In a new interview to promote his latest film, The Last Duel starring Ben Affleck and Matt Damon, iconic director Ridley Scott weighed in on the news that Noah Hawley is bringing a live-action Alien series to FX. Despite Hawley hewing close to the original film’s anti-capitalist message, Scott has his concerns about the undertaking, and well, he didn’t hold back his thoughts.
In fairness, Scott is drawing on his experience making the prequel film Prometheus, which he feels demonstrated the inherent risk of going back to the xenomorph well too many times. Via The Independent:
“I never showed an alien in it” – it still made $404 million at the box office – “and the studio … said, ‘See, it didn’t do so well!’ Really?” He returned with 2017’s Alien: Covenant, “put the aliens back in there”, and the film made much less: $240m worldwide. “When you’ve got a marvellous beast, it does wear out and you have to actually think again.”
The franchise is now being rebooted as a TV series by Noah Hawley (who successfully turned Fargo into a long-running show). Wherever they go, whatever they do, “It’ll never be as good as the first one,” he grins. “That’s what I’ll say.”
Damn, Ridley Scott, tell us how you really feel. Hawley’s skill as a showrunner aside, capturing the magic of film franchises from the ’70s and ’80s is no easy task. Just look at the slew of failed Terminator sequels, and heck, even the divisive state of Star Wars. There’s also the Aliens vs. Predators movies, and the less we say about those, the better.
Anyway, good luck, Noah Hawley, we’re all counting on you back here.
Tyga has been arrested in Hollywood and charged with felony domestic violence. The arrest took place after the rapper’s now ex-girlfriend, fashion designer and influencer Camaryn Swanson, posted a video to her Instagram page showing her alleged injuries, which included a massive black eye.
According to TMZ’s original report of the incident, officers said Swanson arrived at Tyga’s house around 3 a.m. on Monday morning. Police were called and Swanson told them Tyga put his hands on her. Officers said they were able to see visible marks.
On Instagram, Swanson claimed to have been “emotionally, mentally, and physically abused” by the rapper. She shared some screenshots of a text conversation with him to her Stories, refuting TMZ’s report that she showed up to his house “screaming.” Instead, Swanson alleges that the fighting happened when she asked Tyga to call her a car to take her home. “I didn’t show up ‘screaming’ or uninvited,” she wrote. “when I tried to leave he physically assaulted me and refused to let me leave for hours.”
Tyga’s arrest Tuesday was confirmed with the LA Police Department by Vulture, who reported that his case will be forwarded to the LA District Attorney’s Office, which will then determine which charges to will be brought against the rapper and whether or not prosecutors will ask for a different bail price. At the time of his arrest, Tyga’s bail was set at $50,000.
This essay is adapted from the HOTELS section of the 2021 Uproxx Fall Experiences Guide, found here.
I love hotels. That wasn’t always the case, though. For the longest time, I sort of viewed hotels as merely a necessary aspect of vacationing and/or traveling. A place to keep my stuff and get some sleep whenever I was away from home, off on some adventure, or attending a meeting or a conference for work. All I really cared about was finding a decent place that was reasonably nice and comfortable in a good location at a good rate — preferably something in the $100 per night range.
That was my sweet spot. If there was a halfway decent breakfast buffet tossed in, I was in heaven. Why people would spend more money to stay in what I considered “fancy” hotels was kind of baffling to me.
But at some point… a switch flipped and all of that changed. I suppose it was simply due to my evolution as a man and learning to have a greater appreciation for things like comfort and good service and architecture and design. Whatever the case, I’m now fulling in my “I just love a good hotel robe” era. I also appreciate an exceptional meal prepared by a great in-house restaurant delivered to my room via room service, intriguing art arranged in interesting ways, a unique color of paint on the walls, a pleasant in-room candle, a cloud-like mattress, etc.
In fact, my thinking on hotels has done a complete 180. Now, instead of traveling solely for destinations without giving much primary thought to the quality of the available accommodations, I’ll often consider traveling to a place solely because of the hotel properties availible.
St. Vincent
In other words, there are places now on my travel bucket list simply due to the fact that they play host to hotels that I want to visit. What’s the bar for this kind of place? My standard for what I now consider a great hotel is relatively simple and two-pronged:
Could I live here — in the way that so many noted artists, musicians, and writers have spent significant stretches of time living in hotels — and be happy?
Is this a place where I’d be perfectly content to never leave the property — the type of place that, even if there are amazing things to do and see outside of its walls, I’d be fine spending all my time on the grounds?
I think my love and appreciation for this sort of property grew exponentially over the past year or so, during the COVID pandemic. Given that “things to do” options have been severely limited in many places, staying on a property so inviting that you don’t feel compelled to leave became even more important than it was before, in my eyes.
With that all said, there are two hotels that opened in New Orleans during the pandemic that I’ve spent time “staycationing” at that fit both of these aforementioned criteria. The Hotel Saint Vincent and The Chloe.
The Chloe
First, let’s talk about Hotel Saint Vincent. Hoo boy, where to even start with this one? Its history is so absurdly rich. It’s housed inside a building originally built in the mid-1800s which, for decades, served as an orphanage and “home for unwed mothers” run by Catholic nuns, Hotel Saint Vincent in recent years was one of New Orleans’ seediest (and perhaps haunted) hostels. Then, in a twist straight out of an episode of Unsolved Mysteries, the property’s owner vanished without a trace in 2015, which led to his heirs selling the property to a group fronted by famed Austin-based hotelier Liz Lambert (formerly of Bunkhouse Group, currently of MML Hospitality).
Under Lambert’s watchful eye, the seedy old hostel has transformed into what the Wall Street Journal accurately described as a “grand Italian resort in the heart of New Orleans.” The 75-room property features two restaurants that are both among the top new restaurants in New Orleans (a noteworthy distinction, considering it resides in one of the world’s great food cities): The elegant San Lorenzo, which offers coastal Italian cuisine, and the more casual Elizabeth Street Cafe, a French-Vietnamese cafe and bakery. Additionally, the hotel features two bars, the stunning Paradise Lounge, and the dimly lit, intimate, guests-only Chapel Club.
In its totality, the Hotel Saint Vincent is a true feast for the senses. Even on an auditory level, as the Hotel Saint Vincent’s opening celebration party was, fittingly, headlined by the band St. Vincent.
The Chloe
Now, let’s turn to The Chloe. The first hotel from restaurateur Robert LeBlanc of LeBlanc + Smith (Sylvain, Cavan, Barrel Proof, Longway Tavern, Meauxbar), The Chloe is a 14-room property housed in a Victorian-era mansion on New Orleans’ St. Charles Avenue (the city’s famed St. Charles streetcar passes right in front of the hotel) that was originally designed by local architect Thomas Sully. Many of the original design flourishes of the old building remain intact, most notably the dark woodwork, high ceilings, tile flooring, and sophisticated moldings.
When a guest checks in at The Chloe, they’re welcomed with a cocktail in one of the more gorgeous front desk/reception areas I’ve ever encountered. From there, one can take the elevator up to their room, but I highly recommend scaling the grand staircase, as it features deep red carpeting with images of alligators scrambling down them (a truly memorable signature design touch, to say the least). While each room features many wonderful touches, my personal favorites are the record players and the eclectic vinyl record collection from a local record store, Peaches Records.
The Chloe’s in-house restaurant is led by executive chef Todd Pulsinelli (formerly of August and Domenica) and features modern takes on classic New Orleans dishes, while also offering one of the best burgers in the city (and perhaps the country).
Finally, a few last things that I love very much about both Hotel Saint Vincent and The Chloe: each is dog-friendly (at this point, I essentially refuse to stay in any hotel that doesn’t allow dogs). No two rooms in either hotel are alike. They’re all meticulously designed and well thought out. Both hotels are located in architectural wonderland-like residential neighborhoods (the Lower Garden District and the Garden District, respectively). Both properties feature outdoor pool areas with outdoor bars perfect for lounging a boozy, sun-drenched day away. And both have striking but comfortable common areas for sitting, commiserating, and people-watching.
The Chloe
WHY 2021:
These are two of the finest hotels I’ve ever stayed in, and I could very easily see myself living in either, which is probably the ultimate compliment I could pay them. In a year when comfort is on everyone’s minds, viva la hotels!
Average Room Rate, The Hotel Saint Vincent:$200/night
After nearly a decade off the air, gaming network G4 revealed last year a complete reboot of the network was in the works. Now, just over a year later, G4 has finally announced a date as to when we can expect to see our some of our favorite gaming shows and personalities make their return to the channel, and it’s just around the corner. According to the network, we can expect to see the return of the “fairly preposterous sandbox” on November 16.
“Since the initial announcement of G4’s revival at Comic-Con @ Home last year, we’ve been in constant dialogue with our audience through the content we’ve produced,” said Russell Arons, President, G4. “We made a promise to fans that we would build this network with their input and are proud to say that our promise has been kept. At G4, we never stopped playing and can’t wait to have our fans join us in our hilarious and fairly preposterous sandbox on November 16.”
Starting November 16, the channel will be available on linear television via Verizon Fios, Cox, and Xfinity TV, as well as be available to stream on Philo. In addition, G4 is also collaborating with Twitch on a “multi-year promotional and commercial partnership,” though what exactly that entails other than the channel being available on Twitch has yet to be disclosed. Last but not least, G4 has also confirmed the network will continue to create “channel-specific content” across its social media platforms, meaning now is the time to start following G4’s Insta and get subbed over to them on YouTube if you don’t want to miss anything.
The new G4 will launch with some familiar faces for the channel’s former fans in the shape of former hosts Kevin Pereira and Adam Sessler. In addition to Pereira and Sessler, several other big-name creators will be joining the channel for the very first time, including esports personalities Alex “Goldenboy” Mendez, Ovilee May, and Froskurinn, WWE’s Xavier Woods (Austin Creed), YouTube stars Kassem G, Jirard “The Completionist” Khalil and Gina Darling, Twitch streamers Fiona Nova and Will Neff, and vStreamer CodeMiko.
G4 has also revealed its programming slate at launch, which — much like its cast — includes a nice mix of legacy shows as well as fresh, new content. Returning to the channel are iconic gaming programs Attack of the Show and Xplay, with each one of them promising to deliver the same content fans know and love from oh-so-many years ago though perhaps with a few much-needed updates. According to G4’s descriptions of the programs, Attack of the Show is billed to be “a welcoming place for any fan who wants to spend a couple of hours laughing, watching epic stunts and hilarious sketches, and deep-diving into the latest trends of the internet,” whereas Xplay “returns as a digital-first content brand that balances an authoritative loudmouth confidence with the absurdity of a public-access comedy sketch show, all while (somehow) maintaining enough credibility to book interviews with top industry luminaries.”
In addition to Attack of the Show and Xplay, the channel has entered an exclusive contract with Tokyo Broadcasting System Television giving them the rights to air all 167 episodes of the Ninja Warrior as well as three never-before-seen tournaments. The channel will also broadcast a comedy-esports show named Boosted, a Dungeons and Dragons limited-run series featuring Jack Black, Tiffany Haddish, Kevin Smith, and DrLupo, and live esports programs via ESL Gaming. All these shows (and more) and set to debut on G4 on November 16, when the channel makes its big return to television.
There have been few albums this year that have allowed for such pure reflection as Cassandra Jenkins’An Overview On Phenomenal Nature. The album’s modest seven songs leave a lasting mark between Jenkins’s gentle vocals, guitar, and ponderous moments of spoken word. But hearing some of the initial mixes of these songs, it gives a window into the unexpected directions in which they could have gone.
With the just-announced (An Overview On)An Overview On Phenomenal Nature, the New York native Jenkins presents the initial bones, sketches, demos and outtakes of these gorgeously languid tracks. Out November 19 via Ba Da Bing, it’s an insightful window into the evolution of these songs, like the “Hailey (pRemix)”, a drum machine-driven, low-key dance pop number. There’s even a new song from the initial sessions that Jenkins and producer Josh Kauffman (who has worked with everyone from Bob Weir to Taylor Swift) put down together.
Listen to”Hailey (pRemix)” above, see Cassandra Jenkins’s US and European tour dates here, and below, find the (An Overview On)An Overview On Phenomenal Nature art and tracklist.
If you thought that Tucker Carlson was just acting like a dumbass by ignoring science when it comes to his opinions on the COVID vaccine in order to score better ratings and more headlines, well, he’s got news for you: You’re wrong—he apparently really is that dumb!
On Monday night, the Fox News host went on a bit of a tear about the people who are suggesting that Carlson and his colleagues are simply playing dumb when it comes to the issues surrounding COVID-19, but he made it clear: “We are not pretending. At all. It’s real.”
As Raw Story reports, Carlson took aim specifically at Joe Biden, saying the president lied when he claimed that Fox News is mandating that all its employees be vaccinated against COVID—and mocked the network’s anchors for their false anti-vaxxer outrage, considering that 90 percent of them are fully vaccinated and that Fox head honcho Rupert Murdoch is pro-vaxx.
As Raw Story notes: “Carlson claimed that there is no vaccine mandate, but he left out quite a few facts. For example, Fox News says that you don’t have to get vaccinated if you agree to submit to daily coronavirus testing. The company also has an online vaccine passport system. Carlson conveniently left the information out, not giving his viewers the full truth.”
To be fair, Carlson has spent so much time spewing lies and anti-vax propaganda that it’s understandable he’d have trouble remembering exactly what the truth is. Fortunately, there is the internet, which swiftly assembled to throw the very publicly available HR documents of Carlson’s own employer back in his face.
— Fin FoxGuy – Moderna Vaxx’d & Voting Blue (@FinFox2) October 12, 2021
Another Fox document. This started for Fox back in July and all staff were given until August 17th to verify their Covid vaccine status or take the mandatory testing. “will be required” sounds like a mandate to me. pic.twitter.com/eyeu8RTu0y
Back in 2006 when Chicago native Lupe Fiasco released the lead single “Kick, Push” from his debut album, Food And Liquor, there weren’t many high-profile Black skateboarders. In fact, Black kids who skated — especially in the hood — were subject to ridicule and outsider status for engaging in an activity that was long held as the domain of beach-blond surf rats in Venice Beach. But Lupe was part of a vanguard of Black artists who changed that, providing representation for those outsiders and throwing open the doors of possibility for generations after.
Many of Uproxx’s panel of React Like You Know artists are part of those younger generations. For instance, Almighty Suspect thinks it “helped a lot,” while Foushee calls the song “very important to build the foundation” for young, Black skaters. However, that doesn’t mean that it made skaters of the whole hood overnight. Our newest panel members, Belly and Lakeyah, both point out their very good reasons for refusing to try it out. Lakeyah says, “The closest I ever got was a hoverboard… I have no balance.” Meanwhile, Belly reminds us that “I’ve always been big-boned my whole life — I feel like that’s a bad combination.”
Things get deep when our panel is asked about choosing between love and their careers, inspired by Lupe’s second verse boy-meets-girl narrative. Newcomer Jazz Cartier points out that “you can have room for love, opposed to half-assing it.” Meanwhile, the fashions of the video captivate Travis Thompson and Godson; Travis says “Nike SBs were everything,” while Godson marvels at Lupe’s Bathing Ape hoodie.
Watch our panel of guest rappers react to Lupe Fiasco’s “Kick, Push” video above.
Some artists covered here are Warner Music artists. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.
When it comes to an album rollout, many musicians get creative. Kanye West, for one, just built a life-size replica of his childhood home inside a stadium for a Donda album listening party. But indie producer Jim-E Stack has a different innovative idea when it comes to announcing his Promotional Only EP.
Stack may not have re-built his childhood home, but he did decide to surprise-release his EP by giving away free CD copies of it in vending machines. Until this Friday, fans can stop by vending machines at either the Leisure Centre in New York City or Rough Trade West in London to get their free copy of Promotional Only. Along with the vending machines, Stack uploaded the glitchy track “FFBH” to streaming services for fans everywhere to hear.
Promotional Only EP available now physical only free of charge
Ahead of his Promotional Only EP, Stack sat down with Uproxx to chat about his 2020 album Ephemera, which features Bon Iver, Empress Of, Octavian, Kacy Hill, and more. Speaking about his process, Stack says he writes solo and collaborative music differently:
“When I’m working on my own music, it’s completely self-indulgent and I’m just making stuff I want to listen to. Whether I’m just listening to it off of my phone or it’s out on Apple Music and Spotify for everyone to hear, it’s just for me. When I’m working on a song for an artist and their project, the only kind of mindset I’m in is, ‘Am I supporting this person’s vision and helping them realize it?’ I’m just there in a supportive role, kind of like the opposite of a self-indulgent role.”
Listen to “FFBH” above and check out Stack’s Promotional Only cover art and tracklist below.
Rough Trade
1. “2nd Round”
2. “Raving On My Own”
3. “Leaves Outside My Window”
4. “FFBH”
5. “West Magnolia”
When I was invited to visit Reno, Nevada, I didn’t quite know what I was in for. And, I’ll be honest, my expectations weren’t very high. Based on what I’d previously heard, Reno was like a small-town version of Las Vegas where casinos and gambling abound (not really my thing). But that preconceived definition proved to be wrong pretty quickly… or at least far too narrow.
Sure, I saw more mullets and camo print in one Reno weekend than I’ve seen over the past two years. But I also found myself impressed by the general coolness of the city. Not only is it a hub for local art and history, but it also offers heaps of breweries, local festivals, and adventure — everything that young partiers and outdoor enthusiasts alike could want.
If you’re ready to explore the “Biggest Little City in the World,” I’m breaking down the nine best things to do in Reno — from brewery hopping to ghost hunting — below.
What inspired me most about Reno was the collective passion and empowerment of local art throughout the city. Everywhere you turn, you’ll see large-scale murals plastered on the side of buildings, alleyways, parking structures, and on the ground in public plazas. The midtown neighborhood alone has more than 100 murals. Even utility boxes downtown are dressed in vibrant, hand-painted designs. In fact, Reno’s Public Art Committee commissions local artists each year to use the utility boxes as their canvases. The program is called Art Signals and was created to support artists and contribute to the vitality of the community.
If massive murals and quirky street paintings aren’t enough, just wait until you see the many towering, one-of-a-kind sculptures scattered throughout downtown. Reno is the closest city and airport to Black Rock City, Nevada — where Burning Man is held each year. Many of the festival’s giant art installations end up in Reno after “the burn.”
Want to appreciate Reno’s diverse selection of art up close? Take a walking tour downtown with Art Spot Reno, a nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting, celebrating, and educating artists by contributing to the integration between local artists and businesses. My tour guide and Art Spot Reno’s Executive Director, Geralda Miller’s passion for the local arts and culture scene helped me further appreciate the city’s effort to highlight its local talent. As a dedicated Burner and Reno local, her extensive knowledge of the city’s art and history provided a new outlook into the city’s diversity, community values, and future plans for growth and infrastructure.
My favorite piece (pictured above) along the tour was a sculpture collected from Burning Man. It’s called “Broken But Together” by Michael Benisty. The two mirrored figures towered over me as I hid below their bodies for a shady escape from the high desert sun. Despite the sweat and sore feet from walking all morning, these flawed-but-beautiful figures, holding hands to face the world, brought me a sense of comfort and hope. Broken but together, just like the rest of us.
As I said, it can get hot in the afternoon. If you’re desperate for some AC but still want to check out the local art scene, head to the Nevada Museum of Art. Upon arrival, you’ll notice that the museum building itself is a work of art – both on the outside and inside. The architectural design is astounding — with sky-high ceilings and a rooftop balcony (awe-inspiring view included) that’s used as an elevated event space. But what fills the building is what really makes this place special.
The Nevada Museum of Art, founded in 1931, features a diverse collection of work displayed in the museum’s various galleries. Its primary exhibit rotates every season, so there’s always something new to see. When I visited, the exhibit showcased “Land Art: Expanding the Atlas.” Land Art is made directly into the Earth’s landscapes by way of sculpting the Earth itself or building monumental structures out of natural materials. (Fun fact: The museum commissioned Seven Magic Mountains, the famous structure of rainbow rocks just outside of Las Vegas). The Land Art movement erupted in the 1960s and ’70s, with artists like Judy Chicago, Vito Acconci, and Christo and Jeanne-Claude leading the way and the exhibition makes you think deeply about how humans intertwine with the natural world.
Learn more about the Nevada Museum of Art and book a tour through the exhibitions here.
Sculptures and murals aren’t the only kinds of local art to admire. The music community is another essential part of the Reno experience. Not only are there big-time concerts held at the Grand Theater in the Grand Sierra Resort, but there are often smaller community events and festivals where local bands proudly take the stage. I happened to be in town during the annual Off Beat Music Festival, in which bands from Reno and neighboring West Coast cities like San Francisco and LA come to share their talents. This year, the three-day festival was held in the hipster-esque neighborhood of midtown and featured more than 70 acts across seven different venues — including a range of saloons and unique event spaces (my first stop of the night was in an old refurbished church). It was like a rowdy bar crawl but with the added kick of live rock ‘n’ roll music, making it all the more enticing and badass.
If you miss the Off Beat Music Festival, don’t fret. There is always a selection of concerts and local events to choose from in Reno over the weekends. On the weekend I was in town, there was also an EDM concert in the park and a ukulele festival — which says a lot about the city’s eclectic nature.
For a full list of Reno’s upcoming live music events, click here.
PART II – ADVENTURE
4. Kayak to Bonsai Rock in Lake Tahoe
Rock out to live music in a dive bar at night, then cure your hangover the next day with a dose of fresh air and the great outdoors. Adventurers and nature enthusiasts will be happy to learn that Reno is only a short (40-minute or less) drive to Lake Tahoe in the Sierra Nevada Mountains. Lake Tahoe is the largest alpine lake in North America and the second deepest lake in the United States. You could fully submerge the Empire State Building in the middle of the lake and still have 200 feet of room to swim above it. The pristine lake water itself is almost as clean as drinking water, which is why it’s considered one of the purest large lakes.
If you want to get a first-hand look at the crystal clear water, go kayaking with Cleary Tahoe. They offer guided tours in completely transparent kayaks, so you can get a close-up look at the water from right under your feet. You can observe the lake floor, underwater rocks, and marine life as you paddle your way across the lake. Our guide shuttled my group to Bonsai Rock, which is one of the most photographed landmarks in North Lake Tahoe. On our way there, he shared fun facts and history about the area – legend has it that there’s a giant underwater sea creature at the bottom of the lake named “Tessy.” Bonsai Rock is the centerpiece of a little lagoon where the water looks like it belongs in the Bahamas. Its enchanting turquoise hue with the backdrop of evergreen-covered mountains is every bit as Instagrammable as the Seychelles.
In addition to this popular shoreline tour, Clearly Tahoe also offers sunset tours, eco-tours, and LED nighttime tours – stargazing, anyone? Tip: Being that the water is so deep, it stays chilly pretty much all year round. It’s a good idea to bring a jacket and a change of clothes because you’ll likely be cold after a dip.
Take your Lake Tahoe adventure from the water to the land by hiking the nearby Flume Trail to Monkey Rock. A 2.6-mile, out-and-back portion of the trail leads you to a boulder that’s been carved to look like, you guessed it, a monkey. In addition to the quirky companion who greets you at the top of the hike, there’s a nearly 360-degree view of Lake Tahoe and its surrounding landscape. There are parts of the trek that are steep (I was definitely sore the next day), but this majestic mountainous lookout was well worth the sweat and shortness of breath. Mountain cyclists can also make use of the trail by renting a bike and going for a ride up and down the path.
Whether you walk or bike, you’re sure to work up an appetite. Regain your energy with lunch at Tunnel Creek Cafe, conveniently located next to the Flume Trail backcountry trailhead. It’s a homey cabin café and restaurant that serves coffee, breakfast, and lunch. I ordered the hummus wrap (it was fresh AF) and devoured it on the restaurant’s second-story deck in the sun.
If you end up in Reno during winter, you might not want to put water sports and hiking at the top of your to-do list (though both are great for late-fall shoulder season). Good news — Lake Tahoe is also home to ski resorts and snowy mountain tops that skiers and snowboarders of all experience levels can shred on.
Learn more about the Flume Trail and Monkey Rock here.
Don’t believe in ghosts? The Bats in the Belfry Ghost Tour might change your mind. On the opposite side of Reno from Lake Tahoe is Virginia City, a tiny mountain town that teleports you back to what feels like the 19th century. Virginia City was a mining town back in the late 1800s, and many of the mine tunnels still lie below the decks of the historic C Street. As soon as you get into town you’ll notice Victorian homes and a slew of old-school saloons and shops. The eerie little town looks like a movie set frozen in time. The trippiest part? Some of Virginia City’s inhabitants from the mining era are believed to still be looming through the halls of the town’s oldest buildings. In fact, Virginia City is recognized as one of the most haunted cities in the United States.
I’m a sucker for all things spooky, so I was excited (and slightly terrified) to go on the search for supernatural phenomena. The Bats in the Belfry guides are fully equipped with ghost hunting gear, such as a magnetic field detector that tells you when a spirit is close by (or… maybe just a magnet?). The tour takes you through the haunted Washoe Club to the courthouse and then to various landmarks where supposed fires and murders occurred (witnesses might say I panicked once or twice). You may even catch a few orbs on camera as you attempt to communicate with the souls of the dead.
Whether you believe in the hocus pocus or not, this ghost tour is an excellent way to learn about Virginia City’s treacherous history while having a bit of fun. The good news is that the tour starts and ends at the Washoe Club’s bar, so you can drown your fears in a cocktail or two.
Book your spot on a Bats in the Belfry Ghost Tour here (if you dare).
Food lovers, rejoice! The local cuisine and beverages will not disappoint. If you’re looking for a laidback spot to kick back and have a few drinks, head to The Eddy in Downtown Reno. It’s a bar and beer garden made out of repurposed shipping containers. Just like the rest of the city, the containers are adorned with murals and graffiti art. The venue is pumping with good vibes, hit music, and classic field games like cornhole. It feels like a backyard summer party, whether you go in the afternoon or end your night there.
It’s not a backyard party without a drink in your hand. The Eddy has 24 craft beers on tap, 10 fine wines, and a handful of handcrafted cocktails to choose from. I sipped on the “Son of a Peach” cocktail — a candy-like concoction spiked with vodka and topped with a peach ring. The Eddy also features a food truck that rotates every week, so you can grab a bite to eat while you drink and play. When I visited the young partiers’ hotspot, the food truck of the week was Urban Crudos, which serves fresh poke bowls and sushi tacos. The Top Loin Salmon Bowl was *chef’s kiss.*
Stay up to date with all the action at The Eddy here.
Whether you like IPAs, stouts, lagers, or ciders, Reno has something for every kind of beer drinker. There’s a bundle of breweries popping up around town that make for a cool and casual place to drink with friends. If you’re looking for some authentic craft beers, head to Brauhaus 701, which serves German-American fusion drinks and food. Yes, that means pretzels and bratwurst. Silver Peak Brewery downtown is popular for its ales and lagers, and it offers a selection of pub food that goes beyond just greasy burgers and fries (although, those are always great). They’ve got everything from chicken and basil ravioli to a Mongolian-style pork chop and roasted butternut squash pizza.
When I said that there’s always something to do in Reno on the weekends, I wasn’t exaggerating. In addition to the many music-filled events, I also attended The Biggest Little Invitational. Reno hosts this elevated craft beer festival each year at the Bartley Ranch Regional Park. The festival featured unlimited tastings with more than 50 breweries from around the West Coast. It was no surprise that it got quite rowdy by the end of the day. The DJ and his impromptu (and very drunk) hype man got everyone on the dance floor for what looked like a messy “Thriller” flashmob. It was entertaining, to say the least. Besides the extensive selection of beers to try, there were also lawn games and local food vendors. Guests even strode the grounds with pretzel necklaces, chewing on the strings awhenever they needed to sober up.
Overall, The Biggest Little Invitational was a downright good time. Check out Reno’s upcoming food and drink events here.
9. Eat Black Spaghetti at Liberty Food & Wine Exchange
Liberty Food & Wine Exchange is an artisan eatery and wine bar that serves Italian-American fusion fare made with regionally sourced ingredients. They have a long list of uniquely curated appetizers, pizzas, pastas, and entrées that will tempt you to order recklessly. To start, you can’t go wrong with the cauliflower, which is doused in Calabrian chili oil, garlic, and bread crumbs. I never knew such a bland vegetable could be so flavorful until I tried this dish.
For the main course, I suggest splitting a few dishes with the table so you can try a little bit of everything. I ordered the wood-fired crab fusilli (yum) and the squid ink spaghetti, which is made by mixing squid ink directly into the fresh pasta dough. Liberty’s seafood-inspired rendition comes with clams, scallops, and shrimp, and is cooked in a spicy white wine butter sauce with lemon. The combination of chewy textures and zesty flavors made it impossible for me to put my fork down.
If you find yourself at Liberty during fall, order the pumpkin cheesecake for dessert. Trust me, it’s worth every bite.
PART IV – WHERE TO STAY
10a. Whitney Peak Hotel
Chloe Caldwell
There’s no doubt that you’ll find a daily dose of adventure, memorable sights, and good eats in Reno. The Whitney Peak Hotel combines all three into one place. Located in the heart of downtown Reno next to the iconic Reno Arch, the trendy boutique hotel offers sleek, modern designs and views of the city or the Sierra Nevada Mountains in each room. Whitney Peak is also Reno’s first non-gaming and non-smoking independent hotel.
The best part? Whitney Peak is home to Basecamp Climbing Gym, which includes an indoor bouldering park and an outdoor climbing wall. The outdoor climb runs up the side of the hotel building, making it one of the tallest rock walls in the world. Bonus: It’s a pet-friendly property, so you can bring your pup along for all of the outdoorsy adventures!
If you want your hotel stay on the more extravagant side, book a room at the Grand Sierra Resort and Casino. The amenities, dining options, and activities within the slot machine-packed resort are seemingly endless. With a spa, party-centric pool area, bowling alley, movie theater, concert hall, escape room, and nightclub (I could go on), you could pretty much spend your entire weekend inside the building, if you wanted to.
Aside from the plethora of over-the-top but also totally cool activities, the retro-inspired suites have comfortable beds, black-out curtains, and waterfall shower heads that can help you wind down at the end of a long day of exploring. One of the best parts of the resort is the convenience of having everything you need in one place. It even makes the commute to and from the airport easy. They offer a free shuttle every 30 minutes throughout the day, so guests don’t have to worry about waiting on an Uber.
Uproxx was hosted for this story by Visit Reno. However, they did not review or approve this story. You can learn more about the Uproxx Press Trip policy here.
Cheese is a joy. It’s also amazingly varied — from the actual source milk to the deeply diverse flavors you can draw from a little rennet, salt, and bacteria combined with time and atmosphere. In those regards, it’s not wholly different from other aged products we profile — wine, whiskey, rum, and the like.
Food memoirist Hannah Howard has a love of cheese that runs deep. Her widely-acclaimed new book — Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family — touches on this passion point while also highlighting women in culinary pursuits around the globe (including a cheesemaker). Given my own love of cheese, we knew we had to hop on the phone to chat about both the book and our favorite cheeses.
Howard was kind enough to drop some serious recommendations for American cheeses you should try in the back half of our chat. These are kinds of cheese that are both delicious and accessible — you can buy them in the U.S. and, in most places, get them delivered right to your door. Her expertise is on full display, as is the abiding passion for food that helped make her memoir so captivating.
What brought you to the point where you actually wrote this wonderful book about women in food with a great section about amazing cheese?
A lot of my career has been in cheese. I’ve always liked cheese. Who doesn’t? But the thing that really sparked my cheese imagination and passion was the first restaurant job that I got when I was 18, that I found on Craigslist. I was going to college in New York City and I ended up at this Michelin-starred fine dining old school French restaurant, and they had this incredible cheese cart. I knew that cheese was delicious, but I had no idea that it was this whole world of flavor. I wanted to be by the cheese cart at the beginning of service when they were setting up and unpacking these cheeses. And if you were lucky, you’d get a taste of something.
Since then, I’ve been lucky enough to work with cheese in restaurants, in retail, and in all kinds of capacities. There are a few things that I love about it. One is that cheese is just made from mostly milk and then a little salt, a little rennet, a little culture. So with those four ingredients, you get everything from a decadent triple creme to a super-aged Gouda, to any cheese you can think of. It’s just so cool how cheese is so diverse with just four ingredients. And then I also love the way that cheese has been a part of history and culture for as long as we’ve had people, almost.
I have a similar experience. I was in college in D.C., working at a Neapolitan pizzeria. We aged all our cheeses and meats in-house or imported them from Italy. The “ah-ha!” moment for me was our gorgonzola and honey-walnut dessert course that was just this beautiful chunk of gorgonzola with fresh local honey, and sweet, roasted walnuts. It was just one of those things where your brain wakes up when you have it, you know?
Yes. That sounds absolutely delicious.
As you said, cheese is inherently very, very simple… yet you have this massive variety. When you’re putting together a book on foods and you can only devote so much space to certain subjects, how do you make decisions about what and who you want to highlight, especially with such a massive segment of food like cheese?
I started off thinking I was going to write about celebrities or people with lots of accolades and success. Not to say that the women I wrote about were not successful — they absolutely are. It ended up being much more personal. I ended up writing about women in the food world who either were my friends and mentors or who I wanted to be my friends and mentors. I’ve met so many more amazing women throughout my food adventures. It could be so many books, but at the end of the day, I think I wanted to represent people doing really different things. So there’s a cheese maker in the book. There’s a sommelier. There’s a barge pilot. There’s a cooking instructor. These are the kind of people forging their way in the industry.
I use my own personal selfishness — wanting to know these women and understand what they were doing — as a way to figure out who was going to be in the book and how I was going to organize the book.
By telling these people’s stories, what sort of responsibility did you feel? How hard was it to find the right people to tell the right stories?
I think, and hope, I found the right people to tell their stories. But I did feel a responsibility to these people because my first book was more of just a straight memoir about my own story. It’s my story. So there seems to be a huge amount of trust that these women had, to let me into their lives, and into their kitchens, into their work, and trust me to share their stories. Which was not something I took lightly. I really wanted to try to capture that it wasn’t just about the shiny, easy parts.
I also wanted to write about their challenges and things that were personal and things that were hard. So I felt really genuinely grateful that they trusted me with that, and that they all seem to be relatively happy about the book.
Unsplash
That’s the beauty of food, right? It’s sort of a bottomless well of opportunity to write about, talk about, and eat, of course. I feel like you’re never going to find the end if you’re willing to look.
That’s what I feel like. Sometimes I think, “Oh, okay. Food…” I wrote a lot about food for a long time. But then for me, it is really the people behind all the food that keep it really, really fresh. And, exactly — there are endless possibilities there.
When you look at our history with something like cheese in America, it feels like either you grew up exposed to a lot of great cheese because of an immigrant background with access to unique delis, or you sort of grew up with American slices and whizz. How was your experience growing up with cheese in America?
I was lucky to come from a family that really did appreciate and love food. Some of my best childhood memories are going grocery shopping with my mom and we’d always pop around to a bunch of different stores. I grew up in Baltimore and went to Mastellone’s, which was like this little Italian store. Mrs. Mastellone would be making mozzarella from fresh curds. We’d go to the nearest bakery and there was incredible feta there. So I definitely had probably more access to more, not just cheese, but more different ingredients and food experiences than most American kids in the 80s, I would say.
Then, as I’ve pursued this as a career, I’ve been even luckier. I think also, since the 80s we’ve come a really, really long way in our own. One of the women in my book is Allison Hooper who founded Vermont Creamery around the time I was born. And she started to make goat cheese in Vermont. At the time people were like, “goat cheese is weird,” and “we don’t know what that is,” and, “we don’t want it.” Now it’s ubiquitous. I think it still has a long way to go, but I feel like there has been a revolution in the availability, quality, and knowledge about cheese.
Absolutely.
Let’s shift a bit. People often look to food writers for recommendations for better or worse. When someone comes to you and asks you, “What’s a cheese I can get into if I only like, say, plain yellow cheddar?” What cheese would you lead them to first?
When I worked behind the cheese counter, there were a few kinds of cheese that you just knew were going to be hits. One of the cheeses that I love to introduce curious people to is really well-aged gouda. Because as it ages it gets those amazing terracing crystals that are protein amino acids. It also just develops this incredible caramelized sweetness. It’s almost like candy for grownups. There’s sort of a butterscotch quality; it’s really hard for people not to like that, from novices to experts. So that’s like a great starter cheese.
We used to always joke about Malbec and Manchego because everyone thought of that. Manchego is really popular; I just wrote an article about how popular it is these days. It’s a sheep’s milk cheese. It’s definitely a gateway into trying some broader cheese flavors and textures. There’s a cheese from Cypress Grove in California called Midnight Moon that’s a very approachable aged cheese, that also everybody seems to love. So those are some of my starters, branching out, but not in such a crazy way.
Then there’s the advanced stuff. I like winning people over with seemingly funky cheese. One of my favorites is creamy gorgonzola instead of the hard one. If you just get past that mold, you’re in for sure a creamy treat.
That’s perfect, especially if you’re ambivalent about bleu cheese. But it’s so sweet and creamy. I love it with some honey… Oh my gosh. It’s really hard not to love that.
I feel, for a lot of people, if you can get them past the look of the green mold and just get them to take a bite…
Right. Close their eyes and enjoy it!
Unsplash
When it comes to more advanced cheeses, has there been a cheese that’s surprised you? One you weren’t into that has become a cheese that you now love?
I remember being the weird kid who — when my parents had a dinner party — wanted to eat the bleu cheese. I’ve always known that I was down for the bigger flavors, less approachable flavors. But I think I have grown even more through the years. My favorite cheese genre is definitely those stinky, washed-rind cheeses, where you cut off the top and then use a baguette to dip in. I think that it’s hard to get some of the best ones from Europe in the U.S. We do have some, but it’s just a lot more limited. We can’t import raw milk cheeses unless they’re aged for 60 days, so we don’t get those really funky ones.
My really good friend smuggled a wheel of Vacherin Mont D’or — which is this incredible cheese that’s only made seasonally — in her suitcase for me. And I was like, “Oh, this is a good friend!” because it’s pretty pungent cheese.
Yeah. That’s a lifelong friend right there.
Exactly! She’s pretty much my best friend. There are some cheeses that are inspired by that here that are only made seasonally. So now that it’s fall, I can get excited about getting to dig into those soon.
There’s one called Rush Creek Reserve from Uplands Cheese Company, which is just incredible. There’s Jasper Hill, in Vermont, which makes Winnimere, which is wrapped in spruce and also inspired by that. I love that. Something about that luscious, gooey texture and that funk, and that there are so many layers going on. Even though these cheeses are a little stinky, they’re not one note at all. They’re really complex and there’s a lot going on. I think they sometimes just get cast aside, but those are my favorite kinds of cheeses.
I feel like even with the funkier ones that if you really give it a second, you’re going to find grassy notes, you’re going to find mossy notes, you’re going to find nutty notes. You’re going to find other things beneath that first sensation that will draw you in and create a greater whole.
Absolutely. I think a lot of times too, the bark is bigger than the bite. It smells really intense, but then exactly what you said, the actual taste has so much more going on.
Not to always bring it back to Europe, but it’s very common here to cook with cheese but the cheese is the star of the show. Obviously, there’s gratins and cacio e pepe, and things where you cook with cheese as an ingredient. But I’m talking more grilling cheese, baked Camembert, things like that where the cheese in the main course. Is that something you’re seeing a bit more of in the States?
Yeah. I do. I think probably that TikTok and Instagram are helpful for that. Also just the pandemic, and people cooking more. I think cheese is such a great ingredient in any kitchen. The viral feta dish certainty helped. That’s just the start for sure.
I have a friend who writes recipes for The New York Times and we joke that a lot of her recipes have feta. I just made one of her sheet pan meals that involved feta and a bunch of other things, and it was super delicious. I feel like exploring different cheeses is such a fun way to step up your game in the kitchen a little bit.
You can purchase Hannah Howard’s new book, ‘Plenty: A Memoir of Food and Family,’ in all formats here.
This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Cookie settingsACCEPT
Privacy & Cookies Policy
Privacy Overview
This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these cookies, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may have an effect on your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
