Hiccups is a restaurant located at 1946 N Lakewood Blvd Long Beach, CA 90815 which offers a wide variety of milk teas, smoothies, fruity teas, and slushies. They also have many different types of food from different Asian cultures to choose from.
As you walk into the restaurant you would instantly notice the aesthetic interior decor they have which makes the small restaurant look pleasing to the eye. But because it is small, I imagine that when it does get crowded, the restaurant will get packed rather quickly. There are also not many tables which would make it hard for you to find a seat when it’s packed which was the problem I had when I went.
Their service could use some work with paying more attention and interacting more with their customers and the wait time for the food to be done took longer than expected around 25 or 30 minutes.
Their bite-sized popcorn chicken is crispy and seasoned well. Another thing when combined with the sweet and sour sauce (provided with the order) it gives the chicken a nice sweet and savory flavor.
The Beef Pho was a little disappointing taste-wise. The beef included in the pho was well cooked and also gave a bit more flavor to the broth but the broth itself was a little bland. I also did not like the type of flavor the herbs added to it.
The Boba Thai Tea had a great sweet taste to it just like you would expect a Thai tea to taste like and the boba had a soft texture to it which brought it all together. They did add in more ice than what I had originally asked but it was ok.
Hiccups seems to be a nice place to meet up with friends or family to order some food. They have a good selection of drinks and a good variety of different dishes to try out. Some of the food might not appeal to everyone but they are still worth eating the others types of the other food that they offer.
Category: Arts & Culture
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“Hiccups”, a Thai, Chinese and Vietnamese fusion restaurant
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Poetry Slam!
January 16th at 6:30 pm was Long Beach Poly’s annual Poetry Slam at the Poly Playhouse directed by Drama Director Linda Bon.
In the beginning and throughout the show students from the Poly Jazz program performed a Jazz combo. The excellent musicians were Ben Rifkin on Trumpet, Shogo Ellefson on Bass, Nathan Greer on Drums and Nathan Mai on Alto Sax.
The panel of judges consisted of Daryl Holmlund, an English teacher at Long Beach Poly, advisor for the High Life student newspaper and serving his 5th year as a Slam judge, Gwen Larsen, an English teacher at Long Beach Poly who is a supporter of Poly’s artistic community, Andrew Shrout, an improv coach for the Long Beach Unified School District who takes his experiences from teaching, Peter Seng, a Poly senior student that stepped in for judge Angelina Taylor who was the winner of last years slam with her compelling poem,” Up Until Now”, and Jenna Webb a 5th year teacher at Long Beach Poly.
“I truly enjoyed being able to hear these stories that students had to tell,” said Webb, “they were honest, vulnerable, and brave. I know that I could never be courageous enough myself to be so open and exposed, yet these students were able to do so- and they were able to do it so eloquently.”
There were 5 categories: Identify, Mental States, Love and Loss, Injustice and Mixed Bag.
The Jazz Combo played , “There Will Never Be Another You” and “Wave” during the show.
Taylor McEachin won with her astonishing poem “How to be a good girlfriend,” which showcased how self love is the first step to loving someone else. Briana Mendez-padilla won 2nd place with her heartfelt poem about body image standards titled “Image” and Mariah De Vera winning 3rd place with her poem “Keats”. -
Daisy Lane Parade
LB Poly’s Marching Band, colorguard and JROTC participated in the Daisy Lane Parade on December 14.
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PAAL Hosts “Lost in Art”
On November 6 Poly Academy of Achievers and Leaders (PAAL) hosted its second annual art showcase event featuring artists from Poly and PAAL. The stage never failed to have a presence, as spoken word artists, rappers, singers and dancers all came together to ensure entertainment was always provided.
While performing artists showcased their talents outside on the stage, visual artists’ work was displayed inside the gallery. Artists were given total creative liberty with their work, and a diversity of styles and subjects were present throughout the gallery room. Among the types of art displayed were paintings, drawings and sculptures. Topics present in the art often included Poly, society, and mental health, among others.
Attendees were not only able to immerse themselves among the art created by others, but also to take a chance and create art of their own. With stations like “Paint a Tree Ring” or “Paint a Canvas”, adults and children alike were provided the tools such as acrylic paint and brushes to create their own masterpieces.
One of the students behind organizing this event was senior Jessica Cubias, student council co-president at PAAL. Cubias said it was her favorite event of the year as it allowed students to connect to the paintings, the artists, and the music.
“Painting brings out what people are afraid to let out,” said Cubias.
The night’s line up consisted of performing artists such as Aermoongi, Mac, Money Traxx, KDI, T-Lost and many more.
“Not many schools give student artists a chance to present their art,” said Mac Harris, spoken word artist and PAAL alumni. “Art is everywhere and this event becomes an outlet which elevates that.”
“Lost in Art” was an event student council voted to keep and lead artist Ivan Rojas and PAAL seniors, as a class, collaborated together to ensure the night was a success.
Art can help cope and manage emotional pain, one of the reasons Activities Specialists and Restorative Justice course teacher Marisol Ibañez-Tintorer feels this event is important.
“It’s about giving everyone a voice,” she said, “everyone’s voice matters.”
PAAL hosted events are open to all Poly students and it is important for Poly to support its sister campus.
“We are a part of Poly and they’re a part of us,” said Ibañez-Tintorer. -
Dancers Bust a Move (Photo Gallery)
On November 7th, Poly’s dance program held their annual winter dance show at the Andrew Osman Performing Arts Center. Featuring choreographies by Cynthia Negrete, the event showcased performances from Poly’s Dance Team as well as Negrete’s dance classes.
Photos by Nick Eismann, Contributing Photographer
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Stadia The Google “Console”
Google is launching a new streaming service that will allow people to play their favorite games via a cloud service. They plan to debut their system on November 19 this year, and it will be called Stadia. The upcoming cloud gaming service operated by Google is said to be capable of streaming video games up to 4K resolution at 60 frames per second with support for high-dynamic-range, to players via the company’s numerous data centers across the globe, provided they are using a sufficiently high-speed Internet connection. Misconceptions of this project say they are working to make new console, but Google says they are not making a console, however a new way to stream and play games. It will be accessible through the Google Chrome web browser on desktop computers, or through smartphones, tablets, smart televisions, digital media players, and Chromecast. “There was a lot of speculation that we were going to be making a console, but that’s actually [not]part of our strategy, we want to be completely screen agnostic,” Phil Harrison, a vice president and general manager at Google, told CNN Business, “We don’t want players to be spending hundreds of dollars, sometimes thousands of dollars, to create a gaming rig in their home.”
Why is it so hyped? This is beneficial to the gaming community because it is made by Google and it is an easy way to stream games on YouTube and create videos for their audience. Google might not be known as a gaming company, but people watched more than 50 billion hours of gaming on its YouTube service in 2018. And every day, 200 million people watch games on YouTube. Gaming has been on the rise and many major corporations have taken notice. Adidas a popular sportswear brand sponsored a very well-known Fortnite streamer known as Tyler “Ninja” Blevins and this is a major step towards recognizing gaming as a sport rather than a hobby or past-time.
Stadia is not similar to Netflix, in that it requires users to purchase games to stream via Stadia rather than pay for access to a library of games. While the base service will be free, a Pro tier monthly subscription allows users to stream at higher rates for larger resolutions, and the offer to add free games to their library. Another option lets viewers join the person they’re watching live. “One of the great things about Stadia is the power of linking the world of YouTube and game play together,” said Harrison. “If I’m on YouTube and I’m a creator talking about NBA 2K, the latest basketball game, I can invite my fans, my audience [and] my subscribers to join me in that game.” The next big step in gaming debuts on November 19, 2019.
How it is ranked by critics?
“It’s getting there,” according to Wired.
Reviews so far: IGN 6/10; Wired 6/10; TechRadar 4/10. -
The End of the F***ing Season
“End of the F***ing World” was released on Netflix in 2017. The show follows the adventures of two lonely teens, James and Alyssa. James is convinced that he is a psychopath and wants to transition from killing animals to killing people and his first target is Alyssa. Alyssa, a new student at James’ school, feels as though she does not fit in and she befriends James. Alyssa and James embark on an adventure to find Alyssa’s dad while James plans to kill her. Over their journey, they begin to like each other. Their adventure is filled with many events, each one becoming more and more violent. In the end of the first season, James and Alyssa murder a professor and James is shot by the police.
In the beginning of the second season, James and Alyssa are older and they have been apart for several years. However, a student of the professor killed in the previous season sets out to kill the two as revenge for taking away her “lover”.
Now my thoughts on this season are pretty simple. I kinda loved it, kinda hated it, (a loving type of hate though).
However, this did not answer a lot of the questions I had from the previous season. For one, what happened to James’ psychopathic tendencies? Did they just disappear once he realized that he was in love with Alyssa? This season was pretty ominous and quiet and the death scenes in this season were far more gory. Season 2 was also much sadder than the first season (for obvious reasons) and it kind of altered the effect that the show gave me. It was almost too sad to watch. -
“She Kills Monsters” Killing it at the Poly Playhouse
On November 14, 15, and 16 the Poly Playhouse presented their play “She Kills Monsters.” An action packed comedy which still managed to touch upon serious subjects, “She Kills Monsters” is a breath of fresh air amidst a stressful college season.
The play, put on by Mrs. Bon’s Play Production class, starred Gabby Kaiser as Agnes, an “average girl with an average face living an average life,” and Audrey Moor as Tilly, Agnes’ geeky little sister who died in a car crash and a renowned Dungeons and Dragons master.
Agnes and Tilly were never close while Tilly lived, both sisters being polar opposites and Agnes having a tendency to be ashamed of Tilly, a scenario which may be relatable to the audience. After her sister’s death, Agnes finds Tilly’s Dungeons and Dragons notebook, containing a game scenario she created.
Realizing there is much more about Tilly she does not know, Agnes seeks help from Chuck, a “dungeon master” who will lead her through a D&D journey in an attempt to understand the complex younger sister she never took the time to get to know.
Filled with cheerleading demon girls, an aggressive fairy, bugbears and a cube of slime which eerily talks like her boyfriend, Agnes is in for the time of her life as she explores the universe her sister has created and often found refuge in.
Once in the game, Agnes meet’s Tilly’s character, Tillius the Paladin, a mix between the side of her she never showed and what she aspired to be. Agnes discovers things she never knew about her sister such as her sexuality or her being bullied.
“She Kills Monsters” targets different audiences. Firstly and most obvious, to the geeks and nerds who are fans of the game and understand what it’s like to be Tilly. This play does not mock them or make them the butt end of a joke but rather, divulges into their lives and explores their sentiments under the surface.
But you do not have to be a D&D expert to enjoy the play, the premise is explained quite clearly, and remember, Agnes does not have any prior knowledge of the game so the audience can learn along with her.
But the play was not only relatable to a teen audience, adults could get a kick out of the endless 90’s pop culture references.
Overall, “She Kills Monsters” was beautifully executed play and made the audience laugh, think and cry at some point. The acting was phenomenal and the set design and costumes really transported the audience to a world of fantasy. “She Kills Monsters” was well worth seeing and my condolences to those who missed it. -
Choice Night
Poly pathways, sports, and clubs showed off their accomplishments so far in the year for potential incoming freshman on Wednesday, November 20 at Poly.
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Poly Hosts “The President’s Own” Marine Band
On October 24 “The President’s Own” Marine Band performed in the Andrew Osman Performing Arts Center here at Poly. The United States Marine Band is America’s oldest continuously active professional musical organization.
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What’s Your Ride?
Poly seniors and juniors drive to Poly in their cars each morning in 2019. Each student has a unique car, ranging from imports to American cars. The students are between 16-18 years of age, old enough to drive on their own.
All the cars the seniors and juniors own are mostly 99% automatic transmission. This is easier on the beginners and easier to drive on a daily.
Some seniors and juniors have learned to drive a manual, however. “It was hard at first, but as soon as you learn it, you’ll enjoy it,” said Poly student Alex Zarate. He owns a white 1991 Honda Accord in a manual transmission with a car bra on the front and lots of modifications on it. He said Hondas are one of the most reliable cars. They are good on gas, and there’s also a lot of aftermarket potential. In Kelley’s blue book website, it has 4.5 out of five stars for reliability, so it’s one of the best cars to start out with if you’re a new driver.
Devin Martinez owns a 1996 Toyota Supra with a manual transmission like Zarate’s Honda Accord. Instead of using a four cylinder engine, it uses a 3.0 six cylinder engine. It’s a two door coupe and is classified as a sports car in Car Gurus. Many car enthusiasts like Martinez adore the Supra because of how legendary it is and the tuner potential it has. “It’s definitely my favorite car,” said Martinez. His car has aftermarket rims, coilovers, a front lip, and an aftermarket exhaust system that makes the car louder. Since it’s a Toyota, the reliability is there, Martinez said. He wouldn’t recommend it as a first car, though, because it is expensive. He paid $39,850 for his. Not too many high schoolers have that much money yet. But if you have the money to support it, the Supra is a great car to get.
The Honda Accord and Toyota Supra cars are both imports, which tend to be better than American cars. A study in 2014 by Toyota of Murfreesboro concluded that Ford’s highest mpg was 36.8 while Toyota’s was 44.2. But at the end of the day, it’s your choice whether you want an import or an American car. Everyone has different taste, and each car will have its ups and downs. -
Oil and Instructor Changes
The Long Beach Poly automotive classes are under new instruction, as the previous teachers have retired.
Michael Schenkelberg is the new instructor, and this is his second year at Poly. “The class isn’t just to learn about cars, it’s a life skill,” he said.
The class helps you learn about basic information about cars, which helps you perform work on everything to do with automotives. Daniel Castillo, a JUSTICE junior who is new to Poly this year, said, “Auto Shop is very important, and the class is helping me get my license.”
BEACH sophomore and second-year automotive student Osvaldo Gonzalez said that the class was very beneficial. It led to him having a greater understanding of cars and how to fix them.
The class is very useful for all types of things, not just an interest in cars. As Schenkelberg also teaches AVID at Poly, the class this year focuses more on being successful and teaching through hands on experiences. The class has helped many students with their own cars over the past two years.