Tahoe Traditions

We have many great Tahoe traditions that we repeat year after year, like french fried zucchini on the Sunnyside deck, rafting down the Truckee River, midnight bear sightings, boat trips to Sugar Pine State Park to play and picnic for the day...and a personal favorite, Mai Tai and Spinach dip in the late afternoon on the lawn at the edge of the lake.  It's funny, I never think of serving Mai Tai at home, but we always have it at Tahoe.  The sweetness of the Mai Tai with the spicy spinach dip and salty chips is a perfect combo on a warm afternoon.    

So easy to make:  equal parts pineapple juice, mai tai mixer, gold rum

Spicy Spinach Dip:

1 box frozen chopped spinach

4 Tablespoons butter

1 medium onion chopped

2 Tablespoons flour

1/2 cup milk

1/4 tsp pepper

1 tsp worchester sauce

3/4 tsp celery salt

3/4 garlic salt

6 oz hot pepper jack cheese

Cook spinach, drain (reserve juice to add at end)

Add ingredients one at a time and cook until thick; add back spinach juice to desired consistency.

Serve warm with tortilla chips.

This year at Tahoe, the bears have become quite aggressive; breaking into more homes and cars than ever.  There was one spotted a few days ago on the dock at 10pm!  The mix of bears and people is not good, but they are such beautiful animals.  I felt inspired to paint a Tahoe bear...

TAHOE BEAR  8"x10" acrylic on canvas board

Tahoe has amazing pinecones.  They are about 300% larger than the little ones I find in the Southern California mountains.  We are on private property, so I always take home a bag and use them in the fall and winter.  I have also done some fun crafty things with them (OK- these are better than average pinecones, but any pinecones, found or purchased, will do):

  

Idea #1:  great project with kids is making a bird feeder.  We tied the top with a piece of twine to hang it, then smeared peanut butter on it, and rolled it in bird seed.  

Idea #2:  dip pinecones in scented wax, sprinkle with glitter and give as a fragrant gift, that also works well as a fire starter in a traditional fireplace.  

Idea #3:  Lastly, I have spray painted them a shiny pewter; beautiful winter decor.

A Few Favorite Photos:

If I only had a huge old stump in my yard, I could have a cute wildflower planter too...love it.

The afternoon pinks and purple reflections on the lake are made all the more dramatic by the coming thunderstorm. 

My dad, son, and nephew on the swim deck of the boat.

And a good time was had by all...

Mammoth to Tahoe
The final leg of journey is truly the best.  Mammoth to Tahoe is so beautiful!  The June Mountain loop, aspen groves, meadows, snow capped peaks, it all takes your breath away.  Bridgport has spectacular views, local history; it is also a great place to stop and get a soft serve cone.  Further down the road, the Walker River Valley.  Oh, how I love this place.  Growing up, my mom would beg for us to stop along the Walker River to have a picnic.  I didn't get it.  All I saw was dirt and rocks and a little river.  Now, I seem to be the one begging to stop along the Walker River for a picnic.  The Sierra melt is cold, clear, and seems to be able to clear my head.  The rocks have new colors I never saw before.  I just want to soak it in.  Ok, the next best thing is  Walker Burger with "homemade" burgers and shakes, that you can consume and enjoy in their back garden with a lawn and big trees and picnic tables.  There is always a line and a wait for these made-to-order burgers, but worth it! The rugged, western road continues through lakes and and little towns, until you finally make the turn onto 50, up the grade to Tahoe.  As you wind along, all of a sudden, the first glimpse of The Lake.  It's like you have been smelling the chocolate chip cookies bake in the oven and the buzzer finally goes off signaling that the treat is ready! 

                    
We stay on the West Shore (west shore-best shore, as they say) so we have a way to go.  We finally pull in to our destination.  We have summered in the same spot every year since I was 7, without a single miss.  My children are now experiencing exactly what I did.  I love the met expectation.  It's all about the lake, being in it, swimming and skiing, and on it, in the boat.  My mom and I agreed that there is nothing better than enjoying your morning coffee sitting on the porch, listening to the sound of the lake and the sparkle of the sun as it glitters on the water.  I am settling in with my parents, my uncle, and most importantly my boy; but it is not complete, as we wait for my husband and my sister and her family to join us in a few days.  Then, the real party starts.


After a few mellow days, we are all together! 


(My brother-in-law Andrew took the gorgeous photo above from the balcony.)

JOURNEY: Eastern Sierra, Mammoth

The Eastern Sierra stole my heart long ago.  I'm not sure exactly when it happened, as I have been journeying there since early childhood. Every winter, our family would make the 7 hr. trek from San Diego to Mammoth Mountain to hit the slopes; and several months later, in the summer, we would make it again for a quick overnight on our way to Lake Tahoe. As a kid, it just seemed LONG.  As a teen, I would drive my own car up with a friend...this represented FREEDOM! I think this is when I began to like the drive, blaring U2, my girlfriend and I singing along at the top of our lungs and giggling the way only teenagers can.  I also began noticing the scenery.
  
After the first 2 hours of smoggy So Cal traffic, it starts to get interesting.  The Mojave Desert is sparse and bland, except for the Joshua trees that are so strange and cool.  It can be 110 in the desert, or more, but this year was a treat, 85 and showers.  Have you ever smelled the desert in the rain?  It will awaken your soul- rich, full of sage and wildness. As you wind your way up to Red Mountain, you wonder where in the world you are.  Strange shacks and abandoned cars, ripped up couches on porches, and void of people.  Honestly, I've never seen a living soul there.  As you continue along highway 395, there's the first glimpse of the Eastern Sierras, dry and brown, the valley below heaped with huge piles of black volcanic rock.  The colors are earthy, umbers, ochres, sienna and grey-green sage.  Lone Pine is next; the tiny town at the base of Mount Whitney, tallest mountain in the continental U.S.  This town, as well as the other bumps in the road along 395 has a vibe of days gone past, old fashioned, western, rugged, yet charming.  As you look up to the west, you see the craggy peaks of "the 3 Sisters" and Mt. Whitney. Amazing.  Traveling along, the road is dotted with old western ranches, cattle of all colors and beautiful horses.  There are so many old abandoned cottages, country stores, old mines, gas stations, made of stone and wood, boarded up and dilapidated, much like the imaginary "Radiator Springs" from the movie "Cars."  They are the fingerprints left behind of a time gone by.  The road is also full of historical markers and sites to visit.  Someday I want to go slow and stop along the way, have lunch at the Ranch House Cafe (that always seems to be busy), stop at the historical sites, walk the streets of the little town of Big Pine, and visit the Ancient Bristlecone Forest.  Someday I will.  

Ahh, Bishop.  This is big time, there is even a Vons grocery here.  Welcomed from the south by the bright red horse with the crazy eyes up 15 feet in the air, I am now 45 minutes from Mammoth.  As I journey further into the Sierras, the scenery is rich, purple glacier formed mountains, deep, rich green trees, large rocks and caves, streams and meadows.  When I finally reach Mammoth and step out of the car, the scent of the pines and the mountain air is overwhelming.  Suddenly, I am 8 years old.  This is all so deeply ingrained in me.  I am awed. 

Have I mentioned that I absolutely love Mammoth?  It is some kind of weird California mix of rustic and glam with its old mountain town feel, juxtaposed to the new up scale Village with its boutiques and restaurants.  We are old school, though.  My Dad has been skiing Mammoth since the 60's.  He and his brother CLIMBED to the top of the cornice, before there was a chair lift, to sign a book encased in a metal box, and then ski down! But that's another story...back to dinner.  We have a tradition- Tamarack.  One word: FANTASTIC!  The old lodge from the 20's sits on the glacier Twin Lakes.  It is amazingly beautiful.  If that weren't enough, the lodge has a tiny dining room overlooking the lake with about 10 tables, and incredible cuisine.  Last night I had white sea bass with saffron, coconut milk and cherries, wonderful wine, and finished with a trio sampling of homemade gelatos.  Memorable.  While I'm sure I will forget the perfect saffron sauce, the memory that will stay with me is that of the three faces at the table with me; my parents, whom I treasure, and my adventurous eight year old boy, who was so very excited to glimpse the waterfall, and the cave outside before settling down to dinner with us.  Beautiful.

 8 yr. old adventures include canoes, waterfalls, and caves

                 Life-like sculpture in the new Village          Tamarack Lodge, Mammoth, CA

  Ancient Beauty

The Day After...
Our 4th of July celebration was wonderful...coffee and homemade chocolate chip coffee cake before the neighborhood parade...the goodie packs were a hit with the kiddos, and put them into the spirit of the parade in their silly hats, glasses, etc.  Brunch was at 11AM with more coffee cake, delicious fresh berries, mimosas, brie soufflé, and little smokies sausages.  Even though clouds gloomed overhead most of the day, it was warm and the pool was heated...so were the water fights!  The kiddos, and half the adults played in the pool most of the day.  Later in the afternoon we had some homemade guacamole, salsa, and cocktails.  Hard to imagine we could still eat, but what is the fourth of July without burgers?? My sister makes the best spicy sliders in all 50 states, I am quite sure.  I prepared multi-colored baked fries in slices, and my mom made her very popular broccoli salad, served with cold white wine, beer, or limeade.  DELISH!  Last, but not least, Stadium brownies and ice cream...a perfect ending before rushing off to the amazing fireworks display over Newport harbor.  And a good time was had by all!


Below are the recipes from dinner as it makes a great summer party menu for casual al fresco dining.

Spicy Sliders

1/3 cup finely chopped green onions

3 TBSP non-fat plain yogurt

1-4 TBSP finely chopped jalapeño peppers

1/2 tsp salt

1/2 tsp pepper

2 lbs. lean ground beef or turkey

Mix together and form into slider patties

6 oz slices jalapeño jack to melt on top

slider buns

Cook on grill

Lime Mayo Sauce:

1/3 cup mayonaise

1/2 tsp lime zest

1 tsp lime juice

1 tsp dijon mustard

Multi-Colored Potato Baked Fries

Choose a variety of potatoes...here I have used a purple, golden, new, and sweet potatoes

Slice thinly (less than 1/4 inch thick)and toss in a bowl with olive oil.  

Lay out individually on a baking sheet and generously salt and pepper.  

Bake in preheated oven 400 degrees, 20-30 minutes until lightly brown.

Stadium Brownies

Best with vanilla ice cream and hot fudge sauce!

Fourth of July Festivities

We are looking forward to celebrating the fourth of July in Newport Beach, CA at my sister's house.  Tomorrow morning there is a parade that her neighborhood participates in, which we won't miss!  It's amazing that I could get inspired at the Target dollar bins last week, but look at the fun stuff I found to put together goodie packs for the kiddos!

 

My sweet girl is trying out the costume!

I painted this portrait of our dog, Liberty.  She was born September of 2011, and with a name like "Lady Liberty", I just had to paint her with the stars and stripes.  Contact me if you would like a portrait of your dog.