The Eldorado

I am not sure why, but while reading this book I imagined downtown Reno to just be completely run down and have old, musty casinos, paint chipping of their walls, smoke embedded into the paint, and some of it was correct but not to the extent in which I depicted in my head.  The Eldorado Casino, where Penny and Allison ate at the dessert buffet, had many new additions, or so I assume.  There was a large advertisement TV in the very front corner of the casino, and the casino itself was rather large.  For it being around one in the afternoon it was pretty busy with people going in and coming out.  They had escalades parked outside of the casino that had their logo imprinted on them and people kept stopping the left lane to park next to it or drop people off.  There were flashing lights in numerous places but to be honest it did look a little run down on the outside, or at least showcased that the Eldorado had been there for quite a few years.

In a way, the casino made me think that essentially she never left Vegas.  She believed she could run away and everything would be different but the same scenarios were still occurring, if anything she hated herself even more and could not stand being alone, and the environment and atmosphere between the two locations were essentially the same as well.  This time though, she had made a friend who was there for her and she could be truthful to and found a guy who treated her right.

In the chapter in which Penny and Allison are at the dessert buffet at the Eldorado, Allison essentially has to confront her past, Jimmy, which I believe was a turning point.  Before, she had wanted to keep everything a secret, but after talking about him and discussing problems that had come of her relationship, she started thinking about her new future and leaving the past behind.  She started discussing going back to school to get an education.  I believe the Eldorado was a landmark of change for her in the sense that she confronted her fears and insecurities and established what she wanted to do for herself.

Fourth Street

Fourth Street is said not to be the best street in town, or so I have heard.  I do not know if this was because there was a parade going on and a numerous amount of police around but driving down the street did not seem terrible.  I was able to see Louis's Basque Corner and the Fireside Liquor Store.  The Liquor Store was quite enormous, or at least larger than what I expected it to be and Louis's Basque Corner was smaller than what I expected.  Louis's Basque Corner was quite interesting though; a restaurant in which the food you order is shared with strangers and there are just a few giant tables inside so it is a family style dinner.

After driving around I began to realize how different my image of Reno was from how it actually is.  Yes, there is a homeless food kitchen on Fourth Street but if you are out during the day, with others, near the busy streets, the street loses some of its sketchy characteristics.  Yet, if you are Allison, the outcome is completely the opposite.  The street is a main road she takes and a road in which many places she walks by are located.  From the impression I had developed in my head I did not exactly want to get out of the car.  I am impressed that a woman can be brave enough to walk down these streets and believe that nothing will happen because she had grown up living in not the best areas.  Although, it made me start thinking about her actually being naive. Going out alone, on a street where homeless people are present, sometimes after drinking, and thinking she is not going to need anyone to take care of her.  Almost every time she was drinking, something terrible happened.  Maybe she did not choose to open her eyes and see that the person causing all this pain was just herself.

Just as Allison had questioned her character often times she walked down this street, I began to do the same about her.  The walk she sometimes took from the Cal Neva to her apartment on Fourth Street in the Emerald Arms was a short enough walk to make influential decisions and a long enough walk to let thoughts get the best of a person, especially one unsure about herself.

The Cal Neva

I thought something interesting was that there are four banks within a radius of less than 100 feet from each other. Give or take some feet... I am not the best estimator.

Driving down South Center Street, we came across the Cal Neva Hotel and Casino.

It was a sight that is for sure.  I bet a giant pink building really draws a lot of attention.  The hotel was essentially a look into old town Reno.  The building was obviously aged, the signs on the building looked like they had not been touched for years, they still have great value deals on the meals in the restaurants, and they still used the individual letters on a white board with wire to hold them in place as advertisements for their specials.

This building, better yet the Top Deck Restaurant, is what Allison considered her getaway from her apartment, Jimmy, and her thoughts because they never did anything good for her, or so she believed.  No one knew her and she could pretend like she was someone else.  I believe that after she began to obtain regulars, she felt accomplished and like things were looking up for a change.  I wouldn't necessarily deem the Cal Neva to be my comfort when I needed to get away from myself, but it worked for Allison.
The restaurant was not huge and the people could easily make local regulars.  It seemed like the kind of restaurant to do so; obtain the regular comers who have been eating there and playing their slots for years.
One thing that made an impression as I went by the hotel and casino was how busy the streets were during the day, although I am not sure if that was solely due to the parade.  Also, it doesn't really capture the essence of Allison's normal work day because she worked graveyard shift so I imagine the difference between night and day is quite substantial.
In a sense Reno reminds me of Vegas because of all the flashy lights, spinning signs, busy streets, and gigantic parking garages.  It brings back the feeling of the older days and adds a little biography to the location.  The Cal Neva had a whole section on the other side of the street for a parking garage.  I admit I did not imagine the Cal Neva was going to be as big as it was either.

Onward!

The Bus Station

As I began driving around with my roommate, we realized that our route was going to be obstructed due to the Veteran's Day Parade.  The main street we were planning on using was closed down and there were cops and "No Left Turn" signs everywhere.  As a result of this, my route was a little contorted.

Throughout the book "Northline" by Willy Vlautin, even though it is not exactly prevalent, the bus station is Allison's gateway to a new beginning and her turning point.  She had encountered numerous downfalls and copious dangerous situations in Las Vegas and the bus was her token to getting away.  To starting a life without Jimmy, to keep her secrets of her baby to herself, to get a new job, and to hope that she would receive a better future.  As the book described Reno and where Allison traveled, the only images it kept putting in my head were images of a run down Reno that was sketchy to be in.  After driving around, Reno was not what I assumed it to be.  Some new buildings were built to keep up with demand and expand Reno, and old buildings are still present to show people a little bit of old Reno and its history.  I came across the bus station and to be honest, it was not as I thought it would be.  It was actually pretty nice, a lot nicer than some of the ones in Vegas.  Although, this station did happen to be near Fourth Street which houses a large majority of the poor community.  It even has a homeless food kitchen.

Returning to my previous thoughts, the book detailed the bus station as old and run down but my impression was that due to the large population of people who ride the bus, regardless of their social status, the bus stations are nicer than depicted.  I imagine it costed a little bit of money to make an airborne bus sitting in front of the station.  One thing the book and the actual location did have in common though, was the fact that bright lights could be seen from afar and if there were no busy streets at the time I had gone, I imagine the river could have been heard as well.  Sounds like a peaceful start to a new life.

And with that.. Onto the next location

Walking Blog #13

Walking can bring about many different thoughts depending on the intention of the walking.  I know that doesn't make a whole lot of sense but to me, when I walk, if I am on a mission to do a specific thing, I think of nothing more than get to the location and back as quickly as possible.  If I am going to class and am early, I lollygag and walk extremely slow, taking in my surroundings, being attentive and of course, people watching.  Today I went on two walks, one to the Downunder Cafe and one to just clear my mind.  Two completely different walks with two completely different sets of mind.  On my walk to the DC, all I wanted to do was get my food ASAP and come back as fast as I could, not really paying attention to anything or having much thoughts.  I did think about how many gnats are in Reno and that they just gather in hoards just waiting for people to come walk through them all.  I hate bugs... cockroaches, spiders, gnats, and bees (which I am terrified of).  You name it, I don't like it.  

Anyway, for my second walk, I slowed my pace down a lot and just tried to open my mind.  I began to think of college and my stay here so far.  The time goes by so quickly... it is already almost November.  How is it possible that it still feels as though I just unpacked my million and ten boxes yesterday?  Then I began to think of how cold I am and that I need to go shopping for more winter clothes because I have close to none. Yay, more clothes to add to my already overstock of clothes in my room.  Don't know where I will put anything but I'll figure that out when the time comes.  One last thing I remember that crossed my mind was that I really want to work again.  I loved working and having an income.  It makes me so sad thinking that when I spend my money now it won't be replenished as it was before.  I loved the atmosphere I worked in as well. Everyone was so friendly and welcoming.  Well I'm sorry if I bored you with my thoughts... they occupied me for a while.  

Walking Blog #12

Around my neighborhood, I feel as though all of the campus buildings and their architecture remind me of older castle-like buildings.  I don't know if anyone else feels that way but I also think they all look different.  The red brick and some of the windows remind me of a castle for some reason, some buildings look as though they are attempting to take on a modern perspective with the design of the building and the copious windows, and lastly the white building at the end of the quad reminds me of the haunted mansion at Disneyland.  As for the insides, most of the buildings have been around for a while so they seem to be a little bit dated, with discolored walls, squeaky chairs, and a musty odor.
In comparison to the other neighborhoods and surrounding buildings, the campus, my neighborhood, wins hands down.  A couple of the hotels downtown are very dated and look as though they need renovation, as well as a majority of the houses, apartments, and run down motels that surround the university.
There is one house that has bars over the windows, the tiles from the roof have pretty much all chipped off, and the door looks like it has seen its worst days.
Architecture, in regards to the values of our society, plays a role in how society wants to view us.  Almost as if, how much effort is put in, is how much you will get out of it.  If all the buildings are run down and broken, that tends to lead someone to think that the area isn't well cared for and has been around for a long time.  It may also be viewed as the fact that a society may not have enough money to maintain its city.  Architecture essentially displays a short story of the town, in a way.

Walking Blog #11

Unaware of all the situations that transpired, I investigated the different historical events that occurred in my own home town, Las Vegas.  Might I add it was very insightful.
Some of the things I stumbled upon were that Jackie Gaughan's  Plaza Hotel is the only hotel-casino that was constructed around and on the original Union Pacific Railroad depot.  Another interesting tidbit of information was that the Flamingo hotel was originally built by a mobster named Benjamin Siegel.  Although this did not come to much of a surprise due to much of the major gambling, drugs and prostitution that was associated with this newly developed Las Vegas. In fact, believe it or not, a majority of the casinos during the 1950's and 1960's were built by mobsters.
The Luxor, constructed in 1993, originally had a river surround it.  Their plan was to ferry the guests to the elevators but there were complaints about the wait of the line and soon after, the river was removed.
Thinking about the contrast between now and then, it is hard to imagine certain things or put them into perspective.  Who would have ever known that there was a railroad where Fremont Street is.  Fremont Street has turned into one of the downtown destinations where there are countless tourist shops, older casinos, as well as zip-lining   It has become an "experience" more like, rather than a historic location... yet it does shed light on the true Vegas.
As for attempting to perceive a river around the Luxor and people being ferried across, it is quite impossible.  With the parking garages, parking lots, and other casinos galore, I could not envision a waterway at all.  If they had kept it, there would have been even more of a delay due to the increase in population and number of tourists that visit every year.  It would have been highly inefficient.
Learning all these new things really opens my eyes to trying to envision how Vegas was before all the construction.  Although, it can be very difficult to do.