May 2018

While The Discovery was once a children’s museum, it’s not anymore. Patrick Turner, the Vice President of Marketing and Communications at The Discovery, said, “Over the last five years or so we’ve made a strong effort to reposition the museum as a science center that serves a broader demographic.” The Discovery has created several events that are for adults only, in order to better serve this broader demographic.

–Best Bang for your Buck–

Social Science (21+)= $20 for non-members/$15 for members

The Social Science series is a quarterly, themed event held at The Discovery. This series is a great deal at only $20 per ticket for non-members. Turner said, “A ticket to Social Science includes heavy hors d’oeuvres prepared by Whole Foods. They also sell beer and wine that’s included with your ticket price. You get two beverages with your ticket price.” Past events have focused on topics ranging from robots to attraction, and Turner said, “As of late, we’ve allowed our audience to pick a topic, so they’re free to nominate topics through our exit survey that we do at each Social Science.”

–Nice Price–

Science Distilled (21+)=$15 for non-members/$10 for members

Science Distilled is a lecture series, held regularly at Patagonia. The Discovery has partnered with the Desert Research Institute (DRI) to create this event. Turner said, “What Science Distilled let’s us do is tap into all the great research that’s happening at DRI, and bring those scientists to our audience and let them talk about their research.” According to Turner, this event varies from panel discussions to traditional lectures to round table discussions. Turner said, “We’re trying to keep it lowkey, so it’s in kind of a laid-back atmosphere. We partnered with Imbib Custom Brews, so they serve beer at the event. Definitely not your stuffy lecture series, like a lot of people might expect. ”

–Big Ticket Event annual event–

Chemistry of the Cocktail (21+)=$95 for non-members and members

Chemistry of the Cocktail is The Discovery’s annual fundraiser. Turner said, “Because it’s our annual fundraiser, it has a little bit higher ticket price. It’s close to $100 a ticket, but it is a fundraiser, so the cost of the ticket is part of what benefits the museum.” According to Turner, this event takes a look at the science behind mixology and cocktail making. Turner said, “It’s this really fun event because it let’s us bring in outside bartenders and mixologists, and they present all these interesting topics related to cocktails.” In addition, the event features live auctions and many local vendors.

Stuck in Reno this summer? Fear not! Instead of jealously watching the Instagram stories of your friends who somehow have the time and money to travel the world (guilty), why not explore some of the cool events in the Biggest Little City? If you love the outdoors like I do, you probably already know about all the fun things you can do in the area. But if you need more ideas for when you’re bored and don’t want to drive into the wilderness, there are plenty of fun events going on right under our noses. A personal favorite for me is Artown. The best part? It lasts for an entire month!

If you are a fan of any artistic medium, Artown will steal your heart. With music, dance, sculptures, exhibits, and other creative activities available, there is something for everyone. There are events going on every single day during the month of July to fit your schedule. If money is a concern, many events are free or very inexpensive to allow more community members a chance to enjoy Reno’s art culture.

While the Artown website has yet to publish the 2018 calendar, there are a few annual events to look forward to. On July 1st, the opening night jubilee typically consists of an artistic gallery on Arlington Bridge, music, and acrobatic performances. On the Fourth of July the Reno Philharmonic puts on a free concert topped off with fireworks to celebrate, a welcomed alternative for those who would rather avoid the long drive and wild crowds of Tahoe. Every year there is also a world dance night during which various cultures are celebrated, showing off their beautiful dancing styles. There are even more free events each week such as the Monday night music series, “dancing in the park” nights, and movies in the park. You don’t have to break the bank to get out and have fun!

I have often heard that Reno lacks in terms of culture, but Artown is working to prove this idea wrong. By focusing on the local art scene and celebrating creative minds in every medium, Reno celebrates its love of art every year. If you haven’t been to any of these events, I highly recommend you attend some this coming summer. You may find some wonderful talent and inspiration under the arch.

1.     Float the River

The Truckee river is filling up right now; accepting all of the snowmelt from the Sierras. When the weather gets warmer the water in the river gets a bit more bearable and is able to be optimized as a natural lazy river. Collect your inner tubes and pack two cars full of people because it’s time to float the river. To successfully execute this activity, you should park an end car at Wingfield Park. Everyone proceeds to pile into one car and drive up the river to Chrissie Caughlin Park. Here is where you enter the river and start floating. If you are wanting more control, float alone. If you want a thrilling and somewhat dangerous ride you should bring some rope and attach all of the inner tubes together. Bring some drinks, and be prepared for a relaxing day floating the river.

2.     Eagle Lake/Falls

Tranquility is closer than anyone ever expected. Located directly behind Emerald Bay in South Lake Tahoe is a quick 30-minute hike that uncovers a small and serene body of water known as Eagle Lake. At the beginning of the hike there are moderate sized falls cascading with snowmelt all summer. About halfway through, the hike unveils a breathtaking view of Emerald Bay and Tahoe collectively. Once arriving at the lake there is ample opportunity to swim in the freezing waters, walk across mossy rocks to an opposing side at the mouth of the lake, and hike further back into a quiet area that accepts nothing but contentedness. Bring a book and escape for a while! This hike is breathtakingly gorgeous in the summertime and is well worth the drive from Reno.

3.     Donner Tunnels

Art in nature is a juxtaposition that claims such a pleasing aesthetic to anyone willing to appreciate its existence. The abandoned Donner Train Tunnels are just this: art in nature. Upon arriving at the Sugar Bowl Ski Resort there are tunnels across the street that span for a few miles within the mountains and contain graffiti art that is so vibrant and strategically placed, displaying collages from numerous artists. The tunnels are technically a hike and during summertime are considered more of a river. The water in the tunnels is ankle deep, but the view of Donner Lake and the personal art that is painted within the walls and on the outer layer of each tunnel is one-hundred percent worth the soaked socks (bring an extra pair of shoes and socks for after the hike).

4.     Hunter Creek Hiking Trail

Nature offers a simple taste of adventure at the edge of Northwest Reno stowed behind the beautiful suburbs. This hike is a bit on the long side as it twists and turns around the edges of the hills in Northwest Reno. There is a steady uphill to downhill ratio as the hike unfolds in both directions. At the very beginning, there is a medium sized creek to cross. You can either barrel through and get your shoes soaked, or become a ninja and create a path across the exposed rocks at its lip. Upon arriving at the end of the hike there is a decent sized waterfall that is steadily flowing until all of the snow has melted. The hike will take roughly two and a half hours to complete depending upon the pace that is set. There is not much skill involved with this hike. Hiking it myself, I witnessed all ages coming and going, so invite your friends and family and enjoy a local experience.

5.     Grass Lake

Grass Lake is a moderate, yet lengthy hike nestled behind Fallen Leaf Lake in South Tahoe. The hike in total will take about three hours and is approximately two miles round trip. Along the hike there are gradual inclines and declines, but there are also pools of water that connect to Grass Lake and funnel into waterfalls along the entire trail. This hike is encompassed by evergreens and a forest floor that flows with water. There are many alternative routes that may have to be utilized during early to mid-summer due to high water levels. Don’t forget to look up when you finally arrive at Grass Lake, there are waterfalls higher than you can imagine, spewing with fresh snowmelt!

I’ve played different kits over the years, constantly evolving the set-ups of each. My current kit began as a basic five-piece Pearl set. I first added a second floor tom, then later two more rack toms. The added drums were black, while the original five were burgundy.

I reached a point where I wanted them all to be the same color, but actual drum wrap can get expensive, especially for an 8-piece kit. I did some research and put my mind to using simple vinyl adhesive. That’s what I did, but there were many time-consuming and annoying steps to get the finished product to look how I wanted it to. WARNING: this project will likely take longer than you predict. It took me a few weekends to get it all done. It takes longer the more drums you have, but it’s no quick process.

Step One: Take everything apart, and try to keep it organized. This isn’t even close to all the parts and pieces I removed.

Step Two: Soak any rusty bolts or parts in a 4:1 solution of either vinegar or bleach to water. Rinse and repeat if necessary.

This next step is completely optional and probably unnecessary. I cut about four inches off  my bass drum for a couple reasons. One: shallower shells make deeper tones. Two: it gave me four inches of space for setting up – which, if you have to fit your kit in your room, or if you’ve ever played a small stage, you understand how much difference four inches of area depth can make. This was done with a stable pair of hands and an electric jigsaw. First make simple and accurate measurements, then draw a cut line and follow it. It helps to have one person hold the shell steady while another cuts. Mi madre is super into woodworking projects, so she helped me out a lot with this project. (That’s her jigsaw I’m using.)

Step Three (optional): Cut down any drums you want shallower.

If you elect to cut any of your drums, keep in mind that you will have to mark and drill new holes for hardware like lugs, legs, or mounts. Just maintain the same distance from the outer edge and you’ll be golden.

Step Four (if you cut): Drill new hardware holes.

Step Five: Smooth out the edges with an electric sander. It takes a while with the electric one, so don’t even try to sand it by hand. It’s simple enough that my son Jack did it.

When it comes to this next one, you’re going to have to sand the outer shell no matter which way you decide to go. You can either take off the existing wrap and sand through all the leftover, gunky adhesive, or you can do what I did and just keep the original wrap on for added shell protection and sand the actual wrap. It needs to be as smooth as possible for the new wrap to properly stick to it.

Step Six: Sand the outer shell.

Now while all this sanding is going on, you may want your lugs and rims to be all one color. Possibly something other than the standard chrome. This means spray painting and leaving the hardware to sit while you attend to the shells. WARNING: this will affect the sound of your drums, but I personally found it to be a favorable one.

Step Seven: Paint the hardware.

Sanding the outer shells on its own doesn’t quite get them ready for new wrap. There are likely oils and residue that will disrupt the adhesive. To save yourself the trouble of finding that out the hard way and wasting perfectly good drum wrap, scrub the sanded shells with a wood-friendly cleaning solution such as vinegar or potentially Goo Gone.

Step Eight: Clean the shells with a 4:1 vinegar solution or, if needed, something more aggressive like Goo Gone.

Your work space will become quite a mess, so make sure you have room for that mess. It will be there for days, perhaps weeks.

This is what the UPS guy saw when he delivered a package.

Some of these toms use the same head size, but vary in depth, thickness, and types of wood – all of which have different effects on the sound they produce.

Step Nine: Measure and cut the wrap to fit the shells.

Now just take a tape-measure and measure the depth and circumference of each shell. Be sure to go over about two inches for the circumference length. It helps to place the cut wrap with its corresponding shell.

Step Ten: Wrappa da bass, mon!

When you wrap a shell, it reaaally helps to have two people. It is critical for one person to hold the shell tightly and steady while another person slowly and meticulously sticks the new wrap to the shell. Be ever-vigilant for bubbles; they are the enemy. Too many bubbles means one of two things: you either didn’t clean the shells well enough or you’re stretching the wrap. If you find some bubbles are simply unavoidable, it is fine to just stick the wrap down and cut through the bubbles. These things are inevitably going to be scratched anyway, and no one will notice.

Eight shells all wrapped up!

You can choose virtually any self-adhesive vinyl for your drum wrap. I legitimately went with black marble counter-top cover. It’s more difficult to find in stores these days. I was able to get a killer deal on Amazon. Something like $10 for 18″ x 20′! This kit used almost two rolls.

YOU ARE NOT DONE! Step Eleven: “RE-AS-SEM-BLE! Reassemble, Stephanie!”

Yeah, that’s a Johnny 5 quote. I was a dope little kid. Putting everything back together will take quite some time in itself. Just think about tuning your entire kit. Drummers don’t have to tune every single hour like guitarists and bassists, but when we do, it sure as Hell makes up for it. This probably took me the longest amount of time, even though it’s the most straight-forward.

I would like to take this moment to plug Aquarian in here. I’m not getting paid for this, but I highly recommend that every serious drummer invest in an Aquarian Super Kick II bass drum head. This thing is amazing. It’s perfectly self-muffling via a built-in foam ring. If you’re like me, you’re tired of adjusting your pillow inside every time you set up at a different gig. You will never have to do that again, and your bass will sound great.

The Aquarian Super Kick II is worth every penny. No pillows ever again!

When you do finally get your drums sounding right again and all set up… it’s just a fantastic feeling. RISE, PHOENIX! FROM THE ASHES AND LIVE AGAIN!!!

BEHOLD, MORTALS! My rebuilt and refinished 8-piece drum kit!

Food Truck Friday

Starts Friday, May 18th

Every Friday from May until September a slew of food trucks park along the edge of the pond at Idlewild Park and serve guests until the sun sets. This is a great opportunity to experience a large variety of food and drink.

Rib Cook-Off

August 29th – September 3rd

Not only does this cook-off have ribs, but it also has corn on the cob, deep fried pickles, and alligator on a stick. Nothing is left out at this carnival weekend in Downtown Sparks.

Biggest Little City Wing Fest

July 6th – 7th

If you’re a wing enthusiast this event will supply you with 20+ wing vendors in Downtown Reno.

Best Burgers in Tahoe:

1.) Char Pit – 5 stars

Char Pit supplies burgers to drool over, a rock-n-roll atmosphere, and a dedication to the craft of specialized burgers. Their patties are to die for, and their buns cup all of the addages of the burger ever so perfectly. Located in Kings Beach, this location is outdoor-based and allows dogs on the deck!

2.) Sno-Flake Drive-In – 4.6 stars

When you’re craving that drive-in style burger and a shake, this burger shack does not skimp any corners on supplying you with more than what you need when your order is up! Order at the outdoor window, and bring your food to the nearest park in South Tahoe because Sno-Flake is nothing but a treat.

3.) Izzy’s Burger Spa – 4.2 stars

This casual burger hut located in South Tahoe offers an outdoor and open feeling to accompany its mouthwatering options on the menu and enlarged steak fries. This burger is perfect for a day at the beach.

4.) California Burger Company – 4 stars

This destination located in Heavenly Village is an atmospheric masterpiece. From its warm inviting doors to its mesmerising burgers, this location is sure to satisfy a casual date or a family outing.