Summer Hiking - Galena Creek Trail

Summer is the beginning of so many wonderful things!!

 

Yes, I know summer hasn't officially started, but today it sure did feel like it!!

 

And for me, hiking is at the top of the list of some of my favorite things to do.  There are so many trails to choose from, and one of my favorites is only about 10 minutes from my front door!

 

The Galena Creek Trail.

 

 

The trail head is located at the end of Callahan Road in South Reno and is adjacent to the Galena Regional Park.  The trail is a total of 2 miles in and out.  But I like to do the extra .7 mile to the end of the trail before I turn around and head back!

 

Why?  Because it is a beautiful scenic and peaceful hike.

 

 

The snow flowers are in full bloom this time of year.

 

 

And the butterflies are enjoying these late spring days!

 

 

There is just nothing more satisfying then a beautiful hike on a beautiful day in Reno!!

 

 

Stay tuned for some longer hikes that I will be taking this summer around Reno and the Lake Tahoe area!!

 

 



Kicking Off Summer in Reno

Events season is officially in full swing here in Reno!

And I kicked it off tonight by going to the summer long "Reno Food Street Event" in Idlewild Park along the Truckee River.

 

 

The event officially started last Friday (May 22) and continues every Friday night until October 2nd.  It was a perfect evening for strolling past the 20+ food trucks and pop-ups to see who was going to be the one that would entice me to try their fare!

Hmmm, would it be our great State's name sake, Battle Born? 

 

 

 I'm thinking I want something a bit more out of the ordinary.

 

Well, maybe not that far out!

 

 

Maybe I could try a taste of something from another country?

 

 

 

While one tries to make a decision, one can just get something to quench their thirst..........

 

 

...........and then pick a spot on the grass and listen to the live music.

 

There is also plenty to do for the little ones!

 

 

Well back to the food!

 

I could have something a bit "meaty" I suppose.

 

 

Or I could be a bit more healthier in my choices like these people!

 

 

And then I see these two having one of my favorites!

 

 

Now I'm on a mission!!!  And I succeeded beyond my wildest dreams!!

Raspberry Cabernet ice cream by Winey Munkies!  Wine AND ice cream??? Oh yeah!!!

 

 

Even though Still Rollin had the longest line.......

 

 

...........And most extensive menu,

 

 

 

I finally settled for the authentic Liege Belgian Waffle in honor of my Belgian husband who wasn't able to be here with me tonight.

 

So that means we will be coming back!  That's what makes this event a great one here in Reno, if you miss one, there will be another!!

Reno In The Top 10 Budget Destinations for 2015

Shermans Travel Blog recently released their Top 10 Budget Destinations of 2015 and Reno-Tahoe made the cut! The locations on the list were placed in no specific order, and Reno was chosen along with other places, such as Algarve, Portugal; Africa Safari Destinations; Kansas City, MO; Providence, RI; and Taipei, Taiwan.  And wow, I've been to all of them!!

But here is what Shermans Travel had to say about this great city where I live!

Hot Air Balloon Races in September

“Reno-Tahoe, NV: Is Reno-Tahoe America’s next hipster city? With Tesla building a $5 billion giga factory with Panasonic, and its new status as a drone testing site, the region’s certainly poised for the kind of boom Seattle enjoyed back in the ’80s. In Reno, accommodations are averaging less than $100 per night, making the city an extremely affordable base for exploring Tahoe’s world-class ski resorts (there are 16 within a 45 minutes’ drive). Even AAA 4-Diamond properties like the Peppermill — whose hot water and heating is powered by a geothermal well — often go for under $120 per night. In and around downtown, visitors have 300+ days of sunshine a year to enjoy all manners of outdoor fun, from fly fishing and rock climbing to mountain biking and paddle boarding. And don’t forget to sniff out the Frank Sinatra and Rat Pack mobster sites, the Lake Tahoe Shakespeare Festival, and $10 gold and silver mine tours in nearby Virginia City for a good dose of culture.

And this folks is why I love "Living In Reno"!!

Just Winging It!!

One of the MANY things I love about Reno is all the festivals that go on throughout the year!
Every time I think I know about all the events in this town, I am surprised by one more that I have somehow missed!

Lucky for me, I stumbled upon the 2nd Annual Silver Legacy Wing Fest on Saturday Night (July 5)while heading to the Reno Ace's baseball game!  Yes, Reno has it's very own team!  More on that in a later post.  Back to the Wings!!

My oldest grandson was visiting from Las Vegas with his girlfriend for the 4th of July weekend, so how lucky were we to be able to catch this event on Sunday before they had to fly home.

The Wing Fest takes place right downtown on S. Virginia and there were about 30 different Wing vendors to choose from.



You can see my husband (in the brown shirt) trying to decide which one to try first!

There were rubs, smoked, baked, deep fried and barbecued wings — all flavors, from some that were so hot you had to sign a release to eat them to some that were so sweet they made your mouth water!

I heard there were garlic parmesan and teriyaki, as well as a new flavor that was unveiled at the festival, something to do with cheesecake.

Setting the soundtrack for chowing chicken wings, live country music was performed throughout the three-day festival. The concerts took place on the event's main stage, which was located on the plaza directly across from the Silver Legacy Resort Casino.

 

There was also plenty of other types of booths to choose from for a taste of a little something different to go with your wings!

 

 

Jessica was even able to get a little shopping in between eating wings!

 

 

With about 65,000 to 70,000 people expected for this 3-day event, these guys were cooking up a storm!

 

 

And we felt very lucky hitting this on Sunday and avoiding the crowds!

 

 

And as you can see by these next pictures, the wings were finger lick'in good!

 

 

Needless to say there will be plenty going on this summer in Reno!  They were already gearing up for another one before this one was over!!!

 

Don't miss Hot August Nights!!!
 

Not only will you see thousands of classic cars between July 29th and August 3rd, you could win this!!

 

 

Hope everyone is enjoying their summer!  I certainly am!!

 

 

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Blue Skies in Our Future

I'm sure many of you know about the devastating fire in California.  The Rim Fire is what they are calling it and it has burned over 301 square miles and has moved into 6th place on California's list of largest wildfires! It is located in and around the Yosemite National Park area and as of today it is 35% contained.

Here in Reno we have suffered poor air quality for the past two weeks due to the smoke from this devastating fire.

I wanted to share some photos with you so that you can have an idea of what we are seeing....or not seeing.  LOL!

I took this picture from our home looking to the West earlier this year

 

 

I took this picture just this past Tuesday looking at those same mountains from our home

 

 

These next before and after pictures are courtesy of Douglas County, just about 30 miles south of us

 

 

Today looks promising that there may be hope for the complete extinguish of this horrible fire.

 

 

Predictions are that the Rim Fire will be extinguished on September 20th.

 

Please pray for all involved in the efforts to put an end to this devastating fire.

 



Happy Sunday

Today we spent a peaceful morning just 10 minutes away from home!
Davis Creek Campground in Washoe Valley has a nice 2 acre pond for fishing and Stijn wanted to try his skills once more.

 

And even though the smoke from the fires in California is still lying thick in the Truckee Meadows, I couldn't help but feel very lucky to live in such an amazing and beautiful area of Nevada.

 

Wishing you all a blessed Sunday!

My Two Loves

Anyone who knows me, knows how much I love my Wine & Cheese! 

I could live on the two.  And I don't really care (or knew) what cheese goes best with what wine.  To me it's all good!  When asked, "What wine do you like best"?  I always reply, "I like them all!  After 3 sips they all taste the same anyway"

But then I was introduced to this great little cheese shop by my friends at "Picasso and Wine".  You can read my story about painting and drinking wine HERE.  I have returned to Picasso and Wine for happy hour since my painting lesson and though Alanna and Alissa serve nothing but fabulous wine, they suggested going next door for some cheese to bring back and enjoy with my glass of wine.  Cool! 

Well, this is when I discovered the "Wedge". 

 

Oh my!  This is not a place you send a girl who has an addiction to cheese!  I was overwhelmed by the wonderful aromas of all the different varieties of cheese from all over the World!

 

 

They even have a small deli

 

 

You can create a "Wedge Plate" to try a cheese that maybe you've never had (or an old favorite) and some pate', salami, crackers and even a bottle of wine and viola' you have a picnic in the making!  Just add a red checkered tablecloth and wicker basket!

 

 

Just when I thought I'd seen it all.....I see this......

 

 

 

I could stand to be a little more polished when it comes to drinking wine and eating cheese.  So I didn't hesitate at all when I stumbled upon a flier as I was paying for my cheese to eat next door with my wine.  Remember, I was next door for happy hour?  hehe

 

The flier had all the information regarding, believe it or not, a "Wine and Cheese Pairing Class"!  Where's the pen? Where do I sign?  Here's my money!!

 

So on May 27th I arrived for my lesson on how to choose the right cheese for the wine I'm drinking.  Is there a wrong cheese?

 

 

Eight different cheeses set on a plate representing a clock and five wines were set in front of us in an orderly fashion.

 

 

We began sipping and tasting after listening to how different wines can compliment cheese, OR how a certain cheese can make a wine taste so much better!

I have a confession here.  I really don't like Chardonnay.  However, after sampling several of the cheeses on my plate I discovered that a Voucheron MontChevre'  (Goat Cheese) from California all the way to a Fourme d'Ambert from France make a 2011 Chardonnay from Mendocino California taste yummy!

 

 

Or was it because I had more then 3 sips?

 

Cheers! Sante', Salute!