Sunday, August 9

In the news:

Oscar de la Renta leaves behind a legacy of classic, American couture

When designers are discussed, even fashion non-aficionados recognize certain names: Gucci, Dior, Versace, Chanel. And Oscar de la Renta. At 82, de la Renta’s passing on Monday marked the end of a red-carpet staple. Read more...

Photo: At 82, Oscar de la Renta’s passing on Monday marked the end of a red-carpet staple. His gowns were known for elegant, flattering lines and bright colors, and graced celebrities, brides and first ladies for over 50 years. (Courtesy of Iris Schneider/Los Angeles Times)


Mona Simpson hosts McSweeney’s at Hammer Museum

About 10 years ago, UCLA English professor and McSweeney’s contributor Mona Simpson went on a mission to bring stimulating discussions on literature to writers and readers, specifically college graduates, who yearn for the same intellectual connection found in the classroom. Read more...

Photo: McSweeney’s and the UCLA Hammer Museum team up for Tuesday night’s “Some Favorite Writers: McSweeney’s at the Hammer,” a roundtable discussion about the literary community. (Victoria Chang/Daily Bruin senior staff)


Q&A: Alum, former UCLA baseball player talks directorial debut

After spending four years pitching on the mound for UCLA baseball, alumnus Bobby Roe finally completed a pitch of a different kind – one that landed him his directorial debut for the movie “The Houses October Built.” Roe’s film blurs the line between what’s real and fiction by splicing real footage of the actors’ visiting actual haunted houses with enacted scenes. Read more...

Photo: UCLA alumnus and former Bruin baseball player Bobby Roe recently released his directorial debut “The Houses October Built,” a horror film that follows five protagonists looking for the most extreme haunted houses. (Courtesy of Karey Rinkenberger)


Movie Review: ‘White Bird in a Blizzard’

Through a mildly bizarre world – both dysfunctional yet perfectly credible – director Gregg Araki creates a family trapped between yearning and truth. Based on the book by Laura Kasischke, “White Bird in a Blizzard” is a coming-of-age story about Kat Conner (Shailene Woodley), a girl growing up in the 1980s. Read more...

Photo: (Courtesy of Magnolia Pictures)


Across the Pond: Alt-J returns to LA with new album, mature sound

There’s something about the British Isles that consistently produces musical greatness; it is inherent to the country, its people and its culture. Popular culture has been defined by bands and artists from the UK; they have consistently created new genres and musical subcultures – from the Beatles’ psychedelic rock in the ’60s all the way through to the explosion of dubstep and drum ‘n’ bass in the late 1990s and early 2000s. Read more...

Photo: British band alt-J returns to Los Angeles for the second time to promote their second album “This is All Yours.” (Courtesy of Gabriel Green)



Student Courtney Welbon brings powerful lyrics to Kerckhoff

With guitar in hand and lyrical expressiveness in mind, Courtney Welbon said she bares her emotional thoughts to audiences through acoustics and a lilting vocal timbre. Read more...

Photo: Third-year communication studies student Courtney Welbon will perform at the Kerckhoff Coffee House Concert Series, put on by the Cultural Affairs Commission. Influenced by her previous band, Town, Welbon said her music combines jazz elements and acoustic singer-songwriter stylings. (Felicia Ramirez/Daily Bruin senior staff)