Hash House in Las Vegas
The decline of the extremely cheap buffet has been a sore spot for Las Vegas locals and long-time guests for a while now. It’s not that the buffet is gone, but that in recent years it’s been rejuvenated to offer excellent food at reasonable prices. In the past, chowhounds could find half-decent food at extremely low prices, so there’s always something lost and something gained in change. Change in Las Vegas is part of the atmosphere, but so is nostalgia. In a pinch, guests at Las Vegas hotels can find something cheap pretty easily, but expensive food is easier.
For those who have decided that they want to know what it would be like to have a blend of nostalgia and the new, Hash House a Go Go is one of the better choices. It’s not necessarily cheap, but when the diners see that the salad bowls are much larger than their own head, it’s apparent that the money is well spent. The attraction here isn’t just the farm decor, but the dedication to ingredients that speak of contemporary food culture. The portions are also large enough that it is often much better than a buffet, because this is exquisite food that’s served with just the right amount of nostalgia.
03.16.10One Wine Tasting in Napa is Plenty
We drove to Napa from Lake Tahoe. We’re here to check out the wine region of the entire Napa Valley. As we entered the valley, we could’ve thought we were in the south of France. Napa has endless rolling hills and vineyards just like France. We decided to stop at a small vineyard just outside of the valley. The vineyards is called Beaver Creek . I had to put up with my husbands endless jokes about the name. We went inside in hopes for a bit of wine tasting. We were not disappointed.
The owners of Beaver Creek were these two Czech guys. They were great! They themselves showed us around the place, no assistant for them, they loved showing people around. I had to keep hitting my husband, because he would start quoting Steve Martins ‘Two Wild and Crazy Guys’ sketch from Saturday Night Live. The owners were a bit odd, eccentric really, with cowboy hats, but they had a very quick wit. One of the owners was a huge Barca fan and hated Chelsea, so this instantly made my husband begin to stop making fun of them and really hit it off with the owners.
We sampled the wine, personally, I’m not a wine buff, but I really like their wine. As we drank, one of the owners told us some great travel stories, mostly having to do with women. After our wine tasting, and purchasing a few bottles of wine, we drove into Napa. I was feeling a bit tipsy, so I know my husband was too, even though he wouldn’t admit it. I told him we need to spend the night here instead of driving all the way to San Francisco. He agreed, so we stopped at the first place that appeared to be a nice place to stay , and booked a room for the night. When we settled in for the night, we thought that most people along the roads coming from the vineyards must be as tipsy as we were. Even though it’s call ‘wine tasting’, you taste a lot of wine! Probably 2 to 3 glasses worth if the vineyard is any good. But, in Napa, it seems as if no one cared that there were tipsy people driving on the road.
03.1.10South Padre Ships and Treasures
Well this now spring break haven was once just a small tranquil island of refuge for many people over hundreds of year. There are now plenty of great hotels along the South Padre Texas island for visitors to gather up and then get out and explore. There is either the fact or fiction rumor of some still buried treasures under sand dunes on this island. After a few exotic cocktails at Louie’s Backyard dining and cocktails you just might decide to go on a treasure hunt. Better take a few friends if you really get that bold. Otherwise, you could just stay at Louie’s and rave it up with all the other students blowing off some overwhelming textbook stress. They offer lots of live music and dance club fun.
But really, there is said to be over 10 million dollars worth of silver laying at the bottom of the ocean and in sand dunes on Padre Island. There was a passenger ship that got caught up in a bad storm in the Gulf of Mexico ended up crashing into the Padre Island. There were about 300 passengers that made it off the ship, however, they didn’t understand that their true doom resided on the island. Out of 300 people, only two would survive an attack by the cannibalistic Indians that lived on the island. These two survivors returned to a more civilized world and told their crazy story. There are centuries of stories about crazy things that happened on the island like the Singer family that buried there coins and jewelry on the island during the Civil War and when they came back for it the sanded area had changed so much, they couldn’t find any marker, so it was lost forever. Unless, of course, you find it. Or you could just go to Blackbeard’s Restaurant for more cocktails and feasting.
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The Best of New York City
We had a few days left before we flew back home, so we decided to see the sights of the best city in the world – New York.
If you haven’t been to New York, here are some handy tips about seeing New York. View New York from the top of buildings. We recommend the top of the Rockefeller located on 49th Street between 5th and 6th Avenue. Go ahead a do the usual sights, such as Times Square, but be prepared that it is a very busy and do go see the Statue of Liberty (that’s busy too).
Now, for the places that are off the beaten track, we recommend the Brooklyn Botanical Gardens, it has the best Japanese garden besides Japan, and it also is close to Prospect Park, which is Brooklyn’s answer to Central Park. Of course, the best time to see these sites is either in Spring or in Autumn, any other time it will be horribly hot or terribly cold.
New York City has the best restaurants you could ever hope for, we found a place in the Tribeca neighborhood called Ninja, it’s very expensive, but we really do highly recommend it. The cuisine is Japanese and the food is excellent. For something less expensive, we found a place in Queens called Astoria. This restaurant was great for being in a melting pot culturally speaking and the food is fantastic.
For great places to have a drink, we went outside Manhattan into Brooklyn’s neighborhood of Williamsburg. You can get there by jumping on the L train and get off at the first stop in Brooklyn called Bedford Avenue. There are literally hundreds of really cool bars, so the only problem you’ll have is choosing which one to go into.
If you’re in New York on a Wednesday evening, check out the Apollo Theater in Harlem. Wednesday night is amateur night at the Apollo. It’s so fun and fantastic. You can get drinks there and boo off anyone you don’t like.
New York is really the best city in the whole world and it has something to offer any day of the week and at any time of the day. It’s definitely a must for any serious traveler
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Sushi Restaurants in Singapore
Sushi lovers often classify the world into two groups of people, themselves and those odd and misguided individuals who don’t share their passion. This is true for sushi eaters across the globe and another common element most of them share is a loyalty and passion for one particular restaurant. It is also common to have a standard favorite restaurant and then a list of others that are suitable and appropriate for specific dishes and social situations. Most of the great cities in the world have a diverse selection of sushi restaurants to chose from, which makes this hierarchy of loyalty possible and keeps their population of sushi lovers content and satisfied. They also cater to the numerous tourist populations that are looking for great sushi while visiting a specific city.
Singapore is one of those cities with a diverse offering of sushi establishments. Dining out for sushi can be a social activity or it can be tailored to the intimate needs of a romantic date. Many people love to sit at the sushi bar and enjoy conversations with other patrons while some people prefer to sit at a table with just those they came with. Whatever your preferences, the sushi Singapore restaurants are there to accommodate them.
5 Sushi Restaurant was established almost six years ago and has firmly positioned itself as one of the premiere romantic sushi restaurants. It offers a great view of the Parliament House and also the Singapore River, which attracts many people. Its great menu and affordable prices is also attractive to its patrons. Chanko Masakatsu is known as one of the few establishments were you can find great Osaka styled Shabu Shabu and it has a loyal collection of patrons. Izakaya has been around since 1993 and has a strong reputation for quality food and a friendly environment. It is known for having one of the friendliest sushi counter chiefs to be found in Singapore. These are just a few of the many options to chose from and represent the diverse nature of sushi restaurants as well as the menu selections.
12.16.09Gas Grills and Their Accessories and Diverse Uses
There are a great number of quality backyard outdoor kitchen appliances and accessories that are also diverse in design and lifestyle appeal. The amount of outdoor dining area features and counting supplies are increasing at a rate that looks like they may eventually be as diverse as those that are intended for the indoors. However and as beneficial as the multiple options are, there are some factors, appliances and features that will remain at the top of the list for their quality in functions and also ease of use as well as their orientation toward space economy. Drop in gas grills are one of these.
The drop in grills can be included as part of the outdoor island counter tops and cooking areas, as well as being sold on their own as stand alone features. They can cook a simple barbeque for families or a larger meal for parties. On game days when friends are over to watch it on the large screen television attached to the wall they are perfect for grilling an assortment of foods including the necessary hot dogs and hamburgers. They are one of the ideal and diverse features that can be incorporated into any outdoor kitchen area and are fitting for all lifestyles and budget concerns.
There are also some great accessories that can be incorporated into the counter area or island that will not only make backyard grilling easier, they also add to the fun and even quality of the meal’s outcome. There are food warmers that are perfect when serving larger numbers of people as well as for various other occasions and needs, such as warming buns for burgers. There are various sizes of refrigerators that can be built into counter areas or are able to stand on their own. There are also great items like weather and waterproof paper towel holders that are perfect for outdoor cooking. Whatever your particular interest, there is a grill and kitchen area that will suite your needs.
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Building the Perfect Custom Outdoor Barbecue
The barrel barbecues on wheels, are convenient as they can be rolled away into the shed when not in use, however when you decide to install an outdoor kitchen, complete with sinks, refrigerators, and drop in grills, you open up an entirely new world of entertaining and outdoor dinner parties, and creative new dishes enhanced in the way that out door cooking enhances the flavors and the experience. At one time, built in barbecue grills were all the rage, then the portable gas and charcoal grills became popular.
But again there has been a resurgence in the desire for people to bring their home life back outdoors. How you decide on the perfect design will depend quite honestly on just how much you have to spend. A fire pit is an inexpensive way to permanently install an outdoor grill. There are islands that you can build which will be a bit more fancy, and there are all out kitchens with high tech meat roasters and smokers, grills with additional burns, fans and storage cabinets.
Wood and charcoal burning grills are very simple, and have even been constructed out of old metal barrels. Should you decide to add a wood burning or charcoal grill, be aware that ventilation and air circulation is sufficient, especially when you are considering a closed in gazebo style kitchen. These are the kinds of grills that are easily built by do it your-selfers, using simple rocks or bricks and cement. Such grills can basically be finished in a single afternoon.
Make sure when adding the grills, that they are located in a place that will remain safe for many years to come, away from over growing trees and plants, and far enough from other structures that may catch fire. It is wise to hire a designer, if you yourself are not skilled in this area, as it is visually pleasing when the design of the grill fits in with the design of your house.
Depending on where you live, and the weather year round, is recommended that you have ways to cover and protect the grill when the natural elements are at their worst. Keep in mind the cleaning and the repair that will be necessary over the years, as you don’t want to be cutting through stones and bricks to repair the grill, ruining your design and making an easy job much harder in the end. There may seem to be many aspects to consider when adding this kind of amenity to your backyard and to your life, but it will be well worth it for many years to come
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Grilling Vegetables
Moving toward an outdoor kitchen is always a splendid move, and it’s one that has endless possibilities and continues to grow as you learn the art of cooking outdoors. There’s an obvious appeal to an outdoor kitchen, where the smell of a grill makes the whole neighborhood smell exactly like the memory of the best summer ever. You’ll also have the social benefits, where suddenly your friends and neighbors might start hovering around you a bit more, hoping you might ask them to your next big outdoor party. With our cal flame grills, you’ll have access to a precision level of cooking that will continue to impress, long after the guests arrive.
There are many benefits to cooking on a grill, and flavor and health would have to be somewhere near the top. With the right techniques, cooking meats over an open grill can be much healthier than meats cooked indoors. There are also many possibilities that suddenly open when you add fruits and vegetables to your grilling repertoire. It opens up another door, where everything that can be cooked can likely be cooked on the grill, and eating grilled vegetables is of course a very healthy way to go.
The outdoor kitchen lifestyle changes the way you think about cooking and eating. For centuries, food has been a primary, and even primal, social activity, and making the delicious smells available to the neighborhood certainly puts you in the center of your back yard, and is a social statement on its own. Fresh air, the great outdoors, and a seasonable menu, where you’re cooking with the vegetables and fruits that are in season, are all splendid contributions to a healthier life. You’ll love the taste, and your friends and family will appreciate the changes, and relish your freshly-cooked experiments.
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Ports and Potatoes in Palma
We didn’t make it to our first port stop, Barcelona today. There was a barricade, due to the port strike, stopping our ship from coming into port. All the fishing boats were apparently on strike too. They were protesting the rising cost of fuel. All this really meant was that no one was coming or going from port. Our ship had to then take a detour to Palma de Mallorca, which was going to be our 2nd stop, but now it’s our first. This did kind of mess things up for people who had plans made in advance, like us, we were planning to get of the ship and stay at one of the 5 star hotels Palma offers and continue our vacation on land.
After we finished a quick breakfast on the lido deck and double checking we packed everything up from our States room, we made our way off the boat and onto land with out a hitch. We decided to walk to the nearby mall and jump on the local bus, which would take us to our hotel. We called the hotel when we found out about our plans being changed by the strike and telll told us not to worry, that they’ve been accomodating all kinds of people stranded from the strike and that a room would be ready for us. We were relieved, but at the same time, we wanted to get to the hotel quickly to make sure we really had accomodations waiting for us.
The hotel was very accomdating and made us feel like the strike was the best thing that could’ve happened to us. We were really relieved. After unpacking, we decided since we couldn’t spend our budgeted money on Barcelona, that we’d live it up in Palma instead. So we went shopping. We meandered along a steep cobblestone walkway and glanced into some colorful shops. One was selling soft knitted scarves and sweaters and hats with long delicate fabric base. We passed by a few cafes and bakeries, and only stopped in one to samples some of the best delightful pastries that melted in my mouth. My favorite was a bun made out of potato and then sprinkled with icing sugar. That’s the best way to eat a potato!
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Great Hottub Conversations
With a hottub as part of the identity that makes up your home, things do indeed begin to look brighter. Making the decision to invite the luxury, relaxation, and pure fun that hottubs offer into the place where you live, helps to make your home a place of retreat and refuge. You can look forward to the pleasures of the hot water on your tired muscles at the end of every day, and it never gets old. Hottubs offer all of these benefits, as well as the healthy side effects, such as deeper sleep, and better circulation. It’s not difficult ot argue the pluses of having your own hottub, and many of the joys get discovered as you get to know your hottub.
One of the great joys of having a hottub is the parties. You’ll probably experience a sudden surge in popularity, and neighbors you didn’t even know you had might stop you in the grocery store and start dropping hints that they would like to come over. It’s part of the appeal, being able to entertain your friends and family. There are many wonderful evenings to be had with a fantastic dinner and a soak in the hottub. It invites conversation even more than a dinner table, and a perfect way to spend times with the people you really care about. The art of conversation is something that could use some reinvention these days.
Having a pleasant conversation with your loved ones is something that might be a memory you can share for years and years. Really good conversations are sometimes hard to come by, but thankfully there does seem to be a learning curve. Once you’ve enjoyed a long and passionate discussion with friends, it’s quite easy to stay in the flow. My Dinner with Andre is one of the best films of all time, and it’s a dinner conversation. Conversation is really underestimated in our culture, and it can do many things. Besides deepening relationships, they help to relieve stress because you can articulate things that have been running through the back of your mind, and it’s also a wonderful thing to find out what is on your mind. This stress relief, combined with the natural stress relief of the hot tub, is a splendid combination.
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