All posts by William Carbone

Elton John’s final ‘Red Piano’ performance

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I was cruising the LA Times.com website page “The Movable Buffet: Dispatches from Las Vegas by Richard Abowitz” and found a post on (Sir) Elton John: (Sir) “Elton John’s final ‘Red Piano’ performance” (at Caesar’s Palace in Las Vegas.)

I’ve been a bit bummed out over (Sir) Elton ever since he dumped Marilyn Monroe for Princess Diana, so to speak. The dude wrote a love song to MM, singing passionately about America’s fallen princess…Then the Brits lost a princess (tragic circumstances,) and once again – a great loss for the entire world.

But c’mon dude, write a brand new song, don’t steal Marilyn’s song. Of course I’m “speaking” of “Candle in the Wind,” the song (Sir) Elton wrote “for” Marilyn Monroe, then rewrote – changing a few words – and re-recorded the song “for” the Princess of Wales after her tragic death. Who did (Sir) Elton dishoner more: the desperately-gorgeous, Blonde American Princess, the preciously-beautiful, British Royal Princess or (Sir) Elton John?

Oh well, I digress, back to the great Abowitz: “Goodbye, Elton John. Though I never interviewed you at all, I saw the Red Piano that sold out while the shows around you did not.”
“And, it seems to me that you worked the Colosseum like a beacon amidst the neon, always knowing which hits to play to make the crowds applaud.”
“And, I would have liked to interview you, but I am just a blogger, and so you packed your shows in Vegas without the Movable Buffet.” Click this link to view “The Movable Buffet: Dispatches from Las Vegas by Richard Abowitz”

“Musician Sir Elton John performs during the final performance of his show “The Red Piano” at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace April 22, 2009 in Las Vegas, Nevada. John played 241 concerts in the 4,300-seat showroom since he began his run as one of the resort’s resident headliners in February 2004.” read more from Zimbio.com

Spotlight on TOCABE – An American Indian Eatery – in Denver, Colorado

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Tocabe Logo

Tocabe -An American Indian Eatery
44th and Lowell
Denver, CO 80211
Phone: 720.524.8282

3 5 3 6 We s t 4 4 t h A v e . D e n v e r C O , 8 0 2 1 1 t e l e p h o n e 7 2 0 . 5 2 4 . 8 2 8 2

Years ago when I was traveling through New Mexico with the actress/dancer – make that – singer/dancer/actress, we stopped at a mall on Rodeo Road in Santa Fe and happened upon a restaurant that served Indian Fry Bread Tacos. It was a fast food outlet, just like a McDucks or The King, except for the fact that they sold Indian Tacos. Yes indeed, Santa Fe is a special place. I’ve only had access to this Native culinary treat a few times since.

tocabe

click image to enlarge

Hallelujah, we stumbled upon an Indian Taco restaurant in Denver, Colorado: Tocabe “An American Indian Eatery” on West 44th Ave. serves a definitive Indian Fry Bread Taco. An Indian Fry Bread Taco is: a leavened, round, flat, deep-fried, dough base topped with: beans, lettuce, tomato, onions, cheese, salsas, peppers, and meats like ground beef or shredded beef. Any standard taco ingredients can be used. A good Indian taco will have fresh ingredients. Tocabe serves good Indian tacos. Tocabe’s ingredients are absolutely, market fresh.

Indian Fry Bread Taco - Wiki

Indian Fry Bread Taco - Wiki

The restaurant is sparkling, bright and clean, California / modern with a serve-yourself counter, tables & chairs in the main dinning area and on a patio. 3 huge ‘Hand’ sculpture-lights on one wall defiantly claim the space for Native America. A painting of a human hand is often found on teepees, and on Native arts & crafts.

Visit Tocabe’s Official Website for the complete Menu
From that menu:
“American Indian Fry Bread.” “Choice of black beans, kidney beans, pinto beans. Your choice of meat, topped with lettuce, cheese, tomatoes, purple onions, sour cream, and choice of salsa.”
The meat choices are: Ground Beef ($6.25,) Grilled Chicken Breast ($6.50,) Shredded Beef ($6.95,) and Ground Buffalo ($7.25.) The Indian Fry Bread Vegetarian Taco is priced at $5.95.

“Stuffed Indian Tacos” – “Indian Fry Bread stuffed with your choice of beans, meat, cheese, tomatoes, purple onions, green chile and salsa” – similarly priced.
Or how about:
“Medicine Wheel Natchos,” “Little Osage Pizza,” “Dessert Tacos,” Kids meals, beer and wine and more.

Access Tocabe’s Official Website

Visit the main pages of the LasVegasBuffetClub

Spotlight on ANNIE’S CAFE & BAR in Denver, Colorado

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Soup's On...
Soup's On...

ANNIE’S CAFE & BAR
3100 E. Colfax at St. Paul
Denver, Colorado 80206 (303) 355-8187

Denver has a handful of Big City Breakfast *Joints – Annie’s Cafe & Bar is one of them. On East Colfax Avenue, down-the-road-a-piece from Colfax’s “**Melrose Avenue Stretch” (at least as close as Denver’s gonna get to Melrose Avenue,) Annie’s provides a place to breakfast, recoup and people watch.

All American breakfasts are available, including:
“Weekday Special”
Monday thru Friday
7:00 A.M. to 9:00 A.M.
2 eggs any style, grilled
potatoes and toast or muffin
$4.25

Annie’s Eggs………………………………… 6.95
2 scrambled eggs and sauteed
mushrooms smothered with cheese
sauce served with grilled potatoes and toast

Eggs Benedict……………………………… 8.25
Buttermilk Pancakes…………………. 4.95
with bananas & walnuts……………………add 1.75

Omelettes, (Huge) Burritos, Sandwiches, Burgers, Salads, and much more, including Mimosas ($5.50) and other adult, breakfast-beverages from the bar are available – BREAKFAST IS SERVED ALL DAY. There’s always a jar of Peanut Butter on every table!

Nightly Specials! Happy Hours!

Access Annie’s full menu, photos and other information on Annie’s Cafe & Bar’s Official Website…
PETE’S KITCHEN is another BIG CITY BREAKFAST JOINT on East Colfax Avenue…

Visit LasVegasBuffetClub’s pages for Annie’s Cafe & Bar…
Visit the LasVegasBuffetClub’s home page…
*Actually Annie’s isn’t really a joint, it’s a very respectable family restaurant.

Colfax Avenue
Colfax Avenue-photo by larryhotz.com

**Colfax Avenue’s “Melrose Avenue Stretch” is an area of Colfax stretching East from downtown Denver to Denver’s Greektown near Denver East High School, which boasts of some famous alumni including actors: Douglas Fairbanks, (Silent Film Actor) Harold Lloyd, Hattie McDaniel, TJ Miller, Don Cheadle and Pam Grier; Musicians: Paul Whiteman, Donnette Thayer, Reese Roper, Dianne Reeves, Jamie Laurie, Bill Frisell, and Philip Bailey, Andrew Woolfolk and Larry Dunn [of Earth, Wind and Fire,] Chuck E Weiss and Folk Queen: Judy Collins; Beat Icon: Neal Cassaday, Jack Swigert [NASA astronaut] and writer, Sidney Sheldon.

This section of East Colfax Avenue, with its marginal seediness in the mix with Hip shops, restaurants & street people, reminds one of sections of the Melrose Avenue district in Los Angeles.

“Spring Has Sprung! The Grass Has Riz! I Wonder Where The Flowers Is?”

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Pink Daisies
Pink Daisies

“Spring Has Sprung! The Grass Has Riz! I Wonder Where The Flowers Is?” That great comedian/gourmand: Jughead, of Archie Comic Book fame, “said” that a long time ago on paper.

Appropriate for the First Day of Spring, that old dormant “poem” springs up again with a new life.
Connect with the Official Archie Comic’s Website…

“Definition of Spring”
“Spring is one of the four temperate seasons. Spring marks the transition from winter into summer.”
“According to the astronomical definition, spring begins on the Vernal Equinox (usually March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere, and September 22 in the Southern Hemisphere), and lasts until the summer solstice (usually June 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and December 21 in the Southern Hemisphere). In 2009, Spring fell on March 20th in the Northern Hemisphere. According to this definition, therefore, the day called Midsummer’s Day in some traditions is the first day of Summer. Meteorologists generally define the beginning of spring as March 21 in the Northern Hemisphere and September 21 in the Southern Hemisphere.” read more from Wikipedia…

“Vernal Equinox 2009: Facts on the First Day of Spring” John Roach for National Geographic News Updated March 19, 2009.
“In the Northern Hemisphere spring officially begins at 7:44 a.m. ET on Friday, March 20, 2009—the vernal equinox, or spring equinox [ (see vernal equinox pictures). ]
“But don’t be fooled by the old rumor that on the vernal equinox the length of day is exactly equal to the length of night.” read more from NationalGeographic.Com

Happy first day of Spring to YOU!
Access the main pages of The LasVegasBuffetClub

A Bill to Amend the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971

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Living Free On The Wild Open Range!

Wild Horses - Discovery Magazine
Wild Horses - Discovery Magazine

This is a headline from OpEdNews.Com – November 16, 2008: “BLM Planning to Execute 30,000 wild horses”. Things might be changing…
The following is a copy of an E-mail I received from the Cloud Foundation regarding the treatment of American wild horses and burros:

March 6, 2009 – 11:53 PM
“Dear Wild Horse friends;”
“I apologize for not being in touch with you sooner, but we wanted to have a clearer idea of what is really happening with the new Administration, BLM, and the wild horse program before reporting to you.”

“A Bill to Amend the Wild Horse and Burro Act of 1971:
Perhaps the single most important development so far this year is the recent introduction of HR 1018 by Congressmen Rahall (D-WV) and Grijalva (D-AZ). This legislation would amend the Wild Horse and Burro Act in numerous ways. You can read the bill by clicking here. The intent of the Bill is to strengthen protections for both wild horses on the range and in captivity. You can read my comments to the Congressmen here.”

“HR 1018 would allow for the expansion of wild horse habitat. We hope that this would support our arguments regarding the legal expansion of Cloud’s herd on the Pryor Mountains. Range expansion would eliminate BLM’s stated reason (lack of forage in the designated range) for reducing the herd to genetically non-viable levels, thereby destroying this genetically unique herd of Spanish mustangs.”

“The BLM Herd Management Plan, which has not yet been adopted, calls for a herd of only 90-120 animals in the Pryors. Legally expanding the range to areas which wild horses historically used and are using at the present time would also prevent the scheduled round up of 60 wild horses in August. This round up would represent the largest round up in the history of the Pryor Wild Horse Range. Please click here to contact the Billings BLM office so you can automatically receive information from them on their management plans for Cloud’s herd.”

“I would encourage you to get involved by thanking the Congressmen for their efforts with HR 1018 and encouraging them to specifically support the Pryor Wild Horses by preventing the planned destruction of the herd in August. Click here to contact them.”

“Range Expansion: Please communicate directly with the new Secretary of Agriculture, Tom Vilsack [AgSec@usda.gov] and the new Supervisor of the Gallatin and Custer National Forests, Mary Erickson requesting that that the Pryor Mountain Wild Horse Range be expanded to reflect the historic and current use areas of the rare Pryor wild horses.”

“BLM Advisory Board Meeting: We CANNOT allow the herd to be destroyed and we CANNOT allow Cloud and his family and the other wonderful families of wild horses on this spectacular mountain to be ripped apart. I delivered this message to the BLM Advisory Board at their meeting this Monday in Reno. Thanks to Sally Summers and Horse Power in Reno, you can view that meeting by clicking here . The bias of this Advisory Board boggles the imagination. It is stacked with vested special interest members, but there is hope. Three new positions will be opening up. I was nominated but have less than no chance of being appointed as I am too outspoken on behalf of the horses. But, we hope at least one new member speak on behalf of the public and our wishes to always have wild horses on our wide western landscapes. You can read my comment letter to the Board here.”

“Planned Trip: On a lighter note, we plan on visiting the Pryors in two weeks to see how everyone is doing. We know that Cloud is doing well but will report back to you, hopefully with photos if we can reach the bands. Winter is always a difficult time but we will do our best to access them. I will send them your regards. On some level, I know they feel your love for them.”

“Thanks so much for your continued support. You are so great. If you can donate for the cause, please do so by going online at www.thecloudfoundation.org or sending us something via mail. Please help if you can.”

Happy Trails!
Ginger

“P.S. Both the air date (now November 2009) and name (now Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions ) of the new Cloud program have changed. My new book, Cloud: Challenge of the Stallions, will be out in June and we’ll let you know when it is available. If you do not have the first two Cloud programs and books, you can order them on our website and be up to speed when the new story is published and aired. There is more story in the books than the DVDs, of course, and lots of photographs. I can autograph them however you like.”

Cloud Foundation
The Cloud Foundation

Wife of Texas billionaire T. Boone Pickens has plans to save wild horses – View a previous LVBC post…

Madeleine Pickens
Madeleine Pickens

Madeleine Pickens’ Official Website…

Sheryl Crow’s “I Don’t Wanna Know” featured in “Saving the American Wild Horse” Documentary.

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Spotlight on Pasta Jay’s / Third Location Opens In Lone Tree, Colorado.

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Soup's On...
Soup's On...

Pasta Jay’s
1001 Pearl St
Boulder, CO 80302
(303) 444-5800

Pasta Jay’s Italian restaurant on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado literally shines with energy. If they doused all the lights, the place would still be as bright as a 300 watt bulb. It must be culled energy from all those bright CU students, faculty members and other assorted Boulder residents.
Pasta Jay’s Boulder is a World-Class People-Waching-Meeting-Place.

Besides all the energy, Pasta Jay’s has red and white checkered tablecloths, floor to ceiling windows that open on to the Pearl Street Mall (weather permitting,) patio/indoor/(lively) bar dining and a vortex-opening to the Boulder Vibe. Pasta Jay’s serves excellent Italian entrees’ / nightly specials, sandwiches, pizza and more.

For example, we savored the Sunday Night Special:
“Plati’s Steak Bracciole (a classic Sunday Italian dish) 14.50
ribeye steak stuffed with fresh garlic, sweet basil, imported romano cheese and portabello mushrooms, seared in olive oil, simmered in marinara sauce, and served over a bed of linguini”
We also ordered the “Dinner Salad 3.99 (with gorgonzola cheese add 1.50”)
read more from the Boulder Menu…
Full bar, house wines ($5.50) and beer are available.

The pizza is (Sonny’s-California-style) different: very thin crust – Pizzas from $10.99 – $16.99.

A third Pasta Jay’s opened March 1 at Park Meadows/Lone Tree, Colorado.
Pasta Jay’s Lone Tree
9226 Park Meadows Dr
Lone Tree, CO 80124
Grand Opening event (March 1 – March 6) information…
View the Pasta Jay’s Lone Tree Menu…

There is a third Pasta Jay’s in Moab, Utah – click PJ’S main website link…

Take me to Pasta Jay’s Official Website…
Take me to the LasVegasBuffetClub’s page for Pasta Jay’s…

The M RESORT Is Scheduled To Open March 1 In Henderson, Nevada

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M Resort Pool
M Resort Pool

“Located in Henderson on the southeast corner of Las Vegas Boulevard South and St. Rose Parkway, M RESORT is scheduled to open March 1, 2009.

M RESORT is eight miles south of Mandalay Bay on So. Las Vegas Blvd.”
M Resort
12300 Las Vegas Blvd. South
Henderson, Nevada 89044

M Resort Phase One:
-Shopping mall consisting of 1,000,000 square feet
-400 room hotel
-Casino containing almost 100,000 square feet of space
-9 Restaurants
…..Baby Cakes
…..Marinelli’s
…..Red Cup Cafe
…..Studio B
…..Terzetto
…..Veloce Cibo
…..Vig Deli
-5 Bars
-Pool
-Spa
-Meeting and Convention Space

More Information From [By Jeff Pope] LasVegasSun.Com
Sat, Feb 28, 2009 (2 a.m.)
“M Resort banking on reasonable prices in tough economy.”

“As of Sunday, residents will have a new place to eat, rest and play south of the Strip.”

“M Resort opens its doors with all nine of the property-owned restaurants and five bars serving guests, a full-service spa and 92,000 square feet of indoor and poolside gaming.”

“Opening night festivities include a poolside musical show with fireworks beginning at 9:50 p.m.”

“Designed with an Italian theme and natural materials, the resort’s wood, stone, warm color palette and abundance of natural light — including skylights in the casino — are intended to create a different environment from a traditional casino, said chairman and Chief Executive Anthony Marnell III” read more…

Access M Resort’s Official Website
Go to the LasVegasBuffetClub’s main pages…