Are You That Woman

Autumn in Lake County

Harvest days are cooler and shorter. Internal clocks are winding down making this the perfect time to retreat.  Autumn leaf peepers should head north to Lake County for a restful and multihued ride. Avoid many miles of Interstate 5 by dialing-in your GPS to tranquil country roads. Meander up Highway 16 to Esparto, through Capay Valley and Cache Creek Canyon – stunning any time of year. Turn left on Highway 20 and follow winding roads to Lake County.

What to do? What to do?
Black, golden and red oaks, dogwoods, cottonwoods, and red maples deliver a colorful display through mid-November. From locals in the know – Cobb Mountain packs a wallop during leaf-peeper season. Vineyards and orchards put on a beautiful show this time of year. The Big Valley of Kelseyville is also recommended. Fall colors are weather dependent, so don’t be disappointed if foliage deities don't provide. Lake County has plenty of attractions to fill your days.

Rodman Slough County Park offers kayaking and wildlife and nature enthusiasts a surreal adventure. Sensitive wetland areas and oak woodlands shelter a variety of wildlife including great blue heron, great egrets and double-crested cormorants, osprey and grebes. Saturday self-guided walks are available at nearby Rodman Preserve from 9am to noon.

For the strong of heart, hiking Mount Konocti County Park is a must. Opened in 2011, it is Lake County’s largest park. A landscape of mostly dense chaparral and beautiful Canyon Live Oak trees, this dormant ancient volcano provides stunning views from an elevation of 4,300 feet. 

Pillow Talk!
Camping isn’t for everyone, but Clear Lake State Park might convert you. RV or tent camping is great for groups and includes ADA accessible facilities including Kelsey Creek Trail’s 1,500-foot boardwalk. Clear Lake fosters stress-reducing and family-friendly recreational opportunities. Hiking, boating, biking, fishing, bird-watching, or relaxing in the shade. Can’t disconnect? There’s Wi-Fi access.

In Upper Lake, the historic Tallman Hotel is beautifully restored and fabulously LEED green. Lodging includes an expanded continental breakfast featuring fresh fruits and homemade granola, jams, and scones. Enjoy fantastic fare, libations, and live blues at Blue Wing Saloon. The Tallman’s state-of-the-art heating systems are delivered from geothermal sources. Learn more about this natural process at The Geysers in Middletown, the largest geothermal power plant in the world.

For something completely different, Featherbed Railroad Bed & Breakfast Resort’s nine caboose guest rooms contain full baths and comfortable featherbeds. Relax and enjoy great outdoor adventures.

Repast!
Local farms and seasonal farm stands and farmers markets provide fresh fruits and vegetables, farm eggs, goat cheese, and wine! The vineyards are especially pretty during the fall. Sustainably-farmed and 100% organic, Shannon Ridge Mountain Estate Vineyards grow at higher elevations in Clear Lake Oaks. Their wines are available at The Mercantile in Kelseyville.  

Restaurants that focus on fresh fare are available countywide. Family-owned and operated, comfort foods, beautiful views, color-draped landscapes, and fresh air all score high on the escape scale. Here are a few favorites: Angelina’s Bakery & Espresso, Blue Wing Saloon Restaurant, Park Place, Saw Shop Gallery Bistro, and Studebakers Café & Deli.

Fun Facts
Clear Lake is the largest natural freshwater lake in California, with 63 square miles of surface area, and more than 100 miles of shoreline. Estimated at 2.5 million years old, it is thought to be the oldest lake in North America — and quite possibly the world. Lake County has the cleanest air in California as certified by the State’s Air Resources Board.

For more information, visit:  www.LakeCounty.com

TRAVEL SCAMS COME IN VARIOUS FORMS

So. Another learning moment in our world of scams and con artists.

Trying to confirm some flight and baggage information on an upcoming flight. I Googled “United Airlines Customer Service”. The number that appeared was 800-864-8331. A young woman, Glory, answered the call. Long story….it was a scam number and not United Airlines. In the process of our call, she told me my return flight had been cancelled. You can imagine the anxiety I felt to hear this since I hadn’t been notified by my travel agent or the airline. I don’t remember the rest of the call, but told Glory I would contact my travel agent and ended the call.

I immediately reached out to my travel agent, Neil Thakur, at Fare Buzz. He was able to check the information and confirm that, in fact, the flight hadn’t been cancelled. The scammed call, Glory, came from somewhere in Cuba. What other information they might have gleaned from me, I don’t know – luckily I didn’t stay on the call or provide any additional personal information.

If you’re traveling and you get a call from the airline telling you your flight has been cancelled – HANG UP! Words of advice from Neil. The airline will never call you. They will either text or email you. This world is full of scumbags looking to take advantage of everyone and everything. They have more time than any of us can imagine. We must be on the alert at all times. And, of course, elderly people are often the easy victims of these scams. You can always check the airline’s website My Trips page to confirm status of future flights. It’s been so long since I’ve traveled by air, this had never occurred to me.

I’ve been working in the travel and tourism industry for most of my professional career. It’s exhausting trying to navigate systems – air travel in particular. It used to be so easy and comfortable. They continue to blame everything on COVID, but the service was starting to decline even before that was an issue. For the first time in many, many years, I used a travel agent. I am so grateful that I did and that they – I should say HE/Neil – have provided the most outstanding customer service and given me valuable information to keep us safe on our journey.

Thank you Neil and Fare Buzz!

Nobby's Burger Cheese Skirt alive and well in Chico

After passing this Chico landmark many times, we finally made the decision to try Nobby's.

Actually my husband announced this morning that he wanted a cheeseburger for lunch. We looked online to find "Chico's best" recommendation. Locals and others had shown lots of love for Nobby's burger superstar. We decided it was time to taste for ourselves.

The near postage-sized building started life as a gas station. It's fair to call it a joint; that's not a bad thing. When we arrived around 1:30 on a Friday, they were serving just a handful of diners. Figuring this would beat the lunch rush. First timers, staff at the counter patiently answered all our questions about the menu. How to get the cheese skirt, all the extras, the most popular. After much consideration, we opted for the classic Nobby's cheeseburger and cheese skirt. I was off bread that day and so was offered my Nobby's cheeseburger with a lettuce wrap - perfect option. To cover all the bases, side orders of onion rings, fries, and a chocolate shake.

We soon learned that Gary Noblett, Nobby's original owner, is related to the original owner of Sacramento's once famous Squeeze Inn where gigantic burgers with cheese skirts were a burger lovers dream. That dream destroyed years ago by a litigious ADA attorney (a long story that doesn't need to be retold). Happy to discover the joy continues in Chico. I do miss the Squeeze Inn's fresh-cut fries. The frozen fries at Nobby's were surprisingly good and had a "fresh-cut" look. The side order was ample!

Gary Noblett came to Chico and Nobby's continued the cheese skirt history. Big burgers and crispy cheese. The Nobby's signature burger continued onto a second owner, and now, a third-generation of owners is at the helm. Philip and Jessica Brun took the burger reigns in early 2023. The young couple, married in 2021, are Butte natives, and both worked at Nobby's before taking ownership. They have kept the regular menu but have added some personal touches since taking over.

"We want to keep the celebrated menu," the Bruns said, "But we'd also like to contribute and create new menu items. We've added a Western Bacon Cheeseburger and a California Burger."

With my Omni-Local heart, there's so much to embrace at Nobby's. I love that all the meat comes from Chico's own S&S Organic Produce and Natural Foods. Avocados for the California Burger also coming from S&S. And buns, locally made by D'Emilo's Italian Deli & Bakery on Main Street, "are specifically crafted to fit Nobby's burgers," said D'Emilo's owner, Kaelen Davis.

While placing our order, we met Jessica's mom and grandmother who shared their fried cheese curds with us. Thank you grandma for that tasty treat! And for Philip and Jessica wishing you continued success on a burger road well traveled.