John Steinbeck dropped out of Stanford to write his first novel “Cup of Gold” – a swashbuckling Caribbean pirate romance which he completed at Tahoe’s Cascade Lake just prior to taking a job at the state Fish Hatchery just east of Tahoe City.

There he met and wooed his first wife, terrorized visiting females, bragged of his sexual exploits, shot holes in the ceiling with a revolver, and got himself fired — never to return to Tahoe for the remainder of his long career.

Yet Tahoe is just as much “Steinbeck Country” as Salinas or Monterey because this was the place Steinbeck first struggled to learn and master the lonely craft of writing.

Author Scott Lankford will present a public lecture titled Steinbeck at Tahoe: Hatching his First Novel on May 31 from 7-8pm at the UC Davis Tahoe City Field Station (also known as the Historic Fish Hatchery) at 2400 Lake Forest Road, Tahoe City.

South Tahoe Chamber of Commerce mixer is Feb. 10 from 5-7pm at Lake Tahoe Holidays in the Village Center.

All community members are invited to attend and network with fellow business people while enjoying complimentary appetizers and wine. This event is free.

Soroptimist International of Tahoe Sierra meets every Thursday at 7:30am at the South Lake Tahoe Senior Center, 3050 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

All are invited, with breakfast and coffee served.

Speakers begin their presentation at 8am.

Call (530) 409.2791 for more information.

Speakers:

Feb. 10: Joan McColgan from Napa award winning tapestries.

Feb. 17: Ret. Admiral Carl Moor from the U.S. Coast Guard.

Feb 24: Sugar Pine Foundation on their mission and up-coming events.

Mount Tallac High School graduation is June 10 at 11am at the football field of South Tahoe High School.

Each year the Rotary Club of Truckee selects a local nonprofit group to run the silent auction at the annual Crab and Pasta Feed which is slated for March 19. The High Fives Foundation is this year’s group.

In addition to the traditional live auction, this year’s event will include a performance by comedian Rick D’elia.

High Fives will be the recipient of all proceeds raised from the live auction at the crab feed. Previously, nonprofits that have participated in this event have earned from $4,000 to $16,000 for their cause.

The event is at the Truckee Community Recreation Center.

The bar will open at 5pm, followed by a dinner buffet from 6-7pm, comedian Rick D’elia at pm and the auction will follow at 8pm.

Tickets are available for $40 for adults and $20 for children 16 and under. Tickets may be purchased through any Rotarian or by calling Steve Randall at (530) 582.7720.

Explore Tahoe Winter Speaker Series continues Feb. 10 at 6pm with Dave Borges, local Lake Tahoe history expert, sharing the story of John C. Fremont’s sighting of Lake Tahoe and the 1856 presidential campaign highlighting free speech, free press, free Kansas and Fremont.

Explore Tahoe is located in the Heavenly Village next to North Face at 4114 Lake Tahoe Blvd.

A $5 donation is requested.

For more information, call (530) 542.4637.

The Pacific Crest Trail and Tahoe Rim Trail associations are showing the National Geographic “America’s Wild Spaces: The Pacific Crest Trail” on Feb. 25 at 8pm.

This hourlong film chronicles the peaks and valleys of the epic 2,650 mile long Pacific Crest Trail. This trail stretches from Mexico to Canada, cutting through seven national parks and 24 national forests.

Each year more than 300 backpackers attempt to complete the entirety of this grueling route, hiking through the states of California, Oregon, and Washington and experiencing elevations changes equal to that of 10 Mt. Everest.

The PCT and TRT run concurrently for approximately 50 miles along the West Shore of Lake Tahoe.

The movie will be shown at Lakeside Pizza in Tahoe City. It is free.

On Feb. 26 from 10am to 3pm the South Lake Tahoe Branch Library will be having a book sale to support the Friends of the Library Free Children’s Programs.

Many hardcover and paperback books will be available at deep discounts. DVDs, VHS and books on tape will also be available.

The library is at 1000 Rufus Allen Blvd., South Lake Tahoe.

All Friends of the Library members are invited to a pre-sale from 9-10am. If you are not currently a Friend, you may join at the door. Membership is $10 per individual, $25 for a business, and $250 for a lifetime membership.

Call (530) 573.3185 for more information.

Sammy Hagar & The Wabos at Harrah’s Lake Tahoe on May 6-7 at 7:30pm.

Tickets are $75. Tickets available only through Ticketmaster locations.

Must be 21 to attend.

This show is sold-out. A cancellation line be open that night at the South Shore Room.

Dragonfly’s owner and chef Billy McCullough has created two Valentine’s Day dinner menus, one for the dining room and another for the sushi bar.

To reserve your table or spot at the sushi bar, call (530) 587.0557.

Dragonfly Restaurant and Sushi Bar is located upstairs at 10118 Donner Pass Road, in the heart of downtown Truckee. Dinner is served from 5-9:30pm. Reservations for dinner are recommended.