stay·ca·tion

[stey-key-shuhn]
noun
a vacation spent at home or near home, doing enjoyable activities or visiting local attractions.

M Resort sent us a postcard last month inviting us for a free night's stay. We booked hurriedly, before they had a chance to see there was some sort of mistake. We were able to reserve a Saturday night stay, too. How bizarre? But in a good way.

Saturday we checked into mountain view room on the twelve floor, the strip was booked. No complaints here. We spent much of the day in bed, only leaving for dinner at Marinelli's, beers at 32 degrees and a bit of gambling in the casino. Frank had some luck at blackjack. I chased a royal, but should've stuck to keno. All in all, we had a great time for very little coin. A staycation is always a nice way to recharge the batteries. I'd definitely return to M Resort.









Deck of cards were a small token of thanks for staying. I thought it was a nice touch.





TV in the mirror. Neat, but extremely loud for neighbors. Ours had his on and it was so loud and clear, it was like it was ours was on.



I love when they put a seat in the shower. Makes shaving legs so much easier.



The tub has a clear view outside. There is a shade if you want privacy.



The view. The road there is Las Vegas Blvd., kind of hard to believe.



In addition to our free night, we were given a complimentary bottle of wine.



Yeah, they wooed us.

Photo a Day: Week 1

January 1, 2012 ~ Feeding Koi at Colorado Belle, Laughlin.


January 2, 2012 ~ Warmth & sunshine... bliss.


January 3, 2012 ~ Overslept for the first day of work in the New Year.


January 4, 2012 ~ Loving these winter temperatures.


January 5, 2012 ~ Worked late and still left with one messy desk.


January 6, 2012 ~ Haven't shopped since Christmas, it's probably time.


January 7, 2012 ~ Staycations mean never having to leave the bed.

Kicking Off 2012 Travels

We wasted no time getting our 2012 travels started. New Year's Day we called Colorado Belle to reserve a comped night. Originally, we were told it was a restricted date and they could not comp the night But persistence pays, we tried again a couple hours later and voila we were good to go.

My mom and Mike came along, we quickly packed an overnight bag and we were on our way. First stop was El Palacio in Bullhead City for dinner. Muy Bueno! Second, was the Circle K for lotto tickets, and then, we finally checked in. Once the accomodations were squared away we hit Edgewater casino.

Frank and I had zero luck so we left mom and Mike to play over at the Belle. Luck did not find us there, either. We tried VP and Keno with no success. At least, the Tecate was ice cold. We moved on to the Pioneer. Again, no wins. I was broke. Frank had a little left to gamble so we went back to the Belle and he hopped on Blackjack. My mom and Mike had just wandered in so I met up with them. We walked around a bit, when I checked in on Frank he was doing well. He gave me $30. I pocketed $20 and had $10 to blow. Mom found her favorite Fairy's Fortune. We took up the row. I played Village People just enough to keep the drinks coming. And that they did, even mom was drinking. Later, Frank found us there. He had a successful session and played with good group that had him doing shots of Jack. We went back to the hotel room. Somehow, I doubt we walked a straight line.

Frank and I crashed, mom and Mike went back to Edgewater. Ultimately, having very little luck, but a good amount of fun. The learned of the trouble with time down by the river. For those unfamiliar, time changes regularly depending on which cell tower is providing you service. Arizona doesn't observe daylight savings so half the year they are an hour ahead. Mom and Mike were unsure if it was four or five o'clock so they called it a night, err morning.

Monday, I was the first to rise, but Frank was the first out and about. He had freeplay and he wanted to get into the poker tournament. He did and made it to the final table. Said and done, he took first place. Meanwhile, we had checked out of the hotel room and we were sitting outside by the river enjoying the gorgeous day. I loved soaking up the warm sun! I was so spoiled by the mid-70's I did not want to leave.

Colorado River





There are three musts every time we visit Laughlin, the first is Mexican at Casa Serrano inside Riverside or El Palacio in Bullhead, the second is to feed the koi at Colorado Belle. And the third, is to stop at Searchlight for Bowlingo at Terrible's. This trip was no different.





Though, I didn't want to leave Laughlin. The promise of driving through Christmas Tree Pass made it bearable. It's a drive we've been curious about for ages. It's a smoother and shorter ride than expected, about 16 miles. We rode in the Avalanche, but I think my Impala could handle it. We enjoyed the scenic route. We'll check it out again when I'm able to do some hiking. I'd like to see Grapevine Canyon.























Just one of the many decorated trees in Christmas Tree Pass.



After our stop in Searchlight, we made one more detour before home. We stopped at Club Fortune in Henderson. This is our favorite local's casino. We only wish it were closer to home. I lost $20 on slots instantly, then another on full pay JOB. I got some play there, though. Still, I sit in four to the royal hell. So far it doesn't seem like I am any closer to the allusive royal. This summer will be nine years since my one and only. At some point, I must be due. Right? Frank and I played some $2 Blackjack and he won enough to cover my loss. It wasn't a bad way to end our gambling adventure.

Looking back at 2011 goals

My goals for 2012 mirror 2011 quite a bit, let's have a look back, shall we?

Get thy ass to Italy. We've been talking about our dream trip for ages. The time has come to make it happen. We've opened a savings account solely for Italy. I get paid weekly, and with each check we're socking away $50 into the Italy fund. $2400 won't exactly get us there in 2012 like I want, but when coupled with extra income like gifts, gambling winnings and bonuses it makes it far more doable.

Shrink thy ass. January 10 is the start of our health challenge. Frank is taking part in a "biggest loser" sort of challenge through work, his team is competing for the biggest loss. I'm tagging along on this challenge to shed a few pounds and to tone up some flab. This week has been splurge-tastic, but then we buckle down for the long haul. We will exercise at least 3x week, anything beyond that is a bonus. I will menu plan 6 healthy dinners a week. We get one day to relax. No going overboard, but we'll earn a day of freedom for sticking to the plan all week. The challenge runs until April. The big reward, besides abs of steel and a smaller ass -- oh, and better health -- is New York. The sweet glorious eats in New York City.

Move thy ass. I've talked about doing the Santa Run for a couple years now. However, it's been all talk. I will take part in the Santa Run this year.

Wisen thy ass. I've been talking about taking a photography class or workshop for quite sometime. Again, it's time to do it. I also need to attend monthly writers meetings. Crazy schedules and excuses kept me from most in 2010, the time has come to make it priority. It's worth exploring...

and lastly, don't be an ass I will work harder to build relationships.

We are closer to getting thy ass to Italy. If I can find a sweet deal on all the place that are must see, we might just swing it. However, I have to actually sit down and formulate a real plan to price.

Shrinking thy ass remains a goal. I did well last year tagging along with Frank's "biggest loser" challege, but four months of inactivity did me no favors. Frank has joined a team, again, this year, for the challenge. We'll reign it in as soon as we get back from San Francisco. That'll be our last hurrah of sorts until we break late February for a weekend in San Diego. Again, the challenge will run through April.

Moving thy ass requires continued effort. I could not participate in the Santa Run. I was booted. 2012 is my year, baby. I will do it. To get me in the spirit, I'm doing the 5k Color Run in February. I've even convinced Frank to join me.

Wisen thy ass, I actually met these goals. I took a photography class and I attended a couple writers meetings. However, I put writing on the back burner. It remains there. I enjoy photography more so that's how I'd prefer to use my free time. To further develop my skills and force myself to think out of the box, I intend to do a photo a day for 2012. Rather than share those photos daily, I will post weekly. I think it will be a good creative outlet and a fun way to capture the day-to-day.

Don't be an ass is a work in progress. I have worked harder at building relationships, but I know I can do better.

Welcoming 2012!

Before ushering in the new year, our last meal of 2011 was thin crust sausage pizza at Amore. My mom and brother joined us. Mike debated celebrating on the strip but ultimately decided to avoid the crowds and hang with us. We kicked off the night at the house drinking beers from around the world: Russia, Jamaica, Mexico, Guatamala, and Honduras. We cheered on the new year for the east coast and the midwest. Then, we left for the desert.

We went up to the ridge at the end of Sunset Rd. expecting to be the only one, but there were three vehicles already there. Two separate groups. We set up near the larger group that started a fire, they were from Nellis AFB, and later we learned it was Preston & friends, we met Preston over a year ago, off-roading with Vegas Valley 4-wheelers. Small world. Even though the temps on the strip were in the 40's, it was 29 on the mountain. Chilly, but the fire helped. I set the canon on the tripod to take video, it moved and my panoramic view suffered. Oh well. I took a few photos with the Nikon, but I was too chilly to hold it steady to capture the fireworks. I got a few ok shots.









We were going to light of fireworks of our own, but Preston had a wee one and a pup we didn't want to scare. We thought we'd stop on our way back home to an open area, but we decided to return another (warmer) night. Frank had to be up early for work on the first so we crashed after tuning into the local news firework footage. Meanwhile, Mom and Mike went out to the Orleans to try out their luck in the new year. Neither experienced big wins, but luck seemed to favor my mom.

It was a low-key way to welcome 2012, but I like it that way. There is something special about nearly 500,000 people partying their asses off 10 miles away while we enjoy absolute peace and the island of glittering lights & neon in the sea of utter darkness... Only to be broken up by the booming fireworks as the clock strikes midnight.

Goodbye 2011!

The final hours of 2011 are winding down. Only three more hours of work until next year - woot! As the years come and go, we can reflect on our yesterdays and make resolutions for our tomorrows. Me? I plan to keep on, keeping on. I have a long list of must-do adventures, and I resolve to continue to do as many as I can.

One change for the new year is where I store my photos. I've given up on my various picasa web albums and subscribed to SmugMug. To get it started, I've created a gallery which covers my favorite photos from this year, plus a few that are a bit older. Give the "Best of the Bunch" a look.

Have a safe and happy new year! May 2012 be better than ever.

Year in Review: Food & Drink

Our dining adventures have taken us coast to coast. And all that eating has made us thirsty. We’ve tried dozens of new beers this year. When looking back, some food and drink has been more memorable than others. Here’s the scoop.

Coast vs. Coast: Langer’s Deli (LA) and Katz’s Deli (NYC)

Langer’s Perfect Pastrami



Katz’s Incredible Corned Beef



What I crave the most: Furikake Dog, Dogzilla (L.A. Food Truck)



Most messy, but oh, so delicious: Dungeness Crab, Crabhouse, San Francisco



Best new discovery: Banh Mi, Saigon Sandwich, San Francisco



Best new find on the road: El Indio, San Diego

Taquitos like no other



Their tamales were the perfect Christmas gift. We loved the taste of San Diego at home.



Eats I hate to love: Double Jalapeno Cheeseburger, White Castle, Chicago



Worst meal: Roy’s Hawaiian Fusion, Summerlin

Shellfish Sampler



Meal to most exceed expectations: Jean-Georges, Aria

Start to finish, fantastic! But it’s the key lime dessert I cannot stop thinking about.



Worth the drive: Casa Serrano, Laughlin



Favorite cheap eats near home: Windy City Beefs N Dogs

Chicago dog and fries





Most reliable near home: Circo, Bellagio



Most reliable on the road: Con Pane Bakery, San Diego



Some of the more memorable suds I’ve had this year are Mama's Little Yella Pils, Abita (various), Jamaican Lager, Artichoke Basille’s Artichoke Beer, Yuengling, Lightning Thunderweisen and Las Vegas’ own Tahoe Blue, but the one that left the greatest impression on me this year is Belgium’s Delirium Tremens.



I don't know what sorts of delicious days lie ahead, but I'm certain we will eat, drink and be merry.

Cheers!