Angel City FC resumes NWSL Challenge Cup with San Diego rematch

• June 27, 2023

Angel City Football Club didn’t have a lot of time to dwell on the missed opportunities in Sunday’s scoreless draw against the Houston Dash.

That’s because this week is one of short turnarounds.

Angel City returns to action Wednesday against San Diego Wave FC in NWSL Challenge Cup play (7:30 p.m., CBSSN). After this game, Angel City has a flight to New York for a meeting with Gotham FC on Sunday.

“This is where, as coaching and a coaching staff, you have to decide what this week looks like,” ACFC interim coach Becki Tweed said. “If you take the physical load down, you can increase the cognitive load and a lot of teaching can be done in the classroom and in film.

“We just need to be efficient about getting the best that we can from the time that we have with the players.”

This is the fourth of six Challenge Cup games for Angel City. Through the first three, it is in last place in the West Division (0-2-1) with one point.

The league’s 12 teams are separated into three divisions (Central, East and West) of four teams. The top team from each group, along with the highest-placing second-place team, advances to the semifinals.

OL Reign leads the West Division with seven points. The Portland Thorns and Wave FC are tied with three.

However, with World Cup call-ups taking place, rosters across the league will certainly be impacted, potentially opening things up for all teams to make a run.

Last week, the NWSL announced that the prize pool for the Challenge Cup is $1.1 million. All players are eligible for a bonus for every Challenge Cup they appear in and “approximately $300,000 and $200,000 awarded to the two teams advancing to the final.”

“It’s our incredible athletes who make our league compelling, they deserve to have their compensation grow and reflect their excellence on the field,” NWSL commissioner Jessica Berman said.

Angel City’s Alyssa Thompson and Julie Ertz, along with Wave FC’s Alex Morgan and Naomi Girma, will miss the game as the U.S. national team begins preparations for FIFA World Cup.

Angel City and Wave FC have met twice in league play, with each team winning. The most recent meeting went to Angel City 2-1 on June 17 in San Diego.

San Diego Wave FC at Angel City FC

When: 7:30 p.m. Wednesday

Where: BMO Stadium

How to watch: CBS Sports

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​ Orange County Register 

Natalie Rubalcava: The way forward on hotel worker safety in Anaheim

• June 27, 2023

Everyone should feel safe doing their job. On that we can all agree.

On Tuesday night, the Anaheim City Council has the chance to bring added peace of mind to those who do so much to make our city a great place to visit.

We are set to take a second and final vote on a hotel worker safety ordinance I proposed for our city.

The proposal builds on what many Anaheim hotels already do to keep their housekeepers and other staff safe.

It’s also something near to me.

Growing up, I remember my grandmother working as a housekeeper at motels along Harbor Boulevard across from Disneyland.

My grandmother worked at the former Sands Motel and a neighboring motel in the 1980s.

Thankfully, she never encountered threats to her personal safety and was treated like family.

But I can’t help but think of her when it comes to the housekeepers who make up such a critical part of our visitor economy today.

The safety and security of hotel workers has been part of a larger debate playing out in Anaheim for the past few weeks.

It’s a debate that will continue in the months ahead.

On Tuesday, my council colleagues and I are set to also consider an Oct. 3 special election for a proposed hotel and event worker wage initiative that includes some security provisions.

The initiative, developed by Unite Here Local 11, calls for a $25 minimum wage for hotel and event center workers along with various work rules. It also includes security provisions similar to those the Council will be voting on tonight.

The council had the option to either adopt the initiative outright or to place the matter before voters.

While there is a conversation to be had about wages as inflation impacts the daily lives of Anaheim residents and workers, I believe that decision is best left to voters.

The initiative is broad, impacting every hotel, large or small, and the Disneyland Resort, the Anaheim Convention Center, Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Honda Center and private event centers across our city.

The potential impact to Anaheim’s budget is concerning. The city-owned convention center could see higher yearly wage and other impacts of up to $8.6 million, resulting in less money from conventions for city services.

Anaheim’s hotel revenue, our primary funding for public safety, community services and city obligations, also stands to be impacted. If the initiative is adopted, Anaheim’s hotels will need to raise room rates to absorb higher operating costs, which will result in fewer guest stays, according to a city commissioned report. By 2028, Anaheim could see $4 million less in hotel tax revenue if the initiative is adopted.

But addressing basic worker safeguards is something we can reasonably do.

The ordinance coming before the Council for a final vote would require all Anaheim hotels to provide security devices to workers cleaning guestrooms and restrooms.

The devices could be activated if a worker is threatened by a guest or anyone else or to signal a fire or other emergency.

Hotels would need to monitor security devices and respond.

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Just as important, the proposal would require advanced notice to guests about worker safety rules and warn that violations will result in removal at their own expense.

The proposed ordinance would also require paid worker safety training and time to report incidents to police, management tracking of incidents for awareness and remedying, and guidance on when to use a device or just call police.

Our council heard from hotel workers who shared concerns about feeling unsafe and who said they had experienced sexual harassment.

Safety is my No. 1 priority. We can’t wait for safety provisions in an initiative or leave such an important matter to voters.

We need to adopt this ordinance now and lead the way on worker safety for California’s hospitality industry.

Natalie Rubalcava is mayor pro tem of the city of Anaheim.

​ Orange County Register 

Senate Bill 567 would do more harm than good in solving California’s housing crisis

• June 27, 2023

For three generations, my family has been in the rental property industry, and I count myself among the many Californians who are concerned with issues regarding housing supply and affordability.

As president of the California Rental Housing Association (CalRHA), I am deeply concerned about legislation like Senate Bill 567, introduced by Sen. María Elena Durazo, D-Los Angeles, that, if passed, would impose unnecessary and unreasonable restrictions on property owners.

Keep in mind, our association of 25,000 members are for the most part individuals and families operating like small business owners who rely on rental properties as an income source, not the owners of large apartment complexes.

Simply put SB 567 is unnecessary. A major barrier that SB 567 presents is the expansion of “just-cause” eviction provisions, making it increasingly challenging for housing providers to manage their properties efficiently. By limiting the ability to terminate tenancies, when necessary, this legislation places significant burdens on small property owners who rely on rental income to sustain their businesses and support their families.

The Tenant Protection Act of 2019 (AB 1482) already establishes laws and regulations for small property owners, namely concerning rent caps and reasons for ending a renter’s tenancy early. AB 1482 is set to be reevaluated in ten years, and before legislators determine its overall effectiveness, an impact study will be conducted.

Why would we impose stricter legislation when we haven’t had time to see the effects of AB 1482 and whether it is able to meaningfully address California’s housing affordability crisis?

I speak on behalf of my family and the CalRHA members I represent, we are at a loss as to why the legislature would pass a new bill that proposes drastic changes to an existing one.

SB 567 in its current version also imposes unreasonable restrictions on property owners’ rights to repossess and occupy their rental units or to sell their properties. It goes to extremes that I would argue would make rental property owners give serious pause on whether to continue renting their properties or not.

For example, say a property owner needs to take care of a family member and move them into their rental property, thus having the current renter vacate. SB 567 states that the property owner’s relative needs to live in their unit for 12 months straight and claim that as their primary residence for the duration.

In other words, they need to plan to house a family member for one year. There are circumstances and events in life we have no control over, and being expected to be able to predict someone’s housing future for the next three years seems unrealistic.

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I’ll provide another example about imposing extreme time related restrictions, and one that is worth considering, especially during an economic recession. SB 567 would require property owners who wish to withdraw their property from the rental market to remove ALL the units at that residential property. There are numerous reasons an owner might need to pause renting one or two units, but withdrawing all units from the rental market means displacing renters during a homeless crisis.

The issue of housing access and concerns around eviction are at the heart of arguments in support of this bill, but they are inaccurate. California has the lowest eviction rates among the country’s 10 most populous states.

SB 567 fails to consider unique circumstances faced by small-scale housing providers who have dedicated their lives to housing Californians. It is not the solution to California’s housing crisis. One solution to get out of our increasingly worse housing crisis is to increase supply, not complicate and limit it and that’s exactly what SB 567 would do.

Earle Vaughan serves as president of the California Rental Housing Association. 

​ Orange County Register 

New Neapolitan-style pizza restaurant opens in Dana Point

• June 27, 2023

Brooklyn-born John Arena and award-winning pizzaiolo Chris Decker entered Dana Point’s slice scene with a less-ubiquitous option: crispy, airy Neapolitan-inspired pizzas. Truly Pizza offers hearth-baked pizzas with simple toppings and blistered crusts that could hold their own with East Coast versions of the style.

The pizzeria made its debut Thursday, June 22 with a packed house continuing over the weekend.

Menu highlights include a crispy pepperoni pie studded with cup-and-char pepperoni; an umami-rich mushroom pizza topped with smoked mozzarella, roasted mushrooms, toasted sesame oil, and bonito flakes; and a smoky vodka pie made with house-made vodka sauce, fresh and aged whole milk mozzarella, pistachio lemon pesto, and torn basil.

Guests can also look forward to purchasing either whole pies or pizza by the slice (ideal for grab-and-go convenience) along with salads, panini sandwiches, charcuterie and cheese boards. Pies cost between $17 and $30. (Yes, gluten-free and vegan options are available.)

Desserts include soft serve ice cream. (Courtesy of Truly Pizza)

Starters include Harissa-honey chicken wings with Point Reyes blue cheese ($16), butter-topped garlic pull-apart bread served in a cast iron pan ($12), and skinny-cut french fries ($11). The pared-down dessert menu features a root beer float with Straus Creamery organic vanilla ice cream ($9) or soft-serve ice cream ($8) with toppings like extra virgin olive oil and sea salt, chocolate sauce, or a texture-perfecting sprinkling of Grape Nuts.

While reliable post-soccer-game pizza is in no short supply in the coastal enclave, Arena and Decker have aimed for something different — individual, thoughtfully composed pies just as good for a romantic date night as for takeout on a Friday night. Truly Pizza’s ethos are all about keeping it simple and showing restraint. As Arena explained to the Orange County Register in 2022, “It’s like Coco Chanel said, ‘Look in the mirror, take one item off before you go out of the house.’ I think it’s like that with pizza too. Show a little restraint, show a little respect for the ingredients and let each one speak for itself in its own unique voice.”

When asked how Truly Pizza’s first few days went, Arena said, “We’ve worked hard to make the space and menu perfect. It’s nice to see our friends and community enjoying Truly Pizza as much as we do.”

Truly Pizza’s modern new building designed by Powerstrip Studio. (Courtesy of Truly Pizza)

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In lieu of taking over a former restaurant spot, Arena and Decker decided to build a new space from the studs up. The duo enlisted the help of Emmy Award-nominated designers Ted Berner and Dayna Lee of Los Angeles-based Powerstrip Studio, whose previous work includes the W Hotel in Los Angeles and Bankside Hotel in London, to create a clearly contemporary and ultra-modern space. The sleek new construction features a white brick facade, a fauna-strewn exterior with lemon trees, and a sweeping staircase that leads diners to an open-air rooftop deck.

Open for lunch and dinner seven days a week, Truly Pizza’s regular hours are from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Sunday through Wednesday and 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Reservations and walk-ins are welcome.

Truly Pizza joins a handful of other new dining options in Dana Point’s burgeoning and pedestrian-friendly downtown Lantern Village area — don’t miss out on French bistro Maison Cafe, Dana Point Ale House, wine and cheese shop Avec Moi, and Bear Coast Coffee – located across the street from the Prado West mixed-use apartment complex that has helped boost the city’s prominence as a dining destination.

Find it: Truly Pizza, 24402 Del Prado (at Ruby Lantern), Dana Point

​ Orange County Register 

Red Lobster will start serving ‘endless shrimp’ every day

• June 27, 2023

Red Lobster revealed Monday its “Ultimate Endless Shrimp” promotion is now “here to stay,” following earlier comments from a major shareholder that the seafood chain needed to create a new menu with more value for customers. 

For $20, customers can start with two shrimp dishes and then order more. Options include coconut shrimp, garlic grilled shrimp skewers, garlic shrimp scampi, and other. The meal comes with the customer’s choice of a side as well as Cheddar Bay Biscuits.

Orlando-based Red Lobster recently offered the deal in September, when restaurants were in one of the slowest parts of the year in the weeks after Labor Day, but now the promotion is “available all day, every day,” a news release said.

Red Lobster shareholder Thai Union reported in May it had a “share of profit from operations” for Red Lobster in the first quarter of this year, a turnaround from a loss in the same period last year.

But Thai Union group CFO Ludovic Garnier said on an earnings call there was still a lot of work to be done and Red Lobster needed to make sure it offered good value between big promotions like Ultimate Endless Shrimp because consumers in the United States are sensitive to price.

Red Lobster is making money again, key investor says

“We need to reinvent. We need to be a bit more creative,” Garnier said. “… The team right now is working on how to propose [a] new menu, new meal, very attractive from a value proposition.”

Eating out cost 8.3% more in May than it did a year earlier, with full-service meals up 6.8%, according to measures by the federal government.

San Diego-based restaurant analyst John Gordon said there are risks with moving the promotion to the everyday menu, including that Red Lobster loses the deal as a marketing opportunity.

“It is new news for a while, but after a while, it’s no longer new news,” Gordon said. “What is paramount in the restaurant business is to provide new product, [and] new news.”

While Gordon noted seafood supplier Thai Union’s expertise in sourcing products, he said another risk is Red Lobster could be put in a difficult position with the promotion’s price if there is a spike in shrimp costs.

The positive, Gordon said, is adding the promotion to the menu will attract a certain kind of customer and bring in sales.

But “after a while, the impact of that will wear off,” Gordon said. “I have seen this over my 45 years [in the restaurant industry].”

Thai Union said in its earnings presentation it had no plans to sell Red Lobster in the short term. The seafood supplier, whose brands include Chicken of the Sea, became a Red Lobster stakeholder in 2016 before teaming up with a group of investors in 2020 to acquire the rest of the company from San Francisco’s Golden Gate Capital.

But there have been some public signs of instability at Red Lobster, with CEO Kelli Valade resigning after just eight months on the job in 2022. A new CEO has not yet been announced.

“Ultimate Endless Shrimp” has been around for more than 18 years.

“Knowing how much our guests love and look forward to the return of Ultimate Endless Shrimp each year, we decided it’s time to make this guest favorite available all day, every day,” said Red Lobster chief marketing officer Patty Trevino, in the release.  “And this is just the beginning – we’ll be ‘dropping’ more Ultimate Endless Shrimp excitement later this year.”

​ Orange County Register 

Ryan Seacrest to host ‘Wheel of Fortune’ after Pat Sajak retires

• June 27, 2023

​ Orange County Register 

Kim Kardashian opening first Skims store in Los Angeles

• June 27, 2023

By Kim Bhasin | Bloomberg

Kim Kardashian’s underwear label Skims plans to open its first permanent stores next year as it plots retail expansion in the US and abroad.

Skims is set to debut its first flagship store in Los Angeles in the first half of 2024, followed by a second opening in New York. The 5,000-square-foot shop will be in West Hollywood on Sunset Boulevard near streetwear stores such as Supreme and Kith.

“Kim and I can envision a future where years from today there’s a Skims store anywhere in the world you’d find an Apple store or a Nike store,” said Jens Grede, co-founder and chief executive officer of Skims. “It marks the second chapter.”

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Skims began as a direct-to-consumer business in 2019, but it since has dabbled in physical retail through relationships with department stores such as Nordstrom Inc. and Saks Fifth Avenue. In recent months, Skims has opened temporary pop-ups in locations like London’s Selfridges department store and Rockefeller Center in New York.

Executives are looking to open at least four stores next year and speed up expansion once those are in place. They’re considering placing shops in domestic markets that attract regional tourism, including Dallas, Atlanta and Miami.

The company is weighing international flagships as well, after tests in cities like Paris and Hong Kong. On its online shop, 20% of Skims customers are from abroad.

READ MORE: Ryan Seacrest the next host of ‘Wheel of Fortune’

“Our strategy going forward is to open important stores in the world’s most important cities,” Grede said.

Swimwear to underwear

Skims expects to achieve net sales of about $750 million in 2023, up from nearly $500 million last year. So far this year, the business has been trending at 75% year-over-year growth, according to Grede.

Product expansion has boosted that growth, as Skims branched out from its original selection of shapewear bodysuits into categories like pajamas and swimwear. Underwear now accounts for a sizable chunk of its business, and it’s now planning to launch a men’s line in October.

Skims was most recently valued at $3.2 billion in a 2022 financing round, with total funding now at nearly $400 million. Investors include hedge fund Lone Pine Capital and venture firms Thrive Capital and Imaginary Ventures. Grede declined to say if Skims is seeking additional capital at this time.

Kardashian and Grede are interested in one day taking Skims public, but the CEO said there are no short- or medium-term plans for an initial public offering. The company hired a chief financial officer last year.

“Skims deserves to be a public company — when the time is right,” Grede said.

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​ Orange County Register 

Taylor Swift adds sixth night to her record-breaking run at SoFi Stadium

• June 27, 2023

Taylor Swift has added yet another date to her record-breaking run of shows at SoFi Stadium in Inglewood. She’s already sold out evenings on Aug. 3-5 and 8-9 of The Eras Tour and just put Aug. 7 on sale on Tuesday morning.

Swifties already registered on the SoFi Stadium waitlist and Ticketmaster Verified Fan program will have the opportunity to snag tickets for the additional date first. The Verified Fan program is now closed, but those registered received an email with a sale code at 10 a.m. on June 27. Whatever is left over, will be available to the general public at Ticketmaster.com.

But don’t hold your breath.

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Those originally priced tickets will go fast. It provides yet another opportunity to grab a seat or two, though the resale market is extremely inflated, with even the nosebleeds going for hundreds or thousands of dollars.

Swift will be joined on the newly added date by Los Angeles indie darlings Haim and Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter Gracie Abrams. On Aug. 4, Haim and singer-songwriter Owenn will be on deck; Haim and Abrams will be on the bill on Aug. 3 and 8, too; Haim and singer-songwriter Gayle will be with Swift on Aug. 5 and 9.

The tour is in support of her latest record, “Midnights,” which dropped last year, but the “Anti-Hero” star will also play some of her greatest hits from throughout her career.

​ Orange County Register