What to get the person on your gift list who has everything, or never wants anything? Here are some memorable experiences in L.A. and beyond that will surprise and delight them.
Handwritten notes. Free product samples. Email responses to questions. And in some cases (shout-out to Surfing Cowboys in Malibu), an old-school phone call to discuss a gift item.
This is the kind of service that sets local businesses apart, offering personalized experiences you won’t find on Amazon.
From independent artists working at home to brands manufacturing in downtown Los Angeles, these businesses offer a diverse range of products and services that reflect the unique character of our city, which has been affected by wildfires, ICE raids and a struggling economy.
The gifts I’ve included here are all from Los Angeles-based businesses. They carry a personal touch — a connection to the people and the city. Some are handmade while others are manufactured, but all of them are a part of our city’s unique fabric.
Let’s keep it going and support small businesses in Los Angeles this holiday season. Our connection to one another is our strength.
If you make a purchase using some of our links, the L.A. Times may be compensated. Prices and availability of items and experiences in the Gift Guide and on latimes.com are subject to change.
Deluxe prints and special guests await at November’s best screenings in Los Angeles, including masterpieces by Steven Spielberg, Martin Scorsese and Ridley Scott.
After years of cooking at the Spanish restaurants of humanitarian-chef José Andrés in L.A. and D.C., including Minibar, the Bazaar, Café Atlántico and Zaytinya, chef-owner Joshua Whigham has opened Casa Leo, a sun-drenched restaurant in Los Feliz dedicated to celebrating Iberian cuisine with gambas al ajillo, seasonal gazpacho, boquerones with potato chips and pan con manchego. Weekend brunch brings Catalan flatbreads topped with tuna conserva and fire-roasted eggplant, along with scones and a Spanish tortilla.
Thank You Coffee began serving its play on pumpkin spice in 2020, but the Chinatown and Anaheim coffee counters riff on Asian ingredients and flavor profiles with options such as the five-spice latte year-round. Around fall, however, the scent of gourd spice always makes its return: the seasonal, signature KSL — or kabocha spice latte — which swaps pumpkin for kabocha squash.
“We don’t really eat pumpkin, but we eat a lot of kabocha,” said co-owner Jonathan Yang. “My wife, Julia, and I love kabocha but not all people know it, and we realized this is a neat way to highlight that kabocha is pretty much like a Japanese pumpkin.”
Thank You Coffee’s KSL derives its chief flavors from a blend of toasted spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom and ginger, which are turned into a syrup with a combination of white and dark brown sugars and ginger bitters; it all gets steeped and strained. Yang steams fresh kabocha squash, then purées it and incorporates it into the spice syrup, adding depth without detracting from the spices, he says. In both locations, a hint of condensed milk is added to the lattes, and they’re dusted with kinako, a roasted soybean flour, for added earthiness and a pie-crust effect. This year they’re adding another fall-inspired drink to the menu at both locations: a persimmon-and-apple latte that’s meant to evoke coziness and comfort throughout the season.
Few recent films have had quite the reversal of reputation as Karyn Kusama’s 2009 supernatural high-school thriller, which can now clearly be seen for the wise, witty gem it has always been. Overwhelmed at the time by the cultural backlash that swarmed both its star Megan Fox (fresh from the media firestorm of the “Transformers” franchise) and screenwriter Diablo Cody, after her meteoric ascent with the Oscar-winning “Juno,” initial audiences were unprepared for a savage horror-comedy about the traumas of navigating the world as a teenage girl. The bond of two best friends (Fox, Amanda Seyfried) is put to the test when, after a ritual sacrifice goes awry, one of them becomes a possessed succubus who must feed on human flesh. Kusama’s finely modulated direction keeps all the plates of the story spinning as the film moves between being funny, scary and surprisingly tender toward its characters. A conversation with Kusama, Fox and professor Tananarive Due, who specializes in horror, should make this a special evening.
“Jennifer’s Body” is playing Oct. 25 at the Academy Museum. Tickets here.
If you watched 54 Ultra’s music video for “Upside Down” and came away thinking it was a relic from 1980s music programs like “Solid Gold” or “Night Tracks” — you’d be forgiven for making the assumption.
Aside from the 25-year-old’s vintage wardrobe, hairstyle, and ‘stache that harks to that decade, the song itself — a silky, boppy ballad that channels the energy of groups like the Chi-Lites or solo acts like Johnnie Taylor — sounds and feels ripped from the era in a manner that’s hard to faithfully re-create these days.
That old-school vibe isn’t exactly how 54 Ultra started off when he began putting out solo music three years ago, but it’s what he’s settled into nowadays. The artist, whose real name is JohnAnthony Rodríguez (and yes, his name is supposed to be written together), hails from New Jersey and is of Puerto Rican and Dominican descent.
The name he settled on, 54 Ultra, came by way of uniting Frank Ocean’s 2011 album “Nostalgia, Ultra” and the historic nightclub Studio 54. It was sometime between 2019 and 2020 that he interned at a few different recording studios, songwriting in his spare time with the intention of writing and producing music for others.
“I remember I was trying to find a way to make a living out of music and introduce myself to other artists,” he says over the phone, recalling all the demos he had recorded and presented to artists he’d cross paths with.
“People would be like ‘Who’s singing this? Who demo’ed this?’ And I’d say ‘It was me.’ And then they’d say, ‘You keep it.’ After that [happened] a couple of times I realized that I might as well put it out by myself.”
His first solo singles, like the high-energy “What Do I Know (Call Me Baby)” and “Sierra,” were firmly rooted in the indie rock family tree. It wasn’t until more recently, first with “Where Are You” and later “Heaven Knows,” that Rodríguez began to explore a more retro and soulful approach.
The latter track made an appearance in a 2024 “rhythm and soul” playlist curated by Mistah Cee, an Australian DJ and music selector, who included the song between Bobby Caldwell’s “My Flame” and Earth, Wind & Fire’s “Devotion.” The segues between tracks are seamless, in no small part due to Rodríguez’s immaculate production and fealty to the tempo of the times. His was the only contemporary track on the playlist, but it fooled many who eventually caught on to the rest of his work.
“On YouTube, I remember that was a nice boost, because people would comment, ‘Who came from Mistah Cee?’ Or, ‘Who thought this was an oldie?’ or whatnot,” he says.
To date, it’s not only Mistah Cee’s most viewed playlist by a wide margin (5.6 million and counting) but also 54 Ultra’s most-streamed song on Spotify with 27 million. “That was a very organic wave of things happening, and I’m very grateful for that also because I didn’t expect [it] at all,” says Rodríguez.
Latin soul, of the kind that recalls the doo-wop and boogaloo era of the 1950s and ‘60s, has seen a resurgence in the past few years. Artists like Chicano Batman, Thee Sinseers, Los Yesterdays and the Altons, as well as solo acts like Jason Joshua and Adrian Quesada, have made inroads with listeners and on the radio. Rodríguez is enthusiastic about this opportunity to show different facets of Latin culture and music through this genre.
“I just feel like I’m grateful to be a part of that family, or that idea that people relate all the music together and being a part of that scene is pretty nice,” he says.
Despite his Gen Z status, he notably lacks the “smartphone face” that’s rampant among pop artists and celebrities — and is partial to dressing in an anachronistic way, which he pulls off with gusto. It might be easy to assume his regular getup is a result of wanting to match the music, but Rodriguez insists he was already dressing that way much before he ever considered dabbling in soul. There is a kind of freedom he associates with the wardrobe of that time.
“[The clothes] were never a costume or a gimmick,” he says. “Whether I did music or not, I enjoyed how it fits because that [period] just has the best clothes. I think that was peak menswear. No one cared about any type of gender assignment with clothing; everybody wore what they wanted, and all the measurements were the same … it seemed like everybody had fun back then. They weren’t worried so much about what people thought.”
“[The clothes] were never a costume or a gimmick,” says 54 Ultra of his vintage style.
(Max Tardio)
He shouts out Blood Orange, a.k.a. artist-composer Dev Hynes, as a major inspiration for him. “That’s my favorite guy,” he says. But at the same time, he offers an eclectic list of artists whose music lights fires for his own output; Brazilian musicians like Jorge Ben Jor, Lô Borges and Evinha have made his rotation, along with some moody ‘80s bands like the Smiths, the Cure and Siouxsie and the Banshees.
“And Prefab Sprout,” he adds excitedly. “That’s my jam. That stuff’s crazy.”
His reputation has grown this past year, putting him in rooms he never expected to be invited to. Earlier this year he found himself producing the song “All I Can Say” for Kali Uchis, off her 2025 album, “Sincerely,” and recently opened for her during a concert stop in San José.
Earlier this month, he kicked off a world tour promoting his latest EP, “First Works,” that will take him from D.C. and Brooklyn to London and Paris. The schedule includes multiple stops in California, including two in Los Angeles: Oct. 26 at the Roxy Theatre and Oct. 28 at the Echoplex.
For Rodríguez, a tour like this is the culmination of everything he’s worked toward in his admittedly still nascent but steadily growing career. He confirms that he’s been chipping away at a debut LP, which will brandish a more “fast and punchy” rock sound that recall his days playing basement shows.
“Anytime anybody asked me what I wanted to do, I would say: ‘I want to perform anywhere I can and for anybody, wherever that may be.’ I’ve always wanted things to resonate, and I’ve always wanted it to make sense.”
It was an overcast Sunday in June, the WeHo Pride parade was in full swing and the hit song about an iconic West Hollywood gay bar was blasting at full volume.
Sure, the county supervisor’s sequined, rainbow muumuu was giving her an angry rash. But that did little to dampen her spirits as she danced atop her pink pony-themed Pride float, swaying and mouthing the lyrics.
Five hours later, Horvath had traded her sequins and rainbow sneakers for a simple black dress and heels.
Now, she sat on a wooden pew for evening Mass at her 121-year-old Catholic parish in Hollywood.
But she still knew all the words, albeit this time to a traditional hymn about the holiness of the Lord. And then she knelt down in quiet prayer.
Horvath, 43, defies easy characterization.
She is the first millennial member of the county Board of Supervisors, a governing body that wields tremendous power despite remaining unknown to most Angelenos.
When elected in November 2022, she went from representing roughly 35,000 people as a West Hollywood City Council member to having more than 2 million constituents across a sweeping, 431-square-mile district that sprawls from the Ventura County line down to Santa Monica, east to Hollywood and up through much of the San Fernando Valley.
While attending the University of Notre Dame, Horvath held a leadership position with the school’s College Republicans chapter, helped create Notre Dame’s first gay-straight alliance and drew national opposition for staging “The Vagina Monologues” at the Catholic university — all while working three jobs to pay off her student loans. (She’s still paying them off.)
During her 2022 campaign for supervisor, she had the backing of some of the most progressive politicians in the city, including then-Councilmember-elect Eunisses Hernandez, as well as then-Councilmember Joe Buscaino, one of the more conservative members of the body.
As a member of the West Hollywood City Council, she helped approve what was then the highest minimum wage in the country, yet her county reelection bid was just endorsed by one of the region’s most prominent pro-business groups.
In the three years since she was elected to the county Board of Supervisors, she has effectively rewritten the structure of county government and drastically changed its approach to homelessness response.
Horvath’s Midwestern mien, unflagging politeness and warm smile belie her fierce ambition.
She has long been seen as someone who does not — to crib a phrase occasionally used about her behind closed doors — “wait her turn.” And that impatience has worked out OK for her so far.
All of which raises the question, will Horvath challenge Karen Bass in the June 2026 Los Angeles mayoral race?
Horvath speaks as supporters rally in September for her motion to pass an emergency rent relief program.
(Al Seib / For The Times)
Her name has been bandied as a potential Los Angeles mayoral candidate since early in the year, when her public profile exploded in the wake of the devastating Palisades fire and tensions between her and Bass first became public.
She has done little to tamp the speculation since, though some posit she is merely expanding her profile ahead of a run for county executive in 2028.
Still, the political rumor mill went into overdrive in early summer, as word trickled out that the erstwhile mayor of West Hollywood had moved into a two-bedroom apartment at the edge of Hollywood — firmly in the city of Los Angeles.
When asked about her mayoral intentions late last month, Horvath demurred, but made clear the door was open.
“I have no plans to run for mayor,” she said, sitting under the sun in Gloria Molina Grand Park, just outside her office in the Kenneth Hahn Hall of Administration, within direct view of City Hall.
“I continue to be asked by people I deeply respect, so I continue to listen to them and consider their requests, and I’m taking that seriously,” she continued. “But I’m focused on the work of the county.”
Horvath, left, embraces Mayor Karen Bass in August at an event in Pacific Palisades.
(Myung J. Chun / Los Angeles Times)
Horvath declined to share specifics about who was pushing her to run, though she said they were “significant stakeholders” that didn’t hail from any single community.
On Monday, former schools chief Austin Beutner kicked off his campaign for mayor, becoming the first serious candidate to challenge Bass. Political watchers have speculated that Beutner’s entrée could potentially open the floodgates by offering a permission structure for others to challenge the mayor of the nation’s second-largest city.
In the immediate wake of the January firestorm, Bass’ political future appeared to be in real jeopardy, but she has since regained some of her footing and shored up support with powerful interests, such as local labor groups.
***
Horvath was 26 and had lived in West Hollywood for all of 18 months when Sal Guarriello, a 90-year-old West Hollywood council member, suddenly died.
It was spring 2009. The advertising executive and Ohio transplant was active in Democratic and feminist circles, co-founding the Hollywood chapter of the National Organization for Women and leading the West Hollywood Women’s Advisory Board. (Raised by conservatives, Horvath started college as a Republican but soon evolved into a staunch Democrat.)
Former Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti — who was then president of the Los Angeles City Council — had become a friend and mentor to Horvath through her activism. He and others urged her to throw her hat into the ring for the open seat.
More than 30 people applied, but Horvath was ultimately chosen by the remaining members of the council to join them — an outcome that was stunning, even to her.
After two years in her appointed role, she lost an election bid in 2011 but continued to make a name for herself in the tight-knit, clubby world of progressive West Hollywood politics.
Undeterred, she ran again for West Hollywood City Council in 2015 and won.
Horvath is sworn in as the new county supervisor for District 3 in December 2022.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Horvath remained on the council for the next seven years and twice served as mayor before turning her ambitions toward the county Hall of Administration.
She was seen as an underdog in her supervisor’s race, running against former state Sen. Bob Hertzberg, a political veteran who had a 3-to-1 fundraising advantage and first took elected office as she was entering high school.
Hertzberg had far more name recognition, but Horvath ultimately defeated him with a coalition that included local Democratic clubs and some of labor.
***
On the Board of Supervisors, Horvath has been unafraid to take chances and ruffle feathers.
Less than two years into her first term, Horvath was leading the charge to fundamentally reinvent the structure of county government, which hadn’t been meaningfully changed in more than a century.
Horvath’s bold plan to increase the size of the board from five to nine supervisors and create a new elected county executive position was approved by voters last November.
Voters will choose the county’s first elected executive in 2028. Opponents (and even some allies) have long griped that Horvath has her sights set on the very position she helped create, which will undoubtedly be one of the most powerful elected offices in the state.
“There are people who are never going to be convinced that I created this measure without seeing a seat for myself in it,” she says. “I’m not interested in convincing people of that. I’m interested in doing the work.”
As she campaigned for Measure G, critics also said Horvath and her allies were moving too fast, with too much left to figure out after the vote, including the price tag.
“Not everybody always loves you when you do things that upset the status quo. But I think history judges people not by ‘Did everybody love them in a given moment?’ … It’s were they smart and were they brave,” Garcetti said of Horvath.
“And she’s both,” he added.
Still, some of those criticisms came to bear in July, when it was revealed that county officials committed a near-unthinkable administrative screwup. When voters approved the sprawling overhaul to county government in November, the move unintentionally repealed Measure J, the county’s landmark criminal justice reform passed by voters in 2020.
Horvath said she didn’t think she and other proponents moved too fast, arguing that if they hadn’t seized the moment, they would have missed the opportunity “to bring about the change that has been stuck for far too long.”
Horvath argues that the fact that Measure J could have been unwritten in the first place is why Measure G was so needed.
***
Horvath was, briefly, everywhere during the fires.
While Mayor Bass receded into the background, Horvath was a constant presence at media briefings and on the news.
Her face was so omnipresent that a man she’d recently gone on a date with — someone who didn’t fully understand what she did for a living — spotted her on television with some confusion.
That was the last she heard from him, she said. (Dating as a public official is “very weird,” and not just because the one time she tried to use Tinder while abroad, she was seemingly banned for impersonating herself.)
She also tussled with Bass behind closed doors in late January, as revealed in text messages obtained by The Times that highlighted an increasingly fractious relationship.
The two women were at odds even before flames laid waste to a wide swath of coastal paradise.
Last November, Horvath went public with a proposal to shrink the duties of the Los Angeles Homeless Services Authority, which is overseen by city and county political appointees.
Horvath called for hundreds of millions of dollars to be shifted out of the agency and into a new county department focused on homelessness — a proposal to which Bass strenuously objected.
Horvath ultimately pushed her strategy forward in April, but not without warnings from Bass about creating a “massive disruption” in the region’s fight against homelessness.
Horvath attends a news conference celebrating the Army Corps of Engineers clearing debris from the final house in the Palisades in late August.
(Jason Armond / Los Angeles Times)
Horvath’s relationships in the Palisades have also not been without some tension.
The supervisor recently pledged $10 million of her county discretionary funds to help rebuild the Palisades-Malibu YMCA, but some in the community have felt betrayed by her, according to Pacific Palisades Residents Assn. President Jessica Rogers.
“We don’t believe that she’s properly engaging her community,” Rogers said, citing the independent commission that Horvath convened in the wake of the fires. “She put a lot of time and energy into creating this report. The intentions might have been good, but she didn’t include proper community participation.”
Rogers was particularly bothered by Horvath’s proposal for a countywide rebuilding authority, since Rogers felt like Horvath hadn’t earned their trust. The rebuilding authority, which was supported by the mayor of Malibu, did not come to fruition.
“There’s a perception that [Horvath] is too aggressive,” said another community leader, who asked to speak anonymously because they hope to get things done without alienating anybody. “But there’s more of a mix to how people feel about her than you can see.”
The loudest voices, particularly in community WhatsApp groups, NextDoor and other forums, tend to be the most vitriolic, the community leader said, positing that some of the gripes about Horvath had more to do with her progressive politics than her leadership.
“People are suffering, and I will always show up for my constituents — especially when the conversations are difficult. The Blue Ribbon Commission provided independent, expert guidance on a sustainable rebuild. Its recommendations were meant to inform, not replace, community engagement,” Horvath said.
***
The chances of Horvath entering the mayoral race still remain far slimmer than the alternative, particularly because she is up for reelection in 2026 — meaning she would have to sacrifice her safe board seat for an uphill battle challenging an incumbent who still has deep wells of support in the city.
Former Los Angeles City Councilmember Mike Bonin, who long represented the Westside and now directs the Pat Brown Institute for Public Affairs at Cal State LA, said he wondered why someone would want the job of mayor while in the comparatively plush position of county supervisor.
Supervisors have more power and suffer far less scrutiny, he argued. Still, there were benefits to remaining in the mix.
“Being mentioned as a potential candidate is one of the greatest places a political figure can be. Because when you’re in the mentioning stage, it’s all about your strengths, your assets, your positive attributes,” Bonin said with a laugh. “Once you declare, it’s the reverse.”
Times staff writers David Zahniser and Rebecca Ellis contributed to this report.
Are you eating out less? Is it starting to feel like a sit-down dinner, even at a casual restaurant, can set you back what you might have paid for a big celebratory meal not too long ago?
Daytime is one thing, with lunch deals or happy hour discounts coaxing more consumers out for a bite. But at prime dinnertime lately, getting the check can come with sticker shock.
Industry trends show diners are getting more selective about dining out as inflation worries wallop U.S. consumers. In a 2025 survey from global accounting firm KPMG, 85% of respondents said they are eating at home more often to save money due to budget limitations. As a result, U.S. restaurants and bars saw one of the weakest six-month periods of sales growth during the first half of 2025 — even weaker than during the COVID pandemic when lockdown orders were in place, according to a CNN analysis of Commerce Department data.
In Los Angeles, the added factors of the 2025 wildfires, ICE raids, and rising rental and labor costs make the trend feel especially acute.
About This Guide
Our journalists independently visited every spot recommended in this guide. We do not accept free meals or experiences. What should we check out next? Send ideas to [email protected].
But with a little strategy, it’s more than possible to have a standout meal at some of L.A.’s most exciting haunts right now without breaking your budget. For this guide, the Food team challenged ourselves to find 50 L.A. restaurants where you can dine for $50 or less per person, including tax and tip.
A nice dinner out translates differently for everyone, so we set a few parameters before beginning our search:
The pre-tax total should be no more than $38 per person, in order to account for a roughly 10% sales tax and 20% tip. Sometimes it needs to be even less if a restaurant includes a mandatory service fee.
The restaurant doesn’t have to offer table service, but there must be seating available to enjoy your food on-site.
It must be open until at least 9 p.m.
You must be able to order at least two menu items, whether that’s a starter and a main, an entree and a dessert, or a large plate and a cocktail.
The final list ranges from places ranked on The Times’ annual 101 Best Restaurants guide that require specific hacks to stay within budget, to more casual options where $50 lets you sample a wide swath of the menu. And just in case you’re bringing a date or a friend, we share suggestions for how to approach this challenge as a duo.
Note that the prices outlined below are accurate as of our most recent visits but may change based on which location you visit, whether you’re ordering in person, for pickup or delivery and other factors.
Despite a handful of popular Día de los Muertos events facing cancellation due to community fears surrounding ICE operations, many annual celebrations throughout Southern California will continue to honor the dearly departed as planned.
Organizers for the Oct. 18 El Sereno Día de los Muertos Festival are working with Councilwoman Ysabel Jurado and her team to ensure the safety of its attendees during a precarious time for immigrant communities. Others, like the Museum of Latin American Art’s Day of the Dead Family Festival on Oct. 26, are placing an added emphasis on resilience.
This year, De Los is hosting a free community celebration to commemorate the holiday on Oct. 25 from 2 to 10 p.m. at the Las Fotos Project. Attendees can enjoy a community altar, a skull decorating workshop, face painting and more.
De Los will also be accepting submissions for our annual digital altar from Oct. 15 to Nov. 2. Community members can submit a photograph or memento to honor the memory of their dearly departed — pets included.
Here is a list of other Día de los Muertos observations and events taking place across Southern California.
An ad warns: “Your Cabinet position may be at risk if you don’t heed proper instructions and keep up your correct stamp duty payments.”
It came after the ethics watchdog ruled the real Ms Rayner, who had three homes including a grace-and-favour London flat, breached the ministerial code over £40,000 of unpaid stamp duty.
Studio Canal and Spitting Image were contacted for comment.
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A balding Prince Harry puppet featured in the new Spitting Image spin-off, The Rest is Bullsh*t
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A latex lookalike of wife Meghan was also on the showCredit: PA
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US President Donald Trump could be seen offering King Charles a burgerCredit: PA
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Rayner is seen launching a website called WrongmoveCredit: TNI Press
The normally surf-themed bar at the Hyatt Regency Huntington Beach Resort and Spa has transformed into Pete’s Spookeasy for the month of October with Halloween-themed decor, food and drinks. Order mains such as Pasta from the Black Lagoon, with squid ink spaghetti, sautéed shrimp, lobster cream sauce, roasted tomato, asparagus and micro parsley, plus starters including “Bugs” in Stinky Cheese with whipped goat cheese, dates, marzipan “grubs,” figs, hot honey, micro thyme and crackers. Seasonal cocktails include Hex on the Beach, with rum, pineapple juice, orange juice, coconut and nutmeg, and BooBerry Margarita, with tequila, fresh blackberries, lemon and lime juice, agave and a black salt rim.
TAYLOR SWIFT has admitted she no longer believed in marriage and had given up on love after splitting from long-term boyfriend Joe Alwyn.
The superstar has used her new album The Life Of A Showgirl — out today — to document going from depression to being wooed back to life by her fiancé, Travis Kelce.
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Superstar Taylor Swift as a showgirl in a shot for her new album
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The Life Of A Showgirl documents Taylor going from depression to being wooed back to life by Travis KelceCredit: AP
Though in a move that is sure to get the world talking, Taylor savages a mystery person, believed to be singer Charli XCX, for mocking her.
Taylor and Travis started dating in the summer of 2023 before he popped the question in August this year.
On lead single The Fate Of Ophelia, Taylor sings: “And if you’d never called for me. I might have drowned in the melancholy.
Rediscovered love of life
READ MORE ON TAYLOR SWIFT
“I swore my loyalty to me, myself and I, right before you lit my sky up.”
She adds: “You dug me out of my grave and saved my heart from the fate of Ophelia.
“And if you’d not come for me, I might have lingered in purgatory.
“No longer drowning and deceived, all because you came for me.”
The song is based on Shakespeare’s character Ophelia in Hamlet.
After being toyed with by rich and powerful men, Ophelia goes insane and kills herself by drowning.
Travis Kelce tells Fox NFL Sunday he broke down in tears in emotional Taylor Swift proposal moment
The track acts as a bridge between the doom of Taylor’s 11th album The Tortured Poets Department and her new, rediscovered love of life, all thanks to her Kansas City Chiefs man.
On Eldest Daughter, Taylor pines for true love, admitting she feels played and betrayed by men her whole life.
She says: “I’ve been dying just from trying to seem cool. But I’m not a bad bitch.
“The last time I laughed this hard was on the trampoline in somebody’s backyard. I must have been eight or nine.
“The night I fell off and broke my arm. Pretty soon I learned cautious discretion. When your first crush crushes something kind. When I said I don’t believe in marriage, that was a lie.”
Vowing she still secretly pines for true love despite being hardened to disappointment, Taylor sings: “And I’m never gonna let you down. I’m never gonna leave you out. So many traitors. Smooth operators.
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Taylor and Travis hand in hand in New York last yearCredit: Getty
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Taylor announces the album on Travis’s podcastCredit: YouTube / New Heights
“But I’m never gonna break that vow. I’m never gonna leave you now.”
Despite only being out today, thanks to pre-orders The Life Of A Showgirl is already the fastest selling album of the year.
Written during Taylor’s record-breaking Eras Tour last summer, the record peels back what life was like for the star away from the stage.
On song Elizabeth Taylor, she sings about dating Travis: “Sometimes it doesn’t feel so glamorous to be me.
“All the right guys promised they’d stay, under bright lights they withered away. But you bloom. Tell me for real. Do you think it’s forever?”
Despite the glitz and glamour, Taylor says she had “everything and nothing all at once” — pining for true love over material goods.
She sings: “Hey, what could you possibly get for the girl who has everything and nothing all at once?
“Babe, I would trade the Cartier for someone to trust.”
On Opalite, Taylor sings about “dancing through the lightning strikes”, a reference to her splitting with British actor Joe just weeks before embarking on the biggest tour of her career.
Storytelling best
Continuing with the theme of yearning for the simple things in life, Taylor uses Wi$h Li$t to double down on wanting love over material goods.
She pines: “I made wishes on all of the stars. Please, God bring me a best friend who I think is hot, I thought I had it right once, twice but I did not.”
She adds: “I just want you. Have a couple kids.”
For the title track, Taylor reverts to her storytelling best alongside fellow superstar Sabrina Carpenter.
The Life Of A Showgirl tells the brutal reality of life on the road chasing fame and fortune.
Taylor sings: “The more you play the more that you pay. You’re softer than a kitten so. You don’t know the life of a showgirl, babe
She continues: “I’m married to the hustle. And now I know the life of a showgirl, babe. And I’ll never know another. Pain hidden by the lipstick and lace.”
As a final nod to her record-breaking 24 months, the song — and album — fades out with live audio thanking fans as she takes her final bow on her Eras Tour.
TRACK-BY-TRACK
1. The Fate Of Ophelia 3:46
AN infectious pop track about Travis making a play for Taylor while she was heartbroken and had vowed herself off men following the breakdown of her relationship with Brit Joe Alwyn.
2. Elizabeth Taylor 3:28
A POP earworm which reveals how Taylor’s life away from the stage isn’t as glamourous as fans think and she pines for a man rather than material goods. She says if her Travis fling doesn’t work out, it will break her.
3. Opalite 3:55
ANOTHER pop track about how she often finds herself thinking about former flames – but meeting Travis has turned her heartbroken days at the start of the Eras Tour to a love-filled life.
4. Father Figure 3:32 (written by Swift, Martin, Shellback, and George Michael)
THIS is about how she was courted by record label Big Machine Records’ Scott Borchetta and signed when she was just 15, looking to him for guidance. He then turned on her and sold her master recordings, forcing a six-year battle to own her own work.
5. Eldest Daughter 4:06
THE most emotional track about how Taylor has desperately tried to be “cool” to win a man but accepts she is never going to be an “It Girl”. Then adds that despite meeting a series of men with bad intentions, she will still do anything for real love
6. Ruin The Friendship 3:40
A LOVE letter to Taylor’s late high school friend Jeff Lang, who passed away aged 21. The track is about the inner battle of whether you tell a friend you have deeper feelings for them and risk ruining the friendship but in turn potentially find The One.
7. Actually Romantic 2:43
BELIEVED to be about Charli XCX and how Taylor believes the singer mocks her and slags her off behind her back. Rather than being offended, Taylor finds her obsession amusing.
8. Wi$h Li$t 3:27
WHILE the world wants material goods, cars and money, Taylor says she just wants a man and kids, and to live her life away from the media spotlight.
9. Wood 2:30
A FUNKY track and Taylor’s dirtiest ever. Littered with innuendos about hooking up with Travis
10. Cancelled! 3:31
REMINISCENT of her Reputation album which sees Taylor play the role of an evil villain who masterminds her friends all being cancelled and they unite together in some evil union. Fans will no doubt link it to her fall-out with actress Blake Lively.
11. Honey 3:01
PRIOR to meeting Travis, being called Honey was seen by the star as an insult – but he uses it as her pet name.
12. The Life Of A Showgirl (featuring Sabrina Carpenter) 4:01
A FICTIONAL tale of how many dream of being a showgirl for the fame and fortune but, in reality, it is a lot harder than that in a cut-throat industry
TOTAL LENGTH: 41:40
CHARLI XCX
‘It’s sweet all the time you’ve spent on me‘
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Actually Romantic appears to be a full take-down of Brit singer Charli XCXCredit: Getty
THE most brutal track on the album is called Actually Romantic.
It appears to be a full take-down of Brit singer Charli XCX, who is friends with Taylor’s love rat ex Matty Healy.
Charli’s husband George Daniel is part of Matty’s band The 1975.
Taylor sings: “I heard you call me ‘Boring Barbie’ when the coke’s got you brave.
“High-fived my ex and then you said you’re glad he ghosted me.
“Wrote me a song saying it makes you sick to see my face. Some people might be offended. But it’s actually sweet, all the time you’ve spent on me.”
Charli has long been accused of glamorising drug use – even releasing a vinyl of her latest record Brat filled with white powder. Rather than being a flash-in-the-pan spat, the duo have a long history.
Charli supported Taylor on her 2018 Reputation Stadium Tour. But the Brit hated the experience.
She told Pitchfork mag in 2019: “I’m really grateful that Taylor asked me on that tour. But, as an artist, it kind of felt like I was getting up on stage and waving to five-year-olds.”
From then on things seemed to sour further – and Charli’s Brat album track Sympathy Is A Knife is believed to be about Taylor.
Charli sings: “This one girl taps my insecurities. Don’t know if it’s real or if I’m spiraling. Cause I couldn’t even be her if I tried.
“I’m opposite, I’m on the other side. I feel all these feelings I can’t control.”
SCOTT BORCHETTA
‘They don’t make loyalty like they used to’
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On her track Father Figure Taylor appears to round on Scott BorchettaCredit: Getty Images – Getty
DESPITE plenty of floor fillers, Taylor’s new album is not all sweetness and light. As well as having a dig at Charli XCX, on Father Figure Taylor appears to round on Scott Borchetta.
He is the CEO of her first label Big Machine Records, who sold the rights to her first six albums in 2019.
The track features lines of George Michael’s 1987 single of the same name, as she seemingly talks about how Borchetta, right, boasted about being able to make her a star before stabbing her in the back.
“I’ll be your father figure, I drink that brown liquor. I can make a deal with the devil because my d’s bigger. This love is pure profit, just step into my office.”
She later adds: “They don’t make loyalty like they used to.”
Her reference to brown liquor is thought to be a nod to how Borchetta celebrated selling her masters to Scooter Braun over a glass of whisky.
In an open letter to fans about the sale, Taylor wrote: “These are two very rich, very powerful men.
“Then they’re standing in a wood-panel bar doing a tacky photoshoot, raising a glass of scotch to themselves.
“Because they pulled one over on me and got this done so sneakily that I didn’t even see it coming.”
Earlier this year, Taylor finally bought back her masters.
Hinting at her victory, she ends the track singing: “We drank that brown liquor. You made a deal with this devil. Turns out my d’s bigger. You want a fight, you found it.”
BIZARRE VERDICT
★★★★☆
THE Tortured Poets Department – for me the best Taylor album until now – was always going to be a hard act to follow.
But a drastic change of direction here has served the star well.
Lyrically, she continues at her best – with enough metaphors and coded literary references to keep fans speculating for ages.
Pop records are the hardest to perfect when it comes to both lyrics and melodies, but with producers Max Martin and Shellback by her side, Taylor has once again made magic.
With The Life Of A Showgirl, she proves yet again she’s the best in the business. Are there a couple of skips? Yes. But there’s also some of her best ever work.
Lead single The Fate Of Ophelia is an earworm of a track that’s perfect for both radio and dancefloors. It’s also possibly the most infectious Taylor lead single of all time.
Elizabeth Taylor, Ophalite and Cancelled! are also standouts.
Taylor’s reign atop the music industry is far from over.
Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson is transformed by prosthetics for his Mark Kerr roleCredit: AP
WHEN big stars take parts that require them to alter their face with prosthetics it’s often a sign they want to be taken more seriously.
Think Steve Carell in Foxcatcher and Bradley Cooper in Maestro.
In The Smashing Machine — director Benny Safdie’s biopic of UFC heavyweight champion Mark Kerr — it’s Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson’s turn to sit in the make-up artist’s chair.
Signalling a departure from the typical action hero roles he is best known for, Johnson’s nose, lips, eyebrows and hairline are transformed to play the fighter.
He’s not totally unrecognisable, though.
A professional wrestler himself, The Rock already had the fighter’s hulking physique.
Acting muscles
And he’s in familiar territory being on screen with his trademark biceps on display.
But here he proves he absolutely can flex his acting muscles too.
American amateur wrestling champion Kerr became one of the pioneers of MMA at the turn of the millennium, well before the sport became the worldwide phenomenon it is today.
We meet him as an unbeaten man, skilled at then-permitted, wincingly violent moves like eye gouges, who lives to win, and who can’t comprehend the thought of losing.
But as painkiller addiction takes hold and Kerr succumbs to his first ever defeat, he returns home a human wrecking ball, tearing his house apart in sheer frustration.
Johnson depicts this rage-fuelled tantrum with real proficiency so we can understand it as a loss of control underpinned by a deep vulnerability.
Emily Blunt, excellent as his girlfriend Dawn, can only look on as the “big man who she loves” demolishes their kitchen with his bare hands.
Screen beauty Emily Blunt shows off stunning figure in backless dress at London premiere of Smashing Machine
The real Kerr eventually acknowledged and overcame his narcotic reliance, returning from rehab to the ring.
As a sporting tale, this is in familiar triumph-over-tragedy territory, with no surprises.
While the performances are gripping, the script lacks nuance.
Is this brutal watch a knockout? No, not completely.
But will the prosthetics pay off for Johnson come awards season?
They just might.
A HOUSE OF DYNAMITE
(15) 112mins
★★★★★
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Rebecca Ferguson delivers a career best as security specialist Captain Olivia WalkerCredit: PA
KATHRYN BIGELOW has done it again, this time turning the camera on the nightmare we all pretend that we can ignore – a nuclear strike.
The director’s tense, claustrophobic, brilliantly staged film grips you from the very first frame.
The story is simple and terrifying – an 18-minute window between a rogue missile launch in the Pacific and its projected strike on Chicago, seen from multiple perspectives.
Every decision, every glance at a screen, every phone call carries huge weight. Uncertainty is the enemy here, and Bigelow wrings every ounce of drama from it.
The cast is flawless. Idris Elba is compelling as a President caught between disbelief and duty, while Rebecca Ferguson delivers a career best as security specialist Captain Olivia Walker.
Elsewhere, Jared Harris, Gabriel Basso, Jonah Hauer-King and Anthony Ramos bring depth as they try to hold a crumbling chain of command together.
It isn’t just a thriller, it’s a heart-stopping meditation on human fragility. If you want cinema that makes you feel the weight of the world in real time, this is the one.
LINDA MARRIC
FILM NEWS
THE Simpsons movie sequel is in the works and set to be released next summer.
GEORGE Clooney plays a movie star on the edge in Jay Kelly.
CONCLAVE director, Edward Berger, has announced he’d love to direct a new Bourne film.
HIM
(18) 96mins
★☆☆☆☆
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Retired legend Isaiah (Marlon Wayans, pictured) invites Cameron to a secluded training campCredit: PA
HORROR film Him feels like it has been stitched together from a dozen better movies, without ever finding a soul of its own.
In short, this is a mess.
The story follows Cameron (Tyriq Withers), a hotshot quarterback whose bright future is thrown off course after a brutal injury.
When retired legend Isaiah (Marlon Wayans) invites him to a secluded training camp, it feels like a chance to rebuild, stronger and faster than before.
But the deeper Cameron steps into Isaiah’s world, the more unsettling it becomes.
Produced by Get Out, Us and Nope director Jordan Peele, Him’s fatal flaw is its emptiness. For long stretches, nothing happens.
Characters drift around muttering ominous nonsense, occasionally raising their eyebrows at the weirdos around them, before going right back to ignoring the obvious.
Withers and Wayans put in respectable perform-ances but the dialogue is clunky, the pacing is dead on arrival and the supposedly shocking reveal is anything but. Even the stylistic additions feel less like art and more like padding for a story that never gets to the point.
Bleak, boring and painfully pretentious, Him isn’t just a bad horror film, it’s the kind of bad movie that thinks it’s being very clever.
Thai is a pillar cuisine of Los Angeles. The largest Thai population outside of Thailand calls Los Angeles home. The community designation in East Hollywood is the only officially recognized Thai Town in the United States. As with Koreatown and Historic Filipinotown, the neighborhood took root when our country, via the Immigration and Nationality Act of 1965, welcomed waves of migration from across Asia.
As with all of the world’s great culinary traditions, “Thai cuisine” really means micro-regional cooking styles. In L.A., we can taste the breadths. We can seek out the mulchy, herbaceous pleasures of sai ua from Thailand’s northernmost extremes, bordering Laos, noting how the textures of the sausage vary by the hands who make them. Rice is crisped in salads, pounded into noodles, powdered into a seasoning, stir-fried in infinite variations or served plain, sticky or not, as a catchall for prismatic flavors.
Curries, silken with coconut milk, will change with the color of the chiles in their pastes. Appearances deceive. I did not believe how profoundly capsicums can set a body aflame until I plowed through several bites of kua kling phat tha lung, the hottest dish at Jitlada, during my initiation lunch in 2008. I am long past that milestone, but I’d do it over again that one time.
No matter the headline, I’m wary of the word “best.” These are 15 favorites, often emphasizing the specificity of a Thai chef’s home region. Use it as a blueprint. Wander the outdoor food court of the Wat Thai temple in Sun Valley on an early Sunday afternoon. Find a friend and walk the blocks of Thai Town, scanning menus to see what appeals. There will soon be another restaurant vying for boat noodle supremacy. Maybe someone will soon show up making chor muang, the ornate royal flower dumplings, that I’ve had a hard time finding. Being a pillar cuisine is knowing that room for possibility always remains.
I KNEW The Life Of A Showgirl was going to be a massive album.
But Taylor Swift has exceeded all expectations by scoring the fastest-selling album of the year — before it’s even been released.
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Taylor Swift has exceeded all expectations by scoring the fastest-selling album of the year — before The Last Showgirl has even been releasedCredit: Mert Alas & Marcus Piggott
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Taylor’s 12th album will finally come out tomorrowCredit: AP
Music insiders tell me she has so many pre-orders for physical copies of her 12th album, which will finally come out tomorrow, that it is a dead cert for No1 next Friday.
And along with pre-save data from streaming services Spotify and Apple Music, it will instantly surpass Sam Fender’s record of the biggest single-week sales in 2025, which he set with 107,000 copies for February’s People Watching.
An industry source told me: “The reception from fans has been very impressive because the pre-orders for this album have been absolutely massive. She hasn’t even released a song from the album yet so it’s remarkable.
“No one can compete with her in terms of sales.”
READ MORE ON TAYLOR SWIFT
Spotify has said The Life Of A Showgirl is the most pre-saved album in the streaming service’s history, with more than 5.5million saving it to instantly appear on their accounts tomorrow morning.
Meanwhile, Apple Music has said it is her most pre-added album ever, and she is the most “favourited” artist on the service.
In 2022, Taylor shifted 204,500 UK copies of her album Midnights in its first week.
But last year, she blew those sales out of the water when The Tortured Poets Department achieved 270,000 chart units in its first week.
That made it the biggest seven days of sales for an album in the UK for seven years, since her pal Ed Sheeran sold an eye-watering 670,000 copies of Divide in 2017.
There are other records she is breaking, too.
NFL fans threaten to boycott Super Bowl 2026 over halftime show announcement as Taylor Swift is snubbe
She has become the first solo female artist in American history to have certified album sales in the US of more than 100million, as determined by the Recording Industry Association of America.
Their figures also show her album 1989 is now her biggest-selling album, as it has gone 14-times platinum.
I don’t envy the other artists who have albums out tomorrow. I doubt they’ll get a look in.
Hailey marks another rear
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Hailey Bieber missed her wedding anniversary for Paris Fashion WeekCredit: Instagram/haileybieber
HAILEY BIEBER put on a flirty display in this yellow negligee – as she missed her wedding anniversary for Paris Fashion Week.
The model posted a string of snaps on Instagram, alongside the caption “bisou”, which means “kiss” in French.
While her husband Justin remained at home in the US, she stayed in Paris on Tuesday, six years since their South Carolina wedding.
The event on in 2019 was attended by friends and family, but they had secretly tied the knot , on September 13 2018.
Perhaps they had already celebrated this year, or maybe the pics were his anniversary gift.
Zara’s stripped off for the main pose
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Zara Larsson has been hard at work on brand Main Rose, which she unveiled with this sultry snap in a pink leotardCredit: Main Rose/Brianna Capozzi
ZARA LARSSON is on track to score her fourth Top 20 album tomorrow with the release of brilliant new record Midnight Sun.
But the Swedish singer has also been hard at work on clothing and lifestyle brand Main Rose, which she unveiled with this revealing snap of her in a long-sleeved pink leotard.
The Swedish singer, who started the project a year ago, wrote on Instagram: “Building Main Rose is genuinely a lust for me to creatively expand myself.
“To elevate one’s first layer, literally and figuratively, feels like a fun and natural first chapter for me to explore. Afterall, my dream outfit is really just a pair of panties.”
Amal’s looking lawsome
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Amal Clooney looked sensational in this designer minidress at the New York launch of comedy drama Jay KellyCredit: Getty
She looked sensational in this designer minidress at the New York launch of comedy drama Jay Kelly.
It remains to be seen whether their twins Alexander and Ella will follow his career path, become a human rights lawyer like Amal, or do something else.
Asked if they had inherited the acting bug, he told E! News: “I don’t know, it’s so hard to tell at eight.
“They’re very funny kids, and they love to get up and sing. But you know, I hope they do exactly what they want to do in life, and that’s all you can hope for.”
On whether they know he’s a big star, George added: “They have some idea. My kid came up to me the other day and said, ‘Papa what’s “famous?” Somebody in my class said you’re famous’. I said, ‘Tell that kid I’m very famous’.”
“They saw Fantastic Mr. Fox. I won’t let them see Batman & Robin, I want them to have respect for me.”
The Becks Factor reaches £73m
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David Beckham enjoyed another year of record-breaking profits
GOLDENBALLS has done it again – enjoying another year of record-breaking profits.
David Beckham’s company racked up revenue of £73.4million, as he goes from “face to founder” with more behind-the-scenes deals than ever.
The latest figures for DRJB Holdings, the umbrella company for his business ventures, show consolidated profits up 24 per cent to £35.1million.
A source said: “David is still an incredibly sought-after face for campaigns, but he has matured into an incredibly impressive and canny businessman, too.
“He really enjoys the boardroom machinations and while he looks as incredible as ever, probably won’t want to be on billboards in his pants for ever.
“Six years after setting up his own brand management operation, he is more hands-on than ever. Right now he’s at a really exciting next stage of evolution, and loves getting involved with new projects.”
This is partly thanks to successful deals with Boss menswear, and a license agreement with Safilo eyewear.
David also branched out into the wellness industry for the first time, with his IM8 supplements.
Other strategic partnerships include deals with speaker makers Bowers & Wilkins, Stella Artois beer and tech firm Shark Ninja.
Meanwhile, the former England captain’s profile has never been higher internationally following his four-part documentary from 2023.
News of his latest commercial success comes ahead of wife Victoria’s own Netflix docu-series, which comes out next week.
I can’t wait to see plenty more Becks on my box.
Stel-Hel Fashion week secret
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Stella McCartney enlisted Helen Mirren, above, to open her showCredit: Getty
He told the I’m ADHD! No You’re Not podcast: “I’ve just realised I have Tourette’s, but they don’t come out. They are intrusive thoughts. I was just walking down the road the other day, and I realised these intrusive thoughts are inside Tourette’s. It just doesn’t come out.
“Not only that, you would think that a stadium full of people professing their love to you would work as (a distraction), but whatever it is, inside me cannot hear it. I cannot take it in.”
Robbie also said he recently took a test to see if he is autistic.
He added: “It turns out I’m not, but I’ve got autistic traits. And it’s around social stuff, it’s about interaction.”
Dua’s in Bruise control
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Dua Lipa injured her shoulder while on tour in AmericaCredit: Getty
DUA LIPA has had a lucky escape after accidentally injuring her shoulder while on tour in America.
The New Rules singer was spotted with a deep bruise, leading fans to fear she could have seriously hurt herself.
But I’m told while the mark does look bad, Dua hasn’t been hugely harmed.
More importantly, while she is due to undergo physio to make sure of a full recovery, it also means her US tour can carry on without a hitch.
A source said: “The injury happened while Dua was enjoying some down time from her show.
“It’s been painful but after being checked over by a radiologist, she’s been given the all clear.
“The tour will still be going ahead as planned. It’s just one of those things.”
While it’s no secret Dua loves a holiday and has previously joked about her life being one big vacation, she is also one of the hardest working women in music.
I just hope she is looking after herself too.
BEAT IT
ELECTRONICS giant Beats has added another pair of headphones to its ever- expanding collection.
The tiny Powerbeats Fit are billed as perfect for gym sessions and come in four bold colours, including bright orange and pink.
At least they will be hard to lose.
It’s a Slim volume
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FatBoy Slim is releasing a bookCredit: Getty
FATBOY SLIM is releasing his first book, with the brilliant title It Ain’t Over . . . ’Til the Fatboy Sings.
It documents his 40 years in showbiz through photos, flyers and stories and is out on October 16.
But fans can also see him at the Theatre Royal in Brighton on October 14 for a Q&A about it.
The DJ, whose real name is Norman Cook, said: “This year I’ll have been in showbiz for 40 years, and to celebrate that we thought we’d create a big book full of stuff which I’ve kept over the years. I’m really excited to appear in one of my favourite venues for something a little different this time.
“It’ll be nice to get up close and personal with the audience in a beautiful setting and to share some of my stories.”
Spooky season has arrived, which means the holidays — and the end of the year — are right on its tail. But before you start brainstorming New Year‘s resolutions, there’s still time to embrace autumn.
We’re in the midst of Hispanic Heritage Month, an ideal opportunity to explore the various Latino cultures that inform and influence our region. Start with the Mexican and Salvadoran restaurants that restaurant critic Bill Addison highlighted in his guide to the 101 Best Restaurants in California, including a modern Mexican restaurant in Oakland and a marisqueria in Historic South-Central that was recently named on the inaugural list of the World’s 50 Best Restaurants in North America.
The L.A. Times Food Bowl is also returning this month on Oct. 10 and 11, featuring two nights of endless bites and sips from more than 25 local restaurants, including a night market curated by Farmhouse Kitchen Thai Cuisine.
And if you’re looking for even more culinary inspiration this fall, consider visiting a vegan dim sum spot in Echo Park, a new pizzeria from one of the city’s favorite bakeries or an eccentric cafe in downtown L.A. Long-standing restaurants also need your support, including a Southern standby on Crenshaw Boulevard and a Santa Monica restaurant that announced it’s permanent closing at the end of the year.
NICOLE Kidman and Keith Urban’s lawyers have a big job ahead of them in splitting the couple’s mammoth property empire after their bombshell split.
Nicole, 58, and Keith, 57, have called it quits after 19 years of marriage, with the Babygirl actress filing divorce papers on Tuesday, September 30.
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Keith Urban and Nicole Kidman in 2019 on the balcony of their Sydney, Australia penthouse apartmentCredit: Instagram/keithurban
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s ‘Queen of Northumberland’ house is just outside Nashville, TennesseeCredit: The Mega Agency
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The couple also owns a $7.2 million Los Angeles home, where they stay while traveling for workCredit: BackGrid
The couple, who share two daughters, have reportedly been living separately since the beginning of summer.
Just days ago, Nicole was seen still wearing her wedding ring and in good spirits at Cle de Peau’s event in Los Angeles as she appeared as their new brand ambassador.
The pair will have to spend time dividing their assets after almost two decades of marriage.
They mainly resided with their daughters, Sunday Rose, 17, and Faith Margaret, 14, in Tennessee.
Nicole is also mom to Isabella and Connor, whom she adopted during her marriage with her ex-husband, Tom Cruise.
The couple has spent millions on a property portfolio now worth more than $250million, according to online real estate sites.
Their main 20-room mansion is located just outside of Nashville and was purchased in 2008 for $4.89 million, two years after they tied the knot.
They married on June 25, 2006, at Cardinal Cerretti Memorial Chapel, located on the grounds of St. Patrick’s Estate in Manly, a suburb of Sydney, Australia.
MILLION-DOLLAR LISTINGS
The lavish abode has seven bedrooms and eight bathrooms, along with a fully-equipped gym, a large tennis court, and a swimming pool, which were installed by the couple.
During the same year, Nicole and Keith also snapped up a Beverly Hills home for $6.77 million that has five bedrooms and five bathrooms.
Nicole Kidman, 57, puts her long legs on display in just a low-cut black bodysuit in French oceanside hotel room
The estate was built in the 1960s and sits on a 1.25-acre lot with celebrity neighbors Adele and Jennifer Lawrence in the desired neighborhood.
Listings show it has a flat-top roof, a pool, and a second-floor wraparound deck.
They also bought their Australian farmhouse in 2008 for $6.5million, called Bunya Hill, which is located in the Southern Highlands village of Sutton Forrest.
The 45-hectare black Angus cattle farm features a large Georgian-style house built in 1878.
The home has sandstone verandas, a cedar staircase, and 10 marble fireplaces.
It sits on a private hilltop and includes a guest cottage.
The property has been updated with a swimming pool, tennis court, and gym.
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The couple added to their property portfolio with a residence in Manhattan, New YorkCredit: Google Maps
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Keith Urban, Nicole Kidman, and their daughter Faith attend the Artistic Gymnastics Women’s Team Final during day four of the Paris 2024 Olympic GamesCredit: Getty
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The couple’s home near Nashville features a large pool and tennis court they had installed after buying itCredit: BackGrid
Two years after buying their main properties, the couple splashed out $13.53 million for a Manhattan duplex in the upscale Chelsea neighborhood.
It’s located in a stainless-steel tower and includes three bedrooms, a “double-height great room with a cathedral ceiling,” and two terraces with views of the Hudson River.
One of its most appealing qualities is its private “sky garage” with an elevator for apartment-level parking.
They also reportedly own two penthouses that were combined in the Latitude Building in Sydney’s Milsons Point.
The first was bought for almost $6 million in 2009, while the second was around $7 million in 2012.
They also snapped up four more apartments in the same building.
Last year, they also bought yet another residence in the same complex for $7.7million.
In 2020, they added to their New York portfolio after snapping up a two-bedroom apartment in Tribeca for $3.5 million.
According to the New York Post, there are three separate entrances into the building for added privacy.
The residence offers a 75-foot indoor lap pool, rooftop gardens, and a 2,200-square-foot fitness center.
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s Relationship Timeline
Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban have been one of Hollywood’s ‘It
January 2005 – Nicole and Keith were introduced by actor Geoffrey Rush during the G’Day LA gala ball.
February 2006 – The couple made their public debut as an item at the 48th Annual Grammy Awards.
May 2006 – Keith’s publicist revealed that he and Nicole were “very happily engaged.”
June 2006 – The twosome tied the knot at a chapel in Manly, Australia, surrounded by many famous guests.
October 2006 – Keith checked himself into rehab for drug and alcohol issues at the urging of his new wife.
December 2006 – Model Amanda Wyatt claimed that Keith had cheated on Nicole with her multiple times, leading up to their nuptials.
In January 2008 – Nicole’s rep revealed that she and Keith were expecting their first child together.
July 2008 – Keith and Nicole welcomed their first child, a daughter named Sunday Rose.
December 2010 – The duo introduced their second child, Faith Margaret, to the world, whom they welcomed via surrogate.
July 2015 – Nicole confessed to Vogue that she’d wished she’d met Keith earlier in life, so that they could’ve had more children together.
June 2016 – Keith opened up to Rolling Stone about how Nicole helped him get sober by insisting that he go to rehab a decade earlier.
October 2018 – Nicole gushed about her simple, quiet life in Nashville with Keith, and said that was the secret to their happy marriage.
June 2021 – Keith shared a sweet Instagram post, commemorating his and Nicole’s 15th wedding anniversary.
July 2024 – Keith, Nicole, and their daughters were seen enjoying the Gymnastics Women’s Team Final at the Paris Olympics.
April 2025 – Nicole referred to Keith as her “deep, deep love” during an interview with People, and said she was “lucky” to have the musician.
September 2025 – TMZ announced that Nicole and Keith had separated and were no longer living together.
There’s also a wine cellar with its own private dining room.
Since the couple’s split, their two children have been in Nicole’s care, and she is “holding the family together through this difficult time since Keith has been gone,” according to reports.
It is currently still unknown what led to the pair’s separation.
Sources claim that Nicole was “blindsided,” as she had been desperate to save their marriage, one of the longest in Hollywood.
Insiders also said that “Keith has acquired his own residence in Nashville and has moved out of their family home,” although this has not yet been confirmed.
The U.S. Sun has reached out to Nicole and Keith’s reps for comment but did not hear back.
Both Nicole and Keith grew up in Australia, but did not meet until 2005 at a gala.
Keith swooned over his wife in an interview with CBS News in 2016.
Nicole told Ellen DeGeneres in 2017: “I had such a crush on him, and he wasn’t interested in me.
“It’s true! He didn’t call me for four months.”
The actress has spent a considerable amount of time filming in England recently, which may have put strain on their relationship.
She has been shooting scenes for the Practical Magic sequel and reportedly shelled out $87,288 a month to stay at Boy George’s luxurious mansion – without Keith.
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Their prized Bunya Hill estate in the Southern Highlands in Australia is now valued at over $12 millionCredit: Splash
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Nicole Kidman attended an event just days before her split was revealed – and her wedding ring was firmly on her fingerCredit: BackGrid
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Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban split after 19 years of marriage on Monday, September 29, 2025Credit: Splash
EMILY Ratajkowski raised the temperature as she posed for steamy lingerie snaps to promote her campaign with Lounge underwear.
The actress and model, 34, flaunted her famous figure in a selection of lingerie pieces from her collaboration with the underwear brand, and posted some of the saucy pics to her Instagram account.
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The mum-of-one looked radiant in a hot-pink bra, panties and garter set for one campaign shotCredit: Lounge/Morgan Maher
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Emily lay seductively on the floor for another snap, where she wore an all black bra and thong ensembleCredit: Lounge/Morgan Maher
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She showed off her slender frame in a standing shot from the promotional shoot for her Lounge campaignCredit: Lounge/Morgan Maher
Mum-of-one Emily donned a hot-pink bra, panties and garter set in one snap, as she posed suggestively with white sheets on a bed.
In another picture, the Gone Girl actress lay seductively on the floor in an all-black set as she looked directly into the camera.
The famously slender star also showed off her frame and toned stomach as she posed stood up in the all black ensemble,
The sexy lingerie pieces are part of the model’s collection with Lounge Underwear, dubbed “Emily’s Edit”.
Read more on Emily Ratajkowski
Speaking about the edit, Emily said: “Sexiness has nothing to do with what someone else sees. It’s about how I feel.
“I’m a mother, I’m a writer, I’m someone who loves fashion. I play a dozen different roles every day. I love that Lounge recognizes how multifaceted women can be.”
The edit, which features seasonal picks from the star, marks Lounge’s Fall 2025 collection, and also features clothing items including a suede blazer and matching shorts, a cherry lacquer argyle cardigan, and a chocolate sheer shirt paired with a coordinating skirt.
It comes a week after Emily was seen partying away with British pop star Charli XCX, after attending their wedding ceremony in Sicily, Italy.
The Brat star, 33, married her The 1975 drummer husband George Daniel in a small ceremony in London last month, before flying out to Italy to throw a huge celebration with family and close friends.
Emily was among a flurry of stars who attended the wedding, which included Matty Healy, Gabriette, Amelia Dimoldenberg and Julia Fox.
Emily Ratajkowski rocks the tiniest thong bikini ever on beach in Brazil as model friend applies her sunscreen
The model appeared to attend the ceremony alone – without her four-year-old son Sylvester Apollo Bear, who she shares with her ex-husband Sebastian Bear-McClard.
Emily finalized her divorce with the film producer, who faced a slew of sexual misconduct allegations, in July, after filing for divorce in September 2022.
The model sparked her latest romance rumours earlier this month, after she was spotted getting close to Caught Stealing actor Austin Butler in New York.
The pair were spotted together at the Waverly Inn in Manhattan’s West Village, in what could mark her first relationship since her divorce.
Emily recently revealed she would be making a career turn, as she gears up for a screen-writing debut on A24’s untitled drama series for Apple TV+, which is set to explore female identity and modern motherhood – with Lena Dunham and author Stephanie Danler.
“Lena was the first person who published my writing, on Lenny Letter, but she knew about me from Instagram,” she told Variety in July.
“I’ve had a lot of experiences, with Lena specifically, where she has seen past surface level things and given me so many opportunities.”
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Emily sparked dating rumours with film star Austin Butler after the pair were spotted together in ManhattanCredit: Deux Moi
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The model was since spotted at the Tory Burch S/S 2026 fashion show at New York Fashion Week earlier this monthCredit: Getty
Three women opposed to President Trump’s intense immigration raids in Los Angeles were indicted Friday on charges of illegally “doxing” a U.S. Customs and Immigration agent, authorities said.
Ashleigh Brown, Cynthia Raygoza and Sandra Carmona Samane face charges of disclosing the personal information of a federal agent and conspiracy, according to an indictment unsealed late Friday.
Brown, who is from Colorado and goes by the nickname “AK,” has been described as one of the founders of “ice_out_ofla” an Instagram page with more than 28,000 followers that plays a role in organizing demonstrations against immigration enforcement, according to the social media page and an email reviewed by The Times.
According to the indictment, the three women followed an ICE agent from the federal building on 300 North Los Angeles Street in downtown L.A. to the agent’s residence in Baldwin Park.
They live-streamed the entire event, according to the indictment. Once they arrived at the agent’s home, prosecutors allege the women got out and shouted “la migra lives here,” and “ICE lives on your street and you should know,” according to the indictment.
“Our brave federal agents put their lives on the line every day to keep our nation safe,” Acting U.S. Atty. Bill Essayli said in a statement. “The conduct of these defendants are deeply offensive to law enforcement officers and their families. If you threaten, dox, or harm in any manner one of our agents or employees, you will face prosecution and prison time.”
An attorney for Samane, 25, of Los Angeles, said she intends to plead not guilty at an arraignment next month and declined further comment.
The Federal Public Defender’s Office, which is representing Brown, 38, of Aurora, Colo., did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Court records did not list an attorney for Raygoza, 37, of Riverside.
Footage published to the ice_out_ofla Instagram page seemed to capture Brown’s arrest earlier this week. The video shows a man in green fatigues and body armor saying he has a warrant for her arrest, while reaching through what appears to be the shattered driver’s side window of her car. Brown asks what the warrant is for while the man can be seen holding a collapsible baton. Then the video cuts out.
Posts on the Instagram page describe Brown as a “political prisoner.”
A spokesman for the U.S. Attorney’s office in Los Angeles did not immediately respond to questions about whether the women specifically shouted out the agent’s address online or what the defendants specifically did to “incite the commission of a crime of violence against a federal agent,” as the indictment alleges.
Federal law enforcement leaders have repeatedly expressed concern about the “doxing” of agents with ICE and U.S. Customs and Border Patrol as residents of Los Angeles, Chicago and other cities continue to protest the Trump administration’s sprawling deportation efforts.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem threatened to prosecute people for publishing agents’ personal information last month in response to fliers in Portland that called for people to collect intel on ICE.
But the indictment returned Friday appeared to be the first prosecution related to such tactics.
Critics of the Trump administration’s operations have expressed outrage over ICE and CBP agents wearing masks and refusing to identify themselves in public while hunting undocumented immigrants throughout Southern California.
Last week, Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law a bill that forbids federal law enforcement from wearing masks while operating in California. The supremacy clause of the U.S. Constitution dictates that federal law takes precedence over state law, leading some legal experts to question whether state officials can actually enforce the legislation.