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Former Wimbledon finalist Eugenie Bouchard is now commentating at the championship

While Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams have grabbed plenty of headlines during Wimbledon, off the court its Eugenie Bouchard generating all the buzz.

The tennis star, who made it to the final in the championship in 2014, is now one of the pundits commentating on the games on the BBC. She has been winning over viewers, with Wimbledon watchers posting comments on X saying she was a “stand out” new addition to the coverage team and dropping fire emojis to show their appreciation.

“From a historic Wimbledon final to crushing the court in a whole new sport, she’s still a total ace!” one posted on the platform, which was formerly Twitter.

As well as her tennis and commentary skills, Eugenie is also known for her lavish lifestyle, from travel to bags worth hundreds of pounds.

Brand deals

The star was a favourite with some big brands after bursting onto the tennis scene over a decade ago, and things ramped up even further after her success at Wimbledon.

She ended up bagging some major brand deals, working with the likes of Coca-Cola and Nike during her career.

Worldwide travel

Eugenie, who has previously revealed that she was named after Princess Eugenie as her mum is a fan of the Royal family, is no stranger to the high life. She regularly shares snaps on Instagram that show her on her travels, whether its glam nights out in Miami or chic dinners in Paris.

The star, who has previously been spotted boarding a private plane, recently said on Instagram that she travelled a lot for work, sharing: “I’ve taken 36 flights in 2026 so far. That’s 1 flight every 3.7 days. The amount of times friends have said to me ‘following your travel on ig makes my head spin’… lol. I’m type A so if I don’t have something that needs to get done immediately, or somewhere to rush off to, I feel panicky inside. after noticing this, I have started forcing myself to take days off, even entire weekends.”

Handbag collection

According to reports, Eugenie has amassed quite the handbag collection, with an array of pricey totes in her wardrobe.

She apparently forked out over £1,000 for a Louis Vuitton bag after pocketing some prize money, and her collection is now said to include a pink Gucci bumbag worth hundreds as well as a Chanel bag worth thousands of pounds.

Pricey jewellery

Eugenie has evidently developed a taste for the finer things and thanks to her brand deals and winnings, she’s been able to fund a stunning jewellery collection.

The tennis star has previously been snapped sporting a gold Daytona watch – which can cost well over £20,000, and she’s also known to wear flashy gold rings including a costly Kenzo.

Famous friends

Eugenie apparently counts a number of celebrities as friends, including The Big Bang Theory star Jim Parsons and fellow Canadian star Drake.

The sports star was previously romantically linked to Jack Brinkley-Cook, the son of supermodel Christie Brinkley.

Coverage of Wimbledon is airing on BBC One and BBC Two, as well as being available to stream on BBC iPlayer

WASHINGTON — To much of America, he may be Mr. Environment. But at home, Al Gore was just another scofflaw. Finally one of his kids urged: “Dad, turn off the water when you’re brushing your teeth!”

He denounces violent images in entertainment. Yet one of his favorite movies is “The Matrix,” a sci-fi film filled with blood and . . . gore.

A minor contradiction in each case, to be sure. But they are emblematic of the sort of duality that defines Albert Arnold Gore Jr.

Now, in his relentlessly combative bid to become the next president of the United States, Gore remains–after 23 years in public life–a study in contrasts, an enigma to friends and supporters.

“He’s just like everybody else,”insists Tipper Gore, the vice president’s wife of 29 years. “We all struggle with our idealism and our practical daily realities.”

Known for his high-wattage intellect, Gore also is working on becoming a better listener, especially with well-meaning advisors.

Few people have had to grapple with more competing demands–and his own demons–in so public a manner as the vice president.

Now the conflicts of his biography mirror the challenges of his campaign to succeed Bill Clinton.

A decade ago, Gore resolved to no longer “put a finger to the political winds” when facing tough choices. Yet when he embarked on this campaign, Gore assembled an organization top-heavy with pricey pollsters and controversial consultants.

As vice president, he has wielded more clout than any of his 44 predecessors. He is among the nation’s most cerebral politicians–an extraordinarily disciplined and competitive man on a never-ending quest for excellence. Yet he has an inexplicable tendency to embellish his resume.

‘It’s a Tightrope He’s Had to Walk’

He clings to President Clinton’s popular economic policies but distances himself from the White House on issues such as global trade and abortion funding, saying that he would do things differently–even while urging Congress to back Clinton’s agenda.

“It’s a tightrope that he’s had to walk all his life,” says a longtime Gore confidant.

But the vice president does not see his life as a high-wire balancing act.

“A tightrope has a lot of tension–you always worry about falling off one side or the other,” Gore said.

He has worried about the inconsistencies in his life before.

In his best-selling book, “Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit,” Gore acknowledged his own hypocrisy by riding in an air-conditioned car while en route to deliver a speech calling for a ban on the very chemicals that were keeping him cool.

He mused that such are “distractions and distortions that interfere with the task.”

The challenge of balancing competing imperatives was thrust upon Gore virtually from Day One, nearly 52 years ago.

He was born in a Washington hospital a mere dozen blocks from the White House. But his arrival was heralded on the front page of the Nashville Tennessean.

In Washington, Gore was the exquisitely mannered progeny of an influential congressman and then senator from Tennessee.

When he was growing up, the Gores lived in a hotel suite on Embassy Row that also served as a salon to the power elite. Young Gore often sat in as politicians and statesmen held forth.

“Al was raised in a political family and he had always been fascinated by politics,” said Tipper Gore.

At one of the city’s premier prep schools, St. Alban’s, Gore excelled in academics and sports–and served as a student leader.

Just Another Unruly, Fun-Loving Kid

But he lived for the glorious summers on the 225-acre family farm, about 50 miles east of Nashville.

His father invariably had a list of back-breaking farm chores for him, but when done, Gore was just another rambunctious, fun-loving kid. As a prank, he once hypnotized a flock of chickens and left them on a neighbor’s porch. At age 14, he drove so fast down a country lane that he overturned his father’s station wagon. To this day, he keeps his motorcycle license current.

Gore kept his two worlds distinctly apart from one another. For a brief time during his senior year in high school, he even had a girlfriend in each city. But Tipper won out.

Mary Elizabeth “Tipper” Aitcheson was a fun-loving, drum-playing teenager from across the Potomac River in suburban Virginia, an only child who grew up in a broken home. The attraction was immediate and mutual.

“I’ve always had two separate lives,” Gore recalled.

But when it came to which world he preferred, there was no contest.

”. . . If you’re a boy, and you have the choice between the eighth floor of a hotel and a big farm with horses, cows, canoes and a river, it was an easy choice . . . ,” he said.

For Gore, Washington felt like a “temporary assignment.” That he returned to it as a profession–and now aspires to its pinnacle–would not surprise those who knew him earlier.

At Harvard University, Gore participated in his share of anti-war demonstrations but steered clear when students took over the administration building.

Despite his opposition to the war, Gore joined the Army within two months of graduation. At Ft. Rucker in Alabama, a gung-ho Pfc. Gore was named post soldier of the month.

After five months as an Army journalist in Vietnam, Gore returned to civilian life–”probably as disillusioned as any person you have ever met,” he said.

By then his father had been defeated in a brutal reelection campaign. The assassinations of Robert F. Kennedy and the Rev. Martin Luther King Jr. were still fresh in Gore’s mind. The Watergate scandals were unfolding.

He viewed politics as “the last thing I would do with my life.”

Instead, Gore became a government watchdog–as a reporter for the Nashville Tennessean.

In time, he started to see the good in public service–and discovered that at times he could influence the Nashville Metro Council’s debate by the degree of interest, or boredom, that he displayed. When council members saw Gore taking notes, they figured they were on to something. Conversely, some would drop an issue when the young reporter yawned or doodled in his note pad.

“I began to see things that I thought needed to be done,” Gore recalled. “And I began to think: If I got involved in that. . . .”

Gore Pounced on Father’s Old Post

That opportunity arose unexpectedly in 1976, when the local Democratic congressman announced his retirement. Gore leaped at the chance to run for the seat once held by his father.

Gore was so nervous that minutes before showing up for a news conference to declare his candidacy, he vomited. He was 28.

Twenty years later, while aboard Air Force II, the vice president self-effacingly reenacted his awkward campaign style as a political neophyte. “If you think I’m stiff now . . . !” he bellowed.

About the time he ran for Congress, Gore stopped smoking marijuana. Although he disclosed his pot use in 1988, during a short-lived bid for the Democratic presidential nomination, the issue resurfaced this year amid questions over the frequency of his pot smoking.

Gore told reporters in Iowa recently that it had been rare, adding: “When I was young, I did things young people do. When I grew up, I put away childish things.”

In the House, Gore was one of its hardest working members, returning to his district almost every weekend to hold town hall meetings–still a favored Gore setting.

On Capitol Hill, he served on an investigative subcommittee that held more public hearings than any other–from ozone depletion and genetic engineering to contaminated infant formula and toxic wastes. He quickly became among the most visible House members.

“Few there could match his ability to seize an issue, uncover a pattern of abuses, draw attention in the media and propose a solution,” said Congressional Quarterly, a journal that covers Congress.

In 1979, when the House opened its proceedings to television cameras, Gore was the first member to speak.

Five years later, he won his father’s old Senate seat, capturing more than 60% of the votes despite a Reagan landslide.

The Senate was something of a culture shock for Gore.

In the House, he had a group of basketball buddies. But even after more than seven years, Gore could claim few genuine friends in the Senate, where many had viewed him as a pedigreed upstart with aspirations for higher office.

“An automatic distance set in,” recalled Roy Neel, a top Gore aide for almost two decades in Congress and the White House.

Gore’s somewhat imperious demeanor also rubbed some the wrong way.

During a floor vote in the late 1980s, Gore was chatting with another Democrat when the colleague’s eyes strayed.

Gore snapped: “Look at me when I’m talking to you!”

Shortly after a failed bid for his party’s presidential nomination in 1988, another life-changing event occurred.

Gore’s young son nearly died after being hit by an automobile. Albert III eventually recovered, but Gore emerged from the family crisis a more patient and introspective man.

“I changed all of my priorities to ensure that I was able to spend a lot more time with each child and with the family as a whole,” Gore recalled.

Gore also decided to not run for president in 1992. Yet when Bill Clinton asked, Gore did not hesitate to join what became the nation’s first baby boomer ticket.

His fortes–arms control, the environment, foreign policy–neatly complemented Clinton’s message of economic revival.

As vice president, Gore was involved in virtually every foreign policy decision, from the bombing of Iraq to the deployment of troops in Haiti and Somalia. In the domestic arena, Gore led the fight for the North American Free Trade Agreement, the V-chip and gun control. He also directed the effort to downsize the federal bureaucracy and develop “empowerment zones” that helped revitalize cities.

Gore said he has been surprised by “the intensity . . . and the bracing challenges” of working in the White House but added: “I’ve really enjoyed it. I love it. I love it.”

It was often Gore who clashed with congressional Republicans in budget disputes when Clinton sought compromises.

Gore’s willingness to mix it up suggests that his campaign mantra–”I want to fight for you!”–is no idle boast. That same brawler’s instinct got Gore ejected from a high school football game for fighting. After the 1992 election, Gore waged one bureaucratic fight after another to enhance his power and influence in the new administration–and even bested First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton for a prime West Wing office just 18 paces from the Oval Office.

Another little-known Gore trait, which some aides have found more troubling, is his tendency to be aloof and intellectually arrogant.

“He’s so competitive. He has to be smarter, faster and better than you,” said one former top aide. “He has a disdain for people who aren’t as prepared or as smart. If you can’t keep up with him intellectually, he gets bored.”

This ex-staffer recalled an occasion when Gore slammed the phone down on her late one night when she did not have a piece of information that she regarded as trivial.

“Gore does have an edge,” Neel conceded. “He’s a man with a mission in life, and that can be off-putting. He’s just not a hail-fellow-well-met politician. So he’s often misunderstood . . . . I don’t think he’s always the smartest guy in the room, but often he’s the person in the room who has thought the most about an issue.”

Many aides also say that it is often difficult to give Gore advice.

A stark example occurred in March of 1997. Gore had come under criticism for his prodigious fund-raising efforts in 1995 and 1996, including having made numerous telephone solicitations from his office.

After those calls came to light, Gore held a strategy session in his office. White House lawyers told him that he had done nothing wrong, that there was “no controlling legal authority.”

“He latched on to that phrase,” recalled one aide present at the meeting.

Gore wanted to hold a news conference to defend himself. But the advice to Gore was all but unanimous: Don’t.

Gore not only ignored the advice but flatly rejected the suggestion by one top White House aide that he refrain from using the legalistic phrase.

The vice president turned on the aide (who was not an attorney) and all but snarled: “You’re not a lawyer, are you?”

Asked about the perception among insiders that he is a difficult man to advise, Gore replied after a long pause and a deep sigh:

“Well, if I was ever that way, I’m not now–because learning requires an appropriate appreciation for what you don’t know. If anybody ever felt that way, then I didn’t intend to make them feel that way.”

Aides say that one way to influence Gore–who many say is slow to trust hired hands–is by going through his wife and his eldest daughter, Karenna Gore Schiff.

Gore also responds readily to facts, aides and confidants say. “You’ve got to go through his head,” said one longtime Clinton-Gore advisor.

At his core, the vice president remains a private, even shy man, someone who seems more comfortable reading a book (or writing one) than mixing with strangers. On the road, the exercise-conscious Gore uses a treadmill in his hotel suite. He relaxes by painting–a hobby he developed in second grade. Until recently, he also has been refining ideas for two novels.

In an election cycle when voters yearn for authenticity and personalities seem to trump issues, one of Gore’s major vulnerabilities may be his tendency to distort his record by exaggerating, which baffles even friends and longtime aides.

“He makes mistakes when he’s tired,” ventured one close friend.

Among the many statements that Gore has had to retract or revise: that he created the Internet; that he and Tipper were the models for “Love Story”; that he saw more action in Vietnam than he did; that his work as an investigative reporter had sent people to jail.

Gore also has been ridiculed for shaking up his staff, moving his campaign headquarters from here to Nashville and adopting an earth-tone wardrobe–in short, for reinventing himself and his message.

As one exasperated Democratic senator put it: “One day he’s in his cowboy boots. The next day, he’s Eddie Bauer. The day after he’s Brooks Brothers. Which is the real Al Gore?”

The answer may well be: all of them.

Restless Drive to Improve Himself

For Gore’s restless drive to improve himself is his very essence–whether it’s devouring a book on how to connect with people or mastering the intricacies of ballistic missiles.

And trying to become a better candidate, in fact, may be consistent with the “intensive search for truths about myself and my life,” to use Gore’s words.

That journey–for a man who has described himself during this campaign as “someone who has a lot of imperfections and shortcomings”–seems likely to continue through Campaign 2000 and beyond–thus defying the simplistic portrayals of Gore as a stiff, wooden politician.

“I don’t know how you get around the end result of taking a complex, fragile, wonderful human being–no matter who it is–it’s very difficult to convey that this is a complex person with all kinds of experiences,” said Tipper Gore. “And what comes out is a stereotype . . . something one-dimensional.”

(BEGIN TEXT OF INFOBOX / INFOGRAPHIC)

Profile:

Albert Arnold Gore Jr.

* Born: March 31, 1948, to the late U.S. Sen. Albert Gore Sr. and Pauline Gore

* Residence: Washington, D.C.

* Education: Bachelor’s degree in government, Harvard University, 1969. Attended Vanderbilt University Divinity School, 1971 to 1972. Law degree, Vanderbilt University, 1976.

* Career highlights: U.S. Army (including service in Vietnam), 1969 to 1971. Reporter for the Nashville Tennessean, 1973 to 1976. U.S. representative from Tennessee, 1977 to 1985. U.S. senator, 1985 to 1993. Vice president, 1993 to present. Wrote “Earth in the Balance: Ecology and the Human Spirit” (1992).

* Family: Married 29 years to former Mary Elizabeth “Tipper” Aitcheson. Three daughters, one son.

THE thought of going on holiday alone may fill many with terror but if you’re struggling to find a travel companion, a solo travel specialist is the perfect solution.

Friendship Travel, which creates sociable breaks for solo travellers, offers trips across the globe, from snowboarding in France to safaris in Kenya, Nile cruises, walking tours, pottery-painting experiences and book-reading breaks.

You can even just flake out on a Caribbean beach.

I’m just back from a watercolour painting week in Olhao, a fishing town in Portugal’s Algarve region.

I have a husband and two grown-up kids who could travel with me, but none of them shares my love of art.

So a week-long retreat with budding painters, coached by an experienced artist, sounded perfect.

WAIL OF A TIME

I drove Irish Route 66 with deserted golden beaches and pirate-like islands

TEMPTED?

Tiny ‘Bali of Europe’ town with stunning beaches, €3 cocktails and £20 flights

It’s only a two-and-a-half hour flight from Gatwick to Faro in Portugal, so I passed the time reading Plein Air Painting With Watercolours by Grahame Booth, our tutor for the week.

As I flipped through the glossy pages of stunning step-by-step landscapes, I wondered if I would be able to paint as well as he could. Spoiler alert: I would not.

I’d been nervous about travelling alone, but flying solo was so peaceful that the only time I missed having a companion was when I had to drag my 23kg suitcase (included in the trip) off the baggage carousel.

After a 20-minute transfer, I arrived at Casa Rosa, a pretty boutique hotel on a quiet side street near the market and harbour.

It has en-suite bedrooms, plunge pool, sauna, sun terrace, and fully equipped artists’ studio.

On the first night, all the guests were due to meet over dinner in the dining room.

I had my last moment of panic before I left my room that evening, picturing myself either being an immediate outcast or swallowed up by a group of misfits.

But I was wrong on both counts.

There were ten of us, ranging in age from early 20s to mid-80s.

Eight women (including me), Jasper, a very posh elderly gentleman from Dublin, and Grahame, our tutor.

Over the wine and three-course meal (included in the price), we all bonded and shared our reasons for travelling solo.

Some, like Jasper and Kate — a cool, retired film producer from Florida who was travelling with her daughter Liz — were widowed and wanted to spend time with fellow art-lovers.

Others, like Oonagh, a glamorous ex-pat living in Portugal, and Pauline, an outgoing Irish woman who runs her own craft shop, had husbands at home who weren’t keen on painting.

Sue, one of the younger guests, runs art classes online and wanted to pick up new techniques.

It was a fun, chatty group, and as I crashed out in my enormous double bed at 10pm, sipping from the complimentary flask of herbal tea that had appeared on my bedside table, I felt I was among friends.

The week followed an easy routine.

Every morning we’d all meet at 8.30am and eat a buffet-style breakfast together at a long, sunny table outside on the terrace.

There were warm pastries, oats, local honey, cold meats and cheeses, fresh coffee and juice.

To give you an idea of the quality of the food, the jeans I wore flying over to Portugal wouldn’t button up for the journey home.

Then we’d gather up our art materials and Grahame would lead us to a variety of local beauty spots and attempt to teach us how to sketch and paint outdoors.

He is a very funny teacher, who’d regularly offer down-to-earth advice like, “If you can’t draw cars, don’t!” or, “If it looks right when it’s wet, then it’s wrong”.

We all sat behind him, watching in awe as his brush rapidly covered his paper in sloshy, brisk marks that eventually became the bustling outdoor cafe, a calm church or the fish market.

At lunchtime we were left to our own devices and I took to escaping for a Sagres (the local beer) to boost my confidence for the afternoons, when we’d paint our own pictures.

We could either paint out on the streets — where passers-by would pause next to my sketchbook and shoot confused looks between my picture and the landscape I was failing to recreate — or upstairs at the hotel’s own studio.

The three-course dinner each night featured local dishes including quiches, pork, soups and barbecued fish.

The hotel happily catered to the vegetarians and gluten-free guests, as well.

On two nights we went out as a group to a restaurant, and treated locals to a medley of Les Mis songs as we walked back to the hotel.

There was lots of free time to go shopping. Olhao is famous for its hand-made cork, ceramics and mosaics, and one day we all took a boat trip over to Culatra Island.

On the last evening, Grahame organised a critique of everyone’s work.

My nerves returned and I expected him to either set fire to my sketchbook or suggest I book myself on to Friendship Travel’s other activity holidays (pottery painting, perhaps, or book reading), but he was shockingly positive.

And then we had a riotous and boozy last dinner together, with a talent show organised by Pauline.

It’s a week I’d gladly repeat.

The service from Friendship Travel was kind and personal, and I felt supported every minute of the trip.

Mind you, it was lovely to see my husband waiting for me in arrivals — so I could finally stop dragging my own case.

Comedy director James Burrows, the 11-time Emmy-winning director who co-created “Cheers” and helped turn such long-running sitcoms as “Taxi,” “Friends,” “Will & Grace” and “The Big Bang Theory” into fan favorites, has died, his family confirmed to People. He was 85.

“We celebrate the extraordinary life and enduring legacy of James ‘Jimmy’ Burrows, who passed away peacefully today surrounded by his loving family,” his family said in a statement to People. “For more than five decades, Burrows was one of the most influential and beloved directors in television history. As a legendary director, mentor, and creative force, he helped shape generations of comedy and brought immeasurable joy to audiences around the world.”

A master of the multi-camera sitcom, Burrows started his career shooting episodes of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show” in 1974 and “The Bob Newhart Show” in 1975. He soon joined the quality-oriented production company, MTM, which counted James L. Brooks, Steven Bochco and Gary David Goldberg among its alumni.

“They were smart enough to know that it’s better to have a director who can talk to actors rather than a director who can move cameras. You can’t really learn how to make something funny, but you can learn to move the cameras,” Burrows said in a 1995 interview with The Times.

Burrows was born in Los Angeles and later moved to New York with his family where he attended the High School of Music & Art. He graduated from Oberlin College and completed a graduate program at the Yale School of Drama. He worked years as a stage manager with his father, a playwright and director, assisting on shows such as “Breakfast at Tiffany’s” starring Moore and Richard Chamberlain.

He solidified his name in television with “Cheers,” co-creating the lively Boston travern “where everybody knows your name” with Glen and Les Charles. Over its 11 seasons on the air, Burrows directed 237 of its 275 episodes, emerging as a behind-the-scenes comedy legend.

“You bring ‘em in, you sit ‘em down and they talk. That’s all ‘Cheers’ was,” Burrows told The Times. “The word is more important than the goofiness. It was all about the words — which is how I was trained, how my father was trained, how anybody who reads books is trained. It’s the word.”

His father, Abe Burrows, was a Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright, screenwriter and director who performed in radio comedies and co-wrote the books for the Broadway musicals “Guys and Dolls” and “How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying.” The younger Burrows said that growing up on radio comedies helped him hone his ear for humor.

“I know what’s funny, and I probably know the best way to deliver the joke. Whether it’s walking out of a room, facing that way, facing this way,” Burrows said in a 2010 interview with The Times. “I just have a sense of that.”

Another skill he learned from his dad? was working on his feet.

“He’d run the scenes over and over. He created this wonderful camaraderie, which I always try to do. I love to do ensemble shows because that’s where you get the camaraderie.”

Burrows, often considered a fatherly manager, tried to bridge the gap between actors and writers and notably took the cast of “Friends” on a trip to Las Vegas before directing 15 episodes of the blockbuster comedy. He also threw a party for the “Mike & Molly” cast to build rapport because he believed when everyone liked each other, it showed onscreen.

Actors would know when a joke landed when they would hear Burrows giggle as the scene unfolded.

“I’m the guy that wants you to walk the comic plank for me,” he said. “Take it as far out as you want to take it and I’ll bring it back. Sometimes I’ll take it further. But trust me.”

With his slate of hits — he’s credited for directing several shows in NBC’s primetime “Must See TV” lineup of the 1990s — Burrows amassed sizable wealth and, from an early age, was in constant demand by those seeking his magic touch for their show. However, he also saw his fair share of flops: Henry Winkler’s “Monty, “Cafe Americain” with Valerie Bertinelli and a slew of promising pilots that never got off the ground. He also felt that ABC’s “The Associates” and “The Class” on CBS were canceled too soon.

From 1998 to 2006, Burrows helmed every episode of “Will & Grace,” the Emmy-nominated sitcom about a woman and her gay best friend that aired on NBC for eight seasons during its original run. To Burrows, it was the funniest show he ever worked on. He was also behind the camera for the comedy’s 2017 revival, which brought the envelope-pushing antics of Will, Grace, Jack and Karen back for three more seasons.

“It was a fairytale literally and figuratively,” he said in a 2016 Hypable interview. “It was not of the real world in a strange kind of way. These were exaggerated characters. Although they were grounded with Will and Grace, there was this exaggeration that made the stuff you could do and get away with on that show so extraordinary.”

He won his 11th Emmy Award serving as an executive producer on 2019’s all-star re-staging of “Live in front of a Studio Audience: ‘All in the Family’ and ‘Good Times.’” A year earlier, he was nominated for directing the “‘All in the Family’ and ‘The Jeffersons’” TV special.

James Burrows behind the scenes.

(Chris Pizzello / Invision / Associated Press)

Throughout his career Burrows had a penchant for directing pilots because it meant “you’re better than an episodic director” and could create something new in the writer-driven medium of television. He was also drawn to “more uptown, the more urbane, the more sophisticated” comedies. He tried doing cinema once — 1981’s “Partners” with Ryan O’Neal and John Hurt — and said the result confirmed his belief that he was built for television.

“I’m not a cinematic guy. I’m a theater guy. For what I do, I need a live audience,” he said in a 2016 interview with the Television Academy.

Among his favorite TV moments were the pilots for “Frasier” and “Third Rock From the Sun,” the long-awaited kiss between Sam (Ted Danson) and Diane (Shelley Long) and Woody’s (Woody Harrelson) wedding on “Cheers,” Rev. Jim (Christopher Lloyd) taking his driving test in “Taxi,” Ross (David Schwimmer) being attacked by a cat in “Friends” and Will, Grace, Jack and Karen getting in the shower together on “Will & Grace.”

Late into his career, Burrows continued to work in the multi-camera sitcom format, which is shot in a studio, usually before a live audience. In 2013, he was honored by the Television Academy, and, in 2016, he celebrated directing his 1,000th episode of television programming, crossing the milestone with an episode of “Crowded.” NBC marked the milestone with “Must See TV: An All-Star Tribute” special. According to critics, the show — billed by several outlets as the elusive “Friends” reunion and came off as a living eulogy to Burrows — fell short and did not do the legendary director justice.

In all, Burrows was nominated for 45 Emmy Awards and 17 Directors Guild of America Awards.

European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen, European Council President Antonio Costa and with South Korean President Lee Jae-myung celebrated the signing of new a digital trade agreement at a ceremony in Brussels on Wednesday.

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The event marked the EU and South Korea’s 11th summit, with everything from security and defence to trade on the agenda.

“Korea is one of Europe’s closest partners in the Indo-Pacific region and on the global stage,” von der Leyen said. “In today’s uncertain world, stable and trusted partnerships like ours are more precious than ever.”

The trio released a joint statement extolling the value of the talks and committing the two sides to a firm and friendly relationship.

“We reaffirm our shared commitment to effective multilateralism, and to a stable and predictable rules-based free and fair economic order,” the statement reads.

The semiconductor factor

Both sides have an interest in diversifying their trade relationships at a time of growing tensions with both China and the US, and the EU-South Korea digital trade agreement comes more than a decade after a landmark free trade deal.

Since 2015, trade between the EU and South Korea has doubled, with goods trade reaching approximately €124.25 billion in 2025, according to figures from the European Commission.

“The European Union-Korea Free Trade Agreement remains one of the European Union’s most successful trade agreements since its entry into enforcement in 2011,” European Council António Costa said on Wednesday.

South Korea is becoming an increasingly important investor in Europe, particularly in strategic sectors such as batteries, electric vehicles and semiconductors.

For the EU, a key objective is to secure semiconductor supply chains while attracting further investment from Korean companies into Europe.

“Korea has a global leadership position in semiconductors,” an EU official said. “This is clearly an area with significant potential for cooperation that would benefit both sides.”

The digital trade agreement concluded on Wednesday is expected to complement the broader trade partnership by reducing “unnecessary barriers to digital trade” and providing greater “legal certainty” for businesses operating across the two markets, according to another EU official. It will facilitate cross-border data flows while prohibiting the mandatory transfer of source code.

The deal is also designed to establish robust online consumer protection rules, though both partners intend to maintain their respective levels of protection for personal data and privacy.

Economic security was also high on the summit agenda, with the two sides agreeing to establish a high-level dialogue on supply chain resilience.

Supply chains came under pressure last year following China’s restrictions on exports of strategic materials, including rare earths – essential for green technologies and the defence sector – as well as products linked to the chip industry, which are critical to automotive manufacturing.

Security and defence

One thing that did not get over the line was a security of information agreement, which had been touted by EU officials prior to the summit as a means of strengthening the flow of classified information between Brussels and Seoul.

“I hope that the security of information agreement will be adopted soon, so that Korea and the EU can share confidential information safely, which will allow the two sides to engage in industrial and research cooperation actively through information exchange exchange,” President Lee said on Wednesday.

The agreement would build on the Security and Defence Partnership agreement that South Korea and the EU signed in 2024. That deal was designed to facilitate cooperation in areas spanning maritime security, countering hybrid threats, fighting foreign information manipulation and interference, and more besides.

In the run-up to this week’s talks, a senior EU official said a key topic of the discussions will be nuclear non-proliferation, as North Korea continues to hold a small but concerning stockpile of nuclear-armed warheads.

North Korea (the DPRK) and Russia were considered “big questions” at the summit, the source said, with Brussels ready to share information on its support for Ukraine with Seoul.

The joint statement from the summit reiterates this, with words of condemnation directed at North Korea and other nations who enable Russia to sustain its war of aggression against Ukraine.

“We urge Russia and the DPRK to immediately cease all such activities and abide by the UN Charter and all relevant United Nations Security Council resolutions,” the statement reads.

EXCLUSIVE: Scott Mills was axed from the BBC earlier this year after new evidence came to light about a historical alleged sexual offences – but this might not be the end of the former radio DJ

Axed star Scott Mills has seen a flurry of support this week as his husband Sam Vaughan returned to Instagram to mark their two-year anniversary.

In his first post since the DJ’s shock sacking, Sam posted a sweet picture of him and his husband from their wedding day, captioning the post with a white heart emoji and the words “2 years.”

Stars including Zoe Ball, Rylan Clark and Sara Cox reacted to the post, with former colleauge Zoe writing: “Love you,” in the comments, followed by four red heart emoji’s. Rylan and Sarah also posted hearts in the comments section.

It comes as the Mirror exclusively revealed that Scott is set to sue the BBC for unfair dismissal after his surprise sacking. The DJ has enlisted top lawyers to lodge a case against the BBC. It’s understood he will claim that he disclosed the full details of the cop probe – including the accuser’s age – to BBC Radio 1 bosses at the time.

The BBC has previously said that they knew about the investigation but that “new information” came to light which sources claim was the fact the accuser was under 16. But it’s understood Mills will argue that this was all raised at the time to Radio 1. A source said: “It’s going to get very messy indeed.”

Mills was interviewed by police in 2018 under caution after being accused of serious sexual offences against a boy under the age of 16. A full file was sent to the CPS, who said there was not enough evidence to charge him.

In April, Mills released a statement through his lawyers claiming he had been the subject of “rumour and speculation” since his sacking and that he had “co-operated fully” with the police investigation into the allegations.

As Scott gears up for a battle with the Beeb and his partner returns to social media, questions have been raised on when the DJ could make a career return. “I think Scott Mills’ route back into the spotlight will depend on whether the public see his departure as a temporary setback or as a sign that his broadcasting career has reached a crossroads,” Mayah Riaz, a PR to the stars, tells the Mirror.

“Historically, we have seen that established presenters who have a strong personal brands and years of goodwill behind them are often afforded a second act. This is especially true when they have built up a loyal audience and have industry support over many years,” she said.

The expert noted the significance of the public show of support towards Scott’s husband Sam as it highlights that the star still has a network of influential friends and colleagues who are willing to publicly stand by him. She said this can help “soften the narrative” and “remind people of the affection that exists for a personality.”

The DJ has lost a number of gigs since being axed by the BBC, including podcast roles on Race Across the World and Pop Top 10 with Rylan Clark. Mills was also dropped as a patron of children’s cancer charity Neuroblastoma UK and “stepped back” from his role as an ambassador for the MS Society UK.

His regular panto work, which reportedly made him £600,000 in the last three years, has also been cut. Imagine Theatre, which got Scott involved in Jack And The Beanstalk shows, said there are no plans to work with the presenter for the 2026/2027 season. It said the decision was taken before he was fired by the BBC.

If Scott was to make a comeback, Mayah suggests it won’t be through a “grand relaunch”. Instead, it could be through a project that reminds his audience why they connected with him in the first place.

She explained: “Talent and familiarity remain powerful currencies in broadcasting. It goes without saying that authenticity will be key. The public are increasingly sceptical of overly polished comeback campaigns and media-managed statements.”

Mayah says the public respond “far more positively to resilience, humility and genuine passion for the work” and the biggest mistake Scott Mills could make is to come across “desperate to reclaim the spotlight”. She added: “The strongest celebrity comebacks are those that give people something new to talk about.”

Mills previously issued a statement via lawyers thanking his well-wishers. He said: “I wish to thank from the bottom of my heart all those who have reached out to me with kindness, my former colleagues, and my beloved listeners, who I greatly miss.”

On the police probe, he said: “The recent announcement that I am no longer contracted to the BBC has led to the publication of rumour and speculation. In response to this the Metropolitan Police has made a statement, which I confirm relates to me.

“An allegation was made against me in 2016 of a historic sexual offence, which was the subject of a police investigation in which I fully co-operated and responded to in 2018.” He added: “Since the investigation related to an allegation that dates back nearly 30 years and the police investigation was closed seven years ago, I hope that the public and the media will understand and respect my wish not to make any further public comment on this matter.”

HALF of pet owners plan their entire holiday around their furry friends, a study has revealed.

A poll of 2,000 cat and dog owners found 26 per cent are ditching trips abroad in favour of staying in the UK and taking their pet with them – as stricter rules on pet travel to the EU have recently come into force.

More than half (54 per cent) decide to holiday with their animal offspring because they enjoy their company, while 39 per cent feel happier knowing they’ve given their pet a new experience.

When searching for somewhere to stay, 33 per cent like to ensure there are pet-friendly pubs and restaurants nearby, and 30 per cent will factor in how long the journey is going to be.

In response to these findings, pet food maker Carnilove has opened a pop-up travel agent ‘Pet Set Go’, where owners can get travel tips and advice on travelling with their pet, as a third have previously had to change or cancel a holiday due to a lack of pet-friendly options.

Owners can visit the travel agency at 21 West Street, Chipping Norton until June 4th at 5pm, or explore the five travel guides and expert advice online.

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Cara Whitehouse, pet travel expert, said: “We’re seeing a massive shift in the UK when it comes to furry friend-friendly holidays.

“Pet parents no longer want a holiday where their pet is just ‘tolerated’ – they’re now at the heart of the adventure.

“By uncovering these incredible ‘hidden gem’ locations, from the sweeping dunes of Anglesey to the rugged, raw plateaus of the Cairngorms, we’re helping owners match destinations to their pet’s unique character.

“As international travel with pets gets tougher, we’re glad to help match more fuss-free destinations to a pet’s requirements to support their natural spirit.”

The study also found the biggest challenges of holidaying with pets include a limited choice of places to eat or drink (19 per cent), and restrictions on beaches, walks or attractions (19 per cent).

Nearly four in 10 (38 per cent) say no additional pet fees would make them more likely to book an animal-included holiday.

Trusted reviews from other owners (34 per cent) and access to pet friendly activities (26 per cent) were also considered important.  

Of those planning a UK holiday with their pet this summer, the Lake District (24 per cent), Yorkshire Dales (21 per cent) and Cornwall (18 per cent) are among the top-rated destinations.

Colin Rodger, managing director at Carnilove, said: “We launched the ‘Pet Set Go’ agency because an active, adventurous life isn’t just a luxury for our pets: it’s a necessity to ignite their true spirit.

“Our research shows that owners are willing to go the extra mile to ensure their four-legged friends are part of the pack, but every great expedition requires the right fuel.

“By pairing our meat-first, potato and grain-free recipes with expert travel advice, we’re helping pet parents support the vitality and natural strength needed for a lifetime of shared memories on the trail.”

The OnePoll.com study also found 54 per cent claim holidaying with their pet gives them both a much-needed wellness boost.

A third even notice a significant boost in their animal’s mood several weeks after returning home, with 30 per cent saying they show more ‘vitality’ or ‘spirit’.

What’s more, 37 per cent of those with kids believe their pet’s needs are just as important as their children’s.

Izzy Judd, a brand partner, said: “Our home is always a bit of a whirlwind with three children, but our pets are such a huge part of our family’s heartbeat.

“We’ve always found that the best way to hit ‘reset’ is to take a trip together, so I’m happy to be part of ‘Pet Set Go’ because I know first-hand the ‘wellness boost’ you get from a shared adventure.

“It isn’t always easy to plan, but fuelling our pets with the right nutrition and being able to take them on our family holidays makes all the difference in creating those special core memories together.”

Eight years after going off the air, “Sofia the First” is getting another opportunity to find out what being royal is all about.

Disney’s first preschool princess returns for a new set of adventures in “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” premiering Monday on Disney Jr. The following day, eight episodes will stream on Disney+.

The sequel series finds Sofia — once again voiced by Ariel Winter — leaving home to attend the Charmswell School for Royal Magic. Rapunzel makes a guest appearance in the premiere episode and Moana, Jasmine, Cinderella, Aurora and Elena of Avalor will all stop by over the course of the first season.

According to Disney, “Sofia the First” still holds the record for the top three cable TV telecasts for girls ages 2 to 5 with more than 3 billion hours watched since the series premiered. The trailer for “Sofia the First: Royal Magic” was viewed 7.54 million times on social media in the first 24 hours after it was released. The show’s theme song, which has been updated for the new series, remains popular on TikTok among teens who first watched the show as preschoolers.

Series creator and executive producer Craig Gerber says the show’s tone is one of the reasons for its enduring popularity. “The charm, the humor and the storytelling was simple enough for [children] to understand, but sophisticated enough to stick with them as they were growing out of the key demographic,” he says. “They remember [the show] very fondly and it becomes a source of comfort for them.”

Rapunzel makes an appearance in the premiere episode of “Sofia the First: Royal Magic.”

(Disney)

Originally there were discussions to have a spin-off series with a whole new set of characters going to Royal Prep, the school Sofia graduated from in the first series. But soon Gerber realized that a sequel series was the way to go because of the love for the character. “It became clear that the real exciting part of coming back to this world would be to follow the further adventures of Sofia and bring her to a new audience,” he says.

Sending Sofia to a new school was the obvious choice. “We thought it would be very exciting and fresh for her to go to a school where she could focus on learning magic and mastering the powers inside her,” Gerber says. “In the first series, she learned what being royal is all about. In this series, she’s going to learn what being the most magical princess is all about.”

Winter was 12 years old when she auditioned for the role 15 years ago. At the time, she said Sofia’s voice was close to her own — what she thought she would sound like if she were a princess. But even all these years later, it was easy for her to find the voice again because she never really stopped doing it.

“If people told me that they had a child who loved Sofia, I would be like, ‘Oh, do you want me to make a voice recording for them?’ I’d make at least one of these a week, maybe more,” she says. “The show meant so much to me and I know it meant so much to so many people. To know that I am going to get to help influence another generation of kids in a positive way is just so exciting.”

In addition to Winter, all of the original cast is returning, including Sara Ramirez as Sofia’s mother Queen Miranda, Darcy Rose Byrnes as Sofia’s stepsister Amber, Wayne Brady as her beloved rabbit Clover, Eric Stonestreet as her flying horse Minimus and Tim Gunn as the castle steward Baileywick.

But a whole new series and location also means new characters. Here’s a look at three of the new characters who will be entering Sofia’s world.

Eden Espinosa as Zandrya

Eden Espinosa voices Zandrya, the new villain in “Royal Magic.”

(Disney)

Broadway star Eden Espinosa, perhaps best known for playing Elphaba in “Wicked,” will be voicing the new villain Zandrya. “She is loud, bratty, confident and powerful,” Espinosa says.

“We wanted Zandrya to have that entitled air,” Gerber says. “As if all of the magic should just be given to her and she shouldn’t even really have to work for it. She is a sorceress that is after magical items to give her more power. And because Sofia is becoming more and more confident in her magical abilities, Zandrya has a hard time getting what she wants.”

As master of disguise, Zandrya takes a different form each time she appears in an episode — the better to fool Sofia and get her hands on the magic amulet. That means Espinosa, who also voiced the Queen of Hearts in Disney’s “Alice in Wonderland Bakery” and Cassandra on “Tangled,” gets to take on a new voice with each new episode.

“She’s the most fun character to play,” she says. “Voiceover has always been a dream of mine ever since I saw ‘Little Mermaid’ when I was I think 10.”

Espinosa says Zandrya is “the most fun character to play.” The actor has to take on a new voice whenever her villain takes on a different form.

(Disney)

As in the original series, music will play a big part in “Sofia the First: Royal Magic.” In fact, there will be twice as many songs, with each 11-minute episode getting its own number. “What I love about the songs I’ve gotten the privilege to sing is that they feel current,” Espinosa says. “They feel like it’s on the pulse of what’s happening now. They are bops. The challenge is I have to sing the songs in the voice that I’m in for that episode.”

“We’re very lucky to work with folks like Eden, who can take any personality, any voice and still manage to hit all the notes and convey the acting and and really give a fun, rollicking performance,” Gerber says.

And, like Elphaba, Zandrya might be a little misunderstood. “I think as humans we have all sorts of things going on underneath the surface,” Espinosa says. “While she has a very clear mission and intention, I do know that she has moments in interacting with Sofia that she has reflections that make her think.”

Yvette Nicole Brown as Lady Saddlespur

Yvette Nicole Brown voices Lady Saddlespur, Sofia’s new teacher.

(Disney)

Yvette Nicole Brown is one of Gerber’s go-to performers. She’s been the voice of Chief Faye Fireson on “Firebuds” and Luna on “Elena of Avalor.” So it was an easy yes for Brown when Gerber asked her to be the voice of Sofia’s new magical creature teacher and flying derby coach Lady Saddlespur.

“If I’m doing a show, I’m gonna find room for her,” Gerber says of Brown. “Lady Saddlespur is a fun foil for the kids as she pushes them to be better students.”

“She is a Southern belle,” Brown says of her onscreen alter-ego.“She’s very proper. She believes that everything at Charmswell should be done just so.”

Brown says her favorite part of animation is that it encourages her to tap into her child-like side. “When we were kids, we lived in this place of wonder,” she says. “I remember the first shows I watched. I remember ‘Captain Kangaroo,’ ‘Mr. Rogers’ Neighborhood’ and ‘Sesame Street.’ Those performers have stayed with me my entire life. The honor of getting to be one of the first voices that these babies hear is everything.”

Brown is also delighted by the life lessons the show imparts. “Lessons about accountability, sharing, kindness, regulating your emotions and following directions. The importance of school and learning and being careful and gentle with animals and other people and their feelings. I think it’s a great stepping stone for the babies to learn how to be productive, caring members of society, which is what we’re all supposed to be trying to be.”

Nate Torrence as Pepper

Nate Torrence voices Pepper, Sofia’s puppy-unicorn.

(Disney)

Pepper is Sofia’s pet puppy-unicorn. Nate Torrence, who is also the voice of Clawhauser in the “Zootopia” movies, says nothing sounds more adorable than “the collab of a puppy and unicorn.”

Gerber has wanted to create such a character since the original series. “He’s there for comic relief to a large degree,” Gerber says. “And also to give us that little bit of daily magic because Sofia can talk to animals.”

“He’s a pretty lovable guy,” Torrence says. “Even though he plays a little air-headed, he actually is really witty. It’s that old-school Abbott and Costello kind of timing or Charlie Chaplin because there’s so much physical comedy going on with Pepper.”

Because he’s getting to voice a character for so many episodes, Torrence says he’s felt more growth with Pepper than many of the other characters he’s played. “I do think they’ve allowed my voice to be a new kind of voice in the world,” he says. “I get to have a bit more attitude and sass. To be a part of a franchise like this is a nice little dream come true for me.”

Russell’s wife is flying out to try to help find him

A man has vanished while on a stag do in Spain, leaving his wife and friends concerned. Russell Arrowsmith disappeared from the group during their trip for his friends’ pre-wedding celebration.

His wife Nicky lost contact with him before his friends called her to say they had lost him. Russell vanished around 4pm on May 21. He was last seen near the 3-star Hotel Gala Placidia in Benidorm, Alicante, Spain.

Russell, from Doncaster, is believed to have been wearing a pink or black t-shirt at the time he went missing. He is described as having mid-length curly dark hair with a beard. Russell is around 5ft8 and is of a slim build.

The scaffolder started his own business in June last year, with his son Riley also joining him. Both his wife Nicky and his sister Jennifer are pleading with locals and Brits abroad to keep an eye out for him.

His partner is now on her way out to Benidorm to help aid the search. Nicky said: “He was on a stag do but left the group and no one can find him. They’ve rang me to fly out, so I’m on my way there now.

“Can everyone keep an eye out for my husband. He’s been missing since 4pm today (21 May). If you see him please send me location.”

It’s 11:30 a.m. on a beautiful and unseasonably warm day in Marina del Rey, half an hour before the starting time for the Yacht Girls Book Club meeting, but several women are already standing at the gate leading to a vintage yacht docked at the California Yacht Club.

Nicole Vaughn, a first-time attendee who has driven from Woodland Hills with her friend Cani Gonzalez for the meeting, had been looking for author events on Eventbrite when she found the Yacht Girls Book Club’s “Brunch and Sound Bath,” which also includes a signed copy of the featured author’s book, a boat ride and swag bag for $65. “I read ‘sound bath, poetry and manifesting,’ which sounded intriguing, so I said, ‘Why not?’” Vaughn says.

Once the gate opens, Vaughn, Gonzalez and the others stream in, alone or in pairs. The mostly female attendees range from 30 years old to over 70 and are attired in outfits including cutoffs, tank tops, straw fedoras and glamorous full-length dresses. There are approximately 60 first-timers and returning members.

Brittany Goodwin, another first-timer and Mid-City resident who does social marketing and media for HBO Max, also heard about the meeting on Eventbrite. “I saw the word manifestation [in the ad] and I was there!” she enthuses, taking in the colorful array of arriving women. “And today is the full moon, so it’s very appropriate.”

That’s because the speaker is local poet and author Melody Godfred, whose latest book, “Moon Garden,” attracted the attention of Aloni Ford, Yacht Girls founder and organizer of the meeting.

“I thought Melody would be perfect for the official relaunch of the Yacht Girls,” Ford said in an earlier phone conversation. “Her message of self-love and living more authentically is the reason I started the book club in the first place.”

That was in 2018, when Ford, an Altadena-born manager of professional athletes and boating enthusiast who has lived in Marina del Rey for the last decade, was tired of conversations with women that only focused on relationships. “I wanted conversations with like-minded women that were intellectual but fun. And talking about books seemed to be the ideal way to achieve that.”

Erin Nelson, left, and Lisa Nelson make a brunch plate at the Yacht Girls Book Club.

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

For that first meeting, Ford gathered six women — female friends, her masseuse, a favorite aunt. “We discussed Ruth Ware’s ‘The Woman in Cabin 10,’ so I held that first meeting on a local yacht cruise.” After the discussion, the women agreed they wanted to continue meeting, and brainstormed names until Ford suggested Yacht Girls, and the book club was launched.

Some of those “OGs” — Ford’s term for the original Yacht Girls who attended those first few meetings — now embrace each other, introduce the friends they’ve brought, and recount previous discussions of memoirs and books on self-care, building self-confidence and financial literacy. Tarzana resident and OG Felicia Smith still remembers her favorite book discussion. “It was ‘Let Your Fears Make You Fierce’,” she says, reaching for her phone to show the book is still in her audiobook library. Ford recalls that a highlight of those early years was a discussion of Gabrielle Union’s memoir, “We’re Going to Need More Wine,” which was held at Malibu Wines & Beer Garden and attracted more than 300 participants. “I tried to match the venue with the author whenever I could,” Ford says of those early meetings.

But then COVID-19 struck and, although she wanted to continue the book club via Zoom, Ford admits, “I’m not a Zoom kind of girl. I need the interaction, the face-to-face connection with women.” In the interim, Ford pursued other interests, including yachting, a hobby she picked in 2023 that birthed ideas for Yacht Yoga and other female empowerment gatherings of the Yacht Girls.

Ford’s chosen venue for Yacht Girls Book Club meetings is the “Northwind,” a 100-year-old, lovingly restored 130-foot vessel that once hosted Jacqueline Kennedy in 1961 and is open to the California Yacht Club’s members, of which Ford is one. After check-in, attendees are invited to take a ride on a smaller vessel docked nearby, enjoy the buffet luncheon on the main deck, get a tarot card reading from Ruby Sheng Nichols or take in the sun, ocean breeze and marina views from the upper deck, which is outfitted with umbrellas, tables for four and comfortable lounge seating, all arranged with a view of the ship’s stern, where Godfred is preparing to read and where Amber Melvisha is setting up a sound bath, which will accompany the reading.

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1. Felicia Smith listens to Melody Godfred recite poems from her book “Moon Garden.” 2. Members of the Yacht Girls Book Club enjoy brunch. (Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

Godfred, 43, is delighted to be with such a diverse group of kindred spirits. “I’ve been craving in-person experiences lately,” she says, “especially with people outside my bubble. This absolutely fulfills that desire.”

Olympia Auset, a book club OG and founder of a nonprofit South Central organic grocery store, is pleased with the turnout. “There is a real spirit of community in this book club,” she says, after quietly taking in the scene.

That spirit is exemplified by Ford, a gregarious hostess who moves through the various groupings of women in a diaphanous full-length blue dress, introducing Godfred to a group of attendees and hugging both first-timers and her OGs enthusiastically. It feels a little like a reunion, with everyone a part of the extended family. “I come for the networking, to meet women of all different levels,” observes View Park resident Alicia Sutton, an OG who proudly displays her original Yacht Girls badge. “We have more in common than we think. We are a group of women of all colors.”

As the women — plus Ty Jessick of Santa Monica, a friend of Ford’s and the lone man at the event — settle into their seats, Ford greets them again, recounts the Yacht Girls’ early days and her vision for the book club’s next chapter. “This is an opportunity to unplug from our daily lives,” she tells the assembled group, amid nods and murmurs of agreement. “We schedule so much but we must not forget to schedule joy. Today you may meet your new best friend, a business partner, or just someone who loves books. After our first post-pandemic meeting last fall, we wanted to relaunch the Yacht Girls Book Club in a big way. And after today, I’m definitely back in those book streets again!”

With that, Ford hands the mic to Godfred, who shares her own story of immigrating to Los Angeles with her parents from Iran when she was three months old, of being a “recovering attorney” who was managing two businesses and raising three children with her husband but not taking time for herself. That self-neglect resulted in a health challenge, which eventually led to Godfred reconnecting with her passion for poetry and self-exploration. “It was a signal to start honoring my truth more fully,” she explains.

After introducing the inspiration behind “Moon Garden,” which contains 12 sections of spiritual poems, insights and affirmations tied to Earth’s lunar cycles, Godfred answers questions posed by Ford and the audience. Then, she invites participants to get comfortable in their seats while she reads selections from the book that encourage surrender, rest and contemplation during the winter months. The sound bath and a chiming bell provide a resonant echo in which attendees visibly relax, most with their eyes closed.

Members of the Yacht Girls Book Club enjoy drinks on the upper deck of the “Northwind.”

(Carlin Stiehl / For The Times)

The meeting breaks up around 2 p.m. and is followed by music-filled, informal mingling, where the participants discuss the book and the afternoon. From their tables in the “Northwind’s” aft section, Vaughn, seated with Gonzalez and a group of new acquaintances, says she definitely will return.

“This book club may attract women who are high achievers,” Auset says as she gathers with other regular members for a photo, “but we all need to make time for self-care and community.”

The next Yacht Girls Book Club will be held at noon June 13 at the California Yacht Club with brunch included. The featured book is “Proof of Life” by best-selling author and visual artist Jennifer Pastiloff. Pastiloff will be in attendance. Tickets required.

Woods is an editor, author, book critic and a regular contributor to the Times.

Israel and the US have been at war with Iran since February 28th. The impact of the conflict has become global and all sides have suffered casualties, but it wasn’t always this way.
Al Jazeera’s Ruby Zaman explains how Iran and Israel once had a very different kind of relationship.