Balboa Pizza Company

Let me begin by saying I've never actually had any pizza at Balboa Pizza Company ... but I liked this place from the get go. Maybe it's the Southern California in me. This place feels different, beach-ish... and laid-back. If they could add the smell of the ocean, maybe truck in some sand, you'd swear you were on the coast. This alone however does not a "G-rated" entry make. The food I have tried is great! Pizza bread sandwiches are a must. A bucket of Balboa Chips or Maui fries as a side... all I can say is, "dude... right on!" 

Did I mention they're open 24 hours? If you're a late-night snack person, this place will leave you satisfied. No servers after midnight, but order whatever you want from the bar. They'll hook you up. Balboa Pizza Company is located in The District at Green Valley Ranch .

Calico Tanks

People often ask me, why do you live in Las Vegas? Anyone who's lived here for any significant period I'm sure gets this all the time. Yes, it's the weather. Yes, it's the nightlife. Yes, it's the excitement of a 24-hour city. And, yes it's the ability to occasionally get away-from-it-all. A perfect escape for me is to go on a hike. Since I've lived in Las Vegas I've had the opportunity to go on several. One of my favorite spots is Red Rock Canyon. There are nearly 2-dozen marked trails, with varying degrees of difficulty to chose from. This weekend I chose the Calico Tanks trail, which starts at the third stop of the 13-mile Red Rock loop. It's pretty easy, only about 2 1/2 miles round trip. The scenery is spectacular and I'm not gonna lie... it's a great "date" hike. The trail veers up a canyon and at certain points you may even have to climb some rocks (nothing very steep). It lets out at a large, natural water tank. Continue along the rock-edge looking down at the water all the way to the opposite side. From there you'll find a great view of the city... and a perfect spot for that "date lunch" you just happened to pack.

If you leave early your chances of seeing wildlife are pretty good. On past Red Rock hikes I've seen Big Horn Sheep, Coyotes, Wild Burros and Roadrunners. This time all I saw was a tiny Red-Spotted-Toad. Still very cool.

The Bagel Cafe

Breakfast anyone? My first meal in Las Vegas was at The Bagel Cafe over on Buffalo and Summerlin Parkway. I had flown in for a job interview with Channel 3 late the night before and the news director at the time suggested we go there for breakfast the next morning. I won't say this is what sold me on Vegas but it definitely helped.

I'm all about an occasional "big breakfast". And when you go to The Bagel Cafe you want to go big...or go home. This is not one of those on-the-Strip, over-priced pancake houses. This is an authentic, New-York style deli and cafe. In my opinion you won't find a better bagel in town. The homemade Baked Challah French Toast are huge. My absolute favorite though is the Nova Benedict. It comes with home potatoes. If you like salmon and you like Eggs Benedict, trust me on this one. I've also tried their Over-Stuffed Sandwiches for lunch. The pastries are as close to "East Coast" bakery style as you're going to get here. I've had the Éclairs and the Cannolis. These definitely tip the "G-scale"... and will likely add a few digits to your home scale as well.

Obviously I accepted the job. Now, 7 years later I'm still putting back bagels and Benedicts like nobody's business. I've suggested to my bosses here at Channel 3 that we open a remote office at The Bagel Cafe... I would be the correspondent of course. Still waiting on an answer.

Yellow Brick Road

Do you ever wish you could go back in time? One thing I'd do if I could turn back the clock is attend more live concerts. Most people who know me know I like many types of music, including classic rock. And while I've never really been a big fan of "tribute" bands, Yellow Brick Road is absolutely "G-list" material.
Believe me when I say you'll think you're listening to the real thing. From the Beatles to Bon Jovi, from The Rolling Stones to Rush, these guys do it all. Check out this YouTube clip of them covering Led Zeppelin, youtubeclip. Brody Dolyniuk is the lead singer. His range is amazing. Few people can sound like Journey's Steve Perry and not miss a note. Mark Cole is the lead guitarist. He can shred like Eddie Van Halen used to. You really have to see them to believe it.
Yellow Brick Road performs every Friday and Saturday at 11pm for "free" at The Railhead inside Boulder Station. Be advised, it's crowded, it's loud, it's smoky... it's rock n' roll.