The Pugs Bunny Wishing You a Hoppy Be-lated Easter!

 I finally decided to succumb to my crazy-pug lady ways and start an Instagram featuring my one and only spoiled pug--Finnegan McDuff. Make sure to follow him and his ridiculous adventures on Instagram!

White Pines Lake

White Pines Lake is a quiet little lake, well known to local residents, but often overlooked by visitors scurrying up to Big Trees State Park or Lake Alpine. Only a mile from Arnold, the lake makes a great family destination for fishing, picnicking, or just taking the kids to a playground. For hikers, mountain bikers, and equestrians, the new Arnold Rim Trail leads south from the lake 10.5 miles to Sheep Ranch Road near Avery.  As you enter White Pines off of Blagen Road, you may see a small sign proclaiming, “White Pines is not Arnold.” Although the two communities share a zip code, White Pines has a proud history all its own. The area around White Pines Lake was originally a lumber mill. After the mill closed, a dam was put in and a lake established with thoughts of selling lots around the lake. When the plan fell through, the lake and surrounding property were sold to the Calaveras Water District.

The Sierra Nevada Logging Museum on the western shore of White Pines Lake draws hundreds of visitors every year. Across its six acres are spread many of the old machines used in logging in Calaveras County. The 2400-square foot museum building contains exhibits which convey the history of logging and the lumbering industry in the Sierra Nevada. Around the grounds is an array of fascinating logging machines, from a 66,000 pound steam donkey to a Shay locomotive. Visitors can also view crawler tractors, logging arches, a logging cabin, and various saws. I highly recommend checking out White Pines around sunset, which was when the below photos were taken. Calaveras county is definitely more beautiful in person, so make a trip up to the area when you can! Perhaps go during the famous county fair and jumpin' frog jubilee  that Mark Twain based his short story on. Cheers!

Newburyport, MA.

Newburyport, MA wins hands-down for the award for cutest town around. The entire downtown was decorated with pumpkins, flowers, scarecrows, bales of hay, and banners in preparation for October 31st festivities. I felt like I was in the middle of the 1998 Disney Channel movie, "Halloweentown". We stayed at the Essex Inn, a charming, historic Inn nestled on a tree-lined street in the heart of downtown where we could walk to various little shops and restaurants along High Street. Unfortunately due to all the wedding activities planned for us, we went from event to event with little free time in-between. Z and I had a couple hours or so to explore the town before a cocktail event and we managed to find a little shop with the tastiest bagels ever! Zane got a breakfast sandwich and I ordered a Lox bagel. We are definitely missing out on good bagels here in San Francisco. After breakfast, we wandered down over to the Merrimack River and took in the sights. (I kept humming the Dawson's creek theme...Sorry Z!) I'd love to come back and visit again and make time to visit the near-by Plum Island--known for its wild beach-plum shrubs growing on its dunes. Here's to that great New England charm!