My much delayed TR.
11/29 We once again find those intrepid travelers, Westie and Ms.
Westie, on a SWA jet bound for Las Vegas. As usual Ms. Westie's
ticket was free compliments of purchases made on our affinity Visa
card. Our one-hour flight to BWI coupled with an hour layover
brought us no closer to our final destination in Las Vegas than when
we departed Hartford. On the positive side we scored exit row seats
on both flights this day so we were at least reasonably comfortable.
Prior to flight departure from BWI we consumed an apple croissant
($1.74, 2 Forks out of a possible 5) and picked up a pair of spinach
and cheese strombolis ($7.39, 4 Forks) at Villa Pizza for the last
leg of our journey. Most of our fellow travelers wasted time
reading, dozing or working on their computers during the long
flight. Not me, I polished my language skills: "abrochese cinturon"
= fasten seat belts and "use el asiento para flotar" = use seat
bottom cushions for flotation.
We arrived in Las Vegas on time and shuttled to the Dollar, a SWA
Rapid Rewards partner, lot. I am an Express member and received an
upgrade, courtesy of a $5 gratuity, to a Dodge Stratus. Did I say
upgrade? Actually the car was fine, but it should have been enrolled
in the 12-step program run by GA, Gasaholics Anonymous. Our next
stop was the Wal-Mart on Eastern for supplies, followed by the usual
quick check-in at Fiesta-Henderson
http://henderson.fiestacasino.com/templates/fiesta_home.aspx?p=8. We
received the requested king, nonsmoking room on the 9th floor.
Requests for nonsmoking rooms will have to be reconsidered in the
future since we invariably share the floor with scores of teenagers
on weekends. Usually it is a baseball team, but on this trip it was
a (well-behaved) high school ROTC squadron.
We dined this first night at China Spice
http://www.reviewjournal.com/db/dining.detail?pid=441&s=1 using a 2/1
coupon set to expire on 11/30 that I found in a Best Restaurant
guide. This beautifully decorated and contemporary restaurant is
located in the Green Valley Ranch casino. In the past we have been
impressed by the freshness of their ingredients and sauces. We
shared orders of General Tao's Shrimp, large battered shrimp tossed
in chef's spicy sauce w/chili peppers and scallions, and Kung Pao
Chicken, wok seared chili peppers, scallions, mushrooms and peanuts
in a different spicy sauce. ($19.03, 4 Forks)
The morning's early wake-up call coupled with a three- hour time
change proved to be too much for us so it was an early evening for
the Westies.
11/30 Today was senior day at Fiesta so my 5 AM VP session was
earning 3 x points. I returned to the room around 7AM and woke Ms.
Westie who did not appear overly appreciative. Shower, shave (me)
and off to the Gold Coast buffet for my first huevos rancheros
http://www.thatsmyhome.com/texmex/hueran.htm of the trip. I would
not have been able to "abrochese cinturon" after this meal that
included OJ, fresh fruit and chili verde. (ACG, $8.95, 3.5 Forks).
We drove to the Strip and parked in the back of Casino Royale, a
short walk from Harrah's where we purchased (LVA) tickets for the
Clint Holmes. After stopping for additional supplies (OJ, batteries
and cream cheese), we retired to the room for some much needed rest
plus a short session of VP in which I scored my #1 quad deuces of the
trip.
It's Wednesday and as everyone in the north end of Boston can tell
you "Wednesday is Prince Spaghetti Day"
http://www.princepasta.com/Heritage.htm so our dinner choice was
Viaggio's Italian Cuisine. We arrived with Heidi Rinella's latest
review in hand http://www.reviewjournal.com/db/dining.detail?
pid=149&s=1. Ms. Westie, being ever so trustful, ordered the baked
gnocchi Heidi so highly praised. The promised mushrooms, artichoke
hearts and cream were MIA and the gnocchi were anything but cloud-
like. My chicken piccata with risotto and grilled vegetables was
outstanding, as was the goat cheese salad with spinach, walnuts and
cranberries we shared. ($28.99, Restaurant.com, 1.5 Forks and a
Bronx cheer to Heidi by Ms. Westie, 4.5 Forks from me). Note: an 18%
gratuity was included in our bill. In addition, the cashier
mistakenly deducted the lowest cost dinner off our tab rather than
the $25 value of our gift certificate. I caught it, it was changed
and he apologized
We drove to the Sahara to see SixtiesMania,
http://www.sixtiesmania.com/, at Sahara's Casbar Lounge. This group
played for an extended period at the Showboat a few years back, but
the production was downsized in the interim and is now clearly
inferior. Music of the Beatles was prominently featured in
recognition of the upcoming anniversary of John Lennon's death,
however, most of the impressions fell far short of the mark. (1.5
Claps out of a potential 5)
12/1 My early morning VP session resulted in a modest gain after I
skillfully hit #2 quads deuces. I drove to the Einstein Brothers
bagelarama on Sunset and scored a cinnamon-raisin bran bagel that we
shared along with OJ and a banana in the room. Ms. Westie played VP
(lost) this morning while I ran, actually drove, a few errands.
It was with much anticipation that we drove to the Desert Passage
(Aladdin) for the Commander Palace's,
http://www.commanderspalace.com/, $18.80 three-course luncheon
special. We arrived early so our first stop was the Landau store
where Ms. Westie exchanged a tarnished tennis bracelet for a new
one. I only hope she doesn't get the idea this will work with a
husband. We were then ready, willing and able to try some of those
25-cent martinis. We both enjoyed a bowl of sweet potato bisque as a
starter. Ms. Westie ordered a smoked turkey breast sandwich on
French bread with cranberry and sage aioli. I enjoyed a heaping bowl
of alligator and venison chili. We were both full so we asked for
our white chocolate bread pudding in a box to go. A total of 5 (3
for me) martinis were consumed with no business discussed. In a
photo finish Lemon Drop nosed out Commander Palace with the French
martini a furlong behind. . The maitre d' handed each of us each a
praline as we exited singing "We are the Champions". ($24.60,
Restaurant.com, 4 Forks).
We retired to our room, but Ms. Westie soon departed for a short and
sweet VP session. We had planned on taking in the Downtown Hoedown
at Fremont Street Experience, but neither of us felt like mingling
with the masses so Tuscany Casino got the call. The parking lot in
the front was full, but we eventually located a convenient space in
the rear parking lot. Their current promotion for new sign-ups
includes up to $500 in free slot play plus a funbook. Our results
fell a tad short with Ms. Westie receiving $15 and me $10. We both
lost playing FPDW and decided the timing was right for a meal at
Ellis Island. I tried to score a $1 senior discount coupon at the
slot club, but it was only available before 7PM. We each enjoyed the
special, not on menu, but on the menu cover, sirloin steak entrée
that comes with potato and garlic green beans. Both steaks were
served medium rare as requested and service was surprisingly
efficient perhaps due to the late hour (ACG, $7.33, 3 Forks). We
each enjoyed 2 free drinks (ACG), Merlot and Irish coffee with
Baileys, pre and post dinner, respectively.
Our entertainment tonight was provided by IN10CT, pronounced
Intensity, at the Orleans. In my last TR I provided a very positive
review and nothing has changed in the interim. Jef, the Orleans'
soundman, did an excellent job of impersonating Rod Stewart when
invited on stage for a couple of numbers. IN10CT continues to be one
of the best rock bands in Las Vegas. Anyone interested in seeing them
should check the entertainment schedules of the various Coast
Casinos. (4.5 Claps).
12/2 No quad deuces to report from my Friday morning session, but I
at least was accruing points at 5 x points the normal rate. We drove
over to the Village Pub on Wigwam at Eastern for this morning's
sustenance. Our orders of eggs, bacon and home fries were very
good. ($6.82, LVA, 3 Forks). We subsequently checked our email at
the Green Valley library and enjoyed a walk in Sunset Park until a
dust storm drove us off the jogging/walking track. We also stopped
at Ethel M's, http://www.ethelm.com/, for a few samples before
returning to our room where we shared a piece of white chocolate
bread pudding.
Dinner this evening was at Piero's Trattoria,
http://www.usmenuguide.com/pieros.html. This beautiful, contemporary
restaurant with large windows overlooking Flamingo Road is on
Restaurant Row. We each ordered the grilled wild Alaska salmon with
pesto sauce accompanied by garlic mashed potatoes and a medley of 13
vegetables. Our only complaints were the fish was slightly overdone
and I only counted 12 vegetables on my plate. ($22.16, R.com, 4.5
Forks).
We then parked at the Barbary Coast and walked to Harrahs to attend
the Clint Holmes show
http://www.clintholmes.com/ for the fourth time. This multi
talented entertainer totally updates his show every year and each
edition seems to improve on the last. A number of Christmas songs
were included this evening and his band is generally considered to be
the best on the Strip. (LVA, 4.5 Claps). After the show we returned
to the Barbary Coast and caught one set by Lisa Hewitt
http://www.lisahewitt.com, a country performer from Edmonton,
Alberta. Ms. Hewitt was both talented and, as they say, easy on the
eyes. (ACG free drink coupons, 3 Claps).
12/3 "There will be days like this, mama said" was the title to this
morning's VP session. The Jewel of Henderson, a.k.a, Emerald Island,
got the nod this morning. Easy over eggs, bacon, hash browns, toast
plus all the smoke one can inhale for only 99 cents. ($3.13, 2.5
Forks). We next made a pilgrimage to Boulder City Art Guild's Winter
Art Festival. What a disappointment as compared to the art and
crafts show we attended on our October trip. There were only 2 dozen
or so exhibitors and none offered much of interest. We beat a hasty
retreat to Casino MonteLago where on earning 20 points we each
received our very own snow train. We then toured MonteLago Village
where another disappointing craft show was in progress.
Locals receive coupons for gifts redeemable on many Saturday's at the
Fiesta-Henderson. We got in line and with one swipe of our cards we
were walking off with a pair of King Kong stuffed animals. The
downside is the animals are so scary we don't know who to give them
to. Lunch was the last of the white chocolate bread pudding followed
by my #3 quad deuces of the trip.
Our choice for dinner was Quinta Belina (Mexican), rated by Heidi
Rinella as one of the 10 best restaurants in Las Vegas in 2004.
Other restaurants on this same list included Alize, Piccaso,
Craftsteak and Bouchon. After much cruisin', cursin' and a cussin',
we discovered the restaurant closed around mid year. Our back up was
the Goolash Hungarian
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2004/07/22/taste.html restaurant on W.
Sahara. This is a very small storefront establishment catering to the
local ethnic population. The husband serves as chef and the wife
served our meals. We shared orders of beef goulash, veal paprika and
a cabbage salad. Both entrees came with noodles although the menu
indicated we would receive country potatoes. (Entertainment, $24.29,
3 Forks).
12/4 There is a saying "some days the dog, some days the hydrant", I
was the hydrant at this morning's VP session. We shared a bagel
courtesy of Einstein, banana and OJ for breakfast. After cuddling up
with the LVRJ, we decided to go to the Wild West Show at the Riviera
and saw lots of grown-ups parading around in old time cowboy and
cowgirl garments. I got bored real fast and beat a hasty retreat to
the nearby Tickets4Tonight outlet to purchase same day tickets to the
Havana Night Club show, http://www.havananightclub.com/. I used a
coupon, found in Showbiz magazine, to reduce the service fee by one-
half.
We drove to El Coqui restaurant for lunch, but it is closed on
Sundays. Plan B was hastily adopted and we went out Rancho to the
Wildfire Casino. After a short wait we were seated and ordered junior
cheeseburgers with fries. The burgers arrived overcooked and bone
dry. (ACG, $5.78, 0.5 Fork).
Due to time constraints, we voted for quick over quality so the
Fiesta buffet had two additional customers this evening. I taste
tested mussels, chicken wings, BBQ (baked) ribs, and a ½ order of
shrimp with vegetables on the Mongolian grill. Everything was
mediocre including a small wedge of cheesecake. (LVA, $5.78, 1
Fork). After rushing our meal, we headed off to the Stardust for
the Havana Night Club show. The 13 musicians and 32 dancers/singers
were excellent as they traced the evolution of music in Cuba from its
origins to today. A true delight. (4 Claps). After the show we
stopped at Ellis Island for a nightcap of Irish Coffee with Baileys
(ACG). My pre bedtime VP session resulted in my #4 quad deuces of
the trip.
12/5 There is another saying, "sometimes peanuts, sometimes shells".
Today I should have worn a hard hat because I got shelled. We drove
to the Orleans amidst the Monday morning rush hour traffic. The tune
playing in my mind was "Huevos rancheros you are a friend of mine"
which I skillfully combined with fresh fruit, hash browns and OJ.
(LVA, $8.95, 3 Forks). We then parked at the Riviera in order to
attend the Cowboy Christmas show at the LV Convention Center. There
were at least 200 vendors including one where Ms. Westie was able to
exchange a slightly dented gold earring, purchased 2 years prior, for
a new one. Ms. Westie also allowed me to purchase a bracelet as a
birthday gift for her what a gal! Upon exiting the show we stopped
at the LVCVA office where we redeemed 3 coupons for a surprise gift
wow a handful of cheap necklaces!
Seeing as it was Ms. Westie's birthday, I took her to Ellis Island in
the evening for a couple of glasses of Merlot (ACG). I am developing
an appreciation for cheap wine or Ellis has upgraded its wine
cellar. We then proceeded to La Scala
http://www.usmenuguide.com/lascala.html, an intimate, white
tablecloth Italian restaurant located on East Desert Inn. Our festa
all' Italiana appetizer (prosciutto, salami, roasted peppers, coppa,
eggplant, olives and hearts of palm) was excellent. For entrees we
each ordered cappellaci con granchio in salsa bisque, which
translates into mmm good, mmm good. Actually it was crab ravioli in
a lobster bisque sauce and it was truly mmm good. We also shared a
serving of Italian flan and pear in a Barolo sauce (Restaurant.com,
$47.65, 4 Forks).
Our country singer of choice this night was Susie Dobbs,
http://www.susiedobbs.com/, a.k.a. the Energizer bunny, who was
playing at the Piano Bar at the Orleans. We have seen this Nashville-
based singer in years past when she played at the Gold Coast during
the National Finals Rodeo. She is a few years older, but no less
enthusiastic (3.5 Claps). We also stopped in Brendan's Pub to see
the Rock N'Roll Fantasy show. (3.5 Claps). All drinks were on the
house thanks to another ACG coupon.
12/6 This morning's VP session resulted in #5 quad deuces. We have
now entered the 2nd Act of this trip so it was time to visit our
friendly wash and fold laundromat. Breakfast at the nearby Ellis
Island was vanilla French toast. Excellent food and entrée served
hot had me walking outside to make sure we hadn't wandered into one
of those super overpriced Strip restaurants by mistake. (ACG, $4.12,
4 Forks).
Green Valley Ranch library was next on the agenda. We were hoping to
receive an email confirming that
we had been selected to receive free to tickets to the taping of a
Barry Manilow PBS special. I received lots of emails, but none from
Barry. I am not bitter, but I do plan on ripping out his heart if he
ever shows up on my doorstep looking for a handout. Ms. Westie
trekked off to the Palms (LVA) for an overpriced massage after
dropping me off at the Fiesta. I spent the afternoon playing VP,
reading and my usual nap. On Ms. Westie's return I acted like a
local by gassing up the car, shopping at the nearby supermarket and
rescuing our laundry while she rested and exercised.
We dined this evening at the Blue Agave Oyster and Chile Bar at the
Palms. Service throughout was substandard starting off when we sat
for several minutes before the chef took mercy on us and delivered
the menus. The waitress finally arrived and Ms. Westie ordered the
crab pan roast while I requested the house special pan roast.
Service problems continued when we had to request silverware and
napkins from our ditzy server. The chef was again required to rescue
us by delivering our meals when he noticed our server was once again
MIA. The meals and margaritas (3) were otherwise outstanding.
(LVA, $35.61, 3 Forks with 1 fork and a few dollars deducted for
shoddy service).
A late (for me) night VP session proved modestly profitable.
12/7 The VP stork delivered quads #6 plus 3 x points (Senior day)
this morning. We ate at the Gold Coast breakfast buffet where I
limited myself to fresh fruit, juice and an egg beaters
spinach/cheese omelet. ($8.95, ACG, 3 Forks). Next stop was the
Bellagio Conservatory. 400,000 cranberries floating in a bog
complimented by 1,000 beautiful roses, polar bears with fur of white
carnations, a 45' Shasta fir tree, poinsettias of various shades plus
20 portly penguins including five adult and two immatures brought to
life by the use of animatronic technology. (4.5 Claps) We also
stopped by the Jean Phillipe patisserie to see the large Santa
sculptured in chocolate and browsed through the Chihuly and Giardini
Garden shops.
My afternoon VP session resulted in #7 quads and a dealt (no draw
required thank you) royal flush. I returned to the room
singing "I'ma man of means by no means" to prevent Ms. Westie from
getting any ideas about purchasing any more jewelry on this trip.
Dinner tonight was at Bonjour Bistro
http://www.reviewjournal.com/db/dining.detail?pid=62&s=1 on Eastern
in Henderson. Our French onion soup was just average in both
consistency and taste. We both ordered the crusted salmon entrée
accompanied by roasted onion and carrots. Crusted is a misnomer
since the salmon is wrapped in spinach and cheese and then baked in a
wonderful pastry shell. The same entree two months prior seemed a
little better, but that frequently happens when we make a culinary
discovery. ($34.82 including a $2 addition error on my part,
Restaurant.com, 3 Forks).
We went 0 for 2 in the entertainment department this evening. We
started off at Trax in Palace Station where Yellow Brick Road was
playing. This group plays classic rock from the 80's, but the room
was way too small and smoky for us so we drove to the Sahara to catch
the Honky Tonk Angels. We had previously seen this Country
impersonator show a few years back at the Gold Coast and were hopeful
the current incarnation would be as good. Unfortunately there were
some technical problems and the show was delayed until midnight so we
returned to the Fiesta.
12/8 Another day, another bagel, banana and OJ in the room. We again
checked our email at the library hoping Mrs. Manilow's favorite son
had reconsidered no luck. Since we each had cashback, free lunch
buffet and 3 x points coupons from Fiesta-Rancho, I set sail for
North Las Vegas. Ms. Westie continued her quad-less streak and was
now getting a little shell-shocked so I tried my best to cheer her up
by singing "That's Life" which did not go over well. Overall our
buffet lunch was mediocre including my overcooked and over sauced
Mongolian grilled veggies. (1 Fork)
We planned on dining at Todd's Unique, http://www.toddsunique.com in
Henderson this evening, but first we headed to our favorite watering
hole, emphasis on hole, Ellis Island. One too many is what I had and
I was advised my time (one hour) expired on the LVA "all you can
drink coupon". "Don't fret my pet" I called out as I antied up the
requested $2 for the round. We then realized there wasn't
sufficient time to dine at Todd's and still make our show. No
problem because on Thursday night at Ellis Island everyone knows it
is BOGO at the Metro Pizza outlet. Our slices of cheese pizza were
pretty decent, but suffered from spending time under the heat lamp.
($4, 2 Forks).
We arrived at the Orleans with time to spare and did a few laps
around the casino in an effort to work off those drinks and pizza.
Our tickets to the Terri Clark show were purchased on our October
trip using a 2/1 coupon from the Orleans funbook. Before entering
the show I picked up a pair of free (the best type) Smirnoff Ice's
using an ACG coupon. Terri is an outstanding country singer, hailing
from Alberta, Canada, with several platinum records to her credit. (4
Claps) After her performance, we retired to the Piano Bar lounge to
catch Susie Dobbs again, but this old cowpoke was plum tuckered out
so were left after one set. (3 Claps).
12/9 A losing VP session this morning served as a precursor of events
to follow. We drove to downtown Henderson with a Restaurant.com gift
certificate in hand planning on having huevos rancheros at El
Mexicano only to discover opening time was 11AM. No problem, the
Jewel of Henderson was within easy walking distance. Ms. Westie
ordered the short stack of pancakes while I hunkered down with easy
(too easy) over eggs, hash browns, sourdough toast and bacon ($4, 2.5
Forks). There was a small Farmers' Market in the adjacent parking
lot so we did a quick tour not much of interest, but one stand
offered some nice banks in the shape of animals.
Our next destination was the Las Vegas Premium Outlets, but we
managed to lose both our senses of direction and humor after
performing a pair figure 8's around the Downtown area. On arrival we
chose to split up with me heading to Le Gourmet Chef for some serious
grazing while Ms. Westie gave equal attention to Chicos and Liz
Claiborne. We regrouped after an hour and managed to locate a cute
sleeper for Mama and Papa C's grand child at OshKosh U'Josh as well
as some Christmas gifts for friends of Max-the-Schipperke.
Next stop was the Fiesta-Rancho to redeem a TITO that some idiot
failed to redeem on our recent visit. Lunch was 2 cups (bowls) of
the world's best chicken noodle soup at El Coqui, a small Puerto
Rican restaurant on Paradise. Each cup contained an entire drumstick
and another part of the chicken's anatomy that is best left unknown.
The meat fell off the bone and the broth with vegetables was
excellent. ($4.46, Entertainment, 4 Forks).
Ms. Westie's one and only quad deuces of the trip was unveiled at
this afternoon's VP session "One is the loneliest number that
you'll ever do".
We drove to the Strip and parked at the Barbary Coast this evening.
Our dining destination was Café Ferrara,
http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2005/Feb-23-Wed-
2005/living/25893911.html located on the third level of the Forum
Shops. There were only 3 other tables occupied, which come as no
surprise given the limited foot traffic in the immediate area. I was
shocked by the increase in the menu prices since this restaurant
first opened less than a year prior. It appears an effort is being
made to offset low customer volume by raising prices, a tactic sure
to fail IMHO. Our lasagna entrees were quite bountiful and tasty.
When we passed on dessert, the manager offered a complimentary, but
stale, slice of tiramisu. ($19.98, Restaurant.com, 2.5 Forks).
The Westies "can't sing the blues all night long like they used to"
so we called it an early evening and returned to the Fiesta. A late
night (9PM) VP session resulted in my #8 quad deuces.
12/10 This morning's VP session was a certified train wreck so I
returned to the room a little earlier than usual. We proceeded to
the Gold Coast for a breakfast of huevos rancheros, fresh fruit, OJ
and corned beef hash. ($8.95, ACG, 2.5 Forks).
There was still a little availability on the credit card so we drove
to Mandalay Bay's convention center to attend the Cowboy Market
Place. Ms. Westie was able to purchase a magic elixir from a
travelin' (sales) man plus a few additional Christmas gifts. I
managed to pull off an incredible deal by getting two packages of
shammys for the price of one. This was a special deal for those of us
purchasing before noon since we would serve as a walking
advertisement. You don't suppose attendees arriving post noon
received a similar deal do you?
The highlight of the show was the buckaroo rodeo where 3-6 year olds
competed in barrel racing and riding sheep. One little 6-year old
came out of the shoot clutching the sheep for dear life as it raced
across the rink. The sheep seemed to possess a death wish as it ran
straight for the metal barricade. About 2 feet before the barrier
the sheep fell down sending the little boy sailing through the air
and into the barricade. A hush fell over the entire arena as rodeo
personnel rushed to the little boy's aide. Fortunately the little
guy was just shaken up. The MC later asked him what he was thinking
as that sheep raced for the metal barricade. He responded "I was
thinking I'm going to Win" and he did.
Another Saturday at Fiesta-Henderson and the locals were lined up for
more gifts. This time we each picked up a set of beautiful Christmas
gift bags.
We stopped by Casino MonteLago for a couple of complimentary glasses
of Merlot prior to our 7PM reservation at MiraLago Lakeside
Mediterranean Café, http://www.lakelasvegas.com/best-las-vegas-
restaurants.asp. As mentioned in prior TR's, this is a beautiful
restaurant located in the Reflection Bay Gulf Club at Lake Las
Vegas. There was a large wedding reception taking place in the
restaurant so we were seated in an entirely different room that is
usually reserved for group functions. We shared a baby spinach salad
with avocado, goat cheese, walnuts, sliced pear, tomatoes, and fried
taro sticks in a honey poppy seed dressing. Ms. Westie opted for the
macadamia crusted blue nose grouper in a Cajun lobster sauce over
UCONN mashed potatoes, red onion marmalade and mixed vegetables. I
settled for chicken Melrose chicken breast with Chardonnay vellute,
wild mushrooms, garlic mashed potatoes and sautéed spinach. ($40.39,
Restaurant.com, 4 Forks).
We returned to Casino MonteLago and enjoyed a couple of sets by Sweet
Louie and Sonny Charles, a.k.a The Checkmates. If you have yet to
see them, you are missing the opportunity to hear one of the best old-
style lounge acts in the business. http://thecheckmates.com/. (4.5
Claps).
12/11 Another early morning VP session resulted in #9 quad deuces.
Breakfast in the room consisted of an excellent apple fritter from La
Patisserie Vons, OJ and a banana. We decided to visit the shops in
the District http://www.vegas.com/shopping/thedistrict.html?
f=m0sh&t=meadtxt at Green Valley Ranch. Ms. Westie headed east so I
chose west. Ms. Westie visited with Chico and I stopped by to say
hello to Billy Sonoma. We regrouped and settled on hot dogs at
d'Mustard. The doggies lacked both snap and flavor, but I will long
remember the red pepper relish ($1.26, Entertainment, 0.5 Forks).
BTW the cashier mistakenly deducted the $5 maximum value of the
Entertainment coupon from our bill instead of the cost of one hot
dog. We didn't catch the error until later, but my conscience is
clear since we probably paid more than fair value.
We enjoyed complimentary (ACG) Merlots at the Gold Coast before
dinner at Bonito Michoacan
http://www.lasvegasweekly.com/2003/05_01/food_taste.html. This
popular Mexican eatery located on Decatur is the sibling of Viva
Michoacan that we visited last trip. Entrees include the usual chips
and salsa, a very good sopa fideos, refried beans, rice and homemade
flour tortillas. Ms. Westie chose camarones zirahuen described as
shrimp sautéed in butter with tomatoes, onions, a bit of sour cream,
paprika and secret spices. I chose camarones monarcas shrimp
grilled in shell (only the tail is still in shell) with spicy chili
sauce. We also shared a flan that was large, but not as smooth as
the best we've had. ($18.75, Restaurant.com, 4 Forks).
Susan Anton's annual holiday show at the Sun Coast was next on the
agenda. She quickly established rapport with the audience and sang a
number of Christmas songs. She told us about her years growing up in
a small California town, meeting her husband etc., but somehow
neglected to include those years spent being cuddly with Dudley.
Susan looked great from our second level booth, but I wonder if I
would feel the same viewing the show on HDTV. A complimentary Irish
coffee with Baileys, courtesy of our ticket stubs, closed out the
evening's festivities. (2.5 Claps)
12/12 It was another morning VP session with me impersonating a
hydrant. Our eggs, bacon, toast and hash browns at the Jewel of
Henderson lubed our internal organs this morning. Next stop was the
Henderson Bird Viewing Preserve known in some circles as the
Henderson Sewage Ponds. We borrowed binoculars and circled several
of the ponds observing a large number of waterfowl. On returning to
the Fiesta we played a little VP and I scored my #10 quad deuces. At
around 2:30PM we drove to the Green Valley library where I printed
out our SWA boarding passes. Ms. Westie spent the remainder of the
late afternoon packing while I did my impression of Rip Van Winkle.
It was our last night in Las Vegas so we set off to meet our friends
from CT, Mama and Papa C, at the Orleans. We talked over drinks
(ACG) at the Mardi Gras bar before dining at the seafood buffet.
Clams, mussels, crab legs (cold), Mongolian grill (awful) etc. served
to fill me up. ($23.26, ACG, 2 Forks). As we prepared to leave Mama
C realized that her digital camera was missing. We all gave her a
mental head slap and wondered what the odds were that the camera
would still hanging from her chair at the Mardi Gras bar? Well the
odds may have been longer than rolling consecutive snake eyes, but we
found the camera right where she left it. We were all tired, them
from jet lag and us from burning the candle at both ends so we said
our goodbyes.
12/13 My last early morning VP session of the trip and I scored #11
quad deuces. We shared a bagel and banana in our room for the last
time and played a little more VP. Prior to departing we gave our
room attendant, Elena, both of our snow trains. Elena seemed
Elated. Lunch was at Bonjour Bistro where we enjoyed the quiche of
the day (mushrooms and spinach) with a mesculin salad ($11.50,
Restaurant.com, 4.5 Forks). We then picked up a pair of chicken
breast subs at Jersey Mike's
http://www.jerseymikes.com/. ($5.87, Entertainment, 2 Forks) for our
journey home. Our nonstop flight to Hartford was uneventful and we
were settled into our waterbed by about 1AM the next day.
Thanks to all who took the time to read this TR.