Better Than Chicken Soup for the Soul

Frank and I snuck off for a quick trip to So Cal. Stopping in LA for pastrami at Langers, taking in a ballgame in Anaheim - Go White Sox!, brewery hopping with an old friend from jr/high school, and running off to San Diego for tasty eats at Con Pane Bakery and El Indio, and ocean breezes in La Jolla. It's stuff that's just good for the soul.



In Anaheim, we visited The Bruery, Bruery Terreux and Noble Ale Works. All great finds, but my favorite was Noble Ale Works. Not only is it walking distance from Angel Stadium, but it also has amazing beers! Nosecandy had all the flavor of a full bodied IPA, but lacked the punch. The ABV of only 4.4% made for some easy drinking. Man's Milk was an outstanding milk stout - creamy, roasted coffee and rich dark chocolate flavor with only a scant of sweetness. The perfect dessert (at least in my book) might just be the Naughty Sauce. Also a milk stout, though, more golden in color, rich roast flavor, but with vanilla, reminds me of chocolate chip cookies. This will be a must stop whenever we catch a game!!



We sampled quite a bit from the Bruery. My favorite was a sour exclusive to Society members, Sour in the Rye 2016 - we were fortunate to get a sample. It was fantastic. I only wish we could've brought a growler home. They recently opened a second tasting room called Terreux. It has a great patio and a nice selection of sours. However, none were as good as that members only selection over at the Bruery.





Angel games are always fun, but we had an added bonus of friends from Vegas join us - both couples are originally from Chicago too. Plus, this night had fireworks after the game. It was a nice display and it softened the blow of our loss.



We had a nice stay at the Holiday Inn Anaheim. Better than expected considering its aimed at families visiting Disneyland. We met our friends for breakfast at Anepalcos. It comes highly recommended and they're known for chilaquiles, so I was mighty excited. They looked beautiful, but the sauce was more acidic than anything and as a whole the experience was rather disappointing. Bummer.



Rather than stay in Anaheim, we made a last minute decision to head to San Diego for the night. I was able to secure a surprisingly good last-minute deal on Hotwire at the Hotel Indigo which is right in the heart of the Gaslamp, only a stone's throw from Petco Park. The hotel was great, only complaint was that parking was pretty pricey, but that's typical downtown. The rooms were without carpet and I was in love.



There was a rooftop lounge with a nice view of the ballpark. We hung out there for the final innings of the game.





In addition to eating at our favorite places, we also returned to the Cuban Cigar Factory which has undergone a renovation since our last visit. It's a bit more comfortable now, it's a great place to enjoy a stick and try a variety of local beers.

No trip to San Diego is complete without a stop in La Jolla. There are few places better than being perched on the cliffs above the Pacific. It is definitely our happy place.

Crickets

It's been fairly quiet around these parts. Not a whole lot has been going on, but time flies nonetheless. My dad came to visit for 6 weeks. He was laid off from his job after nearly 40 years of service. It seems so wrong, but I suppose that's become the norm these days. There is no benefit to loyalty and long-term employment. I'm not sure what's next for my dad, but it was good to spend time with him. It would've been nice if could have stayed a little longer since he'll be celebrating his 60th birthday tomorrow. Though, we did get the family together for dinner at Texas de Brazil before he left. Not only were we celebrating his birthday, but my brother and sister's too. Mike's birthday was last month and Amy shares a birthday with my dad. We stuffed ourselves silly. The leg of lamb and beef rib were outstanding.



Speaking of birthdays, Amy and I have been in planning mode since Addison will be two on the 16th. We are throwing a Goldie and Bear party on Sunday. The party should be a riot. She shows such excitement over the simplest things, she's is going to lose her mind. Just shopping at the party store was non-stop thrills. It will be a joy filled day for sure.

Nick just finished the 3rd grade. Since his school was year around, but is now switching to 9-month school he won't have much of a summer break, but he'll surely fill his time with Xbox games, Pokemon Go and You Tube videos over the next couple weeks.

Lexi has turned six months, which is complete craziness. Our newborn days are over, but it's such fun watching her grow. She's beginning to sit up, she has a death grip and swats everything in sight, she blows raspberries and has an infectious laugh.

Mom's Tree

Let me tell you a story about a tree. When we moved into our house last year we knew we'd be removing the grass and adding the fire pit. There was a plum tree at the edge of the yard, that my mom called dibs on before our boxes were even unpacked. When we stopped watering the grass, it became obvious that the tree was benefiting from the sprinklers and it did not have a bubbler of its own. It began to wilt, which irked my mom to no end. She told me she'd dig it out herself, if breathing wasn't such a struggle for her - I'm sure she would have. She was pretty adamant that the tree lived. It mattered little to me, so the only time it would get water was when it rained. Fall came, and winter followed. Having lost mom in September, I hadn't given the tree much thought. I assumed it was dead. But then in spring, it developed buds and grew.



Maybe mom had something to do with it? But more likely, the neighbors watering their yard on the other side of the wall allowed it to flourish. When we were getting quotes for the landscaping we had no intention of keeping the plum tree. It didn't really fit into our design ideas, and we really wanted clean, low maintenance plants. However, when the time came Showready suggested that they could transplant it and incorporate it into our design and it'd save some money since it'd be one less plant to purchase. Plus, I knew how happy my mom would be. So, the choice was easy. The plum tree was relocated and it handled the move A-OK.



A few months went by, and one night, Frank and Jeff were in the backyard. They noticed something furry in the branches. As they approached the tree they were able to see it was a hummingbird. Never before had I see a hummingbird sleep. My mom and grandma had hummingbird feeders since I was wee, but never, not once, do I recall seeing one sleep. I had no idea that they enter a hibernation state called torpor. This ensures that the birds don't starve to death before morning. It was pretty wild, but it seemed rather appropriate that the hummingbird took comfort in mom's tree.

Grass Be Gone

When we decided we were ready to finish the backyard, Frank called several landscapers and contractors for quotes. We had dreams of adding a french door to the kitchen and large slider to the great room that would allow for bringing our indoor living outdoors. It was a bit more than we could chew, so we scaled back the project omitting those items for the time being. We were down to two landscape companies and decided to pull the trigger with one that would complete all work themselves. However, when it came time to signing on the dotted line they went AWOL. They would not answer or return calls and no one was available when we went in person.

Back at square one, we called out Showready Landscape. We had a quote the same day and they started a few days later. To further seal the deal, the business card had a horse on it - my mom loved horses - I couldn't help but take it as a sign that it was meant to be. It took three days to complete. They were timely, accommodating and did great work at a fair price. We were thrilled.

On day one, we also had solar panels installed to heat the pool. Adding the panels has made a huge difference already in our pool season. Jeff and the kids were swimming on St Patrick's day. I need the water temperature to be at least 85 so it took a couple more weeks for me, but I've been in the pool more times than I can count. Since June, the temp has been holding steady at 91. Sounds steamy, right? While it is warm, it feels just right when the mercury rises 110+ or maybe we're all cold water wusses at my house. Whatever the case, I love it.

Day One:







Day Two:







Completed:





Before:



After:



Much better, right? I know we don't miss the grass one bit! The fire pit is great for winding down on cooler nights with a beer (me) and cigar (him). We purchased fire glass from Amazon it was quite a bit cheaper than buying local and they offer a wide variety of colors. We chose blue to mimic the water of the pool and also to pay homage to are favorite television show. Yes, we hide our blue meth in the fire pit. We chose the pavers that were a match to the front of the house, stone surrounding the fire pit was tying into the rock and flagstone surrounding the pool, and the top was to the blend with the pavers and the retaining walls. Frank oversaw the project, I was sick as can be. Those few days were a complete blur. All things considered, I think it came together well. We still need to find a patio set to complete the look. I've been looking all summer; there is one we like, but holy moly, nice sets really do run high. Maybe, we'll snag and end of summer special?

Mi Casa

So, this has been home for nearly a year. We liked that it was pretty new, clean and roomy. From the start, we had plans to paint and change the flooring. I thought the first project we'd tackle would be the carpet in the master bathroom. Because, ew! But I am undecided on whether or not I want to remove the carpet in the bedroom too. If I do, I feel like the tile should go throughout the room since there is no door to enter the bathroom. I think I'll pull the trigger on it soon, though. We'll wait until Amy, Jeff and the kids move out before we make changes to the rest of the house. Their rooms are not pictured, nor is their bathroom, I also overlooked taking a photo of the room off the main entrance. I wanted to use it as an office, but we have it set up as a dining room instead. The project we did complete was the backyard, we removed the grass and replaced it with rocks, pavers and added a firepit. We also raised the wall to our only neighbor to maximize privacy. I'll share more about that in another post.

A Glance at the Housing Market

This time last year we were house hunting. The market was pretty strong. Plus, there was speculation that rates would be going up in fall so it sparked a bit of a frenzy. Later, this month, we'll have been in our house a year. It just occurred to me that I never shared photos, and back then, I planned to share about our experience with the market. Shortly, after moving in, my world was flipped upside down so yes, it's taken a year to get here, but I try to keep my word... Now, that a year has gone by I can cast some light on the rise and fall of the homes that were in our search.

We searched for homes with a minimum of 3 beds, 2 baths, 2 car garage, pool/hot tub and a killer backyard was a definite perk. During our two years at the apartment we had grown fond of the Silverado Ranch area and sought homes nearby. Though, we were also considering older homes in solid neighborhoods, we were open to fixer-uppers with potential, but mostly wanted something turn-key and preferred single story and fewer rooms. Additionally, we were seeking a low cost, lenient HOA or none at all.

We were pre-qualified for a mortgage before we started looking so it streamlined the shopping experience. We knew our target, but kept an open mind for homes on the high and low end... just in case. We usually knew in minutes of walking in whether it felt right for us or not. Many homes we didn't even bother seeing the second level. Homes moved quickly. There were many that had contingent offers before we could get in to see them. The first half dozen we saw were duds. It wasn't very encouraging, but things improved. We went to contract on a home in Green Valley (89074) it had multiple offers that started a bidding war. We didn't want to participate so we terminated the purchase. I thought the home would've sold for a few thousand over asking price, but when it closed it sold for $100 over. Which happened to be our initial offer. We must not have been the only ones that walked from the deal. Today, that home is estimated at $22,000 less than it sold in July 2015.

Even though apartment rentals have skyrocketed in the past year. It doesn't seem to be the trend for resale home sales. I show nearly twice as many that have values estimated less than what they sold for last summer, compared to those that have risen. Below is a list of homes with the above parameters. I'll list the zipcode. How much over/under list it sold for last summer and the delta of the current estimated value per zillow, as well as, the length of time from list to close.

The following have lost equity (choosing only one from each zipcode for simplicity sake):

89117 +15k,-25k; one month. 89141 +15k, -7k; one month. 89015 +4k,-9k; one month. 89120 +2k, -2k; one month. 89183 -24k,-3k; four months. 89141 -15k,-12k; four months. 89123 -10k, -16k; two months. 89012 -10k,-5k; one month. 89074 n/c, -22k; one month.

Only two had no change:

89147 n/c; one month. 89074 n/c; one month.

And these have gained:

89102 +5k, +39k; one month. 89183 +2k, +5k; one month. 89052 n/c, +1k; one month. 89123 -4k, +2k; two months 89052 -5k, 13k; one month. 89123 -8k, +30k; three months. 89074 -17k, +30k; four months. 89145 -20k, +19k; three months. 89117 -24k, +2k; two months. 89123 -60k +30k; five months.

The big winners seem to be those that were recently flipped or those in need of significant work. I suppose there is some truth when they say to buy the worst house on the best block. Our zipcode in Henderson has had little movement. Homes were selling for asking price last year, closing in 1-2 months, and they have held or gained up to $15,000 in equity. There are a bunch of new homes being built near us, it'll be interesting to see what that does to resale prices. But overall, it seems promising. However, I know better than most that the bubble can burst at any time. That's why when I saw this magnet, I had to have it.

The Very Worst Part of Living with Kids

No doubt about it. Hands down! Germs are absolutely the very worst part of living with kids!! I've been sick more this past year than in the last five years. It's crazy! I think they are little incubators breeding, fostering and sharing the strongest and most intense germs known to man. They put everything in their mouths, touch every surface and no matter how much you disinfect, wash your hands, etc. there is no escaping it. Colds, the flu and viruses are just part of life with little ones.

Somehow it seems all that's needed to invite those buggers into our home is making plans. Funny how that works, isn't it? I had big plans for Restaurant Week, I had dinners coordinated with friends, reservations were made, and then it struck... Poor Lexi was the first to show signs, followed by Addy, and then, Frank. By the time, Frank was full blown sick, Lex was so dehydrated she had to be hospitalized. That's when we learned it was Rotovirus. Addy also needed fluids, but she was never admitted. It was bad, bad, bad. Frank was miserable, but heavy doses of Pedialyte kept him from needing medical care. Just when we thought we were on the path to wellness, not even I could escape the inevitable. All the hand washing, scrubbing, bleaching and disinfecting wasn't enough. Nick, Amy and Jeff must have immunity of steel because they were unaffected. The rest of us, though... Man, it was the pits.

Without kids of my own, I've never had to care for kids under the weather. With Amy and Jeff both working, I look after the kids 3-4 nights a week. The two weeks while the virus ran through the house was incredibly challenging. Sick kids are just pitiful. It's the saddest thing to see their spirit drained. You want nothing more than to scoop them up and make them well. Hospitalized babies just split your heart in two. I'm thankful that Lex was able to get the help she needed and only needed to stay for two nights. I know many families aren't so lucky and time in the hospital can be more common than time at home. I cannot imagine what they go through, but thank goodness for pediatric doctors and nurses that work so hard to make them well.

Thirteen Years in Sin City

As part of "Reading Week" at a local elementary school. I volunteered to read to a second grade class yesterday. They were very cute and inquisitive. After reading The Stinky Cheese Man and other Fairly Stupid Tales the floor was opened to questions. Most were personal in nature. They were curious about my age, my job, where I worked and how long. They were most impressed that I was not afraid of heights, followed by the length of time at my job - 13 years. "WHOA!" The kids all shouted in unison. Perspective can be a funny thing. I've been at my job for more than a lifetime in their eyes. As for me, it's gone by in a blink of an eye.

The past thirteen years have been a wild ride.

In 2003, THEhotel at Mandalay Bay just opened. Now, it's been rebranded as The Delano. One of the first projects I worked on was Le Reve, which was later renamed the Wynn. I was thrilled that I'd have a hand - however, small - in shaping the future of the strip. Over the years, I watched as the Palazzo, Encore, CityCenter, and Cosmo went from drawings on paper to casting shadows on Las Vegas Blvd. I've seen the Aladdin become Planet Hollywood, Barbary Coast change to Bill's Gambin' Hall and eventually into Cromwell, and the Imperial Palace morph into the Linq. I've seen the dreams of Fontainebleau and Echelon shatter. I've said good-bye to the Frontier, Stardust, Sahara, Riveria, Boardwalk, and Westward Ho. I've most recently worked on Lucky Dragon and the T Mobile Arena. I eagerly await Resorts World and Alon.

Meanwhile, I married. Twenty-something quickly became thirty-something. Bought (and lost on) real estate. I led the way for my mom, brother and sister to also move to Las Vegas. And now, possibly my dad. Frank and I have suffered great sorrow and profound joy. We know sickness and cherish health. Poorer. Richer. We've learned volumes and still know nothing at all. We've traveled to Europe, Central and South America and still have the world to discover. We have dreamed big and continue to dream bigger.

The rest? Is unwritten.

Restaurant Week: Bardot Brasserie

On the second day of Restaurant Week, Three Square sent to me

$50 dinner at Bardot Brasserie.

See what I did there? Cheesy right? It feels a bit like Christmas though with all these great restaurants participating this year.

Bardot is one of those restaurants I've been meaning to try since it opened, but for one reason or another it just hasn't panned out. Restaurant Week was the perfect excuse to make it happen. A friend joined us, it was his first visit too. I've been a big fan of Michael Mina for ages it seems (RIP Seablue) and I knew we'd be in for a treat. I was content to order from the $50 selections, but there was an $80 menu offered, as well.

Crusty baguettes and warm salted butter got us started. Wood grilled duck wings with blood orange glaze followed. They sure where sticky, not too meaty, but tangy and tasty. For the main course, the pork chop and the seabass were had. The fish was flaky, light and wonderfully seasoned, served with a simple side of fennel. The chop was bursting with smoke flavor, tender and fit for hearty appetites. The horseradish mashed potatoes were a favorite, they definitely left us wanting more. Alas, we must save room for dessert. The chocolate macaron was sinfully decadent without being overly sweet.









Service was attentive despite it being a packed house. Seriously, every table was full and there were several large groups. I can't recall when I last saw a restaurant so busy mid-week. It was a nice sight. Without question I'd return to Bardot Brasserie. There's so much more of the menu I'd like to explore.

Restaurant Week: Bottiglia

It's my favorite time of the year! Restaurant Week is upon us. June 6-17 you can help out the Three Square Food Bank by dining out at participating restaurants. This is the 10th anniversary and there is a wide variety of restaurants to choose from; prices vary from $20-$80. It's the perfect time to try a new restaurant or return to an old favorite.

Last night, we gathered with family at Bottiglia to celebrate a birthday. It's the newest restaurant at Green Valley Ranch, it may be tucked inside a local's casino but it has all the flair of a strip experience. The restaurant is stunning, it is light, airy and oozes charm. It has a lovely patio too. We were asked if patio dining was okay, but even with misters, 105+ was a bit too warm to be comfortable. We preferred a table inside; we were quickly accommodated.

Service was sluggish and maybe that's due to the restaurant being so new? But it started slow and failed to improve throughout the course of the meal. Fortunately, the food was very good. Everyone is our party opted for the Restaurant Week Menu. $40 was rewarded with your choice of arancini or chopped salad, followed by choice of halibut, chicken parm or pappardelle bolognese, and tiramisu for dessert. We also ordered a pitcher of the Red Sangria ($40) which was rather heavy on ice.

Both appetizers went over well. I chose the arancini and it was scrumptious. Delightfully cheesy, perfect crunch and the risotto was just right. Bravo. The entrees were also a success. The chicken parm was massive. The halibut was a nice sized portion as well. By this point, we wondered about a bread basket. Since there is no pasta served with the parm, it would've been a nice accompaniment. It was never offered, but we did have bread plates since the start of the meal. An oversight, perhaps? Dessert was the weakest link and it felt a bit chintzy served in a disposable goblet. It felt very disjointed since everything else had such pretty presentation.









Bottiglia is a great addition to GVR and in time, I believe they will achieve a better level of service. It struck me as being most ideal for a night out with the girls. Additionally, they offer a happy hour (M-F 5-7pm) that looks enticing. Once the weather turns a bit cooler, I have no doubt the patio will be a hotspot!

Back at it!

After a two year hiatus, we finally got back out on the trails. It was LONG overdue. It was sad that the only dirt the RZR was seeing was the dust that collected on it while it sat in the garage. Injuries kept me away from it. As I recovered, we still weren't able to ride because we had no way to tow it. Last year, Frank traded in the truck for a new Camaro. It's not that he didn't love that car, he definitely did. It just wasn't the most practical. So, he had fun for a year. He and Victoria had a good run, but now I'm the only woman in his life. Besides, we needed a truck, Ikea just opened. How else will I get my goodies home?!

I had a rare Monday off - thanks, to the Memorial Day holiday. So, Frank and I went out to play in the desert. We thought we'd do a light run to get us back in the swing of things. I was curious how I'd tolerate the ride with my neck and ankle. We planned to ride out to Goodsprings, beginning near Las Vegas Blvd just south of Sloan. We headed north, and found ourselves on half-a-dozen trails to nowhere. We finally crossed the train tracks at Sloan and soon found ourselves on a familiar trail. Years ago, we rode Tie Rod Canyon in the Jimmy. It's more rock crawling than trail riding. That stretch was rough, but we held our own. I was relieved when we came to the Rainbow Powerline Trails, because those are smooth sailing. We went WAY out of our way, but we eventually connected with the trails that leads to Goodsprings.

We had plans to check out the Pioneer Saloon since I've never been. By the time we arrived, we were parched and hungry. Stella hit the spot! Frank had the hangover burger and I opted for the BLT. Much to my surprise it was served on a hamburger bun. It was better than I expected - the bacon was really good. After the stop at the saloon we made our way back to the truck. We got a good look at the new art installation and snapped a photo of the last spike on the railroad track which happened to be nearby. It was where crews from Salt Lake City and Los Angeles met in 1905. Now, if we could only get a high speed train between Vegas and LA. Wouldn't that be nice? Honestly, I'd be happy if they widened I-15 to allow for extra traffic lanes. Wishful thinking... In any case, we had a great time. It was nice to enjoy serenity of the desert. I definitely missed it.

Summer has Arrived!

Summer was a little late to the party, this year, but I didn't mind it one bit. The month of May was pretty darn close to perfect. We didn't see triple digits until the calendar turned to June. Now, the heat is in full swing. Today is day two of 105+ thank goodness for A/C and the pool to keep cool. 93 is cool, right? That was the water temp yesterday. Those solar panels are working wonders. I've already swam more this year than all year's before combined. Heck, the kids were in the pool on St. Patrick's day. Money well spent.

Fortunately, the weather was ideal last weekend we had a barbecue with friends to kick off summer. Have you see those Bunch O Balloons advertised, the ones that fill 100 water balloons in 60 seconds?! When Frank caught wind of them, he ordered them immediately. We invited a bunch of kids over to try them out. I had my doubts, but it was a success. They filled quickly and soon after, it looked like confetti rained down from the heavens leaving kiddos beaming from ear to ear. It was awesome. It totally beats the alternative of inevitably soaking everything in sight while filling and having to tie the balloons individually. These cuties were also a hit at the party. There cuteness is undeniable.



Addison is at the best age, she smiles and giggles all day. She learns about 4-5 words a day and imitates every movement. Every little or big thing is a discovery with the utmost enthusiasm. It's a joy to see the world through her eyes. Alexis gave us hell for a month, I never really understood what is was to have a colicky baby. Now I do. Thankfully, she's settling down; smiles and coos are beginning to replace her cries. She amazes me with her strength and her beautiful big blue eyes. At 4 months old, she is supporting her head, turning over, standing and pulling herself up. She also likes to arch her back when she's angry, making it nearly impossible to keep hold of her. I'm least impressed with that trick. None the less, I'm lucky to experience them growing every day. I missed that with Nick.