just a stone’s throw away from Alnwick

A stunning coastal village mere minutes from the renowned Northumberland town of Alnwick has been praised by tourists for its peaceful shoreline, delightful independent retailers, and abundant wildlife.

Alnmouth is nestled within one of the county’s Areas of Outstanding Natural Beauty and its canine-friendly coastline ranks among most visitors’ preferred destinations.

Adventure seekers can enjoy rambles along St Oswald’s Way and Northumberland Coast Path, where a varied collection of wildlife can be observed.

The shoreline’s sand hills provide an excellent spot for birdwatching, and the location has even featured in Robson Green’s Weekend Escapes.

Alnmouth has also been captured on television as the imaginary settlement of Mardle in the ITV detective series Vera, reports the Express.

History enthusiasts can explore the Ferryman’s Hut in Alnmouth, recognised as the tiniest museum in Northumberland.

The Old School Gallery, dubbed a “hidden gem” and situated in a renovated village schoolhouse from 1872, displays fine art, printmaking, and illustrations.

Tourists celebrated the serenity of the coastline, with one posting on TripAdvisor: “Really lovely beach! Was nice and quiet when we went so was so peaceful. Great place to chill on a day out. Good fun wading in the water!”.

Another said: “Picturesque and peaceful beach. Great place for a long stroll on the beach and a walk round the village. Always love visiting here!” A third described it as an “amazing expanse of beach”, adding: “You can enjoy a lovely bracing walk along the sands. There are some great birds among the rocks at one end.”

Someone else posted: “We recently had the pleasure of stopping in Alnmouth for a week. We walked our dog every day on Alnmouth beach, the beach is simply stunning. It is one of the most beautiful I have ever been to, the sand is very soft and the scenery is amazing. It really is a great beach for dog walking and is dog friendly all year round.”

Alnmouth is also renowned for its row of vibrant houses, called Lovaine Terrace, which prove irresistible to photographers.

The village’s railway station provides a picturesque glimpse of these homes as your train arrives in Alnmouth, whilst you can also travel to Berwick-upon-Tweed from the station or catch a train southbound to Newcastle for a day out.

The high street features coffee shops, eateries, pubs, and gift shops whilst the Alnmouth Golf Club sits close by in Foxton Bay.

It was founded in 1869 and ranks as England’s fourth oldest golf club.

The famous town of Alnwick lies nearby, where tourists can explore its castle, the Alnwick Garden, and the archway of Bondgate Tower.

Alnwick also hosts a farmers’ market which takes place in the town square on the last Friday of every month.

For the uninitiated, Laguna Beach is Southern California at its most postcard-worthy, a stretch of the Orange County coastline filled with frothy waves, winding canyons and afternoon beachgoers. Yet it doesn’t take long to realize that it’s not just Laguna Beach’s sand that’s worth digging into.

Laguna Beach, for instance, is art.

The modern history of the beachside community often zeroes in on its artistic legacy. And for good reason. Plein air artists — that is, those dedicated to painting outdoors and capturing the beauty of a landscape or a moment — are believed to have begun descending upon the region in the late 1880s. In the early 1900s, it was plein air artists who established the Laguna Beach Art Assn., which ultimately led to the founding of the Laguna Art Museum.

And today, Laguna Beach stages two of Southern California’s most cherished art events. The Festival of the Arts, home to the summer tradition that is the Pageant of the Masters, and the Sawdust Art Festival continue to define Laguna Beach as an art-forward haven for free thinking.

Laguna Beach is also history.

The aforementioned Laguna Art Museum is one of the oldest artistic institutions in Southern California, its current location dating to 1929. The city’s Marine Room Tavern, established in 1934, is one of the oldest bars in Orange County, the site of the second liquor license ever approved in Laguna Beach. Its Catholic church, St. Francis by the Sea, was built in 1933 and once held the mantle of the smallest cathedral in the world. And the Laguna Playhouse is said to be one of the oldest not-for-profit continuously operating theaters on the West Coast, with a history dating to the 1920s.

And yet Laguna Beach is tension.

Summer crowds, a tourism necessity for the area, also bring with them a host of nuances for locals — traffic, trash, public drunkenness and the risk of dirtying up the city’s pristine beaches, five of which ranked among The Times’ list of the best in the state. It’s a privileged party atmosphere that no doubt once contributed to the area’s spotlight for trashy reality television.

Yet that wasn’t the real Laguna, as Laguna Beach is a community.

Today, it’s a place one can find a magical wonderland dedicated to the joy of fairy tales, and to walk its Coast Highway — or take in its sights via one of the city’s free trolleys — is to find a host of quirky surf shops, chocolatiers, wine and snack outposts, and a bounty of galleries. And, yes, those magnificent beaches.

When you live in a town where the ocean is just around the corner, it feels almost wrong to spend a sunny day anywhere but the beach. As a lifelong Santa Barbara resident, my favorite way to savor those golden afternoons is by doing exactly that: toes in the sand, waves crashing at my feet, a turkey sandwich in one hand and an Agatha Christie novel in the other. Honestly, does it get much better?

I’m here to tell you it does. Santa Barbara is a place of dual delights. And while the coastline tends to steal the spotlight, I’d be remiss if I didn’t also shine some light on the other side of town that visitors often overlook. Because here, we’re not just flanked by sea; we’re also cradled by mountains, which means that in under 20 minutes, you can go from your beach towel to hitting the trail.

That unique geography is what makes our mountains stand out. Unlike most of California’s coastline, where mountain ranges tend to stretch north to south, the Santa Ynez Mountains run east to west. This rare alignment creates dramatic, side-by-side views of both the Pacific Ocean and the mountains — especially breathtaking from higher elevations during sunrise or sunset.

And if that doesn’t convince you to trade your beach nap for an uphill trek — and you happen to be a nature enthusiast — know that Santa Barbara is one of the most biodiverse regions in the state, boasting a variety of breathtaking flora and fauna. Take the Matilija poppy, for example: visually striking and curiously reminiscent of a cracked egg. Or consider the California scrub jay, whose vibrant cobalt feathers never fail to turn heads.

While it’s hardly a novel take, I’ve always believed that the best way to explore a place is by immersing yourself in its terrain. Sure, the beach is tempting, and I don’t blame anyone for choosing the comfort of the sand over a sweaty excursion. But as someone who’s hiked every trail on this list, I urge you to give the mountains a chance — if not for the stunning views, then for the adventure.

Kristen Nuss was covered in sand, dulling her neon two-piece swimsuit. A white lei hung around her neck as she attempted to balance her champion’s plaque awkwardly in one hand.

“This thing is heavy,” she said, “my arm is getting sore.”

Despite her and partner Taryn Brasher repeating as AVP Manhattan Beach Open champions — grinding out a 15-21, 21-18, 15-13 victory over former USC standouts Megan Kraft and Terese Cannon — on Sunday, the weight of both the hardware and the title wasn’t lost on Nuss.

“This is Wimbledon,” Nuss said. “It’s the granddaddy of them all. My mom always said she wanted me to play at Wimbledon. … This is definitely one of the most coveted trophies right here.”

Partners since 2021, Nuss and Brasher were greeted with a roar before the first serve. On the other side of the net, Kraft and Cannon seemed to be the underdogs to the Paris Olympians.

But as the former Trojan duo snatched the opening set, fans pressed shoulder to shoulder along the railings and bleachers, pulled into the possibility of a rally from the defending title-holders.

Kraft’s heavy serve and Cannon’s long reach at the net gave them the first game at 21-15. During the changeover between games, Brasher and Nuss zeroed in on the cracks by serving together and passing cleaner.

“We don’t like first sets,” Nuss joked. “That is something we’ve learned this year especially … we should just not play the first set. But we know we can battle back no matter what.”

Kristen Nuss dives for a ball during the women’s championship match at the Manhattan Beach Open on Sunday.

(Katelyn Mulcahy / For The Times)

Down three points in the second set, Nuss and Brasher rallied and took a 21-18 win. And in the third set, with the teams even at five, Nuss — the smallest player on the sand — swung above her size, disguising her shots by glancing one way and spiking the ball the other.

“There is nothing — no deficit — that is going to scare Kristen,” Brasher said.

Under the scorching Manhattan Beach sun, fans stayed jammed along the railings. But the second final would not follow the same fairytale ending.

For Phil Dalhausser and Trevor Crabb, this year’s Manhattan Beach Open doubled as both a curtain call and a chance to win a title.

Miles Evans, left, and Chase Budinger celebrate after winning the Manhattan Beach Open men’s title Sunday.

(Katelyn Mulcahy/For The Times)

For the former, it was the final time he’d ever tower over California sand — a four-time Olympian, International Volleyball Hall of Famer and seven-time Manhattan Beach Open champion competing in the second-to-last AVP event of his career. Crabb entered the weekend looking to win the tournament for the second straight year.

But Chase Budinger and Miles Evans had other plans, racing through the final and burying the storybook ending 21-19, 21-16 to clinch the men’s title.

Budinger and Evans tipped their caps to Dalhausser — recognizing the veteran who is a legend in the sport.

“[Dalhausser] is the best player to ever play the game,” Budinger said. “So every time I step on the court playing against him, I really try to cherish those times with him — those memories, those battles — because he’s such an unbelievable player.”

Dripping in champagne and holding his plaque, Evans said the triumph was validation for all the work the duo has put in to break through since pairing up in 2023.

“Hopefully this is the beginning of great things for us,” he said.

The beach has been praised for its five miles of sandy shoreline and fascinating rock pools – and travellers who visit say it’s classier than most other beaches around

Filey Beach has been crowned Yorkshire’s finest stretch of coastline by TripAdvisor, with visitors declaring it ’90 per cent classier than other beaches’ in the UK.

Nestled between Scarborough and Bridlington in North Yorkshire, this coastal gem boasts five miles of golden sandy shoreline. The beach also features a historic promenade, a sculpture trail and the fascinating Filey Brigg area, where visitors can discover rock pools.

It achieved an impressive 4.7 out of 5 rating on the travel website, outshining both Scarborough and Whitby beaches, which secured second and third place respectively. This triumph comes following feedback from 2,646 holidaymakers.

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Visitor The Codnore Traveller declared: “Filey as a seaside town is infinitely more classy than about 90% of all other UK seaside towns, and so it is little wonder that Filey Beach is one of the nicest in the country.

“Bookended by Filey Brigg on one side and Bempton Cliffs on the other, Filey Beach comprises 5 miles of clean, unadulterated beach that can be enjoyed by young and old alike. This Beach is clean, and when I say clean, I mean CLEAN.”

Yorkshire Live reports that Michael Scott said: “I asked several local people what I could do in Filey. They all answered ‘go to the beach’. So, on a gloriously sunny May day, I took the train from Scarborough and cycled the half mile or so from the station downhill on a very bumpy cobbled street to the seaside.

“Wow! The beach stretched for miles, a huge expanse of beautiful hard-packed sand. Filey is so much quieter than Scarborough, and I must confess, much more to my taste. There was so much space that people had vast areas to play football, fly kites, and to sit quietly without any interference from anybody else.

“Withlassy sculptures on the wide prom and lots of uncommercialised areas, I must confess Filey quickly became a favourite. I will return.”

Helen H stated: “Filey has one of the best beaches on this stretch of the coast in my opinion. And today we walked down to Coble landing to the beach this way. This stretch is used for a multitude of reasons: dog-walkers, surfers, fishermen and visitors.

“There are a selection of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops for holidaymakers wanting bucket and spades, and everything else needed for the perfect day on the beach.”

Munchmunchtime4lunch commented: “Beach is lovely- sandy- designated dog areas. Lovely fish and chips place at the top of the beach (one portion of chips and scampi between 3 of us was enough to stop the hunger pangs- £12). The cook to order so you will have to wait.

“There was a place that sold ice cream and drinks and beach stuff (very busy) including some doggy ice cream for dogs (we don’t have a dog but lots of people here did). Lovely beach- would recommend.”

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A new list has been made of the “dirtiest” beaches in the UK as many Brits are heading to the coast this month during school summer holidays to enjoy the hot weather

Brits have been given a list of the dirtiest beaches in the UK where there have even been reports of human faeces found, according to new research.

With the exceptionally hot weather so far this year many people have taken advantage by heading to the coast on holiday and some have been left shocked at the state of the beaches they have visited. Experts have also told how there is a lot of litter which is lift behind after vast crowds turn up with plastics a particular problem as it is a hazard for local wildlife.

And for those wondering which is the dirtiest beach, Skegness Beach in Lincolnshire has been named as the worst offender, closely followed by Margate Main Sands and Formby Beach in Merseyside.

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The research was carried out by plastic waste specialists at BusinessWaste.co.uk have listed the most litter-strewn beaches in the UK. The experts analysed TripAdvisor reviews to determine how many mentioned litter on the beach.

One review of Skegness Beach from June 2025 warned: “Avoid the grass dunes between the car park and the beach. Not only do you have to dodge the dog waste you also have to with human waste and serviettes covered in faeces and left for you to tread in.”

Another visitor lamented: “Unfortunately, on the walk down the beach, we passed a lot of trash, dirty nappies and baby wipes strewn about the place in one area, and broken glass.”

However, it’s not all doom and gloom, with many tourists sharing positive experiences on TripAdvisor. Despite some comparing Skegness to North Korea and Syria as the worst place to visit, it continues to be a popular destination for many British families.

A review posted in May 2025 reads: “Skegness is a proper seaside resort. It has everything that you expect from a trip to the coast and a lot more besides. From the iconic Clock Tower to its many attractions.

“But for us the best part was the beach, immaculate golden sands with plenty of places to buy ice cream, fresh food and drinks (including beer and wine). Well done Skeggy! ! ! PS The Blue Fin Fish Bar serves battered fish that is phenomenal.”

Holidaymakers visiting Margate Main Sands have voiced comparable grievances, with assessments highlighting shattered glass, canine excrement, and human waste.

Whilst Formby Beach has received positive feedback generally, countless evaluations reference rubbish scattered across the shoreline. One visitor grumbled that they discovered the car park completely occupied by 10:30am and the coastline already packed with crowds and strewn with debris.

Numerous other beachgoers remarked on abandoned picnics, discarded disposable barbecues littering the sand, and even discovering drug-related items, reported the Express.

Graham Matthews, plastic waste specialist at BusinessWaste.co.uk, says: “Litter on the UK’s beaches turns our natural beauty spots into an eyesore and poses a huge environmental threat to marine life.

“Each year, as the weather heats up, we see a sharp rise in people flocking to the seaside, but sadly, many don’t clean up after themselves. It’s common to find food packaging, disposable BBQs, and even human and animal waste scattered across our shores.

“All this unsightly litter ruins the enjoyment of our beaches, but it also threatens local wildlife. Plastic is a particularly major hazard as it takes so long to break down naturally. Initially, this litter can endanger wildlife, entangle animals or be ingested. However, over time, plastic breaks down into smaller particles known as microplastics that find their way into water, sea life, and even our food chain.”

The UK’s most littered beaches

1. Skegness Beach, Lincolnshire
2. Margate Main Sands, Kent
3. Formby Beach, Merseyside
4. Blackpool Beach, Blackpool
5. Whitmore Bay Beach, Barry Island
6. Bournemouth Beach, Bournemouth
7. Scarborough Beach, Scarborough
8. Weston-super-Mare Beach, Somerset
9. Botany Bay, Kent
10. Clacton-on-Sea Beach, Essex

The announcement could not have been more unfortunately timed. On the morning after the Dodgers had been swept by the Angels and fallen out of first place in the National League West for the first time in 108 days, the email to media members started this way: “Ever wonder how a player like Mookie Betts gets in the zone for the MLB Postseason?”

This is not on Betts, not at all. He is simply the front man for a campaign in which Corona Beer and its advertising partners had pre-timed an otherwise harmless press release for 6 a.m. PT Thursday. The headline on the press release: “Corona Teams Up with Mookie Betts to Bring the Beach to the Ballpark Through a First-of-its-Kind Soundtrack for the MLB Postseason.”

One of the keys to Betts’ success: an even keel that sometimes frustrates fans who want every player on their team to be as visibly frustrated as they are. In the aftermath of the Angels’ sweep, this is what Betts said Wednesday night: “It is what it is. Can’t change it right now.”

The promotional photo distributed with the press release shows Betts relaxing on a beach towel, next to home plate, headphones on. The soundtrack “fuses the iconic sounds of the ballpark with the relaxing vibe of the beach.”

Betts helped to pick seven minutes and 54 seconds of “home run blasts, in-stadium crowd waves and announcer calls from his most memorable postseason moments … combined with ambient ocean breezes and crashing waves.”

The Dodgers’ Mookie Betts teamed up with Corona for a baseball-themed soundtrack campaign called “Playa Sounds.”

(Corona)

You can hear the soundtrack here. From the press release: “The entire mix is tuned at 432hz — a frequency commonly associated with enhanced clarity.”

“As a player, you need to be in the right head space to show up when the lights are brightest,” Betts said in the press release. “I worked with Corona to make sure this soundtrack accurately captures the energy of the postseason and channels that into something both the guys in the dugout and fans can use to prepare for the season’s biggest upcoming moments.”

In last year’s postseason, Betts batted .290, hitting four home runs and scoring 14 runs in 16 games. After the World Series, on an episode of his podcast, he and several teammates broke down the Dodgers’ championship run, including a discussion of the New York Yankees’ fundamental flaws in the World Series.

On a wide, empty stretch of Venice Beach in 1980, seven Los Angeles architects — Frank Gehry, Thom Mayne, Eric Owen Moss, Coy Howard, Craig Hodgetts, Robert Mangurian and Frederick Fisher — gathered for a group portrait by photographer Ave Pildas. Clad in mismatched outfits and standing casually in the sand, they looked more like a rumpled rock band than the future of American architecture.

The resulting image, published in Interiors magazine, distilled a seismic moment in L.A.’s creative history. Those seven, gazing in their own directions yet joined in a sense of mischievous rebellion and cocky exuberance, represented a new generation that was bringing a brash, loose creativity to their work and starting to distance itself from the buttoned-up codes and expectations of the architecture establishment.

Each would go on to have a successful career, from Pritzker Architecture Prize winners to directors of architecture schools. And they and their compatriots would, for a while at least, help put a rapidly changing L.A. at the center of the built culture.

“That one photograph contains a whole world,” notes filmmaker Russell Brown, who recently directed a 12-part documentary series about that Venice architecture scene. “There was risk going on, and freedom; it was all about ideas.”

“It’s become a kind of reference point,” adds architectural journalist Frances Anderton, host of the series. “It just keeps reappearing whenever there’s a conversation about that period.”

The 1980 image is the jumping-off point for “Rebel Architects: From Venice to the World Stage,” produced by Brown’s nonprofit, Friends of Residential Treasures: Los Angeles. Four of the architects — now in their 70s and 80s — gathered for a (far less brash) new photo and an honest conversation about their early careers in L.A., and what’s transpired since for the series, which began streaming monthly on FORT: LA’s website July 1.

A native Angeleno with a background in feature and documentary filmmaking, Brown conceived of the concept after a chat with architect Robert Thibodeau, co-founder of Venice-based DU Architects. After a deeper dive into the image with Anderton, the idea for a reunion was born.

“We thought, why don’t we restage the photo and then use that as an excuse to get the guys together?” Brown explains.

He preferred a spontaneous, lighthearted group discussion to the typical documentary, with its one-on-one interviews and heavy production.

Frances Anderton, from left, Frederick Fisher, Craig Hodgetts, Thom Mayne and Eric Owen Moss catch up for “Rebel Architects,” a 12-part series.

(FORT: LA)

“It’s about the chemistry between creative peers,” says Brown. “The real legacy of these architects isn’t just in the buildings. It’s in the conversations they started — and are still having.” He added: “There’s a spark that happens when they’re together … They talk about failure, competition, teaching, aging. It’s a very human exchange.”

Episode 1, titled “Capturing a Moment in L.A. Architecture,” opens with four of the surviving architects — Fisher, Mayne, Moss and Hodgetts — recreating that seminal photograph for Pildas and sitting down for an interview. (Howard was interviewed separately, Gehry declined and Mangurian died in 2023.) The group dissects the photo’s cinematic, informal composition, in which Pildas aims down from a berm, the neglected buildings behind the eclectic crew shrinking into the horizon, merging with the sand. And they remember a time in which the city’s messy urban forms and perceived cultural inferiority provided endless creative fuel, and liberation.

Pildas recalls how the original shoot came together at the request of British design editor Beverly Russell, who was looking to capture “Frank Gehry and some of his Turks.” (The international design press was gaga for L.A. at the time. Anderton notes that her move from the U.K. resulted from a similar assignment, on the “subversive architects of the West Coast,” for the publication Architectural Review in 1987.)

At the time, most of the architects were working in garages and warehouses, forming their studios and collaborating with equally norm-busting and (relatively) unheralded artists in the scrappy, dangerous, forgotten, yet exploding Venice scene. In a later episode, the architects start listing the art talents they would run into, or befriend, including Larry Bell, James Turrell, Ed Ruscha, Fred Eversley, Robert Irwin, Robert Rauschenberg and Jean-Michel Basquiat, to name a few.

Basquiat was then living and working in Hodgetts’ building. “It was a spectacular fusion of all this creative energy,” Hodgetts remembers. “There was no audience, there were no guardrails, and one did not feel constrained.” He adds, later: “We all felt like we were marooned on a desert island.”

Pildas, who had studied architecture before switching to design and, eventually, photography, was uniquely suited to capture the group. He had shot some of the small, quirky experiments of Mangurian and Mayne, and knew most of the others through social and professional circles. (He even knew Hodgetts from high school back in Cincinnati.)

The first attempt at the photo seemed stiff, says Pildas, so he took out a joint, which all except Hodgetts accepted, he says. The icebreaker worked. In a later image, says Pildas, Fisher is hugging Gehry’s leg, the others huddled around. “It got pretty friendly in the end,” he jokes.

Pildas argues that the photo is much more layered with meaning (not to mention nostalgia) now than it was at the time. “Back then, it was just another magazine shoot. Now, it’s history,” he says. Adds Moss: “Its relevancy, or not, is confirmed by the following years. Otherwise it’s gone.”

Frederick Fisher, from left, Thom Mayne, Craig Hodgetts and Eric Owen Moss recreate their famous 1980 photo.

(Ave Pildas)

Each episode explores the image’s layers, and the unfolding stories that followed — the challenges of maintaining originality; crucial role of journalists in promoting their work; maddening disconnect between L.A.’s talent and its clients, along with the mercurial, ever-evolving identity of Los Angeles. The tone, like the photo, is unpretentious and playful, heavy on character and story, not theory. This was not always an easy task with a group that can get esoteric quite quickly, adds Anderton. “I was trying to keep it light,” she laughs. “I don’t think I even have the ability to talk in the language of the academy.”

“They’re cracking jokes, interrupting each other, reminiscing about teaching gigs and design arguments,” says Brown. “There’s real affection, but also a sense of rivalry that never fully went away.” Hodgetts doesn’t see it that way, however. “It was really about the joy of creating things. We wanted to jam a bit, perform together; that’s really life-affirming,” he says.

There are some revealing moments. Mayne, whose firm Morphosis is known for bold, city-altering buildings such as Caltrans HQ in downtown L.A., reflects on teaching as a way of “being the father I never had.” (His father left his family when he was a young boy.) He tenderly discusses the seminal role that his wife Blythe — a co-owner of Morphosis — has played in his career. Fisher reveals that Gehry was the chief reason he dropped everything to come out to L.A. (At the time, he was working as a display designer at a department store in Cincinnati.) “I remember seeing this architect jumping up and down on cardboard furniture. I could see there was something going on here. Something percolating,” he says. Moss opens up about his struggles to negotiate the demands of the practical world, while Hodgetts performs brilliant critiques of the others’ work, sometimes to broad smiles, others to cringes.

Notably absent from the reunion is Gehry himself, who is now 96. “He’s at a point in his life where trudging through sand for a photo wasn’t going to happen,” says Brown. “But his presence is everywhere. He’s still the elephant in the room.”

One episode explores how Gehry, about a decade older than the others, both profoundly influenced and often overshadowed the group — a reality that was perhaps reinforced by his nonchalant dominance in the photo itself. “Frank takes up a lot of oxygen,” Mayne quips. Still, all admire Gehry’s unwillingness to compromise creatively, despite often heavy criticism.

Another prevailing theme is the bittersweet loss of that early sense of freedom, and the Venice of the 1970s, with its breathtakingly low rents and abandoned charm. Today’s architects — wherever they are — face higher stakes, infinitely higher costs and tighter regulations.

“The Venice we grew up with is completely gone,” says Fisher. “But maybe it’s just moved,” noted Moss. Distinguishing L.A. as a place whose energy and attention is constantly shifting, he wonders if creative ferment might now be happening in faraway places like Tehachapi — “wherever land is cheap and ambition is high,” he says.

While Pildas was capturing the seven architects 45 years ago, he was also busy chronicling the city’s street culture — jazz clubs, boulevard eccentrics, decaying movie palaces and bohemian artists. All were featured in the 2023 documentary “Ave’s America” (streaming on Prime Video) directed by his former student, Patrick Taulère, exploring his six decades of humbly perceptive, deeply human work.

After reviewing the recreation of the photo — the architects are still smiling this time, but their scrappy overconfidence feels eons away — Pildas wonders who the next generation will be, and how they will rise.

“Maybe it’ll happen that they’ll have another picture someday with a bunch of new architects, right?” he says. “This is a fertile ground for architecture anyway, and always has been.”

Exposing that “fertile ground” to Angelenos of all kinds is FORT: LA’s overarching goal. Founded in 2020, it offers architecture trails, fellowships and a surprising variety of programming, from design competitions to architecture-themed wine tastings. All, says Brown, is delivered, like “Rebel Architects,” with a sense of accessible joy and exploration — an especially useful gift in a turbulent, insecure time for the city.

“Suddenly, you kind of think about the city in a different way and feel it in a different way,” says Brown. “This is a place that allows this kind of vision to come to life.”

Holidaymakers are being urged to park “sensibly” when visiting this popular destination in North Wales as loitering and littering have become a problem for residents

Holidaymakers – particularly those travelling in campervans – are being urged to park “sensibly” when visiting one are of Wales this summer. Furious locals in Gwynedd who are plagued by reckless parking worry the council’s polite plea will be ignored.

A perceived lack of enforcement is being blamed for some of the chaos witnessed in North Wales this summer. Residents say laybys, seafronts and scenic spots are packed with rubbish-dumping motorhome owners who refuse to pay for proper campsites.

“Why bother paying when you can park free overnight in laybys all the way from Llanberis to Betws-y-Coed?” sighed one woman online. Efforts by Cyngor Gwynedd to offer serviced parking areas for overnight motorhomes and campervans are viewed are seen as a mixed bag. There are four of these “arosfan” sites in north Gwynedd, costing £16.50 per night. It comes after UK drivers were warned over ‘avoiding’ road instead of having to follow new rule.

READ MORE: Campervan stuck in the sand at popular Porthmadog beach is swept out to seaREAD MORE: UK’s top 10 cheapest camping spots surrounded by nature – some cost less than £5

Despite being more affordable than many campsites, Llanberis residents say an eight-space arosfan at Y Glyn (“The Lagoons”) by Llyn Padarn is regularly ignored. Not long ago, a local man spotted one motorhome at the site – and 25 non-payers camped on the site’s access road, reports North Wales Live

Another trouble spot is an extensive beachfront parking zone near Caernarfon airport close to Dinas Dinlle. Facing west, it’s regarded as a perfect location for witnessing spectacular sunsets.

Last year, Cyngor Gwynedd Maritime Service prohibited overnight parking and camping there. One local resident has taken to the internet to vent her frustration, claiming that at times, “50-plus” campers are still parking up for the night. In a fiery message to the council, she said: “They are turning our lovely beach into a no-go area.”

She didn’t stop there, adding: “You ban us residents from walking our dogs on the beach during tourist season, you hike the parking prices so again so regular visits for locals are no longer affordable – yet you continually turn a blind eye to visitors in vans parking up in laybys, passing places, beaches etc, dumping rubbish and dirty water.

“Why not give us residents passes to use our local attractions, and charge and fine the visitors? You’d raise far more money and keep residents happy – we pay enough council tax.”

It’s not just this resident who’s had enough. Folks in Llanbedr have voiced similar concerns, with the lack of parking spaces in south Gwynedd becoming a real issue for communities dealing with their own parking problems.

Car drivers haven’t escaped criticism either. Things reached boiling point last month when Bala’s lakeside car parks were swamped. Desperate visitors resorted to parking wherever they could, even if it meant blocking driveways, access points and bus turning areas.

Enforcement was carried out by Cyngor Gwynedd (CCG) and now, with another heatwave looming, the local authority is warning that those parking irresponsibly could face fines.

In social media posts published this weekend, the council urged motorhome enthusiasts to reserve spots at the county’s designated arosfan locations. Tackling broader parking issues, a spokesperson stated: “Popular locations can be busy over the summer period.

“Parking irresponsibly and blocking roads can make it difficult for emergency services to pass – remember this when parking. If a car park is full, consider other locations to visit. You can be fined if you don’t keep to the parking rules.”

In Llanberis, volunteers from the Pentref Taclus (Tidy Village) group toil to maintain the community’s pristine appearance. Yet confronted with an onslaught of motorhomes, often leaving rubbish in their wake, it can be an unrewarding endeavour.

Cyngor Gwynedd was approached for comment by North Wales Live. The county’s first arosfan for motorhomes was launched in Criccieth in March 2024. The local council has also expressed plans to establish a similar site in Meirrionydd. The four pilot sites are:

• Maes Car Park, Criccieth (LL52 0BT)
• Y Glyn, Llanberis (LL55 4TY)
• Cei’r Gogledd, Pwllheli (LL53 5YR)
• Doc Fictoria Car Park, Caernarfon (LL55 1SQ)

WITH summer in full swing, holidaymakers are flocking to the beaches to make the most of the sun.

Airbnb has revealed the trending beach destinations around the world, with the Northumberland coastline making the cut.

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Win one of 8 incredible holidays to the Caribbean, Mexico and Greece by voting in The Sun’s Travel Awards – enter to win here

The northern county of Northumberland has been getting lots of attention over the summer, with plenty of pretty beaches that are usually less busy than those in the south.

Airbnb said: “Northumberland is drawing more summer visitors, with searches up over 50 per cent this summer, thanks to its pristine North Atlantic beaches.”

One beach that’s been highlighted as a must-see is Embleton Bay. It sits on the edge of the North Sea to the east of the village of Embleton.

The bay has a long stretch of golden sands, cool water and it’s overlooked by the ruins of Dunstanburgh Castle.

Lots of visitors stumble across the bay and are stunned by it’s beauty, one wrote on Tripadvisor: “We thought we had seen all the best beaches in Northumberland but Embleton Bay wowed us the most!

“Crystal clear waters, fabulous views of Dunstanburgh Castle and acres of perfect sand and even though weather was fantastic we had the beach practically to ourselves.”

Another said the bay was one of Northumberland’s “best kept secrets”.

Near Embleton Bay is a pub that has previously held the title of ‘best beach bar in the UK’ – it’s called the Ship Inn in Low Newton-by-the-Sea.

It once claimed top spot in a list of the best beach pubs in the country put together by Conde Nast Traveller.

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The publication said: “Low Newton-by-the-Sea is one of the prettiest spots on the Northumberland coast.

“The tiny pub sits in the middle of a horseshoe of whitewashed cottages set around a village green where a cluster of trestle tables face the sea.”

The seaside town of Bamburgh also go a mention, and it has been dubbed the best seaside town of 2025 according to Which?.

Other favourites spots along the Northumberland coastline include Alnmouth, Beadnell Bay, and Druridge Bay.

Here are some of our own favourite spots across Northumberland…

Newbiggin-by-the-Sea 

Sun writer Kevin Donald took a trip to Newbiggin-by-the-Sea – one of Britain’s most budget-friendly seaside resorts.

He discovered bargain places to grab a bite too like The Coble pub and Caffe Bertorelli where you can pick up a cheap ice cream.

During his trip, one local said he wasn’t surprised more people were visiting, he added: “The beach is stunning and there are loads
of nice shops and pubs and cafes to visit but for me, the best thing about the place is the people.

“They are so friendly and welcoming here that you can’t help but fall
for the place, it has a lovely community atmosphere.”

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Lindisfarne 

Sun writer Matt Dathan visited the town of Lindisfarne also know as Holy Island.

The tidal island is a two square mile island and can only be accessed for around five hours a day.

It looks so other-worldly that Matt said he felt as if he were leaving England.

There he discovered ruins of a monastery and Lindisfarne Castle which he said has incredible views — and even includes a toilet that claims to be the “best loo with a view”.

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Spittal

Sun writer Jenny Green took a trip up to Northumberland‘s Berwick-upon-Tweed, three miles from the Scottish border.

She was spoiled for choice for doggy beach walks, as there’s 30 miles of beaches in Northumberland and lots are dog-friendly all year round.

Her favourites spots were Alnmouth Bay where if you’re lucky, you can see dolphins and whales swimming just off the coast and Bamburgh Beach which she described as looking like “something out of Game of Thrones”.

She also recommended checking out the quirky shops around the market towns, including one called Barter Books in Alnwick, which is a second-hand store housed in an old railway station.

Other popular beach destinations that Airbnb said are on the rise include Conil de la Frontera in Spain where one Sun travel writer went a few years ago.

The Spanish hotspot goes mostly unnoticed by British holiday makers, but our writer discovered pretty beaches with bars and pretty town squares.

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The seaside town of Conil de la Frontera is known for its part in the tuna fishing industry – so there’s plenty of tasty seafood dishes to try.

Palermo is the capital of the Italian island of Sicily and has become another trending beach destination.

Hossegor in France also known as “the surfing capital of Europe” is rising in popularity.

It has plenty of beautiful beaches as well as places to shop and dine.

Take a look at the best-rated UK seaside towns for families picked by our experts – including Britain’s sunniest beach & stays from £26.

Plus, discover the UK’s sunniest beach town that feels like going back in time has ‘no arcades’ and barely any rain.

The full list of trending beach destiantions, according to Airbnb…

Saquarema, Brazil

New Shoreham, RI, United States

Conil de la Frontera, Spain

Palermo, Italy

Hossegor, France

Northumberland, United Kingdom

Fukuoka, Japan

Big Bear Lake, CA, United States

Port Aransas, TX, United States

Portland, ME, United States

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Lewis Blackburn went on a beach trip with his wife Lisa and their children. He decided to go for a paddle on the beach and had his kids howling after the spotted his tanning fail

A holidaymaker left his children in fits of laughter after revealing his comical tanning disaster whilst at the seaside this week. Lewis Blackburn was savouring a holiday trip to Newquay, Cornwall, with his spouse Lisa when he opted to wade into the water – completely forgetting that his bronzed legs contrasted dramatically with his pale feet.

Sporting work boots throughout the week, the craftsman’s feet haven’t glimpsed sunlight all summer, whilst his legs are tanned from donning shorts. Snaps of the seasonal blunder became a sensation on Facebook, amassing 16,000 likes and sending onlookers into fits of giggles.

“I work outdoors so my legs, arms, neck and face are always exposed to the sun – just not my bare feet, hence the whiteness of them,” Lewis, from Northampton, told What’s The Jam.

He posted the image on Facebook, penning: “Second day into our Cornish holiday, staying near Bodmin, [we] decided today would be a beach day in Newquay.

“I decided to go for a paddle in the sea with my kids, so I duly removed my footwear to expose the brightest, whitest feet on the beach.

“Kids ran screaming, the elderly unable to run or turn away are blinded by the glare… it wasn’t until I’d seen these photos [that I realised why].”

The viral post generated thousands of responses.

One observer commented: “This made me laugh out loud way too much!”

“Maybe you can guide Santa’s sleigh this year,” another person joked.

Someone else remarked: “Hi-viz socks! Good to see you’re being safe at the beach.”

Others labelled it the “tradie tan”, while another joker asked: “Did you say beach day or bleach day? I was confused.”

Those who are planning a UK beach staycation with the kids during the summer holidays may want to consider one ‘breathtaking’ location that people have been talking about later.

Cheswick Sands near Berwick-upon-Tweed in Northumberland has been dubbed ‘perfect’ for those after some tranquility and peach and quiet.

Protesters from the Israeli activist group, Brothers and Sisters in Arms, etched an anti-war message in the sand near a US embassy building in Tel Aviv. It demanded President Donald Trump intervene to stop the war in Gaza.

At a time when most of their peers have retired, threatened to call it quits or died, the Beach Boys continue to perform 120 shows per year. Led by original singer Mike Love and longtime multi-instrumentalist Bruce Johnston, this version of the Beach Boys performs the sounds of Southern California to three generations of fans, something which isn’t lost on Love.

“The positivity that our music generates, and the good vibes and good feelings, is a wonderful thing to see,” Love says. “It’s an inspiration to me to see kids with their parents or their grandparents at our shows.”

This weekend, the Beach Boys return to Long Beach for the first time in nearly 15 years to the day, when they performed at Harry Bridges Memorial Park. As Love recalls, the band played one of its first shows in the city at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium on New Year’s Eve 1961.

“That first concert we were paid for as the Beach Boys at the Long Beach Municipal Auditorium for the Ritchie Valens Memorial Dance,” he recalls. “We played three songs and got $300, but also on that show was Ike Turner and Kings of Rhythm. We got to hear Tina Turner sing this song called ‘I’m Blue.’ It was primordial and blew my mind.”

Thousands of shows later, the Beach Boys continue to have a receptive audience who will gladly see them perform the hits of yesteryear. Love has no issue leaning into the band’s 1960s heyday. In fact, he sees it as his duty to spread “peace and love” through the Beach Boys’ concerts.

Chatting hours before he departed his Lake Tahoe, Calif., home to fly to Southern California for the band’s latest string of shows, Love reflected on nearly 65 years of the Beach Boys, feeling like he finally got his due by being inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, why he’s looking forward to the decidedly un-Beach Boys crowd at Riot Fest, and honoring his late cousin Brian Wilson.

Mike Love

(Udo Spreitzenbarth)

How did it feel to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame?

Better late than never, but it was a great honor. It meant a lot because I wasn’t recognized for my contribution to so many of the Beach Boys’ hits over the years. So, the recognition is a good thing. There are various reasons I wasn’t recognized for it. My uncle [Beach Boys original manager] Murry [Wilson], didn’t put my contribution of the lyrics. “I Get Around,” “Help Me, Rhonda,” “Be True to Your School,” a lot of great songs that I wasn’t credited for. We fired my uncle as manager to get even for me, and he excluded me when he handled the publishing. We didn’t know what publishing was when we started in 1961. We were unsophisticated regarding the business end of it, and we just loved creating music. We loved harmonizing. That was a family tradition that morphed into a long-lasting profession because my cousin Brian and I got together and wrote some songs that people still love to this day.

What is it about the songs that continue to bring people together at a time when people can hardly agree on anything?

The harmonies and the positivity go a long way towards eliminating the negativity. In “Good Vibrations,” I wrote every word of it. I even came up with (sings) “I’m thinking of good vibrations / She gave me excitations” with the chorus melody as well as all the lyrics. But that was written in 1966. The Vietnam War was percolating, and there were student demonstrations. There were problems with integration, and stuff like that made the news. But I wanted to write “Good Vibrations.” I wanted to write this song. I wrote a poem about a girl who loved nature. She was only into the peace, love and flower power, which was also going on at that time. The juxtaposition of the negative and the positive is pretty amazing. It turns out there’s a psychologist in Sheffield, England, who wanted to find out which songs made people feel the best. And our song “Good Vibrations” came in at No. 1, which is unbelievable. In 1966, when it went to No. 1 in England, we were voted the No. 1 group in Great Britain, with No. 2 being the Beatles. Incredible. That was a pretty amazing achievement.

You’ve been joined on stage by the likes of Mark McGrath and Dexter Holland from the Offspring. What does that say to you about the longevity of what the songs have meant?

Dexter sounded amazing on it! He is a really good singer, obviously, but he wanted to do “Wouldn’t It Be Nice,” and so we rehearsed backstage [at Oceans Calling Festival in Maryland last September], ran through it about once or twice, and came out on stage in front of 40,000 people, and it was pretty amazing! Mark McGrath is just the most positive and fun guy ever. We have the same birthday, so he’s a few years younger than I am (laughs).

And of course, John Stamos, who inducted you into the Songwriters Hall of Fame.

He’s been with us since he was Blackie on “General Hospital.” At this point, he is pretty much an honorary Beach Boy and family.

In the days after Brian’s death, the clip of the band appearing on “Full House” made the rounds on Instagram. What’s it like to remember that when both Brian and Carl were there and you appeared on that show?

John Stamos likes to say that we need this music more than ever now because of so much negativity in the world, and I agree. When I was writing, I accentuated the positive with the harmonies, giving that warm feeling, and the subject matter being fun at times. We’d maybe been a little introspective on “God Only Knows,” maybe “In My Room,” and “The Warmth of the Sun.” The upbeat songs are all fun, positive, and make people feel good. We were just in Spain, and we had standing ovations every night. It was amazing.

What’s wild is seeing the Beach Boys appear on the historically punk festival Riot Fest. Are you familiar with it?

Yeah! We were invited to do it a year ago, but we are doing it this year. Our songs go over well with every demographic and all kinds of people. It doesn’t matter what the format of this is. We’ve done very well with some country festivals, enormously well. It doesn’t matter what the genre of the festival appeals to. We played Stagecoach last year, and there were 70 or 80,000 people at our set. Singing along and dancing around, so we had a great time at that one.

Who are you looking forward to seeing at Riot Fest?

Who is on it other than us?

On your day, it is Weezer performing the Blue Album, Jack White, a reconfigured version of the Sex Pistols, Dropkick Murphys, All Time Low, James …

Weezer! They did “California Girls” on a tribute show that aired on Easter Sunday a few years ago. There’s a lot more guitar in that particular version (laughs). Maybe one of those guys will come and sing with us. What happens at those things is that you’re with a lot of people you don’t ordinarily see, and people like to do unique things.

Do you think the Beach Boys would be considered a punk band, if that was a term, in 1961?

If you listen to some of our songs, like “Surfin’ Safari,” “Catch a Wave” and “Hawaii,” there’s a lot of tempo there. I think those songs appeal to all kinds of genres.

Does returning to Long Beach, near where you all grew up, carry more weight with the loss of Brian?

Well, we have a tribute song called “Brian’s Back” that I wrote many, many years ago. So, back when that was released (in 1976 as part of “15 Big Ones”), we did a video tribute to Brian that we play every night at our concerts, which people love and appreciate. He may have passed on, but he’s always with us every night in the music.

Elton John said that the “Pet Sounds” album would be the one album that would be played forever, which is an amazing accolade,” Love said. “So those songs are pretty much immortal to some degree. So if somebody is capable of replicating them as closely as possible for the record, then great.”

(Udo Spreitzenbarth)

Do you see the Beach Boys continuing to tour in name after you and Bruce are done?

I’m not sure. We haven’t given that a whole lot of thought because we’re very active these days with this configuration. Elton John said that the “Pet Sounds” album would be the one album that would be played forever, which is an amazing accolade. So those songs are pretty much immortal to some degree. So if somebody is capable of replicating them as closely as possible for the record, then great.

But the problem is that mortality is an issue, of course. So, at some point in time, nature will take over and say, “OK, you’re out of here, huh?” But in the meantime, I think we’ve got a good several years to go.

What do people misunderstand about your and Brian’s relationship?

Well, there’s a lot of misinformation given out over this early part of our careers that says I didn’t like the “Pet Sounds” album, which is bull—, because I actually named it and Brian brought it to Capitol Records, who didn’t know what to do with it. If you listen to the tracks of “Pet Sounds,” you say, “How the heck did he ever do that with the greatest musicians in L.A., the Wrecking Crew?” My cousin Brian did some amazing stuff that’ll stand the test of time, if Elton John is right, forever. It’s a true blessing to be able to do what started as a family hobby and became a long-lasting profession.

Is “That’s Why God Made the Radio” the last Beach Boys album, or do you all have one more left in you?

Anything’s possible. We don’t have immediate plans, but I do think of that kind of thing from time to time.

A WETHERSPOONS pint always goes down a treat – and even more so at this one venue that has a rooftop garden and sits right by the beach.

Back in 2015, The Admiral Collingwood in Ilfracombe, North Devon, scooped up the prize of best new pub at the National Pub Design Awards.

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And since, the boozer has become an icon of Ilfracombe’s seafront after judges described it as “an uncompromisingly modern building where the glass dome offers urban presence, while the rest of the main elevation is understated yet sophisticated”, according to Harrison Ince Architects.

Inside, new artworks were commissioned for the pub at the time, and a steel sculpture of a wave breaking was installed.

On the roof of the pub, there is a beer garden which is open between March and October and boasts amazing views across the coast.

One recent visitor said: “The view of the sea is amazing; the roof terrace is lovely and the drinks are true spoons quality.

“We love Ilfraspoons!”

Another added: “The view and the amazing prices make the THE place to go”

According to Campaign for Real Ale (CAMRA), the pub serves three changing beers which often include ales from Fat Belly, GT Ales, Exmoor, Cotleigh and Bays featuring regularly.

In the summer, this increases to four beers.

And then additionally, there are three regular beers on offer to punters.

Visitors also get to learn a bit of histroy about the purpose built pub when they visit, as the menu states: “Until its very recent closure, the Collingwood Hotel had welcomed visitors to north Devon’s Ilfracombe for over 130 years.

“The imposing five-storey building was named after Admiral, Lord Collingwood, Nelson’s second-in-command at Trafalgar (who fought just off the Spanish coast in 1805).

“Cuthbert Collingwood fired the first shot in the battle (one of British naval history’s most famous and crucial) and took over command of the British fleet after the fatal wounding of his friend Horatio Nelson.”

Just a short walk away from the pub is Wildersmouth Beach, which is sheltered and shingle.

Despite being central to Ilfracombe, the dog-friendly beach is often less crowded than other sandy beaches nearby.

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Ilfracombe is also home to the Landmark Theatre, in Jubilee Gardens.

For art lovers, make sure to follow the coast around to Ilfracombe’s harbour where you will find Damien Hirst’s bonze sculpture called Verity – a half-skinned pregnant woman, who stands 20 metres tall.

The high street is also said to be a “thriving hub of independent shops”, according to Visit Ilfracombe.

There are many craft shops, gift shops and cafes to explore – and even a coffee-cum-craft shop.

Sweet tooths will also enjoy the Ilfracombe Chocolate Emporium, which sells handcrafted chocolates and has a chocolate museum – which is free to visit.

And make sure to check out the department story Chas N Pedlar & Son, which has been running for over a century.

The seaside town has a lot of choice for accommodating too, with lots of holiday homes.

How can I save money at Wetherspoons?

FREE refills – Buy a £1.50 tea, coffee or hot chocolate and you can get free refills. The deal is available all day, every day.

Check a map – Prices can vary from one location the next, even those close to each other.

So if you’re planning a pint at a Spoons, it’s worth popping in nearby pubs to see if you’re settling in at the cheapest.

Choose your day – Each night the pub chain runs certain food theme nights.

For instance, every Thursday night is curry club, where diners can get a main meal and a drink for a set price cheaper than usual.

Pick-up vouchers – Students can often pick up voucher books in their local near universities, which offer discounts on food and drink, so keep your eyes peeled.

Get appy – The Wetherspoons app allows you to order and pay for your drink and food from your table – but you don’t need to be in the pub to use it. 

Taking full advantage of this, cheeky customers have used social media to ask their friends and family to order them drinks. The app is free to download on the App Store or Google Play.

Check the date – Every year, Spoons holds its Tax Equality Day to highlight the benefits of a permanently reduced tax bill for the pub industry.

It usually takes place in September, and last year it fell on Thursday, September 14.

As well as its 12-day Real Ale Festival every Autumn, Wetherspoons also holds a Spring Festival.

A Devon local has walked the South West Coast Path numerous times – these are her best spots The Salt Path movie doesn’t show.

Plus, Devon is also home to the best fish and chips in the UK.

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It has been named the best beach in the world for those looking to enjoy the warm weather and relax on the white sands, according to a new study

Many Brits love to escape the dreary weather for a day by the sea. Perhaps it’s the golden sand, crystal clear water or simply the warmer climate that draws you in. Well, Luxury holiday company CV Villas has conducted research to find out which beaches boast the whitest sand in the world. Let’s be honest, nothing screams ‘perfect beach’ more than pristine white sand.

The study analysed Google Maps images of approximately 200 beaches, examining the colour of each shoreline to determine the results. Unsurprisingly, the beach with the whitest sand is nowhere near the UK, but it’s certainly worth the flight time, reports the Express.

Tulum Beach in Mexico was crowned as having the whitest sand in the world, as it had the least deviation from pure white.

Tulum Beach sits on the Yucatan coast of Mexico at the country’s southeastern tip, looking out to the turquoise waters of the Caribbean Sea.

Tulum is a huge tourist destination known for its beaches and well-preserved ruins of an ancient Mayan port city.

The main building is a large stone structure called El Castillo which sits atop a rocky cliff looking down across the white sand beach and turquoise sea.

Given its tourist draw, there are plenty of hotels, restaurants and bars situated throughout the long narrow stretch of town.

However, some visitors on Tripadvisor do note that prices can be high for amenities such as parking.

Having visited in July 2024, an American tourist left a Tripadvisor review saying the area had both “good and bad” points. They described the beach, however, as a “paradise”.

Coming in second place was Anse Source D’Argent in the Seychelles, which had a variation of 4.3, and Marmari Beach in Greece took third place with a variation of 6.5.

Here are the top 20 beaches with the whitest sand:

1. Tulum Beach, Mexico

2. Anse Source D’Argent, Seychelles

3. Marmari Beach, Greece

4. Tropea Beach, Italy and Platja de Muro, Spain

6. Cala Pluma, Spain

7. Plage de Valras, France

8. Cala Brandinchi, Italy

9. Stocking Island Beach, Bahamas and Taylor Bay Beach, Turks and Caicos

11. Varadero Beach, Cuba

12. Punta Prosciutto, Italy

13. Maya Bay Beach, Thailand

14. Carmel Beach, USA

15. Bamboo Island Beach, Thailand

16. Siesta Key Beach, USA

17. Spiaggia La Pelosa, Italy

18. Flamenco Beach, Puerto Rico and Luskentyre Beach, Scotland

20. Grace Bay, Turks and Caicos

Eight of the top 10 destinations are in Europe.

If you’re after a beach closer to home, Scotland’s Luskentyre Beach shares the eighteenth spot with Flamenco Beach in Puerto Rico.

The area is renowned for spectacular sunsets and visitors say they love the quieter vibe on the beach compared to busier nearby spots

Llandudno is a cherished coastal escape renowned for its vast beach. The town is home to a delightful Victorian promenade and unique cable cars that climb the Great Orme, a stunning headland on the north Wales coast.

While the bustling North Shore Beach tends to attract the masses, Llandudno also offers another stretch of sand that remains a ‘hidden gem’ for many. On the opposite side of the headland is West Shore Beach, a secluded bay bordered by rolling sand dunes.

It provides a tranquil alternative to the lively North Shore Beach, ideal for those seeking a quiet escape from Llandudno’s main attractions.

The beach paints a picturesque scene, with awe-inspiring views extending across the Conwy Estuary to the peaks of Snowdonia. Swimming is possible at West Shore Beach, but given the shallow waters and lack of lifeguard supervision, it might be safer to stick to paddling.

It has been praised as a “hidden gem” by numerous TripAdvisor reviewers. One visitor commented: “A real hidden gem! Only 15 minutes walk from the promenade, but feels like a world away.

“There is a quiet beach, and even sand dunes to explore.” Meanwhile another visitor remarked: “This place is a hidden gem. It is so unlike the busy North Shore. It is peaceful with few shops and a vast sandy beach.”

A third reviewer noted: “This is a very nice quiet place, you can walk along the beach, there is a children’s play area, boating lake for model boats, a lovely coffee shop with hot snacks, pub on the corner.

“If you want to get away from the Llandudno seaside, Jump on the bus, £3 each way and it leaves from just by the monument we’re all the busses that leave for the Great Orme.”

West Shore Beach Café provides ice creams and light refreshments, whilst a pay and display car park sits handily positioned close to the shoreline, reports the Liverpool Echo. From May 1 to September 30, dogs are banned from the main stretch of sand directly in front of West Parade.

Nevertheless, there are well-marked areas of the coastline where dogs are welcome throughout the year, so make certain to observe the regulations if you’re travelling with your four-legged companions. Lavatory facilities and a youngsters’ playground are readily accessible.

Those intending to remain for the full day shouldn’t overlook the spectacular sunset at West Shore Beach — it ranks amongst the most breathtaking in the area.

Watch as the sun disappears beneath the skyline, painting magnificent colours across the waters.

Shell Island, on the coast of Gwynedd in Wales, dates back to the Domesday Book of 1086 and has been a popular campsite for more than 60 years

Despite its name, Shell Island is not an island but a peninsula near the village of Llanbed in Wales. Its main route is cut off at high tide on certain days each month, giving it an island feel.

The land where Shell Island campsite now stands has a rich history, dating back to the Domesday Book of 1086. The site’s historical significance doesn’t end there, with tales of King Charles I reportedly hiding at the nearby Elizabethan mansion, Cors Y Gedol Hall, in the 1640s before attempting to flee to France, possibly departing from Shell Island’s shores through a secret tunnel.

Interestingly, the area wasn’t even a peninsula until the 19th Century when the Earl of Winchilsea diverted the Afon Artro in 1819 to improve access to the wharf at Pensarn, which was the shipment point for slate from Llanfair and Llanbedr.

Before this, the Artro entered the sea to the south of Shell Island, or Mochras as it’s known in Welsh. The English name, Shell Island, comes from the abundance and variety of seashells found on its beaches. These beaches began attracting visitors in the second half of the 19th Century.

The Cambrian Coast Line, constructed between 1855 and 1869, opened up the seaside to the new industrial workers, driving the development of the area.

In 1958, the Workman family arrived and began to shape the site into what it is today. They purchased 450 acres of land and established what is now one of Europe’s largest campsites.

Over time, Shell Island’s historic structures have been carefully repurposed. The restaurant, snack bar, and tavern, developed between 1976 and 1977, were once a hay barn, stables, and a cow shed, respectively.

Even the toilet block has an interesting history, having served as a homing station for the RAF Station at Llanbedr during wartime.

For many families, a visit to this place has become an annual tradition, with each year introducing a new generation to its allure. Those who fall in love with the place can’t help but sing its praises, as evidenced by the five-star reviews on Tripadvisor.

One recent review dubbed it “beach heaven” and described the surroundings – with Eryri as a backdrop – as a true “feast for the eyes”.

They added: “A simply wonderful, divine place. “Another camper said: What an experience to set up camp in this expansive site right on the sand dunes! Spectacular views, lots of space and the beach right there!”

Another praised it as: “Wales at its beautiful best” but was hesitant about spreading the word, adding: “I would thoroughly recommend but don’t tell everyone as I want to go back!

However, it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, with some visitors expressing dissatisfaction over large groups.

One disgruntled camper wrote: “Massive groups of loud, not very nice people. The site has really gone down hill since Covid, they say they don’t let groups on but people just book separately and meet up when they arrive. There are far better camp sites out there.”

Another complained: “Considering they say there are 400+ acres it seemed very crowded, if you want a sea view you’re going to be within touching distance of your neighbour.

“Definitely not a quite relaxing holiday, more like a festival field, we were booked in for three nights but left after 1, the views are beautiful but it’s spoilt by it being overcrowded and some of the people there are maybe not to everyone’s taste shall we say.”

However these complaints are certainly in the minority – with around 750 of just over 1,000 reviews rating it good or excellent, and it’s easy to see why.

The Workman family said: “Whether you’re planning a day visit or an extended stay, Shell Island promises a personal slice of paradise for every visitor.

This world-famous beach is loved by many for its vibrant atmosphere and rolling waves, but that hasn’t stopped some visitors from branding it thoroughly disappointing

One of the world’s most famous beaches has been named as one of the biggest let-downs. Through examining over 100 internationally celebrated beaches via travel reviews, Ibiza Summer Villas discovered that Bondi Beach leaves many visitors thoroughly underwhelmed.

Each location received ratings based on reviews, Google and TikTok search popularity, plus yearly precipitation levels at the destination. The study showed that Australia’s Bondi Beach tops the charts for disappointment, with holidaymakers branding it “overrated” and “disappointing”.

This stretch of coastline claimed the crown for most underwhelming when comparing poor reviews against search popularity, though the figure remained modest at merely 2.7% of reviews describing it as “disappointing” or “overrated” alongside 447,000 TikTok searches, reports the Express. It comes after a warning to Brit tourists planning all-inclusive holidays to Spain.

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Excessive crowds, heavy commercialisation, and visitor exhaustion feature prominently, securing its position at number five on the overhyped rankings.

Bondi Beach enjoys worldwide recognition for its waves, golden sands and naturally, the countless holidaymakers who descend upon this Sydney hotspot annually.

The area boasts tidal pools, a thriving food and drink scene featuring numerous cafés and pubs, plus an array of boutique and chain retailers. Yet for all its splendour, this coastal gem doesn’t appeal to everyone.

Tourists expressed frustration with the masses, with one individual posting on TripAdvisor: “I got the feeling that everyone who comes here comes for ‘been there, done that’ experience only. Crowded and overrated.”

One disgruntled visitor remarked: “Probably the most overrated beach on the planet. Crowded full of arrogant people and feels like everyone is in a bad mood.” Another added: “I can’t see anything attractive about Bondi, except possibly closeness to the city. The place is so heavily overpopulated, with apartments everywhere you look. Concrete is everywhere. Where is the nature?”.

However, not everyone shared this sentiment, with some tourists being completely taken aback by the beach’s beauty.

One such tourist enthused: “It’s a vibrant, busy beach which is perfect for surfing and swimming. There are plenty of places to eat and drink along the beach and different walks that you can take along the coastline.” Another penned: “Bondi Beach is an absolute icon! The golden sand, rolling waves, and buzzing atmosphere make it a must-visit in Sydney.

“The surf is amazing, but it can be dangerous if you don’t follow the flags and listen to the lifeguards-they’re there for a reason!”.