For a different take on Bass Lake history, read Hells Angels: The Strange and Terrible Saga of Outlaw Motorcycle Gangs by Hunter S. Thompson. A good read on the Wild Western.
For ladies I would definitely recommend finding some slightly nicer than normal black flats... I bought some in Prague for super cheap and still wear them all the time!
Winter is an excellent time to go to Europe. There are next to no lines for the museums, you can experience the cities like the locals do and everything is cheaper! Plus, Christmas and New Year's Eve in Europe are very special.