LIFE

“We all really basically have a lot of magic. It’s only those of us that choose to accept it that really understand it.” - Stevie Nicks LIFE October 1, 2020 7 From lectures to love songs

Former RCC student releases new single on streaming platforms

ALYSSA ALDRETE

STAFF REPORTER

Like most young adults, 21-year-old Lucy Eaton enrolled in college to forge a new path for herself.

Through a series of chances taken and opportunities met, she has now found her voice – both literally and figuratively – on the airwaves of worldwide music streaming platforms.

Australian-born turned Bay Area transplant Eaton was born to two songwriting parents, so music was always a part of her life growing up. But when she enrolled at Riverside City College in 2015, music was not necessarily the path she was on.

Initially experimenting with filmmaking, Eaton worked with fellow students to produce several films for the Student Film Festival, while taking some music classes for fun.

“As time went on, I realized what I really liked about that was writing,” Eaton said. “I was already working on some music on the side, but I didn’t really get serious about it until I realized that writing was what was really calling me to the arts.”

With the help of her mother, Eaton quickly added to her artistic repertoire, fine-tuning her songwriting processes and learning to play various instruments such as STEPHANIE ARENAS STAFF REPORTER

What started off as a small business in the heart of Queens, New York has transformed into a large brand with over 200 locations.

Kung Fu Tea is the hip new spot for people of all ages to get an assortment of teas, espressos and milk-based boba drinks.

Riverside had a severe lack of boba places in certain areas. Most importantly, the Riverside Plaza.

That was until this year, when Kung Fu Tea finally opened a store in Riverside.

They opened in May, but I decided to wait it out a bit to allow the business to find its groove. Now that it’s September, I figured it was the perfect time to give them a shot.

When I entered the store for the first time, I was blown away by the hot air that was building up inside.

I thought that since Kung Fu Tea mainly specialized in cold drinks, the store would be better

PHOTO COURTESY OF PIERRE CARRILLO Former Riverside City College student Lucy Eaton, 21, performs at a songwriting retreat in Berkeley, California in October 2019. Eaton is a UC Berkeley graduate who has found her voice in music. piano and ukulele. Eaton took her bag of skills along with her when she transferred to UC Berkeley, where she joined a student club called Songwriting at Berkeley and really came into her own.

“They had opportunities for you to play original music and get feedback on it,” Eaton said. “That really started everything for me in ventilated. But this was not the case.

While there were two portable air conditioners plugged into the walls, that did not stop the store from feeling stuffy inside.

I did not let that stop me, however, and continued on.

Fortunately, the store seemed to be following social distancing orders. All the employees were wearing masks, sanitized their stations and had hand sanitizer within reach for customers.

Most importantly, they enforced the six feet apart requirement for customers.

Then came the next step of the experience — What to order?

They have a wide assortment of items from milk teas to punch to yogurts and so much more. It was a tough decision.

I eventually ended up settling for a large honey oolong milk tea with boba. A nice employee named La offered me a free sample of their mango jelly while I waited for my drink.

“People always come in here and order the boba,” La said. “I give them free samples sometimes terms of being able to play live for the first time.”

After becoming vice president of the club and performing numerous original songs to her fellow students on campus, Eaton graduated with a newfound confidence in playing her original music live. After college, she linked up with Eric Lee, coto let them try other things.”

The mango jelly was sweet and fruity. It is basically what you expect a mango flavored Jell-O to taste like.

My drink was finally ready, it took no more than five minutes. I picked it up and headed outside to the dining area.

I was blown away by the variety of flavors when I took my first sip. It started out sweet from the honey, then became a bit earthy because of the oolong tea. Finally, it ran down smoothly because of the milk.

The boba had a nice chewy consistency. Most places have boba that are hard or disintegrate in your mouth. Kung Fu Tea’s was perfect.

Overall, I was satisfied with my experience. Kung Fu Tea followed social distancing orders, had nice customer service and most importantly — had amazing drinks!

This will now be my go to spot for boba drinks.

Kung Fu Tea is located at 3678 Central Ave. Suite B and is open from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. founder of the Songwriting club, who began helping her record her music professionally. The experience of this process went so well that Eaton and Lee decided to take the dive and produce and release a full-length song, in which “Rotten Love” was born.

This endearing, bright folk tune is a showcase of Eaton’s sharp and clever pen meeting perfectly with her soft, yet strong vocal range. A unique take on your average love song, the lyrics tell the story of what comes naturally in a relationship filled with unwavering love; that feeling of simply wanting to give that person everything they could want or need.

Between the rhythmic sounds of the tambourine intertwined with the calming strums of ukulele, you can almost hear the smile on Eaton’s face. This song paints a perfect picture of two people happy and in love under a bright sun or a twinkling moon, and combines the light and soulful sounds of artists like Regina Spektor and Feist with the nuanced harmonic hymns found in Of Monsters and Men’s music.

“Rotten Love” will be a welcome addition to playlists containing all the best indie-folk rock artists of today’s generation, with more from Eaton soon to follow. It is available now on all major music streaming platforms, including Spotify, Apple Music

IMAGE COURTESY OF SPOTIFY Scan this Spotify QR code with your cell phone camera to be linked directly to Lucy Eaton’s “Rotten Love.”

Kung Fu Tea hits the Riverside boba scene Hip new spot offers friendly service, awesome Asian drinks

and YouTube Music.

COURTESY OF NETFLIX.COM Nurse Ratched gets a two-series backstory

Director Ryan Murphy recreates classic in ‘American Horror Story’ style

KYIESHA CHAVEZ

STAFF REPORTER

A popular literary villain got an origin story on Netflix’s new show “Ratched.”

The eight-episode season premiered Sept. 18 on the streaming platform.

The show was directed and produced by Ryan Murphy, who is most known for projects such as FX’s “American Horror Story” and Netflix’s “The Politician.” It also stars “AHS” lead Sarah Paulson as the main character.

“Ratched” is based on Ken Kesey’s 1962 novel “One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest” and tells the story of nurse Mildred Ratched, set 15 years before the events of the book.

R a t c h e d w o r k s a t a psychiatric hospital in Lucia, California, under Dr. Richard Hanover (Jon Jon Briones) and head nurse Betsy Bucket (Judy Davis). Ratched embodies the ideal image of a post-war nurse and wins the trust of her fellow hospital employees, except nurse Bucket.

M e a n w h i l e , m u r d e r e r E d m u n d Tol l e s o n ( Fi n n Wittrock) arrives at the facility after killing several priests. Ratched seems eager to work specifically with Tolleson, but the motive isn’t clear until the end of the first episode.

Paulson nails the role, depicting the right amount of vindictiveness and mercy, as well as pride in one’s career. However, Murphy’s decisions for the show leave much to be desired.

Technically, “Ratched” was created by Evan Romansky, who wrote the pilot script as a film school graduate.

“I was really just trying to think of some sort of intellectual property that I could re-imagine as my own and would have a title that people would recognize and actually want to read,” Romansky told Vulture on Sept. 16.

Through the development process, the script found its way to Murphy and he was then brought on board as a showrunner in the hopes of extending “Ratched” past the pilot into a full season. He then managed to get Netflix to approve a second season before the public had even seen the show.

As an avid reader, I was excited to hear nurse Ratched would be brought to life in another way. But when I heard that Murphy was attached to it, I became skeptical.

Murphy has a strong affinity for the horror genre that we have seen since 2011. He has a specific style for his storytelling that has become predictable at this point.

For anyone who’s an avid fan of “American Horror Story,” this show will be right up your alley.

T h e c o l o r s c h e m e s , psychiatric hospital and mentally unstable cast mirror the second season of “AHS,” appropriately named “Asylum.”

While I enjoyed the eight episodes, I would have liked to see more of an obvious difference between the two.

I don’t think it helped that even some of the same cast members have acted in some or most of the seasons of “AHS.” Paulson and Wittrock have been in eight and four seasons, respectively. If these roles had been given a different face, I think I would have enjoyed it more because it would have shown an attempt at uniqueness.

When a horror-thriller show like this comes out, I always wonder what it would be like had it been developed by someone else. I assume it would be much different if it had been overseen by Jordan Peele (Get Out, Us) for example.

The show gives a fairly good representation of a nurse Ratched origin story, but fails at breaking the mold that Murphy has put himself in as a creator.

10 October 1, 2020 Life Disney’s ‘Mulan’ sparks boycotts

Human rights violations in China stain film, cast members

JUSTIN YOTH

ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR

A live-action reboot of an animated classic is stirring unease for Disney lovers.

“Mulan,” released Sept. 4 on Disney+, was originally set to release in theaters March 27, but was postponed three times due to COVID-19 safety regulations.

“Mulan” is based on the 1998 animated film and attempts to realistically mirror the original Chinese fable “Ballad of Mulan,” from which the character “Hua Mulan” rises. This is said to take place during the Northern Wei and Southern Dynasties of ancient China.

Most of the film was shot in New Zealand, but the backlash came amidst the growing political tension in Hong Kong and a detailed end credits screen thanking the Chinese government for allowing Disney to film in China’s northwest Xinjiang region, home to the Uyghur Muslim concentration camps.

Some are calling for Disney to change its dealings with the Chinese government and surrounding agencies.

M a n y h a v e o p t e d f o r boycotting the film, largely due to the severe oppression of Uyghur groups in the area. Disney has decided to remain complacent.

CJ Werleman, an Australian j o u r n a l i s t , a n d K h a l e d Beydoun, author of “American Islamophobia: Understanding the Rise and Roots of Fear,” have actively led Twitter campaigns with the hashtag #BoycottMulan, according to the Stanford Arts

ILLUSTRATION BY KYIESHA CHAVEZ | VIEWPOINTS The live-action remake of “Mulan,” featuring Liu Yifei as the lead actress, was released Sept. 4. The Disney film was postponed three times prior to its official premiere date on Disney+. Review. Boycott efforts have been seen in Thailand, Taiwan and worldwide.

A large percentage of the boycotts are due to Liu Yifei, who plays Mulan, commenting in support of the Communist Party of China and the police brutality that has suppressed pro-democratic protests in Hong Kong. Her comments sent shockwaves of outrage toward herself and the film.

Many Chinese viewed it as a stereotypical display at the hands of Westerners due to the incorrect depiction of characters and concepts relative to their

times. Others viewed it less critically.

Comments on the movie’s YouTube trailer complain about its lack of character growth and similarity to past films. They were particularly dissatisfied with the removal of Mushu, Cricket and Li Shang, who were important characters in the original Disney film, as well as its iconic soundtracks.

Some pointed out that certain symbolic Chinese cultural values were greatly watered down or caused conceptual confusion, like “Qi” (Chi), which is similar to the life force of a creature, not a supernatural power..

The film is rated between a 4.6 and 4.7 out of 10 on the Chinese social media page Douban.

Most were concerned about the little details and displays relative to the age-old legend. In comparison to the 1998 animation, the live-action Mulan was portrayed as a character who had innate super powers, a person who was destined to fight, lead and release her prowess in a male-dominated China — alienating the audiences who were used to the growth Mulan exhibited in Disney’s 1998 film.

From a general perspective, that was the majority reception of the movie: Mulan’s character was underdeveloped, very anticlimactic and dull.

There was less growth in Mulan as a character, which was a central point in both the 1998 film and the Ballad.

Instead they opted for a more “realistic” approach which still had some major discrepancies with regards to cultural customs or display.

Those that would like to watch “Mulan” on Disney+ have to pay a high premier fee of $30 regardless of the subscription fee to stream on the platform.

The film will be made available to watch without the premiering fees Dec. 4.

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS Customers line up for 100% plant-based food at the Kick A-- Vegan food truck Sept. 19. The Vegan Depot featured several food and product vendors at Corona City Park.

Vegan Depot turns Corona green

Farmer’s market looks to bring animal-free culture to city

ALYSSA ALDRETE

STAFF REPORTER

“I’m sorry but I don’t have any more food to give you,” Chef Leah Malveaux announced to a long line of hungry customers waiting outside of the bright green Kick Ass Vegan food truck. “We’ve sold out, but thank you for waiting for our food.”

Kick Ass Vegan was the last in a sea of vendors to sell out of food at the Vegan Depot, held Sept. 19 at Corona City Park.

A l t h o u g h t h e h u n g r y customers may have missed the opportunity to try some vegan comfort food, those who remained in line flocked to the Organic Junkie vendor booth, whose founder saw another sold out vendor as nothing but a success.

“This city has always been so good to me,” Christina Bohannon, owner and founder of Organic Junkie and Vegan Depot said. “I feel indebted to this community.”

B o h a n n o n , w h o s e professional background is primarily in real estate, took a chance on building her businesses from the ground up in order to fulfill both a need for her community and a promise to herself. Bohannon shared that a switch to a plant-based diet got her ill father off most of his medications before his passing.

When her father passed, she looked around Corona, saw a lack of wholesome vegan food options, and felt it was time to share what she knew.

Now, what began as just 15 vendors lined up outside of a local bar, has blossomed into a bi-monthly event that has plantbased food and sustainabilitypracticing vendors lined up for the chance to vend.

“What Christina has built from the ground up is amazing, not only for vendors but for our local community,” Emily Camp, owner of Camp House Suds said. “Farmer’s markets bring together citizens of all backgrounds and experiences, and because my business’s focus is in the vegan and sustainable niche, what better way to learn about my target audience than being able to talk directly with them.”

This fusion of local farmers and small-business owners seemed to be a success for all. With the parkway lined with everything from major vegan business Plant Power Fast Food, to plant-based boba business NovaBoba, to vegan cork “leather” maker Dzolik, there was a plethora of nuanced products to go around.

Though many vendors sold out of items or food an hour before the posted end time, every open booth had people lined up in front of them, each person eager to take

MATHEW ACOSTA | VIEWPOINTS Shoppers fill Corona City Park on Sept. 19 for the Vegan Depot. The next Vegan Depot will be held Oct. 3.

away something – be it products, or just knowledge – that would broaden their understanding of veganism just a little more than it was before they stepped onto 6th Street that afternoon.

Christine Dias, owner of jewelry business The Higher Channel, was thankful to be a part of an event so committed to promoting a vegan and s u s t a i n a b i l i t y - p r a c t i c i n g lifestyle. She pointed out that an open event like Vegan Depot is inviting to those curious about these concepts and those already committed to these causes.

“It’s good to give people a chance to try vegan food for the first time and it’s a good way to implement a vegan meal into someone’s diet,” Dias said. “Even if it’s only once a week, it would still help the environment.”

The event’s success showed that, with a strong vision and help from the community, the daunting task of spreading knowledge and creating change can prove possible. Bohannon is currently working with the mayor of Corona to make the City Park the permanent home of Vegan Depot.

“My mission is to establish a stronger vegan presence in the Inland Empire, starting in Corona,” Bohannon said. “I’m not sure if anyone noticed but I had Organic Junkie open, a booth as a vendor and was making sure everything was ready to go for Vegan Depot, which included dealing with the Health Department and agriculture officials. If I can manage to do those three things well and find the right team, then maybe someday we can expand.”

For now, RCC students are in luck, as we need only take a short drive down the 91 freeway to get a taste of plant-based greatness.

The next Vegan Depot will be held Oct. 3.