Jazz on Lake Tahoe

I was driving home the other evening, singing along with the old classic (by the way – what is the cut-off date to become a classic) “Bye, Bye Miss American Pie” and influenced by the tune, I found myself reflecting on mental images of some of this summers’ highlights.  Not too surprising was the realization that the stage in which every event took place was outdoors.  Seriously, there was only one event that I could remember having been held indoors and that was an in-house concert.  Okay – music is also a repetitive theme.

Throughout the summer we held our weekly Tuesday Night Beach dinner without fail.  This particular week was incredible with food beyond belief, warm breezes even after the sun went down and a rising full moon simply forced us to howl with delight.  On Thursday nights, there was jazz on the beach (see attached image,) Stateline held their outdoor concerts such as Elton John, Northstar found us riding up the gondola to see Natalie Cole perform on the mountain side and  we enjoyed the biggest laugh we have had in years at Shakespeare At the Lake. Believe me, these mental images are as lovely as a Monet painting.  I can’t help but smile from the joy they bring me. I mean a big old, ear-to-ear grin.

As I reflect on these memories, I can’t help but wonder if living in a resort town contributes to the magic surrounding these various outings.  After all, these types of activities take place throughout the world and I have lived in a wide variety of cities within California.  Yet, I just don’t recall being so in awe of that which I find myself experiencing on nearly a day-to-day basis. Would the music (sound) combined with fresh air (smell), splashes of vivid colors (sight), comfortable temperatures (touch), yummy food & beverages (taste) be as effective in embedding  these memories deep in my brain cells if the backdrop of the Sierras and the waters of Lake Tahoe weren’t  as part of the package?  Or is it just easier to reach out and connect when nature is hosting the environment? OR – does the aging process simply find dwelling on pleasantries more comfortable?  I don’t know the answer but boy – I like the outcome!

We may not have an endless variety of dining choices but we do taste fresh air on a daily basis.  We may not drive high-end luxury vehicles, but we only sit in traffic for a few minutes at any given time.   We may not have renown museums and theaters, but we do have a Mother Nature production every day.  And while locals  are cautious in planning an event two months away (gotta keep those options open) they are famous for jumping to action when the word spreads about a beach-side picnic or a fresh powder run.  They smile more often than not and they just don’t take themselves too seriously.

Case in point, our “gourmet” food club.  Are we true gourmets?  We’ve been told NOT.   Well, we googled the meaning of gourmet and found the following:  A gourmet is a person with discriminating taste in food and wine, as is a gourmand. Because gourmand can also mean “one who enjoys food in great quantities” or even “a gluttonous eater.”  Discriminating?  Hmmm. If it tastes good, we eat and drink it.  If it’s bad, we don’t.  I suppose that is pretty discriminating.  And,  I can attest that this group certainly enjoys the food.  In fact, we are definitely gluttons!  We come up with some incredible meals (pot luck style,) share our “secrets” (where we ripped off the recipe,) can sit at a dining table for hours (not possible in most restaurants) and no tips required (other than ideas for the next event.)  Check out the following small video of the most recent event.  You’ll get our drift.  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mIiixo_IpAs

Speaking of tips – here is one to pass along.  Whether or not you live in a resort town, try a taste of the “resort life spontaneity.”  Pick up the phone, text or email some of your closest friends and family and throw together a quick game of . . (fill in the blank). . ., name the time and place and make it a pot luck with no assignments.  If everyone brings a dessert, so be it.  Take lots of photos and make your own memory.  We guarantee more will follow.  That’s just how it is in a resort town.

Praise such as, “ Tahoe offers a rare combination of omnipresent sunshine (three out of four days) and some of the nation’s deepest annual snowfalls (40-plus feet)”  were listed as well as comments on the exceptional mountain biking and hiking opportunities.  The article went on to discuss the redevelopment of the area and starting home prices.  They stated that one could find an entry level home on the California side under $200,000 with the Nevada side being approximately 25% higher.  They also pointed out the current great values within the Tahoe Keys of which we agree.

The magazine also had a fun quiz to help one decide whether or not they should realistically consider themselves a second home owner and in which areas a buyer should be wise.  We recommend this article for second home buyers considering the Tahoe area.

Orbitz, an international travel company also gave Lake Tahoe recent high praise. In February, 2010, they claimed that Lake Tahoe was ranked as the number one ski destination in the world. In fact, this was the third year in a row that Lake Tahoe received this status.

Those of us that live here, know that  we are pretty lucky souls.  Wages may be lower, jobs a bit harder to secure and museums harder to find.  Never-the-less, we wake up and fall asleep to Mother Nature’s glory – never knowing what tomorrow (or the next hour) may bring.  It’s all an adventure. This is certainly “bringing the good life home” and fun to see a national magazine take notice.

Tahoe Tallac Window Reflection

Here I am in Lake Tahoe where each morning brings fresh reminders of the beauty that waits.  Yet, there is social media to be addressed, clients to spend time with, agents in my office that I want to mentor, brainstorming for new ideas…  And on top of all of this, each day presents unexpected calls and visits.  Where is the time for photography, reading a novel on the beach, playing with my granddaughter? Just how does one find time to enjoy life?

Okay, okay – I’m getting to my point.  Somewhat of a plug but I can’t help feel that I am not alone in this daily crunch for more time.  So, I am going to pass along some great info I came across.  It turns out that a client (and now good friend,) Karen Leland along with Keith Bailey are the best-selling authors of six books including Time Management In An Instant: 60 Ways to Make the Most of Your Day. They are the co-founders of Sterling Marketing Group http://www.sterlingmarketinggroup.com, which helps authors and entrepreneurs use the power of PR to promote their books and business on time management.  Not one to miss an opportunity – I cornered the poor gal to see if she could give me some free advise.  ”Karen,” I blurted, ”Knowing there is more than one perspective as to setting priorities, how do you recommend I find the balance between creating a personal work/balance atmosphere yet be there as a coach/mentor for those working in my company – all with their own perspectives?

Her sage advise – “Balancing out your individual to-do agenda while also trying to mentor and manage a group of staff can be challenging.  One of the critical keys to doing this successfully is to set very clear boundaries about when you are and are not available. For example:  Let’s say you need to focus on a particular project for an hour on wednesday am from 9-10.  Let everyone know that you won’t be able to answer questions or deal with problems during that time. However at 11 am – you are all theirs.  Most people will learn how to work around a boundary like that, and work things out.

“But Karen” (I pushed) “How do I intentionally find time to set work aside and make personal time equally important?”  Patiently answered Karen: “As one of my clients said ’structure is destiny’.  So I think the key to this is making specific plans every week, carving out time on your calender, to do things in your personal life that create balance. This might mean making a date with a girlfriend to go for a walk, it might mean blocking off a few hours on a Saturday to work on an art project, agreeing that every first friday of the month is date night with your spouse.  If you leave it up to random chance to make time for personal time – it won’t happen.”

Finally – pushing my luck I asked, “How do I continue to maintain stimulation of ideas and creativity in my career when I feel so burned out?  Karen’s brilliant response: “I think that may be one of the biggest problems facing those of us, of a certain age, in the workplace today.  We’ve been doing our careers for 20 or 30 years and we are great at them, but the challenge may be gone, or burn out starting to set in. The best remedy I know of for this is to find some aspect, or tangent of your profession that you find interesting and pursue it – even if it does not directly result in financial gain immediately.  If you have reached the point where you job just does not hold any more juice for you –  you have three choices. 1. Tell the truth, get out and start something new. Lot’s of people have taken this leap and lived to tell the tale. 2. Hire someone to do the more mundane parts of your job and become more of an account manager in your business, rather than the one who does all the ground work. You’ll make less money, but be happier. 3. Look at your job as the bread and butter that let’s you do the other things in your life that give you stimulation and creativity. In other words, stop expecting your job to give you that and carve out time for the things that do.”

I realize that I am carrying on longer than usual yet I can’t help but feel I am not alone.  Living and working in Paradise is a gift.  Let’s face it, we all have our gifts of family, travel, friends and home.  Yet, if we don’t make an effort to truly SEE and EXPERIENCE these gifts, so much will be lost and regretted.  Make the effort – make it a gift to yourself.

If you are interested in checking out Karen’s book, here is a tip.  Buy a copy of “Time Management In An Instant” the week of July 20th and receive a free license to view the Essential Email online course. To buy the book and claim your bonus, or just to buy the book go to: http://www.quality-service.com/timemanagementinaninstant

Now, with no more excuses, it was time to get out and try walking in the new hood. Somewhat bummed, I started out along the various roads keeping my eyes and ears posted for traffic with crisp air, blue skies and chirping birds and squirrels accompanying me.

About the time I was to begin the homeward turn, I noticed a vacant lot that appeared to be bordering some kind of meadow. It also looked as though I may have discovered a shortcut so I decided to give it a try. What a surprise! I had discovered a stunning meadow studded with lupine, mule’s ear, Indian paintbrush, wild irises and a multitude of flowers whose names I simply do not know. Truly! And to highlight the wonder of my discovery, I realized that this hidden treasure was adjacent to Highway 50 in Meyers. I have lived here since 1992 and had no idea that there was yet, another treasure waiting to be discovered.

The more I thought about it, the more I pondered if there was a neighborhood in the South Shore that didn’t have a slice of Paradise right in its’ backyard. Was it possible? To seek some answers to my questions, I sat down with a map of the South Shore and sure enough, every neighborhood had at least a meadow, forest, river, golf course or park – something that could be accessed by foot within a short distance. “That’s it,” I decided. From this point on, whenever I take clients to look at homes, I am going to also point out the neighborhood “escape” route. After all, there is a reason we choose to live in Lake Tahoe. Now, we just need to continue rediscovering the glory.

Moving in or out of a home in Lake Tahoe has its own unique qualities.  The weather for one!  On one hand, I have always been taught that it is a blessing to have rain on moving day.  What is it when one has a mixture of sun, rain, snow and wind?  You know the adage in Lake Tahoe.  ”If you don’t like the weather, wait 10 minutes.”  Here are a few tips that I learned (the hard way.)  

1. If you are renting a moving van, book at least a month in advance and call two days in advance to confirm.  

2. DO NOT try to take care of a change of address through an online program.  Go straight to the post office on Al Tahoe and Lake Tahoe Blvd. and personally ask for the change of address forms, fill them out and hand deliver – at least two weeks in advance.  

3. Collect boxes at least a month in advance – there just aren’t that many in Lake Tahoe.

4.  Plan of staying at the new location for at least 48 hours to hook up new utilities.  Help comes from out of area and the expected time of arrival is something like, “between 8am and 5pm.”  Grab a good book and just relax.

5.  If you are not tech savvy, find a pro and ask them to just hang with you.  

Fortunately, the entire moving experience is a beautiful experience – it’s Lake Tahoe!!  How can you miss??

These memories returned in flood stages this past weekend when a few friends and family members of my own decided to visit a local restaurant to hear another friend perform.  It was lightly snowing outside, the room was packed with casual diners and soon the music began.  And what music!  Guitars, fiddles, mandolins, harmonicas (just two musicians) pulled together to present a lively and wide range of tunes.  ”What do you want to hear?” encouraged Ike.  ”Call ‘em out!”  ”Requests” And boy, did they.  Johnny  Cash, Neil Young, Elton Bishop, Britney Spears (yup) and on and on.  Old and new.  And before you knew it, the entire audience was singing along at the top of their lungs, sharing in the simple joy of music.  Heck, my new young friend Aaron (my guess is age 12ish?) downloaded a Zippo lighter on my IPhone so that I could join in on the waving of the light.

It was a great night. Living and working in Lake Tahoe can be such simple joy.

Early morning Lake Tahoe snow

Folks that live in snow country either LOVE it of HATE it.  Those that hate it generally look for greener (year round) pastures within a few years.  Others love it for about a month and then they HATE it and going looking for those greener pastures (in a seasonal manner.)  Those that LOVE the snow learn to ride the roller coaster fresh powder ride.  When is it coming?  When is it coming?  This weather report said that, that weather report said this.  When is it coming?  AND THEN, we awake to a foot of fresh powder in the yard.  Christmas all over again.  It’s as if Santa came once more.

Then the frenzy begins.  Make those necessary phone calls, rearrange the schedule, grab the skis, (snow shoes, snowmobile – whatever the choice of winter recreation) and GO.  OUTDOORS.  Winter is back and the Lake Tahoe locals are euphoric.  This is why we live here.

We’ve mentioned the rediscovery of the pot luck in the past.  One of our favorite social activities these days is our glorified potluck – the “gourmet dinner club.”  Okay – we are not “foodies” per say or culinary experts but we do like good food and even more so, stimulating conversation.  These dinners have featured various themes such as food from other countries, regional foods and this year – famous chefs.  The host (on a rotating basis) chooses a chef and assigns the various courses.  Everyone does their homework and voila – an incredible meal, lively entertainment and NO TIP.  Actually, there is a tip – Do this SOON!

Those waiting for the ski season to begin need to get their gear out of storage.  All of the surrounding resorts are open and conditions are blissful.  Our son arrived home for the holidays and it was only a matter of hours before he and Don were doing a bit of male bonding in the powder.  Sore, unconditioned muscles and big smiles were a shared joy between the generations in our household last night.  Check out the photo of Scott took of Don tele-skiing at Kirkwood.

I can’t help but smile as I remember how, come next April, this euphoric goodwill brought on by holiday snowfall will transform to grumbling about enough being enough.  Yet for now, winter is here and it is gorgeous. If nowhere else, peace is certainly on the earth surrounding Lake Tahoe.