The Original Margarita Festival

The Cosmopolitan hosted the annual Original Margarita Festival. Mixologists from all over the valley compete to win best margarita. Last year, the title went to the Velveteen Rabbit. This year's event had 25 competitors. Admission was $40 and included all you can drink margarita samples. I was fortunate to win tickets from Yelp.



It felt like a hot summer night at the Boulevard Pool. Thankfully, there were plenty of margaritas to help keep cool. Although, chile peppers were the theme of the night. Many drinks were laced with spiciness from jalapenos, hatch chiles and even ghost peppers. The margaritas themselves might make you sweat.



The Cosmopolitan posted the recipes in case you'd like to learn more about the concoctions.



I only missed trying two: Amerigo Di Firenze and Mamacita's Margarita. The latter was attempted, but they were having technical difficulties while attempting to impress judges. The former was completely overlooked, I missed their set up. There were many margaritas that weren't too our liking, but it was still fun to try them all. The contenders for our favorite were She Loves Me Not, Pumpkin Zen Passion, Honey Salt Tangerine, Beso Del Diablo, J & J Spicy Honey Brown and the Amazonarita.





The one I'd love to try again was the She Loves Me Not, with Tanteo Jalapeno Tequila, sunflower heart, and pineapple puree. They earned my wooden chip; we left before votes were tallied and the winner was announced. I've seen no mention of the winner yet today... maybe someone is nursing a hangover? At any rate, it was a neat event to showcase our local talent.

Wordless Wednesday: White Castle at Foodie Fest

Celebrate National Margarita Day!

[Photo: Margaritaville]

If you happen to be in Las Vegas tomorrow be sure to take part in the celebration happening at Margaritaville. The restaurant will host Margaritaville University, attend "Margaritas 101" from 3 p.m. - 4 p.m. During class, Margaritaville bartenders will offer lessons on the art of making signature margaritas at home.

After you receive your diploma, stay for the 2nd Annual National Margarita Day Toast at 5 o'clock.

If you can't make it, no worries, Margaritaville has shared a recipe so you can join in the toast from home.

The Perfect Margarita by Jimmy Buffett’s Margaritaville

Ingredients:

1 oz. Margaritaville Gold Tequila

1 oz. Cointreau Orange Liqueur

1/2 oz. Citrus Sour

Floater of Gran Gala

Method of Preparation:

1. Add Margaritaville® Gold Tequila, citrus sour and Cointreau Orange Liqueur to the tin with no ice

2. Shake and pour into iced glass

3. Add a float of Gran Gala

4. Garnish with a sugar rim and a lime wheel

Cheers!

Foodie Fest

We couldn't resist the crave. We went to the Foodie Fest at Silverton on Sunday. The festival was three days, admission was $10 and you could return each day with the wristband. My brother went on Friday and only waited 20 minutes for White Castle (in the 10 or less line). In spring, the wait was four hours, they added more grills and were better organized this time around. We went in the 30 sliders or less line for a crave case. Who doesn't love a briefcase filled with sliders!?! For Frank, this was better than Christmas. The scent of grilled onions wafted in the air; after an hour wait, I admit I was hungry too. I haven't had White Castle in years, I don't miss it like Frank and many others do, but I ate two jalapeno sliders. Fortunately, I didn't regret it. These tasted like the real thing, not the crap you get in the freezer aisle. I still prefer In & Out, but these were a special treat.









There were thirty or so other trucks on hand. We avoided the local trucks (knowing we can enjoy them during StrEATS) and sought out others from California. We've had a few before at the Food Truck fest at Del Mar and at Liquid Aloha at Liberty Station. Dogzilla was one worth repeating, we tried it at Del Mar and our minds were blown. Our tastebuds jumped for joy over the Furi Dog's spicy link with savory grilled onions piled high on a sweet King's Hawaiian roll, but it was the sushi like flavors (from the spicy Japanese mayo, homemade teriyaki sauce, furikake seasoning, and kizami nori strips) that put it over the top. We had never had anything like it, whenever we've visited LA we've been on the lookout for Dogzilla and here they were, they came to us. Yes! We had the Furi Dog ($7) and a Dogzilla ($7) (the beef frank), the Furi Dog is where it's at, it's damn good.



We also stopped at the ToPo's truck which specializes in Tornado Potatoes. We ordered a Truffle Potato ($7) but there was no hint of truffle oil. It was good, but definitely not seven bucks good. The profit margin here must be huge!

A great find was the California Grill Truck. They were serving up Jalapeno Bombs ($6). Think of jalapeno poppers on steroids, these poppers were stuffed with meatballs and cream cheese then topped with sushi mayo and sriracha. Frank ate half the order before I snuck a photo.



The final stop was a tent serving up deep fried treats. Twinkies, Oreos, Nutter Butters, PB & J, Nutella, cheesecake, brownies, candy bars and bacon. I chose the Reese's Peanut Butter Cup ($5). I had them hold the powdered sugar. This was another item with a high profit margin. The batter was a bit thick and held too much oil, but the gooey Reese's was a decadent treat. But, boy! Did it make me thirsty!

Weezer & More

Frank had a head start to his weekend, he golfed in Primm with his buddy, Josh. Afterwards, he picked me up and we had dinner at Amore. Few things are better than getting a taste of Chicago without ever leaving home. Yummy eats and good conversation. Josh will be in San Diego the same time as us, La Jolla is his hometown so he's gonna show us around a bit. I'm looking forward to the eats and secret beaches. On a whim, I told Frank to stop at Lee's Liquor on our way home, they were giving out free shots of cazadores, and we actually found Baltika 9. It's a Russian beer we had in San Diego, last year, that we enjoyed, I've looked for it since. Perfect for International Beer Day.

We ended up with an extra ticket to Weezer, because Shane hurt his back and cancelled his plans for a visit. Our friend, Darren, originally turned us down... to stay at home. So, when we headed out for the concert, Frank called and told him he was going. Life would pass him by if he sat still. Dramatic, much? But it worked, we swung by, picked him up and we were off to Red Rock. It was a sold out show.

The venue was pretty crummy, the pool kept everyone from getting near the stage. Other pools and hot tubs are scattered about so the lay out was haphazard. The sound was muffled. Still not as bad as Hard Rock's pool, though. So that's something. They covered two songs, one was just bizarre and the other was "Pumped Up Kicks" by Foster the People. Every other song was one of their hits, but the crowd was pretty low energy. It gave me a really weird vibe, Frank didn't sense it as much. But I'd say 85% of people were there for a night out, rather than the band. They were busy taking self pics, texting, chatting. Granted we weren't first or third row like most of the shows we've seen in recent years, but at SOAD we were way back in the balcony and everyone still went nuts. Just odd. Either Weezer fans, in general, are pretty low key or the audience was just uninterested. It was cool that Rivers jumped into the pool toward the end of the show. The radio show this morning said what a great show it was. They've been there every Friday all summer, Weezer was the last of the summer concert series. Maybe it was just me?

We went to Yard House after the show. We enjoyed a couple Kronenbourgs to celebrate International Beer Day. Then, it was back home to rest up for our off-road extravaganza weekend.

Slutoween

That's what I call Halloween. Not that there is anything wrong with it. Disneyland gets a slew of princesses and Minnie Mouse. The kiddies can keep their playground, we have our own in Sin City. There is no better display than on Halloween. Here, you can expect slutty Belle, sleazy Cinderella, and mischievous Minnie. This year the holiday falls on Sunday, so that means a whole weekend of fun.

You can check out a list of ideas over at LLV, Vegas Values: Freaky Festivities. Last year, we spent Halloween night downtown and at Hard Rock. It was a riot. I'd like to get out this weekend and see the crowds all dressed up. But I'm not sure what's in store. We have a hectic couple weekends ahead, so we're playing this one by ear.

I plan to be home on Sunday to hand out candy. I've searched online and asked a few people about trick-or-treating times, but I'm still clueless. I need to ask more parents with kids in school. One ought to know. I like seeing the kids all dressed up in their cute costumes. It brought new joy to the holiday. The five years we lived at the condo, I had one trick-or-treater. It figured it was the last year we lived there, I didn't even bother to buy candy. I ended up handing out a stash in my purse that I took from work. We've had a great turn out each year at the house. I expect the same again, but there might be less. We have quite a few foreclosures this year. Even more than last year, I believe. And last year was bad.

Anyway, I'm looking forward to the holiday. It brings back fond memories from my childhood, and my teenage years. I dressed up each year, I was 17 the last time I trick-or-treated (pictured below). For many years, we had a haunted yard, which later became a haunted garage. People came from all over the Chicago burbs to see us, it was great fun and some of my fondest memories.


Happy a happy, safe (and sexy) Halloween!

Margaritaville Street Party

Saturday, I went over to O'Sheas for the Margaritaville Street Party. I had no idea what I was in for, it was my first encounter with parrotheads. Oh my goodness, what a crowd?! People were shoulder to shoulder, singing and dancing, while gulping down Landshark or blenders filled with Margarita. The costumes were a riot. Friendly crowd, those Jimmy Buffet fans.

Missing: Sunshine

It's been a dreary week. Although, I admit I liked the storms. I do miss me some lightning and thunder. But after a night or two I had my fill. I tolerated it a bit longer just because rain is good for the roofing business. Now, I'm good. I need blue skies and sunshine. Got that mother nature?

I did appreciate the rainbow yesterday.



I caught this beauty while getting the mail. By the way, I'm being inundated by political mailers and phone calls. I voted last week, but it matters none. They keep coming, and calling. Now, if I don't recognize the number calling I ignore it. So, now my voicemail is filling up with political messages. I'm not sure what's worse. And what ever happened to save the trees??



This is from Wednesday and Thursday. The amount we see in a week is even more gross. I cannot wait for election day. Anyway, I hope the sun returns tomorrow. And I'm sure I'm not the only one. Tomorrow is the annual music and food festival, get the scoop at Vegas Values: Bite of Las Vegas. That really makes it sink in that fall is indeed here. I'm in denial that Halloween is right around the corner. Soon, I'll be saying that about Thanksgiving. It never fails. Speaking of Halloween, next Saturday Fashion Show Mall is having a neat event. Students from Las Vegas' Fashion and Design school are putting on a Halloween Couture show. See Spooktacular Fashion for details.

Las Vegas is gearing up for the holiday, I've seen dozens of parties announced. I'm interested to see what clever and creative costumes will be spotted this year. I need to find out when there will be trick or treating. I heard some flack over celebrating Halloween on Sunday. I don't know if it held any weight. I bought those ginormous bags of Hershey's candy from Sam's Club. I made the mistake of putting out the candy too early, nearly all the Reeses and KitKats are gone from the first bag. I did my damage, but my dear husband is the culprit. Sorry kids, you'll be getting a bulk of Almond Joys, Hershey's Bars and Whoppers this year.

Sleep. I need it.

I have piles of laundry. A kitchen sink filled with dirty dishes. A dishwasher filled with clean dishes. A house in disarray, that's in need of a good vacuuming and mopping. Two dvrs loaded with tv to watch, despite overlooking the premiere of new fall shows. My allergies are giving me hell for the first time in ages. Helps none that I exposed myself to dogs, smoke, hay, and dust much of the weekend. I had little sleep this weekend, instead, I spent much time playing and chasing after a three year-old and sneaking out during early morning hours to play at the casino with my sister. The start of the work week came much too soon this morning. I did not want to get out of bed. All I wanted was SLEEP. I have a to do list a mile long, but I'm fairly certain tv will win out tonight. That's if I don't fall asleep first.





This weekend we went to Pahrump's Fall Festival. I rode all sorts of carnival rides with Nicky. We had a lot of fun. But goodness it was pricey. Had I known how many tickets we'd need, I would've gotten us two all-day wristbands for $50; it would've only been $10 more. I haven't been to a carnival in 15 years so I suffered a bit of sticker shock. It was worth every penny though to see his excitement and hear his laughter.



We also went to Henderson's Super Run to check out the classic cars. The show was even bigger that last year. Amy made her first bet on football at the El Dorado. Too bad she didn't pick a winning parlay.

We had a number of meals out. Lucille's BBQ, where we ran into the world's slowest server. At the least the food was good. Then, quick bites at Chipotle and Jersey Mikes.

Amy and I went to Orleans after Frank and Nicky went to bed since we've haven't had the chance to get out. We played slots and keno, since the table games were crowded and limits were higher than usual. We had some fun. People watching was interesting, there must have been a body building competition or convention in town. The family also played at Pahrump's casinos. They tried their luck at craps, roulette and blackjack. Amy has picked it all up, but hasn't been fortunate enought to get on a good run, and my mom still doesn't grasp any of it. Some people are meant to play slots.



We did a little swimming, and took Nick to the splash pad at Town Square's park. In between, Nicky and I played cops. He loves to get the bad guys. We had so many arrests it's unreal. It's exhausting, but he's too cute to say no. I did try to encourage breaks and attempted to entice him to do other things, but no such luck. We had to get the bad guys. At most, I was able to convince him to stop for donuts and coffee. Those gave my feet a minute or two rest.

Dirty Heads and more

I'm pretty late with the details from Saturday's concert. This CityCenter debacle does not have time on my side. It's been a crazy week. Looks like next week will be more of the same. Nothing like reliving projects after they've been complete. I can't complain too much I still have a job. As long as I'm collecting a paycheck I'm a team player.

Back to the concert, it took place at Henderson's Event Center. It's a small venue and it was perfect for the show. It was nice to be up close and personal with the bands. Crowds were laid back and friendly. Frank said he felt old. The show drew a bunch of teens and 20-somethings, but there was still a fair share from the 30+ crowd. I just felt vanilla. Only my ears are pierced, I have no tats and my hair color is natural. My boobs are real, too. I was a bit of an oddity for a woman of my age.

Drinks (from $3) and food ($2 tacos) were reasonable, and there were flushing toilets. A rare treat for an outdoor show. Winds weren't even a bother, because of the way the stage is designed. We got seated in the front row and camped out all night. The collection of bands were much better than I expected. I'd gladly see any of them again. Most did meet and greets and signings throughout the event, even the Dirty Heads. I chatted with Dustin and Mike bought a cd and got it signed by all the members of the band, except Jared, he hadn't arrived yet. Only complaint is that the venue underestimated the amount of beer sales. They sold Miller Lite, MGD, and Fosters. The Miller Lite ran out about 7 o'clock. Mike and Frank were sorely disappointed they opted for MGD. Those ran out just before Dirty Heads took the stage, Mike bought four of the last five.

We thought Rome (from Sublime) might join them for Lay Me Down since they've been touring together. But, Rome didn't make an appearance. They brought someone out from the audience to fill Rome's shoes. It was all good fun. Towards the end of the show Dirty J came out into the crowd. Mike rocked it out beside him and was given a high-five for his efforts. They wrapped and we brought them back out for an encore. A bunch of drumsticks and picks were handed out and with that the show was over.

At Sixes and Sevens


Ocean City Defined.


Remedies


HaleAmano


Waiting to meet the Dirty Heads


Getting Mike's cd signed


Soberdown with One Pin Short


B Foundation


One Pin Short


Dirty Heads




Duddy


Dirty J


Lay Me Down with fake Rome


Dirty J and Duddy



After the concert, we went to Goldmine Tavern for the after party. They had $5 PBR pitchers. We got there just in time for seats. Not long after we arrived it was packed to the gills. We ran into members from One Pin Short and Soberdown. Frank bought the lead singer of OPS a beer. We saw fake Rome, too. Beers flowed and music was good, we hung around for a couple hours. Mike hit a wall, and we were hungry so bailed. I thought we'd grab a bite at Eldorado, but the cafe was closed. No eats to be found. Wah-wah. I didn't drink at all during the concert and only had a couple beers at the bar so I was the designated driver. It was a long ride home for Frank and Mike. Made a Del Taco stop for Frank and then headed home. Mike was praying to the porcelain gods. Got him set for bed, ate a few triscuits - the late night snack of champions - and crashed. Between Friday and Saturday it was a wild weekend. Good times, though, good times.

Damn, Winds

When people hear I'm from Chicago, many make some comment about the "windy city". Most don't realize that the nickname has nothing to do with actual weather statistics. Rumors say it refers to politics, but it was a term coined to promote tourism to Chicago. Don't get me wrong those cold blustery winds in the winter can be brutal, they'll freeze you to the core. But, I've never seen winds anywhere like what we get here. This El Nino year has been particularly bad. 50+mph wind gusts have become the norm, lately.

Friday there was wind advisory from 11am-11pm. I hoped it wouldn't interfere with the Steve Miller concert. My thought was poor sound, flying debris... minor interference. We pulled up to M Resort's valet about 6:45. The winds were fierce. It took two of us to put the t-tops on the Firebird, one to hold the door while the other secured the t-top. Meanwhile, I couldn't help to notice how much those valet guys would enjoy their night. Wind gusts tossed up skirts and dresses, revealing bare ass and panties. It was quite the show. I've never been happier with my choice of wearing jeans.

We met uncle Pete at 32 Degrees for drinks before dinner. He hasn't been to a concert in 40 years when he heard we were seeing Steve Miller Band, he wanted to join us. Before our 7:30 reservation at Marinelli's, Pete went to the box office to buy his ticket. Only they wouldn't sell it, since the concert was being threatened by the high winds. The staff at Marinelli's then kept us posted on the status of the show.

We had calamari to start. Nice and tender, and lightly breaded. Pete chose a special: stuffed veal, Frank had the onion and cheese risotto and I also selected a special: rigatoni with lamb ragu. We also had two bottles of Chardonnay with dinner. The meal and conversation were excellent. We were perched overlooking the terrace, judging by the waves in the pool we guessed the show would not go on. Soon, a kind woman confirmed our thoughts. The show was cancelled and tickets would be refunded at point of sale. A rain or shine concert called of due to weather in Las Vegas. Imagine that? Damn, Winds.

After dinner we went to Ravello Lounge. We got drinks and waited on a seat. Boogie Knights was performing. We had a good time, dancing, laughing and just being silly. Pete asked the band to play Steve Miller Band. When they returned after their first set they played Rock'N Me. The crowd went wild. Good times. Shortly, after that the night gets fuzzy for me. I was wrecked. Apparently, wine, beers and shots don't mix all that well. We stayed until Boogie Knights called it quits. Frank got us home safely. Then, walking safely was a huge fail on my part. I slipped and busted my knee. Felt no pain until the hangover settled in late Saturday morning, when I climbed into bed knee first and howled in pain. My knee had a nice swollen 3x3 egg, it was ten shades of ugly and puffy as can be. Lovely. Gotta love the memento of being a hot mess.

"Turn it up a little bit"

After busting my ass the last couple weekends, I cannot tell you how happy I am that tomorrow is Friday. This weekend will be busy, but not in the ass busting kinda way. It'll be fun-filled with music, eats and possibly some off-roading or pool time.

I love music... 70's, 80's 90's - a bit of everything. It's been a long time since I got excited about anything new. Welcome, Dirty Heads. They provided the sound-track to our San Diego getaway in April. We couldn't get enough. I knew they'd be huge. I just had to see them before it happened. I searched for shows nearby, but nothing came up in Vegas. They kicked off a tour opening for Sublime with Rome on 4/20 in Cali. It started a huge wave of success. Dozens of dates were added to the tour including a show at Mandalay Bay's Beach on July 30. Yeah, we'll be there. But before that was announced, I found a show in Henderson for the Dirty Heads. My brother helped convince me that they were indeed the band I wanted to see. That show is this Saturday. Once, I knew Mike would be in town, I bought him a ticket, too. Ten bucks, you can't beat it. I'm so stoked to see them live.

Here's a clip from a recent performance at the Jimmy Kimmel show. They've been topping the Alternative Charts with this one, "Lay Me Down".



Tomorrow, we're rocking it old school at M Resort. We are seeing Steve Miller Band. I've passed on shows a number of times before. I was left to regret not seeing Aerosmith last they came to town, so I figured it was better now than (possibly) never. I've liked Steve Miller since I was a wee one. I passed it along to my sister by six, she knew all the words to "The Joker". In hindsight, it probably wasn't appropriate. You live and you learn. "Take the Money and Run" has since become a favorite, it's a great road trip song.

Next month, it looks like we might catch Pepper and Slightly Stoopid at Hard Rock's Pool. Looks like more fun is in store.

Mayweather vs. Mosley

I've mentioned before that I'm a big fan of HBO's "24/7". It should be no surprise I followed the training for the Mayweather/Mosley fight. My money was on Mayweather from the beginning. I knew he'd be too quick for Mosley. That proved to be true on Saturday night.

Fight Night!

We went to Buffalo Wild Wings to view the fight. It was a great time, beers, wings and a battle, how can you go wrong? There were a ton of Mosley fans. My favorite line came from a guy behind us "Get lucky Mosley, get lucky", he said it at the start of every round. Luck is all Mosley would have on his side. Even as a skilled boxer, he doesn't the speed or god-given talent Mayweather has, and that was easily seen in the ring.

It was the first time olympic-style drug testing was in place. It'll be interesting to see how it changes boxing and sports in general. History could be re-written if drug testing was mandatory. In any case, it was good to see a good clean fight.

I wonder if Pacquiao will stop being a bitch and get in the ring with Mayweather?

NHRA

Sunday we went to the Strip at the Speedway for NHRA. We went last fall and had a great time. This year was great fun, too. Although it was a bit different. All qualifying races took place the days before so Sunday's races were full-throttle. It was cool to see top speeds, but there were far less races. I'll prefer to go on Saturdays for future NHRA races. We don't follow NHRA so whoever wins is lost on us, we're just there to smell the burnt rubber and racing fuel, and feel the heat and rumble as the cars blow past us.


Everytime the In-N-Out car raced we craved a double-double.


Looks like it might lose...


But the In-N-Out car won! That race anyway. They lost later in the day.


Stock might not have the speed of top-fuel or funny cars, but I still love to see 'em race.




Back to the big dogs...


This was the race of the day, battle of the Force's. Ashley lost.



After the races, we grabbed a bite... no, not In-N-Out. We got a stuffed pizza at Amore. It's been months since we had been there. Props to us for showing restraint. It's tough to stay away from thay ooey gooey goodness.

Then, we returned home and soaked in the hot tub. My body ached from pulling weeds the day before. Frank suggested margaritas, he made two pitchers... we drank, we laughed, we relaxed. It was perfect end to a great weekend.