Taro and I celebrated New Years Eve in flashy Vegas. We went once prior to this trip, early on when we first started dating. That trip was one to remember – party hats at New York New York Hotel with drinks galore where Southern Comfort was not my friend. We did not hope to recreate those fond memories, but at least strive to the same enjoyment level. Did the trip meet our expectations? It most definitely did. We not only enjoyed the company of each other, but we explored the countless restaurants on the strip. It is nothing like what it used to be, and mind you I am recalling the days prior to fancy, elegant hotels and extravagant shows. Now Vegas is a place where you can experience fine cuisine alongside the $2.99 steak and eggs and buffets. That was one of our objectives for the trip – to enjoy good food. We stuffed ourselves, feeling a mixture of delight and overindulgence. But that is okay because we promised that we would work it all off when we got home.
I am not a huge gambler, but I thoroughly enjoy watching Taro play Blackjack and cheering on his fellow tablemates when they receive a good hand. However, this trip I decided to play alongside Taro. On my iphone, I have been practicing with Chili Pepper Blackjack and strangely was addicted to it for about a month. So I put on a brave face and played…and it was not too bad! I learned that as long as I played consistently and “by the book” for the most part, people would not give me death glares or openly say, “Why did you do that!” Whew. I have seen it in the past and that is truly a fear of mine under the pressure of adding up to 21. All math skills are thrown out the window when I am under that much pressure. I had fun, but it was not until Taro and I decided to try Blackjack Switch where I officially became addicted. The concept is great: play two hands and have the option of switching the top cards in order to make either a stronger hand or hands. I LOVED it! We had so much fun that we are thinking about the NEXT time we can go to Vegas.
So that is how I began the new year – enjoying a trip in Vegas with my adoring husband. 2010 started off well and I can only hope that it will continue in that direction. There is a lot to look forward to – in the next two months alone we are attending Mason and Jen’s wedding (late January), anticipating the birth of Isabella (due in February), celebrating my dad’s birthday, and so much more! I can already feel that 2010 will hold a lot in store, especially with our honeymoon in Japan, an adventure I am anticipating.
I want to accomplish a lot this year, and the first thing was putting up this blog to build my portfolio, share my work, and begin my career as a photographer. I also talked to my one of my best friends, Kris, about participating in a marathon (granted only a 5k) and I really hope that at the start of the 2010-2011 school year, I will become an AP reader. These are only three things on my list, but I feel they are big and are going to further define who I am.
So here is to 2010 – and whatever it may bring!
This holiday season was definitely a busy one! On the 23rd, we celebrated with a group of friends at Trader Vic’s. It was a time to catch up – see some friends we have not seen since the wedding – and socialize over Polynesian-style cuisine and Mai Tais. The restaurant was everything Taro hoped for – the Hawaiian décor, a drink with a parrot on it, and prime flat iron steak. The drinks were good, the food was a blend of different cultures, and the company was what made the night special. Thanks to Jason and Simply Green Solutions for getting us together!
An adorable shot of Melissa’s belly. We can’t wait for Isabella’s arrival!
The festivities continued on the 24th at our house. Both my family and Taro’s family came to celebrate Christmas Eve. There was definitely not a shortage of food –albacore sashimi (one of my favorite dishes handcrafted by my father-in-law), Chilean sea bass with miso, roast, shitake mushroom rice, mashed potatoes, okra (prepared with masago), vegetables (lotus, snap peas, and Chinese celery), and miso-flavored green beans. The night didn’t end there because Taro made vanilla ice cream and apple pie – both of which are simply amazing – and my mom made almond jello. Everyone was stuffed by the end of the night and it ended with Beatles Rock Band. It was a wonderful night to spend with both sides of the family and I am very fortunate that we have joined together as one big group.
Christmas Day didn’t start too early, but it began with an abundance of food as we joined my family for dim sum. We were lucky that we set a relatively early time for breakfast because by the time we left, the place was packed with people! Afterwards, we each went our separate ways, temporarily, and that was when Taro and I exchanged Christmas presents. Peanut was able to “open” all of his gifts as well and he gladly chased after his brand new toys.
Dinner was at my parents’ house and again, it was a night of endless food – spareribs, shrimp, sticky rice (one of my favorite dishes that my mom makes), and rice noodles. We then exchanged gifts, took our yearly family picture along with the sister/brother photo, and ended the night with an intense game of Pictureka.
Our last Christmas celebration was on the 26th. We celebrated with Randy and Donniel, and a group of their friends. The dinner was held at Bucca di Beppo, followed by a White Elephant gift exchange at their place. It was a memorable exchange – the personal dilemma of whether to steal another person’s gift, a yell of “Now get me my clock!” and stealing it back, and a “Who brought this?” response when Sam opened up a gift pack of Biosilk. We ended up with some nice gifts; I got a bag of Three Africans coffee, an Earl Grey diffuser, and candle while Taro received a Mighty Leaf Tea assortment. It was a night of laughter, fun, and an appreciation of scotch from the men…followed by shots of jagermeister (Luckily, I did not partake in that.)…and an enjoyment of banana cream pie, pecan pie, and Sprinkles cupcakes. Did I mention the coconut cupcake is to die for? Thank you, Randy and Donniel, for setting up and hosting and we cannot wait until next year to remember past exchanges – the good, bad, and the ugly!
This is Randy and Donniel’s adorable dog, Raku. I love his scarf!
Back in August, Vivian suggested two places to go to in Vegas for dinner for my bachelorette party. We were only able to go to one of them (which I will blog about very soon) and we missed out on the Oyster Bar. However, she went in December with my brother and came back raving about it. In total, the two of them ate 60 oysters. Yes. 60 oysters. I could not believe it! I thought there was no way that was possible and felt the need to go to the Oyster Bar the next time I was in Vegas.
Taro and I decided to go to Las Vegas for New Years. This was the second time for us and we have very fond memories of the first time we rang in the new year at Vegas. This trip did not fall short. We arrived late Wednesday night and the next afternoon, we headed off to Palace Station. When we arrived, there was already a line for the Oyster Bar. The prime seating is definitely at the side of the bar where you can watch the chef shuck oysters (in a grumpy manner) and fill up these hanging pots where he cooks jambalaya, gumbo, and the suggested dish, the pan roast.
Was Oyster Bar everything we hoped it to be? Definitely! The oysters were fresh and we watched the chef open up first 1/2 a dozen and then shortly later, a dozen more. He was not happy with us when we decided to order another dozen. There was grumbling, a dirty look, and more grumbling. By the time we left, though, he was in a much better mood. We also ordered the Palace Pan Roast, which included chicken, shrimp, and andouille sausage in a thick, cream-like soup with a scoop of rice. The pan roast fell in the category of comfort food with its warm, savory taste. Taro and I shared the pan roast and there was plenty to share; by the time we were done, we were stuffed!
We look forward to going to the Oyster Bar again. I am sure the next time it will be just as tasty and delicious!
We met this friendly couple sitting at the counter who drove all the way from Texas to Vegas! She was not a fan of oysters, but he was and indulged in a dozen. We had to share a Bloody Mary Oyster Shooter with him (we had three of them) just because he, too, was thrilled about the food and heard amazing things about the restaurant at the tables.
The Palace Pan Roast and Oysters:
Leave A Comment