Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on 04/28/2024, Submitted

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – On Monday, April 22, 2024, Sand Harbor State Park celebrated its inaugural Shoreline Sweep Volunteer Cleanup, a testament to community stewardship and environmental responsibility. Over 80 dedicated volunteers joined forces to comb the park’s picturesque shores, ultimately hauling away an impressive 120 pounds of litter.

Expressing her gratitude, Makaila Erdody, Park Supervisor, applauded the effort, stating, “Our volunteers embody the spirit of stewardship, ensuring our beloved park remains pristine for all to enjoy. With their invaluable support, Sand Harbor is slated for a vibrant summer season.”

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Photo Credit Tahoe Daily Tribune – Submitted

Originally published by Travel North Tahoe Nevada

Step back in history with a visit to the historic Thunderbird Lodge on Tuesdays or Fridays between May 28th and October 11th! Your docent-led castle tour includes time at the estate, where you’ll soak up some stunning panoramic views of Lake Tahoe and learn about the history of this legendary property and the man who built it.

Upgrade your experience to the Thunderbird Lodge Wine & Cheese Tour to enjoy wine, beer, artisan cheese, and horse d’oeuvres while exploring the estate, plus its lakeside grounds, gardens, and waterfalls.

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Written by Kayla Anderson

Show mom you love her by giving her something special right here in Incline Village/Crystal Bay. From sparkling jewelry to specially curated “Mountain Mama” gift baskets, these shops offer a little bit of everything for the number one lady in your life:  

In the Raley’s Shopping Center:

• The Potlatch

Celebrating more than 50 years in business, The Potlatch is usually hopping during gift-giving season. Along with children’s items, books, home décor, Lake Tahoe sweatshirts, and cozy socks, The Potlatch is the place to go for any turquoise jewelry and its signature Lake Tahoe-inspired necklaces. www.potlatchlaketahoe.com 

• Panache

Carrying the best in women’s fashion, activewear, children’s apparel, and home goods, Panache has the entire family covered and cozy for any season. Consider getting your mom a unique handbag, hat, candleholder, vase, or hardcover coffee table book. And don’t forget the greeting card. www.tahoeboutique.com 

• Forever Rox

Since 2008, Forever Rox has been a family-owned business that specializes in sourcing sparkling high-end diamonds and colored gemstones and then turning them into one-of-a-kind jewelry pieces that truly last a lifetime. Full time jeweler and owner John Roxburgh does jewelry repairs, stone setting, and custom fabrication, using all the best materials and his skills. Diamond hoop earrings, available in many sizes and styles, are a favorite amongst moms. www.foreverrox.com. 

New Stores with Mom Gifts in Christmas Tree Village:

• Tahoe Gifting Co. 

Due to the demand, the woman and veteran-owned Tahoe Gifting Co. has finally opened a brick-and-mortar store in Christmas Tree Village to highlight its custom gifting services. Combining their love of the mountains and Lake Tahoe with their graphic design skills, owners Darya Shahvaran and Matthew Rattio have built a business curating handcrafted, small-batch quality gift items made by local artisans and putting them into thoughtful baskets that are known to leave an impression. Some of the more popular boxes to celebrate mom include the curated Mountain Mama box (with Coffeebar tea, chocolate truffles, a coffee mug, and bath product) as well as the Welcome Baby basket with a sippy cup, Dorinda’s chocolates, sea salt bath rocks, a Lake Tahoe onesie, and Tahoe ABC book that’s written and illustrated by local artists. https://tahoegiftingco.com/ 

• Lisa Douglas Designs

Right next to Tahoe Gifting Co. is Lisa Douglas Designs, a design studio that specializes in cool vintage items at an affordable price. Some of her collections include weathered hardbound books, ashtrays that can double as serving trays, plush blankets, pillows, coasters, wooden Liberty puzzles, original artwork, furniture, lamps, and salt & pepper shaker sets in all different shapes, animals, and themes. Every item in there is one-of-a-kind—meaning that once they’re gone, they’re gone—but fortunately Lisa Douglas is a master at finding similar items and has the resources and expertise to give customers incredible deals. Some of the best gifts to give for Mother’s Day from Lisa Douglas Designs include the mother of pearl shell spoon sets, a vase, or copper angel ornaments made by a Reno artist (“Since we’re in the Christmas Tree Village we have to have ornaments year-round,” she says.)  https://lisadouglasdesigns.com/ 

• Happy Tiers Bakery

If you want to really spoil mom, walk her down to Happy Tiers Bakery for a mouthwatering baked good. Expert cakemaker Andrea Jurss has her own cakemaking studio in the center of the café, and all around it are places to sit and enjoy a cup of coffee, a cinnamon roll, custard cup, lemon-blueberry scone, or one of the other delectable treats in its massive selection. Happy Tiers tends to do special sugar cookie designs, cake slices, and cupcake specials around Mother’s Day and other holidays, making this the place to (sweet) treat your mom. Its cookie decorating kits are also a fantastic way to get the kids involved. www.happytiersbakery.com 

Notable Mentions: 

• Glasses Wine Bar in the Village Shopping Center

After spending the morning and afternoon at the Raley’s Shopping Center and Christmas Tree Village, take your mom to Glasses Wine Bar to relax with a glass of vino. Along with the wraparound bar and 16 different wine dispensers along the wall that allow you to pour your own drink, Incline’s only wine bar also has nice seating areas inside and out, perfect for reading and relaxing. Glasses also have fun gifts including wine-inspired apparel, tea towels, greeting cards, wine stoppers, wine glasses, and reading glasses. It’s worth joining their email list, too, since they often have live music, happy hour deals, and special events. https://glasseswinebar.com/ 

• Bridget Giroux Design 

This mother/daughter interior design team hosts unique events and workshops throughout the year and Mother’s Day is a perfect reason to celebrate (especially now that a new Bridget has joined the family). Bridget Giroux Design is holding a couple of workshops this spring, including a Spring Wreath Workshop on March 22^nd and a Mother’s Day Flowering Bulb Workshop on Friday, May 10^th from 5pm-8pm. At this special workshop, Catalina of Believe in Recess will help attendees create living arrangements with flowering bulbs. Participants choose from a beautiful and colorful collection of pre-sprouted spring bulbs such as hyacinth, tulips, crocus, and daffodils to plant and arrange in a gorgeous ceramic platter as a living garden centerpiece. Then after taking home the custom-made “garden”, you’ll get to watch it open up and transplant it outdoors if you wish. The cost is $135/person and includes all materials, wine, and charcuterie. 

If your mom can’t make the workshop, then consider buying a Bridget Giroux hand poured Incline Village-inspired candle that burns for over 80 hours (available in Hidden Beach, Incline Creek, and Sierra Snow scents). Cashmere shawls that were created in a high-end Italian artisan mill exclusive to Bridget Giroux Design are also available, and the silk, cashmere, and sable blend will make mom feel wrapped in luxury. Order from Bridget Giroux Design’s online shop for local pickup, and your mom present will be complimentary gift-wrapped with a Mother’s Day card. www.bridgetgiroux.com 

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on 04/30/2024, Written by Brenna O’Boyle

INCLINE VILLAGE, Nev. – The Nevada State Legislative Committee for the Review and Oversight of the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency (TRPA) and the Marlette Lake Water System is set to hold its next regular meeting on Friday at 1 p.m. The meeting will be in the Trepp Room at the Parasol Tahoe Community Foundation in Incline Village.

This biennial committee convenes several times during Nevada’s interim legislative session to discuss TRPA’s work and the activities of state agencies operating in the Lake Tahoe Basin. The six-member body, comprised of three legislators from each house, reviews budgets, programs, and policies relevant to Nevada’s interests. A key role is achieving cooperation with California lawmakers to uphold the goals outlined in the Bi-State Tahoe Regional Planning Compact.

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Photo credit: Nevada Legislature

Submitted by Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe

Incline Village (April 24, 2024) – Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a spacious resort nestled in the Sierra Nevada Mountains and on the shore of Lake Tahoe, continues its commitment to offering unique wellness experiences with the Elemental Immersion May event. The day-long experience features an itinerary of wellness-focused sessions led by Lake Tahoe wellness professionals.

“We are pleased to continue to offer a one-of-a-kind wellness experience that immerses participants in the beauty and incredible natural setting of North Lake Tahoe,” said Julie Orblych, director of spa and wellness at Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe. “Our spa team has partnered with multiple area experts to take provide a unique wellness journey that provides guests with practices and tools they can take into their everyday lives.”

The May Elemental Immersion event will take place on Saturday, May 11 with a check-in time of 9:30 a.m. Participants will begin the day with a breathwork session led by Brooke Haley, a registered yoga teacher (RYT) and reiki practitioner. Focused on empowering individuals toward improved health and wellbeing, Haley uses yoga practices and breathwork techniques to create a powerful mind, body, and soul experience. 

Following the breathwork class, Haley will lead participants through an intention-based cold plunge into the naturally-chilled water of Lake Tahoe. Once guests warm up and change, they will meet at the lakeside Lone Eagle Grille for a health-conscious meal representative of the Element Immersion experience. 

The afternoon schedule will begin with a sound healing session with Gyongyver Ridenour, an International Academy of Sound Healing practitioner. Ridenour will take guests on a guided meditation surrounded by the sounds of wind, flutes, gongs, and Tibetan Bowls that produce vibrational acoustics designed to help cleanse and clear out overactivity of the mind, and encourage a sense of presence and balance. 

The Elemental Immersion will conclude with a “letting go” fire ceremony where attendees write down things that may be holding them back in their road to wellbeing. They will throw the piece of paper into the resort’s pool-side firepit as a symbolic gesture.

Guests who attend the event will receive access to the resort’s amenities until 5 p.m. including a spacious heated outdoor pool, oversized whirlpools, spa relaxation areas, and fitness center. They will also receive one complimentary day pass to the resort for use on another day of their choice to continue their wellness journey.  

More information about the Elemental Immersion experience can be found by visiting https://www.facebook.com/events/1095495558384116.

For more information or to book a getaway to Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe, please visit Hyattregencylaketahoe.com, or call (775) 832-1234.

About Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino

Ideally situated on the pristine shores of North Lake Tahoe, Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino, a AAA Four Diamond Award winning resort, offers majestic lake and mountain views from its 422 guestrooms, including 32 suites and 24 lakeside cottages. The resort’s design evokes modern alpine luxury with exposed wood beams, rich leathers, and granite features throughout the property. Premium amenities include 500 feet of private beach featuring a 275-foot floating pier, a year-round heated lagoon-style pool and two hot tubs, a 25,000 square foot Grand Lodge Casino, and 50,000 square feet of indoor/outdoor flexible meeting and event space including the picturesque Lakeside Ballroom, Tahoe’s premier lakeside ballroom just steps away from the beach. Additional amenities include a 20,000 square-foot Stillwater Spa with 16 treatment rooms, multiple restaurants and bars, pet-friendly accommodations, a fully-equipped Hyatt StayFit gym, and an on-site Adventure program which provides guided activities led by the resort’s team of adventure specialists. Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino has received numerous awards and recognitions including Travel + Leisure’s 500 Best Hotels in the World, Travel + Leisure’s World’s Best Awards, Smart Meetings Smart Stars Awards, U.S. News & World Report’s Best Hotel Awards, and more. 

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino is located on the Nevada side of Lake Tahoe, at 111 Country Club Drive, Incline Village, NV, 89451. For more information, visit HyattRegencyLakeTahoe.com or follow the resort on Facebook or Instagram.

About Hyatt Regency hotels 

The Hyatt Regency brand is a global collection of hotels and resorts found in more than 200 locations in over 40 countries around the world. The depth and breadth of this diverse portfolio, from expansive resorts to urban city centers, is a testament to the brand’s evolutionary spirit. For more than 50 years, the Hyatt Regency brand has championed fresh perspectives and enriching experiences, while its forward-thinking philosophy provides guests with inviting spaces that bring people together and foster a spirit of community. As a hospitality original, Hyatt Regency hotels and resorts are founded on openness—our colleagues consistently serve with open minds and open hearts to deliver unforgettable celebrations, effortless relaxation and notable culinary experiences alongside expert meetings and technology-enabled collaboration. The brand prides itself on an everlasting reputation for insightful care—one that welcomes all people across all countries and cultures, generation after generation.
For more information, please visit hyatt.com

Originally published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune on 04/26/2024, Written by Zoe Meyer

STATELINE, Nev. – The Tahoe Regional Planning Agency met on Wednesday, Apr. 24 to discuss an amendment to the Washoe County Tahoe Area Plan. 

The amendment seeks to include “Schools – Kindergarten through Secondary” as a special use within the Wood Creek Regulatory Zone for parcels of three acres or more. This proposal, presented by Washoe County, has undergone TRPA’s staff review, aligning with the TRPA regional plan. It does not signify approval but rather a request for a special use permit. 

Courtney Weiche, a senior planner from Washoe County, contributed to the discussion, highlighting that over 200 public comments were received over the past year, showing both support and opposition.

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We’re Back…bigger and better than ever! Please welcome the Second Annual Mark Twain Days, May 10, 11 & 12. For a listing of events take a gander at… www.visitcarsoncity.com/mark-twain-days/

You will find something of interest or my name’s not Mark Twain, or used to be anyways. And this year Virginia City is joining in on the fun. Wow!

The driving force behind last year’s Inaugural MTD, my hero, Debra Soule, has handed the reins to Nevada Arts & Culture Program Manager, Eric Brooks, and the BAC’s Valerie Moore. You might want to pass along this year’s MTD mementoes to your grandkids, as they will be worth their weight in gold come 2124.

Last year everybody sported a mustache, even the ladies. This photo captured many of us in time…

When I returned home from last year’s extravaganza I slept face down in my white suit for twelve hours…

So what might Mark Twain have to say?

“At last we disembarked in the Silver-Land, Nevada. This was in August of 1861, and back then, Carson City was the most uninhabitable place on earth.  Nothing grew there; even the birds when they flew over, carried their own provisions. But we climbed into the foothills and looked back on Carson City nestled in that flat sandy desert, and surrounded by such prodigious mountains that they seemed to expand your soul, until you felt yourself spreading into a colossus, and in that instant, you were seized with a burning desire to stretch forth your hand, put Carson in your pocket, and walk off with it.”

Somewhat retired now, I hope to visit as many events as possible to shake a few hands, slap a few backs, and thank everybody I can for honoring the Father of America’s Literature, who took his pen name right there in Carson City. That pen name would appear the next day in Virginia City’s Territorial Enterprise as the byline, Mark Twain.

“The publisher of the Enterprise, Joe Goodman told me when I hired on, ‘Sam you have but one responsibility here. Get your facts straight. Then you can distort them as much as you like.’ I learned in Virginia City, a good lie can travel twice around the globe before the truth gets its boots on. But our little ‘quaints’ were obvious sagebrush humor, and Nevada was built on tall tales. We had three kinds of stories back then, ‘Stretchers,’ that stretched the truth beyond the horizon of fact, ‘Lifters,’ that actually lifted the furniture, and ‘Powder Burners. Here lately I’ve stopped lying all together since the amateurs have taken over the field.” 

So young and old, let us get out and celebrate the fact that America’s best loved author got his start in the Great State of Nevada. And should you see this old Codger wandering aimlessly around the grounds, do take a picture with him and pass it along to your grandkids. It might be worth an extra scoop of ice-cream come 2124… 

Audio: https://open.spotify.com/show/7Fhv4PrH1UuwlhbnTT23zO