Las Vegas, Nevada: Dave and I spent Saturday and Sunday with the family in Los Angeles. Lisa and Lenny threw a fun Hanukkah party Sunday night and Lisa fried-up over 100 latkes (in batches) for the hungry guests. Candles were lit, prayers were said, presents were swapped - it was a very nice evening.
Unlike her lazy mother, Lisa peels and grates fresh potatoes, then onions (a cry-fest ensues), and fries the potato pancakes in a vat of oil. (I use a bag of Simply Potato hashbrowns.) Lucile cracked the eggs (16!) and stirred the batter in a bowl as big as a Buick. There was a contest, prompted by Lucile, where guests predicted how many pancakes they would consume v the actual number eaten. Leo said he would eat 19; he ate 4. Leo lost. Not exactly sure there was a winner announced, but no one went home hungry.
After the kids left for school Monday morning, the grandparents loaded-up our Chevy Traverse and pointed it towards Las Vegas to celebrate Steve's 70th birthday! This had been planned for months. Steve wanted to watch Justin Herbert (Duck quarterback who now is the quarterback for the LA Chargers). Chargers v Raiders in Las Vegas for Thursday Night Football would be the perfect way to celebrate Steve's birthday, so the Family of Friends signed up for this fun trip... which would have been perfect if Mr. Herbert had not broken a finger during his game Sunday, requiring surgery and causing him to miss the rest of the season. (Insert sad face here.) Sure, we could have just thrown in the towel, but why? It's Steve's birthday, he loves football and he loves Pai Gow poker and we all love Steve... so here we all are. I am not a fan of football, but am interested to see the new Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas. We are all 100% positive Justin Herbert will be on the sidelines.
Random Fact: I have been to only one professional football game. It was 15-20 years ago - a Raiders game in Oakland. With these same friends. We went the day after a Duck v Cal game in Berkeley.
Last week we learned our old friend, Vin, would be in Las Vegas Monday night, so we met him at the Venetian for dinner at Bouchon, Thomas Keller's French restaurant in Las Vegas. Keller is famed for his prestigious French Laundry restaurant in Yountville, California (never been there, but we often visit his other Yountville restaurants, Bouchon, Bouchon Bakery and Ad Hoc). Would you even believe Chef Keller was at his Las Vegas restaurant on Monday night? He was seated at a large table right behind us! I was so excited - Keller and I were born on the same day/year - but would never be so bold to interrupt him, so I lost my chance to meet my birthday twin. We really had a lovely meal at Bouchon - salmon rillettes and Duck Confit - and it was great to catch-up with Vin.
Vin flew-out Tuesday morning, and our friends were not arriving until Tuesday evening, so DT and I had a long day to fill. He wanted to go shopping (!?) and I wanted to have lunch at Jimmy Buffett's Margaritaville Cafe. The Cheeseburger in Paradise is always good, so why not continue to visit this nostalgic spot. They didn't play many Buffett songs over the sound system during our visit. Probably just as well or I would have been sobbing into my margarita.
The food is still good, but the attached gift shop has taken a big belly flop into the shallow end. Now they seem to only sell bad tee shirts with plastic designs (Looking for my Lost Shaker of Salt, It's 5 o'clock Somewhere) melted onto the thick cotton. Sorry Jimmy, we didn't buy a thing.
Well, we didn't buy a thing there. DT found a nice pair of golf slacks and a rain jacket today! Yeah him, he rarely shops. As per usual, we also strolled through the Bellagio Hotel to see their annual Holiday spectacular display in the conservatory off the main hotel lobby. For the first time, I was a bit underwhelmed with the design.
Am I becoming too spoiled by the usual Bellagio over-the-top seasonal displays or is this one just a one-off dud? Maybe it is easier to decorate with a Spring theme (when we are here for the Pac-12 men's basketball tournament) or for Fall (when we are here to see Jimmy Buffett on my birthday week)? I will probably never know the answer to my own question as this March will be the last Pac-12 basketball tournament EVER and Mr. Buffett will no longer be singing to me for my birthday.
Las Vegas Boulevard is still a mess from the Formula One race held last month. The street was closed for two months to automobile and pedestrian traffic while temporary bleachers were installed - resulting in all sorts of great viewing for race fans, but an absolute nightmare for anyone trying to get to/from their hotel job. It is still not possible to walk along the promenade in front of the pretty Bellagio Fountains, and cranes are everywhere. We learned the race will be an annual event for the next several years.
Our friends - Mary, Steve, Kathy & Woody - arrived in time for dinner at Javier's. It was so wonderful to be together again. We will have a ton-o-fun this week, celebrating Steve - the first of the six of us to hit 70.
Until my next update, I remain, your Las Vegas correspondent.