‘Jedi: Survivor’ forces itself to the top of ‘Star Wars’ gaming

In 2019, Respawn Entertainment released “Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order,” which completely revived single-player “Star Wars” games. Four years later, they have returned to amaze fans once again with a brand new game, and sequel to their beloved game, “Star Wars Jedi: Survivor.” The game once again follows Cal Kestis (played by Cameron Monaghan) and the crew of the Mantis, five years after the events of “Fallen Order.” Now a Jedi Knight on the run, Cal must navigate an ever-changing galaxy as the Empire closes …

The official guide to a killer weekend in LA’s EDM scene

While the weeks and nights become longer as summer approaches, the search for weekend outing plans can be tough when it feels like you’ve done everything. Feeling like you’re running in circles between hipster bars and ridiculously priced nightclubs can be all too familiar for people living in Los Angeles. Luckily, there’s a whole world of live music entertainment in LA if you’re looking to break the cycle of your typical weekend night out and try something different.  Reader, follow me for a night out …

Ryuichi Sakamoto: Something for everyone in late maestro’s music

Rarely do artists of any discipline have the privilege to explore their interests with as much international attention and critical acclaim as Japanese musician Ryuichi Sakamoto. Ever since the world first met Sakamoto as a member of the electronic trio Yellow Magic Orchestra, he routinely reinvented himself without losing sight of what made him an exciting and multifaceted talent. Last month, after his third fight against cancer, Ryuichi Sakamoto passed away at 71. When the news broke out, multiple publications and news outlets had many …

‘Resident Evil 4’ remastered into modern masterpiece … again

After 18 years, two additional remakes, and a load of spin-offs, Capcom has finally released “Resident Evil 4” and with it, has once again revitalized the survival horror genre. Capcom started its remake trend in 2019 with their remaster of “Resident Evil 2,” which they continued with 2020’s “Resident Evil 3.” The game follows the exact same story as the original, making it easy for people to jump in whether they’ve played the original or not. Eight years after the events of “Resident Evil 2,” …

‘Paper Doll Lina’ explores the realities of domestic violence

“Paper Doll Lina” by Robyn Lucas is a book about domestic violence and romance. Trigger warning: this book does get graphic. I would not recommend this book to anyone who is sensitive to domestic violence issues. This book is based on the author’s real-life story.  This book is important because so many people deal with the intersection of love and domestic violence. This book educates you on red flags to spot that may be the beginning of domestic abuse. The abuse starts off small, from …

‘One Last Stop’ is one stop away from perfect representation

After looking for a read for myself, a 21-year-old sapphic, I found Casey McQuston’s most popular work, “Red White and Royal Blue”, and after further digging it led me to “One Last Stop”. In “One Last Stop”, McQuiston delivers a brilliant and beautiful take on a romance, mystery novel that is built on endearing characters and a great pillar of LGBTQ representation. In all honesty, I rarely read in my spare time, however, this book really drew me in and at times it was hard …

Rom-coms: What better way to feel something this Valentine’s Day?

With Valentine’s Day coming up, avoiding anything love-related has become quite challenging. From advertisements to window displays, love is in the air, and what better way to enjoy it than by embracing the holiday while watching romantic Korean dramas. Romantic comedies are just right for those seeking a light-hearted time filled with the cheekiness of a new relationship. Business Proposal, a drama released last year, focuses on food researcher, Shin Ha-ri, as she keeps a job-threatening secret from her boss, the company’s CEO, Kang Tae-moo. …

‘The Last of Us’ brings humanity to the zombie apocalypse

Despite the many failed attempts of adapting a video game onto the big screen such as 2022’s “Uncharted” and 2021’s “Mortal Kombat”. HBO Max’s new series, “The Last of Us” has proved to not only be a faithful adaptation of the source material but has been appealing to more audiences.  “The Last of Us” follows Joel and Ellie who are tasked with ensuring Ellie arrives on the west coast of the U.S. with the deadly challenges of facing infected people and the hostile remnants of …

Can love be predetermined? ‘The One’ seeks the answer

Using your DNA to find your soulmate is the jist of John Marrs book “The One ”. The book explores the “what if ” of if love could be scientifically measured. This discovery could mean the end of racism, homophobia, and discrimination. The GLSEN study measured the frequency of anti-gay harassment in schools and found 61.1% of LGBT students reported verbal harassment, 46.5% reported sexual harassment, 27.6% reported physical harassment, and 13.7% reported physical assault. If love could be scientifically measured people can no longer …

Roll up to Paper Rice and roll up your own flavor

Paper Rice specializes in build-your-own style spring rolls, a fast and contemporary take on a traditional Vietnamese dish. Owned by Jens Kristen, a Pasadena City College math and computer science professor, the restaurant offers a casual Chipotle style, walk up custom ordering experience where customers can also enjoy spring bowls or a bahn-mi sandwich. I had the pleasure of sampling some of the items on the menu, although the bowl and sandwich seemed appealing, the rolls are their staple and I wanted to see what …