$20,000 Giveaway This Weekend, Blood Drive, Entertainment News, More

$20,000 Guaranteed Cash and FreePlay This Weekend: Our $80,000 Cash and FreePlay promotion finale is this weekend and we are guaranteeing to give away $20,000 in Cash and FreePlay between the Carson Valley Inn (Friday night) and Bodines Casino (Saturday). Drawings are at 6 and 8 p.m. and there's still time to "get in" – check at the Guest Services counter at either casino. By now you know we don't let a month go by without some type of generous promotion and giveaway so here's a peek at what's on tap for September: we're giving away Two Free Harleys and $25,000 in Cash and Free Play and we'll have all the information in next Wednesday's blog!

Blood Drive Tuesday: For a number of reasons, we no longer have events in our West parking lot between the Carson Valley Inn and the Carson Valley Market. Two exceptions are the Share Your Christmas Community Food Drive (mark your calendar for Friday, December 11) and 3 or 4 blood drives each year put on by United Blood Services.  You may have noticed that these Blood Drives are often right before a holiday to ensure adequate supplies when vehicular traffic (and the likelihood of more accidents) is at its highest. So, before Labor Day Weekend arrives, the next Blood Drive is this coming Tuesday, September 1 from noon to 6 p.m. To make an appointment to give blood, call 800-696-4484 or visit www.bloodhero.com and enter the code N1HRH.

On the Outdoor Entertainment Front:

• Austinpalooza Friday September 11: Sure we'll have four bands providing continuous live music from 5 to 10 PM:  Miki Rae (Indie Pop), The Engineered Disaster (Classic Rock), Seymour's Trick Bag (Rock) and Lavish Green (Ska/Reggae).  And yes, the bar will be open and we will have food to purchase. But all that aside, your attendance and donation (no tickets will be sold, no coercion) will help support Austin's House which provides emergency shelter and compassionate care for children between the ages of birth to 18 who have been removed from their homes due to abuse or neglect. The Austin's House website has more information on their mission. Please join us to help keep this incredible community service going strong!
• Lee Brice Friday, September 18: Watch this as we connect Lee Brice and football – a fitting
  
  combination since he will be here on the Friday immediately following the first week of regular-season NFL play: The Madden NFL 16 video game soundtrack features more than 30 tracks including Lee Brice's "Sirens."  Didn't think we could do it, did you? Anyway, the Jagermeister Presents Lee Brice concert in TJ's Corral on Friday, September 18 will not interfere with any NFL football games, any Nevada Wolfpack football game, nor any Douglas Tiger home game. So, get your tickets now for Lee's Party Pit (standing – stage center), Reserved Seating or General Admission (standing). Get tickets through our website, at our Hotel Desk or by calling 775-783-6606.
• Final 2015 Community Concert This Friday: The Carson Valley Inn is proud to join with the Town of Minden as major sponsors of the Douglas County Parks & Recreation Department 2015 GE Family Concert Series. The final concert is this Friday in Minden Park starting at 6 PM featuring country artist Shane Dwight. Our thanks to all of the other sponsors who make this free concert series possible every year. Small town America at its finest! 

A Wrap-Up from Last Week

• The Carson Valley Aviation Roundup was an incredible success as measured by attendance

  

  Thunderbirds 1-6 Over Lake Tahoe Last Sunday

  and reaction from those at the show and throughout the community.  We thought about posting a few pictures taken from or near the air show, but it would be impossible to choose from the thousands of pictures we've seen on Facebook and on various websites. If you want a brief glimpse, our friends at the Carson Valley Times assembled a variety of  images here and the folks at The Record Courier did the same here.  The picture shown is one that the Thunderbird team took on their way back to Nellis Air Force Base on Sunday. Despite some still slightly smoky skies, it's a rare view of six aircraft from the greatest Air Force in the world: Thunderbirds 1 – 6 flying over the south shore core of beautiful Lake Tahoe! Thanks to the many fellow sponsors, volunteers, clubs and especially the incredible Minden-Tahoe Airport staff for making this event possible!

Cabaret Lounge Entertainment – No Cover, No Minimum – Free! Steve Lord performs tonight, The Markleevillians are here tomorrow night, our own Stew "The Turtle" Stewart and his band entertain Friday and Saturday nights and Jonathon "JB" Barton returns Sunday through Wednesday.  A man of a thousand songs, Steve Lord brings a varied mix of oldies, country, pop, blues, jazz, soul and rock 'n' roll. The Markleevillians present an evening of rock and blues starting with the mellow and spooling up as the night goes on. Stew Stewart is always a crowd favorite with his spontaneity, wit and ability to connect to the audience. A Stew Stewart show has something for everyone . . . country music, blues, oldies, comedy, classic rock, Motown and just plain ol' on-the-spot fun!  Jonathan Barton's love for a variety of musical styles is apparent in his selection of favorites from Van Morrison, CCR, Hank Williams, Jimmy Buffett, Kenny Chesney, Eagles and many more.

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

• Mike's Horses: Air Pocket won the third race at Del Mar last Saturday.
• Wednesday Ladies' Night 5:30 to 8:30 PM: The first 150 ladies to sign up tonight receive a free gift and coupon for tonight's ladies-only drink special.  There are also ladies-only raffles and hot seat drawings for Wine Country Gift Baskets.
• Our Ladies-only Poker Tournament is this Sunday at 4 p.m. with free lessons for the ladies at 3 p.m. More information on all the poker promotions, tournaments and special games is available at this link.  
• Lamb Shank Friday, Prime Rib Saturday, King Crab Sunday in CV Steak:  Our Friday Special this week is Braised Lamb Shank with pearl barley risotto for $28, Saturday's is Garlic Studded Prime Rib for $26 and Sunday's special is one pound of King Crab Legs for $32. All 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.
• Race and Sports Book: You can watch and bet Horseracing, Major League Baseball games, Pre-Season NFL Football and this Sunday's NASCAR Bojangles Southern 500 Race. We're also taking futures bets to win most professional and collegiate championships AND . . . the line's are up for most of the opening weekend College Football Games which start on Thursday, September 3.
• Because We Feel Like Mentioning It: Tuesday is National  Marshmallow  Toasting  Day. Obviously there could be no other reason for pointing this out other than we just felt like mentioning it!

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! 

Burger Wars, Golf, Pumpkin Drop, Kingsbury Open, More

Our French Disaster is in the Hunt! The Gourmet Hamburger (aka The French Disaster) served in CV Steak at the Carson Valley Inn has been nominated in a "Reader's Choice Burger Wars" poll being conducted by the Carson Valley Times, a great online source of area news.

This one is not for lightweights. Two Char Broiled Burger Patties totaling 3/4 pound are made from choice Filet Mignon, New York and Rib Eye Steak ground in house. Toppings and additions include Jack and Cheddar Cheeses, Smoked Tomato, Pickled Cucumber Slices, Truffle Oil Mayonnaise topped with Duck liver "Foie Gras" and Quail Egg.  This monstrosity is served with Fresh French Fried Potatoes lathered with garlic and parsley butter! Most people can't finish it but they always come back for another try! Like it or think you might? Please give us your vote!

Dinner For Two in CV Steak on Us? Check our Facebook page today or use the Comments section below. Just tell us your favorite CV Steak entree, appetizer or memory. The random drawing will be this Sunday at 5 p.m. from all Facebook and Blog comments and we'll announce the winner next Wednesday morning.

Now That's a Round of Golf! What's it like to play an 18-hole round of golf when it's two holes at each of nine golf courses all in one day? It's quite an adventure and 16 folks experienced it first-hand on the Divine Nine Golf Media Tour on Tuesday, September 30.  It started with breakfast in Katie's at 6 AM and wound up (wound down is probably a better term) with a Basque dinner at the JT in Gardnerville finishing up after 9:30 PM. 

Here's a link to the coverage we received from KTVN (CBS) and KRNV (NBC) in Reno. While we can't set up the exact same round for your group, we can and will arrange a golf outing that includes golf at any of our area courses for as many days as you wish, hotel accommodations, food & beverage functions and activities for any non-golfers.  We can even include bus transportation between the CVI and the courses based on your group's size and bus availability. Find out more by calling Greg Enholm, PGA in our Sales Department at 775-783-6615. Greg is busy now booking golf groups for the 2015 season and we'd welcome the opportunity to have you tee it up with us!

Speaking of Golf: There's still plenty of time and good weather to enjoy our October Golf Special. For more information click here . . .  or, better yet, contact Greg at 775-783-6615 or by email.

You Can Get There From Here! Or, better yet, you can get here from there and it's faster and easier now that Kingsbury Grade (SR 207) is open again after a major reconstruction project. Our congratulations and thanks go out to all the folks at Q&D Construction, Inc. and NDOT for getting the pass back open ahead of schedule!

Heading to Reno this Weekend . . . we sure hope the boss doesn't mind us mentioning this; so do this only if you absolutely positively have to be in Reno this weekend and you have a written excuse: Our friends and partners at The Eldorado are holding their 33^rd Annual Great Italian Festival this Saturday and Sunday and the weather will be perfect! Fists and Fettuccini? As part of the festivities, the Nevada Boxing Team (some of them boxed in TJ's Corral a few weeks ago) will be training on Saturday from noon to 2 p.m. The ring will be set up outside above the railroad tracks so stop by and say hi to the coaches and boxers as they prepare for the upcoming season.

Staying in the Carson Valley? Be sure not to miss the Aviation Roundup Saturday, from 10 am to 4 pm at the Minden-Tahoe Airport just five minutes from the Carson Valley Inn. One of the highlights is a Pumpkin Drop with the target being an outhouse . . . could be like the scene from the original Jurassic Park movie sans the dinosaur! 

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

• Jackpot Alert: So many people play for our Penny Progressive Jackpot especially as it climbs
  
  north of $25,000 . . . so, in case you missed it, and unless it hit since we took this picture yesterday, the amount is now over $28,000!
• And Another Jackpot: Our Progressive Pro PK'em Jackpot is $3,200 for this weekend's games. Just $5, pick 'em straight up, enter as often as you want.
• Ear Protection Advised: While it may be sold out, anyone can wander in and catch the action at the Bunko for Breast Cancer fundraising event Saturday in the Valley Ballroom. You'll know when you are getting close 'cause the exhilaration and noise level spread well past the confines of the room!  To check into holding your fundraiser, banquet, Christmas party, meeting, seminar or other function in our convention center, please call Carrie at 775-783-6673.
• Ladies' Night Continues Wednesdays in October! Tonight's Hot Seat winners will receive a Nevada Theme gift basket from Chocolate Shoppe by Sweet Images. Also, the first 150 ladies to check in tonight will receive a small fall wind chime.  Want prizes from your business featured on one of our Ladies' Nights (we do pay you for them)? Call Stephanie at 775-783-7711. We are always looking for six hot seat prizes and 150 of something smaller every week!
• Free Entertainment in the Cabaret: Greg Austin appears tonight, Stew Stewart anchors the weekend Thursday – Saturday, NFL Football takes control of the Cabaret Sunday and Monday nights and Steve Lord is on stage Tuesday and Wednesday. Did you know . . . Stew Stewart was an officer with the the South Pasadena Police Department for 5 years way back when?
• This Week's Game-On Fridays special in CV Steak is Roasted Rack of Venison with a cherry demi-glace for $31.00 which also includes tableside-tossed salad, vegetable and your choice of potato - au gratin, baked, or a one-pound, twice-baked potato. Yum!

What's That?? Give us some feedback or ask questions using the comments section below. You can also 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!