It’s Friday, which means it’s time for a chat with my friend, ID Collection’s Jim Williamson. Happy Friday, friends. It’s hard to believe we are almost midway through August, and the Olympics are coming to an end. That seemed fast, right? Is it just me or did you want Ryan Seacrest to go away, too? In related news, I am happy to report that the Olympic-themed dinner party was delicious and did not require the use of a fire extinguisher—although many of the guests were lit.

In other news, I was able to escape the heat with a brief trip to Lake Tahoe. We began the weekend at our friend’s farm in Grass Valley. The house, a rambling 19th-century farmhouse was the former home to the family from the television program Little People, Big World. Who knew I would have a reality TV moment on holiday? Our friend,  fun and wildly successful interior designer Diana Vincent, has begun transforming it into a super chic space. I wanted to stay forever, despite the fact that my lungs didn’t know what to do with all that fresh air. We played with the chickens, ate fresh blackberries, and enjoyed some delicious California wines. We also discussed important topics like K Stew, the impracticality of stoves from the 1800s, and the importance of having a veranda overlooking your own personal vineyard.

We drove into Truckee where our friend owns High Camp Home and another home or three. I’m really starting to have home envy. We toured the town and then drove a short distance to the Ritz for a glass or two of champagne. (It was National Champagne Day, after all!) I couldn’t help but overhear a conversation about the escapades of the editor of a San Francisco online magazine. Did I get any scoop? Maybe. But as it isn’t polite to listen to other people’s conversations, I plead the fifth. But do check out 7×7.com.

We ended our all too brief trip with a tour of the lake on a 1975 Venetian long boat, which looked like a highly polished dining table for 50. We also had dinner at Stella, and the meal was stellar. Except for the cool weather, blue water, mountains, and lack of gnats, I could have sworn I was back home in Georgia.

So how am I going to relate this all back to design? Well, our friend is a designer and she designed a perfectly lovely weekend. And I got to see how people like to decorate in Tahoe (lots of brown), and I learned that trips are good for the spirit. Even if that three hour journey turns into 13 hours complete with a 4-year-old child attempting to sing opera… Until next time!