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?

Spontaneity

Saturday, after I running my usual errands plus a few others, Frank and I found ourselves in the pool. It was about 5:30 when he said to me, "We could have Mexican in Laughlin for dinner if we leave now." I gave him a look and agreed, "we could." There was no reason not to go, so we went. Before leaving we called to see if we could snag a comped room, it was available! Frank secured the reservation while I packed us an overnight bag. Minutes later, we were on the road. We made great time, only 70 minutes. The speed limit was raised to 75 (somewhat recently) and traffic was extraordinarily light.

We had dinner at Casa Serrano. Frank had his usual, the El Padrino ($10.50). I tried their carnitas for the first time ($11.00). They weren't bad, but not tasty enough to ever order again. The salsa and chips hit the spot, though. The tortilla soup was tastier than I expected and get a load of their drinks, thirsty much?







After filling our bellies, we checked into the Colorado Belle. Frank flipped on the tv and was surprised to find porn. That's one way to welcome guests. We hit the casino, initially losing at everything we touched. We wandered over to Edgewater, but didn't stay long. We walked over to Pioneer, they gave Frank $35 free play, $25 meal voucher and three $5 matchplays. He used his free play and match play. We walked out $36 ahead. Back at the Belle, he played poker and I went to the bar to play video poker. I did well, played awhile and eventually hit 4OAK to walk away with $100. Frank made a little playing poker, too. He played a couple slots, after, but I quit while I was ahead. Back at the room we were surprised the free porn continued. Free room, free porn and I broke even. Win!

Sunday, after a trip to the outlet mall, we drove over to AZ (cheaper gas) we had lunch at El Palacio for more yummy Mexican. We took advantage of the lunch menu and ordered tostado and tamale with chicken and cheese flauta. Of course, we enjoyed more salsa, as well. Bill came to $15, you gotta love it.





On our way out, my belly was once again full. I told Frank that I'm an Italian Mexican stuck in an Irish girl's body. He agreed it's true. It is, it really is. I need to adopt an Italian and Mexican grandmother to teach me to cook. Anyway, we stopped for lottery tickets and soon found our way home. It was such a great impromptu getaway it only cost us $45 and gas. We got home in enough time to complete projects around the yard, so it was still a productive weekend too.

Milos Redux

Our first experience at Milos was Christmas Eve. It cost several pretty pennies, but it was a neat experience fit for a special occasion.

A couple months back Milos debuted a $20.11 three course lunch special available Monday-Friday noon-2:30pm. Yesterday, Frank and I met for lunch at the Cosmo to give Milos another whirl.

When we arrived a few minutes past noon there was a growing line outside the restaurant. The servers were running behind and as soon as they finished up the meeting of the minds we would be seated. Just as we were about to walk away, they began seating. We opted for an indoor table since it was a bit warm - hmmm, only about 104 - and we were warned that the misters weren't operational as they had recently caused a flood.

When we were seated Frank's booth was sprinkled with crumbs. Not something you'd expect from a restaurant of this caliber even if we were in for a special. Frank seemed hesitant to stay, I offered the opportunity to leave, but we stuck around. Fortunately, there were no other issues during the meal.

We noshed on grilled bread and olive oil while we waited on our first course.

Tomato Salad; a great summery dish. Light and refreshing.



Shrimp Saganaki; think bruschetta with shrimp and feta. Very tasty and the shrimp were perfectly cooked.



Lamb Chop; extremely tender and well- flavored. However, the sides were not notable.



Lavraki; flaky, lightly seasoned. Overall, a nice preparation. On par, with the fagri we had before (at a much higher cost).



Walnut Cake and Greek Ice Cream; very nutty cake rich with spice. I liked it best with the ice cream. Frank disagreed.



It really is one of the better deals running right now. This lunch special is a great way to sample the refined Greek cuisine that made Milos famous.

For my amusement

Summer is definitely here, we've seen triple digits the past week and today we're set to reach 108. The hottest day so far this year. The heat must be getting to me because I've been easily amused, first, by the above cartoon.

Then, the list of prohibited and approved items for the Electric Daisy Carnival (the dusk to dawn weekend rave) gave me a giggle. Ready for this?

PROHIBITED ITEMS
NO Illegal Substances
NO Drugs or Drug Paraphernalia
NO Pets
NO Massagers
NO Laser Pointers
NO LED Gloves or LED Microlights used for Light Shows
NO Pacifiers or Dust Masks
NO Eyedrops (available inside festival at the General Store)
NO Glass, Cans, Cups or Coolers
NO Markers, Pens or Spray Paint
NO Large Chains or Spiked Jewelry
NO Stickers, Flyers, Banners or Posters
NO Balloons, Balls, Inflatable Balls or Frisbees
NO Tents, Large Umbrellas, Chairs or Blankets
NO Backpacks Over 10”x10”
NO Camelbaks or Bota Bags
NO Large Purses or Bags (Anything Over 10” x 10”)
NO Stuffed Animals or Dolls (Including Plush Backpacks)
NO Open Packs of Cigarettes or Unsealed Tampons (Upon Entry)
NO Outside Food or Beverages (Including Alcohol and Candy)
NO Weapons of any Kind (Includes Pocket Knives, Pepper Spray, Fireworks, etc.)
NO Professional Recording Equipment – Photo, Video, or Audio (No Detachable Lenses, Tripods, Big Zooms or Commercial Use Rigs)
NO Video Cameras

*subject to change
ACCEPTABLE ITEMS
OK Small Bags, Single Compartment Backpacks and Purses (maximum 10” x 10”)
OK Reusable Insomniac Aluminum Water Bottles (must be empty upon entry)
OK Fanny Packs
OK Non-Professional Flash/Still Cameras
OK Cell Phones
OK Sunglasses
OK Hats
OK Lighters
OK Closed Packs of Cigarettes
OK Sealed/Wrapped Tampons
OK Earplugs
OK Sealed Chapstick and Lipgloss
OK Glowsticks
OK Glowing/Illuminated Costumes or Jewelry
OK Sealed Packs of Gum

PLEASE BRING
• Your Ticket
• Your Photo ID (please see identification details)
• Smiles
• Comfortable Clothing and Shoes
• Good Vibes

ENCOURAGED
• Festive Costumes

It ought to be wild with 250,000 people at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway. Expect to see a lot of "Do Not Disturb" signs during waking hours and I suspect the hotel pool's will be ghost towns. Well... at those that welcomed the EDC crowds, anyway. I heard several strip hotels inflated rates beyond New Year's rates to keep "the kids" away. I won't want to be anywhere near downtown or the strip just before dusk or after dawn. That's a whole lotta people that gotta go to and fro.

Lastly, I'll leave you with this blog post that had me rolling, because who could resist a 5 foot cock? "That's Why You Should Learn to Pick Your Battles."

Vegas or Bust

"Vegas or Bust!" That's what we said when we loaded up the last of our belongings into our vehicles. Tears rolled down my cheeks as I followed Frank to I-80W. The interstate had been part of my commute for years, but never for a journey quite like this. I can't say if those tears were for sadness or joy. All I know for sure is I've never been so excited or had such a fear of the unknown before.

I was twenty-three, newly engaged, recently graduated, I had just quit my job of five years and left all of my family behind. I put all of my chips on Frank and our future together. I knew the open road led to a fresh start, new beginnings, challenges and opportunities.

And, that, it has. Eight years ago we arrived in Las Vegas to follow our dreams. We've celebrated the best of times and leaned on each other during the worst. Given it all, there is no place else I'd rather call home. It's been a wild ride thus far and I look forward to the times that lie ahead.

Curious, can anyone else spot what's wrong with the vintage postcard?

Now that's better...

Less than two weeks ago, I was whining about sneaky airlines and having no vacations marked on the calendar. Today, Southwest announced their 40th anniversary sale offering fares from $40-$120 thru 6/23.

I jumped on non-stop flights to New Orleans. I'm relieved to book on Southwest, too, because we'll be traveling in October during the tail end of Hurricane Season. This way, we can cancel and keep the credit for a future trip if need be. I also reserved our hotel. I can cancel without penalty up to 72 hours before so if a better deal comes along we can rebook.

I can taste the jambalaya already.

I also pulled the trigger on flights to San Francisco for our annual November trip. Flights are $2 more this year compared to when I booked on Southwest's 39th anniversary. At the rate fares have increased, I'll take it. Our usual hotel, Tuscan Inn is way too pricey right now. We might stay elsewhere. There are no great deals to be had right now, but since it's five months out I'm comfortable with waiting it out a bit. I'll keep an eye out and hope for a bargain.

I can't wait to dig into some Dungeness crab.

M'mmm, I'm hungry.

White Sox vs. D-backs

Friday we got a later start than we intended. We thought we'd make it up on the road, but outside of Kingman, AZ we came to a hault for nearly two hours. A tanker and truck were in an accident that resulted in the tanker catching fire. It burnt the truck to a crisp and the fire spread across the highway. Shutting I-40 down in both directions. All we could do was wait it out.





















As soon as we got to our friend Shane's house we left to head to downtown Phoenix for the game. We grabbed a bite at Crazy Jim's beforehand it was really good. They make their own bread, pita and dough. I had a calzone with chicken, feta and artichokes. We also shared saganaki to start. We'll definitely go back.

We were able to buy tickets for $10 each from a guy selling outside the ticket window at the ballpark. It saved us time in line and $15 bucks. Chase field is a nice park (it's also the sixth stadium we've been to this year if you count Spring Training). The roof was open for friday night's game. We lost, but stayed for fireworks. The first couple shots went off no problem, the third failed to reach the sky before exploding. The top of the garage caught fire. The rest of the show was cancelled due to technical difficulty. Yeah, I'd say.. Our second fire of the day, wtf?

Saturday afternoon we tried a new Chicago-style hot dog joint, FrankNSteins, that opened in Surprise. They have all the right stuff, direct from Vienna Beef. It was tasty, but their fries were terrible. Will never bother with those again, but we'd certainly return for the beefs and dogs.

Saturday and Sunday we had VIP parking and club box seats because Shane's employer holds season tickets. We went to Alice Cooperstown beforehand to get a couple beers. Cool place, large beer garden. Just had to down the beers fast. They get warm quick in plastic when it's 105. Game was great, fantastic seats, the roof was closed so the AC was kicking and we won. Ballpark eats were lacking, for my something special to the park I tried a Nach-yo dog (hot dog topped with cheese, sour cream and jalapeno). I thought it'd be way better. Afterwards, we went to Brookside Bar & Grille we had a couple rounds while playing darts. We got hungry so we moved over to the restaurant. We shared 50 wings and had nearly 20 left over. Their firestorm wings are pretty hot, we washed them down with a couple pitchers of Dos Equis. I suspect we filled up on beer and left little room for food. Shane and Frank played a couple more rounds of darts, I sat out after yet another embarrassing attempt earlier in the night.

Sunday's game drew a big crowd. There were many in attendence to see another White Sox win. After the game, we dropped Shane at home and said so long until next time. Fortunately we had a smooth (fire-free) drive home.

Chase Field has a retractable roof and real grass.





The park's claim to fame is the Party Pool & Spa



D'back mascots







Always funny to see first at bats for pitchers.



We saw Paul Konerko's 17, 18, 19 home runs, they happened on the 17th, 18th and 19th. This was #17.





It was neat that the background for each player was a Chicago landmark. It rotated between 5 or 6 different sights.