Last Bookstore - Woodbridge High School

10
In-Depth
April 24, 2014
The “Last Bookstore” may soon be the last of its kind
 Independent bookstores
like the“Last Bookstore”have
become an endangered
species
by Alex Thompson
Staff Writer
O
ne of California’s largest independent
bookstores, the Last Bookstore, offers
a truly unique experience for any book lover
in search of an old-fashioned experience in
a world dominated by Amazon and e-books.
The independent bookstore is located in
downtown Los Angeles on Fifth and Spring
Streets and features its very own built-in record shop and coffee bar. The atmosphere is
very artistic, with posters and artwork covering the walls and sculptures made out of
old books surrounding the shelves.
However, what really makes The Last
Bookstore stand out is the fact that it is one rise of e-books and decline of stores sellof the only bookstores in LA where custom- ing “real” books;
ers can sell their gently used books and records. The entire second floor of the store
is dedicated to used books priced at only $1
to $3 each, making it an affordable way to
expand one’s library or purchase books for
school. The bookstore also occasionally
hosts special events and guest speakers, including writers, poets, activists and authors such as
Naima Mora, Grace
Krilanovich,
Verónica Reyes
and Douglas
Kearney.
The Last
Bookstore
owners take
pride in selling
books
this is even reflectthe old-fashed in the name.
ioned way: in
According to the
print and ink. It
About section of the Last
is apparent that the
Bookstore’s official website,
owners are wary of the
“The name was chosen with irony,
Photos by Alex Thompson
THE LAST BOOKSTORE is famous not only for the literature it holds, but also the unique and eye-catching set
up, such as the tilted book case (pictured top right).
but it has become a self-fulfilling prophecy
as physical bookstores are dying out like dinosaurs from the meteoric impact of Amazon and e-books. Book-lovers at the Last
Bookstore hope to last as long as they can
in downtown LA’s vibrant new community.”
From OC to Hollywood “Pop” the bubble
 Orange County is home to
many surprisingly notable
musicians
by Brittany Chang
Staff Writer
W
ith venues like the House of Blues,
the Observatory and the City National Grove of Anaheim nearby, it is no
surprise that Orange County is well-known
for its local musicians.
Young the Giant
Young the Giant is a popular Irvine-native band started in 2004. Lead singer Sameer Gadhia attended Irvine High, while
bassist Payam Doostzadeh attented our campus. The band gained fame after releasing
its most well-known song “Cough Syrup” in
2011, which went on to receive the music
recording certification of Gold in Canada,
Italy and the United States. The first album,
self-titled “Young the Giant,” received relatively solid reviews and peaked at number
six on the Billboard Top Heatseekers album
chart. Young the Giant’s music has been
used in numerous commercials and shows,
such as “Glee” and a Mountain Dew commercial. The band released its newest album, “Mind Over Matter,” in January 2014.
Ca$his
Though not born here, Ramone Johnson, better known as Ca$his, moved from
Chicago to Irvine when he was 17. Johnson attended University High and was very
heavily involved in the hip-hop community
while living here.
“I fell in love with the scenery. I came
to Irvine and I was just accepted immediately by everyone. It was way cool…I got a
chance to focus on my craft and figure out
what I wanted to do with my life, because
I was still a teenager at the time,” Ca$his
said in an interview with the OC Register.
Ca$his has also worked with famed hiphop artists 50 Cent, Eminem, and Crooked
I. His second album, “The County Hound
2,” received positive reviews, including
three out of five stars by online magazine
HipHopDX.
Aloe Blacc
Aloe Blacc, relatively unknown, also
received his start in Orange County. Blacc
grew up in Laguna Hills and attended the
University of Southern California. He is
best known for his feature in Swedish DJ
Avicii’s song, “Wake Me Up,” as the lead
male vocalist. Prior to working with Avicii,
the singer, songwriter, rapper and musician
was nominated for prestigious awards such
as “Best International Breakthrough Act” at
the 2012 Brit Awards.
 Get out of the Irvine
bubble and visit these local
places to explore So Cal’s
unique microculture
by Regina Zeng
Staff Writer
I
f you are ever bored of life inside the Irvine bubble, check out these cool places
in Southern California that you probably
have never even heard of before.
Point Dume Nature Preserve
Tired of local Orange County beaches?
Drive up to Point Dume to experience one of
So Cal’s most scenic coastal locations. Only
about an hour and a half away, the preserve
is filled with hiking trails for adventurous
folks. There is even a secluded beach called
Pirate’s Cove if you are not fond of crowds.
Relax on the viewing platform along the
boardwalk trail below the summit to enjoy
the amazing view. Just be careful not to park
in the local streets because tickets will be
given out. There is a free parking area on
Cliffside Drive.
Little Saigon Westminster
We have all heard of Chinatown and Ko-
reatown, but what about Little Saigon? Located in Westminster, the shopping district
is famous for the largest concentration of
Vietnamese shopping in the world outside
the country itself. The mall contains plenty
of authentic Vietnamese shops, restaurants,
bakeries and boutiques, so you will never
be bored or hungry. A great place to visit is
the Asian Garden Mall on Bolsa Avenue, the
largest jewelry center in Orange County. If
you decide to drive there during the weekend, I recommend arriving early because
traffic is usually busy.
Citrus State Historical Park
You cannot call yourself an Orange County resident and not visit this historical park.
Walking through the park, visitors are able
to envision what Southern California used to
look like before industrialization took place.
With 200 acres of orange groves, it is the perfect place to enjoy a quiet picnic with friends
or family. There is also a visitor center that
includes educational displays and exhibits
detailing the significance of the citrus industry. Located in Riverside, the state park
offers free admission and the parking fee is
only $5.
(Note: Information courtesy of http://www.
daytrippen.com/free-southern-california.
html)
Local Culture
April 24, 2014
11
A tour through the
local art scene
 Check out these art
museums to appreciate
the unique art scene that
California has to offer
by Audrey Fong
Features Editor
S
outhern California’s art scene extends
far beyond its films and music with folk
art sites located all throughout it. Here are a
few unique art locations in Southern California to visit when one feels too hipster for the
Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum
Out in the middle of Yucca Valley, Calif., not many people would expect to find a
whimsical art museum a few minutes’ drive
away from Joshua Tree National Park. However, Noah Purifoy Outdoor Desert Art Museum is just that and offers a wide array of
minimalist, surrealist sculptures made out of
unconventional materials. The sparse beauty
of the desert environment amplifies the wondrousness of the museum. Visitors can also
check out Joshua Tree National Park, Pioneertown and Yucca Valley’s antique stores.
Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree Ranch
Fourteen years and several hundred vintage, glass bottles later, Elmer Long has
created a stunning display of trees made
out of glass bottles decorated with treasures
ranging from WWII-era machine guns to
amethyst geodes. Long is still adding to his
creation, located in the front yard of his Oro
Grande, Calif. home. To this day, Long continues to go out once or twice a week to collect supplies for his artistic forest. If visitors
are lucky, Long will be at home, working on
his trees and greeting visitors for free.
Watts Towers
The Watts district of Los Angeles is home
to artist Simon Rodia’s whimsical towers.
Rodia spent over 40 years working on the
Italian cathedral-inspired towers, which resemble Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi’s
buildings, with its colorful collages of glass
shards and shattered ceramic plates. Not
only that, but the Simon Rodia Art Center
next door houses pieces from local artists.
For $7, one can take the tour, typically led
by a local folk artist, in order to get a closer
look at the towers.
Photos by Audrey Fong
SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA is home to an assortment of wacky, one-of-a-kind art museums inlcuding Elmer Long’s Bottle Tree
Ranch (TOP) and Watts Tower (BOTTOM).
A taste of So Cal culture
 There is no need to travel
around the world when so
many local restaurants offer
authentic, cultural cuisine
by Disha Palimar
Opinion Editor
A
nnapoorna
In Sanskrit, the word ‘Annapoorna’ literally means full of food, and this restaurant
stays true to its name. Annapoorna is located
in the Culver Center of Irvine and is famous
for its authentic Indian cuisine. There are a
variety of specialties within the menu derived from a vast array of South Indian food,
both vegetarian and non-vegetarian. Some
popular dishes include different types of dosas (think bread, almost like crepes, made
with masala, potato, etc.), palak paneer,
chicken tikka masala, lamb korna, tandoori
chicken and so much more. The pricing is
relatively inexpensive, with most dishes
ranging from $10 to $12. Although the restaurant is small in size, it is always crowded
and the Indian music constantly playing in
the background only adds to the restaurant’s
authentic ambience.
La Pupuseria San Sivar
La Pupuseria San Sivar is located in Costa
Mesa, and although at first glance the outside of the restaurant does not seem to wow
because it is a small gray, non-descript concrete building squeezed in between two
large shops, tasting the food changes everything. This particular restaurant is prestigious because of its pure, un-Americanized
Salvadorian food. The delicious pupusas are
what define the restaurant and give it a stellar reputation; pupusas are essentially thick
tortillas stuffed with a variety of fillings including meat, cheese or beef with a side of
cabbage, and they are absolutely delicious.
Customers can also
order
genuinetasting horchata,
a drink made
out of milk, rice
and cinnamon,
as well as rice
and cream sauce
dishes served with
chicken and a variety
of soups. Additionally, the
food is extremely affordable,
with prices ranging from $10 to $15
for entrees.
Fukada
Authentic Japanese food is a key part of
a person’s experience when dining at Fukada Restaurant in Irvine. The restaurant is
named after the number one person behind
the scenes, Chef Fukada, who has been an
expert in cooking Japanese cuisine for more
than 20 years. The restaurant is most famous
for the large variety of udon noodles it serves,
Photo by Disha Palimar
LA PUPUSERIA SAN SIVAR offers an assortment of truly authentic and delicious Salvadorian dishes, sucha as the plate
of gallina en crema pictured above.
as well as the abundant choice of tempura
(meat, vegetables or seafood fried in batter)
and donburi (rice with fish) bowls. On the
menu, literally every dish, including the salads and desserts, is strictly a Japanese specialty; even the menu is written in Japanese
and translated into English.
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