Winner!

The winner of my giveaway is #71, Alice. Please send me an email so I can mail you your prize. A big Thank you to everyone that entered! I hope to do another giveaway really soon. :) C

Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day

Welcome everyone from the Sew Mama Sew Giveaway Day! I'm so excited to get to do this again. :)

I've been making lots of bows for Christmas. All of my friends really like wearing bows. And so do I! I've made a bunch for all the new baby girls. And for my friends at school.

I thought I had taken a picture of all my bows together. But I can't find it on my Dad's camera.

You can win 11 bows and a bow holder. All you have to do is leave me a comment telling me about your favorite holiday tradition. :)

Here are the 3 small bows. I really like the pink one!

These are the 6 medium sized bows. Some of these ones are made out of satin ribbon.

And the 2 large bows.

I'm so happy that you stopped by my blog. My giveaway ends on December 19th at 10pm MST. You should also go to my Nana's blog and Mrs. S's blog. They are both having giveaways too! Good luck everyone. Now I need to go explore some of the other blogs. :) C

Virgen de Guadalupe

Today is the feast day for the Virgen de Guadalupe. What a special day. Dedicated to Jesus' mom. Our mom.

I'm very excited that I get to be a part of the special mass today. I'm getting to dance. We get to use candles. And we've been practicing for weeks. It's very exciting!

I really do like my culture. Not only are we celebrating la Madre de Dios, we are celebrating all mothers. There are going to be mariachis, dancers, and matachines at mass. Very exciting. My Dad is also cooking up a big dinner. That's for after the big day. And all of our fun. :) C

I Like This

My Dad and I went shopping earlier. We went to buy some Christmas presents for our friends. And we went to Old Navy. I seen the this jacket, and I really like it.



I hope I get a jacket for Christmas. I really want a long one like this one. Or the ones that my Nana wears. I think they're so pretty. :) C

We're Home

We're home from the Mariachi Conference. It was so much fun! We got home last night. I went straight to bed. I was that tired.

But we had a fun week. My Dad taught for my Tio Joe. My Nana performed for him. Because Tio Joe didn't travel with the mariachi. It was a good thing. Since baby Graciella came while we were gone. My Dad is going to be her Godfather. And my Nana is going to be her Godmother. She is a very lucky girl! :)

My tio Juan also didn't go. Because of my friend Sarita is still in the hospital. So my Nono taught and performed for him. We're all still praying for Sarita.

At the conference I got to take both dance and music classes. I was really lucky. I had to take the dance classes. Because my dance group went to perform. But my Dad got me to take a few music classes. And that was a lot of fun. My friend Joe got to go too. I'm so glad! We live so far away. And only get to see each other for the conferences.

We got to sing and play our violins on the river. Because there is always a big concert on the river. It was so fun! I even got to sing with my Nono and Nana. On the night of the big concert, I got to dance. Marissa, Maribel, and Lauren got to dance too. We really did have a good time.

And when my tios and Nana performed, Joe and I got to sing a duet with them. That was so exciting! I really do enjoy the conferences. And I can't wait until the next one. :) C

My Christmas Wish List

Both my Dad and my Nono asked me what I wanted for Christmas. I'm not sure. I've been thinking about it for a while. But I'm really not sure.

There are somethings that I really like. But I don't know if they're too expensive to ask for. Or too late. But this is the list I came up with.

1. A Serger. My Nana has one. And I really like it. This is really all that I want. But I know that it's expensive.

2. A sewing box with sewing supplies.

3. Pretty fabric.

4. Some "I Love This Yarn."

5. A ring or headband from Much Love Illy.

6. Anything from Love Stitched.

7. Colorful tights.

8. A long coat like my Nana's. The one with the ruffles.

9. A wooden shoulder rest for my violin. :)

10. The movie Little Dorrit. I watched it with my Nana. And I really liked it.

11. More ribbon. I like making bows.

12. A pretty scarf with a fun pin.

That's my wish list. But I really just want a Serger. If I can't have that, I'd really like a wooden shoulder rest. I know that Christmas is more about giving that receiving. I'd rather be able to donate some money or toys to kids that wouldn't get anything. :)C

Baby Jelly Bean is Here

Baby Jelly Bean was born last night. How exciting is that? I can't wait to go home to see here. I know she will be perfect. Just like her mommy and daddy. Congratulations Tia Jelly and Tio Joe! Love you lots! :) C

Traveling

We're going to be in Texas until next week. For a mariachi and dance workshop. I'm so excited! I really like coming to these things. You meet so many good people. And you learn so much.

I've got all my homework with me. My Dad told me that it's important that I keep up with my school work. I agree. But I'm really excited about performing this week.

My Dad is going to be teaching. And all of my dance group is here too. I'm so excited! We had to bring so much luggage. The airports were so busy. But everyone is happy to be here. :) C

A New Dress

Today my Dad and I drove to the big malls. It's an hour from our house. But we wanted to go have a fun day together.

I wanted to buy some Christmas presents too. So I took my allowance with me. I've been saving it for a long time. And I had my list. I got lots of presents. And something really special for my Nana.

I also bought me something special. A new dress. :)



I found it at Forever 21. And it was $15. I really like it. I think I'm going to wear it for New Year's. My favorite part of the dress is the sleeves. I can't wait to wear it! :) C

Happy Thanksgiving

I think Thanksgiving could be my favorite holiday. My Dad makes the best food ever! He's already been cooking for hours. Yesterday, he baked a bunch of pies too. My Grandma and I even made a pumpkin roll. That was so fun! I can't wait to try it. Because I've never tasted one before.

We're having a lot of friends over today. I'm super excited about that. Baby Jelly Bean still isn't here yet. Jelly keeps telling us that she just wants to get through Thanksgiving before her baby is born. :)

Now I'm going to go have breakfast with my Dad and my grandmas. Then we have to get ready for mass. But I wanted to wish everyone a Happy Thanksgiving! :) C

Praying for Sarita and Adelita

My friend Sarita's little sister was born last night. We're all super excited! And we can't wait to meet Adelita. My tio Juan told us that she has so much hair! They already put some of her bows in her hair. :)

We're all excited, but also scared. We are all praying for Sarita. She had her surgery a little bit after Adelita was born. We're all hoping that her surgery helps her. And that her cancer will be gone soon. For good.

I can't wait until they get to move back. Please pray for them both. And their mom and dad. They need all the prayers that they can get. They are so special. Gifts from God. :) C

My Dad Bought Me...

My Dad and I tried to start our Christmas shopping early. So we went to Old Navy last week. And I seen this shirt.



I really liked it. They also have it in purples, greens, and blues. But I liked this one. And I really liked the owls. But I didn't want to ask my Dad for it. Because it's getting close to Christmas.

My abuelita and I were looking on the computer yesterday, and I showed it to her. She liked it too. I don't have a lot of regular clothes. Since I go to Catholic school and I have to wear a uniform.

But my Dad surprised me today. He bought me this shirt. And a pair of jeans. Just because. That's what he told me. I think I'm going to save them for our trip to Texas next month. :) C

Going to Disney World

Today my Dad told me that we're going to go visit my Nono for Christmas break. I'm so excited! We leave the day after Christmas.

We're going to go spend New Year's in Disney World. But I'm more excited about seeing my Nono. We always have so much fun! This is my Christmas present from my Nono.

I just wish that my grandmas would come with us. But they don't want to travel during the holidays. And they don't really like all the walking that you have to do. But we will bring them back lots of stuff! :) C

My New Scarf

I wanted a new scarf. I think I might have told my Dad one day after church. And he told me that we could go shopping, after the mariachi conference. So I was pretty excited!

Today, my tia Sals brought me this scarf. Isn't it pretty? I like the color a lot. And it's super soft. :) Thank you tia! I love it. I just wish that it was colder outside so I could wear it. :) C

Dia de los Muertos

Today is Dia de los Muertos. I always think about Sarita on this day. She really likes it. She told me that this is her favorite holiday. :)

The reason for today is to celebrate our family and friends who have died. We make alters and offer food, gifts, and music to them. A really special day.

Tonight we're going to mass. And having a celebration at our house. It's important to remember all of our family. Even if they have died. It's really important. I like this day. Because we get to remember them, and celebrate their lives. :) C

Happy Halloween

Yay! Today is Halloween. I'm so excited to get to dress up and spend the day with my friends. Our church has even asked us to dress up for mass today.

We're also going to the Mall later to do some trick or treating. They're going to have a costume contest too. And then, we're going to go out to dinner. My tios are also taking some of us for more trick or treating. I'm very excited!

I hope everyone has a Happy Halloween. Stay safe! :) C

My Halloween Costume

I didn't know what I wanted to be this year. I thought about it a lot. And I decided on the Candy Corn Witch. I've never been anything too spooky or scary. I don't think this is a spooky costume. But I think it's fun! I can't wait to dress up on Sunday. :) C

Love Stitched Giveaway

Linda is hosting a giveawy for Love Stitched. I really like the Mini Lou hair pins. So pretty! But everything in Love Stitched's shop is beautiful. I hope I win! You can enter here. :) C

Trick or Treat?

It's Halloween time! And in honor of the most candy-rific holiday of the year, I am deviating from the usual Vegas Vegan format. Instead of a review, I am posting a list of vegan candy. Because, let's face it, vegan parents like to raid their kids' Halloween stash just as much as the next guy. And if you're raising vegan kids, this list should help your shopping list.

This list comes to us thanks to Elaine Vigneault from Vegas Veg. She was also kind enough to provide us with this new website: No Trick Treats You can register your home as a place giving out vegan candy or find vegan distributors in your neck of the woods!

VEGAN CANDIES

Airheads taffy

Atkins peanut butter bars

Blow Pops

Brach’s Cinnamon Hard Candy

Charms lollipops

Chick-o-Sticks

Cracker Jack

Cry Babies

Dem Bones

Dots

Dum-Dums

Fireballs

Goldenberg’s Peanut Chews

Jolly Ranchers (lollipops and hard candy)

Jujubees

Jujyfruits

Lemonheads

Mambas

Mary Janes (regular and peanut butter kisses)

Now and Later

Pez

Ring Pop lollipops

Smarties (U.S. Brand)

Sour Patch Kids

Super Bubble

Swedish Fish

Sweet Tarts

Tropical Source mini chocolate bags

Twizzlers

Zotz

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Yellowtail

Not wanting to give up on the restaurants at the Bellagio, Friand and I decided that we would give Yellowtail a go. We had passed it that morning on the way through the high end shopping gallery to the coffee bar, and thought the sushi menu looked promising.

As all us vegans know, sushi is probably the easiest, most reliable, and most satisfying of all the vegan options out there. You can order a vegetable roll and never have to utter the word "vegan" to any server, never have to worry about there being a capable & creative chef in the house, just order, eat & enjoy. After the disaster that was "Olives", we were looking forward to a simple, yet elegant meal.

Remember, "Sushi" refers to the RICE, not the fish. I always laugh when people say, "Vegan sushi? Give me a break!" Yup. Rice is vegan, folks.

We were seated and immediately greeted by our server, who directed my attention to the "Infusion" at the top of the cocktail menu. A delightfully sickeningly sweet martini style sake drink, with pineapple and vanilla flavorings. I'm not a froo-froo drink kind of girl, but this thing made my teeth chatter with sweetness, and let's face it: it prevented me from drinking too fast and too much. I can pound gin martinis like James Bond on shore leave, so this was a good move on my part!

Friand ordered the 7 course Omakase with the sake pairing. Any sushi lover, nee, any refined connoisseur should order this way at a sushi joint. Let the chef decide what the best dishes on the menu are that night, not you! I've rarely seen Friand order anything on his own when we've been out for sushi, he's always been delighted & amazed by the chef's own suggestions. This Omakase did not fail him. 6 different sakes for 6 dinner selections including a salad, sashimi and kobe beef, and one slice of green tea cake with a mocha shooter for dessert, kept the food & drink flowing at our table.

There are actually several items on the menu suitable for veg*ns including edamame, an array of salads, vegetable tempura, vegetable roll, wild mushrooms and eggplant skewers. I was overwhelmed with possibilities!

I began my meal with the vegetable roll. There was nothing out of the ordinary in that roll: cucumber, asparagus, carrot, avocado and pickled daikon, sprinkled with sesame seeds, but the rice had the perfect proportion of vinegar to make all the flavors pop instead of run together. I could not pass up the opportunity to try the eggplant, though. And when it arrived, my mouth was overwhelmed with taste bud ecstasy. Sweet, bitter, juicy and savory, the Japanese eggplant melted in my mouth.

I was thankful that there were a dozen pieces of eggplant on this plate, otherwise I may have freaked out and actually begged for more. It was probably enough for any normal person to be satisfied with this much food (8 vegetable roll slices and a dozen pieces of eggplant), but I was like a bottomless pit! The Omakase still flowing on Friand's side of the table, I needed to keep up. At this point, I was torn between ordering more eggplant or going for another sushi roll. That rice was too good to pass up, so bring me another veggie roll! This time, I had fun overdosing on wasabi and seeing how much I could slather on my sushi before my eyes started watering & flames shot out of the top of my head.

Yellowtail was a delightful and sophisticated way to round out our trip to Vegas this week. We both left a little tipsy, and a whole lot satisfied. I highly recommend making a reservation and brushing up on your chopstick technique. Come hungry!! This is a must visit restaurant at the Bellagio!!

Hours of Operation:

Dinner Daily Monday - Thursday 5:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m.

Lounge open until 11:00 p.m.

• Friday - Sunday 5:00 p.m. - 11:00 p.m. Lounge open until Midnight
• Reservations: Recommended by calling 866.259.7111 or 702.693.7223
• Location: Located by North Valet right off of Via Bellagio shops.

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Todd English's "OLiVES"

Todd English's "Olives" at the Bellagio... oh dear....where to start....

For all the hype, all the chatter about this place, we were let down immensely. In fact, "let down" is hardly the right way to describe our experience. Even Friand, who had the added advantage of being able to order anything he wanted off the menu, walked away incredibly disappointed.

We decided to dine at Olives because we've heard off Todd English & his wonderful establishment at the Bellagio. And reading the menu, both of us found several items that made it worthwhile to make a reservation. In fact, I saw two items (other than the obvious salad reconfigurations) that looked promising for a vegan: Portabello Flatbread (sans cheese) and Spring Pea Mezzaluna (again, sans cheese).

Our server arrived and of course it was time to face the music: "I'm a vegan" and what did we encounter? Lovely faces & sounds of disgust by the server. "Ooooh...." she groaned and gave us the face that says "Danger! Danger!! Vegans not welcome here". We all know it well, and even Friand cringed and squirmed when he saw her reaction. I should have ordered the flatbread, but I figured I would try the Mezzaluna. She told me that the mezzaluna was made with a cheese filled pasta. Fine. Any other server would have suggested that we just substitute the cheese pasta for a "not-cheese" pasta, say like all the other 300 varieties of pasta available at any grocery store in the world. But no. She said she had no idea what the chef could do for me, but she'd ask.

Ok. That's not an uncommon reaction by any server. Let's see what the chef at a high end, high profile place like Olives can whip up for me.

She returned to tell me that the chef could make me spaghettini with tomato sauce. Ooooh!! Can he? Really? That would be fantastically special for an expensive meal out.

Yeah, no thanks. So I asked if there was a way to have vegetables with the pasta instead, and she said sure. Now, if I had been smart, I would have just changed my order to the flatbread... but no. I decided to take my chances with the pasta.

Friand ordered the Alaskan Halibut, and the nicest thing he could say about it was that the risotto was "creamy". Wow. Go Todd English? He was sadly disappointed in his meal and this was a rare meal that was not finished by him. In fact, he picked at his meal in such a way that only a picky eater such as myself can fully appreciate after years of pushing around things I don't like to the edges of my plate. He did a great job at making it appear that he'd eaten more than he actually had, while choking down some clear swill that barely passed as a martini with a chunk of ice.

So this pasta that I was served... yeah, I'm not 8 years old. I don't go out to eat to get spaghetti and tomato sauce, but there I was poking around at this poorly executed spaghetti & sauce. To the credit of the kitchen, they did at least toss in a few broccolini, a few leaves of spinach, some peas, and (one of my favorites) fava beans. But, my trust in the sauce was second only to my trust in the veganistic attributes of frosted pop tarts. I'm not entirely certain, but I think that the server heard "no dairy" but no the "no meat" part of my description of "vegan", and there may have been some meat in this sauce. Needless to say, 5 bites into this meal I discovered what I thought was a questionable lumpy thing in my dish and quickly lost my appetite and quit eating.

The server returned to see that neither one of us had finished our meals with the comment, "I see we're taking a break..." Um, no. Let's call it quitting time, lady, this meal is over. Take our dishes, give us the check, and let us run free through the streets of Vegas.

Todd English's "Olives"... gets an enthusiastic thumb's down from both myself and Friand (who, by the way, was just making yum yum noises at a Denny's commercial while helping me write this). "Olives" gets 2 sprouts, even from Friand, which says a lot regarding your omnivorous friends' possible enjoyment of this restaurant. If you're expecting a gourmet meal, forget it, this isn't the place. But enjoy the people watching, watch the fountains, and if you're lucky you'll be buzzed enough to finish most of your meal.

• Hours of Operation:
  Lunch and Dinner Daily
  Lunch: 11:00 a.m. - 2:45 p.m.
  Dinner: 5:00 p.m. - 10:30 p.m.
  Bar Open Daily:
  3:00 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
  Bar menu available 7 days a week
• Reservations:
  Suggested by calling 866.259.7111 or 702.693.7223

• • Location:
    Within the Via Bellagio shopping promenade.

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Flamenco Dancing

I've been studying Flamenco dancing for more than a year now. I really enjoy it. And I'm happy to be home again. I went to my dance class this morning. It was so much fun! A lot of hard work. But lots of fun!

It's a lot different from the Folklorico dancing that I do. But it's really interesting. Your dancing is just as important as the guitar playing. I want to get really good at it. This video has a really good dancer. One day, I want to go to Spain and dance. I think that would be a lot of fun! :) C

Crochet Bows

I really like these bows! Jess from Happy Together made them. She posted a tutorial today. And I'm going to make me some for school. I have to wear a uniform for school. But they let us wear different kinds of hair bows. I really like these. And they look pretty easy to make too! :) C

Urban Rain Giveaway

You can win $25 from Urban Rain. Look at how cute the things from Urban Rain's shop are. I really like all of the hair pins. I wear a lot of them when I dance. I hope I can win something from the giveaway. You should enter too! :) C

Back Home

Nono and I made it home this afternoon. I'm really tired. But I had a lot of fun with him. I was in Florida for over a month. I missed my Dad so much! And mi abuelitas too. My dogs must have missed me. Because they've been sitting in my lap all night.

Tonight, we all went to church. Then my Dad made a big dinner for everyone. It was so yummy. And it was fun to see all of my friends again. :) I missed everyone a lot. I'm glad that Nono gets to stay for a few weeks too. I think it's going to be a lot of fun to have him around.

I'm really tired. I think I should go to bed. We've been up for a long time! It was a long flight home. But I'm glad to be back. I had lots of fun with my Nono. I'm glad I got to go spend some time with him. :) C

Apron Giveaway

Megan is having a giveaway on her blog. For one of these aprons. I really like the first one. It's my favorite colors! Pink and green. Which one do you like? You can win one of these aprons. You just have to go to the giveaway and enter. :) C

"Sensi" at the Bellagio

NEW REVIEW: We can't seem to stop eating at this place! To spread the blog-traffic-wealth around, I have posted the latest review of Sensi at the sister blog: The Valley Vegan Go check it out, leave a comment here and there, and let's get this place recognized by the greater vegan community as a premiere vegan destination in Vegas. I think they deserve it, and I am more than happy to shout their praises from the mountaintops!

EXCITING UPDATE DIRECTLY FROM GENERAL MANAGER JASON REIPLINGER:

Lisa,

I wanted to thank you again for your wonderful article featuring Sensi! Since that time we have had several requests for the now famed “vegan risotto” and this week we officially made it a menu item. I thought I would let you know how much we appreciate your kind words and take your input seriously. Many vegetarian and vegan guests have another wonderful option thanks to you and I believe in giving credit where it is due. I hope the next time you are in town you will come and enjoy the dish so we may be sure we are making it as well as you remember.

We sincerely appreciate your patronage.

Jason Reiplinger

General Manager

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It has been months since I moved from Vegas to LA, but the simple fact is that while my parents still live in Las Vegas, I will continue to visit Las Vegas on a regular basis. Therefore, I will maintain this blog for those times I eat an extraordinary meal in Vegas!! And this week... this was a visit to remember!!

Friand and I spent a wonderful week at The Bellagio. We went into this visit with expectations of eating elsewhere, but once we settled into the hyper-decadent fantasy world that is the Bellagio, we found ourselves loathe to leave. So we checked out the dining options the best way we knew how: walking through the casino and reading the posted menus. We were not thrilled with the options (Noodles, Jasmine, Le Cirque, Yellowtail, Olives) .... I know, I know! Most people would DIE for these places, but we just felt kind of "meh".

Being the chocolate fiend that I am, I told Friand that I wanted to show him (*cough*me*cough*) the

chocolate fountain at Jean-Phillipe. We stood at the chocolate fountain devising plans for breaking into the glass & lying under the pouring chocolate... marveled at the pastries and gorgeous chocolate creations in the cases. We left Jean-Phillipe & wondered what was beyond the bend in the hall. Any shopping? Any more restaurants? We have all the time in the world, let's go find out!!

And what did we find? This stone and water and glass creation that is Sensi. We were instantly drawn in by the design of the place, read the menu posted at the door & decided on the spot we would go in. There was one vegetarian item on the menu (Vegetable Pad Thai) but this place looked so fancy that I wasn't going to be afraid to ask for something special or off menu. This was a place I *knew* would deliver!

But... it was only 4:30pm. The restaurant didn't open until 5! So we left our name at the front desk & took a seat at the bar for appetizers & martinis. Again, only one vegetarian item on the bar menu, but that was fine with me! Vegetable Samosas! I wasn't entirely certain about the condiments it would come with, but I quickly learned (or rather was reminded) that "Raita" is a yogurt based sauce. The three samosas were accompanied by a mango chutney, raita, and a tomato puree that was out of this world! Friand took one for the team by eating the samosa that sat in the raita. The potato samosas were everything I love about Indian food: a balance of opposing forces: spicy/sweet, crunchy/soft, hot/cooling. They were little pillows from heaven!

At 5pm, we were seated in the dining room. One of the most breathtaking features of Sensi is the glassed in kitchen at the center of the dining room. Sleek & metallic, clean & functional, this kitchen is filled with staff that never looks hurried or hectic, who wipe up the counters at every opportunity, and who interact with each other in what appears friendly banter. I often joke that food tastes better when it's made with love, and this is true. Everyone in the kitchen zoo appears to enjoy their job and put their energy into creating artwork, and it is clear as day in the food that makes its way to the table.

Our server, Michael, took our order, and I informed him that I was vegan and of course asked if the Pad Thai was truly vegan. He said no, but that the chef would modify the dish to be sure that it was absolutely vegan for me. Of course I appreciated this assurance by Michael that my meal would be vegan. When my pad thai arrived it was a beautiful version of pad thai! Crushed peanuts, barely cooked mung bean sprouts, carrots, golden tofu, and a delicate and wonderfully salty sauce that hooked me at first bite. Being the bottomless pit that I surprisingly am, I ate every last bite of this dish. I thanked Michael profusely for his help, and we left the restaurant swearing that we would return the following evening.

This became our routine this week: drinks at 4:00 at the bar, dinner at 5:00 in the dining room. And of course everyone got to know us! One of the bartenders is from Ithaca, NY (where I went to Ithaca College) so we had a fun little conversation about our home towns in Western NY, made us wonderfully dry gin martinis and again served me samosas, this time, without the raita. Again, we moved to the dining room...

Michael was our server yet again and was pleasant in his welcoming of us back. This time, though, he was confident in telling me he would speak to the chef about making me something other than pad thai if I wanted. Of course I *wanted*! I am not at all afraid of allowing a chef to do what they do best: create food art. If the chef is willing & creative enough to take the time to make me something off menu, I will ALWAYS be open to trying it! Michael returned to tell me that the chef would modify an already existing scallop dish to be vegan. Yes please!!!

What arrived was a gorgeous representation of this chef's abilities: perfectly stir fried tofu & vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, snow peas, green & white asparagus, lemon grass, green onio

n, tofu, jasmine rice) in a sweet & salty sauce that did not intrude on the natural flavors of the veggies. But tonight... we were ready for dessert!! I ordered the sorbet. You're given the choice of 3 flavors, so I paired the raspberry, blood orange and coconut. I should have just ordered 3 scoops of coconut -- it was the creamiest, most insane coconut sorbet I've ever had. In fact, it was so creamy, it may as well have been coconut milk ice cream!! It was almost as if someone was asked to make a dessert to explain to a blind person what coconut was and this is what appeared.... I could write an epic poem about this coconut sorbet... that's how good it was.

Thursday evening, our third visit to Sensi, began the same as always: at the bar with martinis and samosas. This time, we barely had to order, our bartender knew what we wanted as soon as we walked in the door. Of course, we were happy to sit there & suck down food & drinks! At 5pm, our cue to eat, we were greeted by Michael who showed us to a seat next to the glassed in kitchen. We were then informed that the chef had our entire meal planned for us! Friand was at least given the chance to order his main course, but otherwise we were given appetizers predetermined by the chef!

For my appetizer, I was sent a delicious asian noodle salad presented in an iced water

droplet. Sounds cool, doesn't it?! It was!! Cold noodles with a light sesame and soy coating, tofu, lemon grass and green onion, in a size that only angered my hunger. I love love love when an appetizer truly excites my stomach for the rest of the meal rather than filling me up. A perfect portion to be sure.

But my meal.... oh my meal.... This was love in a dish. Completely off menu, I was presented with risotto - chanterelle mushrooms, more lemon grass, fava beans, English peas, saffron, and the mack daddy of all mushrooms: morrel.

Three words: oh.my.god.

This may be the best risotto I have ever had in my life. Hear that? IN-MY-LIFE!!! I tried very very hard to not suck this risotto in as fast as I could. I had to learn to savor each bite, it was difficult, but I found a way to do it.

After our main courses were finished, the waiter asked if we were going to have dessert - because the chef, again, had something in mind for us.

Well bring it on, I say!! And out came two fantastic desserts! I'm not sure if what Friand was served was on the menu, but he was given a beautiful presentation of fresh tapioca, a mango lassi "shooter" and a scoop of that unreal coconut sorbet. And me? Fresh berries, with a strawberry reduction sauce, and the chef's choice of lemon & mango sorbets. And don't forget the edible flowers!! I'm not a girl who just likes to receive flowers, I like to EAT the flowers!!! nom nom nom

If you have been to the Bellagio and not discovered Sensi yet, it is a must eat place! Understated & elegant, the food is beautifully presented, but comes with such craft & skill anyone can appreciate the talent behind that glass cage!

Sensi gets 5 Sprouts, but really, it should be in a category of its own!

Thank you to everyone who made our 3 trips to Sensi memorable! We will (I repeat: WILL) return to Sensi on our next visit to Vegas. And you will (I repeat: WILL) go there when on The Strip!

Reservations:
Suggested by calling 866.259.7111 or 702.693.7223

Location:
Within the Via Bellagio shopping promenade.

• Executive Chef:
  Martin Heierling
• Cuisine:
  Simply prepared Italian, Asian, Grilled and Seafood classic

Las Vegas Vacation Deals

Much Love Illy Giveaway

I really do like everything in Much Love Illy. It's a really pretty shop. Everything is so colorful! Cakies is giving away 3 things from Much Love Illy! I hope I win this giveaway! You can enter the giveaway here. :) C

School is Almost Over

Tomorrow is my last day of school. I'm a little bit sad. I'm going to miss seeing all my friends every day. And being in school. I like to learn. But this summer is going to be fun. I'm going to go spend some time with my Nono. He lives in FL. And we already planned our trip. We're going to Disney and to the beach. :)

But I get to leave for NC on Thursday. My Dad has been working there. And I'm excited to get to see him again! My abuelitas are going to stay home. Because we're only going to be gone until Tuesday. I'm excited to see my Nana too! And we might get to go see my friend Sarita. She is in the hospital. :) C

Giveaway Winner!

My winner is #60, Sally. Congratulations! If you can send me your address information I can send you your bows tomorrow. Thank you to everyone who entered! I had so much fun doing this giveaway. I can't wait to do another giveaway on my blog. :) C

Peonies

Aren't these pretty? They're peonies. When my Dad and I went shopping for our plants for the garden, I asked him for these flowers. They only came in bulbs. We bought 2 packs. And I planted them. That was in March.

I went to go check on our plants after school today. The peonies are green, with lots of leaves. They're bigger than last week. But there are still no flowers. I'm excited to see them bloom. But I know it takes a long time for them to grow. I'm just glad that we planted them! :) C

My Dad is Working

My Dad left today. He went to work on some gigs with my Nana. I already miss him. But I'm glad I got to stay with my abuelitas. It's fun that they both live with us. I think that we are going to have a lot of fun together!

We only have a week of school left. Then I'm going to fly to meet my Dad and my Nana. This is going to be a lot of fun! We're going to a race while I'm there. And my Dad said we might get to stop and visit Sarita on our way home. :) C

Hair Bow Giveaway

My Dad let me be a part of the Giveaway Day at Sew Mama Sew. I'm so excited! Except, I don't have a really good picture of the stuff I made. I forgot to borrow my Dad's camera. But I'm still doing a giveaway. My first one ever!

There are 6 different butterfly hair clips and 3 pairs of hair bows. I made them all. The hair bows are made out of ribbons and felt. If you want a chance to win, just leave me a comment and I will draw a name on May 23rd at 8pm MST. The giveaway is only good for USA. Good Luck! :) C

Truche Giveaway

Don't you like this necklace? I do! There is another one at Truche's Shop that I like too! Baby tweets. But Mary Janes and Galoshes is giving away this necklace. I really like this necklace! I hope I win. You can enter the giveaway here. :) C

Bunting Pillow Giveaway

I asked my Dad is I could enter this giveaway. He said I could. I really like this pillow. It reminds me of the decorations that my Nana makes for our birthdays. :) All you have to do to enter, is go to Armelle and leave a comment. Good Luck! :) C

Scarves

I wish I could make this scarf for my Nana. She really likes to wear scarves. I know she would like this one. But I don't know how to sew as good as Dana.



Here is the tutorial for Dana's scarf.



I like this one too! But I don't think I can make this one either. But isn't Disney's scarf beautiful?



This is another one of Disney's Crinkle Scarves. I think I can make this one. It doesn't have the fringe on it. But I would really like to make it for my Nana. I wish I could make her the necklace too!

I'm going to save this. And I'm going to try and make it when school is over. My Dad said we can go to the store to buy some of this fabric. Maybe I can get the stuff to make the necklace too! I really like them both! :) C

It's Almost Summer Break

School is almost over. We have 15 more days! My Dad is already on his summer break. But he will start teaching lessons at home. During the day. This week at school it is spirit week. And every day we get to dress up. It's a big deal. We usually have to wear a uniform. I go to a private school. But this week we have days like pj day and career day. I'm really excited!

But I'm also sad. School is almost over. I won't get to see all my friends until August. It's a long time. We will still get to talk on the phone. But we won't see each other every day like we do now. My Dad told me not to worry. That I could have sleepovers. But I'm still going to miss my friends.

My Dad has planned a trip to go visit my Nono. We are going to Florida for a few weeks. I'm really excited about that! I like going to visit him. We always spend a lot of time at Disney World. My Nono also has a big swimming pool. And I just like to spend time with him.

I will still be in my dance classes too. We get to perform during the summer. I won't be bored. But I will miss spending lots of time with my friends. :) C

Happy Mother's Day!

Today is Mother's Day. But I don't have a mom. Instead, I have lots of ladies who love me. Starting with my abuelitas and my Nana! I hope they all have a nice day. I've made them each a special present. And I've gotten to see everyone but my Nana today. She's visiting her mom in a different city. But I can't wait to see her! She really is like my mom. I LOVE her so much! And I know that she does a lot of things for me that she doesn't have to.

I don't think you have to be a mom today to celebrate. And you don't need to have a mom. All you need are women that love you. I never miss the love of my mom. Because my Dad loves me so much! He makes up for my mom. And my Nana is so special to me. Happy Mother's Day! :) C

A New Baby

My tio Jose and tia Gabi had a new baby. Lilianna was born on Cinco de Mayo! Isn't that neat? They're really excited! My Dad and I got to go see Liliana yesterday after school. She is so beautiful! I always wanted a little sister. But I'm excited that I get to spend time with all of my tio and tias ninitos. :) C

Feliz Cinco de Mayo

Today is Cinco de Mayo. I'm so excited! Today I get to dance. I'm a folklorico dancer. And a mariachi. Today, my tios and my Nana are going to be playing. After school I get to go dance at 2 different places. Marissa, Maribel and Lauren get to go dance too! We're going to have so much fun! I hope everyone enjoys their day too! In case you're wondering, those are folklorico dancers in the picture. :) C

Jalapenos

My Dad and I have a garden. We've been growing lots of food! But our favorites are the jalapenos. We've got 10 plants! And we eat some almost every day. I like them in scrambled eggs for breakfast. Delicioso! My Dad told me that we're going to have to start making salsa because we have so many. Our tomato plants aren't growing as quick. But it's OK. Do you have a garden? What do you grow? :) C

Music

Tonight I'm going to my Dad's concert with him. I'm really excited! This is 1 of his last concerts for the season. I'm sad about that. But I'm happy to go see him play. One day I want to play in the symphony with him. My Dad keeps telling me if I practice enough, I'll get there. I practice a lot. Because I want to play in the symphony too! :) C