Las Vegas Pt. 1

As I stepped through the gateway into Sin City, I received an instant shock. I'd had an extremely vivid vision of Las Vegas: a vision based on the glorified depictions of Vegas from Casino and Ocean’s Eleven and then embellished upon by my own imagination. However, when I stepped off my flight at 4:00 in the afternoon, the only bright lights greeting me were the ones illuminating the Popeye’s chicken restaurant across from my gate. The buzzing casino floor I’d expected to be greeted with was in reality just a sad, dusky corner filled with old slot machines and grim-faced attendants.

My girlfriend had arrived more than two hours before me on a separate flight, and had been waiting out the time difference in this shabby disappointment of an airport. I was amazed at her patience, for the moment I found her I was extremely eager to get out of there and go see the real Vegas.

This is the chronicle of the only out-of-state vacation I’ve ever been on without “supervision”. We were in Las Vegas to celebrate the 21st birthday of my good friend, Trea, as well as mine and my girlfriend, Veronica’s, both of which took place in June. All of my closest friends were able to scrape money together for airfare, and now that I was arriving there were seven of us in the Sin City.

To my dismay, our shuttle ride to the hotel didn’t take us through the strip, but to downtown Las Vegas, where we made stops at the Golden Nugget and Circus Circus hotels before heading to our hotel, the Stratosphere, which is situated at the very end of the strip. What I could see of downtown Vegas from the shuttle windows provided me with no sense of awe. 

I remember holding my breath as if it would help me save my first impression of this city for something worthwhile. Unfortunately I think the Circus Circus sign, a pink and white clown the size of a water tower, left an impression that was too large to ignore. (At night-time, when the tent-shaped casino and gargantuan clown are lit up, they look far less tacky.) If you’re visiting the Sin City for the first time, I suggest that you book a late flight in. There’s really nothing to see in Vegas before the lights come on.

We eventually made it to the Stratosphere, where most of my expectations were finally met. The main floor of the casino was gigantic, offering endless possibilities for me to lose my money. The main pit branched out into wing after wing of mesmerizing slot machines, each one with its own unique theme so that they would attract every type of wary gambler (my favorite of which was a Breakfast at Tiffany’s slot game.

Walking into a casino for the first time was a bit overwhelming, the vastness of the place and the multitude of people instantly made me aware of how small I was.  Neither of us “felt lucky,” so we decided to grab a drink from the casino bar and tour the hotel while we tried to get in touch with our party. Every drink on the menu had some filthy or at least slightly embarrassing name, so through gritted teeth I asked the bartender for an “Absolutly Horny,” which turned out to be a delicious blend of Absolut Vodka, Crown Royal, and fruit juices and liquors.

Absolutly Horny Cocktail
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2 oz. banana liquor
2 oz. Absolut vodka
2 oz. Crown Royal canadian whiskey
2 oz. peach schnapps
3 oz. pineapple juice
3 oz. cranberry juice

Simply mix over ice and stir. Enjoy!
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It was by far the best cocktail that I had during my stay, or at least the one that I have the clearest memory of! I’ve always been a big fan of the Water Moccasin, and this was like that drink’s pretty cousin. You should try it at home. (Enjoy responsibly!)

Twenty floors up, we found the rooms that we’d be sharing with the rest of our party (thanks to a trick that my girlfriend Veronica taught me to keep the elevators from stopping for passengers on the way up we saved several precious minutes throughout the weekend.) When we got into our room and I drew the curtains to find the whole Vegas strip in front of me, brightly lit and buzzing with activity, I could finally feel my excitement mounting, and I was ready to wreak havoc on the town.

Trea, who was long ago dubbed and from this point will be referred to as “Beezy,” was set to turn 21 at midnight, so we respectfully decided to wait until 11:30 to leave the hotel that night. In the meantime, he directed us to the Tower Pizzeria, where we enjoyed some of the best food that the Stratosphere has to offer. I ordered the Quattro Formaggio: a delectable four cheese pizza that was set off by a generous drizzle of ricotta.

Amidst the great food, good company, and the buzzing energy of the casino, it didn’t take long for midnight to come around. The men donned their best “clubbing” attire while the ladies strapped into their high heels (a decision that most of them would come to regret).

Everybody other than myself seemed to be taking the idea of nightclub dress codes very seriously, and they were giving me flak for my lack of concern. I found it downright silly when one of my friends, Andrew, walked into our room with his slicked back hair and silk vest, looking as though he’d been invited to a party at Hefner’s Grotto.

“Dude. Those are the shoes you’re wearing?” he asked, looking at my Sperry loafers, the paramount of comfort. He, on the other hand was going to wear his wooden-soled dress shoes. I figured that at least it was clear who would be doing more boogying that night.

I apologize for this little rant about fashion, and i’ll leave it at this: Vegas is in the desert, and the strip is long; if you’re going to walk the strip or take the bus, I suggest making the dress code work for you. Nobody in that town cares what you’re wearing at three in the morning, so you may as well be comfortable while you party. I certainly didn’t regret being the only guy in our group that wore a short sleeve shirt (at least my shirt stayed on the whole night.)

After leaving the hotel, that first night just became a blur of bright lights and mind-rattling bass. We all bought V-Cards before going out that night. At $100 V-Card was a great value, as it included free admission and drinks at most of the strip’s most popular nightclubs, pools, and even strip-clubs if that’s what you’re looking for. Since we had free admission to so many clubs, we naturally tried to visit as many as we could, stopping at most of them for just long enough to have a drink before moving on.

Each club was like nothing I’d ever seen before. Most had live entertainment, whether in the form of a band or a D.J. or dancers, and every last club was packed to the brim with people of all types. People had come to Vegas from all around the world to party “American style”. The spirit of the city seems to shine through in everybody as they break free from their inhibitions. 

One should be careful, however, not to forget all of their inhibitions. Beezy, after the 6th or 7th venue we visited, had slipped away from our group to talk to some ladies and apparently forgot about his companions, for when we were ready to go back to the hotel, the birthday boy was nowhere to be found.

So we took the long bus ride back to the Stratosphere, hoping that Beezy hadn’t gotten himself into any trouble. We didn’t have to wonder about him too long, however. For when I opened the door to the room that Veronica and I were sharing with him, we found the birthday boy in a rather embarrassing state...

(To Be Continued)

Amazing Pesto!

Hello all! Let me apologize for posting so infrequently this summer. I feel like I’ve been in a sort of culinary rut, stuck to the grill like an overdone hamburger. Each night I’ve found myself tending to  yet another inferno; I must admit that no matter how I dress it up, the endless slew of charred meat has become monotonous and uninspiring.

However, just when all hope was lost, I was newly inspired by one of the many miracles of modern science: the food processor!

I had considered buying a food processor several times before, but I definitely underestimated the power that such a simple tool could wield in the kitchen. Now I’m finally getting excited about dinner again.

I’d like to share a great pesto recipe which is incredibly quick and simple when using a food processor.

Sharp Pesto
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2 cups fresh basil leaves
½ cup pecorino, shredded
½ cup walnuts (or pine nuts, if desired)
3 cloves garlic
⅓ cup robust olive oil
salt and pepper, to taste

Simply combine the ingredients in your food processor and pulse, adding oil until you’ve reached your desired consistency. This pesto can be served fresh or made in advance. When storing, pour a thin layer of oil over the surface of the pesto to retain freshness. For an extra zing, try adding a splash of balsamic vinegar.

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This pesto is great on chicken or vegetarian pasta dishes, and the taste of the fresh basil and garlic is unparalleled in any store-bought pesto. Try it out, and let me know what you like to make in the food processor!