Companion Program

TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2

Tour 1: Lake Tahoe Lunch Cruise
Crystal-clear blue water, fresh mountain air and the incredible beauty of Lake Tahoe and the Sierra Nevada mountain range come together to create an experience that is quite memorable. This two-hour, narrated cruise is aboard a Mississippi-style paddle wheeler, and offers enclosed and open decks and spectacular viewing. You will cruise through the southern area of the lake and into beautiful Emerald Bay, site of the famous Vikings Holm Castle. You will be served an included lunch on-board.

Tour 2: Reno City Tour
Your tour will begin near the University of Nevada-Reno, at the Wilbur D. May Center, located in Rancho San Rafael Park. The May Center was developed by the estate of this worldly gentleman, who was the son of the founder of the May Company retail chain. The museum reflects the life of Mr. May, who was a pilot, big-game hunter, art collector, inventor, artist, author, rancher and philanthropist. Several rooms of his ranch have been reconstructed at this site. One room chronicles his life as a businessman, composer, pilot, and philanthropist. The tack room showcases his life as a rancher. The trophy room provides a glimpse at his big game hunting years of the 1920’s, 30’s and 40’s. The gallery is a compilation of his more than 40 trips around the world, and exhibits a treasure of priceless antiques and collectibles from these trips. You’ll find a very rare collection of t’ang Dynasty pottery (618-906 AD), South America artifacts, as well as primitive African artwork, Eskimo scrimshaws, Egyptian scarabs and Greek icons. Located in the outdoor area, you will see various styles of gardens, including the intriguing xerascaping technique, used in desert areas.

The next stop is the National Automobile Museum, located a short distance from the May Center. The collection was one of the many hobbies of William Harrah, founder of the famous Harrah Hotel/Casino chain. The entire collection is housed in an architecturally-unique structure. Once inside, you will walk down the streets of the past. You will discover a century of automobiles that include one-of-a-kind wonders, vintage, bizarre, special interest, classic and famous celebrity-owned vehicles. You will see the Roadster from the opening scene of the film Titanic. There are four period streets, which serve as galleries, each focusing on a particular era of the automobile. Lunch will be provided.

WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 3

Companion Breakfast and Program

Secrets of an “Old” Showgirl

Why wouldn’t Flo Zeigfeld hire girls with grey eyes? How come all the dancers have to be so tall? What is the average age of a chorus girl? Are some married?...and on and on go the questions as Secrets of an ‘Old’ Showgirl tells you what it’s really like behind the scenes of a big stage production. This show’s format revolves around a seasoned dancer transforming from a “Plain Jane” into a glamorous showgirl who appears after applying three false eyelashes and donning a stunning costume of rhinestones and feathers. As a veteran of the chorus line, this dancer has performed throughout the United States, Japan, Canada and Mexico...and has the stories to prove it!