Lola “Notorius Courtesan” Montez

Dancer and actress Lola Montez left a trail of broken hearts — and one abdicated throne — across 19th-century Europe.

Lola Montez led such a colorful life that it’s hard to separate the fact from the fiction. Even her earliest biographies contain various degrees of conflicting information, partly due to the fact that, as one recent and more thoroughly researched biography points out, “the subject was an incorrigible liar.”

But despite all the lies, there are still plenty of truths left over to make the story of Lola Montez, the Irish dancer, and courtesan who made it into some of the great corridors of power in 19th-century Europe, one of the most captivating in modern history.

Although her autobiography claims that her onstage debut as Lola Montez “was a successful one,” the public recognized her as a phony Spanish dancer and she was forced to leave England and seek her fortune elsewhere.

Montez traveled first to Germany, where she made the acquaintance of famous composers and men of wealth. Her contacts in Germany led to her securing a role in the opera in Paris. Her performance was a disaster, but Lola made the most of her time in Paris, leading a bohemian life financed by the wealthy me she seduced.

When one such paramour was killed in a duel, Lola left France and returned to Germany where she caught the eye of Ludwig I, King of Bavaria, who had a love of all things Spanish. Lola became the King’s mistress and during their liaison, she acquired a small fortune and the titles Countess of Landsfeld and Baroness Rosenthal.

Lola being Lola, created a scandal that dethroned King Ludwig I. She fled to London, acquired a new husband then set off for America in 1851. In the New World, she debuted her infamous Spider Dance, which reportedly consisted of her “raising her skirts so high that the audience could see she wore no underclothing at all.”

M ayor of Grass Valley u Jan Arbuckle

D istrict 3 Supervisor u Lisa Swarthout

D istrict 4 Supervisor u Sue Hoek

D istrict 1 Supervisor u Heidi Hall

C ity Council Member u Haven Caravelli

N evada County Sheriff u Shannan Moon

V ice-Mayor of Grass Valley u Hilary Hodge

By Greater Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce

“Robin. Her favorite words begin with “re”, and she put that “re” vocabulary into play the moment she stepped into the Chamber CEO-ship.

From day one she’s re-organized, re-imagined, reinvented, re-established, re-designed, and re-invigorated. Her energy is as boundless as her imagination, and for the past decade, she has applied that energy and imagination to the benefit of our organization.

And we have thrived.

As we enter the tenth year of her stewardship of The Chamber, we celebrate this anniversary by sharing a bit of the story.”

-Greater Grass Valley Chamber Board of Directors

You wouldn’t think the heavy responsibility of saving a century-old organization from impending ruin would have Robin Galvan Davies thinking, “I’m having one heckuva lot of fun!”

Yet after her miraculous feat of resurrecting the Greater Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce from imminent doom, fun is what excites Robin most about her 10-year tenure as Chamber CEO.

“It has been so rewarding and fun, despite the fact I parachuted in on January 2, 2013, and it was like diving into a war zone,” Robin recalls. “It was a disaster of the first magnitude; I was dropped into the middle of organized chaos.”

The Chamber was financially insolvent, but the Chamber’s dismal state of affairs was no surprise to Robin. For months, Robin and her husband Keith Davies had been reviewing the Chamber’s finances and business practices. They were hired by the Chamber Board of Directors and arrived in Grass Valley with a vision and plan to restructure the Chamber as a vibrant organization with financial stability and sustainability as the goal.

The Davies immediately loaned the Chamber $55,000 to build out the Chamber’s new location, and moved the Visitors Center from a cramped, one-room corner in the Holbrooke Hotel to its current location at 128 E. Main Street and began an aggressive and appealing membership recruitment campaign to strengthen the Chamber’s income stream.

“I challenged Keith and Robin to come in and turn the Chamber around. They did that, and so much more. At one point, the Chamber was no more than a card table in the corner of a local business. Robin has reinvented the Chamber and made it the healthy, dynamic organization it is today. Today’s Chamber is a reflection of the economic vitality of our community. Robin has stayed the course because the Chamber is her passion and her purpose in life. I can’t think of another person who could have done what she’s done.”

“This was a formidable 100-year-old organization that had contributed to the legacy of Grass Valley and western

Nevada County,” Robin says, “but it suffered from a lack of vision.”

The Davies instituted varying tiers of elite memberships, such as “Friends,” “Champions,” and “Partners” of the Chamber. Each tier was offered to a limited number of members, who paid up to $2,500 to buy into that membership level and up to $1500 per year to sustain their membership.

The couple also increased the Chamber’s traditional member totals from about 300 to 500. Today, the Chamber boasts an impressive sphere of influence, with members from Reno to the Sacramento Valley.

The couple didn’t take a salary until the third quarter of fiscal year 2013. The next year, the Chamber was financially able to begin paying back the Davies’ loan. It took four years, and the Davies never charged a penny in interest.

“My great grandfather, Thomas Ingram, was a founder and president of the Grass Valley Chamber of Commerce. I am proud to have followed in his footsteps as Chamber president. In 2012, the Chamber board was excited to hire and welcome Keith Davies and Robin Galvan-Davies as Co-CEO’s. The Chamber was struggling with membership retention and expansion of services. The Davies had experience, a vision, and a plan. Under Robin’s leadership, the Chamber has thrived, as has the business community and tourism. We are blessed to have her engagement and determination continually leading us forward toward a strong economic foundation, regardless of what challenges come our way.”

-Patti Ingram-Spencer, Chamber Past President

“When we hired Robin and Keith, I liked what they brought to the table and that’s what started the comeback. They had a vision that was not the same ol,’ same ol.’ She’s a firecracker. Whatever she wants to do, she gets done. Robin is artistic, methodical, and extremely well organized. She never stops asking, ‘What else can we do to make this better?’ She saved the Chamber with her forward thinking.”

In 2016 Keith retired, and Robin took the foundation she and Keith had laid and continued building a successful, viable organization.

She had already turned her attention with laser-like focus to the Chamber’s membership guide.

“It was a small, newsprint booklet published by The Union that was barely more than a listing of members with a small amount of community information and advertising,” Robin says. “It was not reflective of the story we wanted to tell. We needed to change the look and turn it into a real magazine.”

Its first reincarnation was a publication entitled “Postcards from Grass Valley,” which Robin later rebranded as “Destination Nevada County.” “Destination” is a slick, professionally produced magazine that is now the hallmark of the Chamber’s public outreach.

Initially, Robin created and had printed 20 copies of the magazine she envisioned. She presented the copies to the Chamber Board of Directors and requested authority to become its publisher.

“The City had recently phased out the Chamber’s Grass Valley Visitor Center funding, and I knew we had to create a mechanism to replace that money and boost our bottom line.”

The response from the board was overwhelmingly positive. With Robin as publisher, today’s annual “Destination” magazine showcases Nevada County as a premier foothills’ destination within 180 80-pound glossy pages and a 100-pound cover with gold foil titles. It’s also an online magazine, with links that take readers to Chamber members’ websites and videos.

“People may not want to lug around a magazine, which is why we use QR codes to provide access to the entire magazine,” explains Robin. “We’re progressing with the times and incorporating technology that supports ease of use and boosts the profiles of our member advertisers.”

In addition to her business-building and publishing acumen which she honed over a long career as an art gallery owner and international promoter, Robin brought to the Chamber her unyielding desire to make work fun.

“Robin’s art, business and finance background has aptly prepared her for her role as Chamber CEO. I enjoy our brainstorming sessions, her exciting ideas, and her incredible energy. She has brought the Chamber to an unparalleled level of operation that benefits all members. Robin’s hard work over the past 10 years has made the Chamber stronger.”

-Julia

“When I first started as CEO, the event roster for the Chamber was lean,” remembers Robin. “Events were a lot of work and not a lot of fun.

“For example, the Chamber booth at the Nevada County Fair was primarily staffed by board members, Keith, and me taking most shifts. We’ve since made it a fun way for Chamber members to promote their businesses when they work the booth. When you inject fun into everything you do, people want to participate.”

As the Chamber became increasingly accustomed to smooth sailing, no one could foresee the cataclysmic storm about to hit.

When the Covid pandemic unleashed its fury, Chamber mixers and events were cancelled. Robin furloughed all employees, including herself. The Chamber was deemed a nonessential nonprofit and was ineligible for many rounds of government grants and loans.

“I thought, ‘This is going to be interesting. I don’t have a lot to do.’ But that was a fallacy. It turns out I was never busier in my life. It fell to the Chamber to communicate with the community about which business were open or closed, which services were available and when. We updated our website daily. We helped businesses apply for grants. We offered advice during eCommerce workshops.

“We are membership centric, always have been, and we’ve always gone to the mat for our members. But then all boundaries evaporated. We worked for the greater good of the community; it didn’t matter if you were a member or not. If you were a business in need, we helped.”

“What makes Robin successful is having a clear and compelling vision for the Community. What allows her to carry that out and make that vision a reality is her ability to connect with people and bring out their best thinking. What also lends to her strength as a leader is she knows when to press forward and also to back out or balance and let people find their own way. Because she has a kind and caring heart, she can recognize that in others.”

-Machen MacDonald, Chamber Board of Directors Member and Founder, Head Coach and ProBrilliance Leadership Institute

Now businesses are once again thriving and monthly Chamber Mixers are making a comeback.

“Mixers are the purview of our Ambassador Committee, whose members make a three-year commitment,” Robin explains. “They are the social ambassadors who are the heartbeat of our Chamber. They organize our Chamber Mixers that check all the boxes: fun, attendance, happy guests, and happy volunteers.”

Unlike the Chamber, the event-dependent Grass Valley

Downtown Association was limping along post-pandemic — until the Chamber and GVDA entered an 18-month management contract in February 2022. Robin called the arrangement “an engagement.” The two entities weren’t ready to marry, but a closer working relationship has proved beneficial to both.

“When we moved forward with the Chamber managing the GVDA, it was not a new idea,” Robin says. “It had been discussed since 1999. The organizations have different mandates, but now both organizations support each other. The Chamber has helped the GVDA complete work that it hadn’t been able to accomplish, restructuring its administrative and financial platforms, and the reinstatement of the Grass Valley Downtown Foundation, which allows them to apply for educational grants.

“It’s working really well; I like being engaged. When you marry, you give up your maiden name, and co-mingle lives and assets. Because the Chamber and Downtown Association are different types of nonprofits — the Chamber is a 501c6, the GVDA is a 501c4, and the GVDA’s Foundation is a 501c3 – there are specific rules that govern the actions of each nonprofit agency. We must proceed with care and caution to ensure we don’t disrupt the status and abilities of those organizations.”

“Robin puts her heart and soul into Grass Valley. Her vision to establish a collaborative relationship between the Chamber and the GVDA has created a vibrancy and sense of community in the downtown. “

-Jan Arbuckle, Grass Valley Mayor

GVDA events have since blossomed with the infusion of enthusiasm and expertise from the Chamber.

“In 2021, the GVDA’s inaugural Brew Fest downtown netted a very healthy profit. In 2022, in partnership with the Chamber, the Brew Fest netted double that of 2021,” Robin says. “We offered tickets online and eliminated the need for customers to wait in line for tickets. We recruited 17 spectacular craft breweries and great food vendors. We geared up for 720 customers and had that many mini tasting mugs made. We only had five mugs remaining at the end of the day. Downtown merchants did well across the board.”

From car shows to celebrations, Robin and her team analyze each event through the lens of robust attendance, financial success, and most importantly, fun. For example, booths and displays at Cornish Christmas are now juried. Some long-time vendors didn’t make the cut.

Another example of an event reinvented is the Fourth of July downtown celebration.

“When the annual post-Covid July 4th event wasn’t feasible to hold at the fairgrounds, we decided to organize a “dancing in the streets” party downtown,” Robin says. “We had a pancake breakfast in the morning, and in the evening, a couple of bands, dancing in the streets, great festival food, plus beer and wine. The vendors did very well, and the shops that were open did extremely well, and everyone had fun!. What started as an experiment became a home run, and we’ve been asked to do it every year.”

“Robin brings great energy to downtown, and that makes events such as the 4th of July celebration, Brew Fest, and Cornish Christmas all the more exciting and successful. Her focus is always on recruiting the highest quality vendors and ensuring the visitor experience is exceptional. She helps ensure the City receives the input we need to make the right decisions with important ventures, including the Mill Street Pedestrian Project. Robin is an important asset to the Chamber, the Downtown Association, and the City.”

- Tim Kiser, Grass Valley City Manager

Two years ago, Robin led the Chamber in its acquisition of a business that offered welcome baskets to new residents. She renamed it “Welcome Home,” and the swag offered is much more than boring rulers and refrigerator magnets.

“It’s a great fit for the Chamber to introduce new residents to the community,” Robin says. “We replaced baskets with classic black European totes that contain a collection of advertisers’ information cards, coupons, and discounts, plus publications such as ‘Destination,’ ‘Nevada County

Gold,’ and the ‘Nevada County Contractors’ Association Building Guide.’”

Local title companies alert the Chamber about new residents who are then sent an invitation to visit the Chamber office and collect their tote full of fun. It’s an example of how Robin consistently takes a basic idea and makes it brilliant.

“The only time I’m not working is when I sleep, and even then, my brain doesn’t shut off because I’m organizing events or analyzing budgets in my sleep. It’s hard to disengage because I love it.

“We’re not a huge nonprofit organization that can host big galas and make $100,000 in one evening. We put on community events. We promote and market downtown. Our focus is on business development and economic vitality, with an eye toward beautification and design. We dive deep into community affairs, such as broadband access, housing, and transportation — any issue that impacts our community.”

With most pandemic hardships in the past, Robin is focused on a future that promises stronger, more unified relationships between the Chamber, GVDA, and the City.

“I’m excited to see the Mill Street Renovation and Main Street upgrades completed,” Robin says. “The Chamber is working with the City of Grass Valley to embrace and enhance the visitor experience, and those visitors include local residents.

“It’s like a pebble in the pond. The ripples touch all of us. Even though we have foothills between us, we are one county and a unified community.”

Naturally, Robin envisions a future full of fun.

“If you make the work fun, people want to participate and join in. You must always be re-inventing, re-creating, and re-imagining. When you have something that is a success, you need to re-imagine it to make it extraordinary.”

“What I value and appreciate most about Robin is the way her brain works and how she is constantly firing on all cylinders, building maximum capacity with utmost efficiency. It’s like going to the faucet for a sip of water and getting a fire hydrant! When I think about the people who touched this community 100 years ago and founded the Chamber, we don’t remember all their names, but we feel their impact every day. Likewise, Robin’s visionary work will leave an indelible mark not just 20 years from now, but forever. With every breath she improves the Chamber, Downtown Association, City, and our entire community.”

-Joy Porter, GVDA Vice Chair and Chamber Past President

Grape + Fig Summer Salad with Prosciutto and Balsamic

By Eva Kosmas Flore, Adventures in Cooking

My grape vine is bursting at the seams with fresh grapes, so I’ve been making this grape and fig summer salad on repeat for the past month. I love it because it’s so easy to put together, and just involves laying down a bed of ricotta on a big plate, then stacking all the prosciutto and fruits on top, drizzling with honey and balsamic, then finishing with flake sea salt. That’s it! It takes about 10 minutes to make, including slicing up the figs and the pluots, and is worth every brief moment of effort.

Ingredients

• 4 ounces ricotta

• 2 ounces prosciutto thinly sliced

• 3/4 pound grapes

• 6 ripe fresh figs cut into halves or quarters

• 4 ripe pluots cut into sixths

• 1 tablespoon honey (if using thick raw honey, heat it slightly to make it drizzleable)

• 2 teaspoons quality balsamic

• 1 1/2 teaspoons flake sea salt

• 2 tablespoons small fresh basil leaves

Instructions

1. Evenly spread the ricotta over the center of a large serving platter, leaving about a 1-inch border around the edge of the dish.

2. Roll up each slice of prosciutto individually and set it aside.

3. Arrange the grapes, figs, pluots, and prosciutto on top of the ricotta. Drizzle with the honey, then the balsamic. Sprinkle with the flake sea salt and basil and serve immediately.

Perhaps best known colloquially as a cookie filling, the fig is a much more fascinating plant than many of us give it credit for. Scientists call it a “keystone resource” because of the sheer number of animals — more than 1,200 — that rely on it for nutrients. That includes humans. The fig tree is not one for figging about. The KEAP