California Official Visitor's Guide 2023 - 108

high sierra LOCAL INSIDER
✺
THE TOWN
OF TRUCKEE,
LOCATED IN
THE SIERRA
NEVADA, SITS
AT 5,980 FEET
" What makes shopping
in DOWNTOWN
TRUCKEE interesting
is that all the shops
are individually owned,
and many are womenowned.
Everybody loves
Cooking Gallery, which
is the place to buy
kitchen gadgets and
beautiful Polish pottery.
There's also Riverside
Studios, which is owned
by five local artists.
They sell their work-
jewelry, leather, metal
sculptures, ceramics-
and the works of other
local artists. "
TRUCKEE
Heather River
OWNER OF BESPOKE, AN ARTISANS' GIFT SHOP
Art has been central to Heather River's life for almost as long as she can
remember. " We were always knitting, carving wood, doing ceramics, " she says.
" Those things were part of my daily life. " Today River owns Bespoke, an artisans'
shop in the Sierra mountain town of Truckee. The ever-changing inventory
includes handmade jewelry, textiles, ceramics, kids' toys, and curated books
and natural history guides-all created by makers and artists. In the back of
the shop, Atelier offers supplies and inspiration for painting, drawing, sculpting,
and knitting. " I wanted the opportunity to bring the work of artists to Truckee, "
she says. " And I had this idea that Atelier could be an incubator for local artists. "
Take River's advice on what to explore in and around Truckee.
" TRUCKEE TAVERN
AND GRILL has an
exquisite cocktail
program. They have
classics and they also
make one-of-a-kind
cocktails. There's a
fall-and-winter cocktail
called the Krampus
with bourbon, brandy,
and cranberry that's
served with a little
smoke dome next to it.
They light tiny chips of
cedar on fire under a
glass dome. The server
lifts the dome, and you
smell the smoke with
your first sip of the
cocktail. It's a full-body
experience. "
" SIERRA BAKEHOUSE
is only open on Friday
mornings. It's one of
those hot spots that
once you know about
it, you'll be there when
they open at 8 a.m. and
there will already be a
25-person line. They
make traditional baked
108 | VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
goods-croissants,
pastries, cookies, and
amazing sourdough
breads-plus savory
hand-pies and seasonal
galettes. The two
women owners, Kristy
Kirsch and Daniella
Rinaldi, are classically
trained bakers. "
" You can rent bikes
downtown and ride
the TRUCKEE RIVER
LEGACY TRAIL. It's a
paved trail that follows
the Truckee River seven
miles out to Glenshire
and back. It's great for
an easy, pretty ride.
Another great trail is
Sawtooth, which is a
single-track mountainbiking
trail, good for
beginners or more avid
mountain bikers. "
" ALIBI ALE WORKS
opened a location in
Truckee in 2017, and
they make awesome
beer. They have 18 of
their own beers on
tap. People love their
outdoor beer garden,
which is huge. They
have a full food menu
with sandwiches,
salads, and small
plates. "
" CEDAR HOUSE
SPORT HOTEL is a
comfortable, gorgeous,
modern hotel with
an emphasis on the
outdoors. They'll tell
you where to go hiking
or biking. They'll set you
up on paddle boards.
They'll give you a real
Truckee experience. "
ALISON CHRISTIANA
http://www.VISITCALIFORNIA.COM
California Official Visitor's Guide 2023

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