Mind-boggling Steak Opportunity?

My most recent post on this blog promised more story from my 7 day drive from South Florida to Northern California. Where to start? How about here:

I departed La Quinta in Shreveport, Louisiana at 9AM hoping to make it to Amarillo, Texas by the time I drove out of energy. My goal seemed to be in real jeopardy in Dallas. I was lost. Driving the myriad of freeways, express ways and construction sites in and around Dallas I became more and more exasperated and confused. Three times I stopped to ask directions and received opposing opinions. One gas station attendant told me he had never been to Amarillo and had no idea how to get there. Finally, a helpful Pepsi delivery man consulted his smart phone and quickly pointed me in the correct direction. So, I arrived in Amarillo that night at 8PM.

When on the road I try to stay at La Quinta motels since I can earn free nights with earned points. This night I couldn’t locate one and settled for a Comfort Inn right along Interstate 40. Standing at the front desk checking in I looked at the key card given to me. It had emblazoned on it an advertisement for a free 72 ounce steak. From my memory bank came images of several billboards I had seen along the freeway that advertised the same thing. I exclaimed, “Wow, free steak! What’s up with that? And 72 ounces, that’s 4 ½ pounds isn’t it?”

The answer came from a Texan looking blond woman now standing behind me. “It’s not free unless you eat the whole thing,” she informs me. She had apparently driven in behind me and noted my Florida license plate so she added authoritatively, “If you did it you would be the first person from Florida to ever eat the whole thing.”

I have to admit the potential claim to fame enticed me for a moment but I’m not really a big eater or much of a steak eater either. I said, “No way, not me. I’m not even going to give that a try.” She laughed and said, “I don’t blame you.”

It turns out that the Big Texan Steak House and Motel that makes this offer was close by. As the story goes, some years ago a cowboy came into the restaurant and said, “I’m so hungry I could eat the whole cow.” Thus was born the 72 ounce steak challenge. One has to pay $17.95 for the dinner which includes the steak, shrimp, baked potato and salad. If the challenger can successfully eat all of this in one hour or less they get their money refunded. I guess then they can go to the 54 unit AAA rated motel located next door and sleep it off. Several thousand have accomplished this feat. Check out the details at www.bigtexan.com. Like they say, “Everything is big in Texas.”

Stan the Man

http://www.bigtexan.com/

Mind-boggling process of transition once again

Initiating and managing change and transition involves enough knowledge and expertise that at least several books have been written about it. I think I should have written such a book. Everything is changing again. Katherine has accepted an offer to serve as permanent Director of Case Management over four large hospitals in San Francisco. So it looks like a little stability may come into our lives. It also means another transition is underway and so I swing into action.

My initial action was a 6 hour American Airlines flight to Miami, Florida followed by a wild 30 minute taxi ride to our condo in Bal Harbour. Yes, we had planned on living there. We love the climate and the environment but everything has changed once again. My job, to get three bids from moving companies to move all of our worldly possessions to our new home. The process is not much fun but I am a professional at it after all of our moving experiences. North American Van Lines was the winner primarily because they could pick our belongings up on the earliest date.

In the middle of this process close friends Jon and Sonya appeared in Florida on vacation from California. They were a welcome diversion. We spent a great day together after their 4AM arrival. They enjoyed the beach, my favorite restaurant and we had on-going great conversations like always. Too bad Katherine remained back in the Bay Area slaving away. I guess somebody has to work.

After vacillating back and forth I decided to drive our practically new car back to California rather than shipping it. I’m always up for an adventure and a road trip. One hour after the movers were gone and the floors mopped I was on my way. The trip took me through the length and breadth of Florida, across Alabama, Mississippi, Louisiana, through Dallas and Amarillo in Texas, then on to New Mexico and Arizona and finally California. The trip consumed most of six days and put 3100 miles on the Mazda 3. I arrived safe and well.

It was a mind-boggling trip. Many lasting impressions and experiences of people, cultures, and topography remain with me. I will write about some of them on this blog shortly.

Stan the Man

Mind-boggling Secrets of Vegas

Upon our return to San Francisco from Las Vegas we needed a few groceries. I walked up to Trader Joes our favorite purveyor of groceries in the neighborhood to get something for dinner. As I checked out the chatty checker asked, “Did you find everything you needed?” My response was “Yes and more!” The checker cheerily said, “Yep that’s what makes America work. We don’t know we need it until we see it.”

Immediately that comment took me back to our four days in Las Vegas. That city is full of things we don’t need but Americans as well as international travelers see and buy, buy, buy. Actually, when we gamble most of us have paid good money and get nothing for it except perhaps a few moments of giddy hope. The ads are now saying, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. Now I know exactly what they mean. It’s our money that stays when we go home.

I had never been to Las Vegas before except as a stopover to get somewhere else. I won’t be returning. I thought Las Vegas was all about the gambling and giving every visitor to the city at least a chance to go home with some winnings. I was wrong. Instead it’s about high end shopping. Women’s clothes, purses, jewelry and much more are waiting for people to discover they can't live without one or more of those overpriced items. These shops are everywhere, one cannot escape them. Well, that is unless you are a hardened non-shopper like me.

Amongst the shops are a multitude of restaurants. If my memory serves me right one of the attractions use to be cheap food. There were cheap all-you-can-eat buffets attached to every casino. There are still a few buffets in evidence. The standard rate seems to be $44.99 per person. And what about drinks? We ate dinner in a mid-range restaurant at Caesar’s Palace where we were staying. The cheapest glass of wine was $25. That’s a 6 ounce glass not a bottle.

Upon our arrival we ate lunch at an Italian restaurant. That entailed waiting an hour for our pizza and upon inquiring we found that the waiter neglected to turn in the order. Twenty minutes later we were finally satisfying our hunger. Next our room wasn’t ready and we were rewarded with an upgrade to a nicer room for an additional $50 per day. Oh by the way, four days of cold showers with only brief moments of hot water were provided in that upgrade. Another day our lunch of a hot dog and a salad ran us over $28. Okay, okay, you probably get the picture, expensive place with not very good service.

Gambling, of course, is the big thing in Las Vegas. Not being a big gambler, because I don’t like to lose, I am pretty much a wimp. I don’t play Blackjack, roulette, craps, poker or any of those other high stake games. Penny and quarter machines are my speed. I have always been able to win enough to give me some fun until I lose everything I’m willing to put into the machines. This time there was essentially no winning. I would play a quarter and win but winning paid .20 cents. Even as a winner you lose. Enough of that. I assume there were some winners amongst us but I was not their witness.

Now I know, I am not abiding by the rule that Las Vegas is putting out there: What happens in  Vegas stays in Vegas. Now I have a pretty good idea why they don’t want us telling on them.

The other side of the coin is that Las Vegas is “over the top.” It is an American extravagance. I love the desert, the climate and the open skies but it must have taken a miracle to plop this commercial phenomenon down in the middle of the desert and for it to survive and thrive even during difficult economic times. Everything is make-believe, fantasy, unreal. Perhaps that’s the trick.

Katherine the Great and I enjoyed a great dinner together to celebrate our 19^th anniversary. Would you believe we were in Paris half way up the Eiffel Tower? Incredible views, a water ballet across the street, wonderful food and great service contributed to a special evening. I highly recommend experiencing the Las Vegas Eiffel Tower.

A visit to Las Vegas is a mind-boggling experience in many ways. I still haven’t shared most of what happens in Las Vegas so I should be safe.

Stan the Man