Alta Podcast

Alta revels in everything about California and the West — with penetrating investigative articles, clever essays, vivid photos and smart reviews. Alta's podcast digs deeper into the pages of the magazine to bring our stories to life.

Audio Excerpt: "The Case of the Missing Chacmools" 06/18/2024

Audio Excerpt: "The Case of the Missing Chacmools" Alta Journal contributor Geoffrey Gray investigates Carlos Castaneda's bizarre cult and finds himself entangled in a web of murky financial dealings, sex, and possible foul play. In this 4-minute audio clip, Gray reads from "The Case of the Missing Chacmools." To read the entire article, visit altaonline.com /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/31797687

826 Valencia Voices 02/12/2020

826 Valencia Voices This very special Alta podcast welcomes young authors and poets from 826 Valencia, a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting under-resourced students with their writing skills. Today, we’re meeting at 826’s Tenderloin location with four students whose work has appeared on the 826 Valencia podcast, “Message in a Bottle." Our guests include Sara, age 10, Dax, age 12, Emily, age 13, and Julissa, who’s 18. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/13092197

Safe Space for the Mobile Homeless 01/29/2020

Safe Space for the Mobile Homeless Everyone likes a good news — and we're delighted to include some today. Our guest is Bonnie Tsui, a journalist, author and Alta contributor. In our Winter 2020 Issue, Bonnie reports on a program in the Monterey peninsula that offers safe parking lots to homeless people living in their cars. She’s here today to discuss that program—and to provide an update on one of the people profiled in her article. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12906698

The Tomb of the Unknown "Wetback" 01/15/2020

The Tomb of the Unknown "Wetback" How does the death of an immigrant killed in the 1950's by Anaheim police and a 2019 family funeral converge into one incredible moment for Gustavo Arellano? He joins the Alta podcast to explain. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12691835

Recorded Live: Jazz Singer Paula West Gets Personal 12/30/2019

Recorded Live: Jazz Singer Paula West Gets Personal You've never heard Paula West like this before. In this episode, recorded on November 13, 2019 at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley California, West discusses her process—and her politics— in this intimate evening of conversation and music. West, who was backed by a jazz trio as she performed a number of songs, was also interviewed by journalist Marcus Crowder in front of a packed house of Alta members. This event was inspired by Crowder’s profile of West in Alta’s Fall 2019 issue. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12352457

Hummingbirds Are Fascinating. Really. 12/18/2019

Hummingbirds Are Fascinating. Really. Today's guest is Jason G. Goldman, a science journalist, author, and expedition leader based in Los Angeles. He is one of the authors of the newly released "Wild L.A.: Explore the Amazing Nature In and Around Los Angeles. Jason has written a number of stories for Alta, including two cover stories. His latest for us focuses on UC Riverside researcher Chris Clark, whose research on hummingbirds is changing the way we understand the species. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12418763

Can Cancer Be Funny? 12/04/2019

Can Cancer Be Funny? Can cancer be funny? Author Mary Ladd and illustrator Don Asmussen certainly think so. The pair, both of whom have fought (and are fighting) cancer diagnoses, join the Alta podcast to laugh in the face of deadly disease and discuss their book, “The Wig Diaries.” /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12249914

Nick Neely Follows the Footsteps of Portolá 11/20/2019

Nick Neely Follows the Footsteps of Portolá Burger King, loneliness, binoculars, and camp coffee; it was all part of Nick Neely's quest to better understand California. Neely is a California-based author whose book, Alta California, chronicles his 12-week hike from San Diego to the San Francisco Bay. Neely followed the (nearly) exact footsteps of Gaspar de Portola and his 1769 overland expedition of soldiers and priests intent on claiming California for Spain and establishing the West's Catholic mission system. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/12042419

Mr. Peace on Modern Resistance 11/06/2019

Mr. Peace on Modern Resistance David Harris is former contributing editor to the New York Times and to Rolling Stone, and he is the author of nearly a dozen books—but Harris is most famous for leading the draft resistance during the Vietnam War. He was imprisoned for 20 months for refusing to report for military service, and is credited by many with helping to end the war. We joined Harris to discuss his work, his thoughts on the state of union, and how a terminal illness hasn’t dimmed his hope for the future. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/11827607

Renaissance of the Written Word 10/22/2019

Renaissance of the Written Word The Fall, 2019 issue of Alta features the magazine’s first standalone section on books and literature spearheaded by our books editor, David Ulin. In this podcast, we’ll explore how Alta’s Book Guide came to fruition with Ulin, as well as hear from included authors Carolina De Robertis, Matthew Zapruder. According to Ulin, now is absolutely the right time for Alta to invest our ink in covering literature. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/11551499

Remembering Climbing Legend Tom Frost 10/09/2019

Remembering Climbing Legend Tom Frost What do the CIA, an outdoor clothing company, and a Yosemite campsite all have in common? Tom Frost. Famous in climbing circles for his remarkable humility, Frost is one of the lesser-known legends of the rock climbing world—as well as a photographer, conservationist, and inspiration to generations of outdoor enthusiasts. He was also a complicated and passionate man whose story hasn't really been told—until now. Today’s guests are two of the filmmakers behind a feature-length documentary film about /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/11331290

Man-Made Meat is a Very Real Thing 09/25/2019

Man-Made Meat is a Very Real Thing Rachel Levin went where very few have gone before — she ate a chicken nugget made out of man-made meat. "Motherless meat" is different from plant-based alternative meats, like the "Impossible Burger" and others. Technically, it is created from cells that come from real animals. And while a man-made meat nugget might cost $100 to make today, the technology could help alleviate a growing global need for meat, and offer an alternative to an industry that some believe is cruel to animals. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/11129855

Joel Sartore's Photo Ark Project 09/11/2019

Joel Sartore's Photo Ark Project Joel Sartore is on a one-man mission to build a photographic library of every animal in human care. He's like Noah—with a really fancy camera. An award-winning photographer, speaker, author and conservationist, Sartore is founder of The Photo Ark, a 25-year project to document every species in zoos and sanctuaries around the globe. Sartore joined us to explain to concept and process of the Photo Ark, and reveal which creatures garner the biggest viewer response. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/11171048

Past, Present and Future of Women in Classical Music 09/04/2019

Past, Present and Future of Women in Classical Music What special challenges do women musicians face that their male counterparts don't? Have those challenges changed, and in what ways? How do traditional music organizations work towards inclusion in the 21st century? In this special episode, we partnered with the San Francisco Conservatory of Music to host a panel discussion on women’s emerging roles in classical music, the issues and challenges female musicians face, and a look at the future of inclusivity in music. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/10144031

CalFire's Aerial First Responders 08/28/2019

CalFire's Aerial First Responders CalFire's aerial firefighting fleet is the largest of its kind in the world. Today’s guest, award-winning and best-selling author Bonnie Tsui, reported for Alta on the men and women who battle California wildfires from the sky. These first responders, many who fight fires in their own communities, face unique and complex challenges—challenges that are only growing as California deals with our new reality of the mega fire. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/10917897

Musso & Frank Grill Turns 100 08/14/2019

Musso & Frank Grill Turns 100 Musso & Frank Grill is a Los Angeles institution. Writer David Kipen visited this storied dining spot (in character as The Anniversarist) and he's now on a mission to become a Musso regular. Kipen joins the Alta podcast to explain the staying power of this century-old legend, remember two longtime Musso employees who recently passed away, and detail the old-school recipes that remain on the Musso menu. Lobster Thermidor, anyone? /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/10300229

Altatude Cartoonist Phil Witte 07/31/2019

Altatude Cartoonist Phil Witte Phil Witte, a humorist, journalist, cartoonist and lawyer living in Oakland, joins us for an Alta podcast to talk about his process and the quirky world of cartoonists. His work has appeared in the Wall Street Journal, San Francisco Chronicle, and museums and galleries around the globe. He was a cartoonist in residence at the Charles Schultz Museum. Phil’s cartoons have ALSO appeared in Altatudes, the collection of cartoons that we select for the back page of every issue of Alta. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9854306

The Money-Making Manson Inc. 07/17/2019

The Money-Making Manson Inc. What led to—and has arisen from—the infamous 1969 Manson Family murders is weirder, darker, and more hypocritical than you ever imagined. Writer Denise Hamilton, who's been on the Helter Skelter Manson Murder bus tour, joins the Alta podcast to detail the many ways money continues to be made from the Tate/LaBianca murders, and how the families of the victims feel about our Manson obsession. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/10300142

Northern California's Wild Horses 07/03/2019

Northern California's Wild Horses Wild mustang populations are out of control, competing with cattle and native wildlife for vital resources like land and water. If the federal government doesn’t rein them in, ranchers may take matters into their own hands. Journalist Jason Goldman joins the podcast to discuss his latest Alta cover story, focused on the controversy surrounding the thousands of feral horses in Northern California's Modoc National Forest—and beyond. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/10300121

Planet's Woke Satellites 06/26/2019

Planet's Woke Satellites Today’s guest is Po Bronson, a longtime science journalist who has been recognized with nine national honors. He works as strategy director at IndieBio and serves as a futurist with Attention Span Media. In the Summer 2019 issue of Alta, Po wrote about Planet, a San Francisco company that uses small satellites to take images of nearly everything on Earth. He joins us to explain how and why Planet is the "Batman" of satellite imaging. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9854369

Bonus Episode: Rethinking Steve Jobs 06/19/2019

Bonus Episode: Rethinking Steve Jobs In this bonus episode of the Alta podcast, we discuss the many complicated legacies of the late Steve Jobs with three Silicon Valley mainstays who worked with and knew him well; Andy Hertzfeld, who was a member of the original Apple Macintosh development team, Tom Zito, who penned the Alta article on Steve Jobs that inspired this event, and Al Alcorn, who first hired an 18-year-old Jobs at Atari. The panel is moderated by Alta Managing Editor Blaise Zerega. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9854390

Can the L.A. Times be Saved? 06/12/2019

Can the L.A. Times be Saved? Today’s guest is Mark Potts, former (and founding) Managing Editor of the Journal of Alta California. Mark has covered business and the media for the Washington Post, the Chicago Tribune, and the Associated Press and he currently lives in Lawrence, Kansas. Mark wrote our Summer 2019 cover story, a look at the past, present and the future of the storied Los Angeles Times and is here to detail the many ups and downs of this legendary daily paper. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9854288

Bonus Episode: L.A.'s Underground Nightlife 06/05/2019

Bonus Episode: L.A.'s Underground Nightlife Based in Los Angeles, photographer Safi Alia Shabaik is a founding member of the Los Angeles Street Collective. She’s also worked as a stylist and muse to performer Grace Jones and — as a mortician. Safi’s work explores underground subculture and nightlife in Los Angeles, and a collection of her rare color images are featured in the Summer 2019 issue of Alta. She joins us to explain why connecting with the bold beauty of L.A. underground nightlife is an important part of our humanity. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9761288

The Fierce Issues Surrounding Feral Cats 05/29/2019

The Fierce Issues Surrounding Feral Cats Matt Smith, a journalist for the Center for Investigative Reporting, joins us to discuss the hot-button issue of feral cats. For Alta’s Summer 2019 Issue, Matt wrote about the oddly complicated world of feral cats — their devoted fans, their activist euthanizers, and the section of Disneyland that is home to dozens of them. Yes. Disneyland. Today, he’s going to take us even deeper into this heated and, quite frankly fascinating issue. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9761270

Bonus Episode: Julian Guthrie's Alpha Girls 05/22/2019

Bonus Episode: Julian Guthrie's Alpha Girls In a Bonus Episode of our Alta Podcast, we visit author Julian Guthrie to discuss her new book, Alpha Girls: The Woman Upstarts Who Took On Silicon Valley's Male Culture and Made Deals of a Lifetime. Guthrie explains how she researched this intimate look at some of venture capital's leading partners, and reveals that her book will soon be developed for television. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9854267

Getting to know Jack London 05/15/2019

Getting to know Jack London Think you know Jack (London)? Think again. Writer Joy Lanzendorfer joins us to discuss the tragedy that broke the famed author's heart, his complexities, passions, and untimely death. With his success, London saw his dreams come true and then watched one of them burn to the ground. Joy is an award-winning writer and novelist, with bylines in The New York Times, the Washington Post, the Los Angeles Review of Books and now, Alta. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9760958

Busted: Brash Stories From Texas and New Mexico 05/01/2019

Busted: Brash Stories From Texas and New Mexico Explore the hardscrabble times, places, and people of Texas and New Mexico. Authors Joshua Wheeler and Bryan Mealer join Alta contributor and Los Angeles Times columnist Gustavo Arellano to recount the booms, busts and bold characters of life in the Southwestern United States. Busted was recorded on March 7, 2019 at The Huntington Library in San Marino, California and is presented in partnership with the Huntington-USC Institute on California and the West. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/9572315

California's Dining Trends 04/10/2019

California's Dining Trends Michael Bauer, the former food critic of the San Francisco Chronicle for over 30 years. Michael has won numerous national awards in his nearly four decades of food journalism, and while retired from the Chronicle, he continues to write — including for us at Alta Magazine. Michael joins the Alta podcast to talk about emerging trends at dining around California, an unexpected dining destination, and $70 chicken. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/8748671

Podcast Boom 03/27/2019

Podcast Boom Blaise Zerega, formerly a writer and editor at publications like Wired and Conde Nast Portfolio and now, he’s the Managing Editor of Alta Magazine. Blaise's latest piece for the magazine is a look at the rapidly growing popularity of podcasts — and what that means for the future of this very intimate medium. He joins us to talk about the history and the future of podcasting, and to recommend three podcasts that are doing it well. /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/8748545

The Final Event 03/13/2019

The Final Event Cindy Hegger specializes in end-of-life photography. She began this stage of her business after photographing activists working in Sacramento to pass what ultimately became California’s End of Life Option Act, a law that allows terminally ill residents to end their life with self-administered drugs. Her work — and the process of end of life photography, is featured in the latest issue of Alta Magazine. She joins Alta's podcast to discuss her work and why her end of life photos aren't sad, they're joyful /episode/index/show/altaonline/id/8748521

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