Thursday, June 28, 2012

Lobster Me



Lobster ice cream, anyone?  - - No? 

How about lobster mac and cheese?  Sounds better?

These are some of the items on the menu at the place where I had lunch today.

It was about 3 pm, I hadn’t had lunch yet and obviously I was starving.  I was driving close to the Strip, so I decided to stop at Planet Hollywood to have lunch at a place that I spotted last time I was there. 

I decided to give myself a little treat since it was almost the end of the week and my last two weeks were somewhat problematic.   

The place I went today for lunch it’s called Lobster Me.  Ok, this is not a fancy restaurant where you can easily spend a fortune to eat lobster.  And then, what happens when you order lobster at one of these restaurants?  Lobster goes best with a fine glass of wine.  I mean, who will order lobster and then a cheap glass of wine.  Case in point, we all know that lobster meals are pricey. 

But you know me.  I am now living la dulce vita, frugal style, but I don’t let that stop me from having a good meal every now and then.  So today was the turn for lobster, without breaking my wallet.

Lobster Me is located at the Miracle Mile Shops at  Planet Hollywood.  This is lobster a la food court.   “Me” is the abbreviation for Maine since the lobster they feature comes from Maine in the Atlantic coast.  They claim to have the world’s best lobster roll.  With that claim, who can resist.

As the name implies, this place is all about lobster.  The menu items include lobster on a stick, lobster salad, everything lobster – including lobster ice cream.  Wow!  The Wow is not for the lobster ice cream, it’s for the price:  $8.50!  They are open daily from 9 am to 11 pm.

The first thing that I did was to ask for a sample of the lobster ice cream (of course).  The lady over the counter handed me the traditional sample spoon.  I didn’t taste the lobster.  It was sweet, more like vanilla ice cream to me.  After my curiosity was satisfied, I was ready to order my lunch.

I ordered a small size of the lobster roll combo.  That consisted of a lobster roll, fries and a small soda.  I did not know what to expect about this food.  After all, this was kind of a fast food lobster place, never before seen by me at any other place.  But curiosity kills me.  I didn’t want to go one more time to PH and pass by this place just to procrastinate again my visit.  Today was the day.  I was hungry, I had the time and I had received a small refund check in the mail from my insurance company. 

Umm, delish!  The roll had big chunks of lobster, good seasoning, not too much mayo and excellent bread.  I didn’t care much for the fries.

Now, let me be clear.  I’m not saying here that this was the best lobster I ever had.  But it was good and considering that this is a casual dining place, I have no complaints whatsoever.  In fact, I can’t wait to go back.

The cost of my meal, including tax, was $21.  Where else in Las Vegas can you have lobster for $21?  If you know, please let me know.

This lunch made my day.  And I did “try” lobster ice cream.  Never thought I would.


[I hate when Blogger highlights my text in the most awkward places and without my authorization.  And I don't know how to fix it, that's the worst part.  Work in progress.] 



WORLD'S BEST LOBSTER ROLLS -  USA







Lobster ice cream





Tuesday, June 26, 2012

From my Inbox



This morning I found this message in my Inbox sent by my good friend Gerald Port.  I think it's worth sharing.


When God wants to bless you, He sends a person in your life. 
When the devil wants to destroy you, he sends a person in your life. 
How can we tell the difference?  By knowing your people connections. Your success depends on the quality of people you are connected to, and there are two types of people you'll come in contact with throughout your lifetime: 

  1) Those who add and multiply, making you more than you are; 
  2) And those who subtract and divide, thereby devaluing you. 

Never allow people into your life without knowing their agenda. 
Find out where they came from and why they want to be connected to you. When a person is in your life and your life is declining, they are not a God connection! 


A healthy connection will protect your self-worth even when you're
experiencing a season of pain or struggling with a failure in your life. 

A true God connection will never abandon his assignment until you reach your full potential!  

Stay Blessed & Have an Awesome God-Inspiring Week! 



(thanks Jerry)

Sunday, June 24, 2012

Las Vegas Neon Museum




As I write this post, I’ve been living in Las Vegas for two and a half years.  And I’m still on vacation mode.  I’m still discovering.  I’m still exploring.  Not a dull moment yet.

Las Vegas is such a fun city and it has so much to offer to visitors and locals as well.  There’s so much to do, not only during the weekends, like in many cities, but every single day. 

And yes!  I love modern Vegas with all the latest technology.   

But sometimes I get nostalgic.  Sometimes I wonder where did old Vegas go.  Where is the Vegas that I knew twenty five years ago.  Where is the Las Vegas we saw in so many old movies and commercials.

Many of the old hotels have been demolished, the rat pack no longer exist and Elvis, yes the king is alive, but only through tons of impersonators around the Strip.

Ah... but there’s a little something we still have that allows us to bring back those old memories.

The old neon signs. 

Many of the missing signs and landmarks can be found at the Neon Sign Museum on the Freemont Street Gallery, available 24 hours, free of charge.

Below are a few pictures I took last year when I went to check them out.




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This is my favorite neon sign:  the Aladdin lamp of the Aladdin Hotel. This is the hotel where Elvis & Priscilla Presley got married. But that's not the reason for being my favorite.  The Aladdin was the hotel I stayed in during my first visit to Las Vegas and I was in love at the time, so memories, memories. The Aladdin closed its doors on November 27,1997 and was imploded in April 1998.


Wednesday, June 20, 2012

Fashion Show Mall, Las Vegas


Fashion Show Mall, 3200 S. Las Vegas Blvd., Las Vegas


Calling all shopaholics!  (Not me)

Last weekend I went to The Fashion Show Mall where it’s always fun to walk around, browse, grab a bite and, in my case, do some window shopping.   For the most part, this is an upscale shopping mall but in reality there is a store for every budget.  From Bloomingdales and Saks Fifth Ave. to Forever 21 and Macy’s, there’s something for everyone. 

Here, you can also do the fine dining at several high end restaurants where you can enjoy your meal overlooking the Strip or you can simply go the large Food Court on the 3rd floor. 

The unique feature about this mall is that they actually have fashion shows on the lower level.  Every Friday, Saturday and Sunday from 12 pm to 6 pm, on the hour, the fashion shows are free to watch. They have an 80 foot long retractable runaway where the models showcase the top seasonal trends with the spectators on the side or watching from the second floor.

Unlike other fashion shows where the cost of the clothes is prohibited or clothes need to be ordered, at this mall if you see an outfit that you like, you can buy it that same day.  On my visit last Friday, the fashion show featured the latest in men’s and women’s clothing by designer Tommy Bahama.  

This is a great mall to visit by tourists and locals alike.



The Cloud



Ben Bridge Jeweler






Wednesday, June 13, 2012

CARNEVALE at The Venetian and The Palazzo




Viva il carnevale!

Last night I went to the Venetian Hotel to enjoy the Carnevale.  It was so much fun!

The Venetian and The Palazzo Las Vegas are celebrating an Italian-inspired Carnevale from June through September 3, 2012.  The festivities include entertainment, art, music, wine and food.  During these celebrations, guests enter the Venetian through an enormous masquerade mask.  The electric parade is very festive and I loved being able to walk among the courtesans, stilt walkers and jugglers. These entertainers are adorable. The cast of Carnevale "lighted" characters will mingle with visitors and will pose for you and with you for photographs.

The parade will start at 8 p.m. daily and is complimentary to the public.  Every day they will have different activities.

Grazie Venetian e Palazzo.





















Wednesday, June 6, 2012

ME AND EXOTIC PEOPLE OF AROUND THE WORLD


Traveling has been a long-time passion in my life.  I’ve been blessed to have traveled to different parts of the world. The adventures, the fun, getting to know other cultures, the spectacular sites, the exotic dishes, but most importantly, the people I have met while traveling become unforgettable memories that I will cherish forever. 

Below are pictures of "my friends" met in my trips to Greece, Thailand,  Mexico, Panama, New Zealand and Turkey. 

The World is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.  ~St. Augustine




BangkokThailand`
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Opa!  Greek dancer
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New Zealand Tjapukai Tribe
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Me with the Kiwis
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Colon, Panama
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Folkloric dancers, Panama 
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 Acapulco

Puerto Vallarta
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Bad quality picture,but I cannot leave out Ephesus,Turkey.