THE SPICY PICKLE DELI IN SOUTH RENO

The Spicy Pickle Deli, at 5210 Longley Lane in South Reno, is not a local invention, but part of a Colorado chain.  Other locations can be found in Las Vegas, Nevada, as well as in Oregon, Montana, South Dakota and Texas.  But The Spicy Pickle was new and unfamiliar to my family, so we opted to make it a lunch destination. 

The extensive menu at The Spicy Pickle includes specialty sandwiches, build-your-own deli sandwiches, panini, wraps, salads, soups and flatbread pizzas.  

You order at the counter and your meal is brought to your table.  Fountain drinks are self-serve and refillable. 

When I got in line, there were so many menu choices that I figured I'd just ask for one of my deli standbys, a Reuben sandwich.  The girl at the counter explained that they didn't have an exact Reuben, but she recommended a somewhat similar sandwich called The Bronx ($6.99). This consisted of turkey pastrami, Swiss cheese, coleslaw and Thousand Island dressing on grilled Rosemary Foccacia bread.  I also was given a choice of a side: pasta salad, potato salad, coleslaw or oranges.  I chose the pasta salad, which was more like a macaroni salad with bits of peppers and a light Italian type of dressing. 

My husband is a tuna lover and he was told that there were several types of exotic tuna sandwiches available, unless he wanted more of a "plain Jane" version.   He decided to go with a simple tuna, lettuce and tomato sandwich on marble rye ($6.59), with a side of potato salad.  That salad was made with red potatoes, mayo, celery and perhaps a little dill. 

Our college student selected a Bandido sandwich ($7.49).  It featured pepper-crusted turkey, pepperjack cheese, roasted red peppers, sundried tomatoes and chipotle ranch dressing on grilled Rosemary Foccacia.  He went with the pasta salad, too — and all of our sandwiches were served with a pickle spear. 

We all agreed that the portions were substantial and that The Spicy Pickle does not skimp on ingredients.  I couldn't finish my sandwich because it was so filling.  A good problem to have, as opposed to leaving a restaurant still hungry! 

To summarize, the food at The Spicy Pickle was enjoyable, although many menu items (such as the sandwiches that my son and I ordered) would not be found on a traditional deli menu.  For a more classic deli meal — the kind you'd find Back East — nobody in South Reno does it better than Manhattan Deli at Atlantis Casino.  True, it's more expensive than The Spicy Pickle but servings are huge and it's really authentic deli food. 

http://www.atlantiscasino.com/dining/manhattan-deli

I guess you could say The Spicy Pickle is a "deli fusion" restaurant.  And if you're not a stickler for deli details, you'd probably find it a fine choice for casual dining in South Reno. 

For more information about South Reno's Spicy Pickle Deli, call (775) 852-4400 or visit http://www.spicypickle.com/storemenus/Reno_5210LongleyLane.html .

  

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MERRY CHRISTMAS AND IGT MUSIC FROM SOUTH RENO

Merry Christmas ... Joy and PEACE to one and all at this beautiful time of the year.

I have been busy with my family but want to share something special and fun that my husband put together.  He is a composer and sound designer at IGT (International Game Technology) in South Reno — the reason we moved to this area.

He loves his job and this is a cool video featuring highlights of his work in 2011.  We look forward to much more fun and creativity in South Reno.

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THE RENO STAR COSMIC THISTLE

South Reno has a new piece of public art.  The Reno Star Cosmic Thistle was made from repurposed, salvaged steel from the City of Reno and was designed to resemble high desert plants found in the Great Basin region of Northern Nevada.  It was originally seen on the Burning Man Playa in the Black Rock Desert. 

http://galleries.burningman.com/photos/wolfram/wolfram.45451?owner=wolfram

It now stands on the northwest corner of South Virginia Street and McCarran Boulevard in South Reno.  The artist's name is Mark Szulgit.

My initial reaction to this art installation was, "It doesn't look like a star."  My son, who hadn't been in Reno for the last few months, immediately noticed it after I picked him at Reno-Tahoe International Airport a few days ago, asking, "What's that?" — followed by, "It looks like a sea anenome." 

In any case, I like the idea of unusual and colorful public art in well-traveled, yet otherwise nondescript locations.  It's eye-catching, it's thought-provoking and it proves that art can be all around us, not just in museums. 

And according to This Is Reno (and a City of Reno News Release),  The Reno Star Cosmic Thistle project "was funded through the Public Art Fund, Ward 2 Central and South Neighborhood Advisory Boards along with private donations from citizens, including a major donation from the William Thornton Family and Cultural Arts Foundation of the Community Foundation of Western Nevada." 

http://thisisreno.com/2012/12/highlights-from-december-5-2012-reno-city-council-meeting/

So I see it as an all-around win.  

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ASIAN PARADISE NOW OPEN IN SOUTH RENO

Asian Paradise has opened at 1131 Steamboat Pkwy., Suite 820, in South Reno's Damonte Ranch area.  

The restaurant has an interesting Asian fusion menu, including Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Thai dishes.  You can dine-in, get take-out or they will deliver, within three miles, on orders of $25 and up. 

I don't remember what was in this storefront prior to Asian Paradise.  (It's between the Subway sandwich shop and the Vino 100 store, near R.C. Willey Furniture and Home Depot.)

I do remember seeing the remodeling beginning in the summer and looking forward to another restaurant choice nearby.  My husband and I stopped by on the weekend.  We arrived in the late afternoon — not really lunch time and still early for dinner — so the place was pretty quiet. But from what we could observe, while waiting for our take-out order, service in the dining room was gracious and attentive. 

The bar and dining room at Asian Paradise are modern and relaxing with subdued earth tones.  The poinsettias on the bar were just the right touch to brighten things up.  

Background music was quiet and unobtrusive, too.   It could take a while for folks to realize that this place is open, but somehow I doubt it'll ever be a noisy place.  Which, of course, is fine — there are plenty of loud restaurants around, if you're into shouting to your companions. 

For our first try at Asian Paradise, we ordered Pot Stickers (six for $7.50), Kung Pao Chicken ($9.95), Chow Mein with Chicken ($8.50) and Jasmine Rice ($1 per person).  The portions, packed in styrofoam containers, were generous.  I plated this myself, at home. 

The Pot Stickers were steamed and pleasantly spiced.  The take-out menu didn't include descriptions of the dishes, but it seemed that the filling was ground pork with some onions and maybe a little broccoli. 

The Kung Pao Chicken was prepared somewhat like General Tso's, lightly breaded with a red chili sauce, chunks of green onion and peanuts. 

Asian Paradise's Chow Mein features the thinnest noodles I've ever seen for such a dish.  Although, as I've noted before, in a previous blog, in Chicago, we would have called this Lo Mein.  The Western U.S. has a different take on Chinese food.  In any case, it was very good, with tender chunks of meat and thinly sliced carrots and onions. 

Another little comment about Chinese food in the Western U.S. — in Chicago, you'd never be charged separately for steamed white rice; it's always just included.  A dollar per person for the rice isn't a deal-breaker but it's just weird. 

I'm sure we'll order from Asian Paradise again.  All of our food was very fresh and tasty.  There are certain things I'd like to see on the menu, like Chow Fun or Moo Goo Gai Pan, but other restaurants in the vicinity serve those dishes. 

By the way, I will add that our usual go-to Chinese restaurant in the South Reno area, CaiE's Oriental Cafe on South Meadows Parkway, seems to have slipped a notch.  On our last visit, the portions had shrunk and an order of General Tso's Chicken was overcooked and dry.  

P.F. Chang's on Kietzke Lane — not a local joint, but part of a chain — has great food but isn't as conveniently located and is pricey. 

Two Guys From Hong Kong, near Whole Foods on South Virginia Street, was absolutely awful. 

Getting back to Asian Paradise, the restaurant doesn't have a Web site, but hours are Monday-Sunday, 11 a.m.-9 p.m. and the phone number is (775) 870-1788.

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HISTORY FOR THE HOLIDAYS AT NEVADA HISTORICAL SOCIETY

Since I've lately been on a Reno history kick, I was pleased that the Nevada Historical Society hosted a free admission day, with a "History For The Holidays" theme, this past Saturday.  

The society is located at 1650 N. Virignia St., just past University of Nevada, Reno's Fleischmann Planetarium.  Open Wednesday through Saturday, Nevada Historical Society admission is usually just $4 for adults; free for museum members or children under 17.  

Free events like this holiday-themed open house are designed to bring in people who might not otherwise come to the museum, which was founded in 1904 by Professor Jeanne Elizabeth Wier of the University of Nevada.  

(The young people behind The General Store exhibit were talented Christmas carolers from Galena High School in South Reno.) 

Although the building isn't large, the Nevada Historical Society has a good assortment of mementos and memorabilia telling the stories of the Silver State and the Biggest Little City In The World. 

Of course, this vintage neon sign for a cocktail lounge called The Phone Booth and a Reno Noir display are reminders of Nevada's past nightlife. 

As well, there are mentions of live entertainment in old Reno.  Left to right in the photo: Cher, The Smothers Brothers, Roy Clark, Johnny Cash, Ray Charles and Charro.  

NOTE:  Some signage at the Nevada Historical Socity is not as helpful as it could be.  I recognized these performers but maybe visitors who were not from the U.S. would not.  As well, I wished that there had been more information about "The Dog House, A Bright Spot in the Night Life of Reno."  There's just this photo — nothing to tell when it was taken or why The Dog House was significant.

A giant slot machine is one of many displayed items devoted to Nevada's gaming industry. 

These scales were used to measure the outputs of gold and silver at Nevada's Comstock Lode. 

Also displayed are personal items found on the most dreaded stretch of the emigrant trail, a 40-mile desert with no water available. 

I love this postcard image — from the Nevada Historical Society gift shop — of Reno at night in 1941, looking south on Virginia Street.  It reminds me of "Pottersville" from the movie "It's A Wonderful Life." 

And check out this other postcard image, also from the museum's gift shop, of Engine #25 on the Crown Point Trestle of the Virginia & Truckee Railroad in Gold Hill, Nevada, 1869.  Looks like a scary ride! 

Behind-the-scenes at the Nevada Historical Society is a wonderful research library that is open to the public.  Users need to fill out a card listing their driver's license number and other personal information.  The very helpful librarian technician Heidi Englund explained that many materials are one-of-a-kind and it would be a shame if these items were lost, stolen or damaged.  For those reasons, users also must check any purses or bags into lockers behind the library desk.  Only pencils and papers are allowed within the study areas. 

Englund enthusiastically found a load of items pertaining to my interests.  I asked to see pictures of old downtown Reno when there were stores such as Gray Reid's, J.C. Penney, Montgomery Ward's and Woolworth's.  I learned that there were major floods in 1950 and 1955 which damaged such businesses and also learned of grand old theatres called The Majestic and The Wigwam. 

Reno history books, shared by Englund, had great photos from the Transcontinental Highways Exposition in 1927. I learned that after the exposition, a prize of $100 was offered for a permanent logo to be mounted on the Reno Arch.  "The Biggest Little City In The World" was the winner, still used today. 

Englund also shared a book about The Mapes Hotel, which opened in 1947 at First and Virginia Streets in downtown Reno, where the ice skating rink is now located. The Mapes featured shows with legendary perfomers such as Frank Sinatra and Sammy Davis, Jr. — and Marilyn Monroe stayed there while she was filming "The Misfits." The Mapes closed in 1982 and was imploded in 2000. 

I could have spent much more time perusing materials in the library at the Nevada Historical Society, but I'll save that for a return visit.   This is a nice little museum and  it deserves to grow in size and in popularity.

For more information about the Nevada Historical Society, call (775) 688-1190 or visit http://museums.nevadaculture.org/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=446&Itemid=401 .

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RENO TOWN MALL AND DOWNTOWN RENO'S SHOPPING LORE

In my last blog post (Nov. 28, 2012 —SHOPPERS SQUARE: A REMNANT OF SOUTH RENO'S PAST), I explored the quaint Shoppers Square at South Virginia Street and East Plumb Lane.  It was startling to think that this area was once considered "South Reno" and that this had been a major shopping center before the days of Meadowood Mall and The Summit. 

And I also began to wonder whether downtown Reno had ever had a traditional shopping area. 

Some quick detective work gave me the answer to my question.  A Wikipedia article about Circus Circus Reno stated that it is located at the site of the former Gray Reid's department store.  

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Circus_Circus_Reno 

Next, I tracked down a Reno Gazette-Journal (RGJ) story from 2006, which confirmed that Gray Reid's opened in the early 1900s at 237 N. Virginia St. and was a downtown shopping fixture until 1977, when it moved to The Old Town Mall, presently known as Reno Town Mall. 

http://www.rgj.com/article/20060312/NEWS10/603120336/From-Gray-Reid-s-Summit-Sierra-100-years-department-stores-Reno

According to the RGJ, a J.C. Penney store was located at the corner of First and Sierra Streets in downtown Reno, until it closed in 1991.  A number of other clothing stores flourished in downtown Reno in the 1950s and '60s, as well.  How refreshing that must have been — and what a far cry from Reno's current-day, depressing downtown.

So ... now I have also realized that Reno Town Mall, on South Virginia Street at Peckham Lane, was apparently a "big-shot" mall in the 1970s.  

It's across the street from the Reno-Sparks Convention Center and Atlantis Resort Hotel and Casino. 

From the street, Reno Town Mall resembles any strip mall, anchored by Burlington Coat Factory and Food Source (formerly Raley's).  But there is actually an enclosed part of the mall sandwiched between those large stores. 

The interior of Reno Town Mall is clean and pleasant enough, with a true "mixed-use" line-up of tenants.  There's a shoe store, a store that sells dance wear, a nail salon, a store that sells Chinese art (and posters of Marilyn Monroe?).  

As well, there's a bridal shop, a computer learning center, a radio station, the offices of the Reno-Sparks Convention and Visitors Authority and the Sierra View Library branch of the Washoe County Library System. 

I still look forward to combing through materials at the Nevada Historical Society, hoping to find photos and facts about Gray Reid's department store and other retail favorites from Reno's bygone decades. 

Not long ago (Sunday, Oct. 7, 2012), the RGJ ran columns from City Council candidates, stating their priorities, if elected.  Candidate David Ward's column was headlined, "Cleaner downtown would boost tourism."  Ward started out by saying, "I grew up here, met my wife here, and together we raised our kids here."  Thus, his comments were coming from the heart of a native Renoite, not from a newcomer like me.

Ward remarked, "Even though the city has very limited discretionary funding, there are critical steps we can take to improve our physical image, starting with downtown.  First impressions are lasting and have an enormous impact.  It won't break the bank to make our streets and sidewalks cleaner, to add landscaping and lighting and to place attractive murals inside the glass fronts of vacant buildings."

Ward added, "We need to connect folks who are homeless, addicted or suffering with mental issues with the services they need and we need to seriously discourage panhandling.   A cleaner, safer, more attractive downtown will boost both tourism and economic development." 

Although Ward was not elected to the Reno City Council, I think we can all agree that first impressions do have great impact.  And it's pretty glaring that downtown Reno lacks a classy department store, which, in most big cities, is a source of hometown pride and an exciting reason to go downtown. 

The Biggest Little City in the World should be striving to make its downtown cleaner, safer and more inviting to both locals and tourists.   And in my opinion, the Reno Aces Ballpark should not be the focus while trying to achieve that goal. High-quality shopping and cultural amenities would appeal to a broader range of residents and visitors.  

Notice that Sunset magazine, dedicated to life in the West, continually ignores Reno and tells Northern Nevadans to go to San Francisco or Portland for fine shopping, dining and entertainment.

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