DAY TRIP FROM SOUTH RENO: GENOA, NEVADA'S CANDY DANCE FAIRE

Genoa, Nevada's Candy Dance Faire takes place each year on the last full weekend of September.  Genoa is Nevada's oldest settlement, established as Mormon Station in 1851.  The town's population is approximately 220, but this festival draws hundreds of vendors and thousands of visitors. The event began in 1921, when Genoa residents sold candy to raise money for street lights.  A community dance called the Candy Dance is part of...

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SOUP, SANDWICH AND A VIEW: YOSH'S UNIQUE DELI IN SOUTH RENO

South Reno-based Yosh's Unique Deli has been hiding in plain sight, at 85 Foothill Rd. #4, for more than a year.  In other words, I'd driven past it a zillion times without really paying attention.  Thank goodness I finally wised up!  My first visit, at lunchtime yesterday, was a revelation.  This modern, bright and airy spot has a vast deli menu and obvious care for "made-from-scratch" quality.I want to learn more about this...

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KILLER SALSA: A SOUTH RENO REGIONAL FOOD FIND

I enjoy Food Network's series "Unwrapped," which goes behind the scenes to show you how and where popular food products are made.  And every time I have moved to a new place, I've found at least a couple local or regional food products that are exceptionally delicious.  For example, when my family first arrived in the Seattle area, I became an instant fan of Talking Rain Sparkling Water  http://www.talkingrain.com/and Tim's Cascade-Style...

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BELIEVE IT OR NOT ... SOUTH RENO'S WILD HORSES

Before we moved to Northern Nevada, my husband's co-workers casually mentioned that we ought to get used to seeing wild horses taking strolls through our neighborhood.  We thought they were goofing around.  Yet their claims were completely legit.  No amount of watching re-runs of "Bonanza" prepared us for what we were about to witness. Not long after we arrived, we started seeing small groups of horses, maybe four or five at a...

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DOWNTOWN RENO'S CAMPO: NOT WORTH THE HYPE

"Campo! Campo! Campo!"  In recent months, I've heard that about as often as poor Jan Brady of "The Brady Bunch" heard, "Marcia! Marcia! Marcia!"  Glowing online reviews and word-of-mouth recommendations made Campo out to be not only the best Italian restaurant in Reno, but the best restaurant, period. My husband and I had high hopes for a terrific dinner when we booked a reservation for this past Saturday.  The outcome?  Let's...

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MY WEDDING LIBRARY TO HOST FREE WEDDING FAIRE AT THE SUMMIT IN SOUTH RENO

My Wedding Library will host a free Wedding Faire from noon-4 p.m. Sunday, Sept. 30 at The Summit Mall.  The Summit is located at the intersection of South Virginia Street and Mt. Rose Highway on Reno's South end.  My Wedding Library is next to Victoria's Secret and Bath & Body Works at The Summit. Beth Jones, who started My Wedding Library with her husband Chris, explained, "We're not wedding planners, we're a free resource center...

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SOUTH RENO'S NOTHING TO IT! CULINARY CENTER

Driving up and down Reno's South Virginia Street, I've seen the billboards for the Nothing To It! Culinary Center and wondered where it was and what went on there.  I finally decided to investigate.It turned out to be a combination of a cooking school, restaurant, catering business and kitchen boutique.  The location, 225 Crummer Lane in Reno, is not visible from South Virginia Street.  It's at the end of a dead-end street that is...

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WHERE TO GET "CARDED" IN SOUTH RENO

Females in my family have what we call "a Hallmark habit."  That is to say that we really like shopping for greeting cards and often stockpile cards for friends' and relatives' birthdays, anniversaries, graduations, etc., months in advance of the actual happy occasions.  When you see just the right cute or funny card, you've gotta grab it — before it gets away. In my estimation, the best place to get "carded" in South Reno is the Hallmark...

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DEFINITE POTENTIAL AT CARINO'S ITALIAN RESTAURANT IN SOUTH RENO

Most established communities have a long-popular, homestyle Italian restaurant where you can always count on a perfect pizza, a fabulous bowl of spaghetti and meatballs or a comforting plate of chicken parmesan.  And often, too, a hug or a handshake from the owner.The far South side of Reno is a new neighborhood, so understandably, it has some catching-up to do.  Then again, I'm new here, as well.If I had my way, I'd find a place that compares...

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SOUTH VALLEYS LIBRARY: A PRECIOUS RESOURCE FOR SOUTH RENO

My siblings and I were early readers and frequent library visitors.  As I child, I loved to go, as often as possible, to the downtown location of the Chicago Public Library.  It was housed in a magnificent building that is now the Chicago Cultural Center.  http://www.explorechicago.org/city/en/things_see_do/attractions/dca_tourism/testing_attractions.htmlAnd at least once a week, I'd walk or ride my bike to our more modest neighborhood...

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SOUTH RENO COFFEE TALK

As a newspaper reporter, I needed caffeine to get through early-morning school assemblies or evening city council meetings.  Many mid-day meetings happened in coffee shops, too.  Some interviewees worked out of their homes; others worked in traditional offices but just preferred to meet elsewhere.So I got pretty adept at scoping out two types of coffee shops. First, I sought the grab-and-go or drive-through stands, for those times when...

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JOE BOB'S CHICKEN PALACE: A GUILTY PLEASURE IN SOUTH RENO

Fried chicken isn't health food, so it's only an occasional guilty pleasure.  If I'm going to indulge, forget about KFC.  I want fried chicken that is fresh and authentic, like something your grandma, or your cousin named Joe Bob might whip up for a family reunion.Not long after landing in South Reno, I started seeing ads for Joe Bob's Chicken Palace, 7689 S. Virginia St.  The logo features a regal-looking chicken.Joe Bob's is a little...

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