This past weekend was filled with many firsts. I went on my first “girls” trip, it was my first time away from Zoë and Chad, and it was my first time seeing Reno, Nevada. I feel like a new woman, it has been a long time since I have taken an extended period of time just for myself and it was long overdue.
I am one of those annoying mothers/wives that feels guilty as soon as I walk out the door to do anything for myself. Chad consistently and persistently tries to get me to do more and I balk and get anxious and usually end up cutting short any time I do take. It’s silly and I have no idea why I do it. Maybe it’s that I like spending time with my little family. Maybe its that I worry that Zoë will feel abandoned. Maybe, just maybe, I have a hard time letting go (insert sheepish looking face). What if something happens? What if Chad can’t find Zoës purple socks, or some horrible thing like that. These are the thoughts that go through my head whenever I leave.
When we decided that we were going to travel around the world, I realized that my time to go on a girls weekend was dwindling. I decided it was now or never. I decided on Reno because, well I like to gamble. I do not gamble often (maybe 2-3 times a year) and I do not gamble huge amounts of money, but I love to play penny machines and sit for hours uninterrupted except for the occasional service of a cocktail.
I invited a few of my girlfriends that I know really like to gamble (because there is nothing worse than trying to gamble when the person that is with you is rushing you to finish). It was really spur of the moment, so only my wonderful friend, D, was able to go with me. We got a room for one night and drove down on Saturday and came back home on Sunday.
Let me tell you a little about Reno, it is a smaller, dirtier version of Las Vegas, but it has it’s own charm. The casinos are old, they are a bit run down. We stayed at the Silver Legacy, which was comfortable, clean and well-ventilated (they will have a Starbucks by the end of March!). I know it seems silly, but as we were being served champagne while we waited to check in, and everything around me was gold and lights and wood, I was excited and pleasantly surprised at the outcome of my quickly thrown together trip. We actually checked into our room, dropped off our stuff, had a quick bite to eat in the hotel cafe and gambled the night away. After just playing in one area for a while, we ended up at the casino floor bar, where there were dueling piano players and we played video poker and drank whisky cokes until we could no more . We never left the Silver Legacy although it is connected by walkways to the El Dorado and Circus Circus. I had such a great time!
(Photo found on Bing Search Images)
Another reason that I really wanted to go to Reno, is because I wanted to try Hash House A Go Go. Hash House A Go Go is a restaurant (they have other locations in Las Vegas and San Diego) that serves amazing breakfasts. I think they serve other meals too, but the breakfast food is honestly the best I have ever had. Chad went to Reno for a bachelor party a year or so ago and had sent me pictures of the breakfast he had at this restaurant tucked away in Harrah’s Casino. I had been craving the 17 inch pancake and chicken and waffles ever since and was so excited to finally get to go. Sunday morning after D and I checked out of our hotel, we drove over to Harrah’s and had an amazing meal. I had the Andy’s Sage Chicken Eggs Benedict, which was enormous. I tried but was only able to eat about a third of it. I took the left overs home and it was enough for two more meals. I spent $16 for a meal that was three meals! I love it when that works out!
(Andys Sage Chicken Eggs Benedict-Photo taken by Jenny)
So if you are thinking of going to Reno, I would definitely recommend staying at the Silver Legacy and eating any and all meals at Hash House a Go Go (seriously, I am not kidding-ALL meals!). Have you been to Reno? What did you think of it? But more importantly, have you tried Hash House a Go Go?
And Three To Go 