Harp Lend a Helping Hand

Yalda Khodadad, Features Editor
August 21, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue 0

When imagining a harp, often times, we picture a Greek goddess, or maybe an angel, easily plucking the instrument while eating grapes and wearing fine robes. However, in the case of junior Brooke Bettinger, her journey toward playing this instrument has been less than graceful. From childhood, Brooke ...

Wonder Woman Fails Feminists

Mayu Alten, Staff Writer
August 16, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue 0

Since her comic series debut in 1941, Wonder Woman has been the most well known female superhero in America and a necessary voice for women today. With highly anticipated movie release of “Wonder Woman” on June 2, Marvel broke box office records by reeling in a whopping $103.1 million on openin...

Ukelele Club Performs At Art In The Park

Emma Kwan, Staff Writer
June 5, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Web Exclusive

On Saturday, May 20, Ukulele Club performed at Art in the Park, a community event hosted by Los Altos Rotary Club. Members played songs such as “Riptide” by Vance Joy and “Lava” from the eponymous Pixar short. The performance is the club’s second this year, following their debut at the Diversi...

Podcast: The Tuareg Rock Revolution

May 27, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Web Exclusive

Celebrate the launch of The Talon's SoundCloud page with Michael Sieffert's look at the evolution of the Tuareg nomads' unique brand of rock music. Transcript: At night in the small Malian town of Tessalit, the desert is anything but silent. Women wearing long robes and men in indigo dyed tagelmust headcoverings dance and clap to music. The music has a long and complex history, that stems from ...

Preview: Senior Films

Haley Ecker and Brian Huebner
May 24, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Web Exclusive

Seniors in Ms. Herrera's Film Analysis class will present their final products on Thursday, May 25, from 6:30 to 8:00 pm in the Eagle Theater. The Talon interviewed the directors of three films to learn more. Evan Marshall and Nathan Mesel “Hush” Seniors Evan Marshall and Nathan Mesel’s film, “Hush,” is a p...

Starbucks’ Unicorn Frappuccino: All Style, No Substance

Adrienne Mitchel, Staff Writer
April 26, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Web Exclusive

Starbucks has long been known to offer seasonal drinks, creating products ranging from Peppermint Mocha to their legendary Pumpkin Spice Latte to draw in customers with the promise of exclusivity. But their obsession with creating unique and attention-catching themed drinks has led them to create more than a f...

Review: Sunnywich Cafe succeeds with the basics

Adrienne Mitchel, Staff Writer
March 30, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-6, Showcase

Walking into Sunnywich Cafe, a newly opened sandwich and boba tea shop on Maude Avenue in Sunnyvale, you’re welcomed by a slightly cluttered, homey feeling. The interior decorating is sparse, with charming watercolors of Pokémon and a Maneki Neko, or Japanese waving cat, adorning the top of the pa...

Review: East Street Tacos’ Overpriced Fare

Ross Avery, Staff Writer
March 30, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-6

Given the rising popularity of quick, casual street food, it’s not surprising that East Street Tacos, located in downtown Mountain View’s Castro Street, opened in January to take advantage of the trend. The fare is described as “comfort food,” delivering an upscale take on a sidewalk classic: str...

When queer representation goes halfway

Jocelyn Maeyama, Guest Writer
March 30, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-6

“It’s the gayest story in the history of television...We all certainly saw it as a love story.” Martin Freeman’s own description of the relationship between his character, John Watson, and Benedict Cumberbatch’s Sherlock Holmes would seem to affirm the suspicions of “Sherlock” viewers who s...

Q&A: Immigrants from two ends of the globe

Cameron Avery and Michael Sieffert
March 30, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-5

It’s often said that people are products of their environment — that on each individual can be found traces of people they’ve known and places they’ve been. Two students, Junior Cassie Kennedy and Senior Christine Huang, typify a community where no one can be called typical. Though they live...

The Performing Arts Department presents “The Boy Friend”

Haley Ecker, Staff Writer
March 29, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-5

Every two years, the performing arts instructors from the choir, theater, dance and music departments at Los Altos combine their programs to craft a musical. Organizing such a project is no easy feat, but the result of this hard work comes in the form of a playful, heartwarming experience for viewers and acto...

Q&A: Life as a Mexican Immigrant

Alex Wong
March 29, 2017
Filed under Arts & Culture, Issue-6

The only Mexican in AP Language and Composition seventh period, junior Esmeralda Nunez finds it difficult to participate in class. “I don't do my best,” Esmeralda said. “I don't participate even though I know the answer because I always ask, ‘What if I'm wrong?’ Most of those students�...