Inside View From Blue

A Massage at Tahoe
Kae Reed, Owner and Massage Therapist
www.massageattahoe.com
530-318-4806.

Blue: How long have you been a resident of South Shore Lake Tahoe?
Kae: That depends if you count both times. I first moved to South Lake after graduating from college in 1988. I left 18 months later to backpack through Europe. I moved back here in August 2002.

Blue: Where did you move from?
Kae: I had been living in Sonoma County and working at the San Francisco Chronicle full time and massaging part time.

Blue: I understand you love the outdoors; what activities do you partake in at Lake Tahoe?
Kae: Tennis is my favorite sport, but it’s a bit difficult to play here in the winter. Hiking, biking (road and mountain), skiing (downhill and cross country), snowshoeing – those are the sports I enjoy. Being in Tahoe makes it easy to enjoy the outdoors without sweating. I love taking my dog, Bailey, for walks at Cove East, barbecuing, taking visitors through the Tallac Site and walking on any beach.

Blue: How long have you been a massage therapist?
Kae: I graduated from the National Holistic Institute in Emeryville (near Berkeley) in 1997. I worked for different places on a part-time basis before establishing A Massage at Tahoe in 2005.

Blue: You offer a variety of massages from sports, to Shiatsu, to deep tissue…which tends to be the most common technique you use in Lake Tahoe?
Kae: Deep tissue and sports are the most requested massages in Tahoe. It has a lot to do with living that outdoor lifestyle and needing to be rejuvenated for another day of fun.

Blue: What is your favorite type of massage to give to your clients?
Kae: I think the ultimate in relaxation and pampering is an hour massage of any kind, combined with a 30-minute herbal cleansing facial massage and a 30-minute nourishing foot treatment. You might only have the energy to sit in a hot tub afterward, but the next day your body is so ready to take on whatever activity you choose – even if that activity is in the casinos. It’s a fun package to give because of the variety of treatments involved -- and the response from clients after the two hours is incredible.

Blue: Have you worked your magic hands on massaging anyone famous?
Kae: I’ve had my hands on politicians, athletes, actors and other celebrities. I have given chair massages for a couple years on Hole 9 during the American Century Celebrity Golf Tournament at Edgewood Tahoe. Howie Nave at the Harveys Improv has sent a few comedians over to my three-room spa for a 60- or 90-minute massage.

Blue: Can you share one of your most memorable massage stories?
Kae: New Year’s Eve day 2005 started with rain and flooding and turned to snow and no electricity. I did an outcall (that’s when you go to where the client is staying), and the heat had long left the house. I was cold, so I knew the client had to be -- even under the down comforter I had grabbed off the bed. At another outcall for a group of skiers one of the guys didn’t have enough cash to pay me, so he gave me Harrah’s gaming chips. Then there was the first time a guy asked for a full body massage, and I didn’t realize what he was asking for. My naiveté was gone; I asked the guy to leave instead of being uncomfortable for the rest of the massage.

Blue: How else do you spend your time in South Shore Lake Tahoe?
Kae: When my fingers aren’t massaging, they are on a keyboard. My other job is as a freelance writer for a variety of publications.

Blue: What is your favorite activity to do in summer time around South Shore Lake Tahoe?
Kae: A perfect day is doing some outdoor activity – hiking, biking, tennis – followed by a hot tub, getting a massage, barbecuing with friends and drinking a glass of wine (Sonoma or El Dorado county most likely) and then another hot tub before bed.

Blue: Do you have a favorite dining spot?
Kae: As a vegetarian, I prefer Freshies for casual dining and Café Fiore for fine dining.

Blue: What's an inside scoop that you could tell a new visitor to the South Shore?
Kae: I have clients ask for recommendations all the time. For first timers, I always say they must devote a day to driving around the lake, stopping wherever and whenever to take in the natural beauty, hike, eat and shop. At a minimum, Emerald Bay is a must see – whether it’s from the vista point, hiking down to Vikingsholm or taking a paddle-wheeler on the lake. Having a bloody Mary at the Beacon, taking in the view from there and then strolling through the Tallac Historic Site is another outing I recommend because it’s so gorgeous and one of the few historical points we have here.