Lake Tahoe

LAKE TAHOE, NV--We're down to 109 players inside Harveys Lake Tahoe ... and outside it's snowing. Tiny tiny flakes, but still, kinda cool.

LAKE TAHOE, CA—Sticky, sweet, Texas BBQ goodness is all I have to say about Womack's Texas Style BBQ. The Womack’s grew up in the East Texas town of Gary. They must have felt at home with all the pine trees around here, and I’m glad they did. Until last night with the exception of the awesome pastrami and Swiss sandwich I had at PS The Brewery just up the street, a good meal had been hard to find.

Womack’s is not 5-star when it comes to service, but they really took care of us. A laid back mix of snow boarder-dude and East Texas gent, our server as well as son of the owner, Anthony made us feel right at home.

For the meal, I enjoyed sweet barbecue baby back ribs, HOT links, the best black-eyed peas I have had in my life and a nice Sierra Nevada to top it off. After dinner, I introduced Dan to Womack’s hot-spiced wine, a yummy mixture of burgundy and merlot blended with cinnamon and citrus. I love mulled wine or as they call it in the Alps, Glühwein (gluvine). It was perfect compliment as the first big chill had blown through Tahoe.

LAKE TAHOE, CA--Jen is correct in extolling the virtue of The Block -- "the world's first snowboarder's hotel." Considering that we had a hard time locating a hotel in Tahoe, we scored big with this locale. But a few pieces of greatness that she didn't point out are how on most nights the sweet smell of kind bud wafts up from various balconies; how the "maids" don't show up to clean your room until early in the afternoon -- no need to wake a partier too early; and how the people who do said cleaning have long hair, ponytails, and tattoos. Oh, and the DVD's you are welcome to borrow ... they've got everything from Monty Python to porn.

Everything a snowboarder might desire.

Also, check out the sign posted in the bathrooms from management:

LAKE TAHOE, CA--That's the title of the paper attached to the bathroom door from professional snowboarder and owner, Marc Frank Montoya, of The Block Hotel telling his "Coo' Ass Peeps" not to mess up his crib.That's the nature of The Block, young, artsy, cool and hip.

A converted motel created for snowboarders, The Block has an internet cafe, free wi-fi and movies for all ages to check out. The hotel also offers free energy drinks, energy bars, and thank God for Dan (and myself) free samples of deodorant at the front desk. Guests have their choice from one of the many modern rooms or can choose a signature theme room like The Napster Room, the pokery Delta Nine Room or The Vivid Room complete with stripper pole.

All rooms boast a large plasmaTV, PS2 game consoles, boot/glove dryers, board racks and refrigerators. From noon to midnight, Hip Hop music thumps from the court yard which also hosts a cozy deck, a barbeque area, and up above a little hot tub after a day on the slopes.

While The Block welcomes all, it is definitely a place for the young or at least the hip-at-heart. Personally, it's been a sweet change from staying at a big casino hotel.

LAKE TAHOE, NV--Hung around Harvey's last night watching the $550 No-Limit #6 last night. As mentioned earlier, it was all pretty low key, but as we got down to the final three tables people started crowding around. I had my eye on two ladies Sang Tran (right) and Karen Bochenek.

Karen is no stranger to Reno/Tahoe, but this is Sang's first major tournament. She learned how to play over a year ago when her boyfriend's home game with The Poker Nutz was short a player.

"It was a $20, nine person tournament and I ended up winning it," she said. She had helped out around the store and dealt games, but hadn't played a hand until then. "I always appreciated the game, but never really played."

LAKE TAHOE, NV--At the WSOP Main Event everyone seems to have someone there for support. By the time the event is down to the last three or four tables each player has a little fan club whether they be tried and true or adopted. Here most people seem to be on their own, except for these crazy guys with matching t-shirts...The Poker Nutz. The guys own an poker store in Sacramento where they design poker tables, t-shirts and offer poker lessons. They escorted Rick Sutliffe via a limo after he won their store's raffle which included a buy-in to Event #6 ($500+50 NLH).

Twelve of them came to Tahoe to play in this event. Sang Tran, David Hurley, and Rafael Perez have placed in the money. Perez will be at the final table today.

Poker Scowl.David Hurley and Rafael Perez sit among the final two tables in the WSOP Circuit Event #6 in Lake Tahoe.

LAKE TAHOE, NV--Dan's right. It's pretty laid back here. Chips are clanking, but their cadence is a little quieter than normal. There are no big national names here. Players are hanging out in their socks (right), empty tables are not so discreetly crammed in the corner, and the events are smaller...nothing wrong with it, it's just different. The WSOP was my first "real" poker event, and while I am not naive enough to believe that all WSOP events were to be like that, I just thought there would be more going on here.

I have to say it's a nice change. I remember while hanging with David from Gutshot at the end of the WSOP main event he told me "It's not always like this. At other events you can have a life."