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Nicey Nash-Betts has only ever lived in Los Angeles — and she’s proud of that.

“I’m an OG Angeleno,” says the Academy Award-winning actress who’s lived all over the county, from Compton to Palmdale. When I ask her why she’s stayed, she says, “The weather.” And also: “My family is here and I feel like as a whole, people who are from L.A. are a lot more down to earth. It’s the transplants who come here with some weird energy. But the people who are from L.A. are just lovely.”

In Sunday Funday, L.A. people give us a play-by-play of their ideal Sunday around town. Find ideas and inspiration on where to go, what to eat and how to enjoy life on the weekends.

Starting Tuesday, Nash-Betts will star in Ryan Murphy’s new Hulu show, “All’s Fair,” which follows a crew of female divorce attorneys as they leave their male-dominated firm to launch their own practice. It’s a role she almost didn’t take.

“I was just coming off of doing ‘Grotesquerie,’ so I was like, “Ooo. It sounds like it might be a lot work,” says Nash-Betts, whose credits include “Claws,” “The Rookie: Feds” and “When They See Us.” “So I waited a little bit and then I slipped in at the last minute and was like ‘OK, I’m in!’ “

She joins a star-studded glamorous cast of badass women including Sarah Paulson, Kim Kardashian, Glenn Close, Naomi Watts and Teyana Taylor. What was it like working with them?

“We don’t just genuinely like each other, but we have respect for each other,” Nash-Betts says. “And when you respect somebody’s time, their talent, their effort, you know that you’ll always have one of your sisters to lean on that day even if you’re going through something in your personal life.”

When Nash-Betts isn’t on set, she can be found bopping around the city with her “hersband” singer-actor Jessica Betts, whom she married in 2020, and spending time with her three adult kids. Her perfect Sunday in L.A. involves hitting up the farmers market, getting a couple’s massage and ending the night in the same way she did when she won her first Emmy in 2024.

This interview has been lightly edited for length and clarity.

7:30 a.m.: A slow morning

It depends on how early I want to get to the farmers market, so I may wake up around 7:30 a.m. and then just slow roll the day. Make my spouse a cup of coffee. We’re not big eaters in the morning. Occasionally I will get up and make an omelet with all the things and some smothered potatoes, and bring it upstairs on a cart with some juice. Now, I’m telling you the truth. “Baby, am I telling the truth?” [Looks back and screams out to Betts in another room].

9:30 a.m. Get my essentials at the farmers market

I’d grab a shower and say, “Let’s get dressed and go outside, and see what the world has for us today.” I love to go by the farmers market. It’s where we get all of our peppers and vegetables. We like the eggs, the fresh pressed juices and we get our dog snacks from there. I like to go to the farmers market on Saturdays at the Commons in Calabasas, but if I’m going on a Sunday, it’s the one in Westlake. I just think that it’s a one-stop shop for everything that we’re looking for and typically the vendors are really kind. I don’t know if that’s because they want you to buy their stuff or that’s just who they are, but either way, I’ll take it.

And every now and then, I might find a little bop, a little sundress, a little something to throw on, drop the things back off and then head down into the city.

Noon: Stroll around the Grove

If the weather is great, we’ll take something out of the garage that’s a convertible because there’s nothing like the L.A. sunshine. Then depending on what time we can get spa appointments, we might go to the Grove first and walk around. I like the shops that are there. Sometimes you might get a little sweet treat when you’re walking around, but you can always impromptu decide you want to go to the movies and push your plans a little later. It’s just centrally located and it has all of the good things that I like.

2 p.m. Couples massage and a cocktail

Next, we’d head to the Four Seasons for a couple’s massage and a cocktail. Sometimes we’ll go to the Four Seasons Westlake. Sometimes we’ll go to the Four Seasons on Doheny [Drive], but we like to get a spa room, which is in the back. It’s like a suite with a fireplace and a bed in there. You can relax. You have your own private plunge pool and we get our services in the suite. We both always get deep tissue.

5 p.m.: Thai food for dinner

Afterward, we’d drive down to Farmhouse Thai in West Adams because we love it there and we have come to love the owner. I always get the crab fried rice, the whole cripsy fish, the cup of ramen noodles with the short rib on top and spring rolls. That’s the standard order. But if I don’t go out to dinner, I will make crabs every weekend. So sometimes, my kids will come over and eat. If I get to lay my eyes on them during the weekend, that’s always a good time.

9 p.m.: Skinny dipping and champagne

When we get back, we are definitely getting in the pool. Skinny dipping and champagne is how we’re going to end the day. We do this often. Even when I won my Emmy for “Dahmer,” people asked, “How will you celebrate?” and I said, “Skinny dipping and champagne.” And it just so happened, we found a hotel downtown that had a full-sized swimming pool inside the room, so there’s pictures on my Instagram of us in that pool, skinny dipping and drinking champagne. I think that night, we were probably drinking Perignon.

11 p.m.: Hang in the pool until I get sleepy

If I have to get up early on Monday morning, then I might try to lay down around 11 p.m., but if I don’t have to get up and be anywhere, it’ll maybe be around 12:30 or 1 a.m.

The sports court on Carnival Radiance.

(Carnival Cruise Line)

Sails to: Ensenada, Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlán, La Paz, Cabo San Lucas and Catalina Island via three- to five-day wintertime voyages
Cost: Starting at about $200 per person

Carnival Radiance is one of the cruise line’s oldest vessels, having launched in 2000 under its original name, Carnival Victory. Following a $200 million refresh in 2021, it’s become a staple along the Long Beach waterfront.

The 2,984-guest ship offers a variety of shorter trips, which first-time cruisers may appreciate. Some of its staterooms connect, allowing extended families to vacation together. And most of its outdoor activities — such as mini-golf, a sports court and a two-level ropes course — are conveniently clustered together. Nearby are waterslides and pools, one of which sits under a large movie screen.

Like Carnival Firenze, Radiance also has NASA and Dr. Seuss-themed activities, in addition to an at-sea Build-a-Bear workshop and “Zumbini,” a kid-friendly Zumba class.

Picky eaters need not fret. Radiance has 15 dining options, nine of which are included in the cost of your cruise. A few have celebrity names attached to them: along with Guy Fieri’s Burger Joint and barbecue restaurant, there’s also a chicken counter from basketball star Shaquille O’Neal.

If you’ve tested the waters with a short Carnival Radiance cruise and can’t get enough, the ship will also be embarking on a 14-day round-trip voyage in early January to Kahului, Maui; Honolulu, Oahu; Nawiliwili, Kauai; Hilo, Hawaii; and Ensenada, Mexico.

If you crossed “see the Dodgers in the World Series” off your bucket list last year, here’s a bucket list update for you: See the Dodgers in the World Series, from the comfort of a hotel room with a full view of the field.

Not at Dodger Stadium, of course. In Toronto, however, where a hotel is built into the ballpark and 55 rooms allow you to open the curtains and catch the game without a ticket.

During the World Series, the nightly rate for these rooms starts at $3,999 (in Canadian dollars, or about $2,850 in U.S. dollars).

A view of the field from one of the rooms at the Toronto Marriott City Centre.

(Toronto Marriott City Centre.)

That is a lot of money. Then again, the rooms sleep up to five people, and good luck getting five World Series game tickets for that price.

You have to get to Toronto, and that costs a lot of money too. But you don’t need to pay separately for game tickets and a hotel, and you can get room service instead of standing in line at concession stands.

The rooms include chairs that face the field, so you don’t have to stand on your bed to catch the action. And you never know: a player could toss you a ball during batting practice, right through your window. Take a look:

Information and reservations: Toronto Marriott City Centre Hotel.

A divided Los Angeles school board has voted to shut down a popular charter school to make more space for its own program on the same Echo Park campus, pushing the boundaries of state law and school district authority over charters.

The 4-3 vote late Tuesday denied a renewal authorization for Gabriella Charter School, which means the 400-student school specializing in dance instruction, can’t operate beyond the end of the current school year.

Although county education officials could act independently to renew the charter, the L.A. school board decision still means Gabriella would be essentially evicted from the campus and the dance studios built for its use.

Board member Rocio Rivas, whose district includes the school, said the move was necessary to protect the interests of the district-operated school and the nation’s second-largest school system.

“This multiuse agreement has not worked,” Rivas said. “It meets the needs of Gabriella, but it’s not meeting the needs of the district. So as far as I’m concerned, this multiuse agreement should be nullified.”

A spokesperson for Gabriella said Wednesday morning that the school was considering its legal options.

The California Charter Schools Assn. spoke strongly in defense of Gabriella.

“This decision is a backhanded strategy to push Gabriella out of its longtime home on an LAUSD campus — a site the District itself invited Gabriella to share with a district-run school back in 2009,” said Keith Dell’Aquila, who leads advocacy work for the association in the L.A. area. “For 16 years, Gabriella has served countless students at that location with excellence and stability.”

The case highlights the resolve of school board members, aligned with the teachers union, to target a non-union charter school to further the aspirations of a district-operated campus.

Third-grade teacher Karla Balani helps with instruction at Gabriella Charter School.

(Karla Gachet/For The Times)

Why charter schools draw political controversy

Charters are privately operated public schools that compete for students. Charter supporters view their educational offerings as a way to spark innovation and provide needed public school competition — and simply to offer parents more choices.

Some supporters have also wanted a foothold to weaken the influence of teacher unions and build a bridge to more controversial school-choice strategies, including using public-school funds to pay for private school tuition.

Most charters are non-union and have typically been opposed by teacher unions.

Charters have enjoyed a degree of bipartisan support and were long able to shape California laws in their favor, but their political clout in the state has somewhat declined.

L.A. Unified oversees 235 charters, more than any school system in the country, and many of these started when school boards had little authority to reject them. About 1 in 5 L.A. public school students attend charters.

Gabriella has shared a campus with the district-operated Logan Academy for Global Ecology, which includes a dual-language program in Spanish and English. Both schools offer transitional kindergarten through eighth grade.

For the Logan community the charter has long been an unwanted detraction from their efforts. And they saw the renewal process as a chance to act because the board majority has become more strongly anti-charter.

Staff at Logan said Tuesday that they need more space to offer a full middle-school program on a campus that served only elementary grades for most of its 137-year history. The middle grades were added to help sustain the school.

Logan also has become a designated community school, which offers a wider range of support services for students and families, typically including health care, tutoring and counseling. And these services, too, require space.

“The fact that Logan Academy is a community school, is now a span school — circumstances for them have changed, and that is what we need to take into consideration,” Rivas said.

Third-graders practice dance in jazz class.

(Karla Gachet/For The Times)

State protections for charters

California law gives charter schools the right to use public-school facilities that are “reasonably equivalent” to those available to other public-school students.

The L.A. school board majority tested the limits of these state rules when it voted 4-3 in 2024 to give preferences to district-operated schools and ban outright the sharing of hundreds of campuses.

In a June 27 ruling, a judge concluded that the policy unlawfully “prioritizes District schools over charter schools and is too vague … To the maximum extent practicable, the needs of the charter school must be given the same consideration as those of the district-run schools.”

Under that ruling and others, courts have found that charters, such as Gabriella, are entitled to space for similar resources that the district would claim it for.

State law also sets up a process through which charter schools can request and share campuses. The process restarts every year and has resulted in annual uncertainty both for charters and others sharing the campuses.

School districts also have the option of reaching other sorts of agreements with charters. That is what happened at Logan, where the school district agreed to a multiyear lease. That lease has coincided with the full term of the charter renewal.

For Gabriella, the arrangement avoided the instability of having to move from place to place each year — especially because most elementary schools are not outfitted with dance studios.

Logan was specially modified to accommodate Gabriella’s unique program. A benefit to the district was that Gabriella became a feeder program to the district’s new arts-focused high school downtown.

Ending the multiyear lease for Logan was a high priority for Rivas.

“If this — the charter … is not renewed, then that pretty much severs their multiyear agreement,” Rivas said.

Students practice their dance at Gabriella Charter School.

(Karla Gachet/For The Times)

Impact of declining enrollment

Enrollment at Logan Academy has been trending downward, much like in the school system as a whole. Last year’s enrollment totaled 91 students in kindergarten through second grade. Three years earlier that comparable figure was 139 students.

In 2014, the school had 486 students. Last year the number was 362.

The charter school’s enrollment also is down — from a peak of 468 in the 2020-21 school year to 396 last year.

Official figures are not yet available for this year, but enrollment across the school system appears to be lower, per preliminary estimates.

Rivas said Tuesday that Gabriella had been an uncooperative tenant that flouted financially responsibilities and had, therefore, forfeited any inside track to renewal.

At the Tuesday meeting, it was brought up that the charter did not participate in a recent fire drill. It’s leaders have pledged to do so in the future.

More serious is a long-simmering dispute over whether the charter has paid an appropriate amount for use of the campus. As the charter renewal date approached, the charter leaders yielded and made an $800,000 payment to the school system. That issue has yet to be resolved.

One disputed issue is that the school district raised the usage fee retroactively — to cover a period of time that already had ended,

Board staff recommended a five-year renewal, saying the school had met the legally required academic performance standard. A charter school also can be denied renewal if it is fiscally unsound, but district staff concluded that, too, was not grounds for denial.

Board member Nick Melvoin, who voted to renew the charter, wanted to know the legal basis for rejecting it.

The answer from staff was that the decision could be based on the board’s citing of past financial disagreements that have not been entirely settled.

Melvoin strongly disagreed with the outcome.

“Co-locations are tough, and I have a lot of empathy and understanding for Logan,” Melvoin said. “I think that it’s really incumbent upon us, the adults who are the stewards of the children in this situation, to come to creative solutions on behalf of kids.”

“You have two K-8 schools that are pulling almost the same number of kids from that community,” he added, “and I think we owe it to them to try to work something out.”

Opposing the renewal were Rivas, Board President Scott Schmerelson, Karla Griego and Sherlett Hendy Newbill. Favoring renewal were Melvoin, Kelly Gonez and Tanya Ortiz Franklin.

Bold claim, I know. But the Clown Motel is special. Owner Vijay Mehar has taken an old motel and filled it with clowns. Paintings, murals, dools, ceramic figures. Many of them frowning or shrieking.

What guests love, Mehar has learned, is fear, loathing, painted faces, circus vibes and hints of paranormal activity. To be afraid, basically.

“America’s Scariest Motel,” say the brochures by the register. “Let fear run down your spine.”

The 31 guest rooms teem with enough clown imagery to eclipse a Ringling Brothers reunion. The gift shop is vast and troubling. (Clown knife, anyone?)

And then there are the neighbors. The motel stands next to the Old Tonopah Cemetery, most of whose residents perished between 1900 and 1911, often in mining accidents.

Some guests sign up for ghost hunt tours or explore the cemetery after dark. Others settle in with a horror movie, perhaps one of the several made on site, along with countless Youtube videos.

When I visited in late 2024, Mehar said hundreds of people stop by the motel on busy days, mostly focusing on the gift shop and the crowded, dusty shelves of the lobby-adjacent clown museum.

“When we came here, there were 800 or 850 clowns,” Mehar said. “Right now, we have close to 6,000.”

Throughout the motel’s corridors, walls and no-frills guest rooms (rated at 3.5 stars by Yelp and Trip Advisor), the clowns continue against a color scheme of purple, yellow and red, augmented by polka dots of blue and green. Rates start at $99.

If you book Room 222, which highlights Clownvis (Elvis as a clown, basically), the motel warns that you may be awakened in the wee hours by a mysterious “malevolent entity.”

The hotel also advises all guests that, despite monthly pest-control visits, they may encounter “UFI’s (Unwanted Flying Insects),” because rooms open to the outdoors. (This part of Nevada is known for its many Mormon crickets.)

Sharina Butler, from the Bahamas, was staying at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas when she was landed with a hefty, unexpected bill, she has claimed in a TikTok video

A visitor to Las Vegas has issued a warning after she claiming was charged $200 (£150) for using a plug socket.

Sharina Butler, from the Bahamas, was staying at the Paris Hotel Las Vegas when she received a surprise bill for $224 (£168), she alleges.

According to the mum, she was landed with the hefty payment request due to her son unplugging a tray used for mini-bar snacks and drinks. Sharina claimed the policy was written on a small card that was placed in front of the tray.

The card warned that there would be a $56 (£42) charge for every day the tray remained unplugged. In a TikTok video recalling the incident, Sharina claimed she said to an employee, “You’ve got to be kidding me. The tray isn’t attached to any electricity, the tray isn’t attached to anything, it’s just a plug.”

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Sharina said that they had unplugged the tray to charge their phones while sitting at the small desk inside the room. She hadn’t read the note on the minibar because she knew she wasn’t going to touch any of the overpriced items.

“Why am I reading a tray when I’m not touching it… The only thing it should be saying is that if you move something off the minibar, you will be charged, right? But that wasn’t the case.”

According to Sharina, the employee then showed her an enlarged version of the note, which indicated the $56-per-night charge if the plug is removed.

Butler told her 1,200 fans that she “blocked that charge” after being slapped with the fee. In the comments beneath the video, some called Marci claimed they had a similar problem at the hotel.

“I wanted them to remove the whole damn tray from the room, and they told me it would cost me $50 to have it removed, so I argued them into having someone come up to move it off of the desk (because I needed to use the desk to work), so it sat on the floor the whole time,” she wrote.

Paris Hotel Las Vegas has been contacted for comment.

The tourist industry in Las Vegas has been going through a difficult time of late, with resorts and convention centers reporting fewer visitors compared to last year, especially from abroad, and some officials are blaming the Trump administration’s tariffs and immigration policies for the decline.

The city known for lavish shows, endless buffets and around-the-clock gambling welcomed just under 3.1 million tourists in June, an 11% drop compared to the same month in 2024. There were 13% fewer international travelers, and hotel occupancy fell by about 15%, according to data from the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Mayor Shelley Berkley said tourism from Canada — Nevada’s largest international market — has dried up from a torrent “to a drip.” Same with Mexico.

“We have a number of very high rollers that come in from Mexico that aren’t so keen on coming in right now. And that seems to be the prevailing attitude internationally,” Berkley told reporters this month.

Ted Pappageorge, head of the powerful Culinary Workers Union, called it the “Trump slump.” He said visits from Southern California, home to a large Latino population, were also drying up because people are afraid of the administration’s immigration crackdown. If you tell the rest of the world they’re not welcome, then they won’t come.”

The Vegas dip mirrors a national trend. The travel forecasting company Tourism Economics, which in December 2024 anticipated the US, would have nearly 9% more international arrivals this year, revised its annual outlook to predict a 9.4% drop. Some of the steepest declines could be from Canada, the company said. Canada was the largest source of visitors to the US in 2024, with more than 20.2 million, according to US government data.

IN the middle of London is a new hotel that claims to be the largest of it’s kind in the world – and rooms are the cheapest in the capital.

Zedwell is one of the city’s newest hotels to open, right in the middle of Piccadilly Circus.

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Being so central, you can normally expect hotels to have high prices – the nearby Ritz and the W Hotel can command nightly rates of £500 or more.

Not Zedwell – the new hotel claims to be the world’s biggest capsule hotel, and with that, comes the small price of just £30 a night.

That definitely makes it the cheapest hotel room in the city (unless you want to bunk up in an 18-bed dorm).

Having opened last month, it sits directly above Piccadilly Circus Underground Station, so tourists would walk by without knowing this ultra trendy hotel was there. 

With the door currently hidden under scaffolding, I almost missed it too. 

But what is it really like to stay there?

Inside, decked out with a modern concrete and timber design, there are nearly 1,000 individual sleep capsules over five floors. 

Guests use an iPad to self-check in, before being directed to one of the correct floor and room.

Each dorm needs a key card to access, too, so you can only enter the dorm you are assigned, which definitely makes it feel secure. 

It’s a twist on the traditional ‘dorm style’ hostel set up as each guest gets privacy and security of being tucked up in your capsule, with the ability to lock it from the inside. 

Choosing a female-only room (there are also male-only and mixed), each of the square pods were stacked with a top and bottom pod.

On first glance, the dorm rooms, which are minimalist and dimly-lit looked a bit like a car park or a storage locker.

It’s nothing like you’d expect a hotel room to look, so it takes some getting used to.

I wasn’t sure how much I wanted to sleep in a multi-story car park.

However, inside, I was surprised to find a cute little space, with mood lighting and welcoming interiors.

Each capsule is made from oak and come with a single Hypnos mattress, Egyptian cotton bedding, individual mini aircon or heat, smart climate control, noise reduction, and ambient lighting.

There is also a plug socket inside, two USB plugs and a mirror. 

However, being a private pod ‘room’ means there isn’t much storage space – there are no room for suitcases inside.

I felt like a Sylvanian Family creature shutting themselves in my room

You have to leave them outside your capsule, so be sure to put your valuables in the pod when you lock it or take them with you.

If you want to leave your case at the hotel after you checkout, the hotel charges £15 to store them securely with them.

Make sure to bring your own padlock too, so you can lock your pod if you plan on going out (although reception let you buy them on-site as well).

There are clean common areas too, which felt more adult then teen-backpacker, which includes a lounge and co-working space.

I was impressed with how clean the communal bathroom and toilet area as well, with light jazz music playing overhead.

But the big question – how did I sleep?

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More used to a double bed than being boxed in by four walls, pulling the door down behind me feeling a little bit like a Sylvanian Family creature shutting themselves in a mini garage. 

Surprisingly, it didn’t feel as claustrophobic as I thought it would – as a 5″5 woman, I was able to sit up and easily stretch my legs.

Even more surprisingly, I had a great night sleep, with no rowdy drunken people or loud talkers disturbing the peace.

I did get woken up once by someone opening up their dorm door at 4am.

With each pod door made from plastic and metal, it means they don’t open and close too quietly.

Aside from that, I couldn’t fault my stay. In fact, it was so quiet and dark, I actually slept in an hour later than I usually wake up. 

The hotel itself felt very safe too, with a security guard on the door and someone in reception 24-hours a day, as well as CCTV on each floor.

And even outside, the central location means everything you need is on your doorstep, from the London’s West End to Chinatown.

It’s great for friendship groups or solo travellers or if you have a big night out in Soho planned and don’t want to get the tube home. 

Halima Aziz, Head of Hotels at Criterion Hospitality said, “We are taking the capsule hotel concept to the next level, one that combines an exceptional location with a focus on simplicity, thoughtful design that balances accessibility with privacy and quality rest, right in the centre of the city.”

I hope the capsule concept takes off in London.

The city is crying out for affordable places to stay and for £30? It can’t be beaten.

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Kimberly Hébert Gregory, who was best known as the brash principal in HBO’s “Vice Principals,” has died. She was 52.

A cause of death was not immediately reported.

Gregory’s former husband, Chester Gregory, confirmed her death in an Instagram post.

“You Were Brilliance Embodied, A Black Woman Whose Mind Lit Every Room, Whose Presence Carried Both Fire And Grace,” he wrote. “So Much More Than Ex-Wife, You Were My Friend. Our Son, The Song We Wrote Together, Is The Living Echo Of Your Light.”

Walton Goggins, the “White Lotus” breakout who co-starred with Gregory in “Vice Principals,” the HBO series which premiered in 2016 and lasted for two seasons, was among several performers who paid tribute on social media.

“We lost one of the best yesterday… one of the best I’ve ever worked with,” Goggins wrote in his Instagram post. “I had the honor… the good fortune of getting to know, getting to spend months working with this Queen on Vice Principals.”

Others who remembered Gregory included Kym Whitley, Leslie Odom Jr. and Jason Ritter

Gregory’s character on “Vice Principals,” Dr. Belinda Brown, butted heads with rival high school vice principals Neal Gamby (show co-creator Danny McBride) and Lee Russell (Goggins).

In his review of “Vice Principals,” Los Angeles Times’ Robert Lloyd wrote, “[Gregory’s] character is an invitation to political incorrectness — when told she graduated from Berkeley, Neal responds, ‘I’m pretty affirmative how she got in’ — but that attitude is more a side dish here than an entree; despite their conniving, these characters are lunkheads at worst.”

Her other credits included TV’s “The Chi” and “All Rise.”

RTX (RTX 0.02%), best known for its defense business, also happens to be what’s known as a defensive stock. The recession-resistant nature of the company’s defense unit provides stability to earnings and dividends, making the stock defensive in nature.

But stability is not just another way of saying “low growth.” Over the past year, this stock has surged by 38% largely on enthusiasm for the strong growth it’s generating, particularly from the company’s commercial aerospace segment.

Even better, further growth could be just around the corner. Unlike last quarter, where commercial business was the growth driver, future growth could be led by RTX’s core defense business.

Image source: Getty Images.

RTX and its “magnificent” year-to-date gains

With its surge thus far in 2025, RTX has not only handily beaten major indices like the S&P 500, but it has also outperformed larger stocks that the markets have come to associate with strong returns, like the “Magnificent Seven” tech giants.

Interestingly enough, earlier this year, RTX’s shares delivered sideways price performance. Concerns about rising tariffs were top of mind among investors. This factor outweighed positives like RTX’s solid Q1 2025 results.

However, in June, following a sudden spike in Mideast tensions, share prices in RTX and its defense industry peers began to spike as well. Even as these tensions de-escalated, RTX’s rally persisted. Shares continued to rise ahead of and after the company’s Q2 2025 earnings release, hitting new all-time highs as a result.

Source: RTX earnings reports.

It’s no wonder. As seen in the chart above, during the quarter ending June 30, 2025, the company reported solid sales and earnings growth. This growth was driven largely by strong commercial sales growth from RTX’s Pratt & Whitney division.

There are still many chapters left in this growth story

For RTX last quarter, sales and earnings were not only up on a year-over-year basis. They were also up sequentially, or quarter over quarter, as well. During Q1 2025, RTX’s sales and adjusted earnings per share grew by only 5% and 10%, respectively.

Before you jump to the conclusion that last quarter’s growth was a “one and done” event, take a look at another key performance indicator: contract backlog. As of June 30, 2025, the company’s total backlog stood at $236 billion, up 15% compared to a year ago. Commercial backlog totaled $144 billion, while defense backlog totaled $92 billion.

A year ago, these figures stood at $129 billion for commercial and $77 billion for defense.Hence, with the defense backlog, up 20% over the past year, growing faster than the commercial backlog, up 11.6% over the past year, RTX’s defense segment could experience a greater growth resurgence in the coming quarters.

That’s not all. Strong growth in defense could make up for any turbulence among RTX’s commercial aviation businesses, if recent macro uncertainty gives way to an economic slowdown. Instead of stalling out within a quarter or two, this “growth story” may have many more chapters to go.

What this means for the stock moving forward

Currently, RTX trades for around 24.6 times forward earnings. Compared to peers like Lockheed Martin (LMT), which trades for around 16.8 times forward earnings, this valuation may sound steep.

However, if the growth story persists, I believe this valuation is sustainable. Wall Street loves a growth story, and this one continues to strengthen. That’s clear from RTX’s recent spate of contract wins, including a $1.7 billion air and missile defense radar contract with the U.S. Army.

Only time will tell whether shares experience further multiple expansion, but the stock could continue to rise in tandem with earnings growth. Coupled with its quarterly cash dividend, which was recently increased by 8% and provides shares with a 1.67% forward yield, RTX could deliver steady gains over the next year. The prospect of this appeals to me, given growing concerns about another stock market correction on the horizon.

Leg room can be an important factor for many passengers. Here are the airlines that offer the most room without having to pay extra

When it comes to jetting off, whether it’s a short-haul or long-haul flight, comfort is often a top priority. For those who are taller or struggle with leg space, the prospect of a cramped flight can be less than appealing.

The size of the seats and the amount of leg room can vary greatly depending on which airline you choose to fly with. As we head into the shoulder season for travel, many holidaymakers might be planning ahead for their Christmas or next summer.

Starting your holiday on the right note with a comfortable plane journey can be a deciding factor when choosing an airline. So, without having to fork out extra for additional legroom, which airlines offer the most space when buying a standard ticket?

According to a survey by consumer watchdog Which?, one airline offers more legroom than 15 other short-haul carriers from the UK. The survey measured seat pitch, which is the distance between your seat and the one in front – to determine legroom.

Taking the leading position is Aer Lingus, Ireland’s flag carrier, offering 29 to 30 inches. However – British Airways provide the same amount of room with exactly the same pitch.

The poorest performer regarding leg space is TAP Portugal, which provides just 28 inches of legroom, reports the Express.

Here’s a rundown from the airlines offering the most legroom to those offering the least:

One Married At First Sight couple was forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone hit the area they were staying at for their honeymoon

Married At First Sight UK newlyweds Bailey and Rebecca were forced to get creative after a class 3 cyclone left them stuck in their hotel rooms during their honeymoon. When Rebecca walked down the aisle, she was initially unimpressed with Bailey as she revealed she was looking for an ‘alpha male’.

“I’m not sure if he’s alpha or not. He’s not my type,” the 32-year-old said in a confessional. However, Bailey has seemingly won her over with his romantic gestures during their honeymoon trip after he organised a sweet date when the hotel restaurants shut down due to a cyclone.

In a first look clip shared with The Mirror, Bailey is seen throwing rose petals onto the bed while Rebecca finished getting ready in the bathroom.

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“Because of the cyclone, the restaurants are all closed in the hotel tonight so Bailey has told me to get dressed up and he’s going to sort it,” Rebecca said in a voiceover.

Bailey placed a plate of food in the middle of the bed, lit a few candles and poured them two glasses of rosé wine. When she emerged from the bathroom, an impressed Rebecca told him: “Wow, this is so nice.”

“It’s so nice to see him being really romantic and gentle and go to loads of effort for the date,” she told the cameras.

“Is this what you do for all your first dates?” she asked her new husband after they took a sip of wine. He cheekily answered: “No, only for you.”

Before their wedding ceremony, Rebecca discussed her ideal partner, stating: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. I’m attracted to the big man that can lead me by the hand.”

She added: “My standards are very high, I like to be in order and I like things to look nice. I won’t settle for anything less than perfection in my life and I feel the same about my relationships.”

Rebecca explained: “I’m attracted to the alpha male. Somebody tall, confident and who’s sure of themselves,” before adding she hoped an “alpha male” would be waiting for her at the altar.

“I’m picturing a man who’s got stature about him, I want him to be a dominant figure. I’ve walked away from something before because I didn’t want to settle. If they don’t tick enough boxes for me straight away, I will say how I feel,” she said.

However, when she finally met her new husband, the contestant admitted: “Alarm bells are going off in my head. He’s not my type.”

Follow Mirror Celebs on TikTok, Snapchat, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, YouTube and Threads.

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Walker Lyons took his place in the slot and looked right. Lake McRee crouched on the opposite wing and looked left. The two Trojan tight ends had spent all last Saturday night moving around USC’s formations — split out wide, in the backfield, on the line of scrimmage — paving rush lanes and creating mismatches wherever they went.

Now it was third and short, early in the third quarter of USC’s win over Michigan State, and the two of them were on the field together again, forcing the Spartan defense to decide in a hurry just how Lincoln Riley planned to deploy them.

That unpredictability was precisely the point of the position. It’s why the tight end has been a critical tenet of his Riley’s offense since he started as Oklahoma’s offensive coordinator in 2015. No other position, Riley has come to believe, adds more versatility to an offense.

“It’s the one piece that really can truly do everything,” Riley said. “But it’s also the hardest piece to find.”

During his first three seasons as the Trojans coach, Riley struggled to find that unicorn for his USC offense. Let alone two — or even three — at the same time.

In his first season, in 2022, tight ends accounted for just over 3% of the Trojans’ receiving yards. That number rose to 6% in 2023, then 8% in 2024.

But through a spotless first third of this season, tight ends — and Lyons and McRee, primarily — have contributed 20% of USC’s total passing output in 2025. One reason being the availability of McRee, who has battled a multitude of injuries over his college career. Another being that Riley has used more 12 personnel, with two tight ends on the field, this season than he has before at USC.

“It keeps defenses on their toes,” McRee said. “You don’t really know what we’re going to do, run, pass, or do all of the above out of it.”

The use of 12 personnel has generally been on the rise across all levels of football, including in the NFL, where teams have used two tight end sets nearly 24% of the time through three weeks, according to ESPN. At USC, Riley has gone even further than that, utilizing two-tight end sets at least 35% of the time through four games.

It wasn’t hard to see last Saturday night why he’d lean on that particular scheme, as Lyons took off in motion from the slot. The sophomore tight end slowed just before the third-down snap, as if to prepare to run block, then took off sprinting into the flat. At the same time, McRee sprinted through the seam, taking a linebacker with him.

In the backfield, quarterback Jayden Maiava faked a handoff, forcing another linebacker to bite on the run, while Lyons sprinted into the open space the play design had created. Riley’s modern variation of a triple option would work precisely as planned, as Maiava lofted an easy pass to Lyons, who ran 10 yards for his second touchdown in three weeks.

USC tight end Walker Lyons (85) heads onto the field after talking to coach Lincoln Riley.

(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)

It was just the sort of play that reminded what Riley was capable of as a playcaller with two talented tight ends at his disposal.

“I’ve missed it,” Riley said. “Because I love the matchups, I love what it creates. I’m excited about what that room has become for us. I think that room is just going to get better.”

When he first started as a college football coach, tight ends weren’t so much on Riley’s radar. Mike Leach, his mentor at Texas Tech, didn’t seek out or use a tight end unless he happened to have one on his roster.

It wasn’t until Riley left for East Carolina that he started to tinker more with the position.

“We started to get more creative, especially in the run game and some of the different things we could do off of it,” Riley said.

Those innovations accelerated at Oklahoma, where, as offensive coordinator, he was fortunate to inherit redshirt freshman Mark Andrews in 2015. By 2017, Sooner tight ends contributed more than 31% of the team’s passing offense. Andrews had 958 yards and eight touchdowns that season, the most of any tight end in college football. He now stars for the Baltimore Ravens.

“We started building more [at Oklahoma],” Riley said. “We started studying people. And, yeah, we got to the point where we were playing with tight ends, so much in so many ways, it became a comfort.”

He wouldn’t have the same security blanket at USC. The tight end room he took over was totally depleted of talent.

The Trojans two most productive tight ends from 2021, Malcolm Epps and Erik Krommenhoek, were out of eligibility. Their promising freshman, Michael Trigg, had transferred. McRee was the only returner with any real experience, and he’d only played in four games before redshirting.

“That room was a ways off, in terms of the depth and skillset and talent we had,” Riley said. “It’s definitely taken some time.”

Lyons’ arrival would be a major inflection point. A four-star recruit, he’d come to USC from a high school offense that regularly utilized two tight ends. He was used to having his hand in the dirt, as well as working as a receiver on the perimeter.

During his recruitment, Riley showed clips of all the different ways he used Andrews at Oklahoma. He felt Lyons could fill a similar role.

“All the things that he did with [tight ends] was definitely intriguing,” Lyons said, “and it definitely made an impact.”

The sheer amount that Riley asks of tight ends in his offense would add another hurdle in actually making that two-pronged role a reality. McRee, for instance, has technically lined up in 16 different spots through four games, according to Pro Football Focus.

“You’ve got to know protections, route concepts, run game — like, you really have to know it all,” Riley said.

Lyons admits it was overwhelming at first.

“But it’s great now,” he says.

The feeling is mutual for Riley, who knows how rare it is to have two tight ends to build an offense around.

“But when you get it,” he said, “it could be really powerful.”

As Dodgers players packed in for Clayton Kershaw’s retirement news conference last Thursday, Freddie Freeman waved the Kershaw family to a row of seats at the front of the room.

He wanted Kershaw’s wife, Ellen, and their four kids in front of the pitcher right when he sat down at the dais at Dodger Stadium.

How else, Freeman joked, could they get the future Hall of Famer to cry?

Turned out, in a 14-minute address announcing his retirement from baseball at the end of this season, Kershaw did get choked up from behind the mic. But, it happened first when he addressed his teammates. They, he told him, were who he was going to miss most.

“The hardest one is the teammates, so I’m not even going to look at you guys in the eye,” Kershaw said, his eyes quickly turning red. “Just you guys sitting in this room, you mean so much to me. We have so much fun. I’m going to miss it.”

“The game in and of itself, I’m going to miss a lot, but I’ll be OK without that,” he later added. “I think the hard part is the feeling after a win, celebrating with you guys. That’s pretty special.”

Days later, that message continues to reverberate.

For the Dodgers, it served as a reminder and a reset.

Ever since early July, the team had lived in a world blanketed by frustration and wracked with repeated misery. Many players were hurt or uncharacteristically slumping. The team as a whole endured an extended sub-.500 skid. Behind inconsistent offense and unreliable bullpen pitching, a big division lead dwindled. Visions of 120-win grandeur were meekly dashed.

Amid that slump, the club’s focus drifted. From team production to individual mechanics. From collective urgency to internal dissatisfaction.

“Everyone on this team has been so busy this year trying to perfect their craft,” third baseman Max Muncy said, “that sometimes we forget about that moment of just hanging out and enjoying what we’re going through. “

Or, as Kershaw put it after his final regular-season Dodger Stadium start on Friday, “the collective effort to do something hard together.”

“All that stuff is just so impactful, so meaningful,” Kershaw explained.

And if it had gone missing during the depths of mostly difficult summer months, Kershaw’s retirement has thrust it back to the forefront.

“I do think it helps reset,” Muncy said. “Over the course of seven, eight months, you see each other every day and sometimes you take that a little bit for granted … It’s not something that anyone forgot. But sometimes you need a refresher. I think that was a good moment for it.”

Don’t mistake this as a “Win one for Kersh!” attitude. The Dodgers insisted they needed no extra motivation to defend their title, even after what’s been a turbulent repeat campaign.

Dodgers pitcher Clayton Kershaw announces he will retire at the end of the season during a news conference at Dodger Stadium.

But, both players and coaches have noted recently, their efforts this year have sometimes felt misplaced. The togetherness they lauded during last year’s championship march hadn’t always been replicated. A pall was cast over much of the second half.

“When you’re not winning games, it’s not fun,” veteran infielder Miguel Rojas said earlier this month. “But at the end of the day, we gotta put all that aside. … We have to come here and enjoy ourselves around the clubhouse, regardless of the situation.”

The Dodgers did that and more this past weekend, when a celebration of Kershaw — which included nearly team-wide attendance at his Thursday news conference, several on-field ovations Friday, and Kershaw’s address to Dodger Stadium on Sunday — was accompanied by three wins out of four against the San Francisco Giants.

“Watching him get choked up when he started talking about the teammates — it was just a crazy feeling in that room,” pitcher Tyler Glasnow recounted from Thursday’s announcement.

Added Muncy: “You hear when he talks about the stuff he’s gonna miss the most, the stuff that he enjoys the most: It’s being a part of the team. It’s being with the guys. It’s being in the clubhouse.

“To hear a guy like him just reinforce that, I think it’s a good message for a lot of people to hear.”

In Muncy’s estimation, the Dodgers have “seen a reflection of that out on the field” of late, having moved to the verge of a division title (their magic number entering play Monday was three with a 10-4 record over the last two weeks.

“There’s been more of an effort to try and enjoy the moments,” Muncy said. “Make sure we’re still getting our work in, but try to enjoy the moments.”

The Dodgers made a similar transformation last October, when they used their first-round bye week to build the kind of cohesion they had lacked in previous postseason failures — one the team credited constantly in its eventual run to the World Series.

Kershaw’s retirement might’ve provided a similar spark, highlighting the significance of such intangible dynamics while lifting the gloom that had clouded the team’s last two months.

“There’s obviously been a lot of things to point [to this season], as far as adversities, which all teams go through,” Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. “But I think that as we’ve gotten to the other side of it … guys have stuck together and they’ve come out of it stronger, which a lot of the times, that’s what adversity does.”

More adversity, of course, figures to lie ahead.

The Dodgers ended the weekend on a sour note, with Blake Treinen suffering the latest bullpen implosion in a 3-1 loss on Sunday. They’ll still enter the playoffs in a somewhat unsettled place, needing to navigate around a struggling relief corps and overcome a hand injury to catcher Will Smith.

It means, like last year, their path through October is unlikely to be smooth.

That, after a second half full of frustrations, they’ll have to lean on a culture Kershaw emphasized, and praised, repeatedly over the weekend.

“To have a group of guys in it together, and kind of understanding that and being together, being able to have a ton of fun all the time, is really important,” Kershaw said. “The older I’ve gotten, the more important [I’ve realized] it is. Like, you can’t just go through your day every day and go through the emotions. You just can’t. It’s too hard, too long to do that.”

“You gotta have Miggy doing the mic on the bus. You gotta have Kiké. You gotta have all these guys that are able to keep us having fun and energized every single day. That’s what this group is, and it’s been a blast.”

Inside L.A. restaurant Jaragua, on a recent Friday night, Justin Alexio moved with a measured urgency from the backroom to the front of the restaurant without disturbing anyone’s dinner. The comic, producer and creator of the Los Angeles-based comedy show, Pupusas and Punchlines, Alexio escorted guests to their tables, switched on the microphones placed around the room, and pointed a camera to the center stage before the show was to begin.

The dining area inside the Salvadoran restaurant is rather quiet for a Friday night; there’s a soccer game playing on TV as a family of six places an order for dinner. As people in the audience spread their curtido, or pickled cabbage and carrots, on their pupusas, others await for their food with anticipation, while some choose to stick to drinks. The room is filled with distractions, but comedians are not fazed — it is a welcoming atmosphere, and they know that soon the sounds of laughter will fill the air.

“I feel like eating is such a large part of Latin culture and most cultures,” Alexio said. “I wanted a place where you can eat Latin food and listen to Latin jokes.”

In the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, independent comedy shows had almost become a thing of the past in L.A. Not to mention that finding gigs is a difficult task, especially for Latinx comedians; according to Alexio, most comedy rooms don’t want to book more than one Latinx comedian.

Pupusas and Punchlines offers a place where they can perform in front of a packed room and joke about the immigrant experience in the U.S. — and the absurdities of the American dream in 2025 — while sharing a delicious meal.

Pupusas and Punchlines producer and creator Justin Alexio performs on March 7, 2025.

(Drew Steres)

Alexio said he started the show in 2023, after he took a long break from stand-up comedy, to instead pursue acting full time. His résumé includes appearances on NBC’s comedy series “Superstore” and ABC’s late-night show “Jimmy Kimmel Live!”

“The future of entertainment has to be more real,” he said of his decision to return to the stage. “Stand-up is live.”

The L.A. stand-up scene is quite competitive — especially for Alexio, who is an Afro-Latino of Puerto Rican, Dominican and Ecuadorian descent. As an answer to the marginalization of Black and brown people in mainstream comedy, Alexio said he decided to produce his own show, with hopes to highlight other Latinx performers as well.

Since then, he has expanded “Pupusas and Punchlines” immensely — from performing only once a month at half-capacity to selling out 115 consecutive weekly shows.

Alexio attributed the show’s success to the high-quality comedians he’s booked, as well as the food and the feeling of community it has created. People have told him they’ve driven more than an hour just for the show, while others have attended on multiple occasions.

“They want to support me and the show, they want to support the restaurant, they want to support the Latin comics … The crowd feels like they want to help these comics rise,” he said.

Patrons laugh at Pupusas and Punchlines on May 16, 2025.

(Drew Steres)

The majority of the comics Alexio books are Latinx, but he also includes performers who belong to other underrepresented groups. He showcases upcoming comics while providing clips to help grow their social media presence. After performing on his show, he said, comics have noted an uptick of new followers on social media.

Onstage at Friday’s show, comics pulled humor from topics related to immigration, religion, salsa, sexuality and other typical first-generation immigrant dilemmas. Performers feel like they can discuss topics they usually can’t perform in front of a more general club audience.

“I think any ethnicity in an ethnic crowd always thrive,” said comic Gregory Santos. “Obviously you can be a white boy and do a really good job here. I feel like it’s just an extra layer of stuff that you can talk about.”

Daisy Roxx performs at Pupusas and Punchlines in March.

(Drew Steres)

Pupusas and Punchlines is one of the few shows that caters toward the Latinx community, said comedian Rell Battle, as he rattled off a list of shows that sadly don’t exist anymore.

“Ironically, in a majority Latin city, there aren’t [many] consistent Latin shows,” Battle said. He described Pupusas and Punchlines as a road show of sorts — scored by genuine laughter. The audience members feel more appreciative, compared to a run-of-the-mill comedy club in Hollywood that caters more to tourists.

“People that come out to shows in Hollywood will ask me to hold the camera and take a picture of them,” Battle joked.

The crowd at Pupusas and Punchlines is not one to dismiss or antagonize comics that are not Latinx. Yet audience members would gladly correct any comic who’d assume the restaurant was Mexican, or mispronounce the word “pupusas,” as Battle sheepishly recalled during his own set. At the end of the day, they usually bond with comics over what they share in common: the drive to make it in L.A.

“When the neighborhood shows up, those are the best shows,” said Santos, between sets at Jaragua. “It’s normal people, it’s everyday neighborhood L.A. people.”

For more information on upcoming events, visit Pupusas and Punchlines on Instagram.

SHOPPERS are running to Dunelm for a gadget that heats up a room without the need for central heating.

Bargain hunters keen to keep bills in check this winter are snapping up the plug-in PTC heater, £18, from the retailer.

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This gadget delivers through an efficient ceramic heating element.

The LED display and digital thermostat provide precise control over the temperature, and you can set the timer and choose from two fan speed settings.

Best of all it only costs 13p hour to run if you are on an average electricity tariff, though the exact amount depends on your individual rate.

The reviews for the gadget are glowing.

One user said: “Good product, gives some decent heat out. Actually bought two of them. Well worth it.”

Another added: “Fabulous little heater, really pleased with this. Heats up my kitchen in no time.”

One user described the tool as “small and mighty”. The added: “Does the job for a small kitchen without any other heating source.”

It comes after it was confirmed the energy price cap would rise by 2% in October costing the average household more to heat their home.

There are plenty of other ways to help keep bills down and stay warm using gadgets that don’t cost too much to run.

For example, an electric throw can cost just 4p an hour – calculated using the average electricity unit rate in the UK for the period of 1 October to 31 December 2025 is 26.35 pence per kilowatt-hour.

Washing the blankets are usually easy too, as it is both machine washable and tumble dryer safe. 

You can buy these blankets for around £30 and they’re perfect for when you’re on the sofa watching TV and don’t need to warm up the entire home.

Or Amazon is selling a product for just 99p to help families hold off from putting the heating on.

The teeppo draft excluder for doors and windows is a practical addition ahead of the colder months.

The self-adhesive rubber foam offers a budget solution for keeping your home warm this winter.

It also helps to reduce dust, pests, noise, and heat in the summer.

What energy bill help is available?

There’s a number of different ways to get help paying your energy bills if you’re struggling to get by.

If you fall into debt, you can always approach your supplier to see if they can put you on a repayment plan before putting you on a prepayment meter.

This involves paying off what you owe in instalments over a set period.

If your supplier offers you a repayment plan you don’t think you can afford, speak to them again to see if you can negotiate a better deal.

Several energy firms have schemes available to customers struggling to cover their bills.

But eligibility criteria vary depending on the supplier and the amount you can get depends on your financial circumstances.

For example, British Gas or Scottish Gas customers struggling to pay their energy bills can get grants worth up to £2,000.

British Gas also offers help via its British Gas Energy Trust and Individuals Family Fund.

You don’t need to be a British Gas customer to apply for the second fund.

EDF, E.ON, Octopus Energy and Scottish Power all offer grants to struggling customers too.

Thousands of vulnerable households are missing out on extra help and protections by not signing up to the Priority Services Register (PSR).

The service helps support vulnerable households, such as those who are elderly or ill.

Some of the perks include being given advance warning of blackouts, free gas safety checks and extra support if you’re struggling.

Get in touch with your energy firm to see if you can apply.

If you’re eager to mark the holidays this year with a Danish flair but Copenhagen seems a tad too far away, you might find the answer in Solvang. An answer that includes gnomes and a troll.

That city, founded in 1911 by Danish immigrants, celebrates its Julefest — the winter holidays — with an emphasis on visitor-friendly Old World traditions. This year’s schedule includes a series of events and activities from Nov. 28 through Jan. 4 — roaming carolers, European-style night markets, candlelight tours and shops transformed into micro winter wonderlands.

If you’re planning a winter road trip, here are some things to know.

The most quaint hotels in town are tiny, so book early

Solvang, about 130 miles northwest of Los Angeles, has about 20 hotels and most are smallish and independent. The largest is the Corque Hotel (122 rooms), which is affiliated with Marriott but owned by the Santa Ynez Band of Chumash Indians.

The most intimate and affordable hotels — often in a vintage motel sort of way — include the Atterdag Inn (8 rooms), New Haven Inn (10 rooms), Hamlet Inn (13 rooms), Mirabelle Inn (13 rooms), the Viking Inn (13 rooms) and the Winston (14 rooms).

The most luxurious is the Alisal Guest Ranch & Resort, whose 73 rooms and cottages routinely rent for $1,500 nightly or more (the property includes a lake and two golf courses).

A tree will rise, amid carols, craft markets and more

Solvang’s holiday celebrations include a tree lighting, like this one in 2023.

(SolvangUSA)

Tree lighting will happen at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Dec. 5, in Solvang Park, followed by a Julefest Parade the next morning at 11 a.m.

Caroling is scheduled on several Saturdays, Nov. 29, Dec. 6, 13 and 20, from 5 to 8 p.m. in Solvang Park (weather permitting). Art and craft markets will materialize on Wednesdays, Dec. 3, 10 and 17, from 3 to 7 p.m.

There will be European-style markets to peruse.

(SolvangUSA)

Solvang Park will offer hourlong light and music shows nightly from 5 to 10 p.m. Nov. 28 through Jan. 4. There are also evening trolley rides through the San Ynez Valley and meet-and-greet opportunities with Santa (in Solvang Park) are set for noon to 4 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, Nov. 29 and 30, then Dec. 6, 7, 13,14, 20 and 21.

On Dec. 31, attention shifts to Julefest’s Copenhagen Countdown in Solvang Park, ringing in the Danish new year at 3 p.m., Pacific Standard Time. This event, from 2 to 4 p.m., will feature live music from an ’80s tribute band known as the Molly Ringwald Project.

Gnomes and a troll are expected

The seasonal offerings also include candlelight tours (featuring LED candles and hosts in costume), Christmas light tours and daily hunting for nisser (gnomes) throughout downtown Solvang.

The troll — nicknamed Lulu Hyggelig — isn’t really a seasonal addition. It (or she, if you prefer) is a permanent resident of the city’s California Nature Art Museum, added in February. Lulu, made of recycled pallets and wine barrels, is one of many trolls created worldwide by Danish artist and recycling activist Thomas Dambo and his team of veteran builders and volunteers.

Christmas trees will burn — and that’s part of the celebration

Solvang’s holiday Julefest season often ends with a Christmas tree burn. This one happened in 2023.

(Randy De La Pena/SolvangUSA)

The season ends with a Christmas tree burn, billed as a safety demonstration, supervised by the Santa Barbara County Fire Department and scheduled for 5 p.m. Friday, Jan. 9, weather permitting.

A MUM has been praised after sharing the genius hack she swears by to give her kids a toy room without making her house look messy.

As a home schooling mum, Paige has devoted a whole room in her abode to her kids’ learning – which also contains some toys.

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But as any parent knows, toys eventually make their way into different rooms, and can end up making the house look untidy.

So Paige came up with a clever idea to let her kids play in the lounge – one of the main family areas of the home – without it turning into another toy room.

In a video on her TikTok page, the mum-of-three showed the kitchen, toy room and lounge, all of which looked perfectly neat and tidy.

She then took the camera to behind the sofa, where she had set aside a large area for toys to go.

“Having a little mini toy room behind the couch was the best decision!” she wrote over the top of the video.

Thanks to the positioning of the sofa, the area is entirely invisible until you’re right on top of it.

And it also means that Paige doesn’t have to deal with tidying it up until she wants to.

“Really has help the house look a bit cleaner haha!” she added in the video caption.

People were quick to praise Paige in the comments section for the clever hack.

“This is so smart!” one wrote.

To which Paige replied: “It really works well!”

“So cute! Great idea!” another added.

“Your house is literally a dream – it’s beautiful,” a third gushed.

“Aww thank you!” Paige responded.

“We love it so much but we are growing and will need more room eventually.

“This space is huge, but tiny rooms is the down fall!”

How to baby-proof your house

IF you’ve got a baby coming very soon, here’s our top tips on how to get your home ready for their arrival…

Secure Furniture and Appliances: Use brackets or straps to anchor heavy furniture and TVs to the wall. Ensure that large appliances like fridges and ovens are stable and cannot tip over.

Install Safety Gates: Place gates at the top and bottom of stairs. Use gates to block off rooms that are not baby-proofed.

Cover Electrical Outlets: Use outlet covers or plates to prevent little fingers from poking into sockets. Ensure that electrical cords are out of reach or secured.

Lock Cabinets and Drawers: Install child-proof locks on cabinets and drawers, especially in the kitchen and bathroom. Store hazardous substances, sharp objects, and small items that can be swallowed out of reach.

Use Corner and Edge Protectors: Attach soft corner and edge protectors to furniture with sharp edges. Consider using them on low tables, countertops, and fireplace hearths.

Secure Windows and Doors: Install window guards or locks to prevent windows from opening more than a few inches. Use door knob covers and door stoppers to prevent pinched fingers.

Maintain a Safe Sleep Environment: Use a firm mattress and avoid placing pillows, blankets, or stuffed animals in the cot. Ensure the cot meets current safety standards.

Keep Small Items Out of Reach: Regularly check the floor for small objects that could be choking hazards. Be mindful of items like coins, buttons, and small toys.

Adjust Water Heater Temperature: Set your water heater to a maximum of 49°C (120°F) to prevent scalding. Always test bath water temperature before placing your baby in.

Use Baby Monitors: Place baby monitors in the nursery to keep an eye on your little one. Ensure the monitor cords are out of reach to avoid strangulation hazards.

By taking these steps, you can create a safer environment for your baby.

“With all that wood accenting going on in there you could easily turn this into a hobbit house,” someone else pointed out.

Paige’s family home is located in Northern California, and is nestled within 10 acres of woodland.

She lives there with her other half and their three children – River Wildfox, Cedar Moon and Sequoia Rain.

American Jessica Pegula says completing an escape room with friends helped her rediscover her form and embark on a run to the US Open quarter-finals.

Fourth seed Pegula needed just 54 minutes to beat a nervous Ann Li 6-1 6-2 on Sunday and keep alive her hopes of winning a career-first Grand Slam.

In the last eight she will face 2024 Wimbledon champion Barbora Krejcikova, who saved eight match points on her way to beating home hopeful Taylor Townsend 1-6 7-6 (15-13) 6-3 in a thrilling match.

Pegula, 31, has endured a difficult summer, with a humbling first-round exit at Wimbledon followed by early round exits at WTA events in Washington, Montreal and Cincinnati.

“I felt terrible coming into this tournament, honestly,” Pegula said after beating compatriot Li.

After quitting midway through a practice session with world number one Aryna Sabalenka days before the US Open, Pegula’s mood improved after a night out with friends.

“[We] went and did an escape room with my friends and had, like, two drinks and [realised] I need to just chill and stop getting so frustrated and overthinking all these practices,” she said.

Pegula – who enjoyed a superb run to the final at Flushing Meadows 12 months ago – looked much closer to her best on Sunday as she broke Li six times on her way to victory.

“I know when she’s serving well and has confidence she’s really dangerous,” Pegula said of Li, who she beat in a much tighter match at the French Open back in May.

“I felt like she came out a little slow and nervous and I wanted to jump on that and not let her feel comfortable for a second, that was my motivation all match.”