Do It. Springfest and KXSC Fest at USC.

While its crosstown rival may have hosted Local Natives last week, USC is ready to up its game and give you a double whammy of music this weekend. The downtown campus will be holding not one, but two different music festivals, sure to entice all your musical taste buds.

First up is Springfest 2011 on Saturday, headlined by the ever-talented Mos Def. Other artists to perform include Kid Sister, Murs, Rooney, Steel Train and Hands, and Kogi BBQ and the Dim Sum Truck are expected to pop on by.

Then on Sunday comes the (local campus radio station) KXSC Fest 2011, leaning on the more indie rock spectrum. They've got local faves Abe Vigoda and Avi Buffalo lined up, as well as Puro Instinct, Julianna Barwick, and a very special secret guest. There'll also be DJ sets, and a visit from the Coolhaus truck.

It's all day, all free and all ages -- enjoy some music and get your Trojan love on.

USC is located 3551 Trousdale Pkwy. near downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: USC

Advance Notice. Rainn Wilson and "SoulPancake" at USC.

Rainn Wilson is best known as Dwight from "The Office," but you shouldn't dismiss Wilson as the heartless dork he plays on TV. It turns out that Wilson's actually written a book, and this ain't no Al Roker mystery novel.

No no, instead, Wilson implores readers of SoulPancake to ponder the big questions: "Have you ever wondered how your thoughts affect reality? Or if you only had one hour left to live, how you’d spend it? Would you want to know the exact moment you die? What does art have to do with the soul?" The book, thought great illustration and design, pushes readers to examine these thoughts while providing quotes and ideas from others that have circulated throughout history. "How do you determine truth?" for example, is seen above, accompanied by a quote from Harry Truman: "Intense feeling too often obscures the truth." The page also asks "What is truth?" and "What's one thing you know for sure?"

It's digging deep, but that's the point. And you can even get the choice to dig into Wilson's own mind, when he and his SoulPancake co-authors makes an appearance at USC on April 25th. The event is free, and there's a book signing to follow. Check out more info on the event here, and on the book here.

An Evening with the SoulPancake authors takes place on April 25th at 7:30pm at USC's Bovard Auditorium, located at 3551 Trousdale Pkwy. near downtown.

-- Chau Tu

Photo credit: SoulPancake

Advance Notice. Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser in Conversation at USC.

If you've ever thought in-depth about where the food we eat comes from and why, and considered how the industrialization of the food industry has affected people's health and the environment, you've probably been influenced in part by either Michael Pollan or Eric Schlosser. Pollan is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater’s Manifesto, primarily writing about food in its natural state, and how food and culture intersect. Schlosser is the author of Fast Food Nation, which went behind the scenes of how food is processed for wider consumption.

In terms of personal health and the environment, it's important to try and remind ourselves of such issues. To get a primer, head out to USC for an event featuring these two well-respected voices, and hear their take on the things we eat. They'll be joined by Evan Kleiman, the host of KCRW's "Good Food" and the owner and chef at Melrose's Angeli Caffe. It's sure to make you think twice before hitting the drive-thru at McDonald's, and your health and stomach is sure to be grateful for it.

Food, Inc., Michael Pollan and Eric Schlosser in Conversation is occurring Wednesday, Feb. 9 at 7pm at USC's Bovard Auditorium, located at 3551 Trousdale Parkway near downtown. The event is free for everyone, but you should make reservations by clicking here.

-- Chau Tu

Do It. UCLA vs. USC women's soccer.

College sports are always a lot of fun--from football to swimming, to basketball and soccer.

This Friday night, Los Angeles rivals UCLA Bruins and USC Trojans play each other in women's soccer at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. They're hoping to break an attendance record and get more than 7,804 people in the stands! Both Pac-10 teams have high ranks (19 for USC, 23 for USC), so this will definitely be a good game. The first 2,500 fans will receive a free commemorative scarf.

Friday October 22 at 7:00 p.m.

The Coliseum is located at 3939 South Figueroa Street in Los Angeles. Tickets are $5 for general admission, and are available online, and by calling (213) 740-GOSC.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: soccer-picture.net

Eat Out. Chick-fil-A Los Angeles.

A Chick-fil-A is now open in Los Angeles--very exciting news for people who love the chicken chain but have had to travel far and wide to find a location. They make a great simple fried chicken sandwich, as well as delicious little chicken pieces on sweet bread for breakfast, hot tasty waffle fries, and Southern sweet tea. They also have a new spicy chicken sandwich that's been advertised a lot on TV during football games lately.

There's one I stop at in Ontario, Calif. on the drive to Palm Springs, and another in the food court South Bay Galleria in Redondo Beach. The mall location doesn't serve breakfast. But now there's a convenient chicken mini-serving Chick-fil-A on Figueroa, in the 'Tuscany' area near USC, across from the California Science Center.

This cute well-kept block also houses a Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf, Chipotle, and a few other eateries.

Chick-fil-A is located at 3758 S Figueroa in Los Angeles. Info: (213) 747-8721, chick-fil-a.com. Closed Sundays.

-- Leslie Anne Wiggins

Photo credit: the BEAT

Do It. Waved Out Festival and KSCR Fest.

Two all-day, all-ages music festivals touting the best in rising bands--plus food and other fun happenings to spare--for a grand total of $10? Welcome to the best weekend of your life, or otherwise known as March 27 and 28, the days of the Waved Out Festival and KSCR Fest, respectively.

But in all seriousness--this weekend is set to be one to remember. First up is the Waved Out Fest on Saturday, where ten bands are lined up to play the stages at both the Echo and the Echoplex, and the headliners are none other than fresh-off-SXSW-buzz bands Best Coast and Surfer Blood.

Best Coast is a female-headed, California beach-loving (you knew what they meant by 'Best') fuzz-pop group with a lot of reverb mixed with a lot of sentiment worthy of singing along to. Surfer Blood started out as a guilty pleasure for me, until I gave in and realized just how great they could be. They're East Coasters (south Florida, to be exact), but they've got enough laid-back surf-rock gems and soaring guitar solos to make them right at home here.

Considering the fest is being presented by vet music bloggers Aquarium Drunkard, and with the SXSW buzz building fast, there's no better time to catch these bands at a great venue like this. And all only for $10!

Remember to save up your energy though, because Sunday boasts the FREE KSCR Fest over at my alma mater USC (fight on!). Here we've got seven up-and-comers, led by SF noise pop band Thee Oh Sees. My pick in the line-up is local (by way of Santa Monica) band Princeton, who make sweet, shoe-gazey pop with a lot of genuine heart. Though young, they've been making music for a while, always on the cusp of something bigger, so grab your chance to see them now.

Plus, the delicious-sounding Coolhaus ice cream truck will be around, a perfect complement to a wonderful warm afternoon sprawling outside on a beautiful campus (really!), listening to some great tunes.

Just another great weekend in Los Angeles...

The Waved Out Festival will begin at 3:30pm on Saturday at the Echoplex at 1154 Glendale Blvd. in Echo Park, and the KSCR Fest will be in Founder's Park at USC at 3551 Trousdale Pkwy. near downtown starting at 4pm on Sunday.

-- Chau Tu