[Julia B.]

Originally Posted by Miami Mike

Hey Julie B. My wife and I are moving to Vegas in January or february. We currently live in Garfield, NJ (I know you know where that is!!!). Will I be able to get good Italian Bread and Italian Delicasies like in Vita Mia (I know you know what that is!!)? Maybe we'll bring some bagels and bread and cheese and we'll ALL have a party!!!! Can't wait to get out there....won't miss Jersey or NY (Queens, where I grew up and lived until 1986)....look out Vegas....here come the Marcheses'!!!!

Whoa--I just wrote you a long post on the thread you started. So sorry I hadn't seen this post until now. Anyway, of course I know Vita Mia's!!!!!!! I can smell it now...yum! I went Mt. Virgin school for 7 years--right around the corner! And I'm sorry to say that, as of yet, I don't know of any salumerias here in town. The first time I saw Italian bread--of the seedy, crusty variety that we love soooo much--was at Metro Pizza 2 weeks ago, when I dropped off my brother there for a pizza-making night with other developmentally disabled/retarded folks. Before you get here, I'll try to find out where they get their bread...or if they make it themselves. I haven't eaten at Metro yet, but we have tried Grimaldi's pizza, and we like the white-garlic one. Very tasty, with crispy crust...and TERRIFIC waitstaff.

I have to get my grated (Peccorino Romano) cheese from Whole Foods Market (a little pricey), since there's nothing even resembling authentic Italian food in the other supermarkets, and I don't know of ANY Italian bakeries. The WFM I go to is in Summerlin! (Ole Capt will correct me if that's wrong, but it's real close to Summerlin if not exactly in Summerlin). For people who are used to Neapolitan Italian food, it's a gastronomic culture shock here (and all over the West, frankly). OMG, my favorite Italian bread in NJ was from Latona's Market, on Harrison Ave, and Nico's in Glen Ridge. Best Italian bread in NYC was at Zito's in Greenwich Village.

Sigh... But like I said in the other post, it's worth the tradeoff. And who knows, in time, some good Neapolitan bakers might show up here. Dunkin Donuts has finally arrived !

On that "tradeoff" note: since June, it's only rained twice--once for about 10 minutes and a few weeks ago, all day on a Saturday...no big deal! I'm so excited to know that people from Garfield via Queens (which section???) will soon be here. The Barbato family will be happy to meet the Marchese family!! Feel free to PM me, and I'll give you guys my number!

One last thing, even though I haven't really made any good friends yet (it takes time, especially since I don't hang at bars and I work at home), I feel better about Las Vegas every day. There are PLENTY of intelligent people here (and I agree that a college education does not automatically confer intelligence). For example, there are three very impressive journalists in LV, John Ralston, Steve Sebelius, and George Knapp who can go toe-to-toe with any journalists from NY-NJ, and when the everyday Joe is interviewed on the news, I'm always heartened to hear how much more articulate they are than most of the everyday Joes back home. And Vegas's National Public Radio has some impressive programming. Overall, the people who work with the disabled are much more compassionate than all but one that I knew of back home. There are many good aspects of Vegas and NV in general that recommend it.

Just look at the quality of most people on this board--I wish I knew you all personally! (OK, maybe not Sheriff, since I don't need to be depressed...though I do feel sad for whatever it is that's made him/her so bitter...).

I'm running on so because I'm excited that people from back home are coming this way. So Mike (and everyone), please forgive me.

Hope the Nor'easter doesn't get you too badly. At least after you get here, you'll never have to contend with snow again...unless you WANT to! And it's very easy to see lots of good shows without the hassle of driving into Manhattan...and parking! Parking at hotels is free. As of this coming Friday, I'll have seen comedians Bill Maher twice and Chris Rock once.

Julia B--shut up, already!!!

Sorry...

[thetalentedmisterdiamonte]

Grew up in the city of Chicago then relocated to Las Vegas at the age of 19 during 1997. Back then, the north Las Vegas Bouldevard strip was downtrodden, the verage house was priced at $140,000, and the police department was on a massive hiring spree taking anyone who would apply. I realized the affordable real estate then so I bought my own home, invested into a few condos to rent out, sold my first home, then bought a 5,800 square foot house.

[olecapt]

Originally Posted by thetalentedmisterdiamonte

Grew up in the city of Chicago then relocated to Las Vegas at the age of 19 during 1997. Back then, the north Las Vegas Bouldevard strip was downtrodden, the verage house was priced at $140,000, and the police department was on a massive hiring spree taking anyone who would apply. I realized the affordable real estate then so I bought my own home, invested into a few condos to rent out, sold my first home, then bought a 5,800 square foot house.

Hey the moniker fits...very talented.

I sat right in the midst of it all and missed the whole thing.

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by Julia B.

The first time I saw Italian bread--of the seedy, crusty variety that we love soooo much--was at Metro Pizza 2 weeks ago,

As (another) New Yorker.. I'm glad to see that it's slowly coming out there. About two years ago, I was trying in vain to find Italian/Semolina bread in one of the supermarkets out there.. the girl kept looking at me like I had three heads, and kept pointing me in the direction of the french baugettes. I was like "no, that's not what I meant" - I gave up and figured it was a lost cause!

Yeah, the noreaster wasn't that bad up here Julia... (I know the comment wasn't really directed towards me, but in case you were wondering.) The one thing I won't miss when I move out there is the damn freezing rain and sleet (that it took me an hour to drive home in the other night)... but I digress....

[jfkIII]

Originally Posted by daveyjones978

As (another) New Yorker.. I'm glad to see that it's slowly coming out there. About two years ago, I was trying in vain to find Italian/Semolina bread in one of the supermarkets out there.. the girl kept looking at me like I had three heads, and kept pointing me in the direction of the french baugettes. I was like "no, that's not what I meant" - I gave up and figured it was a lost cause!

hmmmm...maybe you were pointing with wrong finger!

[MomMom]

Originally Posted by daveyjones978

As (another) New Yorker.. I'm glad to see that it's slowly coming out there. About two years ago, I was trying in vain to find Italian/Semolina bread in one of the supermarkets out there.. the girl kept looking at me like I had three heads, and kept pointing me in the direction of the french baugettes. I was like "no, that's not what I meant" - I gave up and figured it was a lost cause!

Yeah, the noreaster wasn't that bad up here Julia... (I know the comment wasn't really directed towards me, but in case you were wondering.) The one thing I won't miss when I move out there is the damn freezing rain and sleet (that it took me an hour to drive home in the other night)... but I digress....

Semolina bread...got some at Roma Deli, and once in a while I find it at Smiths...it sells really quickly..

Careful driving Daveyjones, that black ice is really dangerous!

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by jfkIII

hmmmm...maybe you were pointing with wrong finger!

LMAO! I thought about it.. but figured I would be nice.. since I was still a bit of a newbie to LV.

It did take me a few days to get over the fact that they didn't sell it. My family and friends were amused by the story for months though.

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by MomMom

Semolina bread...got some at Roma Deli, and once in a while I find it at Smiths...it sells really quickly..

Careful driving Daveyjones, that black ice is really dangerous!

It's probably all of people like us...craving the real thing! I think they're building a Smith's out by where my place is.. I'll have to look the next time I go out there.

I figure I probably have better luck finding any semblance of Italian stuff at a specialty store.. I have to get used to not just finding it in the local supermarket. Ah well. simple trade-off I think.

MomMom. Oh, believe me. I've had more than my share of experiences with Black Ice... .. i'm not gonna miss it when I finally get out there.

[MomMom]

Don't worry davey, you can find all your Italian things here in LV, and what you can't find, you learn to adapt and do with what is available..

I've been here for so long, I don't remember some of the stuff I couldn't do without decades ago..

[daveyjones978]

Originally Posted by MomMom

Don't worry davey, you can find all your Italian things here in LV, and what you can't find, you learn to adapt and do with what is available..

I've been here for so long, I don't remember some of the stuff I couldn't do without decades ago..

Being raised in NY by Italians and Jews, I can pretty much adapt to anything! I already found my Jewish cuisine fix out there (Sababa on Durnago and Desert Inn), so if I can find some semblance of half-way decent italian food, I'll be good to go!

(And in this day and age, whataver I can't find... I can always have shipped out to me!)