Entries by Valerie Yu

You’ve got a Donut Friend in me

★★★★★ The moment I strolled into Donut Friend last week, overwhelming nostalgia for Toy Story, one of favorite childhood movies, hit me. A colorful, welcoming mural on the wall together with a unique assortment of playfully-named donuts, greeted me. As we all know, the theme song of Toy Story kindly reminds us that “you’ve got […]

Feeling the blues? Here’s a playlist for a bad day

You slept through your alarm. You spilled your PSL down the front of your white tee. Your bike chain came loose. Your exam didn’t go so well. You’re overwhelmed by midterms. Your friends went home for the weekend and you’re feeling homesick. Though the name of this playlist is vague, I guarantee it will help. […]

Top four L.A. spots for crispy rice sushi

If you have yet to taste this foodie phenomenon, you are missing out. We all love sushi, but why not spice up your spicy tuna rolls by adding a warm and buttery crunch? Crispy rice makes any sushi roll 10 times better, adding delightful consistency and flavor. Trust me, once you try crispy rice, you […]

Start your day right: Six breakfast ideas for students

1. Vanilla scones and chocolate   Grab and go! Make this over the weekend so you have some treats for the week. Ingredients:    2 cups of all-purpose flour   ½ cup of sugar    1 ½ teaspoon baking powder    ¼ teaspoon baking soda    ½ teaspoon salt    1 bar of unsalted butter
 (cold and cut in pieces)    ½ cup […]

Latin AMAs debut sets great precedent for future shows

The first annual Latin American Music Awards took place in Los Angeles on Oct. 8. The big winners of the night were Enrique Iglesias and Nicky Jam. As a Latino, I absolutely love the fact that Latino artists are being honored for their musical talents. The red carpet was star-studded. Lucero Leon, the host, had […]

Ask Tiffany: Does dating exist at USC?

Hey Tiffany, I’m 22, and a senior in college. As a guy, I have always wanted a relationship, which doesn’t seem to be what a lot of my friends around me are looking for at this age. I’ve been with a handful of ladies in the past couple years, and just when things seem like […]

Cymbal is changing the interface of music and social media

Cymbal is a new app by Anthem Labs that has beenout since May 1 that is changing the way we listen to music. It allows users to pick songs that they are listening to at the moment and have friends discuss the song by liking and commenting on it. Put more simply, Cymbal is the […]

Alfred Coffee: Why are there so many locations?

First things first, I’m the realest. Just kidding. I mean, I am the realest, but that’s not where I’m headed. I need to start this review with a heartbreaking disclaimer: Between 49 different coffee shops and innumerable revisits, I’m starting to feel like I am extremely close to hitting my lifetime quota of vanilla lattes. […]

Deciphering out-of-this-world lyrics from Train’s “Drops of Jupiter”

Our love of music often stems from the brilliance of song lyrics. From Taylor Swift’s witty, romantic lines to John Mayer’s deeply moving verses, lyrics make up the heart of the song, building meaning while digging wells of emotion. Since lyrics are so critical to a song, listeners could be left hanging with lines that […]