Who drives so fast?

I am sitting here having been up for a few hours early this morning and if you know my desk area, it fronts Highway 120. All morning long cars have been RACING by. This isn't the first time I noticed the fast driving, but it is the first time I noted it.

Who are these fast drivers? I really don't mean doing 35-40 in our 25 mile per hour downtown. These folks are easily hitting the 60 or more MPH and it is insane! Do these drivers have kids? Do they have slow moving parents? Just because it is early in the morning to they drive this fast? Are they regular drivers the rest of the day? What about Priest Grade, are they doing this speeding bit on the grade too?

Its a wonder there aren't some fairly serious accidents.

Sipping Calaveras, the full event

We just love wine-dinners and this coming series is titled: Sipping through the Sierra where we pair Victor's great menus with our favorite Sommelier, Nicole Darracq's, top selections from each of the Sierra Foothill wine regions: Calavera, Amador, El Dorado and the Southern Sierra.

We open the series on November 9th, a Sunday, with Sipping Calaveras. Victor presented the menu to Nicole who tasted her way through Calaveras wines to pick the best off the region for pairing with our menu with an eye to value if there were equally delicious choices.

Sipping Calaveras Menu
· Cheese fondue with fresh cut apples, crostini and vegetables paired with Vina Moda, Viognier
(Best of the Foothills, California State Fair, 2008)

· Salad of mixed greens, pear & sunflower seeds with a blue cheese dressing with Twisted Oak, Ruben’s Blend
(90 points, Wine Enthusiast Magazine July 2008)

· Petite plate of clams simmered in a red wine sauce with Hatcher, Barbera
(Silver Medal at Calaveras County Fair, 2008)

· Venison rack cutlet or filet mignon with plum onion marmalade, paired with Frog’s Tooth, Tempranillo
(Double Gold, Calaveras County Fair, 2008)

· Zabaglione dessert paired with Ironstone Symphony
(Double Gold and Best of Show, Calaveras County Fair & Gold Medal, SF Chronicle Competition)

Throughout dinner Nicole will be presenting her unique twist on food/wine pairings. We have enjoyed Nicole's presentations before and are sure to come away with something new and refreshing this year too.

Sipping Through the Sierra continues with Sipping Amador on Sunday, February 22nd and Sipping El Dorado on Sunday, March 22. Sipping the Southern Sierra will be scheduled in April, date to be determined. Tickets are $64 per event, or save $15 with a 3-series season ticket, $177.

(Wouldn't this make a fantastic holiday gift?)

Additional event details can be found on our website, www.HotelCharlotte.com/sipping.html or call, 209-962-6455. We hope to welcome you!

Is Groveland's Mayor Mad?

So the other morning I am on the phone with Robin, president of the Yosemite Chamber of Commerce, and I am leaning on our counter watching the folks and cars go by and I see the newly elected Mayor, Kay Glaves across the street. Her red hair is perfectly coiffed with a lovely red feather coming out the back and she is wearing a full length purple bathrobe and strolling Main Street... as if this is perfectly normal.

Goose suggests the we offer to take over as Mayor for the day, perhaps Kay is feeling a bit too under the weather for her heady duties. We ask and she gives us the Groveland Giggle, thanks us for our kindness, tosses off some "Red Hats Pajama Party" excuse and sweeps on down the street a vision in red & purple.

Sounds like Groveland Normal to me! We have way too much fun here!

Our Groveland Thanksgiving Schedule

Each year we have made the week of Thanksgiving our family time, first visiting Victor's family in St. Louis and then heading up to Wisconsin where we pretend it is Christmas with my family.

This year, we will do the same, but separate trips which allows us to open the restauant for Thanksgiving weekend. The restaurant won't be open on Thanksgiving day so our staff can enjoy the holidays with their families. But come Friday, Saturday and Sunday, we will be here ready to serve you and your extended family and holiday guests a wonderful dinner. Please join us!

We will be serving from our regular menu with some specials thrown in, including Victor's new Wild Game items. You can see a menu online at www.HotelCharlotte.com/menu.html. (Some items Change weekly)

Reservations encouraged! 209-962-6455
Lynn & Victor
Hotel Charlotte
http://www.hotelcharlotte.com/
209-962-6455

Sipping through the Sierras: Sipping Calaveras

We just love wine-dinners and this new series: Sipping through the Sierras might be the best ensemble yet! We will pair Victor's great menus with wines from each of the Sierra Foothill regions personally selected by our favorite Sommelier, Nicole (of Muir Hanna fame.) Each sipping dinner features 5 courses and 5 wines from 5 different wineries of the same region and presented by the very entertaining Nicole.

We start the series on November 9th, a Sunday, with Sipping Calaveras. We are just now putting the details together, but we can share with you the initial menu:

Cheese fondue with cut apples, costini and vegetables for dipping served during happy hour
Sit down service starting with a petite plate of clams simmered in a red wine sauce
Followed by a salad of mixed greens, pear and sunflower seeds with a blue cheese dressing
The main coures is venison rack or filet mignon with plum onion marmalade, potatoes and veggies
Dessert is Zabaglione

As we finalize our paired wines, we will update the website: www.HotelCharlotte.com/sipping.html

Additional dates include:
Sipping Amador on Sunday, February 22nd
Sipping El Dorado on Sunday, March 22nd and
Sipping the Southern Sierras on a date to be determined.
Tickets are $64 per region, or save $15 with a 3-series package. (To qualify for the discount, all dinners must be purchased at once as a package, choose any three of the 4 programs.) Individual tickets may be ordered on line from Local Wine Events, http://webmails.hosting-advantage.com/horde/services/go.php?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.localwineevents.com%2Ftickets%2Fticket_purchase.php%3FEVENTID%3D208197 or by calling the Hotel Charlotte, 209-962-6455

(Wouldn't this make a fantastic holiday gift?)

For out of town guests, this event qualifies for our Stay & Play pricing, www.HotelCharlotte.com/play.html

We hope to welcome you!
Lynn & Victor
Hotel Charlotte, on the way to Yosemite
http://www.hotelcharlotte.com/
209-962-6455

Halloween Whoopla—Groveland Style Friday, October 31st

This year Grovelanders and visitors from around the world will enjoy another deluge of fairy-tale costumed children parading our Main Street with parents in tow seeking out the sweetest treats and the scariest stops.

Each year seemingly hundreds of children and families dress up and head to downtown Groveland for a costume party at Mary Laveroni Community Park with apple bobbing, games and contests and then at 5:00pm they trick-or-treat the 5 blocks of our downtown where merchants & service clubs generously provide candy year after year assuring a safe and sane Halloween.

For those without kids or grandkids to provide the necessary cover to enjoy the evening, there are several Yosemite Chamber of Commerce member venues that are great viewing seats to plant yourself for the evening watching all the kids go by. The Groveland Hotel with their new look in the dining room makes a delicious stop with Chef Greg's gourmet menu and a fantastic wine list.

The Iron Door Saloon is a fantasy stop...perfect for Halloween "Boo" s and Hoots & Hollers and a great place to watch the festivities from. If you can't make to Groveland on Friday, come Saturday for the adult Halloween Party with Live Music, Great Costumes, Prizes & lots of fun! http://www.iron-door-saloon.com/

This year the Hotel Charlotte restaurant will be open and routing the fairy-tale costumed kids right through the middle of the dining room where the huge barrel of candy will sit providing diners superb photo opportunities of the candy-march festivities. The Charlotte is reserving the dining room for one seating only so guests have their tables for the whole affair. Special treats will be awarded to those who come to dinner dressed in costume. Out of town guests who have dinner at the Charlotte qualify for Stay & Play room pricing from $99, www.HotelCharlotte.com/play.html. Reserve early, 209-962-6455.

We invite you to visit the Downtown Groveland restaurants & hotels while enjoying this year's Halloween festivities.