3713 West Sahara Avenue, Las Vegas, NV. (702) 982-8036
Hours 5 pm – 5 am on Friday, Saturday and Sunday
5 pm – 4 am on Monday through Thursday
Nectaly Mendoza – Owner
Fabian Badillo – Executive Chef
Gerado De La Torre – General Manager
Herbs & Rye, which opened in December of 2009, is located in what used to be The Venetian Restaurant. That wonderful “old Las Vegas” style Italian restaurant was were you went for traditional Italian food, good drinks and to meet friends late in the evening.
“I’ve dreamed of bringing this type of restaurant back to Sahara for years,” proud owner, Nectaly Mendoza informed me. His goal is to encourage other venues to come back to Sahara, giving the new generations a taste of the old Las Vegas. He is doing a wonderful job of it so far!
Walking in you will immediately get a feeling of déjà vu, as you take in the vintage chandeliers, red flocked wallpaper, and the high-backed leather banquettes. The large room is divided in half, with the ristorante to your left, and a large mixology bar ahead of you. The intention here is to become THE place to go, both for unique Italian cuisine and a late-night cocktail lounge specializing in authentic cocktails from the 1800s to the early 1900s.
You can expect the menus to change every few weeks, to better make use of produce that is fresh and in season. The drinks are made from scratch, which is entertaining to watch and sometimes requires guest participation. The ambiance is good, if not a bit too dim and has background music that is a bit too loud. But the waiters cheerfully provide a flashlight for easy reading of the rather extensive menu.
Executive chef Fabian Badillo serves rustic Italian cuisine with a Mediterranean flair and an element of surprise. A good example would be the Calamari Fritti, served with aioli. Expecting a spicy tang, I was surprised with a citrus tartness that I later learned was grapefruit. It was refreshingly delicious. If you enjoy the sharpness of gorgonzola, you must try the pork tenderloin, which is artfully encrusted in fig and gorgonzola. The Lasagna Bolognese with mushrooms and a Chianti meat sauce again shows Chef Badillo’s unique touch. Too full to order it, we were sorely tempted to try the cheesecake with its chocolate ganache.
When all is completed there will be live jazz and brass bands on Monday evenings, and a true, old-fashioned piano bar. Flat screen TVs will show the old mobster movies from the 30s and 40s, while the servers will wear flapper era costumes. If you want a taste of yesteryear, unique food, fabulous mixed drinks, and entertainment, Herbs & Rye is a must do!
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]]>A couple years ago, I was in a serious panic about my financial security, my retirement woes, and my seeming inability to do anything at all about them. I was afraid to spend any money at all, and frankly, was so down in the dumps that it would have been a total waste if I had gone partying. But my friends and I came up with a wonderful way to spend New Year’s Eve, that cost us very little, was amazingly entertaining, and is now a tradition that we look forward to doing for the rest of our lives.
Of course, we are in the last third of our lives, so we had no concerns about kiddies at home, or teenagers out at wild drinking parties, or even on the roads with drunks driving around. What we decided to do is have a pajama party.
Now, don’t get nasty, or laugh at us. Think about it. What are the disadvantages of going out on New Year’s Eve? Number one would be the huge expense, since all prices for dinners, shows, or hotel packages are usually greatly inflated for the holiday. And if you choose this form of entertainment you also need dressy clothing, accessories, a trip to the beauty shop, etc.
The second concern is drinking. At all of these events, it seems that drinking to excess is the major goal, which mean you will feel lousy, both during and after it is over. Driving in that condition is stupid and can be lethal, especially if you live in a cold climate where snow, sleet, and slush will further complicate things. And even if you aren’t drunk, there are plenty of them on the road. Of course, you can always have a designated driver, who has a really terrific time pretending it was worth the money to watch you get stinking drunk.
Even if you made it through a really nice evening, where both the food and the entertainment were good, you weren’t seated at a table with crashing boors, and you managed to sip your wine in moderation, you still have to take your aching feet and exhausted bodies home. This could include waiting in long lines to get a costly taxi, or, finding your car, warming it up, and possibly having to dig it out of the snow…and then facing the long drive home.
Actually, the hotel packages are a really good thing in this respect. It is far better to limp up to your room and snuggle into a warm bed at your hotel, sleep as late as you like, and have them serve your breakfast in your room. Pricey, but better than that long, cold drive home.
So quit snickering and listen up. What my friends and I do is simply this. In the late afternoon, they show up at my house with pillows, blankets, jammies, a change of clothes, snacks and games. Nobody is on the streets yet, so it is an easy drive. Everything gets dumped in the guest bedroom for the time being, food gets stored, and off we go for an inexpensive dinner BEFORE the streets are packed and they hike up the prices. Jeans and sweats are worn…this is all about comfort and convenience.
Upon arriving home, we figure out our nesting arrangements, which are somewhat simple in my home, since I have a guest bedroom, two sofa beds, another couch, and a cot. But if the party got bigger, I would simply tell them to bring sleeping bags. The champagne goes in the frig, snacks are laid out, and then we chat, play cards, dominos, catch phrase, trivial pursuit, or whatever we feel like doing, including television.
One of the most interesting aspects of this, is that we have, for years, joked about having trouble staying up until midnight to toast the new year. But last year, we were having such a comfortable, wonderful time that we were up until almost 4:00 am.
Once everyone is awake and hungry, we then make breakfast…usually pancakes or omelets, fruit, and whatever side meat someone contributes. By mid-afternoon we are usually ready to resume our daily lives. All of us agree that we wouldn’t change a thing for next year’s sleepover.
When I think of the ways I used to spend New Year’s Eve, I realize how empty and sad those parties were. People get drunk and loud, and spend most of their time pretending they are having fun. We have no “morning after” blues, hangovers, or fear of having spent too much. Bonding with old friends is far easier in small, more intimate surroundings. And if you don’t wake up in the morning with a headache and guilty feelings over your behavior or wasting money, it is truly a nice start to a better year.
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]]>When comparing the antioxidants [...]]]>
When comparing the antioxidants and the flavanols in decaf versus regular green teas, these healthy components suffer a serious loss in the decaffeinated teas. There are still some left, and you would have to drink two or three times as much of the decaffeinated tea to pick up the antioxidants and flavanols again.
Before you make the decision to switch, consider some other pertinent factors. There are around eighty-five mgs of caffeine in your mug of fresh coffee, where green tea contains less than forty. Catechins (polyphenol antioxidants) are lost by decaffeination. Unless you have health problems that require eliminating caffeine from your diet, a reasonable amount caffeine is good for you. It makes you feel both more energetic and more alert. And caffeinated green tea contains more flavor, as well.
The two main processes used for decaffeination are ethyl acetate and carbon dioxide. Of the two, the carbon dioxide method is more desirable, as it retains more of the flavonols and antioxidants. The ethyl acetate method is used more frequently, though, and leaves a residue of solvent in the tea when decaffeination is completed. However, the level of solvent is considered safe for you to drink, and in fact, it does occur naturally in tea in very small amounts.
If you have made the decision to stay with regular green tea, there are a few things you can do to combat the effects of caffeine. For one thing, drinking it with food slows the absorption of the caffeine. The different varieties of green teas have different amounts of caffeine, and vastly different flavors. Some of the Japanese teas are lower in caffeine than the Chinese teas. Explore them!
It is also beneficial to brew your tea properly. The best tea to use is a loose leaf, fresh tea of good quality. Read the container for directions. It will surprise you to see that most teas do not suggest boiling water, but rather a very hot water, at about 170 degrees. Brewed correctly, several cups a day would not exceed the caffeine limits recommended by experts.
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]]>Electric space heaters do a fine job of warming the entire area of a small closed room. The greatest warmth will be near the ceiling. These convection units come in all prices, shapes and sizes. They might have only a heating element, or they may also include a fan with several settings. They turn off automatically when the room reaches the temperature set by the unit or by you. They will go on again as the room cools.
The infrared radiant heaters do not heat the air in a room. They are composed of thin, flat plates, designed to cover a large area.. Wide, tall infrared heaters will generally do the best job. The long wave infrared radiation is not absorbed by the air. Rather, it hits something solid in the room (object or person) and changes the radiation into heat. So it stands to reason that radiant heaters are more efficient at quickly warming a person. The heater hasn’t got any moving parts, is silent, and cannot be affected by air movement. That makes it excellent for warming you in an outdoor situation. The infrared heater uses less energy and requires less repair.
Both types of heaters are safe to use, as long as you follow the directions of the manufacturer. Almost all of them have automatic shut-off in case of overheating or if the unit gets knocked over. No portable heater should ever be left on when nobody is home and using it. It is wise to check for the Underwriters Laboratories seal of approval when shopping for your heater. In fact, you should always do some research before you purchase, and read some of the comments made by people who own them, to find out the operating cost and dependability of each model you are considering.
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]]>When you are choosing a credit card, you need to know the percentage rate you will pay on purchases, the grace [...]]]>
When you are choosing a credit card, you need to know the percentage rate you will pay on purchases, the grace period, the amount of your credit line, and if there is a yearly service fee on the account.
Read the small print on any contract they send you. Is it a variable rate or a set rate? I have personally never accepted any rate that wasn’t set (that holds true for mortgage rates as well). I would rather know the rate than be surprised by a higher rate at a future time. And note that you will pay a higher percentage on cash borrowed than you will on purchases. A good rule of thumb is to never write a check off of a credit card for cash.
Be certain that a grace period is written into your contract. It is usually for twenty-five days or more, and refers to purchases made after the billing period closes. If you pay your bill in its entirety every month, you will not pay any interest on purchases made after the billing date. But if you are carrying a balance, and paying interest on the account, every single purchase you make will accrue interest from the date of purchase.
Your credit line may be increased if your credit is good, you are making payments on time, or if you call and ask for an increase due to unusual expenditures coming up. They will also offer expanded credit to you if you are keeping the charges close to the limit every month, to allow you to increase your debt, and their profits, even more.
Yearly service fees usually come with cards that offer other benefits, such as travel miles or cash back. They also charge you if you have had previous bad credit and are a risk. But many companies try to get them from unsuspecting new customers. My rule is to simply refuse to pay them. I tell them up front that I do not want to pay a service fee. If they refuse, I refuse the card. If they agree, and then bill me for it the following year, I call them and refuse to pay it. If they take it off the bill I give them one more year. If they bill me again, I cancel the card. I have five credit cards, all having a different purpose. None of them have a yearly service charge. You don’t have to have one either.
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]]>As long as you are living in it, the house is your collateral. No credit check is required. You do not have to repay the loan unless you move or die. If the property devalues, you can never owe more than it is worth. Any equity in the home can be used, tax free, in any way you wish or need. Any equity that you spend is simply added on to the loan, which is paid back by your heirs if they wish to keep the house, or otherwise it reverts to the mortgage company.
This debt will include high interest rates, usually from eight to ten per cent of the value of your home. They may also tack on closing fees and various other fees. You are decreasing the amount your heirs will receive, since the full payment will come out of the sale of the home before they see any money at all.
In addition, you must be certain that Social Security will not be halted because of too large a loan received from the reverse mortgage. But that really isn’t the worst of it. Because of the unstable economy, reverse mortgaging has become a high pressure sales business (kind of like time sharing ). What may appear to be a legitimate offer can be a scam that will only waste what little security you may have, and take your home from you on top of it.
These agents and brokers will get you to sign away the rights to your home and leave you with nothing.
You need to steer clear of anyone offering you a deal that transfers ownership of your home to would be unknown investors. Some scam artists are saying that loans are HUD sanctioned when they are not.
Do not do business with anyone who tells you that you need to invest the proceeds from your reverse mortgage. At best, you will end up paying even more fees for investments that are not necessarily safe. At worst, they won’t invest it at all…they will steal it.
Reverse mortgages are not all bad. But it is much safer to try to make it on your income by tightening your belt, down-sizing your home if you can, and following my tips on how to lower your bills, stay warm, and eat well, on a very tight budget.
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]]>This bulb is composed of a metal and ceramic base, glass, phosphor, and a tiny bit of mercury. And that is what all the panic is about. Someone out there is attempting to terrify CFL users by scaring them to death with the mercury, which, of course, is hazardous to your health. My guess is that this is being perpetrated by either the manufacturers of incandescent bulbs, or their investors!
To get this into perspective, let’s look at how much mercury is in this bulb. There are 5 mg., or 2 ten thousandths of an ounce of mercury in a bulb. It will either be a tiny bead (the size of a period ) or a vapor that cannot be seen.
The fever thermometers that we have been using all our life contain over one hundred times more than that. To provide the electricity for your incandescent light bulb, a coal powered power plant will emit as much as four times that amount of mercury!
However, no mercury is always best, so you need to dispose of these bulbs and clean up any breaks carefully. All Home Depot and Lowes stores accept old fluorescent bulbs of all sizes. Just bring them in and they will handle the recycling of them. However, should one break there are some precautions you should take:
- Immediately turn off the heat or a/c, open a window, and turn on an exhaust fan, a ceiling fan, or some other fan if you have one, leave the room and close the door. In fifteen minutes or so, the mercury will have exited the room…if you have no fan, stay away a little longer.
- Obviously, kids and animals need to be kept away from there.
- Don’t use your broom or vacuum cleaner to pick up the shards. Use cardboard to sweep it together, into a sealable plastic bag. Put the cardboard in there as well. Masking tape is great for picking up the tiny pieces. Wipe down the area with a damp paper towel when you are done…all refuse goes in the sealed plastic bag.
- It’s not a bad idea to wear plastic gloves when doing this…or wash them thoroughly when you are done. Bring the bag to your recycle center.
Now get this into perspective, please! If you broke twelve or more bulbs in the house every day for fourteen days, you might start to have some symptoms…like tiredness, clumsiness, trouble remembering things, and lack of concentration. Breaking one CFL is not going to hurt you!
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