Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

The Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health (officially it’s the Cleveland Clinic Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health) opened here in Las Vegas nearly 3 years ago on May 21, 2010.  The building was designed by architect Frank Gehry, who, according to this article in the Architect’s Newspaper, and this article in the Architect Magazine, had vowed never to build in Las Vegas.  But Larry Ruvo was persuasive, promising to give Gehry free rein in his design and also noting that it was in a good cause, the study of Alheizmer’s disease.  Ruvo had lost his father, Lou Ruvo, to the disease.  Gehry asked Ruvo to expand the research to include Huntington’s Disease; the two men agreed, and  as a result, we now have in Las Vegas a premier institute of brain research and a striking example of modern architecture.

Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

Local wags have observed that such a modernistic, curved, almost bizarre structure might not be the place you would want to go if you had a problem with your brain.  But mostly it is a source of pride in the community, not to mention a magnet for photographers, who have found the subject an irresistible one.

It’s really pretty amazing to have this wonderful institution here in Las Vegas.  Las Vegas is not a place that springs to mind when you think of medical care.  While it does have a dental program, UNLV does not offer medical degrees — aspiring medical doctors must go to UNR in Reno.

Atrium View – Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health

The center is dedicated to the pursuit of more effective treatments for brain diseases and to the provision of state-of-the-art care for patients affected by these diseases and their families.  The main campus is in Cleveland, Ohio.  The Las Vegas center performs research and also provides treatment for various brain disorders including Alheizmer’s, ALS (Lou Gehrig’s Disease), Huntington’s Disease, Parkinson’s Disease, and many others.

The Center’s fundraising arm is the Keep Memory Alive foundation, which sponsors the Power of Love event each year here in Las Vegas, a star-studded gala that attracts philanthropists and celebrities like Steve Wynn, Muhammad Ali, George Clooney, Michael Caine, Quincy Jones, and many, many more.

Here are some more links to where you can learn more about the Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health:

http://my.clevelandclinic.org/neurological_institute/lou-ruvo-brain-health/default.aspx
http://www.keepmemoryalive.org/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lou_Ruvo_Center_for_Brain_Health
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/13/lou-ruvo-center-helps-those-afflicted-diseases-mem/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2012/feb/14/lou-ruvo-centers-world-class-services-are-locals-t/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2013/apr/11/larry-ruvo-power-persuasion-makes-power-love-phila/
http://www.lasvegassun.com/blogs/kats-report/2013/apr/16/steve-wynns-winning-weekend-raising-13-million-pow/

Until next time,

Good luck to ya!

Yes, you heard that right.  Even though we are situated in the hot, arid Mojave desert, farmer’s markets have sprung up and are thriving here in Las Vegas.  Like the rest of the country, Vegas has seen an upsurge of interest in fresh, organic, and where possible, locally-grown food.  We now have several weekly farmer’s markets in Las Vegas and Henderson.

Sunday we visited the Fresh52 Farmers’ and Artisan Market, held at the Richmar Plaza on Eastern and Richmar every Sunday from 8:30am – 2:00pm.  This market features 30 or so booths with everything from fresh, organic fruits and vegetables to handcrafted items, prepared foods, roasted coffee, gourmet balsamic vinegar, freshly sprouted wheat grass, and just an amazing variety of things!

Many of the fresh fruits and vegetables are from farms in California.  That’s because our local terrain is really not quite cut out to be farmland.  But there are some local offerings too.  The handmade items are local, and we have people who grow things hydroponically.  Also there are locally grown herbs that are wonderfully aromatic and terrifically tasty.

Strawberries from Success Valley Farms in Oxnard, CA

One of the reasons for arriving early is plump, ripe strawberries.  If you wait and come here in the afternoon, they are usually sold out.  I mean, who doesn’t love strawberries?  For me, they always make me think of the strawberry shortcake my Mom used to make, fresh strawberries trimmed and quartered with homemade shortcake and hand whipped cream that had just a touch of sugar and vanilla added.  Mmmm, good!  We couldn’t resist and bought a whole flat.  We had to give some away to a friend since we were unlikely to use that many in a timely fashion!

Grapefruits from Murray Family Farms, Bakersfield, CA

We also procured some lovely citrus fruits, namely, blood oranges and varietal grapefruits.  Actually, according to the young man in the booth, the so-called “Cocktail Grapefruits” shown at left (the small ones) are actually a hybrid of citrus fruits — orange, grapefruit, lemon and lime.  It sounds downright scrumptious, doesn’t it?  We haven’t tried them yet but I’ll give an update when we do.

Besides these items, we got:  some avocadoes, a bunch of asparagus, a pint of fresh pomegranate juice, a bag of sugar snap peas, a big bag of fresh flavored popcorn (non-GMO), and some handcrafted jalapeno and cheese sausages.  We already ate the sausage and it was delicious!

There were so many booths we couldn’t buy from everyone, but we’ll be back again trying out new items next week.

Oh, did I mention the live music?  This young man was serenading us all while we shopped:

Live music at the farmer’s market

It’s great to have regular farmer’s markets we locals can frequent here in Las Vegas and Henderson.  Here are some links to various Las Vegas and Henderson farmer’s markets lists and sites:

http://www.fresh52.com/Index.html
http://www.vegas4locals.com/freefarmersmarkets.html
http://nevadagrown.com/farmers-market-list/
http://www.countryfreshfarmersmarket.com/
http://www.lasvegasfarmersmarket.com/
http://downtown3rdfarmersmarket.com/

Until next time,

Good luck to ya!

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The Mandalay Bay Resort catches some late afternoon rays

If you’re anything like I was before I moved here, you have a certain view of Las Vegas, and it may not be that great.  Oh, we all know that Las Vegas has great shows and that the Strip is an experience like none other.  But people who don’t live here also tend to think it must be a den of iniquity what with all the gambling and drinking and general carrying-on.

Well there is of course more than a little truth to the cliche.  Las Vegas publicizes itself as “Sin City” and promotes slogans like “What Happens in Vegas Stays in Vegas” (although Prince Harry might have something to say about that…).  While it’s true that we do have more than our share of problem drinkers and problem gamblers, there is more, so much more to be found here!

For one thing, the surrounding desert is beautiful even though it is stark.  Well, it’s a desert!  But deserts have their own beauty.  In spring, the desert blooms — all kinds of wild flowers and cacti bloom and there are profusions of color to be found in the most unexpected places.  Red Rock Canyon is a 30 minute drive (or less, depending on where you live) into a spectacularly wild and scenic area.  There’s the Hoover Dam, and Lake Mead and the Lake Mead Recreational Area, and the Valley of Fire, all wonderful scenic sites.  About an hour’s drive out of town is Mount Charleston, a mountain that is nearly 12,000 feet high and is an alpine environment and a favorite getaway of Las Vegans in the summer months.

For another thing, there are many great shops off the beaten path.  Oh, there are a lot of truly wonderful shops on the Strip, including many of the biggest luxury brands on the planet.  But going around town, off the Strip, there is a wealth of wonderful places to be found.

Also, Las Vegas is on the map when it comes to restaurants.  Sometimes it’s a little place tucked away in a nondescript strip mall; other times it’s a more established venue.  But there are many hidden treasures to be found.

A large swan is part of the spring decor in the Atrium at the Bellagio.

And culture, we’ve got it!  Well more accurately, we’re getting it!  Now that the Smith Center has opened, there are first-rate performances to be seen, outside of the confines of the huge casinos and mega-resorts.  Not that we haven’t always had great shows.  Some of the biggest names in show business come here to perform; and now some of the biggest names in classical music and jazz do, as well.

So let’s raise a glass to Las Vegas.  It’s a desert mecca.  There are few sights as impressive as driving over the rise at night when you first see the expanse of lights that is Las Vegas in the middle of the desert.  The population of the city stands at nearly 600,000 in 2013, while the population of the metro area (including Henderson) is closer to 2,000,000.  It’s the 31st largest city in the U.S.  But it is not 31st in name recognition:  just ask almost anyone, in any country, if they’ve heard of Las Vegas, and you will get an affirmative answer!  People flock here from all parts of country and all parts of the the globe to see the magic.

Well enough for this time.  We’ll talk more next week.  Until then,

Good luck to ya!