Garnet Volleyball Fall Break Trip to California: Day 4 and Day 5
CALIFORNIA - The final days of the Swarthmore volleyball team's fall break trip to California included two heated matches against the Whittier Poets and the hosting Cal Lutheran Regals, a trip to West Hollywood for some delectable, gourmet food and of course people watching on Universal Studios' City Walk.
Day four of the trip began with another tough five set match against Whittier College. Sophomore Kat Montemurro led the Garnet offense with 17 kills but Swat fell short in the final set 15-9. For the full story and statistics click here.
Swarthmore would then face off against the hosting Cal Lutheran Regals. The Regals came into the game as an 18-3 team and undefeated in its conference. After losing the first two sets, Swat would fight back in set three to hold the lead through much of the set but would fall 25-21. For the full story statistics click here.
After a tough weekend of competition the team was in need of a replenishment; a gourmet, all-you-can eat buffet at Universal Studios was just what they needed. Garnet manager, junior Anthony Yoshimura's parents treated the team to the buffet at the Cafe Sierra at the Hilton in Universal City.
The buffet line seemed endless, from lobster and king crab legs to prime rib and leg of lamb to chocolate fondue fountains and cotton candy there were no variety of foods left out.
Junior Lisa Shang and sophomore Allie Coleman and members of the volleyball team thought so highly of the meal that they felt it was worthy of a restaurant review.
"Sublime Sierra: Come hungry, leave stuffed. Make sure you bring your appetite to Café Sierra, otherwise, you probably will explode. We recommend starting with the “lighter fare,” so as to not fill up too quickly. Be sure to pace yourself. One idea is to start with the incredibly delicious seaweed salad, which has the right texture and saltiness. Other alternatives, if seaweed is not your calling, are the lobster, crab, scallop and fruit, or octopus salads. All provide a delectable taste and texture experience.
For round two, a good place to start is the sushi station, where you can have your own custom made hand rolls created as you watch. Other sushi options are a variety of premade sushi rolls including inari, spicy tuna, California, and a vegetable and egg roll. For a sweeter experience, you can choose from premade crepes, or personalize your own crepe with a variety of fillings such as whipped cream, nutella, mascarpone cheese, pineapple, raspberries, blackberries, and plenty of other fruit. For those with a sweet tooth, be sure to sample the wide variety of fruit from apricots, mini bananas, and figs to dates, pineapple, cantaloupe, and honey dew. The peaches, though, were bruised and mushy: not worth eating when so many other options abound. Another sweet option is a bun filled with a slightly too sweet, but still delicious mashed yam filling.
Café Sierra specializes in their sea food selection. Smoked salmon, crab legs, and baked scallops were all incredible. However, stay away from the strangely gelatinous sea food soup and the oysters, which had sand in them.
Don’t forget to save room for dessert! The milk or white chocolate fondue fountains have a multitude of items to dip, from fresh fruit to marshmallows and Oreos. With offerings from flan to a sweet black bean soup, there is something for everyone here. Be sure to try the tiramisu and the crème brule. Both were perfectly sweet and wonderfully flavored without being overwhelming. If you’re feeling more creative, try your hand at making a personalized ice cream sundae out of the soft serve ice cream and a few toppings. It’s hard to go wrong with the dessert, with the possible exception of the mango pudding, which was unimpressive.
Overall, the buffet at Café Sierra is a wonderful experience from first plate to third, fourth or maybe even fifth (for some sixth…)."
After loading up with the fruits of the world the team would make its way up to the Universal Studios City Walk; including pop and locking street performers and creatures from other planets.
The final night had ended and day five would be a slow and quiet flight back to Philadelphia. The Swarthmore grind would start again come Monday.
Swarthmore volleyball will continue competition on Wednesday October 20 when it faces off against Conference foe Ursinus. Play is set for 7:00 PM.
Video Highlights of Day Four and Day Five: