Posts Tagged ‘Nevada’

This Gal’s still in Lake Tahoe, loving the amazing blue-sky days here in the Sierra Nevada. Yesterday’s activity, as part of the SATW Western Chapter meeting: skiing Heavenly. (I know, rough assignment, right?)

The Lake Tahoe Visitor’s Authority could not have ordered up a more beautiful day. Truly, we couldn’t see a cloud in the sky when about a dozen SATW members started our ski day at the base of the Heavenly gondola in Heavenly Village, dominated by a Marriott Grand Vacation Club, shops and restaurants (including the super cool Stateline Brewery).

Representatives from Heavenly spent the day guiding us on the slopes of this massive resort that sprawls across two states and 4,800 acres. I have to give huge props to Troy Gier, an incredibly patient ski instructor and all-around awesome guy who was my group’s guide for the day. He’s passionate about skiing and Heavenly, and his enthusiasm for the sport and the slopes was contagious.

Brilliant blue Lake Tahoe — surrounded by white mountain peaks — from 10,000 feet is an unparalleled view. I snapped a dozen photos of the phenomenal scenery today, but my favorite came from my Blackberry (as if you needed a sign to tell you this was a scenic viewpoint):

This week I’m having a fine time on the South Shore of Lake Tahoe, which straddles the Nevada-California border in the Sierra Nevada mountain range. I’m attending my first Society of American Travel Writers (SATW) Western Chapter meeting, and it’s been a great introduction to the organization, with networking and professional development, as well as plenty of activities that highlight this gorgeous area of the country (one I hadn’t seen before). My personalized events today centered around snowshoeing, snacks & a spa treatment. That’s my kind of ideal day!

With my private tour guide, Jennifer Boyd of Weidinger Public Relations (a peach!), I traipsed around the snowshoe trails at Camp Richardson, a historic, lakeside resort. Here, visitors can rent cross-country skis and snowshoes at the Mountain Sports Center to explore the 35 kilometers of trails on the property.

Jen and I checked out the neighboring Tallac Historic Site; maintained by the U.S. Forest Service, it’s the site of the former estates of three very wealthy families who descended upon the lake every summer to escape bustling San Francisco around the turn of the century. The restored buildings — from grand homes and big ol’ barns to  gardeners’ quarters and the tutor’s house — are open in the summer to visitors and are decorated with period furniture. But even in the wintertime, boarded up and buried in snow, the buildings evoke a romantic, opulent era — I could easily envision women in Victorian dresses, and later Great Gatsby-esque flapper dresses, enjoying tea in the wooden gazebo or playing croquet on the lawn.

We also skirted the lake on snowshoes, taking in the absolutely incredible view of Lake Tahoe. Surrounded by snow-covered peaks that rise from the water, the lake is so clear by the shore — reflecting the sandy bottom, it appears tan — but blends into a bright royal blue and then deep midnight blue as it increases in depth. Truly stunning!

After about an hour and a half of post-holing through deep snow and walking along packed trails, we met up with our group of SATW cross-country skiers for appetizers and beer at the Beacon Bar & Grill, also part of the Camp Richardson resort and an amazing venue for enjoying lovely views of the lake.  In the summer, I’m told, it’s packed with locals and visitors especially when bands play on the patio. The restaurant offers a great mix of beers on tap — plus its locally famous Rum Runner — and a family-friendly menu. After working up an appetite, we devoured plates of steamed clams in savory broth, tortilla chips with spinach and artichoke dip, meaty calamari (right) and cheesy garlic bread with vodka marinara sauce — all washed down with microbrewed beers, including yummy Back Country Blonde from the local Mt. Tallac Brewing Company.

As if vigorous outdoor exercise and good beer weren’t wonderful enough, I topped off my afternoon with a half-hour massage and a steam at the MontBleu Resort Casino & Spa. With a nondescript exterior and massive, old-time, individually lettered sign (circa 1970 Vegas), the MontBleu doesn’t exude hipness from the outside, but its Onsen Spa is all about tranquility and sophistication. Removed from the blinking lights and dinging slot machines at the hotel casino, the Zen-like spa with Asian decor, trickling stone fountains, and muted grey and beige accents soothe the soul. Heated massage tables, a women’s steam room, sauna and Jacuzzi (with ice-cold towels on hand), plus two women-only relaxation areas, are appreciated amenities at this upscale hotel spa.

Great food, outdoor adventures, pampering relaxation — three ingredients for my perfect afternoon at Lake Tahoe’s South Shore.

Disclosure: I paid a fee to attend the SATW conference, but most outfitters and restaurants provided complimentary activities and meals to travel-writer participants.

About eight years ago, before my son was born and when my daughter was a toddler, my husband and I escaped to Las Vegas for a romantic weekend getaway. With no concrete plans in mind, we did a lot of exploring of the mega-resorts on the Strip and wandering into restaurants we thought looked pretty good. While strolling the indoor, entertaining “streetmosphere” environment of  the Grand Canal Shoppes at The Venetian, we happened upon the Mexican restaurant Taqueria Cañonita. My husband, Quent, ordered the Zácatesas Chile Relleno and pronounced it the best chile relleno in Las Vegas. Nope, scratch that. He said it was the best chile relleno he’d ever had.

Chile relleno, jicama salad and roasted vegetables at Taqueria Cañonita.

Now this isn’t your typical chile relleno. Rather, ingredients such as goat cheese, dried fruits and almonds combine for a savory-sweet flavor. I agreed with Quent: the gourmet twist was unexpected and good — however, the accompanying guajillo (chile) sauce was a bit too spicy for my tastes.

But my husband loved it. And couldn’t stop talking about it even weeks after our Vegas trip. We tried to replicate the dish at home with our own grocery-store poblano peppers, dried cherries and goat cheese, to no avail (in fact, it was an epic fail). I even went so far as to email The Venetian to try to get a restaurant recipe, but never got a response back.

I eventually forgot about the chile relleno, but I guess my husband didn’t.

Flash forward to last spring, when we returned to Vegas, again sans kids. With an entire weekend to play, my husband suggested seeking out the Mexican restaurant with the famed chile relleno. Sure! Why not! We scoured the Las Vegas dining guides and could not find one Mexican restaurant in The Venetian. Must be closed, we figured, and settled for a Friday night meal at a Mexican restaurant at Treasure Island (which was good, but not outta this world; and it sure didn’t have the goat-cheese chile relleno on the menu).

No, we're not outside. The ceiling is painted and illuminated in the Grand Canal Shoppes to look like "real sky."

It wasn’t until Sunday late morning, the day we were returning home, when we were walking down the Strip and passing the outdoor “canals” and gondolas in front of The Venetian that it hit me — we were looking up Mexican restaurants in the wrong place! The restaurant wasn’t in the hotel proper, but the adjacent shopping plaza! (It was one of those definite Homer Simpson “d’oh!” moments.) We walked into the building, found the Grand Canal Shoppes, and sure enough, the restaurant was still there — with the dang chile relleno still on the menu. But we were stuffed with sausage and eggs from our morning buffet meal; it made no sense to eat again before our plane took off.

Flash forward again to two weeks ago, New Year’s Day, when we were driving home from my mom’s house in California — through Las Vegas. The kids were hungry as we neared the California-Vegas border, and wanted to stop to eat lunch, but I insisted: “We need to get Daddy his chile relleno.”

Nope, we couldn’t stop at some random eatery just off the interstate. We had to pull off, negotiate ridiculous traffic and crowds of people on the Strip sidewalks to go to Taqueria Cañonita. (Quent was frankly more ambivalent about it — “We don’t have to go,” he said. But I was all about the successful hunt, chase and satisfaction of getting him the yummy meal he’d had eight years prior. Plus, the man was about to drive 10 more hours to our Colorado home. He needed a sated belly.)

Anticipating the first bite of the spicy chile relleno...

So we parked in a crowded hotel parking garage, negotiated plenty of hungover folks in the shopping plaza, and settled into a table next to the faux canals (complete with real gondolas and singing gondoliers) in Taqueria Cañonita. The kids devoured chicken-and-cheese quesadillas, I enjoyed my chicken enchiladas and Quent ordered his beloved chile relleno.

I asked how it was, and he replied, “Good. Really good. But not as good as the first time.”

D’oh!

I suppose I wasn’t surprised. Oftentimes your first taste of anything — the first time you see the Eiffel Tower, the first time you jump out of a plane, the first time you kiss the love of your life — is the best. Still, we sure had fun giggling about the quest for the chile relleno, I liked showing my kids the crazy man-made canals, and we talked about how we’d like to travel as a family to Italy someday.

I suppose the next time we go to Vegas we don’t have to worry about returning to Taqueria Cañonita. But I’d highly recommend to anyone else to try the chile relleno for yourself!

On my most recent trip to Las Vegas, I found myself saying to my husband more than once, “Oh, the kids would have liked this!” That’s because we happened to take in a handful of family-friendly attractions while we were there — without our children!  I’m not a big proponent of vacationing with kids in Las Vegas; do you really want to explain the why people are handing out “XXX Girls!” cards on the street? But if you’re road-tripping through Sin City with kids in tow, or if you’re attending a Vegas convention and want to bring the whole family along, here are some of the top activities and attractions in Las Vegas for school-age children:

Cirque du Soleil: If you have a child age eight and up who is involved in theatre, dance or gymnastics, I’d bite the bullet and spend the big bucks ($100 or more) to take him or her to a Cirque du Soleil performance. While I sat mesmerized during The Beatles LOVE (at the Mirage), I couldn’t help but think of my nine-year-old daughter, who would have absolutely appreciated all of the special effects, the music and especially the excellent hip-hop dancing and incredible acrobatics. Just make sure you book tickets for the earlier evening shows (around 7 or 7:30 p.m.) ; and avoid the R-rated, sexy Zumanity. (Mystere and O are other shows I can personally recommend. The music and sound effects can be loud; best to leave kids with sensitive ears at home.)

Shark Reef Aquarium at Mandalay Bay: Compare the Shark Reef exhibit to, say, the New England Aquarium, and you’ll be disappointed. But, consider that this attraction is just one section of the (albeit massive) Mandalay Bay resort property, and it’s rather impressive. About 2,000 creatures in 1.6 million gallons of seawater make their home here, including piranahs, jellyfish, rays, sea turtles, Komodo Dragons, and, naturally, sharks. I like the audio tour (see photo) that’s included with admission; at each exhibit, touch a button to learn more about the animal — no reading required. Another plus: the aquarium emphasizes conservation of earth’s natural resources; signs (reading required) teach about environmental education. Admission is $16.95 for adults; ages 5 to 12, $10.95.

BODIES…The Exhibition at the Luxor: This human anatomy exhibit is fascinating. See real firsthand the inner workings of human bodies that have been polymer preserved — with exhibits detailing the respiratory, circulatory and muscular systems. Cool stuff! I saw several tween-age children here, and none were pointing and giggling at the, er, private parts on display. An option audio tour offers fascinating educational information in vocabulary that’s toned down and appropriate for kids (hubby and I actually liked listening to the kids’ less-technical version better). Choose whether or not you want to walk through the preserved fetuses; this section is totally optional (but, to me, one of the most interesting exhibits). Also see a set of smokers’ lungs; if that won’t encourage you to quit, I don’t know what will. Adult admission is $31; children ages 4 to 12 is $23. (Though, I likely wouldn’t recommend to kids under age seven.)

Titanic, The Artifact Exhibition at the Luxor: My seven-year-old son became fascinated by the ill-fated ship after reading Tonight on the Titanic from the Magic Tree House series of books. He was thoroughly bummed he missed out on this exhibit of actual items retrieved from the depths of the Atlantic Ocean. Staterooms and hallways are re-created at this Luxor attraction, and we entered a room kept at frigid temperatures so that we could touch a giant “iceberg.” We read of actual passengers’ stories on the Titanic — sad tales of families who were planning on making new lives in America, but never made it, and we looked at hundreds of artifacts, such as dishware, passengers’ clothing and luggage, and one 15-ton piece of the ship’s starboard hull. I think this is an excellent way for kids to learn about a tragic event in world history — seeing these artifacts up close is much more interactive than reading of the disaster in history books. Admission is $27 for adults; $20 for children.

My husband and I are huge fans of the Cirque du Soleil shows in Las Vegas. Nearly 10 years ago on a trip to Sin City, we bought tickets for Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere (at Treasure Island), not really sure what we were dropping a couple hundred bucks on. We were blown away by the evocative music, the incredible acrobatics and the innovative storytelling. So much so, the next day we scooped up  tickets for another Cirque du Soleil show – “O” (at the Bellagio). It too, blew us out of the water (pun intended; the water-themed show takes place in an on-stage pool).

A subsequent weekend in Vegas brought Zumanity (at New York-New York), an “R-rated” show for grown-up eyes only. Somehow, in buying last-minute tickets, we ended up in the front row (red velvet love seats!) for this erotic-themed performance, and I wound up on stage! I forget (or I’ve blocked out) the exact reasoning for my being pulled up there, but I do remember wearing some sort of Puritan-style, colonial bonnet and an old-fashioned chastity belt. Needless to say, I got a free drink for being a good sport!

Last month, hubby and I caught our fourth Cirque du Soleil show: The Beatles’ LOVE at the Mirage. Like other Cirque shows, this one combined phenomenal acrobatics, upbeat dance, and entertaining characters — complemented by  lights, confetti and many, many other special effects. More than two dozen Beatles’ songs accompany all of the aerial performances and athleticism to create an incredibly fast-paced show.

You certainly don’t have to be a Beatles fan to appreciate LOVE, though if you were around during Beatlemania or know all the words to favorite songs, I think it’s an absolute must-see. During some of the hip-hop dancing scenes, I thought about my nine-year-old daughter who would have loved to have seen the show (it’s definitely appropriate for school-age kids; no R-rated scenes here). Really, the show is for all ages — for anyone who appreciates quality, multi-media entertainment.

My favorite scene was probably during the song, “Help!” where four rollerbladers took to 11-foot-high ramps in an amazing sequence of turns, jumps and twists. I also liked “Revolution/Back in the USSR,” where hippy-type characters evaded the cops by jumping and flipping to crazy heights on trampolines. During “Within You/Without You,” the entire theatre is enveloped in a humongous, billowing bed sheet. In the last scene, giant photos of each of the Beatles appear, and the audience can’t help but sing along to “All You Need is Love.”

Learn more about The Beatles LOVE at the official Cirque du Soleil website.

I don’t book a hotel room without first consulting the firsthand reviews and rankings on TripAdvisor.com. (I also do a search on Uptake.com, where I blog about hotels, for still more reviews from other sites.) I take all hotel reviews with a grain of salt — there’s always someone who wants to complain about the hard beds or a surly front-desk staffer. But on the whole, I can get a great feel from a place with user-generated reviews. Two top hotels I stayed at in Las Vegas earlier this month were among the best of the best, ranked #2 and #4 out of all the hotels in Vegas — plus, they were named big winners in the TripAdvisor.com 2009 Travelers Choice Awards: The Signature at MGM Grand and the Four Seasons.

The Signature at MGM Grand

This property is ranked second by TripAdvisor.com users out of all 292 Vegas properties. Plus, it was named a top hotel for romance in the United States (ranked #7 out of 10) in the TripAdvisor.com Travelers Choice Awards. This is a huge feat for a relatively new hotel that opened its first tower just three years ago. But, frankly, I’m not that surprised. It’s fabulous.

The Signature is a non-gaming, non-smoking hotel comprised of three towers about a 15-minute walk from the Strip, behind its sister property the massive MGM Grand. Set far from the action of the MGM’s casino, nightclubs and busy restaurants, The Signature caters to a crowd that appreciates quiet sophistication.

The Signature hosted me and my husband in a junior suite in Tower 2; our spacious room overlooked the pool area and the Strip. While we didn’t use the kitchenette in our suite, I think it’s great for longer stays and storing snacks in the mini fridge or preparing simple meals with the cooktop stove and microwave (dishes, glasses, cooking utensils included).

We found the beds comfy, the on-site Delights deli yummy, and the pool relaxing (as opposed to the super-crowded and loud MGM Grand pool). Yes, it’s a hike to the Strip — at least 15 minutes and more than a half-mile — but when you’re in Vegas you tend to walk a lot anyway. We didn’t gamble once on this weekend getaway, so we didn’t miss the casino at all.

I highly recommend the Signature for couples — it feels romantic and sophisticated because it doesn’t have that crazy party atmosphere that the mega resorts do. I also saw just one family with young children in my tower during my two-night stay (though the one-bedroom units, with full kitchen, would be fabulous for families). It’s also a nice place for girlfriend getaways; each suite type has a pull-out sofabed, so if friends don’t mind bunking together, you could fit four adults in a room easily.

TripAdvisor.com says average nightly rates are $200, but I see prices starting at $129/night at The Signature website.

Four Seasons Las Vegas

The Four Seasons Las Vegas was named in the TripAdvisor.com Travlers Choice Awards as the fourth-best hotel in the United States in terms of luxury. It also got the top-ranking hotel in Las Vegas as part of the “Best in the Top 25 World Cities” category.

TripAdvisor.com actually hosted my night’s stay to this top hotel to see if all the fuss is legit. On many levels, I’d have to say, “Absolutely.” Like all Four Seasons properties, this one exudes elegance and sophistication. Service (for the most part; more on that later) is very attentive.

The Vegas property is actually on the top 4 foors of the Mandalay Bay. The lobby and check-in process are totally separate from the Manadaly Bay (which is more like a cattle-herding process, with more than a dozen front-desk staffers). So from the moment you step into the Four Seasons and the door is held open for you by a smiling bellman, you feel special.

Our Executive Suite (upgraded from the standard room that was booked) featured a separate living room and bedroom with large bathroom. I loved the generous portions of spa toiletries (Bulgari; yes I took some home) and the separate shower with Jacuzzi tub.

Guests at the Four Seasons enjoy use of the private Four Seasons pool (packed by 10 a.m.; we couldn’t find an empty chair) or the monstrosity that is the Mandalay Bay pool area, with lazy river, wave pool and sandy beach (where guests are packed in like sardines and whose average age is likely 22). The entire pool and nearby full-service spa area smelled heavenly, like eucalyptus. That was a small touch, but one I fully appreciated. The fitness center is filled with cardio machines, strength training equipment and free weights.

We didn’t eat on site, even though our package included 20 percent off at the Verandah restaurant (still too expensive for our pocketbook); buffet brunch cost $35 for adults ($16 for children, who would adore the decorate-your-own freshly made donuts station).

I suppose my only complaint about the Four Seasons is this: When we left the Four Seasons to transfer to The Signature, the bellman handed us our luggage and asked if we needed transportation. “Nope,” we said, “We’re taking the  bus.” He made a digusted face and said, “Reeeeeaaaallly?” — like we were absolute idiots to pay a few bucks for a bus ride instead of paying closer to $15 to get us up the street in relative luxury in a taxi. No, we didn’t save that much money, but we’d bought the 3-day bus passes and wanted to use them. No big deal to us, but the snotty attitude of the bellman put a damper on our last few moments at the Four Seasons.

Here’s a funny: I’m now reading on the Four Seasons Las Vegas website that the property offers “house car service,” which delivers passengers to where they need to go within a 3-mile radius. The Signature at MGM might have made it within that distance limit; but we weren’t offered any complimentary ride. Just attitude.

TripAdvisor.com says rates at the Four Seasons average $398/night, but we had a package that starts at $279/night (standard room), and includes the 20 percent off restaurant coupon, $25 off a spa treatment and general $50 resort credit that can be applied to any room charges or even the nightly room-rate fees — not a bad deal for one of the best hotels in Las Vegas.

When I was a kid, long before my first trip to Las Vegas, I heard about the cheap buffets and 99-cent shrimp cocktail Vegas offered. But years later my first trip there was a sore disappointment. Not only did I lose a few bucks, but the buffets were pricey and I didn’t see any 99-cent shrimp cocktail. (Hey when you’re in your early twenties a dollar is a dollar.) It ends up, I was just in the wrong areas.

Today, I can’t even guess how many times I’ve been to Las Vegas. Between road trips, vacations, weddings, girlfriend getaways, visits to see family (my husband’s), and of course overnights with the airline I worked for, it’s well over 50.

After a little research on the ‘net recently I did find that the “cheap eats” are still in Vegas, you just have to know where to look.

The Super 8 Motel Ellis Island casino (located on Koval near East Flamingo) has a 10 oz steak, baked potato, vegetable, bread and get this — a microbrew (or an EO rootbeer) of you choice all for $7. It’s served 24 hours a day, but it’s not on the menu, so just ask. Think I’m kidding? I’m not.

Terrible Herbst Hotel and Casino (located on Paradise and Flamingo) has a cheap buffet, last I heard it was $5 for the breakfast buffet and $9 for the dinner buffet and on Sunday evenings the main course is prime rib and shrimp ($15). I stayed here many nights while serving peanuts and Cokes as a flight attendant. The multi-flavored fries (jalapeno, garlic, and cajun) in the bar on the main casino floor are pretty good for a late night fried-treat with a pint and the breakfast crepes were quite tasty.

Sadly, it looks like Chapter 11 for Terrible Herbst. Yikes! So get give ‘em some support and throw a few nickels and quarters in the slots while you’re there.

I know you’re wondering, “what about the shrimp?” The famous 99-cent shrimp cocktail is still in existence at the Golden Gate Casino downtown on Fremont Street or you can go big with the “Big Shrimp” for $2.99.

And yes, free drinks are normally offered to gambling patrons. To keep the cocktail waitress coming your way always tip at least $1-3 a drink if you tip more you are guaranteed to never go empty.

Now, go throw the money you just saved into the slot machines, just don’t let the money you brought to Vegas stay in Vegas.