Wright This Way Elite Event

I was absolutely thrilled to be included in this event. I am a huge fan of Arts & Crafts period design and Frank Lloyd Wright, so I knew if nothing else, the weekend was going to be a feast for my eyes. It was that… and more, too!
Unfortunately, we were not able to get Kid to her sitter early enough to arrive in time for the Saturday morning excursions. I would have liked to join the others on their hike, but instead we used the time to appreciate the grounds of the resort. We had a relaxing lunch on the patio, enjoyed the private jacuzzi in our villa, and then took a nice long… nap. Fellow parents may appreciate the pleasure of such a leisurely afternoon without children. We arrived for the tour rested, relaxed, and ready to go, while those who participated in the excursions rushed in breathless at the last minute. Hmmm… maybe it wasn’t so bad that we missed the hike!
The tour was really fun, and the general manager, Dan, was an enthusiastic guide. It was great to soak up that enthusiasm and hear about the future of the resort, though I question whether anyone in our group has the kind a cash it’s gonna take to become a full-​fledged member – Unilocalers spend all of our extra money on food! Still, he couldn’t have been more generous with his time and energy, and we all appreciated that. Also, riding the golf carts through the sprinklers was fun!
Then it was time for dinner! I was a bit disappointed that the cocktail hour in the lounge never really materialized. Because the hors d’oeuvres and wine tables were set up in the dining room, most of the guests ended up seating themselves early in there, and very few people enjoyed the lounge. Ah well, the small dishes were amazing, and frankly, my favorite part of the meal! The oysters and duck tacos were particularly noteworthy. I had a couple of glasses of wine during that time, so imagine my surprise when we realized that the wine service was continuing on into dinner. I took a moment to marvel at how incredibly generous this was, and another moment to acknowledge that there would be some very intoxicated Unilocalers by the end of the night (there were). As Friend said, «It’s just too hard to say no to free alcohol.» Amen, sister.
At dinner, I feel that I just ordered poorly. I had the coq au vin for my entrée and the panacotta for dessert. I SHOULD have ordered the skirt steak and the chocolate mousse. But, it’s so rare that one gets to eat coq au vin that I felt compelled to go with that. Except that it really wasn’t coq au vin, rather, simple braised chicken. While others were ooo-​ing and aaa-​ing over their skirt steaks and halibut, I was sighing with disappointment. Well, we can’t always make the perfect choice, I guess. As the evening progressed and the wine flowed, the atmosphere got pretty lively, although everyone respectfully settled down when the time came to meet the chefs and the servers who made the night possible. This small group of people worked their asses off for us, and they really earned their round of applause. The small staff that served us at that dinner were there ALL WEEKEND, serving at the lounge and the restaurant as well, breakfast, lunch, and dinner. What commitment!
The after-​party at Ly’s villa was great fun, and I enjoyed trying some new whiskeys and getting to know a few new people in my favorite way, over a board game.
The next morning we checked out and had breakfast on the patio before our couples’ massage. Sadly, I did not write down the names of our massage therapists… they were amazing, and I would like to acknowledge their good work. I imagine that, like the rest of the employees, they probably spent the whole weekend holed up down in the spa doing endless massages, but ours was still incredibly good.
Overall, we had a great time that weekend. Our hosts were unbelievably generous, and I walked away perfectly relaxed. The devil is in the details, though, and there were several of those pesky details that, while they didn’t bother me too much at half price, would have been an issue at full price. Being there before they fully opened for the season, many maintenance issues had yet to be addressed. With the level of commitment we saw from the management and employees, though, I feel certain that by the time they hit peak season, everything will be ironed out.

To say this was a whirlwind tour would not do the pace of this event justice. It was a whirlwind of beautiful sights (lakes, trees, and beautiful architectural design) and the sounds of conversation and laughter.
We found the place easily and arrived a bit earlier than needed. We checked in and chatted during check — in. The staff was gracious enough to offer us the keys and our welcoming packet and send us off to our studio to settle in. After finding the studio and stepping out of the vehicle I was immediately struck by how well they paid homage to all things Frank Lloyd Wright. From the ornate windows to the layout to the fixtures and decorations. I felt myself catch my breath –awestruck that we would be sleeping here for the evening.
We went back to the main lobby /​bar and grabbed a quick bite to eat. I wasn’t too hungry so the portion far exceeded what I could manage. The breakfast sandwich was quite delightful though and the service was stellar.
We changed for our activities and jumped in the car. We followed the entertaining directions which including «at the bottom of the hill» and «red cottages.» I felt like we were adventuring to a small town experience. I was quite right. What awaited us was a delightful hostess /​guide and a hike through break taking sights and sounds. The scenery was breathtaking, the company was fabulous and the laughter was plentiful. After the hike and great conversation (meeting Unilocalers visiting from Roseville, CA) we went back into town and met up with my wife. My wife had enjoyed a short hike to a waterfall and eating at a small BBQ stand in town. I bought a souvenir from the Howling Dogs Bike & Ski to commemorate the event and the awesome hike. While browsing for the souvenir the guide, Kimberly, showed us on the map all the lakes we had hiked to. Nice little treat!
A group of us decided to head off to the Brewing Lair as we had heard many stories of what a unique place it was ascetically as well as having top notch beers! Another country direction guided journey and we were there. Wooden signage. Sprawling grass area. Cornhole game boards… and BEER! I was also delighted to see that aside from offering the standard pints they offered ½ pints. Not only were they served in cool little glasses they also provided just the right amount of beer. I enjoyed the Incognito Saison as well as the Brewing Lair Tripel. The Tripel was my favorite of the two and in hindsight I wish I had grabbed a growler of it to go. While sipping our libations we played a few rounds of cornhole and chatted.
Realizing the time, we headed back to Nakoma. We dressed for dinner and joined the group. We began with a golf cart tour of the property as well as their hotel that is under construction. When we returned we went into the Wigwam room. The room is amazing. It truly personifies Frank Lloyd Wright design and aesthetics. The food that greeted us after the amazing tour was mouthwatering. The duck tacos were a group favorite. I had the halibut entrée and it was cooked perfectly. Moist and flavorful. While dining I enjoyed chatting with Jennifer, the group events coordinator. We had chatted earlier in the day when I expressed my gratitude for the event as well as my undying adoration for Frank Lloyd Wright. I have made it a personal mission to visit as many of his properties as possible and I have managed to check all but a few off my list. She explained a bit more about the background of Nakoma and the struggles they face. It was nice to be able to hear the scoop about the perils and plight of a startup all the while watching seamless execution and service. They have turned it around from an apparently poor reputation to a landmark property and experience.
After a game night and a wonderful nights sleep in Frank Lloyd Wright accommodations I did not want to check out. I did not want to go home. I wanted to linger on the patio and sip coffee as the sun continued to rise. Leaving was tough but knowing that we will have plenty of opportunity to return and enjoy the accommodations again is what managed to pull me through.

Ain’t no party like a Frank Lloyd party cause a Frank Lloyd Party don’t stop!
This little weekend getaway was like going to summer camp with all of your best girl and guy friends!
Let’s just put it out there, I love Frank Lloyd Wright’s architecture! Getting the opportunity to check another of his famous buildings off the list was an amazing opportunity. The fact that I got to do it only an hour from Reno and with all my Unilocaly friends was just icing on the cake of an amazing weekend.
Check in was quick, easy, and totally painless. Always a plus in my book! That adorable little wigwam that we called home for the weekend was one of the coolest places I’ve ever spent the night. This is the stuff good travel stories are made of! We had our own kitchenette, living room, bedroom, bathroom, private backyard with a hot tub? Perfection.
We headed back to the main bar area for some grub. I had pancakes as big as my face and there were TWO of them! Needless to say I barely got thru a fourth of that meal. The bar keep/​waiter was very cordial and attentive.
The opportunities for adventures involved a hike or golfing. I passed on both and just explored the little Graeagle area and state park. This is a place I could easily see coming back to over and over again. It is a little hidden gem that I never would have known about if it weren’t for Unilocal!It reminded me of the small town in upstate NY where my grandparents had a little lake house. Small town people, lots of small town pride, and a nice little getaway from everything (including cell phone signals in many areas!).
I had some of the best barbecue of my life at this little trailer called Bread and Butter. The southern hospitality was as abundant as the meat on my sammie and as sweet as pie. It was a little helping of the south so much closer to home. I really appreciated it. Plus, the food was so plentiful I had plenty to share with my wifey after her hike. I came back to pick her up from Howling Dogs and we wound up at the Brewing Lair with some other Unilocalers.
Now I’m not a beer drinker but this was one of the coolest joints I’ve ever been to. The little building has the brewing equipment that you can see while you are ordering. That stuff fascinates me! Outside there is a patio, a deck, picnic tables, a tightrope, corn hole, and plentiful seating. This is the kind of place where everyone hangs out. I can imagine bringing a picnic lunch here with a group of friends. It had such a mellow vibe and it just made you slow down for a minute. It was quite relaxing and I didn’t even have a drink!
We got a little too relaxed and ended up having to rush to get into our finery for dinner. We had a fantastic tour of the property and new hotel via golf carts. Honestly, that was my first time in a golf cart. Riding with my wife made me wish it had seatbelts! Dinner in the Wigwam room was the highlight of an already spectacular day. I had the deconstructed pasta which was delicious but the dinner conversation was my favorite part of the evening. Jennifer, the group events coordinator, was an absolute pleasure to talk to and you could tell how passionate she is about this place. It’s incredibly special and it’s nice to see that the staff realizes that.
After dinner came game night at Ly’s wigwam. We had a fantastic time and tired out quickly after our long day. This little getaway was just what we needed to relax, have fun, and hang with some fantastic new friends. I’m really enjoying getting to know everyone a little better at each Unilocal event. This weekend was full of good food, good friends, and good adventures!

There are not enough adjectives to describe how amazing this event was and there aren’t enough stars to accurately rate this. This was hands down my favorite event to date and Michael truly went above and beyond to ensure that we had a fabulous time.
Running late, per usual, we arrive at Nakoma at about 10:45 am. With only 15 minutes until the group portion of the event, we were a little worried we weren’t going to be able to meet up with everyone. Luckily though, we were able to get checked in fairly quickly and a call was placed to Howling Dogs that we’d be a little late. We had to ditch our original plan of a quick soak in the hot tub and packing up sandwiches for our hike.
After following our definitively small-​town directions («they’re all red cabins!!»), we found Howling Dogs and arrived at the same time as some fellow Unilocalers. Once everyone who opted for the hike was there, we loaded into our cars and took a drive up the highway to a trailhead. The hike was a pretty easy 4 miles along well kept trails that overlooked beautiful lakes. I could have spent so much more time up there and will have to return for camping. It was absolutely breathtaking and so nice to get outside and get some exercise! Many thanks to Kimberly at Howling Dogs for being our wonderful guide!
After the hike, a few of us decided to hit a local brewery — the Brewing Lair (so much for those calories we burned off!). A fantastic spot and a really good time, but that’s a different review.
After our beers, we headed back to Nakoma. We kicked off the evening by hopping in awaiting golf carts and raced (I mean, drove at an appropriate golf cart speed) across the street to get a tour of the under-​construction Lodge. This, along with the additional future plans for a market and other shops, sounds like a great vision and I can’t wait to see it when it’s all completed.
Back in the Wigwam room, we enjoyed appetizers and drinks before dinner. I loved the creative sauces that were served with the seared tuna, shrimp, and oysters, especially the black garlic sauce and the cilantro sauce. And the crispy duck tacos were my favorite of all of the appetizers. My dinner choice was the coq au vin with the chocolate mousse for dessert, while the BF chose the Korean steak with the panna cotta for dessert. I enjoyed both of my choices more, but all of the food was pretty good. All of this topped of with never ending glasses of wine. You didn’t even notice you needed a refill until a server was there refilling your glass.
After dinner, introductions, and conversation, a bunch of us headed to the amazing two bedroom villa that me, the BF, and Ly S. shared for drinks and games. Umm, sorry I passed out early everybody — hope you all had a good time!
The next morning, I enjoyed a facial (50% off woot!) and then it was unfortunately time to head home. I wish there was more time for the sauna our room had, exploring the beautiful property, using the hot tub when it was actually hot (instead of lukewarm because somebody forgot to put the cover on overnight), breakfast or lunch at FLoW, more hiking, exploring Graeagle, etc., etc. But I guess that just means we have our itinerary ready for the next time!

This was a whirlwind of an event — we got there early, around 9 AM, and got checked into our studio villa. Cool little space, like a giant yurt and like a nautilus inside, coming in the door, through the little entryway/​kitchen space, past the couch/​coffee table and the sliding glass door to the Weber and patio, winding around the bed, and then snaking through the bathroom past the double-​vanity, past the door to the enclosed patio with the hot thub, and ending at the shower and Jacuzzi-​style tub. Definitely a bit of an older building, with some things slipping a bit — for example, the TV had a satellite set-​top box, as well as a home-​theater-​in-​a-​box DVD/​receiver deal, but the speakers and DVD player were unplugged since there weren’t enough outlets. Minor detail, but one that could easily have been addressed with a simple outlet multiplier, and one that stuck out for me since we wanted music, not to watch TV.
I participated in the golf clinic with Jon Jaress. Great teaching pro who worked with the 5 of us, really meeting us where we were at. I haven’t played a round of golf for probably a dozen years, and been to the range a handful of times in that same 12 years. His teaching style was great, in that he focused on useful bits and pieces that each individual could apply and work on immediately — no focus on the grip, swing planes, rotations, weight shifts, or other fundamentals. I’m not sure if that’s how he usually teaches, but the perfect format for a group lesson/​clinic.
The GF went on a hike in the surrounding area, and then raved about her hour long massage at the spa. I wandered the premises a bit while she was getting her massage, and was intrigued by their bocce courts — bigger than the courts I first learned to play on, but nicely situated for socializing.
Before dinner, we got a tour of the hotel that they’re building and of the Frank Lloyd Wright designed clubhouse. The vision for the place is ambitious, trying to become a true destination type resort with rec center, shopping, etc, similar to Squaw or Northstar, just centered around a golf course instead of a ski mountain.
Dinner included a solid poached pear salad, and I had the coq au vin, finished with a chocolate mousse. I saw the price point for the entrees the next morning on a menu ($ 25 – 35), and was thinking that was just about right. Not blow your mind amazing, but solid, well executed dishes.
The one regret from the event is that we only booked one night — there was so much go, go, go. .. we could definitely have stayed one more and just relaxed a day away.

So lucky to be of part of this Unilocal Elite event. Was invited by my friend May. Thank goodness I didn’t turn down the invite, because I would have regretted it big time! Drove all the way from Sacramento to Clio. it was like a 2 ½ hr drive. I can’t believe my car even made it. I was surprised! Got to Nakoma Resort around 8:45am. They allowed the Unilocalers to check in early at 9am. We got our keys to the 2 master suite Villa! We had to drive to our villa because it was not next to the main lobby. Man… it was gorgeous! Flats screens in every room, washer/​dryer, Jacuzzi tub, full kitchen, fireplace, patio with a beautiful view, and a hot tub. Oh and the beds… huge and so comfortable.
We were able to relax a lil until our hike. I took so many pictures. Everything was so beautiful. We had a set itinerary. We opted for the Hike in Lake Basin Recreation Area at 11am. Met up with everyone else at Howling Dog Bike & Ski shop in a small town Greagle, CA. It was like 15min drive from the resort. Kimberly the owner of the Howling Dog was our guide. She had this cute dog name Lucy that she also brought along. The drive to the hiking area was about 15min. Once we got there I knew this was gonna be good. Kimberly took us through 3 different trails. Bear Lake, Silver Lake and Long Lake trails. She had us stop to take pictures of the most breathtaking views ever. The hike was about 2hrs long. It was rough at first but we all survived. All the pain I experienced the next morning was all worth it.
We were beat from the hike. Got back to the resort and just wanted to lay down. Next it was the tour of the resort. We met up with the GM Dan Gallagher who gave the group a tour of the clubhouse. We even got to drive the golf cart around and took a tour of the nearly finished 42 room hotel. That was fun! I gotta admit I can’t even drive a car, but a golf cart tho? Felt like a lil kid again. After the tour we were hosted to beer, wine and appetizers of Jumbo cocktail shrimps, raw oysters on a half shell, Hamachi, mushroom & goat cheese crustinis, and smoked duck wonton tacos, Everything was yummy. I definitely couldn’t wait for the main course. First thing that came out was the SALAD. Boy… was that delicious. It had poached pears, prosciutto, walnuts, blue cheese over a bed of greens and perfectly dressed. I ordered the Coq au Vin (French) It was Chicken, but it was wonderful. I cleaned my plate. My cousin who also came had their Japanese Skirt Steak. She let me try a piece. It was awesome. Tender and full of flavor. Oh yeah the truffle mashed potatoes that came with my chicken was heaven in my mouth. I saved a lil room for dessert. I had the Chai Panna Cotta and my cousin has the Chocolate Mousse. Both dessert was yummy! Hands down the best dinner service. Our glass was never empty and food was memorable.
After dinner some people went back and played games, but we wanted to check out the hot tub. Ended up in the Jacuzzi instead. :)
Can’t wait to come back and visit once everything is finished!
Thank Michael T for allowing May to bring us. :)

It is extremely rare to have an overnight success, unless you’re Michael T., the amazing CM of Unilocal Reno, who got everything «Wright» with this truly fantastic event!
Nearly 30 Unilocalers escaped Reno and Sacramento areas to venture, Nakoma, a unique resort created by Frank Lloyd Wright. The drive was beautiful and the accommodations were a breath of fresh air! It was such a privilege to be able to get away and partake in the last moments of the villas being available for overnight stays as they are moving to a time share like program. Someone give me a winning multi-​million dollar lottery ticket please! Who wouldn’t want to return here with all of your friends? Granted, it will make for terrific romantic getaway, too!
I stayed in a two bedroom villa with my plus one, a girlfriend I hope is a fan of FLW, and Rob & Sarah, fab Unilocal friends! The open great room, the common courtyard with private entries to the hot tub, and back of the villas view over some lush greens made for a plush lifestyle feel that is just so fun to experience once in a while!
We had the choice to hike or golf after we checked in. I opted for the hike as you really do not want me anywhere near a swinging club. A short drive away from the resort, we met up with our very friendly guide, Kimberly, owner of Howling Dog. She took us on a scenic and easy to hike loop by Big Bear Lake, Long Lake, and Silver Lake… some beautiful swimming spots that may be very refreshing during a summer hike. Kimberly was very informative about the area and I really liked her dog, Lucy, who would lead the way and several times came to the back of the line to make sure everyone was keeping up! And she was a ham for the camera, too!
After cleaning up a bit, we met with everyone and GM Dan Gallagher at the clubhouse for our property tour, the highlight of which was driving the golf carts and screaming like little kids when we zipped through the sprinklers. Dan gave us a glimpse of the vision of what’s to come with the 42 room hotel that expects to emulate and perpetuate the legacy of Frank Lloyd Wright. Set to open July 1, 2015, it seems it will be a sight to see! But, I might wait for another year when they add on the pool onto the property.
Once the tour was done and sadly we returned the golf carts to their parking spots, we were invited into the WigWam room, an architectural delight, where we partook of drinks and appetizers before sitting among three long tables for a three course meal that was delightful in presentation, flavor, and service. It seemed that empty glasses were not allowed and conversation abounded. The acoustics may have not been the best for this loud crowd, but I didn’t hear much complaint about the noise. Dan introduced the hardworking crew from chefs to servers, one of which was his lovely wife, and we applauded them for a wonderful evening.
After dinner, we were left to our own devices, so my villa mates and I invited everyone over to our place for drinks and games. Here, I note two downsides; there wasn’t a stereo/​sound system to which we could play our phones for music and there wasn’t an ice machine, just two ice trays. So, we flipped thru the DirecTV music channels and made ice the old fashioned way. We played several party games, laughed, shared stories and enjoyed the night away.
Once everyone left, I went to finish my night soaking in the hot tub with just a couple of friends. After the hike, great eats, and a very social evening, it was definitely nice to kick it and relax before climbing into the soft, luxurious bed for the few hours before checkout.
Let’s just say, you can’t go wrong with becoming Elite!

As most of my fellow Unilocalers know I don’t write very many reviews. But I feel compelled to write this one. I was fortunate enough to be my wife’s plus one at this Elite Unilocal event. We were hosted at the Nakoma Resort in Clio, CA near Portola by General Manager Dan Gallagher who gave our group of about 30 a tour of the resort after everyone had returned from a day of activities. Five of us had an hour long golf lesson with Nakoma ‘s Golf Pro Jon Jaress while others went on a hike in the local mountains. I have been playing golf for 48 years and have never had a lesson — but Jon helped me correct a few flaws in my swing that hopefully will help my game. After the tour of the clubhouse and the nearly finished 42 room hotel that opens in July, we were hosted to wine and h’orderves of oysters, shrimp, duck tacos and mushroom & goat cheese crustinis and a wonderful dinner of salad, a choice of main courses (I had Coq au Vin) and a desert of chocolate mousse. Later a group of us got together for some games at one of the villas we were staying in.
Oh i forgot to mention our accommodations were villas designed in the style of the Frank Lloyd Wright club house. The studio villa that my wife and I were staying in had a private outdoor hot tub, a Jacuzzi bathtub, a nice seating area and a comfy King size bed.
As usual Senior Community Manager Michael Tragash outdid himself in setting up the fantastic weekend for us. We had a chance to visit a gorgeous resort that’s only an hour from Reno. Were hosted to a great meal with the wine glasses never being empty and got to share the experience with our Unilocal friends and were fortunate enough to meet some new friends. Great job Michael. A winning weekend for us. For the Nakoma resort and for Unilocal

Our Unilocal CM Michael did a magnificent job with this one! Going to be hard to beat.
Unfortunately our day started around 2 pm, we arrived later than planned and from talking to others it sounds like we missed out. Upon check-​in we were given a packet with the event details. We got settled in to the villa and had time to relax before dinner.
Our villa was fabulous! The place felt clean, had plenty of linens and was very spacious. The bed and pillows were very comfy. The design of the inside was really cool with a 3 sided fireplace in the middle surrounded by a massive rock hearth. No real fires allowed in there anymore and the electric logs that are installed now are barely enough to add any ambiance. The private balcony and hot tub were great to have but there were a huge amount of wasps in the balcony area which made us afraid to go out there. There was also another patio with a grill and seating arrangement, that looked out with a view of the golf course. I liked the fact each villa had their own driveway.
An introduction to the property was conducted by the GM, nicely done. Some history of the property, a quick walk through the building then to some golf carts for a quick jaunt to the partially constructed lodge. After a tour there it was back to the clubhouse for appetizers, drinks and dinner in the Wigwam room.
The food was magnificent! The tacos were really good, surprised me that they were cold but still tasty. The wife said the shrimp were good. The pear salad was nicely done, the candied walnuts really added to the great flavor here. I ordered the halibut for my main course, it was nice and flakey, not overseasoned either which can ruin this delicate flavored fish. For dessert I had the chai pana cota, great flavor here as well, a perfect ending to a delightfully done dinner.
All of the staff we interacted with over the course of our stay were kind, welcoming and professional.
Overall we really enjoyed this trip. It is sad to hear they will no longer offer the villas to the public once the lodge is built. That was one thing that really helped make this trip so wonderful. No noise from neighbors, slamming doors, people talking loud, all of the stuff I hate about staying at a hotel is avoided, really enhancing the experience. All of the great architecture and views around the property helped make this a very memorable trip!

This got to be one of my favorite. Michael T. Got this one «Wright» on the money. Being my wife’s + 1, I benefitted from Unilocal’s events. When we headed to Clio for this event, I was expecting nothing but the best. I sure not disappointed. This was the second time we fellowship with the Reno elite and wow. What a close knit group. The nakoma /​dragon resort was gorgeous and I can not wait to see and revisit this place once their fully in operation. We had signed up for the «hiking» way up there in the mountains. It was fun although it became sort of survival at end LOL. We hiked for approximately 3.9 miles through gorgeous and pristine areas. Our guide Kimberly have taking her time to show us those gorgeous views (big bear lake, silver lake and long lake) I never seen such a pristine area, especially the water it was clean and gorgeous. A hikers paradise for sure. We had the opportunity to take pictures together as a group. That was an awesome experience.
When we got back to our lodge which is beautiful by the way. The design was like being In An Indian teepee and a fireplace in the middle of the unit. We had a full kitchen, a living room and It was cozy, we have our friends with us from Sacramento as our guess we shared. (a two room unit). I never felt so relax.
As dinner approached, we had the opportunity to meet Dan the Gm for the resort and gave us a history of the area and what influence of Mr. Wright about the designs. It will be a gorgeous golf course /​resort. Each of the guess rode the golf carts to the facilities even under construction. We were treated with hosted bar, beer and wine and appetizer and the main 3 course meal. I had the Korean steak and it was delicious. We were exhausted from all the activities and retired after dinner, while some still continued to fellowship next door to us. Coming home from such a wonderful weekend was difficult. I truly enjoyed our brief but memorable time up there. I thank my wife May and thank Micheal T. (Cm for Reno) for the invite and having us outsider.

This is going to be an incredibly long review, but it was an incredibly long event– a full day and a half. And SCM Michael packed so much into it.
After an easy hour drive from Reno to Portola, CA, my plus one hubby and I arrived at 10am, everyone received early check in. The weather was a gorgeous spring day. We were in the Sierra mountains surrounded by never ending trees and breath taking views. We picked up a «packet» with the event itinerary, dinner menu and wonderful info on the resort and the surrounding area. We had a studio villa– #107. The villas are another review. We unpack our stuff.
Then we head up to the driving range and met the resident golf pro Jon Jaress. Ernie, Sara, Drew, hubby and I receive a great lesson and tips from Jon. During our time he managed to work on our drives and irons. They are now a little longer and straighter. Everyone enjoyed Jon’s teaching style. Hubby and I stayed on the range a little longer and practiced more and did a little putting too.
Then up to the FLoW for a late lunch on the deck overlooking the #1 tee boxes. Wonderful food, view and service.
Those who didn’t golf had massages and others took a hike in the surrounding area. After our lunch we took off on our own hike. We walked the front nine of the Dragon golf course. We were unable to play because the greens were quite ready yet, they needed that first spring cut. The course took almost two hours to walk. The terrain and layout of the course was spectacular. We will be coming back up in the next couple of months to try and slay this Dragon.
We returned to the villa for a brief relaxation time and to get ready for more events Michael had planned for us.
At 5pm we all met back at the FLoW and met Dan Gallagher the general manager. Dan talked about the Frank Lloyd Wright design and the resort. We were let in on the upcoming expansions and upgrades to the resort. This spot is wonderful now but in the next couple of years will make an incredible get away or vacation spot– everything a person could want– golf, hiking, biking, views and food. What a destination. We all got to take the golf carts to the new hotel being built at the entrance of the property. A fabulous new addition– I loved our villa but could easily stay at the hotel too. Back up to the clubhouse to the Wigwam room for a massive dinner spread. Starting with a selection of wines and appetizers. We snacked on oysters, shrimp, seared ahi, duck tacos and mushroom crustini. All that could have easily been dinner. But no dinner was a large fresh salad with poached pears, candied walnuts, blue cheese and speck. Then there were choices– choices that were terribly hard to make. Entrees were coq au vin, Korean skirt steak, pan seared halibut, or pesto pasta. And dessert, don’t overlook dessert. They have a new pastry chef on board– so a decadent chocolate mousse or chai pana cotta finished the meal. I forgot to mention the wine all evening never stopped !!
To give the staff a chance to go home, we all headed to Ly, Sara, and Rob’s villa for more drinks and several hours of games. Oh the inhumanity of it all !! I love the game of cards against humanity and Ly showed us a few new one I enjoyed.
Crawling back to the villa we had such a peaceful sleep and in the morning had coffee and Bailey’s overlooking the 10^th fairway.
As the hubby enjoyed his book on the terrace, I took advantage of the spa and enjoyed a massage. Ahhhh the life of an Elite!
This IS the Wright way to live !!!

Wow, what a great experience, at a hidden gem, in the Sierra Nevada’s, and so close to home! This was a fun event and I enjoyed this place so much, I will definitely be back, especially once I get the kids out of the house.
We arrived just shy of eleven a.m. and because we were planning to attend the golf academy quickly checked in, which the staff made so incredibly easy. We were in and out of the front desk in maybe five minutes and back to our car to change shoes and grab clubs. The course though I didn’t see all of it (though there was a hike so we certainly could have seen more) is absolutely beautiful.
John was our golf pro for the golf academy, and what a great, personable, friendly, and patient guy. He was incredible informative, very knowledgeable, and has a keen vision for what is right and wrong with your swing. John has that innate ability, as good instructors do, of patiently demonstrating ways to improve by having his students perform something a different way, so that they may realize, see, and appreciate the changes that will help them golf better. In other words, he never tells you what you’re doing is wrong, he shows you through minor changes, what will make you better, and why those changes are inhibiting your ability.
We moved on from golf to a massage, which was great. The two therapists, think couples massage, were very good and the time completely flew by, I couldn’t believe that hour had passed. Alas, it really had passed, but they didn’t rush us from the room at all and told us we could take our time. My massage therapist took plenty of time on my problem areas and by the time she had finished most of my trigger points had finally become relaxed. Our other therapist, who worked on my lovely wife, was incredibly sweet; she not only took the time to work on and analyze my wife’s troubled areas, but also informed her of steps she could take to help correct her sometimes painful issues.
Moving from massage to hunger, which we had not addressed, we decided it was time for some grub. We got a pastrami sandwich at the bar, which they were nice enough to split for us, and while I enjoyed a local beer on tap, my wife enjoyed the pinot. The sandwich was good, and interestingly served with caramelized apples, I hardly noticed them myself, but still enjoyed the food and fries. Matt, primarily helped us at the bar, was informative and knowledgeable about the resort and made good conversation.
Time to move on to our room, now that our bellies were comfortably full. So incredibly comfortable and beautiful, I spent the first few minutes enamored with the details of the room. I wish we could have spent more time here. We took time to enjoy the hot tub, the bed, the shower, and some down time; I guess too much down time as it turns out we were getting ready for dinner when we noticed something like a metric ton of golf carts cruising by our villa. Turns out, we should read the entire event page, yes I was the tool driving by all of you in opposite directions, because we missed the tour (we will figure it out, give us a little time).
Dinner, and technically appetizers first, were good. The shrimp and cocktail sauce were fresh and delicious. Oysters were good and fresh and I also enjoyed the spin on their bruschetta, and while the taco was good, the fried shell did not hold up well and turned into a mess. In any event the bottomless wine was much appreciated and dinner was good. The salad was nice, fresh, light, and dressed perfectly. Entrée’s were broad based and also very good and while I enjoyed mine well enough the Korean skirt steak was a hit! I also enjoyed the dessert, though I think I would have enjoyed the mousse more.
The evenings meal concluded and we opted to turn in, but the next morning Michael T. extended a breakfast offer, which we gladly accepted. The ever gracious host that Michael is he made a delicious omelet, and made it from organic eggs from his own chickens (Sarah doesn’t even eat eggs but still took a bite and commented how good it was). Suffice it to say, we had a great time, Michael is a great host, this is a great place, we will be back, and I will start reading all the details of the events. Sorry this got so wordy, there was just a lot to comment about.

Wright On!
Nakoma is one of the Frank Lloyd Wright inspired villas. Our entire day Saturday was packed from morning to night as the evening was winding down. We arrived at the resort around 8:45 this morning and we were already allowed to check-​in. We were given the last 2-​bedroom Villa. We roomed with fellow Unilocalers as my guests (thank you, Michael). The gals in the front desk were nice and helpful as they checked us in. They were fabulous and we had no problems getting our room.
Our Villa was beautiful inside and out. The hardwood floors, the central stone fireplace, a full-​sized kitchen equipped with microwave oven, stove, dishwasher and plates, cups, kitchen utensils, and silverware next to the kitchenette, a luxurious bathroom that looks like a spa. It features a private patio with our own private hot tub, a back patio with BBQ grill overlooking a beautiful scenic backdrop, pond and trail.
We were given two activities to participate in and each was scheduled at 11:00a. My hubby and I chose to hike (versus golf clinic). We are not seasoned hikers but we are worse in golf! Golf clinic was held at the Dragon Golf Course driving range with resident golf professional, Jon Jaress! Hiking was at the Lakes Basin Recreation Area with Kimberly (and Lucy, the dog) of Howling Dogs Bike and Ski, which is where our meeting place was some 15 min drive from the resort in the town of Graeagle. Wow! the hiking trails that Kimberly took us to were so pristine and not yet very popular to the public. The lake provided some beautiful scenery and beautiful backdrops for some photo ops. We had the chance to see the Bear Lake Trail, Silver Lake Trail and Long Lake. The weather was beautiful and we were actually lucky to be able to do this hike because of the dry winters we’ve been experiencing. Usually, the road to the Lakes Basin are closed until Memorial Day. Our hike today was about 4 miles (3.9 to be exact).
After our hike we opted to go back to our villa to relax. We could have gone back to Graeagle to check out the little shops and local quaint bars but –whew– that hiking wore me out. I suppose others tried the spa treatment or hit some golf balls on the driving range.
Scheduled to meet everyone at the FLoW Bar and Lounge for our personal tour of the property with GM, Dan Gallagher, at 5:00p. We were shown the loggia, tea room and given a little history of Frank Lloyd Wright’s vision of Nakoma. We also had a chance to drive golf carts to tour the still-​under-​construction new hotel. As Dan showed and explained each room I can just picture that the hotel will be so elegant and beautiful. The lobby and check-​in area will have a clear, open view because of the high ceiling and glass windows that is planned to be installed throughout.
Before dinner we had an hour of hosted wine/​beer and chef’s appetizer bar at 6:00p at the Wigwam Room. Menu included jumbo prawns in cocktail sauce, oysters, hamachi tuna, and smoked duck wonton tacos. So delicious! Hosted dinner included poached pear salad, your choice of three different entrees: Coq Au Vin (chicken thighs braised in red wine), Korean Skirt Steak (which is what I chose), Pan-​Seared Halibut, and Pesto Pasta. We had two choices of desserts: chocolate mousse and chai pana cotta — my hubby and I each tried both.
Special thanks to the fantastic chefs who prepared the fabulous dinner for us. I didn’t forget about the service staff who made the evening smooth and great with their attentiveness to serving us. There were less than 30 attendees in this elite event and I am pretty sure that each one will unanimously agree with me that Nakoma Golf Resort and Spa is an awesome place for some R&R. The resort is scheduled to open this summer on July 1^st. The lodge will have 42-​rooms and a separate recreation area. Once again, I’d like to thank Michael for having us join and bond with your fabulous Reno Elites (Sabrina, Ly, Becky, Sean and Kyle). You guys are great! Until next time…
Here’s how it went down (a little video):
Our 10-​min video of hiking at the Lakes Basin Recreational Area: