AWP Conference in LA

Posted on April 29, 2025May 2, 2025

Hello all!

Wow, April has been such a busy month as I’m wrapping up the school year and preparing for summer and my last year of college! (what?!)

Earlier this month, I went to AWP, the Association for Writers and Writing Programs conference. I went on behalf of the University of Iowa as a representative of the English department. I got a stipend in exchange for working a shift at the Iowa booth at the book fair.

In my free time, I spent time exploring the conference by chatting with presses and publishers, buying books from independent presses, and going to sessions held by authors and people in publishing. I learned tons of writing advice, how to pitch manuscripts, and even got my book signed by Carmen Maria Machado, an Iowa alum and a favorite author of mine!

In the evenings, my friends and I explored downtown L.A. This was my first time being in that part of California, and it was fun! We had a fancy dinner at a rooftop restaurant and went to the Last Bookstore and found ridiculously cheap books.

The conference will be held in Baltimore next year, and I have every intention of going again!

-Solenn

Continue Reading →

New Coffee Shop Review: Daydrink

Posted on March 24, 2025

Hello all,

I tried a new coffee shop the other day, called Daydrink. It is tucked away in a neighborhood on Bowery St, making it a quiet place to relax and enjoy a drink!

I was on a rainy run that took me past it and decided to stop by as a post-workout treat. The baristas were so kind, and I had a fun conversation while waiting for my drink. I ordered a fig matcha with brown sugar – phenomenal! It came in a cute glass jar.

Inside Daydrink, they have cute plants, tables, and tiny old-school block TVs with shelves and shelves of old VHS tapes. It made me feel like a kid again!

 

I highly recommend checking this place out!

Bye for now,
Solenn

Continue Reading →

Spring Break in Arizona!

Posted on March 24, 2025April 13, 2026

Hey y’all,

Iowa just went on spring break, and I am headed home to Arizona! I only go home for breaks as an out-of-state student, so I’m looking forward to seeing my family, friends, and dogs!

It is in the 70s back home, so I’m looking forward to going on runs and tanning. I also am on the internship-grind, but I plan on getting some reading in, too.

While I was home, I checked out a fun new bookshop in Gilbert called The Bookish Shop. They had a cafe and lots of romantasy novels and bookish gifts like stickers and candles.

I am looking forward to coming back to Iowa City refreshed and ready to tackle the second half of the semester. A month and a half to go until summer!

Bye for now,
Solenn

Continue Reading →

Date Night In Iowa City

Posted on March 3, 2025April 13, 2026

Hello all,

Today I would like to share some fun places to go on dates in Iowa City! Whether they are best-friend dates, first dates, or with a partner, there are many student-budget-friendly places in town, or if you’d like to splurge, there are options for that, too!

Budget friendly:

• Z’mariks: For pasta-aficionados, I recommend this low-key eatery. They have big servings for ten bucks, or go on Mondays, where you can get a bowl of mac-and-cheese for 5 bucks!
• Java House/Heirloom: Great coffee (or matcha!) for a chill hangout. Stop by the next-door restaurant Heirloom for some great sandwiches and salads to accompany the caffeine, if dinner or lunch seems like a promising next step.
• Encounter: My favorite first-date place (and success story – my now-boyfriend and I had our first date there!), grab brunch or a casual coffee. No matter the outcome of the date, you can at least guarantee a delicious treat!
• Basta: For my Italian-food lovers out there who want an elevated dinner experience. Lots of gluten-free options and amazing pasta!!
• St. Burch’s Tavern: If aesthetics are your thing, the interior is charming and cozy. Large menu accompanies many different tastes in dining
• Airliner: Delicious, cheap pizza on Sundays. If you’re sporty, a fun place to catch an episode of The Bachelor or a Hawkeye sports game with friends!
• Baroncini: Cute outdoor patio and delicious Italian! I love going here with friends for a girls’ night out, but makes a great date night.
• Spare Me: If food isn’t your thing, Spare Me is a fun bowling alley. Get some snacks and go score some spares!
• FilmScene: Local movie theater, lots of yummy snacks and frequent discounts for students! See new releases or showings of older films
• Yotopia: Fancy a sweet treat? The best froyo in town!!!

These are just a few places of interest, but there are so many more restaurants, shops, and more, depending on your interests. If you have a car, Coralville has even more opportunities! Don’t forget to check the Iowa City events calendar for things like food crawls, concerts, etc!

Bye for now,
Solenn

Continue Reading →

UCLA vs. Iowa

Posted on February 27, 2025

Hello all!

Today I want to recap our close game against UCLA this past Sunday. This season has been exciting with a new set of talented freshman, our beloved returners, and the attempt to grow without our core 4 and with our new head coach, Jan Jensen. With the new addition of West Coast teams, it has been fun adding new challenging teams to our bracket.

It was Pink Out at Carver Hawkeye in support of breast cancer, so we all came out in show! We had a surprise visitor, Cooper DeJean, who just came off his first season with the Eagles as a Super Bowl champion! What a way to show Hawkeye pride. Former head coach Lisa Bluder also was present, much to the joy of the crowd.

The game was close, often less than five points apart. I lost my voice the next day from how loud I was screaming. Our women did wonderfully on the defense, effortlessly blocking passes and snatching the ball. Sadly, we lost to free throws for UCLA, but we gave it our all.

I’m looking forward to where we stand going into March Madness, based on how well we’re doing. Make sure to cheer on the Hawkeyes in the next couple months!

Bye for now,
Solenn

Continue Reading →

Don’t Turn Around – It’s Hadestown!

Posted on January 31, 2025

Welcome back everyone,

Today is my opportunity to let out my inner theater kid and express my love for Hadestown. Iowa City has a fantastic performing arts scene, which means that Hancher Auditorium regularly hosts off-Broadway productions, such as Hadestown. I got to see it for about 100 bucks with a student discount.

I went in completely blind, with only a vague idea of the story – the best way to do so in my opinion. The national tour cast is INCREDIBLE. Bryan Munar, who played Orpheus, is easily the best one. His performance of “Wait For Me” drove me to tears. I was transfixed for the entire two hours, and I gasped when he turned around at the very end.

I have been using the soundtrack as my movie soundtrack to walk to class. Go see it if you haven’t!!!

Oh, and we got a Playbill too.

-Solenn

Continue Reading →

A Wild Night in Carver!

Posted on January 31, 2025

Hello everyone and welcome back to the blog!

This past week I went to the Northwestern versus Iowa Hawkeyes women’s basketball game. This was my first time back in Carver since the end of our phenomenal and historical season with Caitlin Clark last year. It was bittersweet losing all of our beloved seniors, but this year’s team is incredible.

It was a close game throughout most of it, but we pulled through at the end with a bigger lead and won! Seeing Lucy Olsen play in person was amazing!! And of course, Carver was filled with Iowa cheer.

Tickets are only five bucks a game for students, so go support your fellow Hawks!

Bye for now,
Solenn

Continue Reading →

Places to go with your family in Iowa City!

Posted on December 30, 2024April 13, 2026

Hello everyone! I am back to share my favorite places to take my family when they come visit me!

1. Wilson’s Orchard: Pick apples, shop at the farm store, and grab brunch or dinner at their restaurant!
2. A sports game: Iowa Athletics offers all sorts of sports for any fan, go and cheer on your peers!
3. Basta: An Italian restaurant with something for everyone. The outdoor patio offers a great ambience when the weather is nice
4. Stanley Art Museum: Come see the Jackson Pollock mural and a wide variety of art from around the world for free!
5. FilmScene: Catch a movie at one of two locations!
6. Encounter: A great brunch option or stop for coffee. The chai is incredible!
7. SpareMe: Have a bowling tournament with your family!
8. Coralville Mall: They have ice skating in the winter, a food court, and lots of shops, not to mention a MASSIVE Barnes and Noble

As an example, here is me at a women’s basketball game in Carver, a perfect way to spend time with the family!

This is a great way to enjoy some (free) options not out of your personal student wallet and to show your family why Iowa City is the best college town.

Continue Reading →

Semester Reading Recap

Posted on December 30, 2024

Hey everyone! Solenn here.

As the year draws to a close, I want to discuss some of my readings from the semester, for class and personal. As an English and Creative Writing major, this is what I do for the majority of my free time (or not!). Being in a UNESCO City of Lit also means that I fit right in with plenty of friends, peers, bookstores, and coffee shops to encourage my hobby. Let’s get into it!

August:

Black Sheep and Kissing Cousins

I read this textbook for my Advanced Creative Writing course on Object Biographies and Family and Oral Histories. This book discusses different family stories and how they impact descendants. It was a very interesting read, a solid 7/10.

 

 

I received an ARC (Advanced Reader Copy) of this book before it went to print to buy! It’s a sapphic romance set in ancient Greece. The start of the story was very intriguing, but it truly fell short for me after that. A solid 4/10.

September:

Also read this for my creative writing class, it was cool to learn more about some artifacts in the British Museum’s collection. A solid 8/10.

I had to read something by an Iowa faculty member! This is a fabulous memoir about surviving an abusive sapphic relationship and it’s painful but beautifully written. I’m inspired to improve my writing. 10/10.

October

The newest novel in the PJO universe. I love new additions to my childhood favorites. I sat outside Art Building West’s koi pond one sunny Sunday for like three hours reading this. 8/10 because Percabeth.

One of my textbooks for Cultural Misunderstandings: France vs. The USA. Super interesting to learn about a wide variety of Francophone culture such as romance, work, food, and social etiquette. 8/10.

The other textbook for the class above! Also discusses aspects of the French culture such as regional languages and cultures, school, etc. 8/10.

November

This is on the list of my top five reads of all time. It’s set in Saint-Malo, a seaside town in my beautiful region of Bretagne, France during WW2. The writing is phenomenal I took so many notes, and it’s dual POV. I cried reading this book and felt empty after reading it for like a week. READ IT. 100/10.

I don’t generally like Emily Henry or romance novels, but this one is friends to lovers, my favorite trope. It was also fairly realistic and not too cringey, quite enjoyable and a good pallet cleanser. 7/10.

I bought this book in Ireland this summer after reading an excerpt for class. Her writing style is a mature, better version of mine so I’m stoked to emulate it. I loved reading about how Ireland really is a healing place, and the writing is just beautiful. 11/10.

December

I got an ARC version of this book as well! I thought it would be cute considering it is a romance set in Ireland. I liked reading about the places I visited, but the writing was weak and very predictable. The book ended better than it started but this was honestly forgettable. 4/10.

That is my semester reading wrapped! I cannot wait to see what 2025 has in store.

Continue Reading →

Activities for English and Creative Writing Majors

Posted on October 24, 2024

Hey everyone! It’s Solenn again, with a list of things to do as an English major in Iowa City. We are a UNESCO City of Literature, but the University of Iowa also offers a ton of opportunities for students in its top-notch program. Here are some things I’ve enjoyed during my time here so far.

1. Working on a lit mag/attending launch parties: This is a great way to gain publishing experience and make friends! Or, you can submit your work for a chance at publication! Even if you do not want to do either, going to the launch parties are a cool way to support your peers and see what amazing work they have done!
2. Author Readings: There are multiple readings every week, so there is something for everyone! Faculty do readings/craft talks, visiting authors come read at Prairie Lights, and graduate students in the Writers’ Workshop read their work as well. These are fun to go to since you can discover a new favorite book or chat with a writer!
3. Prairie Lights: Our local bookstore that hosts readings and has a wide variety of books to purchase. There is a cafe on the top floor with reading nooks or a great place to write and study.
4. Sidekick: On the west of campus is another book store that does midnight book launches and also has coffee! A great place to hang out as well.
5. Literary Walk: This takes you everywhere in Iowa City and explores some top locations and famous writers who have spent time in Iowa City!
6. Book Festival: Every fall, this is a place to buy books, attend readings, and meet people from all over who have a shared love of writing and reading.
7. Poetry Slam: Once a month, you can attend a poetry slam as an audience member or a poet! This is a great way to meet members of the community outside the University, and to share some of your own work!
8. Writing Groups: Start your own, or there is Writers Room, a community that meets a few times a month based on a genre of writing.
9. Book Clubs: There are many on campus if you are interested!!
10. English Society: Every Wednesday, this club meets to do literary trivia, talk about lit mags, or simply socialize!
11. Alpha Tau Iota: The English Honors Society on campus. You can travel to their annual conference and present your work, or they do game nights and industry talks/readings!

These are just a few ways I’ve gotten involved, and I hope this helps!

-Solenn

Continue Reading →