It's a Tahoe Life for Me!

Best Things Nearby:
The best thing nearby is Squaw's Ski Resort. Open until Memorial Day weekend almost every year, fresh snow, skiing, and snowboarding are all available starting early in the fall/winter season. There is also Squaw Village, with a multitude of shops, and High Camp, which offers the simple luxury of sitting in the hot tub or pool with a cold beer after a day of skiing or hiking.

Best Things About the Resort:
The resort is luxurious and always a warm place to come back to after a day of skiing or boarding. There is a lift to the mountain just yards away from the resort’s back doors. Because of its decadent nature, The Squaw Creek Resort's staff is attentive, friendly, and willing to go out of their way to make you feel at home.

Resort Experience:
Resting at the base of Squaw Valley USA, site of the 1960 Winter Olympics and minutes from crystal-clear Lake Tahoe, the Resort at Squaw Creek offers four-diamond luxury in a gorgeous mountain setting. With 403 guest rooms, the hotel is big without being crowded and small without being suffocating. The hospitality and luxury of this hotel was recognized by Condé Nast Traveler magazine as ranking among the top 50 best resorts in North America.

The hotel offers a shopping promenade, four restaurants, a beautiful pool and hot tub, special events facilities, a complete spa, a health and fitness center, and a children’s day program.

With Squaw Valley's mountain looking over the resort, guests will enjoy easy access to all the sports there are to offer. Golf, cross-country skiing, bungee jumping, extreme mountain biking, and ice skating are just a few adventures you can partake in.

Prices for rooms at Squaw Valley Resort start at $129 and climb all the way to $3,000 (the presidential suite) depending on the room you want, the season, and the number of guests.

• Unit Type: 1 Bedroom
• Activities: Very Good
• Amenities: Excellent
• Unit Satisfaction: Very Good
• Family Friendliness: Excellent
• Service: Very Good

As we were leaving Plumpjack after my father's birthday party, a thought occured to us. Plumpjack is the wrong name for this restaurant. It should be called Skinnyandnotsogreatjack. The prices are shocking, the food is mildly so-so, and the portions very, very, VERY tiny.

We arrived with our own bottles of wine and were swiftly told the corkage for each bottle would be $25. Not so shocking, because Plumpjack is a winery and wants to sell their own wine. A bottle we had brought (bought at Costco for $30) was $120 on their menu, so we figured we saved a little.

We were made to wait for about 20 minutes, although we had a reservation. The decor in the restaurant is one of the only plus sides. It's beautiful. Modern without being cold and filled with eclectic pieces of furniture and a large circular fireplace in the bar.

When seated we were presented with menus. Limited is the only word I can use to describe the menu. Five starters and five main courses were featured. Apparently they change on a nightly basis.

I ordered a mixed salad with flame grapes and a very blue cheese ($10) for my starter and the halibut on a bed of greens with an almond froth (I was just as shocked as you!) covering the plate ($26). The salad was bitter, with five grapes and three pieces of cheese. My fish was dry and pretty flavorless.

My dad ordered a prawn appetizer that came with two prawns, a large crouton, and shrimp broth granita ($14). The granita was hideously gross. Imagine a shrimp-flavored slushee. Yuck. My boyfriend's entree of pork was by far the best and smallest entree ($28). It came with miniature portions of two different cuts of meat and some sunchoke puree. Although beautifully presented, all of the food left much to be desired.

Dessert was good, though. We ordered a Peanut Butter and Chocolate Sampler, which came with a tart, a mini-milkshake (tiny!), and a choclate-peanut butter sandwich ($7) and a slice of their banana cream pie ($7) which was essentially graham crackers, sauteed bananas, and whipped cream.

We had a good time (thanks to our own bottles of wine, mostly). But the restaurant was sort of blah. Ambience exlcuded, of course.

Lanza's is a family tradition in Tahoe, CA. In fact, I believe it is not just my family's tradition. Many people know and love Lanza's for the huge poritons, the right price, and the delicious food.

The ambience is old-world Italian, with low-hung stained-glass chandeliers, cozy booths, and dark wood tables. Always crowded on the weekends, try to call ahead for reservations.

The fresh bread, served warm with soft butter, might be the best part if the food weren't so tasty. Lanza's also does a mean house salad with their very own vinagrette. A salad comes with each entree, which is nice, so you don't have to spend the extra money for a starter. I always order the spaghetti with white clam sauce ($12). They have a red clam sauce which is equally good, chock full of garlic, parsley, shelled and whole clams, white wine, olive oil, and butter.

House favorites include veal parmigiana ($14), spaghetti and meatballs ($12), pasta primavera ($11).

The menu is big, the portions are even bigger. Don't be afraid to split one entree and order an extra salad. I have never gotten through more than half of an order of pasta... ever! And I have been there at least 10 times.

The Firesign Cafe is another tradition when we visit Tahoe. We always go there on Sunday morning before we leave town. It is a cozy cabin, with a fireplace and a large deck (open when its warm enough). The menu is huge and it is always a hard decision. The Firesign always has daily specials, a special baked good of the day, and the best hollandaise this side of the United States. The Firesign crepes are a family favorite--$6.75 for a full order or $5.25 for a half, they are two eggs scrambled with sautéed mushrooms, green onions, and jack cheese, wrapped in two crepes and topped with Hollandaise sauce. Served with home-fried potatoes. Or try the blueberry waffles topped with blue-raspberry sauce for $4.75. Lunch is also great. Try the tostada for $6.75; it comes with fried corn tortillas, topped with homemade pinto or black beans, ranchero sauce, shredded lettuce, jack cheese, tomatoes, olives, avocado, and sour cream. Served with a basket of chips and salsa. Add grilled chicken for $1.50.

Any way you order it, you will not be sorry. The food is so good, and the price is always right on!

The Truckee River rages during the Tahoe summers. A favorite activity of ours, floating down the river is a mellow, sun-drenched lazy Saturday adventure. We always pack a bag full of sandwiches (no mayo) and beer and make our way to the rental place right at the first stoplight in Tahoe City.

The rapids in the Truckee river are probably about a class two and don't require a guide. They outfit you with lifejackets, paddles, and a boat and get you going. Lie back and enjoy the floating, and minimal paddling is actually required. The water in the river is refreshing and pretty cold all year-round, so make sure that when you jump in, you are at a place you can easily climb right back in. Beware of the scores of men in boats looking to meet women on the river by drenching them with water guns. In fact, you might want to arm yourself and bring along your own Supersoakers. It's all good fun, though. Along the way are plenty of places to "dock," lay out a towel, and enjoy the sun and serene setting of Tahoe. The journey ends at the River Run restaurant, where barbeque are going, people are drinking, and fun awaits.