» Web Extras all aboard!
March/April 2008
Railway Reflections International Art Expo chugs into Carson City for its inaugural run, July 17 to August 17. A series of themed events are being planned to raise funds for the reconstruction of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad, originally built in 1869 to connect the Virginia City silver mines to the mills along the Carson River. The V&T is being rebuilt along its original 18-mile route as a tourist attraction, with scheduled operation in 2011.
» Web Extras silver salvation
March/April 2008
After two years, the USS Nevada Silver Service is back on display at the Nevada State Museum in Carson City.
» City Limits orient expressions
January/February 2008
You might find something peculiar about some of the world maps for sale at Great Wall Book Store inside Las Vegas Chinatown Mall. The focus of the maps is not North America (located in the top left corner), but Asia. The maps, like Chinatown itself, show Westerners a view of the world from a different perspective. Here one can indulge in and learn about Eastern food, fashion, and customs.
» Wide Open lariats and lattes
January/February 2008
At 71 Ranch in Deeth you’re likely to see a cowboy teaching a youngster to sling a lasso or a couple riding side by side into a meadow. Any day, guests can see a ranch hand dismount, then push up his sweat-stained Stetson to mop his forehead with a bandanna. He’s probably been on the range since 6 a.m. The 71 blends Western work with ranch vacations on a century-old spread.
» Wide Open among the ruins
January/February 2008
The pounding hoofs and gallant riders of the 1860s Pony Express are long gone, but a handful of station ruins remain across northern Nevada, where you can wander through truly awe-inspiring patches of history.
» Cravings a dutch touch
January/February 2008
Dutch ovens are wide-bellied, cast-iron pots that have been around for centuries. The colonists brought the incredibly durable pots with them in the 1600s, and they were eventually toted to Nevada and other Western states by settlers such as the Mormons and Basques. Clint Combs, his wife, Elizabeth, and his sister, Tina Stallard, still practice this time-tested cooking technique.
» Living living ghost towns
January/February 2008
Preservation of local history is a way of life in “living ghost towns” like Unionville, Midas, and Cherry Creek. All founded after silver or gold were discovered nearby, the towns once boomed to populations into the thousands—large enough that the homes of current residents are far outnumbered by ruins. Three of many such towns in Nevada, they are, like the rest, a curious, vibrant mix of historic and modern, of ruin and restoration, of old-timers and newcomers.
» The Look brooks and wright
January/February 2008
Nevada’s saddle makers come in all shapes and sizes, ages and ability, but two from Elko County—with backlogs of orders—stand out. Eddie Brooks, 75, and John Wright, 26, may be separated in age by a half-century, but they are connected through a mutual artistic talent that stands the test of time. Not to be outdone, Fallon’s Bud Openshaw caters his business to the Nevada buckaroo.
» More Nevada lake tahoe resort “news”
January/February 2008
Skiers and boarders from around the globe flock to Lake Tahoe every season for some of the best snow and terrain in the world, and with new chairlifts, trails, restaurants, shops, and even a zip line, they will be glad they made the pilgrimage in 2007-’08.
» Events Spotlight eagles and agriculture
January/February 2008
The eagles are the biggest draw, but they’re not the only birds you can see—and photograph—at the annual Carson Valley Eagles and Agriculture event, set for February 20, 22-24.
» Shows Spotlight counting down
January/February 2008
Bette Midler’s theatrical trunks will be filled with her bawdy humor, outrageous characters, and her “kiss my brass” musicians when she becomes the resident headliner February 20 at Caesars Palace. Midler replaces Celine Dion, whose last performance on December 15 ended her nearly five-year run on the Strip.
» Web Extras vintage décor
January/February 2008
A favorite pit stop in the 1850s for immigrants traveling West, Carson Valley has become a destination on the antique-shopping circuit. With many of the stores in Minden, Gardnerville, and Genoa housed in century-old buildings, antiquing here is an opportunity to experience the past as well as buy a piece of it.
» Web Extras the other side of vegas
January/February 2008
JW Marriott Las Vegas Resort & Spa in Summerlin, a casino-resort located 20 minutes northwest of the Strip, is a secluded escape. The Mediterranean-styled property offers 548 oversized guestrooms in a lush resort setting.
» Web Extras b&b destination
January/February 2008
News travels fast in tiny Virginia City. The current buzz projects a fourth bed and breakfast opening there some time in 2008. For now, Chollar Mansion, Edith Palmer’s Country Inn, and the new kid on the block, B Street House Bed and Breakfast, offer tourists a charming Victorian-Era experience. With another in the works, Virginia City has become one of Nevada’s most inviting B&B destinations.
» Web Extras playground of the gods
January/February 2008
Nicholas A. Price documented other-worldly beauty in 2,500 photographs that, as he puts it, portray his perspective of where all the artistic ideas of life as we know it began—in the Valley of Fire’s “Playground of the Gods.”
» Web Extras all you need is lovelock
January/February 2008
For thousands of years Chinese couples from the Yangtze River to the Great Wall have symbolized their love by adorning fences with simple metal locks, and for almost two years Lovelock has kept that custom alive and well in the Silver State.
» Web Extras digital flicks
January/February 2008
Northern Nevada’s only all-digital theater, Galaxy Theatre at Casino Fandango in Carson City, provides movie aficionados with a unique way to watch Tinseltown’s best—in high definition.
» Web Extras nevada’s first cabela’s opens
November/December 2007
Cabela’s, which refers to itself as the world’s foremost outfitter of hunting, fishing, and outdoor gear, opened its newest destination retail store near Reno on Friday, November 16. Cabela’s stores are known as premier shopping and tourism destinations, drawing visitors from the local area and hundreds of miles away.
» Web Extras the road to lake tahoe
November/December 2007
The Xterra USA National Championship, always the last weekend in September, is the culmination of a year’s worth of off-road triathlons. Athletes compete all over the nation, building their total score to qualify for this Incline Village event. This year they range in age from 13 to 71 and represent 46 states and seven countries, all vying for the title of champion.
» Web Extras misbehavin’ in spring creek
November/December 2007
Nevada is known for its mountainous terrain and rugged beauty, and this summer I had the pleasure of looking at it from a fresh point of view: 500 feet up. My first hot-air balloon ride was a lesson in the calculated teamwork it takes to inflate, fly, and deflate. It was also a reminder that some of the best things in life (think fishing) require waking up early—really early. That’s when you can expect calm wind, a necessity in a steady balloon ride.
