Addison in ONEderland

Miss Addison is one year old. She is adorable, funny, a daredevil and an acrobat. She loves to imitate her big brother. She likes to eat just about everything, except foods made for babies. She been walking for couple months and she continues to learn new things every day.



A while back Amy told me of her plan for a Addison in ONEderland party. I took the idea and ran with it. I was able to find printable decorations on Etsy, I ordered color coordinated accessories on Amazon - hard to be the prices and you can't beat the convenience. Amy put together a menu with snacks fit for a tea party, and made the cupcakes & Addy's smash cake. Friends and family joined us, we had nine kiddos running around to help celebrate. It was a great success. The birthday girl needed some help to destroy her cake, but needed no assistance in getting messy.

New Routines

Kids all over the valley started school today. Nick was no exception, it was his first day of the third grade. His new school is just over a mile from our house, and requires uniforms, he was less than thrilled about that, but he's coming around. They're not too strict; it seems solid colors without logos will do. The school goes year round, so that will be a little different, but I think he'll enjoy it. He'll be off for the usual holidays, spring and winter break, plus the months of October and February.

Addison just celebrated her first birthday, she'll be a big sister soon and Nick will be a super big brother. Amy and Jeff will have their hands full, when the baby comes in February. Nick being on break, then, is sure to be helpful.

Now that school has started they will live with us, I have no doubt lots of laughs and chaos will ensue. I gotta say being an aunt to these kiddos is pretty great!

Everything is Awesome

You probably already know that I have a deep love for Dirty Heads. I've seen them live more than any other band. This summer, they're touring with Slightly Stoopid. Last Friday, they performed in Vegas at the Cosmopolitan. I like the venue, but it gets really hot on the pool deck. I practically passed out at Slightly Stoopid two years ago from the heat and humidity. Oh, and the bathroom situation is the pits and drinks are pretty pricey. So, I had a different plan this year. I booked a room at the Cosmo in advance and requested a terrace suite overlooking the Boulevard Pool. I was able to secure a decent rate with a local's discount. They couldn't guarantee the room so it was a bit of a gamble.

The day of the show, I sent Frank to check in early. I figured the rooms were assigned first come, first served and I wanted to secure the view. Upon check-in they still couldn't confirm the room. Instead, they offered an upgrade to the Corner One Bedroom Suite for $200 more plus tax. He took it. It was, by far, the better option. The room typically rents for more than double what we paid.





























The room was fantastic. Two large balconies offer stellar views from the 23rd floor. The accommodations are modern and comfortable. There is a guest bathroom with shower and the en suite bath is impressive with a deep soaking tub and extra large shower. Smoking is allowed on the terrace, Frank was happy to enjoy cigars out there.

I stocked up with beverages at Lee's. I brought ziploc gallon storage bags to store ice. It worked out beautifully. The room has a fridge and freezer drawers. There was no trouble keeping drinks cool.

We invited friend's to join us, ten of us total. I brought Cards Against Humanity to occupy our time before the show began. Once the sun set, you could hear Dirty Heads' sound check. We watched the crowds fill the venue and then it was show time... it was perfect. I'm totally spoiled by the suite experience.













Frank and I spent the night in the suite and had room service for breakfast. We ordered an omelet and pancakes. Tasty eats and good portion size. Overpriced, of course, but that's room service for you.

Other than Britney staring at me all night - at least, it wasn't Gordon Ramsay - it was an excellent stay.

Leaving Las Vegas

It's official. We have left Las Vegas. I enjoyed living in Paradise, but the time has come to move to the 'burbs. We are now Henderson residents. We closed on our house a couple weeks ago and we are fully moved in. We hired movers this time, with Frank's bad back and my bad ankle & neck, it was money well spent. We possess far more stuff than I ever imagined. We really had quite a bit in our 2 bedroom apartment. We turned over the keys to the apartment earlier this month - No more speed bumps, yay! Even with all our stuff, we've needed to make additional purchases to fill the space we've gained in the house.

We're getting settled. The projects seem never ending and with the easy access to our very own pool it's amazing we get anything done. We're making good progress, though. It's beginning to come together, it's finally feeling like home.

The days whiz by in an instant. I really don't know where time goes. Life has felt like its been on fast-forward. Hopefully, it will slow soon. I'm not ready to say good-bye to summer. I haven't touched my camera since we've moved. So, no house photos yet. We haven't tried any new restaurants either. We've been eating at home most of the time. The perks of having a barbecue. Frank has been whipping us up feasts. You cannot beat the ease of grilling. Clean up is a breeze too.

It'll probably continue to be more quiet than usual around here for a little bit longer, but stay tuned.

Glutton

I've been thrilled with the life that's been brought downtown beyond the Fremont Street Canopy. All the new bars and restaurants are such a welcome addition. Glutton is new to the neighborhood, it sits kitty-corner from Eat. We were eager to give it a try. The name speaks to me. We dined for dinner, no reservation and no wait. There were only a few tables occupied on our visit. Cute space. Service was warm and welcoming. Plates are small and intended for sharing. We ordered a few to start and figured we'd delve deeper into the menu as needed.

They have a pretty good beer selection. I'm always pleased when I find Deschuetes Fresh Squeezed IPA ($7). It was a short wait for our first dish, which was the Brown Butter Gnocchi ($16). It was the most hearty of the three ordered. I didn't expect it first, but we didn't mind digging in. The sum of its parts were good, but it fell a bit flat. Underseasoned and the gnocchi were a bit doughy.



We were served the Buffalo Sweetbreads ($12) next. These were flavorful and a playful twist, but it left me wishing the sweetbreads were chicken. The hot sauce was a distraction from everything I love about sweetbreads. The delicate sweet creaminess was completely lost.



The last dish to arrive was the Truffle Gougeres ($8). I was anticipating airy bites with gooey truffle cheese centers. They were gooey, but not so airy and just a hint of truffle was noted. The dough was so bland. It was in desperate need of salt. It was a let down.



Three strikes and we were out of there. I really wanted to like Glutton. On the surface, it seemed like a winner, but when it came down to execution it missed the mark. I was rather bummed, I had hoped for more. Especially at that price point. It's a shame too, because the menu is intriguing. I hear brunch is good; perhaps, that's the better choice?