A FoodPorn Goddess' Trip to Vegas

subtitled Jin Does Vegas
(Kinda like Debbie Does Dallas. Well, ok... I guess not, considering I only ate food.)

Day One:
I didn't arrive until after 8PM.
Good thing Vegas never sleeps.
Katy is totally psychic, knew I'd be starved and had food I like ready for me!

German Gummy Bears. Yum! She swears she didn't leave the teddy. I suppose one of my numerous cyberstalking studs snuck in before I got there and left it for me anonymously.

Insalata Caprese. I scarfed most of it down before I remembered to give Katy all her jingoodies.

I had a bag full of Vanilla Bliss & Garlic & Organic Herb Scones for her. She started in on those while I finished my Caprese. We decided to just walk the strip & scope out what to do the next day.

A jin in front of the Sphinx. Purrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr.

We had one jin without socks & one Katy without a warm coat so we tucked into the Luxor to unthaw for a nightcap.


Day Two:
Katy was stuck in meetings all day.
She did sneak out early in the AM to bring me breakfast.
I ate while admiring the view from our hotel room.


I decided not to plan anything & just go exploring.
I figured my nose would lead me to all the right places.
I started at The Bellagio.
I took cheesy touristy photos because I felt obligated.


Ok, ok... enough of that!
On with my first culinary adventure.
Jean-Philippe Patisserie.
Home of the largest chocolate fountain in the world!
(For some great professional pics & detailed info click this link graciously sent to me by Mark & Shelly... thanks you two! For a few crappy pics read on & check out mine... sorry, my normally steady jinhands were shaking in anticipation of tasting all THESE PASTRIES!!!)

The Fountain Detailz.

The Fountain Itself!

Edible Life-Sized Chocolate Display!

See that Santa?
Ohhhh.... I'd sure like to take a taste of his
*gasp*
Presents! His presents!
Sheesh you people have dirty minds!

Please click to enlarge.
Oh my... you simply must!
These were as fab as they looked.

How well do you think you know me?
The one I chose for myself is in this pic.
It should be obvious.
Blog kisses if you guess correctly.
My undying Love if you deliver me one tomorrow.
Give up?

Twas this beauty:
A Rose Macaroon.
It was one the most perfect things I've ever tasted.
Truly.
MMmmm.....
I'm grinning just from the memory it left on my tastebuds.

I brought this one back for Katy:
A Raspberry Tart. She giggled the whole time she savoured it.

But I'm getting ahead of myself here.
I had other places to indulge before I even went back to the hotel!

I was on a mission. I needed to find a place for lunch. This jin was hungry. I also wanted to choose a place to dine on day three as I would be alone- for Katy's flight was early AM and mine wasn't until midnight.

A short walk down the corridors of the Bellagio took me directly to Todd English's Olives. There was an hour long wait for a table unless I wanted to eat at the bar. There was one single solitary seat left at the bar.

jins call that fate
so that's where I ate!

I knew I was in for a treat. Three things tipped me off before I even tasted anything:
1. Several creative vegetarian offerings on the menu
2. I was served a fantastic looking cappuccino with picture perfect foam
3. Zach- the gorgeous Bartender who was great fantasy material serving me

For starters I was served a basket of flat-breads with 2 absolutely divine olive tapenades & a medley of marinated herbed olives. MMmmmm..... delish! My main course was a chestnut stuffed ravioli which this jin cannot even begin to describe. Let's just say I nearly licked the bartend... um... I mean the plate... clean.

I ordered no dessert here as I was intent on heading over to Caesars Palace in search of a little Boutique called Vosges. I did the cheesy touristy photo thingy again.

I walked everywhere. I couldn't find Vosges. I looked at the map. It was supposed to be there. I walked around again. No Vosges. I was temporarily accosted by a tiny foreign woman who wanted to rub "A Miracle Lotion on your tired dry hands". I ran from her for fear the lotion was not up to my strict animal-friendly personal care product standards. Around the corner I flew nearly knocking down a photo snapping tourist when what to my wondering eyes should appear but this:

Purple House!

The Vosges Boutique!

This place will have a post all its own in the near future. I tasted... I purchased... I took pics of things as I tasted... MMmmmmm...... oh, sorry, don't mean to tease you. (Well, maybe I do. ;-)

Let's skip the rest of my daytrip & go directly to our night out. After regaling Katy with stories of everything I stuffed into my jinmouth all day long she knew I wasn't going to be able to eat much for dinner. She was starved & wanted to check out a German Restaurant she had heard about. I think she was worried they wouldn't have much in the way of veggie offerings for yours truly, but that was fine by me for I didn't think I could possibly eat another thing! Off we went to The Hofbräuhaus where Katy ordered things I couldn't pronounce & certainly can't spell! We took a few pics with her razr:

A jin tasting something cheesy that was really good!

Katy in her now infamous "German's really enjoy sausage" photo.

Katy & I had received many suggestions for hip nighttime happenings from the awesomeness that is Bubs. Unfortunately, Katy had checked the cover charge of the male strip club (before I even arrived... *ahem* bad Katy!) and it was more than we were willing to spend. Instead, we decided to take our chances at "The Happiest Place on Earth".

Here's video proof, directly from Katy's razr:

The show was great. Er, maybe I should be more specific. The guy jumping in and out of the video was the show. He was most certainly on a bad trip & did things I am too proper to write about here. (I heard that! I am too proper! Ok, most of the time.)

The highlight of the band was the cellist. Yes, you heard me right. A cellist in a punk band. His cello was electric blue and he was smokin' hawt! His musical ability wasn't half bad either. Here's proof that Katy was brave enough to work her way through the crowd for a souvenir. I stayed back at the table fending off non-potential suitors.

Day Three:
Katy left before dawn.
My flight was at midnight.

I had sooo many options, but I decided to do Sunday brunch at Paris. I walked in the front entrance & was astounded with all the visuals. I resolved to take my time looking for the brunch & absorb everything. Silly silly jin. Not 20 steps inside and what do I catch sight of? Just off to my right stands Lenôtre. I stood there staring inside at all the pastries knowing full well that if I ate any I would not be able to enjoy brunch. What to do what to do what to do...

Oh c'mon people... you know I went for the pastry!!!
"I'd like one Chocolate Framboise and a large Cappuccino for here please."
*GRIN*
It was very very good. But, alas, twas not perfect & it just left me pining for more of Jean-Philippe's delights. I'm a picky picky jin. I knew I had tarnished my appetite for brunch but was still a tad hungry.

Welcome to the wrestling match inside my head:
bad jin- "Go on... you KNOW you want to!"
good jin- "NO! I can't. Not again!"
bad jin- "Dooooo iiiiiiiiiiittt."
good jin- "I'd like to but that would be truly gluttonous!"
bad jin- "It's within walking distance."
good jin- "Yessss... but but but..."
bad jin- "GO!"

She won this round. Off I headed to the Bellagio again for chocolatey sin in the form of Jean-Philippe Patisserie. I am a very very bad jin. I ended up buying TWO!

The Fruit Tart

The Yule Log

A jintease about to indulge

A look of complete & total jinbliss

Yes my luvs... I went back to the hotel & ate both of them, by myself, along with a large hot Tazo green tea. It was amazing. There was nothing but me & perfect pastry. Perfect perfect pastry. Maybe I need to let bad jin out a little more often.

The rest of my day consisted of many miles of walking. I needed to work up an appetite for my final dinner in Vegas! Haaahahahaaa... yes I'm serious! I walked the strip... the hotels... pretty much anywhere I could walk. I ended up at Olives again for dinner as the place I wanted to go was closed. I had the same flat-breads & tapenades. I had a divine artichoke, truffle & risotto salad. My main course was a Butternut Squash Ravioli with Fresh Sage & Browned Butter. It was wonderful. A perfect end to a perfect trip.

Thank you a million Katy! Where are we going next time?!!? :-D