Month: July 2020

Fat Cat Bar and Grill has the best burgers in town! Their ingredients come from local farms and ranches. Which is great because you’re supporting local that supports local. The beef is 100% grass fed from Bently Ranch. They also offer plant based, free range chicken, lamb, turkey, and salmon patties. The food is so fresh, and you know where it comes from, which is something you can’t say everywhere you go. And if that’s not enough, they support local live music and djs.

I won’t lie. The menu is a little pricey, but you get what you pay for. From the local meat, to the Truckee Sourdough bread delivered daily, to the house made catsup, everything is fresh and delicious. Also, they have a friendly staff and inviting atmosphere. 

The restaurant has a nice farmhouse feel. A lovely open space with an outdoor patio. On top of that, the restaurant is doing a great job of taking the necessary precautions to practice social distancing.

We chose a perfect day to go because on Fridays they have $5 Frisky Kitties. You may be wondering, what is a Frisky Kitty? It is their signature cocktail with vodka, lemonade, cranberry juice, and St-Germaine Liqueur float. It is so refreshing! Fantastic for a summer day.

I did the build your own burger with a beef patty “willson style” which comes with thousand island dressing and pickles. I recommend it! Craig got the Firecracker which is pretty spicy if that’s up your alley. And Colin got the one, the ONLY, the Famous “Fat Cat” burger WITH mac and cheese.

Fat Cat doesn’t have any food challenges but if they did Colin could do it. He ate the whole thing. Craig and I didn’t know whether to be disgusted or impressed.

Overall,  it was a great start to the weekend! Fat Cat is located at 1401 S Virginia St in midtown. They also have another location up in Tahoe. Don’t forget $5 Frisky Friday and their happy hour is Sunday-Friday 4:00-6:30pm! Continue to support local during this time. Check them out and follow them on Instagram to stay up to date on events and specials!

I have been loving being outdoors.

I know the pandemic has put a lot of things on hold and created obstacles and challenges for each of us. I wish I could take a vacation right now to Hawaii or Vegas or literally anywhere. But in a way I’ve been enjoying exploring my own backyard.

I’ve missed the exploring, the trying a new trail, the getting up early, lacing up your hiking shoes, and just going. I’ve loved the company and the conversation and the laughs. I’ve loved being able to feel free and for things to feel normal even if it’s only for a few miles.

Today I went on a great hike with my Aunt Sharon. We were on the road by 7am and drove through Carson to come to the Genoa Canyon Waterfalls Trail.

If you are familiar with the Hunter Creek Trail in Reno, this is very similar!

Genoa Canyon Waterfalls is about a 6.5 mile trail (out and back) or you could do the loop which we didn’t realize till we got back to the trail head. Either way this is a perfect day hike. I do suggest going early though to beat the heat.

This trail consists of mostly switchbacks and a decent elevation gain (my legs will be feeling it in the morning). You get incredible views of the valley along the way. The trail is narrow which offered a good change with a nice mix of sun and shade. Overall a beautiful scenic hike which ends with a little waterfall.

I thought it was really cool how you could stand right next to the falls. Great place for some pictures and to cool off. My Aunt Sharon left another hidden gem just like at Horsetail Falls. I also want to thank my Aunt Sharon for suggesting this hike and going with me!

This is a unique, quick hike to change things up. I recommend you spend the early part of your day going on this hike. It feels great to get your steps in before noon. Let me know if you check out the trail! And I hope you all had a fun and safe Fourth of July Weekend!

Before the pandemic, I was working at We Olive and Wine Bar. I loved that job. It was the cutest hidden gem. That job taught me a lot. I learned so much about wine; the different kinds, the lingo, tasting terms, pairings, and most importantly that wine is best enjoyed with good company. 

Even on my days off, I would go into We Olive and enjoy the wine and atmosphere. I even hosted my Aunt’s birthday party there because it was a perfect venue. Unfortunately, they closed down last month.

I needed to find a wine bar that could give me that same feeling of comfort and familiarity. I found it, Engine 8 Urban Winery.  

I love everything about this winery. Engine 8 Urban Winery is located at 1260 Avenue of the Oaks, Ste. 150, in the heart of Victorian Square downtown Sparks. It is right next to the Galaxy theater. I haven’t been in that area of town in a while, and let me tell you, as someone who would play in the old fountains in front of the movie theater as a kid, it is hard to recognize. You must check it out for yourself!

The winery has a wonderful small-town feel. It also has a lovely outdoor patio that they just remodeled. It is also perfect due to safety and social distancing practices. They even have live music on occasion, a great way to enjoy a glass of wine.

The menu is not overwhelming. They have whites, reds, fruit wines, and port. They also offer flights so you can try out three to five different kinds and learn what you like. This is what I did, I tried the Riesling, Zinfandel, Peach Sunrise, and Moscato. The Peach Sunrise was my personal favorite. 

My boyfriend and his brother are not big wine drinkers. Wendi, our server and co-owner, was very helpful in recommending something they would like. She said that the Blackberry Merlot turns the non-wine drinkers to wine drinkers. And that is perfect for those new and old to wine. It is amazing, the boys loved it. 

The glasses have the Engine 8 Urban Winery logo which was hand designed by Wendi herself. She and her husband, Mike, established the winery in 2018, They both grew up in Reno/Sparks. They are incredibly nice. It’s nice to know the people behind the business and the history and the story. I love supporting true locals.

The place also offers food. You can’t beat pizza and wine. You just can’t.

I know that wine can be intimidating to some people. Here is a short, quick article on wine lingo demystified so now you can talk like a wine connoisseur!

This is a hidden gem in my book. I can’t wait to go back. Go out for a girl’s night or bring your family, or your boyfriend who doesn’t really like wine… Either way, the best wines are the ones enjoyed with family and friends! If you check this place out, please leave a comment and let me know what you think!