My Wife Got the House But I Kept My Truck!

One of the Ford F-150 Pickups We Are Giving Away

My Wife Got the House But I Kept My Truck!

Whether it's a booze-soaked ballad or a driving southern anthem, three "things" seem to be true about country lyrics and music: the message comes from the heart, you will be able to understand the words, and there are an unusually high number of references to pickup trucks! Just check out this Top Ten Country Songs About Pickup Trucks from 2011 - one of a bunch of such lists. Anyway, we "get it" so we (CVI, Bodines Casino and Sharkey's Casino) are giving away two Ford F-150 Pickup Trucks on the second weekend of July - plus a guaranteed $25,000 in cash and Freeplay during the same promotion that kicks off on June 1. Look for an F-150 on display at each location thanks to our friends at Dick Campagni's Capital Ford in Carson City.

About the Country Songs: We're not sure how many songs from these artists cover the pickup truck subject, but these four concerts are all coming to TJ's Corral during our Ford F-150 Pickups and $25,000 Giveaway Promotion and tickets are on sale now!

• Gary Allan on Thursday June 4: Gary will launch the Chevrolet Riverfront Stage performances at the 2015 CMA Music Festival on Thursday, June 11 just a week after his June 4 concert in TJ's Corral. Big time in Nashville, big time in Minden. Don't miss out . . . get your tickets now before we sell out.
• The Davisson Brothers Band and Loving Mary Band on Friday, June 12: The song lyrics and sound of Brothers Donnie and Chris Davisson, cousin Sammy Davisson, and life-long best friend Aaron Regester tell powerful stories of their family history and lifestyle in West Virginia. The Loving Mary Band will jet to Minden after a performance the day before on the Chevrolet Roadhouse Stage at the CMA Music Festival.
• Rodney Atkins on Saturday, June 27:  We like Rodney's comments about his approach to writing love songs, "Love is not all blue skies and no bills …it's gutters leaking and the cat messed in the fireplace. It's not convenient at all, and you've got to make time for it - that's the toughest part of it."
• Tanya Tucker on Friday, July 3: Did you know . . . Tanya was the first female country artist to appear on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine, she performed at halftime of the 1994 Super Bowl and appeared on an episode of the popular TV series The Love Boat in 1981. 

WW II Vintage Aircraft in Town Monday - Wednesday:  The Carson Valley Inn is honored and privileged to host the pilots and crew for the Collings Foundation’s Wings of Freedom Tour as it brings World War II history and nostalgia to Minden-Tahoe Airport next week. This is a rare opportunity to visit, explore (inside and out), and learn more about four unique treasures of aviation history: The B-17 is one of only 8 in flying condition in the United States, the B-24J and Full Dual Control P-51C Mustang are the sole remaining examples of their type flying in the World. The B-25 is best known for flying the Doolittle raids. Visitors may also experience the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to actually take a 30-minute flight aboard these rare aircraft. For reservations and information on flight experiences call 800-568-8924.  Meanwhile click here for times, costs and other details.

What Are Your Memories of Sharkey?

We've been overwhelmed by the number of people who, upon visiting Sharkey's Casino in the first month, have told us about memories they have of Sharkey, Cow Pasture Boxing, Serbian Christmas or some of the characters and stars who made Sharkey's a stop while in town. You've also told us we did a pretty darn good job of preserving the spirit of Sharkey in the physical building and accompaniments. Now we want to complete the task and start building the emotional, colorful, and historic memories that chronicle the "story" of Sharkey's since it opened in the early 70s.  We'll start this process on Friday, June 5 when we invite anyone with a "Sharkey's Story" to stop by so we can get it on video. Could be a short one-liner, could be a three or four minute story. We'll get them all together, start building the memory bank, and use these videos to preserve the history of this important Gardnerville landmark just as we have preserved the building.  So, please join us on Friday, June 5 either between 2 and 4 PM or between 5 and 7 PM. We'll buy you a cup of coffee or a drink, make you comfortable, and look forward to you sharing a few memories with us. Can't make it on June 5? Send us an email to SharkeysCasino@gmail.com and we'll get in touch to make other arrangements.

Mike Tice Charity Golf Tournament Update! We mentioned this event in detail in last week's blog and "poof," Coach Tice showed up this past week for a final planning meeting with the CVI's Greg Enholm and Lori Gorris and Susie Messina from the Boys & Girls Club of Western Nevada. As a quick reminder because time is running out to get in on this event: Tickets are available for the Crawfish Feed in TJ's Corral on Saturday evening, June 20. Just $40.00 includes beer, the Crawfish and accompaniments, and music by “Decades.” For tickets, contact Jeri Johnson at 775-771-6432 or 775-783-7037.  There are still a very few spots available in the golf tournament on Sunday, June 21 at the Golf Club at Genoa Lakes. Click Here for Sponsorship Information. Proceeds stay right here in our community and benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, Carson Valley Branch!

Motorcycles and Riders Decked Out in Pink? It's true - there will be hundreds of them and some of the sights will be most interesting and unusual when the Pinocchio's Ride for the Tatas 6th Annual Motorcycle Poker Run makes a stop at the Carson Valley Inn this Sunday. All proceeds benefit Moms on the Run, a local charity helping women battling breast and gynecological cancers.

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

• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive the last set of two May spa products.  Also enjoy hot seat drawings for Tahoe Toffee Baskets, ladies-only drink specials and more.
• Roasted Stuffed Quail in CV Steak:  Our Friday Game Special this week is Roasted Stuffed Quail with prosciutto, wild rice and plum port glaze . . . Served with tableside-tossed salad and vegetable for $28.00. As a reminder, Sundays in CV Steak we feature one pound of King Crab Legs for $32 and that also includes tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: George Pickard is here tonight, The California Cowboys entertain Thursday - Saturday and Greg Austin takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday nights.  You can also watch and bet the NBA Playoff games, NHL Stanley Cup games, Major League Baseball games, NASCAR and horseracing.
• Because We Want To Make Sure You Know:
• Today is Senior Health and Fitness Day. We have been asked not to bring this up so we won't.
• Thursday is Hamburger Day and we have some recommendations in order from traditional to more adventurous: The Bodines Restaurant Double Cheese Burger with beer-battered French fries is our north sister property's biggest seller.  The Cheese Burger is also Katie's biggest seller, but we suggest stepping it up a notch with the Smoke House Burger (double bacon, cheddar cheese and hickory BBQ sauce). Next up the gastrointestinal delight ladder are two from Sharkey's Jackpot Café: The Drunken Burger (includes one well shot or domestic draft beer) and the Volcano Burger (stuffed with ghost pepper cheese and chorizo, topped with more ghost pepper cheese and spicy secret sauce). And for a most-un-traditional and "bet-you-can't-eat-the-whole-thing" experience, go for the Gourmet Hamburger (aka The French Disaster) in CV Steak.
• Monday is Leave the Office Early Day. Assuming this is acceptable in your environment and doesn't result in an "Oh yeah? Well then you might as well just take the rest of the week off without pay" response, why not leave an hour or two early and make plans to enjoy the Sunset Special (sometimes referred to as Early Bird) in CV Steak!  Click here for the menu and be sure to arrive at CV Steak between 4:30 and 5:30 PM to take advantage of this Sunday thru Thursday special offering. 

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!

Tanya Tucker Tickets on Sale, Mike Tice Charity Golf Tournament, Much More

Concert Updates:

Tanya Tucker Tickets Are On Sale Now: Before all of today's country superstars, Tanya Tucker blazed an eclectic new trail for female country artists when "Delta Dawn" became a Top 10 country hit in 1972. A year later at 14, Tanya topped the Billboard country chart with her first of many #1 hits "What's Your Mama's Name." At 15 she was on the cover of Rolling Stone with the prophetic headline, "Hi, I'm Tanya Tucker, I'm 15, You're Gonna Hear From Me." Tucker's path through the country world is highlighted in this interview from Rolling Stone published late last year after the unveiling of the Tanya Tucker Exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville on November 13, 2014.

Tickets are also on sale for these upcoming TJ's Corral concerts:

• Gary Allan June 4: Just two weeks until Gary Allan takes the stage in TJ's Corral. Catch up on some of Gary's music videos (including him telling the background on some of the songs he's written) and fan club comments on hiswebsite.
• The Davisson Brothers Band and Loving Mary Band June 12: Plan to kickoff Carson Valley Days weekend with these two upcoming country acts and be able to say you remember when they played in the Carson Valley!
• Rodney Atkins June 27:  The Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist of 2006, Rodney's 2006 album If You're Going Through Hell produced four #1 country hits!

Feed Me Seymor: Our annual Food Truck Festival is this Saturday from noon to 8 p.m. in the back parking lot and TJ's Corral.  What better way to put it than pirating a few phrases from Carson Valley Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Bill Chernock as he described the event in one of his updates to the Chamber membership last week: May 23rd is the date, and like the swallows to Capistrano and the buzzards to Hinckley, Ohio, the 23rd is the date that the food trucks shall return to the Carson Valley Inn. A flock of the four wheeled eateries will gather next to TJ's Corral, accompanied by additional beverage service and free music from the 'Blues Monsters' . . . even stuff for the kids to do. Just a reminder, white shirts show stains.

Mike Tice Charity Golf Tournament! If you've spent much time around the Carson Valley Inn, or read our blog or know anything about the local Boys and Girls Club, you certainly know about the Mike Tice Annual Golf Tournament.  There is golf, merriment, and a couple of nights of serious fundraising that have produced over a quarter of a million dollars for the Boys and Girls Club of Western Nevada, Carson Valley Branch over the last four years.  What started out as just Coach Tice and his friends has slowly welcomed in others who are willing and able to help in this incredible fundraising event.  This year promises to take on even more "flair" as Mike was head coach Jack del Rio's first addition to the Oakland Raiders staff for 2015 as Offensive Line Coach. There are two ways you can jump on board for this year's long weekend of frivolity and fundraising: Tickets are available for the Crawfish Feed in TJ's Corral on Saturday evening, June 20. Just $40.00 includes beer, Crawfish and accompaniments, music by “Decades” and the always entertaining and sometimes colorful comments by "Coach." For tickets, contact Jeri Johnson at 775-771-6432 or 775-783-7037.  For those willing to pony up a little more for the B & G Club, there are still a few spots available in the golf tournament on Sunday, June 21 at the Golf Club at Genoa Lakes. Click Here for Sponsorship Information. Proceeds stay right here in our community and benefit the Boys & Girls Clubs of Western Nevada, Carson Valley Branch!

Wear Your PJs to Sharkey's on Thursday! This is not one of those trick headlines to get you to read something that is only mildly related (not that we wouldn't do that!). We really do expect to see people wearing pajamas in Sharkey's Casino Thursday afternoon as they participate in the first 2015 Thirsty Third Thursday Wine Walk sponsored and produced by our friends at Main Street Gardnerville.  Be sure to register starting at 4:30 p.m. Thursday at either Big Daddy's Bicycle Shop near the Minden-Gardnerville line or at the Town of Gardnerville office across the street and two blocks south of Sharkey's. The two in the picture? That's Shannon Crabtree & Paula Lochridge in the "old" Sharkey's 2+ years ago

The Seafood Linguini in CV Steak received "Top Four" support in the nomination round of Pasta Wars, another of the Food Wars polls by carsonvalleytimes.com. The final round of voting starts Monday morning, May 25 and continues through Friday, May 29. For those who haven't had this popular CV Steak entrée, let us tell you about it: Our chef starts a fresh sauté for each order by browning lobster, shrimp and scallops. He completes the sauté by mixing in a lemon butter cream sauce with fresh dill, diced tomatoes and capers – and serves it over freshly cooked linguini pasta. By the time this entrée arrives hot at your table, you will have already enjoyed a basket of freshly baked and still warm sourdough bread and our house salad which some consider a meal in itself: we start with mixed greens (romaine and iceberg) and add artichoke hearts, croutons, Parmesan cheese and grape tomatoes. Each salad is tossed tableside with our special house dressing which is best described as a creamy Italian herb dressing (shown "on the side" in the photo - always an option). Want to vote for this tasty and filling dinner? Click here after the polls open on Monday morning, May 25th

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

• Douglas County Is Healthiest in Nevada: At least that's what we read on the internet earlier this week. Seems 24/7 Wall St. developed the list of the Healthiest County in Each of the 50 States. While we are not surprised that Douglas County won for Nevada, we sure don't understand why, with all of the beauty and spectacular scenery around here, "they" had to use a picture of Las Vegas! A more representative shot could have been the picture above that Bonnie Klein posted on the Douglas County Exposures, a local Public Group on Facebook.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive the third set of two May spa products.  Also enjoy hot seat drawings for Patriotic Themed Chocolate Shoppe Gift Baskets, ladies-only drink specials and more.
• Elk Medallions Friday in CV Steak:  Our Friday Game Special this week is Grilled Elk Medallions with a Brandy Cherry Demi - two 3 oz. elk tenderloin medallions grilled and finished with demi and sundried cherries; served with fresh vegetable, choice of potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked) and tableside tossed salad all for $30.00.  
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: Jonathan "JB" Barton is here tonight, Nancy Barker, Curt Lee & Friends entertain Thursday, Stew Stewart covers Friday and Saturday nights, The Blues Monsters make a one-night appearance on Sunday and George Pickard takes the stage Monday through Wednesday nights.  You can also watch and bet the NBA Playoff games, NHL Stanley Cup games, Major League Baseball games, NASCAR, Indianapolis 500 and horseracing.
• Because We Want To Make Sure You Know:

• Today is Be a Millionaire Day and the theory is that you are to use visualization techniques to see yourself surrounded by luxury, free of monetary concerns, and living your life on your terms.  We have a less-mentally-challenging suggestion: Megabucks - Why be a millionaire when you can be a ten millionaire!
• Saturday is Turtle Day – a perfect opportunity to corner our entertainment manager, Stew Stewart, and ask him how he got "The Turtle" moniker stuck in the middle of his name. Happened shortly after he got involved with our owner Mike Pegram in 2010 and we can't seem to get anyone to tell us the straight story. Oh, and be sure to wish Stew Happy Turtle Day!

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!

Jets, Golf, Pizza, Whiskey & Concerts

Concert Updates:

• Gary Allen Concert June 4: tickets continue to move briskly for this concert and, if our pool of available tickets were a gas tank, we'd be running kinda low. With just three weeks to go we suggest you get your tickets soon!
  
• The Davisson Brothers Band and Loving Mary Band Concert June 12: this one is on the Friday of Carson Valley Days weekend and we know you'll be pleased with these two young country acts. It's quite affordable at just $22.50 - make your plans now to attend!
• Rodney Atkins Concert June 27:  Funny thing happened last week – we found out that Rodney Atkins tickets were going on sale a few hours after our blog was already posted on Wednesday morning at 7 AM. So, we updated the blog which quickly stirred up ticket sales. So, if you missed that exciting news, here's a reminder: RodneyAtkins tickets are now on sale!
• For complete list of the remaining 2015 concerts in TJ's Corral, click here. And do check back from time-to-time as we are working on a few more.

Jets, Golf, Pizza and Whiskey (sounds like one heck of a weekend!):

• Today is Top Gun Day! That action-packed Tom Cruise movie was released in 1986 – that's 29 years ago - and what better segue into the modern day military jet excitement produced by the U.S. Air Force Thunderbirds!!  The team's power-packed F-16s will be performing on August 22 and 23 at the AviationRoundup at the very nearby Minden Tahoe Airport. The weekend is sure to be a sellout in our Hotel and Motor Lodge, so we suggest you make your reservations soon!
• This Thursday is Golf Day and we'll take the opportunity to remind our readers the Carson Valley Inn is one of northern Nevada's premier group golf headquarters. We've built an incredibly positive reputation and our hotel is a magnet for golfers participating in area tournaments, group outings and more. We offer a variety of group golf packages that include receptions, dinners, hotel rooms and golf. Want to know more? Call Greg at 775-783-6615.
• Friday is Pizza Party Day which provides yet another segue – this time into one of the specialties at Bodine's Casino! 
  This is definitely not a "throw a prepackaged pizza into the oven" operation. Bodine's old-fashioned pizza oven maintains a stone surface temperature of 450° and an internal temperature of nearly 600°. Each pizza is hand tossed after your order is placed, loaded with the ingredients you request, rotated during the cooking process and served piping hot! Pizza is served daily in Bodine's restaurant and bars from 11 AM to 10 PM (a little later on weekends). And here's two inside scoops: First, there is a Bodines Pizza Hotline, 775-283-4005, which you can call to place your order and have it ready when you arrive. Second, on Fridays and Saturdays from 8:30 p.m. to midnight all 16" pizzas are half off PLUS pitchers of beer and pitchers of margaritas are just $5! But back to the Pizzas: We asked Ryan (pictured)"Just how popular are they?" According to Ryan: "I've made over 100 of them myself on a busy night and our guests just keep on coming back!"
• Saturday is World Whisky Day so we went up to the CV Steak Bar earlier this week and said to Russell "See how many bottles of
  
  whiskey you can get on that table in one minute – GO!" We figure he'd come up with about 6 or 8 but it was closer to 15 or 16 by the time he stopped to catch his breath. We snapped this quick picture without a stylist to help Russell look anymore "GQ" than he already does and without any special lighting or attention to how the bottles were arranged. Anyway, since this Saturday is World Whisky Day, stop by the CV Steak Bar and try a few that may be new to you. If you're local, be sure to have a designated driver! As for the two spellings we used - whiskey and whisky - we do know the technical difference but, among friends, just enjoy!

Speaking of Whiskey and Other Spirits! We're getting pretty excited about the Bently Distillery project that had its official groundbreaking earlier this week. It's within a few hundred yards of the CVI and will definitely add a first-class attraction about a three minute walk from our casino entrance. Kudos to our friends and neighbors at Bently Enterprises for this undertaking and for the grand opening earlier this week of their corporate headquarters in the totally refurbished Farmer's Bank Building in "downtown" Minden (6-7 minute walk from CVI).

Prefer Wine to Spirits?  No problem because the first 2015 Thirsty Third Thursday Wine Walk in Gardnerville is coming up on May 21 and Sharkey's Casino is participating! Be sure to register at the start of the wine walk at either the Town of Gardnerville Office or Big Daddy's Bike Shop.

Pasta Anyone? Our friends at carsonvalleytimes.com are at it again with another one of their Food Wars. This time it's Pasta Wars and a couple of the pasta dishes in both Katie's and CV Steak are in the nomination round. How about taking a look and, if you have enjoyed them, please cast your vote!

Meanwhile, In Our Back Parking Lot: you never know what you're going to see inside a casino or even in a casino parking lot. Take a look at the video and make your own judgment. This was just sitting in our back parking lot last Tuesday and, try as we may, no one knew why it was there. The first speculation came from an older and pensive-looking chap who softly suggested that it was something from a remake of Close Encounters of the Third Kind (if you don't get it, you probably didn't relate to the Top Gun blurb either)!  Anyway, turns out it belonged to a gentleman who was giving a presentation to the Minden Rotary Club in our convention center on Tuesday. It's actually called a Vertical Axis Small Wind Turbine. He was enjoying himself until one of the Rotary members walked in and kiddingly said within earshot of the speaker "who's trailer is that out back? It's surrounded by 15 people with signs that say 'no solar power in Carson Valley!'"

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

• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive the second set of two May spa products.  Also enjoy hot seat drawings for Bath & Body Works Baskets ladies-only drink specials and more.
• Mike's Horses: Some weeks are not worth mentioning. Mike ran three horses at Santa Anita last weekend and . . . just reread the first sentence!
• Blackjack Tournament Winners: We had another fun Monthly Blackjack Tournament last night. Dave Baily was the winner followed by Malcolm Treasure  in second and Gary Hitt in third  The next tournament? Tuesday evening, June 9 and, as always, just a $25 buy-in!
• Grilled Duck Breast Friday in CV Steak:   Our Friday Game Special this week is Grilled Duck Breast, a Maple Leaf Farms 9 oz. duck breast marinated with fresh herbs, grilled to medium rare-medium doneness with natural duck jus, 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.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: Steve Lord is here tonight, Melissa Drew and her band entertain Thursday thru Saturday, and Jonathan "JB" Barton takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday nights. You can also watch and bet the NBA Playoff games, NHL Stanley Cup games, Major League Baseball games, NASCAR, Indianapolis 500, horseracing – including the Preakness Stakes.
• Because We Want To Make Sure You Know:
• Our Food Truck Festival is Saturday, May 23 with offerings from a variety of  food trucks plus beverages, free live entertainment, and a giant inflatable obstacle course for the kids. 
• World War II Bomber Rides will be available at the Minden-Tahoe Airport, located just five minutes from the Carson Valley Inn, on Monday through Wednesday, June 1 – 3.

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!

Many Thanks, Great Derby Weekend, How to Keep Tabs on Us, More

Gary Allan's Latest - Hangover Tonight . . . we love the catchy sound!

Thank You. . .

. . . Thank You to the happy multitude of fans who supported our Merle Haggard concert on Friday night. He put on quite a show and we really appreciate all those who helped make this concert a big success. Next up is Gary Allan on Thursday, June 4 and a quick check of our ticket sales on Tuesday night shows that we have sold over 65% of the tickets. If you're thinking of catching this concert, we suggest you get your tickets now before our radio promotion starts and the event moves towards a certain sellout.
. . . Many Thanks to the literally thousands who have stopped by Sharkey's Casino to see what's new. We had a festive ribbon-cutting and Grand Opening last Friday and the place had been really hopping since! The Silver Dollar Bar has a multitude of beers on tap and a Bar Bites Menu.  The Jackpot Café is open daily from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m., the casino has over 200 slots and videos, and the Sports Book is taking action of all major sports. And thanks also to Paul Nelson and Jeff Voss from KTVN Channel 2 News in Reno for their excellent MoneyWatch coverage of the ribbon-cutting.
. . . Thanks also to the dozens of people who are visiting on our Mother's Day Hotel Package this weekend. It's still not too late to join Inn – call 775-783-6629 or click here for more information.

CONCERT UPDATE: Tickets for the June 27 Rodney Atkins Concert are now on sale!

Mike's Horses: 'twas a fairly decent week for some of Mike Pegram's horses last week. Started Thursday when Air Pocket finished third in a race at Santa Anita Park. On Saturday, Mike had two horses in preliminary races at Churchill Downs. Still Standing won the eighth race and Gimme Da Lute finished third in the fifth race. The big kudos for the weekend go to Bob Baffert, Mike's longtime friend and trainer of all of Mike's horses (check this article from the Princeton Daily Clarion). Bob's horses finished first (American Pharoah) and third (Dortmund) in the Kentucky Derby and 7 of his 10 horses finished "in the money" at Churchill Downs over Derby Weekend making for quite a two-day showing! Looking ahead to the coming weekend, and remember that things can and do change, Mike's Govenor Charlie and Secretsatmidnight are on the schedule for Friday at Santa Anita Park. And yes, that's the correct spelling: Govenor.

How Do I Find Out What’s Happening? We often get asked the best way to keep up with what's happening at the Carson Valley Inn, Sharkey's Casino, and Bodines Casino. Here's what we recommend:

• We try to announce the latest information in this blog which is updated every Wednesday morning at about 7 AM. This is a great place to check for new concerts, tickets going on sale for concerts, reminders about events or promotions we've mentioned earlier and other news. The direct link to the latest blog posting is: carsonvalleyinn.blogspot.com/. When things are happening fast, we try to post pictures and other tidbits on our social media – mainly our Facebook pages and Twitter account. This was definitely the case during last week's Merle Haggard concert and the ribbon-cutting at Sharkey's. We have six different Facebook pages and hope that you will like and follow all of them:  Carson Valley Inn, Bodines Casino, Sharkey’s Casino, Katie's, CV Steak and TJ's Corral.
• All three properties have web sites which are kept up to date and you can access them at these links:  Carson Valley Inn, Sharkey's Casino and Bodines Casino.
• For information on events in the Carson Valley, we suggest you check the Carson Valley Visitors Authority web site calendar.

Mother's Day Dining at the Inn

A quick reminder of the Mother's Day dining specials at the Carson Valley Inn this Sunday: Both restaurants are serving the regular menu items plus specials. CV Steak is open for dinner on Mother's Day from 4:30 p.m. with two Mother's Day Dinner Specials: Alaskan Halibut Oscar with asparagus, crab and Béarnaise sauce for $32.00 and Slow Roasted Prime Rib of Beef Au Jus for $29.00.  For CV Steak reservations, call 775-783-6650.  The Sunset Menu is not available on Mother's Day. Katie's Mother's Day Dinner Specials are Pan Seared Fillet of Sole and Creamy Lemon Shrimp Pasta, both for $11.99. Katie's "The Chandler" dinner special will not be served on Mother's Day.

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

• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive the first set of two May spa products.  Also enjoy hot seat drawings for Delasant Skin Care baskets, ladies-only drink specials and more.
• Some History of the JT: A neighbor of Sharkey's Casino and popular visiting spot for CVI hotel guests, the JT Bar & Restaurant is a focal point of Carson Valley history. Sheila Gardner captured the spirit of the JT in her story in carsonvalleytimes.com after a presentation by the Lekumberry family to a full house at the Carson Valley Museum and Cultural Center last Sunday. 
• Tournament News: Congrats to "Yvette 13" for winning our Monthly Ladies Poker Tournament last Sunday. And a reminder to our blackjack players that our Monthly Blackjack Tournament is this coming Tuesday evening in the pit area with all buy-ins and re-buys going to the prize fund!
• Venison Friday in CV Steak:  Our Friday Game Special this week is Roasted Rack of Venison with Cherry Port Demi. This is a 4-bone venison rack served with fresh vegetable, choice of potato (au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked) and tableside tossed salad all for $32.00.
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge: Phil Prunier is here tonight, The Vegas Road Show entertains Thursday thru Saturday and Steve Lord takes the stage Sunday through Wednesday nights. You can also watch and bet the NBA Playoff games, NHL Stanley Cup games, Major League Baseball games, horseracing and this week's big NASCAR race which is on Saturday due to Mother's Day – The SpongeBob SquarePants 400!
• We Thought You Should Know: It seems that this Friday is No Socks Day and Saturday is Lost Sock Memorial Day. How do these two even exist and why are they just one day apart? Ever wonder what's on TV in the wee hours of the morning? Or, ever wonder what goes on in our casino in the wee hours of the morning? Sunday night is your chance to check it all out while you celebrate Stay Up All Night Night! Oh, and we'll admit it . . . we blatantly stole the eyes graphic above from the same page to which the previous link will take you. And since you'll be punchy from no sleep, swing right into Eat What You Want Day on Monday by gorging on some of the especially tasty dishes in Katie's or the Jackpot Café!

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!