TJ's More than Just Concerts, Pastries, Margaritas, Chili, Chowder and Much More

TJ’s Corral – More Than Just Concerts

A Distant Shot of a Wedding Ceremony
Preceding the Reception in TJ's Corral

We answer our phone calls and read our social media and emails so we know that learning more details and ticket availability regarding the 2018 concert series in TJ’s Corral is on the top of everyone’s mind. And, if you'll bear with us (please?!), we’ll have more on that next week. 

For now, did you know that TJ’s Corral is for more than just concerts? Our Outdoor Event Venue has been used for multi-day corporate events, an elaborate wedding and reception, various fundraising events, a Celebration of Life, private VIP parties, and sporting events such as collegiate boxing and MMA fights. 

If you are contemplating a large event - be it business or social - we’d welcome the opportunity to talk to you about holding it in TJ‘s Corral. Start by giving Carrie a call at 775-783-6673. She'll help assess your needs and start formulating a plan - and associated cost - for how it might play out in TJ's Corral.

Valentine’s Day Takeaways

We made some observations last week around Valentine’s Day – perhaps some of these thoughts will help you in the future. Most obvious was how late many people waited to try to make reservations for CV Steak. Don’t know that this will ever change, but it sure resulted in a lot of people being disappointed. On the positive side, quite a few callers, when given the slight suggestion, made a reservation for either a day or two before Valentine’s Day or even the day after.  We saw a lot of couples enjoying Valentines dinner on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday of last week without the crowds that populate any restaurant on any actual “dining out” holiday. Looking ahead, mark down Sunday, April 1 (less than 6 weeks away) for Easter and also Sunday, May 12 for Mother’s Day. Both of these holidays also bring heavy crowds to our restaurants and reservations fill up fast as the holiday draws closer. For Mother’s Day, we have an alternative for our many customers from outside of the immediate area: take advantage of our Mother’s Day Weekend Hotel and Dining Package. Arrive on Friday, enjoy all the spring fun the Carson Valley has to offer and plan your Mother’s Day celebration on Saturday night in CV Steak. If you’d like to add flowers on arrival as part of your Mother’s Day weekend package, let our reservations folks know and they’ll give you the names of a couple of area florists. They’ll deliver to us the day of your arrival and we’ll have the flowers waiting in your room!

We Did Our Sticky Bun Tests

Sticky Buns

Today is Sticky Bun Day. We tried our best to find someone at CVI who would tell us point blank that we do offer sticky buns by their strictest definition. Our Food and Beverage Director, Executive Chef, Pastry Chef and even our seasoned Food Buyer all gave us the thumbs down saying technically, none of our bakery products are the conventional definition of a sticky bun. So, we went up to Job’s Perk for our own research. We ordered a cinnamon roll, a bear claw, and a Danish pastry and, between two of us, ate ‘em all. We then applied the napkin test – how many we used to keep our hands and mouths unsticky during the accompanying conversation. The verdict? All three of these pastries are sticky enough in our book to be acceptable for observing Sticky Bun Day! If you don’t want people to know you’re eating these incredibly satisfying goodies, we’ll help you pull off this clandestine approach:  Come into Job’s Perk, quietly order the “sticky” pastries of your choice plus a banana and an oat bran muffin. We’ll put the decadent pastries in a nondescript bag behind the counter and hand them to you discreetly. You can then walk out with this bag while giving a healthful appearance of consuming a banana and an oat bread muffin! Oh, if you have given up sweets for lent, please don’t take this as a temptation . . .

Interesting But Only Moderately Important

• Thursday is Margarita Day and Chili Day.  We don’t confine ourselves to a particular day on these two: Margaritas are served 24/7 at our casino bar and Chili is on the menu 365 days a year in Katie’s. And we will readily admit that we do have a couple of kinds of beans in our Chili. So, to the purists who insist that real Chili doesn’t have beans, just enjoy what we serve and ponder this: Is it chili or chilli?
• Saturday is World Bartender Day - the day to appreciate the staff in your local bar which at the CVI could be either the Casino Bar or the CV Steak Bar or even one of our banquet bars. If you choose to cut out the middleman (the bartender), settle in at home on Saturday night and celebrate Open That Bottle Night with someone you love.
• Sunday is National Clam Chowder Day but it seems we were just there with a similar claim on January 21. Turns out the January date was just for New England Clam Chowder and that limitation isn’t placed on the February 25 “celebration.” Whatever . . . we serve our Clam Chowder New England style in Katie’s and we do so every Friday!
• Tuesday is Kahlua Day.  Mudslide, Black Russian, Coffee Martini, B52, T52 Shooter  . . . these are just some of the drinks presented in this list of 23 Kahlua Recipes.  Can our bartenders make them all? Guess you’ll just have to ask them!

In the Casino

One of These Free
to the First 150 Ladies Tonight

• Ladies’ Night Tonight:  Ladies, join us from 5:30 to 8:30 PM with a Free Color Changing Cube LCD Alarm Clock for the first 150 ladies and Yankee Candle Gift Baskets as hot seat prizes.  Also tonight: games, a weekly drink special, free bingo and you’ll earn entries for the February 28 drawing for a Free Spa Package.
• Free Meals Mondays and Wednesdays: Earn just 100 points (before any multipliers) on any Monday or Wednesday through February and swipe at the casino kiosk for a certificate for a free meal from our special Player’s Menu! Choices include our All-American Breakfast, any omelet, a cheeseburger or any of our six $7.99 Plates. You keep the points!
• $200,000 Cash & Freeplay Giveaway Drawings Fridays and Saturdays: Join us at 5, 7 and 9 PM for the drawings in our $200,000 Giveaway Promotion through March 31. There’s a guaranteed $1000 winner at each drawing every Friday night and every Saturday night . . . plus four more winners at each drawing with lots of cash to go around. You’re earning one free entry into the Friday and Saturday drawings for every five base points you earn during the month.
• Multiply Your Points Saturday: INN Club members earn 4X Points on video reel slots and Double Points on video poker slots. So be sure to use your INN Club card while playing in the casino and multiply the benefits of your play every Saturday in February.
• Hot Seat Mondays: Every Monday in February we’re doing hot seat drawings between 2 and 8 PM with a chance to win up to $500! Be sure to use your INN Club card while playing in our casino and you may just be called for one of our Monday hot seat prizes!
• At the Sports and Race Book: This week you can bet NHL, NBA and NCAA Basketball, the NASCAR Folds Of Honor Quiktrip 500 and Horse Racing.  Futures on the board include winners for the NCAA Basketball Championship, The Masters (April 5-8), FIFA World Cup Russia™ (June 14 – July 15), NBA Championship, NHL Stanley Cup, World Series and NASCAR Monster Energy Series. The Sports Book crew is starting to get wound up over the upcoming NCAA Conference Tournaments, Selection Sunday, March Madness and the higher point Kentucky Derby Prep Races . .  all coming very soon!

In Our Restaurants

• Wednesday is Italian Day in Katie’s – three specials for $6.99 each served from 11 AM to 10 PM! The Friday and Saturday night special in Katie’s is Roasted Prime Rib & Fried Shrimp for $14.99 served from 4 PM.
• Thursday’s special in CV Steak is the CV Steak Mix Grill, a combination of our Filet Mignon, a Dijon and molasses Marinated Pork Tenderloin Medallion and Herb Marinated Lamb Chop for $26. This Friday it's Roasted Stuffed Quail with Prosciutto, Wild Rice Pilaf and Plum Port glaze for  $28. Saturday night’s special is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is 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, Bodines Restaurant at Bodines Casino and Betsy’s Big Kitchen at Slot World Casino.

Free Entertainment in the Cabaret Lounge

Jamie Rollins tonight, Justin Lee Thursday thru Saturday, Rock River Sunday and Roem Baur Tuesday and Wednesday.  Jamie Rollins performs a variety of music from country to rock, to classic oldies and R&B – plus a few of his own songs. A Night In The Country – Nevada’s largest country music festival – has featured Justin Lee multiple times including a main stage opener for The Band Perry in 2015. Justin’s new album Where I Belong includes the single Like I've Fallen and here’s a link to the video, part of which was recorded in our TJ’s Corral. Rock River is Buddy and Kim from the Buddy Emmer Blues Band with an evening of blues and other music! Rock leaning Roem Baur has been featured on the main stage at Super Bowl 50, NBC's The Voice and at CES & SXSW conferences.

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!