Tag Archives: Ice Cream

Edmonton Business Review: Made by Marcus

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The queue during opening weekend was pretty long.

I’ve been following Made by Marcus on Instagram for at least a couple of years now. Originally based out of Calgary, this beloved local ice cream shop has now made its way north with a back alley store on Whyte Avenue and 104 Street. With infrequent visits south, I never had the opportunity to try Made by Marcus before, so I was happy to learn that the Edmonton location had finally rolled out the welcome mat at the end of June.

The lines were long during their first weekend in business, so I decided to wait a bit before going. Kirk and I actually bought tickets for a Secret Streetcar Show around mid-July, so it made perfect sense to go for a late night ice cream run after the concert. As we turned to enter the alley at 10:00pm in the evening, the bright pink shop at the end of the lane was like a beacon. Although there was a door to the side, no one really used it since the front of the shop was completely open. Surprisingly, it was still busy. The queue didn’t run down the whole alley, but it still snaked through the space and most of the indoor seating was occupied. A few benches were also placed outside to accommodate overflow.

The Made by Marcus menu.

Thankfully, it didn’t take too long before we made it to the counter. With three staff on hand to scoop and another to process payment, there seemed to be a decent rhythm. A kids scoop is $3, a “single” scoop of ice cream is $5 and can be split into two flavours, a “double” scoop is $7 and you can probably choose three flavours, and a flight is four scoops for $9. Waffle cones are an extra dollar each.

Waffle cone makers!

Kirk and I decided to share a flight without any added waffle cones. It took a while for us to pick four out of the dozen plus flavours (I think they usually have even more to choose from), but we eventually got it down to the Lemon Curd Blueberry, Tahini Cookie Dough (Vegan), Moonshine Brown Butter Pecan, and Bananas Foster & Rum Caramel.

The first thing I will say about Made by Marcus ice cream is that the quality is top notch. The flavours are strong and the small batches are extremely creamy and smooth, making for a very rich and decadent dessert. It felt like silk as there was not an ice crystal to be found.

Our ice cream flight includes four flavours for $9.

To be completely honest though, not all of the flavours we chose lived up to my expectations. I was really excited for the Lemon Curd Blueberry, which is a signature flavour. I thought it’d be citrusy, sweet, and refreshing. And, it was a first. The tongue was initially hit with a pop of zest from the lemon curd and sweetness from the cream and blueberry; however, what lingered at the end was an incredibly bitter aftertaste. I truly thought that the Lemon Curd Blueberry would be my favourite, but it ended up dead last.

The Tahini Cookie Dough is a vegan option, so it’s also lactose-intolerant friendly. If you don’t already know what it is, tahini is a spread made from toasted ground sesame seeds. It has a really nutty flavour to it, but it’s not as pronounced as a black sesame ice cream, for example. This was probably one of the more subtle tastes out of the four scoops we got. I didn’t mind the flavour, but I was hoping for more chunks of cookie dough throughout.

Clockwise from the top left: Tahini Cookie Dough, Lemon Curd Blueberry, Bananas Foster & Rum Caramel, and Moonshine Brown Butter Pecan.

Since Made by Marcus is known for their experimental flavours and collaborations with other local businesses, I’m going to assume that the Moonshine Brown Butter Pecan makes use of a moonshine alcohol in some way. If it was supposed to be there, I didn’t find that the flavour of the liquor came through much, but the brown butter did add to the nuttiness and amplified the taste of the pecan pieces.

Our top pick was most definitely the Bananas Foster & Rum Caramel. The flavour was spot on with the banana tasting natural and not artificial. There was a hint of the rum, but nothing overpowering, and the caramel brought in the perfect amount of sweetness. Kirk and I practically fought over this scoop because he kept eating it and touching nothing else.

A late night visit to Made by Marcus.

After trying Made by Marcus for the first time, I certainly understand the hype more than I used to. The standard of their ice cream is ridiculously high and they put a lot of effort into creating the unique flavours that they’ve come to be known for. Not every flavour is going to be a hit for everyone (Dill Pickle & Peanut Butter is an acquired taste, right?), but with the number of choices available, there’s bound to be something you’ll like amongst the signature, seasonal, and vegan options. While Edmontonians are warriors who will eat ice cream even in the dead of winter, make the most of your nice summer and pop into Made by Marcus for a cone or two!

Maritimes 2018 Trip Recap: Halifax to Cape Breton

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Lakies Head on Cabot Trail

Much has changed over the past twelve months. My boyfriend became my fiancé just after Christmas this year, and we’re now busily planning a wedding that simultaneously feels ages away, but also like it’ll be here before we know it. Marking another milestone was our second trip to the Maritimes to see his family earlier this month.

My first visit to the East Coast of Canada took place last summer. Our goal was to relax in Dalhousie, NB and explore PEI. This time around, we, of course, spent a few days with relatives in New Brunswick. However, the remainder of our week was split between Halifax and Cape Breton Island.

Halifax, NS

Crossing the Angus L. Macdonald Bridge in Halifax

The handful of days we spent in Dalhousie were book-ended by a few evenings in Halifax. Having been a year prior, the sights weren’t the priority. What was important was giving my fiancé a chance to catch up with friends while we experienced the food and nightlife.

I’ll start off by saying that The Lower Deck on the Waterfront, although it may be a Nova Scotia institution, is not my cup of tea. I just felt out of place. It’s true that there are more casual, quiet spots in the pub, but, late at night, when it turns into a club, it’s not for me. I was uncomfortable being around a ton of rowdy people, so we didn’t stay long. If live music out in their courtyard or dancing to top 40 hits in dim lighting on their second floor is your thing, I’d tell you to give it a go because a lot of people have told me this is where it’s at.

The new Halifax Convention Centre on Argyle Street.
Durty Nelly’s

The spot my fiancé really wanted to show me was Durty Nelly’s. It’s located right on Argyle Street (across from the new Halifax Convention Centre), making it a part of the lively downtown scene on the weekend. He has reminisced about the Irish pub often, and I didn’t mind it. Sure, it’s a bit noisy, especially when trying to make conversation. Yet, the atmosphere is decent and there is also live music playing later in the evening.

The taps at Stillwell Bar
My amazing brownie dessert at Stillwell Bar.

Deciding to continue on after a couple of drinks, we strolled down the hill towards Barrington Street to hang out at Stillwell Bar. Designed with a NYC subway station aesthetic in mind, I found it to be fun. The place was packed when we arrived with just a few seats left at the bar. The guys stuck to beer, available by bottle or on tap. I opted to grab their Peanut Butter & Jelly brownie for dessert. It was incredibly rich and decadent with a sort of salty caramel top, whipped cream and hints of mint. It got a full thumbs up from me.

Maple Dijon Salmon at Boondocks
Bacon Wrapped Scallops at Boondocks
The view of Fisherman’s Cove from Boondocks Restaurant’s deck.

On our second night we ventured to the Dartmouth side of the Halifax municipality for dinner with one of my fiancé’s old colleagues. We ate at Boondocks Restaurant, which has prime real estate along the boardwalk of Fisherman’s Cove. The seafood focused menu is decent. I wouldn’t say it’s anything to write home about. Nevertheless, the salmon and scallops we had were cooked quite nicely and flavoured well.

Best Places to Eat issue of Curated Food & Drink Magazine

Canada Day ended off with a view of the fireworks from Kings Wharf Place next to the Dartmouth Cove. Should there ever be an opportunity to watch the festivities from that vantage point, I’d highly recommend going there. Parking can be an issue, but we managed to find a spot. Also, once the fireworks started, people literally just parked in the middle of the street and stopped there until the pyrotechnics were over before driving off again. The fireworks look huge from there. Plus, sticking to that side of the water means avoiding the downtown crowds. On another note, my fiancé’s friend generously gave me his issue of Halifax’s Curated Food & Drink Magazine’s 25 Best Local Eateries, so I could plan for future holidays.

The main dining room of Agricola Street Brasserie.
Placebo Effect cocktail at Agricola Street Brasserie.
The stages of the Egg Yolk Raviolo from Agricola Street Brasserie.

When we returned to Halifax from Dalhousie at the end of the week, we had date night in the city. Named as one of the top restaurants in Curated, Agricola Street Brasserie was our eatery of choice and it absolutely did not disappoint (watch for a full review to come). The space is very cool with a converted warehouse style. Brick walls, exposed beams, an open kitchen with bar seating, lots of floating pendant lights, and a striking backdrop to their main bar created an excellent setting. They have several local beers on tap, and their cocktails were stellar. The menu items we sampled were fantastic, too. The chef definitely seems to be adventurous with flavour combos and textures. I actually wish we could have fit in more of the food in one sitting.

Dalhousie, NB

First time I’ve ever seen watermelon flavoured beer.
Mika taking over the chair.
Mini hoping to be let outside.
Apparently, watermelon is a big thing in the Maritimes?

 

This is my fiancé’s hometown. Here, I was reunited with my future mother-in-law’s younger cats, Mika and Mini. We also went on their annual (my second) family canoe trip down the Restigouche River (please read my post from last year for more info on booking something like this). Not one of us walked away without some sort of sun burn — thankfully, mine was minor — after several hours paddling on a very warm and sunny day. We also had a fire in the backyard most nights and set off our own fireworks over the water.

Canoe trip!

The town used to house a successful paper mill and power plant, which employed many of its residents. Today, both of those businesses are no longer. As we drove into and out of Dalhousie and around the neighbourhoods, we noticed an abundance of homes for sale. I’m not sure what’s spurring so many people to pick up and go, but if anyone is looking for an affordable summer home near the water in Canada, this may be a good option.

The main church in Dalhousie is so pretty.

Dalhousie is super quaint and I think this is why it becomes a bustling place during the warmer months. Plenty of visitors come into town to camp in their RVs and just get away from all of their cares. I got to visit the seasonal ice cream shop pretty much every day we were there. They are often so busy that the line snakes through the store. It’s literally the place everyone wants to be. It’s no wonder though. They offer the most options with dozens of flavours of hard ice cream, soft serve, frozen yogurt, and sundaes available.

The lighthouse at Inch Arran.
A public mural on wall of a shop next to Inch Arran Park.
Mr. Bon Ami

The town has also beautified the area around their Inch Arran Lighthouse with the addition of a sundial and stone seating encircling it. There are even a couple of pieces of public art near the shops, including a new statue of Mr. Bon Ami.

Out on the boat.
Boat for sale near the marina.
Boats are stored on land at the marina.

We lucked out with a ride on a family friend’s boat as well. We took the vessel out on the water, travelling from the marina out into Chaleur Bay. From afar, Dalhousie is the epitome of picturesque.

Cape Breton Island, NS

Along Cabot Trail

Despite growing up in New Brunswick, my fiancé had never been to Cape Breton Island, so we thought it’d be something new to experience together. We spent about a day and a half there, staying each night in Sydney. During our one full day, we drove the entire length of the World Famous Cabot Trail.

I guess this was actually a slight detour off of Cabot Trail. It was on the southwest side of the island heading north towards Mabou.
Not the best panoramic, but I found my name spray painted!
Windy roads make up most of Cabot Trail.
This was gorgeous.

As a heads up, the roads on Cabot Trail are narrow, winding, and quite worn out in certain stretches. Much of the trail allows for speed limits of 80 kilometers per hour. Some sharp turns have warning signs. But, there are many spots along the way where there aren’t any indications of those turns or lower speeds posted. If in doubt, just slow it down.

 

Should you want to complete a few of the hiking trails throughout the area, plan ahead. Find out the distance and estimated time it takes to finish them. You will have to bring the proper gear and work with the daylight to ensure you make it back to the starting point before it’s dark. Additionally, pets may or may not be allowed, so check in advance. Also, consider staying overnight at some of the smaller inns rather than heading back to Sydney each night as it’ll give you more flexibility. Well-known hikes like the Skyline Trail Loop are almost 10 kilometers.

Attempting to get a photo of view we saw from the road.
A window display made of leather scraps at Leather Works by Jolene.
The yard of the Glass Artisans Studio.
Look at these giant poppies!
Glass fish from the shop.
This is the glass studio.
Ingonish Beach
Lakies Head
Lakies Head
The Lighthouse Ice Cream Parlour at Neil’s Harbour
The path leading to Lone Shieling.
Selfie time!
We stopped to talk to a park employee about whales.
Coming back from a photo op.
I think this is around Cap-Rouge.

In our case, we didn’t have the time to fit in anything like that. All we were able to do was the loop by car. However, we did peruse works by local artisans (Leather Works by Jolene and Glass Artisans Studio & Gallery) and we made several stops for photo ops. Highlights included: Ingonish Beach, Lakies Head Look-out, Neil’s Harbour (cheap, ginormous scoops at The Lighthouse Ice Cream Parlour), Lone Shieling (within Cape Breton Highlands National Park, this is considered a historic example of a traditional shelter used by shepherds in Scotland and those who settled in the Maritimes), and the village of Baddeck.

Red Show Pub piano
The piano innards.
The lobster sandwich special with lobster bisque at Red Shoe Pub.
Pulled Pork Poutine at Red Shoe Pub
The Red Shoe Pub is in a cute little house.

 

If in search of a meal, many of the small coastal towns have local restaurants. Usually, the hotels, motels and inns have a kitchen. We ate lunch on our second day at the MidTrail Motel. Nothing fancy, but it was alright and it helped to sustain us for the last few hours of the drive. Otherwise, in Mabou, closer to the southwest side of the island (but off of Cabot Trail), you’ll find the wonderful Red Shoe Pub. The proprietors are the Rankin Sisters of the Canadian musical family. The lobster sandwich special was simple yet tasty (the side of lobster bisque could use some improvements though), and the pulled pork poutine with sweet potato fries was delicious and filling.

Our hotel room was equipped with a whiteboard for meetings.
My breakfast at the Hampton Inn. Bacon on an everything bagel with cream cheese.

Both evenings, we drove back into Sydney. We called the Cambridge Suites Hotel home the first night and The Hampton Inn by Hilton our abode on the second. There’s no question, the facilities at the Hampton Inn were far nicer. We splurged just a little bit more (the cost difference wasn’t much) to get their Boardroom Suite, and it was amazing. There was a full boardroom table in the living room, which had a dual-sided fireplace that also faced into the king size bedroom. A bar with a mini fridge, sink, and microwave was built in as well. Lastly, the bathroom was huge! We could have had a dance party in there. The complimentary breakfasts at each location were similar with meat (bacon or sausage), eggs, toast, yogurt, pastries, juices, etc.

Tempura Banana with Sesame Ice Cream at Naru Sushi.
Look at these giant poppies!
This is the first street art I found in Sydney.
Then I found this one!
I love the public art in Sydney.
For scale, I’m standing next to his legs.
We can do it!
I’m a tree.
The World’s Largest Fiddle found at the Port of Sydney. Also, our best couple photo in a while.
The 2nd floor dining room of Naru Sushi.
Place setting at Naru Sushi.
Our plate of rolls at Naru Sushi.
Spider Roll at Naru Sushi
The main floor dining room of the Govenor’s Pub.
Artichoke Dip from Govenor’s Pub.
The lobster sandwich with Caesar salad at Govenor’s Pub.
Maple-Curry Seafood Linguine at Govenor’s Pub

In Sydney, I was surprised to find quite a few public mural paintings around the city as well as the World’s Largest Fiddle (I got a photo with something giant again!) at the port. There were also some satisfying restaurants.

The two we tried were Naru Sushi and Govenor’s Pub. The former was such a surprise. The rolls we ordered maybe had a tad too much rice, but the texture was just right and the ingredients tasted fresh. It was a far cry from our terrible sushi lunch in Shediac, NB the year before (it made me think the East Coast didn’t know how to do sushi). If you go, make sure you try their tempura banana dessert, too. It’s so good, and the portion is ridiculous for the price. We thought they accidentally gave us two orders until we saw the bill. As for Govenor’s Pub, the service wasn’t the greatest, but it’s a really nice spot that overlooks the water with two patio spaces. I’ll admit, I didn’t love that they put celery in their lobster sandwich. Nonetheless, they won me over with their Maple-Curry Seafood Linguine. The spicy-sweet sauce was creamy and the mix of mussels, scallops and shrimp were all prepared well.

Literally my favourite store name ever. It’s so punny.

All-in-all, we fit in a ton — family, friends, food, and plenty of sights — over our vacation. We clocked 3,000 kilometers on our rental vehicle by the time we returned it at the airport. The thing is, there’s still so much more to see in the Maritimes. I’m looking forward to our next trip either next year or in 2020. Newfoundland, here we come!

Vegas Revisited

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On the High Roller with a view of the Paris Eiffel Tower.

On the High Roller with a view of the Paris Eiffel Tower.

A week and a half ago, my friend and I returned from our latest trip to Las Vegas. Booked relatively last minute for the two of us – a little less than a month before our departure – we used WestJet Vacations to get a flight and hotel package (we later found the same package for less through WJ, so we put in a claim for their new Price Drop Guarantee and were approved to get the difference back in WJ Dollars). Vegas isn’t necessarily a relaxing trip. Not the way we planned ours, anyway. But, it’s a good city to go when you want a quick and much needed getaway from the everyday. So, despite the fact that we were there together a mere eight and a half months earlier, we decided it was the perfect vacation. This time it was going to be filled less with debauchery (even though it was overlapping with Halloween festivities) and be more like a traditional sight seeing trip. We would catch all the highlights, wander the outlet mall, go on a hike, and, of course, the holiday was booked to coincide with one of the handful of shows Britney Spears would be performing this month. Everything simply fell into place. Rather than give you a day-by-day telling of what we decided to do this time around, I’ve broken our trip down into the following sections: accommodations, shows, nightlife, food and fun stuff.

Dunkin’ Donuts stop on the way to Red Rock Canyon.
The floral display at The Bellagio. Always gorgeous.
Up close photo of the horse made of flowers in the display at The Bellagio.
We also played slots a bit. This Pinball game was actually pretty good even with just one pay line!
Breakfast of champions!

Hotel

The Cromwell, a new boutique hotel (less than 200 rooms) on the strip, was pretty amazing from before we even left Edmonton to the day we departed Las Vegas. Part of the Caesars chain of accommodations, our experience was top notch. Prior to our trip, the concierge emailed asking if there was anything they could do to make our stay better, so I requested extra toiletries as well as the possibility of champagne upon arrival as we missed the complimentary champagne and tasting that occurs every Friday and Saturday at around 6pm or so. Without skipping a beat, they had glasses of champagne brought out to us while we were checking in and they had a gift bag filled with lotion, shampoo, conditioner, body wash and soap ready at the desk. We were also told that we could have sangria sent up to our room on the house (yes, please!). The receptionist then escorted us to the room elevators, pointed out the free tea and coffee stations, showed us how to scan our keys to get to our floor and sent us on our way. The service was quite impeccable and I could already see that it was going to stand out from the rest of the giants in town.

Plush complimentary slippers in our hotel room.
Our room at The Cromwell.
The awesome shower with the rain head in our room at The Cromwell.
Complimentary glasses of sangria as a welcome to The Cromwell.
Retro radio in our room at The Cromwell with a complementary glass of Moet champagne.
The Cromwell room key card.
Bottled water and a bag of macarons left after the nightly turndown service at The Cromwell.
The mini bar at The Cromwell. It’s very well stocked.

The only issues I would point out, and these can easily be fixed, was: 1) when we were trying to find self-parking at The Cromwell on our first night there, one of the valet said to drive ahead; however, he didn’t let us know that valet was the only option for the property and that it was free. If we had known that, we wouldn’t have had to park at the Flamingo; 2) Housekeeping missed cleaning our room while we were out on the second day (we were gone for a good 12 hours or so). The good thing is that there’s usually staff on the floor, so we waved one of the housekeepers down and she promptly came to give us turndown service, including making the beds, changing our towels, replacing toiletries and dropping off bottled water and some macarons; 3) The walls are a little thin, so you can hear when people pass by through the hall, which wasn’t much of a problem late in the evening when we went to bed. It could be a bit noisy in the mornings when housekeeping started work though. The staff are all so great, so I hate to say that they should pipe down during early morning hours, but that would have helped. On the bright side, they totally ensured that we’d be up and out with plenty of time to do everything we wanted to each day. As a suggestion, maybe they can think about supplying earplugs with the free slippers they provide in-room.

Despite these few things, I have never felt more like a VIP than at this hotel. I would stay here again in a heartbeat.

Shows

Britney Spears: Piece of Me
She’s still not exactly giving the show her all, but I love Britney nonetheless. I grew up watching her and listening to her music, so to see how far she’s come after her breakdown several years ago makes me happy. I feel like she has pulled it together. Even if she’s not 100% at every concert, I’m still a huge fan. I’ve seen Piece of Me twice now, and almost all the costumes have been updated since I first saw her show in February. A couple of the dance sequences have changed as well. I love her shorter hair, too. I think the wigs were a little constricting  and another thing for her to worry during her previous performances. Fun fact: Comedian Kathy Griffin, who has been doing periodic shows in Vegas, was called up on stage to be Britney’s bitch during her Freakshow performance. I love Kathy, and while I wasn’t close enough to tell it was her when she was taken from the audience, I had a feeling that she was the sassy lady on stage, and I was right! My two favourite segments of the show are the sections that include “…Baby One More Time,” “Oops!…I Did It Again,” “Me Against the Music,” “Gimme More,” “Break the Ice” and “Piece of Me” because they’re the most dance heavy songs and she usually does a good job nailing all her moves. I was a little bit disappointed that I didn’t see many fans dressed up in costume, especially because it was Halloween Saturday, but that’s okay. At least people get dolled up for the shows in Vegas.

Me in my "...Baby One More Time" school girl Halloween costume.

Me in my “…Baby One More Time” school girl Halloween costume.

Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil
I’ll be honest and say that I’m not a huge fan of the circus. Clowns especially scare me, so some of the more traditional Cirque shows are not exactly my cup of tea. I know all the showmanship is amazing no matter what, but I still have a hard time getting past some of the crazy makeup, costumes and contortions at times. This is why Michael Jackson ONE was perfect for me. I also grew up listening to MJ as a kid. I had his music on cassette and then on CD, so the music is not only upbeat, it’s familiar to me. While the show did have some fantastic acrobatics and trampolining, it also had fantastic dance sequences, which satisfies me immensely because I’m one of those people who loves competitions like So You Think You Can Dance and dance movies like Step Up. Right up my alley!

Nightlife

Drai’s Nightclub at The Cromwell

The two of us had initially planned on going out dancing more than we did during our trip, but the one night we did was at the new Drai’s Nightclub located on the top floor of our hotel. As guests, we had free access to the venue, which upon walking in was pretty packed. We were there late on Halloween Saturday, which likely contributed to how busy it was. Although, it is Las Vegas, and if there’s ever a place to party any night of the week, it’s there. From what I could tell, it was one of the few clubs on the strip celebrating Halloween all weekend long, and handing out big prizes for those dressed in costume. Most of the other hotels/clubs seemed to only have festivities on the Friday night before we arrived in the city. Full of raised platforms for Drai’s dancers, it’s a circular room where the middle is party central. Fog machines and laser lights were working overdrive and the music was pumped up to keep the ambiance going. Overall, I liked the space. If you needed some breathing room, moving towards the outer edges was a good idea. The club opens up to the hotel pool/beach club, which is cordoned off at night, but still provides a lovely view of crystal clear water and palm trees as well as some fresh air.

Brooklyn Bowl

This bowling alley/restaurant/bar/concert venue is new to Vegas. Located on the LINQ promenade, we decided to pop in and have a look. It’s a fairly large, open space with two stories of bowling lanes and a mid-size stage and dance floor. The band, New Age Tribe, that was playing was great, and had everyone there up on their feet dancing. It’s really dimly lit in the building, so it sets a mood, but I like the low key, laid back vibe of the place. They also didn’t charge cover that night…perhaps because it was a Monday evening?

New Age Tribe on the stage at Brooklyn Bowl.
The bowling pin decor at the Brooklyn Bowl bar.
What you see when you enter Brooklyn Bowl.
The Brooklyn Bowl marquee.

Food

Sushi Roku

I don’t recall how I happened upon this restaurant. But, I do know that OpenTable reservations are available, including 1000 point reservations on certain dates and times. However, they can only be made for the dining room and space cannot be reserved at the bar for Happy Hour. The Japanese eatery is located inside the Caesars Palace Forum Shops, so it was super close to our hotel. Dinner prices in the main dining room are quite a bit higher, so we opted to try out their Happy Hour menu, which was available from 4 to 7pm on the Sunday we ate there. For less than $30 I got two orders of maki cut rolls and two appetizers. While I’m sure the portions are a bit larger when ordering from the main menu, I doubt that doubling or tripling the price of each dish means getting two to three times the amount of food, so I think sitting at the bar was the way to go. Every item we ordered was fresh and delicious. The maki was especially good. I’d go back anytime!

Salmon and avocado rolls at Sushi Roku.
Tuna Tataki at Sushi Roku.
Dining area at Sushi Roku.
Albacore sashimi at Sushi Roku.
The sushi bar at Sushi Roku.
Asparagus wrapped in filet mignon at Sushi Roku.
Spicy tuna maki at Sushi Roku.

Feast Buffet

If you don’t have a car available, this will be hard to get to. Located at Red Rock Casino, which is about 20 minutes away from the strip, we rushed here after a hike in Red Rock Canyon. My friend had redeemed a voucher for two free buffet lunches through the myVEGAS Slots app. We managed to get in about 10 minutes before lunch was technically over and we piled our plates with various cuisines and salads. They were really good about letting people eat past the 3pm lunch cutoff though, so both of us didn’t have to vacuum down our food like we did. I’d say for the usual price of the buffet ($8.99 for an adult at lunch with a casino card), they put out a great spread. There was a decent variety and everything tasted great.

Giada

What can I say about Giada? This new restaurant is the anchor of The Cromwell hotel. The very first eatery from Food Network star Giada De Laurentiis, I would say it’s modern Italian at its finest. My friend and I ended up there on two occasions.

Our initial visit there was a surprise because we hadn’t planned to go out. This was on the second evening of our trip when we unexpectedly had to vacate our room, so housekeeping could clean what they had missed for us. Since the establishment was right there, we thought we’d go for dessert to kill time. We wandered up to the second floor where the hostesses asked if we had a reservation. As we did not, we had to wait for a little bit. However, the minutes passed quickly as we occupied them by taking advantage of the Giada photo booth. When our table was ready, we were led inside where you get an immediate view of the chefs in the appetizer prep area as well as the bar. The restaurant is quite beautiful – a lot of white, light woods, clean lines, neutral accents, a mish mash of seating (leather upholstery, booths, rattan chairs, colourful pillows), original art showcasing Giada, custom made lights with a Giada quote, “I eat a little bit of everything, and not a lot of anything” for added whimsy, and big windows, some of which can be opened up to let in fresh air, that frame the Bellagio fountains.

The interior of Giada.
Posing in the Giada photo booth.
The waiting area outside of Giada.
In the Giada photo booth.

The wait for someone to come by with our menus was longer than I expected, but once they did pop over to drop them off and explain some of the available items, service was top notch. In the end, we opted to skip getting dessert and decided to go for a couple of the cocktails (all named after films her grandfather, Dino, produced) and crostini appetizers. The drinks were tasty. My friend ordered the La Strada and, I, the Hannibal. Both were excellent drinks with 2 oz. of alcohol, which for $15 a pop should be the case. For the crostini, we went with the Vitello Tonnata – veal loin, seared tuna, caper aioli – and the Tomato & Strawberry Jam – paired with thick slices of feta cheese and a mint leaf. Both were wonderful, but I think the Tomato & Strawberry jam was my favourite. The simplicity of it, along with the salty/sweet palate made me want more. I also love feta cheese, but sometimes I find it can be overwhelming. The feta used here was a little more subtle and incredibly smooth. Oh, and I cannot forget the bread platter that was provided as a start to the meal. A combination of bread sticks, flat bread and a warm loaf, they were all superb on their own, but add some of the butter, pesto, chili flakes, sea salt and capers that accompanied the bread, and those flavours just stepped everything up.

Giada’s Tomato & Strawberry Jam crostini.
The Hannibal and La Strada cocktails at Giada.
The bread platter at Giada.

Our second meal there was something we had been planning on. An OpenTable reservation had been made for our last lunch in Vegas before we departed. Our server was fantastic, letting us know that the breakfast menu was still available all day long and giving us suggestions for a shared appetizer. Originally we had intended to go with something from the lunch menu, but the breakfast options completely swayed us. I selected the carbonara pizza, while my friend chose the polenta. My pizza was not overly large, but it really is quite rich. With nice fluffy crust, baked in cheese, crispy pancetta and a sunny side up egg, my belly was filling up fast, and I wanted to sample some desserts, so I left a bit of the crust behind. My friend raved about the polenta dish as well.

A starter of the chicken marsala meatballs at Giada.
The Carbonara Pizza at Giada.
The Giada place settings with a rainbow.
The Polenta en Cocotte at Giada.

To finish off lunch, we ordered two desserts to share – the cookie platter and the zeppoles. The cookie platter had an assortment that included chocolate chip, chocolate with blueberry filling and lemon ricotta. They were all toothsome, but the best, hands down, was the cake-like lemon ricotta, which were soft and moist “cookies” covered in a zesty icing that gave it a great tangy taste. The zeppoles, which were also citrus infused, are like doughnut holes, but airier. Served with a side of hazelnut spread, it was heaven on a plate.

The zeppoles at Giada.
The assorted cookie platter at Giada.

If Vegas didn’t have so many other amazing restaurants to try, I’d say that Giada would, otherwise, make my list each and every time I visit.

This is a cupcake and ice cream shop chain. The Las Vegas location is, again, found on the LINQ promenade. For quick pick ups, you can try out their awesome Cupcake ATM machine, which will distribute your selection, boxed, after you swipe your credit card. Once delivered, it plays a stupidly catchy Sprinkles branded song. We watched as someone purchased their snack from the ATM, and then we danced to the music with them, but my friend and I ultimately opted to walk into the store to buy ours. I sampled a full-size triple cinnamon cupcake because I cannot pass up anything with cinnamon. It was surprisingly fresh considering how late we were there. The cake was so soft. The icing was pretty sweet, maybe a little more than I like nowadays, but they don’t slather on too much. In fact, I think the cupcakes there have the perfect amount of frosting as the layer is just thick enough, so that you don’t see the cake beneath. As we were sitting there devouring our cake, I noticed the ice cream on the other side of the shop. The feature flavour was pumpkin – cinnamon ice cream with pumpkin cake and frosting mixed in. Being that I was on holiday, I decided to indulge further and went ahead and bought myself a scoop. It was awesome. My friend ate the red velvet cupcake that evening, which looked scrumptious, too. The next day, our last in the city, we headed back because my friend wanted a salty caramel (available through November) one before she left.
The Cupcake ATM machine at Sprinkles!
A scoop of the featured pumpkin ice cream at Sprinkles.
The exterior of the Sprinkles Cupcakes shop.
My Sprinkles triple cinnamon cupcake and my friend’s red velvet.
Scooping my ice cream at Sprinkles.

Fun Stuff

North Premium Outlets
This place is chock full of stuff from big name brands and designers. The sales weren’t really that great though, and it’s likely because Black Friday hasn’t rolled around yet. However, some stores offered additional markdowns, but most of them were minor. Despite the lack of slashed prices, I still walked away with a few choice items from Ann Taylor and Max Studio at some excellent prices. I also got in a lot of cardio because I walked over 16,000 steps that day, mostly at this mall.

Red Rock Canyon

With a rented car, it made it easy for us to venture anywhere we wanted this time, so we planned to take a drive to Red Rock Canyon. Only 20 to 25 minutes from the Las Vegas strip, we reached the National Conservation Area where we paid $7 for access to the scenic drive and a number of hiking trails. Like a mini Grand Canyon, the mountains are washed in colours of red, orange and yellow, making the route through the park quite the site. We pulled off at the Willow Springs stop and headed out for a hike. I think we ended up on the Lost Creek Children’s Discovery Trail, which joins up with the Willow Springs Loop because it turned into an uphill course that led to a spot where I think there is a seasonal waterfall. The water wasn’t really flowing for us, but it was a really nice trek in an area that, although there was little sunshine, shielded us from the high winds that day. This particular hike was also one of the shorter ones, which was perfect for us because we needed to make it to Red Rock Casino before the lunch buffet ended and we were kind of tight on time. Both of us really enjoyed the canyon and would love to go back next time to try another hiking trail.

A bunny garden display at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.
In Red Rock Canyon.
In Red Rock Canyon.
Displays at the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.
A map showing the scenic drive route and stops at Red Rock Canyon.
A lizard in the Red Rock Canyon Visitor Center.
A view of the Calico Hills in Red Rock Canyon.
The mountains of Red Rock Canyon as the sun came out.
A view from our hike.

Trader Joe’s and Nordstrom Rack

Before we left the Red Rock area, we stopped at Trader Joe’s, which was just a few minutes away from the casino there. I’d never been to this grocery store before, but it sort of has a cult following in Canada. Their branded products were actually more affordable than I expected, and for a smaller store, they carry quite a variety of items. I was especially impressed with the relatively inexpensive yet huge pieces of Ahi tuna steaks that could be found in the fish aisle. I would have packed some home if I could have. The outdoor shopping area also had a Nordstrom Rack, which is similar to TJ Maxx and Marshalls or Winners, if you’re Canadian. I wasn’t super impressed with the clothing department, but they had a ton of shoes in my size, which ranges from a 7-8, and I ended up walking away with two pairs of shoes for less than $100.
Tantalizing packs of Ahi tuna steaks at Trader Joe's.

Tantalizing packs of Ahi tuna steaks at Trader Joe’s.

Neon Museum

This was probably the number one thing we did on this trip. We pre-booked tickets for a nighttime guided tour of the Neon Museum Boneyard where old neon signs have found a second life. Many of them are past the point of ever being used again, but some have been restored, and all of them seem to have a fascinating history. Our tour guide, Paul, was full of interesting facts about how the signs were made, who designed them, where they came from and why they were of importance. I walked away from the museum feeling ever more knowledgeable. For any photographers out there, this place is wonderful to hone your skills of night shoots and working with the bright neon lights. If you’re getting married in Vegas, think about coming here because the signs provide a really cool backdrop, including the chopped up marquee of the defunct Moulin Rouge Hotel whose letters now spell out “in love.”

Sassy Saloon’s neon sign at the Neon Boneyard.
Part of the old Stardust Resort and Casino neon sign with a bit of the script from the Moulin Rouge Hotel sign in front.
More derelict signs at the Neon Boneyard.
Using the Neon Museum photo booth.

High Roller

The new High Roller, a giant ferris wheel, now surpasses the Singapore Flyer as the world’s tallest observation wheel by a mere 9 feet. Having missed the opportunity to ride the London Eye last year, I really wanted to see what it was like, so I was pretty excited to see that Groupon had a deal. The voucher we bought allowed for two different passes, but we went with the Happy Half Hour selection. Our tickets gave us access to a car with a bar and bartender and as many drinks as we could fit in during the 30 minute ride. The views were pretty spectacular and since it moves relatively slowly, you had ample time to take it all in. Should you choose to do the Happy Half Hour, I would suggest that you refrain from pre-drinking because if you imbibe too much, you may have trouble making it off the car when your ride is over. The cars never dock – it is in continuous motion – so if you’re at all drunk, you could find yourself lying in the net that has been strung up below the wheel.

On the High Roller.
About half way up on the High Roller.
The entrance to the High Roller ticket counter and my ticket for the Happy Half Hour ride.

The LINQ Outdoor Promenade

This area of the strip is very new. It’s situated in between the recently renovated The LINQ Hotel & Casino and the Flamingo. Filled with various restaurants, bars and shops, it’s pedestrian and family friendly. When we walked through after our ride on the High Roller, it is where we found the Brooklyn Bowl and Sprinkles. On our last day we also dropped into the Polaroid Fotobar, where you can use the computers to upload photos from your phone or social media and have Polaroid sized prints made. The store also houses a Polaroid Museum that happened to be closed for a private function when we were there. The promenade was also being set up for Britney Day festivities, which were taking place on November 5 when Britney Spears was getting the key to Las Vegas.

A view of the High Roller from near the entrance to the LINQ promenade.

A view of the High Roller from near the entrance to the LINQ promenade.

Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat

My friend and I both redeemed loyalty points through the myVEGAS Slots app for full passes to the Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat at the Mirage. I was particularly excited to see the three white lion cubs that had been born just six months earlier. It really isn’t very big, but we spent probably an hour to an hour and half in there. The pass allows you access all day, so you can come and go if you choose. They had lions, white tigers and leopards in the garden. Truthfully, I was a little bit sad to see them all caged up behind fences, but they did seem very well cared for. The cubs looked like they were having a great time with the trainer that was playing with them in their space. In between viewings of the giant cats, we stopped to watch a dolphin training session where a lady had paid for a VIP dolphin experience. Her dolphin was adorable as it used squirt bottles to paint her a picture. As we wandered around I couldn’t help feeling like I had deja vu. When I got home from my trip, I asked my mom if I had been there before when we’d done family trips to Vegas and, sure enough, I had. That’s where my beloved white tiger stuffed toy had come from.

A dolphin painting during a VIP experience in the Mirage Dolphin Habitat.
A white tiger playing with his big red ball in the Secret Garden.
A white tiger posing for a picture in the Secret Garden.
Well, this was quite the rundown of my holiday. If you’ve been to Vegas a number of times like I have, I hope that this post gives you some new ideas for your next trip. It seems like there is always something new, unique and interesting to do in that city. Why not try them all?