By Donna Meyer
Las Vegas? When you’re an ex…? But this city almost defines desperation… desperate gaiety, desperate financial straights, desperate looking for love in all the wrong places?
True, this neon oasis in the desert can attack your senses. But there’s so much more to Vegas than the Strip, the glitz, the celebrities, the noise. Believe it or not, thousands of women thrive in Las Vegas without ever setting foot in a casino. Vegas invites on many levels and can suit whatever stage you’re in.
If you’re still in need of pure escape… running into the noise and glitz may be your answer. If so, every hotel room, drugstore and gas station convenience store has racks full of free city guides to point the way to the famous attractions and escapes. But what of the rest of this boomtown that’s the fastest growing city in the US? Newcomers are learning some secrets that old-timers have long known.
Here, some insider tips:
In Exile we Need Comfort Food…
Put on those dark glasses and head to old downtown for the heavenly comfort of Luv-It Frozen Custard. This creamy concoction—smoother than ice cream, richer than yogurt—has been served up by the same family from the same little stand on Oakey just east of Main for over 30 years. Prepare to wait in line—always. (1-10 pm; closed Sunday and Monday).
Or try a new taste experience that may just become your favorite comfort food. Have Bubble Tea at the Volcano Tea Room in the Chinatown Mall. It’s a creamy fresh fruit drink with globules of chewy black tapioca in the bottom. Sounds awful, tastes great. The tapioca balls have a texture sort of like gum drops—ultimately very satisfying. (4215 Spring Mountain Rd.)
Express yourself through a new idea…Find a new thought, a new hobby, or a new novelist at Albion Books, the largest used-book store in Nevada. There are chairs and stools set throughout the store. With more than 100,000 volumes in stock, you’re sure to find something to tempt you to sit a spell, open your mind, maybe even strike up a conversation with another reader. (Charleston just east of Eastern Ave.)
