News and Stories

Great Lake County Video!

Carol Cole-Lewis - 7/12/2010

Here's a great video that really shows off our county! Link back to this page, or embed on your own site by going to it on Youtube. Thank you, Tony Barthel of the Featherbed Railroad B&B for this wonderful piece!

 

Businesses: Shop, Stay & Play is NOW OPEN!

Carol Cole-Lewis - 6/2/2010

Staying right here in Lake County is great!

Stephanie and Doug Codling - 1/13/2009

My husband and I recently spent 3 nights in Campbell near our daughter and 2 grandchildren for the Christmas Holiday. Our room was nice and best of all near our family.

We then journeyed to Carmel and stayed at the La Playa Hotel, always a favorite spot for us. Crowded, beautiful, crowded, expensive, crowded, wonderful expensive food $27 for Filet Eggs Benedict, $10 for a Mimosa.

We then journied to a time share presentation at The Highlands Inn, beautiful, expensive, expensive, lovely accomodations, we brought a nice bottle of Jed Steele's Barbera wine for dinner and were charged a $40 corkage charge.

Now I'll get to the best part of our holiday, staying right here in Lake County, we spent New Year's Eve with another couple at Bernie & Lynn Butcher's beautiful Tallman Hotel,(my husband declared of all the beds he had slept in the Tallman's was the best), we saw lots of folks we knew and had a great time. Did I mention for locals you receive a 15% discount? We also had a fabulous pre-New Year's dinner earlier in the evening at Watercolors Restaurant, Kyle and crew pulled out all the stops, it was fabulous! Wonderful food, priced right and again we saw lots of other local people. We highly recommend shop/stay/play, Lake County is the best kept secret around. Happy New Year everyone.

A vacation in my own resort community of Lake County!

Kenny Parlet - 11/1/2008

If you’ve been around Lake County for more than a couple of years, then you’re probably familiar with the Featherbed Railroad Bed and Breakfast. This awesome place is a museum, hotel, restaurant, and theme park all in one. It’s located on the shores of Clear Lake, on the “secret” cut-off in Nice.

While I had visited this place more than a dozen times for various events, I never stayed there myself. My staff and I had catered a number of marvelous functions and several weddings there. I was determined to make this one of my local “Shop, Stay & Play” destinations. Earlier in the week, the new owners of the Featherbed hosted a “mini Octoberfest”. During this great little Beer and Wine party, the entire set of nine cabooses was open for a tour!

I had seen the brochures and knew about the basic idea. Each caboose is meticulously refurbished inside with beautiful woods, polished brass, vintage wallpaper, hot tubs, glorious bathroom fixtures and luxurious appointments of every kind. Each caboose has been carefully conceived to capture a particular theme. Rather than spoil the surprise, I’ll only say that no photograph can do these “fantasy” cottages justice. My guess is that lovers, young and old, would most appreciate this place; you will find fluffy beds, cozy lofts, elegant furnishings, romantic lighting and accent mirrors everywhere, including the ceiling in some cases!

To be sure you feel safe and secure in one of these vintage railroad cars, upon locking the door, you feel much like you would locked in a vault with windows. The nine cabooses are artistically and strategically placed to offer privacy while creating the most awesome perimeter for a spacious and beautiful lawn area in the center. This lawn area that overlooks the Lake is a favorite spot for would-be newlyweds to tie the knot.

Having made the grand tour days earlier, and though I loved nearly every one, I made my choice. On the way home from work at Lakeview Market, I paid for the night, and secured the key. One of the beauties of the SSP, or the Shop, Stay and Play idea, is that within an hour, we were back to the chosen caboose.

My wife and I had loaded my Chevy pickup with our two kayaks, a couple overnight bags, some libation, and little else. After all, we were only ten minutes from home! After settling in and enjoying some liquid refreshment, we made the short walk to a local restaurant just two minutes away. And lo, upon arriving, we met up with about a dozen or so of our friends and customers. Since we don’t get out much, this in itself was a real thrill. When we sat down to order our meal, we noticed that both waitresses were customers of our store, and so too was the busboy.

The entire restaurant affair was great. Being on the other side of the counter for a change was a big switch. As we headed back, we were held up by the conversation and friendliness that you can only find in a small community like ours. We were even given a premier showing of one friend’s newest vehicle as we walked back.

After the two-minute return stroll, we paused on the outside deck to reflect on the elegance and simplicity of this little getaway. As we peered out over Clear Lake, we could still see Mt. Konocti reflecting off the still waters, and silhouetted against the night sky. Wow, we thought, all this and we’re only five minutes from our store, and ten minutes from home! What is it that makes people flee the county, when it is so beautiful right here?

To be sure the rest of the evening was just as enchanting, as we availed ourselves of the observation loft and the hot tub, and enjoyed a favorite movie. Morning seemed to come a bit early this day, since breakfast was to be served between 8 and 9 am. Peggy, our chef for the morning breakfast, tried out a new recipe for both scones and quiche, and both were award winners in my book. We truly enjoyed the meal, but not as much as visiting with our friends, Tony and Peggy. They related how they ended up here in Lake County, and how they came to buy the Featherbed. What a great story!

After breakfast, and tidying up the caboose, we made the ¼ mile drive to Keeling Park and launched our two kayaks. We headed west through flocks of birds, often sending scores, if not hundreds, into hurried flight. After paddling for an hour or so, we turned and made the trip back. It was like traveling on polished sliver, the mountains over Nice and Lucerne reflecting their inherent beauty before us. Is it any mystery why so many people come here on vacation every year?

By two o’clock, we were back at the truck. By three, we had already arrived back at home, having stopped by the store, picked up dinner and made the short drive to Lakeport. With almost half a day remaining we had plenty of time to appreciate what had happened.

We stayed at a local resort, helping their business.
We ate at a local restaurant, helping their business, and supporting the local staff, most of whom are our own customers.
We saved gas, a valuable natural resource.
But most of all, we saved time! Time, that we have so little of. Time, that is so precious to most of us, but is so often squandered on long, tedious, uncomfortable drives to other counties.

“Shop, Stay and Play in Lake County” is a refreshing thought, don’t you think? Remember why you first came here? Rediscover Lake County. Go to restaurants and places you have never been, do things you have never done, stay in resorts, hotels and B&B’s you never knew existed, and do it all right here in Lake County. We will all be glad you did!

Kenny Parlet – President
Northshore Business Association &
Lakeport Regional Chamber of Commerce
 

A “World Away”, yet only minutes away!

Kenny Parlet - 7/1/2008

Shop, Stay and Play in Lake County! That has been the mantra of both the Chamber and the Northshore Business Association. This should come as no surprise since I, Kenny Parlet, am currently president of both organizations and have been developing this “Shop local” campaign for nearly five years.

The reality is that many of us came to Lake County for the recreation, the wildlife, the natural beauty and the peaceful, relaxed life style. Well, my family and I came here for all those reasons; yet in 37 years we have hardly ever gone skiing, boating, or even swimming. I have never gone to the county or state parks just for fun, nor have I gone fishing in over 35 years. I haven’t gone water skiing or boating in over 20 years, and have never been in a row-boat on Clear Lake.

What is wrong with this picture? Upon arriving in Lake County we plunge ourselves into our business or career, get involved in local clubs and groups and work like crazy! We know we can always go out on the lake; we can always go fishing; we can go picnicking or camping anytime… But we never do. When we want to relax, the first thing we do is pack up the car and leave the county. We race to the coast on the first hot day. We fly to Vegas to get away…

Stop this madness! Next time you get ready to drive or fly out of town, just stop! What are you doing? Are there not 10 or 20 things that you really like to do right here somewhere in the county? Do you remember what brought you to this beautiful resort community?

“Shop, Stay and Play” is all about reminding us all why we came here in the first place. It is also all about supporting one another in business, in our clubs and organizations and to help everyone here grow, prosper and enjoy a better quality of life.

So in keeping with the “Shop” part of the program, my wife Deana went to one of our premier water sports vendor and outfitter. Disney’s Watersports can make so many of your Lake County dreams come true, if only for a day. Want a new boat? Don’t buy one, rent one. Maybe, rent two. Get a patio boat and a ski boat, a load of your friends and split the cost! When the day is over, you return the boat or boats. No storage, no insurance, no maintenance and no boat payments. Just fun!

Well, Deana’s original plan was to rent a kayak or two. Disney had a great deal on a used Kayak, so Deana got that one and ordered a new one as well! In just less than 3 weeks we have been twice to Rodman Slough and once to Highland Spring’s Reservoir. Wow, what a blast. I can’t believe it has been nearly 3 decades since I have been up close and personal with Clear Lake. What a terrible shame!

So we shopped local, and now have played local three times! But that is only half of the story.

On the way home to Lakeport from Lucerne, Deana and I jumped out of our 71 Chevy Pick-up, and unloaded our two kayaks. We previously picked up a couple of life jackets locally, and attached a lanyard to our paddles, just in case. Then we were off. As we slipped into the cool, calm waters of the slough, it was as if we had left our previous hectic lives. We were surrounded by lush, vibrant green colors above and below the water. Waterfowl were everywhere. As we paddled away from the bridge, the sounds of cars and trucks grew more silent with each stroke of the oars. Soon we were deep in the abundance of Clear Lake’s incomparable ecosystem that creates and maintains so many fish and fowl.

Once you leave your swimming pool mentality behind, you begin to realize that Clear Lake is one of the oldest, eutrophic, dynamic and wonderful lakes in the entire world. Biologist, ecologists and microbiologists from all over the world worship Clear Lake, and we should too!

Even during one of the worst smoke filled days, this adventure was stunning in every sense of the word. Surprisingly, we encountered almost no insects of any kind. Even so we were prepared with sunscreen and insect repellent.

Being in a kayak affords you the ability to go where no pedestrian could go, no swimmer could go, nor few, if any, power boats. With a little practice you, your paddles and the kayak can slip over thick lake weeds, and even through tall and sturdy tulies with but a little extra effort.

Do yourself and a loved one a favor. Go rent a couple of kayaks, take a disposable camera, some refreshments, and go a “world away” right here in your own resort community of Lake County. Be prepared to fall in love with Clear Lake all over again.