Las Vegas As "i" See It!

I recently had company and we decided to have dinner on The Strip. A buffet is a natural choice because it has a little bit of something for everyone, kind of like the mall food courts.

I have to admit, it had been some time since I’d eaten at a buffet on The Strip. I’ve eaten at several buffets in local casinos, but the last time I ate at a Strip buffet, I think dinner was $5.99 pp. Today, dinner for the three of us cost $84.50.

Once we paid, we were led to our seats where the waiter took our beverage order. Then my guests looked at me and asked, “What do we do next?”

Ah, that much I know. Contrary to popular belief, when you eat at a buffet, it’s not good to grab a plate and just start heaping on the food. There is a smart way to navigate the stations (Italian, Latin, Sushi, Salad, etc.).

The best thing to do is recon. Start at one end and walk completely through the entire buffet to see not only what they have, but what looks good. Every buffet has different options that will even vary by the day. Just as you look over a menu to determine what you’d like to eat, a quick walk around the buffet will entice your taste buds before you put that first bite of food on your plate.

If you see a lot that you like, just take a small taste of each item. If it’s particularly tasty, you can always go back for seconds.

Trust me. Check out the food before you pick up a plate. Your stomach will thank you for it later!

Until next time…

I know, I know, Easter was nearly a week ago, but it’s been a bit crazy over here.

Now, many people have asked how Las Vegans celebrate Easter, and I’m sure it’s very different than one might expect. Probably the biggest shock to most people would be the fact that the town is ripe with religious services. I doubt tourists think that Las Vegans have religion, when in fact, Las Vegas is quite a religious town. There are even sunrise services held in local cemeteries.

Once services are over, dinner can be at home, a restaurant or a buffet. Our family celebrates at home, but it’s the after-dinner activities that we look forward to every year – the Easter Egg Hunt!

When I tell people how we do it, they think we’re weird, but don’t knock it until you try it. We use plastic eggs, the kind you get that twist apart into two pieces so you can put something inside. Each person is provided a color and we generally have 8-10 eggs per color.

One family member hides the eggs in the backyard. The rest of us are indoors, with all windows to the yard covered. When we get the signal, we’re each given a basket and we need to find all the  plastic eggs of our color. And, let me tell you how hard that is!

They can be hidden anywhere, from the rose bushes of the same color, to the wheel wells of cars, in toys, in trees, in the wood pile, in the bird feeder – anywhere! There’s no time allotment but it usually takes about 30 minutes to find everyone’s eggs. Oh, and you can’t tell anyone if you find their eggs! You can only find your own.

What’s inside the eggs, you may ask? Nothing. Nada. Zip. Zilch. Yet, we hunt two or three times each Easter, young and old alike. I have to say, it’s the funnest holiday activity ever!

Once you enjoy this little activity, you’ll be sad Easter comes but once a year.

Until next time…

Tie down your patio furniture!

It’s springtime in Las Vegas, and that means the winds are blowing.

I remember the first time I was seriously looking to move here. It was in March or April and the winds were howling at a pretty good clip. I couldn’t believe anyone could live in weather like that!

Come to realize, spring is always windy in Las Vegas. Storms go to the north or south of us, and the mountains ring out whatever moisture there might be. All that’s left is the wind.

It’s a good way to get to know your neighbors as you roam the streets looking for everything from lawn furniture to garbage cans. Many people in town even paint their addresses on their garbage cans so they can find their way home after a windy day.

Don’t let the wind dismay you. Once spring is over, the winds die down and the heat comes in. Then the air can be still for months. If only there was a way to spread out the wind…

Until next time…

I don’t know if this is a prevalent fashion trend around the country, but as the ads for Pajama Jeans ran rampant for the last year, I’m guessing it is. And, as I don’t often stay on The Strip, I can’t vouch for the attire of our fair visitors.

However, this afternoon I was shopping at a store when once again I encountered a grown woman, say in her early 60’s, wearing her pajamas. Now, I know we occasionally have to make the emergency 3 a.m. run to the drug store, but this was just a normal, casual shopping trip for her.

I’ve seen women of all ages and all income brackets in their pajamas and fuzzy slippers in the grocery store at all hours. And, in a town where nearly everyone has a different work schedule, I could possibly accept the pajama ladies as someone who is just on a different start time than all the others in the store.

However, have we gotten so lazy that in an era of pull-on pants and graphic tees, we can only appreciate our pajamas for shopping? I recognize that this is the desert and it’s sometimes too hot for clothes, but please ladies, put some on!

Until next time…

I recently had clients in town. Just before they left for the airport, we decided to catch a bite to eat. We were at Wynn Las Vegas for a conference, so we decided to search out something quick and casual. The hotel had signs everywhere talking about Pizza on the Patio. As it was a nice day, we headed down to the Wynn Esplanade for some lunch.

As a local, I don’t eat on The Strip very often. I do have a few favorite places, small and inexpensive, that I’ll highlight at some point. The Pizza Place has definitely been added to my list.

The restaurant itself has a decent-sized dining room, but our draw was through the glass doors to the patio. Although the patio is not large, it feels as if you’ve left this city and gone to a peaceful paradise. The two cascading waterfalls provide just a bit of cool spray on a warm day, as well as enough “white noise” so  you can’t hear the conversations at other tables.

But, the true star of this visit was the pizza! We had the pesto pizza, and the large had eight huge slices. The restaurant also has sandwiches and gelato, neither of which we sampled. However, the pizza was absolutely fantastic! Thin crust, done to perfection. Be sure to check it out on your next visit.

You can find out more by visiting this link on the Wynn Las Vegas website: http://www.wynnlasvegas.com/dining/casual-dining.

Until next time…

Spring has sprung in Las Vegas!

Sure, Mojave Max came out of his burrow a couple of weeks ago, but when the temperature finally reaches the 80’s and stays there, that’s when it really feels like spring.

It’s a calm day in Vegas with the sun shining and the windows open. For tourists, I’d say yes, it is pool weather. But for locals, it’s just starting to warm up. After all, we live in flip flops year round. At least inside.

It’s such a pleasure when spring arrives in Vegas. The only anxiety stems from the unknown: how long will it be before it reaches 100 degrees? The longer it takes, the better!

There have been some springs that seem to have lasted just a week or two, going from turning off the furnace one day to turning on the air conditioning the next. I love when we have a long spring and we can really enjoy the beautiful weather. Still, with this forecast, I’m pretty sure it’s time to put away the down comforter.

Until next time…

I’m a big Beatles fan, and when LOVE opened at the Mirage four years ago, I had a decision to make. It just happened to be my birthday and while LOVE was an enticing option, Ringo Starr was performing at Mandalay Beach. What to do. What to do.

I decided to check out the Ringo concert since I wasn’t sure when he’d be back, and I’m really glad I went because it was a terrific show. Knowing the history and stamina of Cirque du Soleil productions, I was certain I had a longer timeframe in which to see LOVE. I had no idea it would take me this long to get there.

All I can say is WOW!!! It was totally worth the wait. I have to admit that I was a guest, but it’s a show I could go to every month and never tire. You don’t feel as if you’re watching a performance so much as you are part of it. The music, of course, is amazing, and my particular favorite is HELP! You’ll have to see the show to understand what I’m talking about. I also recommend sitting higher up so you can take it all in, but the theater is very intimate so I can’t imagine there’s a bad seat in the house.

The gift shop is by far the best I’ve seen for a show on the Strip. There must be over 100 styles of t-shirts alone! It’s huge! I could have easily dropped a few hundred dollars in there, and now that I know what they have, I’ll have to visit on a periodic basis to add to my collection. Prices were pretty reasonable, too.

Thanks, Cirque du Soleil and the Beatles for memories I’ll always cherish.  

Until next time…

Basements are dark, dank portals to past memories for most people. They become a major clutter zone. Just check out the basements on Clean House! Most of the stuff that goes into the basement never comes out, until you move. At which time, it usually winds up back in the basement at your new house. Do you even know what’s down there?

Living out West, particularly California and Nevada, most houses don’t have basements. Horrors, you East Coast folk say! How do you live? Where do you store all those important things that you never look at? Where do you do laundry?

Well fact of the matter is, laundry rooms are the norm. Or, the washer and dryer are out in the garage. Remember, we don’t get freezing temperatures here so it’s no big deal.

As for storing all those precious, unused, unopened treasures, you usually have two options. The first is to use your garage. Depending on the size of your garage, you might actually still get your car inside and out of the elements. However, many people just park their cars in the driveway and don’t worry about it.

The second option is to rent a storage facility. Take the items marked “basement” from your moving truck and dump them right there, where you pay a monthly fee to house things you never even look at.

I’m going to propose a third option: get rid of it! Just clean through your stuff! I’ve heard that we only actually use about 20 percent of the items we own. So, what exactly are we doing with the other 80 percent?

Have a big heart-to-heart with yourself, donate it to someone who will actually use it, and enjoy a basement-free existence.

Don’t let me sic Niecy Nash on you!

Until next time…

Welcome to el nino!

I know it seems all I’ve been writing about lately is weather, but it’s been awhile since we’ve actually had some. And, for the entire week so far, we’ve had an absolutely lovely rain. In fact, we’ve had about as much this week as we did all last year! That’s not a lot compared to most parts of the country. Our average annual rainfall is only a bit over four inches.

Summerlin got some snow, but most of us just got rain. It’s been such an odd week. Haven’t seen the sun at all! Almost reminds me of beautiful winters in Northern California.

It’s expected to dry out over the weekend, with a new storm moving in on Tuesday. The ground is super thirsty so, as of now, no real flooding. Just a lot of disappointment for visitors!

Until next time…

Today was one of those rare Las Vegas days where the sun didn’t shine. For the most part, whether it’s roasting hot or chilly-willy, the sun is blazing in a bright blue sky. Today, however, was a pleasant change of pace. We even had a bit of drizzle.

Rain is very uncommon in Las Vegas. We only average about 4 1/2 inches a year, and last year we got even less than that. However, if there’s as little as a 10 percent chance of moisture, it truly thrills our local meteorologists. And, generally, the residents.

We’ll be celebrating Martin Luther King holiday on Monday, and the forecast is: rain! In fact, rain for three days! Not Chamber of Commerce weather like we usually have, but a very welcome respite in a normally arid world.

Of course, it could just be a tease. Most times when rain is forecast, the mountains that surround us wring out all the water, and we’re left with nothing. The winter rains, when they do come, are soft and gentle, and the earth happily absorbs the water.

Tourists don’t like it. No one likes to be on vacation when it rains. But, to us, that little pitter patter on the roof is heaven to our ears!

Until next time…