Tuples and Attributes

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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I don’t do social media like Facebook, Instagram, etc. A blog, then, seemed to be the best way to let people know what’s going on.

I’m also going to occasionally comment on whatever is on my mind. You’ve been warned.

As some of you know, one of mom’s traditional birthday deserts is the “Messy Sundae” from Sammy’s. Here she is enjoying one while celebrating her 95th birthday.