The Food of Strasbourg, France

On April 5, 2017 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn France, Recipes12 Comments

We had been in Frankfurt for a couple of months before making our first trip outside of Germany, so we were truly looking forward to trying some foods that were different. We took a train to Strasbourg, which is just across the border from Germany and is a wonderful, historic, city. Having been to France before, we knew the culinary history and were anticipating having some traditional French cuisine. After arriving, we asked the hotel to make reservations at a restaurant that served traditional food for the region. We arrived at the restaurant and they quite proudly had a section on the menu with a variety of food that were considered specialties of Alsace. Unfortunately, it was schnitzel, sausage, cabbage, and potato dumplings, everything we had been seeing on menus throughout our travels in Germany.

What we didn’t realize at the time was that Alsace had been under the control of Germany for a large majority of its history, so it was as much German as it was French, perhaps even more so. Undaunted, we endeavored to find unique meals while we were in Strasbourg and in the end we were treated to some wonderful meals. Needless to say, there was beer, but we also had some very good wine as well since Strasbourg sits on what is considered the wine road of the region. We even went for a wine tasting and purchased a few bottles of wine to take back with us to Frankfurt.

As is true with most cities, you can find a wide variety of food if you are willing to look for it. The one restaurant that we visited didn’t even have a formal menu, they brought a large chalkboard by your table with the day’s specials written on it. The food was so good that we decided to indulge in a dessert, something that we don’t typically do. We had some old favorites, but also tried some things that we had never eaten previously. All-in-all, we really enjoyed the food that we experienced while we were in Strasbourg.

Trump Tower in Las Vegas

On January 4, 2016 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Las Vegas3 Comments

Politics aside, we’re not touching that topic with a hundred foot pole, we stayed at the Trump Tower during our recent visit to Las Vegas and thought we’d share our thoughts about the hotel. Because of our timeshare, we’ve stayed here a few times now and really enjoy it. It feels really opulent, but at the same time is extremely comfortable and relaxing. It has all of the amenities that you would want and all of the little touches that makes you feel as though you’re being pampered and treated like you’re rich, which we are definitely not.

One of the nicest things about the hotel is that it doesn’t have a casino on the property. The staff is extremely friendly and willing to take care of any needs that we might have had. The rooms are spacious and very well decorated. The restaurant and bar have excellent food and a wonderful atmosphere. Because they have the restaurant on site, there are many options for room service dining, which is also very good as well. On one of our trips, Trump visited the hotel and instead of dining in the formal dining room, he actually ate in the lounge area, which is also where they serve breakfast in the morning.

The suites have huge bathrooms with deep jetted tubs that are large enough to accommodate two people. It might sound silly, but the television embedded in the mirror of the bathroom was really nice, allowing us to catch up on the news while we got ready in the morning. There is also a full kitchen with large refrigerators, dishes, glassware, etc., so that you could cook your own meals and save on money if you prefer.

Bedroom with a view of the Wynn Casino and Hotel

There is a spa with a variety of services as well, although we did not take advantage of the spa on this trip. In addition to the spa, there is a large pool and deck area as well as a fitness center. If you didn’t want to go to any casinos, you could stay at the hotel and relax in comfort. If you do want to go to the casinos, the hotel offers shuttles to the Wynn Casino and Hotel and Caesar’s Palace that run about every 15 minutes until midnight.

If your travel plans take you to Las Vegas, we’d highly recommend staying at the Trump Tower. It is associated with the Hilton Hotel brand, which one of our favorite hotel brands to utilize when we travel. Regardless of what you think of the man, his hotels are very elegant, comfortable, and friendly.

Las Vegas, A Food Destination

On December 28, 2015December 30, 2015 By Isobar ExpeditionsIn Las VegasLeave a comment

We took advantage of some time off to take a trip to Las Vegas once again. Vegas is an easy trip from Colorado as there are a lot of inexpensive flights and, since we have a timeshare there, inexpensive rooms. This was our fifth trip to Las Vegas, but for us, it isn’t about gambling or even the glitz and glamour. We actually used our trip to have some down time, relax, enjoy some incredible food, and simply connect with one another. And yes, we stayed on the Las Vegas strip, albeit in the Trump Tower, which allowed us to get away from the noise of the casinos.

Statue of Liberty at the New York, New York Casino

If you haven’t been to Las Vegas lately, you might be surprised by all of the top chefs with restaurants in the casinos. Las Vegas has gone through several transformations over the years. Obviously, everyone knows about the early days when Sinatra, the Rat Pack, and the mob ruled the town. Then, in the late 80’s and early 90’s, they tried to become a family friendly destination. After losing millions in revenue, it was a return to the original formula as they rolled out the “what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas” campaign.

Now, it is definitely a destination for “foodies”. Wherever you turn, you’ll see signs and billboards for the famous chefs and their restaurants. You see names like Emeril Lagasse, Mario Batali, Bobby Flay, Giada, Gordon Ramsay, Wolfgang Puck, and many, many more. You may have to fight your way through the casino floors and the incessant ringing of the video slot machines, but you’ll be well rewarded if you do. The days of the cheap buffet and the nickel steaks are definitely a thing of the past. The food is fantastic and, depending on the time of year, you’ll want to make reservations if you want to enjoy the creations of your favorite chef. Maybe, if you’re lucky, you’ll even see your favorite chef in person or perhaps another celebrity enjoying everything that the Las Vegas strip has to offer.

Obviously, there are also a ton of shows, with every large casino offering some sort of Cirque Du Soleil extravaganza. Magicians, comedy acts, and a plethora of singers. Night clubs too, can be found to meet every style and taste. But there are other things to do as well. There is the top of the Stratosphere, the CSI Experience, the Titanic Exhibition, the Bodies Experience, Mob Museum, Siegfried and Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat, Pin Ball Museum, helicopter tours, tours to the Grand Canyon, and much more. We’ve done many of these and they are all well worth a try, although many of them can be quite pricey.

As we mentioned before, this was a relaxing trip for us, so we made our way through several restaurants. The highlight was dinner at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant with its spectacular views of the Bellagio fountains. We also ate at Gordon Ramsay’s Pub, Emeril’s Plate, the DB Brasserie, Cucina by Wolfgang Puck, the Nine Fine Irishmen, and many more.

If you’re thinking about going to Las Vegas and have never been before, you really should go, at least once. Every time we visit, we always see something that we haven’t seen before. Vegas isn’t just about gambling and shows, but from our perspective, it is an adult destination. We see a lot of families walking along the strip, taking pictures with the many costumed characters, but you’ll also be constantly barraged with flyers for strip clubs and adult shows. So, definitely visit Las Vegas, but in our opinion, you should leave the little ones at home.