UNIVERSITY OF SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA
STUDENT BLOG
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Shopping Locally: The USC Farmers Market
One of my favorite parts of living in California is the ready access to incredibly fresh fruits and vegetables. One of the easiest ways to access them is by shopping at farmers markets. LA has an incredible number sprinkled all around the city (my favorite is in Brentwood), but if you don’t have a car, don’t worry! USC brings the farmers market right to McCarthy Quad most Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m throughout the fall and spring semesters.
Your Guide to Freebies at USC — Food Edition
By: Ngai Yeung ’23
Two things we probably have in common – I love free stuff and I love food. In college, if you know where to look, it’s possible to find a lot of both!
Updated Explore LA: Smorgasburg
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Every Sunday from 10AM to 4PM Smorgasburg LA can be found in the oddly gentrified factory lot located at 777 S Alameda St, Los Angeles, CA 90021. This is the perfect place for foodies to bring their friends to try some of LA’s signature food fusions. Not only is there great food, but it’s also a great place to just canvas shop and enjoy aesthetic lifestyle stands (after all, admission is free!). Looking for fun weekend plans? Keep reading!
Explore LA: Sawtelle
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
Looking for great Japanese food and cute plushies but don’t want to deal with Little Tokyo tourist traps? Visit Sawtelle instead. Just 10 stops heading west on the Metro Expo line from USC is West LA’s “Little Japantown.” This mini center of East Asian food and novelties is located on Sawtelle Blvd. As a West LA resident, this was one of my go-to spots growing up. Here are some of my favorite things to do at Sawtelle.
I Ate a Raw Vegan Diet For a Week in USC Dining Halls
By: Alexis M Peters ‘20
You may have heard of vegetarian and vegan diets. But what the heck is raw vegan? Let me explain. Raw veganism is a diet in which you don’t eat any meat or dairy products, and you don’t eat anything cooked. So what do you eat, you may ask? Fruits, vegetables, nuts, seeds, and sprouts. “Why would you do this to yourself?” This was a question my friends asked of me many times. My plan was actually to eat raw vegan for two weeks, and I wanted to do it as a sort of cleanse, so that I could have a fresh, healthy start for the new year. Except, two weeks didn’t really work out for me… But, we’ll get to that later. My goal for this raw vegan journey was to eat super fresh foods, cleanse my body, and maybe have glowing skin and silky hair by the end of it. Since I have a meal plan (and also for experiment’s sake), I planned to exclusively eat food from the dining hall. So, let’s begin!
Where the Locals go in Santa Monica
By: Sophia Pei ‘22
You’ve all heard of and been to the over-crowded Santa Monica Pier, 3rd Street Promenade, and Main Street strip. While these places are fun to explore, you won’t find them on this list (but if you do want to the stereotypical Santa Monica things, I guarantee there are hundreds of sites that can recommend you activities). The following are some less touristy places in Santa Monica that y’all should visit. Here’s a quick guide of some really amazing attractions and food places sorted by Metro stop!
LA Guide: 6 Places for A Summer Brunch
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
With Spring in full effect here is an updated checklist for must-try brunches. So grab your friends and brunch away at some of the newest and trending restaurant. Don‘t forget to bring along that Instax camera to capture that Instagram worthy #foodporn.
8 Quick Grab and Go Breakfast Ideas for Students
By: Samantha Romero ‘16
You’re rushing to class only once you are re there an annoying stomach grumble reminds you that you forgot to eat breakfast again. We’ve all been there!
dineL.A. Experience
By: Emily Young MA ‘16
dineL.A. is a special dining event that takes place every summer showcasing some of Los Angeles’ finest restaurants through a selection of specially priced prix-fixe lunch and dinner menus. The restaurants highlight the diversity of culinary experiences in Los Angeles with over 350 restaurants participating in dine.L.A.