Home—it’s where the heart is. It’s a feeling of comfort, connection, and community; a sense of security and belonging; and a point of pride. Home—there’s no place like it.

Even though I’ve had many different “homes” over the years, my hometown of Auburn will forever be near and dear to me. I know its slow-paced streets like the back of my hand, have hung out in every one of its haunts, and am emotionally connected to the people and places that made my childhood so memorable.

Admittedly, as an adolescent, I never understood my family’s decision to depart the bustling Southern California beach town where I was born and move to the hidden Gold Country hamlet, but now it makes perfect sense. The laid-back lifestyle, charming downtown district, down-to-earth denizens, and abundant natural beauty immediately pulled my parents in. Fast forward to today—married (to a man I, ironically, went to high school with) and two children later—and my impression of Auburn has vastly changed. Even though it’s still a small town with just under 15,000 residents, it’s grown, and continues to grow, in some truly wonderful ways—think world-class wineries (Wise Villa), craft coffee shops (The Pour Choice), a soon-to-open co-op (Briar Patch), in-vogue eateries (Restaurant Josephine), and buzzworthy breweries (Crooked Lane).

Why am I raving about this pastoral place that’s oftentimes a mere pitstop for people en route to Tahoe? Because starting this month in STYLE, we’re including more content dedicated to the “Endurance Capital of the World.” Check out Artist Spotlight (page 24), Calendar (page 28), Take a Hike (page 38),  and the Restaurant Guide (page 98) to read what I mean. Whether you reside in Auburn, occasionally visit, or have never been, I encourage you to explore more of this not-so-secret slice of Placer County paradise.

Auburn aside, this issue is stuffed with all sorts of other interesting editorial, like “Stellar Cellar” (page 96) where area wine bar owners uncork their must-sip bargain bottles and special-occasion splurges; “Life is Grand” (page 20), featuring a spotlight on the area’s greatest grandparents; and a roundup of the tastiest plates of pasta found ’round town in “Noodle Nirvana” (page 92).

Finally, in our cover story, “Pizza Party,” we take you on a tour of the area’s top 30 pizzerias with what to order at each—from the ordinary done extraordinarily well (cheese, please!) to more obscure offerings, like a wild prawn pizza from Heyday Café topped with sriracha garlic cream sauce, red onions, pineapple, three cheeses, and honey cider slaw. Dig in starting on page 67.

My personal favorite in the piece? Old Town Pizza, a local chain whose first location just so happened to be in Auburn. To this day, whenever I bite into a slice of their praiseworthy pies, it tastes like home—a flavor I’ll always savor. Cheers!