True Willie Friday, Valentine's Day Dinner, Pizza, Tournaments, More

True Willie Band This Friday

We came up with almost a thousand songs that Willie Nelson wrote, recorded, performed, influenced, or otherwise touched. When Roger Hegyi and the True Willie Band Show bring Willie to life in the Valley Ballroom this weekend they’ll only be doing the most recognizable including five of Willie Nelson’s most notable hits medleyed (OK, we made up this word but you know what we mean) in the video above. Experience these and much more this Friday night with True Willie Band Shows at 5:30 and 7:30 PM. Tickets ($20) are available at the Hotel Desk or call 775-783-6606.

And Come Back Next Friday . . .

. . . for the first in a series of Nashville Nights Showcases featuring up-and coming country singer/songwriters. Our kickoff event on February 17 features Hannah Jane Kile and two talents direct from Nashville, John Cole Taylor (singer/songwriter for Universal Music Publishing Group in Nashville, has had songs recorded by Florida Georgia Line, Chase Rice, and more) and Travis Denning. Just $19 for the full evening with all three.  We’ll even throw in a free Nashville Nights Showcase T-Shirt for everyone who attends and posts on Facebook or Instagram at the show. Tickets are available at the Hotel Desk or call 775-783-6606.

Last Call for Valentine’s Day Dining at the Inn: Why last call? Because it’s this coming Tuesday and you want to be able to show some sign of having planned ahead (don’t you?)! So, here’s the quick recap:  Katie's and CV Steak are offering their regular menu selections plus specials on Valentine's Day, Tuesday, February 14. The specials are at this link – take a look and make your plan!

Feeling Relaxed in the Carson Valley

Winner! Congratulations to Mark Breedon, our Bell/Valet Captain whose photo (above) was the Judges Choice Winner in the Relaxed Category of the recent #WhyCV contest sponsored by the Carson Valley Visitors Authority and Carson Valley Times.  You can read more about all of the winners of the photo, video and written word storytelling contest – and see the entries – in this Carson Valley Times article.

Sports and Race Book:

• On the Board: This week you can “bet the games” for the NBA, College Basketball and NHL.  Also on the board: wager on who will win the NASCAR Daytona 500, NCAA Basketball Championship,  Masters, NBA Championship, NHL Stanley Cup and World Series.
• PRO PK’EM Parlay Progressive - Who won the $5,000? We had three tickets with 13 of the 15 props picked correctly and thus the $5000 prize was split three ways. One ticket was played by a couple who are regulars at Bodines Casino and the two other tickets, slightly different, were both played by one regular at the CVI.
• Super Game Pick Results: (7 – 5): As a reminder we gave the “boys” four picks: Winner, over/under, and their choice of any two props. Here’s how they did with the Pats at +4 and the over/under at 60½:
• Mike, 3-1: Patriots (W), over (W), L. Bount will score a TD (L), neither team convert a FG in the 1^st Qtr (W).
• Alan, 1-3: Patriots (W), under (L), there will not be three unanswered scores in the game (L), Edleman will score a TD (L).
• Greg 3-1: Patriots (W), over (W), tails on the coin toss (W), Falcons final point total will be an odd number (L).
• What’s Our Next Pick Challenge? We’ll plan on having a little picking rivalry with at least the first two weeks of March Madness.
• Meanwhile at the Race Book: It’s been a while since we mentioned any of Mike’s horses and we have good news this week: Mike’s 6 year-old colt Hoppertunity won the San Antonio Stakes at Santa Anita Park last Saturday. In a 25-race career Hoppertunity has only finished worse than fourth once and that was in his first race back in 2014.

Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge:

Adam Bergoch tonight, The Vegas Road Show Thursday through Saturday, Cliff & Dave Sunday and Monday and Tyler Stafford next Tuesday and Wednesday.  Cody Stevens and his wife, Barbara Christy are at the heart of The Vegas Road Show - a powerful variety act delivering first class entertainment including music, comedy and crowd participation.  Share a "Slice of Vegas" with them as they take you back with music from the 50s, 60s, 70s, classic rock, country, smooth jazz or whatever the audience requests! 

In the Casino

• Ladies’ Night Tonight: Join us 5:30 to 8:30 PM with a free 3 in 1 Grater and a Large Chocolate Covered Strawberry (from the Chocolate Shoppe) for the first 150 ladies, Chocolate Shoppe Gift Baskets (Valentine’s Week – gotta have chocolate!) as hot seat prizes, games, drink specials, FREE Bingo and earn entries for the February 22 drawings for a free Designer Handbag.
• $1,000 Guaranteed Friday: Free Cash and Getaway Giveaways Promotion drawings at 5, 7 and 9 PM. $1,000 in some combination of Cash, Free Play and Trips is guaranteed this Friday and every Friday through February 24^th.
• 4X Points Saturday: 4X Points this and every Saturday in February – that’s quadruple the benefits for your play!
• Ladies Only Poker Tournament Sunday:  This has turned into quite a fun event every month and, guys, feel free to stop by and watch but please don’t offer any advice to the ladies. The last guy that did that is just now getting out of rehab but a full recovery is expected. Free brush-up and strategy lessons for the ladies start at 3 PM and the Ladies-Only No-limit Texas Hold'em Bounty Tourney throws cards starting at 4 PM. There’s a $40 buy-in with no re-buys and . . . just stop by and the staff will answer any questions.
• Monthly Blackjack Tournament Tuesday: These usually start off rather jovial . . . and they should because the buy-in is only $25 so no matter how you play or fare, next month’s mortgage payment can’t be on the line. As the field narrows to the final table, you’d think you were at the final round of the World Series of Poker. Laughter is nervous, anxiety becomes more obvious, and it all “breaks” with friendly chatter and congratulations when the winner is crowned and the top three finishers pocket their prize money. Sign up starts at 5 PM and cards fly at 6 PM.
• Penny Progressive Now Over $62,000: Here is a unique idea – after all, we had to come up with something when the jackpot hit an amount that might let you take a year off (CVI employees – disregard that last sentence). Today is Laugh and Get Rich Day. So, sit down at one of the Progressive Jackpot Triple Red Hot 7's slots at the CVI, Sharkey’s or Bodines and just start laughing. Nothing would make our PR folks’ day better than to have a laughing player club member “hit” this Jackpot today!
• Poker Room: Featured Games, Tournaments and Special Promotions with something going on every day of the week. Click here for all the poker room info and watch this blog next Wednesday for some new promotions starting President’s weekend.
• Here’s a Handy Page with all our Current Casino Promotions!

In Our Restaurants

• Wednesday is Italian Day/Night in Katie’s – three specials for $6.99 each!
• Thursday is National Pizza Day so we’re giving every a one day pass from Katie’s and CV Steak and recommending you head to Bodines Casino where we hand toss and freshly baked every pizza to order in a special one-use-only pizza oven.  Good thing we have this ‘cause our Bodines crew cranks out a lot of pizzas as they contribute to the over 3 billion sold in the USA each year – and that’s not counting the umpteen zillion frozen pizzas sold! How close are you to the national average of just over 20 pounds of pizza per person per year? Seriously, don’t even think about it – just enjoy! Bodines pizzas can be ordered in the restaurant, the Casino Bar, the Sports Bar or to take-home!
• Our Friday special in CV Steak is Grilled Elk Medallions with a brandy cherry demi for $30. Saturday night’s special is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. These specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Click the restaurant name for more info, specials and links to menus for Katie’s, CV Steak and Jobs Perk at the CVI . . . or our nearby sister property restaurants, the Jackpot Café at Sharkey's Casino and the Bodines Restaurant at Bodines Casino.

Planning a Stay at the CVI? You will always get the best rate by booking directly with the Carson Valley Inn either online or by calling our Reservation Department directly at 775-783-6629 or 800-321-6983.

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit “0” when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

He Made Us A Fish Sandwich We Couldn't Refuse!

He Made Us A Fish Sandwich We Couldn’t Refuse! “He” is The Codfather, just one of the Food Trucks scheduled for our Food Truck Festival and Anniversary Jam on Saturday, April 30 in and around TJ’s Corral! We’re celebrating 6 great years under Mike Pegram for the Carson Valley Inn and the 1-Year Anniversary of Mike reopening the defunct Sharkey’s Casino. The Saturday festivities run from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the Food Trucks are just

"He made us a fish sandwich
we couldn't refuse."

the beginning. You’ll also enjoy free live entertainment featuring Justin Lee and Journey Revisited, a Journey Tribute Band; free games, activities and snacks for the kids; and plenty of cold beer and other beverages for sale. We also have drawings and other events on Friday at CV and Sunday at Sharkey's - more about that next week . .  for now, back to food: The full list of Food Trucks so far includes Bodawgs Custom Hot Dogs, Bubba Bob's Root Beer, The Codfather, Nevada Nosh Food Truck, St.Lawrence Pizza, Shanghai Express,Tahoe Tenderloins, and Winey Munkies Private Label. 

Concert News

Lacy Sold Out, don't miss out on
tickets to Granger Smith or Frankie Ballard.

We hinted it was getting close last week and the Lacy J. Dalton Concert in the Valley Ballroom on this Friday has SOLD OUT! Thanks for your support! If you miss Lacy this week, you might want to mark Saturday, August 22 on your calendar . . . Lacy is planning an American Legends and Wild Horses event for that date at the 5 Clover Ranch just up the valley from the Carson Valley Inn.

Frankie Ballard Concert Tickets
 are on Sale Now!

Tickets are available now for the Granger Smith Concert in TJ’s Corral on Saturday,May 28 and the Frankie Ballard Concert on Thursday, June 2.  You can buy tickets on our web site or at the hotel desk.  Here’s a handy link to our 2016 Concert Lineup as we have it set so far. Check back for ticket availability and additions.

We’re down to just a handful of packages left for the Genoa Cowboy Festival Weekend on April 29 – May 1: Two tickets to both the Friday and Saturday night concerts with Premium Level Seats plus two nights at the Carson Valley Inn for a special package price of $279! The details are at this link and our allotment of rooms and tickets is almost gone. 

Are We Still The Best? The Carson Valley Inn was voted Best Casino in Nevada outside of the Reno and Las Vegas areas for 2014 and 2015 by readers of Nevada Magazine. Voting is open for the 2016 recognitions so give us a nod, if you feel so inclined, in the Best Casino, Best Hotel, and Best Restaurant (CV Steak!) categories at this page.

Smoked Barbecued Beef Brisket has been added to the Katie’s Specials list for Fridays and Saturdays in April . . . served with baked beans, potato salad, biscuit and soup or salad for $9.99. This special joins the popular Charbroiled Salmon to provide two $9.99 choices every Friday and Saturday in Katie's from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.  Katie’s features a different special every day and the full lineup for the week can be found at this link.

Enjoy FREE entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge 7 nights a week!

Patrick Major is here tonight, The Nighthawks perform Thursday, The John Dawson Band takes the stage Friday and Saturday and George Pickard performs Sunday through Wednesday. The Nighthawks, is a local (Gardnerville/Wellington) country and rock band specializing in popular dance tunes from the 60's and 70's covering artists from Alan Jackson to ZZ Top. The John Dawson Band is a Reno based quintet who entertain with a variety of modern country and classic rock.

Interesting & Helpful Tidbits and News

• Sports and Race Book: This week you can bet The Masters, Major League Baseball, Horseracing, NBA Basketball, NHL, Saturday’s Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley fight in Las Vegas and Saturday’s NASCAR Duck Commander 500 at Texas Motor Speedway.
• Blackjack Tournament: Our monthly Blackjack Tournament is Tuesday in the pit area. Signups open at 5 p.m. and tournament play starts at 6 p.m. Just a $25 entry fee puts you in action and all the entry fees and any rebuys make up the prize pot which is paid to the top three finishers. A good opportunity to parlay $25 into a few hundred bucks! Any of the dealers can fill you in on how it all works.
• Ladies’ Night Tonight: The first 150 ladies who sign up for Ladies’ Night tonight receive the first in our April series of Free Gifts. This week it’s “Lips” – 7 deluxe brand name lipsticks in a clear Elizabeth Arden button tote bag – to the first 150 ladies to sign up. Watch for “Nails,” “Eyes,” and “Skin & Beauty” on upcoming April Wednesdays. Also on tap tonight: a ladies-only drink special, raffle, games and hot seat drawings for Country Wine Gift Baskets.
• Duck Friday, Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Our Friday special in CV Steak is Grilled Duck Breast for $28. Saturday night’s special is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All three specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread. 

Because We Feel Like Mentioning It

The annual kick-off to the
Carson Valley golf season!

• Sunday is Golfer’s Day. That’s a big deal around here because we welcome over 100 different golf groups each season and the participants play thousands of rounds of golf on our area courses.  The official kickoff to the 2016 season is coming up the last weekend in April when our Annual Spring Stag is in house. There are still a few openings if you are interested! If you are part of a group of golfers one of our Group Golf Packages may make for the perfect Golf Getaway to the Carson Valley! Call Greg at 775-783-6615 for all the info!
• Tuesday is Grilled Cheese Sandwich Day. Go from mild to hot pretty darn quickly by stopping at Sharkey’s and ordering a Grilled Cheese Sandwich with Ghost Pepper Cheese! 

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit “0” when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

Comedy Hypnotist, Tailgate Party, Skip Work, Lots More

You Are Getting Sleepy!  Sorry, every hypnotist is expected to say those four words so we used them as a lead into this story:  Comedy Hypnotist Chris Cady will be performing in the Valley ballroom on Wednesday night, February 17 . . . The doors open at 7:00, the show starts at 7:30 p.m. and the price is the same whether you sit in the audience and watch, or volunteer to be up on stage to be hypnotized: just $15! It’s certain to be an unpredictable and boisterous evening of most-unusual entertainment and you can buy tickets at the hotel desk or call 775-783-6606. 21 or over for this show. Your eyes are getting heavy, very heavy . . .

Saturday A Busy Day at CVI! We have quite a bit happening this Saturday so here’s a quick reminder list:

• Tailgate Party 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. in the Casino: $1 Hot Dogs & Beer Specials, live entertainment with Melissa Dru, giveaways, hot seat drawings.
• Cash Patrol from 5 to 9 p.m. with trivia, contests, prizes and surprises.
• $75,000 King of Cash Drawings at 5, 7 and 9 p.m.
• 4X Points all day in the Poker Room. 

Crossing the Aisle in the Valley Ballroom:

Congressman Joe Heck

• Thank you to the Douglas County Democratic Party for holding their 1st in the West Rural Blue Dinner here last Saturday. What a great turnout and we really appreciate the business.
• Our apologies to the Douglas County Republican Party for not mentioning your big upcoming event when we covered a few of the upcoming community events happening at the CVI a couple of weeks ago in our blog. So, here it is: on Sunday, February 14 the 2016 Douglas County Republican Central Committee Lincoln-ReaganDinner will again fill our Valley Ballroom. The keynote speaker is Congressman Joe Heck, candidate for the U.S. Senate. Word is that Congressman Mark Amodei, United States Representative for Nevada's 2^nd congressional district will also make a few remarks. Click here for more information.
• We invite anyone running as an Independent to hold a big political fundraising event in our Valley Ballroom. That will allow us to claim an extra merit badge by being tri-partisan vs. the usual bi-partisan! 

Make Valentine’s Day Dinner Plans Now!

CV Steak and Katie’s are both offering two Valentine's Day Specials in addition to our regular menu items. Reservations are strongly recommended in CV Steak, call 775-783-6650.

Skip Work and Come to the CVI? This would have been good advice for some people during January when you could say that CVI casino players experienced a “Perfect 10!” In addition to the 100+ cash prizes we gave out in the first four weeks of our $75,000 King of Cash Giveaways, we also paid out ten slot jackpots of $10,000 or more.  Add all that to the many other jackpots of less than $10,000 and we get back to our original premise that, for some, it would’ve been more profitable to spend 40 hours a week playing the slots here at the CVI than going to work! While we’re on the subject, this article from a year ago delves into the whole concept of making the Monday after Super Bowl a national holiday. The theory is that so many people wind up “calling in sick (which, frankly, doesn’t fool any employer) anyway . . . Well, you get the point.

Free Cabaret Lounge Entertainment: The Jonny Smokes one man band show is here tonight, After Dark entertains Thursday through Sunday, Melissa Dru and her band take the cabaret stage on Saturday afternoon for our Tailgate Party, and Steve Lord returns Monday through Wednesday.  The high energy of the After Dark Band will have you up and dancing and singing along with the guys! Their “must not miss” show is filled with the songs you know and love and the energy of the group creates a party just waiting for you to join in. With Bernie DeLaCruz and Dave Vasquez on guitar, Dustin Taunton on bass, Don Peterson on drums and Scott Anderson on vocals this award winning band will get you rockin’!

Race and Sports Book:

• Guaranteed $5,142 Pro PK’EM Progressive Jackpot! We’ve come to the end of the football season with money still in the “pot” so we are guaranteeing to give away the $5,142 Pro PK’EM Progressive Jackpot after this Sunday’s Game!! We have a $5 parlay card out with 15 prop bets on the Super Bowl Game. The props are easy to understand like over or under on largest lead of the game or longest field goal of the game, does the team that scores first win the game, etc. This Part Is Very Important: Whoever gets the most of the15 picks correct wins! No rollover to next week – the $5,142 has to go . . . so please do not throw away your ticket. We will go through all the tickets on Monday and, depending on how many have piled up from the CVI, Bodines Casino and Sharkey’s Casino, we should know by the end of the day the number of tickets with the most correct picks - could be one ticket, could be five tickets. If it is more than one, the pot is split. We have no way of knowing who has the winning ticket(s) . . . it’s kinda like the lottery except a lot less zeros at the end of the jackpot amount! As a convenience to those who do play tickets, we’ll post the number of correct picks it took to win the jackpot on this page on our website as soon as we are done tabulating! 
• This week you can watch and bet the Super Bowl, Horseracing, NBA and College Basketball and NHL Hockey.  We are also taking action on Saturday’s Johny Hendricks vs. Stephen Thompson UFC fight and some of the undercard fights.
• Mike’s horse Casino Fever won the 3^rd race at Santa Anita last Saturday with Martin Pedroza on board.

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Even Useful Tidbits and News

• Wednesdays in February:
• Ladies Night returns on Wednesdays with a Ladies-only kiosk game for spa set gifts, free play, food comps and drawing entries for grand prize drawings on Feb. 24. Also on tap: Hot Seat drawings for Wine Country Gift Baskets.
• Italian Specials continue in Katie's on Wednesdays from 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. and we’ve rotated Cheese Tortellini Carbonara into the list of three offerings starting at $5.99.
• Two Tournaments this Coming Week:
• Our monthly Ladies’ Only Poker Tournament is Sunday starting at 4 p.m. in the poker room. Of course we’ll have the game on!!
• Our monthly Blackjack Tournament is Tuesday, February 9 in the pit area of the casino.
• Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Saturday night’s special in CV Steak is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. These specials are served with fresh vegetable, choice of rice or potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked), tableside tossed salad and warm demi-loaf of bread.
• Sorry, We’re Not Home: We are including this link in case you missed our favorite customer answering machine message last week. Also, we deserved the comments we receive from a few people who, recognizing that times have changed, chided us by saying “what’s an answering machine?!”
• Because We Feel Like Mentioning It -Katie's to the rescue!
• Today is Carrot Cake Day. Enjoy a moist, frosting-topped slice in Katie's today! If the myth about carrots is correct, this may even improve your vision!
• Thursday is Homemade Soup Day and Katie's always has two soups each day made right here in one of our kitchens!
• Remember, last week we said “we'll have a few ideas in next Wednesday's blog” for Hot Breakfast Month in February? Bet you didn't see this one coming: Saturday is Ice Cream for Breakfast Day and we can add a scoop to whatever (hot or cold) you order for breakfast in Katie's any day of the week! 

Comments? Have questions or comments about the CVI? Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit “0” when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department.  We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

Ten September Activities, Community Events at the CVI, Bakery Topples Blog Writers, Much More

Sunset at the Charlie Daniels Band Concert Courtesy of Brian Aspenleiter

A September Top Ten! September is the ideal time to stay at the CVI and enjoy our area's recreation and adventure. Here are just a few of our suggestions:

• Go Soaring at Minden-Tahoe Airport (775-782-9595)
• Experience Skydiving (on your bucket list?) at Minden-Tahoe Airport (775-790-7602)
• Marvel at The Fall Colors in Hope Valley on Hwy 88
• Take A Hike on one of the many Carson Valley Trails (775-782-8145)
• View Lake Tahoe from above with a Hot Air Balloon Ride (775-790-7572)
• Take a Walking Tour of Minden's Historic District (775-782-8145)
• Stroll thru Nevada's oldest settlement with a Walking Tour of Genoa (775-782-8145)
• Take home one of the top three cash prizes in the CVI Monthly Blackjack Tournament this coming Tuesday, Sep. 9
• Sip Wine & Visit Local Shops at the Thirsty Third Thursday Wine Walk on Sep. 18 (775-782-8027)
• Feast on a Fantastic Dinner in CV Steak! 

Our Community Comes Together at the CVI! Our Valley Ballroom is in the spotlight this fall with many of our community's most prestigious organizations holding annual events. As always, one of the benefits of holding these events at the Carson Valley Inn is the assistance we often lend in getting the word out (space available, of course). Some of the upcoming events (all numbers are area code 775): Sierra Nevada Republican Women 911 Dinner on Friday Sep. 12, an official NV Sesquicentennial event (Nancy, 267-6937), Friends of the NRA Dinner on Sat., Sep., 13 (Blayne, 450-2349), Douglas County Republican Women Dinner & Fashion Show on Sat., Sep. 27 (Janet, 267-2991),  Business Council of Douglas County Critical Issues Conference on Thu., Sep. 25 (Renea, 782-6715), Bunko for Breast Cancer on Sat. Oct. 11 (Pamela, 215-1027),  D.A.W.G. Celebrity DAWG Pound Dinner & Comedy Show on Sat., Oct. 18 (Allison, 267-7325) and A Touch of Class Show on Oct. 23 – 25 (Sue, 265-1097).  To book your next event, convention, reception, meeting or reunion at the CVI, call Carrie at 775-783-6673.

Please Don't Forget these Two Events Coming This Month:

Garrett Felling at Nevada
Boxing Hall of Fame
Induction Last Month

• The Collegiate and Amateur Boxing in TJ's Corral on September 13 presents a great opportunity to see some National Collegiate Boxing Association Champions in action including Nevada boxer Garrett Felling who won the NCBA boxing title last spring at 185 pounds and Jacob Berggren who captured the NCBA 139-pound championship title over Nevada's JJ Mariano. You'll also get a chance to meet the Nevada Boxing coaches and many Nevada Boxing alumni, a caring brotherhood of now successful businessmen who continue to keep the sport alive and well. Tickets are just $10 and are available online.
• Nevada Coach Brian Polian's Visit is less than three weeks away so plan now to attend his Nevada Wolf Pack Blitz buffet lunch here at the CVI on Monday, September 22. The cost is $17 per person and advance reservations are a must through the University of Nevada Athletic Department. Please call 775-682-6901 by Friday, September 19.

CVI Bakers 2, CVI Blog Writers 0:

• They Threw a Cupcake at Me! Last week we mentioned a great deal for September: 50% off
  
  when paying with points in Katie's on Tuesday's from 2 – 10 p.m. We also mentioned that on Mondays in September, when you earn 125 points that day, you can just swing by the casino kiosk and swipe your card for a Free Omelet  or Free $6.99 Platter that same day. About an hour after last week's blog went live, a couple of the bakers showed up in the Blog Office and pelted us with cupcakes. Good thing for us the cupcakes are always fresh and thus the damage was more embarrassment than the "ouch" which would come from a stale cupcake. The reason for the onslaught? We forgot to mention that every Monday in September all bakery items at the Katie's counter are 50% off when paying with points!
• And Then They Attacked Our Waistlines!  A day later, a frequent CVI Guest Reggie Gold asked an innocent question on our Facebook Page inquiring about what flavor of pies we would have that weekend. Foolishly, one of us went down to the bakery to ask. A half hour later we had been sweet-talked into tasting all of the weekend's offerings and the result?? Not even a dent could be made with 50 minutes on the treadmill that night!
• Bottom Line: Our bakery operates seven days a week making the cakes, pies, cupcakes, cookies, brownies and other goodies served in our restaurants and sold at the bakery display at the entrance to Katie's. Order is advance for birthdays, anniversaries, office or home open houses or receptions, holidays, or any special occasion. The heavy volume of sales assures freshness and, as we found out, if you try to eat a whole room full of this stuff (way past the "moderation" level) by yourself, it will require a few extra minutes on the treadmill . . .but it's worth it!!

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Occasionally Even Useful Tidbits and News:

• NFL Football Starts This Weekend and we're all set with Parlay Cards, our Progressive Pro Pick'em where you pick the NFL games without a point spread, beer specials during all NFL Games including Bud & Bud Light draft beer for just $2 and $1 off all other Anheuser-Busch draft beers, Monday Night Football drawings and more!
• We are in touch weekly with the folks at Amador Stage Lines as they work out the details for Scheduled Bus Service between Reno Airport and Carson Valley. Their web site should be coming soon with rates, schedules and a more definitive starting date.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: Jonathan "JB" Barton appears tonight, Steppen Stonz entertains Thursday – Saturday, NFL Football fills the Cabaret Sunday and Monday nights and  Dale Poune takes the stage Tuesday and Wednesday.
• This Week's Game-On Fridays special in CV Steak is Grilled Game Brochette with marinated Buffalo and Antelope, Venison and Alligator Sausage finished with a red wine demi and served with tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato . . . all for $28.00!
• Ladies' Night –Tonight! Each of tonight's Hot Seat winners will receive a Gift Basket from
  
  The Blue Cow - a relatively new Gourmet Food Shop in The Record Courier center offering custom gift baskets and a wide array of food goodies and gifts for every foodie and cheese lover in your life. Oh, and the first 150 ladies to check in tonight will receive a lucky stone paperweight. If you are a local merchant interested in getting involved in our Ladies' Night promotion, please contact Stephanie at 775-783-7711. We are always looking for a few hot seat prizes and 150 of something – every week!
• Speaking of Gift Baskets: We saw the list of some of the Gift Baskets that will be auction prizes at the Bunko for Breast Cancer event in our Valley Ballroom on Saturday, October 11.Those dedicated ladies at GE are VERY creative!

Thank You, Thank You, Thank You . . .

. . . for making the Charlie Daniels Band Concert a sell out and an overwhelming success.  At the top of today's blog is just one of the hundreds of stunning photos taken that night as the sun set in spectacular fashion over the Sierra Range. Thanks to Brian Aspenleiter of Minden Grill Company for sending us this one!

. . . for supporting the recent Austinpalooza which raised $7,435 for Austin's House. Left to right in the picture: Derek McReavy, Julie Keller and Chad Cox (all GE); Conrad Buedel, Austin's House; Bill Henderson and Stew Stewart (Carson Valley Inn).

Get In Touch With Us: Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department. We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

What Would Yo Do with a Sudden $50,000, Action Oriented Events, Hard Knocks, More

Inn-Side Inn-formation on Some Upcoming Events at CVI:

• The Carson-Tahoe Moto on Friday - Sunday, August 22 – 24 is a gathering of motorcycle riders
  
  and it’s a rally with an emphasis on discovering great roads—whether you prefer pavement or dirt—and meeting new people who love motorcycling.  While the "Moto" is headquartered here at the CVI, it’s about getting out on the road and riding—not standing around looking at bikes. Sound like something you'd enjoy? Sign up today!
• Our 30^th Birthday Celebration is Sunday, August 24 with Blues, Brews & Motocross plus much more! The day's events include activities all day in the casino plus free outdoor high-flying aerial motocross acrobatics demonstrations and free entertainment with the Blues Monsters in the evening. Plus . . . free popcorn, free ice cream and free games for the kids.
  
• Our 30th Annual Mixed Scramble Golf Tournament is September 5 & 6 and this is the perfect event for golfers of ALL levels and abilities. The blind draw of teams makes it easy to meet new people and enjoy a round of golf without undue pressure. Check out all the details including a sign up form.
• The Annual Bunko for Breast Cancer night is just two months away on Saturday, October 11 and this is one of the most un-corporate-like events that our friends at the Minden GE facility sponsor all year! Suffice it to say that earplugs are so advised that they are actually provided 'cause the noise, shouting, laughter and general merriment is . . . you'll just have to dive in and enjoy it! To sign up, volunteer, or find out what this can all possibly mean, call Pamela at 775-215- 1001. And be warned, as soon as you mention Bunko to Pamela she might start babbling – this event knocks her and the GE committee sideways every year . . . but it  always raises five figures for Cancer Services in our community! 
• The Annual CVI Shooting Outing is February 19 – 21 and we're working on the flyer and web page now. Look for more details soon, but get it on your calendar now for two days of sporting clays, an opening night reception and an awards buffet with game and traditional fare. 

Concert Notes:

• Chris Young put on a great show to a sell-out crowd last Saturday and we commend this young artist and his crew for their professionalism, friendliness and cooperativeness. Keep an eye on Chris . . . he's a good one!
• The Austinpalooza to benefit Austin’s House is a week from this Saturday (That's August 16) and
  
  all ticket sales go directly to Austin's House. As a reminder, this is a full day of music running from 2 to 10 p.m. and the whole day complete with in-and-out access is just $25! The Stray Cat, Lee Rocker anchors the show and four area bands will take the stage before him including The Engineered Disaster, Seymour's Trick Bag, Bootleggers and Lavish Green. Austin's House is the only Emergency Children’s Center in Northern NV. The children who are placed at Austin's House have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect . . .  and  Austin's House provides care until these children are either reunited with their family or an appropriate long term placement is made. These are very sad situations but Austin's House makes it good . . . and your purchase of a $25 ticket or two will help them continue!
• Somehow, we found fifty more Standing-Room-Only tickets for the Charlie Daniels Band Concert on Friday, August 29 and they went on sale last night. If you're thinking of attending, better act quickly 'cause they will certainly go fast!  Remember, you really don't have to stand - bring a blanket and sit on the grass area! 

What Would You Do with a Sudden $50,000? Whether the amount was $50,000 or a Million Dollars (remember Steve Martin's quick advice as to how to become a Millionaire?), we've all had that question posed to us or a least thought about it. And most of us either blurt out something definitive – from frivolous to practical to philanthropic – but soon the thought dissipates because it's all hypothetical anyway. Nancy, a local resident guest, recently faced the question for real! It went like this: Nancy was walking by the Penny Progressive and saw the jackpot was quite high so she sat down, inserted the $27 ticket she had cashed out from another machine and started playing. Soon the machine stopped working and some people came over." Turns out it was our CVI staff looking like they were going to start clapping and singing Happy Birthday like they do in some of those many restaurants. Nancy assumed there was something wrong with the machine – and there was: it stopped automatically 'cause she had just won the $50,184.00 jackpot! We caught up with Nancy a few days later and asked that stupid question that casino people, reporters and PR flacks always ask, "What was your first thought when you realized you had won?"  Her answer was one word, "flabbergasted!"  Of course we followed up with the equally required and trite "What are you going to do with the money?" By then, Nancy and her husband Leroy had thought it out and they choose to forgo the frivolous (at least for now) and stick with the practical (invest for the kids) and philanthropic (10% to United Methodist Church). What would you do?

As Always, Interesting, Helpful and Occasionally Even Useful Tidbits and News:

• The HBO show Hard Knocks 2014 season debut was last night and this year HBO is following the Atlanta  Falcons throughout training camp and the preseason as they whittle their roster down for the season opener against the New Orleans Saints on Sunday, September 7. So why is this in the CVI blog? Mike Tice is the Offensive Line Coach of the Falcons and Mike is a frequent CVI visitor, a friend of CVI owner Mike Pegram and the driving force behind the Mike Tice Charity Golf Tournament that has raised over $250,000 for the Boys and Girls Clubs of Western Nevada Carson Valley Branch over the last 4 years. Viewer discretion is advised as HBO has no language filters!
• In the Cabaret This Weekend: For more than ten years Escalade has been entertaining northern Nevada with a blend of R&B, jazz and pop. The group performs the best of the artists of Motown such as The Drifters, Coasters, Temptations and Four Tops plus the hits of Stevie Wonder and Michael Jackson. Band leader Jeff Odom’s strong vocals and infectious personality make this band a local favorite.
• Our monthly Blackjack Tournament is Tuesday, August 12 . . . check at the Pit for details.  Pit? That's totally acceptable casino-talk for "table games area." 

Get In Touch With Us: Use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department. We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!

Mother's Day, The Oak Ridge Boys Ticket Update and More

Mother's Day specials Sunday, The Oak Ridge Boys tickets going strong, Dustin Lynch and Chris Young both in the Top 20 and, as always, some miscellaneous useful info and reminders!

Mother's Day is this Sunday and we sure hope you have your plans in place. Just in case, here's a friendly reminder that both Katie's Country Kitchen and CV Steak are serving all their regular menu items at the regular prices . . . plus, both restaurants are offering a couple of additional  Mother's Day dinner specials. We put it all on one simple flyer and hope you'll stop by! For CV Steak reservations, call 775-783-6650.

Concert Notes:

• What a great night for our opening concert last Thursday! Michael Martin Murphey and his band certainly didn't disappoint the crowd and the weather was top notch! Thank you to the so many of you who expressed your appreciation for our new venue  during the evening!
  
• The Oak Ridge Boys Concert tickets are selling very well and we are moving toward a sell-out.  Sales had been fairly steady, but took a surge after last Thursday's concert and have been strong since. So, now is the time to get your tickets!
• Top 20 Country Hits: Dustin Lynch (June 13) and Chris Young (August 2) are trending very well on the iTunes Top 100 Country Songs list this morning. Chris is at #17 with Who I Am With You and Dustin's Where It's At is #18. 

Mike's Horses:

• You've heard it from us before: horse racing is an iffy business and you "never know" until post time. We saw that last Thursday morning when Mike Pegram's horse Hoppertunity was scratched from the Kentucky Derby due to a foot issue that left a doubt in Trainer Bob Baffert's mind about the safety of running in the Derby. The colt is also out for the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes after undergoing minor surgery for a foot spur earlier this week. 
• We offer our hearty congratulations to Steve Coburn and Perry Martin, owners of California Chrome for their Derby victory! Steve and his wife Carolyn are residents of Douglas County and we're thrilled that the Derby winner had such strong local ties!
• Mike and his partners Karl Watson and Paul Weitman were able to celebrate on Saturday when their four-year-old filly Midnight Lucky led wire-to-wire in winning the Grade 1 Humana Distaff in the 7th race at Churchill Downs. Ridden by jockey Rosie Napravnik, this was the fourth win in five starts for Midnight Lucky.
• Shakin It Up, who Mike owns with Dennis Cardoza, came in 2^nd by a head in the 9th Race, the Grade 2 Churchill Downs.

Random Stuff:

• Thanks for the feedback on the May events we listed in last week's Blog posting. We'll try to do it again towards the end of May for June.
  
• We are now open 7 nights a week in CV Steak: through the summer and into the fall. Helps with the "limited dining choices in our area on Monday nights" dilemma.
• Wow, another month has gone by and our monthly Blackjack Tournament is this coming Tuesday evening. $25 gets you in and ALL the entry fees are paid back out in prize money. In this event, it helps a little to be somewhat good at blackjack . . . helps a bunch more to be lucky!
• Facebook Winner: MaryJane Shaw won the Dinner for Two in CV Steak this past week. Check our Facebook Page early next week for our next giveaway – never a cost to enter. Oh, and watch next Wednesday's blog posting for a heads up.
• National Travel and Tourism Week runs through May 11 – a perfect reason for us to offer our thanks to the many tourists who visit the Carson Valley Inn each year – we appreciate your business!

Let's Hear From You! To send us suggestions or comments, use the comments section below, shoot us an email or just pick up the phone and call us @ 775-782-9711. Hit "0" when the automated voice comes on and you'll go right to the hotel operator who can get you to the correct person or department. We have a lot more coming up at the Carson Valley Inn so check our Blog posting every Wednesday morning!