Week 43 Lola's A Louisiana Kitchen (Downtown Vegas)

Happy Spring fellow food and fashion lovers. Spring is one of my favorite times of year (especially when it is spring break). This blog is a little delayed because we just got back from UTAH. It was amazing; so different from Vegas. It is great to get out of town every once in awhile, but that review of eating there will be up later in the week. ;)


Remember, you can find our blog on the LV Informer http://lasvegas.informermg.com/ We are under the Local Interest section. I still cannot get over the fact that we are in a newspaper. Maybe one day it will sink in.


What Teray Says...


This past week I chose to go to Lola's  because I was absolutely craving cajun food. It is rare that I get a craving, besides fast food because I love food in general that when I want to eat something, I typically do. Lola's is a tiny place that we drive by all the time when we head downtown for things such as "First Friday." It is on West Charleston and as you get off the 15 if you see the neon clock you know that you have found it. 


Pulling up to Lola's they have outside and inside seating. On a typical warmer day I probably would have chose outside seating, but my last favorite thing is to be uncomfortable during a meal so I went with inside, because I wouldn't be too cold or too hot. 


We were seated right away and greeted by our server immediately. Brett decided to order a beer that is popular in New Orleans...can't tell ya what it was, and I went with just a basic Bud Light. As we decided what appetizer we wanted I checked out the decor which was filled with things with the New Orleans Saints and Mardi Gras items. It is a pretty cool vibe. I love restaurants exactly that size, not too big and not too small. 


For an appetizer we chose crawpuppies, because we have had them at another place and I really liked them. These are called craw puppies rather than hush puppies like some restaurants because they had crawfish in them and were absolutely delicious. You get five of them, so it is perfect amount for an appetizer. We each had two and then split one. I probably could have ate the whole plate myself, but had to save room for dinner. 

For our dinners, Brett asked the waiter before we ordered which was a big portion, because he was pretty hungry. I immediately knew what I wanted, because I wanted crawfish, but not the actually kind that you have to figure out how to eat. I wanted it ready for me to put my fork in. I cannot remember the name of what I ordered (and of course I threw the receipt away) but it was craw fish in a sauce with rice. It was actually pretty excellent, and I finished almost all of it, letting Brett finish a tiny bit of it. The portion size was very good and there was just the right amount of crawfish. 

Brett ordered a shrimp pasta dish. Although it was very good, it is not what I would have chosen at a cajun restaurant. It was more like something that would have been at an Italian restaurant. I think he should have ate something a little bit more with the theme, but the waiter steered him in the direction of this. He definitely wasn't full afterwards like told he would be. It was pretty good though. 

As for dessert, that definitely was the best part. I ordered the bread pudding and Brett ordered the sweet potato pecan pie. My bread pudding was out of this world. It has the perfect amount of sweetness and consistency. I ate about half of it, because I was full from dinner. Maybe next time I should start with the dessert. I took one taste of Brett's pie and know that if I ever go back to Lola's I would definitely order that for dessert, or maybe even venture on finding a recipe to make it on my own. 

Overall, I enjoyed the food at Lola's, but if I were comparing it and the other cajun place we have been to, the other one would totally win. I rate Lola's 3.5 out of 5. I think maybe next time if we sat outside and ordered different items, the rating may be higher. 


What Brett Says...

This week we got to check out a place that was on our original list of places to go, and for some reason never got to.  This week we went to “Lola’s Louisiana Kitchen” on Charleston just off the 15.  I drive by it 10 times a day and always see people enjoying their meal out on the patio.  Not to mention good Louisiana food is, well good. 

The restaurant looks awesome, it is a small place with a few tables inside and a few outside.  There is a small bar as well, unfortunately it is beer and wine only.  I would expect to see this place in the downtown area of New Orleans.  The atmosphere is upbeat and just gives off that vibe that you are in for something good.  The only downside I have to the restaurant itself is that the location.  It is close to the Arts District and the new Smith Center but you sit on the patio and you have a view of Charleston and all that goes up and down it.    It is by far a deal breaker but if you are choosing a place based on patio then this might not be for you.

The service was good however, this would be a reason to go.  Our waiter was friendly and welcoming; he also was personable and ready with suggestions.  The nice thing about his suggestions were the fact they weren’t the most expensive thing on the menu.  He always made sure we had drinks and refills on our water.  The food we ordered he felt would be complete only with a basket of bread…which was brought free of charge.  Unfortunately he did not fully comprehend the meaning of “I am starving and want a very large meal” when I said it.  He threw out a couple suggestions and lead me to a spicy shrimp pasta,  not exactly what I would have called large or filling.

Like I said it wasn’t that large of a meal but the spicy shrimp past was good.  Unfortunately we lost the receipt and it isn’t on their online menu so I have no idea what it is actually called.  But it is on their regular menu.  I would also not say that it is spicy, I was not given an option for level of spice but I assume they play it safe for all guests.  The size and spice level aside it was still a very good past dish.  There was ample shrimp and it was already de-tailed so you didn’t have to reach into your pasta to take the tails off your shrimp…this is usually a disappointment for me.  We also ordered their hush puppy appetizer which was pretty good, on the small side but it is an appetizer.  I also should note that the bread that was brought to us was amazing and hot.  It seemed to have come right from the warming oven and was a great addition to the meal.  For dessert I opted to have the sweet potato pecan pie…this in itself is reason to go here.  If you are downtown and are in the mood for dessert go here and get this.

All in all I would recommend Lola’s.  I would return if given a reason, I would try different things on the menu, except the dessert.  The location hurts it and the shrimp pasta was good but didn’t meet the needs at the time.  I would have also liked to see a full bar, sometimes beer and wine doesn’t cut it.  Overall I rate them 3.75 out of 5.

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Thanks to Patty, Juan, and Yasmine Larsen of the St. Rose Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. I was excited now that I have some afternoons free being done with my class that I could make it to the St. Rose store because it ranks in my top faves among the Patty's Closet stores.  This dress is my absolutely favorite style because of the silhouette. It is extremely flattering to all shapes because it accentuates curves while highlighting the smaller areas. The colors on this dress are vibrant and definitely pop for spring. The lace at the top is pretty delicate to make this dress very girly. This dress could be worn to a dinner date or a brunch with friends. This dress with belt included is available at the St. Rose location!!

Great news Patty fans! The store is now online too! How amazing is that???!! It has different items than in the stores but of course the same fabulous styles to meet all of your fashion needs. You can check out the website and online store at: http://shop.ilovepattyscloset.com/

Also, be sure to check out their Facebook page for all the latest updates and shipment items on Tuesdays and Fridays. Each store has different items! http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

Until next time, cheers to spring break!!!

Week 35 Barcelona Tapas & Bar

Hola Everyone :) Thanks for checking out our blog again this week. So, we are on LV Informer now officially!!! How exciting for us! Just to think we starting do this blog to make sure we had one date night at least a week and for fun, and now many people read it and talk about it. It is honestly so awesome! You can check it out here: http://thelasvegasinformer.com/ and click on blog connection which is in the top right corner. There are also some other great blogs on there, so check them out!! If you haven't already, it would great if you could please take a second and like our Facebook page. We are almost at 200 likes! http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...


This week I was really in the mood for tapas and I have heard fabulous things about Barcelona, I used some of my restaurant.com credit to buy a certificate there. Barcelona Tapas is located on Southern Highlands Pkwy in Southern Highlands. The location has many great restaurants that we have frequented, but there are still some we want to try. It is my goal to go to all of them. :)

Barcelona Tapas is a small place, but big enough that you could have a great gathering! There is a bar area, a lounge area, booths and tables. Brett and I sat at a booth in the back. We always like to have a romantic vibe when we go, plus we don't like to be right in the middle of things while we take pictures of the food. 

We started by ordering a pitcher of mojitos. Normally when we get tapas we go with sangria, but being we were told the mojitos were fabulous and didn't want sangria again like last week, we went with original mojitos. The size of the pitcher you get is big! It serves 5 glasses= 3.5 for Brett and 1.5 for me! HAHA. 

In addition to getting our mojitos right away, we also got some bread with garlic butter and some sort of dip, don't know what it was, but it was great! The bread was fresh right out of the oven. 

As for the tapas, we each chose a few. The first one I chose was the stuffed dates of course. I always get them at Firefly and was so excited that Barcelona had them as well. In the order you got five of them. The bacon was perfectly crispy and the blue cheese that was in the bowl was also awesome in the sauce. 

The next one Brett chose was the Escargot. I didn't remember having this before now, but according to Brett I have tried that already. You amount that you got was pretty good for sharing it with two people. They were very fresh and again, the sauce that they were in wasn't too rich, which made it great for dipping the bread in. 














Brett and I then decided to order the meatballs (his choice) and the mac and cheese (my choice). The meatballs, which you got 5 of were covered in mozzarella cheese and sauce. It may be because I am partial to Italian cooked meatballs, but they weren't my favorite; I would have preferred something else, just because to me they were a little plain. 












The mac and cheese on the other hand was delicious! I am a huge fan of mac and cheese that is like a little bit crispy on the side when it's baked, but perfectly cheesy in the middle, and that is exactly what this was. I think I could have eaten a huge size portion all alone. 

The last tapa we ordered was the stuffed shrimp. Whenever I go for tapas I always choose a lot of the seafood ones. I always find that they taste great because they are fresh and the types of sauces and seasonings they use when cooking them. There were 4 stuffed shrimps, so we got to split them equally. I would recommend this if you go there. 














Now, onto my favorite part of the meal besides the company and the mac and cheese...dessert. For dessert we chose cinnamon apple crepes with ice cream. Wow, was this beyond good! There was so much of it and I felt bad because I think I ate most of the ice cream not leaving much for Brett. I haven't had a crepe in  years, so I think that made it even better. 












Overall, I really loved Barcelona. I heard from a little birdy that they may be opening one in the southwest, so I am pretty stoked. The service and atmosphere was fun, perfect for a Saturday night. I would love to go there for happy hour too with my girls which is supposedly everyday from 4-7. I rate Barcelona 4.5 out of 5 and will absolutely be back!


What Brett Says...


This week we went to "Barcelona Tapas and Bar," which is down in Southern Highlands.  I think it is the last of the restaurants in the strip mall we keep going to.  I wasn't sure going in how biased I would be considering Firefly was my first tapas experience and quickly became my favorite restaurant.  But I was able to put my bias aside and give Barcelona a go.  For those of you unfamiliar with "tapas" and no unfortunately it is not topless women (everytime I say we are going to a tapas place one person asks how Teray feels about being around topless girls).  Tapas are a hispanicTeray is not a fan of being around topless women...if she was the steakhouse at Treasures would have already been reviewed.  But back to the topic at hand; Teray and I are both pretty big fans of tapas.  We had our rehearsal dinner at Firefly, 18ppl and all you can eat tapas with pitchers of sangrias is never a bad time.  

Pulling up there was no reason to believe we were in for anything special...just another strip mall restaurant.  Once you walk through the door you are immediately convinced you are in for something special.  Barcelona was poppin', they had a fun crowd at the bar and the restaurant looked steady.  We were immediately sat at a booth towards the back of the restaurant.  The environment was fun, the decor was modern hispanic chic, and it wasn't overwhelming in any way.  Just based on how it was presenting so far it seemed like a place we could go for a night out and have a pretty good time.  I wouldn't be surprised if it was a good place to meet single Las Vegas locals, but I wouldn't know anything about that.

Next it is time to cover service.  I would have to sum it up as good but definitely not anything to remember.  I don't remember our servers name, a middle aged hispanic man.  He was very to the point, not social, and abrupt.  While he was those things he also met all our needs, had suggestions, and made sure we were never waiting on anything.  We always had waters and our mojito glasses were never empty, he also seemed to do a good job of spacing out our tapas so they didn't all come at once.  Just don't go in expecting a social experience with your server, but you will be taken care of.

The most important part of any meal is of course the food.  The nice thing about tapas is the selection and variety you get to experience; since we are doing all this for you, the reader, we obviously had to order a nice selection.  Teray listed all the tapas...and took pictures, so I am not going to do all that.  I was absolutely impressed by the tapas we ordered; my Firefly bias was quickly wiped away.  These tapas were on par with the great, the stuffed dates were amazing.  Food alone this place is worth going.  We opted to get a pitcher of mojito, we had sangria the day before.  They were legit original mojitos; not premixed from the bottle.  There were crushed mint leaves and limes in the pitcher.  They were awesome, next time I am going to trick Teray into being the DD and I will have a pitcher to myself.  

I think it is obvious that I enjoyed Barcelona Tapas...I'm pretty sure Teray did too.  I would go for the bar scene and I would absolutely go for the food.  I recommend this place for all gatherings except business meetings...unless you work for a casual company that lets alcohol flow.  

I am giving them a 4 out of 5, the service was a little shaky for a 5 out of 5.

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week
Of course, thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. They are so supportive of this blog and I cannot thank them enough. xo. 

Take a look at my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. This green blazer is such a statement piece (it was love at first sight for me).  It is meant to be a more fitted blazer, which is more flattering anyway. The sleeves are quarter sleeved length and ruched on the inside to add some flair. It is an extremely flattering length. Green is such a bold, fun color that it amps up any outfit. I chose to pair this with a Patty's Closet mini (from the Blue Diamond store last season- or as I like to say vintage Patty's :) and a basic white flowy tee! I threw on some necklaces, of course from Patty's and I had the perfect dressy, casual outfit! You can find this awesome blazer at the Rainbow location


If you haven't already you need to check out one of the Patty's Closets in Vegas (Rainbow & Town Square), Summerlin, the Northwest, or Henderson. I personally love something different about all of them! Plus the people that own and work at all of them are beyond fabulous! It is such an experience when you go into a Patty's, it is really an outing. You can find what location is closest to you by visiting their website: http://ilovepattyscloset.com/


Also, if you haven't already, you need to obviously like them on Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV They put up pictures of their new shipments which arrive every Tuesday and Friday. Plus, with spring around the corner, you know you are going to want a new wardrobe. 


Sparkle

So if you haven't heard already (where have you been?!--just kidding). Patty just opened Sparkle by Patty's Closet! It is an all accessories store and like heaven on earth for ladies (and for guys who need a fabulous gift for their gals). This week-end they opened there doors to this beautiful jewelry boutique. Sparkle is just like Patty's where they have a few of each piece, but everything is so unique, you are not going to find it at other stores. 


The choices of necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings, bag, iPhone cases, etc. was taking my breath away. Anything you could ever want in an accessory is within Sparkle. The decor is a beautiful white so that the bling of everything is the centerpiece. The opening was packed and I know everyone I know that went and have talked to is raving on and on. I have already worn all of the pieces I bought and cannot wait to go back and get more. 

Sparkle is where the Blue Diamond Patty's used to be; they just transitioned it into a Sparkle. Like I said, Sparkle is every girls dream. It is BEYOND amazing. As Rachel Zoe says..."I die. I die. " Check out pictures from the opening and get the exact address here: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sparkle-by-Pattys-Closet/160713480701946

Until next time, cheers to making wishes, and them coming true. 

Week 34 Buca di Beppo

We have gotten so many new "likes" on our Facebook page this week! Thanks everyone who is promoting. We only need 16 more people to get to 200, so suggest the link to your friends if you can. This is the link if you haven't liked us already http://www.facebook.com/thenewlywedsguidetovegasrestaurants

What Teray Says...


First and foremost I want to say THANK YOU x's a million to Bonnie Taylor for hooking us up with this amazing meal at Buca di Beppo. The food was not only perfection, but we had such a fabulous time! 


Brett and I decided to go to the Buca in Summerlin, because it is the closest one to our new house and we love the Summerlin area. It is nice on the week-end sometimes to be far away from the strip. Arriving at Buca everyone was extremely friendly. When I gave them our name I felt like we were celebrities; they were treated all the patrons like that though, which is beyond awesome!! 

We didn't have to wait long to be seated, either that or I just loved looking at all the pictures on the walls that the time went fast. :) We decided to start with our favorite, sangria. I didn't know if we should do red or white, so Brett had me pick even or odd and even meant white. Fantastic choice and glad I picked the even. 

For an appetizer we picked Cheesy Bread Florentine -A flavorful mixture of Parmesan, mozzarella and provolone cheeses with spinach, tomatoes and lots of garlic, melted on top of our house-baked Italian bread. This bread was mouthwatering. Brett and I each had two pieces. I honestly think I could have ate a whole loaf myself; the fact that I am obsessed with mozzarella cheese added to it. 

For our main courses we got two things: chicken limone and spaghetti with marinara sauce. I am not the hugest fan of chicken we all know this, but I love anything with chicken that is in a lemon sauce. It was cooked to perfection. Spaghetti is my favorite pasta in the world, so I was happy as a lark eating it. Brett of course ate more than I did, but both were beyond amazing!! 

Although I was stuffed, I had to make room for dessert. We chose by suggestion of the waiter, the Italian Creme Cake-Six layers of rich lemon cake and mascarpone cheese filling served in a pool of raspberry-hazelnut sauce and topped with fresh whipped cream and mint sprig. This cake was by far one of the best cakes I have ever had in my life. I really want to go back and order a bunch of pieces and just eat it every night, but then I wouldn't be ready for pool season ;) 

As for the service, our waiter was beyond awesome. He was the perfect amount of funny, friendly, and helpful. We never had to wait for anything we needed! Again, beyond fantastic! Overall, I rate Buca di Beppo without hesitation a 5 out of 5!


What Brett Says...
This week we had it easy choosing our restaurant; we actually had a reader invite us to "Buca di Beppo."  The fact that someone other then our mom's read our blog got us a little excited, so we had to oblige.  Don't get me wrong, I know plenty of people log on to see Teray's outfit of the week but to actually see that along with that outfit goes an entire meal...I felt special.  There are now three Buca's in town; one on the east side, one at Excalibur, and the one we tried out on the west side.  Buca is a chain of Italian restaurants; from what I saw, way more authentic then any other chain Italian restaurant.

When you walk through the front door you are instantly hit with atmosphere.  Think of Applebee's on steroids; there is so much random crap on the walls you don't even know where to start.  You can stare at a single wall for hours just examining; you'll be doing this the entire dinner.  In fact your eyes might hurt at the end of it.  We had a reservation so we didn't have to wait long, not sure what the wait would be without one, but it didn't seem to be too crazy.  We were sat at a large booth in a decent size room; there seemed to be groups ranging from 2 people on a date to an entire extended family.  This all added to the atmosphere of this family style restaurant.  Once sat our server, Ken, came by to get us started.  It seems like every week I am either bitching about the service or just not mentioning it because it isn't worth the keystrokes.  This week however is different, like a few times in the past we ended up with someone who actually does their job.  Ken was money; he met our needs, had awesome suggestions, joked around with us, and made sure we were taken care of.  We always had something coming to our table, whether it was refills or part of our order, we never felt like we were being forgotten.  When we go back to this location we will be making sure he is working before we make the drive.

Talking about an Italian restaurant really comes down to one thing...FOOD.  The atmosphere, service, prices, location, and everything else is irrelevant without good food.  Well, BucaBuca for another day or throw a third wheel into the mix.  We started with Cheesy Bread Florentine.  Imagine fat/thick pizza shop cheesy bread, then put Alfredo sauce on top, finish it off by melting different cheeses on top.  This is the perfect beginning for a guy who could survive on cheese; I mean cheesy bread with a cheesy sauce topped with melted cheese.  Next up was the entree; with family style your dinner guests and you need to come to some kind of agreement.  Luckily Teray and I are married and stuff, so we can usually come to some kind of compromise.  We chose two different entrees, a meat and a pasta.  For our meat we opted to go with Chicken Limone; baked chicken with a lemon cream sauce with capers.  The pasta we kept classic by ordering spaghetti with red sauce.  They don't traditionally go together since one is a cream and the other is a tomato sauce; lucky for us we don't always follow food rules.  While the spaghetti was good, nothing special though, the Chicken Limone was amazing.  I could have eaten an entire order myself.  We chose to order a carafe of sangria to wash it all down; Teray said it was the best sangria she has every had, I on the other hand think it was decent but in no way comparable to Firefly's.  Finally we wrapped up the meal with dessert, Ken's suggestion actually, Italian Creme Cake.  Lucky for me Teray is a 3-5 bite girl when it comes to dessert.  This was way bigger then 5 bites so I got to enjoy this.  It was light and full of flavor, I kinda wish I would have had one to myself...those 5 bites were missed.

All in all I think it's obvious that I enjoyed our experience at Buca di Beppo.  The food was amazing, the service was beyond good, and the atmosphere was entertaining.  While a date here was great (recommended in fact) I think the next time we go we are bringing both sides of our family...just means we can order even more of a variety.

4.5 out of 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week:
Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. I was obsessed with it quite frankly.  Can I just say I am dying over these palazzo pants?! They are available at the Rainbow location! I have been wanting a pair since I saw Kourtney K rocking some YSL ones a few months back. These pants are not only comfortable but the ivory and black flowers on them really make them pop. They are high waisted and pretty long in length, but they are meant to be worn with heels. I paired them with a black satin button down simple shirt from the Town Square Patty's because I wanted the pants to be the main focus of the outfit. My black patent leather peep toes are also from the Rainbow location. Palazzo pants are perfect for the upcoming spring and summer season!! ♥

Patty's has many locations across Las Vegas and they all have different items. They get new items on Tuesdays and Fridays. For exact locations check out their website: ilovepattyscloset.com and to see the shipments and stay up to date on store openings check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

So super beyond exciting news!! Sparkle by Patty's Closet opens this Saturday!!! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sparkle-by-Pattys-Closet/160713480701946 The new Sparkle store will be located at 9345 S. Cimmarron Rd.,currently the location of Patty’s Closet Blue Diamond store. Doors open at 11 am and you get 20% off your purchase!! There are even going to be food trucks and everything! Can you imagine, all accessories??? I cannot wait!!! I hope to see you guys there!!! You could even win an iPad!!!

Until next week, cheers to happiness and surrounding yourself with people that lift you up. xo

Week 32 Panna Thai Restaurant

Welcome back! Thanks for checking out the blog again this week. :) So we have been saying for the past few posts that we have some news to share. Well....it is now January so we can finally share. Starting sometime within the next couple of weeks our blog is going to be featured within a new blog component of The Las Vegas Informer!! How amazing is that?! Brett and I are fans of that online newspaper, so it is an honor.  We will be doing our write ups on restaurants and of course style with my outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique. 

In the meantime, check them out http://thelasvegasinformer.com/ When everything is up and running within this new section, we will give you the exact links and place to check us out!! 

Also, as I say every week, if you haven't already, take a second and like our Facebook page...we update it frequently and love to hear suggestions on there!

What Teray Says...

So as a lot of your know, we just moved into a new house. Of course, it was a great opportunity to go out this week because our fridge was pretty bare and our plates and such were still in boxes. Anyway, Brett and I wanted to choose something that was local, plus we had a restaurant.com credit, so we came across Panna Thai. I saw that it was fairly new place, and I wanted to try it!

Panna Thai is a smaller restaurant with tables, booths, and a bar in which you can sit at. Brett and I were seated right away at a table in the corner. I didn't know if he was disappointed that he couldn't see the tv because some big football game was on, but he didn't seem to mind.  For our drinks I chose Riesling and Brett chose Miller Lite. They brought Chardonnay instead of Riesling but because I like both, I wasn't going to complain. Any white wine, I like. 

With our restaurant.com coupon we needed to spend at least $35 to use our $25 that we had. We started off with the crab wonton appetizer. The portion size was pretty good. You got 6 wontons for about $6. They were delicious too; I probably could have ate two orders of just those wontons, but needed to not be a pig and save room for our main food. 

As for our dinners, Brett and I were both very hungry. He actually asked the waitress what came in a big portion. When we walked to be seated, everyone's dishes looked pretty large, so I knew that were going to get an ample amount of food. The waitress suggested to Brett that he order the BBQ Spare Ribs. I ordered Musaman Curry, which was coconut milk with musaman curry, peanut paste, potatoes, Thai herbs and Jasmine rice. 

Well, my observations were correct. When the food came out the portions were an excellent size. My curry was absolutely amazing, some of the best I have ever had. It was pretty spicy, but that is what I love. The chicken was extremely tender and there were so many pieces!! I couldn't of course finish the whole thing so I gave some to Brett. Speaking of Brett, his ribs were so good in the taste I tried that it literally melted in my mouth as it fell off the bone. 

After eating our food our waitress told us we were about 40 cents away from our limit, which made us order dessert. We chose the fried banana and let me tell you, it was so tasty! I have never had fried banana balls in my life, but it is something that I would definitely eat again! 

Overall, I would rate Panna Thai 4.5 out of 5. I saw a lot of people getting take out from there, and because it is so close to our new house, that is definitely something I will do soon!


What Brett Says...


So this week we felt like Chinese food but we also wanted to feel full after the meal, so we chose to get some Thai food.  We found a Restaurant.com for a little place called "Panna Thai."  It is on Fort Apache just south of Russell, surprisingly in a strip mall.  I am really starting to like these deals to eat; between restaurant.com, Groupon, and Living Social we are saving a ton of cash.  I am a fan of Thai food, they have awesome selection and the flavors just flow.  Not many foods pull off sweet and spicy in such an orchestrated way.  Not sure where to start this week, I will do alphabetical: atmosphere, food, service, summary.

This Thai restaurant isn't too "Asian" feeling.  They are more modern with a touch of the Far East.  The place isn't that big; it isn't mom's kitchen and it is far from franchise banquet hall.  The seating is comfortable, they had football on their tv's. and they had some pretty cool lighting.  It is a Thai restaurant with a Vegas set up, we all know the place and all that goes along with it.  The atmosphere was chill, they weren't busy but there were a few people here and there.

wontons, these are essentially crabmeat ragoons in a chinese restaurant.  They are amazing, the sauce was pretty bomb too.  Follow those up with some Thai ribs and whatever curry Teray ordered.  The waitress was right about the ribs, they were pretty hefty of a portion.  Beyond that they were amazing, the meat pretty much fell off the bone.  They had a Thai marinade, not sure how to describe it but it was good.  I also had a good amount of rice and veggies.  I had some of Teray's and that was good as well, her review is above mine if you want details beyond the fact that I approve of that entree as well.  Finally the dessert, we ordered fried bananas.  These aren't the usual fried bananas, they were fried banana balls.  I want to say they had coconut on the coating.  It's the kind of dessert that works out well when you are full but have the need to splurge a little and have something sweet.

The service was good nothing special.  We always had water, food was correct and prompt.  Our server was nice.  Thats all I really have to say about service, sometimes it is a good thing to not have it be a standout point.  We got what we needed out of them; food, drinks, and a good time.  It is a selling point, just not one you list on the windshield.

Overall I would have to recommend "Panna Thai."  The pricing was good, even without the coupon.  Service was on par, the atmosphere was good.  Sometimes you can ramble on and on about a place, others you can just be general and give an endorsement...this is obviously that kind of week.

4 out 5

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week

Thanks to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with my outfit of the week this week. This black dress is the perfect staple to any wardrobe. It cinches at the waist for a flattering look and has pockets! The awesome thing about it is that the zipper makes it unique and flirty at the same time ;) I paired it with these beyond amazing bedazzled lightning bolt earrings for a fun vibe. This whole look is available at the Rainbow location.

So as I always say to find out all the fabulous Patty's Closet locations check out their website: ilovepattyscloset.com and their Facebook page for their bi-weekly shipments http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

Patty also just announced they are going to be opening a store in Vegas called Sparkle by Patty's Closet. It is going to be all accessories. How amazing is that?! They already have a Facebook page, so be sure to like them for all the latest updates as of when this fabulous idea is going to be opening! http://www.facebook.com/pages/Sparkle-by-Pattys-Closet/160713480701946

In the meantime, Brett and I will be heading to eat Mongolian BBQ. I have never had it, but Brett says it is awesome. Check back tomorrow for some thoughts and my outfit of the week. I leave you guys this week with a cheers to new opportunities....good things are coming! 

Week 31 Mood at the Artisan

Hey Guys :) Thanks for checking back to see our latest review. In a few days we can unveil our exciting announcement for the blog! We are super stoked. A lot of you have suggested looking at restaurant.com for ideas, and that is what I did this week. 


What Teray Says...


This week Brett and I went out for our blog on the night of my birthday. We figured, why not kill two birds with one stone as the expression says, because we needed our date night, plus for my birthday all I wanted to do was spend it with Brett. I turned 28 on the 28th- my golden birthday :). Anyway, I went on restaurant.com to and found Mood at the Artisan. I have been dying to go there since I saw it on the Kardashians a few seasons back, so when I saw that they had a certificate for purchase, I was pretty excited!


We went to dinner later, so Mood wasn't that crowded. There were two other groups there, one a couple and one group of older women. The restaurant is dimly lit with lots of leather, dark colors, red, and paintings. I loved the feel of it, because it was romantic and swanky. 

Being it was my birthday, (like we really needed an excuse) we decided to order a bottle of Reisling. The waitress asked us if we were celebrating anything, and normal I get embarrassed to admit, but I told her yes, knowing that after many years together Brett would not make people sing because he knows that is my least favorite type of attention. 

As for an appetizer we decided to order the stuffed crab cakes. Although, you only got two crab cakes, they were beyond amazing. The perfect amount of crispy and soft. You could really taste the fresh crab, but yet it wasn't overpowering. It was also served with carrots and cabbage in the middle. I don't know what the sauce was, but it was perfection!

After the appetizer, we ordered our meal. I chose a filet minion while Brett chose rack of lamb. Okay, I am not someone who will order steak every time I am out, but once in awhile I crave it.  This filet was the best filet I have ever had in my life. It was so tender, that I barely needed to use the steak knife to cut it. As all of you readers know, I never finish my meal, but I finished every single bite. If I was alone, I probably would have slurped the juice off the plate. The filet also came with garlic mashed potatoes as well as asparagus and carrots. I also took a bite of Brett's lamb, and it was fabulous. Again, pretty much cooked to perfection. I would definitely order that when I go back. 

For dessert, Brett and I both ordered something different. He got chocolate thunder cake and I got vanilla creme brulee. Again, nothing but positive things to say. My creme brulee, I finished all of it, because it was not overwhelmingly sweet. 

Overall, I absolutely loved Mood. I would go back there for breakfast, lunch, or even another fancy or casual dinner. They have things such as sandwiches on the menu, we just chose more entree type food. Based on the service, atmosphere, and food I without a doubt rate Mood 5 out of 5 and will be buying another restaurant.com certificate to go there again next month.



What Brett Says...


So writing this review every week seems to be tougher and tougher each week, I'm not sure if it's because I am in a constant exhaustion or if I keep getting distracted.  Either way it is my fault that these reviews never get put out when Teray tells you.  In fact most weeks she has to delete and edit her notifications to work around my laziness.  This week we had to do something a little more special then usual, a little more classy...you see it was Teray's birthday.  Not just any birthday but her golden birthday.  We still did what we always do: find a place that we have never been to and try to make it a deal; we just made it a special occasion.  We found a Restaurant.com coupon for a little place in the Artisan..."Mood."  

I haven't been to the Artisan in a couple years, way before it got to be an actual hotspot.  It is an incredible property; eclectic and it just gives the feel of fun.  I didn't know there was a restaurant, not that it surprises me be a hotel and all.  If you have never been to the Artisan there is no actual way to describe what it looks like.  It is one of the few actual you have to see it places in Vegas.  Mood itself is a little easier, you still should check it out.  Mood is a small restaurant, maybe 70-80 seats.  There is a small stage with a piano and a chaise lounge; same stage you would expect to see in a 70's lounge.  The whole place has a very comfortable secluded feel, it is dimmed and spread out.  We were sat a table where we sat on a couch-like booth.  The place is very artsy, paintings everywhere.  Setting wise this was probably my favorite restaurant so far.  

Our service was good; I wish I knew the name of our server, I forgot, but she deserves a shout out.  She was on top of things, always willing to help us with selections, never over staying her welcome at the table but never leaving us needing.  We showed up an hour before they closed and she was still on top of things; as a former server I can tell you that most of the time that last hour before closing can be a bad idea.  From what I remember she was the employee I remember seeing, they wouldn't need more then her beings we were one of three tables, but more credit to her for meeting out needs without all the helpers other restaurants seem to think are required.  Personally I would prefer having a server and just a server, thats how I liked it when I use to do it.  There is something about having the same person helping you throughout your meal...how many times do you do out to eat and not know who your actual server is until they bring your check so they can get their tip.

Food.  I think with a little work, mostly with the sides and presentation, Mood could be one of the premier restaurants in Las Vegas.  We ordered a bottle of wine to get things moving.  Starting with an order of crab cakes; went well with the wine, plus you could tell they were homemade.  I don't remember whether it was fresh or canned crab, made right it doesn't really matter.  They were good, the sauce worked well.  For dinner we went all out, combine a Restaurant.com voucher and an amazing woman's birthday and you have no reason to hold back.  I ordered a rack of lamb, Teray chose the 10oz filet.  The rack was a little small and the filet was a little big.  Both were cooked perfectly to order, the rack was even cooked to account for the bones...allowing it time to cook at the table.  If I go back I think I will opt for a steak instead, the portions were pretty generous.  We had to wrap things up with some dessert, I mean it was a birthday...not that a reason is ever really necessary.  Teray had a flan, if I remember right, and I had a chocolate thunder cake thing.  The chocolate thunder thing was awesome, good and plentiful.  The kind of dessert that makes you absolutely regret eating as much as you just did...with a cherry on top.  

All in all I would say Mood is a place to put on your list.  I would save it for more of a special occasion, even with $50 off it came to $110 with tip.  Which in this town isn't that bad for a gourmet meal, I know I have seen meals go well over that.  As for the quality, for the most part it matches those more expensive places.  My parents like to get one good meal in when they come to Vegas, I think this might be my next recommendation.  I think you should all go check this place out the next time you want to spend some cash and get all dressed up.  I am going to go with a 4.5 out of 5.

Patty's Closet Outfit of the Week


Thanks so much to Patty and Juan of Patty's Closet for providing me with this week's outfit of the week. This week I went to the Blue Diamond location to pick out my dress. I knew I wanted something a little bit fancier, so Mirella and Juan totally helped me over there! :) 

This outfit of the week provided by Patty's Closet Fashion Boutique is the perfect dress for a fabulous occasion. . It is a taupe like color and the material has a gleam effect to it. The top is strapless, it is fitted at the waist. The bottom is also fitted, but it has ruffles to add detail and make the skirt like portion look fuller. As I mentioned above, this dress is available at the Blue Diamond location


So all of you stylenistas, Patty's Closet just got in a fabulous shipment at each store. A lot of the looks are spring inspired. There is everything from jumpsuits, go out girly dresses, and flowy tops. If you want to see the latest look check out their Facebook page: http://www.facebook.com/PattysClosetLV

Now, that you checked the looks, you need to find out the locations. There are 6 stores here in Vegas, which all carry different things! You can get the exact addresses at their website: ilovepattyscloset.com

We don't know where we are headed this week-end yet, but I am ready with my outfit of the week and cannot wait for you guys to see it! Fab-u-lous. Until next week, cheers all the opportunities coming up <3