It's Friday. You told us what you appreciate most about living in California. Plus, Nancy Pelosi is stepping down from House leadership. |
 | | The Golden Gate Bridge seen from the Marin Headlands in Sausalito.Nina Riggio for The New York Times |
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The end of the year tends to make us all a little reflective. The long, dark evenings allow time to contemplate what we've accomplished, where we're headed and, especially with Thanksgiving approaching, what we're most grateful for. |
Today I'm diving into that last topic and, since this is a newsletter about California, specifically what we appreciate about the Golden State. |
For months, you've been writing me about why you love your corner of California, despite the earthquakes, fires and other disasters we often hear about, despite the high cost of living, despite the traffic. I've received hundreds of lovely tributes to Montecito, Newport Beach, Mariposa, Sebastopol and the state as a whole. |
As one reader put it: "If we ever left California, we would just leave the country." |
Here's some more of what you shared, lightly edited: |
"In 1973, my wife and I visited the Bay Area from Madison, Wis. We stayed with different friends for several weeks and one day my wife came back from an outing and said she'd rented an apartment. I completely understood. We were smitten by the Mediterranean climate, the stunning beauty of the coast, the way locals valued the outdoors and prioritized spending time in it. And we constantly noticed how in getting acquainted with people no one asked us where we had gone to college — the obligatory sorting process we knew so well from the East Coast and Midwest. So open, so refreshing. |
I hitchhiked back to Madison, closed our apartment, bought an old car, loaded all our worldly goods into a U-Haul trailer, and when I got back to Oakland and the new apartment we both started looking for jobs. California does that kind of thing to people. We've raised a family, retired and traveled the world for 15 months without coming back home. But nothing satisfies more than my connection to the place that we call California." — Richard Bunce, Berkeley |
"Here in South Lake Tahoe, I step outside or anywhere in town, and it is a respite of beauty. There's always a cool feel to the air, a boon for this postmenopausal woman. I can drive to the Bay Area for a wonderful change of scenery, even as all those other Californians are heading to Tahoe for the same reason." — Merlyn Oliver, South Lake Tahoe |
"In September 1982, we came to Ocean Park in Santa Monica with two backpacks, $2,000 and youthful optimism. We've walked beside, cycled along, swam in, worked near and dawdled at the edge of the Pacific ever since. Californians are diverse, inclusive, open to ideas and in love with the natural beauty of its mountains, deserts and, of course, the Pacific. We're on this earth for just a little while, and California's warmth, beyond its fine weather, has fed our spirit these four decades. Eureka! We struck gold making it our home." — Susan O'Brien, Santa Monica |
"My family has been in California for over 170 years, and every time I'm gone from California, I miss it so badly that I cannot even listen to 'I Left My Heart in San Francisco' without being clutched by longing to be home. I love all of it — flying into the beautiful cooling fog of San Francisco, smelling the dry air tinged with oak and dust in the Sacramento Valley, seeing the jacaranda and bougainvillea blooming in Southern California, watching the ocean crash onto the beach on the Sonoma Coast, meandering through the Santa Ynez Valley, skiing at Tahoe and seeing the lake from the top of a ridge and on and on. It can be maddening and contradictory and disappointing, but it's always beautiful and interesting and welcoming, and it's always home." — Michelle Oroschakoff, Rancho Santa Fe |
If you read one story, make it this |
 | | Nancy Pelosi in the House chamber as lawmakers voted to impeach Donald Trump for the first time, in December 2019.Erin Schaff/The New York Times |
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- Attempted murder investigation: A 22-year-old driver was arrested after crashing an S.U.V. into a group of Los Angeles County sheriff's academy recruits on a morning run, The Associated Press reports.
- Santa Ana wind: The strongest gusts of the year — reaching 104 miles per hour — pushed through Los Angeles and Ventura Counties this week, The Los Angeles Times reports.
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- Elizabeth Holmes: The founder of the failed blood testing start-up Theranos will be sentenced today. Holmes faces a maximum of 20 years in prison; her lawyers asked for 18 months of house arrest.
- Guaranteed income: San Francisco will start a program that will provide 55 trans people with $1,200 per month for up to 18 months. Applications for the grant are open until Dec. 15, The San Francisco Standard reports.
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 | | Andrew Scrivani for The New York Times |
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 | | The restored ghost town and mine in Bodie, Calif.Mitch Diamond/Getty Images |
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Today's tip comes from Doug Hall, who lives in West Sacramento: |
"Fall is a wonderful time to travel along California's scenic Highway 395. Mammoth Lakes and especially the June Lake loop have wonderful fall colors. But there is more. If you have a chance, take the graveled road to Bodie, a restored ghost town and mine. It is now a charity run by the Bodie Foundation. Wonderful old buildings will fill your day touring the town. Further south along 395 is Manzanar, the site of Japanese internment during World War II. My wife and I have spent many reflective times here. They are restoring some of the buildings there and each time we return, there is something new to see. My favorite is the cemetery monument. You can spend a long time there just reflecting on our past and what occurred there. Then, further south you will find Lone Pine with its Alabama Hills and film museum. But our favorite of all is Death Valley. We usually try to get there in January or February for our anniversary, when the weather is cool, but if you want to see a super bloom, you should probably go in March. They only occur about once every 10 years. Happy travels." |
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. |
We're writing about how Californians celebrate Thanksgiving. Do you make stuffing with sourdough, or opt for roasted brussels sprouts instead of green bean casserole? Maybe you always travel to a special spot within the Golden State. |
Email us at CAtoday@nytimes.com with your California Thanksgiving traditions and memories. Please include your name and the city where you live. |
We may include your email response in an upcoming newsletter or in print. By emailing us a response, you agree that you have read, understand and accept the Reader Submission Terms in relation to all of the content and other information you send to us ("Your Content"). If you do not accept these terms, do not submit any content. |
And before you go, some good news |
Mabu was added to the herd on the recommendation of the African Elephant Species Survival Plan, which is intended to maintain healthy, genetically diverse and stable species within participating zoos. The hope is that Mabu will produce offspring with the zoo's two female elephants. |
Thanks for reading. I'll be back on Monday. — Soumya |
Briana Scalia and Isabella Grullón Paz contributed to California Today. You can reach the team at CAtoday@nytimes.com. |
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