eat & drink
fourth of july lake explosion of color to
earth essences for healing and wellness
beaches & parks
darren senn south shore songsmith
beach hopping by bike
tahoe
get outside the plot to bomb harvey’s
The Finest Buffet in northern Nevada is Now Open!
Plus, all new health and safety measures. For more information or to make a reservation please visit atlantiscasino.com/buffet
Serving lunch and dinner daily. Featuring Friday Seafood Buffet, Saturday Steak & Seafood Buffet and Saturday and Sunday Champagne Brunch.
keep you dancing this summer, the Tahoe City Downtown Association is partnering with our local radio station, 101.5 KTKE, and a few of our favorite musical performers to share some of the BEST moments & sweetest sounds from our summer shows.
8/2
8/16
Publisher
Last week, I wrote about how Tahoe Weekly became my business and how it enables me to do what I love – covering the stories of Tahoe about Tahoe locals, written by Tahoe locals. This week, I want to acknowledge our local and dedicated readers.
Our readers are a unique bunch. They are short-term visitors and ski bums that came for a season decades ago and never left. They are second- and thirdhomeowners who purchased their dream vacation house last year and are those that have been spending a season in Tahoe for two or three generations. They are the first-time visitor whose world was upended by the pandemic but needed a respite like us all and came to Tahoe. They are long-time locals passionate about the arts, about local music, about the outdoors and about Tahoe. What they all have in common is their love of Tahoe Weekly.
There are not many of us that are lucky to work in our dream jobs, in a dream location that also enriches the lives of others. My heart bursts each and every time I get a phone call, an email, a post on social media or am stopped in town or even on a trail by someone who takes a few moments to tell me how much Tahoe Weekly means to them.
I am truly appreciative of all your kind words; and it’s really been what’s been keeping me and all of us at Tahoe Weekly going through the pandemic. Your kind words, your heartfelt thanks, your personal stories of what Tahoe Weekly means to your family and, of course, your generous donations. It’s because of you that I see us making it through to the other end of this madness. We continue to need your support to keep us going through the pandemic. Please consider making a donation and sharing our call with your friends and family.
A big thanks to Christin Hanna of Lake Tahoe Dance Collective for her wonderful social media campaign on our behalf. We appreciate your help, your support and the amazing work you do in our community.
DONATE
PayPal.me/TahoeWeekly
PayPal.com or PayPal app | publisher@tahoethisweek.com
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Checks to Tahoe Weekly | P.O. Box 154, Tahoe Vista, CA 96148 n
Food
Family Editor
Copy Editor
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
BEAR EMERGENCIES
BEAR League (530) 525-7297 (24 hours) | savebears.org
A bear walking nearby or through your yard is not an emergency unless it is trying to enter your home or car.
INJURED ANIMALS
Lake Tahoe Wildlife Center, South Shore (530) 577-2273 | ltwc.org
The Wildlife Shelter, North Shore (866) 307-4216
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 Wednesdays. Subscribe to the free digital edition at issuu.com/ TheTahoeWeekly. Visit TheTahoeWeekly.com.
TAHOE WEEKLY, est. 1982, ©2007.
Read about how the lake was formed, Lake Tahoe’s discovery, lake clarity and more at TheTahoeWeekly.com. Click on Explore Tahoe.
NAge of Lake Tahoe: 2 million years
Fed By: 63 streams and 2 hot springs
Only Outlet: Truckee River (Tahoe City)
Watershed Area: 312 square miles
Average Water Temperature: 42.1˚F
Average Surface Water Temperature: 51.9˚F
Average Surface Temperature in July: 64.9˚F
Highest Peak: Freel Peak at 10,881 feet
Average Snowfall: 409 inches
Permanent Population: 66,000
Number of Visitors: 15 million annually
Learn about the natural history of the Tahoe Sierra at TheTahoeWeekly.com
Lake Tahoe is located in the states of California and Nevada, with two-thirds in California.
Lake Clarity:
2019: 62.7 feet avg. depth.
1968: First recorded at 102.4 feet
Average depth: 1,000 feet
Maximum depth: 1,645 feet
Lake Tahoe is the second deepest lake in the U.S. (Crater Lake in Oregon, at 1,932 feet, is the deepest), and the 11th deepest in the world.
Volume: 39 trillion gallons
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.
Natural rim: 6,223’
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.
Size: 22 miles long, 12 miles wide
Lake Tahoe is as long as the English Channel is wide.
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.
Cave Rock East Shore
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.
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. Trail to top is on the south side. TART
Explore Tahoe South Lake Tahoe (530) 542-2908 | cityofslt.us
Urban Trailhead at base of Heavenly Gondola with local exhibits and programs. South Tahoe
Fannette Island Emerald Bay (530) 541-3030 | parks.ca.gov
Lake Tahoe’s only island is located in Emerald Bay & is home to an old tea house. Boat access only. (Closed Feb. 1-June 15 for nesting birds.)
TART/South Tahoe
Heavenly South Lake Tahoe (775) 586-7000 | skiheavenly.com
Enjoy a 2.4-mile ride on the gondola to the top with panoramic views. Ticket required. South Tahoe
Hellman-Ehrman Mansion West Shore
Parking fee | parks.ca.gov
(530) 525-7232 Park | (530) 583-9911 Tours
Sugar Pine Point State Park is home to the historic Ehrman Mansion (summer tours), see boathouses with historic boats and General Phipps Cabin built in the late 1800s. TART
High Camp OPENING TBD Olympic Valley (800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com
Aerial tram rides with views of Lake Tahoe, Olympic Heritage Museum, events and more. Ticket required. TART
Kings Beach North Shore northtahoebusiness.org
Kings Beach is a popular spot for dining and shopping with the North Shore’s largest sandy beach located in the heart of town. Free parking at North Tahoe Beach, Brook Street, Minnow and the Christmas Tree lot on Hwy. 28. TART
North Lake Tahoe
Demonstration Garden Incline Village
Summer | Free (775) 586-1610, ext. 25 | demogarden.org
Demonstrations of lake-friendly landscaping using native and adaptive plants, water conservation, soil stabilization techniques, defensible space from wildfires & BMPs. Self-guided tours & clinics. TART
North Tahoe Arts Center Tahoe City (530) 581-2787 | northtahoearts.com
Featuring exhibits of work by local artists and works for sale by local artists. TART
Tahoe Art League Gallery South Lake Tahoe (530) 544-2313 | talart.org
Featuring local artists, workshops. South Tahoe
Tahoe City North Shore visittahoecity.com
Popular for shopping and dining with historical sites. At the junction of hwys 89 & 28, visitors may see the Tahoe City Dam, Lake Tahoe’s only outlet, and Fanny Bridge. Peer into Watson Cabin (1909) for a glimpse at pioneer life. Free parking at Commons Beach, Grove St., Jackpine St. and 64 acres at Hwys 89 & 28. TART
Tahoe City Field Station North Shore Summer | (530) 583-3279 | terc.ucdavis.edu
This 1920s-era building features a history of the field station, current UC Davis research projects, interactive exhibits and demonstration garden. Ages 8+. TART
Tallac Historic Site South Lake Tahoe (530) 541-5227 | tahoeheritage.org
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 yearround. South Tahoe
Taylor Creek Visitor Center South Lake Tahoe (530) 543-2674 | fs.usda.gov
Features Stream Profile Chamber to view slice of Taylor Creek, nature trails & more. South Tahoe
Thunderbird Lodge CLOSED East Shore May-October | thunderbirdtahoe.org
The former Whittell estate. This magnificent lakefront home features the Lighthouse Room, Old Lodge, 600’ underground tunnel (with a former lion cage) and Boat House, home to the “Thunderbird,” a 1939 wooden boat. Ages 6+ only. No on-site parking. Tours by reservation only.
Truckee
truckeehistory.org | truckee.com
Settled in 1863, Truckee grew quickly as a stagecoach stop and route for the Central Pacific Railroad. During these early days, many 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
Vikingsholm Castle Emerald Bay
Parking fee | (530) 541-3030 | (530) 525-9529 ADA parks.ca.gov or vikingsholm.com
Tour the grounds of Vikingsholm Castle (summer), see Eagle Falls and Fannette Island (the Lake’s only island), home to an old Tea House. TART/South Tahoe
Watson Cabin Tahoe City (530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org
Watson Cabin, built by Robert Watson and his son in 1909, is the oldest building in Tahoe City and on the National Register of Historic Places. (summer tours). TART
Donner Summit Historical Society Soda Springs donnersummithistoricalsociety.org
(530) 583-1762 | northtahoemuseums.org
Featuring historic photos, the Steinbach Indian Basket Museum and historical memorabilia. TART
KidZone Children’s OPENING TBD Museum Truckee
Tues.-Sun. | Locals’ first Tues. half price (530) 587-5437 | kidzonemuseum.org
Interactive exhibits, science & art classes for kids up to age 7. BabyZone & Jungle Gym. TART
Lake Tahoe Museum South Lake Tahoe (530) 541-5458 | laketahoemuseum.org
Features Washoe artifacts and exhibits on early industry and settlers. South Tahoe
Museum of Truckee History Truckee
Thurs.-Mon. | (530) 582-0893 | truckeehistory.org
Housed in the original Depot, built in 1901. Exhibits cover different eras in Truckee history. TART
Old Jail Museum Truckee
Open by appt. | (530) 659-2378 | truckeehistory.org
One of a few surviving 19th Century jailhouses used from 1875 until May 1964 (summer tours) TART
Olympic Museum OPENING TBD Olympic Valley (800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com
Squaw Valley, host of the VIII Winter Olympic Games in 1960, celebrates its Olympic History with the Tower of Nations with its Olympic Flame and the symbolic Tower of the Valley at the entrance to the valley. The Olympic Museum at High Camp features historic memorabilia and photographs. TART
Truckee Railroad Museum OPENING TBD Truckee
Sat.-Sun. & holidays truckeedonnerrailroadsociety.com
Learn about the historic railroad. Located in a caboose next to the Truckee Depot. TART
Kings Beach Kings Beach State Rec. Area (Thurs.-Mon., July-Aug.)
Incline Village 969 Tahoe Blvd. (800) 468-2463
Stateline 169 Hwy. 50 (775) 588-4591
Tahoe City 100 N. Lake Blvd. (530) 581-6900
Truckee 10065 Donner Pass Rd. (Depot) (530) 587-8808
U.S. Forest Service | Incline Village 855 Alder Ave. (775) 831-0914 (Wed.-Fri.)
U.S. Forest Service | South Lake
North Tahoe & Truckee (TART) | laketahoetransit.com
South Tahoe | tahoetransportation.org
Is the West Shore the best shore?
It’s been a busy summer with lots of people around, but I was dying to get some exercise that ended with a dip in the lake.
ere are 23 miles of paved bike path from Dollar Hill in Tahoe City to Meeks Bay in Tahoma. I loaded my bike cruiser into my car and headed to the West Shore’s Highway 89 where the water meets the miniature pedestrian and cyclist-friendly roadway.
It was a beautiful sunny day and the bike path was fairly empty; it was just me, the pine trees, flowing creeks and incredible views of the lake around gentle bends and moderate inclines and declines.
At 1 p.m. on a weekday afternoon, I parked in Homewood armed with a towel, swimsuit, a bottle of water and suntan lotion to begin my 4.4-mile ride down to Meeks Bay Resort and back — around 9 miles total. It was a beautiful sunny day and the bike path was fairly empty; it was just me, the pine trees, owing creeks and incredible views of the lake around gentle bends and moderate inclines and declines.
Twenty minutes later, I ended up in Tahoma, a quiet town with a population of around 1,200. e biggest amenities include Tahoma Meadows Cottages and a small shopping center with a post o ce, West Shore Pizza and a tiny café/gelato shop called Where We Met that serves the best housemade gelato and Nutella lattes on this side of the lake. Its two takeout windows had a steady stream of people getting scoops of banana, lime, lemon, co ee and sweet cream- avored, cold treats. Having worked up a little bit of a sweat, I brie y relaxed outside with a $6 sweet cream and co ee combination and enjoyed the sunshine.
After scar ng down my gelato, I hopped back on my bike and kept heading south. I went up through a quiet neighborhood o McKinney Street where the bike path breaks and then dropped back down toward the lake. I was anxious to check out the newer portion of the West Shore Bike Trail to Meeks Bay. I passed Sugar Pine Point State Park and continued to the end of the trail.
Taking in the natural landscape and strikingly blue scene that’s viewable from
most parts of the West Shore Bike Trail, I went through a paved hairpin turn that reminded me of a miniature version of the road that goes around Emerald Bay. I continued south. I heard laughing, splashing and echoes of general merriment. A few hundred yards later, I arrived at the place responsible for all the commotion.
At the end of the trail was Meeks Bay general store, which sells canned beer, wine, beach toys, swimsuits and random camping supplies, to the left was Wa-SheShu Grille and a half moon of sandy beach supporting emerald blue waters. People had their umbrellas set up, were playing music or out in the water on oaties and standup paddleboards. Hotel rooms and private stand-alone cabins face the lake — the seven-bedroom Kehlet Mansion comes with a private beach and is rented out for around $1,000 a night.
Park. It’s free to get in with a bicycle, but there were plenty of parking spots available. e thing that always impresses me about Sugar Pine Point State Park isn’t the sugar pines, it’s the expansive lawn around Hellman-Ehrman Mansion, exuding that fresh cut-grass scent that matched with the tall trees and alpine lake smell — it should be turned into a Yankee candle scent.
Sugar Pine Point State Park has paved bike paths throughout the property with plenty of places to park your bike and explore the beach. e park has a public pier, a campground and a beach for day visitors.
Grant Barta Sugar Bowl
Sugar Bowl announced that it’s taking measures for the 2020-21 winter ski season to ensure the safety of its guests including the installation of radio-frequency (RFID) access gates at all of its primary chairlifts. The scanning gates, in combination with new self-service pick-up stations and contactless payment options, will allow for a touchless outdoor experience, according to the resort.
Sugar Bowl has also announced The 100-Day Guarantee and Daily Resort Access Assurance to provide coverage for a weather or COVID-based closure.
“If county, state or federal jurisdictions implement health-related guidelines that cause Sugar Bowl to limit daily visitation at the resort for passholders, and you decide this doesn’t work for you, we will honor a refund upon request,” the resort announced in a e-blast.
As well, the resort stated in the blast that it will provide lift-served access for at least 100 days during the upcoming season.
Other changes will include outdoor-dining only and limited indoor access for warming, along with facemask and social-distancing requirements. | sugarbowl.com
Teton Gravity Research has released the trailer for its latest film, “Make Believe,” which will be shown Sept. 23 at the West Wind El Rancho Drive-in in Reno, Nev., at 7:30 p.m.
I jumped in the water for a quick coolo and ended up brie y swimming with a family of mergansers. Finally, I got back on my bike and headed back up the West Shore.
Around 2:30 p.m., I veered o the bike path to check out Sugar Pine Point State
I lazily basked in the sun on the water’s edge for a while before begrudgingly forcing myself back to my bike.
I arrived back in Homewood at 4 p.m., thinking about how next time I could park at 64-Acres Park in Tahoe City and extend my route to visit a few more beaches on the West Shore. It’s just about making the time to do it and then enjoying the ride.
“For 25 years, TGR has focused on turning Make Believe into reality, from exploring powder stashes in our backyard playground to first descents on unnamed peaks, the ethos of live the dream’ has defined our adventures,” according to TGR.
“ ‘Make Believe’ celebrates today’s athletes who have committed to this ethos, the ones who have fallen deeply in love with the mountain life, the people who have chosen to live their lives in a particular way, from inception to reality, the ones who choose to make and believe in their dreams.”
The screening will also feature the world premiere of the new snowboard film “Blank Canvas” at 9 p.m. Tickets are $30 per vehicle for two people; $10 for each additional person. Tickets available online. | tetongravity.com
A $45,000 grant from Tahoe Fund has allowed the nonprofit Tahoe Area Mountain Biking Association to begin a trail-improvement project that will reconstruct sections of the Upper Tyrolian Trail in Incline Village, Nev. The project makes critical trail connections in the Incline Village area and rehabilitates and restores old logging roads to reduce erosion and improve lake clarity. It is expected to be completed by the end of October.
In partnership with the U.S. Forest Service Lake Tahoe Basin Management Unit, TAMBA’s intention is to improve the existing trail conditions and establish a dedicated mountain-bike-focused connection to the Tyrolian Downhill Trail with nearly 2 miles of sustainable single-track trail that will connect the existing Tyrolian Downhill Trail to Mount Rose Highway at Tahoe Meadows.
A new upper section of the trail will provide a trailhead with improved signage and reduce mountain-bike traffic on the Tahoe Rim Trail. The current Tyrolian Downhill Trail will not be closed during construction, but to avoid slowing it down, TAMBA asks that riders stay off the new trail until it has been completed.
The trail project needs $15,000 in donations. Donors may contribute at the Tahoe Fund or TAMBA websites. | tahoefund.org, tamba.org
DASER
forum online
Online | Truckee | Aug. 20
Focusing on UC Berkeley’s Sagehen Creek Field Station’s Artist Residency Program (AIR). 9-10 a.m. Free | eventbrite.com
Preschool Storytime on instagram
Nevada County Library | Truckee | Aug. 20
Get ready to read, dance, sing and play with this Storytime for preschoolers, happening live on Instagram each week. 10:30-11 a.m. Free | mynevadacounty.com
MFA IA Virtual Summer Residency
Sierra Nevada University | Incline Village | Aug. 20 Register online. 4 p.m. Free | (775) 8311314, eventbrite.com
Big Blue Adventure Race Series
Area venues | Truckee | Aug. 21, 23
Triathlons, running, biking, swimming, adventure racing and paddling. Aug. 15 to Oct. 6. 7:30 a.m. | bigblueadventure.com
Free Outdoor Movie Nights
Chicken in a Barrel | South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 22, 23
The movie begins at dusk, 8:45 p.m. Free | tahoesouth.com
Baby Storytime on Facebook
Truckee Library | Truckee | Aug. 24
Join Miss Amy for songs, books, and early literacy tips for babies. Free | facebook.com
Lake Tahoe Summit: Resilient Tahoe (virtual) Online | Tahoe City | Aug. 25
The theme is “Resilient Tahoe,” looking ahead to future environmental, infrastructure and economic challenges. 10 a.m.-12 p.m. Free | (775) 686-5750, tahoefund.org
LEGO Challenge on Facebook Live
Truckee Library | Truckee | Aug. 25
Here a story to inspire your brick creatio with examples you can create at home.4-4:30 p.m. Free | facebook.com, mynevadacounty.com
must come up. This can be a painful reality when the down comes in the middle of a hike. No fireworks were going off, but the drop into Fourth of July Lake was worth having to climb out 2 miles and more than 1,000 feet of elevation gain.
The array of flowers and their size is largely dependent on the previous winter’s snowfall. The four of us were not disappointed with the variety on July 19. Columbine, lupine, mule’s ears, daisies, Indian paintbrush, yarrow and so much more filled the terrain. Rubbing a few leaves of the mountain peppermint was a great way to cleanse my hands of the mosquito repellent.
Stopping to take pictures made this a much longer day. No one was complaining. Flowers were growing out of granite rocks, in fields that carpeted the ground, in clusters like a bouquet and as single strands of beauty.
Water was abundant along the trail, making the landscape so verdant, especially on the climb to Round Top Lake. These creeks would be a welcome relief for four-legged hikers. All the water meant two stream crossings across logs. There could be more in early season.
While the hike starts near Woods Lake, the trail doesn’t actually go to that body of water. However, it doesn’t take long for it to come into view through the tall pines. A highlight of this hike was that the views were always changing, seeming to only get better around each bend. It wasn’t long before Red Lake Peak (10,061 feet) and Elephants Back (9,585 feet) were visible. Not far off the trail was a distinct waterfall reminiscent of the Glen Alpine Waterfall near Fallen Leaf Lake on the South Shore.
At first the trees provided plenty of shade, but that didn’t last. Going higher the subalpine setting turned to more expansive land with few trees.
At times part of the trek is along what was obviously an old road. A rusted frame of a vehicle that we guessed was from the 1930s is off to one side facing a stream. A structure in the water we surmised was once a bridge. Why the people didn’t turn around we don’t know. If only the trees could talk.
where two people in our group waited for me and Brenda as we headed to the lake. Once at the lake we were at tree line again, with pines surrounding us. On the far side of Fourth of July a small waterfall flowed from the rocks. It would have been possible to keep hiking from there. This section is part of the TahoeYosemite Trail. We opted not to visit the national park that day.
Columbine, lupine, mule’s ears, daisies, Indian paintbrush, yarrow and so much more filled the terrain. … Flowers were growing out of granite rocks, in fields that carpeted the ground, in clusters like a bouquet and as single strands of beauty.
Starting from the trailhead parking lot we clocked 9.82 miles round trip. The elevation at Woods Lake Campground, which is near where we started, is 8,240 feet. Fourth of July Lake is just a bit more than 8,000 feet. The problem, so to speak, is that first we climbed to 9,433 feet before dropping down. While we didn’t bag a peak this particular day, the graphic on the GPS looked like we did a couple.
Other parts of the trail were soft dirt with a thin layer of duff; other sections were rocky, some granite stairs had to be climbed, other parts were loose scree. I was happy to have my poles, which came off the backpack for the descent into Fourth of July Lake and were used the rest of the trek.
Once through the main section of wildflowers, Round Top Peak (10,381 feet) and The Sisters (10,153 feet) came into view. There wasn’t much snow left on Round Top, but one diehard skier found enough white stuff to make a few turns between the two peaks. It’s possible to stop at Round Top Lake. The beauty was magical as the mountains reflected into the water.
We opted to continue on to our destination. Even if you don’t want to make the descent into Fourth of July Lake, keep going until you see it. It’s worth the view even from afar. An outcropping of rocks is
Another option from this starting point is to make a loop via Winnemucca Lake. Signs make this an easy option at the get-go or when at Round Top Lake. The nice thing about bypassing Winnemucca is that you are likely to see fewer people, especially when the wildflowers are out.
9.82 miles roundtrip | Moderate-strenuous
From South Lake Tahoe go west on Highway 50. In Meyers, take Highway 89 south. In Hope Valley, go right onto Highway 88. Turn left at the Woods Lake sign. This is 1.7 miles west of the Carson Pass Ranger District. It costs $8 to park, cash only. Dogs on leashes are welcome. n
GEOCACHING
CRUISES
DISC GOLF
18-hole
INCLINE VILLAGE
(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com
18-hole
KIRKWOOD
(209) 258-7277 | kirkwood.com
Experience disc golf at 7,800 feet with the notorious DiscWood disc golf course. The 18-hole course weaves through the trees and over mountainous terrain. Free. Scorecards and maps may be picked up at the General Store.
MARKLEEVILLE
(530) 694-2140 | alpinecounty.ca.gov
Located at Turtle Rock Park Campground.
OLYMPIC VALLEY
(530) 583-6985 | squawalpine.com
18-hole course at Squaw Valley’s High Camp. Disc rentals. TART
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
A mostly flat and moderately wooded course is located at Bijou Community Park featuring 27 holes covering 8,324 feet. The course features mixed tees with varied fairways with slight elevation changes. On Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo
TAHOE VISTA
(530) 546-4212 | northtahoeparks.com
18-hole course at North Tahoe Regional Park, off National Avenue. Parking $5. Daily dawn-dusk. TART
TRUCKEE
(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com
18-hole course at Truckee River Regional Park, off Brockway Road. Dogs must be on leash. Free. Daily dawn-dusk. TART
TRUCKEE
(530) 550-2225
18 holes at Sierra College Campus. Free. Daily dawndusk. TART
ZEPHYR COVE
The Zephyr Cove course is 18 holes covering 5,256 feet with holes of varying lengths. On Warrior Way. BlueGo
for more Summer Fun Activities
PUBLIC POOLS
INCLINE VILLAGE
(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). Daily rates & memberships available.
OLYMPIC VALLEY
(800) 403-0206 | squawalpine.com
Swimming Lagoon & Spa at High Camp at Squaw Valley, free form lagoon with 50-meter lap lanes, two islands with waterfalls and native boulders. Opening TBD. TART
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
(530) 542-6056 | citiofslt.com
25-yard indoor/outdoor year-round pool. Lessons. Opening TBD. BlueGo
TRUCKEE
(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com
25-yard indoor pool with 6 lanes, 1-meter spring diving board, swim training, hydraulic lift at Tahoe-Truckee High School. Opening TBD. TART
TRUCKEE
(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com
Community Recreation Center offers 29’ climbing wall & 12’ bouldering wall. All ages & levels. Lessons available. Opening TBD. TART
INCLINE VILLAGE
(775) 832-1300 | inclinerecreation.com
Intermediate/advanced area with two, 5-foot tall bowls with a spine, 3-foot box and 2.5 foot bowl for beginners. Street course on top, with 8-foot flat rail, 6-foot down rail, four stairs and a 10-foot downward ramp. Corner Hwy. 28 & Southwood. Daily dawn-dusk. TART
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE
Bijou Community Park features a skateboard park on Al Tahoe Boulevard off Highway 50. BlueGo
TRUCKEE
(530) 582-7720 | tdrpd.com
Truckee River Regional Park with several bowls with a spine and channel, a long rail and ledges. Knee and elbow pads and helmets required. Free. Daily dawn10 p.m. TART
WOODWARD TAHOE
(530) 426-1114 | rideboreal.com
Featuring two skateparks – The Sierra Skatepark and the Eastern Sierra Skatepark. Plus, indoor skate park inside The Bunker.
orty years ago, on Aug. 27, 1980, an angry gambler attempted to extort millions of dollars from Harvey’s Resort Hotel — now called Harveys Lake Tahoe — by threatening to blow up its 11-story hotel casino located in Stateline, Nev. John Birges Sr. was bitter that he had lost $800,000 playing blackjack and he wanted it all back — plus more. His dastardly scheme had the potential to kill hundreds of innocent guests, patrons and employees at the casino. Like a character in a Hollywood action thriller, the protagonist was an evil genius who concocted a diabolical and complicated plot to blackmail a Nevada casino for $3 million.
Birges was a brilliant inventor and businessman who had immigrated to the United States in 1957. Born in Hungary in 1922, he was a proud, self-described Hungarian freedom ghter, who had own as a resistance pilot against Soviet forces. After his capture in 1948 he spent eight years as a prisoner of war before his release. Apprehended again in 1956, he evaded a quick death by speaking uent Russian to the occupying Soviet soldiers who had arrested him. Birges was imprisoned but allowed to live — at least temporarily. Luckily, three days later Hungarian rebels freed him from custody. e following year, Birges and his wife Elizabet found themselves in California.
By all rights Birges had done well in his adopted country, becoming a millionaire
by 1971 at the age of 49. He had hired on with a landscaping and sprinkler company near Fresno, which he eventually purchased. He also dabbled in steel fabrication and manufacturing. Birges had a violent temper and was a physically abusive husband and father; he and Elizabet divorced in 1973. After the split, she lived in a trailer on her ex-husband’s property for two years until she committed suicide.
Birges opened the successful Villa
Basque restaurant in Fresno, but re destroyed the business in 1978. Retired from his landscaping business and possibly distraught over his wife’s suicide, Birges became despondent. Seeking a change and ush with his lifetime savings and $355,000 from his insurance settlement from the restaurant blaze, Birges began visiting Harvey’s Hotel Resort, where he would gamble for hours at a time. He gained a reputation for winning and losing large sums of money at the
blackjack table. Blackjack is a popular card game and was Birges’s favorite diversion. He was treated as a VIP high roller for his
Like a character in a Hollywood action thriller, the protagonist was an evil genius who concocted a diabolical and complicated plot to blackmail a Nevada casino for $3 million.
robust betting at Harvey’s, but the lifestyle ate up his bankroll and eventually led to signi cant nancial losses. In a misguided attempt to win back his hard-earned money, in October 1979, Birges began renting a studio apartment just a mile from the casino district at South Lake Tahoe.
in the Sierra Nevada. Over the next eight weeks, Birges worked secretly in the garage of his Clovis home fabricating a weapon of mass destruction.
To foil the inevitable e orts by a police bomb squad, Birges included eight separate internal triggers for the bomb — any one of the triggers could explode the dynamite. e system was genius and so sophisticated that it was virtually impossible for any explosive expert to disarm. ere were two metal boxes attached to each other. Birges sealed the assortment of detonators within the smaller box on top of the larger one containing the sticks of dynamite. ere were 28 toggle switches on that trigger box, but there was no way to determine what function, if any, they controlled. e only way to determine the inner workings of the device was with an X-ray machine.
In mid-August the weapon was nished and ready for delivery to Harvey’s, but at the last minute, his sons backed out of the plan complaining that it was too dangerous to transport the powerful bomb. Determined to carry out his diabolical plot, on Aug. 24 Birges telephoned Willis Brown, a former employee at the landscaping business. Brown was out of work and ready to consider helping out his old boss for some cash. Brown, along with his sonin-law, Terry Lee Hall, drove to Birges’s Clovis home where they agreed to deliver the bomb for $2,000 each — payable when Harvey Gross, owner of the casino, paid the $3 million ransom. Birges borrowed a 1975 Dodge van from John Jr., and late that night, Birges, Brown and Hall drove up to Lake Tahoe with the machine, as they called it, stashed in the back of the van.
Traveling by way of Highway 50, the men approached South Lake Tahoe in the pre-dawn darkness. Birges drove slowly past Harvey’s so he could show Brown and Hall the main lobby entrance to the
e 58-year-old retiree spent that winter gambling at Harvey’s nearly every day and little time at his home in Clovis, where his girlfriend Ella Joan Williams resided. Not surprisingly, Birges’s plan to recoup his losses from the casino failed and within six months he found himself on Harvey’s books for $800,000 in gambling debt. At this point, he was so broke that he was forced to borrow money from his 18-year-old son James just to pay rent for the apartment. It was during this time that Birges began to think about stealing his money back from Harvey’s. As he casually wandered the casino oor, he studied the building’s layout and observed the movements of casino sta and the timing of security shift changes. at winter he told his two sons, James and 19-year-old John Jr., that he was going to build a bomb to extort money from Harvey’s, but they thought he was joking. He wasn’t.
In June 1980, Birges enlisted his sons’ help in acquiring nearly 1,000 pounds of dynamite to fuel his homemade bomb.
ey stole the explosives from Helms Power Plant, a remote hydroelectric facility located at 7,000 feet on the North Fork of Kings River, about 50 miles east of Fresno
casino where they would deliver the device. e van’s engine was running rough, so after a tense breakfast at a local diner, they checked into the Balahoe Motel near the Lake Tahoe Airport. Hall registered for the room using the alias Joey Evetto, but the owner of the motel, Nancy De Minico, was o ended by distasteful comments from one of the men. Suspicious of the trio, she wrote down the white van’s California license plate number in case of trouble. Stay tuned for Part II in the next edition and at eTahoeWeekly.com.
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.
On Aug. 20 a D.C. Art Science Evening Rendezvous (DASER) Experiments forum will be online focusing on UC Berkeley’s Sagehen Creek Field Station’s Artist Residency Program located north of Truckee. The program has continued since 2011 with more than two dozen artists from across the United States and as far away as Norway and Iceland.
From 9 to 10 a.m., speakers will include:
Jeffery Brown and Faerthen Felix, codirectors of Sagehen Creek Field Station AIR; William L. Fox, director of Nevada Museum of Art’s Center for Art + Environment and Peter H. McCartney, program director of the Division of Biological Infrastructure at the National Science Foundation. The moderator will be JD Talasek, director of Cultural Programs at National Academy of Sciences. | RSVP eventbrite.com
Tahoe writer Todd Borg has released his 18th Owen McKenna Mystery, “Tahoe Hit,” which has already become an Amazon Bestseller on the Private Investigator List. “Carston Kraytower’s San Francisco hedge fund is hugely profitable. But Kraytower has a secret background he’ll do anything to conceal. Two of his colleagues know what he’s hiding. All seems okay until they start dying in inexplicable ways up at Lake Tahoe,” according to the author. | toddborg.com
The Art of Kevin Jamieson
South Lake Tahoe Library | Aug. 19-31 12 p.m. | talart.org
Call for Artist Submissions
Glass Garage Collective | Stateline | Aug. 19-Sept. 30 1 p.m. | glassgaragecollective.com
DASER Experiments forum online
Online | Truckee | Aug. 20 9-10 a.m. | eventbrite.com
MFA IA Virtual Summer Residency
Sierra Nevada University | Incline Village | Aug. 20 4 p.m. | (775) 831-1314, eventbrite.com
“Black, white, and a hint of...” art show
Tahoe Art League Art Center
South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 21-Sept. 4 11 a.m.-4 p.m. | (530) 544-2313, talart.org
Thomas Easley: Meet the Artist
Marcus Ashley Gallery | South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 21-22 12-5 p.m. | (530) 544-4278, eventbrite.com
Thomadro Art Show
Wyland Art Gallery | South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 22-23 12-6 p.m. | facebook.com
Yvonne McGrath “Sound and Vision”
Scott Forrest Fine Art Studio
South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 22-22 10 a.m.-4 p.m. | scottforrestart.com
Open Writers Workshop (virtual)
Virtual | South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 25 6-9 p.m. | tahoewritersworks.com
Ilove the smell in the air after it rains.
When asked to describe that smell, words like moist, earthy, woodsy and musky come to mind. e scent is called petrichor. Alixandra Laub, the owner of Tahoe Petrichor, creates essential oils and skincare products.
She, too, loves the earth’s smell after a rain. “ e leaves open up and release their essential oils. Bacteria grow releasing pheromones; the compounds released by the trees are some of the same compounds in essential oils,’ says Laub.
It is the scienti c aspect of the chemical compounds of essential oils that draws her to her work.
Laub was born and raised in Tahoe. Her curiosity about plants and plant medicine called to her when her dad became terminally ill. She started taking master classes in herbal medicine and became an herbalist, and today creates medicinals from local plants in the Tahoe region.
“I harvest locally. I use local plants and distill them. I use plants like cedar, cedarwood, sagebrush and juniper. It takes 30 pounds of the plant to make 10 milliliters of oil. Conifers take a signi cant amount of product in order for it to give up its aromatics,” says Laub.
In her blends, she utilizes plants with synergy to other plants, such as yarrow and arnica, to create her blends and products.
Laub is conscious to forage for her plant materials sustainably. She looks for places where the plants grow abundantly and never depletes an area. She works with tree-trimming companies if she needs cedar and pine and gets what she needs before it is turned into mulch or landscaping materials.
“I handmake extracts from the plant using herbal medicine practices,” Laub says. “Sage is a staple in this area and is one of my favorite plants. It’s perfect for pain and smells like walking through the desert. Juniperberry is an astringent and has antiaging properties. Every year I focus on a new plant and learn everything I can about the plant, then integrate the plant into a practical product.”
Some of Tahoe Petrichor’s handmade products include Bearly ere, a gentle herbal-infused skincare formula. e Releaf Rollie is a pain-relief ointment with CBD.
“ I handmake extracts from the plant using herbal medicine practices. Sage is a staple in this area and is one of my favorite plants. It’s perfect for pain and smells like walking through the desert.”–Alixandra Laub
“It’s a stick, so your hands don’t need to touch it. I use a sagebrush in the formula. Research says sage is great for pain relief. People say they’ve had incredible results,” says Laub, whose been focusing on topical products for Tahoe Petrichor.
Boulder Balm is geared for rock climbing and active hands.
“It includes antimicrobial, anti-in ammatory and antiseptic properties,” she says.
She also carries a botanical mist for meditation and yoga. Each product smells like the earth, rich and herbal. e scent of pine, sage and herbs such as mullein and comfrey create the healing properties of her products. e cedar essential oil seems
like you are deep in the woods of the forest. Look for her soon-to-be-released Dog Releaf Rollie for four-legged friends who need pain relief.
In addition to creating products, Laub also teaches and o ers classes. She hopes to help people fully integrate plant medicine into their lives.
“I help people nd solutions to integrate medicinals into their lifestyle for healing and wellness,” she says.
Her products can be purchased online or at Botanical Arts Company in South Lake Tahoe. | tahoepetrichor.com
Leo (Jul 22-Aug 23)
The pioneer in you is getting ignited by this New Moon. If you were born prior to August 18, the activation may occur more fully behind the scenes than if you were born on or after this date. Either way, you will feel inspired to both learn and share new perspectives. Yet feeling as confident as you would like will require some extra effort.
Virgo (Aug 23-Sep 22)
A busy time behind the scenes both continues and increases. Although your focus will be directed to your public and professional life, the actual work will likely be from your office, den, basement, or garage… Your power potential is steadily rising, and you are determined to harness it as fully as you can. This is probably requiring a multi-task approach, so trust that.
Libra (Sep 22-Oct 22)
Who are your friends and who are not. This will emerge as an important question over the coming weeks. It may include asking if you are a good friend to yourself and what this means. And it will be directed to others, as well. Sometimes, we be-friend people indirectly, like celebrities and public figures.
Scorpio (Oct 22-Nov 21)
A window of opportunity to be seen and heard and to get the respect, attention, and recognition that you feel you deserve and/or have earned is fast approaching. This can prove to be a big go-ahead time when you can advance your position measurably. If this is your goal, you may have to make extra efforts to concentrate your focus.
Sagittarius (Nov 21-Dec 21)
This grand trine in fire could prove extra opportune for you. It will activate both a playful drive and a spirit of adventure. At worst, you could get overly enthusiastic and come on too strong and overdo it. So, you may have to reel in your ego a bit. It all comes down to the consequences of doing so and only you can discern that. Temperance!
Michael O’Connor, Life Coach Astrologer SunStarAstrology.com
Capricorn (Dec 21-Jan 19)
Some dives are deeper than others and this stands to be one of them. So, while others are experiencing ego-inflation issues, you may have to undergo a process of ego-purge. In other words, circumstances may push you to do what you would rather not.
Aquarius (Jan 19-Feb 19)
This cycle will have a powerful impact on your relationships. There are good indications that things will flow your way. In addition to increased interaction with others, it will also activate rich creative exchanges. You will be happy to enter into cooperatives now as opposed to going it alone.
Pisces (Feb 19-Mar 20)
This cycles is suited for both work and play. However you interpret it, the focus now is to ‘bring it home’. This will include some measure of critical thinking woven in with the creative focus. Great works can be realized under such conditions.
Aries (Mar 21-Apr 20)
These are dramatic times and you are probably making a concerted effort to keep it together on more practical fronts. You are in the mood for fun, play, and games and, quite possibly, romance too. Yet, home is where your heart is these days and you are happy to huddle in rather than venture afar. Focus to create beautiful moments.
Taurus (Apr 20-May 21)
You are in a creative, passionate mood. You are eager to advance your position somehow. This may have as much to do with integrating new perspectives and philosophies. Above all, you want to feel secure and this extends directly to your family. Break through existing beliefs and priorities.
Gemini (May 21-Jun 21)
Some cycles are more creative than others and this is likely to be one of them. Your focus will be deep and precise, and you won’t be so given to flights of fancy and inspiration alone. So, give yourself space and time to produce something marvelous.
Cancer (Jun 21-Jul 22)
The time has come to establish a more solid base. Yet, to do so you may have to clear the clutter. Will this clutter be material, physical, mental, emotional or perhaps a bit of all of the above? The time is ripe to take new leads and strides, and this includes getting to the bottom of things. Trust but verify and demonstrate that you truly are able to think critically.
hat makes a good song is a very subjective question,” says Stateline, Nev., songwriter Darren Senn, “But to me, if it’s relatable and hits you in the abdomen, then you done good.”
Senn grew up on the classic country his family played at home, songs by windswept, unsentimental wanderers like Willie Nelson, Merle Haggard and Waylon Jennings. He spent those summers in West Eugene, Ore., with his cousin, Chad, roaming the countryside on BMX bikes to buy candy, meet girls and swim in the Willamette River. ese fond memories inspired the lead single for his upcoming album, a downhearted and tender ballad called “Gone are the Days.”
“It was just young summer days, so fun and innocent and carefree,” says Senn. “ ere aren’t many guarantees in life, but it will never be the same as when you were a kid. It’s just di erent when you’re an adult. I’m lucky I had that childhood.”
at’s not to say that everything was always so simple. Senn’s father was a bluecollar alcoholic, Vietnam veteran and mechanic who passed away when he was still a teen. He wrote the haunting song “Dirty Wrench” o his 2018 album “Detrimental Tendencies” in remembrance. Like many of his compositions, it evokes the real-life struggle of the common man in stark, plain and sober terms reminiscent of Bruce Springsteen’s acoustic landmark “Nebraska.”
“What really touches me is Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Todd Snider,” says Senn. “ ose guys write the way I like. eir work is very emotive and deep. Stu that makes you laugh and cry in that same song. at’s magic to me. ose songs are as good as it gets about the human condition.”
“They always say write for yourself and not for other people, but I want to write something that’s pleasing to hear. I want it to be relatable. The sadder stuff not everybody digs, but that’s what I really enjoy writing most.” –Darren
SennAnother new piece, “Winnemucca,” tells the story of two high-school football stars who meet up at a high-desert bar years beyond their glory days. With only a guitar, a harmonica and a weathered voice, Senn penetrates deeply into the heart of humanity as he compares himself to the vacancy sign on a pass-
ing I-80 motel. On meeting, the good times and strong drinks ow easily until his friend leaves with a prostitute and he gambles all his money away. e narrator is left in his cold pickup truck, haplessly drunk and alone again.
“If I want to write seriously, it usually goes dark,” says Senn. “It makes for good song content. It’s universal.”
Senn moved to South Lake Tahoe in 1996 where he worked as poker dealer at Harveys Lake Tahoe Hotel & Casino until gaming shut down in March. He didn’t learn to play the guitar until he was 27 years old.
“Once a friend taught me a couple chords, I didn’t put it down,” he says. “I basically locked myself in my condo and learned how to play. I was into Neil Young, Bob Dylan and Gordon Lightfoot. at’s the rst time I remember music becoming a part of me.”
He played in e Rusty Strings and befriended Tahoma Americana group Dead Winter Carpenters who have been known to cover his work, all the while developing a reputation as one of the most poignant folk songwriters in the Tahoe Sierra.
“ ey always say write for yourself and not for other people, but I want to write something that’s pleasing to hear,” says Senn. “I want it to be relatable. e sadder stu not everybody digs, but that’s what I really enjoy writing most. It makes me happy. It’s healing. It’s therapeutic. at’s what funny about it. You have to put the universal emotion in your words with your own personal spin on it. erefore, you’re satisfying yourself and you’re also appealing to other people. It’s all about connection.”
Lately, out of work and another day older, Senn’s been thinking a lot about the past
AUGUST 23 | SUNDAY
Live Music
Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.
Backyard Boogie series (on radio)
KTKE 101.5 – Truckee, Tahoe City, 4-7 p.m.
Broadway Live
The Hangar, South Lake Tahoe, 5 p.m.
AUGUST 24 | MONDAY
Live Music
Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.
AUGUST 25 | TUESDAY
Live Music
Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.
HonayWax
Alibi Ale Works - Truckee Public House, Truckee, 5-7 p.m.
AUGUST 26 | WEDNESDAY
Live Music
Heavenly Village, South Lake Tahoe, 12-9 p.m.
and his own impermanence as he records his third album in ve years.
“You start wondering, ‘What is my life going to be like?’” he says. “But you gotta put success and money aside. You always want that stu , but you gotta do it for the right reason which is a ecting another human being. at’s tough because in this working folk genre there’s just not a lot of money. You gotta make sure to do what you can to take care of yourself and be real. If you can do that, it’s worthwhile, absolutely. It goes to show you that sometimes the art tells you what needs to be done.” | darrensenn.com
Watch Darren Senn perform “Gone are the Days” at TheTahoeWeekly.com
Sean McAlindin is a writer and musician living in Truckee, who loves a secret powder stash just as much as a good jam. You can reach him at entertainment@tahoethisweek.com. Other writings and original music are available at seanmcalindin.com.
The neighborhood butcher shop isn’t as common as it once was. From the time of hunter-gatherers to the modernday ranchers raising cattle, meat has been part of the human diet. Animal protein on the dinner table is a way of life for a large percentage of Americans. While more people embrace a plant-forward diet, eating meat is still on the menu.
Ranchers raise the animals, slaughter them and sell the meat to the butcher. e butcher cuts up the meat and sells it from their shop. With the advent of grocery stores and packaged meats, butcher shops began to disappear. So goes the ebb and ow of the butcher.
Over the years, more people questioned where the meat they were consuming was coming from, how the animal was being raised and fed and whether it was being slaughtered humanely. is has led to the re-emergence of the butcher. Butchers o er fresher, higher quality cuts of beef, pork and poultry. ere are many types of animal products that butchers sell. Most people lean toward beef, pork, goat, lamb, poultry, sh or wild meats such as venison, bison or elk.
ey o er unique quality and varied cuts of meats. e meat they sell is humanely butchered, grass-fed and locally sourced. As head butcher and executive chef, Uresky creates the recipes for the products they sell. He and Curtis collaborate on ideas for avor pro les. Curtis generally works behind the scenes these days running the day-to-day business of the shop.
Mountain Valley Meats is one such butcher shop located at e Rock shopping center in Truckee. Owners Jessica Curtis and Brandon Uresky opened Mountain Valley Meats seven years ago.
“People are looking for higher-end cuts of meat, like rib-eye, New York, let and tri-trip,” says Uresky.
“We make 40 di erent types of sausages. It’s one of the things that keeps us di erent from the rest of the pack. Our pot-sticker sausage is one of our best sellers. We went through 800 pounds of sausage Fourth of July weekend, all handstu ed,” says Uresky.
“We make seasonal sausages,” Curtis adds.
We make 40 different types of sausages … Our pot-sticker sausage is one of our best sellers. We went through 800 pounds of sausage Fourth of July weekend, all hand-stuffed.”
–Brandon UreskyVillage Meats in Incline Village, Nev. is a family-owned market that specializes in fresh meat and seafood. Eric Halstead is the owner and butcher.
“I was 15 when I got a job as a cleanup boy in a meat shop. By the time I was in junior high, I was cutting meat,” he explains.
According to Halstead, on an average day he serves up 30 pounds of let: “I carry six or seven di erent types of rib-eye steak from di erent breeds.”
He carries top-of-the-line beef, including Black Angus beef, Wagyu beef and Piedmontese beef. e market specializes in organic and natural beef, pork, lamb, free-range chicken, fresh seafood, wild game and homemade sausages.
When Halstead buys meat, it is essential for him to know who is raising the animal and how it was raised.
“I love the feedback I get from my customers. It is rewarding. e art of butchery is seeing a beautiful steak,” says Halstead. He suggests trying his wild bourbon tri-tip. It’s delicious.
Overland Meat & Seafood Co. is one of several butchers in South Lake Tahoe and features all-natural meats with no hormone implants, no antibiotics and no animal by-products, as well as free-range and organic poultry and fresh seafood.
Some of the summer sausages they feature include butter, peaches and bourbon sausage and chicken Caprese sausage made with heirloom tomatoes, mozzarella and fresh basil.
“We spend a lot of time researching unique, hard-to- nd specialty items that di erentiate us from Safeway,” says Curtis.
If you’re craving traditional Mexican meats visit La Mexicana Meat Market and Taqueria in Kings Beach. eir carniceria (Spanish for butcher) specializes in traditional Mexican meats. ey have a wide selection of meats, including carnitas, carne asada, marinated chicken and homemade chorizo sausage.
La Mexicana Meat Market and Mi Pueblo both in South Lake Tahoe o er fresh-cut meats in their carnicerias.
If you eat meat, consider purchasing your goods from a local butcher. ese independent shops are clearly a cut above. And there are numerous bene ts in making a trip to the butcher: you’ll receive personal attention, he or she can answer your questions and will help you pick an excellent cut of meat for your next dinner.
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. Send story ideas to priya@tahoethisweek.com. | (772) 913-0008, pria78@gmail.com, seasonedsage.com
Eric Halstead of Village Meats holding up whole halibut. | Courtesy Eric Halstead; Mountain Valley Meats owners Jess Curtis and Brandon Uresky. | Courtesy Jessica Curtis
art III of the Robert Parker story nds our protagonist at the top of the wineguru heap. e former experts had been
Yes, all was peaches and cream and we all lived happily ever after — well, almost.
For a good 15 to 20 years e Wine Advocate’s wisdom was pretty much unquestioned and Parker’s legion of followers grew in both number and zealousness. His ratings were make or break for producers, both established and new. Many Parkermade stars, such as Napa’s Screaming Eagle, still bene t greatly from the high ratings they received because they are still only available for the fortunate few and trade for multiples of their retail prices as soon as they are available.
Read Parts I & II at TheTahoeWeekly.com
But as we all know, when one is on top, there are many who are happy to see it fall. e rst round of shots came from critics who had lost their lofty placement as experts. ey began to rumble that Parker was not a true wine expert because he only favored one style of wine: full-throttled, big-bodied, highalcohol beauties. Whether this is true or not, what cannot be argued is that a big score from e Wine Advocate equaled big bucks for the winery, leading to many producers moving to producing blockbuster-style wines. is Parkerization of wine style o ended the delicate sensibilities of said commentators, although they did not seem o ended when they had been getting payola for always approving of the wines from their previous benefactors.
One thing is sure, the majority of consumers of expensive wines loved the wines that Parker loved and really what is more important than satis ed customers?
Among the systemic changes was the popularization of blind tasting, where the taster/reviewer cannot see the bottle of the wine poured into his or her glass. While not unheard of previously, it was now the
For a good 15 to 20 years, The Wine Advocate’s wisdom was pretty much unquestioned, and Parker’s legion of followers grew in both number and zealousness. His ratings were make or break for producers, both established and new.
gold standard in rating wine. Another great change was the 100-point rating system, which is a speci c metric, that along with the narrative description, gives consumers an objective comparison of wines. Also,
e Wine Advocate bought wines at retail whenever possible. is prevented the winery from submitting, shall we say ringers.
Parker, now retired, was a dynamic game-changing, ethical force, as well as a powerful tastemaker in the world of ne wine and for fans of fairness, a hero.
Tahoe City Farmers Market
Commons Beach | Tahoe City | Aug. 20
The Tahoe City Farmers Market is every Thursday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 8. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | tahoecityfarmersmarket.com
Incline Village Farmers Market
Incline Village Library | Aug. 20
The Incline Village Farmers Market is every Thursday until Sept. 3. 3-6 p.m. | (775) 832-4130, laketahoemarkets.com
Romano’s
Certified Farmers Market
Sierra Valley Farms | Beckwourth | Aug. 21
The Farmers Market is every Friday until Sept. 11. 9 a.m.-2 p.m. | sierravalleyfarms.com
Truckee
Certified Farmers Market
Truckee River Regional Park | Aug. 25
The Truckee Certified Farmers Market is every Tuesday from 8 a.m. to 1 p.m. until Oct. 15. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. | truckeecertifiedfa. wixsite.com
El Dorado County Certified Farmer&’s Market
American Legion Parking Lot South Lake Tahoe | Aug. 25
Certified Farmer’s Market is held at the American Legion parking lot, on Tuesdays through Oct. 13. There are new procedures due to the coronavirus that line up with the state and county guidelines for outdoor events serving prepared and fresh food. 8 a.m.-1 p.m. Free | eldoradofarmersmarket.com
hese veggie appetizers are easy to make.
e rst uses pesto, while the second one uses a roasted red pepper and cheese spread. Sweet Onion Relish can be used for either or both and since they are wrapped in pu pastry dough — you know they will go fast.
When using pu pastry dough, take the time to let the dough rest in the refrigerator after rolling before you put together your appetizers. is is a good thing to remember anytime you use this dough and not just for these recipes.
e resting time will result in a akier end product. ink of it like letting the dough proof much the same as you do with bread dough after kneading. e vegetables used can be changed to appease your taste buds, but I like to use rmer veggies such as broccoli and cauli ower for the pestowrapped pinwheels because they don’t have the water content of, say, zucchini and yellow squash.
e roasted red pepper and cheese spread gets folded individually instead of made in a roll and sliced because you don’t want the spread to melt and run out the sides. Because these appetizers are fully closed like a won ton or turnover, the zucchini and squash will go great in these. As always, please feel free to change some ingredients to meet your tastes —
From the kitchen of: Chef David “Smitty” Smith
such as a little pepper jelly to the roasted red pepper and cheese mix for a little zip. e next time you are having a party and want some great vegetarian appetizers, give these a try and enjoy.
Let the puff pastry dough rest in the refrigerator after rolling it before you put together your appetizers. This is good to remember anytime you use this dough.
David “Smitty” Smith 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 (530) 412-3598 or tmmsmitty@gmail.com.
2 sheets puff pastry dough 1 C pesto
1½ C onion relish 2 red peppers, roasted
8 oz. cream cheese 1 zucchini, diced small
1 yellow squash, diced small
1 to 2 heads broccoli, cut into small flowerets
½ head cauliflower, cut into small flowerets
2 eggs, beaten
½ C grated parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper to taste
Roast the red peppers until black, place in a bowl, cover with plastic wrap and cool. Peel and seed them and blend with the cheese, seasoning with a little salt and pepper to taste. Dust the dough with our and roll it out to about the size of a half sheet tray and let rest in the refrigerator (use the tray upside down) while you get everything else together.
Blanch both the broccoli and cauli ower and dry on a towel. Cut the zucchini and yellow squash in a small dice using the meaty outside of the vegetables and as little of the seedy centers as possible. Place one sheet of dough on the counter so it is longer left to right than top to bottom. Spread the pesto over the bottom two-thirds of the dough. Spread some of the relish over the pesto and sprinkle the cauli ower and broccoli on and lightly season with salt and pepper. Roll this from the bottom to the top. Slice the roll into 1-inch pieces. Spread them out on a sheet tray on a piece of parchment paper and lightly brush with some of the egg. Sprinkle with a little parmesan cheese.
Place the second piece of dough on the counter and use a cookie cutter to cut out 1- to 1½ -inch circles. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, you can use a juice glass or other small glass or cut into squares. Spread some of the pepper cheese mix over the middle of the dough pieces and add just enough zucchini and squash so you can still fold it over. You can use some of the onion relish on some of them as a variety. Fold in half and use a fork to close. Spread out on a sheet tray with parchment paper, lightly brush with egg and sprinkle a little parmesan cheese. Bake these for 10 to 15 minutes at 425 degrees Fahrenheit or until golden brown. Baking time will vary depending on how large you make your appetizers, so keep a close eye on them.
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