LA DOLFINA

Dining at Gar Woods Grill and Pier in Carnelian Bay is a must when in Lake Tahoe. They offer free valet boat parking for those fortunate to have a boat.  They offer lakefront dining out on their beautiful deck.   I think most people come for the world famous " Wet Woody ". We headed here for lunch after the parade in Truckee. Not wanting to wait an hour for the deck, we opted to go upstairs where we were seated near the window.      I ordered steamed clams which were delish!     Check out our birds eye views! After lunch we took a stroll on the pier, just in time to wave good-bye to a fellow vacationer whose tee-shirt said, "I Love Hot Moms"!   As he pulled away I yelled out, "check out my blog La Dolfina... you'll be on it!" This lovely spot represents quintessential Tahoe to me!   Have you booked your trip yet?

Over the last year or so, we've been watching the construction and awaiting the unveiling of North Lake Tahoe's newest luxury hotel, The Ritz Carlton, Lake Tahoe.     To get there you take The Highlands Gondola from the village, an 8 minute ride, that brings you half way up the mountain to The Ritz Carlton's slope-side location. As you'll see, we had the place pretty much to ourselves.  We went up around 4pm for a cocktail before heading to one of our favorite restaurants in Kings Beach for dinner.   Northstar has changed dramatically over the  years.     It used to be a classic mountain ski resort before East West Partners decided to turn it into a world class destination resort. The Ritz Carlton Hotel and it's Destination Club are the latest additions to   The Tahoe Mountain Resort vision. I have to say that the timing of this vision has been challenging with the current economy. It's all very upscale a...

Hi Everyone, I've missed you! I just returned from a mid-week getaway to the mountains where, believe it or not, there was not much snow and the skiing was not that great... but the time spent relaxing with my hubby was just what the doctor ordered!    These photos are of the village at Northstar where you can see the paucity of snow on the ground.  It's crazy the difference in the weather around the country right now!   We have a place at The Northstar Club which is a  ski-in, ski-out fractional ownership in a "boutique hotel" situated in the heart of the village at the base of the main mountain gondola. Here are a few photos of what one of the 3 bedroom condo's looks like. They recently upgraded the living area with a flat screen TV and super comfy sectional.  Perfect for hanging out and watching movies.      I think one of the best things about The Northstar Club is how spacious the condos are.  When you have a gr...

I am so honored to be guest posting today over at  Gaia's blog, Alice's Adventures in Wonderland while she is on holiday in France. I thought I'd post about one of our favorite vacation spots, Lake Tahoe. Bonne vacances Gaia!

I thought Garwood's was just a great restaurant in Carnelian Bay famous for their "Wet Woody",  until I popped into the adjacent boat marina and got a look at my first Gar Wood Boat. Gar Wood boats are among the most sought-after classic boats in the world.  The fascinating events that led to the development and production of Gar Wood boats is one of the most interesting stories in boating history .  Check out this beauty! It's truly a work of art. This boat and Lake Tahoe are a match made in heaven! Seriously, have you ever seen such a thing? I think my La Dolfina life preserver suits it, don't you? Does this price tag surprise you? I wonder how much one of these models would set me back. I did see one of these vintage flags in a local shop for $150 and was seriously tempted. Fortunately, The Sierra Boat Company Marina carries a wonderful selection of Wooden Boat posters.