Las Vegas enroute to Phoenix

We left Coronado on Monday, the 16th of February, for our five hour drive to Las Vegas. Unfortunately, the weather had suddenly turned sour and we would be in a driving rain for the better part of the trip and as we neared San Bernardino we encountered a snow storm over the Cajon Pass and we were delayed two hours at a McDonald's. We arrived in Vegas seven hours after our departure, but hey, we made it and went directly to the Monte Carlo for our two night stay.

The next evening we went to see the Terry Fator show at the Mirage, a long awaited treat. Terry won the competition last year on the summer show, America's Got Talent, and as we watched the show week after week, it became apparent that Terry has a unique and very special talent. Terry is arguably the world's greatest ventriloquist with his cast of hundreds, including the soul singer, Julius; the lovely Emma; Maynard, the Elvis impersonator; the country man Walter; the rocker Dougie and especially the impersonating turtle, Winston. If you get a few minutes check out Terry's website and meet him and his friends. Terry is one-of-a-kind and even though we had the "cheap seats" we enjoyed every minute of his performance. Terry is a multifaceted entertainer - singer, comedian and impersonator. We were delighted to have the opportunity to see him in perform in his own theatre and especially to meet him after the show. Terry's manager John McEntee, pulled a bit magic out of his hat as well when he managed to get Terry a five year contract valued at $100,000,000! Oh and, by the way, Terry also wrote a book entitled "Who's the Dummy Now?". It's very clear, that Terry is no dummy!

On Wednesday morning we hit the road early heading south to Phoenix where we would spend several days with our friends and the best people I know, John and Mary Zaichkin. John and I first met when I was an untamed and unconcerned youngster living in California during the early seventies. We've been friends ever since and as you can see, there have been a few changes since those heady days.

About thirty-five miles out of Las Vegas we crossed Boulder Dam (Hoover Dam) the highest and third largest concrete dam in the United States. There is massive construction project in process and the two lane road that crosses the dam is slow and go. It serves as the Colorado River crossing for the highway U.S. Route 93. The two-lane section of road approaching the dam is narrow, has several dangerous hairpin turns, and is subject to rock slides.The new Hoover Dam Bypass is scheduled to be completed in 2010 and it will divert the U.S. 93 traffic 1,500 feet downstream from the dam. The bypass will include a composite steel and concrete arch bridge. To see the girders being lifted in place and the bridge taking shape is truly a marvelous sight.

After working through the delays at the dam we were back on track and headed to Wickenburg, Arizona. Wickenburg has an interesting history dating back to the Mexican-American War and was home to the Yavapai Indians. As with much of the west, Wickenburg came into its own with the discovery of gold and there are numerous abandoned mines surrounding the town. Today the town is largely populated by retirees in search of the peace and tranquillity of a small desert town. Surprisingly, Wickenburg is the home of two world-renowned mental health treatment facilities, including Remuda Programs for Eating Disorders, the largest employer in the area.

An hour after passing through Wickenburg we were on the outskirts of Phoenix and near our final destination of Chandler. We arrived at John and Mary's home later in the afternoon and enjoyed the evening meal that Mary had prepared. While visiting the Zaichkin's we managed to find time to visit an Olive Mill; the St. Anthony Monastery in Florence and enjoyed meals at some of our favorite (at least mine) restaurants.

On Thursday, I played golf with my good friend, Dan LaChapelle, a former colleague in the publishing business. Dan is one of the most straight-up guys I know and a hell of a good guy to boot. Dan in his early thirties has accomplished what takes most people, myself included, many years beyond his to achieve. He has a really good job that pays him well enough to live in style in a really cool house in Scottsdale; a rental condo in Scottsdale; a beautiful wife who coincidentally has a great job too; two gorgeous children, one of each and lots of friends. Hey, did I miss anything? I told you Dan was something special. Here's a picture taken a couple of years ago of Dan, Erin, my good friend Sandra and me - good lookin' folks, eh? Anyway, I didn't play very well on the course, but I had a good time with Dan and his fraternity brother, Andy.

That evening, Dan and Erin invited us to their home for just about the best home made chicken pot pies I've ever tasted. If she ever decides to move in a different direction, I think she could do just fine selling those pies! Lucas, their oldest, impressed me all night with his charm and smarts. We had a great time with two really neat people.

On Saturday afternoon we drove to my nephew, Jeff Morgan and his wife, Jen's place in Gilbert and took them, along with four year old, Brendan, to a certified five-star pizza joint: Oregano's. When you visit Oregano's be prepared for a bit of a wait, impossible on the weekends, but also be prepared for a reasonably priced outstanding meal. The pesto pizza is to die for and the salads, served home style, are fantastic. They have an extensive menu so if you're in the mood for pasta, they have every combination. Lastly, you can top off the meal with a 1/2 pound of Chocolate Chip, White Chocolate Macadamia Nut, or Peanut Butter chocolate cookie dough, slightly baked in a 6-inch pizza pan then topped with 3 scoops of vanilla bean ice cream. Forget the diet baby when you visit Oregano's. In this picture I'm sitting with Brendan and it appears that we are both preparing to go to the worksite. I'm ready!

Another spot that we never miss when visiting the area is, of course, Trader Joe's.
Trader Joe's describes itself as "your neighborhood" or "your unique grocery store". Products sold include gourmet foods, organic foods, vegetarian food, unusual frozen foods, imported foods, domestic and imported wine (where local law permits), "alternative" food items, and basics like bread, cereal, eggs, dairy, coffee and produce. Non-food items include personal hygiene products, household cleaners, vitamins, pet food, plants, and flowers. And the never to be forgotten Two-Buck Chuck wine. The merlot, chardonnay and other varietals sell for an astounding $1.99 a bottle, hence the moniker. They also carry the best chocolate chips in the world, way better than Nestle's. Too bad that they will never serve the Utah population - no wine sold in grocery stores, remember? So we just relish our occasional visits to Arizona and California where they abound.

It is always great to visit with John and Mary and this time we had the opportunity to enjoy a dinner with their son, Lyle, at Firebird's Wood Fired Grill in Chandler. I ordered the buffalo meatloaf with parmesan mashed potatoes while Shirley enjoyed the sesame crusted salmon. It was a fun evening and we enjoyed catching up with Lyle and his life in the mortgage business at Countrywide and the other aspects of a young guy's life.

As with all good things, our visit with John and Mary has ended and we need to head north. We drove as far as Mesquite, Nevada and spent the night at the Falcon Ridge Hotel. The next morning we jumped back in the car and headed north on I-15 and five and a half hours later we were back home. Our six week odyssey from the cold, snowy mountains of Utah has taken us to the ocean, the desert, the bright lights of Las Vegas, the glitz of Hollywood, the tourist laden villages of the Mexican Riviera and the palm tree lined streets of Coronado Island. It was a great trip and I can't wait to plan the next one.