text: \"A Tall Drink of Brunette and a Bugs Bunny Special\"\n\nA week ago my parents sent me a birthday card. Enclosed was a check and short note: 'It's your birthday. Don't behave.'\n\nI'll do my best, Maw and Paw.\n\nI worked late that cloudy Monday of March, and after work I stopped to get my Crown Vic's oil changed. Then I went to the bank, then to the car wash, and then proceeded to drive around in a funk. Didn't want to go home, didn't know where to go. Wasn't up for The Strip, wasn't up for one of my regular watering holes. I hadn't told anyone it was my birthday so I was free from required appearances.\n\nSo I drove down 215, windows open, music off. I saw Green Valley Ranch Hotel/Casino in the distance. It had been a few years since my last visit so I decided to stop in.\n\nAfter parking on the top floor I strode through the massive doors. The casino floor was pretty empty. Typical for a Monday at an off-strip casino. I plucked a twenty from my pocket and stuck it in a Wheel of Fortune machine. No lie: I sat there for over an hour on the same twenty. Made it up to 95 bucks before watching it whittle down to nothing. No matter. I might be a lot of things but hard up for cash was never one of them.\n\nIt was around 6 PM and I was hungry. I kept thinking of my parents' request not to behave so I decided to drop some major deniro at Hank's. I walked in, found a seat at the bar, and stared at some NCAA basketball. \n\nA word about Hank's: It's expensive, tastefully decorated, sanguine. Here's a look: http://greenvalleyranch.sclv.com/dining/hanks/?utm_source=YELP&utm_medium=SOCIAL&utm_term=GVR&utm_content=GVR-PROPERTIES&utm_campaign=GVR-YELP\nNot a lot of seating, great wine selection, pretty servers. As for the latter, mine was a tall drink of brunette. Wondrous curves with tresses to match. What a masterpiece. I asked for a glass of Red Rock and looked through the menu. All sorts of interesting and pricey selections. \n\nThe decision: crab cakes to start, dry aged bone-in NY--medium, mac and cheese. I gave Tall Drink my order and she moved like a swan to fill it.\n\nIn the meantime, I sipped my drink, watched the games, and smiled at Tall Drink.\n\nEnter crab cakes.\n\nKind of on the small side, one with a small garden atop, some yellow sauce beneath. I wish they had been larger with more sauce but they were good. Not too dry, not too moist. \n\nEnter steak and mac/cheese. \n\nBoth were too salty in my opinion.\n\nThe meat was correctly cooked and had good flavor. But too much salt.\n\nThe mac and cheese had a fantastic cheese taste but too much salt.\n\nI guess people must like their food salty but I'm not one of them. Nevertheless, I did like dipping my meat in the cheese sauce every third or fourth forkful. Such an act would likely cause gourmets to pass out but I don't care. And despite the sodium content I did manage to temper its power with some good old black pepper.\n\nI ate every crumb and asked for a dessert menu. Easy choice. Bugs Bunny Special, aka carrot cake. What's up, Doc?! And wow was that a big slab of decadent goodness! Fine cream cheese with a nice dollop of whipped cream on the side. Fantastic!\n\nI finished my beer and asked Tall Drink for the bill. It was around 100 bucks and with tip even more. But I was told not to behave, remember?\n\nAnyway, I paid and rose to leave, but not without smiling at TD a final time. I'm sure she awaits my return with patient desire.\n\nAnd I shall return one day. Perhaps with an even greater desire to misbehave....