Friday five: Easter Sunday treats

I consider almost every Friday to be good, but today it's the real deal as it is officially Good Friday.  Matt and I are heading to my parents' place for the holiday weekend.  We're really looking forward to spending time with everyone including my grandma, admiring my dad's newly finished basement, and, for me, getting a long overdue haircut.

So many good things on the horizon meant this week dragged juuuuuust a little, and I've had a slow start to a few mornings.  Since I've sworn off candy until Easter, dried cranberries and green tea have been my go-to items.  Luckily, Easter is just around the corner, so my fantasies about the contents of my fluorescent basket will become a reality shortly.

One of the many things I love about my mom is that she gets so into holidays and goes totally overboard decorating and preparing for all of 'em.  Overboard in the best kind of way!  It makes all of us feel so special to get a present from the bunny, even at the ripe ol' age of 28. 

The shelves at drug stores and grocery stores have been lined with treats in pink and yellow packages for over a month, so I've had plenty of time to plan my sugar attack for Easter Sunday.  Without further ado, here is this week's Friday five: my favorite Easter morning treats!


1. Easter "grass" littered with candy -- Paper, plastic, shiny or matte.  I love all kinds!  For as far back as I can remember, there have always been M&Ms in our Easter baskets.  But, rather than an unopened bag of them, my mom sprinkles handfuls of pastel plain and peanut chocolate candies among the faux grass.  Every year we complain about this -- "they're too hard to find!" -- but secretly enjoy the hunt, especially when we have otherwise emptied the baskets and find a few stragglers at the bottom :)

Vegas day 3: Playing favorites & final thoughts!

(If you missed them, here are recaps from our first and second days in Las Vegas.)

When we woke up on Sunday morning, we were feelin' pretty green... because it was St. Patrick's Day!  Coincidentally, we both ended up donning outfits with green in them, too.  Sadly, Rachel was feeling a bit green in the other sense of the word due to an oncoming cold (just to clarify that we weren't sick for other reasons).  Thankfully, we had a low-key day planned before we hit the road to return to LA.

After checking out of our room using the TV (whaaaaaat?!), we headed down to the lobby of the Paris Hotel to explore breakfast options.  In minutes, we were seated at a table for two at Le Cafe.  We considered eating there the day before but there was a long line, so we headed to Sugar Factory.

I'd told Rachel the day before that I was really in the mood for a comforting and carb-y breakfast the last morning of our trip, and my order totally reflected that: vanilla bean brioche French toast.  Despite the fuzzy picture, my feelings about this dish were crystal clear -- best French toast of my life!  I've heard that once you've tried French toast made with thick slices of sweet and eggy brioche (think a little heavier than Jewish challah bread), you'll never be able to look at standard bread French toast again.  True story, folks. I'm currently looking for a brioche recipe to make at home.

Cajun shrimp frittata

Fun fact: I'm a bit of a wimp when it comes to spicy foods.  I can tackle my own weight in sugar without any problem, but a smidge of cayenne pepper can render me useless in a matter of seconds.

On the contrary, Matt puts hot sauce in/on practically anything.  Eggs, burritos, Chinese food, soups, hash browns, hot dogs, burgers, even pizza.  I've learned that I should operate on the assumption that he'll add either a dash of Frank's Red Hot Sauce or Cholula (his favorite) to his food, so I put the bottles on his end of the dining room table.

It's easy enough for Matt to spice up his food at home without having any effect on my meal or tender taste buds.  The problem arises when we're out at a restaurant, and he wants me to try a bite of his dish.

Vegas day 2: Around the world and back(bends)

(For a recap of our first night in Vegas, click here.)

We woke up on Saturday morning without an alarm but with a feeling of total refreshment and relaxation... in Sin City, no less!  Our plan for the day was to have no plans at all; simply explore and indulge our attraction to shiny objects.

But, explorers need fuel, so we headed to breakfast at Sugar Factory, where I opted for a simple spinach and avocado omelette (I skipped the potatoes since they were pre-made and tasted like cardboard).  It was delicious and light, just what I needed/wanted.  Rachel ordered a fruit and yogurt plate with banana bread and a croissant.  Aside from the banana bread tasting a little like "fake bananas", our experience was good and we'd recommend the place.

After breakfast, we set off for the north end of The Strip, first stop: The Venetian.  With all of my dad's hyping, he didn't hype this enough.  We felt like like we'd flown across the Atlantic and landed in Italy... and Rachel's been to the real deal!  The architecture was impressive, the candy store within amusing...

And the canals under the pale blue "skies", complete with gondolas, were unbelievable!  Are you kidding me?!  We spent quite some time walking around and oogling little Italy, including St. Mark's Square, before stumbling upon the famed Bouchon Bakery.

Vegas day 1: Food coma!

I'm back, I'm refreshed, and I'm bursting at the seams with excitement to share pictures from my Vegas trip with you.  What is one to do in Vegas when one doesn't drink or gamble?  Turns out, lots!

Like I said last week, I flew from Pittsburgh to LA on Thursday night to meet up with my former college roommate, Rachel.  It had been exactly 1 year and 3 days since we saw each other last -- at her wedding, no less.  Time has flown!

On Friday afternoon, we embarked on a road trip for our very first visit to Las Vegas!

Mandatory (and squinty, ew!) self-portrait.  Our car full of snacks went unpictured but included sweet potato Pop Chips (first time I've tried -- irresistable!), trail mix, Fiber One bars, and apples.  Our last attempt at balance for the weekend. 

If you've ever wondered what the 4 1/2 hour drive from LA to Vegas looks like, let me save you some sleepless nights: it's desert (initially typed "dessert").  Lots and lots of desert and rocks.

Then, almost out of nowhere, numerous billboards, high rise hotels that look like castles, and rollercoasters appear on the landscape.  Welcome to Sin City!  (We missed the trademark welcome sign.  Womp womp.)

Specifically, welcome to the Paris Hotel!  What a delight, let me tell you.  We weren't there but 20 minutes in order to freshen up and change before heading out to the most anticipated dinner of the weekend: Max Brenner's!