Spring 2024 DIG

LONG BEACH

COMMUNITY

INSPIRATION

LIFESTYLE

SPRING 2024

TABLE OF CONTENTS LB INSIDERS

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EDITOR’S NOTE

BY OLIVIA PEAY

WHERE TO NEXT: SOLO DATES FOR SELF-LOVE

BY GRACE HUGHES

DIG THE LOOK: ROMANTICISM REVIVAL

BY OLIVIA PEAY

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DIG IN: A PLANTPOWERED FIESTA

BY NANCY MORALES & OLIVIA PEAY

Q&A: WHAT IS LOVE?

BY ANI GUTIERREZ

FRESH FINDS: LOVE WITHIN THE LYRICS

BY WENDY ROSALES

FEATURES

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EVERYONE AROUND US IS IN LOVE

BY KATE HIZON

On what can change and what can remain constant in romantic relationships.

MELODIC MEMORIES

BY MEGAN POQUETTE

Raised on rock & roll, Megan Poquette reflects on her love of music, brought into her life thanks to her parents.

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THE WAY YOU LOOK AT ME

BY OLIVIA PEAY & GOPI VADSAK

In the dance of love, many stumble, sway and tip-toe their way into a relationship. Through a series of tender photographs, we learn how love can bloom when least expected.

ABOUT US

DIG is a student-produced arts and culture magazine published by CSULB’s Department of Journalism and Public Relations. We inspire readers to immerse themselves in the Long Beach lifestyle through photography, videography, design, illustration and the written word.

EDITOR IN CHIEF OLIVIA PEAY

SENIOR EDITOR ANI GUTIERREZ

ART DIRECTOR HANNA PIERINI

GRAPHIC DESIGNERS ANJALI KNIGHT BRYNNA LANING

ILLUSTRATOR ALEX HEIDMAN

PHOTO EDITOR

GOPI VADSAK

DIGITAL DIRECTOR KATE HIZON

ONLINE EDITORS

MULTIMEDIA DIRECTOR DUY MAI

VIDEO EDITOR

MORGAN KHOE

PODCAST EDITOR MORGAN BARELA

SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR

EMILY BROWN

SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS ALYSSA GERVACIO GENEVIE NGUYEN PHOEBE ESPERANZA KOBE TAKEDA

BUSINESS MANAGER KRISTINA AGRESTA

PR & PROMOTIONS MANAGER NICOLLETTE COMBRE

EMILY CAIN GRACE HUGHES

ADVERTISING MANAGER

NEWSLETTER EDITOR

WEB & TECHNOLOGY MASTER

KALYNE TOUCH

@digmaglb www.digmaglb.com digmagazinelb@gmail.com

IZHAN AHMED LEILA NUNEZ

FACULTY ADVISORS

ROBIN JONES JENNIFER NEWTON

© DIG and BeachMedia DIG is a publication of BeachMedia.

California State University, Long Beach, 1250 Bellflower Blvd., LA-4 203, Long Beach, CA 90840-4601

DEAR READER, I never liked talking about love.

It made me feel sticky inside, like someone poured hot syrup down my throat and asked me to recite the alphabet. It made my skin crawl, my legs shake, my voice tremble and eyes dart to the ground, searching for something to use as a distraction to ignore any feelings I had – because I knew I was delicate. I’ve tied my heartstrings around every person I’ve ever met, pulling their threads one by one when I need space.

Like glass, the closer you get to me the more you can see on the other side. And I don’t like being transparent.

As children, the first love we feel is for our parents and family, then it branches outward to our friends, stuffed animals and the world around us. It deepens over time, enriching us with the nutrients we’ve been starved of without really knowing why. Because we all starve for love. We all hunger for it, whether we realize it or not.

Love means many things to different people. It isn’t just a hand to hold or soft spoken words whispered against your cheek. It is your favorite ice cream flavor. A shoulder to cry on. The joy you feel while watching the sunset. A heartfelt letter. Empathy.

Sacrifice. Forgiveness. Grief. It is every warm and cold feeling you’ve ever felt, because that’s all there ever is in life. It is mundane, but it is vibrant. It is all love, everything and everywhere. And it’s beautiful!

Much like love, this issue was hard to get together. It was messy, chaotic and imperfect.

But I came to make peace with it, to enjoy it, to understand that it’s not always going to go the way I want it to, even if every atom in my body wills it to be so.

I think, perhaps, the most important takeaway from love is our receptiveness to it. Our ability to see love as it is and not what we want it to be, or how someone else might want it to be for us. Maybe that way, for those of us who have had trouble with love, or for those who have lost it along the way, we can come to understand that love is all around us at all times. It is infinite, and it is here to stay.

Love wholeheartedly and openly!

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LB INSIDER • WHERE TO NEXT?

Solo Dates for Self-Love Story by Grace Hughes

Illustration by Alex Heidman

Picture this: a table for one, adorned with the finest settings, where the only agenda is indulgence in one’s own company. Solo dates are a great form of self-care that allow you to spend quality time alone. Going on dates with yourself not only builds confidence, but strengthens your personality and encourages self-love.

Here are three solo date activities that will redefine date night and urge you to nurture the most essential relationship you have – the one with yourself.

Flaunt Your Moves at En Pointe Dance & Fitness

Express Your Creativity at The Art Spot

Since 2012, En Pointe Dance & Fitness has been a place for people to unleash their inner dancer and set their spirits into motion. This studio encourages all to participate, regardless of age or skill level, and offers classes in a variety of styles. At $25 per class, you can explore genres such as ballet, contemporary, tap and more. Here, movement becomes poetry, and expression finds its rhythm on the dance floor. This experience provides an opportunity for your body to engage in dynamic movements in a safe environment, while giving you the chance to make acquaintances while acquiring a new skill. Adult classes are offered every day of the week, so it’s likely you’ll find something you like.

Embark on a sensory journey at The Art Spot, formerly known as StudioPick – a key community space for people of all abilities, ages and backgrounds to experience the radiance of art. The studio offers a space for creativity to flourish, where individuals can take a weekly class, monthly workshop, or opt for a private event. Currently, for $20 a class, you can join the adult Art Journaling Group led by Shannon LaBounty, a local creative and professional soap-maker. Art journaling encourages experimentation using a variety of mediums to express your emotions and expand your imagination.

Rather than concerning yourself with what the finished product may look like, art journaling focuses on the process of creating, while granting you the permission to express yourself freely.

713 Termino Ave., Long Beach enpointedanceandfitness.com

4356 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach Classes are held every Thursday at 6:30pm artspotlb.com

Rejuvenate Yourself at Resplendent Day Spa Looking to escape life’s hectic pace?

For nearly 30 years, Resplendent Day Spa has focused on providing a transformative experience that not only relieves clients from tension and worry, but also helps them recognize their full potential. The aroma of essential oils will greet you as you enter the space, guiding you inward. Alongside facials and massages, Resplendent offers a line of innovative medical spa services that target body contouring, pain management and more. With any treatment you select, Resplendent’s services are a testament to the art of self-care, inviting all who enter to indulge in relaxation and tranquility.

2801 E. Spring St., Suite 120, Long Beach resplendentdayspa.com

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Revival Story and Photos by Olivia Peay

For the days we feel like it, romanticizing the way we dress is a gift: a reminder to indulge in the sweet things in life, even if it’s only in brevity. Why not take it a step further – or backward – and look toward centuries past for inspiration, using modernity to flesh out our fashion fantasies?

With roots in French flirtation and Victorian aesthetics, the romanticism, or coquette style, is a trend that has transcended time. With an enchanting allure of shimmering, glittery softness, romanticism allows fashion enthusiasts to let their outfits do the talking in a language that’s part Shakespearean sonnet, part femme fatale.

“When I think of romanticism, I think of the color red. That’s why it’s my favorite color! Red is my hair, red is my favorite lipstick.

Red is romance. It’s flirtation, passion and love,” says Athena Vasquez, 29, tutor at the University Writing Center at Cal State Long Beach.

Vasquez frequently sports romanticwear in her own life, adding pearls to her outfits and makeup looks, but also adding a “touch of romance” in her body language and tone. Wearing such looks is empowering and makes her feel sophisticated.

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“It’s a style that depends on the person wearing it – I don’t think it’s strictly feminine or masculine.

Romanticism just is. It shapeshifts,” she says.

Many believe that the ubiquitous bow lies at the heart of romanticism, wrapped in strands of pearls and tied with threads of lace.

But no matter what accessory you add to your outfit, incorporating romantic looks into your wardrobe lets freedom of expression reign.

“I practice romanticism almost every time I get ready,” says Nelson PonceChosco, 21. “It challenges me toward self-discovery on what I may find romantic in my own right.

Embellishing my outfits allows me to blend into my surroundings, or go completely off the rails into what I call ‘Planet Nelson’, where my wildest imaginations take form. In Planet Nelson, I can do and wear as I please without public or self-ridicule.”

“Romanticism doesn’t always have to mean pearls, lace or glam... there are many tales worth telling, even if they’re the less opulent ones.”

“Many times we’re told that these two ends cannot coexist. But what if I love both? It’s allowed me to ponder, ‘Do I hate it or am I taught to hate it by an outside force?’ Asking myself this question gives my romantic style an entirely new meaning; it makes me feel more than just pretty. It can make me feel rebellious, powerful and not alone.”

Romanticism is a celebration of uniqueness, something that invites individuals to infuse their lives with love, no matter what form it takes. So, whether you opt for a pearl-adorned blouse or a noir-shaded crop top, you can embrace your inner romantic and let your fashion journey be a celebration of your own style.

“We’re all multifaceted beings with many identities that we want to encompass in our lifetime,” says PonceChosco. “We just need to find a way to bring out and balance them within ourselves.”

LB INSIDER • DIG THE LOOK

Ponce-Chosco majors in studio art and minors in film and graphic design, using their artistic vision to fuel what’s in their wardrobe. He encourages the use of romanticism as a direction for anyone’s style endeavors to allow “any fantasy in your mind to come to life,” revived by a love for living. To elevate their own ensembles, Ponce-Chosco includes a variety of accessories: loose ties, stuffed animals, fishnets, fur, stickers, handmade pins, crochet and more.

“I even pinned a Marlboro cigarette box that I found on the side of the road to my skirt to live out my cigarette fantasy,” he says, laughing.

“Romanticism doesn’t always have to mean pearls, lace or glam, which I do love to dabble in. It can also take a turn for the darker side. In fairytales, there are many tales worth telling, even if they’re the less opulent ones.”

On social media, coquette-inspired romantic styles are often characterized by softer looks. However, reciprocating individualism and artistic rebirth is the true embodiment of the Renaissance, where light, lavish expressions meet the bold romantic ideals that characterized the era. Ponce-Chosco believes that as a whole, romanticism cannot be defined by one side or the other.

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FIESTA Story by Nancy Morales & Olivia Peay PHOTOS COURTESY OF RESTAURANTS & OLIVIA PEAY

When the aroma of spice mingles with the lively spirit of tradition, a culinary revolution takes place. Enter the world of vegan Mexican cuisine – a delightful fusion that marries the rich tapestry of Mexican culture with the principles of a plant-based lifestyle. At these three restaurants, traditional recipes embrace the offerings of nature, inviting us all to savor every plant-powered bite.

Cena Vegan Rich in flavor and tradition, Cena Vegan’s dishes tantalize your palate while nurturing a connection to the roots of Mexican culinary artistry, evident in their bountiful meals and mouth-watering spices. Their plant-derived meats include al pastor, carne asada, carnitas, birria, grilled chicken and barbacoa, all of which can be added to their variety of entrees. Enjoy their “Nacho Boat” that’s covered with beans, lettuce, tomato, guacamole and salsa, and topped with your choice of meat.

Burritos, tortas, tostadas and bowls offer customers a chance for customization while blending the richness of Mexican flavors with the wholesome goodness of plantbased ingredients. For those looking for a little something extra, the restaurant offers agua frescas, horchata and their “Big Vegan Cookie”: a palm-sized baked good of dark chocolate and pecans. Cena Vegan also offers ready-to-eat portions for larger groups, allowing your loved ones to indulge in their offerings.

456 Elm Ave., Suite K, Long Beach Closed Mondays, open 11:30 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sunday, 11:30 a.m. to 8 p.m. Tuesday through Thursday, and 11:30 a.m. to 9 p.m. Friday and Saturday

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LB INSIDER • DIG IN

PlanTita’s Kitchen Moved by a love for traditional flavor and culture, PlanTita’s Kitchen will leave your tastebuds dancing with delight. Their menu is a testament to creativity and sustainability, featuring an array of dishes that pay homage to classic Mexican favorites. Customers can choose between six light to hearty proteins, including mushroom al ajillo, which are braised wild mushrooms, and baja shrimp, beer-battered morsels with diced pineapple. PlanTita’s Kitchen offers cultural staples like elote, queso-loaded nachos, tacos and pozole verde, but reimagined through the lens of a plant-based philosophy.

The flauta plate is a local favorite and one of their house specials: an ensemble bathed in velvet sauces and guacamole, filled with cheesy potatoes and jackfruit carnitas. The dishes at PlanTita’s Kitchen are not just for the ecstasy of our tastebuds, but for our heart’s contentment – where a celebration of bold flavors, cultural heritage and the opportunity of plant-based living are possible.

1950 W. Willow St., Long Beach Closed Mondays, open 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday

The Grain Cafe A staple in the Long Beach vegan community, The Grain Cafe is a Mexican-inspired eatery where tradition and compassion converge on the plate. Inside the restaurant, you’llfind a symphony of colors and Mexican-style adornments – a reflection of the rich heritage the restaurant’s owners hold dear. Open for every meal of the day, The Grain Cafe offers a wide variety of dishes to suit your every craving. Their chilaquiles are made with crisp tortilla chips, avocado and tofu egg, drizzled in salsa and housemade sour cream. For those looking for something on the softer side, the cafe offers less spiceheavy dishes, like sweet to savory crepes, sandwiches, wraps and salads.

For dinner, the restaurant offers “south of the border” dishes: chicken fajitas, chile relleno, enchiladas, quesadillas, mole burritos and pastas spiced with red peppers that’ll leave you burning for more. The cafe also makes fresh organic cakes, including a decadent tres leches cake made from coconut-based ingredients.

4403 E. Fourth St., Long Beach Open every day from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m.

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Love?

What Is

Story by Ani Gutierrez

Love: a seemingly simple

term that holds enough power to change the world. The exceptional thing about love is how it occurs in endless forms, living subjectively to each human experience that graces the forever-evolving landscape of human connection. One person’s ideas surrounding love can utterly differ from the next, but this is what makes it such a beautiful thing. I asked six individuals in psychology at CSULB to share what love means to them.

dI n a b o j y “But meen together have b a while.” for

“I think love is pure vulnerability coated in the deepest, most magical form of connection. I believe there are three overarching types of love. ‘Self love’ is completely internal: how you treat yourself and nurture your own needs.

‘Relational love’ for whom we’re the closest to…those who know you at your rawest form, who you fully accept for all they are and whose needs you’re attuned to. The third type of love I’ve noticed is a more global love, which is a feeling or light that we emit to the world on a larger scale. It could be giving food to someone in need, or smiling at a person who looks like they are down. This type of love can show itself in gratitude, positive energy, and appreciation for how beautiful the little things around us are. I’m learning more about love everyday. All I know is that love is all around us and in us. It is everything.”

-Amanda Trama

“All I k now is love is all around us and in us.”

­—Amanda Trama, Ph.D., CAPS Staff Psychologist “One form of love we forget about is love for our job. We normally call this ‘job satisfaction,’ but it includes the same things we consider when thinking about a spouse: whether we have a passion for our job, if we are committed to it, and if the values of our organization match our own values or goals in life. We measure someone’s love for work in ways we measure the love we feel toward spouses, tapping into all these ideas, as well as things like whether you intend to leave them or if you see them supporting you in good times or bad. Like love, disliking your job causes you stress, while loving your job may make you live longer. If I had to go outside and march around to get financial support from a spouse, the relationship would probably be over. But my job and I have been together for a while.”

-Christopher Warren ­— Christopher Warren, Assistant Professor, Psychology Department 10

LB INSIDER • Q&A

“As a counseling psychologist specializing in relationships, my perspective on love is deeply rooted in the principles of connection, understanding, and growth. To me, love is a dynamic journey rather than a static destination. It’s about building bridges of empathy and compassion, fostering a safe space where vulnerability is not just accepted, but celebrated. Love in its essence is like being an everattentive gardener, where the seeds of mutual respect and trust are nurtured into a resilient bond.”

“Love i s like bein an ever -attent g ive gardene r.”

-Shelly Collins ­—Shelly Collins, Ph.D., CAPS Staff Psychologist

“From my family back at home, to my wonderful cohort of friends I’ve made along the way, I’m so grateful for those I surround myself with. My community has always been there for me. They’re people I can lean on, people I can go to in a time of need, people I trust. From allnighters in the library to midnight ER runs. That to me is love–these priceless relationships and bonds that we all have. I value mine deeply and know I wouldn’t be where I am without these people and the love they continue to show me.”

“ I would be where n’t without tI am people an hese love they d the con to show m tinue e.”

-Caleb Calomarde ­—Caleb Calomarde, second-year graduate student in

Psychology Human Factors “Love is like a beautiful piece of art.

Love is unique and subjective to each individual. I see love as the willingness to be selfless, while also embracing vulnerability to connect on a deeper level. Love can sometimes feel like a comfort or a risk. Oftentimes, our experiences will influence how we cultivate love and find fulfillment as we navigate through the journey of our lives.”

“Love can sometimes feel like a comfort or a risk.”

-Nicole Margiotta ­—Nicole Margiotta, third-year Psychology major

“Love is a lot of things.

More than often, we tend to associate love with a romantic relationship, but it’s so much more than that. Love is the connection between souls. Love is the time you take to nurture your body and your mind. Love is a ‘how are you?’ text from a friend. Love is an act of kindness toward someone special. Love is eating a homecooked meal from my mom. Love is the feeling I get when I look at my Schnauzer excited to see me after a long day. To me, love exists on many different levels.”

“Love is the connection between souls.”

-Michelle Real ­—Michelle Real, second-year graduate student

in Psychology

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LB INSIDER • FRESH FINDS

Love Within the Lyrics Story by Wendy Rosales

From sweet beginnings to heart-wrenching goodbyes, these four albums capture the timeless essence and complexities of romantic experiences.

Absolutely by Dijon

In Dijon's album "Absolutely," the narrative spans the spectrum of romance, heartbreak and all in between. The depicted song about relationships is mature and secure, acknowledging that improvement is possible even in the face of heartbreak. The album carries a super romantic, yet anti-climactic essence, filled with R&B and dream pop sounds that add to its suave. In the track "The Dress," Dijon respectfully reminds his partner of the enduring love he holds for them, assuring that the romantic spark they once shared can be reignited, even if the partner believes they have moved past that phase.

RX by Role Model

Role Model, also known as Tucker Pillsbury, expresses affection and passion on his debut album “RX.” The inspiration behind the album comes from Pillsbury’s profound love in a public relationship, one where he doesn’t shy away from openly expressing his feelings for his partner. With soul-stirring composition generated by pop and indie melodies, the album delves deeply into the artist’s devotion and reveals the sheer intensity of his admiration. Notable track “forever&more” stands out as a powerful love anthem, showcasing the artist’s heartfelt emotions. After all, who wouldn’t enjoy receiving a whole album dedicated to them?

Somewhere On a Hillside by Postcard Boy

Postcard Boy’s “Somewhere On a Hillside” album is a testimony to love and the feeling of intimate moments that define a deep connection. The tone of the album is inspired by early 2000s indie melodies — a mix of dream and hyperpop sounds that induce nostalgia. Through 12 tracks, Postcard Boy takes the listener on a captivating journey, navigating the highs of falling in love and the precipice of heartbreak. One standout track, “Polka-dot,” distinguishes itself from traditional love songs with its distinctive and unique electric sound.

Sofa Kings By Royal Otis

Passionately expressing their love for their partner, Royal Otis delivers a powerful statement through their indie rock tracks in “Sofa Kings.” The band, from Sydney, Australia, exhibits a remarkable ability to articulate their emotions, effortlessly crafting danceable love songs. A shining example of this talent is found in their track “Kool Aid,” which is a testimony to their ability at creating compelling and heartfelt musical narratives. With intricate sounds that encompass a range of emotions, Sofa Kings leaves listeners with a euphoric, introspective experience.

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The Way You Look at Me Photo by Gopi Vadsak

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FEATURE • POEM

Story by Kate Hizon

Illustration by Emily Hua

I mull about it over dinner, in a place off the 605 stamped with our footprints and a menu I only need to skim through before remembering your order.

The faces of our friends who have recently gotten together pair up in my head like mahjong tile couples. It’s a set I’m not used to playing. Across the table, your lukewarm glass of water waits in the same spot. Even in Spring, I can’t help but feel like nothing in my life changes these days.

I’m still afraid of hummingbirds, but fascinated by the rapid flutter of their wings.

My parents still bicker on Saturdays over going out or staying in.

My fork taps the table once, twice, until the question spills out of me: Do you think we’ll break up?

It sends you tightening like a fist. There’s a miserable lump in my throat and the moment is suspended in foggy aspic.

But our emotions are not proper instruments to measure what exists.

Like fruits that forget their own seeds, certain and deep within them.

A passerby may see the gentle silence between us and not think twice; we shouldn’t either.

The soft flesh of your face unfurls, and your palm stretches out for me to hold. When you finally speak, your voice is as solid and true as the muffled thud of a mahjong tile being unveiled on the table.

Long-awaited, and ending the worry of it all.

On the way home from dinner I think back a few years ago and us standing under a small blanket, swaddled by the fuschia night of Long Beach. It was then that I had finally said I think I like you too. My voice had gone temporarily crooked, like stickers I once placed and picked off a journal entry written about the time I first made you laugh. The collection of small belongings I left in your car grew from those unsuspecting moments.

I keep learning that love is forever jostling. Even now when it rains, I think of us running towards the foglights we accidentally left on and a 90s song I still play that will have you looking towards your left. White teeth shine towards me and then, we sing together against the cold.

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I

He frequented this beloved record shop to order new CDs from his favorite blues and rock artists, and I treasured every opportunity I had to immerse myself in that world of encapsulating guitar solos and smoky serenades.

I was raised on all forms of rock.

From classic and hard to folk and glam, rock music is the heartstring that ties me to my

My parents met in 1991 at work for a construction company called Jacobs Engineering in Pasadena. But on May 29, 1983, Heavy Metal Sunday of the U.S. Festival was well underway in San Bernardino, and my parents, who wouldn’t meet for another eight years, were both in attendance.

My mom went with her friend and heavy-metal-band bassist boyfriend, while my dad had convinced some of his fellow shipmates to drive over 400 miles from their naval station in Vallejo to see the highly anticipated show.

The thought of them both headbanging and dancing to Ozzy Osborne and Van Halen, and then teaching their daughter 20 years later to do the same thing, makes me love them even more.

Moral of the story: My parents rock.

As the only child of these two concert-going lovebirds, I had no other choice than to be dragged to the various rock shows they attended on weekends when I was a kid. If it wasn’t a gig for one of their closest friend’s various cover bands, it was to see some of their favorite rock and blues artists whose music molded me into the person I am today.

an

g

Some of my favorite childhood memories include roaming the stacks of vinyls and CDs, pausing only to point out artists that little me loved, like The Beatles and Tom Petty, to the man responsible for my love of music: my dad.

parents. Music was a form of love in my house, with some of the best nights consisting of the three of us lounging in front of the TV, requesting songs to be played on YouTube.

Me

always loved the smell of Barney’s Record Store. Walking through the doors was like walking into a magical new realm for me when I was growing up. The sparkly ring of the bell as my dad opened the door for me was always accompanied by a symphony of smells thanks to incense sticks burning around the store and that odd, pleasant smell of old books that came from the vinyl records that lined the walls.

S tor y b y :

Raised on rock ‘n’ roll, one writer reflects on her love of music, brought into her life thanks to her parents.

Poq

I was 4 years old at my first concert. I’m told we saw the Jackson Browne Band and Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers. To this day, I am still slightly frustrated with 4-year-old me for not paying a little more attention during this show, as both artists have now become favorites.

u e t te

It was at a Steve Miller concert during the song “Swingtown” when I was 9 that I learned the valuable life lesson of dancing like nobody’s watching.

“

Moral of the story: my parents rock.

“

My parents can attest to the true extent of my shyness as a kid, from not being able to order at restaurants to running red and shedding tears when any attention was called to me.

But all that bashfulness was washed away when that addictive drum and bass line with those ascending harmonies hit my eardrums. I recall grabbing the hand of my mom’s best

friend, known to me as Auntie Cora, and pulling her out onto the concrete steps of the Concord Pavillion to let the music groove us.

I have my parents to thank for my everlasting addiction to that feeling; there is a needy fire burning inside me, and live music fuels it.

“You always were one of the youngest people at the concerts we took you to,” “Concerts are events where said my mom, recounting the multitude of people can be uninhibited – melodic memories we shared. you can just be yourself and enjoy the music with others,” It’s true. I can recall up until the age said my dad when I asked him to of 16 playing the game of “try to find describe that feeling we’ve always someone in the crowd younger than chased.

Megan” with my parents at any given concert. And I often won One performance that truly this game. exemplified that feeling for me was seeing Sabrina Carpenter at the iconic At concerts for blues and Greek Theatre in Los Angeles during rock music greats like Elvin her “emails i can’t send” tour.

Bishop and Three Dog Night, I won by at least 40 Taking a break from somehow years. Despite these roads simultaneously screaming, crying, and being full of geezers, they singing along to the lyrics I loved, I looked sure knew how to rock, and up at the crowd from my ground floor seat they certainly loved teaching that my butt never touched and saw the the tiny, shy blonde girl in the moving sea of dancing people mimicking crowd how to rock too. the twinkling stars in the sky.

From falling asleep during the Eagles when I was 7, to being sung to by the lead singer of my parents and my favorite blues band Kenny Wayne Shepherd (who I have seen live six times) when I was 12, my childhood is less defined by years and more by setlists.

Moving away from home is not always easy. Especially as an only child, leaving my parents made me feel like a baby bird excited to finally take flight, only to realize it had no clue how to fly. But freshman year, when my friend asked me on our walk back to the dorms if I wanted to go see Amine live that night, I could almost hear the spark of joy ignite inside me.

The feeling of being in a room overflowing with hundreds of strangers all chanting the lyrics to mutually beloved songs is truly indescribable. The whole room beats like a heart, pulsing with the kick of the beat that everyone feels pumping in their chests. It’s all love.

“

for college was a decision full of unknowns, but the opportunity this decision has granted me to attend concerts in the cities where my parents once did the same has brought me such a peaceful, easy feeling.

At this point, I have easily been to 40 concerts and counting. My mom and I share the sentiment that if we don’t have concert tickets in our wallets at any given time, then something isn’t right with the world.

The Greek is magical,’ she said, and suddenly it all made sense.

An overwhelming stream of emotions came over me. I felt as though the entire crowd had vanished and my parents were looking down at me from the stars, smiling at the sight of me enjoying myself in the way they taught me to best.

That confusing combination of solitude and solace I felt that night had haunted me up until recently, when my mom told me that she became a member of the Greek Theatre in college and attended no less than six concerts a year there.

“The Greek is magical,” she said, and suddenly it all made sense.

“

From seeing Harry Styles at The Forum twice, to checking a Taylor Swift concert off my bucket list, to attending countless other shows for smaller artists at intimate venues, I am eternally grateful for my parents and the loving gift they have given me of appreciation for live music.

Two tickets to see the glittery girl-pop artist Chappell Roan at the Wiltern are currently burning holes in my pockets, and I await with the utmost anticipation to dance with the crowd and sense that sweet, nostalgic scent of Barney’s Record Store that lingers in my mind and feels like a hug from my parents whenever melodic memories are made.

Moving to Southern California from Sacramento 19

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FEATURE • THE WAY YOU LOOK AT ME

Story by Olivia Peay

Photos by Gopi Vadsak

In the dance of love, many stumble, sway and tip-toe their way into a relationship.

Through a series of tender photographs, we learn how love can bloom when least expected.

Melodic laughter fills the room when Kadin Dadd, 21, and Gracie Iporac, 22, step inside. Hands tied together, the pair eagerly reflects upon their relationship, a testimony to their stolen glances and soft-spoken whispers that they share.

They met in early 2023, planning their first date on a scenic hiking trail in Laguna Beach, a day defined

by Kadin’s discovery of Gracie’s fear of arachnids when a tarantula interrupted their stroll. Through time and patience their relationship blossomed further, allowing a tender understanding to develop between them.

Gracie works as a full-time EMT, and she sees herself working as a

fire paramedic for LBFD or LAFD in the future, inspired by other women in the field. Kadin is a fashion design major at CSULB who desires to start a sustainable clothing business, having a more “environmentally conscious approach” to the garment process.

Though they live different lifestyles and livelihoods, the pair cherish their ability to inspire each other to step outside their comfort zones, thriving in spontaneity and finding joy in discovery. Kadin admires Gracie’s tenacity and outspokenness, while Gracie finds solstice in Kadin’s soft, positive approach to life that allows her

to see things with a different perspective.

Throughout their days, simple gestures become poetic verses – lighthearted picnics, shared glances and the warmth of intertwined fingers. Their love is a refuge for vulnerability, a space where they can be themselves and embrace their own unique qualities together.

As seasons change and love remains a constant, they can’t help but look forward to deepening their connection, coloring each day with mirth and adventure.

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FEATURE • THE WAY YOU LOOK AT ME

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