Attending LA 18 Harvest Moon Festival

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arcadia events, california events, cultural event, la 18 harvest moon festival, los angeles events

The whiff of roasted pork is in the air. The shouts of kids can be heard. It’s a culmination of friends, family and fun at the 16^th Annual LA 18 Harvest Moon Festival, held Sunday, September 18.

Sponsored by LA 18, a television station dedicated to the various Asian groups in Southern California, the event included a host of activities. The festival was inclusive of participants from all backgrounds, including themed pavilions from various ethnic groups. For those who had young children, there were games and inflatables for them to run around. There was also an area focused on community health, providing information regarding health exams and vital signs.

“The festival’s well planned and great to look forward to,” said Ariana Chen, a senior at Alhambra High School and a volunteer for the event. “I’d like if it there were more festivals like this to go to.”

At the center of the park, a variety of performances graced the stage. There were a number of dance groups, including musical numbers from the Bollywood Step Dance Company and the Kim Eung Hwa Korean Dance Academy. A particular draw was the performances of local Asian American singer-songwriters including AJ Rafael, Jennifer Chung, and Tranley.

“I liked the way the Korean dance looked, the style, the headdress, the fans, I was very impressed. I’m also really into ancient stuff and it was cool to see the use of sticks to lift the women in the Bollywood dances, I thought it was really artistic. It was amazing, it put in me a certain world and it’s all new to me,” said R. Ray Robinson, a first-time festival attendee and a student from Fullerton.

One of the main attractions of the event was the variety of food booths. Parked along the main stage, a new addition to the event was the use of food trucks. There was a wide range of cuisines, including dishes from Indonesia and the Philippines.

To top off the event, a multitude of giveaways were handed out. At every hour starting from 1pm, 500 dollars were given to a lucky festival attendee. There were also samples from corporate sponsors such as Hongshim, McDonalds and Wal-Mart. The grand prize was a new car from Toyota. The event was representative of community support; not just members from the corporate sector, but also residents from all over the San Gabriel Valley.

“I’m thankful for the support of our corporate sponsors and the community,” said Larry Potter, general sales manager. “I met a lot of people from Arcadia, San Gabriel, Monterey Park, it’s bigger this year and I’m really happy that the event provides a lot for the community.”

Other events celebrating the Harvest Moon Festival include an event in South Pasadena on September 24 at the park near the Library Community Room at 1115 El Centro St.

Eating at Pasadena’s Zephyr Cafe

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los angeles, los angeles food, pasadena crepes, zephyr cafe

If you’re ever in need for a place to hang out with friends or grab a bite to eat, check out Zephyr Café in Pasadena. It’s located on a quiet street and a bit hidden. Though it’s unassuming in nature, it’s a nice nook with a wide selection of beverages, music and lounging spots.

For food, I would recommend ordering one of the sweet crepes. My friend and I ordered the strawberries and nutella sweet crepe. The nutella was sweet and the strawberries tasted fresh. It’s big enough to share for two people.

The café also has a great selection of beverages, hot and cold. Their tea selection is especially wide, ranging from matcha tea to Moroccan tea. The people at the restaurant are really nice and helpful in giving you advice on which drink selection, if you’re ever indecisive like I am.

An extra perk is the parking lot in the back, so you don’t have to worry about short-term parking and can enjoy your time at the café without worrying about moving your car.

Zephyr

2419 East Colorado Boulevard, Pasadena, CA 910017

(626) 793-7330

Celebrating Greek Culture at Long Beach Greek Festival

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greek culture, greek dancing, long beach greek festival by the sea, los angeles events, los angeles food

Blue and white striped flags wave in the air. Beef and pork is on the grill and the tantalizing smell as well as the crackling of the fire can be heard. A strumming band and girls in red head wraps can be seen on stage. It’s not a scene from Nia Vardalos’s My Big Fat Greek Wedding, a hilarious movie about the insanity that ensues when a Greek girl falls in love with a non-Greek. It’s a celebration of Greek culture at the Long Beach Greek Festival at the Greek Orthodox Church.

One of the things I loved at the Greek Festival was the many different appetizers and dishes. Near the stage area, one booth was selling octopus and corn on the cob, another booth was selling gyros, filled with beef, lettuce, tomato, and tzatiki sauce, a yogurt sauce with herbs.

At the Greek Hall, the main dining area, I ordered the briami, a vegetarian casserole served with rice pilaf and green peas, as well as the spanakopita, a flaky crust pastry filled with spinach and cheese. For dessert, I munched on a galaktoboureko, a custard with milk, eggs, sweet butter, sugar, and semolina between layers of Phyllo. It was covered with sugar syrup; it tasted light but it wasn’t too sweet.

Besides eating, there were a number of cultural events including cooking classes, dance performances, and live music. At one time, a couple of individuals invited audience members to join them in dancing in a circle. There was also a performance by a Greek dance troupe who demonstrated their footwork and musicality.

Watching the dancers and noshing on Greek delicacies has made me want to return to Europe. Throughout the day, I kept hearing people call out “Opa! Hoorah!” Hopefully, I’ll be able to visit Greece in no time.

Popping by Hsi Lai Temple

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california buddhist temples, hsi lai temple, los angeles sightseeing, vegetarian chinese food

Hsi Lai Temple is a hub for Buddhist disciples in Los Angeles. It offers a serene place for practicing meditation and learning the Dharma. I had a chance to visit it this past weekend to attend a lecture and was surprised by not only the natural beauty, but also the architectural wonders of the place.

The temple is placed on a hill and, when I arrived, I was greeted by a large red gate and decorative stone monks placed throughout a grassy ledge. Throughout the rest of the temple, there were halls filled with gold paper and statues of important Buddhist figures. I also walked by courtyards of waterfalls and scenes from Buddhist scripture. 

 

The lecture, presented by a professor at University of the West, focused on the Buddhist perspective on megatrends in economics. The lecturer emphasized causality, how one thing can influence another. He also advocated for removing blame from events and simply working to restore the environment. Lastly, he believed it was necessary to find complex solutions rather than simple, short-term solutions in dealing with future issues.

 

After attending the lecture, I had lunch in the dining hall where they have a vegetarian buffet. To promote environmental conservatism, the dining hall has reusable plates, cups and utensils. I ladled my plate with veggies, tomato rice, and stir-fried noodles. For dessert, I bought a bag of red bean pastries. It was interesting to watch the pastry being made; the batter was first mixed, layered the batter into the hot pan, and finished with red bean filling. Then, the baker would wait for it to cool a bit and then flip the pastry on to its other side so there would be an even griddle mark.

For those interested in learning more, you can attend other events and lectures at Hsi Lai Temple. The temple is located at 3456 Glenmark Drive, Hacienda Heights, California, 91745 USA. The visiting hours are 9am-5pm daily. There is no admission price, only a donation to eat at the vegetarian dining hall.

Seeing old friends at Reunions

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anxiety, friendships, hermosa beach, relationships, reunions, spain study abroad, westminster

Every time I meet with old friends, I have this weird pit in my stomach. This knot that won’t go away. I’m not sure if I’m hungry. Or stressed. Or tired. But that anxious feeling never goes away.

Except for today. Today I met with two groups of friends: one group of friends I hadn’t seen for a few months and were friends from Spain; another group of friends I hadn’t seen for a few weeks–they were friends who I had met in college but who had gone abroad in the past few weeks.

To start the afternoon off, I drove to Hermosa Beach where we had planned a Spanish picnic poolside, complete with tapas and sangria. And even though I had not seen these people the past few months, everything felt so easy. Everything fell into place. It was nice to hear about one person’s anticipating travels to Spain, another’s explanation about her fascination with the Glee Project, and one girl’s vow to log off Facebook to study for graduate school exams. I was happy and at peace.

At night, I drove to Westminster and ate at Pho 54, a Vietnamese noodle house with the friends who had returned from being abroad. One had left to China to visit family, another had left to Japan to teach English and one had flown back from studying in the Caribbean for medical school. Though we hadn’t seen each other for various lengths of time, it felt like no time had passed.

As I was driving home from these two reunions, I pondered on how this entire day helped bring calm and serenity to my social life. The past few weeks post-college have been frantic as I attempt to maintain every single friendship that I’ve made. At the root of it, I know that I’m scared of change because I’m not ready for it.

Today cleared my thoughts. All I can say is “thank you.” Thank you for making me feel as if time hasn’t changed. Thank you for being there with me.

Running Around Belmont Shore in Long Beach

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Belmont Shore, long beach, los angeles sightseeing, Open Sesame, Orange County

Bordering Orange County and LA County, Long Beach could be described as hustle bustle but with a costal vibe. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to have a day trip. These are my recommendations for anyone who visits the Belmont Shore area of Long Beach.

1. Plan a picnic on the beach: Grab a blanket, pack some food, and head out towards the water. My friends and I decided to pick up food at Open Sesame. I ordered the Cauliflower pita ($5.99), a vegetarian option with fried cauliflower, onion, tomato, lettuce, pine nuts, and tahini wrapped in pita bread. It was a great choice because it was healthy, flavorful, and filling. Open Sesame has two locations in Belmont Shore: 5201 East 2nd Street and 5215 East 2nd Street in Long Beach.  
2. Build sandcastles: We visited following a sand castle competition. There were Smurfs, pyramids and castles made of sand. You can make your own sand castle too with a few tools; a shovel and a bucket can get you started.

3. Choose an outdoor activity: You don’t know necessarily have to go swimming like my friends attempted to do. There are many activities available to you. You can bring your own equipment for activities like kite flying or biking. There also kayak shops that will rent out kayaks for you to paddle around the Venice Canals.

Grilling at Cham Sut Gol

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all you can eat korean bbq, garden grove, KBBQ, los angeles food, orange county food

If you’re ever in Orange County, there’s a well known all-you-can-eat Korean barbeque (AYCE KBBQ) place that has been kept secret. Many people in the area have tried to keep it a secret but it’s gained a cult following. Cham Sut Gol is the place to be for KBBQ and people keep coming back for the wide array of food.

Cham Sut Gol, hidden in the Korean business district of Garden Grove, offers an all-you-can-eat offer that’s on the pricey side (around $16-$18 for lunch, around $20-$22 for dinner) but there are a lot of different choices to choose from. The meal starts off small dishes of appetizers. This is my favorite part of the meal because it includes veggies like potato salad, kimchi (fermented cabbage), and marinated beansprouts.

You can then choose the meat that you want to cook; there are different types of meat to choose from including brisket (thinner, leaner cuts of meat), chicken, and bulgogi (spicy, marinated beef). You can pair the meat with rice paper, dip it in the the vinager sauce or eat it plain with a dressing of salt and oil.  I always leave room in my stomach for dessert. At one of the restaurant, there is an ice cream bar and my favorite flavors there are green tea as well as cookies and cream.

If you get the hunger for Korean BBQ, especially during lunch time, check out Cham Sut Gol.

Cham Sut Gol

9252 Garden Grove Blvd, in Garden Grove, CA

(714) 590-9292

Eating at Honey Badger Café and Nearby Dessert Shop

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alhambra bakery, alhambra dessert shop, alhambra main street, honey badger cafe, los angeles food, los angeles pastries

Walking in Alhambra, California, I never realized there were so many shops on Main Street. There’s a movie theater nearby, a gallery, and a ton of mom ‘n’ pop restaurants to try out.

One of these shops is the Honey Badger Café, which my friend Melissa discovered. The front entrance to the café immediately caught my eye with the swirling designs of coffee and the golden doors that made me feel like I was walking into a mystical world. The eclectic design continued from the exterior into the overall decor of the inside of the restaurant. There was vintage furniture around the room and this would be a great place to study or go to get tasks done. There’s mood music playing and the back of the restaurant has long tables that are great for piling work on top of.

Enough about the restaurant environment, onto the food–which was delicious. My friend and I decided to order the Portobello ricotta vegetarian sandwich ($5). It’s served with fresh ricotta cheese, grilled Portobello mushroom marinated with balsamic, garlic, and fresh thyme on Italian ciabatta artisan bread. Biting into it, I tasted the sweetness of the balsamic, the rich taste of ricotta, and the crunchiness of the ciabatta. All three elements together was a good combination.

Following dinner, my friend and I walked across the street to a bakery – Perfectly Sweet. You’ll be able to spot it; it has glass doors that feature a counter with a variety of baked goods. I ordered the white chocolate raspberry cake ($3) and, it was so good, that I had to make sure to eat it slowly so I could savor every bite. The white chocolate was very light and the berry gave it a fresh taste.

I would recommend visiting Main Street in Alhambra for a night out or afternoon stroll.

Honey Badger Café

11 W Main St, Alhambra, CA 91801

Perfectly Sweet

120 W. Main St., Alhambra CA 91801

Tel: (626) 282-9400

Hours: Mon-Sun 7am-10pm

Fast Food Kills

Tags

california lifestyle, exercise, fast food, health, volunteer medical clinic, wellness

I started volunteering at a non-profit medical clinic in Los Angeles and it’s interesting to see the different patients that come in. I’m learning more about the medical field and illnesses such as diabetes, hypertension, and high blood pressure. One thing that I’ve gained from the experience is the important of eating a balanced meal, staying away from fast food, and exercising on a daily basis.

To me, there’s an interesting dichotomy that comes to play concerning diet and exercise in southern California. On the one hand, there are farmers’ markets and grocery stores dedicated to homegrown, organic products. There are also gyms dedicated to fitness and a number of locations (beaches, mountains, parks) where people can engage in physical active. On the other hand, there are a number of fast food stores that line the block. As well, the commutes from work in the southern California area are horrendous. People are driving and sitting in their cars at least an hour a day and the public transportation doesn’t have a strong infrastructure.

I don’t want to complain about the issue too much more, so here are some of my suggestions and what I’ve learned at the clinic. If at all possible, walk 30 minutes after eating a meal so that your stomach can be digested. Take advantage of the beaches, mountains, and parks; you’ll be able to commune with nature and get a good workout. In terms of food, make sure to eat as many veggies and fruits a day – five servings would be the recommended daily dosage. Stay away from fast food as much as possible because there’s a lot of fat and sodium packed in it. These and other things can be done to work towards a healthy and happier lifestyle.

Enjoying the Orange County Fair

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bubble pool, california events, fried butter, fried kool-aid, ice museum, oc fair, orange county food, orange county petting zoo

Ever since I read Charlotte’s Web (a book about a pig and a spider who become friends) in elementary school, I’ve been fascinated with local fairs. The Orange County Fair (OC Fair) is the fair that my friends from Irvine and I have been attending for the past few years. They offer discounts for students and also have special days where you can get in for free.

One of the biggest draws to the fair is the food. This year, the unique item is fried batter balls of Kool-aid. The Kool-aid balls weren’t really what I was expecting; it still had the fruity, punchy flavor but after the initial taste, there wasn’t much to it. Though the kool-aid balls were a miss, I recommend trying the fried butter. The fried butter looks like churro and tastes like one as well; the one I tried with my friends was garnished with cinnamon and tortilla chips. Be warned that it is heavy though so I encourage splitting fried foods with friends. Other tasty fare at the fair included fried frog legs (tastes like chicken), corn on the cob (my all-time favorite), and skewers (you can smell them a mile away).

For kids, the Petting Zoo and Bubble Pool are fun to partake in.The petting zoo has animals of all sizes and all types of fur. It’s a bit hectic in the pen with all the animals and visitors running around but it’s exciting at the same time for that reason.

Across from the Petting Zoo, there’s a booth that’s also running a Bubble Pool. I wanted to be a Bubble person myself but the vendors were only limiting it to people of a certain height and weight range. Even though I wasn’t able to run around in a pool in a plastic bubble, it was still funny to see my friend’s younger sister attempt to walk on water while in the bubble.

Lastly, a visit to the Ice Museum is great for all ages. It’s astonishing to see all the ice sculptures that are displayed. In the summer, it’s also a way to cool down and get away from the afternoon heat. By the time we left the Ice Museum, it was already night time and so we decided to make one last pit stop at the Ferris Wheel.

The Ferris Wheel was beautiful to look at during the night time. It was flashing in white and the booths were decorated with swirls of bright colors. I was scared of heights, but the beauty of the night skyline made the Ferris Wheel ride worth it. From the top of the Ferris Wheel, you could look out into the distance and see all the twists-n-turns of the carnival rides. I could smell the sweetness of chocolate and the saltiness of barbeque as well. From the window, you could see the moon and the stars. It was a great way to end a day at the OC Fair. Enjoy the OC Fair while you can; it is scheduled to run until the beginning of September.