Russian Winter: Performers Play at Instrumental Winter Concert
Aaron Sha, Business Team
February 15, 2019
Instrumentalists started the year off strong with a riveting performance during their Winter Concert, titled “Russian Winter,” on Jan. 30. With 14 winter-themed musical pieces, Jazz Ensemble, String Orchestra, Concert Band, Concert Orchestra, Symphonic Band, Symphonic Orchestra and Full Orchestra to...
Visual and Performing Arts Goes Green with Digital Programs
Annie Qiao and Tiffany Wu
February 15, 2019
Between performances at the Winter Concert on Jan. 31, the faint blue glow of cellular devices joined blazing stage lights, illuminating faces of parents and students reading the newly-digitized concert program. In an attempt to go green and embrace technology, music directors Desmond Stevens an...
Oliboli Doughnuts are a Delightful Mouthful
Kelthie Truong, Contributing Writer
February 14, 2019
There are few words in the English language capable of making mouths salivate as intensely as the word “doughnut.” The deep-fried halo has served as the emblem of American breakfast since the early 20th century; as its long reign continues, establishments like Oliboli Doughnuts in Old Town Tustin co...
How Fortnite Radically Altered the Gaming Industry
Benjamin Kim, Business Team
February 13, 2019
Game studio Respawn Entertainment launched “Apex Legends,” which which within a week after launch garnered over 25 million players and pushed out Epic Games’ “Fortnite” as the #1 viewed game on streaming platform Twitch. “Fortnite” has been declining since its popularity peak during Season 5 in July 2...
Cauldron Ice Cream Takes a Leap into a New World of Ice Cream
Abby Hopper, Collaborating Writer
February 13, 2019
Cauldron Ice Cream had its grand opening on Jan. 12 in the Cypress Village shopping center in Irvine. The Orange County-based eatery has been rapidly growing across Southern California and has even extended its stores to Canada. Its unique take on ice cream served in a “Puffle Cone,” a liquid nit...
Whip Up Meringues for Valentine’s Day
Aneska Smith, Photo Editor
February 13, 2019
As Valentine's Day approaches, time to find the perfect gift for loved ones is running out. These raspberry meringues are the perfect treat to make as a last-minute gift, and they will definitely impress whoever receives them. Although meringues may seem complicated, they are a simple recipe that only req...
What’s For Lunch?
Abby Hopper and Ariana Wu
February 13, 2019
A new school in its third year, Portola High offers numerous benefits to its students. However, proximity to shopping centers is not one of them. As a result, many students feel that they have no choice but to stay at school during lunch. “Because lunch is only 30 minutes, many students are afraid th...
Super Smash Bros. Ultimate is a Smash Hit
Akshay Raj, Collaborating Writer
February 12, 2019
“Super Smash Bros. Ultimate,” the long-awaited addition to Nintendo’s “Smash Bros.” fighting game series, has finally released, and the massive culmination of video game content is outstanding to say the least. As the fifth entry in the “Smash Bros.” series, “Ultimate” aims to combine ...
Performers Underwhelm at Super Bowl Halftime Show
Dylan Gates, Media Director
February 8, 2019
This year’s Super Bowl halftime show left audience members speechless…due to how underwhelming and unimpressive it was. The show featured Maroon 5, Travis Scott and Big Boi, which seems like a lineup of second-tier artists compared to the traditional rock or pop artists of previous years. The poor l...
Artificial Intelligence Redefined Musical and Artistic Pieces in 2018
Jane Zou, Staff Writer
January 30, 2019
Art needs no justification apart from the artists’ visions, but 2017 and 2018 made way for a new wave of entertainment in the music and art industries; these artists are artificial intelligence (AI) programmed to compose and paint just as well as human counterparts. AI startup companies Amper and Artificial In...
Mary Poppins Returns Review: Mary Poppins receives a slight upgrade 54 years later
Benjamin Kim, Business Team
January 14, 2019
“Mary Poppins” is considered one the greatest movies ever, complete with futuristic special effects (for the time period) and astounding acting performances. The 2018 sequel, “Mary Poppins Returns,” has a high standard to meet. In its own way, the movie does. While the musical tracks in “Mary Poppins ...
‘Bumblebee’ Review: Low Budget, Best Performance?
January 14, 2019
After the failure of “Transformers: The Last Knight,” Paramount Pictures attempted to save the “Transformers” universe with the sixth entry in the franchise: “Bumblebee.” The movie earned a 93% rating on Rotten Tomatoes and is nearly breaking $300 million at the box office worldwide. Pr...