No joke, the best pizza in Vegas. In Nevada. Best I've ever had, and it makes me willing to go to Italy on my next European trip just to compare. There are only 15 or so in America, as it is, and only one in Nevada; lucky for me, it's in Henderson with is like a 20 minute drive.
Settebello is pretty small and unassuming...one hardly notices it across from Valley Wine and Cheese. But Tannah and I are both into checking out new foods and new places, so we stopped in one weekend. Honestly, I'm simply unsatisfied with any other pizza I've had since. The thought of Domino's or Pizza Hut turns my stomach now, and Metro Pizza is the only thing that's now "acceptable". But we only go to Metro now because it's closer; the price is actually cheaper at Settebello. (That, and the Stockyard at Metro is awesome.)
Okay, there are so, so many things that make this place incredible. Firstly, it was certified by the Italian government as being authentic to the guidelines of Verace Pizza Napoletana, or true Napoli-style pizza. Guidelines are strict: all the ingredients must come from Italy, and if there is a case that a product simply can't be imported, the Italian government must approve that ingredient coming from somewhere else. Also, the oven must be brick, and must be shaped and maintained a certain way. (The oven is awesome, it takes about a minute to cook. A minute literally, like 49 seconds.)
There are salads and appetizers too, and Italian favourites like Aranciata (which doesn't hold a candle to Orangina) and espressos and such. But the pizzas themselves are the reason to visit. Each pizza is individual-sized, and all but the foccacia pizza is made with a thin crust. Some pizzas aren't cooked--as in, fresh toppings like cheese and tomatoes on warm bread--, some have no sauce, some have no cheese. But it's authentic, and it's so rare to find such a place. I'm kind of glad Settebello isn't right down the street or I'd be there every night.
Saw my personal trainer Sunday morning. He really pushed me. You know that guy in the old videos that gets hit in the gut with a cannonball? I imagine I feel much like he did. I worked muscles I didn't even think I had. But I know it's for my own self-improvement. No one starts out at the gym feeling ducky. It's all pain and humiliation. That's okay; I give it a month, and it'll pass. And I'll have to step up my game, but hey, it won't be so bad once I'm used to it.
I made pico de gallo for the first time in almost a year. It's calming to hand-dice everything. Sure, it takes a few hours, but it's relaxing and the reward for it is yummy salsa. I mean how awesome is that? I will say that the onion I chose to dice was created in the depths of Hell; I chopped it in half with one swoop of the knife and it was agony. Hellacious. Ghastly. I was blinded, my nose was running, I was actually choking on the vapors. Tannah heard my cry of pain from the backyard as it tried to overtake me. Never had I encountered such an onion. If ever there was a vegetable set to take over the world, this was it. Luckily I vanquished it, and ate its delicious insides with tortilla chips.
All is well in the world.
Yesterday I had a really kick-ass Saturday. Firstly I went out to play paintball, seriously the first time in several years. My dad and Tannah go about every other week, and I told them I'd go once I found some kind of breastplate. My dad did, and now I owe him $25...but still, safety first! No more excuses, so I went.
I only got to play two games. The first one I was out in under a minute I think...it was pathetic. The second time I held out but the other team captured the flag first, so my team still lost. However, I hadn't taken my medication that morning, thinking that anticoagulants and paintball wouldn't mesh well. Add that to dehydration, and that equals sludgy, thick blood. So I kind of started hallucinating that I was at work, but not so bad that I didn't notice how "wrong" things were, so I sat out a game and drank a ton of water with a few aspirin. The headache and dizziness hit, and I had to bow out and go home. Disappointing but if I'm not thinking clearly I have no business wielding a paintball gun.
After a few more aspirin and a nap, Tannah and I went to see TMNT with Mada and his girl Merith, and Gordon and his son. Having been a fan of the original animated series as a kid, I loved the film, and rate it way higher than the live-action crap that came out years before. The voices were right, and the animation was smooth...good plot...all in all a great way to spend an hour and a half.
We went home, introduced Merith to Chef Ramsay via 'F' Word (I love the BBC), and after those two left, Tannah and I were itching for something to do. I've been restless for over a week, just wanting to get out, and so he finally took me up on it. We went to the Silverton to look at some pretty cool aquariums first. I miss our marine tank. We had a goofy clownfish and a boxfish, and the most kick-ass cowfish. The boxfish and cowfish are pretty similar (little cube-like bodies) and mouths like tiny donuts, but the cowfish had horns, and when Tannah opened the lid to feed it, it would spit water at him in recognition. As much as I loved my giant fist-sized snail, I really loved that cowfish too. And it died a horrible, pH-imbalanced death.
Onward...
After the Silverton, Tannah took the back way to Red Rock, all the way down Blue Diamond Road. We marvelled at how much Vegas has changed in the 20 or so years we've lived here, noting how much had been barren desert even five years prior. It's amazing how this city constantly grows and changes; it's like an evolution. I like being a part of it.
Tannah had never been to Red Rock Casino, not through all the time I spent there last year while it was being built, or after. I showed him Cherry, the tiny, overpriced nightclub with urinals shaped like mouths, and the center bar that was completely ripped off from the Wynn (except the Wynn has escalating staircases, which makes it much more posh). He was adequately impressed, but I think that was only because it was so nice for a Station Casino.
I don't know...I mean we didn't do anything spectacular but it was great just to get out and do something new. I really enjoyed myself in that sense. Maybe next weekend we can go check out the Wetlands Park...
Happy birthday, J.K.; we love you and miss you, even having only known you a short time. I know from personal experience that it takes but a moment to love someone, especially a child.
So, earlier in the year I decided to start eating healthy: more fresh fruits and veggies, more organic and whole foods, replace red meat with poultry and fish, and replace regular soda with diet. (I swear to you, Coke Zero and Diet Dr. Pepper are spot on.) Less sugar altogether, less carbs...not completely avoiding them, but just cutting down. And tons of salad! Aunt Debbie has a killer salad I tried in France, and it gave me ideas in making "exciting" salads: not just lettuce, carrot and celery. But arrugula, spinach, berries, apple slices, grape tomatoes, chrysanthemum petals, red wine vinegarette...it's awesome, and much healthier than traditional American chef's salad.
Tannah and I also started going to the gym pretty regularly. At least four times weekly. It's not exactly fun right now, but I know it's good for my body, and I'm far more awake during the day. I just feel good. Sure, I'm in a physically demading trade, for the most part, but it comes in cycles: for 3 months I might be digging trenches or pulling 500 or 750 wire, but then for 3 months I might be kneeling all day, making up boxes. Nothing is consistant.
I'm hoping I'll be in better shape and much healthier by summertime. It's only a few months away, but I think that's a decent goal. I just feel a driving need to transform myself. I don't know where it's coming from but I'm following it nonetheless.
It's become apparent to me over the years that there's a lack of understanding in relationships between men and women. I'm not sure if it's a universal trait, or if life is really so ridiculous. But it's sad, altogether. There are guys I've been friends with in the apprenticeship who, once married, are no longer "allowed" to speak to me. Why? I'm not looking to bed them. One, particularly, had an issue with his wife: I sent him three or four text messages about an upcoming exam. Seriously, it was legitimate. In fact, when I send text messages I send them with the assumption that they'll be read by the world. It's safer to think that way. However, the following school night, I was told by this guy that his wife had cancelled the text messaging feature on his cell phone, because of my "inappropriate texts". Honestly, they went something like, "hey test next week incls plc info/diags pg 10-34 & tables"...nothing at all insidious. There isn't even anything that could have been percieved as suggestive.
On the other end of the spectrum are guys who make it clear they want to be more than just friends, despite the fact that I'm married (or that they, too, are married); once I decline the invitation I'm met with hostility. Why can't I just be friends with a guy without it being percieved as something it's not? In my line of work, a good 90% of my coworkers are men, at least. Right now, there are no women on my site except for me. I'd like to be friendly, polite. I'd like to carry on conversation. I'd like to be open. But sometimes it's made impossible for me. Granted, I take certain precautions: I make sure I'm not alone with a guy off-site. It just looks bad, and I don't need any help in spreading the rumours that already circle jobsites. But I despise the fact that it has to be made more complicated than it needs to be.
Men: keep your mind on your work and not on your libido. Women: don't be so overbearing that he's driven away. Simple.
Not to be confused with business, of course.
So much that's been going on. Class was a blast, as always...it's coming close to the end of the year so we're all kind of restless. No one wants to watch safety films or do labs or anything. (I can't believe I only have a year left of my apprenticeship. It scares the holy you-know out of me.) And while I was in class, Tannah's dad had a graduation: he got a degree in medical coding and billing. His talents for detail will be well-used.
In a moment of sponteneous glory, Tannah and I actually went out on a week night. On a Thursday. A few guys from class and I got together and were originally going to hold study group but too many had to go early; therefore, we rescheduled it to 19h30, from now on. A late night, sure, but it gives everyone time to go home, shower, get something to eat...all that. So anyway, since last week's ended early, Tannah and I met with Sandra, a girl from my class. She's a lot of fun. We had a few drinks and she got pretty toasted but then again, I've had my moments too. (Flashback to my drunk moment at the Oyster Bar......)
Let's see. Friday we had extended family over as a celebratory deal for Tannah's dad. Salad, Mediterranean veggie chips, Irish beans, and hamburgers. It was good. I was tired, from Thursday still, and there was an issue between two friends that kind of sucked regally, but you know I can't deal with everything. They're both adults. And honestly, one of them was being childish and emotional in a dangerous way. I won't touch that.
Mexican swap meet, St. Paddy's food, Mudslides and White Russians, trying to coordinate Corey's schedule to mesh with mine...all in all, a very eventful weekend.
The Stardust was one of the first casinos I ever stepped foot into as a kid. Way back when Bobby Berosini was performing. At 02h30 this morning I woke up to what I thought was thunder...but when I drove to work at about 05h00 the dust was so thick, there was only about 15-20 feet visibility on the Strip. Then it clicked.
I remember watching the Landmark and the Dunes go down. I remember that when the Desert Inn went down, there wasn't an implosion party because it was only a month of so after 9/11, and out of respect they kept it low-key. I even remember Castaways (formally the Showboat) going down at 08h00, and how bizarre that seemed to me, until I remembered it was in a residential area. But now the Stardust, making way for Echelon. 50 years of Vegas history...it's actually pretty sad. And hate to say it, but when we were building the Wynn, I walked past the Stardust everyday on the way to my car, and I remember thinking, "I wonder when they'll tear this eyesore down?"
So for those of you out there that want to see it, here's the Stardust implosion.
Sunday I wore my D.A.R.E. shirt from way back in 5th grade. You know, "DARE to keep kids off drugs" and all. (Yes, that's really 18 years ago, and yes, it still fits.) So anyway, Tannah and I were out and this boy, probably around age 10 or so, stops, smiles and gives a very stiff and proud salute to me. At first I just smiled; I had no idea who he was grinning at--or saluting to--but his dad (or at least an older male that could have been his dad) gave him a questioning look and the boy pointed at me, at my shirt. The dad or whomever looked at me and nodded.
I've never been saluted, and I don't even think I deserve it. But it was totally cool nonetheless...even though D.A.R.E. didn't really work for anyone I know who participated. But that's an aside.
Firstly, my littlest sister had her 7th birthday party today. I can't believe how much has changed in those years. Incredible.
Je ne sais pas dire ceci, mais je devrais: Brynin est retournée. Elle n'a pas été ici dans quelques années et maintenant, soudainement: je ne sais pas vraiment quoi faire au sujet d'elle. Elle est très compliquée, et todo sobre sus maneras y creencias son tan madreadas. Pienso a veces que no es nada, que talvez, es algo que debo ignorar pero otras veces, yo sé que la influencia está allí. No me importa, realmente. En un sentido, no es serio. Debo realmente aprender entenderla. Pero en el mismo tiempo, no soy segura que yo deseo saber cualquier cosa. Pero creo que debo, sí. Definitivamente.
Más adelante, supongo. Tengo que pensar. Y es muy tarde, así que... necesito dormir. O realmente debo pensar de dormir, quizá. No sé qué hacer... Tannah sabe. Es una buena cosa. Espero que ella siga siendo donde ella necesita estar.
