Elegant Holiday Dinner at Whitney Peak Hotel in Reno
by Marcus Dodson, Newsletter Editor
In early December, 43 members of the Sierra Nevada Section of the Mercedes®-Benz Club of America met at the Whitney Peak Hotel for the Annual Christmas Party. This event, hosted by Ray Rich, was held in a private room at the centrally located hotel in downtown Reno. The Whitney Peak is a stylish, boldly designed, independent hotel with unique amenities. Most people recognize it by its outdoor climbing wall, which has been named the World’s Tallest Artificial Climbing Wall by the Guinness Book of World Records.
Guests were situated at several rectangular tables, and everyone was able to mingle before dinner and enjoy wine and cocktails. Mercedes-Benz of Reno provided the wine again at this year’s party, and the guests appreciated the generous donation. A beautiful Christmas tree adorned the stage in the private dining room at the hotel. The wait staff was exceptional during the event, bringing out food quickly and refilling glasses seamlessly throughout the night. Judy Covert distributed elegant name placards that indicated to the wait staff which dinner you had selected.
While none of this evening’s guests tested their fitness skills on the climbing wall, everyone did enjoy a delicious dinner with friends. The dinner options were pre-selected, and guests had the choice between teriyaki salmon and filet mignon. The salmon dish included cilantro-lime rice, grilled vegetables, and pineapple salsa. The filet came with roasted potatoes, seared vegetables, and compound butter. The steak dinner was the overwhelming choice, but everyone agreed their dinner was delicious no matter what they chose. A festive salad that included apples, raisins, and strawberries preceded the main course, and a holiday cheesecake followed as dessert.
Ray Rich did a wonderful job as emcee, especially when it came time to hand out the gifts. This year, Ray pulled six names out of a hat and those lucky winners were given gift cards to various restaurants around town. Thank you to Judy Covert for purchasing those gift cards for the club. Lisa Mitchell provided beautiful poinsettia centerpieces on the tables, as well as candy-filled white boxes that served as party favors. Special guest Steve Ross, the Mercedes-Benz Club of America Western Region Director, was in attendance, and he presented two club members with regional awards. Gail Wells, President of the Sierra Nevada Section, thanked everyone for coming and guests cheered each other as they discussed upcoming club events in the New Year.