Weekending at USC

The University of Southern California campus really is exactly what it sounds like it, in case you didn't know.

It is riddled with beautiful people, fancy cars, ethnic food, smoggy gorgeous weather, prestigious brick architecture and that nitty-gritty latin flair that is so classically Los Angeles.

I take a trip up to USC every couple of weeks or so to visit Cubs. Half of the time we spend the weekend cooped up studying at the lab Cubby works at (which isn't so bad... you'll see), but there's always something free and interesting going on to look forward to as well!

 Here's a taste:

Akshai was one of Cub's suite-mates last year. He's always fun to visit because he's basically a walking wikipedia that happens to play a mean piano. This video doesn't do it justice, but I'll try to catch him next time.

Last weekend I drove up to USC with Lauren and Ethan for the school's annual SpringFest.

We roamed the campus, played mad scientist at Cubby's lab (lab coats and goggles included!), stuffed ourselves at Freebirds, and finally got to see Mos Def live.

As always, when you point the camera at Cubby, or Ethan for that matter, they perform. 

Now that these pictures are all caught up I can blog about something I have over 500 photos for... Yikes!

tacos and pancakes.

we went big one tuesday evening in the midst of march, lauren and i did.

i can always count on her to accompany me in such indulgences:

two restaurants in three hours, back to back.

cheap food is cheap food...

calories be damned.

First: the beloved Taco Tuesday.

i am a devout observer of this southern california ritual. along with practically everyone else i know.

my taco temple of choice? taco surf ...obviously.

rooms [dad], lauren, and i all pilgrimaged there after our long days at school and work to gather in praise mexico for its notoriously cheap, phat grinds.

                        

 

   $1.50 for blackened tofu and mushroom tacos  

  $1.50 for fried potato tacos

 $0.00 for the best chips and salsa this side of the border

+$0.00 for water 

  $3.00 each! (+tip)

Next: Free Donation Pancakes!

on this particular tuesday, IHOP just happened to be hosting national pancake day in support of Children's Miracle Network of hospitals. 

a shortstack for any nominal donation. can you really turn that down? 

i may have gotten a little carried away with the pancake photos. i was just so happy to be surrounded by warm gooey sweet carbs on a tuesday evening.

these guys are pretty cool to be surrounded with, too...

February Lovin': Part Three

My life revolves around food.

I honor of our missed Valentine's Day, Cubs and I decided to walk around Huntington Beach and enjoy the beautiful mid February sunshine.

 We first walked to Jan's for lunch.

I just love that Jan's always has the same tofurky that my family eats for Thanksgiving. Afterall, my favorite part about Thanksgiving dinner is the tofurkey leftover sandwiches that we get the up until the beginning of December!

So naturally, I ordered the Veggie Turkey sandwich.

It came with Have'a Corn Chips :)

Cubby had the Chicken Salad, which was a beast.

Then we walked to Lil' Reds to give their cupcakes a try. By the time we got there they were almost out of cakes so we got one of the last red velvets and headed to Starbucks to wait for them to frost the next batch. 

We returned just in time... they were flying like hotcakes right out of the store!

I've always had a place in my heart for the cupcake, even before the cupcake got so mainstream. ;)

Pretty sure we found the owner's car!

I think eating them together is best.

Cubby was happy to see milk on the menu.

After our walk-about/eat-about, we went back to Cubby's for some quick studying (I guess there's no escaping it) before we headed to Ethan's to watch the All-Star NBA game before dinner and some Lord of the Rings Risk.

For dinner?

Soup-bowls! 

Ethan's soup-bowl! Why does it remind me of a jack-o-lantern?

Ralph's didn't have enough personal sized soup bowls so we picked up two for Lauren and Ethan then found a normal unsliced round loaf of Sourdough for us to share. As far as soup bowls go... it was pretty epic.

After dinner... the boys began their really nerdy and boring LOTR Risk game.

 It went on... and on... and on... 

...after the first round, Ethan and Henry wanted to play again 

Action Risk!

 Which is when the girls stepped in. No more Risk, please. 

It got pretty heated! I don't know why, but girls don't like Risk. Guys tend to love it. I'm not even inclined to try playing it! Why is that?

The heated debate. Boys vs. Girls. Risk vs. No Risk.

All in all, it was another lovely day.

I'll see you next time, February!