Scenes from Stonewall's Henderson Mixer on Monday!

Yes, yes, yes! Finally, Stonewall was here in my 'hood this week! We had a chance to speak with Assembly Member Ellen Spiegel, State Senator Joyce Woodhouse, Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto, and more!

It was great to actually speak to her directly about the recent issue of the Nevada DMV denying accurate driver's licenses for transgender persons, and she said she'd be on the case. Ellen Spiegel said she was proud to testify in support of SB 283 and be the 28th vote to override "Luv-Guv" Gibbons' veto of domestic partnerships. Joyce Woodhouse spoke about what she's doing in the Senate on education, renewable energy, the budget, and more.

All in all, it was very informative and very fun. And yes, I was so glad that we were able to do it so close to home! :-)

Letter to Nevada DMV Director Regarding Driver's Licenses for Transgender Nevadans

(Also at Stonewall)

We had heard enough of these disturbing and very illegal denials of accurate driver's licenses to transgender Nevadans. Here is our letter to Nevada DMV Director Edgar Roberts asking him to stop this wrongful and illegal discrimination. We hope you join us in writing your own letter.

---

May 10, 2010
Director Edgar Roberts
Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles
555 Wright Way
Carson City, NV 89711

Dear Mr. Roberts,

It has been brought to our attention that the Nevada Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV) is continuing to deny transgender Nevadans the right to change the gender marker on their driver licenses with a letter from a doctor which states that a person’s gender has been changed. This is of great concern to us, and we hope you will end this discriminatory and illegal policy.

This denial of accurate driver’s licenses to transgender persons violates current Nevada Administrative Code 483.070 which states, “A person who wishes to change the gender indicated on his driver’s license, motorcycle driver’s license or identification card must submit proof satisfactory to the department that his gender was changed. The proof must include documentation prepared by a physician or an osteopathic physician indicating that the gender of the person has been changed.”

By denying change of gender marker on driver’s licenses to transgender Nevadans, the DMV is violating state law as well as violating the privacy rights of many thousands of Nevadans. This puts these Nevadans at greater risk for workplace discrimination and increases the risk of anti-transgender hate crimes. Not only is the denial of proper driver’s licenses illegal, but it also jeopardizes public safety and leads to further civil rights violations.

As the Director of the Nevada DMV, Mr. Roberts, you have the authority to ensure your department is abiding by state law and allowing transgender persons to change the gender marker on their driver’s licenses. We urge you to properly use this authority to prevent any further unlawful discrimination against transgender persons here in Nevada by. Please change the DMV’s policy on changing the gender marker on driver’s licenses so it can be in line with Nevada Administrative Code 483.070 and treat transgender Nevadans fairly and with decency.

Thank you.


Sincerely yours,

Derek Washington
Chair

Sandra Eddy
Vice-Chair

Andrew Davey
Secretary & Political Director

Chris Miller
Treasurer

Laura Martin
Communications Director

Karen Grayson
Transgender Outreach Director
Stonewall Democratic Club of Southern Nevada

"Camp Vegas", Comeback Kid?

So LVCVA has decided upon a new marketing campaign, "Camp Vegas"...





And we're all wondering what's going on. Where's the camp?

Obviously, this is not really the "summer camp" we expected as kids. This is "camp for grownups", complete with pool parties, "beachside" gambling, and plentiful liquor. It all sounds so happy and fun...

But wait, when was the last time we were all happy here? Well, perhaps there's good reason to be happy again.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority said 3,224,697 people visited the city in March, compared to 3,202,344 visitors in March 2009, which is an increase of 0.7 percent. March marks the seventh straight month of visitor volume exceeding prior year levels.

Hotel occupancy across the valley dropped 3.5 percent because about 8,000 additional hotel rooms were added in the past year, bringing the total number of rooms to 148,891.

The average daily room rate increased 0.8 percent in the past year, from $92.46 to $93.23, the LVCVA said. The number of room nights occupied increased 0.8 percent to nearly 3.8 million.

Convention attendance was up 5.2 percent, while the number of conventions dropped 2.9 percent, according to the LVCVA numbers.

The number of passengers arriving to and departing from McCarran International Airport dropped 4 percent, while traffic at the Nevada/California line on Interstate 15 was up 6.2 percent.

And although other parts of the state (including Downtown and the 'burbs here in Clark County) are still suffering declining gaming revenue, The Strip continued on its winning streak.

Casinos along the Las Vegas Strip posted their fourth increased win in the past five months in March, buoyed by strong performances in Baccarat and sports betting with the college basketball tournament. [...]

Strip casinos posted $467 million in, up 2.4 percent. For the first three months of the year, the gaming win on the Strip increased by 9.8 percent.

For the 11st consecutive month, the 17 casinos that have Baccarat reported an increase, up to $52.7 million.

Sports betting jumped 527.5 percent to $7.6 million. Players lost $12.1 million in basketball during the time of the NCAA basketball tournament.

Frank Streshley, chief of tax and licensing for the board, said the high-end play is coming back on the Strip, and convention business has been strong.

“We hit the bottom and are slowly climbing out,” he said.

Well, it's far better to be climbing up from the bottom than still sliding toward an endless, bottomless pit. What a difference a year makes!

Again, things aren't perfect just yet. Vegas hasn't fully healed yet... But we're now on our way. Vegas is coming back, baby!

And hey, what better way to celebrate than throw a "summer camp" for all our guests? I'm digging it. :-)

Don't Get Caught in a Bad Hotel... Or How Culinary Can Use New Tools to Fight Station

Take a look at what SF Pride at Work is doing...



This thing is quickly going viral, and just in time to catch tourists like moi considering our San Francisco PRIDE plans... Including hotel reservations. Paul Hogarth explains more on the value of this new kind of "viral video protest" at Beyond Chron (an excellent SF blog):

The video was fun, but how do we know it will be effective at getting people to boycott the Westin St. Francis?

A friend responded with this point: “It will be seen by a lot more people than your average - ‘what do we want and when do we want it’ protest - because as much as I am pro union and will support boycotts, I don’t forward info on every single boycott because seriously, nobody would read my reports if I did. I saw the YouTube video and then saw that the Palace Hotel was part of the boycott list and canceled my reservations for tea at the Garden Room. I probably would not have found out about the boycott if it wasn’t entertaining enough to go viral, and I definitely wouldn’t have posted it in my [Facebook] status and then five of my friends probably wouldn’t have posted in theirs …”

In the 21st Century, people spend a lot of time online – and a huge amount on Facebook, talking to their friends and procrastinating. A fun YouTube video can go viral, because you’re reaching people where they’re at – and it’s easy for them to post it on their page.

As far as getting “bang for your buck,” Pride at Work hit a home run. They didn’t have to mobilize a huge number of people, the whole action took 5 minutes and nobody got arrested. How many times can you say that – and get that amount of media coverage?


Could Pride at Work have done a similar direct action without YouTube or Facebook? Of course, but no one would have seen it – unless they happened to be in the Westin St. Francis at the time, or activists were lucky to get reporters present – never a sure thing.

And while onlookers in the hotel appeared supportive (activists handed out flyers during the flashmob about the hotel boycott), it can be difficult convincing an apolitical tourist who already paid for their room to check out of the hotel in solidarity. By broadcasting it on YouTube and generating a viral campaign, more will hear about it and not stay there.

How very, very true. And you know what? It applies very much to LAS VEGAS, too!

Think about it. The Fertittas are trying hard to prevent "an inconvenient bankruptcy" from toppling their gaming empire, while Boyd Gaming is licking its chops to grab as many Station properties as possible when "PropCo" (amd maybe even a bit of "OpCo"?) goes to the auction house. Both companies are notorious for being anti-union, and Culinary 226 so far has had no luck at organizing any casinos run by either company.

Culinary now has an active organizing campaign running, but all I've seen from it so far are two RTC bus stop ads: one at Green Valley Parkway & the 215, and one at St. Rose Parkway & Paseo Verde. Oh, and apparently there's a YouTube page that I didn't even know about until five minutes ago.

Now I'm sure there's plenty of negotiating going on inside, and there's probably more to come. Culinary has earned its reputation as a true Nevada political power player for good reason.

However I just think there's even more they can do, especially when it comes to winning in the court of public opinion... And getting the public to choose union hotels over anti-union hotels when staying here in Vegas. [I'm sure MGM Mirage, Harrah's, and Wynn would really appreciate this as well. ;-) ]

I'm wondering how involved Sleep With the Right People and Pride at Work are with the Station fight. If they aren't yet, I hope Culinary reaches out to them. There are millions of LGBTQ tourists who come to Vegas each year, and they should know to "sleep with the right people". Oh yes, and Culinary should know about these new tricks they should put up their sleeve so they can reach out to millions more Vegas visitors and let them know where to go (and where not to go).

All those tourists "voting with their dollars and their feet" would really get Station and Boyd to pay attention.

NV-Sen: It's a Whole New Race Post-Barter-gate

Remember not that long ago when all the pundits were declaring Harry Reid "dead"? Well, would they have expected to be talking about this today?!

Harry Reid 42% (D)
Sue Lowden 35% (R)
Scott Ashjian 3% (T)
Tim Fasano 5% (IAP)
None of these 8%
Undecided 8%

Harry Reid 37% (D)
Danny Tarkanian 37% (R)
Scott Ashjian 2% (T)
Tim Fasano 7% (IAP)
None of these 4%
Undecided 11%

Jon Ralston "flashed" these numbers to his private email subscribers early this week, and now Ralston is making the numbers public. Yes, it's Democratic internal polling, however it's from Fairbanks, Maslin, Maullin and Metz, a very reputable firm that regularly is hired to do Presidential polling. That's nothing to lightly dismiss!

All in all, it confirms what we were starting to see with the DKos/Research 2000 poll released late last month: This race has changed dramatically in just a month. Suzy Lowdown's friends at The R-J were ready to crown her as the winner weeks before June and months before November, but her own hot mess of a campaign has proven that it ain't actually over until folks start voting.

So obviously Suzy Lowdown must be finally realizing that she's in trouble, which is why she finally released a new ad:



Steve Sebelius likes it, but I think I'll have to go with Ralston on this one.



I guess I'll have to give her props for her dramatic use of her props, but the message itself is confusing and can potentially backfire. Brian Fadie explains at ProgressNow:

If one of your campaign's big dirty secrets is the fact that you financially supported your opponent multiple times in the past, you might not want to bring that up in your ad to remind everyone about it.

Note the screen on the TV on the left in the ad "Lowden: I supported Harry Reid"



Then you might not want to display just how much you supported him (which was kind of a lot):

Per the same screen: "Lowden gave Harry Reid's campaign a thousand dollars."



And you really probably don't want people to know how many times you did that:



I'm no campaign guru, but if you don't want people to know about something you probably shouldn't be the one to bring it up.

If I wasn't aware of any of these negative things being said about her before seeing this ad, I sure as hell would be curious about them after. And in the wonderful days of the internet it only takes me about 10 seconds to bypass the messaging in your big buck (pun!) ad buy and find out the whole story.

He's right. Does Ms. Suzy really think it helps to pay to air more of Baby Tark's attacks on her? AND remind everyone yet again about "Chickens for Checkups"? I guess she's still not really thinking things through.

And right now, I suspect someone in Searchlight is smiling. Yep, it's all coming together now... ;-)

Vegas Uncork'd: Conclusion

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)

On Sunday, I suddenly had to resume my "normal life". No more being waited upon hand and foot. No more "beach" pools. No more celebrity chefs cooking for me. Nope, it was back to "normal living" in the very "un-Vegas-y" (that's how my State Senator, Joyce Woodhouse, describes it) town of Henderson.

But as I sit here in "un-Vegas-y" territory, I just want to reflect upon the amazing weekend of delicious activities I just experienced.

(Day 1 of Vegas Uncork'd)

This was really a chance for us to explore a different side of Las Vegas. Not that long ago, "eating out" mostly consisted of generic steakhouses, dull diners/coffee shops, and cheap buffets. The buffets were especially "legendary" (or should I say notorious?) for "food" that may not have been fit for serving in school cafeterias, and the diners and steakhouses weren't all that better.

But about twenty years ago, it all started to change. When Steve Wynn built The Mirage, he was looking for restaurants worthy of a world-class resort. When Caesars Palace built The Forum Shops, they invited Wolfgang Puck to open a Las Vegas branch of the famed LA hotspot Spago... And ignited the first of many "waves" of "celebrity chef invasions" to come. In the late 1990s, new resorts like Bellagio, Paris, Venetian, and Mandalay Bay looked to New York and Chicago to bring even more culinary star power to town. And just in the last five years, "The Great French Invasion" has brought international superstars like Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, and Pierre Gagnaire to Las Vegas to give us even more foodie clout and Michelin Stars than ever before.

Meanwhile, Vegas has also seen the rise of "homegrown talent". Rick Moonen left the hubbub of New York to open RM Seafood at Mandalay Bay and stay here to run it. Kerry Simon actually became a "celebrity chef" here in Vegas, and has since opened a branch of Simon in LA. Signs of life have even appeared out here in the suburbs, as real Neapolitan style pizzerias, funky sushi houses, classy French bistros, and cool gastropubs have popped up from Summerlin to Henderson.

So with Vegas Uncork'd here for its fourth year, it really feels like we were celebrating something quite special. Las Vegas truly has arrived as a sophisticated culinary destination.

(Day 2 of Vegas Uncork'd)

Think about it. The world's best and finest chefs were just here in Las Vegas. They were here to feed us. They gave us cooking classes. They served us lunch. They pulled out all the stops for elegant multi-course dinners. They all gathered at Caesars Palace's new pool complex to let us sample their offerings. Hell, they even threw us a big barbeque at Mandalay Bay's beach!

It's incredibly difficult for me to pick a favorite moment from last weekend, since there were so many. There was Charlie Palmer serving me pork hot off the BBQ. There was Cat Cora personally offering me a lamb burger from her booth. There was Joel Robuchon doing a champagne toast with me, silly lil' moi!

And after all these great meals, I'm ready for more. The Grand Tasting gave me a chance to sample some great restaurants that I know I'll need to visit (or try again) soon. Sage tasted very promising. Nobu (as usual) had great sushi offerings. I must admit, even Bobby Flay's seafood at Mesa Grill tasted good. (Last time I was at Mesa, my meal was on the underwhelming side.)

Meanwhile, the full sit-down meals confirmed to me some of my favorite restaurants that I know I will be visiting time and again. Bradley Ogden is a real "hidden treasure" at Caesars Palace. Joel Robuchon is a breathtaking experience never worth missing at MGM Grand. And over ten years later, Aureole is still dazzling us at Mandalay Bay.

(Day 3 of Vegas Uncork'd)

Vegas Uncork'd was the perfect opportunity to explore more of what Las Vegas has to offer, especially the great restaurants serving phenomenal food and drinks here. But even if you couldn't make it here last weekend, fear not. There is always something good cooking here.

Just give me a call, and we'll do dinner. Trust me, you'll have fun eating here. :-)

(OK, just one more thing: I need to thank some very important people who made this all happen. Much thanks to Bon Appetit Magazine for hosting Uncork'd and making it yet another fabulous success! I also need to thank Hunter again for giving me the opportunity to be your eyes and ears at Uncork'd. Thanks to my "table partners" at Bradley Ogden on Thursday, including Bon Appetit Executive Ediotr Victoria Von Biel, for the enlightening conversation and great company. Thanks to my new friends from Seattle, jsmeeker, and David Ross for guiding me through The Grand Tasting. Thanks to THEhotel at Mandalay Bay for such an enjoyable stay last weekend. Oh, and thanks to YOU for bearing with me these last few days. I hope to keep seeing you here!)

Pool "Day Clubs": To Do Or Not to Do? Here's My Take.

This is the question. Today's Sun has not one, but two stories on "day clubs".



Obviously, the concept of turning a simple casino pool into a club has proven to be quite lucrative... But can it also be dangerous? Last year, Harrah's had to shut down Rio's Sapphire Club pool over alleged prostitution. Eight arrests were also made last summer at Hard Rock's famed (or is it infamous?) Rehab pool over drug and prostitution charges.

So is this going too far? Are these glorified "frat house pool parties" going too far?

NO.

Here's why. This is VEGAS, baby! Come on, folks, this is the place to party. This is the place to get wild and crazy. This is the place to live it up, day and night, 24/7.

If you can't get your freak on at Rehab, where else can you go on a Sunday... When many of my neighbors here in Henderson are in the church and/or at the park?

But about the drugs? And the hookers? As we've talked about before, I'm a civil libertarian by nature. Personally, I wouldn't mind Nevada legalizing prostitution and most drugs. And as long as the drinking, hooking up, getting high, and other assorted debauchery are being kept in an enclosed pool complex separate from the pool where the other hotel guests (including families with kids), what's the problem?

Again, fast times and crazy living are what brings so many millions of tourists to Las Vegas each year. Why ruin this naughty magic by making us some "(not so) glorified San Diego or Phoenix or Salt Lake City"? Let the day clubs open, and let the adults play in the pools!

Supremes: How 'Bout That Elena Kagan?

OK, so President Obama did the obvious...

President Obama nominated Solicitor General Elena Kagan as the nation’s 112th justice, choosing his own chief advocate before the Supreme Court to join it in ruling on cases critical to his view of the country’s future.

After a monthlong search, Mr. Obama informed Ms. Kagan and his advisers on Sunday of his choice to succeed the retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.

In settling on Ms. Kagan, the president chose a well-regarded 50-year-old lawyer who served as a staff member in all three branches of government and was the first woman to be dean of Harvard Law School. If confirmed, she would be the youngest member and the third woman on the current court, but the first justice in nearly four decades without any prior judicial experience.

So it's Elena Kagan. Most everyone in Legalworld was expecting this. But why? And why did Obama pick her?

Replacing Justice Stevens with Ms. Kagan presumably would not alter the broad ideological balance on the court, but her relative youth means that she could have an influence on the court for decades to come, underscoring the stakes involved.

In making his second nomination in as many years, Mr. Obama was not looking for a liberal firebrand as much as a persuasive leader who could attract the swing vote of Justice Anthony M. Kennedy and counter what the president sees as the rightward direction of the court under Chief Justice John G. Roberts Jr. Particularly since the Citizens United decision invalidating on free speech grounds the restrictions on corporate spending in elections, Mr. Obama has publicly criticized the court, even during his State of the Union address with justices in the audience.

As he presses an ambitious agenda expanding the reach of government, Mr. Obama has come to worry that a conservative Supreme Court could become an obstacle down the road, aides said. It is conceivable that the Roberts court could eventually hear challenges to aspects of Mr. Obama’s health care program or to other policies like restrictions on carbon emissions and counterterrorism practices.

Or is it? Is Obama actually threatening to move the court even further to the right? That's what Glenn Greenwald is worrying about.

The New York Times this morning reports that "Mr. Obama effectively framed the choice so that he could seemingly take the middle road by picking Ms. Kagan, who correctly or not was viewed as ideologically between Judge Wood on the left and Judge Garland in the center." That's consummate Barack Obama. The Right appoints people like John Roberts and Sam Alito, with long and clear records of what they believe because they're eager to publicly defend their judicial philosophy and have the Court reflect their values. Beltway Democrats do the opposite: the last thing they want is to defend what progressives have always claimed is their worldview, either because they fear the debate or because they don't really believe those things, so the path that enables them to avoid confrontation of ideas is always the most attractive, even if it risks moving the Court to the Right.

Why would the American public possibly embrace a set of beliefs when even its leading advocates are unwilling to publicly defend them and instead seek to avoid that debate at every turn? Hence: Obama chooses an individual with very few stated beliefs who makes the Right quite comfortable (even as they go through the motions of opposing her).

Or should he be worrying? James Doty says we don't have to in his op-ed in Salon today.

Kagan’s (admittedly scant) writings on the subject suggest that she might instead embrace Marshall’s view that the Constitution should be interpreted expansively to provide rigorous protections for the dispossessed. In eulogizing her former boss in a 1993 law review article, Kagan observed that Marshall’s pragmatic jurisprudential approach considered not just the law as written, but “the way in which law acted on people’s lives.” As Kagan noted, this approach demanded “special solicitude for the despised and disadvantaged.” Kagan lauded this view of the judicial role, saying that “however much some recent justices have sniped” at Marshall’s vision, it remained “a thing of glory.” In the article’s closing, Kagan nodded to the progressive view that the Constitution grows and adapts to meet the needs of a changing society, giving Marshall “credit” for our “modern Constitution.”

Even if Kagan’s judicial beliefs don’t align with Marshall’s in all particulars, her willingness to praise his general judicial principles suggests that she, like Marshall, sees the Constitution as a dynamic bulwark against majoritarian tyranny and political persecution. This contrasts not only with the beliefs of Marshall’s antagonists like Scalia, who view the Constitution as static and unchanging, but even with Justice Sonia Sotomayor, who stated blandly at her confirmation hearing that her only interpretive guidepost was “fidelity to the law.”

And of course, there are the standard lesbian rumors. So what the dealio here?

For now, let's put the gossip, all the gossip, aside and discuss what's actually happening. The President is choosing someone who may not have any judicial experience, has a long record in the legal world. She was the Dean of Harvard Law School. She was a research assistant for famed progressive legal wiz Larry Tribe, then clerked for Supreme Court Justice Thurgood Marshall. So far, so good.

So last year, she became Solicitor General. She defended Obama's newfound embrace of broad executive powers. Uh oh? Perhaps not, since the Solicitor General's job is to defend the President in court. At this point, we don't really know yet if Kagan herself supports broad Presidential powers over strong checks and balances.

And that's just it. We don't know everything yet. So for now, I'd say take a breather and let's see how Elena Kagan handles herself in the Senate confirmation process. Let's learn some more about her before we declare her the best thing since La Brea Bakery's bread, or conversely a "Republican in disguise!" or "Democratic Harriet Miers!".

Let's be open about it and give Kagan a chance. After all, Jeralyn at Talk Left is right that we dodged a bullet with Merrick Garland. Considering Obama isn't a progressive firebrand, it may not be too wise to expect him to drop Kagan for someone more to the left.

A Discussion With State Senator Joyce Woodhouse on "Green Collar Jobs"

On Saturday my State Senator, Joyce Woodhouse (D-Henderson), took some time out of her busy weekend to head over to Silver Springs Recreation Center in Henderson (and just a short walk from my house!) to chat with us neighbors about clean energy, green collar jobs, and other Nevada issues we're concerned about.

And since you already know how hard it is for me to keep my mouth shut, you know I had some questions ready.

So I asked about renewable energy, and specifically what Nevada can do to regulate greenhouse gas emissions, similar to California's AB 32, while Congress still isn't yet working on federal climate change legislation. By curbing our greenhouse gas emissions and setting real, concrete standards for renewable energy production, we can actually encourage more growth in the renewable energy sector needed to diversify and jumpstart Nevada's economy. Senator Woodhouse responded by saying her colleagues in Carson City are considering stronger climate legislation, as California's model looks promising.

Already, we've been taking steps in this direction here in Nevada. Woodhouse discussed SB 152, the "Green Jobs Initiative" that allowed Nevada to invest federal Recovery Act (stimulus) funds in "green job" training centers, retrofitting, and actual renewable energy projects.

She also mentioned SB 358, which was also passed last year. SB 358 provides tax incentives for solar companies to hire Nevadans for the jobs, along with enabling more residential solar panels, planning more energy efficiency measures, and more.

All in all, it seems we're on the right track here in Nevada... I just think we can go further in developing our "green economy" while also diversifying our economy AND actually doing something about the climate crisis. I was glad to see Senator Woodhouse so open to doing more as well, and I hope the legislature will be serious about passing comprehensive legislation like California's AB 32 to set a real framework to tackle climate change and remake Nevada into a renewable energy powerhouse.

And speaking of our economy, we also briefly discussed the budget. Unfortunately, as of now our state is still heavily overdependent on gaming to balance the budget. That's why it was feared just a couple months ago that we'll be facing a $3.5 billion + deficit (or over half of the state's total budget!) in the 2011-2012 biennium. And while recovering Strip numbers have helped to reduce the projected deficit to about $2.5 billion, it is still a major problem our state will be facing next year.

Now Joyce Woodhouse didn't want to address "the t word", and I can understand why. We always mumble and groan and complain about taxes, even if we have no state income tax. And we always ask about supposed "government waste" that can magically be waved away, even though Nevada already has the cheapest state government per capita.

I was glad to hear the Senator talk about how our schools and health care programs can't afford any more cuts. They were already cut to the bone, and now the marrow is being sucked out of them... Especially with the schools, now that class size reduction is being cancelled and teachers are being laid off. If we really are serious about diversifying the economy, we need to better educate our kids to prepare them to be more than just cocktail servers and valet attendees.

So what can we do? Senator Woodhouse mentioned efficiency studies and stronger efficiency standards for state agencies. Maybe they will find some savings this way, but again I don't know how much more "efficient" the state can be when our government is already down to bare bones with even the marrow being sucked out from those bones.

Now one thing I was so glad to hear the Senator mention was the economic diversification issue. Again, our state is too reliant upon gaming. We can no longer afford to be a "one trick pony", and we need to find a way to survive on more than just casinos if we want Nevada to succeed. This goes back to green collar jobs and expanding our renewable energy sector. This goes back to building a stronger education system that provides the kind of workforce here that high-tech and biotech are looking for. Any long-term plan for a stable Nevada economy must include real efforts to diversify our economy, and I'm glad my State Senator is already thinking about this and working on this.

All in all, it was nice to see my State Senator drop by the 'hood and let us know what's being discussed in Carson City. And perhaps more importantly, it's nice to see she's listening to us. I know it's hard in an election year to talk about the reality of our state and what we need to do to fix our problems (hence why hardly any candidates want to talk taxes), but this is at least a real start.

Vegas Uncork'd: "Better by the Bay" with Charlie Palmer & Alain Ducasse

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)







Ah, dinner on the beach! When I left Orange County, I wondered how long I'd have to wait to enjoy another romantic meal so close to the ocean. Well, I did not have to wait any longer!

OK, so Mandalay Bay's "beach" is far from the real deal, but it's still the best pool complex on The Strip and the ideal spot in Vegas for a beachside barbeque dinner with superstar chefs Charlie Palmer (of Aureole & Charlie Palmer Steak) and Alain Ducasse (of Mix in Las Vegas). There were whole pigs being roasted, lobsters being grilled... And even cookies and ice cream! Damn, who needs some stinky litter infested California beach picnic when one can have this??!!

So today, I'll be giving two reviews in one: Charlie Palmer's classed-up all-American dishes and Alain Ducasse's South of France inspired dishes. Let's start with the good ol' US of A.





The pork was amazingly succulent and easy on the mouth. The heirloom tomato salad done almost caprese style with mozzarella hit all the right tangy, creamy, and even sweet (just a little) flavor notes. Oh, and how could I forget the grilled chicken flat bread! The sweet BBQ sauce worked surprisingly well with what tasted like jack cheese on a slightly crispy flat bread crust.

So what about the lobster? Well, I enjoyed its sweetness paired with the potato-garlic stuffing... But for others, not so much. A couple sitting at my table were "lobster purists" from The Northeast, and they did not appreciate anything taking away from the naturally sweet lobster flavor. So you may or may not like Palmer's twist on half grilled Maine Lobster, depending on how strongly you believe in New England lobster preparation tradition.

I also tried the steamed Carolina Clams with "spicy broth" served in a sourdough bread bowl. And while it wasn't terrible, I'd have to say it was the weakest Palmer dish in my book. The bread was great (disclaimer: I LOVE good, artisan breads!), but the clams did nothing for me.

Whatever. Other than the clams, this was a solid dinner that I thoroughly enjoyed. Oh, and Chef Palmer himself was such a gracious host! There was plenty of food for everyone last night, served with plenty of smiles.





But wait, there's more! Remember that we didn't just have one celebrity chef doing BBQ for us, but two... Famed one-man international culinary powerhouse Alain Ducasse also joined us, and he had plenty of his own tasty offerings for us to try.

The herb stuffed ravioli brought a variety of garden flavors to explode in my mouth. The stuffed baby eggplant was simply irresistible, along with the stuffed cherry tomatoes. And that onion tart, oh that onion tart! I am still savoring those sweet caramelized onions.

And how about the bouillabaisse? The traditional Provencal fish stew got kicked up more than just a notch by Chef Ducasse with lovely herbal flavors all over and delectable little garlic croutons.



But wait, there's still more! Let's talk about dessert. Charlie Palmer kept it simple, yet oh so sweet, with an assortment of hand churned ice creams, chocolate chip cookies, root beer floats, and strawberry short cake. Now the short cake didn't do much for me, as the "cake" was actually done biscuit style and didn't have too much flavor. However, that was quickly forgiven and forgotten when I tried the cookies with some banana brownie ice cream! My goodness, why can't I have this more often!

I then looked for Alain Ducasse's dessert options, but I had looked too early. Apparently, he waited to clear the dinner options before bringing out the sweets.



Oh, and before I forget, there were a number of great wines and Patron tequila cocktails served last night. I was really digging the deconstructed mai tai on the cocktails end, and the California Muscat blooming with orange flavors when it was time for some dessert wine.

So who won? Who lost? Come on, we had two amazing chefs cooking for us... We all emerged winners out of this one! Chef Palmer was so charming throughout the night, and it was amazing to see Chef Ducasse in person working his magic. For me, this was the perfect ending to my absolutely fabulous Vegas Uncork'd weekend. :-)

(And don't forget, I have plenty more Uncork'd goodies for you at my Twitpic@atdleft and my Twitter@atdleft.)

Programming Note: Vegas Uncork'd Wrap-up Coming, Politics Coverage Resumes Tomorrow

OK, my politic@ friends who have been missing my environmental policy thoughts, Suzy Lowdown takedowns, tax talk, and financial regulatory reform goodies... Fear not, for I'll be back this week some policy and politics goodies for you. In fact, I'll have a discussion on green collar jobs and the Nevada state budget with none other than my State Senator, Joyce Woodhouse, tomorrow. I'll also have something to say on (US) Senator Harry Reid's efforts to stop a massive gravel mine from coming dangerously close to my neighborhood, more on the Arizona anti-immigrant nonsense, and even more interesting tidbits this week.

And of course, I'll also have more casino news along with my thoughts on the latest gaming industry news this week as well.

Oh yes, and even with Uncork'd wrapping up today, stay tuned here as this is just the start of what I'm calling "My Fun Foodie Summer"!

Hey, I have something for everyone here. Keep enjoying, kids. ;-)

Vegas Uncork'd: Dishin' the Dishes at The Grand Tasting at Caesars Palace

(Also at TWHT/RateVegas)

I did it. I really did it. I pretty much made the entire rounds at The Grand Tasting at Vegas Uncork'd!

We were placed in the gloriously renovated Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis at Caesars Palace. Now this is quite the sight to behold!





Isn't this just regal? For a moment, I was even reminded of the Roman inspired pools at the famed Hearst Castle on the Central California Coast. Whatever your complaints are regarding Harrah's Entertainment and the way it has run Caesars Palace since 2004, you can't fault them for neglecting the pool(s)!

So are you now ready for the main attraction? Yes, my dears, it's time for us to dish on the dishes!









Let's start with the savory highlights:

- Guy Savoy's artichoke and black truffle soup really packed the flavor punches in all the right places! The accompanying crostini was also quite tasty.

- The beef served at Sage was super tender!

- The spicy beef and noodles from Lotus of Siam really were hot and spicy! But fear not, it was still mighty yummy.

- The sushi from Nobu was as stunning and delectable as ever.

- The lamb sausage topped with sundried tomato from Bradley Ogden was full of rich flavors, even if it was cold.

And my favorite sweets of the night:

- Bradley Ogden's butterscotch pudding was perfectly sweet and creamy and satisfying.

- Vosges' chocolate truffles were out of this world, and the coffee infused truffle and the sweet potato truffle were my two favorites there.

- Jean Philippe Patisserie's sweet creations were ethereal, and their mini napoleons were just divine!

And while I wish I could just be nice to everyone, I also think I would be doing a major disservice to you if I didn't mention the disappointing lowlights of the evening:

- Diego's crab with salsa did nothing for me, as the crab tasted like it came from a can and the salsa had virtually no flavor.

- Bar Masa's foie gras dish wasn't all that bad, but for foie gras I was expecting more... So I guess I won't be missing too much when I return to being an ethical and eco-conscious vegetarian?

- For some reason, I wasn't digging Craftsteak's beef too much... Was I missing something?

Fortunately, I ran into some great new friends last night who helped me immensely in providing second and third opinions when I needed them. @jsmeeker and David Ross from eGullet helped show me the way, along with a couple nice ladies from Seattle who "adopted" me when I was lost in line to get in. Oh, and I can't forget the new friends I met at the Bradley Ogden dinner and Joel Robuchon luncheon that I bumped into again last night! Oh, and Chef Bradley Ogden himself remembered me from Thursday night... AWESOME!







OK, that's all for now. However, the foodie fun isn't quite over yet... Stay tuned for a very special report from Mandalay Bay's "Better by the Bay" BBQ with Alain Ducasse and Charlie Palmer! And until then, bon appetit and "keep eatin' like you mean it". :-)

(And as always, remember to check my Twitpic and my Twiiter@atdleft for more on everything Vegas Uncork'd this weekend!)