Outside the Bubble / Favorite Places
Hanging Out

Despite the renowned “Claremont Bubble,” Pomona students don’t spend all of their time on campus. Here, a few students share their favorite off-campus spots for hanging around.

Hangar 18
Zak Feldman ’11
…My favorite off-campus spot that I actually go to weekly is Hangar 18, the climbing gym in Upland. I like climbing because it’s a meditative sport. Static footwork, body tension, and control are the most important elements of climbing. I zone into the wall - saving every calorie of energy is crucial. I also feel like climbing is logical for me. If I put in the training and the time I get noticeably better. It’s not quite the same for me with other sports that I’ve played for a while, like soccer. Climbing is off the wall.

Buckhorn Lodge in Mount Baldy Village
Whitney DeVos ’08
On Friday and Saturday nights, you’ll find the best live music around at The Buckhorn Lodge on Mount Baldy. The owner was a huge star in Vegas decades ago, and will often get on the dance floor, donning sparkly dress and feather boa, to perform a priceless number with the local band, a collection of talented, mountain-dwelling individuals that are timeless in their own right. Though most are bearded, flannel-wearing Dylan-playing old-timers, one of the guitarists is college-age and brings a modern twist to the group.

Shopping and Dining in Rowland Heights
Jamie Low ’09
There’s a little shopping area right off the highway called Diamond Plaza. We go there a lot. It’s a collection of stores, restaurants and cafes that mostly cater to a Taiwanese/Chinese crowd, but there are also a few Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, and Indonesian businesses thrown in. I love Rowland Heights because so much of the business there is open late. It’s not like going to the 24-hour diner at 3 in the morning and you’re the only ones there; in Rowland Heights there’s actually a vibrant community that’s active at almost all hours of the day. So if you’ve got a late night craving for boba, grab a few friends and take a 20-minute drive down the highway.

Union Station, Los Angeles
Leah Steuer ’11
I’m an art student and a native New Yorker, so I appreciate aesthetic beauty in the public transportation system. I was sure L.A.’s Union Station would be a tight tangle of shining metal and glass. But when I stepped off the train from Claremont, I immediately was halted with a nearly supernatural force. I had come face to face with one of the largest and most beautiful murals I had ever seen. Standing by the east portal entrance, I studied the art—which consumed most of the ceiling—with open awe. Depicted was a plethora of human beings of various ages and ethnicities, their faces awash in soulful peacefulness ... This year I declared art as one of my majors, and still return often to that spot to gain artistic appreciation and stimulation.