Recently, I’ve had a craving for “sundubu,” a spicy red Korean stew with chunks of soft tofu. However, BCD Tofu House at Diamond Jamboree never really agreed with either my palate or my wallet. Kaju Tofu is much better in quality, but it’s on the other side of town, making it unattractive for someone as lazy as me to go to. With this in mind, it should come as no surprise that I was pretty excited when Koba Tofu Grill moved into the old Blockbuster Video on Campus Drive.

After a year marked by Bieber-fever, KFC Double Downs and Conan O’Brien rocking the jeggings, things might be taking a turn for the classier. Here are some of the top projected trends for 2011.

It’s February in Southern California, and you know what that means: it’s time to hit the beach! Just kidding, mostly. Still, we ought to take advantage of our perpetual sun. As the only UC in the OC, we have quite the selection of fine beaches to visit all around us. Sure, we aren’t located directly on the oceanfront like our cousins down at UCSB, but a short drive, bus ride or bicycle trip allows us much more variety.

With the hectic lives of college students revolving around classes, homework, jobs, family and friends, it can sometimes be difficult to take a step back from the complexities of life and find joy in the simple things. Natural occurrences such as the setting of the sun or the sweet tune of a bird become buried and unrecognized underneath the infinite demands carried by students.

On a Tuesday night in Social Ecology II room 1306, there are nimble fingers moving. These fingers are not busy calculating math problems, nor are they busy writing essays – they are in the midst of knitting. Huddled in a large circle, the murmurs of the students can be heard, but all stay focused on creating a delicate rectangular piece. This room has become the home of members of the DIY Craft and Art Club, and knitting is just one of the projects brought to campus by the organization. The DIY Craft and Art Club, which was started in the summer of 2009, promotes self-expression and has grown over the last year.

A little boy peeked out from behind the white curtain. His face immediately broke into a smile that stretched from cheek to cheek, and he promptly ran out the door as fast as his little legs could carry him.

Nowadays, I normally eat and write about “good” food, dishes I wouldn’t mind spending a few hours cooking or a week’s salary paying for. But there was once a simpler time when my parents would make dinner, when I didn’t know how to build a fond or julienne carrots or even use a knife correctly. A time when I didn’t know or care who Bobby Flay was.

Compiled by Maxine Wally and Suzanne Casazza.

MEDICAL: UCI chair of anesthesiology researches how to reduce anxiety and pain in child surgery.

MARKETING: UCI Extension launches new program on social media and mobile marketing.

AWARENESS: MSU challenged all female students to spend a day wearing a hijab, foster understanding.

EGYPT: UCI professors weigh in on the formation of the revolution and state of Egypt after uprising.

MEMORIAL: Body of missing UCR student found in Newport Harbor, official cause of death pending.

UPDATE: Jesse Cheng asserts his innocence and has no plans to step down from his position.