Summer issue of Sierra FoodWineArt magazine is now circulating

The summer issue of Sierra FoodWineArt magazine is at digital.sierraculture.com. 

Our theme: “Everything old is new again.” It points to the history of Lake Tahoe’s wooden boats; Facebook CEO Mark Zuckerberg’s recent purchase of two iconic Old Tahoe estates; and the ongoing renovation of two of the oldest hotels west of the Mississippi — the National Hotel and The Holbrooke in the Sierra Foothills.

The issue also cites the naming of Grass Valley-Nevada City and Truckee as California Cultural Districts, a prestigious statewide designation to help preserve the past.

Our magazine includes travel guides for Auburn, Grass Valley, Nevada City and Truckee; articles on the BriarPatch, farm-to-table cooking, and wine & food festivals; as well as a feature on the art and poetry that is aimed at building local knowledge of the recent devastating fires (and hopes to foster emergency preparedness). This includes a $75,000 award to local poet Molly Fisk from the Academy of American Poets.

Our cover features Saga, a 1930, 38-foot Chris-Craft commuter photographed by Steven Lapkin. Edward and Deborah Scott named their boat after the book “The Saga of Lake Tahoe,” written by Edward’s father.

On a personal note, I’ve known Ed for years. He is a retired general counsel at Chevron Corp., whom I got to know when I covered the oil giant for the San Francisco Chronicle between the mid-’80s and mid-’90s. We remain in touch.

The issue also includes extensive photos of Lapkin’s boating photography. Steven writes: ““What makes a picture stunning isn’t the gear or technology, it’s the story. In my wooden boat work, my main focus is on the subjects, and the vibrant, realistic lighting so that you-see-what-I-see through the lens. I feel the details and nuances: the water droplets, the wake, the glistening chrome, and fine gloss finishes.”

We also show Steven’s photos of the America’s Cup yachts, including Team Oracle’s wing-sail catamaran in front of the Golden Gate Bridge (see pages 2-3 of our new issue).