Wordless Wednesday

I Forgot

I had planned to share photos of Mt. Charleston today, but I forgot my camera... For the second day in a row. I guess I have Breaking Bad on the brain I have no other excuse. We were at a party on Sunday so we didn't tune into the Season Premiere until yesterday when I got home from work. Let me tell you it was one long ass day, I couldn't wait to get home. I haven't felt that sort of anticipation since I was a kid waiting for Santa to come. I'm happy to report "Box Cutter" did not disappoint in fact it exceeded my expectations. It's going to be another good season. I can feel it.

Day to day has been quite busy lately. I wish it'd slow down a bit. We're flying through summer. I see all these fall decorations and things in stores and it kinda depresses me. I don't want summer to end.

We do have some fun stuff coming up so there are perks to these days zipping by like minutes.

It looks like we might be getting our new toy this weekend. We just need confirm with the Polaris dealer that our RZR 4 is ready to come home. If not this weekend, it will be soon. I can't wait to get out and play in the desert.

Dirty Heads booked a Las Vegas show. I couldn't believe it, after months and months of checking dates there it was "Dirty Heads and The Wailers" at Mandalay Bay Beach on July 30. I booked tickets right away.

The following week we'll see Weezer at Red Rock. Our friend Shane will come in from Phoenix for it, I'm sure we'll have some good times during his visit.

We booked another trip to San Diego. We'll visit friends, bet ponies at Del Mar and check out the food truck fest, see a Padres game and hit up our favorite haunts. Then, the second leg of our trip will be spent in Anaheim, where we'll catch a couple White Sox games.

While we're away, my brother comes in for an extended, possibly permanent vacation. I'm really not sure of his plans. I don't think he is either. But he's coming, my mom needs surgery and he'll be here to help her out. He hasn't had luck finding employment in Chicago so it sounds like he's gonna give life out here another go. It's been a year since he's been out, and I haven't seen him since I went there in February. It'll be good to see him. I'm sure fun will be had.

Labor day we could have a full house. We have at least one friend coming in from Texas and our friends from San Diego might be joining us, as well.

October brings cooler weather and also our trip to New Orleans. I'm very excited to experience a new city.

We return to San Francisco for our annual trip in November. I'm sure we'll stuff ourselves silly.

That will be our last trip for the year. I'm sure I'll be counting down until January, anxious for my vacation days to be renewed. But if all goes according to plan, we'll be banking those for my dream vacation to Italy. Work needs to pick back up, I'm counting on my end of year bonus to make that trip happen. Our Italy fund has accumulated savings, but not enough to cover the whole shebang. If, for whatever reason, it's not meant to be, we'll wait. We'll dash off to Xpu-ha to drown our sorrows in Mexican beer, the Caribean Sea and white powdery sand beach. Oh, and we'll eat our weight in tacos from El Fogon. Ok, maybe not, but many will be enjoyed.

This Marks the End

Saturday, we cruised up to Mount Charleston. On the way, we stopped at Retro Bakery. We've been eager to try it after hearing its praises, it's much further than a hop, skip and jump away so this was the first time we were in the area during business hours. We figured a cupcake picnic was in order.

The girls behind the counter were warm and friendly. We looked over our options and selected four cupcakes and a cookie for the road. The damage came to 12 bucks and some change.



We tucked the cupcakes away for later and dug into the cookie as soon as we pulled away. This cookie was loaded with a variety of chocolate and butterscotch morsels. It was tender and chewy, but WAY to sweet. We each had a bite, we couldn't finish the rest.

Later, we dug into the cupcakes. The Glazed Donut cupcake was the first we tried. It was pretty good. The cake was nice and moist and the glaze was on the verge of being too sweet. Frank tried the Red Carpet next. He found the almond buttercream overly sweet and complained that the cake was a bit dry. I was most excited about the Maple Bacon cupcake. My teeth ached from one bite, I scraped the buttercream off and enjoyed the cupcake itself. It was pleasantly moist from the maple syrup center. Lastly, we had the Drumstick. I loved the ganache and nut topping, just not the buttercream frosting beneath it. This cake was too dry without it.

It's a shame we missed their tagline "It's all about the buttercream." It is indeed all about that buttercream. This is only a good thing if you love buttercream.

This concludes our cupcake adventures. We're officially done seeking out cupcakeries. We found Mad Hatter first, and it is by far the best we've had in Las Vegas and other major cities we've visited. It may be pricey, but their cupcakes are damn good. The cake is always moist and since they are made to order, too much frosting is rarely a problem. I know what I like and know where to get it. Why go anywhere else?

If I could just find the pot of gold

Normally when we drive to California it is as dry as can be until the Cajon pass. And then, the humidity begins to climb and it continues to rise as we head to the coast. This recent trip was a bit different.

The monsoons cloaked Las Vegas in a thick blanket of clouds and humidity. I felt like I had to chew the air before I could breathe it in. The weather had been muggy as can be since July 3rd and it didn't let up until this week, by late Monday the clouds finally cleared out. Cooler temps rolled in and let me tell you it's been Gorgeous is Sin City.

This was not the case last weekend. While we were enjoying the upper 70's in San Diego. Those back in Vegas were dealing with triple digits, high humidity and flash floods. I thought the storms would pass by the time we made it back. We did dodge them on our drive, but we caught dozens of rainbows from the showers in the distance. It was a lovely sight. As we drove by Baker, CA. The humidity climbed. We were icky sticky and it continued the whole way home. It was so odd, usually by then you've driven the desert long enough to dry up any residual dampness from the coast.

Here's a look at jsut a few of the rainbows we spotted between Baker and Primm.

Ch-Ch-Changes

Some things change and other don't. Some changes are welcomed and others are dreaded. I'm a glass half full kinda girl so let's talk of those changes I was happy to see.

Mom has come over the hump from Pahrump for a visit. She suggested we go to Casa Don Juan for dinner last night. Who could argue with that? We all had carnitas, the plate for two took care of Frank and I, and mom had a few tacos a la carte. We also threw in a pork tamale for good measure. Our feast was delicious, as always. But they switched up their salsa and guacamole... for the better. Both were down right tasty. The salsa was chunky and it had a nice kick. The guacamole was fresh and wonderfully seasoned, it even had chunks of avocado. Which is how I prefer it. Everything about our meal was top notch, including the service. I hope this is the new standard. I will be thrilled.

After dinner, we drove down to Fremont Street. Mom cashed in two comped nights at Las Vegas Club. We eventually met her over there, but first we had to find a place to park. It proves to be a difficult task when we drive the Avalanche. The Plaza charges $5 to park, so we only fork over the cash when we run out of options. They are working on the exterior now, by the way. I can't wait to see what the F'bleau Plaza looks like (for anyone who might not know, Plaza picked up decor for its remodel for a steal from the defunct Fountainbleau project), but I digress. We thought we'd park at Binion's but the garage was full. On a Wednesday night? Really? We learned we were too big Golden Nugget's garage along with Vegas Club's. We just made the cut over at the California. They offer free parking with validation, too.

It was the first time ever parking in their garage. We were taken aback how nice the garage elevator was, nicer than the hotel elevators at the Plaza (at least, during my last stay). We entered the casino and it was bright and it smelled of new carpeting. It was nothing like what I remembered. It's been a couple years since I've stepped foot inside the California. Last time I choked on smoke so thick, I doubted I'd ever return, but here I was, and I liked what I saw. The carpet was indeed new. It was soft and squishy. The rear of the casino was really comfortable. As we approached the front, it became more familiar... worn out filthy carpet that reeks of cigarettes, the casino in the bordello glow from the red florescent light above, ahh, this is the California I recall. Fortunately, it was being sectioned off for repairs and more lipstick. It, too, should be fresher and more appealing in the near future. It's not only the Plaza that's gotten a much needed sprucing.

We walked over to Las Vegas Club. It's the same as it's been the last year or two. I think the addition of the Bingo room and Jerky shop have been the latest changes. This wasn't a bad thing. Occasionally, you can take comfort in those things that stay the same. We did just that.

We had loads of fun playing quarter slots with actual quarters. We ran around the casino, dropping in the max coin hoping for the jackpot. We had no large wins, but we were able to collect a cup full of coins to help offset our losses (lost in the newer sparkly slots). We walked by the bank of old quarter keno machines, y'know the ones with a pen? I like keno it's the one game that doesn't routinely rob me. I've never played these old machines, usually they're taken. This was my chance. Frank played along, too. Mom even joined in for a short bit before getting bored. I ended up winning $35 when a few of my numbers rolled in. I took that as my sign to cash out and soon the quarters plinked out of the machine. I love that sound, the sound of winning. Sure, TITO keeps your hands clean - trust me, this germaphobe appreciates them - and they avoid those lengthy hopper fills and other nonsense, but winning is just not as fun with those. For little wins, anyway. I hope there are always a few casinos around, like Vegas Club that hold onto that little blast from the past. As much as I enjoy changes, I take pleasure in those few things that stay the same.

Restaurant Week!

Coming off the week of gluttony I've had it's hard to think about caloric delight that is Restaurant Week... Who am I kidding? I am totally stoked! What is usually the most glorious week of the year, will be a two week celebration this year. That's right, Three Square's Restaurant Week is August 29 - September 11.

There are about 20 participating restaurant menus already posted and more are to come.

We won't be able to keep our traditon of one restaurant each day of Restaurant Week, but we will dine at our fair share of places. I'm excited to try new places and return to old favorites.

Speaking of favorites, we had dinner at Circo last week with a friend. We first discovered Circo during Restaurant Week and we quickly fell head over heels for it. Frank and I agree it's our favorite place to fine dine. In Spring, I got word that the Chef left (for Lavo, I think) so I was curious if the food would continue to meet our expectations. I'm happy to report it has, our dinner was fantastic. It was only service that was a bit lacking. It was slow, I suspect due to a large party of 20 that sat minutes before us. Fortunately, the good company and the lovely view and fountain shows kept us entertained.

A Quickie

We made a quick jaunt to San Diego and I did not want to come home. That's right, I wanted to stay there and soak up more of the California sun. Yes, it shined. The sun shined the whole time. Truth be told I soaked up too much sun (while trying to dry out after getting hit by a wave). I got the worst burn of the year while in La Jolla. Anyway, the weather has been so hot and muggy, here at home, thanks to the monsoons it was nice to getaway for a bit. We caught the tail end of San Diego's heat wave so I never caught a chill like I usually do. It was sunny and 80, perfection, really.

We went down to see the Dirty Heads at the Liquid Aloha Festival. They haven't had a show here since last year so we had to go to them. I'm so glad we did. As luck would have it, the venue was at the park that is across the street from our favorite bakery, Con Pane. Home to the best sandwich I ever ate, the Italian. Kona Brewing Company sponsored the event so it was $5 Firerock, Longboard and Wailua Wheat. A show with good beer! And all the proceeds were donated to protect the coastal waters. All the bands were enjoyable and the Dirty Heads did not disappoint.

We stuffed ourselves silly squeezing in as many eats as we could in such a short time. We got our fill of Mexican food and enjoyed another great meal at Whisknladle. I can't wait until next month when we return.

La Jolla











Where we were when I got soaked, one big wave is all it took.















The beach was insanely crowded!









All nice and calm...



Until birds attack, this would freak me out if I was in the water.



I bet the bird whisperer wouldn't mind, "watch it, lady. Incoming."





So SoCal

Checking out the Buzz...

I've heard several raves over Buzz BBQ and finally decided it was time to stray from BBQ ribs at Ellis Island to see for myself if Buzz is worthy of its buzz.

I drive by the southwest location daily, and on occasion the smoker will overpower the scent of neighboring In-N-Out burger, that's a feat on its own. But it was seeing the "Two can dine for $19.99" banner that finally lured us in.

When we walked through Buzz's doors the scent of smoke permeated throughout the restaurant. "Ahh! We should be in for a treat." We were seated in a booth, we ordered pulled pork, andouille sausage and ribs with mac & cheese and sweet potato fries. And let's not forget apple cobbler a la mode for dessert.





The pulled pork was best made into a sandwich with the rolls provided. It's pretty wet and I thought it was the weakest meat of our trio. The sausage had bold flavor that didn't compete with the smoke. The ribs were the best of the three. Dry rubs generally aren't my preference, but these were good and fall off the bone tender. There was nothing special about the mac & cheese but I liked it. So often you get gummy noodles, but these noodles were tender. The cheese was on the runny side, but I'd rather have that than a globby congealed mess. The sweet potato fries were top notch. Crisp and no added sweeter (I hate when they're sprinkled with sugar). The cobbler was damn good. It was nearly "lick the bowl clean" good.

Dinner for two for $25 with drinks is a helluva deal.

We popped over to the bar after dinner for a beer. Frank was able to relive his youth with Hamm's on tap. No beer flavored water for me. I tried a local brew, Tahoe Blue. Bitter in a good way, I enjoyed it. Our bar tab was $6.50 for two pints. Gotta love that, too. The buzz is all about the value at Buzz BBQ.

Hello, Old Friend

I mentioned before that my mom and I enjoyed a nice day together. After, lunch at the Henry, we drove out to Henderson to go to Hobby Lobby. The store began in Oklahoma many moons ago as a arts and crafts store. They have stores across the country. I first learned about it, while living back in Chicago. Not only did they have arts and crafts, but they also had a boatload of home decor. It was the go to place for seasonal finds. That store closed and I moved away. Hobby Lobby was a distant memory until I heard one opened in Henderson at the Whitney Ranch shopping center.

Mom and I checked it out. I'm not a shopper by nature. I usually do it out of necessity. The few exceptions are HomeGoods and Marshalls. I can spend hours looking at odds and ends, usually I just browse, but I love it when I do come home with that special find. Well, you can add Hobby Lobby to that list. The store is huge and there is so much stuff I never knew I needed.

I managed to get out by only spending $11, you gotta love small victories, but I could've easily spent much more. Do you recall that show Super Market Sweep? No? Well, that just shows what I dork I am. Anyway, I loved that show. The only thing greater than loading up with free groceries would be a race through Hobby Lobby to fill a cart with random treasures.

If you need party supplies this is the place. Also, they were already setting up fall and Christmas displays. "But, but Summer just got here," was all I could think. They have home decor up the wazoo. Surprisingly, I was able to resist this gem. Although, I probably should've bought them. They'd be a great accessory for the "White Trash" Bash we hope to one day throw.



When we left Hobby Lobby we spotted Jo-Ann Fabrics so we ran by there, too. They had some great clearance sales. I snagged a deal on servingware. On our way over I spotted Atomic #7. I made a mental note to stop there when we were done shopping, it was a scorcher Saturday so it was a perfect time for a sweet treat.

Atomic #7 makes ice cream and cool treats on the spot to meet your dietary needs. When I first heard about this place I thought it'd be a great choice for my mom. She became diabetic a couple years ago and the change has been hard on her. She often feels deprived because she can no longer indulge in things she loved most.

Walking in and seeing all the menu options is a bit overwhelming but the staff is helpful and willing to walk you through your order. Mom's been having a mean craving for a Pina Colada so she opted for a Tropical Smoothie. It was refreshing, but it was more coconut and banana flavored than anything and she really missed that pineapple goodness.

I went with ice cream. The Waffly Good was indeed awfully good. It's made right there with liquid nitrogen so it takes a few minutes to prepare, but the wait is worthwhile. The peanut butter ice cream was slightly sweet and I loved this. I don't have an over the top sweet tooth, so, things often come off as being cloying. This was not, not even with the caramel drizzled on top. The star was the crisp waffle chips. Since it's made to order, there is no time for the waffle cone pieces to become soggy. I really enjoyed those crunchy crisp bites.

I think future visits to Hobby Lobby will include a stop at Atomic #7. I'd like to try some of their other creations.

The Henry

A couple months back, my mom had breakfast with friends at the Henry inside the Cosmopolitan. She raved about the hashbrowns, and insisted that I go to try them. This weekend we had a fun filled day together and it began with brunch at the Henry.

I was taken aback by the price for eggs and bacon. $16? I think not. This did make the build your own burger seem like quite the deal. We both opted to go that route and we subbed the French fries with hashbrowns. Service was prompt and friendly.

The build your own burger allows you to choose three from categories such as dairy, garden and earth. My burger was placed in a soft and airy bun, the flavorful patty was cooked to a true medium with a juicy pink center and it topped with monterey jack, carmelized onions and bold smoked bacon per my request. I was tad surprised how tasty this burger was, I really enjoyed it. My mom liked hers, as well. The hashbrowns, however, we not as good as she remembered. I was unimpressed. When I hear "hashbrowns" I think shredded potatoes griddled to a crisp. These were what I call breakfast potatoes. Simply large diced potatoes, sauteed with onion and formed into a cake. I thought they were underseasoned and too starchy. But, had we not come for that I'm doubtful that I would've ever tried the Henry's satisfying burger.

Windy City Beef N Dogs II

What's better than a place that serves up a taste of Chicago, right here, in Las Vegas? Two of them. The original Windy City has had such great success over on Lake Mead/Buffalo, they've expanded with a second location on Charleston/Antelope attached to Boodles Lounge.

The new location will keep later hours than the original. Currently, they'll be open daily 11am-9pm, but they intend to keep the grill hot as long as there are hungry folks to feed.

No matter the hour, the food is just as well done as it is over on Lake Mead. Italian beef and Chicago dogs are still top notch, and they've added additional menu items like the gyro, corned beef ruben, and pizza puff combo.

Now, with two locations, a taste of Chicago is easier than ever to be had. When we stopped in last night service was stellar for its soft opening. We had two hot dogs and fries ($6.00) and Italian Sausage "dipped" with sauteed onions and peppers ($6.00). Yum.







Go on, go get some! You can thank me later.

It's Tuesday, but it feels like Monday

Hope y'all had a safe and happy holiday weekend. I don't know about you, but I could use another three days to recover. I am exhausted. The fatigue was worthwhile, however. We had a great time with friends that joined us for our Independence Day celebration.

We had an array of snacks to nosh on while folks arrived. There was chips and salsa I made on Sunday. Potato chips and onion dip that I recruited Frank to make because I nearly forgot all about it. A veggie tray with ranch dip, plus guacamole and pinwheels.

The Italian Beef that we got from Windy City Beefs N Dogs was fantastic. It was a real hit with our guests, too. For vegetarians, I also served Caprese sandwiches. Then, we had sides of creamette salad and cucumber, tomato and onion salad which I also made.





For dessert I baked patriotic cupcakes and made pretzel salad. We also had chocolate covered strawberries.



All in all, the grub went off without a hitch. I was pleased. I owe much gratitude to my latest kitchen gaget, Chef's Envy. It is completely out of character, but I bought this "As seen on TV" mandolin at Smith's on Friday. I happened to be in the produce section during a demo. For 29 bucks, I got the Chef's Envy plus a chef's knife and shears... I realize I sound infomercialish. It was an easy sell, but I actually was in the market for a mandolin. Yet, I was a little skeptical that the Chef's Envy was going to work as well for me as it did in the demo, but it really is a time saver. Plus, I was able to get uniform slices and dices with ease. My knife skills are pretty weak so I was quite impressed. I used the mandoline for celery, onions, tomatoes,cucumbers, strawberries, and lemons. I can't believe I'm saying it, but it's a great tool to have in my arsenal.

Bellies were full and the sun had set, that could only mean one thing on the 4th of July... Fireworks! Frank and a few friends worked to light Excalibur Artillery Shells and Saturn Missiles in unison. Then, they coordinated the grand finale with the neighbor's a couple houses down. It was a spectacular end to our celebration.

Getting Ready to Party

This Independence Day we will be celebrating America's 235th Birthday. We've been gearing up for the celebration the past couple weeks. We've worked hard on getting the landscaping in tip top shape and tackling projects around the house. I've been menu planning and thinking up ways to accomodate our ever-growing guest list. The 4th of July is fast approaching.

The 4th of July has always been Frank's favorite holiday and it's one of mine, too. BBQ's, warmth and sunshine, pool-time fun and fireworks... what's not to love? We've had small get together's in year's past with friends and family, but this year we've decided to go all out.

I suspect we'll have about 40 guests joining us for the festivities. I've created a playlist with upbeat summer and patriotic songs to set the tone. We've built ourselves a set of "bags" or apparently better known as cornhole. I'll be filling waterballoons for child-like fun and we plan to play a couple rounds of LCR, which is always a good time. I will be making yummy dishes, but we're also catering Italian beef sandwiches from Windy City Beefs N Dogs. We'll light up the night sky with fireworks.

Last year, we had a large display and several houses on our cul-de-sac also participated. Frank went over the hump to Pahrump to stock up a couple weeks ago. Our show will be bigger and better than previous years and I suspect the neighbors will follow suit. It ought to be a great time and I'll definitely take a moment to remember we are the home of the free because of the brave.

Have a safe and happy fourth of July!

Short & Sweet

Two antsy fools in love had to get out of the house on a toasty summer day. They thought a cold and creamy treat would hit the spot.

Enter Nielson's Frozen Custard. Two concretes: Oreo and Carmel Cashew and $11 later, cravings were satisfied. Overly, so. Concrete is best when shared.

Went for this, bought that

To pass time on my way to work, I listen to the local radio morning show. Some topics pique my interest and are totally relatable and others make me feel like I live in a world of my own. I encountered one of each this morning. They asked for stories of when you went to the store for __________ but came home with _________. Frank and I are guilty of this on a couple occasions. We once went shopping for a desk chair and bought a bed. I think we also bought a fish tank while looking for a desk chair. No clue how that occurred, but I'm pretty sure we need to exercise extreme caution when shopping for desk chairs. One of the funnier tales was one guy went to REI for a backpack and left with a canoe.

Then, the conversation turned toward being overwhelmed at stores and shopping stress. Several people chimed in that stores like Bed, Bath and Beyond, Costco and Target are overwhelming. The vast selection is too much to bear. Others admitted to having troubles limiting purchases and they fill a cart in no time. I dislike shopping, I get the dread of needing to go to the store. My frustration often lies in walking out empty handed when I was in specific need of something... this could be clothing, shoes or a grocery item. Walmart stresses me out, long lines, crowded aisles, and screaming children. But none of these were means of stress for those on the show or that called in. More or less they were stressed by lack of discipline, how bizarre? I thought.

I suppose for some it's a good thing Vegas doesn't have an Ikea. Could you imagine the anxiety that place could cause?

Excessive shopping or being overwhelmed by selection is not something that's ever phased me. It reminded me of when I was a teen and my dad always teased me about my trips to the mall. I'd go with girlfriends and after hours of shopping, all I'd buy were Swedish fish from the bulk candy store. I had money to burn, but I was always more of a saver than a spender. Now that I'm grown, I enjoy experiences more than material things so shopping is a matter of necessity much of the time.

Anyway, I'm always fascinated by behavioral differences. Are you one to be overwhelmed by stores or do you have a "went for this and came home with that" story to tell?