It's Friday. Readers offer tips on where to enjoy art in California. Plus, the U.S. Drought Monitor says a huge part of the state is no longer classified as having a drought. |
 | | The exterior of the northern corner of the Oakland Museum of California.Gabrielle Lurie/The San Francisco Chronicle, via Getty Images |
|
OAKLAND — On a recent visit to the Oakland Museum of California, I marveled at a gargantuan oil painting of 1849 San Francisco, in which gold-rush arrivals rode horses down dirt roads and cooked over campfires in what would eventually become the heart of the city's Financial District. |
In a glass case nearby was a concrete fragment of St. Francis Dam, the Los Angeles dam that infamously burst in 1928 and killed hundreds (and later became a plot point in the movie "Chinatown"). In the next room, I was struck by a black-and-white Dorothea Lange photograph of two somber Japanese American children in Hayward with paper tags hooked to their coats, awaiting relocation to internment camps during World War II. |
My trip to the Oakland museum was inspired by a recommendation from a reader, Jo Elliff, who described it as "unique in representing California as a multicultural, evolving center of artistic expression," perfect for the focus of this newsletter. Indeed, despite its Brutalist exterior, the museum offered a vibrant tour through time and space in the Golden State. |
For the past several weeks, you've been emailing me your picks for the best museums and places to enjoy art in California. We've received dozens of recommendations for sculpture gardens, art walks, galleries — even a vending machine that dispenses original paintings. Today I'm sharing a selection of your suggestions, sorted by region and lightly edited for clarity. |
You can send your own recommendation to CAToday@nytimes.com. Please include your name and the city where you live. |
"The space is absolutely gorgeous and dedicated to the dynamic display of modern and contemporary art — lots of natural light, large galleries, respectful and often intimate ways of showing multiple works by a single artist. There are special and rotating exhibitions all the time, and the lowest level is free for walk-in enjoyment. Right now, it houses the massive Diego Rivera mural about California's history and development, and visitors can see its restoration in progress." — Susan C. Shea, Novato |
"For the last 15 years, I've gone up to Davis for this event, better known as C.C.A.C.A. It's not U.C. Davis but the city of Davis that invites art lovers. You put on your walking shoes and pick up a map and go from one pop-up gallery to the next. Unused spaces in the city become gallery spaces for two days. There are 40 college, university and professional exhibits. There are also outdoor demonstrations from well known ceramic artists. Great people, great event." — Susan Hanley, Simi Valley |
"You wouldn't expect this regal building containing works by Renoir and Albert Bierstadt in working-class Stockton, but that's what makes it feel like, literally, a hidden gem. The museum is in Victory Park, which is in a leafy, tidy neighborhood built in the 1920s. Exhibits include works related to Native Americans, the gold rush, ranching and Chinese immigrant life." — Elizabeth Zach, Cologne, Germany |
"It's a nonprofit gallery that features local artists, supports and develops kids' interest in art, and hosts fun wine nights. I've never been to any other gallery like it. It's off the main square in Paso and a perfect place to wander into while seeing the town." — Sarah Scott, Portland |
"An artist who found an old vending machine during the pandemic refurbished it and sells original art through it. It works perfectly. Everything is $5 and the money goes to the artists. Usually, with the art you've purchased, there is a little info on the artist in case you want to get in touch. Whenever I need to get a little something for someone, I go across the street to the art vending machine. It's constantly changing." — Julie Grosse, Burbank |
"This is an amazing collection of public art that few people know about. Each piece was commissioned and has been deliberately placed on the campus. I first discovered the collection while riding my bike through the campus. I was amazed at the art." — Jeff Krebs, San Diego |
"The gallery features great visiting artist exhibits during the academy year and special Native American exhibits during the summer program. But my favorites are the senior shows in spring semester, which are the culminating exhibits of the graduating class. The imagination and skill of these teenagers, nurtured by the faculty, is surprising, quirky and fun." — Joann Tomsche, La Quinta |
 | | Snow in the San Gabriel Mountains in the Angeles National Forest.Mark Abramson for The New York Times |
|
- Drought: After a pummeling barrage of continuous snow and rain, a large part of the state is no longer classified as suffering from drought, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- Feinstein hospitalized: Senator Dianne Feinstein is receiving treatment for shingles at a San Francisco hospital, which has forced her to miss votes and hearings in Congress, The San Francisco Chronicle reports.
- Pandemic benefits end: Almost three million California residents will no longer receive food subsidies or assistance after Congress voted to terminate extra benefits that were provided during the pandemic, The Los Angeles Times reports.
- Curbing fashion waste: California could become the first state to require fashion companies to help set up free collection sites in every county where consumers can drop off unwanted items, The San Jose Mercury reports.
|
- Sinkholes: Sinkholes have cropped up across Southern California after days of rain and snow, The Los Angeles Times reports.
- Wrongful murder conviction: A judge ruled that a Los Angeles man who spent 38 years in prison did not commit the murder that kept him locked up for decades and nearly landed him on death row, The Los Angeles Times reports.
|
 | | Con Poulos for The New York Times |
|
 | | Morro Rock Beach in Morro Bay.Gabriella Angotti-Jones for The New York Times |
|
Today's tip comes from Karin Anderson, who lives in Brunswick, Maine. Karin recommends Morro Bay, "a little gem" on the Central Coast: |
"You can enjoy fresh fish, playful sea otters and the view of Morro Rock while meandering in and out of shops selling salt water taffy, groovy T-shirts and other treasures. I go whenever I'm visiting family members who live nearby in San Luis Obispo (also a great town to visit)." |
Tell us about your favorite places to visit in California. Email your suggestions to CAtoday@nytimes.com. We'll be sharing more in upcoming editions of the newsletter. |
 | | Lisa Smartt and Kevin Gleeson were married in Smartt's mother's living room in Berkeley on Jan. 21. They met online in September and almost instantly clicked. "I'm done," Smartt thought at the time.Preston Gannaway for The New York Times |
|
And before you go, some good news |
In May 2022, Kevin Patrick Gleeson was in the process of dissolving his marriage with his second wife, had retired, left Queens and moved to Macon, Ga. He had no idea that love would uproot him once more a few months later. |
While Gleeson, 63, had never tried online dating, by September he logged onto SilverSingles, a dating site for people over 50, and was immediately drawn to the profile of Lisa Anne Felix Smartt. |
Thanks for reading. We'll be back on Monday. Enjoy your weekend. |
Briana Scalia and Isabella Grullón Paz contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
|
