Winter events at the Hotel Charlotte

Here's the scoop on a few of the happenings in the area and at the Charlotte this winter. If you can't make it to the Charlotte yourself, many of these events make a one of a kind holiday gift, give us a call and we will make a wonderful holiday gift basket for you!

Bird Watching in the Sierra Nevada Groveland's Christmas Bird Count on 12/27 Groveland has an active Chapter in the Centeral Sierra Audubon Society and has scheduled their annual Christmas Bird Count for December 27th. What a fantastic way to spend one of your Holiday days! Make us part of your plans. To reserve your spot, contact Bill Zachman. More info: www.HotelCharlotte.com/birds.html

Restaurant Specials: We are offering several fall-winter specials in the restaurant on Thursday and Sunday nights through the first week of January and some great holiday menus for the coming festive season. We hope you will join us for one or all of these! www.HotelCharlotte.com/restaurant.html

• Thursday Nights: Gift Certificate Redemption Night Valid through 1/1/2009Join us for dinner on Thursdays, use your gift certificates and we will apply 5% more to the value of your gift certificate. (No cash back when your giftcertificate is worth more than your dinner, bring extra people!)
  
• Sunday Nights: Courses of Course! & Clear the Cellar Night Valid through 1/4/2009We are offering a 3-course dinner of soup or house salad, a 5oz bacon wrapped filet mignon & homemade ice-cream, coffee or tea for $19.95. Add a bottle of wine from our select vintages from $15, (the price of a bottle of house wine and only while supplies last) We have a few great wines in small quantities to share so we can make room for new vintages. The list will change weekly.

Christmas Dinner: Since Christmas falls on a Thursday this year, we will be open for dinner, 5:30 to 8:30. Christmas Eve the restaurant is closed, leaving that night to our staff to enjoy their own families and hope to serve you and your families on Christmas night after all the festivities have wrapped up for the day. We will serve from our regular menu and regular prices with a couple of specials, perhaps something like lobster, king crab legs or venison rack.

New Year's Eve Menu: Consider joining us for the early seatings, starting from 5:30 pm on Wednesday, December 31st. Perfect for those who like the party, but not the late hour of Midnight. The menu choices are:
Lobster bisque or wilted spinach and blue cheese salad
Entrée choices:

• $39 Stuffed Guinea Hen with plum sauce
• $49 Filet Mignon with a port wine and Porcini mushroom sauce
• $49 Ostrich Filet (a tender red meat) with black cherry sauce
• $49 Petite Lobster tail with drawn butter
• $19 Add a lobster tail to any entrée for an extra $19.

Dessert: Napoleon
A Glass of Champagne with Dessert
Coffee, tea or iced tea included

Charlotte Winter Entertainment Schedule is coming together with the following dates already confirmed and more to come! All of these events qualify for our stay & play room rates of $89 per room, breakfast included for 2 people.

• Saturday, February 14th: Valentine's Dinner
• Sunday, February 22nd: Sipping Amador, a wine dinner with Nicole Darracq, our favorite Sommelier
• Sunday, March 1st: Chianti & Crab Feast, Caesar Salad, 1/2 Crab Chiappino, Garlic bread, 1/2 a bottle of Chianti & Tirimasu for dessert. $29 tax and tip included
• Sunday, March 8th, Cabaret with Dennis Brown & Friends, a whole new show
• Sunday, March 22nd: Sipping El Dorado, the last of the Sipping through the Sierra Series with Nicole
• Friday, March 27th: Pine Cone Players Gala Dinner-Theatre for the world Premier of Groveland's got Talent
• Sunday, April 5th, Cabaret with Dennis Brown & Friends, a reprise of the March show for those who were out of town for that date.

By the way, any of these events can be made into a perfect holiday gift package for everyone you know--Let us help! www.HotelCharlotte.com/gifts.html

Evolution of a town: Groveland, near Yosemite National Park

The other day a Groveland resident and community leader came into the restaurant and started a conversation with me on the certain demise of Groveland's downtown business district. His views were that we were in the tank and sinking fast with mentions of several unoccupied stores and just as many up for sale. On the night of this discussion, I was quickly convinced by his arguments that he was right.

Since then I have spent some time pondering this conversation. Surely it is natural for neighbors to move, businesses to change, some close, new ones open. For every failure or "for sale" he pointed out I am now able argue some superb new businesses or transitions. I wish I was more prepared when the topic was first being discussed. My dwelling on the subject over the last month as made me curious as to how many others in the community think as he does.

Yes, we know there are several empty store fronts along the way and a few places are for sale. But what was so obviously ignored in the conversation were are all the recent successes: Coffee Time has a new owner and is consistently open with a great product, the painters offices have moved off of Main Street and the space is opened anew with some very energetic ladies doing a great thing with Body Beautiful. The flower shop has a new name, Benita's Bouquets and new owner. In a smart move that puts more visitor friendly retail shops on Main Street, Sabre Design, a graphics company moved off of main street and a fantastic hip clothing shop opened in their place with Perfectly Posh.

Bunny Rose, a long time downtown merchant showed her confidence in Groveland by purchasing a second Main Street store, Critter Corner. For a year and a half the restaurant next to the Hotel Charlotte was closed, now some great people are running the Cross Country Cafe, a fresh sandwich deli. The long-closed Tshirt printer has been reincarnated as a carpet and tile center and Sun Cable offices converted to a Dollar store. Murray & Bev have finally moved Homemade into the vacant space next to Hot Doggie, a brilliant move. Even the long closed Tiano's has gotten a face lift this summer with new windows and hopefully a plan to open soon. Let's not forget what an asset Main Street Market is to Groveland, they too are less than 4 years old.

Remember the feed store that closed this summer? Now it is a furniture mart and is doing 5 times better than projected. All Seasons Groveland Inn with its new owner has fresh landscaping and an inviting curb appeal. Does anyone remember the Charlotte before Victor and I bought it four years ago? The Charlotte might have been on the failure list with the restaurant well into its third season of closure.

Lets talk about the evolution of Groveland as a cultural center. This community first built the museum library project, then a wonderful stage in our park just waiting for someone to produce great events. These, paired with our new world-class skate park makes our public space very unique. In recent years Groveland has added Whitewolf Art Gallery showcasing works from local artists. We now enjoy 3 Groveland Art Strolls a year, a quilt stroll every other year, the 6-show concert series produced by Mountain Sage with the introduction of Grammy award winning artists, the Yosemite Courtyard Theater at the Groveland Hotel with productions throughout the summer and Cabaret Charlotte and Theatre du Jour at the Hotel Charlotte with the winter performances featuring Groveland's new theater company, Yosemite Entertainment Productions (YEP) and I am sure there are even more new cultural events.

On the outskirts of Groveland, Priest Station (the first impression visitors have on approaching Groveland) has just been purchased by the Anker family with plans to put in a mountaineering shop, coffee house, pack station for guided wilderness trips, a restaurant and a 5-star out house. This refreshed outpost will serve as a gateway to Groveland followed a mile down the road by the monumental historic restoration project in its infancy in Big Oak Flat that STCHS is undertaking.

I argue that Groveland is on leaning towards great successes, not the eminent demise prophesied. I hope that all folks in this community consider taking a fresh look at where we have been and where we are going and put their hearts and efforts into supporting this great community. I hope everyone out there is shopping Groveland. But I urge you to do more than just shop our great stores, get involved! There are many opportunities! Together we can work on building our own positive self fulfilling prophesies.

Let's all go buy some rose colored glasses to go with our rosy future!

Cabaret Charlotte returns in April

Same great director, same great singers, all new songs and menu! Join us on April 15, 22 and 29 (all Sundays) for Cabaret part Deux featuring songs from our favorite Broadway Musicals.

The $49 price includes tax, tip and $20 donation to Pine Cone Singers, this time for new concert wear. The menu includes:

• bay shrimp stuffed avocado,
• cream of asparagus soup,
• lamb shank cabernet OR
• grilled salmon
• tiramisu for dessert.

This event qualifies for our stay & play pricing.

Have you seen our trip blog? www.RecipeResearch.blogspot.com, follow along with us on our adventures and misadventures!