Tahoe trip report

Christmas break is off to a good start as we went to Tahoe over the weekend. The reason for going there was to see The Nutcracker at MontBleu. The trip was lots of fun!

Day 1

We left around 9 a.m. to catch the 3 p.m. show in Stateline. Dad wanted to leave earlier, but the preparations took longer than expected. I also needed to stop at Berkeley to check out of the dorms for the holidays. However, the process was quick as most people had already left. There was also some traffic, although we managed to get to MontBleu with about half an hour to spare. Thank heavens for small favors.

The show began shortly after we arrived. This was our first time attending a ballet in over 10 years. While I'm not a huge ballet fan, the performance was incredible. The only downside is that we weren't allowed to take pictures.

The package included a night at MontBleu and admission to the Opal Ultra Lounge. After some cup noodles and vegetables for dinner, my family went to the ultra lounge for drinks. There was a DJ and a dance floor. I did my best to not look like a fool. Despite my inability to dance, this was my favorite of the trip.

Mom also wanted to see the art show at the convention center. The event had a live jazz band and complimentary wine. However, our stay was short as we were all tired. The day ended on a positive note: I found out I got an "A" in Stat 157 after checking my grades. Sweet!

Day 2

The three of us headed to Incline Village and checked into Hyatt Regency Lake Tahoe Resort, Spa and Casino. Our plan was to go to Soda Springs as we hadn't skied in over four years, but the weather changed our minds. On the other hand, Dad took us for a drive around Lake Tahoe. The scenery made for some great pictures.

Back at the hotel, my mother and I watched The Bucket List on our portable DVD player. The movie wasn't that bad despite the critical reviews. Mom then watched A Good Year while I played Super Star Wars on my laptop.

It was then time for dinner. I wanted to try the buffet downstairs, but the price was exorbitant. The food at other restaurants wasn't any cheaper. Greedy bastards. In the end, dinner consisted of smoked salmon and more cup noodles. The evening ended with a stroll around the hotel and a workout in the fitness room.

Day 3

The plan was to go to Soda Springs as the weather had cleared up. However, my family went to Truckee instead as the storm picked up again. But the weather in Truckee started getting even worse, so we high-tailed it out of town and began our drive home.

The fun didn't end there as we stopped at WinCo Foods in Vacaville. The best thing about WinCo is that everything is so cheap. The last stop on the way home was the Hong Kong Seafood Restaurant in San Jose for dinner. The food was absolutely delicious.

Conclusions

This trip wasn't just about the Nutcracker ballet. Even though we didn't ski this time, all of us had a great time. I've posted some pictures from our adventure. They were taken with our new digital camera. :-)

In other news...

The Liang family has invited us over for Christmas Eve. Because we can't be in two places at once, Mom is moving our party back to New Year's Eve. Two parties to look forward to - I'm definitely not complaining!

Update: The pictures are now online.

Currently watching: The Bucket List