Babycakes

Today I come with praise for one of my new favorite breakfast restaurants. A few months ago I was driving by my old neighborhood and a new sign caught my eye, Babycakes. Curious, mom and I stopped in before work one morning and we've been hooked ever since. We've since tried most of their pancake varieties, but the flavor I keep coming back to is the red velvet. To preface how amazing these are I have to confess that I am not typically a huge fan of either red velvet or pancakes in general. That said, these are amazing. The cake is both decadently dense and wonderfully fluffy. The chocolate taste is subtle enough to not be overpowering so early in the morning. Topped with cream cheese syrup and homemade whipped cream and these are absolute bliss. If you ever find yourself on the Northwest side of Las Vegas I recommend that you give Babycakes a go.

(disclaimer; this post was in no way sponsored, I simply enjoyed this too much to not mention them)

Sushi and Shopping

Since my mom has the magic touch when it comes to radio contests my weeks tend to be spent exploring places I never would have the chance to otherwise. This weekend was no exception, destination Caesar's Palace and Sushi Roku for lunch. Of course being down at Caesar's Palace has to involve a little shopping, mostly of the window variety. While we marveled at fancy shoe shops that make my feet hurt just thinking about them and the diamond display at De Beers, we also had the chance to check out one of my favorite-ever shops. I'm sure it comes as a shock to none, but I am an Anthroplogie fan. I love their stores and can spend hours lost on their website. I don't own much from them yet, but I did buy my first wearable! Tucked away by the sale room were the cutest pair of socks I've ever seen. I've been enamored with stripes as of late so these (pictured below) were the perfect find. My other favorite shop of the weekend was Vosages Haut Chocolat. How I'd never heard of this place while being a local stuns me. They have such an interesting array of chocolates to chose from. I had a chance to sample their bacon bar (yummy, if a little strange) and the Creole Exotic bar (an amazing blend of chicory coffee, cocoa nibs and dark chocolate). In the end I went with the Black Salt Caramel bar that I have yet to try, but am very excited about never-the-less. When it gets a little colder out I'm looking forward to trying some of their drinking chocolate as well (particularly the blend of white chocolate, lemon, and lavender blossoms).

On to lunch, which was an experience in of itself. I've had sushi many times in the past, but I've always tended towards rolls or maki-style. With this certificate I decided to go bold and try their sampler of primarily nigiri-style pieces. I was definitely intimidated when my platter arrived, but in the end I was very pleased. Now I can say for certain that salmon is my favorite (though I honestly didn't dislike anything on my plate) and I actually like the taste and kick of wasabi. Since I had a little extra left I decided to try something that sounded intriguing as well. The tempura asparagus hand roll was amazing! The rice was mixed with what tasted like wasabi mayonnaise which was a nice touch and flavor. While I still wont be attempting raw fish at home just yet, this is something I'd like to experiment with. What are your favorite types of sushi?

I am absolutely smitten with this gown.


Saw this restaurant while walking around. Such a cute design!


My bargain hunting finds of the day. Ask if you want any specifics.

From Planet Hollywood

In my last post I mentioned going through the photos on my camera. I came across these and realized that I never mentioned my staycation back in February!

Mom won a two night stay at Planet Hollywood through a local radio station and decided to take me along since it's been so long since my last vacation. It was bliss to get out of the house for a couple of days. One of the best things about being a local is that there was no need to do any sight seeing, staying in and not fighting traffic was bliss. We had ample time to explore the shops, try the restaurants, and work on our inspiration books.

Our room. Complete with props/costumes from 'A League of Their Own'.


An upclose shot of one of the costumes.


The view from the room during the day...


...and at night!


A sneak peek at the inspiration books in progress.


Loot from a shopping excursion to Sur La Table.


The rest of the loot, some gorgeous purses from a kiosk and some candy.

Exploration

Sometimes it's nice to go on an unexpected adventure...

Full of Possibility

Happy February! I have a good feeling about this month. I'm going to do my best to seize the day and make the most of the wonderful possibilities that are surrounding me. What are you looking forward to this month? I'm most excited about some upcoming adventures and finally being able to share some plans that I've been keeping secret for these past few months.

Speaking of new adventures, about a week ago I had the chance to explore the gardens at the Bellagio and their exhibit for Chinese New Year (I'll be sharing those photos with you soon...). I haven't been there for such a long time, I had forgotten how beautiful it was there (and how yummy their pastries are).

Holiday Lights

Did you all (at least those of you in the US) have a good Thanksgiving? Mine was uneventful, but nice with a tasty meal and a fun movie. This year, though, I am so excited for Christmas. I don't know if it's because of everything that went on this year, but I am ready for a season of warmth and joy.

My holiday spirit received an early jolt this year after I won free passes to the opening night of the holiday cactus gardens at the Ethel M factory in Las Vegas. For the record, this is normally a free exhibit, but opening night had the added bonus of performers from local shows and choirs. What stood out to me though were the lights themselves, so without further ado I'll let my photos speak for themselves.