We're goin to Jackson...

Yippy IO Candy...Western Charm

Okay, not that Jackson; in fact, no where near Mississippi.  This is Jackson Hole, Wyoming, home of everything cowboy and western.  I live about an hour and a half away from Jackson and I love day-trips up there.  The town is unique in so many ways.  The town square is its center and a high tourist attraction.  They have 4 elk antler archways into the square and is surrounded by shops and restaurants that are great to visit.  I'm going to highlight a few places that are a must-stop if you are ever in Jackson Hole.

• Yippy IO Candy:  Yes!! This is a fantastic candy store.  You can get fudge, delectable chocolates, and lots and lots of sugary treats.  YUM.  Some of my favorites are the gummy cola bottles, wax lips (just because you haven't seen these in years), cry baby gum, and chocolate covered cinnamon bears.  Grab a bag and you pay by the weight.  It's not too bad on price either.  My bag usually costs around $5...not too bad for a trip down memory lane and a sugar rush.
• The Lotus Cafe:  I know Rachel Ray did an episode of her show at The Bunnery, but this place is fantastic.  It's got healthy and non-healthy options to satisfy lots of different cravings.  Don't feel like you need to jump out of your comfort zone here, stick with what you know and what you know is going to be the 2 by 2 by 2 breakfast...you get two eggs how you like them, two toast slices with a yummy side of raspberry jam, two bacon slices (or sausage patties...get the bacon people), and the breakfast potatoes which make this meal not easily forgotten (I tried to recreate this breakfast at home at least 4 times with no success...good, but not the same).  The potatoes are grilled with rosemary and a few fennel seeds...they are divine...don't miss this a couple blocks west of the town square off the beaten path.
• The Art Shops around the NW corner of the town square:  They have really nice paintings and photos of beautiful spots around the area.
• The Movie Theater:  As far as I know there is only one.  If you can see an off-beat movie one night there it really is a treat.  The theater is older and I was fortunate enough to go one night and see Nick And Norah's Infinite Playlist with a couple really great friends.  We were almost alone in the theater and it just felt like real small-town charm.
• Sweetwater Restaurant:  You must go for lunch though if you are there during warmer weather.  This is a 100 or so year old cabin turned local jewel of the restaurant category.  Yes, Rachel Ray also went here, but don't get what she got, get what I say...introducing the Elk Melt!!  When in Jackson, eat like it...get some game meat burger.  The first time I went here it was early fall and my friends and I sat on the deck and I felt I should get something light and healthy...gee I felt dumb when I saw the elk melt.  The next time, and every time after that, I have only gotten the elk melt.  Its a big hunk of ground elk burger with grilled onions and mushrooms on thick buttery toasted bread.  You get a side and I suggest one of their soups.  Usually in the summer they have chilled soups, I know that might be weird to some, but it's usually a fruit and it's so good...the peach vanilla soup was top-notch.  One time my friend and I went there and multiple people stopped our eating to ask what amazingness we got for lunch (they only serve this dish at lunch). Some were fortunate enough that they were just coming in and hadn't ordered yet, others were not so lucky and had to spend their meal with the feeling I have coined as lunch envy...it's not fun.  I had it the first time I went and others have it when they see the elk melt I'm downing. Try it, it's amazing and so Jackson Hole.

Elk Melt in the Fall

Elk Melt in the Summer with the Vanilla Peach Chilled Soup

All of my knowledge of Jackson will have to be just about the town for now, I know it's a world-class ski destination, but I don't ski...yes I do live in the wrong area.  Maybe this winter I'll have to change that.  We shall see how it goes, but know that Jackson Hole holds many rare qualities and is a puddle-jump away from Grand Teton National Park and Yellowstone.

'Round 'Round Get Around I Get Around...NYC Edition

One of the most nerve-wracking things about traveling to a new place is figuring out how to get around.  Whether it's by car, walking, bus, subway, or taxi you need to know how you are going to get from point A to point B.  I personally enjoy NYC because I don't have to drive at all.  Usually when you drive you can miss simple things, but walking and taking public transportation you get to see more of the city...and NYC is definitely the perfect place for it.  Here are a few tricks I have learned to save some money and make you feel a little better about using their system:

Apps are amazing...check out a few before you go

• Instead of taking a taxi from the airport (which will run around $45 into Manhattan) follow the signs to AirTrain and take it for only about $7 to the nearest Subway station
• Get a Subway pass for more than one day if you are planning on being there more than one day, the Subway will get you almost anywhere
• On the subway you will either be heading uptown or downtown, even if you are going sideways at some points of your ride
• Check for closings at certain times of the night on certain Subway lines, I learned this one the hard way and ended up walking almost 1 mile in Queens back to my hotel around midnight...it was FANTASTIC
• If you take a wrong line or go the wrong direction don't panic...just take another look at your map, double check, and back-track or find a new route
• If you have plans at a certain time (Broadway Plays, Dinner Reservations, etc.) try and head out a little early...there can always be hold-ups when in NYC
• If you have a smartphone, try to download an App for the Subway system, they are a lifesaver (I recommend the New York Subway App by Presselite)
• Find a map with your destinations on it and find the stops closest to it, there is usually more than one option
• Check out their website and pre-plan what you are going to do for your trip here

Overall the best advice is to go with the flow and know that everything won't go perfect, but you also won't be stranded forever.  Don't be afraid to ask someone either, a lot of people will be new there just like you, but many of the locals use the public transportation regularly and will be able to send you in the right direction.  New York City is amazing and probably my favorite city in the U.S. enjoy the ride.

Vegas Buffets...worth it?

Gambling, lights, parties, and letting it all go.  Vegas will stir a bright slideshow of images for anyone who has been there, wants to go there, or has seen The Hangover.  What you might not know is that Vegas is a great place for people who love food and can be done informally and on a budget for those who are already forking out the cash in other (ahem) more important areas.

Buffets in Vegas can be a great experience for those wanting an easy option to please many different tastes.  Almost every type of food will be represented and featured depending on the hotel the buffet is located.

Here are some that I have tried and a few comments about them:

-Bellagio:  My first impression from the name alone told me I needed to dress up big time for this one...not the case.  Once inside it is very casual and the seating is similar to any other buffet situation you could think of...booths, tables, and booth/tables (the kind where you fight for the booth seat).  Dinner was about $30 and they had so many options.  My favorites here were the sushi selection, the meat selection, and the fresh tossed caesar salad.  All in all it was pretty good, a bit pricy, but a fun experience.

-Imperial Palace:  Pros of this one...no line at all and quiet if you are looking for a place away from the crowds.  The food is not anything impressive, but more comfort foods...think of a clean Denny's in a buffet style.  One benefit of the low traffic at this buffet was that the food was practically untouched and I had full reign of the crab...so instead of the unwanted small pieces, I got the best pick of the bunch.  Not anything to brag about on Facebook or worth taking tons of pictures, but you could do a lot worse.

-Harrah's:  This one is a couple notches up the scale from Imperial Palace, but has a lot more cultural food choices.  The highlights here were the Gelato ice cream choices, the hot steamed crab legs rather than the chilled you get at most buffets, the fried shrimp (I never saw fried shrimp at any other buffet), and trying crawfish for the first time.  Not a long line here, but not empty by any means.  The only downer here was when I grabbed the last piece of cookies and cream cheese cake and set it at my table to go grab a few other good looking items, one of the waitresses took my untouched cheesecake...kinda ruined the mood there for a bit.  Advice for visiting this buffet:  enjoy, but leave someone at the table to guard any prized possessions...like the last piece of cookies and cream cheesecake.

-Caesar's Palace:  This one is brand new.  I can only say I went to the old one for breakfast once.  It had the usual breakfast fare and had quite a long wait.  I did enjoy the belgium waffles and orange juice...lots of breakfast options for everyone, but nothing out of the norm or extra special.  I'm looking forward to trying the remodel they've been working on.

-Planet Hollywood:  This is a fun one.  It still has the look of a buffet, but lots of familiar and unfamiliar options.  The line for this one is a bit daunting, but once you are there the choices go on and on and can fill almost any craving.  Japanese, Chinese, American, Mexican, and Greek are a few of the fun stations to visit--don't miss the baklava in the greek area.  The desert area is full and they have someone making crepes that you can add your own toppings to.  Overall its a great option and I have gone more than once...in one trip.

-Flamingo:  I only had lunch here one time.  It isn't anything great, but the seating is near their (real) flamingo area and has a cool and tropical feel to it.  If you are tired of the heat mid-day and want a more subdued less crowded lunch then this is an okay place.  The food is pretty similar to Imperial Palace in the comfort food area, but can work for most people who don't want to go overboard during lunch.

-Paris:  Is it too cliche to save the best for last?  I think not.  I have had both breakfast and dinner here and both are pretty amazing and a great experience from the norm.  This one is completely French themed and the inside will make you feel like you are in another place.  They have different stations based on the different areas in France.  The meat is good, the veggie dishes are good, but by far the standout is the crepe station.  It's not just for deserts, but can also be a main dish.  My recommendation though is to have it as a desert...with nutella...and then covered in chocolate sauce.  There is chocolate sauce at other buffets, but they can not compare.  The rest taste like Hershey's syrup and this tastes...amazing.  There are long lines at certain times of the day, but it's definitely worth it at least once...or twice.  

I will admit I have not tried any buffets off the strip, I'm sure there are a few gems out there, but I stay close to all the excitement on the strip while in Vegas.  The best deal by far though is through a few of the hotels who are a part of the same base company.  For just around $50 a person you have 24 hour access to Flamingo, Planet Hollywood, Paris, Rio, Imperial Palace, Bally's, and Harrah's (Caesars Palace used to be included before the remodel.  I'm not sure if this will be part of the deal when they are done).  Sounds expensive when you first hear it, but consider in 24 hours--if done right--you can have breakfast, lunch, and two dinners covered and realize that dinner at buffets are the most expensive.  If you ate at buffets for all those meals separately you could pay up to $90.  This little beauty is called Buffet of Buffets.  

My advice would be to start out the first buffet you go to in this deal to be late one night...like around 8-8:30pm.  You have 24 hours from when you pay so standing in line the first night is a freebee, but the rest of the lines will be part of your 24 hours.  You need to have made it to the cashier 24 hours from when you paid the first night.  By starting late the first night you get dinner, then breakfast the next morning, lunch, and dinner again..I would recommend around 6pm to make sure you make it in the 24 hours.

While buffets aren't exactly off the beaten path or trying anything exotic, it's a great way to get full non-fast food meals that don't require reservations or deciding on something that everyone will eat.  Just beware...this pass should only be done once per trip...you will get tired of it quickly and food starts to look less appealing after the 24 hours...which can also be a bonus on your wallet!!  Bon Appetit!!