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On Location: Small-Town Charms Near Lake Tahoe
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BY PATRICK CROWLEY | PHOTOGRAPHY BY AMANDA FRIEDMAN
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Inside the Genoa Bar & Saloon; Curious horses come for a closer look near Lake Tahoe; the welcoming entrance to the Genoa Bar.
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It’s a funny thing about photo shoots: You get so caught up in the details of what has to be shot, you miss the other fantastic things around you. That was the case with Genoa, a Nevada town in the Tahoe area that’s so small we completely missed it the first time we passed through.
ROADSIDE LUNCH
After wrapping up a photo shoot for our Lake Tahoe feature, photographer Amanda Friedman and I decided to explore the area. We’d finished the shoot at 1862 Saloon, a Western-style steakhouse, and the owner suggested we check out the town of Genoa.
On the way, we stopped to look at some horses in a field by the road. They came up close to the fence, delighted to see that we had apples left over from our lunch. The mountainous landscape made a perfect backdrop for some snapshots. After all the bustle of an extensive shoot, this was a fun, spontaneous moment.
NEW IN TOWN
I admired the beautiful woodcut signage decorating the town’s storefronts—but it doesn’t take the trained eye of an art director to appreciate an aesthetic like that. We were also drawn to the quirky lights outside the Genoa Bar & Saloon, which proudly calls itself “Nevada’s oldest thirst parlor,” in operation since 1853. The walls are covered with relics of the past, such as Raquel Welch’s leopard-print bra, which dangles from a set of antlers. Over the years this dive has had its share of famous visitors, among them Ulysses S. Grant, Mark Twain, Teddy Roosevelt, Clark Gable and Carole Lombard. It has also served as a set for several movies, including The Shootist, starring John Wayne, and Clint Eastwood’s Honkytonk Man. Pop in for a cold one, and enjoy a fascinating history lesson from the friendly bartender while Patsy Cline plays on the jukebox.
MAKE MINE CRUNCHY
The greeting at Genoa Station, a restaurant on Main Street, was just as welcoming. Candace, our waitress, pointed us toward the Parmesan mushroom appetizer, the sweet-potato chips, the French dip and the Station Burger, garnished with smoked cheddar, bacon, avocado and barbecue sauce. Exactly the meal we needed after a tiring day!
After that great experience, we returned for breakfast the next morning. Candace wasn’t working, but her mother and one of the owners, Karen, were there to help us. Amanda and her assistant opted for eggs and toast; I was persuaded to try the Crispy Crunchy French Toast, covered in a crusty cereal batter. When you travel, it’s those special discoveries that are the most memorable.
Genoa Bar & Saloon
2282 Main St., Genoa; 775-782-3870; genoabarandsaloon.com
Genoa Station
2285 Main St., Genoa; 775-783-1599; no website
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Published: July 11, 2012
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