Happy National Cheesecake Day!!

So lately I have been noticing that every item on the menu has a "national day" (most recently tequila and hot dogs...)

I found out yesterday that today, July 30th is national CHEESECAKE day. 

Seems legit.

In an attempt to help you support this day, I have rounded up some great places in Las Vegas to grab yourself a slice of this fabulous desert!

1. Cheesecake Factory

Obvious, I know, but slices here are 50% off - what more do you need?

Salted Caramel Cheese Cake

2. Chocolate and Spice Bakery

In case you aren't in the mood for food and skip straight to dessert...

Citrus and Raspberry Cheesecake

3. Rao’s

The original Rao's in New York City opened in 1896 and has only 12 tables. You’ll have better luck finding a seat at the one here in Vegas for sure. While the site recommends the Tiramisu, I can’t imagine this classic can be easily overlooked.

 

A true classic

4. Carnegie Deli 

Another NY knock off with equally great reviews!

 

Classic NY cheesecake..or with strawberry!

5. Holsteins 

Pecan Turtle Cheesecake –MILKSHAKE – Yup. This is an alcoholic cheesecake milkshake. 

STOLI SALTED CARAMEL VODKA   

Pretty much the ultimate. 

Not every menu has a picture but I rounded up some extra Vegas restaurants that have cheesecake on the menu!

Citizens (Mandalay Bay)

Lavo (Venetian)

Brand (Monte Carlo)

Il Fornaio (New York New York)

D.O.C.G. (Cosmopolitan)

Wednesday Wants - Fashion wants

I've decided to start a new series of posts for every Wednesday. 

Hump Day (as it is affectionately called) can be a struggle for most of us. It is that day that we want to be over almost as soon as it begins so we can start the countdown for the weekend.

In order to give the day a boost I have decided to start "Hump Day Happy Things" or "Wednesday Wants" or "Wednesday Wanderlust" - I haven't decided a title, so I may just use them all depending on the theme! I will keep each post short - just FOUR items no matter the topic, and hopefully mostly pictures and minimal words.

So here goes. This is my list of Wednesday Wants. Things I have had my eye on for a while now but are either way out of budget or on the line but I can't convince myself to spend the $$$. Lets admire them together =)

1. The Valentino "Rockstud" Pump. *swoon* I have talked myself out of buying this shoe several times now (and bought these Halogens to pacify me in the mean time) but I am keeping my eye out on Rue La La and Gilt for if they ever bring them out on sale....

2. A long luxurious trenchcoat...Like this Jason Wu Camel-Hair Capelet Trenchcoat

3. A pastel coat. While the Jason Wu above is from dreamland, this Guess Double Breasted Boucle Coat is on sale (as of the time of this post) and in a more reasonable price range. I have had my eye on it for a month now and keep talking myself out of it...for some reason, the last 6 months I have really wanted pastel coats and shoes...

4. Is there any girl who doesn't dream of a classic Chanel bag? The classic quilted flap bags are so iconic. A girl can dream.

So those are my current lusts for the week. Think of something you would like to see on this series? Comment below!

Why we love the Centurion

When Shai hears someone raving about a product, more than likely he will buy it or try it. So when we were at a Halloween party 2 years ago and heard 2 couples talking about the American Express Platinum card and all the awesome perks it has, the most important being that they waive the $450 annual fee for military - we were sold. 

There are tons of perks to the card but that's not the point of this post. You can read about those here. I am just going to talk about the one I get the most questions about - The Centurion Lounges at the airport.

Dining in Las Vegas

When you travel as much as we do (three round trip flights this month alone), you really start to appreciate customer service - pretty much because it is so rare at airports these days. American Express is all about the customer service. There are 6 Centurion Lounges in the country right now - Dallas, Las Vegas, LaGuardia, Miami, Seattle and San Francisco. We are lucky to live in Las Vegas so we really get maximum use from the lounge.

The Centurion is not just a place where you can sit and charge your phone - we will literally plan to arrive at the airport an hour earlier than we need to just so we can relax, eat a meal, and enjoy a couple cocktails before passing out on our flight -- all for free. When was the last time you wanted to spend MORE time than you have to at an airport??

The meals are catered by some serious Chef's - Vegas is currently showcasing Scarpetta's owner and chef, Scott Conant. Breakfasts have included Ricotta Pancakes with chamomile scented whipped cream and fresh berries and dinner may include Lamb and Beef Börek  or Quinoa Salad with chickpeas with  feta and lemon. The menu changes  monthly so we are always trying new things. My favorite breakfast is the baked polenta with mushroom, egg, and parmesan cheese. *swoon*

Salad, grilled zucchini, sweet potato soup, and Airmail and melon-infused water

Our favorite drink to order at the bar is the Airmail - 10 Cane Rum, Domaine Chandon Brut, Lime Juice, & Honey Syrup, but Vegas does have a complete bar to cater to every taste!  

Airmail

In honor of national tequila day, we ordered a Paloma on our last flight (Don Julio Reposado Tequila, Grapefruit Soda, Lime Juice). 

Paloma

If you aren't in the mood for a cocktail, they have an espresso/cappuccino machine and artisan teas as well. 

The décor is fresh, modern, and relaxing and the staff is always friendly. One of the little things I love are the baskets of fresh fruit all throughout our Vegas lounge - I have had fresh blood oranges, pomegranates, gooseberries (yes!), kumquats, Asian pears, nectarines, apricots, and lychees! Sometime I feel like I am grocery shopping for free when I leave with 4 or 5 pieces of produce in my bag for the trip!

Raspberries with lemon curd

Each lounge is a little bit different. The Seattle Centurion is actually a "Studio" so they have smaller dishes and snacks as opposed to heftier entrees and stick to the wine and beer list as opposed to cocktails. We actually checked out the Studio the week it opened! Just happened to have a layover in Seattle and our gate was right across from it! Happy coincidence !

Some of the Lounges, like Miami and Dallas, have spas and private shower areas while San Francisco has a Napa wine-tasting area!

Even if you aren't flying first class, for the time you are sitting in a Centurion, I have to say, you kind of feel like you are. While traveling can be insanely stressful at times, it is really nice being able to start, end, and sometimes break-up flights with some time in the Centurion. 

I even love their soap and lotion!

PS I found another article on why you should get it, even if you have to pay the fee, here -   " The $450 annual fee is an investment that'll pay for itself and then some if you use the benefits."

I’ll see you on Tender.

Nope. I didn’t misspell that! Nope. It’s not that “hook-up” app. Well…unless you mean hooking my stomach up with a good meal! (hehe corny, I know). 

I just found out about this today and HAD to share it. It got me thinking about my other favorite apps I use so here are my Top Three Foodie Apps

Tender – Works just like its slutty cousin Tinder – Swipe left if the dish is unappealing, swipe right if your mouth starts watering. I’m hooked. I seriously hope I have the time one day to work through all my right-swipes and make some of these dishes. It is random (ish…I think) so it keeps throwing things at me I would never think to make otherwise. 

For me, just seeing the picture is enough to get my creative juices flowing to make my own version of the picture…but for those of you who like to stick to the rules – the recipes for each picture are there too!! I seriously can’t stop swiping…

Epicurious – This app is great for when you KNOW what you want to make but just need a little help (aka recipe) along the way. So you can search for “chicken pasta” and get all sorts of amazing variations to make at home. On the other hand, they have categories on the homepage like “no-cook mains” “grilled mains” “lunches kids love” and the ol’ “I cook like a pro” (no big deal, eh?). 

Click on any category and you have list after list of recipes (with pictures) that you can either view the recipe then, or add it to your recipe box.

 If you are into meal planning for your family you can add the recipe ingredients from all the meals you find onto a shopping list to take to the store with you! How cool is that??

Yelp – Now, you are forgiven if you don’t have the 1st two apps…but if you don’t have or have not heard of YELP…I want to know what rock you have been living under! Seriously! Yelp is the most amazing food app ever for eating out. 

I love the map feature that shows me everything and where it is, and then I go into the List view and I can click see the stars and read the reviews. 

Yelp has led me down many fantastic food paths (I love getting their emails too) and when something is amazing (or stinks) I help out my friendly Yelpers and post my reviews! 

What food apps are you in love with??
Happy Eating!

Showered with Love

Pinterest can almost be depressing when you see all of those perfectly styled, perfectly groomed brides and bridal parties sipping on their perfect cocktails in perfectly crafted locations. Especially when you start to think about all the time and money needed to make them look that way!

Lucky for me I had a pretty great team of people helping me have an incredibly lovely bridal shower. My dad is actually the one who suggested (and paid for) the country club venue for it. The clubhouse hosts lots of weddings every year so I definitely felt special having my shower there. The staff was fantastic, always keeping champagne glasses full and they adapted the menu perfectly to meet all my gluten free needs. 

 

One of my bridesmaids is a Pilot and she wasn't able to make it to the shower. Instead, she made almost all of the decorations for it and brought them all down to my mom's house 2 weeks earlier so it would still be perfect. She hand-painted candleholders with gold glitter, brought gold frames, pennants, my name in gold pennies (how funny), and tons and tons of pink poufs! The shower wouldn't have been half as beautiful without her Pinterest creativity all over.

My other bridesmaid built a photo-booth background frame so that I could set up my camera that I bought a tripod and remote for in order to have our own photo booth. It turned out so perfect - I only wish I had taken MORE pictures with everyone!!

I'm not a huge kitschy game person so I decided I would rather paint wine glasses so everyone could have a useable favor! We had glasses, stencils and paint...and a blast!

It was nice having a photographer at the shower so my mom didn't have to worry about taking pictures...and so she could be in them! If you have a friend or friend of a friend who can help out on this, I definitely recommend it !!

I didn't register for any gifts for the shower (or the wedding) so everything I received was just extra fun love! It was certainly a wonderful evening.

My Grandma

I will always love you

I've taken over a year off from this blog.
Not because I haven't wanted to write, I have.
Not because I haven't had a year of incredible experiences, I have.
Life got in the way. There was always something else. Something to do, something to watch, something to see.
Until now.
Everything has stopped right now.

My wonderful, beautiful, hilarious grandmother has passed away.
Even writing these words it doesn't quite seem real...but if there was ever a reason to write again, this is it. If I can find the words.

My grandma and grandpa were the next ones to hold me right after I was born and they have been that close to me ever since. Every play, every swim meet, every school event, every graduation. My life. They have been there and supported me. It is truly an understatement to say I have been lucky.

The memories I have with all of my grandparents, but speaking now of those with my grandma are so beautiful I can only wish my children the same one day.

It's hard to quantify the things I learned from my grandma. Whatever 25 years can earn me.
She is probably much to blame for my bad shopping habits. Working at Gayfers-turned-Dillards when I was young, she would always take me around to everyone, she was always showing me off. I've been told many of her Dr's are well acquainted with my life and pictures.... I had one of the fullest closets around as a toddler....and it didn't exactly get smaller as I got older...As I got older, going shopping was one of her favorite pastimes with my mom, my cousin and myself...always buying us things and then sticking more money down our clothes....and then always making Grandpa give us more! I am a stress shopper and in the last two days I have bought 3 pairs of shoes and more than a couple clothing items as I got report after report that she was getting worse. I will tell myself that she condones those purchases....they were, after all, on sale....something that she and mom ingrained in me from a young age.

I will always look at spaghetti and think of how she made it for me with ketchup and butter.
I will always make chocolate brownies with her in mind - her favorite dessert - even when we would go to Sweet Tomatoes and she wouldn't want to pay for the buffet but would pay me to sneak the brownies into her purse to eat later.
I will buy Fannie May Chocolates...but I will hide them from Shai instead of how you hid them from Grandpa...because one thing I did not get from you is your sweet tooth! How many times did you order a chocolate fudge sundae with extra fudge on top from McDonalds?!
Every time I get a pedicure and giggle when they scrub my feet I will think of how I would torture you trying to tickle yours.
I wish you hadn't smoked for all these years and I wish you would have drank water. It doesn't help anything to say that but I need it get it out there. I always gave you shit in life for smoking...I guess I can in death too.
I will always say "I'm done" instead of "I'm finished" because it was always fun to see if you would correct me. I will use "well" and "good" properly...and cringe when I hear poor grammar.
I will keep your wedding band and engagement ring with me always, because even though you didn't love diamonds, I love them.
"Boo!" will never be the same. It will always be our game...even though I have no clue why or how we started it

My dress fitting, and surprising her in HER wedding dress.

I last spoke with my Grandma in April. I mean really spoke with her. My regular phone calls with her are hard because she hasn't really been able to hear over the phone for a couple years. When I left, I cried a little because a part of me knew it could be the last time I see her. I didn't really believe it but I did at least acknowledge it to myself. It was a good conversation, a happy one. We talked about Shai and I, we talked about the future and what we may end up doing in it. I showed them all of our wedding and honeymoon pictures.We talked about how she wished mom would get a new boyfriend who she didn't have to settle on. Grandma and I always agreed on mom's relationships. We held hands, hugged, I told them I loved them, and I left. It was a good visit and a good goodbye.

Our last photo together

One of the hardest things about being in the military is not being close to family. Growing up, I was never more than an hour and a half from my grandparents and when they moved closer, it was only a mile away. It's hard growing up and moving away and not being able to see your loved ones more often, or when they are in pain. It was hard getting married and not having any of our grandparents there. I was lucky to have my grandma at my bridal shower and to be able to have worn her wedding gown as part of my wedding but nothing can replace the real thing. I wish I could have been with her more this last year but I know she would just say "nooo, thats silly." I can almost hear her now.

My heart breaks for my grandpa. Whose entire world revolves around my Grandma. I am too young and too newly married to think I can imagine losing your love after 63 years of marriage. I know he must feel so lost and lonely now. I hope he will stay with us longer, we can't bear both being gone so soon. I can only hope that my Grandma will keep watch over Shai and I and guide us to a marriage as long and united as theirs.

I am going to Florida this weekend. A trip we planned a week ago in hopes I would make it in time to say goodbye. I wish I could have held her hand one last time and ran my fingers through her hair but I know her spirit is as much with me right now as it would have been there. And so I will tell her now what I wish I could have said there.

Thank you grandma. Thank you for loving me so much and spoiling me so hard. It meant so much to me for you to come to Colorado and see me graduate from college. But it also meant so much to me every swim meet you cheered for me at, every $20 bill you stuck down my pants, every conversation we had where I could tell you everything that was going on in my life. I have some dimes for you. I'll keep them for now. Whether we were singing Readers Digest, or just sitting on the floor talking, I could always communicate so well with you. You always understood me, and even if you didn't you probably just acted like you couldn't hear me. I know you may not have had the easiest life, or the life you wanted at times when you were younger but I am grateful for your life and everyone in this world as a result of it. I love you grandma. I wish you could have been at our wedding but I will always have your wedding dress and my memories in it. I love you. I know that this is best because you are in pain and have been. But just because I know it in my head doesn't make it easier on my heart. I've tried to be strong for mom because she is trying so hard to be strong for you and for everyone else but it really hurts. It hurts a lot. Every memory we have is good, which makes looking back so much harder. I don't think I can comprehend not seeing you again. I'm not sure when I will. It's ok though grandma, I know you need to go. I know its what is best for you and your soul. I love you. It's ok.