Tasty Carson City

Carson City, Nevada is cute, quaint and a great little slice of the Old West. Surprisingly enough, every place we went to was exactly that however, very contemporary in their lovely veggie options!

What I love most about road trips is eating at mom and pop diners. It's the taste of Americana we miss out on in a big city and always a nice experience. We happened to find Mom & Pop's Diner in Downtown Carson City when we rolled in at breakfast time. They had diner staples which made Dan very happy but they also had some nice options for me. Diners are usually tough, greasy spoons where I order toast and some OJ but here at Mom & Pop's, I had a real meal!! I got a piping hot rice bowl that was stacked with delicious veggies with my choice of house sauces. I'm a whip so I went for the Texas BBQ but they had all kinds of spicy options ; ) Check them out at Mom & Pop's online ; )

We strolled around downtown and I emptied my wallet at various Christmas gift shops (I'm a sucker for holiday decor!!). Before I knew it, I was hungry so we checked out The Firkin & Fox. It was awesome! Located under an old hotel (apparently it's hanuted), this "new" old westy saloony grill had a great atmosphere along with funny slogans involving their funny name ; ) Again, you would think a bar would have limited healthy options but I had a bunch! They had veggie burgers and veggie stir fry but i opted for wrapping up a salad. They make wraps of any of the salads on the menu and it was extra yummers!! It was "Firkin" yummers! Check out their "Firkin" menu at the Firkin & Fox!

We walked some more and checked out Carson Cities historic sites and decided on one last bite before we headed up the mountain. I was in the mood for Italiano so we dined at B'Sghetti's ; ) I wasn't in the mood for pasta so I went for their big and tasty grilled veggie sandwich with a huge side of dipping marinara. I added a side salad and was good for the night! Dan ordered his usual Italian favorite, bruschetta, and I had a few nibbles - very good! They've got some of my faves on their menu, see if they have yours at B'Sghetti's!!

I love old west towns, especially when they've combined it with some new ideas like healthy eating. We were told that Virginia City would be something we would dig since we loved Carson City so maybe we'll head up there on our next trip but stop back in Carson City for some good eats!!

Reno Restaurant Action

We zipped through the biggest little city in the world but made some time for a few meals. After being in the desert for a week, any hot meal would have sufficed but it was great the Reno delivered some delectable ones to boot!!

We opted for Harrah's to rest our weary heads. It was a great option as our room was super comfy and the next morning we had a slew of yummy breakfasty options. Of course I had my usual vacation soy latte at the in house Starbucks and then we strolled on over to the Carvings Buffet. They had all kinds of stuff to choose from and I went nuts at the salad bar and the Asian bar (yummy veggie sushi). The hotel had a bunch more restaurants and you can find out more at Harrah's.

Since we stayed in downtown for some lovely recycled casino air and priceless people watching, it wasn't to hard to find the closeby Pneumatic Diner. It's super trendy and arsty and very reminiscent of where we had just come from ; ) They had all kinds of veggie options, many of which could be veganized! I had a nice, hot, soy latte (appropriate in 100 degree weather) and a veggie burger with the veggie works that hit the spot! Make sure you save a few bucks before you through it all away on red and head over to the Pneumatic Diner located at 501 West 1st Street, at Ralston Street,775-786-8888; Ext 106.

For our last meal in the big little city, we sat down at The 4th Street Bistro. I loved the idea that they purchase a majority of their organic ingredients from local farmers and markets. It is a cute place with a lot of heart. Their fresh menu was fun to peruse and their entrees were a delight to consume!! I had a lovely quinoa and veggie ragout along with a just as lovely glass of local cabernet. Again, don't lose your hard earned moola on craps, save it for 4th Street Bistro!

Our time in Reno was short but we do head up there at least once a year. I look forward to stuffing my big little mouth there again soon!!

Braving Black Rock City

It's labor day weekend and how will you be saying goodbye to summer 2008? Well, there is this thing called Burning Man that we go to this time each year. It's this week long event out on a dry lake bed in Nevada which for that week is called Black Rock City. For those in the know, it is a phenomenon that is hard to describe and in fact, words can't do it justice. For a week, more then 50,000 people create their own city and live it up sans usual creature comforts like running water, electricity and money. You must be self sufficient, self reliant and properly prepared. Yeah, so how does the healthy voyager survive? I'll tell ya!

For any of you who are thinking of going or plan to go in the future, here is what you need to know to stay healthy and happy in this other wordly, harsh climate:

• Bring an drink tons of water and electrolyte replacer beverages like gatorade
• SPF it up because shade is hard to come by
• Buy your food for the length of your stay just before you arrive. The closest big city is Reno so I always stock up there. Fresh fruit, luna bars, easy sandwich making materials like soy cheese, tofurky, peanut butter & jelly as well as trail mix are great food stuffs as once you are out there, cooking and preparing stuff can get in the way of your fun. Easy yet nutritious options are key to keeping nourished and full. Stay away from over processed foods like chips and junk food as it these foods leech the water out of your system and drag your body down. If you do have a generator and can plug in a toaster oven, mini pizzas made on english muffins or bagels are a nice treat ; )
  
• Bring petty cash to buy ice (ice and coffee is the only thing money can buy in BRC). Ice will keep your food fresh and your makeup from melting (I learned the hard way my first year!)
• Bring layers! It's hot as Hades during the day and cold as can be at night. Of course make sure you are looking snazzy (see above) but be smart. No one wants to get sick out there cause the drive out takes forever!
• I'm sure I'm the minority here, but I make sure I get sleep. It is a non stop party but it is easy to achieve exhaustion from being an energizer bunny and constant exposure to the sun. I'm not saying I get a full 8 hours each night, but definitely budget your time wisely and take care of yourself as it will not be pretty on the drive home.
  
• Baby wipes are essential in keeping "fresh" as are personal fans and misters. My boy and I carry a little lunch box everywhere out on the playa to ensure we always have a refreshing drink and a snack ; )
• Zip lock bags are great to store any electronics, clean clothing and valuables. Keeping playa dust off of your belongings makes things much easier when you get back to the real world.
• Bring fun and creative stuff to give, barter and/or contribute to your fellow burners.
  
• Party smart!! Just cause there are no rules doesn't mean there aren't any consequences!!

If I don't see you out on the playa this weekend, maybe I'll see you at the burn next year!!!! Otherwise have a safe and healthy labor day!!!!

Viva Las Veggie!!

Ok so, I know it's hard to feel healthy in the city of sin, but it can be done!! As long as you steer clear of the buffets and all those sugary drinks, you can still keep your waistline in tact and not feel guilty every time you see some rail thin showgirl ; )

There are some great options on the strip but if you have a car and some time, there are even better ones in the residential areas. What? People don't LIVE on the strip? Yep!!

Off the strip:

Paymon's Mediterranean was killer. We had lunch there with some friends and there was something for everyone. I had an enormous veggie plate packed with hummus, tabouli, dolmas, rice and babaganoush. Everything was incredibly fresh and tasty. My main squeeze and our friends had a roasted chicken meal that also looked very fresh and prepared quite nicely. Apparently they have 2 locations - http://paymons.com/med_main.html

For the Raw Foodist, try the Go Raw Cafe. They have 2 locations really close to the strip. http://www.gorawcafe.com

Why not be a little sinful and check out Ronald's Donuts. They have all kinds of specialty toppings and fillers, including soy cream as well as vegan donuts!! 702-873-1032

Whole Foods has landed at Fort Apache, just minutes away from the strip as has Wild Oats on Lake Mead Blvd.

On the strip:

For the luxurious health nut, spoil yourself at the Canyon Ranch Spa at the Venetian. They have all kinds of organic plates as well as veggie and vegan options.

There is no harm in a chain restaurant like PF Chang's as they have lots of tofu dishes and brown rice. They can also steam any dish to keep away from the fatty fried stuff. I love the Cheesecake Factory for the monstrous salads (they veganize everything for me) as well as their veggie stir fry and home made veggie burger.

So no matter who you are with or where you go, there is no excuse to not keep healthy, kosher, vegan or just plain vain in Vegas!!