I’ve just read the second opinion piece in a week about how we need to fix Mexico’s drug cartel problem. This latest screed suggests it would be perfectly ok for us to send in strike teams to take the cartels out. I have another idea:

How about we Americans stop using illegal drugs.

Thinking about the women and children killed last week in Mexico, my first reaction was not to blame Mexico; it was to blame an American society that has winked at drug use at parties; an American culture that makes using drugs a fixture in everything from movies to music.

Do people really think that we could send in troops to take out the drug lords and that all the violence would somehow disappear? The only thing that will stop the violence is to stop the flow of drugs and the only real way to do that is to dry up the market by either making them legal or stopping their use.

How would we Americans feel if Mexico sent strike teams into the U.S. to stop the illegal smuggling of weapons and bullets? Because, in case you don’t know, the guns and bullets used in Mexico are almost entirely U.S. made and smuggled over the border into Mexico.

Every time we condone drug use or turn a blind eye, we are the problem.

Every time we support a celebrity who normalizes drug use, we are the problem.

Every time we buy illegal marijuana because it’s cheaper than the legal stuff, we are the problem.

Stop the violence in Mexico? We have the solution and it’s not sending in troops.

Sunset last night from porch; sunrise down at the lake this morning.

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We spread mom’s birthday celebration over many days; that way she got to enjoy a lot of her favorites. Here she is at her last ‘official’ birthday dinner.

Here’s one of the most surprising things about the Las Vegas area: there is not a single upscale grocery store here! Given that this area has many times the population (3,000,000 compared to 300,000, this seems very strange to me.

Within 5 miles of my previous home in Palm Desert, we had Jensens, Bristol Farms, and Gelsons. None of those stores are here. The best we’ve found so far is a decent Smiths, which is part of the Kroger family. We do have Trader Joes and Whole Foods but they don’t match something like a Bristol Farms.

I first realized this when I went looking for a prime pre-marinated tri-tip roast; a staple from Jensens or Gelsons. Not to be found here. Ended up with one from Costco that was just ok.

Thought I might have better luck with prime flat iron steaks. Hah! Whole Foods didn’t have any and told me those steaks were no good anyway. I got much the same reaction at Costco. Fortunately, I have found an actual butcher shop that cuts them up once a week and whose proprietor agrees that flat iron steaks are just about the best thing you can grill.

I have no idea where I’m going to get really fine fresh fish. How can a town so known for its fine eating establishments have no place to buy fine food?

Here’s what my building looks like. Mom and I are in the 2nd floor unit. One unit to each floor, so only three per building. I like the 2nd floor best of the three: it’s bigger than the 1st floor and the balconies are covered rather than being open to the sun like the 3rd floor.

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As you can imagine, the Vegas area does not lack for shows and entertainment. I have been slow to take advantage of the opportunities, though. I kept remembering all the hassle involved going to concerts like Celine Dion’s. I think it took us longer to get a taxi afterwards than the concert lasted.

Also, I don’t like driving on the strip and finding my way in and out of some of the big hotel’s parking lots is a nightmare in itself. Worse yet, many of the hotels expect you to pay for the privilege! At least the MGM lets me park free; one advantage of a few years in the Navy.

When I saw an advertisement for the Smith Center in downtown Vegas, then, I was wary. It looked a lot like the lineup at the McCallum in Palm Desert, but I was sure it couldn’t be as good an experience. I was wrong.

The parking is free; they have lots of people directing you, and they have shuttles running between the parking lots and the venue. Getting out was easy, too. Admittedly it took me 30 minutes to get home, not the 5 it took in Palm Desert, but it was an easy 30 minutes.

The Smith Center has several venues. Mom and I first went to see a show of Vegas performers and composers in Reynolds Hall. Although it seats about 2000 people, it felt very intimate. We are going back this Saturday to hear the Las Vegas symphony play Danny Elfman compositions from the movies he’s scored.

The Center has another venue called Myron’s Cabaret Jazz. It only seats 240 people around tables where you can eat and drink. I went to hear Michelle Johnson do a cover of Carol King’s Tapestry album. I had a wonderful time and plan on going back for more shows.

I’ve been told that during the winter, we ‘locals’ can find some really good deals for shows. Instead of my usual cruise, I think I will be doing a ‘staycation’ and discovering more about my new town.

I’ve now been here in Henderson about seven months and am still searching for “go to” restaurants to replace my Palm Desert favorites. It’s a tough thing having to try out all these different dining venues!

We do have a terrific Greek restaurant: The Greek Bistro. The gyros are marvelous, they have pistichio on the menu, and they have a fabulous desert called namoorah. But my favorite, so far, is Shrimp a la Greek: shrimp cooked in garlic sauce over Spanish rice with almonds and raisins. It’s also good with falafel in place of the shrimp.

Still haven’t found any place with pancakes as good as The Palms, but mom and I are both willing to keep trying. We have had much better luck with replacing The Palms chocolate chip waffle. We found a little place called Coo-Coos that makes the best waffle I’ve ever had.

It is surprisingly hard to find a breakfast place here that has muffins or cinnamon rolls or the like. I usually like to support local places rather than chains, but went to Mimi’s this morning to try their pastries; best we’ve had so far. We’ll have to try their French toast yet as we still haven’t found any place to match Don and Sweet Sue’s.

Also still looking for a non-chain restaurant that serves an Impossible Burger. Went to Red Robin for one the other day, but it didn’t hold a candle to the one at Paradise Cove.

We do have several really good lunch and dinner restaurants right here in the Village. It’s fun to take the golf cart down and pull up to the front door. We have French, American, Mexican, and Italian gelato among others.

Haven’t tried much in Vegas itself. Did go to Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill; outstanding! From the margarita to the appetizers to the New Mexican Spice Rubbed Pork Tenderloin, everything was absolutely perfect. I’d go back anytime.

Here are a few pictures of Brindy. She’s doing very well. We put a doggie door in one of the sliders to the front patio and she goes in and out dozens of times a day.

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Here are a few pics of the new house. After six months, mom and I are almost finished settling in.

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