You Want Fries With That Shake?

Los Angeles experienced what could be described as a moderate, i.e. "wussy" earthquake this morning at 11:42 p.m.

It was reported that the tremors could be felt as far away as Las Vegas. Initially determined to be a 5.8 on the Richter scale, it was soon downgraded to a 5.4.

I didn't feel a thing . . . granted I was still in bed at the time, but I am uber sensitive to earthquakes, and if it could be felt, I would have felt it.

You see, I grew up in California -- a fearful child. My biggest terror was a toss up between the Zodiac killer (he murdered a couple a few miles from my school, and threatened groups of children next, resulting in a few missed recesses.) and the Atomic bomb (a family I knew actually had a bomb shelter). Earthquakes probably came in third, followed by lightning, car crashes, child abductions, the threat of drowning, being left alone, and vampire bats.

Well, that's the short list anyway. I experienced a few earthquakes growing up, one in church -- and if that won't put the fear of God in you, nothing will.

In October of 1989, I was smack dab in the middle of the mayhem that was the Loma Prieta quake. In fact, I had been on the Bay Bridge a few hours before it struck. That was a 7.1 (though I think it was downgraded to a 7.0) and it felt it.

Things began to shake slowly and built to a sharp rocking, giving us time to panic and move -- I ran for a doorway and braced myself. In 15 seconds it was over, but the aftershocks were strong and plentiful. They woke me up in the middle of the night for months.

I've since moved on and out of California, experiencing new terrors like Tornados. While living in Tennessee I even experienced and earthquake there. It woke me up in the middle of the night, and I thought I was back in California. Tennessee has the dreaded New Madrid fault line running close to the Mississippi river, and when that sucker blows, it will be pure bedlam.

The biggest problem caused by the quake centered in Chino Hills, California seemed to be jammed phone lines, because as soon as the shaking stops, apparently everyone has to call everyone they know within 300 miles to ask if they felt it. I was once on the phone with a friend who was across the San Francisco bay from me during an earthquake. He felt it first, as it was centered nearer him, asked if I felt it, and then as the shock waves moved towards me, I did. I understand that folks didn't have immediate information, and were probably fearful that somewhere a much larger quake had occurred.

SoCal did have a devastating quake in Northridge in 1991 -- 72 people were killed, but still at under 7.0 it did not even make the California Top Ten earthquake list. Where the earthquake is centered, and how far underground it originates, and the time length of shaking has a lot to do with the damage it can unleash.

Be that as it may, this quake was pretty puny, and although a few bricks, ceiling tiles, and milk jugs fell, the shaking really didn't add up to much.

Basically, unless the earthquake is at least a 6.5, I'm just not interested.

Here in Las Vegas the threat of a major earthquake exists, but it seems remote at best. In recent history, the Las Vegas valley hasn't felt anything remarkable, and I'd put my bet on a major terrorist attack before some natural ground shaking to cause any damage.

Buffet Tip of the Day -- Kim Chee

So, I went to the Red Rock Buffet last night, and stuck to my plan of trying something new.

I was halfway through my salad when I started contemplating what that adventure might be. I was leaning towards the Menudo, imagining tripe and what it looks like in the butcher's case -- such a weird honeycomb like texture. . . why is the inside of a cow's stomach shaped like that, and what does the inside of my stomach look like? What will it taste like? Isn't it weird to eat something that digests what other animals eat?

About the time I finished my salad, my mind was made up, and I headed to the Mexican section confident in my choice. Much to my chagrin, no menudo was to be found. I immediately scrapped my plans for anything south of the border and perused the rest of the international offerings.

Not Fit to Breath

This post could also be called the worst air in Las Vegas. And having said that, it is not an easy post to write. Okay, so this is not strictly about diet or even exercise, but breathing is pretty essential to living, and sooner or later, in Vegas it must be addressed.

We have plenty of naturally occurring conditions that affect air quality. It gets pretty windy here in the desert, and that kicks up plenty of dust and sand.

But, honestly whatever Mother Nature could dream up and execute, it pales in comparison to the air quality in casinos.

Sure casinos are smoke filled dens of inequity, but of all the casinos in Las Vegas -- which one is the worst?

I told you this wouldn't be easy. I've been in a lot of Las Vegas casinos, but certainly not all of them. For instance, I've never had the nerve to venture into most of the casinos on Boulder Highway (like Klondike Sunset) or North Las Vegas (Jerry's Nugget comes to mind) -- granted these casinos are not within the city limits of Las Vegas proper, but neither is 90% of the casinos on the Strip.

And what makes me an expert? I have a nose?

Yes, I do . . . and I like to breathe through it. I'm pretty sensitive to cigarette smoke, but I also love to play the slots, which is quite a problem indeed.

Before I digress too far, let me get right to the point. Rampart Casino stinks. I was there twice this last weekend (check out my previous posts) and each time I walked into the casino I was floored by the stench.

Not only is the casino floor stinky, it makes me cough, and feel slightly ill. The casino is circular, with the slots placed around the table games, and as I was walking the outer ring, thinking how bad I felt, a floor person asked if they could help me. Now considering that most of the guests are retirees from Summerlin (folks have told me this casino reminds them of a morgue) and don't move so good in general, my trudging and glassed over expression must have seemed particularly needy.

I told him what exactly what was on my mind. This casino stinks. He told me old owners (J.W. Marriott) had a state of the art filtration system, but the new owners (Cannery Casinos sold to the son of legendary Australian whale Kerry Packer) shut it off.

I left wishing him luck, as he had to work his shifts in this toxic environment, and hit the buffet, which thankfully is in a smoke free zone.

The Rampart is less than 10 years old. Certainly, that is enough time to develop some serious funk. Still, it is not enough time to develop legendary status for dive-hood. Also, the Rampart was marketed for several years as an upscale establishment -- so the owners would not be happy to learn that I am putting them in the same category as the Klondike Casino.

I've mentioned the Klondike before in my previous posts, and yes, I do have a soft spot for the now defunct casino/motel (as opposed to a casino/resort.) But, boy, did it stink.

Searching the internet for Las Vegas Casino Air Quality didn't capture much. Apparently, they care a lot more about the danger of smoke filled casinos in New Jersey than they do in Nevada.

They are serious back East, and in the fall of this year will require casino floors to be smoke free.

http://www.njgasp.org/i_gamble_intro.htm

This will probably be a boon for Las Vegas, as it is really hard for me imagine hard core smoking slot jockeys reaching a bonus round and not being able to light up. If I were an airline I would plan on adding more non-stops from the East Coast to Vegas.

Sin City has had its own legislation that curtails smoking in Taverns and Lounges that serve food. Its really a catch 22, because I believe a stipulation is that the Taverns HAVE to serve food for the license. Most simply erected walls between the bar and dining areas to get around the new law. Most folks predicted the Taverns would drop like Cicadas in August, but that hasn't happened. I've heard that even a couple of video poker machines will produce enough revenue to warrant keeping the doors open, so even with the tougher environment these businesses are still making a profit.

I do applaud New Jersey for doing the right thing, and not exposing their patrons and employees to air that is simply not fit to breath.

Buffet Tip of the Day -- Kosher Dining

As I posted a while back, Las Vegas buffets give you a wonderful opportunity to try new food.

When last I tested this theory, that adventure was lychee fruit. The thing about new stuff, is that once you've tried something you previously were blithely unaware of, you begin to see it everywhere.

A couple nights ago when I was partaking in my free Rampart Casino buffet, I ran across a big bowl of lychees, sitting right next to a big bowl of Gefilte Fish. It was oddly unnerving, as they both look somewhat similiar -- beige-ish lumps of unidentified stuff wading in mystery liquid.

I took the fact that they were right there rubbing elbows (okay, they don't have any sharp edges, bad metaphor) as a sign from God, that tonight was my night to go kosher, and try the Jewish delicacy.

I'll just say it, Gefilte Fish is one of the most unappetizing looking dishes I've ever encountered, so I fished out the smallest lump I could possibly find and placed it on the corner of my plate.

I rounded out my selections with bits of Chinese food, Kung Pao chicken, Potstickers, Crab Rangoon, Rice . . . I've always heard Jews are fond of Chinese Food . . . and headed back to my table.

Unfortunately, I soon found that Gefilte Fish tastes as bad as it looks. If I wasn't in a crowd of people, I would have spit it out immediately. Instead, I swallowed as quickly as possible, chased it with beer and a bit of everything else on my plate, and tried hard to wipe the unpleasant memory from my brain.

Not that Gefilte Fish tries to be anything it isn't -- it certainly is fishy. The fish taste is overpowering. As a gentile, and specifically raised Catholic, the fish I was forced to eat on Friday has forever ruined the taste for nearly all swimmers for me.

A quick search online revealed homemade recipes for Gefilte fish that didn't sound so bad, but the jarred variety (which I'm guessing the buffet version was) seemed to be packed straight in fish broth.

From now on, my forays into Kosher cuisine probably won't stray far from the Bagel Dogs in my grocer's freezer.

Free Buffet and Free Play -- the Ultimate Lure

If more casino marketing executives studied at Lefty's College of Casino Management (see previous post) the gambling (er, I mean gaming) sector wouldn't be running scared right now.

It's very easy to get degenerate gamblers (um, I mean guests) into a casino. Class, what have we learned from Professor Rosenthal?

That's right, very good. Give away the food.

And so last Friday night, when the Rampart Casino automated player card reader thingy flashed that I had earned a free buffet, just like Pavlov's dog, I began salivating and hit the button faster than a contestant on Family Feud.

As the offer was good for 48 hours, Sunday night I was back in Rampart Casino, quequed up to the steam tables.

The free buffet only cost me the $80 dollars I lost on the slots. I call this the object lesson I never learn.

Lefty Rosenthal's Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Frank "Lefty" "Ace" Rosenthal was famously portrayed by Robert De Niro in Martin Scorsese's "Casino."

If you haven't seen the movie, stop reading this right now and rent or buy it. It runs frequently on TV, albeit it in the censored version (at the time the movie had the most swear words in a film), so I'd be surprised if you hadn't at least watched some of it.

In one or the scenes Lefty (Sam Rothstein) berates a chef at the Stardust (Tangiers) for not controlling the amount of blueberries that is in each individual muffin. He demands an equal amount of blueberries in each muffin and he doesn't care how long it will take.

According the Rosenthal this is an accurate portrayal of his authority while running four Las Vegas casinos for the mob.

Rosenthal knew the ins and outs and he didn't mess around. Ten years ago, Frank did an intensive interview with PBS, where he goes into detail about what is right and wrong with gambling in America.

The link doesn't enable me to cut and paste for some weird reason, but you can find it by googling "Lefty Rosenthal" and looking for the PBS.org story.

Read the extensive interview and you will come away a fan of Lefty. This guy really did, and still does have the whole thing clocked.

Here is an excerpt on comped food --

Q: Why is Vegas the fastest growing city in America?

Rosenthal: Because it is the only state within this country that offers you the whole package, as sophisticated as one can be. Atlantic City, while it has more excess population wise, are years behind the state of Nevada. The state of Nevada can lure you to that state with all the little perks and tricks that they offer you. RFB: room, food and beverage free. Complimentary airfares. Luxurious suites. Gourmet dinners.

Q: Are they being generous?

Rosenthal: No, they're being very practical and very, very wise. They're not being generous. My experience when I worked in Las Vegas, Nevada, I came close once to attempting to give all our food and beverage away for free because we had enough around us to get all that back plus. I never quite had the courage and time to make that type of a move but if I was there today, I would certainly be looser than the casinos are, that I'm aware of.

And the interview concludes with Lefty's words of wisdom, and a story to illustrate the point between food bargains and gambling.

Q: If you had the chance to tell the viewer, in one sentence, what would it be? Look right into the lens here. Here's your chance. What don't they know? What do you want to tell us?

Rosenthal: If I had one thing to tell the public, it would be that so long as you understand what you're up against, have no fear. The only fear that you should have is what you don't know.

Q: So, in other words if you know that the deck is stacked against you or that you can't beat the table or whatever, then it's OK, it's only a game, you do what you want to do?

Rosenthal: I think that's a fair assumption to make. I'll give you a situation that I recall very vividly because while it wasn't unique in the sense that it only happened once, I think it might be interesting to your viewers and to yourself. While I was working in the state of Nevada in the Stardust Hotel we had a promotion where by you can [come] into the hotel at our restaurant. We've got a 49-cent breakfast, complete; two eggs, any way you wanted them, bacon, sausage, ham, toast, coffee, and 49 cents. And it was a lure and we didn't put it on a little billboard. We put it on a big neon that costs hundreds of thousands of dollars to put it on and it revolved. And every car that came down that strip could see it. There's no way to miss it. And yet we were soliciting. We wanted you to walk in that casino, our casino, go enjoy yourself and get that 49-cent breakfast.

I remember one situation where by the family--a husband, wife and two children, as I recall--from the state of Arizona that saved up for a vacation to come to Las Vegas, Nevada for three, four days. And they saw the sign, 49-cent breakfast, complete and because of the line that we had to get into the breakfast room the husband decided to venture over to a black jack table for a few moments. When those few moments expired that man, that father, was broke. He had lost $18,000 in a period of about half an hour. He then approached an executive in the casino and they asked if he could be given help to get back to Arizona. He needed gas money because he was low and he had no money. One picture says 1,000 words. This man and his wife and his children were coming by to try to save some money for a 49 cent breakfast and lost the entire savings that he had brought in and our casino gave him the money to get back to Arizona. That's a heartbreaking story but it happens on an everyday basis.

My perception of Las Vegas and gambling has been dramatically shaped by Mr. Rosenthal's pearls of wisdom.

As usual a recipe in the kitchen becomes a metaphor for a recipe for life.

The public really has no chance to win, but if Lefty ruled the world (or even the casino), we'd at least always get a free drink, free lunch, free dinner, 49 cent or free breakfast, and an equal amount of blueberries in each muffin.

Recipes of the Stars -- Frank Sinatra's Spaghetti Sauce

Yep, this will only add fuel to the fire to get Dean Martin's pasta recipe from Wayne Newton. I found online the recipe for Frank Sinatra's Spaghetti sauce.

It gets rave reviews from folks who have made it, and comes from a book entitled "Another Taste of Palm Springs"

Frank Sinatra's Tomato Spaghetti Sauce Recipe

Frank says that this goes well with hot French bread and Italian red wine. (And of course Dean Martin's pasta.)

30 min 15 min prep
SERVES 6
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/4 onion, sliced into very thin crescent wedges
1 (1 lb) can tomato, peeled
1/2 teaspoon pepper
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon basil
1 pinch oregano
parsley
4 garlic cloves
1 lb spaghetti
parmesan cheese, grated, can use Romano

In a frying pan heat olive oil; add onion and the garlic. Saute until brown and remove the garlic.

Put the canned tomatoes and the liquid from the can in a blender and mix gently, less than a minute.

Slowly pour the tomatoes into the frying pan. Be very careful because the liquid on the oil has a tendency to explode. Let this simmer for about 15 minutes. Add the seasoning, stirring well.

In the meantime, put 3 tablespoons of salt into a 4 quart pot of water and bring to a boil. When the sauce is almost ready, put the spaghetti into the boiling water. Stir occasionally and when the spaghetti is almost done, pour in a colander and immediately transfer to a heated platter.

Pour the sauce over the the pasta and mix a little with 2 forks. Sprinkle with some chopped parsley and serve. Sprinkle with cheese, if desired, on top.

It even comes with --
Nutrition Facts
Serving Size 1 (164g)
Recipe makes 6 servings
Calories 340
Calories from Fat 52 (15%)
Amount Per Serving %DV
Total Fat 5.8g 8%
Saturated Fat 0.9g 4%
Monounsaturated Fat 3.5g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1.0g
Trans Fat 0.0g
Cholesterol 0mg 0%
Sodium 202mg 8%
Potassium 319mg 9%
Total Carbohydrate 61.0g 20%
Dietary Fiber 3.5g 14%
Sugars 3.5g
Protein 10.8g 21%
Vitamin A 633mcg 12% Vitamin B6 0.2mg 10% Vitamin B12 0.0mcg 0% Vitamin C 10mg 17%
Vitamin E 0mcg 3% Calcium 26mg 2% Iron 3mg 16%

It's cholesterol free, fairly low in fat and calories. Most spaghetti sauce is pretty healthy, but this one comes with a stamp of approval from the Chairman of the Board.

Open a bottle of red, fire up the stove, and put on "Frank Sinatra Sings for Only the Lonely" -- it just doesn't get any better than that.

Recipes of the Stars -- Wayne Newton's Pasta

Okay, I gotta just say this upfront. I DON'T have Wayne Newton's Pasta recipe -- you know, the one he got from Dean Martin?

But I'm gonna get it. I don't know how, I don't know when, but it will be a personal mission of mine.

If you've never seen "Vegas Vacation" add it to your Netflix queque or rent it right now. Actually, you should just go ahead and buy a copy, because it is one of the best Vegas movies ever made, and if you are reading this blog, "Vegas Vacation" is required viewing.

I never tire of watching "Vegas Vacation" (or "Showgirls" for that matter . . . some things are just so bad they are good.)

The Midnight Idol, the Waynester, Mr. Las Vegas, has been pouring on the cheese for nearly 50 years now, and it doesn't look like he is going to quit anytime soon.

Wayne's voice isn't what it used to be, who could ever forget the splendor of "Danke Shoen" or "Red Roses for a Blue Lady", but the man is an Entertainer, and he's earned his stripes. In fact Wayne had a short-lived reality show called the Entertainer, that I would love to see picked up again.

I guess being called "Mr. Las Vegas" wasn't good enough for Wayne, so now he is hawking merchandise on his website www.kingoflasvegas.com

There is plenty of stuff to add to your collection, but until the WAYNE-IAC T-shirts and pasta machines show up, I'm going to have to save my money to see Wayne perform and splurge on the meet and greet.

This is the guy that threatened to kick Johnny Carson's ass, so if Mr. Newton wants to be called King, I'll call him King. It was on another King's show, Larry King Live, that Wayne told the Johnny Carson story, and it was a doozy.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/22043375/

Apparently, Johnny Carson started the rumors that Wayne was gay, and linked to the mafia.

Sadly, they were very effective rumors, as I even had those misconceptions about Mr. Newton, and I hardly ever watched Johnny Carson.

So Wayne had every right to confront Mr. Carson, and it went down like this.

“I went to NBC, Burbank, and walked down the halls into his office, and Freddy de Cordova, his producer, was in the office with him. And I walked in, unannounced, I said to Freddy, I said, would you excuse us, please? He was so shocked that he did get up and leave,” he recounted. “And I said to Mr. Carson, I said, ‘I don’t know what friend of yours I’ve killed, I don’t know what child of yours I’ve hurt, I don’t know what food I’ve taken out of your mouth, but these jokes about me will stop and they’ll stop now or I will kick your ass.”

Way to tell 'em, Wayne.

Wayne Newton has a very lovely wife, a magnificent spread (Shenandoah), a stable of beautiful horses, and Dean Martin's pasta recipe. Let's hope he's willing to share the latter.

Diet Tips of the Stars -- Tempest Storm

I was poking around the web today, and found this wonderful article on Las Vegas luminary, Tempest Storm. The eighty year young stripper is legendary in burlesque circles, and was said to have "The best two props in Hollywood."

Her act is still old school, and she does take it off, but in a classy way. She's never worked a pole, and demands star billing and treatment.

http://www.columbusdispatch.com/live/content/life/stories/2008/07/17/1A_BURLESQUE_QUEEN.ART_ART_07-17-08_D1_LJAON7P.html?sid=101

Tempest is still slim, and doles out one of the best diet tips I've ever heard. Simply put, she knows "when to push myself away from the table."

The 24 Hour Buffet -- Lost Vegas

I just love the ad for the El Rancho to the left. It proudly boasts a 24 hour "Buckaroo" buffet, or more specifically "Chuck" with "every possible variety of hot and cold entrees to appease the howling coyote in your innards in the late night pre-dawn hours, everything you can eat and you'll want it all!"

The "Chuck" was short for Chuckwagon, and the Chuckwagon buffet started it all. I blogged yesterday about the El Rancho (I'm sort of obsessed) and how the buffet was born from the notion of feeding late night gamblers with grumbling stomachs.

If I remember correctly, the ultimate pick it up and go finger food, the sandwich, was invented by the Earl of Sandwich who didn't want to interrupt his gambling streak.

It would stand to reason in today's Vegas, which touts itself as a 24 hour Adult Playground, that the 24 hour buffet would be a long standing tradition.

Sadly, this is not the case. The last, and probably only 24 hour buffet was shuttered along with the Boardwalk Casino over 2 years ago.

The Boardwalk had been around since the 1960's as a gift shop, and then a Holiday Inn. In 1994, the heyday of Vegas' "Family Entertainment" phase, it became the Boardwalk proper complete with Hotel tower, Carnival facade, enlarged casino and the Surf Buffet -- open 24 hours.

I've seen online reviews that called the buffet the worst ever, but at 3 in the morning, there are nights I would be happy with some chicken wings and mac & cheese.

I'm going to go ahead and say it -- one of the biggest misconceptions about Vegas is that it is a 24 hour city that never sleeps.

Sure, you can drink and gamble all night, and usually there is a cafe somewhere to grab a bite, but for the most part all the buffets are closed by 9:30 or 10pm, and the restaurants quickly follow. On a weeknight after midnight, your dining options are severely limited. Cruise ships have midnight buffets, but Vegas, the city that started it all, does not.

Just like the Earl of Sandwich most midnight gamblers want a quick bite, they don't want to sit in the cafe and wait for their food to cook away from the action.

Which brings us full circle to the El Rancho Midnight Buck Chuck. I'm amazed no casino has resurrected this concept. If they really want us to keep gambling at all hours, they need to keep us fed. Imagine being able to walk over to a simple but appetizing spread of cold cuts, cheese, maybe some wings and shrimp, fruit, cheesecake -- heck, I'd be thrilled with a hot dog bar. Make it a buffet and a takeaway, and the needs of most every degenerate in the joint will be covered. I don't need "every possible variety of hot and cold entrees" in the wee hours, but jeez, throw me a bone.

Weird Buffet Offers in the Mail

Just a quick post today sans photo for a very strange mailer from Red Rock Casino. I actually had two of these in my mail box, and I read both over and over and just couldn't believe these were actually sent.

On the front it reads -- For great food & low prices, coast over to our buffet at red rock! And then in small lettering it says -- After the buffet, stop by the Grand Cafe and take home one of our freshly prepared desserts.

On the back are four coupons for the buffet. Not a free buffet, not a two for one buffet, not even a half price or 50% off when you pay with your points buffet, but basically the same price as it always is buffet.

I couldn't believe my eyes -- breakfast with the coupon is $5.99 (which I believe it normally costs when you show your players' card) -- lunch is $8.99 (again, I think that is what it costs with your card) -- dinner and Sunday brunch is $12.99 (a discount from the $16.99, but not enough to warrant the drive, especially since the Red Rock is uphill, and I won't be coasting there.)

This may go down in history as the lamest Casino come-on ever. "Coast" over to our buffet is an extremely poor choice of words, as Coast Casinos are Station Casinos main competition. Why don't I just coast on over to the Suncoast for a free buffet?

The bit about heading over to the Cafe for dessert after the buffet is downright insane. Are they taking the dessert station away in the buffet? Why after satiating myself with gelato, and cheesecake, and coconut macaroons would I want to peruse the pastry case in the cafe?

The marketing genius who put this one together should have their head examined.

Vegas Food Specials -- Perception & Reality

With current posts of mine bemoaning the loss of true Vegas food bargains, my El Rancho Vegas menu hanging in my kitchen caught my eye.

The El Rancho Vegas, notable as the first strip resort, was in business from 1941 to 1960, until in burned to the ground in spectacular fashion.

http://gaming.unlv.edu/ElRanchoVegas/story.html

My menu probably dates from the late 1950's when a dime could still buy you a cup of coffee. Well, actually, on this breakfast menu (served until 5pm) coffee with your meal would cost you .15 cents, while a full pot could be had for .25 cents.

A plain omelette would cost you $1.00 and that doesn't seem too bad, except when you figure that today, roughly 40 years later you can still buy breakfast sandwiches from your favorite drive-thru off the dollar menu.

It made me stop and think about the rate of inflation, and how it really applied to the Vegas Food Special.

I'm not quite bright enough to figure out inflation rates for the past 40 years, but I did find this handy dandy list online of what common things cost in 1958 --

Average income: $4,650Ford car: $1967-$3929Milk: $1.01Gas: $.24 Bread $.19Postage stamp: $.04 Chef Boy-Ar-Dee spaghetti, 15 1/2 .oz can.: $ .19Corned Beef: $.59 lb.Swiss Steak: $.75 lb.Libby Tomato Juice, 5 (46 .oz) cans: $1.00Kraft Carmels, 1 lb pkg: $.37Milk: $.42 half gal.Uncle Ben’s Rice, 14 oz box - $.19Sunkist Oranges, 5 lbs.: $.49Cantaloupe: $.05 lb.Celery: $.04 lb.Tuition at Harvard: $1,250 yr.Nathan's Hot Dog: $.25Roundtrip airfare London to New York: $453

At first blush you can quickly conclude that stuff costs roughly 10 times today what it did in 1958, or at least a car, a postage stamp, a can of Chef Boy-Ar-Dee, and a Nathan's Hot Dog does. I'm pretty sure Harvard tuition now costs more than $12,500. but on the other hand, I'm confident I would have quite a few new cars to chose from in the $20 to $40K range.

If I apply the ten times rule to my El Rancho Breakfast menu -- the Club Breakfasts would run from $7.50 to $11.85 today. That seems pretty cheap for room service, but rather high for a coffee shop.

As you can see from the El Rancho Buffet ad on this page a buck for a buffet is a pretty good deal, but today you can still get most lunch buffets for under $10.

In fact the El Rancho invented the Vegas Buffet, and from Gambling Magazine 2002 this is how it happened -- The birth of the buffet in Las Vegas is attributed to the late publicist Herb McDonald, who inspired the all-you-can-eat buffet in 1946 more out of hunger than genius. One night while working late at the El Rancho Hotel, McDonald brought some cheese and cold cuts from the kitchen and laid them out on the bar to make a sandwich. Gamblers walking by said they were hungry, and the buffet was born. Others attribute the buffet to the owner of El Rancho, but all agree it was an immediate hit, and buffets have been synonymous with Vegas ever since.

Food has always been considered a "loss leader" in Sin City -- and casino operators were more than happy to suffer if it equated to customer losses on the gaming floor.

But back to my El Rancho Vegas Menu. Today I would think twice before ordering a Club Breakfast Number Three: One Egg with Bacon or Sausage, served with Toast & Marmalade, Coffee or Milk for $11.35, and I certainly wouldn't pay $2.50 for a slice of dry toast, or $5.00 for a glass of milk.

I wonder if food was comped in 1958 at the rate it is today. I can certainly attest that my free comped buffets have cost me dearly as I've walked out of the casino many a night $100 or more lighter in the wallet.

In conclusion I think the Good Old Days weren't quite as good or as cheap as we remember, and even accounting for inflation, there are still plenty of food bargains to be had in Vegas, even if it means you have to hit the drive-thru.

Bronze Bull Banished to Backroom

My posts about Benny Binion's bronze statue reminded me of the Bodacious Bronze Bull debacle.

It seems the only place for a muscular bovine in a Steakhouse is on the plate.

http://www.lvrj.com/news/16725001.html

Shortly after Mario Batali placed the virile statue at his Palazzo restaurant, guests began having their way with Bo, fondling him, mounting him, posing for pictures, etc.

Citing safety concerns, the bull as Norm from the Review Journal states, was put out to pasture.

The bull was named after Bodacious, the baddest bull ever to buck, who was retired at the National Finals Rodeo after smashing Tuff Hedeman's face in at the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) finals weeks before.

Perhaps Bodacious the Bronze Bull should be relocated to the South Point so that he can hang out with Benny Binion.

It makes sense in more ways than one, as I have just connected the dots and noted that Benny Binion's famous Bucking Bull and Horse Sale has moved to the South Point this year.

That gives ole Michael Gaughan a measly excuse for moving the bronze statue of Benny, but it is indeed a weak and puny one at best.

I've said it before and I'll say it again -- if Mr. Gaughan wanted a statue of Benny he should have had a replica made, and left the original downtown.

Imitation is the Sincerest Form of Flattery

Michael Gaughan mimics, um, I mean flatters Benny Binion.

Over at Pokerati, they noticed the statue was moved too, and have a photo from an amusing other angle where Benny's horse seems to be looking over at the Wheel of Fortune machines and thinking "if I hear WHEEL . . . OF . . . FORTUNE!!! one more time we're outta here!"

http://pokerati.com/2008/07/07/benny-binion-las-vegas-statue-moved/

btw -- If you want to visit Benny's statue, the South Point is five miles south of the Welcome to Las Vegas sign on Las Vegas Blvd. (the Strip) South. The city of Las Vegas proper doesn't actually start until you hit Sahara Ave and the Strip.

How to Hold Court in a Coffee Shop

The last post about the Woodrum's conundrum illustrated a link to old Vegas in more ways than one. Casino owners used to hang out in the coffee shop.

Yep, remember when the used to be called Coffee Shops? And that did NOT mean the Starbucks kiosk. I suppose today they are usually referred to as Cafes, and are the only place you can grab a meal 24 hours a day, ordering up breakfast at 5pm.

The most famous casino tycoon to hold court in the coffee shop, was of course Benny Binion. In fact, his favorite booth was his office.

In this 2004 Review Journal piece by John L. Smith entitled "Downfall of Horseshoe shoves Benny Binion's legend into past" Lee Barnes, author of "The Lucky" describes the scene.

http://www.reviewjournal.com/lvrj_home/2004/Jan-20-Tue-2004/news/22981712.html

"I remember when I was on the Sheriff's Department, either as a detective or sergeant, watching Benny conduct court in his booth (in the Horseshoe coffee shop)," Barnes recalls. "Anybody could be there with him. You'd see anybody from Harry Claiborne to some crossroader just sitting there talking with Benny. I only met him a couple of times, but I liked Benny."

It seemed everyone liked Benny, or at least they respected him. He had a checkered past to say the least, including a murder rap or two, but he was a man of the people. Sure his business was to take your money, but he would at least share his coffee, his famous Texas Chili and his booth, before he sent you back home to lick your wounds.

The Binion family story is a great American tragedy, and plenty has been written about it.

(you may want to start here.)

http://www.1st100.com/part2/binion.html

The latest chapter may seem minor in comparison to murder, mayhem and legends lost, but it is rather sad and telling none the less.

You see, Benny Binion's proud equestrian (or as Benny would probably prefer a cowboy and his horse) statue which stood for over 20 years on a corner across from his casino's parking garage has unceremoniously been moved to a hallway in the South Point Casino.

Over at Leavinglv.net as always they are on the case and cover the event with their usual aplomb.

http://www.leavinglv.net/benny.html

As much as I resented the movement of Benny's statue, as did his old pal, Mayor Oscar Goodman, the statue was plucked from it's granite base none the less. His son Jack, even made the unfortunate comment that is was "a classy move."

I'm certain Michael Gaughan identifies with Benny, the two even share an eerie resemblance especially on horseback. But while Michael gained entre to the casino world through his father, the colorful and still kicking Jackie Gaugan, men like Benny earned it the hard way.


Of course a picture is worth a thousand words, and as you can see (in my next post) Michael is trying to fill Benny's boots and saddle. I commend Mr. Gaughan for his support of the National Final's Rodeo (you can thank Benny for bringing it to Las Vegas) and other equestrian sports (the South Point boasts a busy state of the art equestrian center), but his acquisition, removal, and placement of Benny's statue just ain't right.

Plopped down on a piece of carpet in the hallway between the executive offices and the coffee shop (er, cafe) where Michael is known to eat his lunch, affords Mr. Gaughan the luxury of walking by and paying homage to the real cowboy spirit that Benny embodied. But Benny's other admirers, all the little people who lost to him, all those that liked him, the ones that are just learning of Las Vegas history and are curious about his legend, are robbed of the opportunity to gaze on his bronze image across from the house that Benny built and pay tribute to a true original.

Sure the statue is close to the entrance of the equestrian center and across from the bucking bronco halters on the wall, but it has no pedestal, no plaque, no special lighting -- nothing that says, this is Benny Binion, and don't you forget it, dammit!

At least it is spitting distance from the coffee shop.

Vegas Food Bargains Fading Fast

Well, the 99 cent Golden Gate Shrimp Cocktail and the $8.99 Gold Coast T-bone and beer special have gone the way of the Dodo, but apparently if I hustle over to Boulder Highway for the next day or so I may partake in a 99 cent burger and fries and the appropriately named Klondike Sunset Casino.

The Las Vegas Sun reports that times are tough for the owners of this "homey" casino, and they are losing a buck with each meal they serve. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2008/jul/14/signs-slump-all-over-homey-family-run-casino/ The skyrocketing cost of beer, lemons, eggs, and bread are contributing to their woes.

The Woodrums are the same folks who sold the Klondike on the strip a few years ago for $48 Million dollars, right before the bottom fell out of the Real Estate market, so don't cry for them, Argentina.

You might remember the Klondike as the low brow casino with wagon wheels on the wall that Chevy Chase plays childish (and unfortunately nonexistant) games like "Go Fish" and "Pick a Number" while desparately chasing his losses in "Vegas Vacation."

You can check out the history and demolition of the Klondike (it used to stand across from the Welcome to Las Vegas sign close to the Glass Pool Inn) at http://www.leavinglv.net/klondike.html

I hope the Woodrums keep the specials, and suck up the losses, but according to the article they intend to eventually sell the Sunset, and in the meantime they don't want to give the food away.

You can't really blame them, I suppose, after all -- Vegas is short on tradition and long on greed.

Buffet Tip of the Day

Modern Las Vegas Buffets are a great opportunity to try something new. Nowadays, they often include more exotic cuisine like Sushi or Menudo, or . . . Sorbet. Okay, I'll stop harping on the Sorbet, but that said, today I tried something at Red Rock Casino that I have never eaten before. I had . . . drumroll please . . . a . . . Lychee!

They look pretty unappetizing sitting in a bowl between the pork buns and the fortune cookies. I read the sign a few times -- Lychees, lychees, lychees -- scouring my memory for what they may be. Sort of white-ish lumps that could be a fruit, or vegetable, or even a sort of pickled scallop or something . . . being of Asian orientation (they eat some pretty weird stuff over there) . . . sometimes its hard to tell. I was leaning toward a fruit, something sort of sweet more than tangy, but I was hoping for tartness. Whatever it was, it appeared to have come out of a can, packed in syrup.

I gingerly took one to add to sushi/fried shrimp plate I was orchestrating, added a fortune cookie for luck and headed back to my table.

I cut the flesh, and noticed that it had been pitted, indicating that yes, indeed, it was a fruit. The taste was sweet, not tart, and I was somewhat disappointed. The closest thing I could compare it to was a white plum, or maybe a kumquat.

It wasn't bad, but it wasn't very good, either . . . sort of the Asian equivalent of canned peaches. And everybody knows that canned peaches, cottage cheese and jello is the sign of a bad buffet.

Mission accomplished, I moved on to the fried shrimp. Still I was proud of myself for expanding my epicurian horizons. I had eaten a lychee and lived to tell the tale.

Next visit, I might even sample the menudo.

Las Vegas Time Capsules

This may be a little off subject, but it does dovetail into my post "The Magic Scale." After reading the new Winslow Guide at http://www.dieiscast.com/ I began to think about Las Vegas time capsules.

Apparently, the Sands Time Capsule is still somewhere under the Venetian or as Dr. Schwartz points out, maybe in a former employee's garage.

I've often wondered what happened to the Desert Inn's time capsule, that was buried on its 50th Anniversary, just 3 months before the property was closed. When I was there I took pictures of the plaque and will post them if ever I run across them.

Here is a wonderful link from the Las Vegas Sun that focuses on famous Vegas Implosions, and mentions the DI capsule.

http://www.lasvegassun.com/history/implosions/

Not exactly a time capsule, but a very cool ritual, over at http://www.leavinglv.net/ they discovered old casino chips from the former property buried in the ripped up foundation of the now defunct Nevada Landing.

For the Las Vegas Centennial a few years ago in 2005 they buried a time capsule, and here is a link to that.

http://www.lasvegas2005.org/involved/timecapsule.html

Moe Dalitz's http://www.1st100.com/part2/dalitz.html grave could be considered a permanent time capsule. That's not to say someday they won't dig him up and relocate him and his neighbors to make room for a casino/resort/condo project -- after all, this is Vegas.

Recipe of the Day -- Prickly Pear Sorbet

I love the sorbet recipes that I linked to a couple of days ago -- they all contain alcohol -- it was hard to chose just one.

I went with Prickly Pear sorbet. I don't think Prickly Pears are necessarily native to Las Vegas, but they do grow well here due to the desert environment. I've seen quite a few healthy specimens out at Spring Mountain Ranch in the Red Rock Conservation area.

Okay, I'm not recommending that you harvest your Prickly Pear in this state park, I'm pretty sure that is a real no-no. Instead you could go to a local nursery and simply buy a Prickly Pear, though I can't guarantee it will bear fruit. I kept one alive for over a year, it flowered but did not make "pears" -- Eventually, I over watered it, and that was the end of that.

I'm guessing the fruit is available in specialty markets.

Here is the recipe for Prickly Pear Sorbet --

PRICKLY PEAR CACTUS SORBET
3/4 cup water
2/3 cup sugar
5 prickly pears, peeled and chopped
3/4 cup fresh lemon juice
1 tablespoon citrus vodka
Pinch salt
To make sugar syrup, heat water and sugar over low heat just to dissolve, then let cool. In a blender, puree prickly pears and sugar syrup until smooth, then strain through a fine-mesh strainer. Add lemon juice, vodka and salt. Taste for balance. Chill and freeze in an ice-cream freezer, following manufacturer's instructions.
Serves 4.
-- Recipe from Steven Geddes, rm seafood, Mandalay Bay

I'm guessing this recipe is calling for the fruit, but I'm not entirely sure. Here is a link that is quite informative regarding the cactus. http://www.wikihow.com/How-to-Eat-Prickly-Pear-Cactus

It includes a photo of Prickly Pear sorbet that is pink, so it would reason that the fruit is used, although it says that the "flesh" can be used for sorbet. Your guess is as good as mine.

Salmonella Scare Hits Sin City

Ugh . . . and ick! A Las Vegas resident has been linked to the recent salmonella outbreak.

http://www.lvrj.com/breaking_news/24313602.html

I suppose a bout of Salmonella poisoning could be an effective method of weight loss, but I'd rather not find out.

I hope that salsa, cilantro and onion combination I had a couple of days ago is clean.

If you've ever eaten in Las Vegas then you know the potential for mass hysteria an outbreak could cause. Sometimes I'll be at the buffet and just say a little prayer when I look at all the walking, talking, eating germ carriers around me. That's not to mention, the utensils, plates, tabletops and actual food.

The Vegas Diet Tip of the Day

Dateline -- Las Vegas, July 9th, 2008 -- Daytime High Temperature 112 degrees -- Diet tip of the day -- GO OUTSIDE!

Many armchair experts will tell you that the weight you lose through sweat will reappear as you rehydrate -- but I say any weight loss is good weight loss, and all those jockeys, boxers, and wrestlers can't be wrong.

The 99 Cent Shrimp Cocktail Succombs to Inflation

It was bound to happen. . . Golden Gate Casino's 99 cent cocktail couldn't stay that price forever.

http://travel.latimes.com/articles/la-trw-shrimp15-2008jun15

You can stil get the Shrimp Sundae for the old price by signing up for the Player's Card.

The Golden Gate specialty was one of the last true food bargains in Las Vegas. I suppose all good things must come to an end, but all and all with the bigger shrimp it is still a pretty good deal.

Crack -- It Does a Body Good

I got a kick out of this report from the Las Vegas Review Journal Today -- Naked Man Hijacks Bus -- http://www.lvrj.com/news/24171039.html

This dude, one naked Charles P. Sell, steals a beer from a 7-11, jumps on the back of a bus, busts out the back window with his fist, throws the driver off the bus, and boogies on.

And I quote "Police said the man was possibly on drugs during the incident."

Do you think? I certainly hope so.

Bet on Sorbet

Vegas loves Sorbet . . . well, Vegas loves all food, but I was pleasantly surprised to see this article http://www.lvrj.com/living/24170979.html today in the Review Journal. It shows that great minds really do think alike, from the young girl I blogged about a couple of days ago to a Top Chef (Frederick Robert of RM Seafood).

Summer is perfect for Sorbet, and the chef takes liberties with his creations -- cucumber sorbet, anyone?

The Drink That Eats Like a Meal

Often, having slept until noon, I will stumble into a casino around 5-ish on an empty stomach. I'll be hungry, but not quite ready to eat a full meal yet.

I'll sit down at a slot machine, and when the cocktail waitress comes around I'll order the drink that eats like a meal -- a Bloody Mary.

I've learned that bartenders in Las Vegas are masochists, so after many downright undrinkable Marys, I now add "mild" to my order. What you usually get is some form of cheap vodka, Bloody Mary mix, ice cubes, two olives and a wedge of lime. Nothing to write home about, but enough to tide you over until you can muster the courage for the buffet, or the food court. Think of it as fortified vegetable juice, and your stomach and head will thank you for the nutrition.

The Mayor's Eat-ick, I Mean EDICT

According to Men's Fitness Magazine, http://www.thatsfit.com/2008/02/13/las-vegas-is-nations-fattest-city/ for the second year in a row, Las Vegas has the dubious distinction and dishonor of being named the nation's FATTEST city.

It comes as no surprise that Sin City would rate low on a fitness scale, but it does upset our Mayor, the bombastic Oscar Goodman, who happens to be (okay, I'll just go ahead and say it) FAT.

And so, Sir Oscar has done what any other portly person in a position of power would do -- he has established a fitness initiative, and backed it up with a website. http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/information/13343.htm?ID=#

Perusing around the mayor's site you'll first be quite amused by the cartoon of the jocular, svelte Mayor, which is quite a contrast to the way he really looks (see photo inserted).

If you click on "Food and Nutrition" you'll learn that the proper portion of meat looks like a deck of cards, and butter looks like dice -- quite appropriate for Las Vegas.

To offset the Fattest City designation, the Mayor also points out that Sin City is commended by Cooking Light Magazine as a great place to live. http://www.lasvegasnevada.gov/Publications/14428.htm?ID=#

Yep, we have the best chefs, and plenty of parks, albeit the 110 degree heat we experience roughly 3 months out of the year takes a bite out of my desire to hit the trails and fields.

Still, the Mayor has the right idea, now if he can only practice what he preaches and lose a few pounds.

The Magic Scale

Way back in the day, well, actually I know exactly which day (8.28.2000) I stole the Magic Scale.

I was staying at the legendary Desert Inn on its last night open to the public. It was a bittersweet event to say the least, a humid night during monsoon season in the desert, when the air hung as heavy as the spirits of those who gathered to bid the grand dame of casino resorts adieu.

A couple of days earlier I had been at the closing party for the famed Kahiki restaurant in Columbus, Ohio -- that event http://dirtydonnyart.blogspot.com/2008/06/kahiki-closing-party-back-in-year-2000.html

(though sad in the respect an icon on the National Historic Register and the coolest Tiki bar/restaurant EVER would be reduced to rubble for a Walgreen's) rocked.

I was a little jet-lagged and hung over (too many Grogs, Scorpions, Viscious Virgins, Dirty Bastards, Mai Tais, and Champagne . . . but who's counting?) when I hit Vegas and the Desert Inn -- which could have added to the depression -- still the Desert Inn's going away party was just plain weird, and not in a good way.

Ironically, I had never stayed at the Desert Inn before, for a simple reason -- I couldn't afford it.

The Desert Inn was a classy joint, but for it's last day, for some strange reason, a room could be had for a song, or around $100 bucks anyway.

Maybe I have a morbid streak . . . or I'm a glutton for punishment, I don't know. . . I like to think I'm a preservationist . . . but even someone with my bent should have known that the Desert Inn didn't stand a chance. After all, it was 50 years old, and in Vegas, a Golden Anniversary is tatamount to a golden bullet. It rarely happens, and if it does it surely means death will shortly follow.

It was Steve Wynn who dealt the final blow. After losing the Mirage, Treasure Island, and the Bellagio to MGM he set his sights on the DI, and an opportunity to show Vegas he wasn't done here. After buying the Desert Inn shortly after it celebrated it's 50th http://robison.casinocitytimes.com/articles/394.html, and promising the staff he wouldn't close the property, he did just that.

As you can imagine, those left to work the final night weren't happy. Souvenirs went fast -- the matchbooks were the first to go. By the time I checked in to my luxury room, and got down to the bar, freebies were scarce. I was however granted the ultimate gem, a gold DI charm by a cocktail waitress who poured me the strongest Cosmo I'd ever drunk (Cosmos were still cool in 2000, before Sex in the City ruined them for all of us).

I wandered around the casino, lingering with the patrons who included those trying to scoop up the last dice thrown on the craps felt, and then in a haze plopped onto a chaise lounge by the pool basking in the glow of a full moon peeking in and out of lingering thunderheads.

It was a wonderful feeling, until security came by to roust me back to my room.

I guess I missed the whole 2 a.m. everyone needs to leave the casino bum rush, I was stumbling upstairs at the time.

After a few hours of sleep and sleeping it off, I rose to the realization that soon I would have to pack up and leave the DI to its inevitable demise. As I found the marble bathroom I was especially impressed with the scale on the floor. How many hotel/resorts have this amenity? I stepped on, and was amazed at the reading -- 95 lbs!!! I hadn't weighed 95 lbs for over 20 years. Now granted, I am not anorexic, just short, 5 feet tall and 95 lbs is like, my dream weight. I had found the MAGIC SCALE!

Of course I had to have it -- and yes, that meant stealing it, but all this stuff was going to get blown to smithereens anyway, right? After all, I paid the price of admission, and though usually not one to swipe anything more than the toiletries, this was only between me and that scumbag Steve Wynn.

I packed up the scale, the pretty much everything else I could find that wasn't nailed down and could fit in my rolling bag.

After hustling my loot and booty out to my car, under the careless eyes of the security guards and other disgruntled soon to be ex-employees, I returned to snap a few last minute photos and kiss the Desert Inn goodbye.

For years I kept the Magic Scale in the closet, instead using my old icky scale that weighed me at all sorts of embarassing digits. You see, I just couldn't bear for the DI magic to lose it's lustre.

When I finally moved to Las Vegas in 2007, and was slim again from the stress and physical exertion of the ordeal, I lovingly unwrapped the Magic Scale, and proudly placed it down in my bathroom, back home again in Las Vegas. I stepped on, and magically once again weighed 95lbs.

Alas, that should be the end of this fairy tale, but in wicked Sin City, sentiment is trumped by cruel reality every time.

The Magic Scale has shown that I have gained 10 lbs.

You Can Have Anything You Want!

Last week I was walking to my car in the parking lot at Red Rock Casino and overheard this conversation between a young girl and (what I presumed to be) her Aunt or possibly Grandmother.

Young Girl -- "Can I have, umm . . . some SORBET?!"

Aunt -- "You can have anything you want!"

Wow! I thought that pretty much summed up the new modern buffet experience, the generosity of Aunts (and/or Grandmothers) and the wisdom of youth. The little lady chooses -- Sorbet! Not softserve, or icecream, or even gelato -- which I believe is what Red Rock is known for -- but a chic and sensible Sorbet.

It reminded me of the wonderful meals on the town I had with my grandmother, where whole new worlds of dining were opened up to me. I'll never forget my first Shirley Temple, or my first finger bowl.

Those were the days . . .

I only hope the discriminating little lass got her "sorbet" in the buffet, I'm guessing a fruity gelato would pass in a pinch.

Welcome to Fabulous Las Vegas!

So you're planning a trip to Las Vegas. Perhaps you have been here many times, or you may be a VEGAS VIRGIN!!! What fun to be deflowered in Sin City!

I have plenty of advice for the newbies, and the old-timers might enjoy my tips as well.

One of the most obvious, but least heeded is to stay hydrated. This is a desert! It may not always be hot (we can experience snow flurries in the winter) or dry (monsoon season is no joke) but it is still a challenge to keep your liquid levels in balance.

Of course you'll be drinking plenty of alcohol (remember to always tip your cocktail waitress -- $1 per drink is standard) but I recommend always keeping a bottle of water handy as well. If you're on a gambling jag, ordering a bottle of water every other drink is a good rule of thumb.

Drinking water before going to bed is a handy way to fend off a hangover.

As simple as this seems, for whatever reason, you'll still see plenty of tourists staggering around with yard long margaritas who will surely suffer for their sins.

Auntie Mame Said it Best!

If you've never seen the movie "Auntie Mame" starring Rosalind Russell, I suggest you do. It is a wonderful farce about a freespirited woman and her efforts to raise her nephew in an openminded and adventurous way.

The most famous quote from the movie is "Life is a banquet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" It is often misquoted as "Life is a buffet, and most poor suckers are starving to death!" Banquet or buffet, the point is made, to enjoy the bounty while you can, i.e. eat, drink, and be merry.

Before I moved to Las Vegas, I visited frequently. I loved coming here, and escaping my dull existance back home. The gambling, the shows, the neon lights, the freeflowing booze and fabulous food . . . who could resist Sin City's charms?

It seems preposterous to propose a trip to Las Vegas to diet, and certainly I don't. After all Auntie Mame certainly did say it best . . . but that's not to say it can't be done.

I would advise losing weight before your trip to Sin City, to offset whatever you may gain. That's just one of the many tips I will cover as I blog on.

Eating Great and Losing Weight in Sin City

Last year I moved to Las Vegas and settled in to enjoy the decadence that Sin City has to offer.

I immediately began to lose money and gain weight. After all, what fun is being in Vegas if you don't indulge? Well, everything is fun for awhile, but after watching my wallet shrink and my waistline bulge, I decided that enough was enough.

At a certain point I even began to avoid my beloved buffets, even though for the most part (due to my excessive gambling and the generosity of the casinos to losers like me) they were comped and therefore free.

And then it occurred to me -- what could be bad with the veritable cornucopia of food laid out before me? Especially since it was all prepared by someone else, and it was as I mentioned before -- free.

The problem wasn't the buffet, the problem was me. I chose to move to Las Vegas, I choose to play slot machines, and I can choose my food!

So, the essence of the Vegas Diet is the freedom of choice. It's as simple as that. We all choose what we put in our mouths, and in Las Vegas those choices are endless.

I began to look at food in a different way, and I began to relax -- which in a city as exciting as Las Vegas can be a difficult thing to do.

Our society is based on consumption, and Las Vegas is consumption on steriods . . . but ultimately the joys of indulgence can be a false and empty promise.

Sin City is not a model of moderation, but to live here, a balance has to be struck.

Yes, you can eat great and lose weight in Las Vegas.