Outside of USC...

Chelsea Beirne
Pi Beta Phi

I miss the days too cold to leave the house, too rainy to get out of bed or too icy to drive anywhere. New York offers all of this and to be quite frank, I’d take that over SoCal weather anytime, any day. Call me crazy, —I already know—nothing new there. Unfortunately I don’t think snow will be falling over campus or the surrounding area anytime soon, nor will there be there be more than a handful of rainy days. If there were to be anywhere near as much precipitation on the west coast as there is the east coast, I’m pretty sure there would be very poor attendance in all classes on campus. Who goes to class when it rains? Although the weather I desire won’t be found anywhere within reasonable distance from USC, there are other things USC lacks, which can in fact be found in close proximity.

Ever wonder what it would be like to sit in the famous Bowery Poetry Club and Café in New York City, listening to passionate lines spilling from one’s mouth and creating a beautiful poem? When attending a poetry reading or a small gig at the Bowery, it’s more than just that. The Bowery’s walls are lined with books, art, and an overall a sense of inspiration. As incredible as the lectures and performers are at Bovard, small cozy environments just offer an atmosphere hard to beat. Luckily however, places similar to the Bowery Poetry Club and Café can be found throughout Los Angeles.

If one is in search of a poetry reading, I’d suggest going downtown on the night of the Downtown Los Angeles Art Walk. Hidden between galleries and stores filled with art, there are cafes and even empty studio spaces offering live poetry readings. Some of them even offer food, coffee and beverages for a cash donation of your choice.

Another place to keep in mind for the warmer seasons is the Tuesday Night Café Project. The Tuesday Night Café project is found outdoors in Little Tokyo at 120 Judge John Aiso Street. Essentially the Project offers live poetry, musical gigs, dance and various other artistic performances in an outdoor café environment. The unique environment is bound to get one’s thoughts turning. The next event is on April 3. The Tuesday Night Café Project occurs the first and third Tuesday of each month from April through October.

I’m not saying USC houses no places for intellectual stimulation and inspiration, for most of the campus fosters both of inspiration and intellectual stimulation. But at times USC grows old, at least for me, and escaping to other intellectual environments feels euphoric. There are plenty of inspirational places scattered throughout Los Angeles, it’s just a matter of searching for them and being open minded about traveling to off the beaten path places.