Las Vegas is Sin City, or The New Home for My Food-Gasm

We're back from Vegas.

We had a really good time, and Adam and I got some much needed time together. Vegas was though in general . . . just Vegas. We spent most of the time thinking about what we would be doing if we didn't have the toddler with us, as cute as he may be. But we roll the new Las Vegas way- from early morning to early evening. Vegas scores points for selling wine in the hotel so you can take a bottle to your room to drink while the baby sleeps.

We did have quite the little food orgy, which was the focal point of our itinerary. Anything that is not a mainstream American chain is rare delicacy for us, and that part we really enjoyed. I am hungry now thinking about the food.

The benefit of having a young child with us is that he still naps, and naps in the car. We used that time to drive around and find the good, off strip places to eat. My two recommendations are: Hedary's Mediterranean on W. Sahara and Gandhi India's Cuisine near the strip. Gandhi's didn't initially look like the best place for Indian food to us, but the location and prices were good, and seemed to meet a toddler's need for space a little better. We were very pleased with the food; I think it might have been the best Indian buffet I have ever eaten at (which really, I haven't eat at that many). Anyway, remembering those two restaurants are making my moth water right now. There were so many other places we wanted to try but never fit in.

The two year old however favored our stop at the local IHOP after an utterly exhausting two year old day. I can just say that a two year has an amazing ability to stay focused on two words: "No" and "hotel". He was tired. We were tired. IHOP hit the spot.


Actually we spent a lot of time at our hotel, off the strip, The South Point. We went bowling at the hotel bowling alley, which was the boy's favorite part, aside from watching the horse races on TV. Bowling prevailed as the key interest though, as he has been setting up block pins and playing bowling since we arrived home. I spent some time in the spa, which was a luxury, and even managed to get a work out in the very nice fitness center.

We spent one day on the strip, and it was fun. It was fun seeing my friends and having drinks and chatting. However, I don't care what they say about Vegas being family friendly, it isn't really. At least, the strip is not. Sure, there are lots of cool things to SEE, but not much to DO. An older kid might enjoy it, with roller coasters and such, but then of course you have escort ads being handed at you constantly, amidst all of the other sex appeal, and the casino slot machines which kids can't even be near. We spent a lot of time just looking for a place to sit down and grab a drink with a two year old in tow, which was not such an easy task. We ended up at one point at a place called Dick's Last Resort that was rather crude in a trying to be funny way, that kid of missed the mark on funny and left a 1/2 pound of beef sitting in my stomach for hours afterwards. For my vegetarian husband there was nothing but green beans to eat, which were probably cooked in bacon grease.

In general we had fun, and Las Vegas was okay for a family, but not ideal, in my humble opinion.

Flying was good. I love to fly; the overhead views are amazing to me, and I will never get over the thrill of being on top of clouds. It kind of thrills me.

But we are home now, and I just have to jump back on board with The Mile Project, and make it work. I am determined now to not only keep up the work out program, but also start watching what I eat a little better. I shouldn't have anymore travel distractions until Thanksgiving. I am planning on making a pit stop in my old home town of Springfield if anyone wants to hang out for a night? Anyone going to be around the day after Thanksgiving?

And shit, I also have a bunch of work to do. Good thing I have blogging to distract me.