They Gamble in Vegas...Don't They?

Another two days, another quick jaunt to that desert oasis known as Las Vegas! As many times as Lenny and I go there a year, I think we can call ourselves “semi-local” now! Seriously, when we can direct an out of town couple to the nearest grocery store – we’ve been there a couple times or ten.

As the desert landscape tripped on by, Lenny and I ran through our itinerary. In general, we pick a couple things a piece that we really want to do. In general, we try to keep things lax. If we get to it, we get to it. If we don’t, there’s always two or three months from now!

Normally a trip like this involves a few standards: Good food, some attractions, and gambling. But for whatever reason this time around – I wanted to do this trip WITHOUT GAMBLING.

Okay, okay. You can pick yourself up off the floor now. You read that right! When I stood at the gas pump Sunday morning trying to determine how much cash I should withdraw from the ATM before hitting the road, I paused. I really didn’t feel like gambling. I didn’t want to worry about the money I was losing or winning. I just wanted to go and have some fun! So, MGF Faithful…yours truly went to Las Vegas with her debit card, a credit card, and $8 in cash inside my purse. Who needs gambling?

So exactly what did I do with the money that would have been lost on the craps table? I’m glad you wondered too!

I Bought Stuff:

It started last Christmas. I wanted to buy my parents Christmas presents that I knew they wouldn’t buy for themselves and were a bit frivolous. Heck – they raised five kids – don’t they deserve something a little fun? I walked into the Coach store in Scottsdale and bought them their tasteful, useful, and slightly lavish presents. But after I handed my Mom her signature wristlet, I kind of got the hankering for one myself.

THANK GOD for the Coach Outlet at Las Vegas Premium Outlet. I walked in there in January and found…I’m still the simple and thrifty San Diego girl that I was brought up to be. While I loved most things Coach, I wasn’t ready to part with the $200 to buy the purse I wanted. The ever alert Lenny did however find me a leather sunglasses case (In purple – HOW COOL IS THAT?) that I justified the $30 expense. Then in May, during our MGF Vegas Vacation, I dragged Elusive Orchid in there and mustered up the courage to move up to the same wristlet I bought for my Mom.

After those couple of baby steps (and checking the old bank account), I thought I was finally ready to take the plunge. It was cute. It was leather. It was black. It was everything I could hope for. I set it back down when I took a look at the price. Oh well, maybe next time I’ll take the plunge for the full fledged Coach purse. Until then, I will definitely find solace in my new all-leather, hand-stitched, frame purse that I found at a great steal fighting the massive hoards this time around.

And the accessories obsession didn’t stop there! There’s always my favorite place to “feel rich” but not “spend rich” shopping venue Mandalay Place. Created as the walkway between The Luxor Hotel and The Mandalay Bay, Mandalay Place is a collection of cool, unique, and funky stores. I always seem to find something there! As a plus-sized gal, that’s not an easy thing to do especially in a city that specializes in beautiful people.

But Mandalay Place never fails to disappoint. This time around it was a funky pair of shoes and a very kick ass necklace that were found at the youth oriented chain, Urban Outfitters. I know, I know…I can find an Urban Outfitters ANYWHERE. In fact, there’s one less than five miles from my home here in Arizona. But – I never really find anything I like there. But somehow…Vegas makes it allllllllll better.

I Ate…A Lot:

Figuring that Lenny was putting up with a great deal of shopping – more shopping than any husband really should be put through – I had to feed him. Thank goodness both Las Vegas Premium Outlet and Mandalay Place have two places that have both become regulars on “The White Family Does Vegas…AGAIN” tour.

At first glance, one would grimace at the thought of All-You-Can-Eat sushi. How good can it be if it’s just being mass produced? And it’s $16 per person?! It’s a disaster waiting to happen, right? Yeah, that’s exactly what Lenny and I thought last January when we found Makino. One of the anchor retailers at the LVPO, Makino does brisk business everyday of the week. More importantly, it garners a very huge Asian following. That was enough to secure Lenny’s vote to try it. We figure if the people who eat/make this food all the time aren’t afraid to eat there…why should we?

The basics are as follows: It’s a buffet. You have you traditional entrée food items such as rice, chow mein, Korean beef, teriyaki chicken, etc. You also have a fabulous dessert section which includes the every popular chocolate fondue fountain (YUMMY!) as well as a variety of light and tasty sweets. But clearly, the star of the production is the sushi buffet. There’s easily more than a dozen versions of sushi, though mainly the nigiri and maki types. But let me tell you…seeing all that sushi just makes you want to try everything! So far, I’ve only gotten through half of the stuff in three visits. Eventually, I think I’ll make it to eel. Maybe. But until then, I’ll be stuffing myself with octopus, tuna, and salmon.

Not in the mood for seafood? Luckily, there are places like The Burger Bar. If you enjoy your cow on a bun – this is the place to eat it at. The brainchild of Chef Hubert Keller (of San Francisco’s Fleur de Lys fame), this restaurant isn’t satisfied with the same old beef hitting the grill. Oh no…at The Burger Bar, they make you say, “Why stop at beef? What else can I make into a burger?”

Taking a little from the buffet ideal, you start with you choice of meet. This being Las Vegas, you get to choose from the best free-range, organic beef out there (Ridgefield, American Kobe, and Black Angus varieties), but you can also get a burger made from Colorado lamb, Shelton Turkey, or even a steak of King Salmon. Once you’ve got the filling out of the way, choose your bread. Then top it. And this is where it gets most interesting. Where else on earth can I get a burger that could possibly be topped with half a lobster, green asparagus, and Monterey jack cheese?

Nowhere but Vegas, I tell you! But if you really want to go for the gusto at The Burger Bar…check out the $60 Rossini Burger on the website. Has to be seen to be believed.

So…what else did I do with my gambling money? Wouldn’t you like to know? Tomorrow: Rolling with Vegas Old School Style. And who knows? Maybe Blogger will stop being stupid and I’ll actually get to post the pictures I wanted to post tonight! One can only hope! - Lily