Top bus stops near campus

Victory Boulevard’s Metro Line 164 has food and fun for cheap

Your professor has just dismissed you from class. You have gathered all your supplies and are finished for the day.

With your whole day ahead of you, you walk to the Metro stop and wait for a bus.

Stepping on a Metro bus is a daily standard for an average of over one million people on weekdays according to Metro.

With stops running through Woodland Hills to North Hollywood for a price tag of $1.50, it provides a great service to the community.

But for the Pierce student with an open agenda, where along the bus route should you go? Here are a few suggestions.

Four fun spots near Pierce College

Woodland Textbooks

Woodland Textbooks, at the De Soto Avenue stop, is a great stop for the Pierce student strapped for cash. One can get the books they need for class at a cheaper price than at the campus Bookstore, new or used or even for rental.

For the student who needs to shed some old textbooks, Woodland Textbooks also has a yearround buyback program. Sure, you will not get full value, but if you need some quick cash, this is a great program.

Hours:

Mon. – Thurs.: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Friday: 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Saturday and Sunday: Closed lower your chances of being injured during your commute just by leaving your car in its parking spot.

Whether you need lunch or dinner, books or clothes, ball parks, dog parks or skate parks, you will find it at a bus stop along the 164 line.

The diversity of people on the bus always promises an interesting ride, with all walks of life represented.

One of the hidden benefits of taking the bus is that you are free to relax and let someone else drive you around.

Well, not free– but pretty cheap.

At $1.50 per ride, paying cash could be cost-effective for long trips.

Of course, there is always the TAP card for frequent fliers; er, riders.

You may be surprised by how calming it can be to jump on the bus, just for a change of scenery.

We are fortunate to live in a city with public transportation, and we are very fortunate to have our beloved college situated along one of its premiere thoroughfares.

The Metro 164 Line runs East and West across the San Fernando Valley, with timetables listed on their website.

And yes, there’s an app for that.

Double Thumbs Up

Opinion

Staff Writer

Nick McNamara nmcnamara.roundupnews@gmail.com

There is plenty of open space to walk around and get some exercise and think.

A.C. Beilenson Park also has a massive amount of grass, so anyone looking to start up a game of football, soccer or even ultimate frisbee would not have trouble finding room to set up. There are also courts for those looking to play a game of basketball or even tennis.

Those with kids can bring their young ones to the park’s colorful, 19,600-square-foot playground with two sections based on age and sporting a maritime theme.

A.C. Beilenson Park also holds Balboa Lake, which is open for fishing as well as feeding the ducks and even swans that occupy the water.

Not a bird person? Nearby is also a dog park where anyone can go and take their dog for a little socializing with other four-legged friends. There is something for everyone at this extensive recreation area.

Hours:

Mon. – Sun.: Sunrise till Sunset

Phone: (818) 756-9743

Awesome Thai

Lastly, for those with a rumble in their stomach, take the stop at Reseda Boulevard and walk down to the Victory Boulevard intersection. There you will find Awesome Thai, a small restaurant serving food with big flavor.

To start, try the Chicken Satay ($7.95), which is grilled chicken strips served skewered by a wooden stick with creamy peanut sauce and a side of sweet cucumber salad.

Phone: (818) 712 - 9462

Discount Hockey Superstore

Also at the De Soto Avenue stop is the Discount Hockey Superstore, and they are not joking about the superstore title.

The DHS has everything the avid or recreational hockey player needs to get going.

You could get set up with a full array of pads for the skater or goalie, ice or inline skates, jerseys of all sizes, and do not forget the sticks, tape and pucks.

DHS even has a knowledgeable staff that can walk the beginning player through all equipment decisions, and will even sharpen your skate blades and trim your stick of choice down to size if needed.

But that is not all. DHS has a small shooting range for the shopper who wants to let a few pucks fly while they shop.

Hours:

Mon. – Fri.: 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Saturday: 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Sunday: 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Phone: (818) 735-0699

Anthony C. Beilenson Park

Anthony C. Beilenson Park, formerly Balboa park and surprisingly found at the Balboa Boulevard stop, is a fantastic place to go to unwind and relax after a long school day.

Pull the chicken off the skewer and dip it in the peanut sauce for maximum nutty goodness. For soup, you cannot go wrong with the Tom Yum Kai ($6.95).

Tom Yum Kai is a hot and sour chicken soup with tomatoes, mushrooms and onions cooked in. The soup has a powerful flavor, unique flavor, so be warned.

But for those who go to Awesome Thai, you cannot leave without trying the Green Curry ($6.95).

The Green Curry comes with your choice of chicken, beef, pork, shrimp for $1 extra and seafood for $5 extra.

It is cooked with bamboo shoots, basil, carrot, bell pepper, and eggplant in the green curry sauce. The aroma is practically intoxicating and the flavor leaves you practically in a state of shock from the wonderful spices.

While they do not have the cheapest prices for entrees, it is hard to complain for this quality of cooking.

Hours: Mon., Wed., Thurs.: 11 a.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday: 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

Sunday: 12 p.m. to 9:30 p.m.

Tuesday: Closed.

Phone: (818) 344-1677

Letter to the editor

Academic Affairs vice president praises publication

I wanted to take a moment to commend you and your staff, for the quality of the Roundup publications this semester. Although the Roundup staff always works to provide interesting, thoughtful, and quality information to the campus, it strikes me that this semester the publication is particularly well done. You and your staff are selecting articles which are relevant, heartfelt, and thought provoking. While reading this semesters papers I have learned, laughed, and most recently shed a few tears. All of these experiences have been the result of your hard work- and I wanted to say thank you. You, your faculty editor, and the Roundup staff as a whole are doing excellent work!

Anna Davies Vice President of Academic Affairs

Corrections

the student newspaper staff. Under appropriate state and federal court decisions, these materials are free from prior restraint by the virtue of the First Amendment to the Constitution of the United States of America. Accordingly, materials published herein, including any opinions expressed, should not be interpreted as the position of the L.A. Community College District, the college or any officer or employee thereof.