California

San Francisco made history when it began issuing marriage licenses to same-sex couples 20 years ago. KCRW hears from one of the first 10 couples to get married that day.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Cathy Asapahu shops for berries for a dessert tasting at Ayara Thai.

from Good Food

Chocolatier Christine Sarioz taps into her art background to create sculptural chocolates.

At Milla Chocolates, minimalist, geometric luxury is the vibe

Chocolatier Christine Sarioz taps into her art background to create sculptural chocolates.

from Good Food

Journalist Ada Tseng visits Costco twice a week — for gas, deals, and hidden Asian treasures.

Ada Tseng asks SoCal Costco shoppers for the best Asian products

Journalist Ada Tseng visits Costco twice a week — for gas, deals, and hidden Asian treasures.

from Good Food

Designed to quickly channel water out to sea, the concrete waterway protects lives and property but limits how much rain percolates into groundwater reservoirs.

Much maligned LA River kept flooding catastrophe at bay

Designed to quickly channel water out to sea, the concrete waterway protects lives and property but limits how much rain percolates into groundwater reservoirs.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

The pineapple bun is a flaky, fluffy, and crumbly Hong Kong Cantonese snack. It’s made from a milk bread dough that’s enriched with butter, sugar, and eggs.

Indulge in fluffy pineapple buns this Lunar New Year

The pineapple bun is a flaky, fluffy, and crumbly Hong Kong Cantonese snack. It’s made from a milk bread dough that’s enriched with butter, sugar, and eggs.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

“The Big One” in California often refers to an earthquake. But seismologist Lucy Jones warns of another “Big One”: sustained rain storms that overwhelm flood control systems.

In California, are rainstorms deadlier than earthquakes?

“The Big One” in California often refers to an earthquake. But seismologist Lucy Jones warns of another “Big One”: sustained rain storms that overwhelm flood control systems.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Parts of LA County are getting half a year’s worth of rain in a single storm. Santa Monica Mountain communities like Topanga and Malibu are getting hit the hardest.

Heavy rainfall in LA turns Topanga Canyon into a river

Parts of LA County are getting half a year’s worth of rain in a single storm. Santa Monica Mountain communities like Topanga and Malibu are getting hit the hardest.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Trillions of dollars worth of lithium could be bubbling up from the ground in the Imperial Valley, which is one of the hottest and poorest areas of California.

Imperial Valley: Domestic source for lithium to power the nation?

Trillions of dollars worth of lithium could be bubbling up from the ground in the Imperial Valley, which is one of the hottest and poorest areas of California.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Austrian chef Bernhard Mairinger visits the farmers market to shop for his new restaurant, Lustig.

Austrian chef Bernhard Mairinger brings the fun at the farmers market

Austrian chef Bernhard Mairinger visits the farmers market to shop for his new restaurant, Lustig.

from Good Food

LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison visits Victor Heights for Korean banchan and dosirak.

The collard green kimchi at Perilla moves Bill Addison's Southern heart

LA Times restaurant critic Bill Addison visits Victor Heights for Korean banchan and dosirak.

from Good Food

The Claremont Institute, a conservative Southern California think tank, helped spearhead a national campaign to ban DEI on public college campuses.

SoCal think tank is fueling anti-DEI efforts in red states

The Claremont Institute, a conservative Southern California think tank, helped spearhead a national campaign to ban DEI on public college campuses.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Internet meme lords have turned their attention to a mass-produced, mid-priced California wine that shares a name with the most average guy you know — “Josh.”

‘Pass the Josh’: How a California wine turned into a meme

Internet meme lords have turned their attention to a mass-produced, mid-priced California wine that shares a name with the most average guy you know — “Josh.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Assemblyman Vince Fong is running for former Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s seat. He’s also on the ballot to keep his state Assembly seat, which is illegal under California law.

Assemblyman Vince Fong may be ineligible to succeed Kevin McCarthy

Assemblyman Vince Fong is running for former Congressman Kevin McCarthy’s seat. He’s also on the ballot to keep his state Assembly seat, which is illegal under California law.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Grocery stores will no longer sell Knott’s Berry Farm jams and jellies. Smucker’s purchased this iconic Southern California brand in 2008.

Love boysenberries and their jams? Thank Walter and Cordelia Knott

Grocery stores will no longer sell Knott’s Berry Farm jams and jellies. Smucker’s purchased this iconic Southern California brand in 2008.

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Lisa Hamilton looks at one Hmong woman's struggle to survive war, loss and displacement while holding onto her identity.

How a Hmong woman escaped Laos and ended up growing rice in Fresno

Lisa Hamilton looks at one Hmong woman's struggle to survive war, loss and displacement while holding onto her identity.

from Good Food

LA Times reporter Stephanie Breijo reflects on the closings of some of the city's most cherished dining destinations.

LA says goodbye to more than 65 restaurants

LA Times reporter Stephanie Breijo reflects on the closings of some of the city's most cherished dining destinations.

from Good Food

A row of tall trees separating a golf course from a historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs is the subject of a new PBS documentary called “Racist Trees.”

In Palm Springs, were trees planted with racist intent?

A row of tall trees separating a golf course from a historically Black neighborhood in Palm Springs is the subject of a new PBS documentary called “Racist Trees.”

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

San Diego residents are still reeling from a heavy and rapid downpour that started on Monday morning. Is Southern California built to withstand storms like this?

‘Thousand-year storm’ floods part of San Diego, is SoCal prepared for more?

San Diego residents are still reeling from a heavy and rapid downpour that started on Monday morning. Is Southern California built to withstand storms like this?

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand

Three Democratic Congress members and a Republican former Dodgers star squared off at USC last night. With the primary approaching, which two will make it to November?

Clapbacks, baseball metaphors? California’s top US Senate candidates debate

Three Democratic Congress members and a Republican former Dodgers star squared off at USC last night. With the primary approaching, which two will make it to November?

from Press Play with Madeleine Brand