KENJI, WAGYU AND ELTON

Well, my ten day adventure in Nevada has come to a close.  The Kenji (right--the guy in the blue shirt, not the ducks) of Kenji's Golf Safari has been organizing this annual golfing ordeal for 14 years now, and he, for the first time, finally won.  I ended up last.  I think it all has to do with handicaps, but going any further would be an example of sour grapes.  He deserved the victory.

I noticed Elton John was entertaining at Caesars Palace tonight, so I thought, why not.  At the box office, I learned the concert was sold out, but as I was asking, a seat opened up, so I grabbed it.  This story continues.

At Caesars, Guy Savoy (3 Michelin Stars in Paris, 2 here) had a private party, so I thought I'd try the new Old Homestead, which only opened three months ago.  Zero Michelin stars, but steakhouses are not high on Michelin's list.  This was Friday night, I was lucky to get in.  I ordered a Caesar salad (of course, the original comes from Tijuana, Mexico), spinach, duck fat fries and 8 ounces of Australian Wagyu beef.  I splurged on an extravagant flight of Cabernets:  2008 Opus One. 2008 Pahlmeyer and 2008 Justin Isosceles.

The total price was just about the same as Robuchon's.  I would say this meal tonight was more satisfying.  The duck fries were fabulous.


Then on to Elton, where I ordered a double Jack Daniels...for $24 (a shock, but this is half the cost of a typical 3-Star appetizer), which you could take to your seat, which was in the middle of the front row of something called the third mezzanine, just about hanging over the stage, so Elton John was not all that far away at his piano.  


The reason I got this seat is because the lady sitting next to me, Deb, from Niagara Falls, had purchased it a month and a half ago, but her mother got sick, so they turned it back in in perfect synchronicity to my inquiry.  The sound system was awesome (Elton referred to this colosseum as Celine's--she returns next month), and so were the colors.  Here are some scenes, with Deb in the final photo next to one of Elton's pianos:

Philadelphia Freedom

 Crocodile Rock

Percussionist Ray Cooper was a nice complement:

And here's Deb:

Thanks, Deb's Mom.


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