Whenever I hear mention of "Tahoe" I never think of aqueous natural beauty, Squaw Valley or the Winter Olympics, but rather Sammy, Dino and Frank. I think of big breasted platinum blondes wearing strapless gowns driving through the desert night in their rocket ship Cadillac convertibles tossing their heads back, cocked to one side laughing breathlessly.
I think of red lipstick stained napkins and prime rib dinners. I think of the thick smell of after shave and cocktail show croonings. Highballs and highrollers. Twinkling casino lights amid the splendorific backdrop of the Sierra Nevadas. Why Tahoe, Ms. Mamma? Why, indeed.
This afternoon Big Pappy and My Mamma are off to that fabled land of lore to celebrate 39 years of sheer marital bliss. I'm envious and overjoyed in many ways. First of all they have eachother. They have 'life partners'. It makes me think of myself as a love loser, a social misfit in the paragon of relationships. Then I realize the better part of me does think that this line of thinking is bullshit because I could find someone if I wanted to. But why would I want to be with some jackass just for the sake of 'having' someone. No gracias.
It would take a very special fop to win this cold, cold heart.
Then there is the whole issue of going to California. It's a place I have always wanted to go but never have. A few years after I graduated from college I wanted to pack up and drive to SanFrancisco. I used to have a thing for Henry Miller and I had a big desire to see Big Sur. Now I sometimes think of ol' Henry as big blow bag, but Big Sur remains in high esteem. I'm sure that the Tahoe of my mind is nothing like I imagine.
I'm sure any future relationship I might have will be nothing like I imagine. So here's to Big Pappy and Charlita. Now, if you'll excuse me I have to go and apply my red lipstick, hop in the Slaab with pigtails bouncing and drive off laughing breathlessly.
Lake Tahoe, California, The Rat Pack, big breasts, red lipstick, Henry Miller, Love
8 comments:
Myself also would love to do a cross-country trip to California. I have been to northern Califonia once, it was amazing. I hear San Fran is a must to go visit too.
A song my kids were listening to by Hawk Nelson about packing up and moving to California stirred within me a longing to see this part of the country, "the sun is calling me to the west."
As a native Californian, I can tell you that your vision of Tahoe is, thankfully, confused with Las Vegas. Yes, there are a few people like you mention, but mostly they go to Vegas. Tahoe is more nature, less glamour. That having been said, I would take Tahoe over Vegas any day of the week, and twice on Sundays. :) LOVE Tahoe. That blue, blue lake, those beautiful mountains...lovely. I'm not such a casino dweller...I've been known to gamble a roll of quarters, but really, the whole thing is kind of sad and depressing.
I hope they have a WONDERFUL time, that they see some snow on top of the mountains, that they do a dinner cruise on the lake, and relax relax relax. It's that kind of place.
Come on out, missy, and I'll show you around the San Francisco I know and love. What a place. I love that ciy more than any other, with the POSSIBLE exception of Paris.
Oh, and if you DO get to Tahoe someday, make time for a trip to Yosemite. It's almost enough to make me believe in God.
I tried to post earlier, and blogger lost my comment. :(
Come to S.F., and I'll show you the best city in the world.
I'm happy to tell you that your vision of Tahoe, outside of the Sierras and Squaw Valley, is false...you're thinking of Vegas. Tahoe has the depressing casinos, but it's not the whole culture. There's a lot to do, hiking, bike riding, horseback riding, etc. The lake is so, so pretty and blue. I highly reccomend it. And if you ever make it, take a side trip to Yosemite. It's almost enough to make me believe in God.
I hope the parents have a great time, and take a dinner cruise on the pretty pretty lake.
Now I see my first comment wasn't lost...now you have two that say pretty much the same thing...but one more comment...you're right on the man front. Better to wait for the right guy to find you than to settle. And if the right guy doesn't come along? Better no guy than wrong guy.
Easy to say when I'm happily married, but boy, I sure mean it. If Ted died or we got divorced or something, I wouldn't settle for anything less than Right. Especially when you have a kid.
Tahoe is quite beautiful. Of course, I have a soft spot in my heart for Tahoe. It's where Shogun proposed to me, overlooking Lake Tahoe.
However, it's close to Reno, whch of course, has that gambling town character. If you're going for glam, pizzaz, va va vavoom, Vegas is definately the way to go. It filled with overweight tourists, sunburned, wearing logo tees that say they lost their hearts in Vegas and STILL wearing fanny packs. I love Vegas. My company has our sales meeting there every year, I go there once every six weeks but I still love it.
If you ever get to California, you have to make a swing down to San Diego and hang out with us! But SF is an absolute do not miss. Perhaps we'll have to meet up in Napa.
Heehee...I love your comments J, especially about the man part! Shell too of course! Yeah, I'm definitely thinking Vegas, baby. It sounds wonderful...they are planning on going to Yosemite and to see some Sequoias. And supposedly there are some great restaurants so I'm sure they will love it as neither one of them gamble.
Lotus...we must have been posting at the same time, thus confirming our psychic connection! This is their first time to Lake Tahoe. Very cool about Shogun...you guys are so close to so many wonderful things, very dramatic geological shifts if you know what I mean. I'm going to day that we're also called Dairyland for being very homogenous geogrphically speaking.
PARIS! Oh, Paris, I long to see thee with my own eyes!
J & Lotus... I am lifting a glass of Pinot to you now! Cheers!
I have been to San Fran, and lived in california.
In all my travels no place on this planet has been as loving or as positive as the city of Sanfrancisco.
I almost took a job at Spinelli Coffee a decade ago.
Post a Comment