Showing posts with label The Thomas Gals. Show all posts

Monday, February 8, 2021

Keep Summer Blue: Lake Tahoe, the Perfect COVID Vacation - Part Two

By Kat Thomas

Part Two in the Adventures of Tahoe Summer for the Thomas Gals! When we last left our fearless sisters they were living the lake life while residing in the teeny tiny town of Tahoe City, CA. We will now continue on the epic greatness that was their six-day summer vacation!

TRUCKEE RIVER RAFTING

https://www.truckeeriverrafting.com

Tahoe in the summer is all about water sports and thus Kelly and I, ocean babies that we are, were about to become something we would have dreamed possible: River Rats. But there’s a first time for everything! So we signed up for a Truckee River Rafting trip, the IRL equivalent of a waterpark’s lazy river!

The Truckee River Rafting trip is a self guided raft trip offering commercial grade rafts (2, 4, 6, and 8 person in size) allowing adventurers to idol the day away on the Truckee River. The 2-3 hour trip floated us through tranquil stretches of scenic meadows, mountains, and small rapids.

We began our leisurely float in Tahoe City, along a peaceful stretch of the Truckee River, ended at the River Ranch Restaurant. The website suggested you bring a small cooler with snacks and drinks (but no styrofoam or glass) for impromptu picnics along the way!

I ate one too many edibles at the beginning of our ride and as a result my cat-like reflexes were not up to snuff. READ: we hit a fallen tree because I was too Stoned. Rest assured we were fine as we were in an inflatable rubber tube going a maximum boat speed of 3 miles per hour… Let’s just say hilarity ensued and it was hysterical both in physical reality and the altered state of consciousness I was in!

Luckily the edible’s effects lessened, allowing me to more consciously experience the numerous impromptu photo shoots of the Thomas Gals. Adventuring included: pulling over to a side bank for our picnic lunch, swimming in a giant natural whirlpool where we lazily spun circles, pulling over for an al fresco glass of wine in our matching Seafoam Yeti cups (so Bougie, but at the same time such an amazing cup!), joining an impromptu riverbank dance party (a direct byproduct of a couple stationed at the water’s edge with a table, two beach chairs, a bottle wine, and a massive old school Boombox). All of it was Absolutely Fabulous!!!

The ride finished with a bit of Level One Rapids (truthfully I’ve seen scary drops on the Log Flume ride on the Boardwalk, but it’s still fun to boast you did some Level One Rapids...). This water adventure was fantastically fun with hints of Tom Sawyer, J. Crew, and a Moveable Feast.

I guess you could say, it’s a Waterful Life!

PIONEER COCKTAIL CLUB

https://pioneertahoe.com

Marg my words, after all the bumper boat adventures, it was time for Happy Hour!

So for our post-tributary libation we headed over to the Pioneer Cocktail Club, a rustic-chic tavern serving innovative cocktails and an eclectic bar menu, including Amazing wood-fired pizzas. Yummm! This is as Hipster Bougie as Tahoe City (with its population of 2,100 people) gets.

Pioneer Cocktail Club’s cocktails are divinely simple. Each craft cocktails is made with artisanal spirits (including Tahoe Blue vodka), fresh juices, and house-made syrups. For our imbibing adventure, Kelly started with an Autumnal Mexicano cocktail: the Spiced Pear Mule crafted with Tito Vodka, Spiced Pear, Ginger, and Lime. I chose something more Mad Men Hipster: the Oaxacan Old Fashioned made with Mal Bien Mezcal, Chocolate Bitters, and an Orange Twist. The next round included the delightful Ta-Hoe’s crafted with Gin, Watermelon, Lime Juice, Apricot, and Serrano for Kelly. Totally summer in cocktail form! I went for the Tree Hugger’s Gimlet composed of Gin, Douglas Fir Brandy, and Fresh Lime. (I told you it was Hipster Bougie…!)

Kelly and I went Halvies on the dinner splitting two showstoppers from the menu. The Derby Burger with Pimento Cheese, House Pickles, Garlic Mayo, and BBQ Fries was the perfect blend of Americana and Down Home Southern. We complimented it with one of Pioneer Cocktail Club’s famous wood-fired pizzas: Bitches Love Burrata concocted from Basil Pesto, Tomato, and Burrata Cheese. They say money can’t buy you happiness, but those people have never had burrata pizza under the redwood trees while watching the sunset reflected in Lake Tahoe.

POPPY’S FROZEN YOGURT & WAFFLE SHOP

The inside scoop on feeling like a kid again! After discovering that Pioneer Cocktail Club didn’t offer dessert options (too Hipster Bougie to care about losing out on the dessert market share), Kelly and I sauntered next door to Poppy’s Frozen Yogurt & Waffle Shop for a summer ice cream nightcap (a rite of passage at the Jersey Shore). Like every perfect cone shop, Poppy’s has a walk-up window for ordering and outdoor seating. Their ice cream, frozen yogurt, and sorbet comes in a variety of flavors that change daily. A few examples of their playful options include blackberry, cake batter and sparkling pink lemonade. It turns out life is better with sprinkles!

TAHOE SAILING CHARTERS

http://www.tahoesail.com

Home is where the sailboat is! Kelly and I finished out our Tahoe Summer Adventure with a sunset cruise with Tahoe Sailing Charters. With a slogan of “turning winds into smiles,” we knew the two of gals were in for a fun time with this one!

They say that life is just a series of obstacles preventing you from sailing, which a philosophy the Thomas Gals thoroughly embrace having grown up on the shores of Long Beach Island, NJ. (Tahoe, with its plethora of water sports activities, constantly reminds us of a freshwater version of Barnegat Bay!)

I like big boats and I cannot lie... At 5:30pm, we boarded the Santa Cruz 50 aka the “Tahoe Cruz” and headed for a sunset cruise on The Hoe’s blue waters! Although there was not a ton of wind, just being on the water was the perfect cap to a delightful Covid-y socially distanced vacation. Plus, the bottomless Costco Champagne didn’t hurt either!

As Kelly and mine toes skimmed the sapphire blue water, Tahoe Sailing Cruises First Mate spun us tales of local Tahoe lore such as where Marilyn Monroe REALLY died (Hint: it was on Lake Tahoe) and whether or not there’s a fully preserved elephant from the 1940s named Mingo at the bottom of the lake. BTWs, the later lore is a total falsehood (later Googled), as after residing in the area for a few years Mingo the Elephant returned to his first home in Woodside, CA because it did not like Tahoe’s mountainous elevation and hated to be away from his zebra love.

What a picture perfect way to finish off the Thomas Gals magical Tahoe adventure, gliding on towards a rose quartz sunset sky with the wind at our back and the waves playfully kissing our feet! Here’s to life being delicious, all your moments being postcard worthy, and summer adventures that go on forever!

Kat Thomas is the Editor in Chief of Edible Skinny, a site dedicated to making your life postcard worthy. She is also the CEO of the creative media company This Way Adventures. You can find more about both brands at http://www.thiswayadventures.com

Thursday, October 8, 2020

Keep Summer Blue: Lake Tahoe, the Perfect COVID Vacation - Part One

The Thomas Gals!

Keep Summer Blue: Lake Tahoe, the Perfect COVID Vacation - Part One

By Kat Thomas, Edible Skinny

This summer multiple members of the Edible Skinny family were lucky enough to vacation in Lake Tahoe, CA! As anyone in 2020 knows, COVID-19 was the hurdle to this year’s summer, with many metropolitan dwellers searching for the perfect relaxable place, ideally somewhere that was easily drivable so you could nix a plane ride and embraced the world of social distanced activities. And thus Lake Tahoe, with the pine-scented atmosphere and its multitude of summertime water sports, became the perfect solution (as if it wasn’t already) for anyone living in the Bay Area.

Lake Tahoe, located 200 miles northeast of San Francisco, is widely considered one of the most beautiful places in the world. Nothing can diminish the first impression of driving towards the lake and seeing this giant pool of indigo-blue water cradled between mountain ranges. The lake is located 1,897 meters atop the majestic Sierra Nevada mountain range on the California and Nevada border (2/3 in California and 1/3 in the state of Nevada). The clear, cobalt blue lake welcomes about three million visitors annually while the year-round resident population is about 53.000.

Tahoe City View!

First there’s the Lake itself at a depth of 1,644, Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America. Having been on this earth for 2 million years, the lake is considered an ancient lake. It is the second deepest lake in the United States (Crater Lake is the winner winner chicken dinner!) and one of the deepest in the world. The most popular visual image used for contexts is that you could completely submerge New York’s Empire State Building, which stands at 1,454 feet at the tip, and you wouldn’t see it at all. At the longest and widest, Lake Tahoe measures 22 miles by 12 miles, with a shoreline circumference of 72 miles.

Then there’s the water in this lake; it’s as pure as drinking water. The water in Lake Tahoe is 99.994% pure, according to the Tahoe Fund, making it one of the purest large lakes in the world. For comparison, commercially distilled water is 99.998% pure, so it’s pretty darn close! Pretty much everywhere you dine urges you to kick your bottle water habit and replace it with Tahoe Tap!

I had visited Tahoe once in the winter for a skiing adventure (which was simply fabulous and rightfully so as this location hosted the Winter Olympics in 1950), but this was my first time at the Lake during the summer. Now I knew I was in for an entirely different experience, but truthfully I hadn’t fully comprehended the Perfect Storm of water sport activities that is Lake Tahoe. The lake is the perfect excuse to get out and enjoy the 300 plus days of sunshine: sailing, standup paddle boarding, and river rafting. No wonder it had become one of the Bay Area’s favorite playground’s even before a certain buzzkill disease!

So with that in mind, here’s some fabulous things we experienced during our times in Tahoe this summer (there were enough, we broke it into 2 articles)!

Here's to life being delicious, all your moments being postcard worthy, and 300 plus days of sunshine allowing you to do every watersport under the sun!

WELCOME TO TAHOE CITY

https://visittahoecity.org

The areas of the Lake itself are as varied as the activities you can do upon it. The south shore is more popular among those looking for socialized entertainment and nightlife experiences such as bars, restaurants, and casinos, but not during the time of COVID.

Sitting on the Dock of the Lake!

Instead the Edible Skinny crew stayed in the small town of Tahoe City on the north side of the Lake (mainly because that is where the house we were staying at was located). Overall, north Lake Tahoe is more known for its quieter, more laid-back atmosphere. On this side of the Lake, the towns are smaller in size and most businesses have earlier closing hours, resulting in visitors experiencing a quaint community feel. And the shining star of the north Lake Tahoe experience is Tahoe City!

Located at an elevation of 6,250 feet, this small mountain town has a quiet relaxed hamlet feeling as the town’s population is only 1,557 people. The city’s heritage dates back to the Gold Rush, when fortune hunters passed through on their way to mine for silver in the Comstock Lode. Tahoe City is perched on the north shore of Lake Tahoe at the headwaters of the Truckee River, the Lake’s only outlet. The walkable downtown is four city blocks long, yet despite its size contains a vibrant mix of recreation, innovative cocktail culture, and breathtaking natural beauty. That along with the night sky make it a five billion star vacation!

STANDUP PADDLEBOARDING AT TAHOE CITY KAYAK

http://tahoecitykayak.com

We like big boards and we cannot lie! The best experiences at Lake Tahoe are on the water so to ensure a constant smile, Kelly and I rented 2 paddleboards from Tahoe City Kayak. Stand up paddle boarding (SUP) offers a fun way to play on the water, with the added benefit of a full-body workout to boot! And, since you (eventually) stand at full height on your board, it gives you a unique vantage point for viewing what’s down under the water and out on the horizon.

Kelly Blue Crushing the Lake!

The calmest water for paddling is in the morning, so it's ideal to paddle early in the day. And the ladies and gents of Tahoe City Kayak made it super duper easy with a water launch site located right at Commons Beach, the public beach in the four block town. Opting for the half day experience, Kelly and I packed sandwiches for the ultimate waterfront dining experience on Carnelian Bay. Up close and personal the water of Lake Tahoe is amazingly clear, and more than a bit chilly billy! A plunge into Lake Tahoe can literally take your breath away. Lake Tahoe’s average surface temperature in the summer is 63 Degrees, and can drop to 53 Degrees just 18 inches below the surface. But that didn’t stop the Thomas Gals from jumping in multiple times to experience some of the freshest water in the largest plunge tank on the planet.

Kat Headstanding it Up!

Girls just want to have sun! Now anytime Kelly and I vacation together we always decide to make some of our adventures epic photoshoots! What do you expect from two sisters who spent all their time pretending to be Madonna when they were kids? Especially considering the backdrop it couldn’t get better! The beautiful hues of emerald, green and blues, shorelines peppered with massive boulders, and multiple costume changes. Once we got the basic poses, I started experimenting with some simple yoga poses. Humble never felt so crisp and refreshing as I fell into the water an infinite number of times. In the end, we had hundreds of shots to remember the perfection of this day for years to come

Endlessly Blue!

JAKE’S BY THE LAKE

https://www.jakestahoe.com

They say you should never chase anything but drinks and dreams! And the perfect place to do both is Jake’s by the Lake with a Kimo’s Mai Tai, one of Jake’s signature cocktails from the shores of Lahaina aka “Aloha in a Glass.” Family owned and operated since 1978, Jake’s On The Lake is the ultimate lakefront dining experience in Tahoe City. Now I have to admit, I was a bit surprised that Mai Tais would be a “Lake Thing,” but it turns out Jake’s Tahoe dining philosophy is: “come to altitude and let Tahoe change you with Jake’s Mountain Aloha.”

Wooden Menus!

Jake’s restaurant menu is inspired by California and Hawaiian flavors. Our entrees reflected this island's vibe! I sampled the Macadamia Nut Halibut, where the fish was wild line caught and paired with Black Forbidden Coconut Sticky Rice, Asparagus, and Passion Fruit Beurre Blanc. With every bite I felt like I should be on the shores of the Maui instead of the middle of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Kelly had the Pacific Sea Bass with Ginger Saffron Coconut Risotto, Summer Squash, Pancetta, and Sweet Chili Pineapple. All she could say was Mahalo Jake’s!

Lovebirds Kelly and Omid!

But the shining moment of the meal was Jake’s famous Aloha Pie. As we sat down to dinner, a slice of it caught my eye from across the (social distanced) aisle and right then and there I declared by the end of the night that pie would be mine! Hula Pie originated at Kimo’s in Maui and has since spread to other restaurants across Hawaii and the mainland. It even makes an appearance at a few restaurants like Jake’s and Sunnyside the shore of Lake Tahoe. This pie is so famous it comes with its own special pie plate and although it is portioned for sharing, it rarely goes unfinished.

Hula Pie on its Special Plate!

Hula Pie is made with macadamia nut ice cream stacked high on a scrumptious chocolate cookie crust. A layer of cool chocolate fudge sits atop the ice cream giving form to this delight. Whipped cream that is carefully applied to resemble a hula skirt dances at its base before decadent hot chocolate fudge is poured over the top and drizzles to each side. Finally more toasted macadamia nuts fall and cling to the hot fudge bringing together everything your taste buds need for a vacation. The tip of the Hula Pie is always pointed towards the “I” on their signature plate because first impressions are everything when it comes to something as serious as dessert.

Just Hum the Jaws Theme While Looking at This...!

All I can say is A Hui Hou Jake’s (Translation: Till We Meet Again)!

Monday, November 19, 2018

Life is Sweet in Napa Valley with Hestan Vineyards

By Kat Thomas, Edible Skinny

“God is in the details.”
Ludwig Mies van der Rohe

HESTAN VINEYARDS

Our first sipping adventure of the day was Hestan Vineyards, at their tasting room in Yountville. Hestan Vineyards is a family-owned estate on the eastern slopes of the Napa Valley. Their carefully-tended 110 acres are blanketed with Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, Petit Verdot and Malbec producing 5,500 cases per year.

At the door we were met by Michelle, an Australian expat getting her wine ya ya's out in the Valley and Grant, a self proclaimed “Cork Dork.” Hestan Vineyards was born from the culinary passion of Stanley Cheng and his wife, Helen. Hestan is an amalgamation of Helen and Stan’s names (like Brangelina, but with the marriage intact..). Stanley pioneered hard-anodized cookware in the 1970s. The Meyer Corporation produces high-end, heavy-duty, customizable appliance from breakfast to back-of-house to the backyard. “If you see him, please thank him for me,” pipped Kelly.

Taken together, Meyer affiliate factories comprise the world’s second largest cookware manufacturing operation, producing over 100 cookware lines distributed in over 30 countries. The factories employ more than 6,400 people, manufacturing more than 42 million pans per year on average. Retail partners include William Sonoma and Rachel Ray while the commercial side includes the cooktop grills at French Laundry and Bouchon.

For Hestan, their wine labels are a side hustle passion project. Winemakers Jeff Gaffner and Thomas Rivers Brown translate these varietals into award-winning, limited-release wines for the Hestan, Meyer, and Stephanie labels. Each has different techniques: Thomas Rivers Brown (whose name sounds like a country music jam band) who creates the Hestan and Meyer lines, is a purist who does believe in any blending. In the past 15 years Brown has made more than 25 wines that have received perfect scores from Robert Parker Wine Advocate and Wine Spectator. (He’s not sure of the exact number, which seems in character for this laid-back Southerner..). Winemaker Jeff Gaffner fully embraces the art of mixing varietals crafting the two labels named after Stan and Helen’s children: Stephanie (their only daughter) and Vincent Christopher (named after their two boys)..

As Grant pointed out, wine is the opposite of food, the grapes don’t lie. They can’t be covered over with spices. Most crucial decision is how to pick in that 48 hour window. And the person in charge of that decision and everything else is Angel Camarena, who has overseen the viticulture at Hestan Vineyards since planting the first vines in 1996. Since then he has personally overseen every aspect of vineyard development and maintenance, in addition to managing the balance of the estate's 237-acre ranch property.

Angel is appropriately named! Living on the property since the vines were planted, last year he fought the Napa/Sonoma wildfires like a captain going down with the ship. Three times the cops came to remove Angel from the Hestan property for his safety and all three times he hid from in the vines he’d known for over twenty years ago. Angel saved the Hestan Vineyards (and neighbor’s property) that night. This year when his daughter got into an Ivy League school, Stan reciprocated by telling him not to worry about paying the bill!

Some of our favorite moments at Hestan included the wines:

Hestan Chardonnay (2011) Citrusy lightly oaked Chardonnay brought straight from the mouth of San Francisco Bay. Clean and crisp, this wine is a tightrope of buttery and bright. It’s plaid J. Crew shorts and a white yacht club sail. Perfect late September picnic vibes. Oh, and it’s been served at the White House 3 times now!

Vincent Christopher Pinot Noir (2015) Valentine’s Day in a glass! Hestan’s only non-estate wine grown on the Sonoma Coast at a 1200 foot elevation. It’s a Pinot that drinks like a Cab. This wine walks into a room quietly and soon becomes the most desired talked about guest. This wine sits and speaks with you; knowing your secrets in a most tender beautiful way.

Hestan Vineyards Cabernet Sauvignon (2014) This is a November campfire wine, a “opulent and Hedonist” drink. Hestan’s Flagship Cab., it received 96 points by Robert Parker Wine Advocate. With triple black fruit flavors, it’s Edgar Allen Poe in a bottle, full of dark velvet and echoing beauty.

Monday, April 9, 2018

Father/Daughter SoCal-ing It Up with the Conejo Valley

Father/Daughter SoCal-ing It Up with the Conejo Valley

By Kat Thomas

Editor in Chief, Edible Skinny

A few weeks ago Edible Skinny was lucky to spend a few days exploring Conejo Valley for a Father/Daughter Getaway. Now we (sheepishly) admit up until this time we had only driven through this area of SoCal on our way to more “well know” (READ: overcrowded) vacation destinations. But with a few days of R&R on the docket, we decided to catch a break in Conejo Valley.

Known as a home away from home, Conejo Valley is located less than 30 minutes from the beaches of Malibu and 45 minutes from Los Angeles. It's the ultimate drivable daytrip! It's all the fun of Santa Barbara or Paso Robles, yet none of the crowding of nearby destinations.

Conejo Valley is a multifaceted gemstone full of majestic views for hiking (or just enjoying while sipping a glass of wine), eclectic dining venues for the foodies (minus spending 30 minutes in line parking your car), and boisterous breweries to have a good fun time (perfect for Pappa Thomas)! So here's a few experiences we had while discovering Conejo Valley!

BTWs: in case you were wondering (because we were) Conejo means “Rabbit” in Spanish! ;-)

14 Cannons

The first stop on our visit to Conejo Valley was the brewery and showroom, 14 Cannons in Westlake Village. Constructed in 2017, 14 Cannons produces beer by award winning brewer Nic Bortolin while also showcasing the industry’s leading vendors. Full of “Independent Spirit,” the name 14 Cannons is a tribute to the owner Marshall Haraden's great, great, great, great uncle, Jonathan Haraden who captained the American war ship Tyrannicide in 1777. The ship was part of the Massachusetts State Navy fleet and was infamously armed with 14 Cannons. This spot was the perfect place to christen the weekend! In between games of Skeeball (a Ab Fab favorite of the New Jersey native Thomas Gals), we sipped on some Bestlake Blonde (their version of a Blonde Style Ale that is perfect for 365 days of Sunshine) and Peanut Butter Cup Dessert Ale (a Sweet Stout that reminds you of the day after Halloween).

Lure Fish House
It was then off to Lure Fish House, a restaurant that was recommended to us by three separate Locals! East coast class with a relaxed California vibe, Lure Fish House featured fresh and sustainable seafood right from the ocean. Lure prints their menus daily to reflect availability and guarantee freshness. With four locations (including the Thousand Oaks space we dined at), it featured a full bar with specialty cocktails along with an oyster bar serving mollusks galore! While there we ordered multiple bottles of Wente Chardonnay, which paired perfectly with our seafood smorgasbord of Calamari, Fanny Bay Oysters, and 3-lb Lobster we dined on!

Westlake Brew Co.

After the rocking meal we had a Lure Fish House, it was off for some live music at the Westlake Brew Co., aptly names as they were also in Westlake Village! ;-) With live music every Friday and Saturday night, the brewery offered libations for those looking for live music and the craft beer culture in a modern warehouse location. Their philosophy: to always be in pursuit of something better. Something they must be doing pretty well as the packed space had the ultimate good night vibe with cover band jams, shuffleboard games, and craft beer suds.

Marriott Courtyard Thousand Oaks

That night we settled our sleepyheads at the fantastic Marriott Courtyard Thousand Oaks. The newly renovated Courtyard by Marriott Thousand Oaks, CA hotel is TripAdvisor Award of Excellence winner. It's located off US-101 for super duper easy access. Their spacious lobby, which includes media pods and a full bar, was the perfect place for people to chill on a Friday night (it was definitely kicking when we returned from Westlake Brew Co. around midnight). And unlike Los Angeles hotels parking was included. The Marriott Courtyard Thousand Oaks' outdoor heated pool and spa, surrounded by lush landscaping, were perfect for hours of entertainment Saturday morning. There's nothing Pappa Thomas enjoys more in hanging out in a hot tub while playing tunes on the speakers. Needless to say they were, extremely accommodating... it's definitely a hotel that allows you to have fun and doesn't get in your way!

Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum

After a delightful nights rest, we were ready to hit the deck for Day Two of Visit Conejo. We were off to experience a bit of American history at the renowned Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum. The Ronald Reagan Presidential Library and Museum is one of Conejo Valley's most unique and treasured attractions. Located in nearby Simi Valley, visitors can step aboard Air Force One used during Reagan’s presidency and view an exact replica of the White House Oval Office.

Perched on a mountaintop with sweeping views of Conejo Valley, the Library's 300 acre site, represents the "shining city on a hill" often referenced by President Reagan. Air Force One, a 2700 Boeing 706, guards a 65-foot window with views as expansive as the legacy of this eight term president. The plane was the official travel of seven US Presidents - Nixon, Ford, Carter, Reagan, H.W. Bush, Clinton, W. Bush. The Reagan Library received 27000 in a decommissioning ceremony on September 8. 2001 at the San Bernardino International Airport. It was disassembled over a nine-week period by nine-person crew from The Boeing Company into the following sections fuselage, tail, stabilizers, engines, main landing gear, and wings. It is now celebrated at the Gipper's library as a monument to the location that also serves as the final resting place of the nation's 40th President.

Along with taking a fabulous tour of Air Force One (a favorite of Pappa Thomas) exhibits are presented at the library throughout the year, their newest arrival and only Southern California stop: Genghis Khan! The Genghis Khan exhibit showcased hundreds of artifacts from Genghis’s 13th century Empire, the largest collection ever to tour. The one-of-a-kind exhibit portrayed Genghis’s reputation as the greatest conqueror in history as he dominated three times more land in his lifetime than Julius Caesar or Alexander the Great.

Finney's Crafthouse &Kitchen
Our final meal of this fabulous two day Father/Daughter Getaway was at Finney's Crafthouse & Kitchen in Westlake Village (and coming soon to Santa Barbara!). With a slogan of “Craft Beer Spoken Here,” the combination of chef-inspired food and their craft bar makes the space an inviting gastropub that attracts guests of all types, especially the locals. It's the perfect place for day drinking on a Sunday or a afternoon Saturday date night. Offering 30 craft beers on draft, a full bar featuring hand-crafted cocktails, fine California wines, and a menu to die for (Get the Bacon Blue Burger: Roquefort, onion strings, bacon, house-made BBQ and a pretzel bun – Super Duper Yummm!). Keeping it fresh, flavorful and at times, unexpected, Finney's Crafthouse & Kitchen hit it out of the park!

Friday, January 5, 2018

I DRONE Manahawkin (Snow Day!)

Once again we took "The Beebs" aka Parrot Bebop 2 Power in action, again! This time for our I Drone Manahawkin (Snow Day) video!

Manahawkin is the hometown of the Thomas Gals (Kat and Kelly Thomas). While there, a epic snowstorm happened (not a common occurence in South Jersey), so our Editor In Chief Kat Thomas, decided to take The Beebs for some flytime courtesy the vantage point of a certain red costumed white bearded flyboy! ;-)

Aerial Drone Footage from the following locations: Manahawkin Lake, Old Manahawkin Baptist Church, and Manahawkin United Methodist Church!

Cinematography by Kat Thomas, Editor In Chief of Edible Skinny!

Monday, November 27, 2017

A Girls Getaway to the Alternative Side of Las Vegas

A Girls Getaway to the Alternative Side of Las Vegas

By Kat Thomas

“Las Vegas looks the way you’d imagine heaven must look at night.”

--Chuck Palahniuk

The Thomas Gals were in action, anti-Sin City style! LA based Kelly traversed the desert for a few days of rest, relation, and good old fashioned fun! Yes we bookended the visit with an obligatory (and spectacular) sojourn to the Strip, but this trip was about the other side of Vegas, the one that most of our 42 million visitors per year miss out on!

First stop was Red Rock Canyon, this popular picturesque desert park showcases a set of large red rock formations (hence the name): a set of sandstone peaks and walls called the Keystone Thrust. The park consists of a one-way loop road, 13 miles long, which provides vehicle access to many of the features in the area. The devastingly gorgeous walls are up to 3,000 feet high, making them a popular hiking and rock climbing destination. No national resource wallflower, a good amount of people make 15 mile trek from the Strip to experience the park’s desert wonders: the area is visited by more than two million people each year.

As Walter Eliot says, “a desert has its holiness of silence, the crowd its holiness of conversation,” so with that we headed over to the hustle and bustle of local favorite: Downtown Container Park. Home to a giant fire breathing mantis, a kickass barbershop housed in a retired boxcar and caboose, and numerous intimate spots for a cocktail time. Downtown Container Park is an open-air shopping center and entertainment venue featuring 39 shops, restaurants, and bars, located in downtown Las Vegas. The innovative shopping center was built from 43 re-purposed shipping containers and 41 locally manufactured Xtreme cubes.

Downtown Container Park is also home to an interactive play area, which features The Treehouse, a one-of-a-kind, dynamic environment where both children and adults can have fun and be active while exploring their creativity. Special features of The Treehouse include a 33-foot-tall slide, NEOS play system, and oversized foam building blocks; so embrace your inner child!

After perusing the dozen food and drink options we settled on Bin 702, a cosmopolitan charcuterie and cheese joint that specializes in famous mini sandwiches. Bin 702 has been with Container Park since it opened November 2013 and is made of two shipping containers totaling 640 sq. ft. There we grabbed some beers while noshing on Cuban inspired Montaditos, mini sandwiches filled with gourmet meats and cheeses. We went with the house specialty: Flamin’ Hot Cheeto. Kelly was wary, but the dish became an instant favorite! We also splurged on their Lobster Grilled Cheese compromised of lobster salad and smoked Gouda. Both were the perfect complement to a fantastic sunset!

After our liquid courage we sauntered over The Freemont Street Experience to fair Slotzilla. The Fremont Street Experience (FSE) occupies the westernmost five blocks of Fremont Street, including the area known for years as "Glitter Gulch," and portions of some other adjacent streets. We prayed that “Luck Be a Lady,” as we fared SlotZilla. This attraction at the Fremont Street Experience is a 12-story, slot machine-inspired zip line attraction. SlotZilla offers "flyers" two levels of lines, the lower "Zipline" (77 feet up) and upper "Zoomline" (114 feet up). SlotZilla cost $17 million to construct and features a launch tower with over-sized dice, a martini glass, a pink flamingo, simulated video reels, a giant arm and two 37-foot-tall showgirls. The lower lines travel halfway down the Fremont Street Experience pedestrian mall. The upper lines go the entire length of the mall (1,750 feet). Guests on the upper "Zoomline" travel prone, or “superhero-style." The wait breed new levels of fear, but the adrenaline rush was worth every moment of nail biting. Exhilaration was never so tangible!

The next day we drove up to Jean to experience the art exhibit Seven Magic Mountains. Renowned Swiss artist Ugo Rondinone’s colorful large-scale, public artwork is a two-year exhibition, featuring seven thirty to thirty-five-foot high dayglow totems comprised of painted, locally-sourced boulders. Visible across the desert landscape along Interstate 15, Seven Magic Mountains offers a “creative critique of the simulacra of destinations like Las Vegas.”

Then it was off to the ultimate relaxation at Spa Mio at TheM Resort. Spa Mio is the Forbes Four Star award winning spa at M Resort Spa Casino. The 23,000 square foot, full service spa and salon features 16 luxurious Men’s and Women’s treatment rooms and offers a variety of treatments including massage therapy, facials and body treatments. The spa offers a wet area with two whirlpool hot tubs, a steam room and sauna (that includes LED lightings for a more “rainbow” experience).

Day passes are available for purchase for Vegas Locals wanting a quick getaway and allow access to the spa and M Pool fitness center. As I relaxed under the polychrome of colors in the sauna, I was able to settle into the art of doing nothing. With iced cucumber slices on my eyes and a cucumber lemon spritzer in my hand I sighed an exhale of relaxation.

After our spa time, Kelly and I headed to The Source in Henderson to experience one of Nevada’s newest attractions: recreational marijuana. As Charles Baudelaire said in 1860, “The brain on marijuana will never deviate from its destined disposition, nor be driven to madness. Marijuana is a mirror reflecting man’s deepest thoughts, a magnifying mirror. It’s true, but only ever a mirror.”

The Source is one of Las Vegas and Henderson’s premier retail and medical marijuana dispensaries offering selections in edibles, flowers, and oils. There we purchased one of Evergreen Organix Chocolate Chip Cookies. Established in 2015, Evergreen Organix has grown to be Nevada’s premiere marijuana edibles producer. They are 100% locally owned and family operated. Made from scratch with premium ingredients EGO’s Chocolate Chip Cookies are a classic cookie favorite with a cannabis twist. The perfect one two punch, we indulged in our sweet tooth while opening up our mind just a bit more to the universe!

And after two days of seeking out alternative Vegas we decided to finish the trip with some first-class Strip time. So like modern day Sin City Cinderella’s we Uber-ed over to Hyde at the Bellagio. Hyde’s first Las Vegas location invites guests to take in Sin City with floor-to-ceiling windows and an expansive terrace with a stunning view of the Fountains of Bellagio. There’s nothing like seeing the Pink Panther performed though fountain water ballet front row center stage!

We started our drinks with the Love Unit, a bell pepper juice martini (Absolut Vodka/Absolut Vanilla Vodka/Thai Basil/Fresh Lime, Grapefruit & Hand Extracted Bell Pepper) that was featured in The New Times. This cocktail tasted like an Italian Villa, of an August day wearing a crisp white shirt. It was a naughty wink to sweet and spice. We partnered this with the Burning Mango (Belvedere Mango Passion Vodka/Fresh Lemon and Mango Juices/Peach Bitters/Jalapenos).... which tasted like something you drank on your desert ranch. Just a hint of smoke that something burned here, maybe peach trees, maybe not.

We paused from imbibing to nosh on Al Cipollo E Speck Pizza (Buffalo Ricotta/Cipolline Onion/Speck), Bruschetta Al Pomodoro with break that tasted like it was soaked in olive oil, and Salumi Charcuterie plate that included the best Salami we’ve ever tasted.

It was then another round of drinks (because why not!) The first was a Watermelon Cucumber Margarita (Avion Silver Tequila/Grand Marnier/Muddled Cucumber & Watermelon/Fresh Lime Juice). The beverage tasted bright, like poolside pink bikini. We partnered this with the dessert drink: Brunch in Beverly Hills a wuzzle of Ciroc French Vanilla Vodka/Bailey’s Almande/Moet & Chandon Imperial Brut/Orgeat Syrup/Aromatic Bitters). Similar to a Horchata, it tasted like an alcoholic Cream soda would in St. Tropez. Trés Yum!!!

By the end of our two days, Kelly really felt like she had seen another side of the city: one of painted deserts to inventive innovate food experiences, from 33 foot slides to giant fluorescent boulders. Each showed a different side of Vegas, a varied as numbers on a roulette wheel.