Tag Archives: drinks

culture, Food, L.A. Life, lifestyle, New Experience, seasonal

Pumpkin Spiced Fall

By Emiko Akama-Garren

Edited by Natalie Grace Sipula

[3 minute read]

The American fall time consists of many traditions and holidays, and those who are not familiar with them may find the traditions amusing and sometimes odd. This time of year is heavily centered around food, with the most important item being the pumpkin. Pumpkins play a role in Thanksgiving, Halloween and essential fall activities like going to a pumpkin patch. So, it is no surprise that pumpkin spice has become an essential part of the season. I always feel more festive and start to get into the fall mood when I see all of the seasonal pumpkin-flavored items available.

Pumpkin spice products are continuing to spread and major brands continue to introduce new pumpkin fused items for the fall time. The limited availability of the flavor has been a key selling point for the products. Some of the most popular items include candles, soap, cookies, drinks, baked goods, snacks, and even pet products. The most quintessential pumpkin spice item to try is most definitely the pumpkin spice latte. Social media, especially Instagram, has created a large following and obsession for pumpkin spice latte fans of all ages.

Photo by Brooke Lark on Unsplash

It is already a shock to many non Americans how many different products that feature pumpkins are available, so it is even more surprising when people find out that pumpkin flavored coffee is such a sought after trend. Pumpkin spice lattes have become quite the commodity and bring in huge profits for coffee companies. Pumpkin spice lattes are typically made from milk, pumpkin puree or flavoring, pumpkin spice seasoning, a sweetener, and coffee.

Starbucks is the main party responsible for starting the pumpkin spice latte craze and turning the name of their drink into an acronym and widespread hashtag (PSL). Since Starbucks has launched their drink, over 200 million drinks have been sold and it has quickly become their most popular beverage. Now many other coffee chains offer their own versions of pumpkin spice coffees. Starbucks starts to offer the PSL in the beginning of September and it is only available “while supplies last”. This period is usually right up until when they bring back their holiday drinks.

Photo by Maddy Baker on Unsplash

Pumpkin spice no longer just creates a flavorful sensation but it also creates an emotional one. The widely loved trend admired by many Americans is slowly starting to spread, but understandably has not been picked up as quickly in foreign markets. There is no better place to try pumpkin spice food than in America as a way to celebrate the beginning of the fall holidays. Trying out and tasting this fall trend is the best way to understand the American obsession, and might just help you feel some of the holiday spirit.

Featured Image by Chris Hardy on Unsplash

Emiko is a recent graduate from the Sol Price School of Public Policy and Marshall School of Business. She was born and raised in the Bay Area, California up until high school, when she moved to Switzerland and then France. Emiko lived in Switzerland and Germany all throughout high school and then studied abroad her first year of university in Paris. While living abroad, she was involved with Model United Nations and was a figure skating coach for international students and local students looking to work on their English. She loves meeting new people, traveling, dancing, figure skating and entrepreneurship.

culture, Food, L.A. Life

Best Boba

By Erika Gomi

It’s a late night on campus and you’re working hard. But then it hits you. The craving for boba. Now, since you’re a USC student you have two major options for boba nearby: Boba Time and Cup o’ Joy. But which one should you choose to give your money to? Here is a helpful guide to cure your late night boba cravings.

Boba Time

If you’re on the West side of campus, Boba Time is the closest option to you. Right by the local Taco Bell, all you have to do is exit out of the gates by KAP. It’s orange themed décor welcomes you as you take a step inside. Boba time has a modern feel and extensive menu. They serve coffees, slushes, smoothies, milk foams, milk teas, etc. They even sell acai bowls and macarons for those late-night munchies. The acai bowls are around the same price as Nektar and Amazebowls, around $8. The boba however, is much cheaper. And guess what? Unlike most places, they don’t charge extra for boba! If you order just a milk tea or iced tea, it’s around $3.25. What a steal!

Cup o’ Joy

If you’re on the East side of campus, Cup o’ Joy is probably the closer option. Walk past Gateway and up the street past CVS. It’s a little bit of a trek, but if you love boba, you’ll power through. Cup o’ Joy has a menu very similar to Boba Time, however boba costs extra. The good thing about Cup o’ Joy is that it’s surrounded by other food options. Nearby you have, Subway, Ono’s, and Blaze, to name a few. If boba isn’t enough to satisfy your hunger, you can easily go to another restaurant. However, there’s really no need. Cup o’ Joy, in addition to its many choices in beverage, has food to. You can get a meal set consisting of rice and Chinese fried chicken or just a snack of takoyaki. But if you’re just in the mood for a drink, compared to Boba Time, Cup o’ Joy costs just a little more money, a little more than $4.

Which place is more worth it to visit? That’s really up to you and your taste. If you’re a boba connoisseur, then neither of these places will please you. But if you want something cheap and nearby, you have these two great options.

Photo by Jocelyn & Cathy on Instagram

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