The Occidental Weekly

Southern California may be largely made up of desert, but despite the aridity, L.A. residents can boast an impressive array of parks and gardens. From tiny neighborhood spots like Ozone to the colossal Griffith, Los Angeles has parks of every size and style. Here's a sampling of a few that definitely deserve a visit.

This past Friday, more than 40 Oxy students performed in a room of over 150 men and women for the Vagina Monologues Open Mic Night in Lower Herrick. The intimate setting of Lower Herrick allowed for an engaging and dynamic event. The performances included a variety of poems and musical performances that encouraged the empowerment of women. "The Open Mic Night has become a great venue where students can speak and sing about women's empowerment,"co-organizer of this year's Vagina Monologues Rachel Deitch (senior) said. "There is a demand for a space like this on campus."

Los Angeles pulsated with artistic energy at the November Downtown Art Walk. On the second Thursday of every month, thousands of art-eager folk descend upon downtown, transforming the scene into a carnival of creative expression and uninhibited artistic passion that only L.A. could host. The underlying purpose of the Art Walk is "celebrating art, creativity and cultural diversity in the Historic Core neighborhood . . . [and] to harness this momentum to craft long-term policies for economic stabilization, job creation and the promotion of positive public space, all while preserving the dynamic balance of local history and culture," according to the Downtown Art Walk Web site. Although the walk officially began at 3 p.m., it paid off - as it so often does - to show up a few hours late.

Nearly all of us have experienced the monotony of campus dining. In comparison to other colleges, Occidental College does have a great variety of food, but week after week it gets tiring to choose between "home-style" and "grill" cuisine. I was, therefore, very much looking forward to going out to Elf Café for my roommate's birthday.

Love it or hate it, we're all stuck using Gmail to access our Oxy e-mail accounts. It took a while - and some serious hassles - to transition the entire school from Microsoft Outlook to Google Apps, but at this point there's no going back: All the old e-mail accounts have been deleted. However, the Gmail interface is different from most other e-mail programs, and it can take a little getting used to. But if you take the time to learn the tricks and nuances of Gmail, it can prove to be a quick and efficient program. Whether you're using Gmail reluctantly or lovingly, these tips should help make dealing with your Oxy e-mail (or any Gmail account) easier.

Want to enjoy music but have no means of transportation? Or maybe you don't want to travel so far away? Just walk toward Colorado Boulevard from Eagle Rock. Besides the usual Blockbuster and gas stations, you'll notice something else: a small building that looks almost like a church. Outside the elevated yard of this building is a sign that simply says "The Eagle Rock Center for the Arts."

Sometimes, one does not want to go to another crowded Oxy party and see the same old faces. Conveniently, for those of us over 21 and with money to spend on drinks, there are several bars within walking distance that provide a good alternative. But which one is the best? With the help of a team of drinkers, I sought to find out. The first stop on the drinking tour was Marty's, located at 5137 York Blvd. Marty's markets itself as a high class bar.

Wes Anderson is a stylistically original filmmaker who has put his efforts into creating quirky characters and plots that are in a world of their own, such as in "The Royal Tenenbaums" and "Rushmore." So what happens when he puts his touch on the Roald Dahl children's tale "Fantastic Mr. Fox?" The result is pure whimsical joy.