Goodbye, Reno Summer ’09
Reno Summer '09
Summer 2009 has come to an end, which I truly realized when I hit my 200 photo max while posting Balloon Race photos to my Facebook album, Summer Lovin’. I’m not sure what a great job I did of capturing and blogging my summertime adventures, but as always my camera was on hand to capture my memories forever. Take a peak at Summer Lovin’ for pictorial coverage of my Reno-Tahoe summer and the Summer Road Trip album for photos taken on our trip to the California Redwoods and Oregon.
I’m hitting two years of life in Reno at the end of October…I’ve loved almost every minute of my time here and can’t wait for whatever happens next.
Great Reno Balloon Race 2009
Experience Date: 9/12/09
Stars: 5+
Just before sunrise
2009 was my second year attending the Great Reno Balloon Race. The Balloon Race is about the only event that gets me in to bed before midnight on a Friday night…to get up at 4 a.m. for the festivities, of course! The calendar of events, tons of photos and tips for enjoying the event are all on the event’s site, so I won’t go there with this review. I just have to say that there is something just amazing and magical about trucking to Rancho San Rafeal Park at 5 in the morning in your P.J.’s, laying out your blankets and sipping mimosas in a field filled with 100 hot air balloons. To watch them all slowly fill and rise into the sky…only to float away into the horizon.
It was also pretty sweet that I won second place (hello $15 itunes giftcard) at the Bed Head competition! My adoration of dress up and costumes has finally paid off.
Up, up & away
I kicked her butt in the costume contest
Golden Ticket finalist
Great Reno Balloon Race
La Tomatina en Reno 2009
Experience Date: 8/29/09
Stars: 5+
Yep, I made the front page of the CalNeva blog
My interest in La Tomatina en Reno was instant and intense. CalNeva began promoting the event on Facebook early in the summer…it was to be an August afternoon tomato fight in the middle of downtown Reno, sponsored by the CalNeva and benefitting the American Cancer Society. $10 to get you in to huck 25 tons of tomatoes at your best friends, worst enemies and other random Renonians. I immediately started forwarding the info and updates to my core Reno peeps and kept it going over the next several weeks. After the amazing fun we had a Run Amuck earlier this summer, we HAD to participate.
Kitty assisted with costume prep
Saturday morning Holly and I got up bright and early, inspired by the quest to find the perfect costume for La Tomatina en Reno. This is Reno, land of themed downtown events and since 2008, I’ve bowled in formal-wear, combat gear, and as part of a human rainbow; crawled downtown as a zombie, Mrs. Claus and SuperCop, run amuck as a chola from Wingfield to Idelwild and back… La Tomatina was going to be no different. We were in it to bling it.
2 Wal-marts, Winco, CVS and a party store later we were back at the pad decorating shirts, wristguards and snorkeling masks for ourselves and our noble male friends (who lets be honest were much more interested in throwing tomatoes than the costume making pre-party). We were able to thoroughly entertain ourselves from 9am to 4:30pm solely based on La Tomatina. It was great. Oh yes, and the event kicked ass. Sorry again, City of Reno, for that shower we took in the Truckee Riverwalk fountain…
BEFORE
Food fight!
AFTER
...and the shower, haha!
Be ready for 2010, Reno.
Parking Downtown Reno
Someone recently defaced the lot's handicapped spot which I somehow found both humorous and sad.
Experience Date: 2008-present
Stars: 5
With my many trips to downtown Reno, I’ve discovered a fantastical parking lot.
This particular public lot resides on 2nd street, near the intersection of 2nd & Arlington.
I believe you are encouraged by the City of Reno to pay to park here, but I’ve never actually done so (and have received no consequence). There is always space to park and the lot is only a short walk to the Truckee river/Wingfield park, the casinos, the theater and many bars and eateries such as Imperial.
Wahoo! Now I’m just giving away well-kept Reno secrets.
Cadillac Ranch in Sparks = Lame
Experience Date: 8/7/09
Stars: 1
Cadillac Ranch celebrated its grand opening at The Legends in Sparks on Friday, August 7. After dinner and hitting Hot August Nights (ie-Freezing Cold August Nights in 2009!) we thought we’d swing by the area’s newest bar to check it out. A bunch of our friends we already there and I’m generally a big fan of new places.
Oops. Spelling Error.
Cadillac Ranch was immediately, and I mean IMMEDIATELY, disappointing. They apparently think that they are worthy of charging cover (really? Cadillac Ranch is just a bar…and there was no band…?) for patrons to enter their sidewalk gate. Only to have to stand at the bar for 15+ minutes waiting for one of the many snobby bartenders to even acknowledge my presence. The kicker was that at around 17 minutes I received my check, but still hadn’t received our drink order. Cadillac Ranch…really?
Being that we had to wait such a long time for the first drink, we didn’t bother going after another and were gone within the hour. It was fun to see some friends and take a look at people riding the mechanical bull, but good customer service is what would bring me back to Cadillac Ranch, and they definitely came up very, very short.
I am, however, looking forward to checking out Rack & Pinz next door to Cadillac Ranch, and to the Forever 21 opening!
Update:
I was so annoyed I even yelped.
Nada Dada Motel at Reno’s El Cortez
Experience Date: 6/20/09
Stars: 4
This particular Saturday night, Matt and I decided to explore the underground cultural side of Reno, and headed downtown to visit an art exhibit called the Nada Dada Motel held at the El Cortez.
The view down Arlington from Hotel El Cortez 6th floor fire escape
This was the third year for Nada Dada, and our first viewing. The gist of the show is that artists, both local and from across the country, each take over a hotel room at the El Cortez and create a space for their art–whatever it may be. Each room between floors 2 and 5 was completely unique and many really amazing. My favorite artist overall was John Molezzo. Molezzo does these wicked digital murals of Reno–and if I had any extra cash at all, I would have loved to buy a print. (I settled for snagging a couple of his postcards.) Also showing were my friends Jamie Kingham and Rachel Milon, displaying his photography and participating as players in one of the many weekend productions.
always so smiley
The folks over at Reno Passport and Metromix did a pretty good job summarizing the event, so I’ll suggest reading up over there for real detail. My final comments will note that this event was completely free and open to the public, and even cooler because you can bring your own beer (or etc….) and sip as you browse, interact and enjoy. My only disappointment occurred due to my own ignorance–not all rooms are open during viewing hours, so we missed out on some cool stuff.
This is definitely an event I’d go to again in ’10. And I’ll plan to hit it twice.
Paul Oakenfold at Grand Sierra Resort
Experience Date: 6/19/09
Stars: 5+
All I can safely say about this fantastical night is that we got to meet Paul Oakenfold before the show. Kick Ass. Everything blurs together after that. I love going to the Grand Sierra Resort. It is by far still my favorite casino in Reno. Nothing is better than going to an event there and being able to run around the casino, escalate between floors, crash our friends’ hotel rooms and slam beers at that corner bar (and okay, in the car in the parking lot) instead of forking over huge amounts of cash at The Beach poolside club. And they have a 24-hour bowling alley. Not that I’ve ever bowled after about 11pm, but still. Love it.
~yay~
Zephyr Cove/Lake Tahoe Camping Trip
Experience Date
6/12 – 6/14/09
Stars: 5
Camping with my lil' sis!
June 2009 has had more cloudy, rainy, cold days than any Reno resident can remember, including the lifers. But, in spite of horrid weather forecasts for the weekend of the 12th, several brave friends and I organized a camping trip to Zephyr Cove Resort, just up and over the hill at Lake Tahoe. The excursion was planned in honor of my little sis, Heather, who flew in to visit for the weekend.
Team Zephyr
The Zephyr Cove Resort kicked butt.We booked ‘walk-in’ campsites ($15 per night plus $6/night for extra cars) and chose sites #41 and #42, which were…despite the hardcore climb up a steep-ass hill…quite secluded and just perfect for our rambunctious escapades throughout the weekend. The Zephyr Cove staff operating the golf carts was extremely nice, friendly and helpful—even letting us pile our gear on the cart to avoid the long walk to and from the car. Across the street from the actual camping area is the Resort’s store, restaurant and bar—all right on the beach of Lake Tahoe with insane views of the Sierras.
Cart Racing!
Highlights of the weekend include: me immediately burning my lip and face on a stainless steel fire pit hot dog cooker, me running by our neighbors to the bathroom and biffing it hardcore on a pathway stump Saturday night, cornhole, amazing but unfulfilled intensions to go group hiking both Saturday and Sunday, cart racing down the hill, the black bear scare (which turned out to be a very drunken Heather), reload trips to SaveMart, hellafun games of Yahtzee and silly Mad Libs stories, EATING DELISHISH FOOD, 48 cans of Keystone Light + 1 beer bong, a 100% lack of ‘Mean Jean,’ beach volleyball and a unanimous group agreement that despite weather.com’s thunderstorm warnings, we had a badass and mostly dry weekend.
-We Heart Lake Tahoe-
Zephyr Cove, maybe we’ll see you again on 4th of July, with water bottles full of vodka in tow of course!
Reno ’09 Summer Clubbin’ Kickoff at the Grand Sierra Resort (!)
Experience Date: 6/6/09
Stars: 5+
The GSR was all set to open their re-branded outdoor poolside club “The Beach” on Saturday, June 6 and we were stooooked! Unfortunately, Reno was having a stretch of rainy days to rival the record set in 1911 and plans were thwarted.
Luckily, in our extreme excitement to take on The Beach, we’d booked VIP Cabanas in advance, and GSR being kickass as they are, contacted all the VIP’s early in the day to invite them to take over Dolce inside the casino, and party all night with DJ Skribble and an OPEN BAR.
Photo stolen from GSR's facebook...click for more!
Our group took full, 100% advantage and did our best to party like rock stars. Thanks to The Beach and Grand Sierra’s terrific VIP hosts for making it a night to remember.
Keep tabs on what will be going on at the Grand Sierra Resort this summer by following these cats on the twit. They’re already giving away concert tickets to Paul Oakenfold, and I’m willing to put some cash on bigger and better prizes as the days get hotter!
Reno River Festival & Run Amuck 2009
Experience Date: 5/9/09
Stars: 5+
2009′s Reno River Festival was the perfect kickoff for summer! The weather had been holding out on us Renonians, and Saturday brought with it a little heat wave of joy. A group of friends and I decided to take physical part in the festivities and “Run Amuck” i.e., dress up in costume and relay a 2.5 mile course through downtown Reno from Wingfield to Idlewild park and back.
The icing on the cake that was Run Amuck, was the 60-foot MUD PIT, sponsored by the folks at Sierra Earthworks (link love for my Fuze client!). I’m just happy I made it through that pit alive, since Matt and I were ambushed and wrestled to the ground by Holly and Kelsey.
Reno came out in droves for the entire weekend, and it was fantastic to see so many people downtown.
Definitely doin’ it again in 2010!!!! Enjoy the photo gallery:
