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Columns-Culture


Food columnist Hailey Craver visited the famous Din Tai Fung.
FOOD

Does Din Tai Fung live up to its TikTok hype?

Din Tai Fung (DTF) has risen to international fame, thanks in part to its viral popularity on TikTok. The restaurant is best known for its delicate xiao long bao (soup dumplings) and other dim sum specialties. Din Tai Fung has locations in just seven states — New York, California, Washington, Arizona, Oregon and Nevada — and other international locations. Over fall break, I had the chance to visit its Las Vegas location.


Asst. Culture Editor Ayla Peden shares new book releases to wrap up 2025.
CULTURE

6 new book releases to get you through 2025

As the days get shorter and courses start ramping up, it may seem like there is nothing more to look forward to this year, but fret not! There are still plenty of books that have yet to be released this year, which can give you an incentive to make it through each week.


Culture writer Maria Buzogany shares recipes to spice up your morning coffee.
FOOD

Seasonal, simple syrup recipes

Channel your inner barista this fall season with five cozy autumnal simple syrups that blend perfectly well with lattes, chai tea, matcha or drizzled over two scoops of vanilla bean ice cream.Instead of draining your declining dollars at Starbucks by mid-October, bring the coffeehouse to your dorm or apartment with these affordable syrups, which are packed with warm, rich and flavorful spices and aromas.


Culture writer Allison Lee wants to share the best costumes to wear this Halloween.
STYLE

How to show up and show out with your Halloween costume this year

As Halloween approaches and students scramble to rummage through closets to pull together last-minute costumes, it can be tricky to curate the perfect one. Niche, but not too niche. Sexy, yet tasteful. Classic, but not overdone. Coming up with one costume can be hard enough, let alone enough for the entire weekend.Although I have already chosen my costumes for this year, here are five Halloween costumes that I would totally wear and recommend for others.


Photo editor Elisa Rosenthal made a playlist to get you in the fall vibe.
CULTURE

Songs that feel like watching the leaves fall through your bedroom window

I’m a person who firmly believes that there’s a playlist for every occasion, especially when that occasion involves anything fall. Whether you’re studying on campus or curled up in your room, this playlist provides the perfect vibes for yearning, reflecting on the changing seasons and coming to terms with the cold suddenly plaguing the air. Here are some of my favorite songs out of the 35 (which are all amazing).


Food columnist Hailey Craver reviews the local Italian restaurant, Sorriso.
FOOD

Great vibe, forgettable food: Sorriso review

When you walk into Sorriso, you’re welcomed in by a cozy, old-school atmosphere. Jazz music hums in the background and classic black-and-white films play on the walls. It feels like the kind of spot you’d want to linger in on a quiet night out in Oxford. With such a great ambiance, I was hopeful the food would match it.


Culture writer Kenzi Perkins recommends building a capsule wardrobe for this fall.
STYLE

Fall fashion: How to build a capsule wardrobe for the season

Leaves are beginning to turn to shades of orange and red, days are getting shorter and there is just a whisper of a chill in the air: it’s finally starting to feel like fall. Which, of course, means that we can finally exchange our shorts and bikinis for more weather-appropriate options.Building an autumnal capsule wardrobe can be tricky, so I’m here to provide you with some tips for how you can look your best this fall.


Assistant Campus and Community Editor Parker Green reviews Taylor Swift's new album "The Life of a Show Girl."
CULTURE

Taylor Swift’s “The Life of a Showgirl” is pop perfection

Taylor Swift dropped her highly anticipated 12th studio album, “The Life of a Showgirl,” on Oct. 3, and I haven’t been the same since.Full of cheeky double entendres, glitter-gel-pen pop and high-profile interpolations, this album is a sharp departure from her more melancholy previous release, "The Tortured Poets Department.” It’s also everything I could want out of an album, especially one Swift said came from an “infectiously joyful, wild, dramatic place.”


Twenty One Pilots performs “Jumpsuit,” the first song off their album “Trench,” on Sept. 18 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati.
CULTURE

Twenty One Pilots kicks off new tour in Cincinnati, and the emo kid in me has been healed

The first time I attended a Twenty One Pilots concert was in 2017 at the KFC Yum! Center in Kentucky for their “Emotional Roadshow World Tour.” I was 11 years old.Now, at 20 years old, I have seen them five times. You could say I’m a dedicated fan.Twenty One Pilots kicked off “The Clancy Tour: Breach” on Sept. 18 at TQL Stadium in Cincinnati. The band’s eighth album, “Breach,” was released on Sept. 12, with the tour starting almost a week later.


Culture editor Stella Powers reveals what has been on her on repeat recently.
CULTURE

In the editor’s rotation: Adding something new to my playlist

Welcome back! Once again, my music taste is all over the place, but I’ve compiled some of the tracks I’ve been listening to for the past few weeks into this piece.I finally started listening to something new, which is a huge development for me. Unfortunately, it is a musical. But, it’s a musical I had never listened to until recently, so I’m taking that as a win. Talk about character development.


Woodstock is considered to be a monumental part of culture. What if it happened today?
CULTURE

Woodstock ‘25: What if Woodstock happened today?

Popular culture is an entity that is continuously evolving as time goes on. Music has a tremendous influence on culture, and they often change together.When we reflect on influential moments in musical culture, our minds first travel back to early 20th-century music. Or, back to arguably the most iconic period of music history: the 1960s. This is when society began its transition from traditional purity culture into an age of rock, free thinking and revolution.


Culture writer Ren Chaffee shares her experience at Conan Gray's Wishbone Pajama Show.
CULTURE

Wishbones, clovers and a concert from heaven

The second night of Conan Gray’s “The Wishbone Pajama Show” was an outstanding performance of emotional music, beautiful production, and glamorous costumes. On Sept. 13, Gray took the stage at Riverbend Music Center in Cincinnati.The atmosphere was electric — the crowd matched Gray’s stage presence through their adherence to the show’s theme.


Asst. Culture editor Ayla Peden recommends her favorite books based on Greek mythology.
CULTURE

Love Greek life? Try Greek mythology

If there is one thing that you should know about me, it’s that I was a Greek mythology addict as a kid and, quite frankly, I still am.If there is one thing that you should know about me, it’s that I was a Greek mythology addict as a kid and, quite frankly, I still am.I would spend countless hours watching YouTube videos that ranged from the gods’ family tree to the most niche stories about random demigods and their adventures. However, once that obsession had started, it couldn’t be stopped, and I quickly ran out of things to watch. That was until I heard about the many books that recount new as well as classic myths.So, I give you some of my favorite books based on Greek mythology.


Culture editor Stella Powers shares the songs she has been listening to this week
CULTURE

In the editor’s rotation: Still a lot of showtunes… some Halloween?

If you survived my first “In the editor’s rotation” column, welcome back! If this is your first time reading about the music I listen to… good luck.Unfortunately, it’s still mostly showtunes. I am ever so slightly (majorly) reentering my Broadway phase from seventh grade, and since my last column, it has only gotten worse. But don’t let that scare you away — I’m hoping at least one song on this list is tolerable enough to make it onto one person’s playlist.


Culture writer Hailey Craver spends a night at Left Field Tavern.
FOOD

Bingo and bar food: Left Field Tavern review

Tucked away on Park Place in Oxford, Left Field Tavern is a classic college sports bar. Their menu is filled with bar favorites — wings, burgers and plenty of shareable fried appetizers that pair great with a beer and a sports game.


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