What Happens in Vegas...

       Sin City  Glitzy Outrageous  Larger than life  Gambling Desert                     Entertainment Money Money Money Neon Lights Wild Hot

No matter how you describe Las Vegas, a sure thing everyone can agree upon is that it's one-of-a-kind. Some great movies have been filmed here, numerous weddings performed (there's a chapel on practically every corner), money has changed hands, and everyone knows the saying, What Happens in Vegas, Stays in Vegas.

My first trip to Vegas was in 2003 before my sister got married, and I've returned three times; the most recent trip being earlier this month. Each time I visit it's a different experience as Vegas is constantly changing and growing. If you're looking for a bit of tradition, Fremont Street still offers a flair of the old, classic Vegas.

Places like the Golden Nugget and Binion's Horseshoe are still going strong after all these years. The vibe in old Vegas is completely different from the Strip but it's still a crowded, bustling area.

Whether you come for a bachelor party, a wedding, to golf, shop, gamble, or for a girls getaway, you will find the town caters to your needs. During my first trip to Vegas, we rented a car and toured around, visiting both Lake Mead and Hoover Dam.

Located near Boulder City, Nevada

Vegas is located in the Mojave Desert creating hot, tropical temps

Entertainment is vast and there is something for everyone. Vegas offers everything from a UFC fight, Cirque du Soleil, burlesque shows, impersonators, musicals, magicians, comedy shows to even a Donny and Marie concert. Whatever you are in the mood for, this town has it.

Each trip to Vegas I've gone to see a Prince impersonator. The show is called Purple Reign and all of Prince's greatest hits are exuberantly performed, complete with backup dancers, and a tribute to Morris Day and the Time.

Purple Reign is coming to Detroit, Michigan in June, branching out from its home in Vegas. Since the passing of Prince in April, I'm sure this tribute show is in even greater demand.

I only want to see you in the Purple Rain

If you're a foodie, it's impossible to be disappointed in Las Vegas. There are scores of buffets, diners, and upscale restaurants. Practically every celebrity chef has a restaurant here. One of my favourite spots to visit is Tom Colicchio's Witchcraft located in the MGM. On this latest trip, I ate at Gordon Ramsay Steak located in Paris.

The steak cart brought to each table 

After feasting here, I hit the roulette table for a couple of hours and actually won a bit of cash-just enough to cover the cost of my dinner!

A couple of girls I work with both suggested Battista's Hole in the Wall.  

This hidden gem has been open for over 40 years

Tucked behind the Flamingo hotel just off the Strip, this eclectic restaurant serves traditional Italian fare. Your meal comes with unlimited house wine and the prices are respectable. I recommend it not only for the delicious food and wine, but also for the atmosphere and various photos/items adorning their walls.

Flights to Vegas are relatively cheap and so are the hotels. I stayed at the Flamingo my first trip. Centrally located, the Flamingo is one of the original hotels on the Strip and definitely the oldest still in operation today. I loved the pool here and there's even a wild habitat garden complete with turtles, fish, tropical birds, and of course, flamingos.

No matter what the purpose for visiting Las Vegas, you can't help but be impressed. Touching down at McCarran Airport, you feel like you could reach out and pat the head of MGM's bronze lion or touch the tip of the pyramid at the Luxor. It's an intoxicating and exhilarating city. The energy in this town is addictive and I think everyone should visit at least once.

~MT

BOTTOMS UP #2

CHEERS! All hair Caesar! In my previous blog post, I boasted Canadian Club as my drink of choice at home. I felt it necessary to also pay homage to Canada's national cocktail, the Caesar. It originated in May of 1969 in Calgary, Alberta. The recipe for a traditional Caesar is:

1 oz vodka
2 dashes of hot sauce (tobasco)
4 dashes of Worcestershire
salt and pepper
5 oz Motts Clamato juice

The glass is rimmed with celery salt, and both a wedge of lime and a stalk of celery are placed in the drink as garnish. Over the years, there has been some variation to the drink, adding a variety of garnishes and upping the heat factor. For those outside of Canada, the drink is similar to a Bloody Mary (which uses tomato juice). Since it's May and the anniversary of the Caesar, give it a try!

YUM SENG! In Singapore, English is widely spoken so you can still say Cheers! or use the Cantonese equivalent Yum Seng which translates to 'drink good'.  The national cocktail, is of course, the Singapore Sling. The drink originated in 1915 at the Long Bar which is located on the second floor of  the famous Raffles Hotel. For $16, I sipped on the gin-based, pink drink, while snacking on peanuts and chucking the shells on the floor. This is the only place in Singapore where littering is acceptable. Although this particular drink is not something I'd usually order (too sweet and I try to avoid gin), the experience of sitting in the charming Long Bar was worth it.

MOT, HAI, BA, YOOOO! In Vietnamese, this translates to one, two, three, cheers! The most popular drink in Vietnam is beer and it's usually served with ice. Vietnam is extremely hot so I was thankful for the ice, especially when the beer was served warm. I met up with some fellow travelers on the road and we stopped for a night, deciding to go for food and drinks. We started drinking beer as usual, but as the night progressed, we were in for a surprise. The owner wanted to treat us to Snake Wine. The entire snake is infused in rice wine or grain alcohol. It's said to improve both health and virility...

After a few shots, I was pretty much done for the night. Thanks to my companions, I made it back to the guest house. Waking up the next morning, I had little recollection of anything after the snake wine and it did nothing to improve my health!

SEREFE! I spent a short amount of time in Turkey when I was traveling in Greece. Since consuming alcohol is against the Islamic faith, drinking in Turkey is not as common as in other European countries. The national drink is called Raki. It's extremely potent at 80-90 proof. Raki is an unsweetened anise flavoured drink, and commonly referred to as 'lion's milk' because of its colour.

Like the snake wine, I was not prepared for the potency of this drink. Luckily I was able to make it back to the boat returning to Greece. When you can no longer feel your teeth, it's time to call it quits.

CHOK DEE! One of my favourite places to visit in Southeast Asia was Thailand. Drinking is relatively inexpensive and most people drink either beer or Thai whisky. My favourite beer was Singha.  There's nothing more refreshing than an ice-cold beer on a hot day. And it's always hot in Thailand.

I love the beach and spent quite a bit of time on Koh Samui island. Located on the east coast of Thailand, Koh Samui was a nice get away from the bustling activity of Bangkok. In the mornings, I would enjoy a banana shake for breakfast but at night, would switch to a banana colada. Sipping on this delicious drink, lounging on the beach, listening to the waves and watching the moon rise in the night sky was a perfect end to a day in paradise. The bananas also helped keep my potassium up!

With the Swiss boys Adi and Rene, Koh Samui

Traveling provides a chance to try something you normally wouldn't. It also gives the opportunity to meet and talk with people whose paths you likely wouldn't cross. I had a number of great encounters on my journeys. Whether it was sipping on Lao whisky while tubing down the river in VanVieng, clinking wine glasses in Venice while yelling SALUTE! or drinking beer at an outdoor cafe in Budapest, the bonds I formed, even for a short time, were memorable. Looking back, I wouldn't have done anything different (well, maybe avoided that snake wine).

Drink responsibly. Don't drink and drive...even on a bicycle...call Uber!

~MT

BOTTOMS UP

When you clink glasses with a fellow traveler, you are solidifying a bond, whether just for the night, the duration of your trip, or if lucky, for an entire lifetime. You share tales of your adventures, your past and where you want to travel to next. Like food, drink is an integral aspect of culture in most countries.

CHEERS: Being Canadian, I hold a fondness for Canadian Club, a Whisky that originated in 1858 by Hiram Walker. They had great marketing (seriously, check out their ads) plus they hid cases around the world. To this day, some of them still haven't been located. This is the drink of choice for Don Draper in Mad Men. I prefer to drink my CC mixed with Diet Pepsi, which my friends and I refer to it as a RIOT (rye+diet).

CC+DP=my drink of choice

KAMPAI: In Japanese, this means to empty your glass. However, the custom when drinking with others, is to never let your friend's glass empty completely. It's standard to serve one another which is a bit of a problem as you never really know how many glasses you've had. Although sake is the national alcoholic drink, most people only have a glass or two of the rice wine and beer is the more popular drink. It pairs well with edamame, salted boiled soybeans.

Drinking is an important role in Japanese society and widely accepted. There are vending machines everywhere; you can drink on public transportation, in parks, even while riding your bike. Alcohol is sold at every convenience store and they are open 24/7. It's customary to go out for drinks after work, and for those on a budget, there's nomihodai; all-u-can-drink for a fixed price and period of time. After living in this country for 6+ years, I'm surprised my liver didn't explode.

Beer Festival-KIRIN 

Although Kirin was my preferred beer, when I traveled to Sapporo, I had the chance to visit the museum and brewery there. They had nomihodai and for 120 minutes, I sampled Sapporo beer while playing century-club (a drink a minute for 100 minutes). Budget boozing at it's finest. Asahi and Suntory are the other popular beer brands in Japan.

PROST: For a country that invented Jagermeister, a 70 proof liquor, you know that Germans take their drinking seriously. They are very proud of their beer and have a strong opinion about which is the best one. Oktoberfest is celebrated annually in Munich, Bavaria and more than 6 million people attend. I was fortunate to partake in the festivities back in 2014.

A delicious amber brew

Hofbrau Festzelt

Lederhosen worn by most

Oktoberfest was definitely one of the better festivals I've attended. There are amusement rides, games, pretzels and beer. Lots and lots of beer. The 16 day event is extremely well organized. I was most impressed with the waitresses carrying around 10 1-litre steins at a time!

SLAINTE: Guinness used to be given out to new mothers in maternity hospitals. That practice has since ceased but this particular beer is a meal in a glass, and an acquired taste.

Look closely, you can see the shamrock in the foam

I'm not a huge fan of the beer, but I do like Jameson, Irish whisky. If you'd like to sample a bit of the Irish favourites, try an Irish Car Bomb. This drink features a half pint of Guinness, with a shot of Jameson and Bailey's Irish Cream mixed together. The name is offensive, referring to troubles of Northern Ireland. The drink is essentially unheard of in Ireland. Most would find it distasteful to mix Guinness with anything.

Stay tuned for the next instalment which will feature drinking snake wine in Vietnam!

~MT

NOM NOM Part 2

HAPPY MEAL

6) AUSTRIA: If you like meat, you will enjoy Austrian cuisine. The country is so gorgeous, it's worth a visit and the food is just an added bonus. Austria is well known for its Weiner Schnitzel. Sweets are also a favourite here. Bakery and sweet shops are everywhere with gorgeous displays, tempting you as you walk past. Both the sights and smells are hard to pass up.

Weiner Schnitzel and Erdapfel Salat (potatoes)

7) JAMAICA: "Jerk" is a style of cooking in Jamaica (love the name). It's a spice rub applied to meat, usually chicken or pork and often served with rice. It's a bit spicy but chase it down with a Red Stripe beer and your palate will be soothed. There are numerous Jerk Huts along the beach. For a fair price you can enjoy a plate of this deliciously spiced meat.

8) GREECE: Another country that I could do a whole book on. They have the freshest food and it is rich in flavour.  A lot of the cooking is done with olive oil and nothing compares to that made in Greece. Olives, bread, cheese, and eggplant are just a few of the staples in their meals. Greece is a beautiful country with gorgeous islands (Santorini and Mykonos were my favourites). Food and drink are an integral part of their culture. Where else can you smash your plate on the floor and not get in trouble?

Stuffed tomatoes

Gyro

Baklava

9) VIETNAM: Probably considered one of the healthiest cuisines in the world. Vietnamese combine fresh herbs, vegetables and oils in their dishes. They use a blend of salty, sweet, sour and spicy, creating a burst of flavour in every bite. Markets are full of fruits, vegetables, chickens, herbs and spices. Markets are also found along the famous Mekong River, where you can park your boat alongside and shop for your goods. The line up is certainly shorter than the average grocery store!

Floating market on the Mekong Delta

Goi Cuon- Spring Roll

10) SINGAPORE: Before traveling here, the only food I could associate with this country was Singapore Noodles ordered from my local Chinese restaurant. Although I loved eating them in Canada, I was in for a pleasant surprise when arriving in Singapore. Food is a strong part of their culture. You can find cuisine from almost any country; even Iron Chef Mario Batali has a restaurant here. Although Singapore hosts a number of excellent restaurants, the street food is also delicious. I sampled both roti and chicken satays from the vendors.

Roti Prata

While traveling through Southeast Asia, I noticed a lot of Western influence. In Beijing, I found Kenny Rogers Roasters (is that really chicken?) and both a McDonalds and Starbucks across from Tiananmen Square. I suppose when people travel to a far-off place, those golden arches are a beacon. But why waste the chance to try something a little out of your realm? Sample something fresh and local.

I put this to the test with the King of Fruits, the Durian. Getting past the smell was hard but I'm glad I tried it. I wouldn't have the opportunity to do that in my own country. The fruit smells so bad that it is banned from most public transit systems, and in some places, will result in a fine.

Sign posted at my guest house in Malaysia

If you get the opportunity to travel, ask a local where they would eat. Chances are that will be the best food you could find in that area. As Mario Batali always says...Bon Appetit!

~MT