NATURAL WONDERS AT NORTHWEST RENO'S ANIMAL ARK

Animal Ark, 1265 Deerlodge Rd. in Northwest Reno, is a sanctuary for animals that were disabled or abandoned and therefore, unable to live on their own in the wild.

The location of Animal Ark is remote and a bit inconvenient to reach.  You’ll drive on a long and bumpy gravel road to access the property off Red Rock Road.  In this rugged yet beautiful setting, you’ll see a variety of formerly “disadvantaged” animals that now appear to be enjoying tender loving care.

My party arrived late on a Saturday afternoon, just in time for a “bird talk” about Whoopi, a peregrine falcon that is partially blind.

Whoopi, a Peregrine Falcon

Nearby we saw Aragon, a gyrfalcon that was raised in captivity and needed a new home.

Aragon, a Gyrfalcon

Mr. Peabody, a desert tortoise that had apparently been a family pet, was found by a firefighter and brought to Animal Ark.

Mr. Peabody, a Desert Tortoise

Outside of each animal’s enclosure is a framed portrait with the animal’s name, information about the species and an explanation of how and why this particular animal came to reside at Animal Ark. 

Just like people, animals become bored and lethargic when they are too sedentary. Docents told us about activities designed to give each type of animal the exercise and stimulation it needs to thrive.

On our visit we were able to see El Santo, a jaguar; mountain lions named Milo and Daniel; a raccoon named Ringo; bobcats named Whiston and Piper and many more lovely animals. 

Just walking around this animal refuge was peaceful and picturesque, too.

Be aware that the sand trails are somewhat steep and uneven in some places, which could be a problem for folks with mobility issues.  A limited number of golf carts are available for such visitors. (A small playground and picnic area are on the property, too, for visitors with young children.)

Signage around the trails shows animals that are native to this location.   So this truly is a wildlife haven in every possible way.

Animal Ark hosts a large number of learning programs for school children and families.

Examples include Wolf Howl Nights, Cheetah Chases, Ark at Dark, etc.

Membership and animal adoption programs help to offset the costs of feeding and housing the animals.

This is a delightful, educational  attraction that relies on solar energy and a wind generator, making it an all-around “role model” for modern-day, environmentally-conscious, non-profit organizations.  I'm glad we visited and would highly recommend it to locals or tourists; it's worth the drive from South Reno or Downtown.

Animal Ark is open Tuesday-Sunday and some holidays April-October. Usual hours are 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m.  Some special events occur outside of those hours.  Admission is free for children 2 and under; $6.50 for ages 3-12; $9.50 for adults; $8 for seniors; free for members.   

July is Military Month at Animal Ark.   All active and reserve personnel get free admission and military family members receive 50 percent off regular admission prices as a show of appreciation.

For more information, call (1-775) 970-3111 or visit http://www.animalark.org/animals.html .

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MOANA NURSERY: GOODIES FOR GARDENERS IN SOUTH RENO

My maternal grandmother was a gardening guru.  Her fiercely-guarded back yard plots at our modest Chicago home yielded ravishing roses and bushels of spectacular vegetables: big, juicy, beefsteak tomatoes, green beans, fragrant cucumbers,  green peppers, chives and more.  Oh, the delicious salads and side dishes we ate every summer!

I didn’t inherit my grandma’s green thumb.  My attempts at growing any kind of plant — either edible or ornamental — have never panned out.  But lately I’ve yearned to give it another try, maybe in a small container.  Because I lack gardening skills, my project must be inexpensive and idiot-proof.  I’d be mad at myself if I invested a lot of time and money, only to produce a weed.

For inspiration and ideas, I made a trip to Moana Nursery, 11301 S. Virginia St. in South Reno. 

This wasn’t the biggest or best garden center I’ve ever visited.  For that, it would be hard to top Molbak’s in Woodinville, Washington:   http://www.molbaks.com/

But my needs are simple.  I’m aiming to plant a little pot of something that’s easy to grow, preferably something yummy to eat.

I wandered around and looked at Moana Nursery’s nice selections of garden tools, decorations, trees, perennials, pots, potting soils and so on.

I loved these small containers of purple, crimson and magenta flowers, similar to those that my family had in window sill planters at our last house in the Chicago area. (The planters broke the following winter when they got weighed down by several feet of heavy snow!)

Then I spotted Moana Nursery’s variety of herb and vegetable starts, including basil, chives, cilantro, tomatoes, onions and more.  All right, this place might have the resources I need, if or when I figure out what to plant — and how.

Since I was “just browsing” today, I was glad that employees at Moana Nursery didn’t pounce on me.   On a return visit, with an actual plan in mind, I would hope that it wouldn’t be hard to find a clerk who could answer my questions.

According to Moana Nursery’s Web site, several gardening seminars and special events are planned in the coming weeks.   For more information, call (775) 853-1319 or visit 

http://www.moananursery.com/ .

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RENO EARTH DAY 2013 AT IDLEWILD PARK

Our weather couldn’t have been better on Sunday, April 21, just in time for the Earth Day 2013 celebration at beautiful Idlewild Park, 1900 Idlewild Dr. in Old Southwest Reno.

With sunny skies and temps in the 70s, people of all ages came out in force to learn about  recycling and sustainable living, join in drum circles, buy Nevada-grown produce or just relax and enjoy the park’s greenery and sculptures.

The free festival included Reno food trucks, purveyors of lemonade and local beers, hippie threads and wacky vehicles made from repurposed materials.

As well, there was entertainment, such as the rock/blues duo Scarlet Presence.

Somehow, my family missed the new Animalia Kingdom section of the Earth Day celebration,  but hope it will be back next year to entertain and educate the little ones.

Even without a special event, Idlewild Park is a great place to get away from the grit and grime of  Downtown Reno.  The park overlooks the Truckee River and features a lovely rose garden, as well as athletic fields and playgrounds.

And the surrounding neighborhood is filled with opulent homes from the 1900s and mature trees, an intriguing destination for a future self-guided walking tour.

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CHICAGO'S WLS AND RENO'S KDOT RADIO IN THE 1960s

Spring cleaning can actually be fun.  You never know what relics you’ll dig up in a box that was long unopened.

For instance, check out this “Silver Dollar Survey” from Chicago’s WLS-AM Radio during the week of June 3, 1966.

“Paint It Black” by The Rolling Stones was at the top of the charts, at least in the Windy City that week — followed closely by Wayne Fontana and the Mindbenders’ “Groovy Kind of Love” and The Lovin’ Spoonful’s “Did You Ever Have to Make Up Your Mind.”

“Paperback Writer” by The Beatles was #17 on the survey, after two weeks of airplay and Frank Sinatra’s “Strangers In the Night” was #6,  after eight weeks of play.  “Top 30” radio back then was certainly eclectic!

Here’s a great YouTube video that captures the energy of the era and especially the power of WLS, one of North America’s most popular radio stations of all time:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqqBFMQ6kMo

 I’ve recently wondered how kids and teens in Reno discovered the music of The Beatles, The Stones, The Who and so many other heroes of our generation.   Did Reno have a radio station to rival WLS, albeit in a much smaller market?

I did some sleuthing and even contacted the Nevada Historical Society, but info about Reno radio in the 1960s is scarce.  Then I tracked down Bob Carroll, a longtime Reno radio personality.

In a short phone conversation, Carroll told me, “In the ‘50s and ‘60s, KDOT was the station that teens listened to.  I worked there.  It was my first job in Reno.”

I mentioned to Carroll that the WLS disc jockeys (or deejays) were almost like rock stars in their own right.  They were witty and charismatic and each had some kind of gimmick or running joke or catchphrase.  And they regularly interacted with their audience, making guest appearances at high schools, teen dance clubs and the local amusement parks.  I asked Carroll, “Did you do things like that, too?”

Yes, said Carroll.  He remembered hosting rock ‘n’ roll shows with stars such as The Coasters, Duane Eddy and Chuck Berry at The Old State Building in downtown Reno, where the Pioneer Center for the Performing Arts now stands.

I asked Carroll where Reno youngsters might have first seen groups like The Beach Boys and The Four Seasons.  He said they played the casinos in the ‘60s and later  — in the case of The Beach Boys —  returned to the region for Hot August Nights, an annual summer festival that features classic cars and oldies music.

“Did the Beatles ever come to Reno?,” I asked Carroll.  “No,” Carroll laughed.  “There was a Beatles knock-off band that often played Harrah’s but not the real Beatles.”

I would love to hear more about KDOT in the 1960s and the role that it played in young people’s lives in Reno. 

For my family and friends in Chicago, memories of the WLS staff and the wonderful music they played are golden.   Not only did they introduce us to The Beatles but to Chicago bands like The Ides of March (#20 on the WLS survey with “You Wouldn’t Listen” on June 3, 1966),  The Buckinghams (#30 on that survey, with “I Call Your Name”), The New Colony Six, The Shadows of Knight, The Cryan Shames and more.

If you’re a longtime Renoite and have stories to share about KDOT and the pop music scene in the 1960s, please e-mail me at maryd89521@gmail.com .

Meanwhile, to learn more about Hot August Nights, visit http://www.hotaugustnights.net/pages.php?var=event-schedule .

Paul Revere and the Raiders (whose hit "Kicks" was #7 on the WLS survey on June 3, 1966) and Bill Medley from The Righteous Brothers will be among the headliners at this summer’s Hot August Nights events in Reno and Sparks.

UPDATE, DECEMBER 2013:  A legend of Chicago radio (and WLS in particular) recently passed away.  Larry Lujack was a giant among radio personalities but apparently, a kind and humble man in his off-the-air life.  Thanks to longtime Reno radio personality Paul Michels for sharing this link:

 http://www.robertfeder.com/2013/12/19/a-radio-superstar-who-cared-about-people/?utm_source=NTS+MediaOnline+Subscribers&utm_campaign=7cf8812943-my_google_analytics_key&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_f86d9fe814-7cf8812943-19256474

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SOUTH RENO'S ROSITA'S COCINA MISSES THE MARK

Sometimes an out-of-the-way restaurant turns out to be a hidden treasure. That wasn’t the case on a recent visit to Rosita’s Cocina,  7689 S. Virginia St., Suite N, in South Reno.

You can’t really see Rosita’s from Virginia Street; it’s in a strip mall behind Terrible’s Car Wash.  And from the parking lot, Rosita’s has never looked very busy, but I figured that was probably because of the obscure location.

Inside Rosita’s Cocina, the décor is sufficiently bright and cheery, with family pictures on the walls, flags, flowers and other enhancements.  

Unfortunately, lackadaisical service, at a time when only two other tables were occupied, was a turn-off.

First impressions mean a lot — and in a Mexican restaurant, a good first impression heavily depends on the quantity and quality of the chips and salsa and beverages with which to quench your thirst.

As we looked at our menus, our server brought a half-filled basket of chips, one small dish of salsa and no water.  When we asked for water and iced tea, our glasses were quickly empty, just like the basket of chips, and our server made no effort to refill them until we asked.

A “Rosita’s Special” on the menu, Spinach Enchilada ($8.95) caught my eye.  Spinach Enchiladas were among my favorite entrees at my family’s go-to Mexican restaurant in the Seattle area.  Alas, I asked the server at Rosita’s if this Spinach Enchilada (singular) was a large enchilada.   Nope, she said it was just one, regular-sized enchilada with rice and beans.

That seemed skimpy so instead, I ordered Rosita’s Rellenos (two chiles rellenos, with rice and whole beans) for $10.95.  Note: Had I ordered the $8.95 Spinach Enchilada, the a la carte price for an extra enchilada with chicken, beef or cheese would have been $3.25.

Rosita's Rellenos

My husband chose La Chimichanga (one beef chimichanga, with rice and refried beans) for  $10.95, while our son ordered Enchilada Especial (one beef enchilada, one chicken enchilada, with extra rice and no beans), also $10.95.

La Chimichanga

Enchiladas Especial

Our meals were just average.  The menu stated that Rosita’s cooks with cholesterol-free oils and shortenings, which is a positive thing.  However, healthy doesn’t have to mean bland and this food could have used more spice.  There wasn’t any hot sauce on the table to remedy that.  But maybe that was intentional, since they were rationing our water and iced tea.

In conclusion, we see no reason to return to Rosita’s Cocina. 

If you’re familiar with Rachael Ray’s “$40 A Day” TV shows, she’d ask residents in various cities to steer her to local restaurants where quality and value were exceptional.   Along those lines, if you’re in the mood for Mexican meals in South Reno, my picks, so far, are La Posada Real and Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs.

My review of La Posada Real:

http://analieninsouthreno.blogspot.com/2012/10/south-renos-la-posada-real-better.html

My take on Peg’s Glorified Ham n Eggs:

http://analieninsouthreno.blogspot.com/2013/01/pegs-glorified-ham-n-eggs-glorious.html

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BIG HORN OLIVE OIL COMPANY: BIG TASTES IN WEST RENO'S MAYBERRY LANDING

As much as I like to try new restaurants, I also love to cook for my family and friends.  So it’s always a treat to find specialty food shops with products that are both versatile and virtuous.

Big Horn Olive Oil Company, 3888 Mayberry Dr. in West Reno, is a great place to sample and purchase premium cooking oils and vinegars.  (UPDATE!  Big Horn Olive Oil has added a second location in South Reno, at 75 Foothill Rd.!)

The potential health benefits of extra-virgin olive oil and vinegar are considerable.  They are major components of the Mediterranean diet.  Vinegar is said to lower blood sugar while extra-virgin olive oil is said to improve cardiovascular function.  And these ingredients can be mixed in a myriad of  marinades, salad dressings and dipping sauces.

It’s fun to experiment with oils and vinegars at Big Horn Olive Oil.  Tester bottles and small plastic cups are placed in front of each item.  You can taste them to your heart’s content.

Employees at Big Horn Olive Oil are helpful without being overbearing.  I arrived knowing that I wanted to buy some Italian herb-infused olive oils to serve with crusty bread and pasta —and I was able to find those products on my own. 

But I had some questions about the fruit-flavored balsamic vinegars.  A clerk invited me to try some peach balsamic vinegar combined with fresh basil-infused olive oil.  She noted that this would be refreshing as a salad dressing.  I agree!  I believe this combo would work well on fish or chicken, too.

Next, the clerk offered a taste of  the store owner’s “go-to” salad dressing:  Milanese Gremolata-infused olive oil with black cherry balsamic vinegar.  Wow, this was different — and delicious.  It might be good on pork or beef kebabs, as well.

I bought four mini-bottles ($5.95 each) — two oils and two vinegars — to get my family’s approval before stocking up on more. 

Larger bottles of most olive oils and balsamics at Big Horn Olive Oil are priced at $11.95 (200 ml), $16.95 (375 ml) and $29.95 (750 ml).

Gourmet oils such as almond, walnut and sesame sell for $14.95 (200 ml) and $23.95 (375 ml).

Truffle oils at Big Horn Olive Oil cost $19.95 for a 200 ml bottle of black or $24.95 for a 200 ml bottle of white.

And now a few requests to sweeten the shopping experience at Big Horn Olive Oil:

First, please make water readily available for customers!  Some of the oils and vinegars deliver a wallop when sipped “straight-up.”  I wasn’t the only taster who did some sputtering when I swigged a bit too much out of the little plastic cup.  (UPDATE!  During my visit to the new South Reno store, I noticed that water was out on the counter for customers to sip as needed.)

Also, recipe cards or cheat sheets with suggested pairings of oils and vinegars could be offered to customers.  There’s an info sheet taped on the counter but it’s hard to see if the store is busy.  As an eco-friendly option, that info could be posted on the store’s Web site.
(UPDATE!  Recipes are now listed at www.bighornoliveoilcompany.com)

Other than that, I’m pretty sure I’ll be back at Big Horn Olive Oil as we head into the grilling season. 

And located in the same little shopping center, Mayberry Landing, there’s a yogurt shop, a wine shop, an Austrian bakery and a Mexican restaurant.  Foodies could spend a few hours here, snacking and gathering inspiration for their next dinner parties.

By the way, I was momentarily baffled by the name Big Horn Olive Oil until I remembered that the desert big horn sheep is Nevada’s official animal.

For more information about Big Horn Olive Oil Company, call (775) 870-1500 or visit www.bighornoliveoilcompany.com .

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BREAKFAST, LUNCH OR DINNER ANYTIME AT PEPPERMILL'S CAFE MILANO

Café Milano is the 24-hour café serving breakfast, lunch and dinner anytime at Peppermill Resort-Spa-Casino, 2707 S. Virginia St. in South Reno. 

The business model of the 24-hour restaurant is familiar to anyone who has lived in a major city, although Café Milano is a classier version and is located within a casino environment. 

In my hometown of Chicago, my friends and I spent many “wee hours” unwinding from nightclubbing at unfussy neighborhood restaurants that never closed or at least stayed open extra-late on the weekends.   Besides the customers who’d just left the bars,  there’d be diners who worked night shifts  at factories, hospitals, police stations and so on.  You could fill up on patty melts or pancakes and copious refills of hot coffee, for very little money.

Café Milano’s clientele at 2 or 3 a.m. more likely consists of Peppermill Hotel guests —  convention-goers and tourists.  The surroundings at Café Milano reflect that.  The large, black-and-red carpeted dining room is appointed with plush, gold-trimmed booths, dim lighting (all the time!), flowers, soft music, and of course, Keno games.

A Comfort Foods Menu is available at Café Milano, 24 hours Monday-Friday.  The list of $6.95 specials includes a Farmer’s Skillet breakfast, Milano Spaghetti, Old Fashioned Beef Stew, Mama’s Fried Chicken, Chili Burger, Turkey Pot Pie and more.

Café Milano’s regular menu is exhaustive, with seemingly hundreds of  choices: breakfast foods, burgers, salads, sandwiches, steaks, seafood, Asian noodles, etc.

No one in my family likes pot pie, except for me, so I grabbed the opportunity to order the Turkey Pot Pie ($6.95) on a Thursday afternoon visit. 

Turkey Pot Pie from the Cafe Milano Comfort Foods Menu

The pot pie was generously filled with chunks of moist turkey, both white and dark meat,  peas, carrots, potatoes and a creamy sauce.  In other words, it was a very typical presentation of a pot pie.  Additional vegetables such as mushrooms and broccoli would have been a welcome surprise.   And the crust was decent, but I would have preferred more of it.  The crust only covered the top of the pie.

Oh, and at my old hangouts in Chicago, the pot pie would have been served with a little something on the side, such as salad and/or a wedge of melon.  At Café Milano, the pot pie flew solo.  I considered ordering a cup of soup for an extra $1.25 but the soup of the day, Navy Bean, didn’t appeal to me.

My lunch buddy’s Saucy Burger ($10.95) was topped with BBQ sauce, bacon, lettuce, tomato, pickles and a fat onion ring and served with a side of fries.  Potato salad or pasta salad could have been substituted for the fries.  An extra $1.95 would have bought a side of onion rings.

Saucy Burger and Fries from the regular Cafe Milano menu

The Saucy Burger was so immense that it had to be eaten with a knife and a fork. Sloppiness aside, the burger tickled my companion’s tastebuds.  But for $10.95,  at a less-spiffy 24-hour restaurant, there would have been a cup of cole slaw thrown in for good measure.

I suppose I’m nit-picking, and after all, the setting of  Café Milano is geared more to people on expense accounts or vacations.  I also suspect that our server would have been more attentive if we had ordered cocktails with our meals.  Refills on water and iced tea were slow.

To be fair, however, Peppermill and other South Reno casinos lure in locals and thank them for their business with coupon mailers and rewards cards.   I used a “locals” coupon for $10 off a Café Milano tab of $20 or more, so our lunch in this elegant café was a bargain.

For a dose of trivia, Peppermill’s 24-hour restaurant dates back to 1971, was formerly called the Coffee Shop and has a loyal following among people who grew up or worked in Reno.  To see a vintage photo and read the back story,  visit

http://www.peppermillreno.com/about-us/peppermill-history .

To view the modern-day menu for Café Milano, visit http://www.peppermillreno.com/dining/casual-dining/cafe-milano .

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