Wednesday, March 26, 2008

My Lazy Dogs

Ajax and Bo love to sleep in their kennels while I'm in my office working. I guess they have to sleep a lot to get the energy to be as hyper as they are.
Now that the weather is warm, I like to leave the sliding glass door open, and they go outside to lay in the sun.
Bo of course has to lay in the dirt so that she can get extra baths.

Tuesday, March 25, 2008

I Really Love Flowers

Val sent me a beautiful bouquet of purple roses to thank me for my efforts on a very taxing project that we just wrapped up after several years of work. I love working with Val, so it was my pleasure to collaborate with her, but I am always thrilled to receive flowers. This bouquet absolutely made my day!

Monday, March 24, 2008

Exploring with the Brits

After three days on the Strip, I was sure Jan, Maurice, and Ann were ready for a change of scenery, so I took them up to Mt. Charleston for breakfast at the Mt. Charleston Lodge. This was a risky proposition as it was Easter, and the last time I attempted to eat here on a holiday, it took two hours just to order. Fortunately, we arrived at 9am and there were many empty tables. They had a fixed price menu with four choices, and we each ordered a different plate. Breakfast was fast and the view was amazing. It was a perfect day and not too cold despite there being snow on the ground. My guests couldn't believe that a place with so many trees could be so close to Las Vegas. Ann remarked as she was getting out of the car, "It's so quiet here!"
After breakfast, I drove to Red Rock for a complete juxtaposition of scenery. The group loved the color of the rocks and the stunning mountains. We went through the visitor's center, took some pictures, and drove around the scenic loop. They remarked that they could understand why I love living here, and they had smiles on their faces all day! This "eat at Mt. Charleston then tour Red Rock" itinerary is one that I will have to do for all guests that come to town.

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Dining out with the Brits

My British friends, Jan and Maurice, along with Maurice's cousin Ann, are in town for a week. Jan and Maurice are part of the British crowd in Florida but we usually only overlap one or two days a year, so it's been great having them in town to spend an extended time with. On Thursday, the four of us had dinner at Rick Moonen's RM Seafood in Mandalay Bay. I had the Everything Crusted Tuna, which was perfectly rare and encrusted in black and white sesame seeds. It was irritating that they wouldn't let me swap out the rice that it came with for anything other than a starch, so I ordered a side of sautéed spinach, which had the perfect amount of thinly sliced garlic. The restaurant has a higher-end upstairs section, but we ate downstairs, where I thought the menu was slightly overpriced for the rowdy college basketball atmosphere. But, the food was delicious.

On Friday, we wanted a nice meal out for the four of us plus Brad, so we went to Canaletto at the Venetian. This is an Italian restaurant overlooking St. Mark's Square in the Grand Canal Shoppes. The prices were very reasonable and the food was delicious. I had beef tenderloin with polenta, sautéed spinach, Gorgonzola sauce, and crispy fried leeks, accompanied by a great Chianti. For dessert I had tiramisu, of course. Aside from being next to the open kitchen, which was a bit loud, it was a great meal in a great atmosphere.