Moving across the country from my quaint town in New Jersey to attend UCLA has been one of the best decisions I have ever made. Most students from my high school attended colleges that were on the east coast; it was unusual to go to school on the west coast, let alone Southern California, a place associated with the stereotypes of laid-back surfers, superficial influencers and health-conscious gurus. I can admit, that definitely exists in LA. But, when you immerse yourself in the culture of your new home as a student, those stereotypes loosen and you can find authenticity and the beauty within LA.
One of the best parts of being a college student is having your hometown friends visit you and being able to show them around your sweet new digs. Three of my best friends from home came to visit me and I wanted to make sure I showed them a classic UCLA weekend that does the west side justice.
“The Sticker Store”
The Grove is a pretty notorious LA spot, a novelty to most, yet I find it’s just a beautified outdoor mall. But, there are some great finds if you look hard enough. I think the Farmers Market at the Grove is the real landmark to visit. Inside sits endless restaurants and merchants with so much history, one of them being Sticker Planet. Located at stall 220, Sticker Planet is packed full of “fun stickers, sticker activity books, room décor wall stickers, scratch & sniff stickers, temporary tattoos, fun adhesive bandages and so much more.”
Last year, I told my best friend about Sticker Planet. When I asked her this year if there was anything specific she wanted to see while visiting LA, there was no hesitation when she said “I need to go to the sticker store.” And we did just that. We walked in and immediately she was blown away. 45 minutes later, she spent $60 on stickers. To say she was thoroughly impressed is an understatement.
Korean BBQ
Something so special about California, and especially LA is the amazing Korean food and culture. Coincidentally, the weekend my friends came to visit was also my birthday weekend. I thought there is no better celebratory birthday dinner than All You Can Eat Korean BBQ.
We went to BBQ AYCE, an affordable Korean BBQ restaurant in the heart of Koreatown. For $21.95 a person, we ate so good. After dining here, my friends recommend the Prime Beef Brisket, Spicy Chicken Bulgogi, and Marinated Beef Boneless Short Rib.
WEHO
After Korean BBQ, we were ready to go out and dance the night away. Of course, there’s no better way to do that than at the “Pink Pony Club.” Chappell Roan’s hit song “Pink Pony Club” is about The Abbey, a world-famous gay bar that I was able to bring my hometown besties to.
One of my friends goes to West Chester University of PA, where the party scene is limited to house parties and frats. I was honored to take her to West Hollywood and show her around the magical place that is “The Abbey.”
My other friend who came with us goes to CU Boulder. While infamous for their work-hard, play-hard party scene, I was ready to give him a taste of the LA going-out scene, specifically WeHo, a spot known for its bustling nightlife and gay culture.
They were both absolutely floored. My friend Sam says, “I feel like at UCLA I had a much better time going out, being with my friends, because I had more space to dance and talk to them rather than being in a frat basement.”
Watching my friends appreciate and fall in love with LA, from the simplicity of bringing them to the dining halls and taking a waymo to running between the WeHo bars, it reminded me of why I chose UCLA in the first place.