Friday, October 14, 2011

Hyatt/Andaz Event

I took a little recovery time from my Tahoe trip, and actually am working on a wrap-up posting on Tahoe that I hope to post this weekend, but I went to an event last night that I wanted to share.

Membership definitely has its privileges.  I happen to be a cardholder for Hyatt’s affinity Visa card.  A few weeks back I received an email from them regarding an event they were hosting in Los Angeles for cardholders at their Andaz West Hollywood hotel.  It was for a limited number of guests, so I did call right away to get on the list, as I was intrigued.

Last night was the event, and I took my friend and co-worker Madeleine (I drag her to the food trucks when they are in Century City during the week) and we were both impressed with the event.  They held it on the rooftop lounge and deck, with stunning views of the L.A. skyline from the Hollywood Hills.  Being a warm October evening helped as well. 

The event was far more than I was expecting.  I thought it was going to be a small cocktail party with food being passed around on trays with a central bar.  They had definitely stepped their game up for this and exceeded my expectation by far.  They had servers walking around offering glasses of champagne to everyone, and in the center of the room was a station set up with cured meats, cheeses, olives that were marinated in oil, garlic and I want to say rosemary and oregano…..I could have eaten the entire container, and breads.

The event planner put much thought into the rest of the set up, and worked with wine blogger and sommelier David Organsiak to create stations around the lounge with small plates paired to very specific wines.  My one big regret (and I really need to get better at this) was that I did not write down or photograph each station and what was served and paired.  Arrrrgg!

It was set up with one side being white wines, the other reds.  So we started out with whites, and I tried the foie gras (no comments please) with a chenin blanc.  It was a great pairing!  The next station had grilled goat cheese wrapped in grape leaves paired with another white – amazing.  I have forgotten the third station unfortunately, but whatever we ate, we did like.  The last station on the white side was a salad of greens, pecans, pomegranate seeds and feta cheese with a vinaigrette – absolutely delicious. 

On the red side there was one fewer station.  It started with a mushroom risotto, which we both passed on (I don’t do fungi).  They next station was pork tenderloin with rosemary, paired with a bold red wine – very, very tasty.  The last station was beef cheeks, but they had run out by the time we got to it and we never saw more come out (bummer). 

There was also a dessert table, also paired with wines.  There were various macaroons paired with a white, which I believe was a sauterne.  For red they a port paired with various chocolate treats.  I behaved myself and only had a few choices from the dessert table (though I wanted to put on a bib and dive in!). 

One other pleasant surprise at the event was they had author Amelia Saltsman there signing copies of her book The Santa Monica Farmers’ Market Cookbook for all the guests.  At first I didn’t quite recognize who she was until she started talking more, then it hit me:  she can be heard as a frequent guest on Evan Kleiman’s show “Good Food” on local public radio station KCRW (www.kcrw.com).  She has collected some wonderful recipes in this cookbook, which I fully intend to try out soon!  (If you read this Amelia, it was such a pleasure to meet and chat with you last night!)

And to finish the night, they had some great LPGs for everyone (lovely parting gifts).  We each received a neoprene, insulated, branded wine tote with two bottles of French wine – one white, one red.  Looking forward to cracking those open sometime!  The tote also included a nice corkscrew.  Oh, and they also had a cigar bar next to the deck where they had a Cuban ex-pat cigar roller making handmade cigars for anyone who wanted one.  While I don’t smoke, I did avail myself to give as a gift.

I give major kudos to Hyatt and their partner Chase for putting this event together for cardholders, and I hope they do more like this in the future.  Heck, I’d even be willing to travel to other destinations for an event such as this!  (Hint hint!)

Saturday, October 8, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Final Dinner

Last night we had our final meal in Tahoe at the Swiss Lakewood restaurant in Homewood.  I was a tad hesitant as I had read some mixed reviews on Yelp and other places, but the menu had looked interesting, so Phil and I chanced it.

You walk in and the décor is definitely 1960s Americanized “Swiss/German” – a tad dated.  And one thing we noticed:  we were the youngest diners in the restaurant.  The hostess seated us In the main dining room and our server, Amanda, was quick to take our drink order.

We both started our meal with the baby spinach salad.  They dressed it with a honey based dressing, with feta cheese, almonds, orange sections and bacon.  It was incredibly delicious.  Sometimes the spinach can be a little bitter, but the way they prepared it with the dressing, it was just right and not at all bitter.

For our next course, we both ordered the French onion soup.  Normally, French onion is on the salty side, but however the prepared it, it didn’t have that “salt lick” effect. 

For my entrée, I ordered the Pepper Steak – a NY strip covered in a peppercorn sauce.  The cut was very generous – I had leftovers to bring back for breakfast or a snack on the road.  It was very peppery…which I like, but I imagine that some people might be put off by the amount of pepper, but if you like that, this is the dish for you.

Phil had the wienerschnitzel with lingonberry sauce.  He was pleasantly surprised with the combo, and said it worked very well together.

Neither of us much cared for the mashed potatoes included with our meals.  Phil said his were very salty, and mine tasted almost sweet in an odd way. 

Overall, we had a good experience and very good meal. We both rated it about 3.5 to 4 stars.  However, it is not cheap.  Entrees run from $24 to $36.  Expect a meal for two like we had, including wine, to run you just over $100 – so it would likely be a treat meal rather than a normal night out.  It was a nice way to end our vacation in Tahoe, which we are sad to leave.  I think we both will come back, perhaps in the spring or later summer/earlier fall before the snow so we could do more of the outdoor activities.

Friday, October 7, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Days 6-7

I didn’t get to blog yesterday as I didn’t get home until midnight last night, so will cover yesterday and today. 

Thursday, Oct. 6
Yesterday it was still snowing in Tahoe, moreso in South Lake Tahoe we discovered.  We decided to drive down the east side of the lake and take some pictures.  We stopped at a private beach in Incline Village (must be nice to have private access to the shoreline), but since it’s basically closed for the season, no one gave us grief.  There were some beautiful views of the lake and the mountains.

We drove on towards Stateline, and encountered some icy roads in the pass as we got further south, but it was better than what we had encountered on the west side of the lake the night before.  We pulled in to the Mont Bleu casino in Stateline to try another casino.  We played for about an hour and I wound up about $10 ahead when we left….not bad for the penny slots.

We were getting peckish, so we headed into Stateline and wound up eating at the Stateline Brewery (www.statelinebrewery.com).  I really don’t have much flattering to say about it, other than I did like the White-out Wit (a wheat beer).  I had kobe sliders and Phil had a chicken Caesar salad.  I wouldn’t go out of my way to eat here, but if you’re in the area and hungry, it’s decent enough, but there are better options down the street.

We drove back as I had plans to meet my cousin Jen down the hill in Grass Valley for dinner.  I was about to leave just after 3pm as it’s a 90 minute drive.  It was a very pleasant drive over the Donner Pass (and stunning views of the snowy mountains.  I cut off onto the 20 Fwy, which is a gorgeous two lane rural highway.  I was basically the only person on the road.  You start out at around 8000 feet, with lots of snow, and as I descended down the mountains towards Grass Valley, the snow lessened and lessened.  It was neat to see the slow transition. 

I made it to dinner with my cousin and her sons in plenty of time.  I hadn’t seen her in years, so it was very nice to get caught up.  We ate at Frank’s Pizza in downtown Grass Valley (it’s an old mining town and the architecture is pretty much still intact).  I definitely would like to go back and spend some time exploring this quaint town (and visit more with my cousin and her kids).  The drive back was uneventful, but  being so late and so cold, I did worry about ice, but fortunately the roads had been sanded and I didn’t hit any ice patches,



Friday, Oct. 7
Today we hit the Old Post Office Café in Carnelian Bay, just up the road.  It has gotten great reviews and I can see why.  Compared to the Log Cabin, it’s more authentic and geared towards the locals and is true coffee shop fare.  I ordered a bowl of fruit and biscuits & gravy.  The b&g can go either way I’ve learned – restaurants either do it very well, or it’s awful.  They did it right.  It was almost as good as my dad’s!  Phil had the breakfast burrito with potatoes.  He said the burrito was very tasty and the potatoes were superior to the ones he had at Log Cabin.

We drove down the west side of the lake again and stopped a few times to take some pictures of the snowy peaks.  The snow was just starting to melt at the south end of the lake (the north end was pretty dry by this morning).  We headed out the 89, which I had originally came in on and got to see the snow covered valleys up a little higher in the Sierras.  It was quite stunning.  We drove out to Woodfords (if you blink as you drive through, you’d miss it) and turned around as we were getting a tad far out. 


As we got back in to South Lake Tahoe, we stopped to do some shopping.  I didn’t find much of interest, but I did find a birthday/Xmas gift for my niece (she may be reading, so don’t want to share my find!).  Our lunch was basically just a snack – we stopped at KFC for some popcorn chicken and chicken snackers.  I wanted to save room for our final meal in Tahoe tonight – we’re heading to the Swiss Lakewood – I will try to report on it later tonight, or tomorrow morning if I can.

Wednesday, October 5, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Day 5

As predicted, it snowed today, but it was a very light snow that never stuck down where we are, but we still didn’t do much today.  It was cold, wet and made for a perfect lazy day.  Phil and I did walk down to Tahoe Vista and back, and got a few pictures of the lake and the snow covered peaks, though it wasn’t clear enough to get a great picture.


It did start coming down harder later in the afternoon, but it still wasn’t cold enough for it to stick here.  We decided to head down to South Lake Tahoe to get some pizza at The Brewery at Lake Tahoe (it smelled soooo good when were there the other day), but as we drove down the west side of the lake, we went up in altitude and wound up in a very snowy and icy environment, to the point that they had posted “chains required”, so we turned back when the snow plow truck passed us on the other side.  It was beautiful, but unfortunately too dark to get any pictures.

We headed back north to Tahoe City and pulled into Front Street Station Pizza (www.frontstreetpizza.com) hoping it would be good.  It’s a small place, with only counter space to sit at (though they had table seating outside…….but definitely not in THIS weather).  We ordered a pepperoni and some sodas and sat down waiting for our pizza.  There was a family at the counter next to the kitchen, so we sat on the side counter along the wall – but the family was leaving just as out pizza came out of the oven and we had better seating at the counter.

The pizza was thin crust and very crispy, the cheese very stringy (as it should be!), and they seemed to have the balance of sauce, cheese and pepperoni right.  It was a tad greasy, but I kind of expect that with pepperoni.  It made for a good cold night dinner.  The pizza wasn’t cheap, but not expensive either.  A 16”pizza plus two sodas ran me about $23.  It’s worth checking out if you’re in Tahoe City and want some pizza.

Tuesday, October 4, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Day 4

We started the day eating at home and having a lazy morning.  We eventually got out and drove out to Squaw Valley to see the old Olympic village.  It was nice to see where the 1960 Winter Olympics were held.  They have kept the original Olympic village where the athletes were housed….it’s not a hotel.  But there are definitely lots of new construction, and the ski lifts head up some steep mountains!


It was freezing out, so we stopped in at the Plumpjack (www.plumpjackcafe.com) at Squaw Valley Inn for some hot chocolate and warmth.  The bartender was a hoot and fun to talk to.  She was from New Zealand and offered up some tips for places to visit up the road in Truckee.
After milling about Squaw Valley for a while, we headed into Truckee to visit the Donner Memorial State Park (http://www.parks.ca.gov/?page_id=503) to see the site where part of the Donner party had camped and read up on the history of the Donner party and the eventual transcontinental railroad as it came through the area.  It was actually kind of interesting.

Eventually, we got hungry and started foraging for food.  I found several restaurants on Yelp down in historic Truckee, and we settled on the Pacific Crest Grill (http://www.barofamerica.net/).  It sits on the corner in a historic building and had an interesting menu.  Phil ordered their version of a Cuban sandwich (roast pork, ham, gruyere cheese, mustard and pickles).  He said it was okay, but not great.  I had ordered the Steak Frites (a bavette of beef, hand cut fries and herbed shallot butter).  I found it to be very delicious. 

After lunch, we headed back home for a bit to kick back and relax.  It was starting to rain and getting colder, so we hung out and I got some chores done.

For dinner, because we had such a great experience last night at Bite, we decided to go back for some comfort food.  We even asked for Shannon again (and the hostess even remembered us).  We both had the tomato soup, and I ordered the Crispy Goat Cheese Sliders (and they were soooo good and paired very well with the soup).  Phil had the Cheeseburger Sliders and seemed to quite enjoy them.

For dessert, we asked to mix a plate since I wanted to try the Coconut Cream Bites (and Phil HATES coconut), and Phil had the Chocolate Cake.  The Coconut Cream were sinful….if you enjoy coconut, they are a definite must.  Phil found the Chocolate Cake to be an interesting combination of flavors (and a good one).

Tomorrow we’re expecting snow, so may not have a lot to report, will try to post at least some pictures of the whiteness (or slushiness…depending)!

Monday, October 3, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Day 3

This morning Phil and I breakfasted at the Cal Neva Resort (www.calnevaresort.com) just across the border (well, actually, it straddles the border).  I had the Cal Neva French Toast (with the option of raisin bread).  It was tasty, but perhaps a little too heavy.  Of course, being on vacation, I had to get a side order of bacon.  I’d rate the breakfast as average/okay – nothing special.  But it was a little on the pricey side.  I think my total for breakfast was about $20-22.  Tomorrow we’re doing breakfast in.

After eating, we drove down the east side of the lake to catch the 50 Fwy down the mountain into Carson, NV to check it out.  It also happens to be the state capital.  In the downtown core they have some of the old buildings that they’ve maintained, and the state buildings.  We visited the newer Legislature building and walked around the Senate and Assembly chambers – they were very nice.  The legislature was not in session, so there really wasn’t anyone around.

We then walked next door to the capitol building.  Back in the late 70’s through the early 80’s, they had gutted the entire interior of the building, keeping the façade.  It was a nice building, and very accessible for the people.  We were able to walk in and walk around, just as we had in the Legislature.
After walking around for a little while, we then headed on to Virginia City, on old mining town up in the hills above Carson City that has been pretty well maintained with the original buildings from the 1800’s.  They have made it a tourist destination.  It was nice to walk around and see the old saloons and walk along the boardwalks.  We spent a little over an hour walking around, checking out the buildings and shops, then decided it was time to get some lunch.

We drove down the other side the mountains down into Reno since Phil has had a hankering for In-N-Out (they don’t have any up in Portland).  Since we were in Reno, which surprised me by how big a city it really is, we decided to visit a casino in downtown.  We drove around and I picked the El Dorado to pull into (and they made you pay for parking unless you’re a guest or eat in the restaurants - WTF? It’s a casino making money off us already!),

We roamed around and played a few machines.  I introduced Phil to the "I Dream of Jeannie" machine – he found it as amusing as I do.  “Yes, Master!”  I walked out down only about $8.

We headed back to home base to relax a little and then head to an early dinner.  We had been recommended to try out a tapas place over in Incline Village, and we were looking for a little bit of a lighter meal, so off we went to Bite (www.bitetahoe.com).

It’s located in a strip mall in the middle of town, and it looks rather unassuming on the outside, but once you walk in (you’re in the bar area).  The atmosphere is very wine bar-ish and chic.  Our server, Shannon, was very sweet and friendly.  I ordered a unique Spanish red wine that was called Mencia.  It was very tasty and bold – just the way I like them.  Phil ordered a Viognier from Napa.  I had been telling Phil earlier in the day about an old classic drink I had a while back, a Negroni, and lamented that no one knows how to make them.  Phil asked Shannon if they made those there, and to my surprise, she knew exactly what I was talking about, so another trip this week will definitely be in order!

We started with a cheese plate that had a Humboldt Foggy Bottom goat cheese, and a triple crème brie.  They served it with some honey and quince paste (they were a little overly generous with the quince…a little goes a very long way.

Next we ordered their Grilled Cheese Bites.  They were very good, but needed a little something. I also had ordered a taste of their tomato soup and it was deeeelish and paired well with the grilled cheese.  The last thing we ordered were the Beef Spare Rib sliders.  Amazingly delicious!  The meat was juicy and well seasoned, and the crispy onions gave it a nice texture. 

For dessert, we tried the Key Lime Pie Bites.  Phil is very picky about this key lime, but he said these were very good, and I would have to agree.  Yum yum yum! 

The entire meal was great and the service was wonderful.  All in, our tab came to $62.  Not cheap, but for the quality of the food and wine, it was well within reason.  I highly recommend checking it out if you come to Tahoe!

Sunday, October 2, 2011

Tahoe Vacation - Day 2

Day two started out with breakfast at a local restaurant our home owner told us about – The Log Cabin (www.logcabinbreakfast.com) in Kings Beach.  It was also walking distance.  We got there at just the right time too, as it filled up quickly.  I can see why…..I was impressed with the menu.

The lemon poppy seed waffles intrigued me, so I ordered those with a side of bacon and real maple syrup.  The waffles were amazingly light and fluffy, and incredibly delicious.  I couldn’t put my fork down!  Most waffles I order tend to be heavy, but these were not.  I probably could have eaten another order….but I didn’t.  The bacon was nice and crispy (just how I like it).  I also had a Sea Breeze Mimosa – champagne mixed with grapefruit and cranberry juices…..yummmm!

Phil had eggs benedict, but on a croissant instead of English muffins.  He said the hollandaise was a little spicy, but good, and his overall impression was he wasn’t overly impressed.  The potatoes were bland, too.  He couldn’t recommend it. 

So our breakfast was mixed:  I enjoyed mine, Phil wasn’t overly enthused.  It wasn’t the cheapest (I think we paid about $35), but I would go back for the waffles.

We spent the rest of the afternoon doing a complete loop around the lake (and it really is an all-day thing.  We started going south down the Nevada side, stopping at several view points to get a nice view and snap some photos.  (See below)


When we got the south end of the lake at Stateline, we decided to stop in and visit some casinos.  We pulled in to Harvey’s (which is connected to Harrah’s across the street).  I limited it to $20.  Unfortunately, neither casino had a no smoking section, so it wasn’t easy to find a place to sit and gamble.  We wound up spending about an hour hopping around the machine (and losing our money).  I was only down about $15 when we called it quits.

It was time for lunch, so we drove on into South Lake Tahoe to grab a bite and found a brew pub – The Brewery at Lake Tahoe (www.brewerylaketahoe.com).  They offered a good variety of menu options.  I actually had a hard time making a choice, but finally decided on the pulled pork sandwich.  They served it up on a ciabatta roll with BBQ sauce.  They were very generous.  I also had the beer battered French fries.  I know….you’re thinking “what?” – they were very tasty, not greasy and very crispy.  While it was a brew pub, I opted out of having a beer since the altitude here in Tahoe (we’re at about 7,000 ft) has very thin air and I am still adjusting.  Maybe later this week. 

We continued on around the south end of the lake and back north.  We hit an Oktoberfest along the road as we headed north, which made traffic a tad L.A. like.  So we unfortunately did not get to stop at as many view points due to the traffic and parking issues, but we did get to stop at one that overlooks the only island in the lake.


We eventually got back to Kings Beach and decided to take a nap before going to dinner.  I highly recommend a “disco” nap, especially when vacationing.  A 30 minute nap can do wonders.

We ended the evening going to dinner at another local place that had been recommended to us – Jason’s Beachside Grille (www.jasonsbeachsidegrille.com).  They had a daily special of roasted rosemary chicken which sounded very tempting, so that’s what I ordered.  I added on a trip to the salad bar (I was feeling the need for greens).  The salad bar was your basic one, nothing special, but they did offer mixed spring greens.  The chicken was very tender and juicy, and you could taste the rosemary (but it was not overpowering – it was complimentary). 

The sides that came with the chicken were rice pilaf and mixed veggies.  The rice was very bland and tasteless, so I wound up not eating it.  The veggies were okay.  Also, I had ordered an Arnold Palmer – and they just didn’t do it right.  They used mostly tea.  A good mix is usually half and half.  Oh well.  While Yelp showed them as rated at 4 stars, I would give them a three at most.

Not sure what’s on tap for tomorrow, but whatever we do I am sure will be enjoyable.

Vacation - Day 1 Part 2 - Dinner

After Phil and I got settled in the house he rented, we went to a later dinner at Caliente (www.calientetahoe.com), a Mexican restaurant down the street from us that the owner of the house recommended.  It was just several blocks away, so we walked. 

The restaurant was very comfortable and had a nice, festive atmosphere.  The menu had much to offer, though I didn’t want a real heavy meal it being so late for dinner.  I wound up ordering from the starter menu.  The Short Rib Flautas just sounded too good and was a nice size.  Phil ordered 4 of the Tahoe Tacos Especiales (two carne asada, two chicken tinga).  He also ordered a side of rice and black beans.  To complete my meal, of course, being a Mexican restaurant, I had to test how well they made margaritas!

I can report that the margarita was rather potent.  It initially had a very sweet taste, then it hits you with the tang, then the aftertaste reminded me a little of coconut (but not in a bad way).  The flautas were very well done, too.  The short rib meat was mixed with jack cheese and poblano peppers.  They were crisp, and juicy when you bit into them.  It was just enough food to sate my hunger.  Phil reported that he enjoyed the carne asada tacos, and the chicken tinga were good, but not as good as the carne.  The rice and beans, however, were less than thrilling, specifically the beans.  I tasted them too – extremely bland.  The rice was okay, but it didn’t wow me.

Overall, if you’re looking for a good, filling meal and enjoy Mexican, I can recommend them.  They also have drink specials during the week, so we may be going back to check it out.

And on one final note, let me share a disclaimer they had on the children’s menu – it was quite amusing:

Tahoe Vacation - Day 1 (Saturday)

Saturday began my week long vacation to Lake Tahoe.  About once a year, I take a trip with my friend Phil from Portland and we meet somewhere.  This year he rented a house in King’s Beach (North Lake Tahoe).  He decided to drive down, and I drove up.

I began my odyssey yesterday morning, leaving my home in the San Fernando Valley at 7am and drove up the 5 Fwy to the 14 to the Antelope Valley.  I decided to drive the mountain route up through Mammoth and up all the way through to Tahoe.  The drive through the Antelope Valley is a tad on the sparse side, but it still can be beautiful.  I drove past the aircraft boneyard in Mojave – I had checked and they do give tours…however, they won’t let you take pictures, so what’s the point.

Just past Mojave, you come across Red Rock Canyon State Park.  It’s quite beautiful and reminds me a little of Sedona (without the trees and shrubs).  I stopped to take some pictures (see below), and they do have a park, but I had to get on my way.

The 14 eventually merges with US 395, which takes you all the way up towards Tahoe.  You drive through a bunch of tiny towns.  Independence is one I would love to go back and stop and spend some time.  I stopped in Bishop to gas up – I had not been to Bishop since I was maybe 5 years old.  And gas was about the same as what I paid in L.A.

I continued on to Mammoth.  I wanted to stop there since I had seen something on the map that had intrigued me:  the Devil’s Postpile National Monument (http://www.nps.gov/depo/index.htm).   I stopped in town to grab some lunch at Schat’s Bakery (www.schats.com).  I had a roast beef sandwich on squaw bread – they carved chunks of beef of the roast….an unusual way to serve it, but it worked and was quite tasty.

I went on my way to the Monument way west of town.  Since it’s part of the National Park Service, you do have to pay an entry fee ($10).  You start out at just over 9100 feet elevation, then drive down a very windy, extremely narrow road into the valley.  For three miles, the road is one lane.  Once you get to the bottom, you have the option of going to the meadows, a couple of waterfalls, and the Devil’s Postpile.  They also allow camping with a permit.

I was there primarily to see the Monument, so I drove on to the south end of the park to the parking area for it.  It’s only a short, easy hike to get to it, and you also have the option of hiking to the top and over, which I did. 

The monument is quite interesting – it’s similar to the Giant’s Causeway in Ireland – they both are ancient lava flows that cooled very slowly over time and crystallized.  When that happens, it forms into hexagonal columns.  It’s very neat to see.

After hiking over the hill and taking lots and lots of pictures, I checked out the San Joaquin River, which flows through the park.  It was a very bucolic setting.  It was getting to be mid-afternoon, so I started making my way back to the 395 and headed north to Mono Lake. 

One important note about gas:  I recommend gassing up in Bishop, maybe Mammoth, because once you get north of there, expect to pay $5 a gallon!  EEEEEKS!

When I got to Mono Lake, I stopped at the county park at the north end of the lake off the 395.   I was advised be friends to bypass the visitor’s center on the south side and head to this park – it has a boardwalk that takes you out to the shore and you get up close and personal with the tufa’s left behind after the lake began being drained by Los Angeles Dept. of Water & Power. 

These tufa’s are limestone formations created from the minerals spewed by hot springs that used to dot the area.  Many were submerged until the lake was being drained, and the shoreline has shrunk back about a football field’s length.  Thankfully the drainage has stopped.  I spent about 30 minutes at the park walking around and just enjoying the simple beauty.


It was then time to make my way to Tahoe.  The 395 goes off northeast into Nevada, so you have to cut over on state route 89, which takes you up through the mountains of the Toiyabe National Forest into the Tahoe region.  Just as I had turned onto the 89 and was making my way up the hill, a guy in a truck coming down was waving a red flag, so I knew something was up.  Since it was on a corner, I decided to stop, and just as I did…….thousands of sheep turned the corner and headed my way.

They were moving a huge herd down the mountain and had to use the highway for part of it.  It really was rather amusing.  It didn’t take more than 5-10 minutes, and one of the women at the end with the herders told me there were close to 5000 of them!

I eventually made my way up to Tahoe and around the lake to meet up with Phil around 7pm. 

I will try to post each day with new pics and any interesting dining adventures.