Author: Kayla Anderson

My name is Kayla and I live in North Lake Tahoe, one of the most beautiful places in the world. Along with snowboarding, wakeboarding, hiking, paddleboarding, and golfing, I love to read, write, and drink coffee. As a full-time freelance writer, I regularly contribute to The Tahoe Weekly, the Sparks Tribune, and Enjoy magazine. To see samples of my work, view all of my recent articles here. I’ve also written a few eBooks. I'm also excited to announce that I co-authored a book with Stuart Thornton titled Northern California Road Trips out in stores now! It is the perfect companion for a trip around Northern California, spelling out where to go, what to see, and what to do in the state's coastal and inland regions. This comprehensive guide also includes a variety of maps, images, and information about national parks such as Lassen, Crater Lake, Yosemite, and more. I hope you enjoy reading Northern California Road Trips as much as I enjoyed writing it and that you find a place (or a few) that you connect with. I'm currently working on the second edition of this book, set to be released in Summer 2023.

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2025 Fitness Events

June 18, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

By: Kayla Anderson for LIVE.WORK.PLAY. Magazine Spring Issue 2025

The Tahoe Sierra’s incredible outdoor environment acts as a hub for some of the top races and sporting events around. Here are some ways to stay fit, have fun, and make new friends this summer:

All Summer Long: Tahoe Bike Races

From June’s America’s Most Beautiful Bike Ride and the Lake Tahoe Mountain Bike Race to the brutal Tour of the California Alps Death Ride and Rose to Toads (the point-to-point mountain bike ridge that traverses the entire East Shore with an 8,000-ft. elevation gain) later in the year, Tahoe has a lot of exciting and challenging two-wheeled centric races this summer. Northstar California also hosts a series of downhill mountain bike races at its resort with awards given to the top men, women, and juniors in their respective divisions. Check out a calendar of events on the Bike Tahoe website: https://biketahoe.org/calendar-of-events-races/

For women rippers who aren’t so much into competing but want to progress in mountain biking in a fun, inclusive, and supportive way, check out the Dames of Dirt. These Reno-Tahoe women rider base meetups encourage making new friends, discovering new trails and getting some inspiration along the way.

June 21, Aug. 9, and Sept. 12-14^th: Tahoe Paddle Racing Series

Want to see how good of a paddleboarder you are against others? Then the Tahoe Paddle Racing series is the perfect way to gauge your abilities on the pristine waters of Lake Tahoe. Put on in conjunction with the Tahoe Waterman Foundation and Waterman’s Landing in Carnelian Bay, the race series kicks off with a fun Paddle Jam short race June 21st, then a downwinder August 9th, and ending the season with the big 22-mile lake crossing September 12-14th (if the weather cooperates). For more information about this summer’s paddle events, visit https://www.tahoewaterman.com/races.

June 23-29, 2025: TERC Circ(umnavigation) of Lake Tahoe

Join the UC Davis Tahoe Environmental Research Center to circumnavigate Lake Tahoe in the name of science. This kayaking event, called TERC Circ 5, takes place over seven days, starting Monday, June 23 and ending Sunday, June 29. Many people have paddled Tahoe’s shores, but this event is unique in that you get to follow 6-13 miles of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline each day with TERC staff and researchers to see, share, and learn about Lake Tahoe’s ecology, geology, and its emerging challenges. Each day the locations vary; for more information visit https://tahoe.ucdavis.edu/events/kayak-lake-tahoe.

July 2-4, 2025: Local Heroes 4^th of July Celebration

Incline Village goes big for Fourth of July, with all kinds of events coming on the schedule as we get closer to Independence Day. Thursday, July 3^rd will have a lot going on for residents and visitors of all ages. The day kicks off with a flag raising ceremony and pancake breakfast with our local fire department and ends with a flag retirement ceremony at dusk. After the flag raising ceremony, kids can take part in the Kids Bike Parade rolling alongside local heroes and Incline High School will also be hosting a 3-on-3 Highlander Pride basketball tournament. https://ivcba.org/events/local-heroes/

July 19-20, 2025: B4BC Skate the Lake

The 21^st annual B4BC Skate the Lake is coming back July 19-20^th where people skate/bike/roll 28 miles along the West Shore together (from Sugar Pine to Palisades Tahoe and back down to Tahoe City) to help spread awareness and information about breast cancer in this fun, endurance based event. Skate the Lake kicks off on Commons Beach in Tahoe City on Saturday, July 19^th with live music, a raffle, yoga, and more all day long before the big skate the following day.

Aug. 9, 2025: The Marlette 50k and 10 Miler

August 9^th is a day of East Shore trail runs, with the Spooner Lake 5k and 10k on the docket as well as the big Marlette 50k and 10 Miler will be going on at the same time. The Marlette 50k starts at Spooner Lake and follows 31 miles of beautiful trails along the ridgeline, passing Marlette Lake and offering up panoramic views of Big Blue. The Marlette 10 Miler is an out-and-back run starting at Spooner and heading to the south side of Marlette Lake on the North Canyon Trail, offering stunning views of Snow Valley Peak and the canyon. https://tahoetrailrunning.com/marlette-50k/

Aug. 17, 2025: 14^th Annual Lake Tahoe Sharkfest Swim

While sharks don’t technically exist in Lake Tahoe (card sharks, maybe), this annual swim event held at Sand Harbor gives participants the chance to see dramatic rock features and possibly other things in Lake Tahoe’s crystalline waters. This one-mile swim starts at the beach next to the boat ramp and finishes at Sand Harbor’s main beach on the south end of the park around the bend. This event is for experienced open-water swimmers only who can comfortably swim one mile in a pool in under 40 minutes. https://raceroster.com/events/2025/99656/2025-lake-tahoe-sharkfest-swim

Sep. 13, 2025: XTERRA Lake Tahoe

For those who truly want to test their mettle, XTERRA Lake Tahoe will put you in your place. This classic backcountry triathlon course starts with a 1,500-meter swim in Lake Tahoe followed by a bike ride up Tunnel Creek, and then a run along the Flume Trail. https://www.xterraplanet.com/event/xterra-lake-tahoe

Photo credit: TERC

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Summer Kids Camps and Activities in IV/CB

May 6, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

By: Kayla Anderson

It’s that time of the year when the weather is getting nicer and kids are itching to get out of school and on with their summer vacation. Here are some camps and activities to keep them entertained:

Mountain Bike Teams

The Diamond Peak Mountain Bike Team (DPMBT)- For two-wheeled rippers around ages 6 and older, the DPMBT invites them to come and improve their skills by riding some of the best trails in the Tahoe basin. Experienced coaches are happy to guide athletes from their first mountain bike ride to national competitions, but if they want to just ride for fun then that’s okay, too. Rides are tailored to riders in the Mini Shreds (ages 6-8) and Cross Country Team (ages 9-plus) groups. For more information, visit https://www.dpsef.org/programs/mountain-bike-team .

Lake Tahoe School Youth Mtn. Bike Summer Camp, July 21-25– The Lake Tahoe School in Incline Village also hosts a five days of off-road cycling morning rides for kids ages 9-13. Nothing too easy and nothing too hard, the group rides 10-12 miles per day. Transportation, snacks, and mountain bike gloves are provided, but the camp is limited to only seven campers and likely to fill up fast.

Daisy Day Care Saturday Summer Camp

Running one of the only licensed home daycare centers in North Lake Tahoe, Daisy Day Care Founder Harmony Shreve has been a licensed childcare provider for more than 25 years and has “loved every minute of it.” Her Daisy Day Care’s Saturday Summer Camp (for ages 2-10) offers a great opportunity for kids to explore, learn, and have fun outdoors. Each week, the camp meets at a different trailhead near Incline Village and go through a curriculum that includes yoga, hiking, breathwork, nature lessons, and snack breaks. Season passes for the Saturday sessions are on sale until May 31^st but there is a limited supply. https://tahoedaisydaycare.com/ .

Incline Village Library

The Washoe County Library System has activities for kids and adults available all year long, but summertime is when the real fun starts. Along with the Summer Reading Program, the Incline Village Library will have Camp STEAM for kids ages 6-11 on June 24-25^th and Art Camp for Kids ages 7-12 for three days July 8-10^th. In the two-day Camp STEAM, kids have fun with science, technology, engineering, art, and math, diving into these five innovative topics through engaging experiments over two days.

The creative three-day Art Camp for Kids in July explores different art techniques inspired by famous artists. They’ll learn about a new artist, experimenting with painting and crafting in fun hands-on activities as well as collaborate on a group art project and create their own masterpieces to take home. Registration for both programs is required, visit the library on 845 Alder Avenue to sign up.

Tahoe Family Solutions Camp Explore

Tahoe Family Solutions will be having its popular and successful Camp Explore come back this summer, with overnight camping trips for 3^rd-8^th graders and the Backpacking Group for 6^th-8^th graders. Campers explore the Sierra Nevada trails, lakes and peaks with their new friends as well as take part in activities such as hiking, swimming, kayaking, crafting, learning outdoor safety skills, and making s’mores around a campfire. Since these camps are free this year (thanks to the generosity of community donors) and meant for kids who wouldn’t have these opportunities otherwise, they fill up extremely fast. Registration opens in April.

Boys & Girls Club of NLT (BGCNLT)

The Boys & Girls Club of North Lake Tahoe offers several daily and multi-day specialty camps at its locations throughout North Lake Tahoe, including the Kings Beach Clubhouse, the Truckee Elementary school site, and the Duffield Youth Program – Incline Village.

Its summer camps and activities feature themed weeks, beach days, sports, arts & crafts, STEM activities, field trips, and more. In addition to its standard camps, BGCNLT hosts specialty camps such as mountain biking, kayaking, paddle camps, and hiking excursions. BGCNLT summer camps are open to kids in K-5th grade and teens in 6th-12th grade. Registration opens April 1st. To access the current summer day camps, specialty camps, and field trips digital guide, visit www.bgcnlt.org. Offerings are subject to change.

Nike Swim Camp at UNR at Lake Tahoe

Open to competitive swimmers ages 10-18, the coed Nike Swim Camp is designed to take those skills to the next level by providing a better understanding of swimming fundamentals. Overnight campers stay on campus in dorm rooms and meals are included, but extended stay/commuter participants can come as well. This camp is best for teens who have competitive swimming experience and can swim at least 50 meters in all four competitive strokes: fly, back, breast, and freestyle. For more information, visit https://www.ussportscamps.com/swim/nike/university-nevada-reno-lake-tahoe-swim-camp

IVGID Summer Camps

The Incline Village General Improvement District will host tennis camps, junior lifeguard camps, basketball camps, and more this summer; for more information about its current and upcoming programming visit www.inclinerecreation.com.

Ambassadors Soccer Camp

Get ready for another epic summer soccer camp! Cornerstone Church and Ambassadors Soccer Camps bring you a camp focused on children ages 5 – 14 that creates a five-day (Monday – Friday) soccer experience. Campers will play and compete in a fun, safe and positive environment facilitated by Christian mentor-coaches from around the world. Our soccer camps also include a daily Bible time where children will hear more about the Bible and faith in Jesus through our Toward the Goal curriculum.

Lake Tahoe School Summer Camps

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In The News – Mt. Rose Chutes Celebrates 20 Years

February 28, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 02/28/2025, Written by Kayla Anderson

After passing through the El Cap gate accessible from either the Blazing Zephyr or Northwest Magnum high-speed six-pack chair, looking down the mountain at that 55-degree drop is nerve-wracking. It’s like peering over the edge of a cliff. The scene off in the distance is gorgeous, with its panoramic views of Reno and Mount Rose Proper. However, a LA Times article from 2005 wrote that the Chutes’ snowy ridge, “…looks more like a takeoff for skydiving than for skiing.”

Nine gates access 16 advanced and expert/black diamond and double black diamond Chutes, each featuring anywhere from a 40-55 degree pitch and 1,000 vertical feet to the base of the triple-seat Chuter chair. The Chuter is on the Slide side and takes you out of the Chutes, dropping you at the base of the Blazing Zephyr.

READ MORE >

Photo provided by Mt. Rose

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SNOWFEST is HERE…With Incline Village/Crystal Bay Events

February 26, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

By: Kayla Anderson

The longest standing snow festival on the West Coast is coming back to North Lake Tahoe this weekend, kicking off a multitude of activities happening now through March 9^th. More than 50 events are on the docket, with local businesses throughout North Lake Tahoe giving back to local nonprofits, education, public programs, and scholarship funds. All the SNOWFEST events are listed on https://www.tahoesnowfest.org/, but here is what’s happening specifically in Incline Village and Crystal Bay along with some can’t miss SNOWFEST events (like the parade and fireworks show).

Feb. 28-March 3: Try an Under the Rose at Drink Coffee Do Stuff

907 Tahoe Blvd, Incline Village

DCDS is selling special vanilla rose lattes this weekend only as part of SNOWFEST. Get fueled up before going up to the mountain and know when you’re supporting DCDS then you are also supporting Clean Up The Lake’s efforts as well.

March 1, 5pm-8pm: Fireworks at the Tahoe City Golf Course

251 N. Lake Blvd, Tahoe City

Catch this SNOWFEST can’t miss event…live music and the only fireworks show on the North Shore at the Tahoe City Golf Course! The NOMADS will play at 5:30pm followed by the fireworks at dark. They’ll be lit off in the middle of the snow and viewable in all of Tahoe City. Food and drinks will be served by Café Zenon.

March 2, 4pm-8pm: Sunnyside Luau

1850 W Lake Blvd, Tahoe City

Wear your best Hawaiian shirt and bring your Aloha spirit to Sunnyside Lodge on the West Shore. Sunnyside will be offering a special menu featuring island favorites and tropical drinks. You can even make your own lei! Proceeds from this event help the Sierra Community House, which serves Incline Village residents.

March 7, 9:30am-3:30pm: Winter Festival Diamond Peak Village Jib Jam

1210 Ski Way, Incline Village

Head over to Diamond Peak’s Village Terrain Park for a Jib Jam like no other where you can display your skills sliding rails or cheer on riders throwing down their best tricks to win awesome prizes. The music and action will be happening all day long followed by an après party at UNR. Whether you want to shred, spectate, or just soak up the snowy scene, this is one winter event you won’t want to miss.

March 7, 4pm-7pm: Après Rail Jam Party at UNR

After the action, head over to UNR’s Lake Tahoe campus to keep the energy high with DJ Plattenum, cozy winter treats with the Mountain Lotus food truck, ski movies on the Patterson Hall patio, a Jib Jam awards ceremony, and an alphorn show.

March 7, 7pm-10pm: Bowls & Beats/SNOWFEST Edition at Bowl Incline

920 Southwood Blvd, Incline Village

Hit the dayglo pins in the dark with DJ Dom Murelli providing the beats. The cost to play is $45 per hour when you reserve online, shoes are free.

March 8, 11am-4pm: Strike Derby at Bowl Incline

920 Southwood Blvd, Incline Village

Head back to Bowl Incline the next day to take part in the SNOWFEST Strike Derby. See how many strikes you can throw in four minutes with prizes for 1^st, 2^nd, and 3^rd place (in men’s, women’s, and kids categories). It costs $10 to enter with proceeds going to Tahoe’s Connection for Families. The heated patio will be open for fireside cocktails.

March 8, 11:30am-12:30pm: SNOWFEST Parade

The main street of Kings Beach comes alive on March 8^th with all kinds of community organizations dressing up in wintry costumes and walking alongside fun and interesting floats. This “small town, big time” parade starts at Secline Street on the west end of town and meanders up Highway 28/Tahoe Boulevard to Raccoon Street. The MC and judges will be next to the King Building near Bear Street. Other events that day in Kings Beach include a Tail Wagger Dress Up Your Dog Contest and pancake breakfast at the North Tahoe Event Center before the event and a parade afterparty at Tahoe Backyard. https://northtahoebusiness.org/kings-beach-snowfest-parade/

March 8, 9am-2pm: Nevada Nordic FreeHeel Fest

Travel North Tahoe Nevada in a collaboration with Tahoe Multisport and Nevada Nordic will be putting on the first-ever FreeHeel Fest with cross country ski demos provided by Saloman, Atomic, NDOR, and more in the Mt. Rose Meadows off Highway 431. Slide around the trails within the Nevada Nordic XC trail system with your heels free with local cross-country ski experts on hand. There will also be snowshoe demos and live music in the meadows. If you really get after it and ski the longest trail in the meadows all the way to Sand Harbor, a free hot sauna provided by Tahoe Multisport will be waiting for you at the lake.

Celebrate SNOWFEST with Glasses Wine Bar on March 6th, 7th & 8th

March 6th & 7th, 3pm – 6:30pm: Glasses Wine Bar Annual Girl Scout Cookie and Wine Pairing

You can taste 5 Girl Scout cookies paired with a great wine. The format is slightly different this year: Reservations are required. Tastings will be in groups no larger than 4 scheduled every 30 minutes from 3-6:30 pm. $25pp/$21 Wine Club.

March 8th, from 7pm: Live Music at Glasses Wine Bar with Ellis Jones Band

The Ellis/Jones Band will be playing at Glasses Wine Bar. An Incline local, Andrew has a huge repertoire of songs from today and yesterday. It’s gonna be a great night! Saturday, starting at 7:00 p.m. (Reservations accepted) MORE INFO>

Christmas Tree Village Goes Off for SNOWFEST on March 7^th-8th

Celebrate the final weekend of SNOWFEST in the Christmas Tree Village with deals, drinks, food, family fun, and more at the shops on the main drag. Here are the specials going on:

March 7, 6pm-9pm: Crosby’s Kitchen SNOWFEST Party

Spend the weekend at Crosby’s with live music, food & drink specials, and more. W.D. Saw will be playing live music in the lounge on Friday night and there will be appetizer specials along with Pigeon Head beers and Long Drinks for $6. Coppola Family Wine and cocktails (including hideout vodka cosmos, pomegranate, and cucumber martinis) will be $10 a glass.

March 8, 1pm-4pm: Crosby’s SNOWFEST Puppapalooza

Crosby’s will keep the party going on Saturday, March 8^th in Christmas Tree Village with live music by Robbie Gade & Friends, wine/beer/vodka tastings, and a puppapalooza on the back patio! Bring your four-legged companion to join the Best Dog Costume Contest; Pet Network will have dogs available to adopt as well.

March 8, 10:30am-6pm: Sticker Sale at Karma Tahoe

The Karma Tahoe consignment store will be doing a special SNOWFEST sale on clothing and accessories—25 percent off blue stickered items and 50 percent off red stickered ones.

March 8, 1pm-6pm: The Loteria at Thania’s Juice Bar

Incline’s favorite healthy juice bar will be getting into the SNOWFEST spirit by offering a special menu, having loteria games, and prizes. She’ll also be launching a new juice!

March 8, 1pm-6pm: Pup Cups at Village Pet Foundation

The Village Pet Foundation thrift store will have a photo booth set up for people to take fun SNOWFEST pictures with pets, along with drinks, appetizers, and special edible (and healthy) pup cups.

March 8, 4:20pm-6pm: The Highest Hot Cocoa at Higher Elevation

Have a hot cocoa and play fun mystery box games at Higer Elevation for the chance to win prizes from the smoke and gift shop. Don’t worry, the hot cocoa has just the original, non-mind-altering ingredients in it making it suitable for people of all ages.

March 8, all day: Cakes, Coffee, and Cinnamon Rolls at Happy Tiers

Enjoy a cinnamon roll and coffee special for $5 and owner Andrea Jurss will have a cake decorating station set up.

March 8, all day: Food and Drink Specials at MoFo’s

Enjoy free food samples and drink specials at this longtime family-owned pizza and pasta restaurant. They also have an excellent salad bar.

March 8, 1pm-6pm: Music and Workshops at Tahoe Gifting Co.

Join Tahoe Gifting Co. for a day of shopping, live music, drinks and more! The Old Trestle female master distiller will be there pouring gin, whisky, bourbon, and single malt tastings, and Sierra Soapbox Co. will have a Make Your Own Room Spray station. Choose your own scent profile and label (and Sierra Soapbox Co. can help you come up with your own signature snarky saying) for $20 a bottle. For three hours between 1pm-6pm, @coachthedj will be spinning tunes. Chelsey from Tahoe Gifting Co. will also be specially embroidering bandanas with the Sierra wildflowers on them.

For details, more information, and a list of all Incline Village SNOWFEST events and more, visit https://business.ivcba.org/event-calendar .

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IV/CB Valentine’s Day Events

February 12, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

Love is in the air, and whether you have a valentine, galentine, or palentine you want to acknowledge the holiday with, businesses in Incline Village and Crystal Bay have you covered. Here’s what’s going on in this week of hearts:

Feb. 12, 3:30pm-5pm: Wind Down Wednesday (with hot chocolate bombs) at the IV Library

845 Alder Ave., Incline Village

Folks 55 and older are invited to the Incline Village Library to connect, relax, and perhaps make something (like a hot chocolate bomb) or learn something. Since supplies are limited, registration is required by calling the library or clicking HERE.

Next week on Wednesday, February 19^th, the library is hosting the final day of the Stitch a Heart camp for those who want to incorporate their sewing skills to make something unique. It’s held from 1pm-3pm in the library community room, best suited for people ages 10 and older.

Feb. 14, 5pm-9pm: Heartbreakers Valentine’s Party at Alibi Incline Public House

931 Tahoe Blvd., Incline Village

Enjoy dinner and dancing this Valentine’s Day at the Alibi Incline Public House with live music provided by Blu Egyptian. Dinner will be from 5pm-7pm, then put on your dancing shoes and boogie the night away from 7pm-9pm.

Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Valentine’s Day Specials

111 Country Club Dr., Incline Village

Lone Eagle Grille’s final day of operation will be on February 27^th after 30 years of being in business, so Valentine’s Day will be the last holiday you’ll have to spend at the lakeside fine dining restaurant.

Feb. 14, 6pm-10pm: Luke Stevenson at Lone Eagle Grille Lounge

Luke Stevenson will be playing Lone Eagle Grille’s second-to-last show on Valentine’s Day in the lounge, inviting residents and guests to connect and share memories of the famed establishment. IVGID picture passholders receive 10 percent off their bill.

Feb. 14: Lone Eagle Grille Valentine’s Day Menu

LEG will have a special V-Day dinner menu available with appetizers ($29-32), entrees ($79-99), and dessert ($17) in the lounge while Luke Stevenson plays. Items on the menu include pan-seared foie gras – Butter-toasted brioche with blueberry jam, thyme jam and maple-roasted apple; “Surf & Turf” serving of seared veal Oscar and 3oz. King Crab legs with truffled mashed potatoes and brandy-glazed creamy morsel mushrooms; OR red beet pasta-lobster ravioli served with lobster medallions; and a dessert of white chocolate rose mousse, rose & raspberry meringue, and raspberry coulis.

These specially curated offerings will be available alongside the regular Lone Eagle Grille menu and a la carte selections. To reserve a table at Lone Eagle Grille on Valentine’s Day, visit: https://www.exploretock.com/loneeaglegrille/

Feb. 14: Osteria Sierra specials

The Hyatt’s newest Italian restaurant, Osteria Sierra, will also have special curated Valentine’s Day dishes as well as its regular offerings. On Friday, February 14, look out for the: Amuse- Carpaccio di Barbabietola with shaved beets and goat cheese; Antipasti- Granita di Ostriche with fresh oysters adorned with strawberry and prosecco mignonette granita; Primi Course- Gamberetti Aglio e Olio consisting of roasted prawns, house-made linguini, and grilled Roman artichokes; Secondi Course- Bistecca al Cioccolato Fondente e Caffe Espresso involving dark chocolate and espresso-rubbed prime rib striploin with aged carnaroli risotto and white asparagus; and Dolce- raspberry rose panna cotta, a white chocolate sable tart, raspberry sorbet, and rose meringue. To reserve a table at Osteria Sierra on Valentine’s Day, visit: https://www.exploretock.com/osteria-sierra

Feb. 14-16, 1:30pm-3:30pm: Galentine’s Day Afternoon Tea Service at Osteria Sierra

Spend the holiday with your gal pals and indulge in scones, pastries, finger sandwiches, and drinks. This weekend, diners can elevate their tea experience with a mimosa flight featuring bubbly drinks mixed with fun, festive flavors such as: “I Cherry-ish You” – Luxardo cherries and chocolate; “Friendship is One in a Melon” – Passionfruit and watermelon; and “You’re My Cranberry Best Friend” – Pomegranate orange ice cube and cranberry. The cost is $45 per person, and you can make a reservation up to eight people.

Have too much to drink? Call the TART Connect

No matter where you go on Valentine’s Day, be sure to get home safely. The TART Connect offers curb-to-curb, on-demand transportation service for trips within Incline Village/Crystal Bay from 3pm-11pm daily. Download the TART Connect app on your smartphone to schedule a ride.

Or if you plan to spend a romantic night in, consider giving your loved one a locally made/curated gift. Wyld Peony (https://wyldpeony.com/) is a great place to go for flowers, visit The Potlatch (https://www.potlatchlaketahoe.com/) for upscale artisan jewelry, Tahoe Gifting Co. (https://tahoegiftingco.com/) for a Tahoe-inspired present, and/or Happy Tiers Bakery (https://www.happytiersbakery.com/) for chocolate-covered strawberries and cake.

Whatever you do this Cupid’s Day, be safe, have fun, and share some love this month 😊

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High Sierra Restorative Health

January 28, 2025 | Kayla Anderson

Originally Published in LIVE.WORK.PLAY Magazine. Written By: Kayla Anderson

The warm natural atmosphere with soothing color tones, green thriving plants, and a trickling water fountain is a nice contrast to the stormy weather outside, as Emily Allina sits in a bright office waiting for her next appointment.

Allina moved to Incline Village in September of 2021 and started a mobile urgent care practice that November. In the early days of the pandemic, she went to Kings Beach to take an advanced wilderness life support class. A friend suggested that Allina should consider practicing medicine on the Nevada side of the lake because there was a need for her kind of specialized health services…especially during covid. (She still treats people dealing with long covid symptoms.)

“It was busy and a big focus for a while,” Allina says. She holds a master’s degree in nursing and has more than 23 years of experience working as a nurse practitioner, in settings such as the ER and critical care transport. When Allina moved here, she wanted to start her own business but didn’t want to take on too much overhead, so she offered mobile care mainly to suss out the need in the community and build up her clientele. Allina also wanted to get more into wellness offerings, and didn’t require a lot of equipment to provide her types of services. Her specialties include emergency medicine, urgent care, integrative & longevity medicine, and regenerative medicine.

In February of 2024, Allina opened a brick-and-mortar office on 923 Tahoe Boulevard, Ste. 100.

“It’s so nice to have a space for patients to come here,” Allina says about High Sierra Restorative Health, which also has lab services now.

When asked what the most popular service is, Allina says that a lot of people—both men and women—are seeking out hormone replacement therapy. Peptide therapies, hormone balancing, and regenerative therapies can help with weight loss, thyroid function, cortisone issues, brain health, restorative sleep, and more. There are also plenty of people who look for that episodic care– like treating a UTI or ear infection—who would rather go to her than anyone else in town.

However, her favorite kind of patient/client is one who takes a proactive approach to their health.

“I like to focus on getting people healthy and then maintaining that longevity,” Allina says. “The earlier you start to investigate your baseline health and optimize it, the better chance you have to prevent chronic, more serious diseases in the future.” She explains that it helps to make sure that: 1) your gut health is good; and 2) your endocrine system/hormonal health is good.

“Those two systems are upstream of everything else,” she says. “It can seem overwhelming to tackle everything in your body at once, so focusing on those two systems are good to optimize first,” she says. Allina also enjoys practicing health and wellness in Nevada, which is quite different from working in a general hospital ER.

“Here I get to establish a relationship with patients and get to follow through with them. ER is episodic, you treat patients for a specific thing and then they’re gone. You don’t get any kind of closure,” she adds.

“Here it’s a journey… I get to see if what I’m doing is working and it helps inform the practice,” Allina says. Plus, getting the opportunity to create a more personal relationship with people helps her tailor treatments to their individual needs.

“I really like the community, and all the patients are great. This really is a wonderful place to live, work, and play,” she says with a wink. “I love helping people who are invested in their health.”

If people are interested in her services but don’t know where to start, the High Sierra Restorative Health website is a good resource. Allina also offers free 20-minute discovery phone calls, available to book online.

“I want to continue to grow, offer cutting-edge treatments and maybe bring in another provider,” Allina says about her goals.

“Healthcare is a science and an art. We look at each person individually. We know scientifically what should work but the art is that there’s no one like you. So, you have to pivot, have to adapt sometimes to treatments because each person is unique. Medicine requires a more personalized approach and frequent visits. That’s the benefit of coming here.”

For more information about High Sierra Restorative Health, visit https://restorativehealthnv.com/.

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Natural Grocers

December 30, 2024 | Kayla Anderson

Originally published in IVCBA’s Live.Work.Play Magazine, Written by Kayla Anderson

The new Natural Grocers on 873 Tahoe Boulevard is now open, providing residents and visitors
with another way to get fresh, healthy food.

There are only three other Natural Grocers in the state (one in Reno and two in the Las
Vegas/Henderson area), making this Incline Village location its fourth Nevada store.
“This has been a long time coming, two years in the making,” says Natural Grocers Store
Manager Daniel Wescott. “What sets Natural Grocers apart is that the produce section is 100
percent organic, no exceptions. The produce doesn’t last as long because of that but keeping it
local and organic is important to the owners,” he adds. He believes that having a Natural
Grocers in Incline is a good fit because the demographic of people who live here tend to have
healthy and active lifestyles.

Over in the produce section in front of large aloe vera leaves, Wescott shares that every
weekend the store hosts a “Sample Saturday” event, where people are encouraged to come in
and try new products– or industry favorites that management chooses. “For an hour or so we
pick out what we want to sample, and learning what folks want,” Wescott says. “We can special
order produce and encourage you to speak up if you don’t see something you want; we always
do our best to find it and get it in.”

A big thing for Natural Grocers is that it has its own bulk packaging program, too. There is a
whole refrigerated aisle of bulk flour, snacks, dried fruit, nuts, and more that is labeled non-GMO
or organic, and free of harmful BPA or phthalates in its packaging.

“We have an entire list of ingredients we will not carry and have a rigorous inspection process,”
Wescott says, something Natural Grocers has been doing since 1955.

According to its website, Natural Grocers is highly concerned with the way products “are grown,
produced and processed, what they contain, how they are packaged and what is added to them.
[It] has a fundamental impact on our health and the wellbeing of our communities.”
“I remember hearing a story of a product that was pulled off the shelf because it had an
ingredient that didn’t pass inspection, and it was a bestseller. I think that shows a true
commitment to its mission,” Wescott says.

Standing in the bulk packaging aisle, I ask him what his favorite food is. “I love the sriracha cashews, and these carob energy chews,” he says, pointing to a 12-oz. bag of them was priced at $5.99, and four good-sized chunks are only 150 calories. (After our meeting, I went back and bought a bag… that paired with a can of High Brew Mocha made me feel clean, light, and ready to charge up the Flume Trail).
“Recreation is big here, people are into hiking, biking, skiing…so these kinds of foods are perfect for taking into the outdoors,” Wescott confirms.

Across from the bulk food section, all its meat is displayed and labeled on a bronze, silver, and
gold scale, indicating levels of how poultry, fish, and beef is farmed and raised. Another one of his favorite products are the Mulay’s Italian meatballs. “This is a woman-owned company, and they stand up to their quality. My kids love these, and they have no sugar.”

Going down the aisles, Wescott points out body care products made with clean, high-quality
ingredients (“setting the soap bar high,” it says) and its own line of packaged organic spices. On
the other end of the store, Natural Grocers has more than 7,000 SKU’s in supplements as well
as its own nutritional coach who does one-on-one consulting to help people with their dietary
needs.

“We’re here for the community and have someone here to talk to about your health issues,”
Wescott says.

Natural Grocers has a wide range of products at an affordable price, and you probably won’t
have to spend as much time as you do at other stores scouring labels. “Come in and check us out, ask questions. We really want people to talk to us. Food is an intimate thing, and it’s all individual. We want to provide something for everyone.”

What It’s Like to Work There, “I’ve been in retail half my life,” Wescott says (he’s 36 and got his first job at a store when he was 16). “Natural Grocers is very pro crew…we’re all encouraged to try the things here.”
Employees get instore credit for every hour worked and a straight ten percent discount on anything in the store, on top of all other benefits.

Natural Grocers also has an {N}power Rewards program for regular shoppers to get discounts,
earn rewards, and receive surprise offers.

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In The News – Best Places to Cozy Up By the Fire

December 28, 2024 | Kayla Anderson

Originally Published in the Sierra Sun, 12/27/2024, Written by Kayla Anderson

Tahoe gets cold in the wintertime, and sometimes you just need a place to go to warm up and get some comfort food or at least gather around a fire with your friends and a tasty beverage. Here are a few of the best restaurants and bars with fireplaces in the Tahoe basin that are open to everyone:

Himmel Haus, 3819 Saddle Rd., South Lake Tahoe

Across from the California Lodge at Heavenly Mountain Resort, the Himmel Haus is the perfect place to go when the lifts close for the day, you want to warm up, and you are in search of some great German Bavarian food.

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In The News – Incline celebrates the 3rd annual Robot Parade

December 26, 2024 | Kayla Anderson

Originally Published in the Tahoe Daily Tribune, 12/26/2024, Written by Kayla Anderson

Parents, teachers, students, and members of the Incline Village community filed into the Incline Elementary School gymnasium last Thursday, December 19th, to cheer on the kids taking part in the third annual Robot Parade.

The parade route wrapped around the gym like a track as classes donning holiday sweaters and headbands (related to their robot theme) sat eagerly at the start, ready to show off their robot “floats” to their loved ones in the hour-long ceremony.

The idea of the Robot Parade came from IES teacher Trina Kleinhenz who teaches a STEM-style curriculum out of a room called the Makerspace. Her lessons involve project-based learning, teambuilding, and hands-on self-directed activities. This includes teaching computer science and coding to grades as early as kindergarten up to the 5th grade robotics club.

‘Tis the Season – Guide to Incline Village Churches

December 10, 2024 | Kayla Anderson

By: Kayla Anderson – Originally published in IVCBA’s Live.Work.Play Magazine

For many people, the holiday season means a time when we celebrate cultural traditions; reflect and set goals for the following year; tune into our religious beliefs; and help our fellow neighbors. Here are how two East Shore churches do all these things and bring support to the Incline Village community during the holidays and beyond:

The Village Church, 736 McCourry Blvd., Incline Village

As a member of ECO: A Covenant Order of Evangelical Presbyterians, The Village Church runs a Christian preschool and a K-5 academy for families with kids ages 6 weeks to 5th grade; operates a thrift store at the corner of Mays and Southwood in Incline Village (with very friendly staff); and keeps a food box ministry available all year long with bankers boxes full of non-perishable food.

Some of its year-round support groups include a ministry to those who are grieving called Griefshare that meets Mondays at 5pm for 13 weeks a few times a year as well as Alcoholics Anonymous on Thursdays at 7pm. The Village Church also keeps a Care Chest, providing medical supplies and durable medical equipment like wheelchairs and walkers to the community and supports the Sierra Community House as well as Sierra Senior Services.

“During the holiday season we participate in the Winter, Warmth, and Wellness program, and continue to offer all our programs,” says Pastor Jeffrey Ogden.

https://www.thevillagechurchnv.org/ , Sunday Services at 8am and 10am

Cornerstone Community Church, 300 Country Club Dr., Incline Village

The non-denominational Christian church found on the corner of Highway 28 and Country Club Boulevard hosts a variety of groups for all ages. It has a midweek kids afterschool program every Wednesday from 3:15-4:30pm, weekly men’s & women’s Bible study groups, and a group for moms of school-aged kids called Mama Bears (which meets from 10am-12pm and includes childcare).

It hosts a youth program every Sunday evening from 5:30-7:30pm for middle and high schoolers as well as its Sunday Worship Services every Sunday at 10am. As far as serving the community, Cornerstone works alongside and financially supports other nonprofits like Young Life, Foster the City, Real Choices Women’s Center, Reno/Sparks Gospel Mission, Awaken, Serve With These Hands, and Springs of Redemption Rehab Ranch.

Cornerstone keeps a benevolence ministry that helps people in need and it loves to support community activities like IVGID’s Trail of Treats [and Terror] and the Local Heroes 4th of July Celebration, putting on a special Veterans Recognition social prior to the Flag Retirement Ceremony in that same period.

As far as during the winter months, Cornerstone Senior Pastor Brandon McCaughey says, “Our church loves to support those in need during the holidays. Every Christmas season we identify those in our community who have had major difficulties (major illnesses, accidents, or significant hardships) and collect funds for the month of December, including at our Christmas Eve services, in order to bless them and help with whatever they have gone through this year. We have a prayer team that faithfully prays for those in our church and in our community and we also offer Biblical counseling for those in need of spiritual direction and wisdom.”

Cornerstone also hosts several events for families this Christmas season. A Night in Bethlehem is an interactive family Christmas event that will transport participants back to Bethlehem. On Friday, December 13th from 5:30-7:30pm, families will get to make take home projects from their carpentry booth, metal shop, painters square, and pottery shop. They will learn about the Christmas Story with a live interactive reading and get to taste foods from biblical times.

The church will also be hosting special Christmas Eve services at 4pm and 6pm on December 24th. Cornerstone will sing Christmas carols, hear a message of hope from the Bible, and close each service by lighting candles and singing worship to the Lord Jesus. All are welcome, but space is limited, so it’s best to go early. Overflow parking is available at the UNR Lake Tahoe campus kitty corner to the church.

https://www.cornerstonecommunity.net/ , Sunday Services at 10am and 5pm (beginning December 1)

Saint Francis Of Assisi Catholic Church, 701 Mount Rose Hwy, Incline Village,

St. Francis Catholic Church in Incline Village was founded in 1965 with the original church built by parishioners. As of last school year, St. Clare’s Mountain Montessori Catholic School at St. Francis had 48 students, teaching preschool through high schoolers.

St. Francis supports the community in many ways–everything from offering its space for public concerts (such as Handel’s “Messiah” in December) to hosting Incline High School’s “We the People” program.

The St. Vincent de Paul Society also now has a chapter at St. Francis Church. It helps the broader community (without regard to race, sex, religion, etc.) in three ways: 1) Home visitation- Meeting with neighbors in need, Vincentians make holistic assessments of needs (physical and spiritual) and help directly (using funds donated by parishioners and members) with costs of rent, groceries, utilities, health care, transportation, etc.), or by referral to local agencies with the resources to address issues that the conference cannot; 2) Members of St. Vincent de Paul deliver bakery goods, deli foods, and vegetables to various locations in the North Shore year-round to those in need on a weekly basis; 3) St. Vincent de Paul sponsors special food distributions of meat, dairy, vegetables, and staples in partnership with Catholic Charities and from the conference’s own funds, in connection with the Winter Warmth and Wellness program in October and Toys for Tots in December.

In addition to the work of the St. Vincent de Paul group, St. Francis Church invites everyone in the community as well as visitors to any of these events and regular weekend Masses:

https://sftahoe.org/, Mass Schedule: Saturday: 5:00pm (English); Sunday: 9:00am (English), 11:30am (Bilingual), 5:00pm (Spanish); Daily Mass: Tuesday – Friday at noon

Sundays from 12:30pm – 2:00pm: Youth Group Meeting; Thursday, Dec. 9 & 16, 4:30pm-6:00pm: Holiday Grief Support Group; Thursday, Dec. 16, 6:00pm-8:00pm: Twenty-Somethings Group; Sunday, November 17, time TBD: “Becoming Catholic” meetings begin; Thursday, Dec. 19, 10:00am, St. Clare’s Christmas Pageant: St Clare’s Tahoe – Christmas Program; Friday, Dec. 20, 6:30pm-8:30pm, Tahoe Philharmonic’s Classical Orchestra and Chorus presents Handel’s “Messiah”; Tuesday, December 24, 2024, 3:00pm- 4:00pm: Children’s Christmas Mass; Tuesday, December 24, 2024, 10:00pm- 11:00pm: Christmas Eve – Vigil Mass; Wednesday, December 25, 2024, 9:00pm – 10:00pm: Christmas Day Mass (English); Wednesday, December 25, 2024, 11:00am-noon: Christmas Day Mass (Bilingual).

St. Patrick’s Episcopal Church, 341 Village Blvd., Incline Village

St. Patrick’s hosts a number of community groups on its campus weekly, including the: Sierra Community House’s food distribution program, the Knitter’s Guild, the North Tahoe Community Choir, Cafe Conversacion (for English language learners), Alcoholics Anonymous, Girl Scouts, Military Officers of America, and more. It also takes up collections for local, national, and international relief organizations. In the fall, it collected in-kind donations for the Winter Warmth and Wellness event as well as financial donations for the Community Thanksgiving Celebration 2024 and hurricane relief efforts on the East Coast.

St. Patrick’s Christmas services will be on December 24th which includes a family-friendly pageant service at 5pm and a candlelight service at 9pm. Each year around Christmas it sends out a list of local organizations to its congregation with information about them, encouraging parishioners to donate to the organization with which they most resonate.

https://www.tahoeepiscopal.org/, Sunday Services at 10am

North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation, 700 Latone Ave., Tahoe Vista

The Tahoe Jewish Community, a partnership of North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation and Temple Bat Yam, supports the Jewish residents, visitors, and supporters of Jewish life in the Tahoe Basin and the Northern Sierra. Through North Tahoe Hebrew Congregation (NTHC), it hosts various groups of co-creators of community from a religious school to a B’nai Brith Youth Organization Tahoe Chapter and book club. Additionally, it holds ritual gatherings to mark Shabbat and holidays to enjoy meals together, connect, and support each other through life’s journey. In the coming months, it will be launching a Women’s Mussar (Jewish Soul Traits) Circle and parenting conversations to support parents in navigating the rise in antisemitism.

The “holidays” is a bit different for a Jewish community as the bulk of American society considers the winter season as “the holidays”. While Hannukah falls around this time, it is considered a minor holiday for NTHC. It strives to support the wider community by taking part in winter clothing drives, a food drive in advance of Thanksgiving, and volunteering through United for Action to be a source of advocacy to strengthen the community. https://www.tahoetemple.org

Here are other worship services available in Incline Village/Crystal Bay; visit their websites for more information:

New Life Church, 918 Northwood Blvd., Incline Village, https://www.newlifeincline.org/, Sunday Services at 10am. Christmas Eve Candlelight Service, December 24, 2024 5:30pm

Open Door Foursquare Church, 754 Mays Blvd. Building 6 Stes. 12 & 7, Incline Village, https://inclinevidanueva.org/, Sunday Services at 10am, bilingual