We were inspired to name the new cabin after the reindeer taxidermy mount we'd found, but I was concerned that it might be too Christmas-y for our non-winter guests. So I posted the question on Zipinion.com: Is Reindeer Cottage a good name for an all-season cabin in the California mountains?

Responses were quite positive. Some were concerned ("too juvenile", "too winter-themed"), others a little strange ("makes me think of cottage cheese"), but most gave us some good insights. Popular words included fun, unique, cute, cozy, rustic, peaceful, mountain, and wildlife. Some thought "cottage" brought a summer-y balance to the winter-y "reindeer"; others thought the name sounded like it would be refreshingly cool for a break from summer's heat, up in the mountains.

Some respondents thought they were giving negative feedback that we ironically interpreted as positive. "Sounds like grandma and hot chocolate" was meant to be a negative but we think it's a great positive because the cabin is authentically vintage. "Sounds small" also works for us because it isn't big -- it's cozy! "I would think of small kids running around the place, with parents trying to take their picture with the reindeer" -- we agree; it's great for families! "Sounds like you should be wrapped up in a big sweater in front of a fire" -- perfect!

If you want to add your own opinion, post a comment below. What do you think of the name?

Yesterday we finally hung the namesake of Reindeer Cottage, a 4' tall reindeer taxidermy head mount. We bought him last summer from an older couple living near Huntington Beach and picked him up on a surf day (an odd cargo mix: surfboards and a reindeer). Now that our dustiest cabin renovations are done, he (she?) holds his prized spot above the fireplace. And we were so pleased with our find that we decided to name the cabin after him: Reindeer Cottage.

I know some of you are probably thinking, "That's a caribou not a reindeer!". And you wouldn't be wrong -- or right. Caribou and reindeer are the same species. In the U.S. we distinguish caribou as wild animals compared to the domesticated reindeer of Siberia and other cold northern climates, but the truth is there's no real physical difference, other than the fact that reindeer are bred to be shorter for the sake of the domesticated tasks expected of them.

Now we just need to figure out what to do about touching. It's so inviting to give our reindeer a little pat because he's soft, but he's also shedding, and that fur can't grow back again. So if you stay at Reindeer Cottage, we would prefer you don't touch the reindeer. But if you must, please do so very gently, briefly, and with freshly washed hands. Thank you!

Last Sunday we did the zip-line and canopy tour to celebrate a couple Birthdays in Wrightwood. Since I'm not a big fan of heights or activities that are physically adventurous, I was a bit apprehensive starting out. But the course is designed to teach you the zip-lining, rappelling, and rope bridge skills on easy stuff first before they take you on the crazy stuff, and we had an absolute blast. Soaring hundreds of feet above the valley at speeds approaching 50mph was incredible!


The tour took about 3 and a half hours. The good news is that the ziplines are now going to stay open in winter, which means you can have a double-hitter weekend in Wrightwood split between zip-lining and skiing at Mountain High. Our cabin guests can get discounts at both locations (restrictions apply; inquire for details).

Welcome, winter! Snow has come early to Wrightwood this year. Let's hope there's lots more to come! Photo taken at Mountain High at noon on 10/9/13.

HomeAway just sent our Certificate of Awesomeness for being the most booked property online. So now I guess we can brag that we are officially, certifiably Awesome. :)

Excuse my exclamation marks, but we just got exciting news! Tom Hale, Chief Product Officer for HomeAway (parent company of VRBO.com, Homeaway.com and VacationRentals.com) called to let us know that the Hideaway gets more online bookings than any other property in their global network! We had no idea! He recently included our listing in a keynote speech to a thousand property managers, discussing what elements make it successful. We are extremely grateful for all our guests that made this accomplishment possible!