#exploring la

Favorite Things to Do Around Los Angeles: Food Edition - Mary Borchers

Looking back on my freshman year, there have been so many things I’ve enjoyed about being a USC student - the incredible classes, the passion and hard work of the students around me, and the opportunities I’ve had to learn more about what career I want to pursue in the future. However, one of my other favorite things about my freshman year has been all of the chances I’ve had to explore the trendy, unique, and delicious food around Los Angeles. So, for this blog I thought I’d share some of my favorite food adventures I’ve had in the past year.

●     Brunch - Avocado toast became my go-to over the course of various brunches this past year. Although it might be a bit of a cliche, it’s delicious, and a great way to assess different restaurants. My all-time favorite is at the Urth Caffe, which is located in the Arts District of Downtown LA and is easy to get to by either car or the Metro. It’s a popular place, especially with students on the weekends.

●     Boba - Boba milk tea is a popular drink among USC students, with Cup O’ Joy and It’s Boba Time both a short walk away from campus. With that said, my favorite boba milk tea was at the restaurant Milk+T in Little Tokyo, which not only has self-serve boba, but also adds ice cream to your drink. One of my friends from my dorm showed me this place, and with it being a quick 15 minute Metro ride away, it made for a great way to spend the afternoon.

●     Ice Cream - Trendy new ice cream stores seem to be popping up all over the place. Two of my favorites were Bae and Cauldron Ice Cream. Bae is in Little Tokyo, and had been popping up all over my Instagram and Facebook feeds with its charcoal-infused black ice cream. I tried it, and much to my surprise, it was pineapple flavored! It made for an interesting experience. I also tried Cauldron Ice Cream, which is located in Glendale. It’s a bit of a drive, but it’s worth it, since they not only have puffle cones, but they also make the ice cream right in front of you using liquid nitrogen! It was unusual, but also delicious.

The Top 5 Places to Satisfy Your Sweet Tooth in LA - Nell DyTang

Let me start off by saying, I love dessert. Even if I’m full after dinner, I tell myself that dessert is a second stomach and treat myself. One time, my sister made Christmas cookies for Santa. But I ate all of them before Christmas Eve, so she had to make an entirely new batch and hide them from me so I wouldn’t eat more. When I came to LA for college, I was excited to explore a whole new world of desserts, and boy, did LA deliver. I’ve tried a lot of places in my years here, so to help you begin your quest for the holy grail of dessert in LA, here’s a shortlist of some of my faves.  

1. The Pie Hole – To be completely honest, I wasn’t a huge pie person before I came to USC. Then, my friend brought me Earl Grey Tea Pie from Pie Hole, and my world changed. At this point, I’ve tried almost all the flavors at Pie Hole, and while they are all delicious, none of them compare to the Earl Grey. It balances fluffy and creamy and includes a hint of lavender, which combine to make the most delicious dessert I have ever eaten. Even if you’re skeptical, at least give it a try. I have yet to meet someone who dislikes this pie.

2. Sweet Lady Jane Bakery – Like Pie Hole with pie, Sweet Lady Jane changed my opinion of cake. I’d been disappointed too many times by dry cake that I had started generally saying I wasn’t a fan of cake (unless it was ice cream cake). But the Triple Berry Shortcake at Sweet Lady Jane is pure bliss in a giant slice of cake. The cake itself is moist and doesn’t crumble, the frosting between layers complements the cake beautifully, and the berries add a great burst of flavor. My friends and I ordered a number of different flavors and tried a bit of each, but the Triple Berry was my personal favorite, while my friend likes one of their chocolate flavors.

3. Café 86 – Filipino desserts. Need I say more? Probably. I’m just biased because both my parents were born and raised in the Philippines, so I grew up with Filipino food, so when I discovered this place I was very excited. Their most popular dessert is their Ube Leche Flan Cupcake. Ube is purple yam and is commonly used in Filipino desserts. This cupcake was absolutely incredible. I tried to take my parents to try it, but when we arrived at 8 PM, the cashier told us they’d been sold out since 3 PM. That’s how delicious it is. 

I also tried their Ube Crack Cheesecake (this was my favorite), Ube Bars, Ube Milk Tea Boba, and Ube Milkshake. Note: the closest location to USC is all the way in Pasadena, but the trek is so worth it (there’s also a great Argentinian place down the street if you want dinner).

4. McConnell’s – I believe as a general rule of thumb that it’s hard to go wrong with ice cream, but that doesn’t mean there can’t be a superior ice cream shop. McConnell’s is that superior shop (at least so far, I’ve yet to try Jeni’s, which I’ve been told could change my mind). I’ve eaten a lot of ice cream in LA (Salt & Straw, Van Leeuwen, Peddler’s Creamery, Cream, Baked Bear, Bennett’s), but McConnell’s is the only place where I can never decide which flavor to get because I legitimately want them all. I’ve tried almost all their flavors because I’m that annoying person who holds up the line to ask for a million samples, and I honestly couldn’t choose a favorite.

Pug Life - Claire Mauss

Hello! My name is Claire Mauss, and I am a sophomore studying Environmental Science and Health. My hometown is Irvine, California, which is about an hour away from campus. Growing up so close to USC, it has always been my dream school. Needless to say, I love it here and feel exactly at home.

In addition to being a die-hard Trojan, I am also a huge environmentalist. Currently I am involved in several environmental clubs on campus. The first is through Undergraduate Student Government, where I serve as the Assistant Director of the Environmental Student Assembly. ESA is a branch of Program Board, which houses multiple cultural and interest assemblies as well as several event programming committees. I am also involved in Environmental Core, an environmental activism club on campus. Through these two clubs, my peers and I work to drive forward environmental efforts on campus! Even though USC is a large school, I really do feel like I am able to make a difference here.

I am also minoring in Spanish. I really love the Spanish Program at USC; the professors are amazing, and the classes are fantastic. Studying a language at USC is especially awesome because you can earn credits toward your language major or minor (as well as with many other programs of study) abroad! Next year I am planning to travel to Bilbao, Spain to finish up my Spanish minor. I am also hoping to take a Maymester in Oaxaca, Mexico called “Food Activism and Food Culture” that would count towards my minor as well!

When I’m not out hugging trees or learning a foreign language, you can find me spending time with the amazing friends that I have made here, scoping out LA’s best eats, and thrifting in the fashion district. Not to mention, I am also a huge fan of pugs! On the weekends I volunteer with Pug Nation Rescue of Los Angeles, an organization that helps pugs find homes, and go to Pug Meetups with my pug! I love living in the heart of LA because it allows me access to tons of other cool activities outside of campus.

LA SPOTS RECOMMEND BY USC DORNSIFE STUDENTS

The Museum of Jurassic Technology

LA SPOTS RECOMMEND BY USC DORNSIFE STUDENTS

Sandstone Peak Trail