TODAY’S ESSENTIAL NEWS
» Significant Storm To Bring 3 Days of Rain, Snow To Southern California The most significant rain since December of last year will impact L.A. in the coming days as a storm bringing not only rain but mountain snow and gusty winds is expected to last through Wednesday. Most areas of Los Angeles and Orange County should experience substantial rainfall today that will continue into Tuesday, according to the National Weather Service. A Flood Watch has been issued for areas of L.A. County affected by fires, which will be in effect from 10 p.m. tonight through 10 p.m. Tuesday. [Fox11]
» LAFC Claim 1st MLS Cup Title in Thrilling Victory Over Philadelphia Union Only 4 years since joining Major League Soccer in 2018, L.A.’s rocket ship soccer club has made history with an stress-inducing penalty shootout win against the Philadelphia Union. The match— an edge-of-seat 3(3)-3(0) victory for L.A.’s black and gold— concluded with the rapturous celebration of over 23,000 fans at the Banc of California stadium, known to house one of the most notoriously passionate fanbases in the MLS. [NBC]
» No Jackpot, But 3 Powerball Tickets Sold In California Win $1.1M Each Someone has yet to take home the record-setting $1.9 billion Powerball jackpot, but three tickets sold in California may have just minted a few new millionaires. The tickets, which matched the winning numbers of 28-45-53-56-69 but missed the Powerball of 20, earned their buyers more than $1.1 million each, according to the California State Lottery. The winning tickets were sold at Susanville Supermarket in the Northern California city of Susanville, at a Rite Aid in Encinitas and at a 76 in the Bay Area city of San Leandro. [KTLA]
» The National Park Service Wants Humans To Stop Licking This Toad The toad in question, also known as the Colorado River toad, is about seven inches in size and emits a soft, low-pitched ribbit. But despite its appearance, the creature is far from harmless. Sonoran desert toads secrete a potent toxin that can make people sick if they touch it or get the poison in their mouth, according to the National Park Service. Despite the risks, some people have discovered that the toad’s toxic secretions contain a powerful hallucinogenic known as 5-MeO-DMT. In recent years, smoking the amphibian’s secretions has grown in popularity—so much so that the species is even considered threatened at least in New Mexico due to poaching. [NPR]
» A Total Lunar Eclipse Will Be Visible Around The World On Tuesday After Tuesday’s eclipse, the next total lunar eclipse will not occur again until March 14, 2025, according to NASA. As the moon slips into Earth’s shadow, it will first dim and darken before turning a reddish hue—a blood moon. Across the United States, the period known as totality—when the moon is fully engulfed in Earth’s shadow—will be visible for almost an hour and a half. The moon will begin to enter the outer part of Earth’s shadow at 12:02 a.m. As the partial eclipse progresses, it will look like a bite is being taken out of the lunar disk. Totality will last from 2:17 a.m. until 3:42 a.m. For those willing to stay awake to watch, the moon will appear a dramatic copper-red in color. [CNBC]
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ONE MORE THING
Is Tom Ford Selling His Namesake Company to Gucci—Where He Got His Start?
Irony of ironies. Mega designer Tom Ford is in line to sell his brand—women’s clothes, men’s clothes, shoes, bags, accessories, fragrances, eyewear and makeup—and the highest bidder is none other than French-based luxury giant Kering SA, according to the Wall Street Journal.
That’s right: Kering, chaired by Francois-Henri Pinault, husband of Salma Hayek, the conglomerate that owns Balenciaga, Alexander McQueen, Bottega Veneta—and Gucci, where Ford made his entrance into the big leagues of fashion in 1994, when he was named Creative Director. Back at that time, as anyone who saw House of Gucci knows, Gucci as a brand was bankrupt and utterly out of fashion. Ford remade it into the trendiest brand in the world, injecting the clothes with sexiness, danger, edge – the essence of modern glamor.
This summer, Ford began working with investment bank Goldman Sachs to evaluate the worth of his eponymous brand. With apparel, eyewear, fragrances, accessories and beauty, it’s probably in the three billion dollar range. It’s not clear if Tom Ford would remain creative director, or simply walk away. And who on earth would design it? Many luxury brands are seeing revolving doors of designers these days; it’s musical chairs for creative director roles.
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