THERE are two things happening in the Lake Tahoe basin right now. It’s Super Tuesday in the California part and Sens. Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton are in a neck-to-neck contest there. For the GOP part, it’s a sure shot for Sen. John McCain but former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney has admittedly lots of fans there as well. While McCain is banking on his leadership experience both as a naval aviator and as a senator, Romney is banking on his economic experience. And one who can work well with the Federal Reserve’s Ben Bernanke harmoniously is certainly the one we need right now especially that the United States is in the brink of recession. The other things happening right now in Lake Tahoe are the snowstorms.

Everything will change on February 14. On February 14, the politicians are gone elsewhere in the remaining states which will be holding primaries and caucuses. February 14, 2008 is also part of the 40-day Lenten calendar for the Roman Catholics. But most importantly, the Christian world will celebrate St. Valentine’s Day on February 14 while the more secular lovers in the Western world will have a romantic evening on that day. Lake Tahoe is not an exception of course. As a winter haven all year long, Lake Tahoe has its share of lake houses, casinos, golf courses, and cruise yachts across the lake and snow skiing in the mountains. You can surely go to any of these pleasures when you spend your Valentines here in Lake Tahoe.

Lake Tahoe though is not just the resorts lining up around the lake. Lake Tahoe is also the community surrounding the lake. South Lake Tahoe is located in California while the northern tip of the lake is in Nevada. If you find the price of the inns and hotels at Lake Tahoe itself too steep, then rent a place outside the resort community itself and into downtown. If you want to spend the Valentines here, there’s a floral shop at Winnebucca Avenue called Blake’s Floral Design. Here, you can have a bouquet of Valentines red roses for only a hundred bucks. That’s already reasonable to give to someone whom you would like to court on Valentines Day. But then again, there are also tulips, pink roses and lilies available.

There are also lots of restaurants downtown not just in Lake Tahoe (the Nevada side) but also in Reno as well. If you want your romantic partner to be constantly healthy, then bring her to a seafood restaurant. The ballpark cost is only about $60 per person or a total of $120 for both of you. So there you have it. You have already fished out $100 for the flowers plus another hundred bucks for the dinner and you only have shelled out $200 in proposing marriage to your girlfriend. For me, that’s already reasonable and romantic enough making Lake Tahoe an instrument of your romantic destiny.