Travel

Dining Outside the Home: Gulzar’s Indian Cuisine in Richmond, Indiana 

Dining Outside the Home: Gulzar’s Indian Cuisine in Richmond, Indiana! Picture this: It’s one of those days where sunbeams dance over striped umbrellas and the breeze is gentle enough for a meal on the patio. The aroma of freshly baked bread, or naan, drifts throughout the area enticing customers with pungent undertones of curry and turmeric. With attentive customer service, each guest feels like family at Gulzar’s Indian Cuisine restaurant. The lunch buffet is an authentic diversity of grains, fruits, meats, vegetables, and spices. Options are available for “dialing up the heat a notch or two” for those willing to experience flavoring beyond the norm. Begin with appetizers and work your way through to dessert. If you’re looking for adventure or the allure of dining among friends, a rich history of Indian food awaits you at Gulzar’s Indian Cuisine. 

Dining Outside the Home: Cabo Wabo Cantina in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Cabo Wabo Cantina in Las Vegas, Nevada! Walking by the Cabo Wabo Cantina on Las Vegas Boulevard is NOT an option. The outdoor patio is an all-day blowout that cannot be ignored. Red umbrellas mark the spot where music is rocking! Never mind that people are laughing, playing air-guitar, and drinking tequila cocktails popular at the beach, this is the best party going on. A Mexican cuisine-based menu mimics the obvious choice for Sammy Hagar, who has been known to pull an all-nighter in the sleepy little town of Cabo San Lucas. Day or night, when you’re in Vegas, make a stop at the perfect playground. 

Dining Outside the Home: Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: Mesa Grill in Las Vegas, Nevada Bobby Flay, celebrity chef of the Food Network, is a pretty popular guy in Las Vegas. It might be because he takes grilled meats and fresh vegetables and then pairs them with the spicy seasonings and peppery sass of Mexican food to create his own signature dishes. If you’re looking for ordinary, pass him by. Mesa Grill electrifies the palate! The Goat Cheese “Queso Fundido” is a blistering appetizer of poblano peppers in a creamy dip for blue corn tortilla chips. Get the picture? It may take a few minutes to study the menu, but then again, from time to time everyone needs to take a break from the intoxication of Vegas!

Dining Outside the Home: Carlo’s Bakery of “Cake Boss” in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Carlo’s Bakery of “Cake Boss” in Las Vegas, Nevada! It all started when the late night dessert craving hit me. Anyone who’s had an authentic Italian cannoli will appreciate the quest for perfection. Up the stairs at The Venetian across from Buddy V’s, delicious bakery creations are showcased for all to see: abundant fruit tarts, luscious cream-filled cannolis, deep dish cheesecake, elaborate dark chocolate cupcakes topped with ribbons of buttercream icing. It is impossible to choose just one. Forget the diet and indulge yourself. After all, it’s Vegas!

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada

Dining Outside the Home: China Poblano at The Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada! Who says noodles and tacos don’t mix? Take a voyage where East meets West at the same table. Mixing traditions creates a balance of ancient spice and modern flavor at China Poblano. Fresh corn tortillas are filled with braised meats, house-made sauces, and mellow herbs. Twenty-Vegetable Fried Rice is a culinary adventure that changes with every season. Believe it or not, it works. Whatever you choose, do not go away without ordering the signature Salt Air Margarita. Words simply cannot express its pizzazz. 

Dining Outside the Home: Secret Pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Dining Outside the Home: Secret Pizzeria at the Cosmopolitan in Las Vegas, Nevada Word of mouth is your best defense. Ask any bartender or waitress around The Strip where to get real Italian pizza and you’ll be told it’s a secret. So secret, the best direction you’ll get is “It’s tucked in a corner at the end of an unmarked corridor inside the Cosmopolitan. Look for long lines.” It’s away from the Food Court, not listed on the directory, and there’s no indication of advertising anywhere. Because the narrow hallway on the third floor is covered in old vinyl album jackets, at first it becomes a mystery of what lies ahead. And then you see it. Hungry customers are filing by holding checkered wax paper nestling piping hot slices of gooey cheese wedges. One guy takes a mouthful, too impatient to wait any longer. Sold by the slice, or the entire pie, this secret place is where you’ll find authentic New York-style pizza. Its crisp crust and generous toppings leave you craving more. 

Bellagio Conservatory is Transformed into Japanese Tea Garden in Las Vegas, Nevada 

Fragrant cherry blossoms, graceful pebble fountains, delicate origami cranes, and exotic koi fish in a tranquil pond are a few of the eye-popping elements in this vibrant display. At every turn, thousands of fresh tulips, daffodils, snapdragons, and spring flowers blanket the ground among botanical animals enormous in size. Overhead ethereal hand-painted parasols appear floating in air. Linger among the bonsai trees, note the abstract stone art of Mount Fuji, and be inspired by the karma of the Far East recreated in the Bellagio Conservatory at Las Vegas. 

Paul Zerdin is No Dummy in Las Vegas

Ventriloquism has never been my thing. I remember my older cousins laughing about the antics of Howdy Doody, but maybe I was too young to get it. He looked a little too scary to me. Fast forward to the British recent winner of “America’s Got Talent” and I found myself taking a second look. You will, too. This guy is so good, prepare to be entertained in Las Vegas. The live show was nonstop comedy as Paul Zerdin interacted with the audience through his believable “family” of infant Baby, pre-adolescent Sam, and Albert the outspoken old geezer. The surprises never end as this entire cast of characters come to life. Or do they? Decide for yourself.