Paris prosecutor reports 4 more arrests in connection with Louvre jewel heist
Paris prosecutor has been giving more details about the latest on the investigation into the heist at the Louvie Museum, confirming many of the details that we had understood already about the two men currently in custody that they are in their 30s, that they were known to police before the heist for things like low level delinquency, petty thefts, and that they had been tracked down thanks to DNA that had been found on one of the helmets they left behind. They are of Algerian nationality. And come from the outskirts of Paris. What the prosecutor said though is that they do believe that there were 4 people involved in the heist on the day itself. 2 others remain at large, and that she wouldn’t give that many details because this was an ongoing investigation. She also pointed out that whilst these other two were at large and they were looking for altogether they had not excluded the possibility that someone else may have been involved, whether to commission the theft or in other ways. She also added that there was no suggestion that anyone on the inside of the Louvre had been complicit in the heist. The latest details then an investigation that continues and no sign yet, she explained of the jewels themselves. Melissa Bell, CNN, Paris.
Paris prosecutor reports 4 more arrests in connection with Louvre jewel heist
The Paris prosecutor is reporting four more arrests in connection with the jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in October. Two men and two women from the Paris region were taken into custody on Tuesday morning.The loot, valued at around $102 million, hasn’t been recovered. It includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon gave to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels tied to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.This is a breaking news story and will be updated.Video below shows Louvre thieves escaping via truck-mounted lift
PARIS —
The Paris prosecutor is reporting four more arrests in connection with the jewel heist at the Louvre Museum in October. Two men and two women from the Paris region were taken into custody on Tuesday morning.
The loot, valued at around $102 million, hasn’t been recovered. It includes a diamond-and-emerald necklace Napoleon gave to Empress Marie-Louise, jewels tied to 19th-century Queens Marie-Amélie and Hortense, and Empress Eugénie’s pearl-and-diamond tiara.
This is a breaking news story and will be updated.
Video below shows Louvre thieves escaping via truck-mounted lift
Southern California home prices rose in October, stopping a five-month skid that saw the average home value fall more than $14,000 since April.
In October, the average home price across the six-county region climbed to $860,773 — a 0.01% increase compared to September. However, prices were still down 1.4% compared to October 2024.
Economists and real estate agents say a variety of factors have slowed the market, including high mortgage rates, rising inventory and economic uncertainty stemming from tariffs. The same factors continued in October, but the uptick reflects a slight dip in inventory as more sellers choose to hang on to their homes.
Listings in L.A. County fell 2% month-over-month, and the share of homes with price cuts dropped slightly as well. But there’s still inventory aplenty compared to 2024. In October, there were 19% more homes for sale than there were last year.
Back then, rising mortgage rates were knocking many buyers out of the market. Values started increasing again when the number of homes for sale plunged as sellers backed away, unwilling to give up mortgages they took out earlier in the pandemic with rates of 3% and lower.
Real estate agents say homeowners increasingly want to take the next step in their lives and are deciding to move rather than hold on to their ultra-low mortgage rates. But many first-time buyers, without access to equity, remain locked out.
Add on the economic uncertainty and you get a market that’s noticeably downshifted.
If the Trump administration’s policies end up pushing the economy into a recession, some economists say home prices could drop much further.
For now, Zillow is forecasting that the economy will avoid a recession and home prices will increase over the next year. The real estate firm expects that one year from now, home prices in the Los Angeles-Orange County metro region will be 1.4% higher than they are now, though that number is lower than the estimated national increase of 1.9%.
Housing prices by city and neighborhood
Note to readers
Welcome to the Los Angeles Times’ Real Estate Tracker. Every month we will publish a report with data on housing prices, mortgage rates and rental prices. Our reporters will explain what the new data mean for Los Angeles and surrounding areas and help you understand what you can expect to pay for an apartment or house. You can read last month’s real estate breakdown here.
Explore home prices and rents for September
Use the tables below to search for home sale prices and apartment rental prices by city, neighborhood and county.
Rental prices in Southern California
The median rent across Los Angeles ticked down for the second consecutive month, dipping to $2,206 in October. The downward trend has continued in most markets across Southern California, but the January fires could be upending the downward trend in some locations.
Housing analysts have said that rising vacancy levels since 2022 had forced landlords to accept less in rent. But the fires destroyed thousands of homes, suddenly thrusting many people into the rental market.
Most homes destroyed were single-family houses, and some housing and disaster-recovery experts say they expect the largest rent increases to be in larger units adjacent to burn areas in Pacific Palisades and Altadena, with upward pressure on rents diminishing for units that are smaller and farther away from the disaster zones.
A recent L.A. Times analysis of Zillow data found that in ZIP Codes closest to the fires, rents rose more than in the rest of the county from December to April.
Other data sources show similar trends.
In Santa Monica, which borders the hard-hit Palisades neighborhood, the median rent rose 2% in October from a year earlier, according to data from Apartment List.
Apartment List does not have data for Altadena, but it does for the adjacent city of Pasadena. Rents there rose 1.2% in October from a year earlier.
Consumers don’t have to worry about products arriving in time for the holidays, though they may be facing higher prices, say officials at one of America’s largest ports.
Imports at the Port of Long Beach are flowing smoothly through its facilities despite the government shutdown and tariff uncertainties, port executives said. Still, they acknowledge that the volume and prices of products in the millions of containers coming through the port suggest that imports are becoming more costly and consumers are more cautious.
Until now, retailers, manufacturers and other intermediaries have absorbed much of the cost of tariffs, but that is changing as it becomes more apparent which tariffs are here to stay, Mario Cordero, chief executive of the Port of Long Beach, said Friday during a virtual news conference.
“Consumers will likely see price escalation in the coming months as shippers continue to pass along the cost of tariffs on goods, and a higher percentage of these costs will be passed on to the consumer,” he said.
Cordero, who drinks Starbucks coffee, said he’s seen the price of a cup of coffee increase by 15% and that more consumers are going to discount stores to find deals. However, potential price hikes could be offset if the United States and China strike further trade agreements.
The Port of Long Beach, a gateway for trade between the United States and Asia-Pacific, released new data that offers a glimpse into how President Trump’s on-again, off-again tariffs are affecting goods imported from key trade partners, such as China.
This week, the U.S. Supreme Court also started to hear arguments as the justices examine the legality of Trump’s tariffs.
Over the past year, the port saw a drop in the movement of containers filled with certain goods such as winter apparel, kitchen appliances and toys that people typically buy as gifts, a sign that consumers are likely wary about spending.
Still, the impact of tariffs on cargo volume hasn’t been as bad as some experts predicted. Cordero said some experts had projected that the port could see as much as a 35% drop in cargo volume.
“Clearly today, it’s fair to say that the worst scenarios some predicted did not occur,” Cordero said. “The challenges were many, and there’s no doubt that many companies and their workers suffered, but cargo volume is turning out to be just as high this year as it was last year.”
In fiscal year 2025, which runs from October 2024 to September 2025, the port surpassed 10 million 20-foot equivalent units (TEUs) for the first time, up 11% from the same period last year. TEU is a measurement used to describe cargo capacity for container ships and terminals.
While the port saw a decline in the amount of TEUs moved in October compared with the same period in 2024, Cordero said he thinks the port will end 2025 in “positive territory.”
In October, there were 839,671 TEUs moved. That’s because retailers and shippers started shipping goods earlier than normal to avoid fees and to stock up their warehouses because of tariffs.
The Port of Long Beach is an economic engine for California. Officials say it helps create 691,000 jobs in Southern California. More than 2.7 million U.S jobs are connected to the Port of Long Beach, they say.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, is serving up a weekly series of imaginative game dinners, offering everything from venison and fowl to elk, now through November 26. Each week brings a new off-menu prix-fixe special, like Seared 5 Spice Duck Breast with black currant sauce, Venison Backstrap Chicken Fried Steak, and Braised Wild North American Elk Osso Buco, with suggested wine pairings available for an additional cost.
On Saturday, October 12, honor Filipino American heritage with a special full-day Filipino American History Month Celebration at POST Houston, 401 Franklin, from noon to 9 p.m. Folks can enjoy a bustling marketplace of Filipino vendors, traditional cuisine, live performances and more.
State Fare Kitchen and Bar, 947 Gessner, 15930 City Walk, 1900 Hughes Landing, celebrates fall with a three-course Saint Arnold beer pairing dinner, offered from October 13–31. For $55, enjoy dishes like Cocoa-Chili Braised Short Rib, Brown Butter Pierogi and Texas Pecan Tart, each paired with Saint Arnold seasonal brews including its iconic Pumpkinator.
On Wednesday, October 15, highly anticipated Energy Corridor concept Kirkwood is teaming up with The Lymbar for an exclusive multi-course wine dinner featuring the wines of DAOU Vineyard. The special evening will be held at The Lymbar, 4201 Main, beginning with a reception at 6 p.m., followed by the wine-paired dinner at 6:30. Highlights include a decadent Lobster Ballotine, richly layered Braised Short Rib and a trio of sweet and savory bites, including Sticky Toffee Pudding and Roquefort blue cheese. Tickets are $110 per person, plus tax and gratuity.
Lyric Market, 411 Smith, has a series of events in its fall lineup, including Cocktails For A Cause on Wednesday, October 15, featuring a special Happy Hour and Silent Auction in partnership with the Lupus Foundation of America – Texas Gulf Coast; a Sip & Bloom Floral Workshop on Thursday, October 16; the Tastes & Treasures Pop-Up Artisan Market (Halloween Edition) on Friday, October 18; Ravioli Making Class on Thursday, October 23; and more.
Kenny & Ziggy’s New York Delicatessen, 1743 Post Oak, teams up with Houston’s innovative opera company HOPERA for Divas at the Deli, an evening of food, song and laughter for one-night-only on Saturday, October 18. The 6:30 p.m. dinner features a buffet of East European favorites like Beef Mouton Rothchild, Chicken Breast with Cherry Roman Sauce and Snapper Isabelle, plus Kenny & Ziggy’s legendary cheesecake for dessert. While you dine, HOPERA co-founder Brennan Blankenship and contralto Davia Bouley perform famous operatic arias with live musical accompaniment. Tickets are $75 per person, including tax and gratuity, and must be purchased in advance by Tuesday, Oct.ober 14, by calling 713-871-8883.
Nando’s PERi-PERi is rolling into Houston with its Texas-sized food truck tour. The custom “Fire Truck” will pop up around the city serving up free PERi-PERi chicken and chips, select menu favorites, pastel de nata, and more, alongside Afro-Luso beats, giveaways, and surprise guests from October 6–18. Follow its IG to find out where the truck’s going next.
On Tuesday, October 7, The Little Taco Shop, 3411 Kirby, will celebrate National Taco Day with discounted tacos and cocktails from 11 a.m. to close. Guests can enjoy $3 tacos all day and take advantage of buy-one, get-one frozen margaritas and canned cocktails, including house margarita, paloma, blue lychee, and pink guava flavors.
On Wednesday, October 8, Backstreet Cafe will host its 42nd Anniversary Pop-up Wine Dinner at Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer. The evening kicks off with a passed bites reception at 6 p.m., followed by a four-course dinner from chefs Hugo and Ruben Ortega paired with acclaimed Sonoma wines from Kosta Browne, known for its expressive Pinot Noirs and Chardonnays. Tickets are $140++.
Chef Jane Wild continues her monthly supper series Janes Dine Inn on Friday, October 10, celebrating seasonal flavors with an intimate, five-course, family-style Harvest Moon Dinner at Jane and the Lion Bakehouse, 4721 North Main. The evening begins with a cocktail hour at 6 p.m., followed by the seated supper at 7 p.m. Tickets are $111 per person, gratuity included.
The Houston International Festival is taking place at 2509 Alabama, held from 10 a.m. to 11 p.m. on Saturday, October 11. The event brings together global flavors, live bands and DJ sets across multiple genres, family-friendly activities, cultural performances, pop-up art displays and an exclusive VIP section with premium seating. Tickets are $10 GA (free for kids) and $50 VIP.
Biggio’s, 1777 Walker, is bringing Bavarian celebrations downtown with an Oktoberfest bash featuring seasonal bites from the kitchen and brews from Saint Arnold, Karbach, Eureka Heights and more. Admission is free—just bring your beer stein spirit from 12:30 to 4 p.m.
Weathers (above, center in pink) is an author and wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me.” The book, which was self-published in 2021, is available on Amazon. Photo courtesy of Weathers
Erika Weathers was on a roll when she learned that she had breast cancer in 2004. Then, at 33, Weathers was living in Vinings, and working as a flight attendant for a local airline. She loves to travel, work out, and act, and those jobs and activities allowed the Middletown, New York native, to see the country, meet people from around the world, and entertain others. On that day, however, traveling, Zumba classes, and reading scripts were the last things on her mind.
“I was in the prime of my life,” said Weathers by phone from her home in Atlanta.
There is no history of breast cancer in Weathers’ family. She was the chosen one, and she still doesn’t know why she was chosen to go through what she went through.
“I’m the first one. It was like, ‘Why me? What’s going on in my body?” she said.
About getting the news that her life was going to change, she said, “That was devastating.”
Weathers, 56, is far from alone. Breast cancer will affect millions of Americans this year. Whether you are male or female, adult or child, the odds that you know someone who has had breast cancer inject itself into their life is high, according to data from the National Breast Cancer Foundation, Inc. (NBCF).
1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer. Weathers (above) was first diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 33. “Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said. Photo courtesy of Weathers
1 in 8 women in the United States will be diagnosed with breast cancer, according to the organization’s data. This year, there will be an estimated 316,000-plus women and nearly 3,000 men diagnosed with invasive breast cancer. One of those women was once Weathers.
Along with skin cancer, breast cancer is the most common cancer among women in this country. But there has been a significant decrease in breast cancer deaths since 1989, according to the American Cancer Society data. Early detection and awareness are reasons for thousands of lives being saved.
“Early diagnosis is key. Early detection, get it out of you, and get on with your life,” Weathers said.
The early detection of the cancer, Weathers’ positive attitude, and willingness to fight can all be listed as reasons she survived her first diagnosis. Along with being a flight attendant, Weathers is a realtor for HomeSmart, an Arizona-based brokerage firm, and an actress. Weathers has had roles in several Lifetime projects and routinely goes out on auditions. She also volunteers as a poll worker during local elections, and don’t forget those Zumba classes. She has also been an instructor in the past.
“I always have a positive mindset. You can only do what you can do, but it’s always better to have a positive mindset when you do it,” she said. “I just have to make everything work.”
That positive mindset came in handy when Weathers was challenged again. She was re-diagnosed with breast cancer in 2008 and again in late 2024. She had just finished celebrating 16 years of being cancer-free before this. Both times, she faced facts and approached hormone therapy treatments and radiation treatments with faith and a positive attitude. But it wasn’t easy. It never is, she said.
Erika Weathers (above) rang the bell at Emory University Hospital Midtown on May 9, 2025, and celebrated with family and friends. Photo courtesy of Weathers
Following surgery on her left breast, the right had been removed years earlier. Weathers got the chance to go through a national rite of passage for cancer patients. During her first battles, she never got the chance, but she did this time around.
On May 9, 2025, she rang the bell at Emory University Hospital Midtown. That day, she was surrounded by family and friends.
Weathers is also an author. She wrote a book about her breast cancer survival and journey, “Free Me 2 Be Me,” which was self-published in 2021, after she was laid off during the COVID pandemic. The time off work as a flight attendant allowed Weathers to focus on telling her story.
“I took advantage of that time. I used to always say I wanted to write a book about my life,” said Weathers, who added that she wrote the book about her entire life and not just the cancer part of the story.
In the book, she also discusses her relationship with her father, Ronald Weathers, who, along with her mother, Jackie Zoldan, twin brother Chris, other brother Erik, and stepmother Carol Weathers, has impacted her life.
Asked if she has any advice for breast cancer patients going through what she went through, Weathers simply said they have to keep on keeping on.
“Get on with your life,” she said. “It just depends on how you are. I’m always looking for the next best thing to do in my life.”
Weathers is working on a second book, preparing for more real estate training, and working the polls for the upcoming November elections.
Along with her career as a flight attendant, Weathers (above) is a working actress. Photo courtesy of Weathers
October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and for the past 40 years, it has been the national month of observance in the United States. Weathers enjoys speaking to groups and individuals as an advocate for breast cancer patients and survivors. She remembers needing to talk to someone who understood what she was going through
“Sometimes it’s easier to talk to someone who has been through it,” she said.
Erika Weathers has been through it and back.
“I just like to know that I can get to the finish line and to know that I can do anything I can set my mind to,” Weathers said.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
On Monday, September 29 from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m., Third Place, 420 East 20th, will host Diane and Willet Feng of Burger Chan for a one-day pop-up of their Borrowed Goods concept, this time, featuring coconut curry beef rendang lasagna and and fresh spinach lasagna.
Lombardi Family Concepts will host its second annual Chef Battle Royale with head-to-head competitions at two of its Houston restaurants, with two nights each offering a five-course menu, side-by-side tastings paired with Noble Wine and voting to crown the evening’s winner. On Wednesday, October 1, diners can experience the culinary showdown at Lombardi Cucina Italiana, 1745 Post Oak, and on October 22 at Toulouse Café and Bar, 2180 West Gray, where executive chefs Mauro Gianinazzi and Emmanuel Hodencq will swap cuisines to tackle each other’s specialties. Tickets are $250++ per person.
Mayahuel, 811 Buffalo Park Dr. Suite 130, will debut weekday lunch service beginning Wednesday, October 1, available Monday through Friday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. Chef Luis Robledo Richards brings a modern Mexican approach to midday dining with dishes like tortilla soup in a tomato-ancho broth, cochinita torta, and chicken milanese, plus a rotating prix-fixe menu featuring a starter, dessert, and a taco trilogy based on fresh market finds.
Spooky season means that Nickel City, 2910 McKinney, will once again transform into cclaimed Halloween pop-up Black Lagoon, rocking a darkly immersive atmosphere and brand-new cocktail menu from October 1–31.
Folks are invited to PAWZtober Fest at The Original Ninfa’s Uptown, 1700 Post Oak, on Saturday, October 4 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. The free Tex-Mex fundraiser benefs Lone Star Pawz, a local animal rescue for cats and dogs; and guests can enjoy live music from The Guzzlers, raffle prizes including Houston Texans and Astros tickets, and 20 percent off their meal with a raffle ticket purchase.
The 21st annual H-E-B Wine Walk hits The Woodlands Resort, 2301 North Millbend, on Saturday, October 4 from 4 p.m. to 7 p.m., featuring more than 50 wine tasting tents, 40 craft beers and dozens of culinary offerings from top local restaurants and chefs. Tickets start at $79 for general admission.
On Wednesday, October 8, James Beard Foundation will host its Taste America walk-around tasting at The Post Oak Hotel, 1600 West Loop South, featuring more than 20 Houston chefs, including TasteTwenty honoree Ope Amosu of ChòpnBlọk. Beginning at 7 p.m. (6 p.m. VIP), guests can enjoy bites like African Palm Butter Chicken, Tuna Tiradito, Coconut-Vanilla Bean Flan, and Pad Thai–Oatmeal Fluffernutter while enjoying beverages and activations from national and local sponsors. Tickets start at $175 and benefit the James Beard Foundation’s mission to support independent restaurants and the broader food system.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Burger Bodega founder Abbas Dhanan continues his smash hit cheesesteak pop-up, Bas’s Cheesesteak, on Monday, September 22, held at Burger Bodega, 4520 Washington, beginning at 6 p.m. Pre-orders drop this Friday via @basscheesesteaks, with pickup beginning at 5 p.m.
Liberty Kitchen & Oysterette, 4224 San Felipe; 963 Bunker Hill, is celebrating fall with a special three-course wine dinner paired with pours from Reynolds Family Winery, available September 25 through October 5. Seasonal highlights Hokkaido scallops, Alaskan halibut, and an Autumn Empress cocktail.
On Thursday, September 18, Four Seasons Hotel Houston speakeasy Bandista, 1300 Lamar, will host DC’s buzzy Press Club for a special bar pop-up from 6 to 9 p.m., featuring five signature cocktails in one-hour seatings. The following evening, on Friday, September 19, guests can start the night at Bayou & Bottle with a 4:30 p.m. baijiu tasting led by spirits expert Lewis Hart.
Then at 6 p.m., Vancouver’s acclaimed Laowai takes over Bandista with five house cocktails that earned it a spot on North America’s 50 Best Bars list. Reservations are required. Then on Sunday, September 21, the hotel will close out Texas Cocktail Week with a festive pan-Latin brunch at Toro Toro from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., featuring cocktails from guest bartenders alongside Richard Sandoval’s signature brunch spread. Reservations recommended.
Guests are invited to a Louis Jadot Wine Dinner at Etoile Cuisine et Bar, 1101-11 Uptown Park, on Thursday, September 25. Chef and co-owner Philippe Verpiand presents a four-course dinner featuring wines from Burgundy’s largest producer, Louis Jadot, with highlights include white tuna sashimi with pomegranate-ginger vinaigrette, seared Gulf red snapper with caramelized fennel and blue crab bisque, pheasant breast with morel sauce and a dessert of breaded reblochon cheese with truffled honey and mesclun. The evening begins at 6:30 p.m., and tickets are $115 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required.
On Thursday, September 25 from 6:30 p.m. to 9:30 p.m., ThePeriwinkle Foundation’s annual Iron Bartender competition returns to Lyric Market, 411 Smith, bringing together six top bartenders from Houston’s best bars and restaurants. Guests can sip on competing cocktails, vote for the People’s Choice Award, and watch as one finalist takes home the Iron Bartender title. Tickets are $75 for tastings, or $350 for the cocktail dinner, with proceeds benefiting pediatric cancer patients at Texas Children’s Cancer and Hematology Center.
Epic farm-to-table festival Chefs For Farmers kicks off Thursday, September 25, with the CFF x BMW Surf & Turf Supper at Navy Blue, where Chef Aaron Bludorn joins visiting stars Alberto Marcolongo (Benoit NYC, Alain Ducasse) and Lamar Moore (ETC, Chicago) for a multi-course, locally sourced feast with expert drink pairings. The weekend continues with the big event on Saturday, September 27 and Sunday, September 28 at Autry Park, featuring unlimited tastings, live entertainment and new activations like The Rosé Ranch, Tailgate Experience and Texas Love BBQ Zone. Proceeds benefit the Houston Food Bank and Urban Harvest.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, continues its regional Mexican tasting menu series with a deep dive into the vibrant cuisine of Jalisco, the birthplace of mariachi, tequila and birria. The four-course menu runs $75 per person plus tax and gratuity, with an optional beverage pairing for $36, offered during dinner service Monday through Saturday now through September 27.
Now through September 30, Aya Sushi, 5407 Bellaire, is rolling out a $135, 18-course Anniversary Omakase, curated by chef Yoshi Katsuyama and highlighting guest favorites from all four seasons. Reservations available on OpenTable.
On Sunday, September 14 through Sunday, September 21, Houston hosts its first Texas Cocktail Week, celebrating bartending craft and Southern hospitality. Cocktail Passport holders gain access to tastings, pop-ups, guest shifts, and masterclasses at top bars across the city, including Julep, Camaraderie, Bandista and more. The week also features a Guest Bartender Series with award-winning talent from around the country and Global Bar Partners spotlighting international flavors.
Azumi, 4444 Westheimer, will host an immersive, cocktail-style evening showcasing the artistry of Japanese cuisine on Tuesday, September 16 from 6 to 8 p.m. Guests can enjoy the dramatic carving of an entire bluefin tuna before enjoying freshly prepared sashimi, hand rolls, nigiri and raw bar specialties, alongside premium sake pairings, lychee martinis and a decadent dessert station. Tickets are $150 per person plus tax and fees.
Ouisie’s Table, 3939 San Felipe, is sending summer off with a five-course dinner paired with Napa Valley’s Cakebread Cellars wines on Thursday, September 18 beginning at 6:30 p.m. Highlights include Oysters Rockefeller, Brown Butter Scallops, 5 Spice Duck Breast and more, with tickets for $150 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Reservations are required.
On Sunday, September 21, Brennan’s chefs José and Lily Arévalo will be joined by culinary talents from Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House, Davis Street, LaJade’s Catering and State of Grace for a benefit dinner supporting Biblica’s mission to bring hope to fatherless children in El Salvador. Held at Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, the evening begins at 6 p.m. Tickets are $150.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Five years after closing, Bernie’ Burger Bus brings its fan favorites back for a limited-time collaboration with PINCHO. Now through October 5, alll Houston PINCHO locations will serve reimagined Bernie’s classics, including The Bernie’s Burger, Honor Roll fries and the Cookie Butter Milkshake. A portion of proceeds benefits the Periwinkle Foundation.
Central Market is bringing the flavors of Germany to Texas with its in-store Passport Germany event, running September 10–23. Texans can enjoy tasting strolls, cooking classes and a wide selection of German products, from authentic sausages, Frikadelle, Rouladen and Currywurst to pretzels, marzipan pigs, specialty wines and sodas, pumpkin displays, and sweet treats like Apple Torte and Bee Sting Cake.
On Thursday, September 11 at 7 p.m., CultureMap Houston hosts The Tailgate at 8th Wonder, 2202 Dallas, for an evening of food, drinks and game-day fun. Tickets are $35 GA and $60 VIP.
On Friday, September 12 from 6 to 7:30 p.m., Brennan’s, 3300 Smith, invites guests to a casual Sonoma wine tasting at its Courtyard Barl, featuring select wines from Rodney Strong’s storied vineyards. Tickets include wine pours and paired bites for $40 per person, plus tax and gratuity. Dress code is Courtyard Casual.
Houstonians can celebrate Fiestas Patrias (Mexican Independence Day) with $10 red, white and green margaritas at URBE, 1101 Uptown Park, from September 12–16, and at Hugo’s, 1600 Westheimer, Caracol, 2200 Post Oak, and Xochi, 1777 Walker on Tuesday, September 16. URBE is also hosting a ticketed Fiesta ($55) on Saturday, September 13 from 7 to 11 p.m., with Mexican street food, desserts, agave cocktails,and entertainment including folk dancing, live mariachi and a DJ.
Kenny & Ziggy’s, 1743 Post Oak, is ready to help folks celebrate the High Holidays with a traditional prix-fixe Erev Yom Tov menu ($259, feeds four to six). The package features soup, matzo balls, chopped liver, tzimmes, a large Challah, and main courses like prime Angus brisket, apricot-roasted chicken or stuffed cabbage, plus sides, kugels and desserts. Orders must be placed by 5 p.m. Monday, September 15, and picked up by 5 p.m. Sunday, September 21, or 2 p.m. Monday, September 22. The deli also offers a la carte and catering.
On Tuesday, September 16, both Sylvia’s Enchilada Kitchen locations, 6401 Woodway, 1140 Eldridge, will celebrate Mexico’s Independence Day with a special Mexican Colors Enchilada Plate — featuring three enchiladas in the colors of the flag for $18.95, dine-in only. That evening, the Eldridge location will host a four-course Tequila Dinner at 6:30 p.m., paired with Casamigos tequilas, for $65 per person; reservations are required.
It was more than 60 years ago this month that the Dodgers beat the Chicago White Sox and won their first World Series in front of more than 90,000 baseball fans at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum.
At the time, the Coliseum lit its torch to honor the team’s win, and now, after the Dodgers won their eighth World Series Championship, the Coliseum has once again lit its torch. And for the next two nights, the Coliseum’s peristyle will be illuminated in blue light.
Ever since the Dodgers’ miraculous comeback victory Wednesday night, some of L.A. County’s best-known buildings and attractions have been finding ways to celebrate the Boys in Blue, from the Pacific Wheel on Santa Monica’s Pier to L.A. City Hall.
Los Angeles County Supervisor Janice Hahn, whose father, Supervisor Kenneth Hahn, helped bring the Dodgers from Brooklyn to Los Angeles in 1958, called for the Coliseum torch to be lit.
“I thought it would be fitting to light the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum’s torch in celebration of the Dodgers’ victory at the venue the team played their first World Series winning season,” Hahn said. “We love our team.
“Every corner of Los Angeles is celebrating today,” she said.
Up in the hills of Griffith Park, the letter “D” on the Hollywood sign was lighted in blue.
In Inglewood, a spokesperson for SoFi Stadium said the building’s rooftop Thursday night will display “2024 World Series Champions L.A. Dodgers” in blue lighting. A similar message was already on display on its Samsung infinity screen inside the stadium.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Tacodeli, 1902 Washington, 1715 Post Oak, recently accounced a partnership with Cuvée Coffee, offering ethically sourced, custom-roasted coffee to pair with its assortment of tacos. To celebrate, the taqueria is offering guests a free coffee with any purchase now through November 11.
Brasserie 19 and Madame Zero Champagne are hosting a Champagne Soirée on Wednesday, November 6 at 6 p.m. at Brasserie 19, 1962 West Gray. Guests can expect flowing bubbles in the cocktail hour style event featuring a curated selection of bubbly, Champagne-forward cocktails and bites crafted by chef Michael Hoffman. Tickets are for $125 per person.
The Whisky X invites whiskey lovers to enjoy an evening of indulgence on Saturday, November 9 at 6 p.m. at Lone Star Flight Museum, 11551 Aerospace. The affair includes over 60 premium brands, expert-led tastings, a cigar lounge and complimentary grooming services, plus gourmet food trucks and great vibe. Tickets start at $45.
On Saturday, November 16 from 6:30 to 9 p.m., Archway Gallery and chef David Skinner of Ishtia will host A Native Feast, a food journey through Indigenous culture in conjunction with Harold Joiner’s “Homeland: Random Musings of a Native Son,” an exhibition of paintings and mixed media works inspired by his Southwestern homeland. The inventive five-course tasting dinner takes inspiration from the stories of chef Skinner’s Choctaw ancestors and will feature Indigenous ingredients. Tickets are $150.
On Saturday, November 16 from 6 to 8 p.m., wine enthusiasts are invited to uncork a wine-fueled celebration of Spanish wines at Barcelona Wine Bar, 1731 Westheimer. Spain Uncorked will feature “30 insanely good bottles and the diverse flavors of Spain,” alongside culinary bites from seasonal paella to passed tapas. Tickets are $65.
The Houston Young Professionals for the American Cancer Society will host its third annual Shuck Cancer Houston fundraiser and foodie tasting event, which will take place from 7 to 10 p.m. on Thursday, November 21 at POST Houston, 401 Franklin. This year’s event will feature more than 25 of Houston’s top restaurants, bars, and wineries offering wine and oyster pairings and a variety of other dishes, including an oyster bar and oyster shooter bar provided by Pier 6 Seafood & Oyster House and Prestige Oysters and new participants like Auden, Cafe Piquet Cuban Cuisine, Eugene’s Gulf Coast Cuisine and Uchi. Tickets are $150 per person.
There may be no weather pattern more iconically associated with Los Angeles than the Santa Ana winds.
One of the earliest written descriptions of the Santa Anas comes from the diary of Commodore Robert Stockton on the night of Jan. 6, 1847; the next day his forces captured Los Angeles on behalf of the United States.
And as the city has grown to assume a prominent place in American pop culture, it has given global renown to this local phenomenon, name-dropped by Raymond Chandler, Nancy Meyers and the Beach Boys.
The Santa Ana winds are notorious for being hot, dry, and dusty — traits that have earned them the nickname “devil winds” — but the quality that really defines them is their direction.
Unlike the prevailing winds in Southern California, which flow generally from west to east, carrying temperate air from the Pacific, the Santa Anas flow from northeast to southwest out of the Mojave Desert. What causes this reversal, and why does it produce such a diabolical result?
Aggressive and impactful reporting on climate change, the environment, health and science.
To form the Santa Ana winds, the typical first ingredient is a chilled autumn day in the high desert of southern Nevada.
The chill creates cold, dense air, which is squeezed from aloft by a high pressure system. Normally the surface air would be contained within the Great Basin formed by the Sierra Nevada and Rocky Mountains, but the second ingredient is a low pressure system off the California coast, which creates enough gravitational potential to force the air out of the basin and pull it west toward the Pacific.
As it flows downhill, the air is compressed due to the higher weight of the atmospheric column above it. The ideal gas law (PV=nRT, if high school chemistry is just a hazy memory) tells us that when the pressure on a gas increases, its temperature does too. The result is that the descending air heats up by almost 30 degrees Fahrenheit for every vertical mile it sinks.
The dry desert air, warmed by its descent, rushes toward the coast. But the Transverse Ranges stand in the way, so the air seeks the path of least resistance through the Cajon and San Gorgonio passes. Like water spraying through a narrow nozzle, the winds are accelerated as they enter the canyons, often reaching gale-force strength by the time they exit into Los Angeles and San Bernardino.
A mild Santa Ana wind can be irritating, giving people nosebleeds and blowing sand in their eyes, but the more severe events can have deadly consequences. The most obvious risk is the high winds — during a particularly forceful episode in December 2011, gusts in excess of 50 mph toppled trees, damaged hundreds of buildings and knocked out power to hundreds of thousands of people.
The atypical wind direction can pose a specific risk for boats and maritime infrastructure, as harbors that are usually well protected on the leeward side of the Channel Islands are suddenly exposed to forceful gusts and waves.
Strong offshore Santa Ana winds blast incoming waves at Huntington Beach in October 2018.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
An even greater danger comes from the increased potential for wildfires. Hot, dry air can rapidly extract moisture from vegetation, especially when that air is being continuously replenished by strong desert winds. The Santa Anas often bring triple-digit temperatures and a relative humidity below 10%, leading to drier fuel that can ignite more easily. Moreover, strong winds cause fires to grow and spread more quickly, since the winds provide a steady supply of oxygen, carry sparks and even bend the flames closer to the unburned material ahead of the fire.
In the last few decades, Santa Ana winds have been associated with several large wildfire clusters, including the 2007 Witch Creek fire, the 2008 Sayre fire and the 2017 Thomas fire, which was the largest wildfire in state history at the time.
A firefighter battles the Silverado fire amid heavy Santa Ana winds in Irvine in October 2020.
(Allen J. Schaben / Los Angeles Times)
Until recently, the Santa Ana winds were thought to be one of the few bright spots in climate change; a paper from 2019 predicted a future decrease in the frequency of Santa Ana winds, particularly in September and October. The authors suggested that this is due to a projected northward migration of the “Great Basin high” that tends to form over Nevada.
However, recent analysis published two years later by the same authors suggested that the decreasing trend was mostly confined to a distinct “flavor” of Santa Ana winds that, while they originate from the same location, are caused by a different mechanism and bring intense cold to Southern California instead of heat.
Although these “cold Santa Anas” can still cause wind damage, they are not typically associated with wildfire activity, and a decrease in frequency would have little effect on fire risk. Unfortunately, it seems those hot, dry days when the wind stings your eyes and sparks fly are here to stay.
Ned Kleiner is a scientist and catastrophe modeler at Verisk. He has a doctorate in atmospheric science from Harvard University.
The arrival of fall means the festive harvest and spooky season of Halloween is upon us, and there’s hardly a more popular occasion than to dress up for an event or date function with your significant other. Whether you’re into dressing up as classic ghouls or legacy characters, current pop-culture references, or enjoy coordinating twin Halloween costumes, there are plenty of fun things you can brainstorm with your partner to make you stand out. Let’s look at some of our favorite couples’ costume ideas.
Classic Halloween Costume Favorites
You can’t go wrong when showing up dressed as iconic Halloween characters, whether it’s classic spooky figures or traditional villains from the quintessential horror catalog. Here are a few of the most fun — bonus points for individual creativity, too.
Disclaimer: The imagery featured in this article was created or refined with the help of artificial intelligence (AI) tools. Although they strive to depict the content accurately, they may not perfectly capture real-life situations or precise details. These visuals are intended solely for illustrative purposes.
Vampires – The vampire is an iconic villain that requires a few simple elements such as a cape and fangs, but vampire couples costumes can also be customized to give couples the freedom to make it their own. Props like garlic earrings or a wooden stake also elevate the outfit.
Werewolves – Being that they’re part human and part beast, werewolf costumes for couples are easy to incorporate using your normal wardrobe, and there are plenty of ways to achieve a hairy look, from makeup to fake fur.
Witches – Couples witch costumes never go out of style since men can just go the warlock route, but those looking to go the extra mile sometimes see the man dressed as the broom or cauldron.
Skeletons – Skeleton costumes for couples are an easy and recognizable outfit that can be achieved simply through clothing design or can be as elaborate as you want with makeup and other props.
Ghosts – While perhaps the most common of all costumes, the ghost is a fairly basic concept that anyone can identify, and the idea that you can use anything from a sheet to other decorative garments means there’s also more anonymity.
Pumpkins – Dressing as two pumpkins from the patch can be a cute way to show others that you’re partners, and all you really need is to wear some orange and highlight a stem and leaf from your head.
Scarecrows – Both parties can get as creative as they like when designing their own scarecrow costume, which is not only an underrated choice, but one in which you can utilize your existing jeans and flannel wardrobe — but don’t forget the straw hats!
Generic Superhero Couples Costume
You don’t have to spend money on a branded costume to show your affinity for superheroes! A few simple DIY ideas that easily fit the bill include using spandex, capes, masks, and other signifying props or symbolism to help others know who you’re emulating. People will certainly notice if you put in the time and effort, but if you use the notable colors and coordinate your characters as a duo, it can be a real crowd-pleaser.
Trendy Pop Culture Costumes
There are tons of pop culture costumes that come and go with each Halloween season, but there are also many timeless options that are easily recognizable and resonate with all types of crowds. Below are just a few of our favorites.
Bonnie & Clyde – The infamous legacy of Bonnie and Clyde is still a famous costume choice for young lovers, but thankfully, in this instance, their role as robbers is just a guise. Just adorn yourself in garb from the Depression era and don a faux firearm.
Tarzan & Jane – If you’re looking to take a walk on the wild side, you can’t go wrong with a Tarzan and Jane pairing, especially if the man already has long hair and the woman owns a solid cheetah-print dress.
Cute and Fun Couple Costumes
Just because you feel pressured to wear something current doesn’t mean you have to. There are quite a few other generic costume ideas for Halloween that are immediate crowd-pleasers based on context alone.
Complementary Concept Costumes
Peanut Butter & Jelly – There’s hardly ever been a better combination, right? This works even better when you both dress in clothes as the colored spreads and then wear a bread costume on top. Posterboards are a perfect size.
Taco & Hot Sauce – While individually excellent on their own, hot sauce objectively makes tacos better, so it’s a match made in heaven that everyone can appreciate. While you may elect to buy these costumes, using cardboard boxes and paper bags can really show off your creativity.
Salt & Pepper – If you’re looking for a staple couples’ costume that clearly indicates you’re with your partner, look no further than the essential seasonings that make everything better. Chef hats and corresponding colored clothing work well enough.
Bread & Butter – As you can tell, bread costumes can be very versatile! If you’ve already done PB&J before, one person opting to dress as butter drives the point across just as well. You may just have to find some yellow pants.
Popcorn & Soda – If you’re both into movies and enjoy the snacks even more, popcorn and soda are two staple commodities that everyone enjoys at the theater. A large paper bag can actually work nicely for each of these.
Themed Character Duos
Angel & Devil – A little good, a little evil — the contrast alone makes people think your relationship is well-balanced, and these costumes can be fun to customize as well. As long as you have a corresponding headband, you’ll be just fine.
Bob Ross & Canvas – While a bit silly, the only better thing than dressing up as Bob Ross is if the other person represents his easel and canvas, which is bound to draw some laughs. Some posterboard makes a nice easel, and if you’re painting, make sure you have the right hair!
Classic Slinky – Relationships expand and contract like a slinky, so what better way than to be linked to your partner throughout your outing? It may be harder to walk, but people will understand your need to stretch out. If you go DIY, you might need to get creative with this one.
Quarterback & Football – The concept of dressing as an NFL quarterback is fairly common, but whether it’s the man or woman opting to take on the role of the football, that outfit takes the costume the extra mile. If you can wear a full brown outfit and add some tape for laces, you’re golden.
Sun & Moon – Are you and your significant other astrology fans or just enjoyers of the cosmos? Well, what more convincing way to show your symbiotic relationship than by portraying the sun and moon? Cutting cardboard into circles and spray paint is all you should need!
Twin and Sibling-Inspired Costumes
Twin costumes are continuously sought after by couples due to their mutual commitment requirements and distinguishability amongst the crowd. And while virtually any costume could technically have a twin, using characters that actually look identical or have twins in context makes a much more lasting impression.
Identical Twins and Sibling Themes
Here are some of the most common twin costumes for Halloween that you’ll typically see.
Thing 1 & Thing 2 – The consistency in this deliverance is what makes it work so well, and there’s simply no conflating who you are. Just dress in red and get some blue cotton candy-looking hair.
Hidden Sweaters – There are a ton of characters in the crowded picture series, and they all look the same! Grab your best red and white striped sweater, and you’re halfway there!
Brooklyn Plumbers – This classic twin pairing requires green, red, and some overalls, but to really drive the point home, make sure to wear a substantial mustache.
Pirates – The beauty of dressing as pirates on Halloween is that they all typically look the same. However, you can certainly add some detail to help you and a partner stand out from any other Buccaneers. Trousers, suspenders, unbuttoned shirts, and bandanas are all in session.
Pet-Inspired Costumes
Just about everyone loves animals, and dressing up as your favorite wild creature or even household pet is an evergreen way to show your love for our friends in the natural kingdom. Let’s take a look at some of the most tried and true animal-themed outfits worn each Halloween.
Animal Costumes for Singles and Couples
Dog & Cat – Whether it’s a generic costume or a representation of your personal pet, you can’t go wrong with a dog and cat duo. Some good ears and customized clothing give you creative freedom.
Gorilla & Banana – Arguably everyone’s favorite jungle and zoo animal, we all know how much gorillas love bananas, so dressing as these two shows your commitment to the chase. These costumes are usually easy to find.
Bear & Park Ranger – Are they friends or enemies? We’ll leave that to you to decide since these two entities are inextricably connected in one way or another. Dressing as a bear may be a bit tougher, though.
Fish in a Bowl – Dressing as a goldfish and then encasing yourself in a glass bowl is a comical way to show your appreciation for the most simple aquatic pet.
Buck & Doe – People have a fascination with these creatures since they’re found just about everywhere, and luckily, these costumes are fairly easy to put together with common clothing and makeup.
Bonding with a Match Over Halloween Costumes
When you’re in a relationship, it’s the little things like creative planning and attending events with your partner around Halloween that help you to bond on a deeper level. Building this type of connection is important, and what better way than to do so while being clever and innovative with your costume design. If you’re planning to attend a Halloween party or any other fall-themed function that calls for dressing up, try and coordinate with your partner to come up with a concept you both enjoy. At the end of the day, as long as you have fun together, that’s what matters most.
These couples’ Halloween costumes will make you laugh…and realize you shouldn’t have waited to the last minute to put yours together.
When words just aren’t enough.
Creepy landlords.
En route to Alice Cooper.
This is just precious.
Good, clean fun.
Extra nerdy.
Getting from point A to B has never been easier.
Khaleesi and Drogo share a tender moment near a bustling parking lot.
Mark your calendars, because you don’t want to miss these deliciously fun culinary happenings:
Tavola, 1800 Post Oak, invites guests to a luxurious White Truffle Wine Dinner on Tuesday, October 29 ($285 per person). Crafted by chef de cuisine Michael Lara in celebration of the prized white truffle, highlights include Texas wagyu beef tartare, white truffle ravioli and beef tender medallion, complemented by wines from historic Italian winery Cascina Principe – Vacca. Reservations are available on OpenTable, and the dinner starts at 6:30 p.m.
Belly of the Beast, 5200 FM 2920, is celebrating its first anniversary with an exclusive dinner on Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, with seatings at 5:30 or 7:30 p.m. Guests can toast to one year with a specially curated menu and handpicked wines.
On Saturday, November 2 and Sunday, November 3 from 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., Money Cat, 2925 Richmond, will host a Sando pop-up in celebration of National Sandwich Day. Enjoy Japanese-inspired sandos crafted by Chef Yeung, paired with a selection of Japanese coffee from Kohiko Coffee House, with highlights including the Money Cat Sando with chicken thigh katsu, the Egg Salad Sando, the Wagyu Sando and more.
Celebrating its 30th anniversary, Urban Harvest will host a Sunday Supper at St. John’s School, 2401 Claremont, on Sunday, November 3 beginning at 4 p.m.. Top local chefs will curate a hyper-seasonal menu for the family style, farm-to-table dinner, showcasing products by Urban Harvest Farmer’s Market vendors, local farmers, ranchers and fisherman. Tables start at $2,500 with seating for four.
On Monday, November 11, Recipe for Success Foundation’s19th annual Delicious Alchemy Banquet will celebrate Houston’s culinary diversity with an all-female chef brigade presenting ten courses against the beautiful backdrop of Hope Farms, 10401 Scott. Guests can start with botanical cocktails and twilight bites in the Cavnar Family Foundation Chefs Garden before taking their seats at a long “kings” table set for just 80 guests in the United Healthcare Foundation Gathering Barn. The evening runs from 7 to 10 p.m. and Tickets start at $2,500 per person.
Semilore Faleti is a cryptocurrency writer specialized in the field of journalism and content creation. While he started out writing on several subjects, Semilore soon found a knack for cracking down on the complexities and intricacies in the intriguing world of blockchains and cryptocurrency.
Semilore is drawn to the efficiency of digital assets in terms of storing, and transferring value. He is a staunch advocate for the adoption of cryptocurrency as he believes it can improve the digitalization and transparency of the existing financial systems.
In two years of active crypto writing, Semilore has covered multiple aspects of the digital asset space including blockchains, decentralized finance (DeFi), staking, non-fungible tokens (NFT), regulations and network upgrades among others.
In his early years, Semilore honed his skills as a content writer, curating educational articles that catered to a wide audience. His pieces were particularly valuable for individuals new to the crypto space, offering insightful explanations that demystified the world of digital currencies.
Semilore also curated pieces for veteran crypto users ensuring they were up to date with the latest blockchains, decentralized applications and network updates. This foundation in educational writing has continued to inform his work, ensuring that his current work remains accessible, accurate and informative.
Currently at NewsBTC, Semilore is dedicated to reporting the latest news on cryptocurrency price action, on-chain developments and whale activity. He also covers the latest token analysis and price predictions by top market experts thus providing readers with potentially insightful and actionable information.
Through his meticulous research and engaging writing style, Semilore strives to establish himself as a trusted source in the crypto journalism field to inform and educate his audience on the latest trends and developments in the rapidly evolving world of digital assets.
Outside his work, Semilore possesses other passions like all individuals. He is a big music fan with an interest in almost every genre. He can be described as a “music nomad” always ready to listen to new artists and explore new trends.
Semilore Faleti is also a strong advocate for social justice, preaching fairness, inclusivity, and equity. He actively promotes the engagement of issues centred around systemic inequalities and all forms of discrimination.
He also promotes political participation by all persons at all levels. He believes active contribution to governmental systems and policies is the fastest and most effective way to bring about permanent positive change in any society.
In conclusion, Semilore Faleti exemplifies the convergence of expertise, passion, and advocacy in the world of crypto journalism. He is a rare individual whose work in documenting the evolution of cryptocurrency will remain relevant for years to come.
His dedication to demystifying digital assets and advocating for their adoption, combined with his commitment to social justice and political engagement, positions him as a dynamic and influential voice in the industry.
Whether through his meticulous reporting at NewsBTC or his fervent promotion of fairness and equity, Semilore continues to inform, educate, and inspire his audience, striving for a more transparent and inclusive financial future.
After surging to a record high in October on the back of festival season-led accelerated discretionary spending, credit card spends normalised in November, falling over 10 per cent month-on-month.
Spends for the month stood at ₹1.61-lakh crore, 10.04 per cent lower m-o-m. In October, they had surged over 25 per cent to touch the record of ₹1.78-lakh crore, according to data by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).
Most major issuers registered a double digit decline in spends during the month with spends for the top four issuers falling 7-19 per cent. ICICI Bank saw the highest decrease at 18.7 per cent followed by Axis Bank at 14.5 per cent.
The share of e-commerce payments in credit cards spends fell to 63.3 per cent in November after steadily increasing for the past three months to 67.6 per cent as of October 2023. On the other hand, the share of PoS (point-of-sale) transactions jumped to 36.7 per cent in November after falling for the last three months to 32.4 per cent in October.
Other major issuers such as Kotak Mahindra Bank, AU Small Finance Bank, DBS Bank India and Federal Bank too saw a decline in spends, whereas IndusInd Bank and IDFC First Bank saw an increase of 1.8-2.0 per cent m-o-m.
Cards outstanding
Even as spends declined during the month, credit cards-in-force continued to grow at a steady pace. Outstanding cards touched a new high of 9.60 crore cards in November, up 1.4 per cent from the previous high of 9.47 crore cards in October.
The number of credit cards rose by 12.9 lakh during the month, lower than 16.9 lakh cards in October and 17.4 lakh in September, largely due to a decline in the number of cards for banks such as Bank of Baroda, Karur Vysya Bank, and SBM Bank India.
Among the top four issuers, HDFC Bank was the leader in terms of increase in number of cards, breaking ICICI Bank’s three-month streak. HDFC Bank net added 3.2 lakh cards during the month to a total of 1.95 crore cards, maintaining its position as the largest card issuer in the country.
SBI Card, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank all saw net additions of less than 2 lakh cards during the month. IDFC First Bank, IndusInd Bank, Kotak Mahindra Bank, RBL Bank and AU Small Finance were the other issuers to see strong net addition in cards.
Southern California home prices dipped from October to November, the first decline in nine months.
The average home price in the six-county region clocked in at $829,557 in November, down 0.1% from October, according to data released by Zillow this week.
All counties saw drops except Orange County, where values rose slightly.
Nicole Bachaud, a senior economist with the real estate website Zillow, said the small price declines across much of Southern California can be attributed to two things: Fall is typically a slower time of the year for home sales and buyers are struggling with high prices and high mortgage rates.
“It’s really challenging,” she said.
According to the California Assn. of Realtors, only 11% of households in both Los Angeles County and Orange County could afford a median-priced house during the third quarter; that measure stood at 19% in Riverside County and 25% in San Bernardino County.
When mortgage rates first surged last year, home prices fell in response as buyers pulled away and inventory swelled. But prices started rising again this year as homeowners increasingly chose not to sell, unwilling to give up their rock-bottom mortgage rates on loans taken out before or during the pandemic.
In most counties, home prices are near their all-time peaks despite November’s small decline. In Orange County, prices are setting records.
Prospective buyers received a sliver of good news in recent weeks. Mortgage interest rates have fallen from a high of 7.79% to the low-7% range, giving them a bit more buying power.
But experts don’t expect a significant improvement in affordability.
Bachaud said mortgage rates are likely to remain high, which will keep inventories tight as many existing homeowners choose to stay put. At the same time, those high rates should also keep prices from surging, since they limit how much people can afford, Bachaud said.
Overall, Zillow expects home prices over the next year to rise 0.1% in the Inland Empire counties of Riverside and San Bernardino. Across Los Angeles and Orange counties, prices should fall 1.6%. In San Diego County, prices are expected to remain flat, while in Ventura County they should drop 2%.
When it comes to the rental market, prices are also dropping slightly. Experts say that’s because the number of vacancies is rising as apartment supply expands and consumers worry about the economy and inflation.
In November, the median rent for vacant units of all sizes across Los Angeles County was $1,900, down 1.9% from a year earlier, according to data from Apartment List.
If the Federal Reserve’s actions to tame inflation push the economy into recession, home values and rents could drop further. However, there’s growing optimism that the country will avoid an economic downturn.
Pokémon Go has its own version of the notorious Team Rocket, called Team Go Rocket. In this Pokémon Go guide, we’ll break down how to find leaders Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo and take them down.
Below, we list their parties and strategies as it stands in October 2023, with the most recent changes following the the Team Go Rocket Takeover event that activated alongside the arrival of the “Showdown in the Shadows” quest in late Oct.
How to find leaders Sierra, Cliff, and Arlo in Pokémon Go
Team Go Rocket leaders can be found in black PokéStops or hot air balloons flying above you with a Rocket Radar equipped.
To get a Rocket Radar, you must get six Mysterious Components, with one regular Go Team Rocket encounter rewarding one Mysterious Component each.
With the Rocket Radar equipped, you will then encounter a leader at random. The three leaders are Sierra, Arlo, and Cliff.
Some Timed Research and Team Go Rocket Special Research tasks require you to beat all three leaders. Completing the Team Go Rocket Special Research will reward you with a Super Rocket Radar, allowing you to find the boss, Giovanni. Beating Giovanni will net you a Legendary Shadow Pokémon.
Team Go Rocket leader Sierra counters
Image: Niantic
Note: Leader Sierra’s team will update in Rocket Balloons from Thursday, Oct. 26 onwards, with the first encounter as Sableye, which can be a possible shadow shiny.
The previous Sierra team — still active in PokéStops until Friday, Oct. 27, is:
Though coming in to scope out her team first is recommended, if you come equipped with water- and fighting-types, that will help a ton. Her party is pretty diverse, so you may also want to sprinkle in electric-, steel-, and ice-type moves as well, depending on what she’s running. Notably, Sableye is only weak against fairy-type moves, so you’ll want to either bring a Pokémon that knows fairy moves or you’ll want to brute force it.
We recommend using the following:
Raikou with Thunder Shock and Wild Charge
Magnezone with Spark and Wild Charge
Lucario with Counter and Aura Sphere
Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Kyogre with Waterfall and Origin Pulse
Swampert with Water Gun and Hydro Cannon
Glaceon with Ice Shard and Avalanche
Avalugg with Ice Fang and Avalanche
Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Dialga with Metal Claw and Iron Head
Team Go Rocket leader Arlo counters
Image: Niantic
Note: Leader Arlo’s team will update in Rocket Balloons from Thursday, Oct. 26 onwards, with the first encounter as Bellsprout, which can be a possible shadow shiny.
The previous Arlo team — still active in PokéStops until Friday, Oct. 27, is:
If you come with ghost-, fighting-, and fire-type moves, you’ll take down almost every possible encounter in Arlo’s party.
We recommend using any of the following:
Giratina with Shadow Claw and Shadow Force
Gengar with Shadow Claw and Shadow Ball
Lucario with Counter and Aura Sphere
Machamp with Counter and Dynamic Punch
Reshiram with Fire Fang and Fusion Flare
Volcarona with Fire Spin and Overheat
Team Go Rocket leader Cliff counters
Image: Niantic
Note: Leader Cliff’s team will update in Rocket Balloons from Thursday, Oct. 26 onwards, with the first encounter as Dratini, which can be a possible shadow shiny.
The previous Cliff team — still active in PokéStops until Friday, Oct. 27, is:
Cliff’s potential parties are diverse in typing, so you should match up against him just to see what he has and then plan accordingly. Water-type moves will help you take out Aerodactyl, Mamoswine, and Tyranitar. Ghost-type moves also have some good coverage here. Steel– and flying-type moves will also help you a good amount.
We recommend using a mix of the following:
Kyogre with Waterfall and Origin Pulse
Swampert with Water Gun and Hydro Cannon
Origin Forme Giratina with Shadow Claw and Shadow Force
Chandelure with Hex and Shadow Ball
Metagross with Bullet Punch and Meteor Mash
Dialga with Metal Claw and Iron Head
Moltres with Wing Attack and Sky Attack
Honchkrow with Peck and Sky Attack
Team Go Rocket leader tips
If you’re struggling against the leaders, here’s a few tips to keep in mind:
They will use their shields on the first two Charge Attacks you use. Using a Pokémon that can charge and use Charge Attacks quickly will help you get rid of their shields, allowing you to freely damage them.
You should be prepared for the first Pokémon you use to get knocked out. If you use a Pokémon that gets through shields easily, that’s fine, but your other Pokémon will need to have decent type advantages to defeat any remaining Pokémon.
Remember, you can attempt the battle many times using one Rocket Radar, so you can queue up your strongest Pokémon just to see what the leader is carrying. If you defeat them on the first try, great! If not, you can swap your party around for some type-effective counters.
The team leaders have high CP Pokémon, so you should definitely be using the highest CP Pokémon you have if you’re struggling.
Microsoft’s Xbox Game Pass subscription service is having another banner year in 2023, with over 450 games now available for console players and over 400 for PC players.
The service has recently been bolstered with the addition of two huge Xbox Game Studios exclusives, Starfieldand Forza Motorsport, while Cities: Skylines 2 is a big-deal day one addition for the PC crowd. Atlus’ JRPG classics Persona 4 Goldenand Persona 3 Portable made their debut on Xbox consoles earlier in the year, and Tango Gameworks’ surprise release Hi-Fi Rushtold a cathartic rock ’n’ roll story with clever mechanics. Blockbuster titles are well represented with the likes of Assassin’s Creed and Hitman, cult favorites like Lies of P popped up, and Game Pass has continued its strong tradition of curating the best of the indie world with the likes of Cocoon. Even Grand Theft Auto 5 — and its extremely popular online mode — has returned to the service once more. That’s a lot of “free” video gaming to be done!
With the sheer size and the bounty of choice it offers, Game Pass can be a bit overwhelming to digest. But we’re here to help. Here are the 25 PC and Xbox Game Pass games that you should be checking out if you subscribe to Microsoft’s flagship service.
[Ed. note: This list was last updated on Oct. 24, 2023, adding Cocoon, Lies of P, and Party Animals. It will be updated as new games come to the service.]
Assassin’s Creed Origins
Image: Ubisoft Montreal/Ubisoft
Assassin’s Creed Originshas always been good — but it was only in hindsight, three years after its release, that I began to consider it great.
It’s a phenomenal concoction of historical tourism, sci-fi storytelling, and open-ended combat. It also displays a confidence that the more recent Assassin’s Creed Odyssey and Assassin’s Creed Valhalla can only partially match. Whereas the two most recent entries embrace the insecure ethos of “content” that has so defined the last decade of open-world games, Origins is content to leave vast swaths of its world empty and to let things burn slowly, in ways both narrative and explorative. Its map unfurls over deserts, mountains, oases, and sun-swept cities slowly being buried in sand, all while its two central figures (Bayek and Aya) navigate one of video games’ most compelling romances.
It’s not completely averse to daily challenges and cosmetic DLC packs. But it’s the rare open-world game that trusts my attention span. It understands that pastoral beauty and tragic storytelling, successfully interwoven, are worth more than any number of distractions its successors can throw at me. —Mike Mahardy
Assassin’s Creed Origins is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Chicory: A Colorful Tale
Image: Greg Lobanov/Finji
Chicory: A Colorful Tale tells the story of a small dog who accidentally inherits a magical paintbrush. As you travel around the black-and-white open world, you use your new paint powers to bring color back to the environments. Everything is your canvas, and you can color it all to both solve puzzles and customize the setting to your liking.
The gameplay of Chicory is cute and relatively simple, even as you unlock new powers. But the reason it made it to the No. 2 slot on Polygon’s 2021 Game of the Year list is the story it tells about the destructive powers of self-doubt — the way it cruelly infects even the greatest artists out there.
Chicory is a game that’s not about coloring in the lines or even making something beautiful. It’s about making something — painting something, in this case — that you are proud of, that makes you happy. And if that creation also brings joy to those around you? Hey, that’s great too. —Ryan Gilliam
Chicory: A Colorful Tale is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Cities: Skylines
Image: Colossal Order/Paradox Interactive
There’s a reason Cities: Skylines is often held up by literal city planners as the pinnacle of the genre: It doesn’t fall into the trap most city-builders do of treating all its resources and systems as mere data points on a list, gaming by way of a spreadsheet. Cities: Skylines is the real deal, letting you get into the weeds of urban micromanagement and understanding how and why metropolises morph in response to the needs of their citizens. (It’s also proof that planned cities are a crime against humanity.)
Cities: Skylines forces you to grapple with the beautiful, messy truth of what your citizens are: people. In other words, Eric Adams, please play Cities: Skylines! —Ari Notis
Cities Skylines is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Citizen Sleeper
Image: Jump Over the Age/Fellow Traveller
Citizen Sleeper is a hyper-stylized tabletop-like RPG set in space. In a capitalist society, you find yourself stuck on a space station. You’ll need to manage your time, energy, and relationships to survive the collapse of the corporatocracy and the anarchy that follows. You’ll roll dice and make decisions to get paid and help those around you.
Aside from its interesting setting, Citizen Sleeper features a vibrant cast of impactful characters, making each interaction memorable. It follows an excellent trend of table-top inspired games to encourage you to find your own objectives, and to revel in the story when things fall apart. It’s packed with tense decisions, great writing, and striking visuals. —Ryan Gilliam
Citizen Sleeper is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Cocoon
Image: Geometric Interactive/Annapurna Interactive via Polygon
A mysteriously beautiful, exquisitely paced puzzle adventure from some of the minds behind Limbo and Inside, Cocoonshares those games’ wordless delivery and stark aesthetic. But it’s more abstract and contemplative, and perhaps even more involving. It’s a game of pocket universes, one inside another, inhabited by buglike techno-organic life-forms — including the player character, a scurrying little beetle-thing. The conceit is that you can step up out of one reality and move it around another on your back, in a gently glowing sphere that also interacts with the world around it, before diving back in — or swapping it for another entirely.
Like so many puzzle adventures, it’s essentially a game of locks and keys, plus the occasional ingenious boss fight. But like the very best of them — Fez, for example, or Portal — Cocoon plays games with perception and reality that rewire your brain in pleasantly tortuous ways. —Oli Welsh
Cocoon is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Crusader Kings 3
Image: Paradox Interactive via Polygon
Imagine if Succession unfolded between the years 867 and 1453, in the throne rooms, banquet halls, and torchlit back corridors of European castles. Monarchs rise and fall, small-time fiefdoms become bona fide kingdoms, and nonmarital children exact revenge after decades of being shunned. Crusader Kings 3is the story of the Roy family if we could pick any character, see them through to their death, and assume control of their orphaned heir — at which point, we can completely alter the course of the dynasty through petty gossip and underhanded murder attempts.
In Paradox Interactive’s vast suite of grand strategy games with complex systems that give way to thrilling emergent storytelling, none have made me cackle with glee quite as much as Crusader Kings 3. In one playthrough, I wed my firstborn son to the daughter of a powerful neighboring king, only for said daughter to declare a holy war on me one decade later. In another, I strong-armed one of my vassals into remaining loyal, shortly before knighting his cousin and sworn rival; I didn’t want to be a jerk, but my characters were jerks. I was just following the script down the path of least resistance.
Much like Succession, Crusader Kings 3 is at its best when tensions finally boil over between the emotionally stunted members of a dysfunctional family. Unlike Succession, though, Crusader Kings 3 never has to end. —Mike Mahardy
Crusader Kings 3 is available via Game Pass on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Death’s Door
Image: Acid Nerve/Devolver Digital
Death’s Door is a cute little Soulslike game. You play as a raven who works as a kind of grim reaper for the bureaucratic arm of the afterlife. It’s your job to adventure in the world and claim the lives of a handful of bosses. The world of Death’s Door is charming, as are its characters, with excellent dungeons to explore and puzzles to solve. There are also giant enemies who will test both your skills and patience.
Still, Death’s Door has a friendly air around it. It wants you to succeed, and does a nice job easing you along with easy-to-read enemy and boss patterns. It’s a great, challenging Game Pass game to cut your teeth on before venturing into even more difficult titles. —Ryan Gilliam
Death’s Door is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Doom (2016)
Image: id Software/Bethesda Softworks
2016’s Doom builds off of one of the oldest franchises in gaming history with speed, acrobatics, and an absolutely killer soundtrack. Doomguy moves extremely quickly, swapping between a variety of guns, grenades, melee attacks, and a giant chainsaw to blow up demons off of Mars.
The game is bloody, metal as hell, and surprisingly funny. Doom makes you feel like a god, capable of clearing any hurdle the game could throw at you, and it doesn’t offer a single dull level in its lengthy campaign. —Ryan Gilliam
Doom (2016) is available via Game Pass on Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
Forza Horizon 5
Image: Playground Games/Xbox Game Studios via Polygon
Forza Horizon 5 is the latest racing game to land on Xbox and Game Pass. It’s a visual feast filled with some of the most realistic-looking cars you’ve ever seen. But anyone who loves any of these Forza games will tell you that the Horizon series is so much more than its graphics.
Horizon 5 takes place in a fictionalized Mexico, and gives you the freedom to drive around a massive map in whatever car you want. You can drive a nice sports car while off-roading, or drive a hummer off a massive ramp.
Forza Horizon 5 gives you the freedom and choice to drive how and where you want inside a legion of incredible cars. —Ryan Gilliam
Forza Horizon 5 is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Grand Theft Auto 5
Image: Rockstar North/Rockstar Games
Grand Theft Auto 5 is one of the most celebrated games of the last decade. In that time, it has appeared on three different generations of consoles, seen numerous graphical improvements, and gotten new modes, like its sweeping first-person alteration.
The main story focuses on three criminals from three very different backgrounds bumbling their way through numerous heists in the city of Los Santos — a fictional version of Southern California. And in order to tell the stories of Michael, Franklin, and Trevor, the game implements a feature that allows you to swap between the protagonists at will, offering a new perspective on the city and letting you play multiple roles per heist.
Grand Theft Auto games usually live long past their time, but GTA 5 has remained especially relevant due to GTA Online, the sprawling MMO-like experience that Rockstar Games created inside the world of San Andreas. It’s the massive GTA 5 sandbox — plus a little extra — without any of the constraints found in the story mode.
The parts of GTA 5 that annoy — such as the more misguided aspects of its American commentary, or the occasional tailing mission — are distant memories compared to the chaos you can cause every five minutes. If futzing around a semi-realistic metropolitan area is something you really enjoy, it’s hard to imagine anything on this list entertaining you for as long as Grand Theft Auto 5 will. —Ryan Gilliam
Grand Theft Auto 5 is available via Game Pass on Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
Halo: The Master Chief Collection
Image: 343 Industries/Xbox Game Studios
The Xbox brand might never have taken off without the Halo series, the first-person shooters that helped to popularize local competitive multiplayer on consoles before taking the party online after the launch of Xbox Live. The Master Chief Collection package includes multiple Halo games, all of which have been updated to keep them enjoyable for modern audiences.
But what’s so striking about the collection is how many ways there are to play. You can go through the campaigns by yourself. If you want to play with a friend but don’t want to compete, there is co-op, allowing you to share the games’ stories with a partner, either online or through split-screen play. If you do want to compete, you can do it locally against up to three other players on the same TV, or take things online to challenge the wider community.
These are some of the best first-person shooters ever released, and they’re worth revisiting and enjoying, no matter how you decide to play them. Sharing these games with my children through local co-op has been an amazing journey, and this package includes so many games, each of which is filled with different modes and options. It’s hard to imagine ever getting bored or uninstalling the collection once it’s on your hard drive.
This is a part of gaming history that continues to feel relevant, and very much alive. —Ben Kuchera
Halo: The Master Chief Collection is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Hardspace: Shipbreaker
Image: Blackbird Interactive/Focus Entertainment
Hardspace: Shipbreaker is another game poking fun at corporate greed and its general indifference toward the working class — seen in other excellent building games like Satisfactory. But Hardspace takes it further than just tongue-in-cheek poking by asking: What happens when the workers have had enough? Hardspace: Shipbreaker’s pro-union message is a delightful backdrop for an incredibly deep and stress-filled puzzle game.
As a Shipbreaker, your job is to break apart and recycle small spaceships. With your handy welding tools and futuristic gravity tethers, you’re able to carefully carve up these once-great hulks and repurpose them for the future. Sometimes that means throwing all the metal plates into the furnace to be melted down, and other times you’ll need to comb through the skeletons, grab salvageable items, and extract them still intact.
As you improve your skills, the game will test you with harder and larger ships. Suddenly, you’ll have to start worrying about the active nuclear reactors that are still in these vehicles, or pressurized cabins that explode if you open them in the wrong order.
And all of this danger circles Hardspace: Shipbreaker back to the conversation it starts at the very beginning. Hardspace is a game about focus, and how taking your eye off the ball for even a second can end in explosive death, or worse: a career spent toiling under forces that couldn’t care less about you. —Ryan Gilliam
Hardspace: Shipbreaker is available via Game Pass on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Hi-Fi Rush
Image: Tango Gameworks/Bethesda Softworks via Polygon
Rhythm games, for players who prefer to shoot, dodge, punch, and jump on their own time, can be a tough sell. But such is not the case with Hi-Fi Rush, the action game from Ghostwire: Tokyo developer Tango Gameworks. It provides an array of visual cues to help rhythmically challenged players, but crucially, it doesn’t require that protagonist Chai attacks according to the game’s metronome. Instead, its rhythm elements are an optional layer to interact with, offering score chasers something to aspire to. For everyone else, the game’s vibrant world, rock n’ roll storytelling, and entrancing traversal stand well enough on their own. It’s a cathartic triumph of a game.—Mike Mahardy
Hi-Fi Rush is available via Game Pass on Windows PC and Xbox Series X.
Hitman World of Assassination
Image: IO Interactive
Hitman, Hitman 2, and Hitman 3 are some of the best sandbox puzzle games ever made. As Agent 47, you’ll climb buildings, sneak around parties, and murder spies and debutantes with all manner of tools. Hitman World of Assassination includes the campaigns from all three of the games in IO Interactive’s recent World of Assassination trilogy, giving you more than a dozen maps to play on. Just last week, it also added Freelancer mode, which functions like a roguelike as Agent 47 kills his way through four major crime syndicates, fleshing out his safehouse as he goes.
The Hitman series may be about violence and murder, but it manages to stay lighthearted and fun with its wild physics and silly scenarios. It’s the perfect series to goof around in if you feel like being stealthy, or just want to see what happens when you drop a giant chandelier on a crowd of snobby jerks. —Ryan Gilliam
Hitman Trilogy is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Lies of P
Image: Neowiz
One of 2023’s most delightful surprises, Lies of P is a Soulslike starring a noticeably hot Pinocchio, of all things, from relatively unheralded Korean developer Neowiz. It turns out to be one of the most original and interesting takes on the genre from outside FromSoftware — although more so in its strong storytelling and themes than its gameplay, which is heavily influenced by Sekiro and Bloodborne in its aggressive, rhythmic focus on parry-and-thrust.
As Pinocchio lies and battles his way around a crumbling Belle Epoque town that’s been overrun by its servant class of automatons, Lies of P’s grim tale bends to the player’s choices in ways that convince and intrigue. This works particularly well with Pinocchio’s dual nature as a half-human half-puppet who can be modified with gameplay-altering tools; Lies of P presents an illusory society that you can tinker with and change, just as it tries to manipulate you. —Oli Welsh
Lies of P is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition
Image: BioWare/Electronic Arts
The Mass Effect franchise was gigantic for the Xbox 360 era, but it didn’t transfer to future platforms well — purchasing and downloading the entire story became confusing and expensive when moving to the Xbox One and Xbox Series X. But 2021’s Legendary Editionfinally made the entire Mass Effect trilogy accessible in one package.
The story follows Commander Shepard, a futuristic military hero, who’s tasked with gathering a collection of alien misfits for a variety of missions. Each game is wonderfully crafted, with stand-alone stories and breakout characters that don’t rely on the series’ wider narrative. As a trilogy, the games build on each other with meaningful choices that carry over to the next entry, giving weight to your choices.
The Legendary Edition is the way to experience Mass Effect, and it’s a must-play whether you’re on your first run to save the galaxy or your fifth. —Ryan Gilliam
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X, but only for those that have Game Pass Ultimate.
Party Animals
Image: Recreate Games/Source Technology
Look, it’s not rocket science. Sometimes you just want some truly dumb, violent nonsense to play with your friends, and fulfilling that need is just as important for a well-rounded subscription service like Game Pass as serving up expansive RPGs and intriguing indies. Party Animals is a multiplayer party brawler about cute critters knocking the stuffing out of each other. That’s it. It’s not Smash Bros., and nor does it pretend to be; it’s more like an aggressively cute Gang Beasts, or a Fall Guys that’s just about fighting. It’s a little slow, but that just makes it easier to revel in its soft-bellied slapstick. Turn your brain off and enjoy. —Oli Welsh
Party Animals is available via Game Pass on Xbox One and Xbox Series X.
Pentiment
Image: Obsidian Entertainment/Xbox Game Studios
Pentiment is the most immediately striking and recognizable game on this list. Inspired by the art of classic manuscripts, Pentiment sucks you into its beautifully designed version of 16th-century Europe, when books were still being written by hand in monasteries.
You play as Andreas, a young artist looking to make his fortune in an ever-changing world. And as you explore a small village and the grounds surrounding it, and go to work drawing magnificent pictures in custom manuscripts, you’ll meet new people and further flesh out Andreas’ personality and background.
The story will take you through murder, scandal, and a variety of other dramatic events in Andreas’ life. But the plot is secondary to the game’s incredible style and dialogue. —Ryan Gilliam
Pentiment is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Persona 4 Golden
Image: Atlus via Polygon
Persona 4 Golden follows a boy who goes to stay with his uncle and cousin in a small Japanese town. But almost immediately after his arrival, a serial killer starts murdering civilians, all of which have an unknown thread connecting them.
As with all Persona games, Persona 4 Golden allows you to play out your time in school, improving your character’s social stats and friendships before diving into dungeons to help further the plot. But the cast of characters in Persona 4 Golden is unlike any other in the series, offering some of the most memorable party members in any RPG.
Now on Xbox, Persona 4 Golden looks wonderful and plays beautifully. It’s a smart turn-based RPG that’s loaded with conversations to be had and mysteries to solve. —Ryan Gilliam
Persona 4 Golden is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
PowerWash Simulator
Image: FuturLab/Square Enix
PowerWash Simulator is the perfect game to sit on your couch and space off to. As the name suggests, you’re a professional power washer, and your job is to use your washing tools to obliterate grease, grime, and goop off of vehicles, buildings, and even entire playgrounds.
There are some minor upgrade and currency systems, but PowerWash Simulator mostly takes a minimalistic approach — you power wash stuff, no more, no less. Sure, you can take special jobs where you wash something wild like a Mars rover, but it’s really just about making things clean. And while it might sound like boring yard work, it’s actually quite meditative.
Blasting the black film off of a colorful slide provided me with one of the biggest serotonin bursts I’ve gotten from any piece of media in years. It’s a delightful, peaceful game that never fails to relax me after a long week. —Ryan Gilliam
PowerWash Simulator is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Slay the Spire
In Slay the Spire, I play as one of three unique characters, in order to fight my way through a randomly generated map filled with battles, treasure chests, and RPG-like encounters. Combat is similar to that of a turn-based RPG, but instead of selecting attacks and spells from a menu, I draw cards from each character’s specific pool of cards. These cards allow me to attack, defend, cast spells, or use special abilities. Each character has their own set of cards, making their play styles radically different.
I also learned to buck my expectations for the kinds of decks I should build. The key to deck-building games is constructing a thematic deck where each card complements the others. In card games like Magic: The Gathering, this is easy enough to do, since you do all your planning before a match — not in the moment, like in Slay the Spire. Since I’m given a random set of cards to build a deck from at the end of each encounter, I can’t go into any run with a certain deck-building goal in mind. I have to quickly decide on long-term deck designs based on what cards are available to me after a battle. The trick with Slay the Spire is to think more creatively and proactively than the typical card game requires. —Jeff Ramos
Slay the Spire is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
You start the game by inheriting a farm from your grandfather, and you then move to a sleepy town to take over the diminishing acres. For the next 10, 20, 50, 100-plus hours, you work to turn that farm into a modern utopia.
This is easily the most relaxing game on Game Pass. All you do is plant seeds, care for animals, mine some rocks, and befriend the villagers. There’s plenty of drama to be had — with the Wal-Mart-like JojaMart and an army of slimes trying to stop you from mining — but at the end of the day, you’re still going to pass out in your farmhouse and get ready to plant more strawberries the next morning. —Ryan Gilliam
Stardew Valley is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge
Image: Tribute Games/Dotemu
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revengeis already a classic Turtles brawler. If you could’ve overheard a bunch of kids talking about their dream TMNT game while playing the original Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles arcade cabinet at a local pizza bar in 1989, or Turtles in Time in 1991, this is the Turtles game they’d be imagining.
But over 30 years later, Shredder’s Revenge implements some features that distinguish it from the days of the coin operated arcade. There’s a world map, side-quests, new heroes, experience points, and online matchmaking that help modernize the throwback trappings. Shredder’s Revenge manages to balance itself nicely between the world of retro and revamp.
With only 16 “episodes,” it’s the perfect Game Pass game to jump into with some pals at a sleepover — as long as there’s pizza, of course. —Ryan Gilliam
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Shredder’s Revenge is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition
Image: Bethesda Game Studios/Bethesda Softworks
The Elder Scrolls 5, better known as just Skyrim, is a classic. And while you can play it on almost any console or device known to humankind at this point, it’s still worth playing on Game Pass if you’ve never given it a chance, or are just craving another journey in its sprawling world.
Like most Bethesda RPGs, Skyrim is a first-person game with a giant, living world. There are dungeons to crawl, stories to uncover, and a variety of guilds to join. But you can also go off the beaten path and discover your own fun in Skyrim — it rewards you for being curious. It’s the kind of Game Pass game that you can play for hundreds of hours and never get bored. —Ryan Gilliam
The Elder Scrolls 5: Skyrim Special Edition is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
The only control you have over the game is what character you select, what items you choose during your run, and where your character moves. Depending on your weapons of choice, knives, whips, flames, magic bolts, bibles, or holy water fly out of your character in every direction, decimating hordes or pixelated movie monsters, earning you cash for your next adventure.
Though extremely simple on its face, Vampire Survivors is one of the best games of 2022. It perfectly walks the line between peaceful and stressful, requiring the perfect amount of attention for success. It also facilitates growth through skill and through roguelite progression, ensuring that each run is a bit different from your last. —Ryan Gilliam
Vampire Survivors is available via Game Pass on Windows PC, Xbox One, and Xbox Series X.
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