Denny's

On HWY 50 in South Lake Tahoe, right where the California and Nevada border meets, there is a Denny's. Not just any Denny's, but a Denny's in one of the most beautiful places I've ever seen. South Lake Tahoe is a beautiful mountain community nestled in the heart of the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Beautiful, blue, and always smelling of Pine Trees in the summer, in the Autumn is painted over with dramatic fall colors that could rival any East Coast fall. Of course in the winter, the city sleeps under a blanket of luxurious white snow. This is one of my favorite places in the world. 

While keeping all the rustic charm of being a small town, it also offers all the glitz and glamour of the big city. Caesars, Harvey's, Harrahs, and a number of other large casino make their home on the strip there. Driving into Tahoe is always a treat because after driving through miles of mountainous roads, you finally come around a bend where in the distance you can see the shining blue sapphire that is Lake Tahoe. It's been called the jewel of the Sierra Nevada, which it is. 

There is nothing more serene than a warm cup of hot chocolate in Denny's at a booth by the window where you can watch this city in action. While the mountains stand towering over everything you see. My earliest memory of Tahoe is sitting in that Denny's with my parents eating pancakes and watching the world go by outside. Lyin Eyes playing in the background. That one memory has forever tied Lyin Eyes, along with The Eagles in general, with trips to Tahoe. 

While in high school I remember one Autumn night having coffee with a friend at our local stop, Lyon's. We stared out the window of Lyon's, bored beyond belief. We weren't looking forward to another boring weekend in tired old Livermore. As if struck by lightening, I looked at her and said, "you know who has good coffee?" She smiled. "Denny's", she replied. We both knew she wasn't talking about the Denny's in nearby Pleasanton. By morning we were on the road to Tahoe.

I remember for my 21st birthday my husband drove me up to Tahoe. To my surprised he had booked a romantic suite in the luxurious Fantasy Inn. Across the street from, you guessed it, Denny's. There were countless other weekends there. Nights out at the Casino's, seeing shows, The renaissance Fair in the summer, and of course a few trips up there while planning our wedding. Which was right outside of Tahoe.

We went up during good times to celebrate, bad times to escape, and a million times just to get away. Lyin Eyes always brings me right into that Denny's, sipping coffee and staring out the window at the view. It's been almost two years since our last trip to Tahoe, which was our kids first. I'm hoping we get a chance this Spring or summer. But until then, all I have to do is put the Eagles on, and I'm there.