Long needed vacation

Our Las Vegas weekend has come and gone. It was a great trip. We didn't win a million dollars, but we didn't lose everything we brought - so to me, that was a successful trip.


We got a great offer at the Wynn, and we were able to enjoy several of the restaurants there. Our first night, we met up with some friends who happened to be in Vegas at the same time. The four of us enjoyed a delicious dinner at Corsa Cucina. I had a filet with lobster gnocchi. Oh my goodness that gnocchi was good. There wasn't much of it, so I ate them as slowly as possible.


The next night, we had dinner at Daniel Boulud. My hubby had had their signature braised short ribs over a year ago and he had been drooling over the thought having it again ever since. We both ordered it. The meat was delicious, but instead of the rich red wine sauce we expected, they served it with some sort of carrot puree. It was yummy, but was a little odd. And we found out that they used white wine to braise the meat. They were going for a lighter "summer" flavor. It was good, but the red wine sauce with the meat would have been so much better.


We got a wonderful table outside with a view of the Wynn's grand waterfall - but it was so damn hot and humid, we finished our meal as quickly as we could and went back into the air conditioning. It was 86 degrees at 11pm at night - that's how hot it was. We didn't eat at 11pm, but we went out for a walk - and hurried back after walking around two nearby hotels.


To round off our all meat weekend (totally unintentional) we had our last dinner at the SW Steakhouse. If ever a filet with a side of creamed spinach and potatoes au gratin could be ever so yummy, this place was it. Wow - it was expensive, but it so worth every penny. We shared a portabello mushroom and corn soup and crab cake (yes, just one crab cake) for appetizers too. We were sooooo full that we didn't even look at the dessert menu. WHEW!

As they say, the person most in need of a vacation is the person who just came back from one. I definitely need another vacation. I love Vegas - but maybe next time we'll get an offer in the months where the temp doesn't go over three digits during the day.

Zombie

That's the best way to describe me right now. I got up at 5:15am today. Got ready and then got my new fave flavor coffee of the month from Starbucks (white mocha latte - YUM) and headed out to Sacramento for a meeting. I can't complain. I got there in an hour and a half from San Francisco. No traffic at all. I just blasted the radio and had a good old sing along.

After an eight hour meeting (yes, eight wonderful hours - with 30 mins for lunch) I finally headed back to the city around 4:30p. That trip took me over 2 hours.

I'm exhaused. I think for the first time in years, I may conk out before 11pm. I know that's late to some people, but I usually start winding down around midnight. Bad habit. I only get a few hours sleep, but I just get a second wind come 11p or 12a.

I think I'll start getting ready now. I'm too tired to even read Harry Potter tonight. I stayed up until 2:30a this past Sunday reading it. Totally screwed up my schedule.

Oh, and I restarted that stupid poncho for the 10th time last night. I don't know what I was thinking. I was doing the Backward Loop cast on, instead of a yarn over. What the heck was I thinking? So, now with effort number 10, it's as it should be. Knock on wood. If I have to start over again, the poncho will be retired and I'll make something else with the yarn. ARGH!!!

Feeling sheepish

Well, I restarted that baby poncho almost 9 times during my Tahoe trip. NINE!!! I was so frustrated that I even joined a knitting forum for help. As I was writing my plea for help, it suddenly dawned on me what had been wrong and why the pattern wasn't working for me. I was adding an extra stitch to one of the steps. DUH!!!

It's amazing how my eyes played tricks on me for this one. Geez. Now I feel so silly. Yes, I screwed up and misread the pattern. My bad.

So, now I'm working on this beautiful little poncho that I hope to have completed by next Saturday. I'm going to meet my friend for dinner and I want to be able to give this poncho to her daughter.

What else have I been working on? Well, we saw Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (FINALLY). I loved it. Then I finished rereading Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince. Now I'm starting on the seventh and final book of the saga, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. I'm taking my time - I don't want it to end.

I've also been working on other projects. I get bored easily, so I always have a few things going at the same time.

1. Doggie sweater



2. Stuffed airplane



3. Another version on the stuffed elephant - this one will be in an Oakland A's baseball uniform.




Of all things, I don't have any picture of the poncho yet. I'll get one posted soon.