The Hellman-Ehrman Mansion at Sugar Pine Point State Park is putting on “Downton Abbey” themed tea party on June 30.

Starting at 2pm, guests will be served tea and treats in the tradition of a British afternoon tea.

Cherie Oliver’s vintage fashion show will highlight authentic styles seen in the hit show “Downton Abbey”, bringing post-Edwardian elegance back to life. Attendees are also invited to a special tour of the Hellman-Ehrman Mansion after tea.

Feel free to get in the spirit of the day by wearing hats, gloves and accessories, historic or contemporary.

Seating is limited. Tickets for this fundraising event benefitting the Sierra State Parks Foundation are $40 and include entrance to Sugar Pine Point State Park. Tickets may be purchased online.

By Melissa Healy, Los Angeles Times

Roughly half of cancer deaths in the United States could be prevented or forestalled if all Americans quit smoking, cut back on drinking, maintained a healthful weight and got at least 150 minutes of exercise each week, according to a new report.

These same measures would also reduce the number of new cancer diagnoses by 40 to 70 percent.

For men, universal embrace of this lifestyle could avert or delay 67 percent of cancer deaths and prevent 63 percent of new malignancies each year, researchers calculated. If all of the nation’s women did the same, their yearly cancer mortality rates would fall by 59 percent and new cancers would drop 41 percent.

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Classical Tahoe, formerly Lake Tahoe SummerFest, is putting on a one-of-a-kind gala and fundraiser to kick off the summer festival.

White Nights, the third annual gala, will be July 10 at the lakefront estate of Kern Schumacher in Incline Village.

White Nights is a nod toward the popular international diner en blanc pop-up events that invite guests in major cities around the globe to don their finest white attire and descend on secret locations that are revealed at the last moment, with a gourmet picnics in tow.

Chef Mark Estee will be overseeing the food, while Chris Brubeck, son of legendary artist Dave Brubeck, and his ensemble Triple Play perform.

Funds raised help benefit the fifth season of Classical Tahoe, which brings together 40 nationally recognized musicians to Lake Tahoe for a three-week festival from July 26-Aug. 13.

Tickets for the White Nights gala are $250 per person, $2,500 for a table of 1-. Attire is “summer white” wear. Reservations can be made online or by calling 775.298.0245.

Jessie Marchesseau is adept at working in small spaces to create functional, pleasing interiors. Photo/Revive Interior Design

By Terra Breeden

Red-checked plaid, embroidered moose and heavy pine furniture is a common theme in the interior design of Lake Tahoe homes. The “rustic cabin” look is so repetitive it has an almost kitschy feel and let’s be honest, there are no moose in Tahoe. But Jessie Marchesseau of newly opened Revive Interior Design is revamping Lake Tahoe homes with a modern approach that’s focused on brightness, functionality and the outdoor lifestyle.

“No one wants their home to look just like their neighbor’s home,” Marchesseau said. “A lot of people want that traditional style because it’s their mountain getaway, and we can do that, but in a more classy and creative way.”

Marchesseau recently founded Revive Interior Design. A longtime Tahoe local and self-proclaimed ski bum, she graduated from UNR with dual degrees in interior design and journalism in 2009. Since then, Marchesseau has worked as a reporter for Lake Tahoe News, in local real estate, and opened Revive Interior Design, which is based out of Meyers.

“I like to do different things. When you’re stuck doing one thing all of the time you get bored. Journalism and interior design are both things I really like to do, so I thought, why do I have to pick? I can do both,” Marchesseau said.

At Revive Interior Design, Marchesseau specializes in transforming homes into modern, comfortable abodes that reflect the joys of outdoor living. Her designs and handpicked furnishings cater to people who want their home to be stylish and functional.

“In Lake Tahoe people are so active. Whether they’re skiing, rock climbing, or headed to the beach, almost everyone is out enjoying our wonderful surroundings all the time,” Marchesseau said. “People need their homes to accommodate that lifestyle.”

Jessie Marchesseau is founder of Meyers-based Revive Interior Design. Photo/Revive Interior Design

Marchesseau has designed the interiors of as many garages and mudrooms, installing shelving, hooks and storage for outdoor gear, as she has living rooms and kitchens in Lake Tahoe. Her approach to personalized interior design is knowing her client and renovating the home’s interior to reflect their taste and lifestyle.

“I want to know, for every room I do, who uses that room and what it’s for,” Marchesseau said. “I want it to be functional. So you can have that party every once in a while, but I want to focus on what the room is used for every day.”

Marchesseau has transformed a shabby Kirkwood condo into a modern skier’s getaway, personalized a Tahoe cabin by mixing antiques with modern furnishings, and revitalized an empty Heavenly ski condo. She also specializes in home-staging, which is the process of refurnishing homes that are on the market.

“Home-staging brings an empty house to life,” Marchesseau said. “If you put in some furniture and give it the décor of a home, it’s easier for people to envision what it would be like to live there.”

In 2009, Joyce Blackstone, who has been working as an interior designer in South Lake Tahoe for 37 years, employed Marchesseau as an intern. Blackstone was impressed with Marchesseau’s unique approach to interior design.

“She has a very good eye for design and is good at putting things together,” Blackstone said. “She’s also a good listener, which is important in interior design.”

Luxurious interiors at Lake Tahoe can also be warm and welcoming. Photo/Revive Interior Design

Marchesseau uses modern technology like apps and social media to help people visualize what the home will look like when it’s finished. And by working closely with clients, she chooses furnishings and accessories that are custom and affordable.

“I try to be really open about what I do and how much it will cost. All of the prices are listed on my website,” Marchesseau said. “In interior design you don’t find that very often.”

Besides being an interior designer and journalist, Marchesseau embraces the Tahoe lifestyle. She likes to spend time mountain biking, skiing, walking her three dogs and refurbishing old furniture as a hobby. However, Marchesseau anticipates that Revive Interior Design will be keeping her very busy this summer.

“It’s a new business and I’m looking forward to more projects,” Marchesseau said. “I’ve done interior design over the years and I love it. I’m really excited to make it my full-time project.”

Troy

Troy is a handsome gentleman and like many Tuxedo cats, has a silly streak. He would love to find a furever home. He has been at the shelter since April and he’s ready to become a loving member of your household.

Troy is very friendly and a happy character, and loves to be petted and scratched. He seems to be tolerant of the other cats at the shelter, so may be OK with another cat if introduced slowly with care and supervision. Troy could be your next best feline friend; come meet him and see if he’s a good match. His adoption fees have been sponsored.

Troy has been neutered, microchipped, and vaccinated. He is available at the El Dorado County Animal Services shelter in Meyers, along with many other dogs and cats who are waiting for their new homes. Go to the Tahoe animal shelter’s Facebook page to see photos and descriptions of all pets at the shelter.

Call 530.573.7925 for directions, hours, and other information on adopting a pet.

For spay-neuter assistance for South Tahoe residents, go online.

— Dale Payne

Building on its June Go4Baroque Summer MusicFest kickoff series, TOCCATA will continue its 21-concert Summer MusicFest with TOCCATA BOPS, featuring best of Broadway, opera hits, pops and patriotic selections.

The first concert is July 3, 7pm on the Village Green in Incline Village as part of Red, White and Tahoe Blue, and opens with a patriotic medley for orchestra and chorus and Chaminades Concertino for Flute and Orchestra performed by principal flute from the Puerto Rico Symphony, Josue Casillas. Brad Perry and Emzy Burroughs will sing of everlasting friendship in Bizet’s duet from his opera the Pearlfishers. Sopranos Joy Strotz and Becky Earl and mezzo soprano Liudmila Mullin delight the audience with operatic arias and popular songs.

The concert continues with hits for the SummerFest chorus: “Amazing Grace”, “Going Home” theme from Dvorak’s 9th Symphony, and “Alleluia-Regina Coeli” from Mascagnis Cavalleria Rusticana. The concert concludes with Sousa’s “Stars and Stripes”, a new Matt Mullin arrangement of “God Bless America”, and an audience singalong of “America the Beautiful” featuring the newly formed North Lake Tahoe Children’s Chorus.

Other concerts in the series will be presented on July 5, 7pm at Bartley Ranch Amphitheater (6000 Bartley Ranch Road, Reno), as part of Artown, and July 8, 7pm, at St. Theresa Catholic Church in South Lake Tahoe (1041 Lyons Ave). The final presentation will be July 10, 4pm at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Carson City (3596 N. Sunridge Drive). Maestro James Rawie will conduct all performances.

The Red, White and Tahoe Blue concert will be free of admission charge. The Bartley Ranch Artown concert, which is supported by grants from John and Diane McCall and the Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation, offers free admission for all lawn areas and upper gallery seating, with lower gallery preferred seating at $40.

Other concerts have tickets available at the door or online. General  admission is $30 adults and $25 for seniors. Youth/students under age 24 are $5 and those under 18 enter free. Preferred seating is $40 and $15 for youth/students.

Kings Beach will start the Independence Day holiday on July 3. Festivities take place from 4-10pm at the North Tahoe Event Center.

North Tahoe Business Association hosts the Beach Party as a Kings Beach Fireworks fundraiser. The event is open to all ages and features preferred fireworks seating, food vendors, a beer/wine and mixed drink garden, free watermelon eating and sand castle building contests, music, and glow toys. The event is capped off by the fireworks display at 9:30pm.

Entrance into the Beach Party is free.

Preferred fireworks seating is available for $15/person. Ticket holders may secure their seats starting at 4pm and will also have access to indoor restrooms at the North Tahoe Event Center. There are a limited number of tickets available. All Beach Party proceeds support the Kings Beach fireworks.

Fireworks cost approximately $1,000 per minute.

For more information, a schedule of events, or to volunteer, call 530.546.9000.

Heavenly Mountain Resort is offering free access to Epic Discovery to 2,000 kids from Lake Tahoe schools and regional nonprofits.

Epic Discovery Kids is a program created through the partnership of EpicPromise, Vail Resort’s charitable giving program, and Epic Discovery, Heavenly’s new on-mountain summer experience. Epic Discovery Kids will immerse children in activities that will challenge themselves physically, guide them to explore and better understand their natural surroundings, and ultimately ideally create lifelong memories.

Heavenly will offer 50 spaces for nonprofits from Lake Tahoe, Sacramento, Carson Valley and Reno to enroll kids in a hands-on environmental learning experience with activities such as tubing, ziplining, an alpine coaster and a 60-minute environmental education tour with a U.S. Forest Service representative. The non-profit summer program will take place on Tuesdays and Wednesdays from 9am-noon.

During September, Heavenly will offer every fourth- and seventh-grade class in the Lake Tahoe Unified School District an opportunity to experience Epic Discovery.

Two performers with distinctly different personalities are coming to MontBleu in July.

Nick Swardson, well-known for his trademark blend of character and comedic acting, will perform for the first time in Lake Tahoe on July 1. Emmy-nominated actor-comedian Rob Schneider, will perform his stand-up routine on July 22.

Swardson first found success by writing “Malibu’s Most Wanted” for Warner Brothers and by featuring in the hit Comedy Central series “Reno 911”. After catching the attention of Happy Madison Productions, he quickly became a fixture in the company, writing or co-writing and producing such projects as “Grandma’s Boy,” “Benchwarmers” and co-producing “I Now Pronounce You Chuck and Larry” with Adam Sandler and Kevin James. More recently Swardson has performed in movies such as “That’s My Boy,” “Blades of Glory,” “30 Minutes or Less,” and “Bucky Larson: Born to Be a Star,” which he wrote, starred in, and produced.

His Comedy Central Special, “Taste It!” premiered last April on Comedy Central. He also recently co- starred in the animated film “Hell And Back” with TJ Miller, Bob Odenkirk and Mila Kunis. Most recently, he co-starred in the most-watched movie on Netflix to date, “The Ridiculous Six” starring Adam Sandler and Will Forte. Next Swardson will be seen in Sandler’s second film for Netflix “The Do-Over” starring Adam Sandler and David Spade.

After a nearly 20-year break, Schneider recently made a return to standup. He is receiving rave reviews for his international comedy tour, and has joined “Saturday Night” Live friends, Adam Sandler and David Spade for their Do-Over Tour this summer.

Schneider recently voiced the title role of Norm, in “Norm of the North”, an animated film for Lionsgate. He most recently starred in the summer hit “Grown Ups” for Sony.

Schneider began writing jokes as a teenager, appearing at local venues. After opening for comedians such as Jay Leno and Jerry Seinfeld, he made his major network television debut in 1987 on “The David Letterman Show.” In 1990 Lorne Michaels saw Schneider’s appearance on HBO’s “13th Annual Young Comedians Special” and hired him to be a regular on “Saturday Night Live.” During his four seasons at “SNL,” Schneider was nominated for three Emmys and a Peabody Award.

For both shows, doors open at 7pm, show begins at 8pm. Tickets for Swardson are $27.50, $35 and $45. Tickets to Schneider start at $25. Call MontBleu at 775.588.3515.

By Paula Span, New York Times

If you’ve come to rely on opioids for chronic pain, as a growing proportion of older adults has, you may have noticed that the drugs are becoming more difficult to get.

Something had to be done, surely: More than 165,000 people died from overdoses from 1999 to 2014.

But recent restrictions on access to these painkillers are likely to disproportionately affect the elderly — despite the fact that abuse and misuse of these painkillers have historically been lower among older patients than younger ones.

Older patients are simply more apt to have chronic pain.

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