This whole trip sounded like the premise for a John Hughes movie. Six young adults decide to escape to the snowy Lake Tahoe in Northern California to learn how to ski at the luxurious Ritz Carleton hotel. We bonded, we skiied, we conquered. I had the time of my life, and it is a memory I will Cherish for the rest of my life.
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The Drive
The trip started out rough. Alex and I drove from San Diego to Newport Beach then to Venice Beach. From there, we went to Northern Lake Tahoe in two cars. Our car didn't fare so well. The engine temperture started running cool, leading me to believe that we broke the thermostat in Alex's Ford Focus. I noticed that the heater seemed to still work and that the fuel economy didn't seem to drop, so we decided to ignore it even until now, a week later. Still, deciding to ignore it didn't mean I decided to stop worrying about it. That worry was nervewracking, throughout the entire 24 hours we spent driving to and from Lake Tahoe.
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| The route we drove |
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| The Ritz Lobby |
The Ritz was nice. It was way nicer than anything I have ever experienced before. There were valets for everything, and they were all excellent at their jobs. It was a funny progression. I was there for 5 days, and the speed acclimation to the level of service we were exposed to would give you whiplash.
(Evolution of a bitch)
Day 1: We were blown away by how polite and involved everyone was. Everyone from the waiters to the concierge(s) would ask us how our day was going, and we'd be both happy to answer and happy they asked.
Day 2: The polite interest and willingness to help from hotel staff embarasses us. Should we be tipping? But we don't carry cash! Every kind gesture makes me feel like I should apologize.
Day 3: We expect it.
Day 4: We stop waiting in line and start calling the front desk for everything. We need a deck of playing cards! Alex's glasses broke! Send someone to fix it!
Day 5: We think people are being standoffish, even ignoring us.
I can tell that its going to be expensive getting used to that kind of service.
The thing we loved most about staying at the Ritz (besides the excellent service) was the free use of the spa while we were staying there. We went everyday, fully taking advantage of that amenity. I really wish there was that kind of thing in San Diego. Casey tells me that the Hotel Spa at the Ritz was the best spa she has ever been to, and this definitely wasn't her first one if you know what I mean.
I couldn't get any pictures of the spa, and I deeply regretted that by the time I put together the photo album. Its just, by the time I got into the spa, the ambition of cementing the memory faded away completely.
I don't know if I am ever going to be able to stay at the ritz again. I don't even have a credit card with a credit limit large enough to be the credit card on file for that place. Yeah, some big changes have to happen before this one off experience becomes my reality. Still, it gives me a chance to dream.
Skiing
I learned how to Ski this trip. I also learned to love skiing. Sure, I look silly when I ski because I don't feel comfortable going fast so I spend the whole time pizza-ing. Still, I found the gondolas romantic, the snow calming, and the crisp air refreshing. Its too bad I live in snow-less San Diego, but I think I can pull my resources together enough to actually get decent at this sport.
Sure, my inexperience may have lead to me not being able to take advantage of the full resources of the resort. I kept to the bunny slopes the whole time and only saw a small percentage of the slopes. If I were to go back, I would want to have the skill level to have more of the full experience. At least being able to do all the green dots for goodness sakes.
The Company
I was so appreciative of the trip and being able to spend it with my friends that I ran the risk of being annoyingly sentimental. I didn't want to be "that guy", but I probably did. I hope we can all get together again sometime.
In Summary...
This is the most extravagent trip I have ever taken, and it will be tough to beat it