Lydia Lee
Lydia Lee writes frequently about design and architecture in the San Francisco Bay Area and is a local bicycle advocate.
Rewilding, One Plant at a Time
California’s landscapes are choked with non-native plants. Swapping them for indigenous species could restore balance.
Switching It Up with West Coast Swing
California’s official state dance is a laid-back, egalitarian take on partner dancing. In Burlingame, a novice competitor takes a spin.
Say Goodbye to Kelseyville
Changing a town’s name can’t erase history, but it can make space for a new story.
The Taste of Boonville
A Northern California farm where the most flavorful chile peppers grow.
Let’s Go Shopping
Today, some shopping malls are offering more than just nostalgia. These glitzy retail temples are playing a starring role in efforts to address California’s housing shortage.
How to Grow Good Housing
In California’s farm-labor market, better living conditions are key to attracting workers.
Fine Feathered Friends
In Under the Henfluence, Tove Danovich details the meaningful connections we can have by bringing poultry into our lives.
They’re Just Mad About Saffron
A small Northern California farm where life is sweet.
Building Safer Roads, Brick by Brick
How Legos can teach kids to avoid bike accidents.
Flour Child
A Q&A with Rachel Britten, who’s growing wheat in Northern California—not North Dakota.
Jam Session
Enjoy a little California sunshine—right out of the jar.
Go Small or Go Home
Expand your horizons, not your carbon footprints.
Chinatown, Between the Lines
A coloring book highlights a beloved San Francisco neighborhood.
Olympian Dreams
The West Coast’s only native oyster has a colorful history that appears to have been embellished for dramatic effect. But the true story is just as compelling.
Drag Meets Roller Skating in Oakland
A rolling party comes to Township Commons.
Angel Island Museum Reveals Plight of Chinese Immigrants
How “Ellis Island of the West” Enforced the Chinese Exclusion Act
She Was Buried Facedown
A young woman sailing to San Francisco in the late 1860s was one of the unknown travelers in the vast African diaspora.
Tackling Climate Change on the Home Front
A superefficient, all-electric house is not only better for the environment but also a much better environment to live in. Here’s how architects on the West Coast are building for the future.
Alta Roundtable: The Great Reset
The pandemic launched a global experiment in working from home. A year later, three prominent designers are inspired by what they see ahead.
Take No Prisoners
Architect Deanna Van Buren is building positive alternatives to the criminal justice system.
Historical Fantasy
Developers’ theme-park plans for Copperopolis may be good for its economy, but their visions ignore the mining town’s past.
Tight Knit
It Just Got Easier Being Green
Desperate for more parks, some San Francisco residents taxed themselves and created the country’s first green benefit district.
Knife-Edged Beauty
One-of-a-kind hand-forged knives by Aaron Wilburn are wonderful to look at—and even better to use.