With Celine. You & I were meant to fly, after all. ;-)
Sunday, May 9, 2010
Saturday, May 8, 2010
Vegas Uncork'd: The Joel Robuchon Luncheon of a Lifetime
(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)
Hello, again! I'm back with a very special report from a very special place... A place that can boast of "The Chef of the Century"! Yes, my dears, I did lunch at Joel Robuchon's place. He, along with his right-hand men from Vegas AND Paris, did the cooking.
Both of Joel Robuchon's MGM Grand restaurants, Joel Robuchon at The Mansion and L'Atelier, feel distinctly removed from the usual hustle and bustle of the massive MGM Grand complex. L'Atelier feels like an elegant, but still approachable, Euro modern bar with a lovely zinc bar and great views of the kitchen. The Mansion, meanwhile, feels like a luxurious penthouse one would have found in Paris in the 1930s. As always, I have plenty of pics of the digs, the food, and the chefs (including one of moi with Mr. "Chef of the Century" himself!) at my Twitpic @atdleft.
We started off with an actual cooking show at L'Atelier. None other than Joel Robuchon himself was leading the class, teaching us how to do langoustine fritters and seared beef just as he would serve right there at L'Atelier... With his Paris and Vegas crews there to do "sous chef duties" and translate his French instructions into English.
Since we don't have forever, I won't bore you too much with the cooking class details. Let's just say Robuchon doesn't do things the way most of us Americans typically cook. Wait on the salt, don't overdo the garlic, give the meat some time after pulling it out of the refrigerator, and always remember to cook with love. :-D
After the cooking demonstration, we were whisked away to The Mansion for some fine French Champagne with none other than Joel Robuchon himself. And yes, I obviously had a chance to meet him and snap a quick pic. Let me just say he isn't actually as intimidating as person as you'd think Mr. "Chef of the Century" "More Michelin Stars Than Anyone Else Around!" would be. Dare I say he was actually quite the charmer? He even did a toast with us!
OK, so let's get to the food! Here's what you've been waiting for:
- The amuse bouche was a lovely small plate of grapefruit gelee and avocado creme. It may sound odd, but the rich and creamy avocado balances surprisingly well the strong tart of the grapefruit.
- The langoustine fritters were amazing! The langoustine itself still tasted fresh and direct-from-the-sea, while the batter was light and didn't overwhelm the langoustine.
- The beef ribeye was seasoned simply with mainly just salt, pepper, onion, and garlic... And that's all it needed, as the natural beef flavors were singing a beautiful melody with my taste buds! The wasabi spinach that accompanied packed a nice punch, alongside the hearty mushrooms, asparagus, and green & red bell peppers.
- The strawberry panacotta was simply divine, with a simple panacotta that was surprisingly made from heavy cream and yogurt, along with real vanilla beans (which we had a chance to smell and feel during the cooking show!). The strawberry basil couli lovingly highlighted the natural sweetness of the fruit and the basil without any type of "sugar overload".
- And finally, we were served a fantastic 2008 Sancerre Loire Valley white wine with lunch. It had a nice fruity taste, with some floral highlights. This especially matched the langoustine fritters well.
So I hope I answered all your questions on today's fabulous Joel Robuchon luncheon at L'Atelier and The Mansion. And in case you didn't get enough here, check out my tweets @atdleft for more of my thoughts on today's luncheon, as well as my game plan for The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace's newly renovated Garden of the Gods pool oasis tonight. Bon appetit!
Hello, again! I'm back with a very special report from a very special place... A place that can boast of "The Chef of the Century"! Yes, my dears, I did lunch at Joel Robuchon's place. He, along with his right-hand men from Vegas AND Paris, did the cooking.
Both of Joel Robuchon's MGM Grand restaurants, Joel Robuchon at The Mansion and L'Atelier, feel distinctly removed from the usual hustle and bustle of the massive MGM Grand complex. L'Atelier feels like an elegant, but still approachable, Euro modern bar with a lovely zinc bar and great views of the kitchen. The Mansion, meanwhile, feels like a luxurious penthouse one would have found in Paris in the 1930s. As always, I have plenty of pics of the digs, the food, and the chefs (including one of moi with Mr. "Chef of the Century" himself!) at my Twitpic @atdleft.
We started off with an actual cooking show at L'Atelier. None other than Joel Robuchon himself was leading the class, teaching us how to do langoustine fritters and seared beef just as he would serve right there at L'Atelier... With his Paris and Vegas crews there to do "sous chef duties" and translate his French instructions into English.
Since we don't have forever, I won't bore you too much with the cooking class details. Let's just say Robuchon doesn't do things the way most of us Americans typically cook. Wait on the salt, don't overdo the garlic, give the meat some time after pulling it out of the refrigerator, and always remember to cook with love. :-D
After the cooking demonstration, we were whisked away to The Mansion for some fine French Champagne with none other than Joel Robuchon himself. And yes, I obviously had a chance to meet him and snap a quick pic. Let me just say he isn't actually as intimidating as person as you'd think Mr. "Chef of the Century" "More Michelin Stars Than Anyone Else Around!" would be. Dare I say he was actually quite the charmer? He even did a toast with us!
OK, so let's get to the food! Here's what you've been waiting for:
- The amuse bouche was a lovely small plate of grapefruit gelee and avocado creme. It may sound odd, but the rich and creamy avocado balances surprisingly well the strong tart of the grapefruit.
- The langoustine fritters were amazing! The langoustine itself still tasted fresh and direct-from-the-sea, while the batter was light and didn't overwhelm the langoustine.
- The beef ribeye was seasoned simply with mainly just salt, pepper, onion, and garlic... And that's all it needed, as the natural beef flavors were singing a beautiful melody with my taste buds! The wasabi spinach that accompanied packed a nice punch, alongside the hearty mushrooms, asparagus, and green & red bell peppers.
- The strawberry panacotta was simply divine, with a simple panacotta that was surprisingly made from heavy cream and yogurt, along with real vanilla beans (which we had a chance to smell and feel during the cooking show!). The strawberry basil couli lovingly highlighted the natural sweetness of the fruit and the basil without any type of "sugar overload".
- And finally, we were served a fantastic 2008 Sancerre Loire Valley white wine with lunch. It had a nice fruity taste, with some floral highlights. This especially matched the langoustine fritters well.
So I hope I answered all your questions on today's fabulous Joel Robuchon luncheon at L'Atelier and The Mansion. And in case you didn't get enough here, check out my tweets @atdleft for more of my thoughts on today's luncheon, as well as my game plan for The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace's newly renovated Garden of the Gods pool oasis tonight. Bon appetit!
Friday, May 7, 2010
Vegas Uncork'd: The Bradley Ogden Dinner
(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)
Last night, I was in for the time of my life! I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at one of my new favorite Vegas restaurants with some very accomplished fine dining luminaries and professionals.
I was in heaven. Yes, indeed, heaven is a place on earth... And it is called Bradley Ogden!
Bradley Ogden really is an interesting spot at Caesars Palace. It opens right to the madness of the Forum Casino, with the soon-to-be-former Pussycat Dolls Casino and just opened Munchbar (which is, by the way, run by Bradley's son, Bryan Ogden) just a short saunter away. However once one steps through the doors, it's like an island of cozy, wood-paneled, earth-toned, San Francisco inspired tranquility in the midst of one of Las Vegas' biggest Strip casinos. If all the over-the-top Caesars glitz ever gets to be too much for you, you may appreciate the calmer vibe at Bradley Ogden.
So anyway, I arrived for the Vegas Uncork'd dinner ready for anything... Even eating some meat for the first time in six years, just for you at RateVegas/TWHT! So pardon me if my meat judging skills are a little rusty, but I'll try to give you the most accurate as possible take on my various courses. And fortunately I had some highly esteemed fine dining authorities sitting at my table, including Bon Appetit executive editor Victoria Von Biel and San Francisco's Best-O-Burger burger boss Randy Lewis.
We started dinner with a lovely amuse bouche consisting of a petite potato cake, good Osetra Caviar, and citrus creme fraiche. The salty caviar played well with the creamy creme fraiche and soft potato cake. I enjoyed this with the 2004 Iron Horse Bradley Ogden Sonoma Cuvee, which may now be my new favorite "California Champagne".
From there, it was on to our next course: charred yellow tail with scallion puree, caramelized hearts of palm, and a "rice cracker". The scallions added a nice, fresh, herby vibe to the dish, while the caramelized hearts of palm added a bit of a sweet touch to the dish. And the 2008 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc was perfectly crisp and a solid pairing here.
Now I don't often cook with butter lettuce at home, but I occasionally eat it when I'm dining out. And I must admit, the butter lettuce salad here was quite delectable. In fact, it may have been one of the "breakout stars" in my humble opinion, with the goat cheese, shaved fennel, and herb vinaigrette all coming together in the perfect balance of tender, soft, crisp, sweet, and tangy. Yum! Oh, and the slightly buttery and sweet 2007 Flowers Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast paired beautifully here.
And then, it was time for roasted zucchini soup with sundried tomato, zucchini pearl salad, and fresh zucchini bread. I'm usually a sucker for good zucchini bread, and this one was no exception with its pleasant sweetness. This worked well in balancing the earthier flavors of the zucchini soup, cut with a bit of tart and tang from the sundried tomato. We then tried another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being a 2006 Andreen Gale. This one paired pretty well, but it wasn't quite the perfect match the other chardonnay was with the salad.
And from there, we then dove into the Seared Atlantic Diver Scallops with basil puree, pepper relish, and lemon foam. And yes, one can really make lemon foam with the juice... It just involves some really interesting molecular gastronomy. Oh, and the lemon foam was quite tart and tasty, too. Since all the other components had some sort of sweetness, including the rather mild yellow peppers, the tart from the foam was much appreciated. This was paired with yet another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being the 2006 "Camp Meeting Ridge". Now this pairing was a better match than the last course, but I'd still have to say my favorite chardonnay pairing was with the salad.
OK, so after all that fishy goodness, it was time for some red meat! In this case, we did a cut of South Dakota Bison Tenderloin. And yes, bison meat can be eaten! It's actually leaner than beef, and I could taste the difference... Though it was still hearty. And cooked well, with a nice crust on the outside and very tender and red and almost raw inside. Chef Lewis and Ms. Von Biel both noted that the bison meat was most likely done sous vide first, then finished off with some pan searing to get that good crust. The veggies also didn't disappoint, as I was gobbling up the delectable fava beans and sweet spring onions. This all went nicely with the fruity and slightly spicy 2006 Napa Valley Meritage paired with this course.
And finally, dessert! I had survived all the meat as a vegetarian who had not eaten meat in six years, so I was ready to reward myself with some lovely strawberry shortcake. Actually, the shortcake was more of a "mini waffle" finished with strawberries, rhubarb sauce, a mascarpone cream, and real vanilla (as in real vanilla beans were used here!) ice cream. Now the strawberries and shortcake went superbly with the vanilla ice cream. It was a glorious sweet medley, but not too sweet, as the rhubarb sauce helped strike just the right balance for me. However, the wine pairing here was likely the most controversial of the night. A 2007 Flowers Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast came just before dessert, and was meant to go with dessert. Now when I first tried the wine, it had a nice but not too strong fruity edge... But when tasted with the dessert, I suddenly got a bitter taste in my mouth that wasn't all that pleasant. This was not too horrifying for me, but for a moment it did seem like I fell out of heaven and crashed back down on Planet Vegas. This was not a total nightmare, but the wine pairing probably was the low point of the dinner for me.
So what do I think overall? Well, even with the dessert wine pairing debacle in the end, I'd still give the Bradley Ogden Uncork'd Dinner a solid A, or at least a good A-. I'm still on the fence. All the food was fantastic, though the caviar amuse bouche, butter lettuce salad, and shortcake dessert (sans wine!) were the real shining stars for me. No one dish was bad at all, but again a couple of the wine pairings did throw me off.
So is Bradley Ogden worth the splurge next time you're in Vegas? Absolutely! I've also eaten here on "regular nights", and the food is consistently solid. Just be careful when pairing a Pinot Noir with a certain dish. ;-)
Oh, and finally, I need to make one more shout out to my new friends... Especially Bon Appetit Executive Editor Victoria Von Biel and Chef Randy Lewis from San Francisco! We, along with the other great folks at our table, gave me quite the "education" on fine food. We also had some fun discussing our favorite LA and Bay Area restaurants. All in all, this was the dinner of my dreams. And I'm about to run over to MGM to see "Chef of the Century" Joel Robuchon. And for dinner, it's The Grand Tasting for moi. Am I awake yet?
(And don't forget to follow me @atdleft on Twitter for today's Uncork'd news, and see my Twitpic for some fun photos from last night!)
Last night, I was in for the time of my life! I enjoyed a fabulous dinner at one of my new favorite Vegas restaurants with some very accomplished fine dining luminaries and professionals.
I was in heaven. Yes, indeed, heaven is a place on earth... And it is called Bradley Ogden!
Bradley Ogden really is an interesting spot at Caesars Palace. It opens right to the madness of the Forum Casino, with the soon-to-be-former Pussycat Dolls Casino and just opened Munchbar (which is, by the way, run by Bradley's son, Bryan Ogden) just a short saunter away. However once one steps through the doors, it's like an island of cozy, wood-paneled, earth-toned, San Francisco inspired tranquility in the midst of one of Las Vegas' biggest Strip casinos. If all the over-the-top Caesars glitz ever gets to be too much for you, you may appreciate the calmer vibe at Bradley Ogden.
So anyway, I arrived for the Vegas Uncork'd dinner ready for anything... Even eating some meat for the first time in six years, just for you at RateVegas/TWHT! So pardon me if my meat judging skills are a little rusty, but I'll try to give you the most accurate as possible take on my various courses. And fortunately I had some highly esteemed fine dining authorities sitting at my table, including Bon Appetit executive editor Victoria Von Biel and San Francisco's Best-O-Burger burger boss Randy Lewis.
We started dinner with a lovely amuse bouche consisting of a petite potato cake, good Osetra Caviar, and citrus creme fraiche. The salty caviar played well with the creamy creme fraiche and soft potato cake. I enjoyed this with the 2004 Iron Horse Bradley Ogden Sonoma Cuvee, which may now be my new favorite "California Champagne".
From there, it was on to our next course: charred yellow tail with scallion puree, caramelized hearts of palm, and a "rice cracker". The scallions added a nice, fresh, herby vibe to the dish, while the caramelized hearts of palm added a bit of a sweet touch to the dish. And the 2008 Illumination Sauvignon Blanc was perfectly crisp and a solid pairing here.
Now I don't often cook with butter lettuce at home, but I occasionally eat it when I'm dining out. And I must admit, the butter lettuce salad here was quite delectable. In fact, it may have been one of the "breakout stars" in my humble opinion, with the goat cheese, shaved fennel, and herb vinaigrette all coming together in the perfect balance of tender, soft, crisp, sweet, and tangy. Yum! Oh, and the slightly buttery and sweet 2007 Flowers Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast paired beautifully here.
And then, it was time for roasted zucchini soup with sundried tomato, zucchini pearl salad, and fresh zucchini bread. I'm usually a sucker for good zucchini bread, and this one was no exception with its pleasant sweetness. This worked well in balancing the earthier flavors of the zucchini soup, cut with a bit of tart and tang from the sundried tomato. We then tried another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being a 2006 Andreen Gale. This one paired pretty well, but it wasn't quite the perfect match the other chardonnay was with the salad.
And from there, we then dove into the Seared Atlantic Diver Scallops with basil puree, pepper relish, and lemon foam. And yes, one can really make lemon foam with the juice... It just involves some really interesting molecular gastronomy. Oh, and the lemon foam was quite tart and tasty, too. Since all the other components had some sort of sweetness, including the rather mild yellow peppers, the tart from the foam was much appreciated. This was paired with yet another Flowers Chardonnay, this one being the 2006 "Camp Meeting Ridge". Now this pairing was a better match than the last course, but I'd still have to say my favorite chardonnay pairing was with the salad.
OK, so after all that fishy goodness, it was time for some red meat! In this case, we did a cut of South Dakota Bison Tenderloin. And yes, bison meat can be eaten! It's actually leaner than beef, and I could taste the difference... Though it was still hearty. And cooked well, with a nice crust on the outside and very tender and red and almost raw inside. Chef Lewis and Ms. Von Biel both noted that the bison meat was most likely done sous vide first, then finished off with some pan searing to get that good crust. The veggies also didn't disappoint, as I was gobbling up the delectable fava beans and sweet spring onions. This all went nicely with the fruity and slightly spicy 2006 Napa Valley Meritage paired with this course.
And finally, dessert! I had survived all the meat as a vegetarian who had not eaten meat in six years, so I was ready to reward myself with some lovely strawberry shortcake. Actually, the shortcake was more of a "mini waffle" finished with strawberries, rhubarb sauce, a mascarpone cream, and real vanilla (as in real vanilla beans were used here!) ice cream. Now the strawberries and shortcake went superbly with the vanilla ice cream. It was a glorious sweet medley, but not too sweet, as the rhubarb sauce helped strike just the right balance for me. However, the wine pairing here was likely the most controversial of the night. A 2007 Flowers Pinot Noir from the Sonoma Coast came just before dessert, and was meant to go with dessert. Now when I first tried the wine, it had a nice but not too strong fruity edge... But when tasted with the dessert, I suddenly got a bitter taste in my mouth that wasn't all that pleasant. This was not too horrifying for me, but for a moment it did seem like I fell out of heaven and crashed back down on Planet Vegas. This was not a total nightmare, but the wine pairing probably was the low point of the dinner for me.
So what do I think overall? Well, even with the dessert wine pairing debacle in the end, I'd still give the Bradley Ogden Uncork'd Dinner a solid A, or at least a good A-. I'm still on the fence. All the food was fantastic, though the caviar amuse bouche, butter lettuce salad, and shortcake dessert (sans wine!) were the real shining stars for me. No one dish was bad at all, but again a couple of the wine pairings did throw me off.
So is Bradley Ogden worth the splurge next time you're in Vegas? Absolutely! I've also eaten here on "regular nights", and the food is consistently solid. Just be careful when pairing a Pinot Noir with a certain dish. ;-)
Oh, and finally, I need to make one more shout out to my new friends... Especially Bon Appetit Executive Editor Victoria Von Biel and Chef Randy Lewis from San Francisco! We, along with the other great folks at our table, gave me quite the "education" on fine food. We also had some fun discussing our favorite LA and Bay Area restaurants. All in all, this was the dinner of my dreams. And I'm about to run over to MGM to see "Chef of the Century" Joel Robuchon. And for dinner, it's The Grand Tasting for moi. Am I awake yet?
(And don't forget to follow me @atdleft on Twitter for today's Uncork'd news, and see my Twitpic for some fun photos from last night!)
Vegas Uncork'd: From Mandalay Pool to Chef Photo Op... WHAT??!!
No really, you wouldn't believe what just happened. After I submitted my first entry to Hunter, I decided to do some real(ly fun!) "investigative journalism" and head over to Mandalay Bay's famed beach. Now remember that this is my first time staying at the Mandalay complex, so I hadn't seen the pools before.
OH. MY. GAWD!
Now there may be hipper pool scenes here in Vegas and there may be sleeker and sexier pool areas... But I don't think I've ever seen a pool area as fun and enjoyable overall as Mandalay's. The wave pool is quite BIG, and quite nice. The lazy river is also something else, and I'm determined to take some time tomorrow to rent an intertube so I can really ride it the way it was meant to be experienced.
Another interesting thing I was noticing was the vibe and the design of Mandalay's beach. When it first opened, Mandalay was supposedly meant to evoke some exotic South Seas locale. But other than a few Southeast Asian style reliefs sprinkled here and there, the design of the beach area (or should I say 2007 redesign?) gave me more of the feeling that I was back home in "The OC". No really, the beach today looks much more "California Modern" than "Ancient Burmese Treasure", and the crowds and the overall size of the complex also gave much more of a "summer day in Surf City" vibe than "hideaway in Fiji".
And honestly, I have no problem with it. Perhaps some might decry the infestation of "Modern Generic Moderne" into just about every MGM Mirage casino these days, but I can actually see how the "Californication" of Mandalay Bay works. It markets itself these days as "Untamed Luxury", and its lineup of hotel offerings, restaurants, clubs, and other entertainment options pretty much does this trick.
So once I was done at the pool, I headed back up to my THEhotel suite to prepare for the big night tonight and...
OH. MY. GAWD!
Much to my surprise, I didn't even have to go to the Vegas Uncork'd opening press event... It actually came to me!
No really, I was walking into THEhotel's lobby and immediately came upon Guy Savoy. And Cat Cora. And Joel Robuchon. And Carlos Guia. My goodness, what did I walk into?!
Sadly, I couldn't take too many good photos due to the poor lighting and massive crowds. However, I did snap a good shot at Guy Savoy and a couple other salvageable pics that you can find at my Twitpic.
So after about 150 seconds of just being "starstruck", I figured out that the chefs were all here for a special media event at Mix. So what did I do? Oh, I just looked like a fool in my still-somewhat-wet "pool couture" and snapped some pics. Just for you. Since Hunter and I love you so much. :-p
As always, stay tuned @atdleft on Twitter for the latest Uncork'd news. I'll soon be on my way to the Bradley Ogden dinner, and I'll spill all the beans to you when I check in tomorrow morning. So until then, eat well and enjoy!
OH. MY. GAWD!
Now there may be hipper pool scenes here in Vegas and there may be sleeker and sexier pool areas... But I don't think I've ever seen a pool area as fun and enjoyable overall as Mandalay's. The wave pool is quite BIG, and quite nice. The lazy river is also something else, and I'm determined to take some time tomorrow to rent an intertube so I can really ride it the way it was meant to be experienced.
Another interesting thing I was noticing was the vibe and the design of Mandalay's beach. When it first opened, Mandalay was supposedly meant to evoke some exotic South Seas locale. But other than a few Southeast Asian style reliefs sprinkled here and there, the design of the beach area (or should I say 2007 redesign?) gave me more of the feeling that I was back home in "The OC". No really, the beach today looks much more "California Modern" than "Ancient Burmese Treasure", and the crowds and the overall size of the complex also gave much more of a "summer day in Surf City" vibe than "hideaway in Fiji".
And honestly, I have no problem with it. Perhaps some might decry the infestation of "Modern Generic Moderne" into just about every MGM Mirage casino these days, but I can actually see how the "Californication" of Mandalay Bay works. It markets itself these days as "Untamed Luxury", and its lineup of hotel offerings, restaurants, clubs, and other entertainment options pretty much does this trick.
So once I was done at the pool, I headed back up to my THEhotel suite to prepare for the big night tonight and...
OH. MY. GAWD!
Much to my surprise, I didn't even have to go to the Vegas Uncork'd opening press event... It actually came to me!
No really, I was walking into THEhotel's lobby and immediately came upon Guy Savoy. And Cat Cora. And Joel Robuchon. And Carlos Guia. My goodness, what did I walk into?!
Sadly, I couldn't take too many good photos due to the poor lighting and massive crowds. However, I did snap a good shot at Guy Savoy and a couple other salvageable pics that you can find at my Twitpic.
So after about 150 seconds of just being "starstruck", I figured out that the chefs were all here for a special media event at Mix. So what did I do? Oh, I just looked like a fool in my still-somewhat-wet "pool couture" and snapped some pics. Just for you. Since Hunter and I love you so much. :-p
As always, stay tuned @atdleft on Twitter for the latest Uncork'd news. I'll soon be on my way to the Bradley Ogden dinner, and I'll spill all the beans to you when I check in tomorrow morning. So until then, eat well and enjoy!
Thursday, May 6, 2010
Vegas Uncork'd: THEexperience at THEhotel
(Also at Rate Vegas' Two Way Hard Three)
So I have arrived at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. In fact, I am now writing from "THE wifi" at "THE desk" at "THE Living Room" at "THE Suite"... And I'm listening to "THE Beyonce" as I write from "THE Macbook" on "THE desk". Am I sounding annoying yet?
I digress.
Anyway, I'm now here and I'm getting ready for my first Vegas Uncork'd event of the weekend: dinner at Bradley Ogden, WITH Bradley Ogden! Yes, I know, this is exciting and I'm so excited that Hunter was gracious enough to let me be a guest contributor this weekend so I care share this and other adventures with you at Las Vegas' biggest and most fabulous culinary action-packed weekend, with celebrity chefs from all around the world descending upon our humble 'burg to give us a taste of what they're all about.
However since I know you're also interested in hotel and casino design, I'll also be providing some of my observations of the Strip casinos I go in and out of. So let's start with my home base for this weekend: Mandalay Bay.
Honestly, "THE Suite" is quite sweet. Sure, there aren't the types of fun electronic gadgets you'll now find at any room at Aria, Encore, or Palazzo. But as a "boutique hotel", it works nicely with three flat panel TVs, a fully loaded wet bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush carpeting, chic furniture, and plenty of room to roam. And for a hotel that opened in 2003, my suite at THEhotel has minimal damage.
The decor is very hip. The color palette is mainly earth tones. The furniture really looks like the kinds of items I'll find at my yuppie friends' pads in Manhattan and West Hollywood. If you want to take a look at where I'm staying, check out my homemade "sweet suite tour" video (which I'll also upload to YouTube later), as well as my Twitpic.
And the actual Mandalay casino? It's still looking good for someone in Vegas going on eleven. I only found minimal chips in the marble. The water features were all working properly. And THEhotel lobby still looks as stunning in its uber-chic minimalist postmodern way (although that could just be the dim lighting!). For some reason, it seems like MGM Mirage is taking better care of Mandalay Bay than Bellagio. Weird, right?
I'll write more today as I explore, and expect a full review tomorrow morning of all the action at Bradley Ogden's Vegas Uncork'd event. I'll also be listening to other "eyes and ears on the ground" to let you know about the other events tonight. And as always, please feel free to follow me @atdleft on Twitter all weekend as I explore more at Mandalay Bay, take a glimpse at the other Strip casinos, review more restaurants, and follow all the Vegas Uncork'd madness for you.
So I have arrived at THEhotel at Mandalay Bay. In fact, I am now writing from "THE wifi" at "THE desk" at "THE Living Room" at "THE Suite"... And I'm listening to "THE Beyonce" as I write from "THE Macbook" on "THE desk". Am I sounding annoying yet?
I digress.
Anyway, I'm now here and I'm getting ready for my first Vegas Uncork'd event of the weekend: dinner at Bradley Ogden, WITH Bradley Ogden! Yes, I know, this is exciting and I'm so excited that Hunter was gracious enough to let me be a guest contributor this weekend so I care share this and other adventures with you at Las Vegas' biggest and most fabulous culinary action-packed weekend, with celebrity chefs from all around the world descending upon our humble 'burg to give us a taste of what they're all about.
However since I know you're also interested in hotel and casino design, I'll also be providing some of my observations of the Strip casinos I go in and out of. So let's start with my home base for this weekend: Mandalay Bay.
Honestly, "THE Suite" is quite sweet. Sure, there aren't the types of fun electronic gadgets you'll now find at any room at Aria, Encore, or Palazzo. But as a "boutique hotel", it works nicely with three flat panel TVs, a fully loaded wet bar, floor-to-ceiling windows, plush carpeting, chic furniture, and plenty of room to roam. And for a hotel that opened in 2003, my suite at THEhotel has minimal damage.
The decor is very hip. The color palette is mainly earth tones. The furniture really looks like the kinds of items I'll find at my yuppie friends' pads in Manhattan and West Hollywood. If you want to take a look at where I'm staying, check out my homemade "sweet suite tour" video (which I'll also upload to YouTube later), as well as my Twitpic.
And the actual Mandalay casino? It's still looking good for someone in Vegas going on eleven. I only found minimal chips in the marble. The water features were all working properly. And THEhotel lobby still looks as stunning in its uber-chic minimalist postmodern way (although that could just be the dim lighting!). For some reason, it seems like MGM Mirage is taking better care of Mandalay Bay than Bellagio. Weird, right?
I'll write more today as I explore, and expect a full review tomorrow morning of all the action at Bradley Ogden's Vegas Uncork'd event. I'll also be listening to other "eyes and ears on the ground" to let you know about the other events tonight. And as always, please feel free to follow me @atdleft on Twitter all weekend as I explore more at Mandalay Bay, take a glimpse at the other Strip casinos, review more restaurants, and follow all the Vegas Uncork'd madness for you.
Wednesday, May 5, 2010
Programming Note: Vegas Uncork'd Is This Weekend!
Yes, bitchez, I'll be here starting tomorrow... Hunter broke the news on his blog yesterday! And don't worry, I won't be neglecting you while I blog for TWHT. I'll also be giving you the deets on as much Vegas Uncork'd as my schedule will allow.
Here's a sneak preview of what to expect starting tomorrow:
- a review of the hotel where I'll be hiding from the hoi polloi down below :-D
- my first special dinner tomorrow night at a yet-to-be-disclosed location Center Strip
- my very special Friday brunch with a certain international celebrity chef
- my Saturday activities
I know you bitchez can't wait, and neither can I. The fun starts tomorrow, and the blog will pretty much be "All Vegas Uncork'd, All Weekend". And if you don't like it... Well, don't expect me or Whitney to care. I feel like a million dollar bill, and I can't deny the way I feel tonight! Whoo-hoo! :-D
Casinos: Station Gets a(nother) Lifeline
Well, so much for us knowing the final fate of Station Casinos sooner rather than later...
But issues remain over Station's proposed auction and PropCo/OpCo divide.
And apparently there is also an emerging problem with Texas Station, as the Fertittas want to auction off the casino but NOT the land underneath it. So this ain't over yet, not by a longshot.
So far, it seems Station has been lucking out in getting the judge to mostly agree to what the Fertittas, Colony Capital, Deutsche Bank, and JP Morgan Chase want. We'll have to see if their luck will ever run dry in this case.
I just wonder how much of a chance Boyd really has now in getting any of these casinos...
Station Casinos is getting a little extra time as the exclusive company or group to draw up a reorganization plan in its $6.6 billion bankruptcy case.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Gregg Zive gave the Las Vegas casino company until mid July to exclusively put forth a plan on how to emerge from its debt.
His approval came after creditors and independent lenders withdrew opposition to an extension. Attorneys for the groups initially wanted the exclusive right to draft a plan to end May 24 so they and others could prepare their own bankruptcy plan.
Zive had been leaning toward giving Stations the extension, saying, “I’m not sure why we should open the door to that type of distraction,” referring to others who might submit rival plans.
But issues remain over Station's proposed auction and PropCo/OpCo divide.
Deutsche Bank and JP Morgan hold a $2.475 billion mortgage on four of Station’s most valuable properties: Red Rock Resort, Sunset Station, Boulder Station and Palace Station. They and Station Executives Frank and Lorenzo Fertitta would take over those four casinos.
Another 13 casinos would be put up at an auction.
The Fertittas and the banks have put together a proposal to bid $772 million for those 13 casinos. But other companies could outbid them.
The judge also allowed the lenders and creditors additional time to take depositions from two more officials. Zive will hear additional arguments Wednesday on the bidding procedures but said he won’t rule until later hearings set for May 26-27 in Reno.
Lawyers for Station Casinos objected to allowing more depositions. Thomas Kreller, attorney for Station Casinos, said it gave the bondholders, creditors and lenders 50 reports and allowed them to take depositions from five officials.
But lawyers for the creditors and others told Zive they have not been able to get all the necessary information to assess the proposed reorganization plan. They argued that they need to know how the “stalking horse” plan was selected and want to know the value of such things as customer lists and land.
“There is no evidence on the value of the excluded assets,” said Eric Winston, attorney for the creditors’ community.
And apparently there is also an emerging problem with Texas Station, as the Fertittas want to auction off the casino but NOT the land underneath it. So this ain't over yet, not by a longshot.
So far, it seems Station has been lucking out in getting the judge to mostly agree to what the Fertittas, Colony Capital, Deutsche Bank, and JP Morgan Chase want. We'll have to see if their luck will ever run dry in this case.
I just wonder how much of a chance Boyd really has now in getting any of these casinos...
Tuesday, May 4, 2010
Crazy Fun Video Night: MARIAH!
Who said Whitney is supposed to have all the fun here? Tonight, it's Mariah's turn... It's time for my other favorite DIVA! (And a couple super funny parodies!) We'll always love you, too, Mariah. :-D
UPDATE: Clark County Commission Voted to Protect Gold Butte!
Heh. I post my piece today on Gold Butte... And the Clark County Commission actually agrees with me! Nice. ;-)
Clark County commissioners approved a resolution Tuesday supporting efforts to create the Gold Butte National Conservation Area. [...]
Commissioner Tom Collins has taken the lead on the movement to create the conservation area, saying it would help to protect the area, which has seen an increase in use as the area’s population has grown.
The resolution encourages Congress to establish the conservation area and appoint a board of local representatives to help manage the area.
Casinos: Boyd Gaming Swings Back to $8.4 Million Q1 Profit, Still Wants Station's Casinos
So Boyd reported earnings this morning. They went from a $0.16 per share, or $13.8 million total, loss in Q1 2009 to a $0.10 per share, or $8.4 million total, profit. So how did they do it? Apparently they've been cutting costs rather aggressively, as net revenue actually fell 8.4 percent to $398.4 million from $434.8 million in Q1 2009.
Still, Boyd stated in its report that there's good reason to be more bullish on Las Vegas these days.
Looking at the internals, it seems like the locals' casinos are starting to recover their footing. Boyd's locals' casinos' Q1 2010 EBITDA was off only 10.8% from Q1 2009, compared to Boyd's Downtown casinos' EBITDA dropping 37.3%. No wonder why Boyd isn't pursuing any more Downtown casinos, but is still aggressively going after Station Casinos.
So the picture is becoming clearer now. Boyd seems to have found the "magic formula" of expense cuts and travel/gaming promotion to return its locals' casinos to profitability (thereby taking the entire company back to black), so it thinks it can make money off Station's casinos. But wait, can they negotiate a deal with the Greenspuns on GVR and Aliante? And can they run these and the other "OpCo" properties without Station's Boarding Pass (players' club program) feeding locals and non-Strip travelers into the casinos? Apparently so, or so Boyd execs think.
Still, Boyd stated in its report that there's good reason to be more bullish on Las Vegas these days.
Keith Smith, President and Chief Executive Officer of Boyd Gaming, commented on the quarter: "We continue to be encouraged by improving trends in our business, which clearly reflect the signs of an emerging recovery. Our Las Vegas Locals market reported the best year-over-year comparison in nearly two years, and business levels are returning to normal seasonal patterns in this region. Given the positive developments in our business, combined with continued improvement in the national economy, we expect to generate year-over-year growth during the second half of 2010."
Looking at the internals, it seems like the locals' casinos are starting to recover their footing. Boyd's locals' casinos' Q1 2010 EBITDA was off only 10.8% from Q1 2009, compared to Boyd's Downtown casinos' EBITDA dropping 37.3%. No wonder why Boyd isn't pursuing any more Downtown casinos, but is still aggressively going after Station Casinos.
During Tuesday’s conference call, Smith said Boyd is still aggressively pursuing the acquisition of Station Casinos’ assets.
In December, Boyd made an offer to purchase Station Casinos’ assets in an effort to expand its locals market. The offer was $2.45 billion for the company’s 18 casinos and casino-hotels in Southern Nevada.
“We welcome the opportunity to compete for Station [Casinos] assets so long as the process is competitive, open and fair and as long as the assets have not been devalued to a point where it no longer makes financial sense,” Smith said.
So the picture is becoming clearer now. Boyd seems to have found the "magic formula" of expense cuts and travel/gaming promotion to return its locals' casinos to profitability (thereby taking the entire company back to black), so it thinks it can make money off Station's casinos. But wait, can they negotiate a deal with the Greenspuns on GVR and Aliante? And can they run these and the other "OpCo" properties without Station's Boarding Pass (players' club program) feeding locals and non-Strip travelers into the casinos? Apparently so, or so Boyd execs think.
What About Gold Butte?
So how about that Gold Butte? Wait... Where??!! Come on, you don't know Gold Butte? It's an amazing stretch of colorful land, flora, and fauna just south of Mesquite along I-15. And sadly, it's being torn to shreds as we speak.
Gold Butte is situated between our rapidly expanding greater metropolis of Las Vegas and the rapidly expanding cities of Mesquite and St. George, Utah. Development is starting to encroach on the north side. Visitors come from all around to ride ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), often off road and cutting into the vegetation. Vandals take chunks out of ancient Native American petroglyphs, and often replace them with nasty graffiti.
Now, more than ever, Gold Butte needs to be protected. Today, the Clark County Commission will decide whether to support a resolution urging Congress to designate Gold Butte as a National Conservation Area (NCA) and official federally protected Wilderness.
This is why we need to speak out in support of Gold Butte. Reno & Its Discontents' blogger-superstar Tacy Viselli has written a Care2 page in support of Gold Butte, highlighting what we can do to help save it. Friends of Nevada Wilderness also have more on what we can do to help.
The Las Vegas Poppy. The endangered Desert Tortoise. Artifacts from ancient civilization. Sandstone cliffs. These are just a few of the many treasures we can find at Gold Butte. However, action must be taken soon before we lose it forever.
Gold Butte is situated between our rapidly expanding greater metropolis of Las Vegas and the rapidly expanding cities of Mesquite and St. George, Utah. Development is starting to encroach on the north side. Visitors come from all around to ride ATVs (all-terrain vehicles), often off road and cutting into the vegetation. Vandals take chunks out of ancient Native American petroglyphs, and often replace them with nasty graffiti.
Now, more than ever, Gold Butte needs to be protected. Today, the Clark County Commission will decide whether to support a resolution urging Congress to designate Gold Butte as a National Conservation Area (NCA) and official federally protected Wilderness.
The Clark County Commission could decide today whether to support federal efforts to preserve hundreds of thousands of acres of Nevada wilderness.
It’s a proposal that has proponents jubilant over the possibility of protecting fragile land and opponents angry over potentially losing treasured hunting and four-wheeling territory. [...]
Of the proposed 345,000-acre Gold Butte National Conservation Area, 132,000 acres would be designated as wilderness. Typically only foot access is allowed into federal wilderness areas. [...]
The massive chunk of land is mostly isolated from Las Vegas by Lake Mead. But growth in Mesquite, on the northern boundary of the area, has put pressure on the land.
More people have spilled into the area and damaged it by off-roading on hillsides and shooting, including at some of the ancient petroglyphs, Terri Robertson said.
Robertson is one of the 300 members of Friends of Gold Butte who supports the county resolution asking for a federal conservation area designation. She knows the area well, having taken her first trips into Gold Butte with her father, who was born in Mesquite in 1902.
The conservation-area moniker would put the land on the same footing for federal funding as national parks, she said. “And we need a park ranger out there full-time.”
This is why we need to speak out in support of Gold Butte. Reno & Its Discontents' blogger-superstar Tacy Viselli has written a Care2 page in support of Gold Butte, highlighting what we can do to help save it. Friends of Nevada Wilderness also have more on what we can do to help.
The Las Vegas Poppy. The endangered Desert Tortoise. Artifacts from ancient civilization. Sandstone cliffs. These are just a few of the many treasures we can find at Gold Butte. However, action must be taken soon before we lose it forever.
Monday, May 3, 2010
Crazy Fun Video Night: More WHITNEY!
OK, so it's Debra Wilson Skelton as Whitney on Mad TV... But come on, you know you want more! :-p
NV-Sen: Suzy Lowdown STILL Doesn't Get It!
See what I mean? Seriously, we can just go to UMC? The same UMC in trouble? And does Ms. Suzy's campaign manager really think most of us can afford the kind of care under the current system to actually survive a gunshot wound in the chest? And that anyone in Reno or Elko or Austin can just head on over to UMC in Las Vegas, the ONLY public hospital in Nevada? And that we the taxpayers can afford even more ER subsidies? (Remember that the emergency room is the most expensive form of treatment around.)
Oh, and by the way, Cenk Uygur & The Young Turks talk more about what I've been saying here for some time. If Suzy Lowdown wants to be taken seriously on health care policy, she needs to actually offer some serious health care policy. But it seems since she already has her millions of dollars and first-rate health insurance, she'd rather not worry her poor lil' patrician self with us plebeians and our petty lil' health care concerns.
Suzy Lowdown & her GOoPer buddies just don't get it.
It's too bad Mad TV isn't around any more. If they had this much fun with Whitney...
Think of what they would have done with Suzy Lowdown screwing up her own campaign! Sorry, I just couldn't help myself on that last vid. ;-)
And by the way, Nevada Scandalmonger has even more on the latest Suzy Lowdown campaign meltdown.
Images of Las Vegas PRIDE 2010
Please excuse me while I'm still recovering from last weekend. I was busy at Las Vegas PRIDE, both at the parade on Friday and at the festival on Saturday. As usual, I marched with Stonewall on Friday... Then worked the booth along with our friends at Progress Now Nevada, the Harry Reid campaign, Shelley Berkley campaign, and the Dina Titus campaign. We registered new voters, signed up volunteers, and let people in our community know that there is an important election coming up this year and it's a really good idea to vote.
And of course, it was so much fun just to be there! Believe it or not, there was a time when it was a courageous act just to throw an event like this. Coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (intersex, genderqueer, asexual, etc.) was considered shocking in and of itself... And sadly, to a large extent it still is in many places throughout our country. PRIDE was designed to be a place for people in our community to come out, be proud, and become a part of the community. And today, it's still like a "big queer family reunion" every year where we all get together, do some good, and have a good time as well.
OK, enough of me blabbing... Here's a glimpse of this past weekend of PRIDE!
And of course, it was so much fun just to be there! Believe it or not, there was a time when it was a courageous act just to throw an event like this. Coming out as lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and/or queer (intersex, genderqueer, asexual, etc.) was considered shocking in and of itself... And sadly, to a large extent it still is in many places throughout our country. PRIDE was designed to be a place for people in our community to come out, be proud, and become a part of the community. And today, it's still like a "big queer family reunion" every year where we all get together, do some good, and have a good time as well.
OK, enough of me blabbing... Here's a glimpse of this past weekend of PRIDE!
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