December 19 to 25, 2019

fun. unique. everywhere.

dec. 19-25, 2019

Tahoe

ULTIMATE

WINTER BUCKET LIST WINTER DEALS ON FAMILY FUN

SUGAR BOWL TURNS 80

SNOWSHOE TO SWEEPING DONNER SUMMIT VISTAS // PLAYING FOR PEANUTS REVIVING THE MUSIC OF “A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS” //

15

A Month Full Of Fun Holiday Activities For The Whole Family!

For a full list of events, use your phone camera and scan the code!

400 Squaw Creek Road, Olympic Valley, CA | 800.404.8006

530.583.1874

SKI OR RIDE FOR FREE

400 SQUAW CREEK ROAD

OLYMPIC VALLEY, CALIFORNIA

Purchase a CA or NV Tahoe license plate and get one free Alpine or Nordic ticket to the Tahoe resort of your choice*.

Now you can play in some deep powder without having to dig deep to make a difference.

96% of the fees generated from license plates come back to Lake Tahoe, resulting in more hiking and biking trails as well as water quality and restoration projects. For more information or to purchase your license plate online visit: tahoeplates.org.

Elyse Saugstad & Cody Townsend Professional Freeride Skiers *restrictions apply

Ellen Nunes

TheTahoeWeekly.com

06

Volume 38 | Issue 35 TM

P.O. Box 87 | Tahoe City, CA 96145 (530) 546-5995 | f (530) 546-8113 TheTahoeWeekly.com

SUBMISSIONS

14

Events & Entertainment Submit at TheTahoeWeekly.com Click on Events Calendar Editorial Inquiries editor@tahoethisweek.com

21

Entertainment Inquiries entertainment@tahoethisweek.com Cover Photography production@tahoethisweek.com

Entertainment Editor Sean McAlindin entertainment@tahoethisweek.com

6 10

Ultimate Tahoe Bucket List

17

OUT & ABOUT

TAHOE’S HOLIDAY CELEBRATIONS

Lake Tahoe Facts

5

Sightseeing

7

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Events

8

St. Nick is one busy fellow in Tahoe during the Christmas season and you’ll be hard pressed not to find Santa spending his days skiing on the mountain slopes, visiting with local kids, joining in torchlight parades, chowing down on breakfast with the locals and having a jolly good time. Read our Events Calendar for the lowdown on where you can catch up with Santa Claus to share your last-minute Christmas wishes.

FAMILY FUN Family Fun Activities

11

Winter Family Deals

12

For the Kids

12

ARTS & CULTURE Ellen Nunes

14

The Arts

14

FUN & GAMES Horoscope & Puzzles

20

MUSIC SCENE The Peanut Gang Trio

21

Entertainment Calendar & Live Music

22

LOCAL FLAVOR Kirkwood Inn

24

Wine Column

25

Tasty Tidbits

26

Chef’s Recipe

27

There are also a number of wonderful celebrations to enjoy with the family from the Snowball Festival at Soda Springs to the Lake Tahoe Dance Collective’s “Tahoe Nutcracker” and Truckee Dance Factory’s “The Twisted Nutcracker,” to the Heavenly Holidays Family Festival and Squaw Valley’s Merry Days. Look for dancing, merriment, movie showings, dining, carnivals, sleigh rides, snowshoe tours and much more all inside this edition.

And, for those that can’t get enough of the sounds of a Charlie Brown Christmas, you’ll want to read Sean McAlindin’s feature on The Peanut Gang Trio and then make plans to enjoy their music with performances in Reno and Truckee.

HOLIDAY SERVICES If you’re looking for local services, there are a plethora of places of worship in the Tahoe Sierra. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com and click on Explore Tahoe: Community for a listing of all of the places of worship in the Tahoe area. Happy holidays. 

ON THE COVER Skier Kris Thomas explores the powder on West Palisades at Sugar Bowl.

Photography by Vincent Zacha-Herthel | Courtesy Sugar Bowl

TheTahoeWeekly.com | 4

Sales & Marketing Manager Anne Artoux anne@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 110

Graphic Designer Justeen Ferguson graphics@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 101

FEATURES Sierra Stories

Publisher & Editor In Chief Katherine E. Hill publisher@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 102

Art Director Alyssa Ganong production@tahoethisweek.com, ext. 106

IN THIS ISSUE DECEMBER 19-25, 2019 Donner Summit Snowshoe

The Peanuts Gang

Mike White

MAKING IT HAPPEN

Facebook.com/TheTahoeWeekly |

@TheTahoeWeekly

Food Editor Priya Hutner priya@tahoethisweek.com Family Editor Michelle Allen michelle@tahoethisweek.com Copy Editor Katrina Veit Contributing Writers John Dee, Barbara Keck, Bruce Ajari, Mark McLaughlin, David “Smitty” Smith, Priya Hutner, Katrina Veit, Kayla Anderson, Lou Phillips, Sean McAlindin, Tim Hauserman, Alex Green, Lisa Michelle, Cam Schilling, Alex Silgalis

TAHOE WEEKLY is published weekly throughout the summer and biweekly the rest of the year, with occassional extra issues at holiday times by Range of Light Media Group, Inc. Look for new issues on Thursdays.

Subscribe to the free digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com.

TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007. Reproduction in whole or in part without publisher’s express permission is prohibited. Contributions welcome via e-mail. The Weekly is not responsible for unsolicited submissions. Member: North Lake Tahoe Resort Association, North Tahoe Business Association, Incline Community Business Association, Truckee Donner Chamber of Commerce, Tahoe City Downtown Association, Truckee Downtown Merchants Association, Tahoe South Chamber of Commerce and Alpine County Chamber of Commerce. Printed on recycled paper with soy-based inks. Please recycle your copy.

… the mighty Sierra, miles in height, and so gloriously colored and so radiant, it seemed not clothed with light but wholly composed of it, like the wall of some celestial city... Then it seemed to me that the Sierra should be called, not the Nevada or Snowy Range, but the Range of Light.

–John Muir

December 19-25, 2019

LAKE TAHOE FACTS | CLAIR TAPPAAN

Donner Summit

Truckee Donner Lake

TRUCKEE AIRPORT

DONNER MEMORIAL STATE PARK

h Ta

SUGAR BOWL

CROSS-COUNTRY SKI AREAS

SQUAW CREEK

Dollar Hill

Lake

GRANKLIBAKKEN

Spooner Lake

Tahoe

l

Eagle Rock

NEVADA NORDIC

Glenbrook o Ta h

HOMEWOOD

e Ri

m Tr a i l

Tahoma

SUGAR PINE POINT STATE PARK

Meeks Bay

Age of Lake Tahoe: 2 million years Emerald Bay

Watershed Area: 312 square miles Average Water Temperature: 42.1˚F

Cascade Lake

Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F Average Surface Temperature in July: 64.9˚F Highest Peak: Freel Peak at 10,881 feet

Ta h oe

R i m Tr ail

Average Snowfall: 409 inches

Fannette Island

Volume: 39 trillion gallons

Natural rim: 6,223’

Cave Rock

Lake Tahoe sits at an average elevation of between 6,223’ and 6,229.1’.

The top 6.1’ of water is controlled by the dam in Tahoe City and holds up to 744,600 acre feet of water.

Zephyr Cove

Size: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide

CA

Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra. Click on Nature & Environment under the Out & About menu.

Carson City

Lake Tahoe is the 2nd deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.

There is enough water in Lake Tahoe to supply everyone in the United States with more than 75 gallons of water per day for 5 years.

Homewood

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Maximum depth: 1,645 feet

Marlette Lake

NV

Sunnyside Ta h o e R i m

Average depth: 1,000 feet

DEEPEST POINT

TAHOE CROSS COUNTRY

Tahoe City

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

Lake Clarity: 2018: 70.9 feet avg. depth.

1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet

Crystal Bay

Kings Beach

Carnelian Bay

SNO-PARKS ai Tr

DIAMOND PEAK

Incline Village

Tahoe Vista

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

ALPINE MEADOWS

CASINOS

ra Rim T

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK

Olympic Valley SQUAW VALLEY

oe

N

WEST EAST SOUTH

Lake Tahoe is located in the states of California and Nevada, with two-thirds in California.

NORTHSTAR

Truckee River

DOWNHILL SKI AREAS

MT. ROSE

RENO-TAHOE INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT

DONNER SKI RANCH

ROYAL GORGE

SKY TAVERN

il

SODA SPRINGS

BOREAL

Reno & Sparks

TAHOE DONNER

AUBURN SKI TRAINING CENTER

Read about how the lake was formed, Lake Tahoe’s discovery, lake clarity and more at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Explore Tahoe.

South Lake Tahoe

Stateline

Lake Tahoe is as long as the English Channel is wide.

HEAVENLY CAMP RICHARDSON

Fallen Leaf Lake

BIJOU PARK / LAKE TAHOE COMMUNITY COLLEGE

Meyers

LAKE TAHOE AIRPORT

FREEL PEAK

ECHO LAKES

Permanent Population: 66,000 Number of Visitors: 3 million annually Kirkwood

SIERRA-AT-TAHOE

HOPE VALLEY

Markleeville

Shoreline: 72 miles Lake Tahoe has a surface area of 191 square miles. If Lake Tahoe were emptied, it would submerge California under 15 inches of water.

Why is the lake blue?

The Lake of the Sky appears blue in color as other colors in the light spectrum are absorbed and the blue light is scattered back.

KIRKWOOD

5

OUT & ABOUT

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Out

&ABOUT

OUTDOORS & RECREATION, EVENTS & MORE

Snowshoe

T O S W E E P I N G D O N N E R S U M M I T V I S TA S

A

Check out the Tahoe Downhill Ski Guide to see what’s new & exciting for the 2019-20 season. Click on Out & About: Winter.

rmed with a daily or annual permit, winter enthusiasts can park a vehicle at the Donner Summit Sno-Park and choose from a bevy of options for potential destinations near the Sierra crest. Within striking distance are peaks to climb, frozen lakes to see, sweeping vistas to enjoy and quiet forests in which to soothe your soul.

While some areas are quite popular, plenty of places still exist for escaping the crowds and enjoying the peace and serenity of winter’s hush, despite the usual hubbub at the area’s alpine resorts nearby.

Well-known objectives to the north of Interstate 80, such as Castle Valley or Peter Grubb Hut, usually allow beginning snowshoers to follow the tracks of previous parties. A much more challenging route

Free

back-country Shuttle Tahoe Backcountry Alliance will implement a Micro Transit Pilot Program for the West for back-country skiers to access trails where parking is limited or not available in the winter. On Jan. 18, Feb. 15 and March 14, Tahoe Backcountry Alliance will offer a free shuttle from the Transit Center in Tahoe City to the more popular back-country destinations along the West Shore, dropping off and picking up skiers every two hours throughout the day from 7:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Within striking distance are peaks to climb, frozen lakes to see, enjoy and quiet forests in which to soothe your soul. heads to Castle Pass and then steeply up toward the summit of Castle Peak. Without the aid of a marked or tracked trail, the less visited terrain to the south lures advanced recreationists able to navigate their own way through the back country.

In either direction, the visual rewards can be absolutely stunning.

For those who don’t mind the relative crowds on the north side of I-80, fellow snowshoers or skiers and their gear can be dropped at the north side of the freeway exit; the driver continues another 0.4 mile to a parking spot at the Sno-Park and then hoofs it back to meet his or her companions.

Heading along the popular route on the snow-covered Castle Valley Road is usually a straightforward affair by following the tracks of predecessors — unless your group is the first to arrive after a recent storm.

Almost immediately, decisions about where to go present themselves.

After a short distance, most fellow travelers can be left behind by angling away from the road and climbing a stiff slope to the top of Peak 7605 on Andesite Peak’s southeast ridge. By continuing along the gently rising, mostly open crest northwest for 1 mile, the view-packed, 8,219-foot summit is easily gained.

Alternately, continuing along the road leads to access points into Castle Valley or farther ahead to Castle Pass nestled 6

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com

STORY & PHOTOS BY MIKE WHITE

sweeping vistas to

Tell us what’s happening.

Email editor@tahoethisweek.com.

between Andesite and Castle peaks. The difficult route from the pass to the top of aptly named Castle Peak (9,103 feet) follows the west ridge, while another threequarters-mile of much gentler travel to the north leads instead to Round Valley and Peter Grubb Hut. South of the Sno-Park, intermediate and advanced snowshoers and cross-country skiers can create a 3.25-mile loop trip that offers glimpses of three of the area’s usually frozen lakes and some beautiful vistas from atop Boreal Ridge. Navigating the terrain, especially through the forested stretch to Azalea and Flora Lakes, can be a bit challenging at times — be prepared with map, compass, GPS unit and the requisite knowledge of how to use them. From the edge of the Sno-Park, head east into the trees for about one-quarter-mile, roughly paralleling the freeway to a clearing. From there, veer southeast and travel about a half mile to the vicinity of Azalea Lake, nestled into a basin bordered by rock walls and steep hillsides.

For a shorter trip, simply reversing your tracks from here back to the Sno-Park is a fine option. Beyond Azalea Lake, the loop route continues southeast by threading a narrow cleft shortly to Flora Lake. Then, travel south over a rise, pass below some transmission lines and proceed to the largest of the three lakes, expansive Lake Angela. The open terrain around the lake allows for good views to the south of the Donner Pass area. From the northeast tip of Lake Angela, head up a gully to the crest of Boreal Ridge, aiming for a point directly west of the easternmost high point, which will allow you to avoid the ski-area slopes on the north side. From the top,

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Wind-battered and snowplastered trees on top of Andesite Peak highlight a stunning view; Donner Lake from near the summit of Donner Peak; Castle Peak cloaked in winter’s mantle.

a marvelous view unfolds of the Sierra Crest and the surrounding terrain. Drop off the ridge into thicker forest, eventually meeting your original route from the SnoPark. From there, turn west and follow your tracks back to the car.

Eastbound travelers have several options for a post-trip meal or a warm drink at establishments in Truckee.

HOW TO GET THERE Drive Interstate 80 just west of Donner Summit and take Exit 176 (Castle Peak and Boreal Ridge Road). Continue on the frontage road (Bunny Hill Drive) on the south side of the freeway for 0.3 mile to the Donner Summit Sno-Park.

BE PREPARED Sno-Park permits are available online and at local locations. | ohv.parks.ca.gov, (916) 324-4442 If you’re tantalized by the idea of spending a night in the back country at Peter Grubb Hut, reservations can be made with the Sierra Club. | clairtappaanlodge.com Avoid traveling across lakes unless absolutely certain they are well frozen.

Avalanche danger is usually minimal in this mostly treed area, but some areas near the peaks may have moderate risk.

Recreationists should consult daily reports. | sierraavalanchecenter.org 

The Alliance’s goal is to draw attention to the access issues in the Basin while demonstrating the viability of micro transit to ease some of the congestion issues that will likely continue to increase as the popularity of backcountry recreation continues to grow. Read more about back-country access issues at TheTahoeWeekly.com; click on Out & About: Public Access. | tahoebackcountryalliance.org

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Explore more events in the Tahoe Sierra or submit your event.

Click on Event Calendar.

Truckee Dirt Fondo set Visit Truckee will host the third Truckee Dirt Fondo with Bike Monkey on June 13, 2020.

The race will consist of three routes, taking participants as high as 8,006 feet over Sardine Peak through Tahoe National Forest. The medium route will consist of 58.15 miles with 4,117 feet of elevation gain. The long route will take riders on a 65.12 mile adventure with 5,148 feet of elevation gain. It will also feature a new e-bike category, kids ride and a postrace festival. | Register truckeedirtfondo.com

December 19-25, 2019

SIGHTSEEING

Exporing Chickadee Ridge by snowshoe. | Anne Artoux

ATTRACTIONS

Eagle Rock

West Shore

Eagle Rock, one of the lake’s famous natural sites, is a volcanic plug beside Highway 89 on the West Shore. TART

Featuring exhibits of work by local artists and works for sale by local artists. TART

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 544-2313 | talart.org Featuring local artists, workshops. South Tahoe

Tahoe City

North Shore

visittahoecity.com

Urban Trailhead at base of Heavenly Gondola with local exhibits and programs. South Tahoe

Popular for shopping and dining with historical sites. Visitors may see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and Fanny Bridge. Peer into Watson Cabin (1909) in the center of town for a glimpse at pioneer life. TART

Fannette Island

Tallac Historic Site

Explore Tahoe

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us

Emerald Bay

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 541-3030 | parks.ca.gov

(530) 541-5227 | tahoeheritage.org

Lake Tahoe’s only island, located in Emerald Bay, is home to an old tea house. Boat access only.

Once known as the “Grandest Resort in the World” as the summer retreat for three San Francisco elite families with the Baldwin Estate, Pope Estate & Valhalla. Grounds open year-round. South Tahoe

Heavenly

South Lake Tahoe

(775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com Lnjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and the Carson Valley. South Tahoe

Hellman-Ehrman Mansion

West Shore

$10 parking | parks.ca.gov (530) 525-7232 Park | (530) 583-9911 Tours Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the historic Ehrman Mansion (open for tours in the summer), see boathouses with historic boats, and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. TART

High Camp

Olympic Valley

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com Aerial tram rides with views of Lake Tahoe, Olympic Heritage Museum, ice skating, events and more.

Ticket required. TART

C 226,500 STAMPEDE 19,9661 CAPACITY: Tours in summer only (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org CAPACITY: 29,840 PROSSER 11,061

INDEPENDENCE 1,3763

MUSEUMS

truckeehistory.org | truckee.com The historic town of Truckee was settled in 1863, and grew quickly as a stagecoach stop and route for the Central Pacific Railroad. During these early days, many of Truckee’s historical homes and buildings were built including The Truckee Hotel (1868) and the Capitol Building (1868). Stop by the Depot for a walking tour of historic downtown. Paid parking downtown. TART

Emerald Bay

Parking fee | Tours in summer only (530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov or vikingsholm.com Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle, see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House, and explore snowshoeing trails. TART

| FLOW AT FARAD 3650 Truckee River Visitor Donner Memorial Center Truckee (530) 582-7892 | parks.ca.gov The Donner Memorial State Park features exhibits and artifacts on the Donner Party (1846-47) at the visitor center, and see the towering Pioneer Monument. TART

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

Olympic Valley

Squaw Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games 1960, its Olympic History with Measured in in Cubic Feetcelebrates Per Second (CFS) TROA.NET the symbolic Tower of Nations and Olym-pic Flame at the entrance to the valley. The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. TART

Tahoe Maritime Museum

Tahoe City

(530) 583-9283 | tahoemaritimemuseum.org

Donner Summit Historical Society

Soda Springs

Featuring self-guided tours, exhibits and hands-on activities for kids on maritime history. TART

donnersummithistoricalsociety.org Museum at the corner of Old Highway 40 & Soda Springs Road. Take the 20-mile inter-pretive driving tour along Old 40. TART

Gatekeeper’s Museum

Tahoe City

Daily (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org

KidZone Children’s Museum

Truckee

Tahoe Science Center

Incline Village

Tues.-Fri. & by appt. | Free (775) 881-7566 | tahoesciencecenter.org University of California, Davis, science education center at Sierra Nevada College. Exhibits include a virtual research boat, biology lab, 3D movies and docent-led tours. Ages 8+. TART

Truckee Railroad Museum

Truckee

Sat.-Sun. & holidays truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com

Tues.-Sun. | Locals’ first Tues. half price (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org

Exhibits include the train’s role in logging, fighting snow on the railway, the role of Chinese emigrants and a children’s area. TART

For kids up to age 7 with interactive exhibits, science & art classes, the BabyZone & the Jungle Gym. TART

Western SkiSport Museum

Lake Tahoe Museum

Fri.-Sun. | Free (530) 426-3313, ext. 113 | auburnskiclub.org

South Lake Tahoe

(530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org Features Washoe artifacts and exhibits on early industry and settlers. South Tahoe

Donner Summit

Showcasing the history of skiing, exhibits include snowshoes from the 1850s, ski equipment from the 20th Century and a pair of 8-foot-long skis used by John “Snowshoe” Thompson, a legendary mail carrier. TART

TRANSIT: North Tahoe & Truckee (TART) | laketahoetransit.com South Tahoe | tahoetransportation.org

BLUE SAPPHIRE!!

Boots McFarland by Geolyn Carvin | BootsMcFarland.com

Truckee

One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses of its kind in the West used from 1875 until May 1964 (open for tours in summer). TART

Olympic Museum

Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and local historical memorabilia.

TART

Truckee

Vikingsholm Castle

CAPACITY: 18,300 C

CAPACITY: A 20,400 0

Measured in Acre Feet (AF)

Old Jail Museum

(530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org

Watson Cabin, built by Robert Watson and 9,500 50 DONNER 4,690 his son in 1909, is theCCAPACITY: oldest building in Tahoe City and on the National Register of Historic Places. TART

MARTIS 1,052

Tahoe Art League Gallery

Tahoe City

6,226.80

225

Free (530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com

Watson Cabin

IN 2018:

200,000 AF

Tahoe City

C PACITY CITY:: 40 0,870 ,8 BOCA 12,362 CAPA

6,227.54 |

175

North Tahoe Arts Center

ELEVATION :

RESERVOIR CAPACITY

150,000 AF

Donner Summit, just west of Truckee, holds the record for the United States’ snowiest April. On April 1, 1880, a storm dumped 4’ of snow on the Sierra Nevada west slope within 24 hours. A massive snow slide near Emigrant Gap buried Central Pacific Railroad’s tracks under 75’ of snow, ice and rock.

A popular spot for dining and shopping with the North Shore’s largest sandy beach located in the heart of town. TART

Readings taken on Friday, December 13, 2019

125

Truckee

northtahoebusiness.org

LAKE LEVEL Lake Tahoe Natural rim 6,223’

100,000 AF

Donner Summit

North Shore

75

Drive through one of the area’s natural wonders at Cave Rock, the neck of an old volcano. The area is named for the small caves above Highway 50 that were cut by waves when Lake Tahoe was 200 feet higher during the ice ages.

Kings Beach

50

East Shore

25

Cave Rock

Boatworks Mall, Tahoe City | 530.583.5709

7

OUT & ABOUT

TheTahoeWeekly.com DECEMBER 19-26, 2019

Courtesy Heavenly

Courtesy Sky Tavern

EVENTS CALENDAR

Pro/Am Rail Jams for the Family Heavenly/Kirkwood Holiday Rail Jam will feature both professional and amateur riders, as well as kids, on Dec. 21 and 28. Experience family fun from 4 to 6 p.m. Meet under the Heavenly Gondola in the Heavenly Village, weather permitting. There will be an announcer and music. The public is welcome. | skiheavenly.com

Give Back Tahoe Giving Season

Festive Fridays

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation Truckee | Dec. 19-26

Downtown | Truckee | Dec. 20

Incline Rec Center Incline Village | Dec. 19, 26

Join this drop-in forum with Incline Senior Program. Meet others and share interesting views, have discussion on engaging topics.

Optional continental breakfast is available.

10-11 a.m. $5 | yourtahoeplace.com

Tahoe Truckee Community Foundation’s annual Give Back Tahoe campaign is through Dec. 31. Support the local nonprofits and advocate for a new modern library one for our community. Contact TTCF if you’re willing to offer a matching grant to attract additional donors. | (530) 587-1776, givebacktahoe.org

Northern Lights

NorthLakeTahoeExpress.com (866)216-5222

Kings Beach Library | Dec. 19, 26

Ongoing computer help. First Thursdays of the month are “Exploring our Digital Resources,” second Thursdays are “Computer Q&A with Carl LeBlanc,” third Thursdays are “Everything iPhone” and fourth Thursdays are differing themes about computers and technology. Call or stop by for the class schedule.

3-4 p.m. Free | (530) 546-2021, placer.ca.gov

Silent Nights Northstar California Resort Truckee | Dec. 19, 26

Enjoy ice skating and s’more roasting while watching Holiday classics from 5 to 6:45 p.m. on Thursdays. 5 p.m. | (800) 466-6784

Heavenly Holidays Family Festival Heavenly Mountain South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 19-26

There will be a tree lighting, fireworks, live music, rail jams, train rides, special performances, ice sculptures, breakfast with Santa, ice skating performances starring Disney characters, a Ferris Wheel, virtual reality, and more. | (775) 586-7000, tahoesouth.com

NorthLakeTahoeExpress.com 8

The fifth annual Festive Fridays offers longer shopping hours, free parking, a sip & shop and scavenger hunt. 4-7 p.m. Free

Noel Nights Northstar California Resort Truckee | Dec. 20

Take a festive journey through our Winter Wonderland featuring live music, ice skating, face painting, activities and Santa Claus himself! 5 p.m. | (800) 466-6784, facebook.com

Area venues Incline Village | Dec. 19-26

Expression Session

Winter Warmth and Wellness

Boreal will only be holding one Expression session this season with an epic set up that won’t disappoint. There will be prizes and an overall best-trick award for skiing and an overall best trick for snowboarding. 5 p.m. | rideboreal.com

This month-long celebration of the holiday season offers 30 events in area venues. | northernlightstahoe.com

Help with computers

Every Day Low Fares $49 One way per person $98 Round-trip per person Large group discounts

Sky Tavern recently signed a 30-year lease with the City of Reno to continue ski operations at the ski area on the Mount Rose Highway, which will now allow the nonprofit that operates the ski area to invest in snowmaking and lights. The investments, which will cost around $2 million, will allow Sky Tavern to expand its programs for area youth. | skytavern.org

TTUSD offices Truckee | Dec. 19, 24, 26

Conversation Cafe

North Lake Tahoe Express Daily airport shuttle 6:00am–midnight

snowmaking

GED Preparation Class

TTUSD Adult Education offers free GED Preparation classes in Truckee. This class will be offered Tuesdays and Thursdays in the morning at the TTUSD District Office. 9-10:30 a.m. Free | ttusd.org

AIRPORT SHUTTLE SERVICE

Sky Tavern eyes

Area venues Kings Beach | Dec. 19, Dec. 20

The annual Winter Warmth and Wellness Drive is collecting donations. Requested items include: personal care/hygiene items, household/laundry items and winter clothing (new and lightly used for all ages). Volunteers are needed also. Donations are tax deductible through the Tahoe Neighborhood Table. Free | (775) 230-1066, winterwarmthandwellness@gmail.com

Boreal Mountain Resort Soda Springs | Dec. 20

Family Christmas Party Cornerstone Community Church Incline Village | Dec. 20

Celebrate the Christmas season with a concert at Cornerstone Community Church featuring Julie Elias and Ken Hartley. 6:30-9 p.m. Free | (775) 831-6626, cornerstonecommunity.net

Magical Memories

D Money’s Poker Run

Resort at Squaw Creek Olympic Valley | Dec. 19-26

Sugar Bowl | Norden | Dec. 21

Magical Memories is back for the month of December with more family activities and nightlife. Check out the full calendar online. | destinationhotels.com

Merry Days & Holly Nights Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Olympic Valley | Dec. 19-26

Enjoy musical, dance and dramatic performances, glow stick parade, Merry Wonderland and Ice Garden, enter contests, take sleigh rides with Santa. | (800) 403-0206, squawalpine.com

The kick-off event of the annual Silver Belt Series is a family-friendly poker run where competitors will explore the mountain with Daron Rahlves, gathering cards to put together a winning hand. Includes prizes and apres in the Judah Vista Bar. 8 a.m. | facebook.com

Snowball Festival Soda Springs Ski Resort Norden | Dec. 21, 22

Enjoy arts and crafts, face-painting, custom balloons, photo ops, holiday snow tubing, snow parkour, a bounce house and the world’s biggest cup of cocoa. 10 a.m.-4 p.m. Free

December 19-25, 2019

Heavenly Holidays Rail Jams

Christmas In Truckee

Heavenly Mountain South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 21

Train Depot | Truckee | Dec. 24

The rail jam will feature both professional and amateur riders, as well as kids. Experience all the fun for the whole family, right underneath the gondola in the center of the Heavenly Village. 4 p.m. | (775) 586-7000

Holiday Snowshoe Tours Resort at Squaw Creek Olympic Valley | Dec. 21, 25

Enjoy a guided snowshoe tour of Squaw Valley, while learning about the history of how the Olympic Valley came to be. Offered are sunset tours, full-moon tours, Christmas Day tours and private tours. 4 p.m.

Ugly Sweater Fest

Join us this Christmas Eve downtown Truckee for caroling, candle lighting and nativity story. Bundle up and bring your Christmas cheer. 5-6:30 p.m. Free | facebook.com

Christmas Eve Services Cornerstone Community Church Incline Village | Dec. 24

Rediscover the true meaning of Christmas at Cornerstone Community Church service featuring Julie Elias. 5-7 p.m. Free | cornstonecommunity.net

Ski & RIde with Jonny Mosely Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows Olympic Valley | Dec. 26

Rejoice with extended family and friends at this annual event. A host of bands will be there including Dead Things, Nihil Futurum and Downcyber. 6 p.m. $12 | eventbrite.com

Ski and ride with Chief Mountain Host and Olympic Gold Medalist, Jonny Moseley.

Join Jonny on a mountain tour of Squaw Valley for free and open to any ticket or pass holder. Must be at least intermediate level to ski with Jonny. 7:30 a.m.-5 p.m. | squawalpine.com

Waxing & Ski Maintenance

Carnival

Start Haus | Truckee | Dec. 21

Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 26

American Legion South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 21

At the second ski-tuning clinic of the season we will discuss the basics of wax selection and application, tuning basics, edge maintenance and more. 6-7 p.m. | facebook.com

Winter Solstice Party Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Truckee | Dec. 21

Take a journey under the stars with Tahoe Star Tours while enjoying music and Whistle Pig Whiskey tiki-themed cocktails in a an igloo outside in the Fireside Terrace. The lively event will be complimentary to all guests.

7-10 p.m. Free

Tahoe Santa Crawl

OUT & ABOUT

Lake Tahoe in natural diamonds

The family-friendly Carnival features the Holiday Express, with two trains running throughout the day from a holiday-inspired train depot located at the gigantic Christmas tree.The carnival will also feature the Tahoe South Ferris Wheel. 11 a.m.-9 p.m. Free

Code Crew Incline Village Library | Dec. 26

Work with a group to discover clues, solve riddles, 3-D print a key, and get out of Professor Maker’s Escape Room in under 45 minutes. Registration is required; best for ages 8 and older. 2-4 p.m. | (775) 832-4130

Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 21

Don your best holiday apparel for the Tahoe Santa Crawl. Registration is $10 per cup/wristband and includes live music, drinks and food specials at all Village restaurants/ bars. 7 p.m. $10

Twelve Days of Magic Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Truckee | Dec. 21-26

The Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe, welcomes guests this winter season to celebrate the holidays with festive experiences. A multitude of exceptional offerings capture the Tahoe spirit; “Twelve Days of Magic” daily lineup consists of feasts, interactive family activities and vibrant celebrations.

Snowshoe Thompson Classic Auburn Ski Club Training Center Truckee | Dec. 22

Far West Nordic hosts this event offering 10 km, 5 km and 2 km races. 8 a.m.

Christmas Eve Torchlight Parade Granlibakken | Tahoe City | Dec. 24

The Torchlight Parade is followed by hot chocolate, mulled cider, s’mores and gifts and photos with Santa. This event is free and open to the public. 4-7 p.m. Free | visittahoecity.org

Christmas Eve Candle Lighting Service Plaza Bar | Olympic Valley | Dec. 24

Enjoy the Christmas story told in this peaceful candle-lighting ceremony, a nondenominational service hosted by Tahoe Resort Ministries with hymns and Christmas cheer for all. 4 p.m. Free | (800) 403-0206, squawalpine.com

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9

FEATURE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

SIERRA STORIES

BY MARK McLAUGHLIN

Suga r Bowl | B i r t h o f a H i s t o r i c S k i R e s o r t , P a r t I skiers effortlessly up steep slopes, downhill skiing really exploded as a new sport.

Once people learned that they could grab a moving rope, instead of spending hours of arduous climbing for one or maybe two runs, alpine skiing eclipsed other aspects of the sport. Downhill skiing was first introduced into the Winter Olympics in 1936. Before that, the only recognized Olympic ski competitions were cross country and jumping.

The founding of Sugar Bowl was the result of a perfect storm of superb terrain, skier access via Southern Pacific Railroad and Highway 40, all pushed by a tremendous surge in the popularity of downhill skiing during the 1930s.

H

istoric Sugar Bowl, the Grand Dame of California ski resorts, is celebrating its 80th anniversary since it opened on Dec. 15, 1939.

For skiers and snowboarders, Sugar Bowl is the jewel of Donner Summit, as well as the oldest of all major Tahoe Sierra ski areas. This classic, European-styled alpine resort caters to skiers and riders who like their powder deep, their friends close and their mountain experience extraordinary.

Located in the heavy snowbelt along the Sierra Crest near Donner Pass, the resort averages 42 feet of snow each winter, a climatological blessing that inspired the region’s first back-country skiers to nickname it, “the Sugar Bowl,” back in the 1920s.

This resort’s remarkable birth features Hannes Schroll, one of the world’s best skiers before World War II; famous investors such as animator Walt Disney and millionaire recluse Howard Hughes and enthusiastic support from movie actors

Johnny Ellis, circa 1935. | Courtesy Donner Summit Historical Society

who loved to ski — Claudette Colbert, Norma Shearer and Errol Flynn, to name a few. But Sugar Bowl didn’t just appear from the tip of a magic wand as in Walt Disney’s cartoon movie “The Sorcerer’s Apprentice.” The founding of Sugar Bowl was the result of a perfect storm of superb terrain, skier access via Southern Pacific Railroad and Highway 40, all pushed by a tremendous surge in the popularity of downhill skiing during the 1930s.

That was the breakout decade for skisport in California’s high country and across much of the nation. Despite a severe economic depression that started with the 1929 stock market crash, in the 1930s increasing numbers of Americans took to the wintry mountains to escape the gloom festering across the country. Thanks to improvements in boot-binding design and the expansion of rope tows that pulled

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10

Long before the development of Lake Tahoe’s modern array of premier winter resorts, the Donner Pass region boasted the most extensive concentration of rope tows, ski clubs and ski trails in the United States. The establishment of Sugar Bowl raised the level of skill and enjoyment of alpine skiing exponentially with its prime terrain and the installation of California’s first chairlift.

Commercial ski businesses began in the 1920s when entrepreneurial brothers Oscar and Herstle Jones arrived at Soda Springs in 1922. At the time there were no hotels along the railroad line between Truckee and Colfax. (The state did not start plowing Highway 40 for automobiles until 1932.) In 1924, Oscar paid $5,000 for a plot of land close to the future site of Sugar Bowl and on Dec. 10, 1927, the brothers opened the 20-room Soda Springs Hotel.

Lacking uphill lift technology, the Jones’ used horses and sleighs for winter transport and to haul skiers. Oscar Jones’ son, Dennis, also played a pivotal role in the summit’s development as a winter sports destination. Dennis attended school in Switzerland where he learned the telemark turn (single, bended knee) and the stem christie (ski tips together and tails apart to turn and brake) from European instructors. He also learned the new Arlberg technique, where skiers used two poles, not one, and linked dynamic parallel turns down the slope, the style made popular by legendary Austrian ski instructor Hannes Schneider.

After opening a ski school at the Soda Springs Hotel, Dennis was among the first California instructors to teach the new technique. In 1929, he cleared trees and stumps for the first ski run on Beacon Hill, named for the aircraft beacon installed on its peak. Beacon Hill is the site of today’s Soda Springs ski hill. At the time, ski activity primarily centered on touring and mountaineering trails; the more ambitious would climb the slopes to schuss down.

After the 1932 Winter Olympics held at Lake Placid, N.Y., Americans started to develop an interest in skiing. The problem was that there were no uphill conveyances

in the United States and the sport was mostly relegated to shivering spectators standing in the cold watching ski jumpers.

Johnny Ellis installed a rope tow on Donner Pass in 1936-37 at Lake Mary near the present Sugar Bowl site. Ellis had graduated from Dartmouth College in 1935 and that summer he traveled to Donner Pass just in time to help with the completion of Sierra Club’s new Clair Tappaan Lodge.

He then became the first custodian of the lodge and built a small cabin next door to live in. Sierra Club began operating its own rope tow for members at the Clair Tappaan at about the same time as Ellis put his rig in at Lake Mary.

Naturally, Dennis and Ellis became fast friends. Both men realized that getting skiers to the top of the slope quickly and easily was the main challenge inhibiting the rapid growth of alpine skiing.

In the mid to late 1930s, rope-tow mania had swept the nation and the simple but effective technology sprang up everywhere in snow country. In the Central Sierra, mom-and-pop operations opened all along Highway 40’s high-elevation snowbelt zone.

The Sugar Bowl had drawn adventurous off-piste skiers for years before its dramatic transformation into a popular resort. In 1936, UC Berkeley professor Dr. Joel Hildebrand, a future Sierra Club president and the U.S. Olympic ski team manager, drove Austrians Bill and Fred Klein to the area.

Dr. Hildebrand was a strong advocate for alpine skiing and for educating Americans in this powerful style of parallel skiing. Bill and Fred were well-qualified ski instructors and Hildebrand had paid for them to come to California. On their summer tour of Donner Summit, the young skiers looked

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Enjoy more of Mark McLaughlin’s Sierra Stories. Click on Explore Tahoe: History. skeptically at the snowless rock precipices, but Hildebrand assured them: “Don’t worry about the cliffs and boulders. Come winter they’ll all be covered with more than 10 feet of snow and the skiing will be great.”

Dr. Hildebrand convinced the Klein brothers to start a professional ski school using the Claire Tappaan Lodge rope tow.

They received free room and board along with 50 cents a lesson. Affable, technically skilled and excited to be at the new frontier of alpine skiing, the pair soon had more students than they could handle. Within a few years, the Klein brothers had taught parallel skiing to thousands. Read Part II in the next edition or at TheTahoeWeekly.com; click on Explore Tahoe: History.  Tahoe historian Mark McLaughlin is a nationally published author and professional speaker. His award-winning books are available at local stores or at thestormking.com. You may reach him at mark@ thestormking.com. Check out his blog at tahoenuggets.com or read more at TheTahoeWeekly.com.

Click on History under the Explore Tahoe tab.

December 19-25, 2019

OUT & ABOUT

Ice Skating & Tubing

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Find more family-friendly activities to enjoy. Click on Out & About: Family Fun.

ICE SKATING HEAVENLY VILLAGE

INCLINE VILLAGE

Open air rink. South Tahoe

Snow Play Area on Fairway Blvd., next to the Chateau, on the driving range. Bring equipment.

NORTHSTAR

MOUNT ROSE

Open air rink. Free access. TART

Near the Mount Rose summit, enjoy sledding in Tahoe Meadows off Highway 431. Bring equipment.

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

NORTH TAHOE REGIONAL PARK

Indoor facility open year-round. South Tahoe

End of National Avenue off Hwy 28. Rentals available. TART

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

TAHOE CITY WINTER SPORTS PARK

Ice skating & rentals. Club House. TART

Sledding & cross-country trails. Rentals available. Club House. TART

(530) 542-4230 | theshopsatheavenly.com

(530) 562-1010 | northstarcalifornia.com

(530) 542-6262 | cityofslt.com

(530) 546-0605 | northtahoeparks.com

(530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com At Truckee River Regional Park. Skate rentals, broomball leagues, ice dancing & hockey lessons. Skate rentals & season passes available. TART

(530) 583-1516 | wintersportspark.com

OLYMPIC VALLEY

SQUAW VALLEY

(530) 452-4511 | squawalpine.com Tubing & mini snowmobiles. TART

SWIMMING

SQUAW VALLEY PARK

INCLINE VILLAGE

Free snowplay area. Free parking to access cleared walking paths in Olympic Valley to Tahoe City. TART

placer.ca.gov

(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com 25-yard, 8-lane indoor pool at Incline Recreation Center, swim lessons, aqua fitness, 1-meter spring diving board, inflatable slide (weekends).

OLYMPIC VALLEY

(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

starting at

KIDS byop

$84

6 & UNDER SKI FREE

$20 off adult ticket

Bring Your Other Pass Deal

Purchase lift tickets & rentals online: DiamondPeak.com

ECHO LAKE

(530) 644-2324 Highway 50 at Echo Lake Road. Bring equipment.*

Swimming Lagoon & Spa at High Camp at Squaw Valley, free form lagoon with 50-meter lap lanes, two islands with waterfalls and native boulders. Closed for 2020. TART

SAWMILL POND

SOUTH LAKE TAHOE

TAYLOR CREEK

25-yard indoor/outdoor year-round pool. Lessons. South Tahoe

Highway 89, north of Camp Richardson Road. Bring equipment.* South Tahoe

(530) 542-6056 | cityofslt.com

ADULT TICKETs

On Lake Tahoe Blvd. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

(530) 543-2600

TRUCKEE

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com Indoor pools with competition pool and warm water pool, diving board, swim training, hydraulic lift and lessons. TART

STATELINE

KAHLE PARK

(775) 586-7271 | douglascountynv.gov Off Highway 207. Bring equipment. South Tahoe

ROCK CLIMBING WALLS

TRUCKEE & BEYOND

TRUCKEE

DONNER SUMMIT

Community Recreation Center offers 29’ climbing wall & 12’ bouldering wall. All ages & levels. Lessons available. TART

South side of I-80, Castle Peak exit beyond Boreal Inn frontage road. Bring equipment.*

(530) 587-3558

(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com

TAHOE DONNER

(530) 587-9437 | tahoedonner.com

SLEDDING & TUBING

At Trout Creek Recreation Center. No personal sleds.

Family events all season.

OPEN AS CONDITIONS PERMIT.

YUBA PASS

EAST SHORE

(530) 994-3401

SPOONER LAKE

Highway 49 at Yuba Pass. Bring equipment.*

(775) 831-0494

State park open for general snow play. Bring equipment.

Parking fee.

WEST SHORE

BLACKWOOD CANYON (530) 543-2600

HOPE VALLEY AREA

CARSON PASS

Snowplay area off Hwy. 89, 3 miles south of Tahoe City.

Bring equipment.*

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

GRANLIBAKKEN

HOPE VALLEY

Machine-groomed snow play area; no tubes or toboggans allowed. All ages.

(209) 295-4251

(775) 882-2766

Highway 88 at Blue Lakes Road. Bring equipment.*

MEISS MEADOW

(530) 581-7533 | granlibakken.com

TAHOE CITY Gentle slope on Highway 89 South, one-eighth mile south of the wye. Bring equipment. TART

(209) 295-4251

Highway 88 near Carson Pass. Bring equipment.*

ALL ACTIVITIES ARE WEATHER DEPENDENT. * Sno-park permits required. Go to ohv.parks.ca.gov/snoparks or find locations at (916) 324-1222.

BUS & SHUTTLE SCHEDULES

North Tahoe & Truckee: laketahoetransit.com (TART) | South Tahoe: tahoetransportation.org

11

FAMILY FUN

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Family FUN

Winter Deals O N F A M I LY F U N

IV Quad Incline Village Library | Dec. 19, 26

3-5 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, libraryaware.com

“Polar Express” train V&T | Carson City | Dec. 19-24

6:30 p.m. | 877-724-5007, visitcarsoncity.com

If you are flexible and

Take Photos at Santa’s Ski Shop

plan ahead, you can

Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 19-26

find discounts on lift

5-9 p.m. | theshopsatheavenly.com

tickets, rental equipment,

Mommy and Me

season passes, sledding

Barton Health | South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 20

10 a.m.-12 p.m. | (530) 539-6620, bartonhealth.org

and more.

But the cost of all those activities can add up fast and although nothing in life is free, there is usually a deal to be found.

If you are flexible and plan ahead, you can find discounts on lift tickets, rental equipment, season passes, sledding and more. Here are some deals and discounts to help you save on the next winter adventure with your family.

Free lift ticket | The Plates for Powder program offers a free lift ticket to one of 11 Tahoe downhill and Nordic resorts with the purchase a new Lake Tahoe license plate in either California or Nevada before April 1, 2020. Visit tahoeplates.org for details.

Ski for a cause | Several local nonprofits partner with ski areas to offer discounted lift tickets with proceeds benefitting local causes including the Sierra Community House, Tahoe Truckee Excellence in Education Foundation and Sierra Avalanche Center.

Buy early | The best deals on lift tickets can be found by purchasing them online and in advance. Some resorts, such Heavenly Mountain Resort and Kirkwood Mountain Resort, give bigger discounts for buying seven or more days in advance.

December discounts | Sugar Bowl Ski Resort offers $49 lift tickets for ages 6 to 12, $99 adult tickets and $79 senior tickets until Dec. 31 (any day, even weekends and holidays) if purchased online at least two days in advance.

Buy online | At Homewood Mountain Resort save up to 44 percent off regular prices for tickets at $64. Save even more online at most resorts by buying multiday tickets.

Go midweek | Many resorts have special promotions midweek online. Get $40 adult lift tickets and $25 child tickets at Donner 12

Heavenly Village Tree Lighting

5-11 p.m. | theshopsatheavenly.com

Courtesy Diamond Peak

he abundant snowfall and amazing terrain of the Tahoe Sierra make it the ideal place for endless family fun in the winter. The activities range from skiing and snowboarding to sledding and ice skating and plenty more to keep the whole family busy.

DECEMBER 19-26, 2019

Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 19-26

STORY BY MICHELLE ALLEN

T

FOR THE KIDS

Santa Skis Homewood Mountain Resort | Dec. 20-24

11 a.m.-2 p.m. | (530) 525-2992, skihomewood.com

Santa Trains Ski Ranch during Old School Days, Tuesdays through Thursdays, starting on Jan. 7, 2020, for the entire season, except from Feb. 18 to 20.

Get a free ticket on Two-fer Tuesdays at Mt. Rose Ski Tahoe with the purchase of one regular-priced adult ticket. Mt. Rose also has Ski G.I.F with $49 lift tickets after 12 p.m. on select Fridays throughout the season.

Birthday present | Receive a free lift ticket on your birthday at Diamond Peak or $20 off your ticket if you have a season pass from any other resort.

Family Pass | Soda Springs has a Family Pass good for two adults and two kids for the season; it is much less expensive than buying four individual passes.

Parent Interchangeable tickets | Families with small children can save on babysitting costs and lift tickets with a parent Interchangeable ticket available at Tahoe Donner Downhill and Diamond Peak.

This ticket is transferrable between parents with non-skiing children, allowing caregivers to take turns on the slopes. The parent Interchangeable tickets are usually close to or the same as the cost of one adult lift ticket.

Kids ski free | If the little ones are skiing or riding with you, Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Northstar California, Heavenly, Homewood, Kirkwood and Sierra-atTahoe offer free lift tickets for age 4 and younger. At Sugar Bowl, age 5 and younger ski for free; at Diamond Peak, age 6 and younger ski for free.

On the cross-country trails, kids ski

free at age 4 and younger at Northstar Cross Country, 6 and younger at Tahoe Donner Cross Country, 12 and younger at Royal Gorge and 18 and younger at Tahoe Cross Country.

Deals on lessons | For kids learning how to ski or snowboard, some resorts have extra savings on beginner lift tickets, rental equipment and lessons. Take three beginner lessons at Boreal Mountain and receive a free season pass with its Take 3 Ride Free program. Homewood has a similar program with the same benefit and Diamond Peak has $44 beginner lift tickets. Save more and buy a package that includes the lift ticket, lesson and rental equipment.

Tube time | The savings continue with affordable winter activities off the slopes.

Tubing at Granlibakken is $20 to $25 per day or $100 for an unlimited sled pass for the season. Planet Kids at Soda Springs is a snowplay area designed for ages 7 and younger; it includes a tubing carousel, tubing lanes, snow volcanoes to climb, an area in which to learn to ski or snowboard and snowmobile rides. An all-access pass for most of the activities starts at $25 per day; snowmobile rides are $10 extra.

Free skating | Head to Northstar for free ice skating if you have your own skates; skate rentals are available for $20 and helmet rentals are free.  Michelle Allen is a nearly 20-year resident of Tahoe and mother to a rambunctious 7-year-old and understands the challenges of keeping kids entertained. She may be reached at michelle@ tahoethisweek.com.

Western Pacific Railroad Museum Portola | Dec. 20, 21 5 p.m. $5-$10 | wplives.org

Teen Scene Kahle Community Center Stateline | Dec. 20

6:30-9 p.m. | (775) 586-7271

Young Readers Society: Teen Chapter Word After Word Books Truckee | Dec. 20

5:30-6:30 p.m. | wordafterwordbooks.com

2019 Santa Train Nevada State Railroad Museum Carson City | Dec. 21, 22 10 a.m. | facebook.com

Badges and Books with SLTPD South Lake Tahoe Library | Dec. 21

10:30 a.m. | (530) 573-3185, facebook.com

Bilingual Storytime Truckee Library | Dec. 21

10:30-11 a.m. | (530) 582-7846, madelynhelling.evanced.info

Cruise with Santa Zephyr Cove Resort | Dec. 21 2 p.m. | (775) 589-4922

Disney Characters Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 21, 26 7 p.m. Free

Dive in Movie Series Truckee Indoor Community Pool | Dec. 21

4-6 p.m. | (530) 550-4406, indd.adobe.com

December 19-25, 2019

DECEMBER 19-26, 2019

JakePollock Springs Photo Credit || Soda Photographer?

FOR THE KIDS

FAMILY FUN

Snowball Festival

Packs a Punch of Fun

Soda Springs Mountain Resort hosts the annual Snowball Festival at Planet Kids on Dec. 21, 22, 28 and 29 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Just a snowball’s throw away from the lodge and parking lot, the site will transform into the North Pole with a holiday bounce house, a giant snow globe and Santa himself. Holiday music will fill the air as guests make their way through the candy-cane forest or take in the thrill of tubing. Holiday cheer continues with joyful snow play, face-painters, balloon artists, festive foods and a craft hot-cocoa bar. Festival activities are free with Mountain Adventure access. | skisodasprings.com

Kids Night Out

Pajama Story Time

Northwoods Clubhouse | Truckee | Dec. 21

Incline Village Library | Dec. 24

5-9 p.m. | tahoedonner.com

6:30 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, libraryaware.com

Breakfast with Santa Resort at Squaw Creek Olympic Valley | Dec. 21, 22, 24 8-10 a.m.

Preschool Story Time Kings Beach Library | Dec. 24

10:30-11 a.m. | (530) 546-2021, placer. ca.gov

Holiday STEAM Camp 1 KidZone Museum Truckee | Dec. 23, 24, 26

9 a.m. | (530) 587-5437, chamber.truckee.com

Santa & Penguin Pete Diamond Peak Ski Resort Incline Village | Dec. 24, 25

11 a.m. | (775) 832-1177, facebook.com

Baby Story Time Incline Village Library| Dec. 24

11:30 a.m. | (775) 832-4130, libraryaware.com

Skiing With Santa Sugar Bowl | Norden | Dec. 24

9 a.m.-12 p.m. | facebook.com

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Explore more events in the Tahoe Sierra or submit your event.

Click on Event Calendar. FREE!

Teen Tuesdays Incline Village Library | Dec. 24

4-5 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, libraryaware.com

Toddler Story Time Incline Village Library | Dec. 24 11 a.m. | (775) 832-4130

Breakfast With Santa Northstar California Resort | Truckee | Dec. 24 8-10 a.m. | (800) 466-6784, facebook.com

Cafe De Padres Sierra Community House Kings Beach | Dec. 24

5-8 p.m. | (530) 546-0952

Christmas Day Breakfast with Santa Tahoe Donner Downhill Ski Resort Truckee | Dec. 25 10 a.m. | tahoedonner.com

Code Crew Incline Village Library | Dec. 26 2-4 p.m. | (775) 832-4130

Open Build in The Shop The Discovery | Reno | Dec. 24

10:30 a.m.-4:45 p.m. | (775) 786-1000, nvdm.org

2019/20 Season Passes ON SALE NOW EXPERIENCE NORTH LAKE TAHOE’S

ONLY ALL-INCLUSIVE

WINTER RECREATION FACILITY SLEDDING • XC SKIING • ICE SKATING • SNOWSHOEING

W INTER S PORTS P ARK . COM | 530-583-1516 13

THE ARTS

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Arts

& CULTURE

CREATIVE AWARENESS

Ellen Nunes

Word After Word Books to expand

A C O L L A B O R AT I O N W I T H N AT U R E S T O R Y B Y K AY L A A N D E R S O N

A

Courtesy Word After Word Books

s I’m paddleboarding on Lake Tahoe, the multicolored blue and teal ripples interspersed with shocks of gold and copper shining through remind me of Ellen Nunes’ Fine Art. Nunes has spent decades finding her purpose and perfecting her craft; her love and connection to Lake Tahoe is apparent in whatever she creates.

Her work is unique and original, accurately capturing the spirit of this place that we all love so much.

Nunes moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1985 and raised two children, whom she calls “her greatest masterpieces.” She took a watercolor class at Lake Tahoe Community College (LTCC) in 1998 and became hooked. Her instructor at the time, David Foster, was encouraging and

Word After Word Books in Truckee is moving to the Truckee Mercantile Building on Commercial Row in May 2020. The move to a larger building will allow the store to offer a broader selection of books and literary gifts, as well as have more space for events. Word After Word Books will remain open at its current location while renovations are completed. | wordafterwordbooks.com

“ I call this process a collaboration with

America’s Art, Nevada’s Choice: Community Selections from the Smithsonian American Art Museum

nature because I’m utilizing elements

Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-April 19

of the earth: salt, air,

10 a.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

trees, temperature and water. I try to work with a real conscious intent, approaching these tools with honor.”

–Ellen Nunes proved to be one of her biggest influences.

After taking several courses, she eventually earned an associate degree with an emphasis in Fine Art. Next, she took a life drawing class and mastered five kinds of mediums. Ironically, she wasn’t that into acrylic painting because she felt the paint dried too fast — but that’s exactly what she does now to get the desired effect in her pieces. What she noticed — and likes — about her new medium is that acrylic is permanent whereas watercolor is not.

She continued to take classes at LTCC after she graduated, including a class with David Russo, an art instructor who studied with Pablo Picasso for a year.

“What a character, he was such a beloved person. He was not a purist; he encouraged us to take whatever we could to make art,” Nunes said. She pointed at her kitchen cabinet and said that he urged students to take things like coffee grounds to create texture.

While taking Russo’s class, Nunes went 14

Andrea Zittel home and tried an experiment. She took a bottle of acrylic ink, soaked a piece of paper in it, put it in a metal tray, threw some salt on it, put it outside on a cold, winter evening and went to bed.

“In the morning, I had the most dynamic thing happen,” she said, showing off that first creation. The salt melted and crystalized, sucking up the pigment and forming shimmery sparkles as the ink spread and clustered together in an astonishing way.

She asked Russo if she was on to something and he encouraged her to keep at it, so she bought more ink and kept experimenting. Fourteen years ago, Nunes had no idea how the painting would change over time, but now she’s finding that it still looks the same as it did on that cold December day in 2006.

After discovering this new process, Nunes hosted an art show at LTCC and displayed a 14-foot-long piece comprised of several panels that formed one flowing work. The panels complemented each other into one cohesive art display. Each piece is poured separately and reacts differently. Nunes puts them together like pieces of a puzzle.

There’s a lot involved in creating art like this and Nunes is mindful of the environment and natural elements that contribute to her work.

“I call this process a collaboration with nature because I’m utilizing elements of the earth: salt, air, trees, temperature and water,” she said. “I try to work with a real conscious intent, approaching these tools with honor.”

Nevada Museum of Art | Reno | Dec. 19-29 10 a.m.-6 p.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

Andy Skaff art exhibit Wolfdale’s | Tahoe City | Dec. 19-Jan. 31 5 p.m. | wolfdales.com

Ceramics Class CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: Ellen Nunes; “Tahoe Summer Sunset”; A detailed image of her salt work.

There was a time when Nunes stopped making art for a few months; she suffered with artist’s block until she discovered Tahoe Activist Artists. She went full speed into creating art with a new purpose: to raise awareness. It fueled her passion in a different way around the time she discovered acrylic pouring.

“Making art for change shifted everything.

It felt really good to me to have the opportunity to make art for a cause,” she said.

She often donates proceeds of her sales to charities close to her heart and contributes to the community through her art when she can. However, Nunes’ most popular pieces are the affordable Lake Tahoe-shaped wall hangings. Since the acrylic pouring reacts differently on each piece, it makes each artwork as diverse as the lake itself. She created her first lake artwork last December and recently completed her 100th titled, “Deep Revelations.”

“I’m so passionate about our lake and I’ve worked very hard on my palette to capture the essence of it,” she said. | ellennunesfineart.com 

South Lake Tahoe Senior Center Dec. 19-June 17

1:30-4:30 p.m. | (530) 544-1482, talart.org

Chinese Woodcutters in the Great Basin Nevada State Museum Carson City | Dec. 19-Feb. 22

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | nvculture.org

City of Reno Employee Art Show City Hall Metro Gallery Reno | Dec. 19-Dec. 27

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | (775) 334-6264, reno.gov

David Maisel: “Proving Ground” Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-Jan. 12

10 a.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

Decorative Arms Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-Feb. 16

10 a.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

“Fall Into Art” Community Rec Center Truckee | Dec. 19-Feb. 29 tdprd.org

Arts

December 19-25, 2019

THE ARTS

THE

Work Ethic in American Art: The Legacy of E. L. Wiegand Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-April 19

10 a.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

Elephant in the Room Art ShowVisual Reno Art Works | Reno | Dec. 20

6-9 p.m. | (775) 391-0278, facebook.com

Fiber Art Friday South Lake Tahoe Library | Dec. 20-June 4

NeoRealismo: The New Image arte italia | Reno | Dec. 20-29

12-5 p.m. | (775) 333-0313, arteitaliausa.org

DADA? 1920! Art Show The Potentialist Workshop Reno | Dec. 23-Jan. 3

1-4 p.m. | (775) 686-8201, facebook.com

Open Studio South Lake Tahoe Senior Center Dec. 24-July 20

10 a.m.-1 p.m. | (530) 544-2313

1 p.m. | engagedpatrons.org

Steve Schmier’s

Tahoe City at the Boatworks Mall • SteveSchmiersJewelry.com • 530.583.5709

Cathryn Powell | Tahoe Art League Gallery

“WINTER SHOW”

OPEN THROUGH FEBRUARY Tahoe Art League presents “Winter Show” on display at the TAL Art Gallery through Feb. 24 featuring the works of member artists. The TAL Gallery is open Thursdays to Mondays from 11 a.m. to 4 pm. | talart.org

“Galen Brown: Sine Cere”

Pretty Plants Workshop

Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-Jan. 19

Black Bear Lodge South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 19

10 a.m.-6 p.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

5:30-7 p.m. | facebook.com

Public Tour “Going Places: Sailing By Stars” Tahoe Maritime Museum Tahoe City | Dec. 19-Jan. 23

10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | (530) 583-9283, tahoemaritimemuseum.org

“King of Beasts” A Study of the African Lion by John Banovich Nevada Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-Feb. 15

10 a.m.-6 p.m. | (775) 329-3333, nevadaart.org

Nolan Preece exhibit The Lilley Museum of Art Reno | Dec. 19-20

12-4 p.m. | (775) 784-4278, unr.edu

“Outboards: In-Style”

Truckee Roundhouse Dec. 19-July 29

2-2:45 p.m. | chamber.truckee.com

Regine Bandel art exhibit City Hall Lobby South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 19-March 31

8 a.m.-5 p.m. | cityofslt.regroup.com

Tia Rancourt and Joan Davis art exhibits Incline Village Library Dec. 19-31

10 a.m.-6 p.m. | (775) 832-4130

Under One Sky Nevada State Museum Carson City | Dec. 19-Feb. 22

8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | nvculture.org

Tahoe Maritime Museum Tahoe City | Dec. 19-Jan. 23

10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. | tahoemaritimemuseum.org

15

FEATURE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Shop Local F O R

T H E

Starts Nov. 30 Go Local for the Holidays Passport South Shore Dec. 20 Festive Fridays Downtown Truckee

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No two are alike

Holly Arts Holiday Art Fair November 12-December 31

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Steve Schmier’s

475 N. Lake Blvd., Tahoe City, CA (530) 583-1388 @pineapple.tahoe www.pineappletahoe.com

Boatworks Mall, Tahoe City | 530.583.5709

Join us for Art Classes | Gallery Exhibits Book your Private Parties & Special Events with us www.northtahoearts.com/exhibits

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O rd e r b o o k s d i r e c t a t

TheStormKing.com or pick up a copy at: • Geared for Games • Alice’s Mountain Market located at Squaw Valley

• Word After Word Bookshop • Gratitude Gifts • Mind Play

December 19-25, 2019

FEATURE

Ultimate Tahoe Winter Bucket List S T O R Y B Y K AT H E R I N E E . H I L L

#29

Courtesy Boreal

EACH ISSUE OF TAHOE WEEKLY IS PACKED with outdoor adventures, family fun outings, and scores of events and live music to enjoy. But if you don’t read every edition in print or at TheTahoeWeekly.com, follow us on Facebook or subscribe to our free e-edition, you’re missing out on a lot of what Tahoe has to offer.

So, I started putting together a list of our favorite things to do at the start of winter and summer for you and your family to enjoy during your time in the Tahoe Sierra. It will take you many visits to Tahoe to even put a dent in this list (maybe even a few seasons), but that’s just another good reason to visit us again and again.

FUN FOR ALL AGES 1 Take in the fresh air and relax. Your vacation has finally started.

8 Take the family snowshoeing at a local resort or trail. Don’t forget snacks.

2 Ditch the car; it will only irritate you. Take local transit or local ski shuttles to the resorts. Walk anywhere you can.

9 Make a backyard sled run or two.

3 Go outside and just play with a good old-fashioned snowball fight.

4 Make a snowman or snow angel.

5 Warm up by the fire with a cup of hot chocolate.

6 Visit the life-size gingerbread creations at the Resort at Squaw Creek, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe or Harrah’s and Harveys Lake Tahoe.

7 Make your own gingerbread creation. Make a party out of it.

10 Visit a local sled hill.

11 Tube at the local ski areas – the runs are long and fast, and some will even take you back to the top.

12 Take a UTV tour at Heavenly.

#14

13 Meander along Tahoe’s small towns and shopping areas to take it all in.

14 Explore Tahoe’s craft cocktail scene. Ask your mixologist for the house specialty.

15 Visit our local art centers and purchase local art or take a class: North Tahoe Arts Center in Tahoe City or the Tahoe Art League Art Gallery in South Lake Tahoe.

CONTINUED ON PAGE 18

17

FEATURE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

16 Go fishing. Winter is the best time for Mackinaw on Lake Tahoe. You’ll need a guide.

17 How about ice fishing? Red Lake, Caples Lake and Silver Lake on the South Shore are favorite local spots.

18 Tackle more than one winter sport in a day.

Snowmobiling and snowshoeing? Add in Nordic, back country or snow biking. How many can you do?

#5

19 Snow camping. Yes, people do it. You can car camp at Sugar Pine Point State Park or head into the wilderness if you’re well prepared. Check out our tips online.

20 Take a good, old-fashioned horse-drawn sleigh ride.

21 Ride to the top of the mountain. Take the Tram at Squaw Valley or the Gondola at Heavenly just to take in the scenery.

22 Take a dog sled tour.

ON THE SLOPES 23 Ski at a family owned or privately-owned resort – Mt. Rose, Donner Ski Ranch, Sky Tavern or Sugar Bowl.

Courtesy Granlibakken

24 Take a lesson to improve your skills.

25 Challenge yourself to finally tackle that run you’ve alsoeyed. You’ll need to finish No. 24 first.

26 Ski with a U.S. Forest Service ranger at Heavenly.

E X C L U S I V E C O N T E N T AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Looking for more? Try last year’s Ultimate Winter Bucket List

36 Ski Mt. Rose.

37 Ski Northstar.

38 Ski Sierra-at-Tahoe.

39 Ski Soda Springs.

40 Ski Sugar Bowl.

41 Ski Tahoe Donner Downhill. Told you there were a lot.

42 Have you ever tried telemarking? Challenge yourself and take a clinic.

43 Try some alternative ways down the mountain – on a snowblade, skibike, powder surfing, snowskates or a ski-boarding sled. You’ll need to check if your ski resort allows them first.

NORDIC NIRVANA 44 Leave the lifts behind and skate or stride into the quiet beauty of a Nordic ski trail. Ski at your own pace and stopping to admire the beauty is encouraged.

45 Ski to The Royal Gorge.

It’s breathtaking.

46 Enjoy Nordic skiing at the state parks; you only pay for parking: Donner Memorial State Park, Sugar Pine Point State Park, Emerald Bay State Park, Van Sickle Bi-State Park and Sand Harbor State Park (yes, it’s open in winter), to name a few.

47 Learn to skate ski (although I’m still holding on to classic).

48 Ski or ride all of the Nordic ski areas; there’s a lot (and they all offer groomed trails).

49 Ski at Auburn Ski Club; it’s open to the public.

50 Ski Bijou Cross Country.

51 Ski Camp Richardson.

52 Ski at Clair Tappaan Lodge.

53 Ski at Donner Memorial State Park.

54 Ski at Granlibakken.

#45

Courtesy Royal Gorge

55 Ski at Hope Valley Outdoors.

57 Ski at Lake Tahoe Community College’s Nordic Center.

58 Ski at Nevada Nordic.

59 Ski at Northstar.

27 Ski or ride all of the downhill ski areas; I know you’ll be surprised how many there are.

60 Ski at North Tahoe Regional Park.

28 This is a two-fer: Ski Alpine Meadows and Squaw Valley on one ticket.

62 Ski Royal Gorge.

29 Ski Boreal.

30 Ski Diamond Peak.

31 Ski Donner Ski Ranch.

32 Ski Granlibakken.

33 Ski Heavenly.

34 Ski Homewood.

35 Ski Kirkwood.

18

56 Ski at Kirkwood Cross Country.

61 Ski at the Resort at Squaw Creek.

63 Ski at Sugar Pine Point State Park.

64 Ski at the Tahoe City Winter Sports Park.

65 Ski at Tahoe Cross Country.

66 Ski at Tahoe Donner Cross Country.

67 Take part in The Great Ski Race. 30km up and over from Tahoe City to Truckee. There’s one hell of a party at the finish line.

December 19-25, 2019

FEATURE

SNOWSHOE ADVENTURES 68 Rent or buy a pair of snowshoes to explore. It’s as easy as walking.

69 Join a guided snowshoe tour during the day, at sunset, during a full moon or to go stargazing. You’ll find them in our Events Calendar.

70 Snowshoe through Tahoe Meadow near Mount Rose for an easy outing.

71 Trek to Chickadee Ridge for panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and be serenaded by the mountain chickadees.

72 Meander through the forests around Blackwood Creek or challenge yourself to make it to the top of the pass in Blackwood Canyon on the West Shore.

73 Enjoy the serenity of snowshoeing at Donner Memorial State Park.

74 Explore the East Shore’s Castle Rock by snowshoe.

75 For the more experienced, make the trek to Boyles Cross and Cinder Cone above Tahoe City.

76 Snowshoe to Grover Falls with the family at Grover Hot Springs State Park.

77 Then, of course, relax in the hot springs.

78 Snowshoe along the shores of Lake Tahoe at Sugar Pine Point or Sand Harbor State Parks. Again, you only pay for parking.

#77

Lisa Michelle

#82

87 Bike on the trails to Blue Lakes in Hope Valley.

88 Here’s a hint: Snowmobile trails are perfect for fat tire biking. Go where the snowmobilers travel.

Chris Talbot | Camp Richardson

89 Many Tahoe ski areas also allow fat tire bikes.

Check out our Downhill and Nordic ski guides for details. Click on Out & About: Winter at TheTahoeWeekly.com.

79 Snowshoe to Meiss Meadows on Carson Pass.

80 Get a copy of Mike White’s “Best Snowshoe Trails Around Lake Tahoe.”

81 Take a waxing clinic to learn how to wax your skis.

82 Try your hand at Camp Richardson’s Snowshoe Cocktail Races on Jan. 18, Feb. 15, March 21, April 18.

83 Take a Moonlight Snowshoe to the Alpine Meadows Chalet and enjoy dinner on Dec. 14, 17-19, Jan. 11 & 25, and Feb. 1 & 8.

FAT TIRE BIKING 84 Try snow biking on a bike with really fat tires. You can bike in winter on the local plowed trails but explore the snow trails, too.

BACK COUNTRY BOUND

#19

90 Explore Tahoe’s back country.

92 Get your avalanche certification first or don’t go.

Seriously. This includes snowmobilers.

91 Get all of your avy gear and make sure it works.

Practice with your beacon.

92 Ski with the experts. Several local outfitters and ski resorts offer guided back-country trips.

93 Try splitboarding. You can take a clinic for that.

94 Explore Huckleberry Gates at Sierra-at-Tahoe.

95 Ride Emerald Bay Chutes on the West Shore.

96 Snowmobile with local outfitters. They know the best views on the trails.

Lisa Michelle

97 Ride the Fibreboard Freeway to Mount Watson or Watson Lake.

98 Ride Little Truckee Summit north of Truckee.

99 Snowmobile in Blackwood Canyon to Barker Pass on the West Shore.

100 Snowmobile Blue Lakes in Hope Valley. n

85 Bike on the trails in Coldstream Canyon.

86 Try the Fibreboard Freeway at the top of Brockway Summit.

19

FUN & GAMES

TheTahoeWeekly.com

Horoscopes

FIRE

EARTH

AIR

WATER

Puzzles

Michael O’Connor is an astrologer, counselor and life coach | SunStarAstrology.com

Sagittarius (Nov 21-Dec 21)

Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)

The Sun now in Capricorn and forming a conjunction with Jupiter is giving everyone a big boost and you are among the luckier recipients. The amplification is occurring in your sector of personal finances. It will include and require tapping your talents and bringing some of them into fuller expression. Admittedly, necessity may play a stronger role than inspiration.

Returns for past efforts are beginning to come in now. You are still deeply immersed in a transformational process which should be quite apparent by now, but you may have to step back and review the past couple of years. With the Sun in Capricorn, both the returns and the deep change process will both be amplified for the next several weeks.

Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 19)

The Sun in your sign brings with added motivation to take new leads and initiatives. You will also feel increasingly inclined to take a few risks. There are indications that doing so with the collaborative support of others will probably work better than trying to go it alone. However, it is up to you to take the lead and to set the pace.

Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)

The stellium of planets in Capricorn is also having a big influence on your relationships. Since Jupiter is among them, this will serve to increase your overall network of associations. In the shorter term, you will enjoy more socializing over the coming weeks.

To this end, you will feel inspired to take a creative lead this year which will find you breaking with tradition somehow.

Aquarius (Jan 19-Feb 19)

Faith comes in many forms and one of them is linked to our own abilities when we really put our heart into a project. The other is having faith in the steady flow of change. When this is embraced with awareness and wisdom, we don’t simply get older over time, we get better. These are examples of the power of faith to inspire you to focus to add to the list.

Leo (Jul 22-Aug 23)

If you have been waiting for the energy flow to push you into more productivity based on discipline, then get excited. The biggest issue to overcome with Jupiter in Virgo is a tendency to worry more and to become neurotic about details. Yet, where attention to the details is required, you will excel with scientific precision.

Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)

Having friends in high places can certainly prove helpful and you are about to discover just how true this can be. You may have to be the one to take the initiative to reach out to gain their attention. As well, you may have to ask for a favor or draw upon your reserves of earned rewards. In any case, gaining the support of key people with influence could result in getting prayers answered.

Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)

Creativity with a capital C is the main theme now with Sun and Jupiter in Capricorn. It will serve to increase your ability to focus and on more than one project at a time. While indicative of artistic expression, it may not all feel like fun and games.

This is when the joy of hard work as an ethic for living a successful life comes to the fore. Get clear and get going!

Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)

The Sun entering Capricorn, the sign directly linked to your career inclinations, comes at a somewhat distracting time, at least initially. The year still has ten days until New Year and that is when you are more likely to tune-n to this practical influence.

On the other hand, the end of the year often marks completion. Make way to drive for new ambitions in early 2020.

Taurus (Apr 20-May 21)

The Sun entering Capricorn, the 3rd of the 3 Earth Signs, of which yours comes first, produces a complimentary energy pattern for you. This is an auspicious aspect for you, by the way, and it will be active throughout 2020. It invites you to think expansively about your future, to see the bigger picture.

Mars in Scorpio currently is lending a passionate push.

Libra (Sep 22-Oct 22)

The Capricorn factor active now will serve to boost your energy and confidence levels over the coming weeks especially. Already your ambition drive is in high gear so this influence will add to what is already flowing strongly. As well, your energy levels will rise steadily as 2020 gets underway so you are in a good position to get a jump on the year.

Scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21)

Your I.Q. is about to get a boost. Making good of this opportunity includes more knowledge directed at creative projects that require a lot of imagination and which are directed towards practical results. This could altogether manifest as success realized. The biggest challenge to overcome will be a tendency to scatter your focus. Be aware.

CryptoQuip

In famously playing a cross-dressing soap opera actor, Dustin Hoffman had a Tootsie role.

Hocus Focus differences: 1. Boy’s pants are black, 2. Ball near boy’s foot is missing, 3. Mom’s hat is gone, 4. Drapes are wider, 5. Girl’s bow is different, 6. There’s more trash on floor.

20

LIVE MUSIC, SHOWS & NIGHTLIFE

Playing for Peanuts

LAKE TAHOE DANCE COLLECTIVE

REVIVING THE MUSIC OF “A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS” STORY BY SEAN McALINDIN

TAHOE

Jen Schmidt | Lake Tahoe Dance Collective

NUTCRACKER

DANCE

Dec. 20-22 | various times North Tahoe High School | Tahoe City LAKE TAHOE DANCE Collective presents Tchaikovsky’s classic ballet “The Nutcracker” for the first time. Families are welcome to these world-class, all-ages performances for the holiday season. | ttusd.org

Jessica Keaveny

CURTIS SALGADO

“A

Dec. 21 | 8 p.m.

Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev. RENOWNED BLUES singer Curtis Salgado earthshaking vocals and harmonica have been devastating audiences around the world for more than three decades. He performs an intimate seated show with slide guitarist Roy Rogers. | crystalbaycasino.com

Dec. 19 | 9 p.m.

Rum Sugar Lime Reno, Nev.

Charlie Brown Christmas” made its debut on Dec. 9, 1965, on CBS. Sponsored by The Coca-Cola Company, this holiday classic based on Charles Schulz’s “Peanuts” comic strip was made on a shoestring budget by director Bill Melendez who had previously worked on Disney films including “Pinocchio,” “Dumbo,” “Bambi” and “Fantasia.” Instead of a laugh track, which was standard for children’s television animation at that time, Melendez made the atypical, yet essential choice to hire avant-garde pianist Vince Guaraldi to compose a jazz score for the project.

He knew of the charismatic artist from his easy listening hit “Cast Your Fate to the Wind,” which won a Grammy for Best Original Jazz Composition in 1963.

Dec. 20-21 | 8 p.m.

Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats | Truckee Dec. 22 | 2 p.m.

Northstar California Truckee Dec. 22 | 7 p.m.

West Street Market Reno, Nev. Jan. 2 | 5 p.m.

Nevada Museum of Art Reno, Nev.

“It’s just the simplistic, hummable melodies [Vince Guaraldi] wrote.

You can whistle or sing ‘Linus and Lucy’ in your sleep. It sounds so clean, like they weren’t really trying too hard.” –Chris Sexton Although the final touches were made on the back of a paper napkin mere days before the broadcast, Guaraldi’s winning combination of thoughtful themes woven around familiar, yet surprising melodies is easily as enduring as the film itself, which has become a holiday staple over the years.

The soundtrack he envisaged featuring tunes such as “Linus and Lucy,” “Skating,” “Christmas Time is Here” and jazzy reinterpretations of traditional carols made a mark on popular culture that will remain.

This is especially true if one group of local musicians has anything to do with it. Known

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT BLUES

MUSIC SCENE

Music SCENE December 19-25, 2019

TheTahoeWeekly.com Watch the humorous, homemade music video for “Hot Date” as The Peanuts Gang Trio, alumni of University of Nevada, Reno Jazz and Instrumental Music Department led by pianist Chris Sexton, has been paying tribute to Guaraldi’s masterpiece for the past five winter seasons.

Like many, Sexton recalls Guaraldi’s timeless music floating through the background of his childhood Christmas memories.

JAZZ

“My parents have been playing those records around the house since I was born,” says the Reno native.

When he began studying jazz piano at age 16, Sexton fell in love with the Guaraldi sound all over again and learned a lot of the music for himself.

“It’s just the simplistic, hummable melodies he wrote,” he says. “You can whistle or sing “Linus and Lucy” in your sleep. It sounds so clean, like they weren’t really trying too hard.”

The Peanuts Gang Trio took a similarly authentic approach this summer when recording their debut album, aptly titled “Welcome In.” Sexton’s brother Mark, with whom he plays in neo-soul group The Sextones, recorded the trio live with only three microphones in Chris’ living room near the Truckee River in southwest Reno. In the process, he captured six original compositions inspired by Guaraldi’s signature style and unique approach to songwriting.

“When I think about the Guaraldi sound, I envision a playful nature,” says Sexton. “There’s something really fun and instantly engaging about it and I wanted to write some material that took that into consideration. For this music he was looking at certain scenes created by Melendez and I think that’s what I was trying to go for, too.”

On its surface, “A Charlie Brown Christmas” is a about a loveable loser who feels depressed about the holidays. With the help of his friends, he discovers the

true meaning of Christmas amid the garish trappings of an increasingly commercialized holiday.

Much like Guaraldi did for the television special, Sexton envisioned animated scenarios in his head while composing emotionally resonant, musical messages to not only accompany, but enhance the magic of the lighthearted, touching scenes of his imagination. The resulting music is a warm, appealing romp through various subgenres of jazz that show off the chops of drummer Greg Lewis (of Rob Ford Explorer) and bassist Mac Esposito, as well as Sexton’s intricate, inventive talent as a composer.

Opening track “Saint Duke” reanimates a New Orleans second-line funeral marching through the French Quarter while “Festa na Piscina” (Portuguese for pool party) has a Brazilian flair that brings to mind elves serving daiquiris in the sunshine.

Waltz ballad “Always Believe” features heartfelt alto vocals from Sexton and single-track “Hot Date,” the up-tempo 1950s swing in the style of Charlie Parker.

“Snowflake Dance” covers the psychedelic ground of modern jazz looping and swirling like ice crystals in the winter wind, before the album is capped by “The Coolest Kid on the Playground” featuring raw, old-school Ramsey Lewis blues channeled through Sexton’s nimbly ingenious fingers.

“I’m heavily inspired by a bunch of film music,” says the prolific artist who also plays with reggae rockers The Umpires and alt-country group Dainesly. “My ultimate goal in life is to become some kind of film composer so I wanted to spotlight that with this project.” | rumsugarlime.com, moodysbistro.com, northstarcalifornia.com, weststreetmarketreno.com  21

MUSIC SCENE

TheTahoeWeekly.com

HELLBOUND GLORY

“THE TWISTED

NUTCRACKER & THE TALE

Dec. 26 | 10 p.m.

Crystal Bay Casino | Crystal Bay, Nev.

OF THE

RAT KING”

DISTILLED OF EQUAL parts classic melody and bar room thump, Reno rockers Hellbound Glory return for their annual holiday performance in Crystal Bay. | crystalbaycasino.com

GARY LYNN FLOYD

DANCE

Dec. 20-22 | Olympic Village Lodge Olympic Valley TRUCKEE DANCE COMPANY is celebrating the season with a twist on the timeless tradition of “The Nutcracker.” A spectacular choreography of upbeat and passionate performances will thrill and amaze audiences in the lavishly decorated Merry Wonderland. | truckeedancefactory.com ROOTS ROCK

CALENDAR

NEW AGE

Dec. 20 | 7 p.m.

Center for Spiritual Living | Reno, Nev. THE TRANSCENDENT music of singer-songwriter Gary Lynn Floyd connects straight to soul with his inspirational style and heartfelt delivery. He performs as part of a candlelight service called “Oh What a Night, Honoring the Light.”

He performs with Felice Garcia and Lesa Ramage. | cslreno.org

SV Snow Removal d Squaw Valley d 10 years experience d Local references d We use shovels & snow blowers

Call Bob at (530) 412-2703

Major Motion Pictures · Independent Films Live Music · Dance Performances

Star Wars: the Rise of Skywalker

Dec. 19 Sneak Peak, 7pm Dec. 20-Jan.16: 2, 5:30 & 9pm

1917

Jan. TBD

The Gentleman Jan. TBD

Visit TahoeArtHausCinema.com for showtimes, schedule, events + tkts

THE COBBLESTONE CENTER 475 N LAKE BLVD., TAHOE CITY, CA | 530-584-2431

22

DECEMBER 19-26, 2019

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Check out the Tahoe Music, Events & Festivals guide for all the winter fun.

Click on Music Scene.

DECEMBER 19 | THURSDAY Luke Stevenson Lone Eagle Grille, Incline Village, 6-10 p.m.

Live music Cottonwood Restaurant & Bar, Truckee, 6:30 p.m.

“The Christmas Express” Community Art Center, Truckee, 7-9 p.m.

Sierra Night DJ McP’s Tahoehouse, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Robert Hall The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.

Live Music Bar of America, Truckee, 9-11:30 p.m.

Live Music/DJ Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10 p.m.

DECEMBER 20 | FRIDAY Kris Diehl The Idle Hour, South Lake Tahoe, 2 p.m.

Live Music Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

Live Music Hard Rock - Hotel Lobby, Stateline, 3-6 p.m.

Luke Stevenson Lone Eagle Grille, Incline Village, 6-10 p.m.

Live Music Gar Woods Lake Tahoe, Carnelian Bay, 6:30 p.m.

Family Christmas Party Cornerstone Community Church, Incline Village, 6:30-9 p.m.

Live music Cottonwood Restaurant & Bar, Truckee, 6:30 p.m.

“The Twisted Nutcracker & the Tale of the Rat King” Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m.

“Tahoe Nutcracker” North Tahoe High School, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

“The Christmas Express” Community Art Center, Truckee, 7-9 p.m.

Golden Dragon Acrobats Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7:30 p.m.

Chris Costa Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino, Crystal Bay, 8 p.m.

Live Music Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8-11:55 p.m.

“A Rat Pack Christmas” Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Arty the Party Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Magic After Dark Starring Robert Hall The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 9-10:30 p.m.

Bob Greenwood Band Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Ben Fuller & Truth cARTel Alibi Ale Works - Truckee Public House, Truckee, 9 p.m.-12 a.m.

Live Music McP’s Irish Pub, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

DJ in Center Bar Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Stateline, 10 p.m.

DJ David Aaron MontBleu Resort, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Noche Latina Rojos Cavern, South Lake Tahoe, 10 p.m.

The Nevada Show Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10 p.m.

DJ Paul & MotorHome Music Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 11 p.m.

SANTA’S

CHRISTMAS WONDERLAND Courtesy Eldorado Resort Casino

E N T E RTA I N M E N T

HOLIDAY

Until Dec. 29 | Eldorado Resort Casino Reno, Nev. SANTA’S CHRISTMAS Wonderland features glittering costumes, sensational sets, a dazzling cast and the highest kicking chorus dancers this side of the North Pole. | eldoradoreno.com

MIKE SCHERMER

BLUES

Dec. 21 & 28 | 3 p.m.

Judah Lodge | Sugar Bowl BLUES GUITARIST Mike Schermer heats up The Lodge at Sugar Bowl with his Austin, Texas, hot licks and laid-back California vibe. | sugarbowl.com

December 19-25, 2019

MUSIC SCENE

C A L E N D A R | DECEMBER 19-26, 2019 DECEMBER 21 | SATURDAY DJ Music Homewood Mountain Resort, Homewood, 12-3 p.m.

Kris Diehl The Idle Hour, South Lake Tahoe, 2 p.m.

Live Music Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

“Tahoe Nutcracker” North Tahoe High School, Tahoe City, 2 p.m.

Live Music Alpine Meadows Ski Resort, Tahoe City, 2-5 p.m.

Live Music Hard Rock - Hotel Lobby, Stateline, 3-6 p.m.

Handel’s Messiah The Chateau, Incline Village, 3 p.m.

Mike Schermer Sugar Bowl, Norden, 3 p.m.

Live Music Village at Squaw, Olympic Valley, 3-6 p.m.

Luke Stevenson Lone Eagle Grille, Incline Village, 6-10 p.m.

Ugly Sweater Fest American Legion, South Lake Tahoe, 6 p.m.

“The Twisted Nutcracker & the Tale of the Rat King” Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m.

“Tahoe Nutcracker” North Tahoe High School, Tahoe City, 7 p.m.

“The Christmas Express” Community Art Center, Truckee, 7-9 p.m.

Tahoe Santa Crawl Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Disney Characters Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 7 p.m.

Live Music Glasses Wine Bar, Incline Village, 7:30 p.m.

Golden Dragon Acrobats Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7:30 p.m.

Diva Time Art Truckee, Truckee, 7:30 p.m.

Chris Costa Tahoe Biltmore Lodge & Casino, Crystal Bay, 8 p.m.

Live Music Moody’s Bistro, Bar & Beats, Truckee, 8-11:55 p.m.

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Explore more events in the Tahoe Sierra or submit your event.

Click on Event Calendar. FREE! Riffs Comedy Club Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Curtis Salgado & Roy Rogers Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

Arty the Party Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Bob Greenwood Band Bar of America, Truckee, 9 p.m.-12:30 a.m.

Live Music McP’s Irish Pub, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.-1 a.m.

DJ in Center Bar Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, Stateline, 10 p.m.

DJ David Aaron MontBleu Resort, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Live Music/DJ Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10 p.m.

DJ Bacy & Kicks Modern Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 11 p.m.

DECEMBER 22 | SUNDAY Live Music McP’s Irish Pub, South Lake Tahoe, 2-5 p.m.

Live Music Northstar California Resort, Truckee, 2 p.m.

“Tahoe Nutcracker” North Tahoe High School, Tahoe City, 2 p.m.

Bluegrass Jam Alibi Ale Works - Truckee Public House, Truckee, 6-9:30 p.m.

“The Twisted Nutcracker & the Tale of the Rat King” Squaw Valley Alpine Meadows, Olympic Valley, 7 p.m.

Golden Dragon Acrobats Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7:30 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Live Music/DJ Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10 p.m.

The Golden Cadillacs Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 10 p.m.

DECEMBER 23 | MONDAY Song Group Tahoe Truckee School of Music, Truckee, 5:15-6:30 p.m.

Local Anthology Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 10 p.m.

DECEMBER 24 | TUESDAY Tuesday Night Blues Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8 p.m.

Live Music McP’s Irish Pub, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

DECEMBER 25 | WEDNESDAY Unplugged Truckee Philosophy, Truckee, 6-9 p.m.

Luke Stevenson Lone Eagle Grille, Incline Village, 6-10 p.m.

Live Music CB’s Bistro, Carnelian Bay, 6-9 p.m.

Magic Fusion Starring Robert Hall The Loft Theatre, South Lake Tahoe, 7-8:30 p.m.

Golden Dragon Acrobats Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7:30 p.m.

Live Music McP’s Irish Pub, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Open Mic Rosie’s Cafe, Tahoe City, 9 p.m.

DECEMBER 26 | THURSDAY Luke Stevenson Lone Eagle Grille, Incline Village, 6-10 p.m.

Ron Josol Art Truckee, Truckee, 7-9 p.m.

Golden Dragon Acrobats Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 7:30 p.m.

Sierra Night DJ McP’s Tahoehouse, South Lake Tahoe, 8 p.m.

Dueling Pianos Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 8:30-10:30 p.m.

The Improv Harveys Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 9 p.m.

Robert Hall The Loft, South Lake Tahoe, 9 p.m.

Live Music Bar of America, Truckee, 9-11:30 p.m.

Live Music/DJ Harrah’s Lake Tahoe, Stateline, 10 p.m.

Hellbound Glory Crystal Bay Casino, Crystal Bay, 10 p.m.

23

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Local

flavor

FOOD & WINE, RECIPES, FEATURES & MORE

The Kirkwood Inn & Saloon A DELICIOUS SLICE OF HISTORY S T O R Y B Y P R I YA H U T N E R

t might have been the bullet holes in the wall, the low beams and Western bar or the historic photos hanging on the walls that enamored me at the Kirkwood Inn & Saloon. Steeped in richness and history, the inn was established in 1864 and has served as a cattle ranch, hostelry, post office, stage depot, restaurant and saloon. It is a perfect stop for skiers and outdoor enthusiasts in the winter and anyone passing through the corridor during the summer months.

with a huge tray of food served in a cast-iron pan, which was the Kirkwood Inn Sampler Platter.

ABOVE: Kirkwood Inn’s signature Reuben

It was impressive.

LEFT: Grilled chicken wing appetizer and side

Sandwich. | Courtesy Alison Bermant; of baked beans. | Priya Hutner

Bermant. A beer flight — a selection of beers from local breweries — was set on the wood table. It included an Angora IPA from South Lake Tahoe Brewing Company, a pale ale and Kolsch from Alibi Ale Works and a Truckee Tahoe Pilsner from FiftyFifty Brewing.

Platters of food arrived for sampling. The Greens and Grains salad of kale, arugula, blueberries and ancient grains topped with a lightly spiced lemon and herb vinaigrette dressing was a great starter. The chicken wings were grilled and smoked to perfection and were fabulous. The server bought a side of baked beans topped with pulled pork, one of the best baked-bean recipes I’ve encountered of late.

Kirkwood Inn’s signature Reuben sandwich came with a side of the restaurant’s 24

Holiday Cocktails Resort at Squaw Creek offers Holiday Mixology Craft Cocktail classes as part of the resort’s holiday Magical Memories celebrations. Learn how to make three craft cocktails with a Six Peaks Grille master mixologist. Participants will use the fresh, seasonal ingredients provided. The cost is $60 per person; the dates are Dec. 20 and 27 from 4 to 5 p.m. Reservations are required. | (530) 581-6610

The server reappeared

Kirkwood Inn Sampler Platter. | Priya Hutner

Send Tidbits to editor@tahoethisweek.com

with Master Mixologist

I

The restaurant highlights California smokehouse cuisine with locally sourced products; all their meats are smoked on the premises.

I settled in at a solid chunky wood table by the massive stone fireplace with Johanna McWilliams, Vail Resort’s communications manager for the Tahoe region, Eric Tiffany, director of food and beverage for Kirkwood Mountain Resort, and Alison

TA S T Y TIDBITS

Brussels Slaw, a delightful twist on cabbage slaw. The slaw was flavorful and delicious.

The house-smoked pastrami, sauerkraut and Swiss cheese served with Thousand Island dressing on rye was a fantastic sandwich. The burgers and sandwiches on the menu come with a choice of crispy fries or the Brussels slaw.

The server reappeared with a huge tray of food served in a cast-iron pan, which was the Kirkwood Inn Sampler Platter. It was impressive. The platter included roast chicken, smoked ribs and brisket with caramelized onions and tomatoes, baked beans and cornbread and broccolini. The plate comes with a choice of garlic-roasted potatoes or slaw along with a selection of Bourbon barbecue sauce or a burntorange barbecue sauce; both were excellent.

I recommend ordering both barbecue sauces; dipping between the two is highly encouraged.

The inn’s cocktails didn’t disappoint either. They served a Blueberry Mule with Tahoe Blue Vodka, ginger, and infused blueberry and a Watermelon Margarita. Both were refreshing and delicious.

The meal was topped off with a signature Smore’s dessert. If you are a fan of s’mores, this dessert is a must. It boasted golden-brown roasted marshmallows baked in the oven served over a graham-cracker crust and topped with whipped cream, van-

illa ice cream and chocolate sauce. It was warm and gooey and melted in my mouth fabulously. I am generally not a s’mores’ girl; this dessert was amazing.

The menu also features flights and bites for sharing, grilled salmon, a long list of burgers, including the vegetarian Impossible Burger, and there are plenty of vegetarian and gluten-free options on the menu. | kirkwood.com 

New eateries at Squaw The Olympic House, located in the Village at Squaw, will offer two new, fast-casual dining outlets. SmOkehouse BBQ, opened on Dec. 6, features side dishes and meaty mains smoked on-site such as the Three Little Pigs sandwich: a garlic-butter-toasted brioche bun layered with jalapeño slaw, seared applewood smoked pork belly, smoked pork shoulder and crispy bacon with Carolina barbecue sauce and roasted garlic aioli.

Just around the corner, Zeus Mediterranean will be serving up signature items such as the lamb and beef gyro pita: spit-roasted marinated lamb and beef, shredded lettuce, tomato, cucumber, pickled veggies, baba ganoush and a house tzatziki sauce, wrapped in a pita. Zeus Mediterranean opened on Dec. 16.

Both locations will be open daily from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with grab-and-go options available in addition to snacks, drinks and canned beer and wine.

Bullet holes in the beam of the Kirkwood Inn. | Priya Hutner Priya Hutner is a writer, personal chef and workshop facilitator. She is the owner of the Seasoned Sage, which prepares organic artisan meals for dinner parties and events. She also offers in-home cooking classes, parties and local pop up dinners. As a breath meditation teacher and long-time yogi, she facilitates workshops and classes that focus on gaining a deeper awareness of self. Read more at TheTahoe-Weekly.com; click on Local Flavor. Send story ideas to priya@tahoethisweek.com. | (772) 913-0008, pria78@gmail.com, seasonedsage.com

The Tram Car Bar opened on Dec. 14 in a restored 1970s-era Squaw Valley tram cabin on The Olympic House deck serving drinks like the Backscratcher, a spicy take on the Moscow mule named for a favorite ski trick of the 70s hot-dogging days. There will be a daily happy hour from 3 to 4 p.m.

Tremigo Mexican Kitchen & Tequila Bar will open this winter in the Village at Squaw featuring signature Mexican dishes such as Squacamole, mahi mahi fish tacos and Molcajete, a hearty Mexican. | squawalpine.com

December 19-25, 2019

STORY & PHOTOS

BY LOU PHILLIPS

LOCAL FLAVOR

F R A N C E ’ S T R I P L E P L AY, Part I

A

fter the unholy trilogy of the 2011 to 2013 vintages, French vignerons rejoiced in 2014 at even the quite pedestrian harvest of that year. Little did they know that, like the Blues Brothers when Jake was released from Joliet, the band was about to get back together.

In the case of France where allowed grapes are regulated, it has most often been extra cold years that have been the most challenging — so the warming trend of 2015 to 2017 has been a blessing.

In every important wine region, or AOC, in France, 2015 to 2017 were perhaps the finest three consecutive vintages ever. Yes, the temperatures have been, well, more temperate, but there is so much more to this story. Let’s start with the bigger picture of climate, including temperatures, but also taking into consideration rainfall, humidity and hail.

BREAKFAST

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LUNCH

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DINNER

Open Daily at 8:00 am

HAPPY HOUR 4:30-6:00 pm daily Tuesday All Night!

Excluding Christmas Eve & New Years Eve

Martini Mondays $8 CLOSED CHRISTMAS DAY

Sunny times in Bordeaux. | Courtesy Wikipedia

Ill-timed rainfall can affect all regions, but in addition, Burgundy has an unpleasant history with crop-killing hail, especially in the northern areas, which is where the high-end vineyards lie. Although Burgundy has not been immune during this golden age, the frequency and severity has been well below average. With the bottle price of wines from top Cru starting at three figures and these vineyard sites being quite small to begin with, even a small increase or decrease in production can make or break a vintner’s year.

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Fine Italian Food & Spirits 2015 Rhône.

LEFT: 2016 Bordeaux; RIGHT: 2017 Burgundy.

Fine-wine grape farmers anywhere love a moderate, low-slope bell curve to growing season temperatures. Think of the vintage both coming in and going out like a lamb. In the case of France where allowed grapes are regulated, it has most often been extra cold years that have been the most challenging — so the warming trend of 2015 to 2017 has been a blessing.

Concurrently, there have been minimal heat spikes and rainfall at inopportune times. Heat spikes wreak havoc on ideal ripening patterns and rainfall just before or at harvest leads to dilute flavors and humidity challenges. Bordeaux, with its proximity to the Atlantic Ocean, is prone to excess humidity, which leads to vine diseases and fungi. This also necessitates the use of copious amounts of crop treatments that affect the quality of the grapes, as well as end up in the juice — not good.

Both of these regions also benefit economically because consistently warmer growing seasons have also yielded wines in a style that more wine drinkers seem to enjoy.

Champagne stakes its name on consistency, so even though they rely less on ripeness for grape quality because the grapes are picked at quite low ripeness levels, the even-growing seasons and lack of catastrophic acts of nature have been a boon to quality and volume here as well.

Consumers benefit as well: the quality and delicious factor of these wines are evident at all price points.

I’ll look at a few other regions and present a buying guide in the next edition and at TheTahoeWeekly.com.

Vive la France.  Lou Phillips is a Level 3 Advanced Sommelier in Tahoe and his consulting business wineprowest. com assists in the selling, buying and managing wine collections. He may be reached at (775) 5443435 or wineguru123@gmail.com. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com for more wine columns. Click on Wine Column under the Local Flavor tab.

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Send Tidbits to editor@tahoethisweek.com Courtesy The Good Wolf Brewing

TA S T Y T I D B I T S

Moonlight Snowshoe Tour & Dinner Alpine Meadows Ski Area Tahoe City | Dec. 19

After the mountain closes and the winter moon rises, experience a snowshoe tour to the mid-mountain Chalet for an intimate seated dinner featuring Bavarian-inspired, multi-course cuisine created by executive chef Steve Anderson. 5:30 p.m. $119 | squawalpine.com

Community Appreciation Day and Holiday Party Tahoe Food Hub | Truckee | Dec. 20

Stop by and enjoy 10 percent off. To show appreciation for the community there will be local food and beverages to enjoy from 2 to 6 p.m. Happy holidays Tahoe Food Hub. 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Free | (530) 562-7150, tahoefoodhub.org

The Good Wolf Brewing opens The Good Wolf Brewing, a newcomer to the Truckee brewing scene, has opened its taproom at 10990 Industrial Way in Truckee.

The Good Wolf hand crafts hop forward and forest-inspired beers. The taproom is open Tuesday to Sunday to taste its beers including the Neon Rainbow, a juicy IPA hopped with Australian Galaxy and rounded out with Mosaic to present a tropical aroma. | thegoodwolfbrewing.com

Courtesy The Good Wolf Brewing

Anthony Chophouse Wine Dinners

Thai Kitchen reopens The Thai Kitchen has reopened at its new location at 877 N. Lake Blvd. in Tahoe City in the former Goose & Chey location and it open daily for lunch and dinner. | (530) 5831784, thaikitchentahoecity.com

Nugget Casino Resort Sparks | Dec. 19

Enjoy wonderful wine and delectable dining in an attractive atmosphere. The dinners offer several courses, paired with the perfect wine from the featured winemaker. 5 p.m. | (775) 356-3300

Tahoe Forest Cooking Club Tahoe Forest Center for Health Truckee | Dec. 19

Each month, Registered Dietitian Lisa Fligor, MS, RDN, LD, will provide a fun and interactive cooking demo. You get to taste test and take home easy, healthy and delicious recipes. 5:30-6:30 p.m. | (530) 587-3769, tfhd.com

DinnerParties Artisan

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WEEKLY FOOD DISTRIBUTION LOCATIONS AND TIMES:

MONDAYS TAHOE CITY | 3:00pm to 3:30pm Fairway Community Center, 330 Fairway Drive

Holiday Mixology Resort at Squaw Creek Olympic Valley | Dec. 20

Learn how to make three delicious craft cocktails with Six Peaks Grille master mixologist. Participants will use fresh, seasonal ingredients provided. 4 p.m. $60 | (530) 5816610, destinationhotels.com

Ugly Sweater Wine Walk Home Means Nevada Co. Reno | Dec. 21

Riverwalk Merchants Association hosts the popular Wine Walk along the Truckee River and neighboring streets in downtown Reno.

Visit five or more stops and enter to win more than $800 in prizes. Each month portions of the proceeds for the Reno Wine Walk benefit local charitable organizations. 2-5 p.m. $20 | allevents.in

Sparks Pub Crawls Sparks | Dec. 21

The fifth annual Ugly Sweater Crawl will take place in downtown Sparks. The event takes participants on a bar-hopping journey while they don their best tacky holiday wear.

6-10 p.m. $5 | eventbrite.com

Tahoe Santa Crawl Heavenly Village South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 21

Don your best holiday apparel for the Tahoe Santa Craw. Registration is $10 per cup/wristband and includes live music, drinks and food specials at all Village restaurants/ bars. 7 p.m. $10

Winter Solstice Party Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Truckee | Dec. 21

The Winter Solstice Party will take visitors on a journey under the stars with Tahoe Star Tours while enjoying music and Whistle Pig Whiskey tiki-themed cocktails in a an igloo outside in the Fireside Terrace. The lively event will be complimentary to all guests.

7-10 p.m. Free

EXCLUSIVE CONTENT AT

TheTahoeWeekly.com Explore more events in the Tahoe Sierra or submit your event.

Click on Event Calendar. FREE! Art of Mixology Ritz-Carlton, Lake Tahoe Truckee | Dec. 22

Northstar California Resort Truckee | Dec. 21

Enjoy creative, delicious s’mores in the Village at Northstar. 4 p.m. Free | (800) 466-6784

This entertaining, educational experience will feature freshly cut herbs, classic ingredients such as bitters and infused liquors to create three unique cocktails paired with appetizers. Price exclusive of tax and gratuity, minimum age applies for participation. 24-hour advance reservations are required. 4-5 p.m. $60 | chamber.truckee.com

Dinner & Dance

Complimentary S’Mores

Sierra Valley Grange Hall Loyalton | Dec. 21

Fire + Ice South Lake Tahoe | Dec. 26

S’moresapalooza

Enjoy a dinner and dance on the third Saturday of each month with a country-style pork 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Dance lessons from 6:30 to 7:30 p.m. Free with paid admission.

Dance from 7:30 to 10:30 p.m. Benefits Sierra Valley Grange Hall. 5:30-10:30 p.m. $10-$15 | sierracountychamber.com

Tahoe Science Center Hands-on science activities, Guided tours & 3-D movies Open Tues.–Fri., 1–5 p.m.

TUESDAYS TRUCKEE | 3:30pm to 4pm Sierra Senior Center, 10040 Estates Drive

(or by appointment, closed all holidays)

WEDNESDAYS KINGS BEACH | 3:00pm to 3:30pm Community House, 265 Bear Street

TahoeScienceCenter.org

THURSDAYS INCLINE VILLAGE | 3:00pm to 3:30pm St. Patrick’s Church 341 Village Blvd. sierracommunityhouse.org

Ugly Sweater Crawl

(775) 881-7566

Enjoy free S’mores from the fire pits.

All items are included to make your special treat. 2-5 p.m. Free

Farm to Table Dinner with Olympians Olympic Village Lodge Olympic Valley | Dec. 26

Enjoy a cozy, family-friendly dinner in the company of some of the region’s most renowned athletes. Gather beside local legends for an intimate evening of stories, camaraderie and history in the making over a buffet-style dinner.

December 19-25, 2019

SAUSAGE STUFFING

Sunday through Thursday not valid w

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20% OFF ENTIRE FOOD BILL Sunday through Thursday not valid with any other offer | Expires Dec. 26, 2019 | Excludes holidays

B Y C H E F D AV I D “ S M I T T Y ” S M I T H

O

ne down, one to go. Now that Thanksgiving is behind us, there is one more big meal that stands between now and next year. I don’t count New Year’s as a big meal because it is usually not the same elaborate feast we have for Thanksgiving or Christmas. When I was a kid, we had three really big meals a year: Thanksgiving, Christmas and Easter. Some people have a prime rib roast for Thanksgiving and/ or Christmas, but for us and for the other families I knew, there was always turkey for Thanksgiving and Christmas and ham for Easter.

Before we get to the stuffing recipe, however, I would like to go over a possible way for you to get everything done.

By starting the cooking a day or so ahead, you will be able to spend more time enjoying the holiday.

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menu that can be done over a few days and not necessarily all at once. Having enough oven space for all the dishes can be tricky, but if you make a few things in advance, all you need to do is reheat them — that can be done once you take the turkey out of the oven while it is resting.

Remember that the bird needs to rest a full 20 to 30 minutes before carving so the juice will settle back into the meat keeping it nice and moist, instead of just running out onto the cutting board.

PREP AHEAD The whole idea behind Thanksgiving is the meal. Even football is just an excuse to be able to unbuckle the belt, sit back and vegetate for a few hours while you digest the 10 pounds of food you forced yourself to eat. It is a long day in the kitchen since the kitchen is the hub of all activity. Everyone wants to stop in to say hello or have a drink with the chef or just see what’s going on. Even though you are working non-stop, there are plenty of others in the kitchen to keep you in the party.

Christmas is an entirely different holiday. No longer is the kitchen the center of attention, although the meal is expected to be every bit as extravagant. You’ll find yourself all alone in the kitchen for lengths of time. The living room takes center stage on this day with the brightly decorated tree, the kids playing with new toys, the guests taking it all in — the sounds of Christmas carols, of stories of when they were a kid and how their best Christmases went, the eggnog taking effect. Unlike Thanksgiving, this can really make cooking dinner a much bigger chore — you would rather be out in the living room with everyone enjoying the much more jovial atmosphere.

How can you enjoy more of the day in the living room? Set yourself up in advance.

Although this is a big meal, it is also a

• Roast your squash and other vegetables the day before.

• Make the cranberry sauce a day or two ahead.

• Cut potatoes and keep them in the refrigerator in cold water.

• Make the mashed potatoes ahead on the thick side. Reheat them by adding a little cream or milk to a pot, heating it and then adding the potatoes into the warmed milk/cream.

• Make the croutons for the stuffing up to three days ahead.

• Cut the sausage and dice the onion, carrot and celery the day before.

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All of these ideas will give you a little more time enjoying the holiday in the living room with the rest of your guests.

The only thing I will say is to be sure to reheat everything in the oven and not in the microwave.

Have a very merry Christmas.  Smitty is a personal chef specializing in dinner parties, cooking classes and special events. Trained under Master Chef Anton Flory at Top Notch Resort in Stowe, Vt., Smitty is known for his creative use of fresh ingredients. Contact him at tmmsmitty@gmail.com or (530) 412-3598. To read archived copies of Smitty’s column, visit chefsmitty.com or TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Chef’s Recipe under the Local Flavor tab.

Nightly 5-6 p.m.

SAUSAGE STUFFING

From the kitchen of: Chef David “Smitty” Smith 1 loaf white bread, cut into small cubes 1 12- to 14-oz. package breakfast sausages 5 celery sticks, fine diced 2 sticks butter 2 T rosemary, crushed Salt & pepper to taste

1 yellow onion, medium diced 2 large carrots, fine diced 2 C turkey or chicken stock 2 T poultry seasoning 2 T sage, fine chopped 2 cloves garlic, fine diced

Cut the bread into croutons. Toss the croutons with just enough melted butter (about ½ to 1 stick) to lightly coat them. Dust with half the herbs and garlic. Spread on a sheet tray and toast in the oven until golden.

Slice the sausages in half and remove the meat from the casing. Discard the casing. Sauté in a pot until just browned and add all the vegetables, garlic and a 1/2 stick of butter. Sauté until everything is soft. Add the stock and rest of the butter. Bring to a boil.

Add the croutons and rest of the herbs and remove from heat. Mix well and keep covered so it remains moist. Add a little more stock, salt, pepper and seasoning to taste.

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