Unbelievable, mind blowing, spectacular and amazing. I am just back from Las Vegas where I saw the opening night show of Kenny Chesney’s limited residency at The Sphere and as I sit to write this for you those are the inadequate words that popped to mind to describe the experience.
If you are unfamiliar with The Sphere it is a literal sphere, and part of the Venetian resort, that is touted as an immersive entertainment experience but in reality it is so much more. The interior is covered with the worlds largest wraparound LED screens with 16K definition that truly gives concert goers a singular sensory experience. I would liken it to being inside a spectacular, glowing dream in the vein of Willy Wonka. I am rarely at a loss for words but as I stood in the center of The Sphere watching Kenny I was just that, totally speechless.
I am in awe of the intense experience that took us from the bottom of the ocean, to an amusement park, taking the field with the Tennessee Vols at Neyland Stadium and all points in between. Kenny is an amazing performer who I have seen many times but his incredible talent combined with the astonishing visuals in The Sphere was truly a mind blowing experience. Chesney, who at 57 performs with the energy of someone half his age, will be in residency at The Sphere until June 21st. If you want to see a show that will truly knock your socks off do not miss his limited engagement.
I was lucky enough to be treated to the VIP Chesney concert experience and as part of that we stayed at the Venetian Resort, which was a first for me. I have visited the resort complex, shopped, dined and ridden their indoor gondola but had not actually stayed onsite until now and all I can say is WOW.
As we checked in the receptionist casually mentioned that there are 40 restaurants onsite, which took a second to sink in. 40 restaurants? On site? That’s a lot of food choices which led me to wonder how many rooms there must be to warrant the need for 40 different dining venues and a quick google search revealed there are 7,100 suites on the property. 7,100.
To put that into perspective the entire population of Edna TX is 6,012 meaning each and every resident of Edna could stay in their own suite at The Venetian and there would still be room for an extra thousand more people. Edna is a whole, entire town with an HEB, schools and a hospital.
After I put this fact together in my head, I shared it widely with anyone who would listen from the Black Jack table to the elevator and even at the pool. In a hotel as large as a city the management and organization have to be spot on or you are in danger of your guests feeling like just another number and I can assure you that did not happen to me.
The staff was professional and helpful, I felt cared for and special and even found the resort to be surprisingly easy to navigate. Every detail from the immaculate cleanliness to the stunning architecture was so perfectly executed that I was left in awe of the management. So impressed was I that I could see myself abandoning my usual Vegas haunts of the Bellagio and The Cosmopolitan in favor of The Venetian when I go in the future. If you are planning a trip to Sin City The Venetian is definitely a resort to experience.
One of my favorite things about Las Vegas is the food and while we were there, I felt like I ate and drank my way through the city, from ice cream and Champaign by the pool to a palatial dinner at Joe’s. It was a nonstop feast.
One of my favorite things was a breakfast of fresh fried donuts from Donutique. Donutique’s fresh take on the humble fried breakfast treat is as follows, “...revolutionizes a timeless baked treat with a new chef-driven concept and exciting flavors” and that they certainly do.
I love the juxtaposition of the crisp crunch of the outside of a sweet, glazed donut with the light pillowy soft inside and Donutique did not disappoint. Summer has started and if you have children or grandchildren at home this simple recipe for donut holes is the perfect way to start their days with a smile. And if that doesn’t work think about taking them to The Venetian, with its 10 pools and an ample supply of fresh donuts everyone is sure to have a great time. As Kenny would say, “Who gets to live like we do, we do!”
Ingredients: DONUTS
• 1 c milk
• 1 egg
• 2 c all-purpose flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• 4 1/2 tbsp baking powder • 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/4 c butter, melted
• vegetable oil for frying
• 1 tsp nutmeg (optional) GLAZE
• 1 1/2 c powdered sugar
• 3 1/2 tbsp milk
• 2 tsp vanilla
Preparation:
DONUTS Heat your oil on the stove top (in a heavy pan) or in a deep fryer.
Mix the milk and egg together and set aside.
Mix the flours, baking powder salt and sugar together and then mix in the milk and egg, next add the melted butter, stirring just until a soft dough forms.
Form balls of approximately 1 tbsp of dough ( I used a cookie scoop) and fry in 350-degree oil until golden brown on all sides, about 2 minutes. Drain cooked donuts on a plate or cookie sheet lined with paper towels and cool slightly. While still warm remove from the paper towels, place in a large bowl and drizzle/toss with the glaze (directions below). Serve warm GLAZE To make the glaze slowly stir the milk and vanilla into the powdered sugar, blending until smooth.
