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Lacrosse falls to Redlands in SCIAC semifinals

By
Ryan Whalen
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The Occidental women’s lacrosse team (12-5 overall, 9-3 SCIAC) entered postseason play last week in a three-way tie with the Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer. The Tigers were denied a first-round bye in the SCIAC Championship Tournament because the Bulldogs and the Sagehens secured the largest goal differentials among the three teams during the regular season.

Despite the bad break, the black and orange took the field against Whittier Thursday in its opening-round match-up. With a victory over the Poets, the Tigers would earn a point in the overall standings not available to Redlands and Pomona-Pitzer due to their first-round byes. Thus, Occidental would secure at least a share of the conference title with a later win over the Bulldogs.

The Tigers wasted no time drawing first blood, picking up two goals within the first six minutes of the contest. But the Poets started to fight back, trading goals with the black and orange for the remainder of the half. Occidental retained a 5-2 lead heading into the locker room.

Just under a minute into the second period, Whittier netted its third goal of the game, cutting the deficit to 5-3. Following the quick score, the Tigers went on a 9-2 offensive outburst in the final 22 minutes en route to claiming a 15-6 victory.

Junior attacker Alida Beck was the spark plug for the unit, sneaking five goals past Poet goalie Nicole Yorba (junior). Her defensive counterpart, Occidental goalkeeper Kirsten Hee (sophomore) anchored the squad with seven saves.

The Tigers then tried to carry over some of their first-round success into Monday night’s semifinal match-up at Redlands. Despite splitting the regular season series at one apiece, Occidental has been unable to beat the Bulldogs on their home turf in its five-year program history.

“Even though we have not had much success at Redlands, our game plan for [Monday] was to play for each other and leave it all on the field,” midfielder Alessandra Quaroni (sophomore) said.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-1 lead 23 minutes into the game, making it difficult for the Tigers to establish rhythm in the hostile environment.

But behind the leadership and offensive production of senior attackers Tori Larson and Rebecca Belding, the black and orange was able to cut the deficit to three by the end of the first half.

“Although Redlands started off the game with a few quick goals, we were able to keep a positive mentality and continue to be competitive,” Quaroni said.

Despite the temporary boost in morale, Occidental’s offense seemed stagnant at the start of the second half. On the other hand, the Bulldogs started to heat up, ultimately going on to score six unanswered goals to build an insurmountable 12-3 lead.

“A spree of unanswered Redlands goals to start off the second half was the turning point of the game,” Quaroni  said.

Although it took almost 25 minutes for the black and orange to score its first goal of the second half, the unit went down swinging, unleashing a flurry of offense with two goals in the last 90 seconds. Despite the strong finish, the Tigers were unable to close the gap on the Bulldog lead, falling 13-6.

“We went up against a very solid Redlands team [Monday] night and could not get the offense going,” Tiger head coach Stephanie Janice said. “You aren’t going to win many tough games only scoring six goals.”

Although Occidental could not capture the program’s first-ever conference championship, it did finish the season with a strong 9-3 SCIAC record and a third-place finish in the final league standings.

“We did not play our best lacrosse [Monday night], and it would have been nice to put together a better showing,” Janice said. “But I am happy with the way our team played this season. They did a phenomenal job and should be proud of what they have accomplished.”

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Sports in Brief Issue 11

By
Tim O'Donnell
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Tiger Golf teams underway at SCIAC Championships

Both Occidental golf teams were in action at SCIAC Championships at Oak Valley Golf Club at the time of publication. Through two of the event’s three rounds, the men’s side sat in sixth place ahead of both Whittier and Pomona-Pitzer at 66-over par and 60 strokes back of leader Claremont-Mudd-Scripps (CMS). Individually, Colton Bares (first-year) led the way for the Tigers, occupying a share of 22nd place with a cumulative 13-over 157 through two rounds. Fellow newcomer James Wronoski and Jeremy Klein (sophomore) both recorded a 14-over 158 to remain just one stroke back of the Tiger ace. Sophomores Andrew Garrison, Kevin Liu and Weekly staff member Ryan Whalen rounded out the black and orange’s scoring by posting scores of 26-over 170, 31-over 175 and 40-over 184, respectively. On the women’s side, Occidental owned the fourth-place spot at 107-over par and was 33 strokes back of leader and tournament host Redlands. In her swan song quest for her second SCIAC title, Katie Park (senior) sat in fourth place individually — just three strokes back of first — after posting a 15-over 159. Behind Park, Kristin Oberiano (sophomore) tallied a 26-over 170, while Alexis Holmes (senior) notched a 35-over 179 and Kara Alam (first-year) tacked on a 38-over 182. Sophomores Hana Mizuno and Ella Inman registered a 46-over 190 and a 48-over 192, respectively.

Softball (6-34 overall, 3-25 SCIAC)

The Occidental women’s softball team finished up its season with a 1-3 weekend. The Tigers split a doubleheader against Pomona-Pitzer Friday, winning Game 1 by a score of 4-2 and falling 7-4 in Game 2. First-year starting pitcher Emily Pham picked up her first collegiate victory in the opener. The squad then honored its five graduating seniors — Jerika Barron, Amber Garland, Meghan Luera, Elissa Minamishin and Jackie Shimamoto — against CMS, but dropped the two games 17-2 and 14-2, respectively. The Tigers finished in the bottom two of the SCIAC standings for the eighth consecutive year on league record.

Women’s Water Polo (8-19 overall, 6-5 SCIAC)

The Occidental women’s water polo team went 2-1 in the SCIAC Championship Tournament over the weekend en route to a fifth-place league finish. The Tigers dropped their opening game against tournament host Whittier by a score of 13-9, but recovered to win both of their consolation match-ups. The squad beat Chapman in a tight 8-7 contest behind center Morgan McClafferty’s (senior) game-winner with one minute left on the clock. In the consolation championship, the sixth-seeded Tigers upset fourth-place Cal Lutheran, 13-9. Seniors Lindsay Albino and Katya Soot each scored three goals in their final collegiate contest.

Football set to host 25th-annual Vance Mueller Golf Tournament

The Occidental Football team will host the 25th-annual Vance Mueller Golf Tournament on June 13 at the Scholl Canyon Golf and Tennis Club in Glendale. The tournament will serve as a fundraising event for the program, with all proceeds going toward the gridiron. It also provides a chance for Occidental alumni to return to their old stomping grounds. The event’s namesake, Vance Mueller ‘86, played football at Occidental under former head coach Dale Widolff. After graduation, the 6-foot, 211-pound tailback was selected in the fourth round as the 103rd overall pick by the Los Angeles Raiders in the 1986 NFL Draft. Mueller played professionally from the 1986 to 1991 seasons, all with the Raiders. During his NFL career, he compiled 921 total yards and scored five touchdowns. His son, Shay Mueller (sophomore), decided to follow in his father’s footsteps and is now currently a starting defensive back for the Tigers and competes in the 100- and 200-meter sprints for the track team. Registration for the tournament begins at 12 p.m. the day of the event, and tee time is scheduled for an hour later. The tournament will follow the shot-gun start and scramble format. Following play on the course, the team will host a banquet, prize drawing and auction.

Who’s Next?

It was a bittersweet weekend for the Occidental softball program, as the Tigers bid farewell to their graduating class. But despite a tough season, the squad has reason for optimism, due in large part to jack-of-all-trades Ali Goldberg (sophomore). Goldberg has served as the team’s ace in the circle over the last two seasons, leading Occidental in innings pitched (87.2), ERA (6.07) and strikeouts (41) on the 2014 campaign. She also played significant innings in the outfield for the black and orange during games in which she was not pitching. Offensively, Goldberg has remained a constant fixture in the leadoff spot, where she takes on the role of a speedy, left-handed slap hitter. She finished the season second on the team in batting average at .307 behind All-SCIAC selection Jackie Shimamoto and got on base at a .378 clip. She also added five RBI, four stolen bases and a team-high 19 runs. The 5-foot-6-inch Los Altos, California native was an All-State selection and El Camino League MVP at Los Altos High School and started immediately at Occidental as a first-year en route to a .385 batting average. Now, with five seniors departing and only one rising senior in catcher Kristine Kocjan in the fold, the Tigers will look for the veteran Goldberg to step into a leadership role next season. She will remain the anchor of the pitching staff and look to take over where Shimamoto left off at the helm of the black and orange’s batting order.

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Audsley brings international style of play to Men’s Rugby

By
Melina Devoney
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Strutting across the turf to the beat of house music blasting from his headphones, Occidental men’s rugby captain Barnaby Audsley (senior) mentally prepared for the final game of the rugby 7s National Championship qualifying round against Sonoma State. At the sound of the referee’s whistle, Audsley positioned himself among his six teammates and surveyed the field and his opponents.

Audsley said that it is hard to plan ahead for any given game, especially in the playoffs, due to the fast-paced nature of the 7s game.

“It’s about thinking on my feet and being creative,” Audsley said.

As the flyhalf — the quarterback of the unit — Audsley called the shots for his team in the qualifying match. But, with injured starters and little depth on the bench, Audsley and his teammates struggled against the deep Seawolves roster. According to his teammates — sophomores Anthony Zepponi and Phillip Grove and Nathan Bolton (freshman) — Audsley continued to motivate his team with his trademark phrases, despite the adversity.

“Sort it out,” Audsley shouted in his signature British accent. “It’s not rocket science!”

According to teammate David Weightman (senior), Audsley often gets heckled by opponents due to his accent. But the flyhalf — often among the smallest players on the field — plays much bigger than his stature.

“[He handles it] the way he handles everything,” Weightman said. “He drops his shoulder and runs somebody over. He’ll just run through guys who underestimate him.”

However, Occidental’s team as a whole was by no means an underdog in the qualifying match. Looking to defend last season’s 7s National Championship title, the Tigers dominated the opening rounds of the Stockton Qualifying Tournament. But Sonoma State — the team they beat in the West Region Finals last year — stole a victory out from underneath the black and orange.

Despite ending his collegiate rugby career with a disappointing loss, Audsley has a lot to be proud of in his four years on the team.

Audsley has lost only a total of eight games throughout his career. Spanning four 7s and four 15s seasons, Audsley has boosted his squads to a cumulative 65-8 record. He helped the team win the Dougherty Cup four years in a row and was once recognized as an All-American by USA Rugby.

Audsley played rugby in England as a youngster, but after moving to the United States when he was 17, gave up the sport to focus on football. However, after just one season as a punter at the collegiate level, he realized his heart was truly in rugby.

“I decided to focus on rugby, and I haven’t looked back since,” Audsley said.

Tiger assistant Jeremy Castro began coaching in the 2010–11 season when Audsley was just a first-year.

“We heard rumor that the punter for the football team was English, played rugby before and had an amazing boot,” Castro said.

According to Castro, Audsley and several first-year football players would stick around after practice to watch the rugby team play.

“I saw a spark ignite in his eyes that, in some ways, summoned something he’d been living with but did not know how to channel properly,” Castro said.

Audsley joined the team after the football season along with a few of his teammates. According to Weightman, Audsley immediately helped turn the team into a powerhouse. The squad finished second in the national bracket that year.

Audsley said that he had briefly considered transferring to St. Mary’s College (Moraga, California) — one of the strongest programs in the nation — but realized that Occidental’s program and coaching staff was special.

Graduating with a degree in economics in May, Audsley hopes to pursue a career in investment management. He said that both teammates and alumni have been instrumental in helping him get a jumpstart in the industry.

“[Rugby] has opened a lot of doors for me,” Audsley said.

With a few job options on the table, Audsley has decided to make rugby a second priority to building his career. He does, however, hope to play at the elite level for the Santa Monica Rugby Club, a top club in the U.S.

“I hope to eventually get noticed by the U.S. and play for their 15s team,” Audsley said. “But my number one focus right now is probably my career and establishing that first.”

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Occidental Baseball alumnus Blodgett imparts expertise to pitching staff

By
Lauren Rewers
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When asked about their favorite sports memory, nearly any athlete — professional, collegiate or even Little League — will recount their moment in the sun: a 3-point shot made as the buzzer sounds or a game-winning touchdown against a rival.

But for Occidental baseball pitching coach Jacob Blodgett ‘12, this memory is a little different.

In lieu of a personal accomplishment, he remembers a game played on his Senior Day at Occidental alongside teammate and friend Josh Throckmorton ‘12. Throckmorton had been an infielder for his first three years for the Tigers before transitioning to pitching in his last season.

“We were playing Claremont, and I went out in the ninth inning and got the first out,” Blodgett said. “And then I got to hand the ball off to [Throckmorton] to get the second out in that inning. That was a really cool moment for me.”

A self-described introvert, Blodgett does not seem to fit the mold of a charismatic and strong-willed collegiate coach. And yet, the young assistant coach is praised for his work by both his athletes and colleagues.

Blodgett began his playing career at Occidental in 2009 after attending Loyola Marymount University (LMU) and West Los Angeles College (WLAC). He played for three seasons in Eagle Rock as a relief pitcher.

“My career here was great,” Blodgett said. “I just loved all the guys that I got a chance to play with. Part of the reason why I wanted to stay on as a coach is because of the senior class now — who I had a chance to play with for two years — are still some of my best friends as well. And so getting a chance to work with them on the field is a lot of fun.”

At the same time that Blodgett was graduating, the team’s previous pitching coach, Adam Morgan, left the program. Blodgett, who had already worked at Occidental baseball summer camps and assisted with the junior varsity team, applied for the position to head coach Luke Wetmore.

“I guess Wetmore went crazy that day and gave me a shot at it,” Blodgett said.

According to Wetmore, Blodgett’s dedication and straightforwardness as an athlete continue to serve him well as a coach.

“[Blodgett] is comfortable in who he is,” Wetmore said. “He was that way as a player, and he is that way as a coach. He’s a little salty, and I love that about him. But he’s also a worker. That quality he had as a baseball player has also shown up in the office.”

Starting pitcher Mitch Margolis (senior) believes these qualities — as well as his connection with Tiger baseball — also strengthened Blodgett’s relationship with the current athletes.

“He kind of expects the same out of us as a coach as he did as a senior leader and a teammate,” Margolis said. “And knowing what he was like as a player and knowing the work that he put in, it’s kind of easy to be able to listen to someone who has been through it.”

Although Blodgett predominantly works with pitchers, he also helps with recruiting and is in charge of organizing the team’s community outreach.

He was instrumental in coordinating the inaugural SCIAC Home Run Derby on April 6, which raised money for cancer research institute and treatment facility City of Hope. His internship last summer with the non-profit organization — where he helped set up its new online donation system — inspired him to think that an athletic event might be an effective fundraiser.

“It kind of all just fell into place,” Blodgett said. “It was a really great day. It was one of the cool ways to get both baseball and the nonprofit — both things that I really like to do — to come together.”

In addition to his work for the Occidental baseball program, Blodgett is the Co-Chairman of Finance and Administration at the college and helps plan large events on campus such as commencement and the dedication of the McKinnon Center for Global Affairs.

While he currently remains committed to Tiger baseball, Blodgett also expressed interest in pursuing a career in sport communications or with a non-profit organization.

“He’s got a place in my program for as long as he wants to be a part of it,” Wetmore said. “We’ll hang onto him as long as we can, but I think he’s destined for bigger things than [Division-III] baseball.”

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Women in the Locker Room

By
Juliet Suess
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Feminism in Sports: Part 2 of 2

Women in sports are regarded, all around, as inferior to their male counterparts. Female athletes cannot play as well as men, and female fans cannot know as much — at least that’s the view that I explored in last week’s column.

These perceptions have persisted since the invention of sport. As sports become more popular and more televised, women continue to be viewed as inferior athletes and fans.

When women are recognized, it is rarely for the skills they possess in their sport, but rather for their sexuality and looks. The May issue of Golf Digest portrays only the 11th woman since 1969 to stand alone on the cover of the magazine, according to a New York Times article by Karen Crouse.

Paulina Gretzky received that honor despite not playing golf professionally. Her claim to fame: She is engaged to Dustin Johnson, an eight-time winner of a Professional Golfing Association (PGA) event. So her fame comes from who she is tied to rather than her own merit.

She certainly is beautiful, but we should be celebrating the female golfers who have made large strides in their sport or won major titles, not just someone who attracted a great golfer as a mate. But the old adage again proves true: Sex sells.

Beautiful women have graced the pages of magazines for decades. Models and actresses plastered all over these magazines are meant to portray the ideal woman. Female athletes do not fall into the category of what the ideal woman is.

A female athlete is strong and capable, so she represents, instead, a societal view of what a man should be. Society views female athletes through their stereotype, and those are not sexy and thus do not sell magazines.

Male athletes, on the other hand, fulfill the stereotypes of the ideal man. They are the men boys want to become and girls dream of marrying. Female models and actors take the spotlight as the ideal woman.

Thus, it is through this idealization of what a woman should be that leads to the unpopularity of female athletics. Most women do not want to be those women, and most men do not want to marry them. That is the subconscious reason that women’s sports are not as popular.

In some ways, women are also to blame for this sexist nature of sport. It is not just men who do not watch women’s sports or would not buy a magazine without a beautiful woman on the cover. Many women pick up those magazines hoping it contains the secrets to society’s view of beauty and happiness.

If women started to buy the magazines with athletes on the front, then that is what would be on the cover. It is a matter of supply and demand. If we start to demand change in the perception of women in society, it will change.

Female athletes can be beautiful, but society needs to idealize a new type of beauty: one of strength and capability, rather than the societal norm.

Juliet Suess is a senior ECLS major. She can be reached at suess@oxy.edu or on Twitter @WklyJSuess.

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Students, staff plan to institute textbook reserve pilot program

By
Stephen Nemeth
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The Academic Commons will pilot a textbook reserve program during the next academic year to help reduce costs for students by providing textbooks on loan for introductory and core requirement courses.

“Essentially the goal of the project is to ease the financial burden on students when it comes to purchasing textbooks, especially those that they need for general requirements,” Vice President for Academic Affairs and Diplomacy and World Affairs (DWA) major Enoch Sowah (senior) said. Sowah led efforts to implement the program.

The Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC) senate passed the proposal and passed a resolution to pay for the project with $2,726 from this year’s budget on Monday. Having the funds for the program come from this year’s budget will hopefully ensure that the textbooks will be in the library by the start of the next academic year, according to Sowah.

The President and Dean of the College’s offices support the project, according to Sowah, and have agreed to match the funds that ASOC has allocated toward the program for next year.

According to the program proposal, students will be able to go to the Academic Commons to check out a textbook for two hours at a time and will not be allowed to take the textbooks out of the library while using them.

The trial run will provide three to five textbooks each for courses in economics, psychology and biology. According to Sowah, students in those courses will be able to access required textbooks without having to purchase them. After the pilot year has been completed, the program will be reviewed to see how often certain textbooks were checked out and to assess whether the program should be continued. Sowah hopes that after next year the program can be expanded to provide textbooks for courses in other departments.

Upon his election to ASOC last semester, Sowah looked into textbook reserve programs at other colleges to guide his creation of a similar program at Occidental. Macalester College in St. Paul, Minnesota has a successful textbook program that Sowah used as a model.

Sowah worked with College Librarian Bob Kieft throughout the year to ensure that the library staff would be ready for the pilot program to be enacted next year. Kieft supports the program but wants to ensure that ASOC has plans in place to assess and sustain it long-term.

“The library will cooperate in offering the service, and we are interested to see whether it works as planned,” Kieft said.

Managers at the bookstore, however, were concerned that this program would affect sales of textbooks in subsequent years, according to Sowah. Bookstore manager Donna Huebner supports the program but sees ways in which it can be problematic for students.

“I hope that the textbook reserve program being created helps those students it is intended to help,” Huebner said. “We at the bookstore understand that textbooks can be expensive and that students are always on the lookout for the best price. Our concern is that more students will attempt to do without purchasing their own copies only to find that they have to fight for time with the reserved books in order to do homework and study for tests.”

Politics and philosophy double major Adam Rose (sophomore) worked at the bookstore last year and thinks the textbook reserve program is a sustainable and economical way to provide students with textbooks for their courses.

“I know for books for econ, when I took my first econ class, it was $350 for the book,” Rose said. “I used it for one semester, maybe five times, because my professor did not use the book. If I would have been able to check it out for two hours it would have saved me $350, and then I would not have had to waste all the paper for that book which is now sitting in my room.”

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ASOC reconsiders budget in wake of minimum wage hike

By
Michael Tonetti
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Students will soon feel the impacts of the recent increase in California’s minimum wage. To account for this state-wide wage increase, the Associated Students of Occidental College (ASOC) may have to reduce financial support to student services or increase student body fees for the 2014-15 school year.

The state-wide minimum wage increase to $9 per hour, which comes into effect in July, provides a heightened standard for comparison that will most likely result in raises across pay grades. Many Occidental student workers will see their wages go up, but may concurrently face a drop in their hours due to the limited number of funds available for distribution.

“Oftentimes, people don’t realize wages don’t matter as much as pay periods,” ASOC Vice President for Financial Affairs and economics major Sid Saravat (junior) said. “The minimum wage may increase to $9, but services may just instead cut back an hour here or there to make up the differences. Some services are already paying above minimum wage, so it’s not that huge of an increase, but it is still substantial.”

Although student workers may be happy with an increased hourly rate, the wage increase could prevent school services from operating at the same capacity as previous years.

“Maybe a student service is unable to put on an event because they can’t hire enough staffers [because of the wage increase],” Saravat said. “It’s unfortunate, but we try our best with the budget we have.”

According to Saravat, every student is charged $288 in student body fees per year, which, combined with revenue from student services, makes up the ASOC budget. To determine the distribution of funds, each student service brings the senate an anticipated budget, and from there the senate decides either to grant the requested funds or designate a different amount. Throughout the year, individual student organizations can also submit funding requests based on their specific programming needs.

The senate has the option to offset the wage increases by raising student body fees, but it will first audit last year’s funds to determine whether this academic year’s budget was used efficiently.

While next year’s budget is still undetermined, newly-elected Vice President for Financial Affairs and economics major Will Huang (sophomore) is aware of the potential dilemma the wage increases pose. However, Huang is committed to making sure it is not the students who suffer from the state-wide policy change.

“Going into the next academic year, my focus will be on student jobs — not only on their creation and retention, but also on their levels of compensation,” Huang said via email. “The minimum wage increase is a formidable challenge we will face, but I pledge to find creative solutions that minimize the increase’s impact on our student body fees.”

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World News Issue 11

By
Ximena Santiago
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Italy. A 21-year-old man was killed when part of a crucifix fell on him Saturday in the town of Cevo. Another man involved in the accident is said to be in critical condition at a hospital in the northern region of Italy. The incident occurred during a ceremony before the canonization of former popes John Paul II and John XXIII, which occurred Sunday. The large sculpture was created by Italian designer Enrico Job to honor Pope John Paul II’s visit to the area in 1998. It is still unknown why part of the structure collapsed at the ceremony, but this is not the only death caused by a falling crucifix on record in Italy. In 2004, a 72-year-old woman died after a 7-foot metal cross fell on top of her in the town of Sant’Onofrio.

BBC News

Japan. The Nakizumo baby contest was held in Japan Saturday, where hired sumo wrestlers attempted to bring babies to tears. This tradition is based on the old Japanese proverb, “naku ko wa sodatsu,” meaning, “crying babies grow fastest.” The wrestlers do not harm the babies, but they make strange faces, noises and bounce the children to see which cries the fastest; they also shout “naki” or “cry” in an attempt to make them cry faster. Japanese parents that enter their babies into the contest believe the ritual will scare aware demons and bring good health. The first child to cry is declared the winner, but if two cry at the same time, the louder one wins. This 400-year-old ritual takes place in cities all over Japan on Japan’s Children’s Day holiday.

Telegraph UK

Cuba. The island country is currently experiencing a shortage of condoms. Thus, the public health system approved the sale of one million prophylactics with expired dates that they now claim are wrong. Pharmacies are explaining to customers that the condoms can still be used but have incorrect expiration dates printed on the packaging. The Communist party newspaper Vanguardia reported Saturday that the condoms have been ordered for repackaging with the correct dates. This decision arose after many citizens complained that they were worried about the spread of sexually transmitted diseases, unwanted pregnancies and abortions. The Cuban government consequently published a list of companies authorized to ship condom packages to the island.

Miami Herald

United States. Postal workers protested a recent decision to incorporate United States Postal Services into Staples office supply stores in Washington D.C. Thursday. The American Postal Workers Union is worried that the move could threaten government jobs. According to Union President Mark Dimondstein, the original plan in the agreement was to have postal employees working behind the counter at Staples, but now Staples has placed its own staff behind the Postal Services counter. The USPS is one of the largest employers in the country and has complained that “the people of this country deserve to have their postal services performed by well-trained, uniformed postal workers.”

NPR

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Hawaiian inspired frozen treat proves a hot spot on York

By
Nina Greenebaum
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York Boulevard has witnessed an assortment of gastronomic additions in the past decade. Just four months ago, New York Snow — a storefront serving “snow cream” — transplanted from its original location in Little Tokyo to join the bustling boulevard. New York Snow’s “snow cream” is an alternative to ice cream and frozen yogurt. Though the name of the frozen dessert destination suggests they serve shave ice, the main attraction tastes more like ice cream.

Co-owner of the family-owned shop Mark Corcino recognized Highland Park and York boulevard as an ideal location for relocation.“The reason why we moved to Highland Park was because we knew that the neighborhood was becoming lush with art and culture,” Corcino said.

Corcino serves up thinly shaved, all-natural, dairy-free “ice cream.” The surprisingly rich and creamy dessert is soy-based and flavored with all natural ingredients draws its influence from both popular Taiwanese and Hawaiian desserts.

The flavors of the day include Bananas Foster, green tea, summer peach, taro and chocolate. The toppings resemble those of frozen yogurt shops including pretzels, graham cracker crumbles, Oreos, fresh fruit and coconut shavings, among others. Included in the price of one regular dish of “snow cream” are two free toppings and one free sauce.

Though seating is limited inside and the interior of the shop lacks ambiance, the outdoor seating area is quaint and comfortable — ideal for a “snow cream” shop in the warm L.A. climate.

Just a block from Café de Leche and other popular eateries on York, New York Snow is within walking distance from campus. The delicious alternative to fro-yo and ice cream truly brings something new to the frozen dessert offerings in the Eagle Rock area.

New York Snow LA is located at 5108 York Blvd., Los Angeles, CA 90042. Mon.-Thurs. 2:30 p.m. – 7 p.m., Fri. and Sat. 11:00 a.m. – 10:00 a.m., Sun. 11:00 a.m. – 6:00 a.m.

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Despite no vowels, KTCHN lacks nothing in taste

By
Noel Hemphill
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Brunch is the king of meals. It combines everything to love about breakfast and lunch into one stupendous plate comprised of all kinds of flavor dimensions, with sweet and savory uniting in heavenly harmony. In Old Town Pasadena, KTCHN has mastered brunch for daily delight.

Instead of filling their plates with fake syrups and sad excuses for vegetables, KTCHN makes each meal fresh and vibrant. Though prices at KTCHN are somewhat high ($12-16 entreés), the food is worthwhile and portions are sizable. Reviews of this eatery deem it a bona fide hotspot, with the L.A. Weekly naming it one of the best brunch spots in town and Zagat surveys give it a hearty recommendation. Even the notoriously difficult-to-please reviewers of Yelp have given KTCHN positive reviews.

As a part of the conglomerate of boutique foodie locales such as bar/restaurant Picnik, coffee stand Zona Rosa and Bulagrini Gelato, KTCHN is a friendly, full-service addition to Colorado Boulevard. The restaurant is tucked into an artful, zen-like space where a relaxing trickling fountain greets patrons. With large umbrellas for outside seating, the restaurant is perfect for those who refuse to dine without their dogs.

Inside seating is stunning; as walls painted calming shades of blue, grey and green surround diners, with hip details like a hanging neon orange painted branch and a far wall printed with an enormous digitized flower. A chic bar that would fit in easily at a Mexican resort is set in the back, away from the main dining area. Comfortable couches with hardwood tables replace typical restaurant booths. Chairs are minimalist and won’t squeak when you sit down. Even the plates and glasses are pretty.

The food, meanwhile, is far from flying under the radar. A tidy menu offers favorites with a gourmet twist. Brie with grits, a yogurt berry parfait, apple fritters and a pistachio marscapone cherry scone are suggested as starters, and look like deserts you only dream of. Entreé items are heavy on the eggs and leafy greens, filling up customers with good proteins and all your vitamins. Bacon is not just fried up; instead, there are thick slices of salted pork belly sautéed to perfection. French toast is soaked in a tres leches mixture and browned to perfection. Everything here has been taken from basic to out of this world, as each bite allows spices and seasonings to dance on the diner’s tongue.

A diverse drink menu complements the food offerings. Cheekily named cocktails with fruity flavors reign supreme, though mimosas and Bloody Marys can also be found. Fresh juices are made here, too: The apple, pineapple and cucumber green goo of “Get Out of My Facial” is delicious and refreshing. While otherwise having to go elsewhere for a specialty coffee drink, KTCHN makes up for it with two sizes of freshly brewed french-press coffee.

KTCHN is less than fifteen minutes away from campus by car. By bus on a Saturday morning, take the 84/68 route from the stop by Jack in the Box at Eagle Rock Boulevard and Avenue 45. Once the bus reaches the Eagle Rock Plaza via Downtown L.A. stop, take the 180/181 towards North Lake/Altadena. Hop off at the Colorado/De Lacey stop, and KTCHN will be right ahead of you.KTCHN is located at 501 S. Spring St. Hours are Mon. – Fri., 8 a.m. – 2 p.m., and Sat. and Sun. 9 a.m. – 2 p.m.

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