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LIFE
8
October 15, 2020 LIFE
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IMAGE COURTESY OF DICK THOMAS JOHNSON | WIKIMEDIA COMMONS Disney’s “Frankenweenie,” released in 2012, is an animated remake of the 1984 film. It stars Winona Ryder and Catherine O’Hara and was written and directed by Tim Burton. Three family-friendly movies for the season
Grab some snacks and watch these fun-for-all classic flicks
STEPHANIE ARENAS
STAFF REPORTER
Sadly, things are not looking good for Halloween lovers this year. From the looks of it, the popular holiday may need to be canceled.
However, that does not mean you cannot celebrate from the comfort of your own home alongside your family. With some popcorn, a nice pumpkin-scented candle and a cozy Halloween film, you will definitely get into the spirit.
Here are three family-friendly Halloween films to get you in the spooky mood.
Frankenweenie (2012)
Young scientist Victor Frankenstein is left feeling alone and miserable without the company of his best friend Sparky who is hit and killed by a car.
However, when science teacher Mr. Rzykruski demonstrates an experiment involving the effects of electricity on a dead frog, Victor is inspired to dig up his dog’s corpse and bring him into his makeshift lab.
Victor successfully brings Sparky back to life with the help of lightning, but a fellow classmate sees the reanimated dog and tells the whole school.
Because of this, other classmates are determined to recreate Victor’s experiment in order to win the science fair. This leads to a world of consequences.
While many may agree that “The Nightmare Before Christmas” is the better Tim Burton film, I personally believe “Frankenweenie” is superior. It is delicate, pleasant, charming and fun for the whole family.
The Witches (1990)
While on vacation with his grandmother, 9-year-old Luke accidentally spies on a convention of witches. Luke discovers the witches are plotting to turn all the children in the world into mice with the help of a magic spell.
The Grand High Witch comes across Luke’s eavesdropping and turns him into a little mouse. Luke manages to escape without getting killed by the witches.
With the help of his grandmother and friend Bruno, who has also been turned into a mouse, Luke must find a way to turn back into a human and defeat the witches once and for all.
This film is light-hearted and exciting for the whole family. A remake starring Anne Hathaway and Octavia Spencer is in the works, with the release date being in 2021.
The Addams Family (1991)
Created in 1938 by cartoonist Charles Addams, the Addams Family became a household name. It revolves around gothic parents Morticia and Gomez Addams and their children Wednesday and Pugsley.
A remake of the classic film was released in 1991 and became an instant hit.
After a man who claims to be a long lost Addams family member, Uncle Fester, shows up at the family’s door, Gomez happily lets him in believing he is his brother.
However, Morticia and Wednesday believe the man is a fraud, as he cannot recall certain details of his own life.
Uncle Fester grows close to the family, especially the children, but feels conflicted for not being honest about who he truly is.
It’s a simple plot. But the film is fun, entertaining and has a satisfying ending.
The movie in itself is a bit on the raunchier side, as it involves adult humor and sexual innuendos, so be cautious when watching with children.
ILLUSTRATION BY JULIAN NAVARRO | VIEWPOINTS “The Witches,” released in 1990, starred Anjelica Huston as the Grand High Witch. It was based on the 1993 book by Roald Dahl.
Drinks, activities to kick off the holiday Delightful fall refreshers spice up any chilly day this season
ALYSSA ALDRETE
STAFF REPORTER
Admit it: as soon as you hear that first crunch of a fallen leaf beneath your shoe, as soon as the temperature takes the slightest dip and you feel that first little gust of win, your taste buds are suddenly solely controlled by the pumpkin spice gods.
No blame will go around for celebrating the spooky season with a fall-flavored beverage in hand. But before you set pumpkin spice latte to auto-order at Starbucks, allow me to present you with six different options, both classic and innovative, that are sure to make your taste buds rise from the grave.
Havok’s Harvest shake from Monty’s Good Burger
This shake is definitely kickstarting this list for a reason: it’s thick, decadent pumpkin flavor is blended with an oat-based vanilla soft serve and served in between two layers of delicious crumbled pie crust. It truly is like drinking pumpkin pie from a cup.
Monty’s is known for its flavor-of-the-month shakes, and this particular one was created alongside AFI frontman Davey Havok, making it a must for the month of October.
Head over to the Riverside Food Lab to get one while supplies last.
Monty’s Good Burger is located at 3605 Market St. in Riverside and opens at 11 a.m.
KYIESHA CHAVEZ
STAFF REPORTER
Halloween 2020 is special for three reasons: it falls on a Saturday, it will be a blue moon, the second full moon of the month and we move our clocks back for daylight saving time.
It would be a shame to miss out on such an amazingly spooky day.
While trick-or-treating and costume parties are discouraged this year to reduce the risk of furthering the transmission of COVID-19, we can still show off our spooky spirit at home.
Here are some activities to keep the spirit of Halloween alive this month.
The first, and most obvious, activity is to dress up. There are many 2020 appropriate costumes that could be worn, including Zoom zombies, healthcare professionals and Black Panther, in honor of the late Chadwick
IMAGE COURTESY OF JILL WELLINGTON | PIXABAY These pumpkin festive mugs emit a warm, comforting feel perfect for the start to the Fall season. From coffees, to shakes and lattes in seasonal flavors, they make for the perfect drink on a cold day.
Apple Pie and Pumpkin Pie shakes from Plant Power Fast Food
In the spirit of flavor-of-themonth, Plant Power decided to level up and offer two creamy options: Pumpkin Pie and Apple Pie.
Although the pumpkin shake is undoubtedly a heavenly combination of the classic clove and nutmeg flavors, it really is the apple shake you have to come here to buy.
This shake finds the perfect balance of tart apples and the sweet bitters of cinnamon and whips them all into one drink that recalls the flavor of that after-Thanksgiving Dutch Apple Boseman. You could even dress up throughout the week leading up to the big day, whether you’re walking your dog or having a Zoom call with friends.
Halloween-themed masks are also a good way to express yourself if you don’t want to dress up completely. Just remember that costume masks are not a good substitute for protective face coverings to be worn in public.
Another activity to keep out the pandemic blues is to decorate. Outdoor Halloween decorations are a must-have year round.
Why not switch it up a bit and bring those decorations inside? Make the inside of your home look like a scene out of your favorite spooky movie.
Love the “Halloweentown” franchise?
You could recreate the iconic pumpkin and place it proudly in your living room.
If you’re a huge Harry Potter fan, then the floating candles in the Great Hall of Hogwarts would ala mode.
Plant Power Fast Food is located at 3940 University Ave. in Riverside and opens at 7 a.m.
Maple Iced Latte from The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf
It seems as though this season, everyone is game for a fall flavor besides pumpkin. Enter pumpkin’s forgotten seasonal cousin: maple. Coffee Bean is featuring a maple flavor that can be made hot, iced or blended and paired with oat milk. It will trick your senses into thinking you are having fresh pancakes on Halloween morning.
The Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf is located at 3545 Central be a wonderful addition to your home.
If you’re looking for activities that don’t require as much effort, Ave. in Riverside and opens at 5 a.m.
Trader Joe’s Maple Oat Beverage and Silk Pumpkin Almond Creamer
If you are trying to start pinching those pennies for the holidays headed toward us and prefer an at-home alternative to fall-flavored coffees, then pick up these two grocery store options. Trader Joe’s carries a mapleflavored oat creamer that is a coffee match made in heaven. And Silk’s new Pumpkin Almond Creamer is the closest you will ever get to the pumpkin spice latte from home. Remember, no cows were harmed in the making of these lattes.
Trader Joe’s is located at 6225 Riverside Plaza Dr. in Riverside and opens at 8 a.m.
Spiced Apple Cider
Although apple cider hits the shelves at virtually every supermarket once October starts, I stand by my opinion that Trader Joe’s offers the best option to this sweet and cozy drink, short of making your own at a cider mill.
This blend of apple juice, allspice and orange peels comes in a huge 64 ounce jug and is just waiting to be served hot next to a cozy fire, or chilled as a complement to your autumninspired dinners.
Howling Gourds Pumpkin Ale
This one’s for the 21 and over crowd whose fall festivities include a good brew in hand. Another Trader Joe’s gem, this Howling Gourd Pumpkin Ale is heavier on the allspice than other seasonal craft beers on the market, but the drinkability is still there.
The spices smooth out on the palate as you get to the body of the beer and can be a great addition to your quarantine-style pumpkin carving night.
And there you have it: six more options to fill your fall cup with joy.
Pick one, or all, as the month unravels and curl up in front of your favorite horror movie as a way to happily host your
Spookify your to-do list by adding cool activities this month
PHOTO COURTESY OF KAROLINA GRABOWSKA | PEXELS This season helps bring along many festive decorations that most of us look forward to as the year comes to an end. Spider web props are a major part of the spooky-season.
festivities from home. Pocus” to cult classics like “The Shining.”
You can enjoy all sorts of spooky movies on Freeform’s “31 Days of Halloween” or the “Huluween” special section.
If you’re a fan of podcasts, there’s plenty of episodes out there that discuss horror and supernatural topics.
I recommend the “Scared to Death” series hosted by horror fan Dan Cummins as he attempts to terrify his wife Lynze every week.
Last but not least, if you own a Nintendo Switch, you could celebrate Halloween on the video game “Animal Crossing.”
Nintendo released a fall update that allows players to grow pumpkins, stock up on candy, buy costumes and learn DIY projects from neighbors. They’ve also planned a fun event taking place Oct. 31 after 5 p.m.
No matter what you decide to do this Halloween with your friends and family, just make sure you have fun and stay safe.
85°C Bakery Cafe has many locations in Southern California, including Rancho Cucamonga, Claremont, Chino Hills, Orange, Tustin and Irvine.
JUSTIN YOTH | VIEWPOINTS
Quality Taiwanese bakery offers a unique experience
JUSTIN YOTH
ASSISTANT LIFE EDITOR
A Forbes-listed Taiwanese businessman had a vision after visiting a five-star hotel in 2004.
Cheng-Hsueh Wu had the idea that people should be able to enjoy baked delights at low costs. He birthed the first 85°C Bakery Cafe in Irvine, California in 2008.
Now a chain, 85°C is based in Taipei, Taiwan, but can be found in four U.S. states and has grown to over 1,000 locations worldwide.
The cafe received considerable coverage and positive reception, being highlighted by TIME, CNN, NPR and the Travel Channel.
The chain is named after the temperature at which coffee is best consumed, symbolizing balance and flavor.
The popular culture of Asian cuisine is central to 85°C, which offers smoothies, coffees and cakes and specializes in baked goods that are prepared freshly and continuously throughout the day.
Boba, the squishy dark balls often prepared with smoothies or coffees, is just another example of the offerings central to the popularity of Asian cultural cuisine at this spot.
Restaurant services are up and running at the Irvine
JUSTIN YOTH | VIEWPOINTS 85°C Bakery offers a wide selection of sugary drinks and baked goods, from almond half-moon cake to garlic cheese bread. location. The bakery remains busy with customers lining up to buy these renowned sweets. Customers walk in a line, pick their treats and place them onto a tray as they gather toward the cashier. The bakery offers beverages ranging from smoothies to coffees, such as the “Sea Salt Coffee,” and more. It offers up to 50 different types of pastries, bread and cakes. Some of my personal favorites are the milk custard cakes and the garlic jalapeno cream cheese bread. They are easy to eat and soft to the touch.
Other personal picks are the swirl chocolate or matcha sponge cakes, the blueberry cream cheese breads and the almond “Half Moon” cake, which is similar to an angel cake. It is especially light, airy and spongy. The garlic and cheese breads never fail in taste and are always excellent in quality.
Most of these desserts are not too sweet and go well with coffee and other beverages.
The bakery also offers the “Black Forest,” a delicious concoction of chocolate, cherries and vanilla cream.
The chain warns that its equipment is shared with common food allergens, so be advised. That being said, lots of the foods contain gluten, sodium and a high sugar content, so limiting your selection will be desirable if you are concerned with your daily calorie intake.
There’s no need to worry about the quality of the food shifting between locations. The chain adopts its specialized recipes throughout all of its locations.
In accordance with the reopenings, the bakeries have been catering to customers from 7 a.m. to 9 p.m., depending on the location.
I encourage you to take a trip to your nearest 85°C Bakery Cafe. You will not be disappointed.
