Leaving Las Vegas: The Big Move!

Well, the time finally came for us to leave Las Vegas. It was a crazy process getting everything packed up and selling lots of our stuff. Our cars were packed to the roof and Justin even tied our mattress on top of the cargo van. We set out for Louisiana on Friday morning around 11 and arrived in Shreveport at about 6pm on Saturday evening. 24 hours of driving + 4 hours of sleep in the front seat of the cargo van = a really long trip! Justin and I are both a little sad and missing Las Vegas and all of our friends there right now. We are excited to have a month to spend with our families and friends here in Louisiana! Then, I guess we'll have to do this moving thing all over again!

Leaving Las Vegas: Central Christian Church

Justin and I have been blessed to have attended such an amazing church while in Las Vegas. They simply believe that Jesus has saved us and they teach from the Bible. Their welcoming atmosphere makes everyone feel at home. Central emphasizes that this church is a place where it is ok to not be ok and that God loves us all no matter what we've done. The music is awesome and we love the pastor, Jud Wilhite. This is a church that will leave you inspired and ready to make a difference in Sin City and throughout the world. The church currently has 4 locations around the Las Vegas Valley and an online campus where you can watch live services.

Check them out at http://www.centralchristian.com and if you are ever in Vegas, this opportunity to learn about and worship Christ is not to be missed!

Leaving Las Vegas: Retro Bakery!

The next edition of the Leaving Las Vegas series features Retro Bakery! I have throughly enjoyed these cupcakes many times. They have unique, imaginative flavors that will blow you away! Maple Bacon cupcake anyone? My favorites are a bit more normal but no less delicious. My number one, must get everytime I visit, is the Milk and Cookies cupcake. White cake with chocolate chips, vanilla to-die-for buttercream, all topped off with a soft chocolate chip cookie. It's two desserts in one! My number two is the Chocolate Fountain cupcake. The most moist chocolate cake, creamy chocolate buttercream, dipped in rich chocolate ganache. Do I have any chocolate lovers drooling out there? To make the experience even better, I am supporting a local business here in Las Vegas, run by a husband and wife team who are truly dedicated to producing high quality confections and offering amazing customer service. Once again, if you are ever in Vegas, check out Retro Bakery. They even will deliver to the Strip for you!

Leaving Las Vegas: Caesar's Palace!

Last night was my last night of work at Caesar's Palace and I was a bit depressed to leave at the end of the shift. Working at Caesar's has been an exciting, educational experience for me. I have made some great friends that I'll never forget. As I turned in my badge today and was wished good luck with my life, I realize how much I gained from this experience. First of all, I can count to 21 faster than anyone I know! Second, along the way I had some pretty crazy experiences that I'll not forget anytime soon. I always had fun, outrageous, and sometimes disturbing stories to tell about my players and I'm sure Justin appreciates me waking him up at 5 in the morning because I couldn't wait to tell someone. Last but never least, is the family of employees that Caesar's has. I will truly miss a lot of individuals that have made my past year special. Thanks for all of the memories! When you visit Vegas, I couldn't name a better place for you to stay and play. Caesar's Palace has elegance, history, and fun times waiting for you!

Most of the time I dealt in the Pussycat Dolls Casino section of Caesar's Palace. These two pictures are of me in pink and blue uniforms. This job was definitely something that is unique to Las Vegas. I had a wonderful group of ladies to work with who made it a great experience for me! I'll miss being in PCD on Friday and Saturday nights.

This last photo is of me in my black and white uniform. It was always exciting to see the uniform in lots of different movies, like Iron Man and The Hangover to name a couple. I am proud to have been a small part of the legacy of Caesar's Palace.

Leaving Las Vegas: Firefly*

Our time in Las Vegas is almost over! It has been an excellent experience for Justin and I to live in such a vibrant, exciting city. We've definitely tried to make the most of it by hitting up lots of local spots. One of our absolute favorite places is Firefly* on Paradise. It is a Spanish style tapas restaurant and has an amazing happy hour! Our beverage of choice is the Pomegranate Mojitos. They are sweet, minty, and perfect for a summer's day! We also enjoy their Sangria. It is fruity and perfect for a winter's night! If you are ever in Vegas, check it out! You won't be disappointed. We never were!

Travel Tales: Bryce Canyon

Hi! It's been a while since I've updated this blog, but Justin and I have been busy! We are preparing for a move at the end of the month. It's an exciting, but scary time and we are sad to leave Las Vegas. Over the next couple of weeks I plan on doing a few posts about our favorite spots here in Vegas, but until then check out us at Bryce Canyon in Utah.

Wow, what a magnificent place! Bryce is definitely one of my favorite places that we've been; the hike was amazing with incredible views. We did a 6.5 mile hike through the canyon and found that it was a challenging, but really enjoyable hike. Once again, we are astounded at God's creation!

This was called the "Wall of Windows", on the very well named Peek-A-Boo Trail.

Justin in front of one of the many tunnels we walked through. I think this photo gives you a sense of how small we really are!

Cooking Chronicles: Strawberry Cupcakes

These cupcakes were a delight and a perfect summertime treat! Justin and I get lots of fresh fruit every week, and this week the strawberries were especially delicious! I had some extra I needed to use up, so I decided cupcakes were just what we needed. The cake had fresh chunks of strawberries which made it super moist and yummy. I used a classic vanilla buttercream for the icing but they would also be great with a cream cheese frosting or even just a simple dollop of sweetened fresh whipped cream. Wouldn't that be a tasty take on strawberry shortcake? Let me know if you'd like the recipe and I'll make sure you get it. Hope you enjoy this little bit of summer sweetness!

Cooking Chronicles: Apple Cider Doughnuts

Even though it is still 100 degrees everyday here in Las Vegas, I am getting ready for fall! Autumn is one of my favorite seasons; I always picture beautiful leaves changing colors, football games and tailgating, bonfires, Halloween parties, pumpkins, and Thanksgiving! Well, I decided to bring fall to Vegas this past Sunday morning and I made some Apple Cider Doughnuts from this month's FoodNetwork Magazine. These tasty treats were a delicious combination of sugar and spice and they sure made me want to move to Vermont and grow apples for a living!

Travel Tales: Lake Tahoe

"...at last the lake burst upon us-a noble sheet of blue water lifted six thousand three hundred feet above the level of the sea, and walled in by a rim of snow-clad mountain peaks that towered aloft full three thousand feet higher still...I thought it must surely be the fairest picture the whole earth affords." Mark Twain, 1872

Next on the list to see before we leave Vegas was Lake Tahoe. We got to cross that name off the list this past week. This area was one of the most beautiful and relaxing places that we have ever been. It has the perfect mountain resort towns. The lake itself was gorgeous and I can see why Mark Twain raved about it so long ago. The lake is the second deepest lake in the USA and is so clear you can see a white dinner plate 75 feet below the surface. We could only imagine how beautiful the area is in the winter when the mountains are snow-capped and the reflection shows clearly in the glass-like lake. Lake Tahoe was a definite must visit again destination.

Travel Tales: The Grand Canyon

One of our favorite hobbies is hiking. Seeing what God has created is awe-inspiring. Around Las Vegas, we have so many wonderful locations to choose from. A few of preferred spots are Red Rock, Mount Charleston (about 30 minutes north of Vegas), Valley of Fire (1 hour north of Vegas), and Zion National Park (about 3 hours away in Utah). I'll get around to posting some photos of those hikes as well, but today I wanted to focus of the grandest hike of all...The Grand Canyon! In June, we traveled about 5 hours south of Las Vegas to the South Rim of the Canyon in Arizona. I was just astounded at the sight before us and, I admit, a little nervous. I'm scared of heights and Justin likes to scare me. We had a great time at the Grand Canyon. I was determined to see the Colorado River and to achieve this we had to hike 6 miles down into the Canyon. Of course that also means a 6 mile return hike back up! Our favorite quote from the Park staff is "Getting to the bottom is optional, but getting to the top is mandatory." Enjoy the pictures of one of our most memorable adventures!

Finally made it to the river!

Now we just have to make it back up!

Travel Tales: San Francisco and the Pacific Coast

What a fabulous trip! Justin and I visited San Francisco in June of this year and then we headed home by driving down Hwy 1 along the Pacific Coast. This was on our must visit list while living in Las Vegas. We loved seeing the Golden Gate Bridge and Chinatown, had a great time at Fisherman's Wharf and on Pier 39, and enjoyed lots of tasty food! We especially loved the Sourdough Bread, Clam Chowder, and the fresh steamed Crab.

Our final leg of this trip was the journey down Highway 1 that runs along side the Pacific Ocean.

What views! At times we were merely feet from the ocean and then we would be on the edge of the cliff that had a sheer drop down into the ocean. When we get to experience such beauty, Justin and I just thank God for the majesty of his creation! We also got to see some gigantic elephants seals lying on the beach!

On this trip we also visited Hearst Castle, onced owned by William Randolph Hearst, who owned several major newspapers. The house was truly a work of art. Hearst began building the estate in 1919 and never finished. Visitors to the mansion included everyone from Franklin Roosevelt and Winston Churchill to Charles Lindberg and many 20's and 30's Hollywood stars.

This pool is one of two gorgeous pools located on the property. This one is located under a tennis court and is known as the Roman Pool.

Travel Tales: Napa & Sonoma

This area is probably my idea of paradise! I absolutely loved these two quaint little towns. We visited about 5-7 wineries between the two towns in two days. Our personal favorites were Frog's Leap Winery (where everything is grown organically as God intended it to be), Hendry Winery (where we were given a 3 hour in depth tour by the owner of the winery), Chateau St. Jean (such beautiful scenery), and the Ty Caton/Muscardini tasting room in Sonoma. These places went above and beyond in customer service. We were really interested in learning about the wine making process and I have to say I was ready to pack up and move to Napa after this trip!

The food there was what put the icing on the cake. Our favorites included Tayler's Refresher (for awesome burgers), Bouchon Bakery (for breakfast or anytime you need something sweet!), and The Girl and the Fig (for a wonderful dinner or brunch). So delicious! We definitely recommend a visit to this beautiful area!

Cooking Chronicles: Multi Grain Bread

Well this cooking chronicle was certainly an adventure! I decided a few days ago that I really wanted some fresh multi grain bread. I had an amazing recipe from pastry school for it and remember it making quite a bit of bread, so I cut the recipe in half. Well over the 2 days that it took to mix, proof, knead, and bake the bread, I soon realized I should have reduced the recipe quite a bit more! I ended up with 31.4 pounds of bread dough! Which equals 29 loaves of bread! I currently have 25 loaves still in my freezer. Anyone like bread? It's nutritious and delicious!

This is a photograph of 21 of the loaves after they had been shaped and ready to be wrapped up and frozen!

Travel Tales: San Diego!

San Diego is one of our favorite California places! We love the seaside town feel of this city. It is gorgeous city and always feels so fresh and inviting. It's nice to be able to escape Vegas's desert and getaway to the lush, green paradise of San Diego. Some of our particular favorite spots in San Diego are Coronado Beach at the Hotel del Coronado, Balboa Park, and Mission Beach. Favorite restaurants include Bread & Cie for breakfast pastries and a nice loaf of bread and Cafe Sevilla for tapas and mojitos! Also about an hour outside of San Diego is Temecula Valley. There are lots of wonderful small wineries that we love to visit. It is definitely a must stop for us on the way to and from San Diego!

Travel Tales: Disneyland!

One of our favorite pasttimes is the adventure of traveling. Encountering new cultures, foods, and having new experiences are things we love! This particular travel location is not really culturally diverse but it was definitely a great time. Being from Louisiana we had always visited Disney World as children, but now that we are on the west side of the country, we wanted to see Disneyland. We had an awesome time and rode lots of roller coasters! Justin's favorite!

Welcome!

Hello!

Welcome to the blog Adventures with the Adcock's! Just a little bit about us first. Justin and I have been married for 2 years (as of August 4th) and we live in Las Vegas. We are originally from Louisiana and all of our family still lives there, expect my brother Kirk who is currently serving in the Air Force.
Justin is employed as a Horse Trader here in Las Vegas. He buys and sells goods, and he also works as an Insurance Adjuster for State Farm. I am a blackjack dealer at Caesar's Palace. We love to travel and experience new things. I am a trained pastry chef who loves to cook anything! Justin and I also enjoy working out and hiking. We'd love for you to see what we do everyday and our exciting trips that we take! Come along and experience our journey of life with us!