The summer season at Lake Tahoe lasted 13 weekends this year, and we managed to soak up an impressive 11 of them.  We’d sneak out of work a little early on Friday and shoot up the mountain ahead of the evening crush.  We stayed in cheap motels, a few decent condos and occasionally at a swanky cabin owned by one of my coworkers.  But it never much mattered where we were staying because our days were spent on that breathtaking, sparkling expanse of blue water.  Every morning, we’d pack our boat with a picnic and a little wine, smear ourselves with sunscreen and set out for a long relaxing day of sunshine and total, decadent inactivity.

At the beginning of the summer, we’d often get out there and I’d wonder, in a moment of panic, what in the world will we do all day?  I’m so used to juggling tasks and busying myself with work and errands that the idea of sitting on a boat with only a book and a stack of magazines to distract me seemed a little daunting.

But it’s amazing how quickly you slow down when you have nowhere to go and nothing to do.  By the end of the season, I was so accustomed to the whole routine of nothingness that the day would sometimes seem to pass in the blink of an eye.  As the season wore on, the sun would start to sink toward the west shore just a little earlier each evening.  And we knew it all had to come to an end.

Indeed, the weather turns quickly at 6,500 feet elevation.  Last weekend, with a tear in our eyes, we pulled the boat out of the water and towed it down the hill for winter storage Reno.

We’ll always have pictures to remember the summer by, and surely next summer will be here before we know it.  In the meantime, I’ll have more time for baking and cooking now that we’re spending more time at home.

Just this week I made almond butter cookies one evening while Moe watched football in the living room.  Shorter days… football… cookies in the oven.  A new season begins.

Chewy Almond Butter Cookies

8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
½ cup creamy almond butter
½ cup firmly packed light brown sugar
½ cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 ½ cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
¼ teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons turbinado sugar

Preheat the oven to 375.  Grease two cookie sheets.

Cream the butter, almond butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment.  Beat until light and fluffy.  Beat in the egg and vanilla until fully incorporated.

Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt in another bowl.  Add to the butter mixture and beat just until combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a spatula.

Drop batter by the tablespoonful and flatten slightly with the back of a fork.  Sprinkle each cookie with a pinch of turbinado sugar and bake 7-9 minutes for soft, chewy cookies, 9-11 minutes for denser cookies.

Serve warm.  Cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to four days.

I have had the exciting privilege of appearing on NBC’s “Arizona Midday” with my friend Chef Chuck of Chef Chuck’s Cucina.  Hosted by Destry Jetton (and, yes, she is as drop-dead gorgeous in person as she is on screen!), Arizona Midday features a cooking segment nearly every week.  In our last appearance, we made Spaghetti a la Carbonara and some really amazing, simple stuffed artichokes.  I’ll be on again on September 16th, so I hope you’ll tune in if you’re local.

On a recent Friday, I ditched work early and picked up my guy so we could get a head start on a long-awaited Yosemite weekend.  We managed to escape the Bay Area Traffic Nightmare that is called Friday night rush hour, and crossed the Central Valley in an eastward beeline just as the sun was starting to sink in the rearview mirror.  We drove through the low, green crop fields of Tracy and Manteca, just as the farm stands were shuttering up for the evening.

At dusk, we reached the Yosemite Westgate Lodge and settled into our simple little room.  The lodge is nothing fancy – the room looked out onto the pool, which was in the middle of the parking lot, which was directly adjacent to the highway — but it really was all much lovelier than it sounds.  The setting alone just seems to slow you down… the majestic evergreens and the expansive blue sky that stretches out behind them.  We dropped our bags, freshened up and strolled over to the Buck Meadows Diner, where we had burgers, fries, and beer, which was the best meal we could have dreamed of after the long drive.

In the morning, we were wakened by the sounds of eager travelers packing their cars and  slamming their trunks.  We knew we ought to get moving, too, to stay ahead of the rush at Yosemite’s west entrance.  Soon we had packed up our own car and were descending into the park, surrounded by towering trees, lush green grass, and… water. More water than we’d ever seen in our lives.

It’s true – people who have lived and work in the park for 25 years are saying they’ve never seen as much water as is pouring into the park this summer. With the heavy snows that hit the sierras earlier this year, and the sudden appearance of warmer weather, there is an indescribable amount of water gushing into the valley from every direction.  There are waterfalls where there have never been waterfalls before. It’s truly breathtaking.

We started with the short and easy walk to Bridal Veil Falls, which wasn’t quite as short or easy as it once was, since the hiking path itself is flowing like a shallow river.  We had to hitch up our pants and practically wade up to the lookout point.  Then we hit Yosemite falls and, later, Vernal Falls, both of which soaked us thoroughly with dramatic spray.   The park was crowded (as you can see from that long line of cars lining the park road in the photo above) but we didn’t mind.

As we walked across the valley floor at one point in the afternoon, we came across a deer munching on some grass.  I wanted to get a little closer to get a photo of his newly-formed antlers, and he did indeed allow me to come quite close.  Until, that is, he decided he needed to use the restroom and needed a little privacy.  He politely stepped behind a bush and relieved himself.  I realize it was terribly rude of me, but I couldn’t help but snap a picture of that, too.

We splurged on upgraded digs on Saturday night… a room at the historic Ahwahnee Hotel in the heart of the valley.  I hadn’t been there since I was just a girl and the place hasn’t changed much, so it was a little bit like stepping back in time.  It was lovely.  We dined in the dining room and our room had a view of half dome, which was fantastic, all washed in the orange light of sundown.  The following photo was taken from the window of our guest room.

Wary of the crowds, we decided (a bit reluctantly) to leave the park early on Sunday.  We were sad to say goodbye to that magical place, but the leisurely drive home allowed us to stop at some of those farm stands in Manteca and pick up some local produce and goodies, including some white balsamic vinegar, which I’ll be using to make salad dressing, and red cherries which I used to make cherry petite pies.  Check back for that recipe next week.

Where will your travels take you this summer?  Drop me a line and let me know!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SKcFP0NR2-o

Sigh. Sniffle.

Today was my last day in Bali. I thought I ought to do something a little less touristy, so I started the day with a walking tour of the local villages near Furama, led by the hotel activities director, Oka, who himself lives in one of the villages with his family. We left the hotel grounds at 9 am and headed out into the nearby rice fields, where I got a hands-on lesson in rice farming and learned that every local family has a plot of land that has been handed down through the generations. The rice fields go on forever, and they are brighter and greener than the brightest shade of green you’ve ever seen. Every few miles there is a temple with fountains and gardens like the one pictured below.  The sun was hot and the fields were damp, and when we came across a man selling papayas out of the back of his truck on the side of the road, I couldn’t resist,  It was the sweetest, juiciest papaya I’ve ever had.

From the rice fields, we headed into the local village, where Oka took me into his own family’s private compound — a collection of six small separate buildings for sleeping, cooking, praying and entertaining. His three children were home, ages 7, 14, and 21, along with his mother who was older than anyone seems to know. His children brewed me (extremely) black coffee and made me lunch — spicy noodles and vegetables with roasted peanuts and marinated tempeh. Out of respect for the family I didn’t photograph their home, but I did snap a picture of the “buffet” the kids had set out in the kitchen and the bowl of food they had prepared me, just before I took the last bite. I loved seeing the “real” Bali and talking with Oka’s kids. Not surprisingly, they talked about the same things American kids do — schoolwork, friends, and their plans for the upcoming weekend.

In the afternoon, for my final excursion on the this amazing island, I took a taxi to the Southeast corner of Bali to Tanah Lot temple, a dramatic temple perched at the ocean’s edge. Tanah Lot literally means “Land in the Sea” and indeed much of the temple is situated on a rock formation several hundred yards off the coast. It was a place a number of people had told me I couldn’t leave without seeing, and I was indeed glad I got myself there. It was beautiful.

January 4 – Last night we had our final dinner in Nusa Dua: a fantastically simple grilled whole fish with rice and fresh vegetables. It was good on its own, but even better with a cold glass of Bintang, Bali’s ubiquitous beer. We ate at a restaurant outside the resort area, a place called Ulam, where they specialize in seafood and authentic local dishes — if you go definitely check it out.  We were hungry from the day’s activities — scuba diving, jet skiing, and sunbathing (particularly exhausting), and so we enjoyed every morsel of food that the restaurant manager, Wayan, put in front of us.  We also got into a hilarious conversation about how incredibly slowly my sister eats.  Now that we’d had four dinners together, it was becoming painfully obvious that, without fail, Kate’s barely getting started by the time Richa and I have cleaned our plates.  So we did a little science experiment to determine the cause.  Apparently Kate chews her food 1,347,889 times before swallowing it.

But there will be no more Balinese meals together; today my sister, Richa and I bid Nusa Dua goodbye and parted ways.  Kate had to return to Thailand for work, and Richa went on to explore the island of Lombok, a small island to the west of Bali.  I hired a driver to take me north back to Ubud, for two more nights at Furama, the resort where Kate and I started the trip.  On the way my driver, also named Wayan (it’s one of four names commonly given to Balinese men), took me to some neat spots in Denpasar, including the Bali Bird Park. It was pretty incredible — exotic species from all over the world.

January 3 – So today started out in much the same way every other day has started here in Nusa Dua: read, swim, read, eat, sleep, etc. [In fact, I'm not sure whether I should be ashamed or proud to admit that we were among the first to get to the beach this morning, which is how I got this photo of so many empty chaise lounges.]  And it ended much like every other day has ended: Sunset, drinks, dinner, more drinks, etc. But smack in the middle of the day, we changed things up a little.

We took a taxi ride to the water sports center where we pretty much went hog wild with various ocean-themed activities. I’m not sure what came over us. I started with a scuba diving excursion, which I’ll admit isn’t terribly wild, though a little risky when you haven’t done it in over a year and your instructor doesn’t seem terribly concerned about reviewing the important details like what to do in case of an emergency. Nope, he basically just strapped a tank to my back and pushed me off the side of the boat. It all came back to me as soon as I hit the water: Those critical hand signals for “distress” and “tank empty” came flooding into consciousness. Whew.

And the water was beautiful; a bit murky but full of gorgeous fish in every color. In Bali the environmental restrictions are pretty nonexistent, so they let you feed the fish Wonder bread. You tie the bread into a sandwich baggie and then bite off a corner once you get underwater. The bread soaks up the sea water, turning to floury goo, and you just squeeze it out through that little hole. Now I’m quite certain that Wonder bread goo is not part of a tropical fish’s natural diet, but they do seem to love it. Within seconds you are surrounded by thousands and thousands of excited and hungry fish. It’s surreal.

After my scuba diving outing, Kate and Richa did something called Flying Fish, which has nothing to do with fishing. It’s a raft you get strapped into on your back, which is dragged behind a motorboat moving at ungodly speeds until the raft levitates and you’re “flying.”

They loved it. I could hear them screaming from about a mile away.

When they came back from riding the flying fish, I was busy getting a massage on the beach (you can, indeed, get a massage anywhere, anytime in Bali for about $5), so they rented jet skis and tore up the bay for about a half hour.

And when they came back, we had the best meal of our trip so far: Nasi campur from a roadside cart that was literally hitched at the edge of a parking lot.  Nasi campur (pronounced nasee champoor) means “mixed rice” and refers to a dish of rice topped with various meats, vegetables, tempeh, peanuts, noodles, eggs and fried shrimp chips.  I could live on the stuff — it’s spicy and crunchy and always a little different, depending upon who’s making it.  If you don’t like peanuts, leave them off.  Vegetarian?  Skip the meat.  Not so crazy about those salty little shrimp chips?  No problem.  And if you want it extra spicy, you can just spoon on a little sambal chili sauce.  Now that’s my kind of food.

January 1st & 2nd – So I’m combining Days 7 and 8 because not enough happened on Day 7 to warrant a post of its own.  It was New Year’s Day, after all, and we thought we should kiss 2011 hello the same way we kissed 2010 goodbye: With lots of beach-lounging and doing-nothingness.  I can assure you it was just as good the second day.  I’m finding that some things just do not get old when you’re vacationing on a tropical island.

We did get out in the late afternoon to explore Kuta, a city on the eastern side of the island that we found was mostly full of tourists.  So we did something very touristy: We had beer and nachos at The Hard Rock Cafe.  Yes, beer and nachos in Bali.  As a food blogger I’m a little ashamed to admit this, but it is indeed what we did.

Feeling a little guilty about our touristy indulgences on New Year’s Day, we thought we ought to do something a little more cultured the following day.  So we took a taxi to Bali’s southwest Bukit Peninsula.  We were heading to Uluwatu Temple, but could not resist a stop along the way at a roadside food stand.  (This is where we make up for the nachos, okay?)  Indeed, we had a fantastic meal of nasi campur, a dish of noodles, rice, chicken, and tempeh.  All of it is seasoned with sambal chile sauce, which is not only hotter than anything you’ve ever eaten in your life, but full of rich, smoky flavor. Perhaps the most memorable component of the dish was a shrimp fried into a sort of chip, shell, tail and all.

Our driver, Wayan, interpreted for us.   A woman and her husband prepared our food for us while their kids, a boy and a girl about 6 and 8, stood in the corners of the restaurant (which was also their home) and stared at us.  Chickens pecked around our feet under the table.  The food was amazing and setting was authentic Bali at its best.

And then we continued on to Uluwatu Temple, which is situated dramatically at the edge of a limestone cliff.  Proper attire is required, so we rented sarongs at the gate and spent some time wandering through the grounds.  At sunset, we watched a performance of the great Sansrkit epic, Ramayana.  It’s the story of Rama and his wife, Sita, who is kidnapped by Ravana, Kind of Demons, while Rama is banished in the forest.  Rama fights Ravana and ultimately saves Sita, but he doesn’t believe that Sita has been faithful to him.  To prove her innocence, Sita walks through fire and the flames turn into flowers.  The story of Ramayana, you may know, is celebrated today by Hindus all over the world as the festive holiday, Diwali.

And we saw the whole story reenacted by traditional Balinese dancers in elaborate costumes in a small arena at the edge of the dramatic limestone cliff I mentioned. It was a sight to be seen! And it definitely made up for the nachos.

December 31^st – Today was the last day of 2010.  The very last one.  Forever.

So we sent the year off by doing what tourists do best in Bali: We settled ourselves into lounge chairs on the beach and soaked up the sun.  We read trashy books and listened to good music and ate and laughed.  We lounged and we lounged.  And then we lounged some more.  A mariachi band (yes, in Bali) played music under the palm trees.

All in all, it was a great way to kiss 2010 good bye.

And that’s really all we did today so I don’t have much more to report.  We got all dolled up in the evening for a party at the hotel, but I couldn’t even make it to midnight.  I was in bed and fast asleep by 11 pm.  I’m pretty sure that by the time I recover from jet lag, it will be time to come home!

December 30th – Today was our last day in Ubud. We had one final (amazing, delicious) breakfast at Furama and then packed up our things and loaded a taxi bound for Nusa Dua, the beachfront resort area at the southeastern edge of the island.  I was sad to leave Ubud and the villa and the beautiful gardens of Furama, but now that we’re all settled into our hotel room at The Laguna Resort, I have to say it isn’t all that bad.  This is the view from our balcony:

The taxi ride here was about an hour, and the traffic was pretty grueling.  It seems we were not the only tourists who had the brilliant idea of coming to Bali for New Year’s.  Imagine that.  So when people tell you that you can get across the entire island of Bali in less than an hour, keep in mind they mean any time of the year *other* than this one.

On the upside, my friend Rachael has joined us.  She’s a friend from San Francisco who bought herself a ticket to Bali just days before I left. She’ll be staying with us here in Nusa Dua before she goes on to Lompok, a smaller island to the east of Bali.  So now “the two of us” are “the three of us,” and three is always better than two when you’re talking about single gals traveling abroad.  I just know we’re going to have a lot of fun together.

To that end, we gave ourselves a warm welcome to Nusa Dua by treating ourselves to a drink on the beach this evening at sunset.  Here we are with various pineapple-inspired cocktails.

Yep.  We’re off to a good start here in Nusa Dua.