Bob Taylor’s Ranch House

September 9th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Dining, Interesting, Things to Do, las vegas No Comments »

The Coffman Team recently braved the chickens (more on that later) to have some of the best steak in Las Vegas at Bob Taylor’s Original Ranch House.
 
Established in 1955, the Ranch House is the oldest existing restaurant in Las Vegas. It started when the original owner, Bob Taylor, would barbeque for his friends and neighbors. When demand for his barbeque grew, he turned his ranch house into a restaurant. The barren desert that surrounded The Ranch House back then has been enveloped by the ever-expanding city, but the wood-paneled house covered in western memorabilia still serves great barbeque. 
 
It’s a favorite of the Coffman Team, even though a pair of chickens wanders the front yard lawn. Every member of the team has been attacked by fowl during their childhoods (a hazard of growing up on a farm, or else we just have bad luck with birds) and some members still have a fear of chickens. These chickens don’t seem like the attacking type, even if they did follow us to the door (I think Andrea might have been encouraging them in order to get a better picture). Don’t let the threat for chickens keep you from this Las Vegas tradition, just walk briskly through the yard (like I do) and you’ll be ok.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

For more information on The Ranch House, go to www.bobtaylorsranchhouse.com. 

For additional photos see:
picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/RanchHouse#5244154359580604610

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North Las Vegas Airport

September 7th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Interesting, Things to Do, las vegas No Comments »

The North Las Vegas Airport is home to nearly 700 based aircraft (including Kerry’s Bonanza) and 25 commercial businesses, and is the second-busiest airport in Nevada based on total aircraft operations. 
 
The airfield, originally called Sky Haven Airport, opened on December 7, 1941. The opening celebration was interrupted by news of the attack on Pearl Harbor, and the scheduled flying demonstrations were cancelled. Despite that rocky start, the airport became successful during World War II, used by Las Vegas Army Air Base pilots for off-duty flying. The Sky Haven Airport was also frequented by legendary aviator Howard Hughes during those early years.
 
The airport was renamed Thunderbird Field in the 1950s, and paved runways, a new administration building and restaurant were added in the early 1960s.
 
The airport has seen considerable change since then, including receiving its current name, North Las Vegas Airport, in 1965, and more recently a new 15,600-square-foot terminal building completed in 1992.
 
North Las Vegas Airport is a great place to get a bite to eat, a tour of the air traffic control tower, or to catch Kerry tooling around the hangar doing a little airplane maintenance. A couple of tips: tours of the tower are free but you need an appointment, and don’t forget to bring cookies for the controllers (it’s the trad itional “payment” for the tour). And if you happen to catch Kerry, remember that flying is his favorite thing and Las Vegas is his favorite city. Talking him into giving you a bird’s-eye tour of the city is pretty easy (cookies wouldn’t hurt in this case, either).
 

For more information on the North Las Vegas Airport, visit www.vgt.aero.

If you are a pilot visit:
www.airnav.com/airport/vgt

For additional pictures click on:
picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/NorthLasVegasAirport#

 

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The Artful Potter

September 7th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Interesting, Things to Do, las vegas No Comments »

Since it’s still a little warm here in our favorite city, I thought I’d share a great way to spend an indoor (and air-conditioned) art-filled afternoon in Las Vegas. At The Artful Potter all you have to do is show up – they have everything you need to create a ceramic masterpiece, including over 600 ceramic pieces ranging from practical to whimsical, paint, brushes, stencils, stamps, sponges, patterns and friendly staff with helpful advice. After you’ve completed your piece, they glaze and fire it for you. In 5-7 days, your finished piece is ready to be picked up. The glaze they use is food and dishwasher safe, so you don’t have to worry about putting your creation to use (Andrea painted a set of plates and bowls several years ago that she subjects to the dishwasher often, and they have held up great).  
 
Andrea and I have spent many relaxing hours at The Artful Potter (my hours may be more relaxing than Andrea’s, since I make her fix it when I mess up). The staff is always upbeat and ready to help (in case you don’t have a daughter to straighten up your lines), and I think they are why the place is so much fun. The people at The Artful Potter make sure painters of all ages and experience levels (including no experience) have a great time creating something they will be proud of.
 
For more information on The Artful Potter and their two area locations, go to www.artfulpotter.com.
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Las Vegas Springs Preserve

September 7th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Interesting, Outdoor Recreation, Scenic Excursions, Things to Do, las vegas No Comments »

A day spent at the Las Vegas Springs Preserve is a great way to learn about the history of Las Vegas and our favorite city’s desert environment.  
 
The area that the Preserve is located on is known as “the birthplace of Las Vegas” because it was at one time the site of bubbling springs that were the water source for Native Americans living here thousands of years ago, as well as travelers of the Old Spanish Trail and Western settlers. Now it houses the 180 acre Las Vegas Springs Preserve and its museum galleries with state-of-the-art interactive exhibits (make sure you don’t miss experiencing the flash flood exhibit), desert botanical gardens, outdoor concert and event venues, 1.8 miles of walking trails, and one of the best kids’ play areas we’ve ever seen (the jungle gym shaped like mammoth’s bones proved too irresistible, even the adults in our party had to try it out). And, to round out your day of exploration, you can get a bite to eat at the Springs Café by Wolfgang Puck.
 

In addition to its permanent attractions, the Springs Preserve offers a variety of activities, classes and workshops. Currently, they host a Farmer’s Market every Thursday from 4 to 8 pm featuring hand-crafted breads, locally grown produce, and work from local artisans and artists. For more information on the Las Vegas Springs Preserve and its current events, visit www.springspreserve.org.

To see more photos click on the link below:
picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/SpringsPreserve#

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The Star Trek Convention in Las Vegas

August 28th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Events, Interesting, las vegas No Comments »

The entire Coffman Team attended this year’s Star Trek Convention at the Las Vegas Hilton.  We had a great time shopping the vendor booths, looking at the amazing costumes, and getting the inside scoop on what’s new for The Final Frontier.
 
The gamers in our group were excited to see that the (long) wait to play a massively multiplayer online roll-playing game in the Star Trek universe might be coming to an end.  The gameplay trailer for Star Trek Online was shown for the first time at the convention.  But don’t man your battle stations quite yet – a release date hasn’t been announced.  For more information (and to see the trailer), visit www.startrekonline.com.
 
We saw some posters for the new Star Trek movie coming in May 2009.  Looks like we’ll have to catch this one opening day (of course, it was at an opening day showing of Star Wars Episode 1 that Kerry got caught between some costumed fans and received a light-saber blow to the head – hopefully Trekkers are more peaceful).
 
Las Vegas has a chapter of the International Federation of Trekkers, and we met some of the members at the convention.  In addition to all things Star Trek, the group is dedicated to helping the community.  If you want to join in their mission of making “the universe a better place for all life forms,” go to their website at www.usslasvegas.org.  For more information on the International Federation of Trekkers, visit www.iftcommand.com.
 

Next year’s convention will be at the Las Vegas Hilton, August 6th – 9th.  If you are a Star Trek fan, a fan of Sci-Fi, or just look really good with pointy ears (and The Coffman Team has all three!), it’s an event not to be missed.

For additional pictures checkout:

picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/StarTrekConventionInLasVegas


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Riding with the Marines

July 10th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Events, Interesting, Summerlin, las vegas No Comments »

This past 4th of July, as a member of the Marine Motorcycle Riders of Las Vegas, I had the opportunity to ride in the Summerlin Patriotic Parade.

Here are a few photos from the event and the following link will take you to a page with all of the photos.

picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/MarineMotorcycleRidersInTheSummerlinParade

  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

 

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SUMMERLIN 4TH OF JULY PATRIOTIC PARADE

July 7th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Events, Interesting, Outdoor Recreation, Summerlin, Things to Do, las vegas No Comments »

Here are a few pictures from the July 4th Patriotic Parade in Summerlin.

For a complete list of photos, click on:  picasaweb.google.com/coffmanteam/July4thSummerlinPatrioticParade

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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0′ACES YACHT CLUB

June 16th, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Events, Interesting, las vegas No Comments »

Las Vegas may not seem like a city that offers a lot of opportunities for yachting – but a visit to the lakes at Desert Shores will prove that opportunity abounds. That’s where O’Aces Yacht Club meets on the first three Sundays of the month to race model yachts. 
 

Model yachts are propelled by the wind, just like their full-sized counterparts, with radio controls moving the rudder and sails. While the members of the O’Aces Yacht Club make it look easy, racing one of these models take practice, strategy and some luck. To see these yachts in action, visit the lake near Mariner and Regatta drives in Desert Shores on the first, second and third Sunday of the month. Most races are from 1 to 3 pm. For more information on the O’Aces Yacht Club and how to join, go to www.oacesyachtclub.org.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Visit to Freed’s Bakery of Las Vegas

June 1st, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Interesting, las vegas No Comments »

A recent birthday gave me a reason to visit a true Las Vegas institution – Freed’s Bakery of Las Vegas.  Serving the Las Vegas area for the past 49 years, this family owned and operated bakery sets the standard for sweets.  Famous for their wedding cakes (Freed’s bakes over 2,500 a year), they also create stunning cakes for all occasions, as well as other baked goods.  The Coffman Team’s go-to birthday cake is the white cake with butter cream frosting filled with Bavarian cream and fresh strawberries (there is a small, but vocal, segment of our family that likes fresh bananas instead of the strawberries in the filling – also very good).
 
For the past 27 years the Las Vegas Review Journal has let its readers vote on the Best of Las Vegas, and Freed’s has won “Best Bakery” all 27 times.  This is seriously good cake.  For more information on Freed’s Bakery of Las Vegas, visit www.freedsbakery.com

 

 

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A Flight to California

May 22nd, 2008 Kerry Coffman Posted in Interesting No Comments »

A few days ago, I took a trip to California. I used the opportunity to get in a little flying time and to fly over a portion of the San Andreas Fault that highly visible from the air. The part that is really prominent starts about half way between Bakersfield and Santa Barbara and runs northwest about 60 miles.

On my return that night, I was able to talk the air traffic controller  into letting me fly over the southern tip of the Strip.  The actual route was from the Henderson airport to the eastern end of the 25 runways at McCarran then a left turn toward the North Las Vegas Airport.

Map Route of flight to California

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I filmed a portion of the flight, starting a little North of the Henderson Airport until the landing at North Las Vegas.

 You need to a flashplayer enabled browser to view this YouTube video

 

 

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