Category Archives: L.A. Life

L.A. Life, USC

LA Orientation

 By Anna Ngo

“Remember to call me when you get off the plane. Don’t talk to strangers!” my mom yelled to me as I got into the security line. I was off to college and this was the first time I was traveling by myself. My mother couldn’t be more worried. In her eyes, I was still her little girl, one she wasn’t ready to see grow up.

As I walked further and further down the security line, the sight of my family slowly disappeared. Walking towards the terminal, a rush of emotions suddenly hit me. I was excited, scared, and nervous all at the same time. I didn’t know what to expect yet I was ready for what was in store for me.

My dream of going to California was finally turning into a reality. When I applied to USC, it was on a whim and I wasn’t expecting anything. When I received my acceptance letter, I had to read it at least ten times to make sure it wasn’t a rejection letter. And now here I was, flying out to Los Angeles for my freshman orientation.

When I arrived on campus, I was completely overwhelmed. There was so much upbeat LIFE going on, from students playing frisbee in the quad to others slacklining between trees. This was college. This was LA!

Continue reading LA Orientation →
L.A. Life

Guide to L.A.’s Top Museums

By Shalea Klepner

If you’re staying local during the winter break, now would be a great time to go on a museum-hopping adventure. Many of the country’s finest museums are scattered around the Los Angeles area and conveniently accessible from USC. Each museum features something unique, including paintings, photography, sculpture, and new media, and showcases various time periods from ancient to classical to contemporary. I have listed some of my favorite museums as well as fun places to eat and explore after your visits.

The Broad Museum in Downtown LA – photo by Peter Alfred Hess on Flickr

Broad Museum is Downtown Los Angeles’ highly anticipated
newest museum. The Broad is located next to Walt Disney Concert Hall on Grand Avenue. The museum currently features artworks from Cindy Sherman, Jeff Koons, Ed Ruscha, Andy Warhol, and a special installation by Yayoi Kusama.

MOCA (Museum of Contemporary Art) in Downtown Los Angeles is located across the street from the Broad Museum, which makes for a fun, double-museum day visit. The MOCA’s permanent collection includes works from Andy Warhol, Roy Lichtenstein, Claes Oldenburg, Mark Rothko, and Jackson Pollack. Its featured exhibitions are always fun, thought- provoking, and always changing.

The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA, located in the Little Tokyo Historic District, is the sibling museum of MOCA  on Grand Avenue. Pro tip: present the ticket stub from your first MOCA visit and receive free admission to the other MOCA museum, if visited on the same day.

Continue reading Guide to L.A.’s Top Museums →
L.A. Life, Outlook, Travel

Embracing the Tater Tot Casserole

By Laurie Sample

With Christmas being only a few short days away, I know I have a treat in store – visiting the in-laws! One of the things I love most about visiting my fiancée’s American family is knowing that they will, without fail, introduce me to a new and interesting dish. As a seasoned foodie, I never consider my stay in any country to be complete until I have tasted as many of its national dishes as possible. My motto in life, especially when it comes to food, is to be open to trying anything once. My future mother-in-law, an excellent chef who loves feeding people, is always more than happy to indulge my passion for unfamiliar cuisine. It was thanks to her efforts that  I had the pleasure of trying a dish known as the Tater Tot Casserole.

As you have probably gathered by now, I am not an American. I hail from England, where casseroles exist, but not of the tater tot variety. Actually, I had never even heard of tater tots until joining the in-laws at their Huntington Beach home earlier this semester. Fortunately, my fiancée was more than happy to share her knowledge of this American tradition. Tater tots, she explained, are a sort of miniature hash brown, a fare that is typically produced from the leftover potato shavings of manufactured French fries. Once balled together, these potato lumps are frozen, bagged, and sold to be microwaved at home. Though not a particularly appetizing image, tater tots are a staple amongst Americans and a special favorite for children of all backgrounds.

Continue reading Embracing the Tater Tot Casserole →