Bitter:Sweet a Band with an Addictive Sound That’S Anything but Sour
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Bitter:Sweet A band with an addictive sound that’s anything but sour Dirty Art: Kristen Morgan talks about her art, inspirations, assemblage & Jerry Seinfeld relationships The comedian talks about being the brains behind “Bee Movie” Plus: Where to find the best Asian cuisine 2 BUZZ 11.01.07 daily.titan daily.titan BUZZ 11.01.07 3 THE TASTE OF A musical duet whose BITTER:SWEET songs are taking over Starbucks, TV and T-Mobile DIRTY ART WITH KRISTEN MORGAN JAZZ GURU PONCHO The Buzz Editor: The Daily Titan 714.278.3373 SANCHEZ Jennifer Caddick The Buzz Editorial 714.278.5426 [email protected] Executive Editor: Editorial Fax 714.278.4473 JERRY SEINFELD Ian Hamilton The Buzz Advertising Director of 714.278.3373 [email protected] TALKS ABOUT Advertising Fax 714.278.2702 Advertising: The Buzz , a student publication, is a supplemental Stephanie Birditt insert for the Cal State Fullerton Daily Titan. It is printed “BEE MOVIE” every Thursday. The Daily Titan operates independently Assistant Director of of Associated Students, College of Communications, Advertising: CSUF administration and the CSU system. The Daily Titan Sarah Oak has functioned as a public forum since inception. Unless implied by the advertising party or otherwise stated, advertising in the Daily Titan is inserted by commercial Production: activities or ventures identified in the advertisements Jennifer Caddick themselves and not by the university. Such printing is not to be construed as written or implied sponsorship, Account Executives: endorsement or investigation of such commercial Nancy Sanchez enterprises. Juliet Roberts Copyright ©2006 Daily Titan /FX4VNNFS%SJOL1SJDFTr̾BOEPWFS 2 BUZZ 11.01.07 daily.titan daily.titan BUZZ 11.01.07 3 Sawtelle Boulevard BY SYLVIA MASUDA 75 times.” Daily Titan Staff Writer His daughter, Zuzanna, often tags along as well. One of her Besides Little Tokyo, Sawtelle favorites is the tsukemono – spicy, Boulevard might be the Japanese tangy pickles served as an appetizer. food capital of Los Angeles. Piping hot bowls of cloudy, savory Hidden in the crevices of West broth, noodles, pork, green onions L.A., it features some of the best and boiled eggs are satisfying even Japanese flavors in Southern on hot days. California. Sawtelle Boulevard, “It’s a very good flavor,” known as “Little Osaka,” named Krzysztofik said. “They have the for the city that has earned the best ramen.” reputation of the “food capital of The Santa Monica residents Japan.” are such fans of the place in part The atmosphere’s strong scent because their hometown doesn’t of cigarettes – a common vice in have any ramen houses – only sushi PHOTOS BY SYLVIA MASUDA metropolitan Japan – and soy sauce is restaurants. At Asahi Ramen, you can tatse a bowl of salt-based ramen, known as shio ramen, topped with green onions, pork and bamboo shoots. telling of the culture here. The street In case you are craving some is surrounded by free or metered sushi, Sushi Mac is a staple for the such detail and vibrant color that Domokun and Totoro plush toys Black Market is an urban clothing parking, and the neighborhood starving college student who can’t they look more like plastic replicas and other anime oddities. store that caters to both girls and is never crowded enough to cause afford pricey sushi restaurants. of cakes and parfaits than they do GR2 is home to more art-related guys. It’s a little high-end -- think headaches. A few dollars will buy a plate of food. merchandise; it even serves as an art $200 for a Scotch and Soda sport For an interactive food experience, rolls or nigiri, ranging from two It’s a strange possibility that a gallery. jacket – but the 50 percent-off rack head over to Mizu 212 Degrees, a to eight pieces, depending on the breakfast favorite, the waffle, can Though some of Giant Robot’s near the back of the store has some shabu shabu restaurant. Shabu shabu type of sushi. Every single plate is double as a dessert, but Babyblonde selection can be found at other toy- cheap finds. is the art of dipping vegetables, worth that much, but the quality of sells the idea well. centered stores, such as Kid Robot Happy six, however, is just for such as carrots, bok choy and bean the fish is much higher than that. Owner Steve Chiu said the on Melrose, owner Eric Nakamura the girls. The boutique carries sprouts, and thinly-sliced meat in There’s no need to worry about food cousin to the now-popular crepe, makes a point to grab as much Japanese-inspired fashion labels, a pot of boiling water. Oftentimes, poisoning here. Babyblonde’s waffles, are special import goods as he can, said Katie from LeSportsac’s tokidoki series the food is accompanied by bowls Sawtelle’s presentation of desserts because they’re made with top- Vonderheide, Giant Robot sales to Gwen Stefani’s Harajuku Girls of creamy sesame sauce and ponzu is impressive. Pinkberry, yogurt notch Madagascar bourbon vanilla associate. T-shirts and accessories. A shelf of sauce, a salty condiment marked by shop to the stars, may be around and Belgium pearl sugar, which “I feel like at those stores, there’s T-shirts emblazoned with cheesy a hint of citrus. the corner, but when there are gives the waffle sprinkles a crunchy, less,” Vonderheide said. “They only Asian culture-related slogans rounds Everyone has had a taste of Top cream puffs, raspberry cheesecake pure sweetness. have portions of what we have here. out the selection. Ramen. Some people even live off and oven-hot cinnamon waffles to The store sells waffles in flavors [Nakamura] tries to get all of the It can be a little too Japan-centric the stuff. But for a high quality choose from elsewhere, why resort such as cinnamon, chocolate and [toys and art] when they first come in this area, but when the appetite bowl of noodles, Asahi Ramen does to yogurt? banana nut. Chiu also offers waffles out. We’re the first one’s carrying calls for an eastern twist, Sawtelle the trick. The dishes and decor are Beard Papa Sweets Cafe, an topped with whipped cream, ice them.” Boulevard will fullfill. homey and unpretentious, but the import from Japan, specializes in cream, fruit or Nutella. noodle bowls don’t reflect the plain handful-sized cream puffs. The puffs “There’s two kinds of people atmosphere. are delicate, silky and fairly cheap. who come here,” Chiu said. “A lot “I love this place,” customer Mousse Fantasy, whose storefront is of people like to eat the waffles by Tomas Krzysztofik said. “Since adjoined to Beard Papa, offers more themselves. The other crowd that 2006, I’ve probably eaten here about varieties of desserts decorated with comes, particularly at night, like to eat them as a dessert.” Devoted customer John Austin, for one, likes them plain because he doesn’t have the time to take a knife and fork to his waffles. He eats them on the run. “It’s original and tasty,” the Torrance resident said. “They have an original idea on their hands.” Sawtelle isn’t just a batch of eateries. After a filling lunch, wander through the eclectic, fun stores here, tinted with an artsy slant. Giant Robot and its counterpart across the street, GR2, are havens for quirky art and Japanese knick- knacks. At Giant Robot, it takes hours just to browse through the zines, graphic design and photography collections, graphic Chocolate cream puffs at Beard Papa Sweets Cafe. novels, T-shirts and hoodies, At Mizu 212, you’re the master of your dinner. 4 BUZZ 11.01.07 daily.titan BY JOY ALICIA In addition to helping couples About Brian” or “Men in Trees,” Daily Titan Staff Writer procreate, Bitter:Sweet has nothing you’ve already heard their addictive to be sour about. It was only a few sound. Bitter:Sweet singer Shana years ago when Halligan answered Consisting of Halligan (vocals) Halligan has a unique way of a “singer wanted” Craigslist ad. and Kiran Shahani (bass, producer), measuring the band’s success. “We’ve Since then, big opportunities have Bitter:Sweet is more than just Zero heard a couple babies were made to just kept coming. If you’ve watched 7 meets the Cardigans meets Bjork. our music. We’re proud! That’s the “Entourage,” “Grey’s Anatomy,” Flavored with Halligan’s sultry, whole point, if you can get busy to “The Devil Wears Prada,” “Nip/ sweet vocals poured over Shahani’s [our music], that’s how you know,” Tuck” or television commercials for acoustic bass riffs, smooth string she said laughing. ABC’s “Samantha Who,” “What arrangements and blasts of brass, their sexy, upbeat compositions make you aware that Bitter:Sweet is authentic. The creative songwriters have channeled their experiences of lust, lost loves and crushes into their infectious, pop/electronica debut disc, “The Mating Game” (Quango records). Critics who mention the band spare their criticism for other artists. “Even if [critics] don’t like our music, they always find something nice to say,” Shahani said. Halligan PHOTO BY KARL THUNMAN attributes industry respect to their Shana Halligan of Bitter:Sweet sings at the Disney Concert Hall in L.A. sincerity. “I think we’re just real and really with all our friends and nobody finish by January. Their first album, passionate about what we do. When knew him. It was really strange.” Mating Game is being released we get on stage we put on a show, For the twosome, signing overseas in Europe, they’ve wrapped we’re excited about it,” she said. autographs can also feel odd.