CM #55: Here Comes the New Year
Hey. Friends!
Welcome to 2024 and another year of California Mishegoss. I'm working on some new ideas for content for this newsletter, including running a series on just places to eat, drink, and party throughout the state, starting down south and. moving north.
That's just one idea; others in my brain need to be flushed out, so stay tuned.
Thanks for being a loyal supporter, and Patti and I look forward to sharing stories with you this year.
Be Well!
Mark & Patti
P.S. If you like stickers I have new ones for California Mishegoss. They’re free and a great way to support the newsletter. If you’d like some email me at markjohn1@mac.com, and leave me an address to send a few or more too. Just add stickers to the subject line and I’ll get them out to you asap.
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Cruising is back and legal. Of course it’s always been here and was huge when I first visited California in the late ‘60s. Then over time things happened and cruising was no more, sort of. Now it’s back and bigger, better, and legal.
The History of Cruising in California
by California.com Team
California, a state synonymous with sun-kissed beaches and Hollywood glamor, also boasts a rich and vibrant car culture, particularly embodied in the tradition of cruising. Cruising, the act of driving around leisurely in a car, often in a stylish or classic vehicle, has deep roots in the Golden State, especially in Los Angeles, where it became a prominent part of the local culture.
It was previously outlawed in the Golden State, but as 2024 begins the ban is now lifted. This is a major step in helping preserve and maintain an important part of California's culture. Here's a breakdown of the history of cruising.
My first visit to California was to San Francisco. Coming from Boston, and New York, San Francisco was a breath of fresh air, and more like Boston than New York.
The first place my friend took me to was Haight-Ashbury for a day of touring, eating, and drinking. Now it’s your turn if you haven’t been with this guide.
How to spend a day in Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco’s historic home of counterculture
by the Independent.co.uk
Few intersections in the US hold as much cultural gravitas as San Francisco’s Haight-Ashbury. Made famous during the 1967 Summer of Love, these two then unassuming street corners blossomed under the hippie-led “flower power” era as an estimated 100,000 youths spanning the US arrived in this suburb to spread social values and indulge their hedonism.
Your Insider Guide to Visiting Big Sur
by Jessica Wright, Bon Traveler, The Monterey Blog
When it comes to visiting Big Sur, there is a local code of sorts to visiting. Some do’s and don'ts to keep in mind which help keep travel to Big Sur sustainable. So as you read this insider guide to Big Sur, keep an eye out for those. It’s one way to keep Big Sur the gem that it is.
I find myself craving a trip to Big Sur particularly in the early months of the year. I find this area to feel restorative — a sort of rest and resetting that happens when being in untouched nature. The early months of the year also means fewer crowds, something to consider if you’re wanting to visit.
Is Baja California Safe? Travel Advisory 2024
by Viktor Vinci, TravelingLifestyle.net
According to thecabosun.com, despite a 38.7% increase in drug dealing cases in Los Cabos in 2023, the municipality remains one of the safest in Mexico for tourists.
This increase is based on data from the National Public Security System, with over half the cases in Los Cabos. Local authorities are actively addressing the issue with initiatives like “Ponte Trucha” to protect tourists from fraud and enhance tourist safety.
St. Peter's Chapel, Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, California
by Atlasobscura.com
Located in the Mare Island Naval Shipyard in Vallejo, California, St. Peter’s was the second chapel built on a U.S. Navy property. (It was preceded by the original chapel at the Naval Academy in Annapolis, which was replaced with a new building in 1904.) The single-story chapel was designed by Albert Sutton. The walls are lined with 29 striking stained-glass windows, most of which were created by Tiffany Studios.
Here’s a look at San Francisco way before I visited and fell in love.
What San Francisco looked like 100 years ago
by Katie Dowd, SF Gate
The 1920s were fully roaring in San Francisco 100 years ago. From brazen women to bustling new construction, everything was changing and transforming when 1924 dawned in the City by the Bay.
As motorized vehicles gained in popularity, San Francisco needed traffic signal towers to monitor its streets. Inside, a person sat and kept an eye on the traffic below.
Places Around the World to Visit
Home of the World Wide Web, Geneva, Switzerland
That’s it for this week. Enjoy the week and see you next Saturday.
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Each week we bring you 6+ things that have to do with drinking, eating, and checking out in California. Thanks & Enjoy your read!
Mark & Patti