Tuesday, July 7

Students’ commercial places second in Coca-Cola, Regal Films’ contest

Coming soon to a theater near you: a hungry hacker trying to steal your popcorn. Cinematography graduate student Xinzhong “Golden” Zhao directed a 30-second commercial to promote the movie-going experience and became a finalist for Coca-Cola and Regal Films’ commercial contest. Read more...

Photo: Cinematography graduate student Xinzhong “Golden” Zhao directed a commercial that placed second in a contest hosted by Regal Cinemas and Coca-Cola. In the ad, a hacker reaches out of a movie screen and grabs some buttery popcorn from a moviegoer. UCLA students filmed the commercial in Regal La Habra Stadium 16 in January. (Jintak Han/Assistant Photo editor)


Opera review: ‘The Tales of Hoffmann’

A lovesick poet, a goddess disguised as a man and a slew of drunken students walk into a tavern. So begins Los Angeles Opera’s current production of Jacques Offenbach’s “The Tales of Hoffmann,” the story of an oft-inebriated writer named Hoffmann (Vittorio Grigolo) recounting his failed experiences with three past lovers before realizing that his true love is for his art. Read more...

Photo: In the first act of “The Tales of Hoffmann,” the titular character (Vittorio Grigolo) falls in love with a mechanical doll named Olympia (So Young Park) after mistaking her for a real woman.(Ken Howard / LA Opera)


Boulevard Bites: Make Out’s pricey plant-based dishes offer glimpse into LA culture

Finding a delicious restaurant in Los Angeles can be difficult among the city’s thousands of dining options. To help readers narrow down their search, the Daily Bruin will review restaurants located along main streets near UCLA each week. Read more...

Photo: The $13 cacio e pepe bowl includes kelp noodles, black pepper cream, snap peas, dehydrated olives and sprouts. The dish’s white cashew sauce had a savory salt-and-pepper flavor. (Lindsay Weinberg/Daily Bruin senior staff)


Album review: ‘Star Stuff’

Side projects by musicians are often hit-or-miss, musically exploring either too little or too much. Chaz Bundick is no stranger to this balance, since a majority of his recent musical activity stems from side projects. Read more...

Photo: (Company Records)


A Taste for Adventure: Foie gras a tasty introduction to the world of fancy eating

The melting pot of Los Angeles brings together cultures and cuisine from all around the world. The city’s markets and restaurants offer menus that may be a little different from the typical dining hall menu. Read more...

Photo: Daily Bruin columnist Matthew Fernandez tries duck foie gras in the first edition of “A Taste for Adventure.” The duck entrails were served with a thick layer of fat on top and cherry jam and cornichon pickles on the side. (Matthew Fernandez/Daily Bruin)


Alum’s podcast ‘Digits’ explores relationship between humans, numbers

This post was updated on April 2 at 2:10 p.m. James Simenc spends a lot of time in his car, which helped inspire his new podcast. Read more...

Photo: UCLA alumnus James Simenc interviews entomologist Justin Schmidt at a lab for an episode of Simenc’s biweekly podcast “Digits.” The podcast examines the relationship between humans and numbers by exploring mathematical concepts that apply to real life. (Courtesy of Matt Simenc)


Restaurant Review: Voodoo Doughnut

“Good things come in pink boxes” in Portland maybe, but not in Hollywood. The slogan belongs to Voodoo Doughnut, which opened its fifth location at Universal CityWalk on March 9. Read more...

Photo: The Voodoo Doll doughnut features chocolate frosting and a pretzel stabbed in its heart. Inside, raspberry jelly filling looks like blood. (Miriam Bribiesca/Photo editor)