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The discovery of gold brought people from around the world to California in the mid-1800s. And it’s in those Gold Rush towns that some of the Golden State’s oldest bars still operate. Here are four historic saloons offering a step back into the Old West.

Groveland

The Iron Door Saloon, whose sign proclaims it “California’s oldest saloon,” sits on Groveland’s Main Street about 25 miles from the westernmost entrance of Yosemite National Park. “We call it California’s oldest continually running saloon,” said Chris Loh, who owns the bar with his wife, Corinna.

Bullet holes in the ceiling and stories of rattlesnakes that were once kept in cages near the pool tables suggest a rowdy past. The namesake iron doors have not only protected against fires but also have kept out law enforcement. A former brothel upstairs now houses an office and rooms for traveling musicians who perform here.

A longstanding tradition is for patrons to write their name and the date on a dollar bill and pin it to the ceiling. The saloon recently held its 30th Dollar Party fundraiser, which raises money for kids in the Groveland community.

Info: irondoorsaloon.com

Murphys

Murphys Hotel has a historic watering hole with “an atmosphere straight out of the 1800s,” its website says. The saloon, about 43 miles northwest of Groveland, showcases moose, elk and deer heads donated by local hunters along with a 31-star American flag on the wall. A fire burns during winter in the bar’s old fashioned potbellied stove.

Calaveras County might be wine country, but in this bar you can order a green shot made with vodka, triple sec and Midori. Its inspiration? Mark Twain, author of “The Celebrated Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” stayed at the hotel in 1877.

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Info: murphyshotel.com/saloon

Mariposa

Similar to Groveland’s Iron Door, the Hideout Saloon in historic downtown Mariposa attracts locals and visitors to Yosemite. It’s about 30 miles south of Yosemite along California 140. If you look around, you’ll see dollar bills on the ceiling and historic stone walls, a tradition that dates to the days when miners left their money before they headed out in search of gold.

Hideout patrons are treated to regular live music and karaoke along with open mike nights on Thursdays. Customers can play pool, darts, cards or a variety of other games. Indeed, a great place to hide out.

Info: bit.ly/mariposahideout

San Francisco

Ever wonder how all those miners came to California? Look no farther than the Old Ship Saloon’s cocktail menu.

The description for its Gold Rush drink (made with bourbon, lemon and honey) reads, “The fastest mode of transportation to the first stop for the gold fields, San Francisco, was aboard a vessel. By summer 1850, more than 500 vessels were recorded as being anchored in the vicinity of Yerba Buena Cove.”

In 1851, the Old Ship Saloon — built on the ruins of a ship known as the Arkansas — became a bar when an “enterprising Englishman cut a hole in the side of the ship, dropped a gangplank with a sign reading ‘Gud, bad and indif’rent spirits sold here! 25¢ each.”

Info: theoldshipsf.com

Dance at the aquarium, take a book-themed ship tour, or celebrate the lives of passed loved ones on Día de Los Muertos at weekend events nearby.

Long Beach

Night Dive at the Aquarium of the Pacific means DJs, a Gloria Estefan tribute band and other performers entertaining among fish. Enjoy cocktails and food-truck bites while listening to mini talks about aquarium creatures and strolling through current exhibits.

When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 1

Cost, info: $19.95. Ages 18 and older only. Only service dogs permitted. (562) 590-3100, bit.ly/LBnightdive

Los Angeles

Dozens of musical performers, hundreds of Aztec ritual dancers and an expected 40,000 guests will fill the Hollywood Forever Cemetery for its 20th Día de Los Muertos festival. Compete in contests for calaca costumes and ofrendas, or kick back with craft sessions and Mexican food as the celebrations continue until midnight.

When: Noon Nov. 2

Cost, info: $25, or free for children 8 and younger and seniors 65 and older before 4 p.m. Family friendly. Only service dogs permitted. (323) 469-1181, ladayofthedead.com

Los Angeles

Join a procession of friendly skeletons, costumed kids and people in face paint from Mariachi Plaza to the 46th Día de Los Muertos Celebration at Self Help Graphics and Art, a nonprofit dedicated to the distribution of Chicano/a and Latinx art. In the lineup are a blessing ceremony, live music, art workshops, a marketplace and an art exhibition titled “Ancestral Lights.”

When: 4 p.m. Nov. 2

Cost, info: Free. Family friendly. Only service dogs permitted. (323) 881-6444, bit.ly/diacelebration

Long Beach

Author Patricia V. Davis’ metaphysical “Secret Spice Cafe” book trilogy takes place in a fictional restaurant aboard the Queen Mary. New and longtime fans are welcomed to a “Secret Spice Cafe” dinner and tour aboard the ship, which includes a three-course meal inspired by recipes from the books, a tour with character appearances and performances, and a reading by Davis from the final book. A part of proceeds benefit Long Beach’s new Billie Jean King Main Library.

When: 6 p.m. Nov. 2

Cost, info: $129. For ages 15 and older. No dogs. (415) 306-3738, bit.ly/secretspiceQM

Fullerton

The Muckenthaler Cultural Center’s Día de Los Muertos Festival includes music and dance performances headlined by pianist Arturo Aquino, an exhibition of paintings by Heriberto Luna, and artist-led workshops on colorful sugar skulls and papel picado. You can also eat Mexican food and check out attendees’ submitted ofrendas honoring the dead.

When: Noon Nov. 3

Cost, info: Free. Family friendly. No dogs. (714) 738-6595, bit.ly/muertosfestival

Some of the world’s most exciting destinations are also the world’s priciest. But you can keep costs down by traveling on a cruise ship, where the tab includes accommodations, transportation, meals and entertainment. Some lines even throw in free land excursions.

“Cruise ships are essentially floating resorts, which bodes well for savings because costs are bundled into one fare,” said Brittany Chrusciel, destinations editor for CruiseCritic.com. “When land-based costs are particularly high — in remote regions or in countries with an unfavorable conversion rate to U.S. dollars — the value of cruising becomes even greater.”

Her favorite examples are Alaska, Norway and the South Pacific. Cruise expert Jaxson Maurer, owner of Expedia CruiseShipCenters in Sammamish, Wash., adds the Mediterranean, Canada/New England fall foliage, Japan, the Caribbean and Africa as among the floating values.

Here’s a closer look at some of the most popular destinations where you can save big by setting sail.

Alaska

The 49th state is known for marked-up price tags on common items such as milk, orange juice and gas — and you probably will notice some of that reflected in your restaurant bill, Chrusciel said.

“However, the true savings of taking an Alaska cruise versus a land vacation lies in the transportation costs,” she said. “Rental car prices skyrocket during the peak summer months … and some major cities, like Juneau, can only be accessed via a boat or plane. Letting your cruise ship handle the journey in and out of Alaska’s various ports will save you money and, more than likely, a logistical headache.”

The price: As little as $539 a person, double occupancy, for a weeklong cruise on Royal Princess, Maurer said. From LAX, round-trip air to Vancouver, Canada, where many Alaska cruises embark, start about $340.

Norway

Seeing the fiords is a bucket-list experience, but a casual lunch with burgers and a local beer could set you back as much as a fine steak in the U.S., Chrusciel said. “Plus, visiting by ship allows you to take in the incredible views from an entirely new perspective than you would on land,” she said. “You can watch the fiords and a changing landscape right from your balcony.”

The price: As little as $1,099 per person, double occupancy, for a weeklong cruise on Holland America’s Rotterdam, sailing round trip from Amsterdam to four Norwegian ports. Add round-trip airfare from LAX to Amsterdam starting about $800 or more.

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South Pacific

“Trade winds, palm trees, impossibly blue water and powdery white sand — oh, and over-the-water bungalows,” Maurer said. “The Tahiti experience in an over-the-water bungalow easily costs around $1,000 per night, not including food or airfare.”

Of course, “a cruise to the South Pacific isn’t a cheap purchase,” Chrusciel said, “but tends to be less per diem than land-based counterparts, especially when you factor in cruise lines that include flights.”

The price: Maurer’s best buy starts at $5,799 per person, double occupancy, for a balcony room on a 10-night cruise, including airfare, on Oceania Regatta. The round-trip Papeete, Tahiti, voyage visits six beautiful remote islands in addition to Bora-Bora.

Caribbean

Vacationers often find bargain prices in the Caribbean, but cruise industry changes and stormy weather have caused rates to sink even lower. This is tough on the lines but a boon to consumers, who can now vacation for as little as $42 a night, said Marcus Stumpe, chief executive of Cruisewatch.com. “Even though you can find accommodations for reasonable prices, if you also add in the extra cost of flights, airport transfers, food and excursions, cruising is a better option.”

The price: Stumpe’s best buy is a seven-night Western Caribbean cruise aboard MSC’s Armonia, where rates start at $299 per person, double occupancy ($42 per night). Add round-trip airfare from LAX to Miami starting about $250.

Mediterranean

If Europe is on your bucket list, Maurer thinks your best bet is to jump aboard a ship with multiple stops in the Mediterranean. “Four-star hotels in iconic cities such as Rome and Barcelona cost more than $200 a night,” he said. “Then add the cost of food, entertainment and transportation. Compare those costs to this itinerary, which certainly gives you a much better bang for your buck in Europe,” he said.

The price: As little as $660 per person, double occupancy, for a six-night Royal Caribbean Explorer of the Seas cruise that sails round trip from Rome visiting Nice, France, and the Spanish ports of Barcelona and Valencia. Add round-trip air from LAX to Rome starting about $730.

The number of young Americans watching online videos every day has more than doubled in the last four years, according to survey findings released Tuesday. They’re glued to the videos nearly an hour a day, twice as long as they were in 2015.

And often, the survey found, they’re seeing the videos on services such as YouTube that are supposedly off-limits to children younger than 13.

“It really is the air they breathe,” said Michael Robb, senior director of research for Common Sense Media, the nonprofit organization that issued the report. The group tracks young people’s tech habits and offers guidance for parents.

The survey of American youth included the responses of 1,677 young people, ages 8 to 18. Among other things, it found that 56% of 8- to 12-year-olds and 69% of 13- to 18-year-olds watch online videos every day. In 2015, the last time the survey was conducted, those figures were 24% and 34%, respectively. The margin of error was plus or minus 2.8 percentage points.

Overall screen time hasn’t changed much in those four years, the survey found. The average tween, ages 8 to 12 for the purposes of this survey, spent 4 hours and 44 minutes with entertainment media on digital devices each day. For teens, it was 7 hours and 22 minutes. That did not include the time using devices for homework, reading books or listening to music.

But the findings on video watching indicate just how quickly this generation is shifting from traditional television to streaming services, often viewed on smartphones, tablets and laptops. Among the teens surveyed, only one-third said they enjoyed watching traditional television programming ”a lot,” down from 45% four years ago. Half of tweens said the same, down from 61% in the 2015 survey.

YouTube was their overwhelming first choice for online videos, even among the tweens — three-quarters of whom said they use the site despite age restrictions. Only 23% in that age group said they watch YouTube Kids, a separate service aimed at children under 13. And of those, most still said they preferred regular YouTube.

“It puts a lot of pressure on a parent to figure out what they can reasonably filter,” Robb said.

When presented with the findings, YouTube — a subsidiary of Alphabet Inc.-owned Google — said that in the coming months, it will share details on ways it is rethinking its approach to kids and families.

For now, YouTube spokesperson Farshad Shadloo reiterated the company’s terms of use on age: ”YouTube is not a site for people under 13.” Among other things, the company also cited its restriction filters and YouTube Kids.

Even so, many children with online access are adept at getting access to regular YouTube or other streaming content — partly because their parents are overwhelmed, said Sarah Domoff, an assistant professor of clinical psychology at Central Michigan University who studies tech’s effects on families and young people.

Those parents could certainly be doing more to track screen time, she said. But, as she sees it, filters on services such as YouTube also aren’t adequate.

“It’s really hard to block out certain things unless you’re really standing over your child,” Domoff said. That’s especially hard to do when devices are portable.

Some are skeptical about how much YouTube will change a service that easily leads its users, young and old alike, down a ”rabbit hole” of video content.

“If your model is built on maintaining attention, it’s really hard to do something,” said Robb, of Common Sense Media.

His advice to families: ”Protect homework time, family time, dinner time and bed time. Have device-free times or zones.”

Domoff added, “There needs to be a game plan.”

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Tesla Inc.’s surprise profit in the third quarter came despite a drop of almost 40% in revenue from customers in the United States — its largest market.

The electric automaker’s U.S. sales plummeted to $3.13 billion in the latest quarter, down from $5.13 billion in the year-earlier quarter, according to a securities filing Tuesday. Tesla reported last week that global deliveries for the quarter rose a higher-than-expected 1.9% to 97,000 vehicles, though most of that growth came from sales of the Model 3 — its lowest-profit-margin vehicle.

Although it was known that the automaker was emphasizing global expansion last quarter, the document adds clarity to the extent of the regional shift. The United States, China, the Netherlands and Norway have long been the biggest markets for the company’s all-electric cars. While sales in China — the world’s largest auto market — rose to $699 million from $409 million, a category known as “other” — which includes several countries — grew to $1.8 billion from $784 million.

Tesla also said in Tuesday’s filing that it reduced costs due to manufacturing efficiencies and unspecified “commercial negotiations with suppliers.” Panasonic Corp., which makes battery cells for Tesla and is the company’s largest supplier, didn’t respond to a request for comment.

At least one analyst was unimpressed. Craig Irwin, an analyst at Roth Capital Partners, downgraded Tesla to “sell” from “neutral” over concerns that the automaker’s gross margins are unsustainable. Roth has a $249-a-share price target on the stock.

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“The filing from Tesla shows warranty adjustments and other one-time items are a large driver of perceived strength,” Roth said in a note Tuesday. The company got a one-time $55-million benefit in part by reversing certain warranty provisions, he said.

Tesla shares fell 3.5% on Tuesday to $316.22.

A major U.S. coal mining company is seeking bankruptcy protection, despite a flurry of regulatory breaks that its chief executive pushed for — and received — from the Trump administration.

Ohio-based Murray Energy Holdings Co. filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy reorganization Tuesday, joining a growing list of struggling mining businesses as utilities switch away from coal to cheaper and less-polluting renewable energy or natural gas.

The filing marks a significant political failure for President Trump, who had sought to end what he called a “war on coal” by Democrats as a key part of his campaign and early presidency. Privately held Murray Energy was the country’s fourth-largest coal producer last year, accounting for 6% of total production, according to the Energy Information Administration. Other major producers that have sought bankruptcy protection this year include Blackjewel Mining in West Virginia and Cloud Peak Energy in Wyoming.

Murray Energy’s move was necessary to access cash and best position it for long-term success, said former CEO Robert Murray. The company’s operations span Alabama, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Pennsylvania, Utah and West Virginia, as well as Colombia, South America.

Government preference for gas and renewable energy to replace coal-fired power generation, combined with a recent severe reduction in coal exports, delivered a one-two punch that an overextended Murray Energy could not withstand, said Cecil Roberts, president of United Mine Workers of America.

”Now comes the part where workers and their families pay the price for corporate decision-making and governmental actions,” Roberts said in a statement. “But that does not mean we will sit idly by and let the company and the court dictate what happens to our members and our retirees. We have high-powered legal, financial and communications teams in place that will fight to protect our members’ interests in the bankruptcy court.”

West Virginia Senate President Mitch Carmichael said the bankruptcy filing was surprising even with the evident struggles in the coal business, adding that he’s concerned about pensions and worker protections for Murray Energy’s nearly 7,000 employees. U.S. Sen. Joe Manchin III (D-W.Va.) said on Twitter that Murray Energy must keep meeting its obligations to pay into pension plans for union miners.

The coal giant had signaled it wasn’t immune to the industry’s downturn when it announced this month that it missed loan and interest payments to its lenders. Brian Lego, a research assistant professor at West Virginia University, said the bankruptcy of such a large company is a heavy blow to an already beleaguered sector.

”It doesn’t bode well as far as the overall state of the industry is concerned,” he said.

As CEO, Murray was averse to filing for bankruptcy, and in recent years he criticized other coal operators that chose to streamline. In a 2016 interview he lamented the number of bankruptcies in the coal industry and how his competitors were able to shed debt and re-enter the market.

“They come out of bankruptcy, all streamlined, and they don’t close the mines. That’s the key, they don’t close a single mine,” Murray said at the time. ”So now you’ve got these companies all streamlined down, dumping their obligations, competing in the same market as me.”

Murray, who on Tuesday was replaced as CEO by Robert Moore, has tied his fortunes to Trump. He hosted a fundraiser for the president in July that had been expected to raise $2.5 million. He has flexed his influence at the local level as well, donating thousands of dollars to the 2020 campaign of West Virginia Gov. Jim Justice and successfully pushing for a tax cut on steam coal in the economically depressed Mountain State.

Murray, who has called climate change an “environmental hoax,” is also a proponent of Trump’s regulatory actions aimed at scaling back environmental protections put in place during the Obama administration. In the first weeks of Trump’s tenure, Murray presented incoming Cabinet members and other administration figures with a written wish list of environmental regulations he hoped to see knocked down to ease what he depicted as a regulatory burden on the sagging coal industry.

Trump’s own gusto for ”clean” and “beautiful” coal and coal miners helped to make Appalachian coal country one of his most fervent bases of support as he racked up big wins in West Virginia, Ohio, Kentucky and other states.

In March 2017, Trump surrounded himself with coal miners at the White House to sign an executive order pledging to kill off Obama’s legacy effort against climate change, a measure that would have pushed dirty coal-burning plants out of the national power grid.

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”We are putting our great coal miners back to work,” Trump said to thunderous applause and cheers at a 2018 rally in West Virginia, where the president also attended a big-money GOP fund-raiser hosted by Murray.

“The coal industry is back!” Trump declared.

Trump put Andrew Wheeler, a lobbyist for Murray Energy, in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency. Along with targeting the Obama-era Clean Power Plan, the administration moved ahead on proposals to reduce environmental protections on coal ash, mercury emissions from coal plants, and other smokestack pollutants.

But it was market competition from cheaper natural gas and renewables that was hitting the U.S. coal industry the hardest, driving U.S. coal consumption under Trump to its lowest levels since the Carter administration.

Trump has lessened his call-outs for coal as the industry continues its decline despite his administration’s support.

Power companies announced the retirement of more than 546 coal-fired power units over the last decade, as coal-fired power plants faced economic pressure due to stagnant growth in electricity demand and increased competition from natural gas and renewables, according to the Energy Information Administration.

”Murray Energy’s bankruptcy filing is another sign of the significant stress on the coal industry today,” said Benjamin Nelson, a Moody’s vice president and lead U.S. coal analyst. “While the demand for thermal coal has been declining for about a decade, healthy export prices helped the industry generate stronger cash flows in 2017 and 2018. A sharp reduction in export prices shines light on poor underlying demand fundamentals for thermal coal in the domestic market.”

Tyson Slocum, energy program director for Public Citizen, said there is little anyone can do to save coal.

”Even when coal companies get exactly the corporate welfare and license to pollute that they want, they still go bankrupt because renewable energy has been outcompeting coal in the market,” he said in a statement. “Instead of propping up the failing coal industry with taxpayer-funded bailouts, we should support the workers in transition and shut these mines down.”

Mattel Inc.’s turnaround had been overshadowed this year by two big hurdles — a lack of consistent sales growth and an internal probe into its accounting practices.

The El Segundo toymaker said it has overcome both issues, sending shares soaring.

Revenue, powered by robust gains from Barbie and Hot Wheels, rose 3.1% to $1.48 billion, the company reported Tuesday, topping analysts’ estimates, which called for a small decline. That gain was the biggest since 2013.

Simultaneously, Mattel said it resolved a whistleblower allegation that derailed a $250-million bond sale earlier this year. The company will restate the last two quarters of earnings from 2017, but the changes won’t have a financial impact.

Chief Financial Officer Joe Euteneuer, who joined the company just as the accounting issues arose, will leave Mattel after a transition period.

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The company’s performance contrasted with larger rival Hasbro Inc., which last week blamed disappointing results on customers changing and canceling orders ahead of U.S. tariffs on Chinese imports slated to take effect in December.

“We didn’t see any impact from tariffs in the quarter and we don’t expect any for the year,” Mattel Chief Executive Ynon Kreiz said Tuesday in an interview. “We’ve had solid, consistent execution.”

Kreiz, who took over about 18 months ago, has two prongs to his plan. The first is stabilizing the core business of making dolls and action figures. The second is better utilizing its brands by pushing further into entertainment, such as with feature-length films, streaming shows and amusement parks.

Mattel shares rose as much as 21% in late trading. The stock had advanced 5.7% this year through Tuesday’s close, trailing a 21% gain in the benchmark S&P 500 Index.

In North America, sales were little changed at $822 million, meeting the company’s expectations, Kreiz said. International revenue climbed 10%, driven by gains in Asia.

An internal company investigation determined after reviewing the letter from an anonymous whistleblower sent in August to its auditing firm that the toymaker had understated an income tax expense by $109 million in the third quarter of 2017, and overstated it by the same amount in the fourth quarter, with no impact for the full year or on subsequent periods.

The investigation also found that the errors weren’t disclosed to the company’s chief executive once they were discovered.

The investigation determined that the company had a material weakness in its internal control over financial reporting. Mattel pledged to fix the issue.

Another allegation from the whistleblower letter was that Mattel’s auditor, PricewaterhouseCoopers, wasn’t independent. The investigation found violations of auditor independence rules but otherwise determined that the auditor was independent.

Another Los Angeles Fashion Week is in the rearview mirror. And, while the twice-yearly slate of runway shows, presentations and events clustered around the California Market Center’s market week continues to suffer from a host of logistical challenges (including, but not limited to, multiple competing organizers, far-flung venues and a calendar that ends up stretching across three weeks), the standouts from October’s recently wrapped run of fashion happenings all seemed to have one thing in common: seizing on what makes Southern California special.

For the sophomore outing of Vegan Fashion Week, which kicked off on Oct. 10 with an awards show at the Ace Hotel in downtown L.A., that meant tapping celebrity presenters Mena Suvari, Moby and singer-songwriter Kate Nash and showcasing designers that focus on animal-free fashion. The event’s creator, Paris-to-L.A. transplant Emmanuelle Rienda, said she picked the City of Angels as the place to base her event for a specific reason. “I think Los Angeles is so advanced ethically,” she told The Times. “It just passed the fur ban. We banned foie gras. We have a community that is already very vegan. … It resonates with me and this movement. … I am trying to establish L.A. [as a] new ethical fashion destination.”

L.A. Fashion Week, which forged a relationship with the Petersen Automotive Museum in August of last year, returned to that Miracle Mile location for a third season of shows Oct. 8-12. It was notable for the number of international brands in the mix, including Lower (a South Korean footwear brand), Luooif Studio (hailing from London) and a handful of Thailand-based brands (Kanapot Aunsorn and Renim Project among them). “On the fashion scene, a lot of brands look at L.A. as a great PR play, a conversation starter,” said event organizer Arthur Chipman. “The cool kids are in L.A., so it really helps all these brands coming in from Australia and all these other places.”

That doesn’t mean there weren’t tangible benefits to be had for the hometown brands on the docket, particularly Coral Castillo, whose Oct. 11 runway show was sponsored by the accounting firm Moss Adams, longtime presenter of the Moss Adams Fashion Innovator Award, which comes with $5,000 worth of consulting services. “The [MAFI] is given to a designer who has done something innovative with respect to fashion and design over the past year,” said the firm’s Martin Hughes in presenting the award before the runway show. “And this year’s designer certainly deserves that award with her edgy and bold yet beautifully feminine designs.”

Castillo, who was born in Mexico City and studied fashion design at the Art Institute of California, San Francisco, designs her collections in an Echo Park studio and sells them online to clients as close as SoCal and as far away as the U.K. and Greece. She’s sent previous collections down L.A.’s runways in the past and is a firm believer in the runway-show format. “It’s like magic seeing all these beautiful women in beautiful dresses,” Castillo said in a backstage preshow interview. “I don’t think we should lose that. I know you can find out all about clothes [by looking online], but there’s nothing like the experience of seeing it live. I love that.”

The designer said her most recent spring and summer 2020 collection was inspired by classical mythology. “I love how Greek people portrayed women. If you see the goddess Nike, she’s a woman and she’s beautiful and she’s the goddess of victory and strength and everything that is glorious. Think of the [Winged Victory of Samothrace] sculpture — I wanted to bring that to the runway. I want women to feel beautiful and strong and powerful and feel like they can conquer the world if they want to.”

On the runway, that took the form of flowing dresses that mixed feminine touches — fringe, tiered ruffles and floral lace — with metal embellishments including studding and grommet-like rings. (It wasn’t all dresses, though; there was a sharp-looking pantsuit accessorized with an asymmetrical fringe-trailing belt that would be the perfect ensemble for a modern-day goddess of victory.)

The next day, the scene shifted 64 miles north to a rural patch of land in Ventura County, where L.A.-based designer Heidi Merrick presented her first full runway collection (and her first menswear pieces) framed by grassy hills. “This place calms me. I become more myself when I’m here,” the designer said of the 55-acre mix of orchards, forestland and sage-filled fields outside of Ojai. “And it gives me the inspiration to go back [to L.A.] and do stuff.”

On Oct. 13, the focus was on downtown L.A., where two things of note were unspooling. One was the second (and sold-out) Unity: Equality Fashion Week gala — organized to honor and uplift the LGBTQIA2S community — which took place at the Globe Theatre and where Allison K. Joseph of August Brave received the emerging designer award. “From designers, hair and makeup artists to models, we created a platform for members of our community to shine and increase visibility,” event organizer Nik Kacy, a shoe designer and nonbinary queer activist, told The Times. “Having a safe space with inclusion and diversity is our mission, because through exposure and visibility is where understanding and acceptance comes from.”

The other big event was the first-ever fashion show from streetwear brand the Hundreds in collaboration with a collective of indigenous-owned labels called Obsidian, which took place on the front steps of City Hall as part of the city’s official Indigenous Peoples Day celebration.

On Oct. 17, Art Hearts Fashion picked up the mantle, kicking off a four-day slate of runway shows and art installations at the Majestic Downtown that marked the group’s 13th season presenting shows in the City of Angels. The occasion was noted by the office of L.A. City Councilman José Huizar, which issued a certificate of recognition — presented before the night’s first runway show — to organizer Erik Rosete for the group’s “contribution to the cultural diversity and economic contribution to the City of Los Angeles.”

That was followed by the runway show of Charbel Zoe, who hails from Lebanon and whose glitz-and-glamour gowns have been seen on the likes of Jennifer Lopez, Shakira and Nicki Minaj. His runway collection served up plenty of red carpet-worthy looks, many festooned with intricate beading and embroidery. Despite the abundance of ruffles, tulle and frill, the collection had a certain armor-like vibe to it, which reminded us of Castillo’s aforementioned Victorious collection presented the previous week.

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The stunner of the collection was a gown with a bodice of beaded flames and a voluminous skirt of red tulle that’s almost certainly destined for a future awards show red carpet.

Bharbi Hazarika contributed to this report.

Luxury fashion house Valentino reopened at South Coast Plaza in October with an expanded and new-look boutique now including menswear offerings. More than 1,000 square feet of the 6,400-square-foot store is dedicated to menswear, with pieces such as Valentino-emblazoned tees, slate-gray trench coats and suits.

The Costa Mesa boutique is the latest in a new global store concept developed by Valentino Creative Director Pierpaolo Piccioli together with David Chipperfield Architects. Luxe decor elements inside the store include green velvet panels and Venetian terrazzo oak.

The new boutique will serve as a showcase of sorts for the brand’s newly launched VSling handbag; the store features a VSling Stop, a play on a bus stop, referencing the latest ad campaign featuring the bag and model Kendall Jenner. The campaign was shot on a Los Angeles bus by famed Dutch photographer duo Inez van Lamsweerde and Vinoodh Matadin. The VSling is inspired by the geometric silhouettes of the 1970s; calfskin leather in colors such as raspberry and emerald green carry a prominent V logo and a gilt chain on one side. The bag retails for $2,575.

Valentino, South Coast Plaza, 3333 Bristol St., Costa Mesa, valentino.com

By:Fashionaholic

At By:Fashionaholic, customers can pick up the same dresses worn by the Hadid or Kardashian sisters, dazzle for a night out and return them a week later.

The luxury vintage rental service opened a permanent Los Angeles space in September, adding to its original space in Chicago. Owner Janet Mandell rented a 2,800-square-foot Hollywood Hills West house as a glamorous and intimate showroom offering personal stylist appointments and a large range of fashion and accessories from brands such as Versace, Hermès, Gucci and Valentino. Most of the items are from the 1980s and 1990s.

“I’m able to curate the collection exactly how I want,” said Mandell, who buys pieces outright, unlike consignment boutiques. “We have an assortment of cocktail dresses and gowns but also suits, resort, coats and accessories.” She said standouts from her collection include the safety-pin dress — as it is known — designed by Gianni Versace and worn by British actress Elizabeth Hurley in 1994, and a pink mirrored dress worn by Kourtney Kardashian. Mandell also has a range of Hermès bags — from Kellys to Birkins. Rentals are for seven days and include dry cleaning. Evening gowns start at $300; the safety pin dress is $1,500; and a rental Birkin is $600. Clothing sizes are from 0 to 8, and entry is by appointment. Also, there will be an open house (8638 Franklin Ave., Los Angeles) with cocktails and a chance to check out pieces from 6 to 8 p.m. Nov. 13 and 14.

By:Fashionaholic, janetmandell.com

Madewell

New York-based fashion brand Madewell chose its Santa Monica store as one of a handful in the country to carry its year-old men’s offering. In October, the boutique was reconfigured to hold Madewell’s signature denims and other casual pieces. The brand has a stand-alone men’s store in Brooklyn, N.Y.

“We’re so excited to bring our laid-back men’s offerings to our Santa Monica community as one of our first men’s shop-in-shops in the country,” said Joyce Lee, Madewell’s head of design.

New arrivals for fall include twill shirts in a large checked pattern in autumnal shades of rust and saffron as well as everyday crewneck tees and cashmere sweaters.

Denim is about $110 and up, while puffer jackets are $148 and short-sleeve T-shirts are about $30.

Madewell, 1349 Third Street Promenade, Santa Monica, madewell.com

Kitsch X Justine

While working at the international runway shows earlier this year, L.A. celebrity hairdresser Justine Marjan noticed that hair accessories were everywhere. “It looked like 70% of the models had something in their hair, including the high-end designers,” she said.

Some of those trends she noticed — think sleek headbands and bejeweled clips — are now in the newly launched Kitsch X Justine collection, launched in October, as part of a collaboration between Marjan and the L.A.-based hair accessory company.

“Justine had been authentically using our products anyway and tagging us on Instagram, and we thought, ‘Who is this person?’” said Cassandra Thurswell, owner of Kitsch, which is now sold in 20,000 stores in 27 countries. “It was a cold call.”

The 24 pieces in the line, which is priced from $12 to $49, include faux leather, blush-colored knotted hairbands with gilt chains, patent black scrunchies and hefty rhinestone bobby pins. Clips spell out words such as “boss” and “vibes.” At this year’s Met Gala, model Ashley Graham wore Kitsch hair bling.

“Knotted headbands are a standout this season,” Marjan said. “They can be worn day in, day out. We wanted to make them wearable but feel glamorous.”

Kitsch X Justine, mykitsch.com

Roven

One thing you’ll notice about Roven, a multibrand beauty boutique that opened in Venice in October, is that it’s laid out differently from traditional beauty stores. Instead of aisles stacked with products by brand, Roven co-founder Nicole Farb arranged options by morning routine. Therefore, the space starts with cleansers and cleansing oils near the entrance before moving on to toners and moisturizers. Color cosmetics and fragrances are toward the rear of the shop.

“It’s an easy and accessible way to shop clean beauty,” said Farb during the opening party, which was attended by Julianne Hough, an investor in the brand.

There are some 30 brands carried by Roven in-store. (It also launched digitally on the same day.) Brands include Pai, Abel, Burt’s Bees, Lip Whip and Josh Rosebrook. The 1,500-square-foot space is the latest venture from San Francisco-based Grove Collaborative, a natural home products and personal care e-tailer, which reached a $1-billion valuation in September. The store is outfitted in soothing nature-inspired shades of sky blue and sunset. According to Farb, top sellers so far have included the Ere Perez Avocado Waterproof Mascara and Osea Atmosphere Protection Cream. Prices for items range from $12 to $150.

Roven, 1132 Abbot Kinney Blvd., Venice, grove.co/roven

Cariuma

Cariuma, the Rio de Janeiro-based casual shoe brand that counts Los Angeles as its single largest market, in late October launched its latest piece. It’s called the IBI and it’s a shoe made from a blend of natural and recycled fabrics, originating from bamboo and sugar cane.

“We started planning this shoe 14 months ago,” said Fernando Porto, Cariuma co-founder. “We wanted to use bamboo. It’s a super material that has strength and flexibility but is also lightweight. And it’s a fast-growing plant.”

Porto said the new IBI style is in keeping with the brand’s ethos of creating sneakers that are designed to last “and in an aesthetic that will still be pleasant for your eyes in a decade. We also wanted to minimize waste and make sure we would get to the most sustainable product we could create.”

The IBI style comes in eight colors, ranging from neutrals (sand and stone gray) to bold (raw red and sun yellow), and is available in men’s and women’s sizes. Porto said Cariuma shoe launches usually generate thousands of preorders, the majority of which come from L.A.

“California is like Rio with the culture of surf and skate,” Porto said. “The bamboo makes these very breathable, absorbing the temperature.”

Cariuma IBI, cariuma.com

Asystem

In figuring out their next move, Oli Walsh, who previously had a creative-agency business with clients such as men’s e-retailer Mr. Porter, and Josh LeVine, co-founder of fashion brand Frame, realized that there was a white space in the men’s grooming and wellness market.

“It seemed to be showing an antiquated viewpoint of masculinity,” said Walsh. “It didn’t speak to us.”

Therefore, the friends and business partners co-founded Asystem, a skincare and supplements subscription brand predicated on clean ingredients. “The skin care is fragrance-free and with essential oils and other natural ingredients,” LeVine said. “They are formulated according to European standards, which are high.”

The three skin-care products in the Asystem line, which launched in September, include the Twice Daily Invigorating Cleanser, containing bamboo stem cells and bergamot, and the Overnight Rebuilding Cream, which has as a key ingredient the Indian anti-aging herb swertia chirata.

The supplement packets include five capsules, such as a multivitamin and others to boost brain function (omega-3 fatty acids) and overall rebuilding (ashwagandha). In September, Walsh and LeVine opened a 4,200-square-foot space in Venice, where they have events focused on mind and body topics, including guided meditations and workout classes. (Subscribers and customers of the brand are invited to the events.) In October, for example, there was a guided visualization with hypnotherapist Camilla Sacre-Dallerup in partnership with meditation studio Unplug.

“For us, these are the ways to build a community that men would want to be a part of,” LeVine said.

A 30-day supply of the skin-care products as well as supplements is $99. The items also can be ordered separately.

Asystem, asystem.com

Natureofthings

The ritual of bathing and an infusion of CBD (short for cannabidiol) is at the heart of Natureofthings, a luxe Newport Beach-based brand that launched in October.

JP Collett, co-founder of the brand, said he wanted the products to center around three things: plants, water and minerals. The initial rollout, which will be available at Mohawk General Store locations in L.A., comprises six products, including the brand’s Restorative Floral Bath, a concoction of shea butter, green-tea oil and extracts of malachite and quartz; and Nourishing Body Cream (botanical oils, black pepper, a hint of the scent of jasmine).

Natureofthings also makes digestible powders that can be taken daily: Lucidity, with 15 milligrams of CBD — it’s a compound found in cannabis plants — mixed with energizing ingredients such as bacopa and lion’s mane mushroom for daytime; and Soothing, with 30 milligrams of CBD combined with turmeric and black pepper for relaxation and sleep. Collett said the objective of the brand is to offer CBD as “a medicinal and highly effective part of your routine, whether it’s skin care, a dietary supplement or a mix of both.”

Prices range from $50 for a packet of 12 sachets of digestible powder to $150 for the Restorative Floral Bath (enough for five pours).

Natureofthings, natureofthings.com

LONDON — 

British lawmakers on Tuesday endorsed a rare December general election, with politicians on both sides of the Brexit divide supporting balloting that they hope will at last break the impasse on when, how and whether to leave the European Union.

The daylong haggling over the exact election date came just two days before Britain was set to miss yet another scheduled date for departing the EU. Prime Minister Boris Johnson — who had earlier declared he would rather be “dead in a ditch” than seek an extension of Thursday’s deadline — accepted the bloc’s offer of a postponement of up to three months, the third such delay.

Well into the evening, the House of Commons overwhelmingly endorsed a Dec. 12 date for the vote. Following expected approval by the House of Lords, Parliament will be dissolved next week and the country will head into a five-week election campaign.

Lawmakers on Monday had rebuffed a call from Johnson to hold early elections, but the opposition Labor Party on Tuesday reversed itself and signaled support for December balloting after the prime minister agreed to drop — for now — the EU-withdrawal plan he had unsuccessfully tried to fast-track through Parliament in time to meet this week’s deadline.

Elections weren’t scheduled to take place until 2022. But the June 2016 referendum to leave the EU has produced more than three years of political infighting that has toppled two prime ministers, polarized families and communities and been a continuing irritant for the EU, which has signaled increasing impatience with repeated delays.

In setting the stage for a Brexit-dominated confrontation at the ballot box, both sides face a major gamble. Johnson, who took office in July, risks punishment at the hands of voters who embraced his promise that he would deliver an Oct. 31 Brexit — “do or die,” and “no ifs or buts.”

But those who support remaining in the EU — or at least want to head off a chaotic no-deal departure from the bloc — face an uphill fight too. Johnson will probably benefit from a divided opposition, with proponents of staying in the bloc split among several parties.

In his short tenure as prime minister, Johnson has suffered serial Brexit-related rebuffs from lawmakers, but he may be able to turn that to his advantage — by blaming Parliament for thwarting his plans.

As he has previously, the prime minister on Tuesday excoriated lawmakers for boxing him in with an earlier measure to prevent Britain from “crashing out” of the EU without a withdrawal agreement, a scenario that would probably cause enormous economic upheaval and possibly tip the country into a recession. Until that law was passed, and even after, he threatened that Thursday’s departure would proceed, deal or no deal.

“They just want to stay out forever, till the twelfth of never — and when the twelfth of never comes around, they will devise one of their complicated parliamentary procedures for more delay,” he told Parliament members during a sometimes-raucous debate, waving his arms for emphasis.

The head of the opposition Labor Party, Jeremy Corbyn, in turn decried Johnson’s “reckless and destructive” government and taunted the prime minister for running after “sweetheart trade deals with Donald Trump.”

The U.S. president has been an enthusiastic Brexit booster, suggesting that Britain’s rupture with its biggest trading partner, the EU, will be offset by closer trade ties with the United States. Critics like Corbyn, though, say that Britain would be at a considerable disadvantage in such trade negotiations, particularly under Trump.

Public polling puts Johnson’s Conservatives in the lead heading into a new vote, but analysts warn that public opinion is particularly volatile and that an election result is difficult to forecast. A close contest could result in no clear path forward.

Another wild card: Johnson could find himself outflanked on the right by the insurgent Brexit Party, which romped to a strong showing in May’s European Parliament election. That could drain off some of the Brexit support from the prime minister’s Conservatives.

The push for a December vote illustrated the immense degree of frustration felt by both sides as the Brexit battle has dragged on. Not since 1923 has Britain held a general election in the last month of the year, when there are worries that gloom, cold and early darkness, particularly in the north of the country, could suppress voter turnout.

And even a multicultural modern Britain takes its year-end holidays very seriously, with weeks of shopping and holiday parties. Often, not much else gets done in the run-up to Christmas.

The precise dates under consideration, though only days apart, were also sensitive because college students — a key constituency, since their futures stand to be greatly affected by Brexit — would be heading home for a holiday break. Many are registered to vote where they attend school rather than in their hometowns. The opposition sought Dec. 9 balloting, when more students would still be at university, but the government’s proposed date of Dec. 12 won out.