All posts by William Carbone

California Information

California Restaurant Visits: La Rocco’s Pizzeria, 118 degrees, Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar, Pizza D’ Oro, The Gypsy Den, Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot, Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta and *Los Arcos in Rosarito, Mexico.

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Soup's on...
La Rocco’s Pizzeria in San Clemente, CA (other SOCA locations) serves NY pizza on the beach (almost.) Actually La Rocco’s is just five minutes inland…
122 S El Camino Real
San Clemente, CA 92672
(949) 366-889029
New York Pizza!
La Rocco’s Pizzeria in Huntington Beach is on the BEACH…
La Rocco’s Pizzeria – 101 Main St, Ste 112, Huntington Beach, CA 92648-8159

118 degrees – The Camp is the perfect locale for 118 Degrees, a raw food restaurant for health- and environmentally-conscious gourmands. read more…
Neat little place across the street (Bristol) from The Gypsy Den…Enjoy food art at 118 degrees…118 degrees has to do with temperature rather then…click link above…(The Gypsy Den information – at the bottom of this post refers mostly to the Santa Ana location.)
The Camp
2981 Bristol St. (Baker St.)
Costa Mesa, CA 92626
714-754-0718

Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar – on the historic San Clemente Pier…” The Best Seafood in San Clemente ”
Fisherman’s website…
Overlooking the Pacific (literally,) it’s Fisherman’s for appetizers & cocktails at sunset…
The Fisherman’s Restaurant & Bar
611 Avenida Victoria
San Clemente, CA 92672
Phone: 949-498-6390

Pizza D’ Oro in Costa Mesa, Ca. is still a bargain favorite…Unbelievable specials in this tiny strip-mall restaurant. Try a giant slice of NY Pizza, cut from a 30 inch pie…If you require hoity-toity, go elsewhere…If you want a basic red-sauce Southern-Italian dinner with red-wine, give Pizza D’ Oro a try (several locations in the area.) “This is an Italian restaurant for the working man.”
Pizza D’ Oro in Costa Mesa, Ca.
1145 Baker St.
Costa Mesa, Ca. 714-549-0685

The Gypsy Den is one of my favorite places to hang-out in Southern California. I gravitate toward the Santa Ana location. It’s basically a coffee-house – with a patio, poetry-stage, up-right piano (Tom Waits took it for a spin – so I’ve heard,) old stuffed couches and chairs, lots of art, lamps and atmosphere…All meals are served. Beer and wine are available.

Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot in San Juan Capistrano, CA…
“Welcome to Sarducci’s Capistrano Depot where you will experience the finest in Italian and American Cuisine while dining in San Juan Capistrano’s historic train depot built in 1894” read more…We did brunch here and had an awesome chicken-salad…

Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta in San Clemente, CA…“Authentic Italian Food Served With Southern California Flair It’s time for the rest of the world to know what residents of San Clemente have known for almost 20 years. Ask anyone in town where to go for great Italian food, and they’ll tell you Sonny’s Pizza & Pasta. Known simply as Sonny’s” read more…
Sonny’s has a great patio and a LVBC connection…

*Los Arcos in Rosarito, Mexico is not in California – Wait…it’s in Baja California-that’s California isn’t it? Anyway, we took a side trip into Mexico and stopped at this little Taco stand for a bite…The cook is crazy-at least he acts like he’s loco…

California Information

SAWDUST ART FESTIVAL in beautiful Laguna Beach, California

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“Voted one of the top 5 art festivals in the country in 2005 by the readers of American Style Magazine,” the Sawdust Art Festival 2007 was favored with blue sky’s and California sunshine – at least when we attended (first week in August.)…Show Dates & Hours: Friday, June 29 – September 2, 2007; Open 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. every day…Link to the Sawdust Festival’s official Website…”Welcome to the world-famous Sawdust Art Festival where visitors experience the artistic wonders of 200 Laguna Beach artists amidst towering eucalyptus trees and tranquil waterfalls within a three and half acre canyon setting. Since 1966 the Sawdust has drawn art enthusiasts looking for original artwork including: painting, ceramics, jewelry, photography, textile arts, wood and metal sculpture, hand blown and fused glass and even scrimshaw.” read more…This festival has been a favorite of mine since my gallery/store: “Steel and Stuff” was partially stocked with art & craft work from the Sawdust Festival; this was in the 70’s…
Larry Gill's Crystal fountain …….Pretty in Pink at the Sawdust Art Festival …….Dion Wright's welded sculpture
[All photos-c.2007-LasVegasBuffetClub]
The photos are from left to right: Larry Gill’s Crystal Fountain (fig. 1,) an unidentified woman at one of the booths (fig. 2) and Dion Wright’s Welded Sculpture…The huge crystal was [maybe] two feet high…A metal frame / fountain was crafted around the facets of the crystal…The young woman consented to having the photo snapped; she represents the Sawdust Festival very well indeed…The photo of Dion Wright’s sculptures looks somewhat like an underwater scene at first glance…Actually the metal fish “swimming” out of frame is suspended by a wire…
Click the Sawdust Art Festival’s Website link (above) for more photos and other information…
Since I’m busy with other stuff, I’m going to post this now…I’ll try to up date it with more content ASAP…
Link to the Las Vegas Buffet Club’s Art Gallery – Sawdust Festival…
Take me to the Las Vegas Buffet Club’s Home page…

Colorado Information

Cherry Creek Art Fest

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The Cherry Creek Art Festival comes to an end...c.2007- LasVegasBuffetClub…
(Photo) The Cherry Creek Art Festival winds down Sunday evening…Take me to the Cherry Creek Art Festival’s Website…
Saturday afternoon – I’m writing from the Denver Public Library in Cherry Creek, as in Cherry Creek Art Fest…We just got here; I thought that it would be a hoot to send a quick blast from the source…Don’t have much to report yet…I’ll write in more detail as I see the work…My plan was to have a look around and then return tomorrow with the camera…One quick review: Two years ago I wrote about a young guy who was working as a Starbucks‘ barista in Denver – oh yeh – he also sings and plays a very decent guitar…KENNY LEE YOUNG today was playing at the CCAF…He is on his way…Check out Kenny’s music July 10 at Loews Denver Hotel 5-7 PM…KENNY’S MY SPACE PAGE…Got to split for now; we have lots of art to peruse…Sunday afternoon – Wow…they got rained on again – Saturday & Sunday – not before I saw Larry Preston’s paintings (my last years pick) again…We saw lots of fine art. This happens to be my fav…Take me to a page where I can get more information for Larry Preston…
A Painting by Larry Preston
Photos – Larry Preston, above; Brian Blackham, below left; Alla Tsank, below right.
Brian Blackham's art…Painting by TSANK, ALLA
Paintings by Brian Blackham and Alla Tsank also “caught my eye.”
Take me to a page where I can get more information on Brian Blackham…
Take me to a page where I can get more information about Alla Tsank…

Take me to The Las Vegas Buffet Club’s home page…

Las Vegas Information

“ACCELERATION” – Clips from a Las Vegas Bikefest-2001 movie…The Fold A Napkin Into A Bra video…

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These are snapshots from LVBC videos…The first short video features some choice (loud) accelerating bikes from the ACCELERATION Video…The second video shows how to fold a napkin into a bra shape…Click on the photos to access the movies on The Las Vegas Buffet Club’s YouTube Video Channel or click on the YouTube video’s-lvbc link on the right, under websites…Take me to The Las Vegas Buffet Club’s main web pages…

Blue bike from Acceleration.……….Napkin Into Bra video.

Colorado Information

Fortune Valley Casino Buffet in Central City, CO; The Riviera Black Hawk; El Rancho Restaurant in Genesee, CO

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ACCESS THE LAS VEGAS BUFFET CLUB’S MAIN PAGES HERE – or under BLOGROLL – above right (lvbc-home.)

Central City, CO roadsign……….CENTRAL CITY, COLORADO……….Central City, CO

One person in our party wanted to drive up to the mountains and place a bet on the Preakness. Little did we know that the Colorado-mountain-gaming-towns of Central City and Black Hawk do not have Sports Books…If they did, the maximum bet would be $5.00. Anyway we had a nice drive up I-70 and finished with a “comped” buffet at
The Fortune Valley Hotel-Casino’s FLAVOURS BUFFET…Click link for buffet information…
The buffet was average by Las Vegas standards – Las Vegas standards are fairly high these days…The room is a long, clean and bright rectangle, which could use a few more booths; the buffet choices were minimal, but presented and prepared well, and for the most part tasty; the King Crab Legs and Peel & Eat Shrimp were absolutely (seawater) fresh…The staff were smalltown friendly…Fortune Valley has Hot Hot Super Jackpot Slots…These WMS slots have a “bit-of-a-feel” of an amusement park ride…
We also checked in at Black Hawk’s Riviera…
Link to the Riviera Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada…

El Rancho Restaurant in Genesee, Colorado
On the return trip we passed one of my favorite mountain-get-away restaurants: EL RANCHO in Genesee, Colorado…
Click this link to see YouTube movie clips of the Genesee Bison Herd – which grazes just down the road a piece from El Rancho…

Take me to the Las Vegas Buffet Club’s page for Colorado Casino’s…

Las Vegas Food, Las Vegas Gaming, Las Vegas Information

WMS’ AMUSEMENT PARK WILD RIDE SLOTS – HOT HOT SUPER JACKPOT! – OUTBACK STEAKHOUSE AT ARIZONA CHARLIE’S, DECATUR

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ACCESS THE LAS VEGAS BUFFET CLUB’S MAIN PAGES HERE – or under BLOGROLL, above-right (lvbc-home.)
Turn me on...
“GET FIRED UP!” WMS GAMING (These are the folks who gave you hours and hours of pleasure playing William’s pinball machines at the local hangout) has trumped the industry with it’s Hot Hot Super Jackpot machines: Double Easy Money / Golden Chariots / Reels O’Dublin / Mystical Fortunes / Crazy Diamonds / Stroke of Luck are behemoth slots that will take you for a ride in more ways than one ($.01; up to 20 lines+10 for the super bonus; up to $.10 per line)…It’s all about the bonus with these luminous, colorful, exciting slot machines…Five brightly lit reels spin and generate typical payoffs until the player hits the most desired bonus symbols…When the Hot Hot Super Jackpot bet is made (20 lines + 10 for the super bonus – 30 units minimum bet for the bonus) 2 or more scattered bonus symbols activate the respin feature. At this point the two bonus reels freeze. As the remaining reels start to spin, a sound which sounds something like an airplane taking off increases in decibels as well as pitch…The excitement builds as one waits for the next step which could be more (awarded) spins or a sizable win…All the while a plethora of very bright lights and sounds spellbind the player…You have to play maximum to activate/play the bonus… THIS IS THE MOST EXCITING SLOT I’VE EVER SEEN – WMS uses the term Sensory Immersion Gaming…The woman sitting to my left at Arizona Charlie’s, Decatur the other night ran a series of $.30 bets (20 lines + the 10 unit bonus bet at $.01 per) up to $350.00 in very short order…I was treated to a dinner at the Outback Steakhouse at Arizona Charlie’s…It’s fairly typical; the food was decent; the restaurant is a nice getaway from the caos of the casino…The waiter’s mind was eleswhere…Please leave a comment (below) if you’ve played a Hot Hot Super Jackpot machine…
ACCESS THE LAS VEGAS BUFFET CLUB’S MAIN PAGES HERE – or under BLOGROLL, above-right (lvbc-home.)

Las Vegas Gaming, Las Vegas Information

Hybrid guitar from the mountains of Michoacan, Mexico.

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I thought I’d seen every type of guitar ever made, however last night at the Garduno’s Happy Hour party, at the Fiesta Rancho Hotel, I saw a hybrid, double-necked beauty originating from the mountain town of Paracho, ( Michoacan) Mexico; Have a drink or sit down to a dinner in any hotel in Mexico on any given evening and watch the strolling mariachi; chances are that the guitar players will be playing Paracho guitars…
The guitar in question is not of the typical double-necked variety with two necks “stacked” on top of one another. This guitar’s necks are “back to back.” In other words: one neck is attached in a normal fashion; the other neck is attached to the back of the guitar as if the back is the front (confused?)…I was told that the smaller (guitar) neck was of the “Requinto” style ( 1/5 higher – up the scale – than a standard guitar. ) The other neck is a standard 6-string. The acoustic body is wired with a pick-up…One of the members of the interesting “mariachi” trio which was performing at Garduno’s outdoor party told me that the guitar was made epecially for him in Paracho…There may be a slight mix-up. Is the name of the trio, LOS PEPES?
Read more about Garduno’s outdoor party in the previous post (below.)
NOW TAKE ME TO THE LAS VEGAS BUFFET CLUB’S MAIN WEBPAGES!!!
ACCESS THE LAS VEGAS BUFFET CLUB’S MAIN WEBPAGES HERE – or under BLOGROLL, above-right (lvbc-home.)

Las Vegas Information

FIESTA’S GARDUNO’S RESTAURANT

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Soup's on...
The Fiesta Hotel and Casino’s GARDUNO’S authentic Mexican restaurant, one of Las Vegas’ best Mexican restaurants has upped the ante with a couple new chips (and salsa:) Killer pastas on the menu and a Thursday Happy Hour on the patio.
I had a “red-chile Chipotle Fettuccine with chicken” dish which was beyond outstanding. This is a perfect blending of the Hispanic and Italian cuisines: chicken strips floating among strands of fettuccine noodles in a rich (Alfredo-like) red-chile, Chipotle cream sauce (about $10.00, salad included.)…On Thursdays, the Happy Hour party (5-9 pm) is about $1.00 Margaritas, other drink specials, $2.00 soft tacos and more, live music and more…FIRST DRINK FREE WITH AMIGO CARD (Margarita, draft beer or well drink only.)
Years ago, the Fiesta (THE ROYAL FLUSH CAPITAL OF THE WORLD) was an innovator (up-scale Mexican restaurant in Las Vegas.) It seems as though they’ve done it again with Cabo San Lucas style outdoor parties…
FIESTA RANCHO
2400 N. Rancho Drive
North Las Vegas, NV 89130
Phone: (888) 899-7770 or (702) 631-7000)

Las Vegas Gaming, Las Vegas Information

MOONLIGHT MANSION SLOT from ATRONICS and USED CARS by IGT

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Moonlight Mansion , from Atronics International, is a new HI RES slot with clean, interesting graphics, a great premise and very interesting and profitable (potentially monster) bonus rounds…I found it at the tiny WILDFIRE CASINO on Rancho Drive…Play up to 21 lines at: $.01, .02, .03, .05 and .10 – up to $2.10 max. bet…Cat-eyes, full moons, bats, several ghosts, candlesticks, spiders and the Moonlight Mansions are on the reels. Three Moolight Mansion symbols trigger the bonus where you choose between four rooms. Each room has a number of hiding places where the loot is stashed. Depending on your choices, the bonus can go on for several minutes. Again the graphics here are superlative. If you like a bit more substance to a slot, this may be for you; it definitely is for me…This machine has buttons on either side that control the vertical motion of the playing board; it slides up and down to adjust to your height…
May 1, 2007…Did I MAKE A HASTY JUDGEMENT? I’ve played this machine several times now and it seems to be very tight…
I also found MOONLIGHT MANSION, as well as other Atronic machines at Texas Hotel and Casino…
“The ATRONIC Group of companies is a leading global provider of casino gaming equipment and services. Comprised of the sister companies ATRONIC INTERNATIONAL, ATRONIC AMERICAS and ATRONIC SYSTEMS, the company is dedicated” read more…

Moonlight Mansion

IGT has a winner with the USED CARS slot…Hit the bonus and be treated to the best audio of a Las Vegas slot: the song LOW RIDER by WAR plays during the main bonus round…A Zoot-suited, jive-talking, Hispanic, Used Car salesman talks to you throughout the game, which by the way is bi-lingual…While you’re playing this East LA gem, sound files of tasty music bites tease you until you hit the bonus that brings up the Low Rider tune, then it’s full on…Just kick back and listen to the entire song, then play the round or play as you listen to War do it’s thing…Remember, test the machine you play since most all casino slots play audio at different levels…
USED CARS