Daily Bruin – Page 105

‘Hiro’s Table’ documents establishment of authentic Japanese restaurant in LA

“Hiro’s Table” follows a family coping with loss, success and the relentlessly fast-paced Los Angeles restaurant scene.

UCLA alumna Lynn Hamrick directed, wrote and produced the documentary, which depicts master chef Hiroji Obayashi and his wife Yasuyo Obayashi over the course of 16 years as they pioneer a new restaurant model in LA: an authentic Japanese farm-to-table eatery called Hirozen Gourmet. “Hiro’s Table” was released Nov. 11 and will be screened May 18 at the American Asian Latino Film Festival in New York City. Hamrick said she aimed to highlight how the restaurant introduced unprecedented ideas for Japanese food to LA.

“Hirozen Gourmet served fresh, traditional Japanese food out of a little restaurant in a strip mall,” Hamrick said. “This was something Los Angeles had not really seen before.”

Established in 1989, Hirozen Gourmet was a mom and pop restaurant and one of the first to introduce authentic Japanese cuisine to Los Angeles, as opposed to the popular Americanized Japanese food. When he and his wife owned the restaurant, Hiro Obayashi served farm-to-table vegetables, fresh sushi and original fusion blends, including a Japanese version of chile relleno, a Mexican dish made from hot peppers. Hiro and Yasuyo Obayashi no longer work at the restaurant and it is now named Matsumoto after a chef that previously worked there with the couple. Hiro Obayashi’s curious attitude toward food was reflected in his dishes, said co-producer, editor and UCLA alumna Gail Yasunaga.

“The idea of fusion and blending cuisines together was something that was new in the 1980s. We really wanted to see what it would become,” Yasunaga said. “He was so dedicated to achieving his vision for what he was bringing to LA.”

“Hiro’s Table” also aimed to capture the Obayashis’ attention to freshness and quality, Yasunaga said. Hirozen Gourmet offered seasonal cooking and one of the first farm-to-table dining experiences. On his one day off, Hiro Obayashi would spend his time traveling to farmer’s markets around LA, Yasunaga said, and this dedication was another focal point of the film. They incorporated these details through interviews and footage.

Along with the focus on fresh food, Hamrick said she also wanted the film to highlight Hiro Obayashi’s commitment to tradition. The film accentuated the restaurant’s combination of traditional Japanese food with seasonal, fresh California vegetables, Hamrick said. It also follows Hiro Obayashi through his creation of fusion dishes. Candice Obayashi, the chef’s daughter who helped frequently around the restaurant, said her parents introduced LA to authentic forms of sashimi, sushi, fresh fish and other traditional dishes that many Angelenos were not that familiar with at the time.

“My father’s goal was also to educate the public on what real Japanese food is,” Candice Obayashi said. “Not just chicken teriyaki, but sushi with special, authentic fish selection.”

Omakase, or a type of meal that is entirely coursed by the chef, was another Japanese tradition that the restaurant offered. The film showed how Hiro Obayashi brought in these traditional aspects of Japanese cuisine through his training in Japan and combined them with obscure fish selections and presentation, Hamrick said.

However, Hiro Obayashi’s food was only one component of “Hiro’s Table.” The film examined his attitude and philosophy toward food as well, Yasunaga said, particularly by observing the restaurant’s practices and through interviews with Hiro Obayashi.

“Hiro Obayashi’s personality and cooking philosophy really inspired the documentary,” Yasunaga said. “He had very high standards and his primary goal was to serve the individual.”

Hiro Obayashi was so dedicated that he would take into account the number of customers, as well as their ages, genders, food preferences and even their occupations, Candice Obayashi said. For instance, he would give his younger customers and children less intense flavors than his older patrons.

Hiro Obayashi’s family story and context shone through in the documentary in the interviews and scenes of the family working together in the restaurant, Yasunaga said. The couple immigrated to LA from Japan and initially struggled to create and maintain their restaurant. The film shows that it was especially difficult for them because they were not located in an enclave like most Japanese restaurants at the time, Yasunaga said, but rather positioned in Beverly Grove – one of the most expensive areas in the city. Yasunaga said the family overcame this by creating relationships with their customers through food, as Hiro Obayashi relayed in the film, eventually establishing themselves as a popular restaurant in the area.

Apart from offering insight on Hirozen Gourmet’s inventive and traditional menu, she said the film focuses on the Obayashi family and their struggles and success in the restaurant business. It is not all about food, Hamrick said, but also about philosophy and family.

“So many people came there at least once a week or even several times a week, and there were some older people who ate there every day for 10 years,” Hamrick said. “The film is a portrait of a hardworking immigrant family who ultimately achieves success and nurtures their community.”

Ally Gong shares passion for Korean beauty trends on self-made YouTube channel

Ally Gong visited Seoul, South Korea, to study marketing and management, and returned to UCLA with a newfound interest in makeup and skin care.

The fourth-year economics student’s YouTube channel, which has over 9,000 subscribers, is based around her interests in beauty, fashion and travel. When given the opportunity to study abroad at Yonsei University during her sophomore year at UCLA, Gong took an interest in Korean makeup and skin care, incorporating them into her platform. She found them appealing because of their effective formulas, and said she finds it exciting that Korean products have risen in popularity in America.

“It’s nice that it’s becoming more popular in the States because now we see Korean makeup and skin care even in the shelves at the UCLA store,” Gong said. “I think the reason for its popularity is that Korean beauty companies are very innovative and great at creating effective formulas.”

Even in America, Korean culture, music and beauty products have gained attention and popularity, she said. Korean beauty standards are different from American ones, and can be easily recognized from their focus on youthful and natural skin, straight and full brows, and a color palette that predominantly boasts pale tones – usually light pink or peach.

Gong’s videos include Korean makeup tutorials, a day in the life of her studying abroad in Korea and lookbooks that incorporate Korean fashion trends. In her video, “Natural Everyday Korean Makeup Look,” a majority of the products she uses are from Korean brands such as Innisfree, Etude House and Tonymoly. The look itself features Korean beauty trends such as gradient lip color, in which most of the lip color is focused in the center of the lips, while the outer corners of the lips feature hues that are diffused and blended out. This creates the illusion of a smaller mouth, which can be used to make one look more youthful and innocent, she said.

Bridgette Gong, Ally Gong’s younger sister, said she finds her videos entertaining, as well as informative and educational. In Ally Gong’s video “the best japanese and korean beauty products,” for instance, she shows her audience her favorite hair masks, facial toners and cushion foundations. She explains how each product functions, and because everybody’s preferences are different, she shares why she personally loves the product and encourages her audience to try it for themselves, Bridgette Gong said.

“Korean trends are so popular and it’s kind of overwhelming because there are so many different options for products,” Bridgette Gong said. “But I find her videos very helpful because it seems like the products that work for her tend to work for me, and that makes the whole process much easier.”

web.ae.allygong.ET.picB.jpg — Gong said she is excited that Korean makeup products have gained popularity amongst an American audience. She features the products in makeup tutorials on her YouTube account. (Elise Tsai/Daily Bruin)

Korean beauty products have noticeably influenced Ally Gong’s YouTube channel, said Megan Hong, her friend and a third-year computer science student. She said each time Gong travels to Korea, she buys a multitude of beauty and skin care products. Hong also runs a YouTube channel herself, and said Gong’s travel and beauty videos inspire her and her own content.

“I think (for) a lot of skin care products and face masks that I buy here in LA, … the American companies produce their products in Asia – specifically Korea,” Hong said. “It’s cool to see that the influence of Korean skin care is now a norm here in the States.”

Gong’s nonbeauty videos are related to academics and traveling. Her UCLA-related videos cover topics regarding her economics studies, insights into her daily life as a Bruin and information on how to be accepted into UCLA. Her video “UCLA econ major: everything you need to know,” focuses specifically on the coursework and GPA requirements for the major, what students can do with an economics degree and what her personal experience has been like throughout the program.

Gong said because she will be graduating very soon, it is important for her to provide all the help she can for others while she’s still at UCLA. These videos have become some of her most popular, she said, and she has been recognized on and off campus by viewers.

During her second and third year at UCLA, classes became more difficult for her, causing her to take longer breaks from creating content for her channel. She said she continued to make videos to remind herself how much she enjoys creating content and sharing it with others.

“I don’t have to worry if my growth isn’t linear because I’m definitely not the type of content creator that puts out a lot of quantity. … For me, it’s more about the quality,” Gong said. “My end goal isn’t to be a professional YouTuber, but to just create content that I think isn’t out there and to create content that is genuinely an expression of what I care about.”

The Quad: UCLA dance teams allow students to find community, express themselves

Pulsating bass notes and loud cheers reverberate throughout UCLA’s parking lots each night, encapsulating many students’ experiences with the campus’ diverse array of dance teams.

UCLA’s dance culture supports all skill levels of student participation, from introductory dancing to the more competitive dance teams. While the aesthetic appeal of dance may be the reason to start, many stay because they find a supportive community and space for self-expression.

Fourth-year international development studies student and co-executive of Foundations Choreography Liana Liang said she believes being able to integrate and encourage new dancers at an introductory level is important in fostering a vibrant dance community.

“Having a really supportive community to introduce you to dance is really important,” Liang said. “Especially with something like dance, which can be a very new and unfamiliar challenge for some people.”

Liang said she thinks many people become interested in dance thanks to the increasing popularity of viral videos featuring talented dancers performing visually pleasing choreography to well-known songs like Ed Sheeran’s “Shape of You” and Rihanna’s “Work.”

While she had always been interested in dance, Liang said competitive dance team auditions had always felt daunting for students like herself who came to college with no previous dance experience. By joining Foundations her first year, Liang said she found an encouraging community of new dancers much like herself.

“If you mess up choreography during practices, your teammates are actually going to cheer even harder for you,” Liang said.

Many students use their experiences with Foundations as a stepping stone to explore other avenues of dance at UCLA. After participating in Foundations, Liang went on to dance for popular competitive and performance teams at UCLA such as Samahang Modern and KCN Modern.

For first-year psychobiology student Kaʻiu Nakawatase, dancing hula as a part of Hui O ʻImiloa, UCLA’s Hawai’i Club, became her way of nurturing an important aspect of her heritage and also receiving a warm reminder of home whenever she is feeling stressed in college.

“Being a first-year student from Hawaii, comfortably transitioning from home to UCLA was difficult,” Nakawatase said. “Luckily, I was able to find a piece of home at UCLA through dancing hula.”

Whenever she feels homesick, Nakawatase turns on some of her favorite Hawaiian music such as “Pua Mohala I Ka Wekiu” by Keauhou and starts dancing along. For Nakawatase, dancing hula helps her navigate the bustle and sometimes overwhelming nature of college.

Similarly, second-year linguistics and computer science student Vincent Kim, who was introduced to dance through Foundations and has since danced for KCN Modern as well, said dance has created a space for him to become the best version of himself and break out of his shell.

Having been a generally shy person all his life, Kim said dancing in college has helped him expand out of his comfort zone and become a more confident person in general.

“With dance, you’re forced to put down your reservations when performing and reach out for help with choreography,” Kim said. “All I ever received back were positive vibes from my experiences and fellow dancers.”

According to Time, dancing may have considerable impacts in fostering a positive emotional state and has been an effective therapy for those who have social anxiety or a fear of public speaking.

Although she said dance has been one of the most challenging things she’s done, Liang added that it has also been one of her biggest confidence boosters. This challenging but equally satisfying quality may be the reason why students are so attracted to dance in the first place.

Whether dancing is a way to manifest your own identity or a challenge you want to conquer, it is undoubtedly a flexible form of expression for students that has many purposes and is distinct to each individual’s experience.

“You can say dance is to exercise and de-stress but that’s definitely not the focus for me,” said Liang. “It’s just such a fun way to participate in a supportive community and find people that will work alongside you towards the same goals in dance.”

Softball finds sisterhood with UCLA gymnastics, inspired by enthusiasm and energy

In the second inning UCLA’s 10-0 win over Utah on Sunday, freshman catcher Colleen Sullivan called timeout and visited sophomore pitcher Holly Azevedo in the circle. This came after the Utes had runners on second and third with one out.

While those two were talking strategy, sophomore utility Kinsley Washington battled redshirt junior first baseman Rachel Garcia in a game of rock paper scissors on the field.

Garcia won – and Azevedo got out of the jam with a pop-up to third and a strikeout.

This moment in the game – as well as the dance parties that happen before, during and after every game – embodies what coach Kelly Inouye-Perez wants people to see and remember about No. 2 UCLA softball (43-2, 17-1 Pac-12): This team is able to take care of business while having fun at the same time.

“It’s UCLA softball culture, you have to enjoy the process even though it gets really hard,” Inouye-Perez said. “It tells the opponent that we’re loose and ready to play, but the most important part is that we’re having fun playing something we’re pretty good at.”

During warmups for Sunday’s game, some Bruins came up with a dance routine to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and Bruno Mars and the ’70s song “(Not Just) Knee Deep” by Funkadelic.

Azevedo was not present for the dance party since she was the starter in the circle and warming up in the bullpen. But when asked who the best dancer on the team is, she was quick to answer.

“Me – I’m the best,” Azevedo said. “Just kidding, I’d say (Washington) and (freshman utility Anna Vines).”

Two weeks ago, when UCLA hosted Oregon, UCLA gymnastics coach Valorie Kondos Field threw out the ceremonial first pitch in the Bruins’ 8-1 win in the series finale.

Because Kondos Field and a group of UCLA gymnasts – including senior Katelyn Ohashi and junior Kyla Ross – were present at the game, part the Bruins’ warmup was an improvised reenactment of an uneven bars rotation. Two softball bats served as the uneven bars and after every turn Kondos Field’s audience, UCLA gymnasts and some fans sitting along the third base line awarded the softball players with perfect 10s across the board.

Sophomore infielder Malia Quarles said the team draws inspiration from the gymnastics team.

“We’re super close with gymnastics,” Quarles said. “They have great energy all the time and they always support us and it means a lot. We’re all striving for the same thing, we all want that (national championship).”

Both softball and gymnastics won national championships in 2003, 2004 and 2010. Gymnastics has reached the NCAA championship final the last two seasons and softball has made four straight Women’s College World Series appearances.

Inouye-Perez calls the culture of all UCLA sports “the Bruin bubble,” and she said part of what makes the Bruins so special is the sisterhood between herself and Kondos Field, as well as the athletes.

“That’s a huge part of our sisterhood is that we’re in the same seasons, we’ve won championships in the same year and our suites are intentionally next to each other in the athletic department,” Inouye-Perez said. “We know that (Kondos Field) is a Bruin for life and she’ll probably be on Broadway someplace, but the goal is to hire her as my volunteer coach next year.”

Baseball readies to overcome Waves en route to extending win streak

The Bruins’ final stretch of the season will, for the most part, be on the road.

No. 1 UCLA baseball (34-7, 14-4 Pac-12) will head to Malibu, California, to face Pepperdine (19-17, 10-8 West Coast Conference) on Tuesday. After playing 11 of their last 12 games at Jackie Robinson Stadium, UCLA will leave town for 11 of their final 15 contests.

Coach John Savage said next month presents necessary challenges for the team after winning 13 of its last 14 games.

“The month of May is going to be hard,” Savage said. “We’re going be tested on the road and we need to be tested, but we did finish the homestead really strong.”

The upcoming road games are highlighted by a three-game series at No. 22 Arizona State this weekend, but Pepperdine presents the first hurdle for the Bruins.

The two programs have already met once this season, with the Bruins coming back from a two-run deficit in the seventh to win 3-2 at home April 15.

Freshman right-hander Jesse Bergin said the Waves are a difficult team to put away.

“Pepperdine is a scrappy team when we’re going at them,” Bergin said. “But it’s nothing that we can’t handle.”

Pepperdine currently sits at sixth in the West Coast Conference and are coming off a series win against Loyola Marymount.

The Bruins are 10-3 against the Waves over the past decade and are riding a five-game winning streak after sweeping the Utes over the weekend.

Sophomore right fielder Garrett Mitchell said the sweep gives the Bruins momentum, but they have to stay true to their game.

“It’s good momentum for us as a team, but we just have to keep working,” Mitchell said. “We’ve got to go to Pepperdine and play some Bruin baseball.”

Bergin has started the last five midweek games, but the freshman was moved up to the Sunday role with sophomore right-hander Zach Pettway currently out with a forearm strain.

Freshman right-hander Sean Mullen will make his first career start Tuesday, having only thrown 3 1/3 innings of relief in three appearances this season. He allowed four hits and three walks but has yet to give up an earned run.

The Bruins’ pitching staff boasts a 2.64 ERA, ranked first in the country. The bullpen’s back-end trio of right-handers – redshirt senior Nathan Hadley, junior Kyle Mora and sophomore Holden Powell – combine for a 2.40 ERA.

Powell is tied for fourth nationally with 12 saves and hasn’t allowed an earned run over his last 15 appearances.

First pitch will be Tuesday at 3 p.m. at Eddy D. Field Stadium.

NFL picks up four former UCLA football players as undrafted free agents

The Bruins had just one player selected at the 2019 NFL Draft this weekend, but four others will get the chance to prove themselves in the pros.

Following the conclusion of the draft each year, NFL teams offer smaller-scale unguaranteed contracts to undrafted free agents thay believe have a shot at competing for a roster spot.

The San Francisco 49ers – who signed former UCLA guard Najee Toran to an undrafted free agent deal last offseason – looked to Westwood once again this year, signing quarterback Wilton Speight.

Speight won UCLA’s starting job out of training camp as a graduate transfer from Michigan this fall, but only appeared in seven games due to a back injury.

Joining Speight in the Bay Area will be offensive lineman Andre James, who signed with the Oakland Raiders on Saturday. James replaced Kolton Miller as the Bruins’ starting left tackle this past season after the Raiders selected Miller with the 15th overall pick in the 2018 NFL Draft.

On the other side of the ball, UCLA saw two of its senior defensive backs find new homes in the NFC North.

Adarius Pickett, who led the Bruins in total tackles last season, signed with the Chicago Bears. Pickett appeared in 47 games across four seasons with UCLA, recording 274 total tackles and seven interceptions.

Nate Meadors rounded out the Bruins’ undrafted free agent class by signing with the Minnesota Vikings. Meadors is now one of four UCLA alumni on the Vikings’ roster, joining linebackers Anthony Barr and Eric Kendricks, as well as long snapper Kevin McDermott.

Meadors appeared in 42 games in his four-year career with the Bruins, posting 149 tackles and three interceptions, including one against the Trojans this past season.

Student Legal Services celebrates 50th anniversary, reflects on evolution

Fifty years ago, UCLA alumnus Keith Schiller was inspired to start a legal service for UCLA students after his friend became a victim of racial profiling.

In June 1969, Schiller, then president of the Undergraduate Students Association Council, secured funding to offer free and confidential legal services to students at UCLA.

Student Legal Services celebrated its 50th anniversary Monday, with a panel of speakers including Schiller and current director Elizabeth Kemper.

Schiller said his friend’s arrest led him to examine the legal issues other students around him faced, such as landlord-tenant relations and drafting in the Vietnam War. He and his friend were able to receive legal assistance from their attorney parents, but Schiller realized most students at UCLA would not be able to access legal help so easily.

“There had to be some way for students whose parents weren’t lawyers to get help,” he said.

Schiller said he was impressed by what Student Legal Services had accomplished since its inception.

“I feel like a godparent or a grandparent, seeing their grandchild to be so much better than anyone could have ever envisioned,” he said.

The center currently has four part-time attorneys who meet with about 3,500 students each year. Kemper said students can either make an appointment in advance or attend walk-in events hosted throughout the quarter.

The center’s services are limited to individual UCLA students. Although attorneys can negotiate on behalf of students, write demand letters and help students prepare to sue in small claims court, attorneys cannot handle litigations or go to court, according to Student Legal Services’ website.

Kemper said she thinks the organization’s legal services allow students to focus on school when they face legal problems.

“When students are facing legal issues, they are very stressed, which can cause them to not be able to focus on school. Wrongful conviction, compensation, immigration – these can all impact students’ ability to be successful at UCLA,” she said. “By providing attorneys who can help them, we are an important retention tool.”

Kemper said Student Legal Services attorneys often deal with cases concerning Title IX rights, landlord-tenant relations and automobile accidents. She added she thinks the issues students face often relate to current political events, such as the emergence of anti-immigration policies and rhetoric during President Donald Trump’s time in office.

Christin Liu, an attorney who works at the center, said there has been an increase in immigration cases, which she thinks relates to the Trump administration’s efforts to restrict immigration. The center hired its first immigration attorney in January.

“We think (having an immigration attorney) was very appropriate, considering the political climate right now,” Liu said. “This helps a lot of the undocumented students who need assistance outside of the undocumented services that we have on campus already.”

Allison Aquino-Silva, the immigration attorney at Student Legal Services, said she thinks it is crucial for international students to be aware of their rights as noncitizens.

“There are rules that are being reinterpreted; there are laws that are not being followed the way that they should be followed,” she said. “So it’s oftentimes difficult to maintain your status if you don’t know what the rules are as an international student.”

Aquino-Silva said she thinks her role also involves teaching students to research their rights.

“I think it’s really important that students do ensure that they go and seek out correct information, not just what they hear on social media or from friends and family,” she said.

Schiller said students who are interested in solving problems in their community should focus on what they want to accomplish and how to achieve it.

“Envision what you want and what the end goal is going to look like, what you need before you get to that point, and work back from what you want to where you are to what you want,” he said. “If you go through that logical process in doing planning, you’re going to have success on many fronts.”