Episode 14: 'Year in Review' Roundtable

What is California? winds up its first season with its inaugural Year in Review episode! Host Stu VanAirsdale is joined by special guests Gustavo Arellano (columnist and podcaster, Los Angeles Times), Serena Dai (senior editor for food & wine, San Francisco Chronicle), and Emily Hoeven (newsletter author, CalMatters) to discuss the ups, downs, and delights of California in 2021. 

Thank you for listening to Season 1 of What is California? We’ll be back in January featuring all-new conversations with notable Californians in a quest to understand the Golden State. 

In the giving spirit? Support this podcast on Patreon, or share the show with your friends via Substack or wherever you get podcasts. 

Happy holidays, and see you in 2022! 🐻 ❤️

Notes and references from this episode: 

@Gustavo Arellano - Gustavo Arellano, Twitter

The Times - LA Times news podcast, hosted by Gustavo Arellano

@ssdai - Serena Dai, Twitter

@emily_hoeven - Emily Hoeven, Twitter

WhatMatters - CalMatters daily newsletter, by Emily Hoeven

A dying girl, a fateful blessing and the lessons of California’s tragic origin myth, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times

Alliance Française de Sacramento

I drank smoke-tainted California wines. Here's what they actually taste like, by Esther Mobley, SF Chronicle

The master sommelier expulsions won’t fix wine industry sexism, women say, by Esther Mobley, SF Chronicle

L.A.’s top Catholic goes off on ‘woke’ culture, social justice movements, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times 

At my wife’s Santa Ana market, the masks have never come off, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times

Why I won’t be joining Newsom in Scotland, by Emily Hoeven, CalMatters

After two weeks, Newsom makes an appearance, by Emily Hoeven, CalMatters 

Episode 7: Erika D. Smith, What is California?

Ban homeless encampments everywhere? It might have more support than liberals think, by Erika D. Smith, LA Times

Is L.A. Sheriff Alex Villanueva rounding up a ‘posse’ of cowboys?, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times

Sacramento Mural, Graffiti and Street Art Map, by Nathaniel Miller

Apocalypse, cow — our growing drought and the great L.A. cattle escape, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times

Taco U.S.A., by Gustavo Arellano (Simon & Schuster)

Elizabeth Valoma, co-founder of Cheese Board Collective, dies at 91, by Tanay Warerkar and Serena Dai, SF Chronicle

Summer of Fun: Where to eat and drink to fall in love with the Bay Area again, by Serena Dai, SF Chronicle

Mexicans have fought for a better California for 171 years. These books show how, by Gustavo Arellano, LA Times

Dr. Mario T. Garcia, UC Santa Barbara

Episode 10: Elaine Howle, What is California?

California’s state auditor: ‘Speak the truth to power,’ by Emily Hoeven, CalMatters

=====

Theme music by Sounds Supreme

Twitter: @WhatCalifornia

Substack newsletter: whatiscalifornia.substack.com

Support What is California? on Patreon: patreon.com/whatiscalifornia  

Email: [email protected]

Please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts. And if you liked What is California?, please rate and review What is California? on Apple Podcasts! It helps new listeners find the show.