Summer in the desert – Pellegrini Page

Today we returned from a very fun week at Nana’s house in Las Vegas. We did a bunch of cool stuff and there’s so much to talk about, so let’s jump right in!

We arrived on Monday, June 25, and immediately got our first dose of desert Summer heat. It was about 105 degrees, and pretty much remained that way the whole time we were there. Mom and Uncle Bob came and picked us up. We needed both of them because my Mom’s car is only big enough to hold all of us, but not our luggage.

We wanted to have a relaxing first day since it was a long morning getting there, so we all went to the pool in Mom’s neighborhood and hung out for a bit. After our swim we were back at the house and Ava started wiggling her one remaining front tooth (I had pulled the other one very recently). For months now Ava has been saying she wanted Nana to pull her tooth when we got to her house. We tried to explain you can’t really plan something like that, but she was dead set on it.

Well, as luck would have it, her tooth was so loose it was hanging on by a thread, so Nana had no troubles pulling it. Of course Ava was so excited, and it was a fun way to start the trip. Elise and Enzo were a little jealous that they weren’t going to get anything from the tooth fairy, but we assured them that the vacation tooth fairy brings gifts for everyone. As it turned out, Elise and Enzo both got a small glass diamond, a poker chip, and a piece of candy. Ava was lucky enough to receive a large glass diamond, a poker chip, and a total of $11, which she was quite eager to spend.

Tuesday morning we got up and out of the house and headed for SeaQuest. We had so much fun feeding stingrays and sharks, petting lizards, and playing with sand. This ended up being a big highlight of the trip for the kids. When Nana asked them what their favorite part of the trip was, Ava quickly exclaimed “Feeding the stingrays!”

After SeaQuest we were all hungry, so I got on my phone and found a very highly rated Italian deli nearby called Cugino’s. We walked in and the place was packed, which is always a good sign. A bunch of people were watching the Argentina World Cup soccer game, and the place felt like the most authentic New York Italian deli I’ve ever had the pleasure of visiting. Elise and Enzo had pizza, Jessica had a caprese sandwich, Nana had a meatball sandwich, I had the veal parmesan sandwich, and Ava devoured a side of meatballs. Everything we had was absolutely delicious, and since the kids ate so well, I decided to treat them to the homemade cannoli for dessert. Obviously that was a big hit. During our dessert Argentina scored a last minute goal to win their game, and the whole place erupted. It was a cool thing to be a part of and ended up being really memorable. We really loved Cugino’s and would love to go back for lunch next time we’re in town.

After lunch we went back to Nana’s house for a couple hours of down time, then we all headed down to the Orleans to see The Incredibles 2 in 3D. Everyone enjoyed the movie, and we thought about calling it a day after that, but then made a spur of the moment decision to take the kids downtown to Fremont street so they could see the light show.

On our way there I decided we should cruise the strip, which ended up being a huge hit with the kids. They absolutely loved all the scenery, especially the Eiffel Tower at Paris and the erupting volcano outside of the Mirage. Fremont street ended up being quite interesting. Honestly it was probably a little bit too crazy for young kids, but we did our best to shield them from the things they shouldn’t see. The kids loved the live performance by an 80’s cover band called Spandex Nation, and Elise was a bit infatuated by the showgirls with the pretty outfits.

After making our way up and down Fremont street and seeing a bit of the light show, we decided to head home and call it a day. Although we had many fun days on the trip, Tuesday was definitely a great day for everyone.

Wednesday was a day Jessica and I have been looking forward to for months – Cabana Day! Basically we rented a cabana at the Red Rocks pool and hung out there all day. I’ve never done this before but believe me, it’s an amazing experience. The cabana has curtains that can be closed completely, a fan with a mister, a safe to keep your valuables in, a tv, and plenty of seating. You also get a table and chairs with a sun shade, plus some sun tanning chairs to relax in.

Even though it’s really hot out, you wouldn’t believe how comfortable it is inside the cabana. When we first got there Nana and Enzo just hung out in the cabana while the rest of us went swimming. The whole pool area is gorgeous, with lots of pools and jacuzzis to choose from. It was paradise, basically.

After a while Nana decided to take the kids out for a bit so Jessica and I could get some relaxing quiet time at the pool. She took them to Costco to grab a few things, then they went out for ice cream. While they were away Jessica and I sat in the pool sipping on daiquiris, talking about how lucky we are, and enjoyed some epic people watching.

Later in the afternoon my good friend Devin arrived and ended up hanging out with us for several hours. He couldn’t believe how comfortable and relaxing it was to have your own cabana, so he has already rented one for himself and friends next week. It’s pretty much the best way to spend a day in Vegas.

A bit later Nana and the kids returned. We could tell she was a bit frazzled – the first thing she said was “You guys deserve a medal. I can’t believe you do this everyday.” We told her to go relax, then we all went swimming. She ended up joining us in the pool later and we all had a blast playing in the water.

As you can probably imagine, the kids were exhausted by the time we left, so we got home and put them in the bath, fed them dinner, and got them settled in Nana’s bed with a movie. Once the coast was clear Jessica and I headed to one of my favorite places – Paymon’s Hookah Lounge. We met up with Devin and our other good friend Tiko, for a hookah and some excellent Mediterranean food. Although every day of the trip was a blast, if I had to pick a single favorite day it would have to be either Cabana Day, or Saturday, which I’ll get to shortly.

Thursday morning started off fine, but things quickly started to unravel. We went downtown to the Container Park to let the kids run around. We had fun for a while, but it was too hot to be outside for long. We decided to take the kids to the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace with hopes of seeing the talking statue show.

Unfortunately the kids were all burnt out (probably a hangover from the long day at the pool the previous day) and they all started having emotional meltdowns. So we ended up going back to Nana’s house to relax. They ended up having fun doing arts and crafts projects with Nana, so it worked out fine. That night I ended up going out and playing a poker tournament with Uncle Bob. Unfortunately things didn’t go our way and neither of us won any money, but we still had a great time. I really love Bob and always have a good time with him, so I’m glad we were able to get out together.

Friday was another nice chill day for us. We hung around the house during the day, then I got to experience my first swap meet. We went to an indoor one and wondered around for a bit. We needed a new suitcase and ended up finding a good one there, plus we let Ava spend her money from the Tooth Fairy. Each of the kids got a toy and a keychain, so they were pretty happy overall.

Later that night we all went over to Tiko and Tina’s house to play with their daughter Helen. Devin brought pizzas for everyone and we all had a nice time hanging out. Afterwards, Jessica and I went back to Red Rocks Hotel, bought ice cream cones from the Ben and Jerry’s stand, and just enjoyed walking around for a bit and taking it all in.

Saturday was our last full day in town so we wanted to make the most of it. Like myself, Devin and Tiko are hockey players (which makes sense considering they are both from Montana), so we all met up to go ice skating at City National Arena, which is where the Vegas Golden Knights practice. Tiko’s daughter Helen, who just turned 3, had never ice skated before, so it was great to be there for her first time. Enzo and Elise both did a great job skating, and of course Ava was out there with us showing everyone how it’s done. This was also my first time skating with my buddies so it was very memorable.

Bob and Sandy came to watch us skate, which was great, and Nana took lots of pictures of everyone out on the ice. After wrapping up the skating we all headed over to the Knights shop where we proceeded to buy various shirts, hats, pucks, and keychains.

Saturday night was something that Jessica and I had been looking forward to for a while. Basically Devin wanted to take us, as well as Tiko and Tina, out to a nice dinner to celebrate some exciting things going on with his company. So we picked him up and headed down to Aria, which is a very cool modern hotel on the strip. We got there early so we could walk around and have a drink. It was during this walk that we noticed this very exotic looking woman walking towards us. Then I noticed who she was with – it was NY Giants wide receiver Odell Beckham Jr. Totally random but awesome.

We had dinner at Carbone and it was literally one of the top 5 meals of my life. The only Italian meal I’ve had that I would place ahead of this was the one my relatives made for Mom and me at their home in Italy, but as far as Italian restaurants go, this was the best I’ve ever had, and I’ve had plenty.

The original Carbone is in New York, so this was a faithful replica. You walk in and immediately feel like you’ve gone through a time warp. The decor and music is all 1950’s New York. There’s a beautiful bar front and center, and the front waiters are all wearing these really cool red suits. The food is meant to be served family style, so that’s exactly how we ordered.

Our server was telling us about the menu and said the beef carpaccio appetizer would be his dying meal if he had to choose. We were already considering getting it, so we were sold. We ended up getting the carpaccio (which was easily the best any of us had ever had), fois gras (also outstanding), prosciutto with mozzarella (amazing), and tableside Caesar salad. The Caesar was great but it was the croutons that put it over the top. They were these large sesame bread croutons that were crunchy on the outside but soft on the inside. The whole first course was simply ridiculous.

Next up was the pasta course. We had heard great things about the homemade rigatoni with spicy vodka sauce, so we had to get that, and Tina loves lobster, so we also got the lobster ravioli. I can’t decide which was better. The lobster ravioli was absolutely decadent, and I loved how they used black pasta to make the ravioli. Then there was the rigatoni, which was so simple yet so incredibly delicious. The sauce had just the right amount of spice, and the rigatoni was cooked perfectly al dente.

After pasta we moved onto the meat course, and this is where things went to the next level. When our server was describing the menu, he said the meat dish they are most known for is the veal parmesan. He said “If you consider yourself a connoisseur of veal parmesan, I promise you this will be the best you’ve ever had. You’re going to end up coming back here just for that.”

I seriously thought he was talking directly to me because I feel like I love veal more than anyone. When I lived in Vegas, Devin and I would go out all the time, and we would frequently end up finishing the night at a place called Carmine’s with a plate of veal parm, so we knew we had to get it.

Our server also told us about their 60 day dry aged porterhouse, which made our jaws drop. For comparison’s sake, the steaks at El Gaucho are 28 day dry aged, and they are phenomenal, so we had to see what the 60 day dry aging was all about. He didn’t even bother to ask for a temperature on the steak, but it came out so perfectly cooked and sliced up to share. It was easily one of the best steaks I’ve ever had.

Then there was the veal. This was my first time having bone-in veal parm. They sliced it up tableside, then asked who should get the bone. Devin immediately pointed at me. So before I even took a bite of the veal, I found myself gnawing on the bone, which was amazing. It was so good that everyone had to try it, so here we are passing around this big veal bone, and everyone was blown away. That’s how you know you’re good friends, when everyone is totally willing to take turns chewing on a veal bone. It was primal, and it was amazing.

After handing off the veal bone I dug into the veal parm, and as you can imagine, it was ridiculously good. Easily the best I’ve ever had, and again, I’ve had this dish countless times at countless places. Ultimately our server was right because there’s a very good chance we’ll be going back there for beef carpaccio and veal parm.

Next up was dessert, and although we were all getting full, there would be no early exits. We had espresso, carrot cake (which I normally don’t like, but this was amazing), lemon cheesecake (my favorite of the deserts), and a bottle of Veuve Clicquot Yellow Label champagne. What a way to finish off the meal!

As good as the food was, the company we shared may have been even better. Jessica and I both really love everyone we were with and it was such a pleasure to be able to celebrate with them. Tina is 8.5 months pregnant, so it was awesome to be able to share this special time with her and Tiko. Devin is like a brother to me and I have always loved him. Even though I only lived in Vegas for 18 months, we ended up forming a friendship that will last a lifetime. I can’t thank him enough for treating us this way, and as I said at dinner, it was an experience that we will cherish forever.

After dinner Tiko and Tina headed home, so then Devin, Jessica, and I walked around for a couple hours. We visited Cosmopolitan, Bellagio, and Caesars. Due to his diamond platinum status, we could have skipped the 3 hour line and walked straight into Omnia to see Zedd play (assuming we were okay with the $100 per guy $40 per girl cover charge), but it was 11:30 and Zedd didn’t go on until 1:00am, so we decided to pass. Ultimately it was an epic night, and again, I can’t thank Devin enough for making it all happen.

So then it was Sunday, and in all honesty, it was tough to leave. Ava especially had a hard time with it. She has a very special bond with her Nana, and she literally cried from the point where Nana dropped us off, all the way to the gate. Nana was very sad too, and I was wishing we could stay a few more days. It was such a fun trip and we just weren’t quite ready for it to end. Like all good trips, it was over in the blink of an eye.

Obviously we owe my Mom and Uncle Terry a huge thanks for having us out to stay with them. We always have a great time when we go there, and I wish we did it more often. There’s always so much fun stuff going on in Vegas, so there’s never really a bad time to go.

By the time we got home everyone was pretty exhausted, so we had a nice relaxing Sunday at home. I made spaghetti for dinner, we watched movies, and talked about all the fun we had on our trip. I won’t be going back to work until Thursday, so we’ve still got a few days to hang out together at home. Kristy and Madi will be coming over to spend the 4th of July with us, so that will be a nice way to end my vacation.

To all our family and friends in Vegas, thank you for making this such a fun and memorable trip. We look forward to doing it again soon. Here are a few of our favorite photos from the trip.

Enzo and I working on our water acrobatics