Motivated by passions and dreams that wouldn’t fade away, these three entrepreneurs are tackling the business world while working on their degrees.
MOVIES ‘N BOOKS
BY BRIANA MENDEZ-PADILLA
22
20 BIRDS OF A FEATHER
Which are better, movies or books? In one Long Beach club, you don’t have to choose: You get the best of both worlds.
BY MAUREEN LINZAGA
Long-distance friendships are hard to maintain, but not impossible. One writer explores what it means to grow and change while living continents apart and still fly back to each other.
ABOUT US
DIG is a student-produced arts and culture magazine published by CSULB’s Department of Journalism and Public Relations. We inspire readers to immerse themselves in the Long Beach lifestyle through photography, videography, design, illustration and the written word.
EDITOR IN CHIEF
DARYA JAFARINEJAD
FEATURES EDITOR
KIMBERLY WONG
ART DIRECTOR
MELISA SKINDER
GRAPHIC DESIGNERS
KAITLIN DOU
GENEVIE NGUYEN
PHOTO EDITOR
GOPI VADSAK
DIGITAL DIRECTOR
KATE HIZON
ONLINE EDITORS
AMY MUKAI
NIKOLETTA ANAGNOSTOU
JADYN GILES
NEWSLETTER EDITOR
CHRISTINE NADER
VIDEO EDITOR
NAVEAH SABILLO
SOCIAL MEDIA DIRECTOR
CAITLIN GANSERT
SOCIAL MEDIA EDITORS
KAITLIN NEANG
KAYLA MIRANDA
BUSINESS MANAGER
KRISTINA AGRESTA
PR & PROMOTIONS MANAGER
NICOLLETTE COMBRE
WEB & TECHNOLOGY MASTER
LEILA NUNEZ
ADVERTISING MANAGER
ANDREA CONTRERAS
FACULTY ADVISORS
ROBIN JONES
JENNIFER NEWTON
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DEAR READER,
“You’re different.”
As children, many of us feared these words. A haunting shadow lingering over our shoulders, whispering cruel reminders of our ostracization. The idea that difference means we are undeserving of belonging. So we tuck our true selves away — our passions and hobbies locked in boxes like abandoned toys. We force our bodies into skin that doesn’t fit us. Urge our feet to walk jagged roads never meant for us. All to belong.
It’s a valid desire. But it is one of our greatest opponents. We are the architects of our own lives. Our creativity, passions, wants, and interests are the tools we use to construct monuments, castles, bridges, and roads that make us who we are. In short, our differences make us unique.
The human desire to live freely collides against conformity like shifting tectonic plates. One will trample the other. However, it is our choice which one wins. This is not to say that this choice is easy. Many of us struggle to balance the weight of our parents’ expectations, the need to earn stable and good salaries, imposter syndrome/selfdoubt, and the feeling that there is no place for our talents in this world. That no terrain exists for us to pave our own roads.
Which is why we must forge our own. Embracing our differences, loving them even, is a vital aspect of this. Whether we dream of being teachers/ professors, entrepreneurs, doctors, lawyers, engineers, artists, dancers, photographers, designers, writers, animators, or even something that defies easy categorization, we must all design our own paths. Take our life into our own hands. Conformity serves no one. It’s a miserable road — the destination being a life of regret.
It’s never too late to start. Whether you are 18 or 40, the chains of conformity burden you only if you let them. Stop caring what others think, how they act, where they’re going. You’ll find the right people at the intersections and overlaps of your paths. When you do, hold on tightly. You’ll need a stable support system for the journey you’re undertaking.
Then, charge full steam ahead. Don’t look back, or you’ll be weighed down by apprehension and melancholy like cement around your ankles. Embrace your friends! Ignore the naysayers! Love what makes you unique! Defy conformity at every turn!
Pave your own path. I hope you enjoy this issue!
Best wishes on your journey,
Darya Jafarinejad
Where once there was a cowthemed bakery now stands a crocodile-themed sandwich shop — a transformation that took a mere two weeks to complete. Decorations, business cards, a website, and even t-shirts were all created during that span of time, all based around a little doodle of a crocodile that the shop’s owner, Claudette Pentz, drew during a difficult part of her life.
The turnaround was so sudden that even on the day of the shop’s soft opening, the cashier was still working on the website while answering customers’ questions about the new menu. But despite
the abrupt change, Pentz pushed forward with the project, surprising herself as well.
“There is really no need to hold back in life, and fear is the only thing that stops us from doing things,” she said. “I really don’t think there’s such a thing as failure. Even if there were mistakes made in the first week or two [of the shop’s opening], who cares? It was a learning opportunity. We’re all learning everyday.”
With a playful, cheeky social media presence and a claim that they have the “best sandwiches and sides in town”, those at La ‘Croque don’t take themselves too seriously. However, they take their job and what they do seriously. Their menu is made up of signature sandwiches that are large, juicy, and most importantly, made with love.
The shop’s transition from a bakery to a sandwich shop was not an easy one, as it stemmed from a tragic loss. The business, previously known as Happy Cow Kitchen, was run by both Pentz and her late husband, Viktor Kerschbaumer, a highly trained Austrian chef. Unfortunately, he sadly and unexpectedly passed away.
Pentz planned to shut the bakery down permanently, but got back on her feet after a wake-up call from her mother, who encouraged her to start drawing, which eventually led to the creation of the aforementioned crocodile doodle. At this stage, she didn’t have any plans for the bakery, or the doodle, for that matter, but that was about to change
STORY BY BUDDY CASILES
PHOTOS BY OLIVIA PEAY
As Kerschbaumer was not only her husband, but also her partner who was technically educated in culinary arts, at first, Pentz found it difficult to run the bakery without him. But she persevered and tried her best. But one day, she was discussing business ideas with a friend who asked her, “Well, why don’t you do it?”
And the La ‘Croque project was born.
The menu is 100% Europeaninspired and is all about simple, high-quality ingredients, such as sandwich bread that is baked fresh every morning. La ‘Croque uses French butter instead of mayonnaise and builds their sandwiches on flavor, fat, texture, nourishment, and enjoyment.
“That’s why we had the nerve to put on the sign that we have the best sandwiches and sides in town outside,” Pentz said. “People walk in all the time like, ‘Really, best sandwiches?’ And I say, ‘Yes, why don’t you have one and tell us?’”
All La ‘Croque’s sandwiches have generous portion sizes.
“I want people to feel wellfed and nourished, not like some skimpy sandwich that’s ‘Oh, it’s so fancy, but I’m still hungry,’” Pentz said. “You get a good quality size and the ingredients are so good. You get value for your money.”
Currently, their No. 1 seller is their turkey Waldorf sandwich, which contains fresh roasted whole turkey breast salad shredded with seedless grapes, California walnuts, celery, and black pepper on a bed of mixed baby greens on a freshly baked, flaky butter croissant.
Other popular sandwiches include the French-style ficelle, thin-sliced European prosciutto, French butter, French brie cheese and housemade orange marmalade on a chewy cherry, walnut, and orangepeel baguette, and the California vegan, slathered with fresh
avocado and filled with baby greens tossed in olive oil, thinly sliced red onion, sun-dried tomatoes, cucumber, sea salt, and pepper on fresh wholegrain bread.
As for the future of La ‘Croque, Pentz is not sure what’s going to happen. For now, she’s just going to sit back and let the shop develop its own personality and momentum. The business will show her where it wants to go, and she’ll be there as the driving force behind its growth and evolution.
Ultimately, Pentz just wants to create quality products for her customers. She pays attention to what her customers’ favorite menu items are and constantly improves and develops her recipes in order to keep them satisfied, as well as draw new customers into the restaurant.
“I just want people to have a human experience, connect, have fun, eat something really wholesome, feel good, and feel welcome,” she said. “I don’t care who you are, what you are. You are welcome here. If you’re having a bad day, come here. We’ll fix it.”
“I don’t care who you are, what you are. You are welcome here. If you’re having a bad day, come here. We’ll fix it.”
For more information about La ‘Croque, visit their website, lacroquesandwiches.com or their Instagram page, @lacroquesandwiches.
STORY BY ACSAH LEMMA
Enjoying the city we live in doesn’t have to be an expensive experience, especially if we take advantage of all the free and affordable opportunities around us.
We’ll start our day with breakfast. While it might be tough to find an affordable breakfast at a restaurant, shopping for a quick meal at a grocery store can be a cheap alternative. The Trader Joe’s on Bellflower Boulevard is already a staple in the shopping itinerary of many Long Beach State students, and they offer a variety of ready-made meals to purchase and eat at your convenience.
One of my personal favorites from Trader Joe’s is their Chicken Sausage Breakfast Burrito. It’s packed with potatoes, herby sausage, scrambled eggs, onions and shredded cheese, all wrapped up in a flour tortilla. Satisfying both cold and warmed up in the microwave, this breakfast dish will bring our daily total to $4.95 (tax included).
After breakfast, head on over to campus to experience a variety of dynamic activities. Consider taking on the rock-climbing wall at the Student Recreation and Wellness Center. All students enrolled at CSULB have a free SRWC membership paid for in our University Student Union fee. This membership will
also get you access to the outdoor pool, fitness rooms and multi-sport courts, and the rock wall. Climbing this 25-foot wall is a challenging experience, but a great exercise. Gear and rock climbing classes are also free.
If you’re not into rock climbing or more intense physical activities, find your zen at the Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden. It's open to the public; you just have to make a reservation before you arrive. Once inside, you can walk through the picturesque pathways or observe the beautiful koi fish that make their home in the pond. Occasionally the garden hosts free activities, so be on the lookout for those.
The Earl Burns Miller Japanese Garden is located on the lower campus of Long Beach State and is free for anyone to enter. Beautiful and serene, the garden offers visitors a peaceful setting to stroll, take pictures or meditate. (Photo credit: Christal Gaines-
AFTERNOON
Time for lunch! You’re probably hungry after that workout. Burgers are one of my favorite things to grab when I’m craving something hearty. One of my go-to burger joints is an affordable and delicious restaurant, The Win~Dow, located on Second Street. This casual dining spot is similar to a food truck, as there’s no indoor seating. Instead, walk up to the window to order and pick up your meal.
While the menu offers a variety of appealing entrées, such as a chicken sandwich and grain bowl, I’m here for the burgers. A combination meal including cheeseburger and fries comes out to a total of $9.43 (including tax). The Win~Dow’s signature smashed patty, combined with their flavorful house sauce and crispy pickles, makes for an irresistible bite.
The Win~Dow burger is perfect for an inexpensive lunch and is situated on a block packed with sights to see. Their classic smashburger has a soft brioche bun and savory patty, ideal budget-friendly fuel for our day out in Long Beach. (Photo credit: Acsah Lemma)
Once you’ve finished your meal, consider taking a stroll down Second Street. There are a variety of different boutiques and stores to peruse. From there, you can head over to the Museum of Latin American Art (MOLAA), located on Alamitos Avenue. Admission is free on Sundays, and parking is plentiful. The museum houses a collection of modern and contemporary Latin-American art, and getting
to see modern pieces by a diverse variety of artists is inspiring. The museum’s exhibitions currently feature contemporary Mexican, Indigenous, and Black artists, who in particular explore the idea of intersectionality within the Latin-American community. Don’t forget to take a walk through their sculpture garden before you leave, to ponder the abstract forms around you.
EVENING
At this point, it’s time to wind down and leisurely enjoy the final hours of your day. I love relaxing with a nice stroll, or if you want to spend a little money, a nice bike ride.
The Long Beach Shoreline Bike Path is perfect for this. This scenic bike path runs along the Pacific Ocean from Shoreline Village to Belmont Shore. Completely free of cars and other motorized vehicles, the path is reserved for pedestrians and anyone skating or riding a bike. You can bring your own bike or rent one from the vendors located alongside the bike path. The most affordable option is the Long Beach City bikes, which are painted light blue and white and cost $7 per hour of use.
Once you’ve circled back to where we started, it’s time for dinner. My pick is street tacos from local food stand Tacos Lionydas, right on the corner of Clark Avenue and Atherton Street. Because of its late hours, the stand has a loyal student clientele. Fresh and delicious, the street tacos are $2.50 each, making a total of $7.50 for the standard trio that I usually order. Toppings such as cilantro, onions, peppers, and a variety of salsas are complimentary, so take the opportunity to load up your tacos to the brim.
If you were to follow my recommendations, the total cost of the day would end up just under $30. But in the end, it’s all about the experience. While having some extra pocket money could buy you a few more activities (or an extra taco from Tacos Lionydas!), I hope I’ve showed you that having fun and going out doesn’t need to be a costly experience, even in a city like Long Beach.
TECHNO REACHING FANS FROM ONE SCREEN TO ANOTHER
STORY BY VALERIE ALBA
PHOTOS COURTESY OF ALYSSA MORENO
Content creation isn’t a fulltime “lights-camera-action” job, especially for Long Beach State student Alyssa Moreno. Aside from attending school full-time, Moreno never struggles to stay busy, balancing her gigs as a DJ, traveling, her wellness, social and sorority life, and social media posting schedule. Uploading EDM content for fun on Instagram introduced Moreno to a new world
Social media’s endless opportunities have helped digital creators like Long Beach State student Alyssa Moreno build a community of techno lovers through Instagram.
of opportunities and excitement. For Moreno, putting herself out there wasn’t difficult. Growing up in a supportive family that embraced her dreams and hobbies, as well as being surrounded by music and pop culture, she was no stranger to the exciting world of music.
“When I was a kid, I loved Hannah Montana and I wanted to be famous so bad,” Moreno said. “I also sing, so growing up singing, my mom would tell me that when I was around two or three, I would put on little performances for the family. My dream was to become famous.”
Born and raised in Palmdale, California, Moreno always knew she was meant to be in the entertainment industry. Her outgoing family inspired and drove her to pursue a career that would showcase her talents to the world.
After making the move to Long Beach to experience something different and live closer to the beach, majoring in communications with a minor in journalism felt fitting for her. Always wanting to build a social media
presence, she took it seriously at the beginning of her freshman year of college and created an account, using it to reach out to companies and brands.
Having had experience as a social media manager for several internships, she began using her digital skills toward her own personal platforms. She hoped that by posting trending content and putting herself out there, she would be able to make it big.
“I was trying to find my niche and it was really hard,” Moreno said. “I was trying a bunch of different things; I was doing lifestyle, gym stuff, and it wasn't really sticking, so I wasn’t having much fun doing it anymore. It just felt really repetitive, especially since at the time, everyone was trying to be a gym influencer.”
Moreno’s dad, who has a degree in digital marketing and is a DJ himself, inspired her love for EDM, rave, and techno music. Subsequently, she began practicing mixing music and learning how to use DJ equipment in the hope that one day, she might be able to book gigs as a DJ herself.
In the fall of 2023, Moreno took it a step further by uploading content she was genuinely passionate about. Her butterfly effect would occur after posting EDM and techno videos, which received significantly more attention and likes compared to her earlier uploads. Some of Moreno’s videos have received over 1.5 million views and over 100,000 likes. Once her following went up and she realized how successful that was, she decided to remain consistent with it.
“I was just messing around and having a good time and I really didn’t think that something was going to come of it,” Moreno said.
In the months following those exciting events, Moreno experienced several full circle moments, giving her more reasons to continue doing what she’s doing.
“I’ve had really big DJs repost [my content] or comment on my stuff, which is crazy because I’m big fans of all of them,” Moreno said.
DJ Sara Landry, who specializes in techno mixes, was one of the DJs who reposted Moreno’s content. Landry is one of Moreno’s
inspirations, as she is widely successful and praised in a maledominated industry.
On a separate occasion, Moreno also met French record producer and DJ David Guetta, and she spoke to him about her dreams of becoming a DJ one day. Growing up listening to his hits and getting to interact with him was an unforgettable and inspiring moment for her.
As for balancing her hectic schedule, Moreno has been able to keep her priorities in order, something that she considers essential for people who are deciding to take content creation more seriously. Her heavy involvement in high school, participating in ASB, dance, and theater, helped her get used to a chaotic schedule.
“I can confidently say that I’m able to balance gym, mental health, school, and then do content and everything else extra on the side,” Moreno said. “I feel
events, and doing homework, her weekends are filled with DJ gigs and events.
Now having achieved her goal of reaching 50,000 followers, Moreno remains hopeful about her content creation journey. About to finish her third year at Long Beach State, Moreno is continuing to prioritize her education and looking to pursue a career in the DJ world, as well as producing her own music one day, which she considers a dream.
“Worst comes to worst, I’m still going to be in the entertainment industry somewhere, so I’m just trying to remain optimistic right now and take things day by day,” Moreno said. “It’s been quick, the amount of growth that I’ve had. Somehow I’m making my dream come true, so we’ll see where that continues to take me.”
“My dream was to become famous.”
Easy DIY fA sh i o n
STORY BY ABIGAIL WALL
PHOTOS COURTESY OF STUDENTS IN FASHION
Do-It-Yourself, or DIY, fashion has been a way for people to express themselves through unique pieces of clothing that they had a hand in creating. With the rise of YouTube, and more recently, short-form content on TikTok and Instagram Reels, creators have been able to share their DIY projects with others, making it an easy and fun way for people to follow fashion trends without breaking the bank. Here at CSULB, the Students in Fashion club provides not only social and networking opportunities for students interested in fashion, but also workshops where they walk students through various easy DIY fashion projects. Here are two simple fashion DIY projects shared by Students in Fashion to add to your wardrobe.
Charm Jewelry
While charm jewelry, especially bracelets, has been around for a long time, recently it has experienced a revival due to our generation’s affinity for ‘90s and 2000s-era nostalgia. These unique pieces have been worn by the likes of Egyptian pharaohs, passed out by European royalty, and more recently, appeared on models in many high fashion runways. Today, using a curated selection of unique charms is a great way to express your personality in a piece of custom jewelry.
For this project, you can either purchase new plain gold or silver bracelet or necklace chains, or use ones that you already have. Make sure that the links of the chain are large enough to thread jump rings through. Jump rings, which are used to attach charms to jewelry, can be easily purchased online, at a local craft store, or borrowed from a craft-loving friend. Be sure to match the metal of your jump rings to that of your piece of jewelry for a more finished look. You can also purchase charms online or at a craft store, but for a more oneof-a-kind look, consider reusing charms from your old jewelry or purchasing vintage pieces from antique stores.
Unclasp your bracelet or necklace and plan out the layout of your charm jewelry by laying the charms along the length of the chain before attaching them. Playing around with the layout before attaching the charms helps you avoid having to reattach them again and again and could help you find a cute arrangement you hadn’t considered before. Placing the heaviest charm in the center of the piece will help it to stay centered as you wear it, especially if you’re making a necklace, but ultimately the placement is up to you.
Carefully use a set of jewelry pliers to open the jump ring slightly. Place the charm onto the jump ring, then attach the jump ring onto your chain. Make sure that the charm is facing the correct way before closing the jump ring with the pliers. Repeat this step until your bracelet or necklace is filled with charms. That’s it! You’ve created a trendy, updated piece of charm jewelry.
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Patchwork Shirts
One way to customize a basic piece of clothing is to personalize it. Adding patchwork designs to t-shirts has become a popular trend on TikTok and Pinterest. Creators often cut up existing graphic tees or use
Find a plain top or t-shirt of any color. You can purchase one new, but we love using ones already in our closet. Gather up scraps of old fabric, graphic tees, or other decorations (like bows) of your choice to create your appliqués.
Students In Fashion has regular meetings at 5 p.m. every Wednesday. They are open to anyone, regardless of major. Memberships are also not required. These were some of their past projects, and they are always coming up with new ones! If you are interested, for more information, contact them via Instagram, @studentsinfashion, or gmail, csulbsif@gmail.com.
other fabric to add letters, symbols, or shapes to a plain shirt, creating a brand-new design. This isn’t just a cute trend, but also a great way to repurpose old fabric and revamp a piece of your wardrobe.
Sketch out your shirt design. Be creative with words, phrases, or patterns that express your personal style. You can create a pattern for the shapes or letters in your design by tracing them onto a piece of scrap paper and using that as a guide as you cut out your design on your scrap fabric. Using a washable pen to trace your design directly onto the fabric before cutting it also works.
Once you’ve cut out all your letters or shapes, arrange them on your top. As an optional step to prevent the edges from unraveling, use fray check or a small amount of fabric glue on your appliqués, or stitch around your pieces of fabric with a zigzag stitch before attaching them to your shirt. To sew them using a sewing machine or hand-sewing, pin them into place before carefully stitching around each piece of fabric. For a no-sew option, you can use fabric glue to glue down each piece of fabric onto the top and let it dry for at least a few hours. Ta-da! You’ve upgraded a basic piece into a
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PHOTOS BY GOPI VADSAK
owning your
STORY BY SYDNEY WOODLEY
PHOTOS COURTESY OF KALEAH NOBLE, ANNIKITA DUDNICK, SYDNEY FLETCHER
Meet three creative student entrepreneurs and learn how they juggle academics and personal ambitions.
“Ever since I was a kid, I’ve always been into fashion. When I got older, I started receiving messages from people asking me for fashion advice and [asking me to] be their personal stylist,” Noble said. “Soon after that, I decided to further my passion and create a business page that provides many styling services virtually and in-person to help others find their sense of style and be confident in what they wear.”
A fashion design student at Long Beach State, Kaleah Noble provides styling advice for her clients through her business, The Fitted Piece. From fashion tips to wardrobe makeovers, she assists clients in understanding their style. With a diverse audience that includes individuals from different genders, Noble stays with the trends by immersing herself in the fashion world through social media, runway shows and the college environment.
Despite occasional challenges, Noble’s commitment to her craft remains constant. To balance her business with her studies, she designates specific days to be devoted to her entrepreneurial pursuits. In the future, she envisions herself as a celebrity stylist. Noble is motivated by a desire to network, as well as increase her expertise and portfolio. She is focused on improving her online presence to make a lasting impact within the fashion industry.
Annika Dudnick, a 22-year-old CSULB student majoring in art history, is also the brains behind Hair by Annikita. Dudnick offers a personalized hairstyling service that provides custom colors, haircuts and treatments. Her journey with curly hair and her passion for alternative color show in her work.
Hair by Annikita has been operating since October 2021. She stays up to date with fashion trends and styles by investing in education courses, as well as by staying active on social media. Dudnick balances her business and academics by using technology to manage her administrative tasks.
Instagram: @hairbyannikita
Website: hairbyannikita.square.site
“I was inspired to start my business after being laid off from a receptionist position,” Dudnick said. “My mother, who is also a stylist, encouraged me to pursue the beauty industry, knowing that it has always been an interest of mine. After having an orientation at the same cosmetology school she had attended 20 years prior, I decided to sign a contract and pursue my license.”
“I could not work at my current job as a hostess during COVID, so I felt the need to take matters into my own hands and try to create something myself.”
Syd's Wicks
Sydney Fletcher, a Long Beach State communications student, is also the creator of Sydswicks. Fletcher handcrafts custom candles using natural wax, clean scents, and playful shapes and colors inspired by trends.
Since its creation in 2021 and despite the challenges of COVID-19, Sydswicks has flourished and is currently available on the shelves of over 20 retailers.
Instagram: @sydswicks
Website: sydswicks.com
Photographers
Illustrators
Videographers
Podcasters
Designers
For the Film Fans and Bookworms:
Stefania Priestly, in a gingham dress – a modern twist on Regency clothing to be on par with the night’s Jane Austen theme – sits on the large wood stage in Long Beach’s Art Theatre after a screening of the 1995 film adaptation of "Sense and Sensibility," that month’s book club pick. As she prepares to spearhead the book club discussion, she confesses to a group of around 20 that she had not finished the book. Neither had the majority of attendees.
This is not unusual for Priestly’s Movies N’ Books Club; it’s actually part of its origin story. In the past, Priestly had joined her fair share of book clubs and
had even attempted to start her own. But between her busy schedule as a UCLA psychology student, the aftermath of a brain injury that caused her to have auditory processing issues, and an overall disinterest in the academic environment that most of these clubs fostered, she realized it just wasn’t for her.
Movies N’ Books Club is Priestly’s passion project. It is a book club she started that focuses on books with film adaptations, and club discussions revolve around both. Attendees do
STORY AND PHOTOS BY BRIANA MENDEZ-PADILLA
not need to have read the book in order to participate in the discussion, and it is a space that appeals to both book readers and movie enthusiasts.
“[Movies N’ Books Club] is supposed to be fun, casual, something you can look forward to every month. It’s not like you’re locked in. That’s kind of where it started, and it took off from there,“ Priestly said.
Movies N’ Books Club began in January 2022 at an independent bookstore in Santa Ana where Priestly worked. After months of meetings at the store, the Frida Cinema (an independent movie theater in Santa Ana) invited Priestly to host her club at their theater, which she did from September 2022 to January 2024. The club has now relocated to the Art Theatre on Fourth Street in Long Beach and is partnering with Bel Canto, an independent bookstore across the street.
For Priestly, the goal of Movies N’ Books Club is to promote local businesses and create a sense of community. The club encourages people to buy their copies from its independent bookstore partner and to visit independent theaters.
Priestly is excited to be continuing the series in Long Beach and has been enamored by Fourth Street and the blooming independent bookstores and community.
“It’s really hard to meet people, especially as you get older… so I wanted something where everyone was welcome,” Priestly said. “It’s a safe space, and you can be who you are. And you don’t have to be nervous about being academic and all that.”
She wanted to make the club as accessible as possible by offering options, so Movies N’ Books Club has both a virtual meeting and an in-person meeting/movie screening, with separate books for each. Her discussion format has evolved over time as she discovers what feels more genuine for both her club members and herself. Originally, she prepared very academic questions about the reading, which she feels made it harder for people to engage with them. She has since shifted toward choosing generalized topics to discuss and letting attendees guide the discussion.
“I thought that [asking academic questions] was what was expected of me. And I was trying to make myself sound smart, because that’s not my discussion style,” Priestly said. “So I’m just really excited that the change is actually doing well.”
Movies N’ Books Club hosted its first meeting at the Art Theatre in March, featuring "West Side Story," a modern adaptation of "Romeo and Juliet." Priestly remembered feeling extremely nervous; she just wanted her first meeting at a new location to go as smoothly as possible.
encouraging for Priestly. While she has been struggling with being less known in Long Beach as the club has just started kicking off, she plans to continue with social media as a form of outreach, as well as connecting with other bookstores across Long Beach to help spread the word.
“I’m looking forward to growing the club and having more meetings and making that connection with people here in Long Beach because I just love the community and I love making new friends,” Priestly said.
Keep up with upcoming meetings and movie screenings by following @moviesnbooksclub on Instagram.
“It’s a safe space, and you can be who you are.”
While pre-sale ticket numbers worried Priestly, she said the actual screening had a great turnout, including an older woman who had watched the movie when it first came out back in 1961.
“I feel like the vibe at the Art very much goes with my leading style; the discussions there have been amazing,” Priestly said.
The response thus far is
BIrDS OF
OF
STORY AND PHOTOS BY MAUREEN LINZAGA
Flooded in warm tones of orange and red and crowded together on the floor of my living room, my friends leaned in and smiled widely for the camera. My friends had all gathered together at my house for a going-away sleepover, a despedida. And like all good sleepovers, this one involved barely any actual sleep. We watched movies, sang along to our favorite songs, and played games. We stayed up late reminiscing about how each of us had met through different acquaintances and friends in our shared homeroom, eventually making our way into the group. We meandered down memory lane, laughing at each others’ stories and cracking jokes.
The next morning, my friends all took giggly turns slow dancing with me, each presenting me with parting gifts, and finally whispering encouraging and deeply emotional messages in my ear. I expected some of them, like the quiet murmurs of “I’ll miss you,” and “Take care,” but it was my friend who jokingly teased, “Hey, you’d better not forget about us,” that made me think most about just how much my life would change from that point onward. Lingering in the back of my mind were tales of relationships broken up when one partner moved away, of how pen pals who promised to always write back one day stopped sending letters, of different relationships broken up by time and distance.
In a few days, I was getting on a flight to move 7,000 miles away, from the Philippines to the United States. I packed the memory of that last night spent with my friends into the collection of memories I kept in my heart’s suitcase and boarded the plane.
It was a few weeks after I had started going to my new high school in California when I first really realized how much I took going to school with my best friends for granted.
Growing up, I had always written and spoken basic English. But assimilating to American slang, accents and culture, and most of all, navigating 10th grade when everyone already had established friend groups, made finding a new set of school friends challenging. Thankfully, my history teacher introduced me to another one of the few Filipino students in my school who also knew Tagalog. Through her, I was welcomed into a new group of friends who are still my closest friends in America to this day.
But just because I had made
new friends didn’t mean that connecting with the ones I had at home wasn’t just as important. And organizing FaceTime calls with my friends in the Philippines was no easy task.
The first big hurdle was the 16hour time difference, which meant that we were often either calling at inconvenient times, especially with our school schedules, or up at truly ungodly hours of the night. One early scheduling mishap had me hopping onto a video call during my Robotics class when I was really supposed to be learning how to solder, not messing around on a call with my friends.
The second was the awkward affair of transitioning from interacting with them primarily in person to communicating online. Without mundane topics like shared homework assignments or day-to-day gossip to fall back on, we struggled in translating our offline friendship into one that functioned mainly over the internet. We spent many of those early calls together scrolling through video filters on
Facebook Messenger or asking each other pretty meaningless questions, a far cry from the deep conversations we’d once had late at night, huddled together on the floor of my living room.
Over time, though, we grew accustomed to the online format, figuring out how to uphold our tradition of late-night gatherings, even though it was really only nighttime for me because of our different time zones. We began to use our group chat more often, sending each other anecdotes about our days, memes about our shared music taste or aspects of our culture, and making our way onto Twitter and responding to each others’ Tweets and stories on social media. It wasn’t the same as friendship in person, but the connection that we shared was still real.
Then COVID hit, and everyone else was forced to move their friendships, school and work life online. Everyone was communicating via video call and text message. With all of our classes either canceled or moved to an online format, we
had even more opportunities to connect with each other online, chatting on Discord constantly, teaming up together in the world of Valorant, and arguing over who killed who in what room in Among Us well into the night. During the days of online classes, where each moment bled into another in my memories, my friends kept me afloat.
My friends were there through my personal struggles, the process of college decisions, and relationship issues. When I broke up with my long-distance boyfriend, I clung to my friends, desperate to never let the distance affect our friendships. Together, my friends and I continued to rewrite the story of long-distance, transforming its role in our stories from something that left others (and ourselves, at times) heartbroken to something that sustained all of us through the ups and downs of life, and that held us together.
Five years after we moved to America, my family finally realized our long-awaited plan to return to the Philippines, taking advantage of loosened travel restrictions. I took to the group chat and texted my friends immediately in order to set up a date to meet up.
Our reunion felt like home, as if the sepia-toned reel of my memories of the past replayed, but in vivid color. The faces I had seen through screens as badly lit 2-D representations onscreen for the past five years were now once again in front of me in living color.
Like the despedida I held when I left for America, my friends and I had to have a sleepover for my return home. This time, as adults, we stayed in a hotel in a neighboring city instead of in my house. All grown up from our teenage years, my friends and I, now all in our early twenties, spent the special summer day lounging by the pool reminiscing, snacking, playing games and more. Despite our individual growth over the years, our conversations still flowed effortlessly, as if no time had passed at all.
As night fell, our conversations waded into deeper territory, diving into our struggles and telling the tales of experiences we had yet to share with one another. We revisited old memories and expressed wishes to relive those moments together.
At one point, I simply sat back and observed my friends. I marveled at how in many ways, we had grown so much, and yet
how, in just as many ways, we had stayed the same.
I remember feeling like I just stepped into a time machine, returning to my 16-year-old self, basking in the warmth of my closest friends’ presence once more.
The significance of all the years that my friends and I had dedicated to nurturing these cherished friendships hit me deeply that night. Especially with the amount of time that jobs, school, other friends, and family had slowly begun to occupy in our lives, the fact that we consistently chose to spend that time with each other over it all was staggering.
Looking around at the faces I saw around me, floating and laughing and splashing in the pool, I made a personal vow to keep honoring our bonds through digital communications, still eagerly awaiting a day where I can once again return to the Philippines.
But until then, I will continue living my life here in America, hand-in-hand with my friends in the Philippines, collecting stories for our next sleepover, forever their coauthor in the story of our friendship.
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