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I lived in Nice located on Clearlake (the Lake), located in Lake County California for about six months. I consider it an island “unto itself” located in the middle of California. When I say “unto itself” I mean; it is inexpensive compared to the rest of California. The remoteness of the area isolates it from many of the personality issues of Los Angeles and San Francisco and the area has a tendency to be somewhat conservative for the right reasons. But, it still has that “live and live let live” attitude that people think of, when they think of California.
Consider Lake County a rural area with each hamlet, or small town, having its own personality. I found that Kelseyville is one the places to eat and drink. It has an eclectic ambiance, or atmosphere. Specifically, try the Saw Shop Gallery Bistro … or just explore. Obviously, Konocti Resort is a place to visit. The food is good. More importantly, the outside deck is the place to party, and the concerts that Konocti have to offer are phenomenal. They bring in big name acts. The outdoor amphitheater holds a small intimate crowd, and you will have an intimate experience with major musical acts. The remoteness of the area keeps it intimate. There is an indoor theater too, again, very intimate. I saw Velvet Revolver, Staind, Kid Rock and I got to experience them in a way you never could at large venue. Because the outdoor venue is small I was able to stand right in front of Slash and watch him do his thing.
At last, I must mention the Boathouse in Nice. It is located right on the lake and the party scene and locals that hang there are awesome. As I mentioned, I lived in Nice and when I moved there I knew no one. The locals took me in, and I had many intimate moments and good times.
Another way to spend some time would be to drive down to Calistoga. You will be driving down the side of a mountain coming out of the Clearlake area, and then it will open up with a spectacular view of the wine country as you enter Calistoga. Calistoga is a very cool town, and I cannot say enough about it. Again, do some exploring. You could continue your drive through Sonoma, and Napa, of you should be hitting the wineries along the way. I use to finish this trip by ending up in San Francisco for Bloody Marys. Then I would reverse the trip, and head back to Nice.
The only drawback to Lake County is Clearlake (the lake). During the warm months it is green with algae. From what I heard the environmentalist won’t let it be killed off. Don’t know if that is true, but hey it is California.
The short time I lived in Lake County changed my life. I was a broker in living Dallas. I was burned-out and the people and the beauty of the area helped me find some peace; Zen if you will. I learned to live, again.
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