Archive for the ‘Dining’ Category
By Michelle Portesi
Path through Taylor Creek State Park
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Technically, it’s really not Fall yet, but here in the Lake Tahoe basin, what that definition has come to mean is the end of the busy summer season, most of the tourists have gone home and everyone’s kids are back in school. As we cruise into the ‘shoulder season’, that doesn’t mean there isn’t plenty to do and see. On the contrary. One look at our calendar of events reveals that there is still plenty of fun to be had in September rolling into October. yourfriendinhighplaces.wordpress.com/events-calendar
While the temperatures will most likely stay warm and sunny for a bit longer, there is no doubt there is an evening and early morning nip in the air. If you’ve never visited the area after the summer ends, you’ll discover happily that Fall is glorious here.
Now is the time to go on those hiking and bike trails that were so overly crowded during the summer. But beware. We’ve been known to get a few inches of snow the day after Labor Day and onward! While it usually doesn’t stick around for long, plan for layers of clothing as Mother Nature sorts herself out during the transition. Be sure to bring your camera along too. The leaves may turn in September or October (depending on the temperatures) and you wouldn’t want to miss the Fall show.
Our Calendar of Events have a well rounded list of things to do and see, but there are a few special events we would like to make sure you don’t miss:
Image from the Nevada Museum of Art
#1 – The Nevada Museum of Art’s new exhibit ‘TAHOE, A Visual History’. I just saw this exhibit Friday, and I can tell you, it is nothing short of fascinating. It amassed almost 2 centuries of art, spanning from when Fremont first viewed the lake to present day. You are sure to learn an even more in depth history of Lake Tahoe and the Donner Lake area that you never knew existed. Featuring art from Ansel Adams, Currier and Ives and Frank Lloyd Wright among many, many others. it’s a visual history of the area that has no doubt never been seen before in one place. As I walked through the exhibits, I was captured by the thought of what it must take to gather so many varied pieces of art from private collectors, other museums and state and national archives throughout the country. It is truly an impressive achievement. The exhibit runs through January 19, 2016. Visit www.nevadaart.org for more information. Don’t miss it!
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#2 – The Best of the West Nugget Rib Cook-Off. Sept. 3-7, Sparks NV. This is an extremely popular annual event, and if you’re a rib connoiseur and you’ve never been to it, you really must go! Dozens and dozens of rib purveyors, cooking ribs every way you can imagine. And of course, there are all the fixin’s to go with. The Nugget transforms Victorian Square in downtown Sparks into a must-attend culinary, music, craft, and family end-of-summer affair. nuggetribcookoff.com
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Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival. Photo from Go Tahoe North
# 3 – The Lake Tahoe Autumn Food and Wine Festival. Sept. 11-13 at Northstar Ski Resort. Considered one of Lake Tahoe’s premier gourmet events. Enjoy three full days of cooking seminars and demonstrations, culinary competitions, wine tastings, a Farm to Tahoe dinner, live music, a gourmet marketplace, and more! www.northstarcalifornia.com
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#4 – Octoberfest! Sept. 26th at Squaw Valley. It’s time to get your ‘oomp-pa-pa’ on with a traditional beer and bratwurst extravaganza, Bavarian folk dancers, live music and more. squawalpine.com/events
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Spawning Kokanee Salmon at Taylor Creek
#5 – Fall Fish Festival – October 3-4 at U.S. Forest Service Visitor’s Center at Taylor Creek, South Lake Tahoe. Plenty of family friendly fun and educational activities are presented by the U.S Fish and Wildlife Service, but the real show is watching the Kokanee Salmon run as they make their way from Lake Tahoe up Taylor Creek to spawn. Walk the gentle pathways of this beautifully peaceful area or take a ride along the bike trail. Another Octoberfest celebration will be going on at Camp Richardson’s Tallac Historic site right next door for food and refreshments. Just follow the trail between the two. And watch out for bears…
Taylor Creek Information: www.fs.usda.gov
Camp Richardson Information: www.camprichardson.com
Obviously, we’re all about the food here, so be sure to work some of those calories off with a hike, a bike ride or some paddle boarding in our glorious mountain community. Be sure to check in on the Events Calendar from time to time, as new Events and Announcements will be added as the information becomes available.
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THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
www.lynnrichardson.net
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
By Michelle Portesi
Sunset at Donner Lake. Photo by Michelle Portesi
Let’s face it, the big blue, Lake Tahoe, tends to get most of the attention and press during our busy summer months. But right here in Truckee is Donner Lake, chock full of fun things to do in a much less busy environment.
I’ve lived here off and on for years, and what’s nice about the area is that when crazy holiday weekends descend, I don’t have to venture very far for food and fun. Instead of fighting the crowds, I can hoof it to most anything I might want to do, including finding basic sustenance.
THINGS TO DO AT DONNER LAKE:
Take a bike ride. The bike trails are well defined along Donner Pass Road and goes most of the way around the lake. You can continue on through the campgrounds at Donner Memorial State Park to get back to Donner Pass Road.
Go Fishing! There is a dedicated fishing pier and handicapped ramp about half way down Donner Pass Road along the lake. Or try your luck off of the many public piers. Make sure to pick up your California fishing license online.
Have a picnic. Near the Fishing pier is a picnic area right on the lake complete with picnic tables and grills. Picnic areas are also available at Donner Memorial State Park. Plan ahead and come early, these spots fill up fast.
Go for a swim. Dunking oneself in Donner Lake during blistering hot days is a given, but many have been the evenings when the temperature doesn’t drop with the sun and my place still feels like a stuffy broiler. On those occasions, nothing is more refreshing than donning my bathing attire and taking a moonlight dip.
Kayaking at an inlet at Donner Lake. Photo by Michelle Portesi
Rent a kayak or paddle board at Donner Memorial State Park. The water in the mornings at Donner Lake are often a crystal clear glass calm. It’s the perfect time to ply the waters without fighting the waves whipped up by the winds, or even jet skis and boats.
Go for a boat ride. Donner Lake’s Marina is one of the few areas still deep enough in the Lake Tahoe basin despite the drought to launch your boat. Or you can call ahead to rent a pontoon boat ride.
Go Camping. Donner Memorial Park’s campground is right near the lake and features pleasant campsites, bathrooms and actual showers! The campground also hosts many campground events during the summer. Visit www.parks.ca.gov for more info.
Coldstream Canyon. Photo by Michelle Portesi
Go for a Hike. You can take a leisurely hike on the trails throughout Donner Memorial State Park, or for a little more effort, Coldstream Canyon starts at the east end of Donner Lake Campgound. Follow the creek over easy to moderate terrain to back country ponds and environmental reclamation sites. See Go Take a Hike # 4 for more info on this hike. yourfriendinhighplaces.net/2014/08/19/
Sunset over Donner Lake. Photo by Michelle Portesi
Get Yourself Some History. The new memorial museum at Donner State Park has reopened with new exhibits about the area’s history.
Just Hang Out. Read a book, sunbath, play fetch with your dog, have a glass of wine, watch the sun set. There are a wealth of public piers all along the north side of Donner Lake along Donner Pass Road just perfect for doing absolutely nothing.
If you’re a resident of Tahoe Donner, you can laze away the summer days at the Tahoe Donner Beach. There’s a snack bar and rental concessions for kayaks and paddle boats.
Dock at Tahoe Donner Beach area. Photo by Michelle Portesi
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Don’t want to venture into town for food and/or a few items? Then you’ll be grateful for these businesses:
STICKS MARKET. Located about a mile from Donner Memorial Park is Sticks Market, featuring fresh made deli sandwiches, espresso drinks and a generous selection of wines, beer and other beverages along with the usual basic staples. They even have a fairly decent array of meats, cheeses, fruits and vegetables if you just need a few items and don’t want to fight the crowds in town for them. For a small little market, they pack in quite a bit.
DONNER LAKE KITCHEN. Known for serving breakfast and lunch, now during the summer, they are open Saturday evenings too. They will be featuring ‘Oysters on the Deck’ from 2-8 pm and also serving dinner, including steaks, burgers and sandwiches from 4-8 pm.
You’ll always find plenty to do at Donner Lake!
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
www.lynnrichardson.net
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
By Tim Hauserman
Lake Tahoe has bike riding, hiking, kayaking, paddleboarding, wakeboarding, waterskiing, boating and yoga. Or you could just hang out and do nothing on the beach. But alas, eventually you have to feed yourself and that rowdy gang of friends and family that is hanging around your mountain cabin. There are plenty of nice restaurants in town, but wouldn’t it be nice to sit back and have someone bring you the food? And I’m not talking pizza, but real organic, healthy delicious lunches and dinners delivered to your door. With no buying, chopping or boiling required. Yep, somebody is doing that.
Priya Hutner moved to Truckee a few years ago with a desire to live in the mountains, a background in the food industry, and a love of turning people on to healthy food. She founded Seasoned Sage with the simple premise to bring delicious organic food to busy people.
She will deliver meals to your door, or prepare them for you in your kitchen. She uses all organic products, and focuses on the freshest and most local that she can find. Which means she heads to the farmers markets and buys boxes of produce from local farmers.
Purely in the interest of research of course, I agreed to sample some of Priya’s lunches. I especially enjoyed the Kahula pork on sweet potato with cabbage, beet and brussels saw. But I couldn’t stop there. I dove into a turkey wrap with veggies with a carrot ginger dressing, and then there was a spring chicken ragout with roasted chick peas, and then finally I had just enough room left to savor the Veggie Lasagna. All of it, very yummy.
Priya can also come to your house and be your personal chef. Wouldn’t if be nice if she was preparing your dinner while you are getting in that last paddleboard ride on Donner Lake? Or she could even put on a cooking class so once your vacation is complete, you can go home and cook the food you’ve been enjoying while you were in Truckee. Bon appetite.
For information go to seasonedsage.com
THINK OF ME, LYNN RICHARDSON, FOR ALL OF YOUR LAKE TAHOE AND TRUCKEE REAL ESTATE NEEDS!
www.lynnrichardson.net
Share this: Lynn Richardson, Your Friend in High Places
YOUR FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES 