On the Menu

Panino: Your Next Best Sandwich

November 18, 2024 by

On a warm, sunny autumn afternoon this weekend, I made my way through downtown Santa Barbara towards my long-awaited destination. I had heard stories from some friends that around this area exists a s...
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Holiday cheer salad: a recipe to remember

November 7, 2024 by

I don’t know about you, but the moment the clock strikes midnight on Nov. 1, it’s “White Christmas” and hot cocoa all the way until Jan. 1 (honestly, most years I even start in August, but tha...
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Hochaya: a refreshing boba experience

November 7, 2024 by

Nestled just off Hollister Avenue in Goleta, Hochaya is a boba shop that stands out for its delightful drinks and friendly staff. The menu offers a variety of boba options, showcasing both classic and...
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Trick or treat: drink edition

October 31, 2024 by and

Happy Halloween Gauchos! With our favorite holiday just around the corner, we have concocted some hauntingly-mouthwatering cocktails and mocktails to get in the Halloween state of mind. Afterall, what...
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Recipe for Chicken Flautas

October 31, 2024 by

In the heart of my childhood home, the kitchen was always alive with the sounds of sizzling and laughter. On Sundays, the delightful aroma of frying tortillas would beckon us, drawing my family to the...
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Pumpkin Spice & everything nice: Santa Barbara’s best PSLs

October 24, 2024 by

Happy fall quarter Gauchos! It’s the most wonderful time of the year: Pumpkin Spice Latte season! Starbucks’ Pumpkin Spice Latte made its debut back in October 2003, and in the 21 years since ...
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Celebrate October’s Food Holidays in I.V.

October 24, 2024 by

October is a fruitful month when it comes to food: we eat squashes and pumpkins, Halloween candy, drink Pumpkin Spice Lattes and cook cozy comfort meals such as soups. October has certainly understood...
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Everything I ate on my 31-hour Amtrak journey

October 17, 2024 by

Yes, you read that correctly, 31 whole hours on a train! I discovered Amtrak’s Coastal Starlight route via TikTok and I was instantly intrigued. My roommate Sophia is originally from Seattle and she...
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Maria’s Tacos: bringing authentic Mexican flavors and community to Isla Vista

October 17, 2024 by

Since opening in June 2023, Maria’s Tacos has been serving authentic and affordable dishes hailing from Mexico to locals and visitors of Isla Vista. The owner, Maria Mayo, shared insights about the ...
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Sustainability can start with your morning coffee

October 10, 2024 by

As one of Isla Vista’s first California Certified Green Businesses, KOZY Coffee sets a fantastic example to other I.V. businesses in considering a sustainable lens within their business environment.
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Your new favorite fall drink: Café de Olla

October 10, 2024 by

The weather recently in Isla Vista has been the harbinger of spooky season: foggy, eerie, the windshields misted with cold, gray air that blankets all, every corner dark and menacing, always looking o...
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Summer diaries: bites from the Big Apple

October 3, 2024 by

As a Type A itinerary girl, I love finding all the best cafes, restaurants and late night bites ahead of traveling. So, if you find yourself wanting to take a bite of the Big Apple, I have the ultimat...
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AI in the kitchen

October 3, 2024 by

ChatGPT is known for its abilities to give you (mostly) accurate information about nearly everything or to write emails and papers that you don’t want to do yourself. But apart from functioning as y...
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The (Non)Dairy Decision

September 19, 2024 by

You’ve entered a cafe for your morning coffee or tea, determined to change your regular order and try something new and spontaneous. But the options overwhelm you like waves in the ocean, and you re...
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Sunny San Diego’s rise to national foodie fame

September 19, 2024 by

I may sound a bit biased when I say that San Diego is truly “America’s Finest City,” as someone who was born and raised there. San Diego is home to 17 miles of breathtaking coastline, sunshine n...
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