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Culture

illustration of russell chatham

Falling (Again) for ‘Dark Waters’

illustration of karyn kupcinet

Fiction: ‘Cookie’

caro de robertis

Writer’s Room: Storytelling for Survival

illustration of edward abbey

The Origin of ‘The Monkey Wrench Gang’

the cy twombly room at the san francisco museum of modern art showcases four paintings and one sculpture by the american artist

Scribbles Are Having a Moment

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Culture

issue 34, cartoon, altatude, nathan cooper

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #4 Issue 34

issue 34, cartoon, altatude, rich sparks

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #3 Issue 34

alta journal, issue 34, california sounds, music

Inside Alta ’s Music Issue

issue 34, cartoon, altatude, lars kenseth

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #2 Issue 34

alta journal, 2025 year in review, top fiction

Alta Journal ’s Fiction of 2025

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FICTION & POETRY

alta journal, 2025 year in review, top poetry

Alta Journal ’s Poetry of 2025

victor juhasz, delilah, anita felicelli, illustration

Fiction: ‘Delilah’

water lilies (agapanthus), claude monet

Poetry: ‘Water Lilies’

a man sits on the rooftop of a sinking house in the middle of a vast blue lake, his body hunched in reflection. above, two eyes watch from the clouds.

Fiction: ‘Former Colleagues, Nothing More’

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THE LATEST IN CULTURE

alta journal, 2025 year in review, top altatude cartoons

Alta Journal ’s Top Cartoons of 2025

alta journal, 2025 year in review, top illustration

Alta Journal ’s Top Illustrations of 2025

alta journal, 2025 year in review, top photos

Alta Journal ’s Top Photos of 2025

issue 34, cartoon, altatude, ivan ehlers

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #1 Issue 34

a woman in psychedelic colors waters blooming flowers in a backyard record garden as palm trees and stereo speakers glow at sunset .

Eight Playlists That Capture the Sound of CA

a psychedelic, neon colored illustration of a bear surrounded by swirling lights, evoking the trippy visual culture of early grateful dead acid tests.

Psychedelic Jam: 5 Essential Tracks

psychedelic jam, grateful dead, guest artists

Five Essential Grateful Dead Sit-Ins in California

a psychedelic, neon colored illustration of a bear surrounded by swirling lights, evoking the trippy visual culture of early grateful dead acid tests.

Psychedelic Jam: Must Trip to Enter

sunshine pop, gig poster

Sunshine Pop: 5 Essential Tracks

FROM THE ARCHIVE

Members of the norteño band Los Tigres del Norte walk the grounds of Folsom State Prison in April 2018. Their concert there is the subject of a Netflix documentary, Los Tigres del Norte at Folsom Prison, and was recorded for a live album of the same name.

Folsom Prison Blues (Again)

Native son Buck Owens helped define the raw and rough-hewn Bakersfield sound that cemented California’s important role in the evolution of country music.

California’s Role in Country Music

threshold choir

Songs for the Final Passage

thomas campbell, director and ceo of the fine arts museums of san francisco, outside the de young museum, in golden gate park

Museum on the Edge

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altatude, issue 33, cartoon, amy kurzweil
ALTATUDES

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #13 Issue 33

This week’s Sunday funny comes to us from cartoonist Amy Kurzweil.

altatude, issue 33, cartoon, robert leighton

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #12 Issue 33

altatude, issue 33, cartoon, todd condron

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #11 Issue 33

altatude, issue 33, cartoon, kendra allenby

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #10 Issue 33

altatude, issue 33, cartoon, kate isenberg

Weekly Cartoon: Altatude #9 Issue 33

sunshine pop, big acts

Big Acts Who Have Soaked Up Sunshine Pop

sunshine pop, gig poster

Sunshine Pop: When the Sun Goes Down

bakersfield sound, merle haggard, buck owens

Bakersfield Sound: 5 Essential Tracks

bakersfield sound hitmakers

Hitmakers Captivated by the Bakersfield Sound

bakersfield sound, merle haggard, buck owens

Bakersfield Sound: Grit, Spit, and Greatness

west coast jazz, five essential albums

West Coast Jazz: 5 Essential Albums

west coast jazz, 5 new clubs

Jazz Clubs Strike a Chord Across California

a colorful illustration of horace tapscott, kamau daáood, and billy higgins performing at the world stage in leimert park, capturing the venue’s vibrant jazz legacy.

West Coast Jazz: Where the Magic Happens

a stylized illustration of john fahey playing an acoustic guitar surrounded by quail and california poppies, evoking the mystical, nature infused spirit of his music.

Mystic Folk: 5 Essential Tracks