Neither of us ever intended to fall in love. With Las Vegas that is. My husband and I made a casual trip down there about 5 years ago with dear friends and something about the place got under our skin. We are now—it shocks me to say this—Las Vegas regulars. Four trips last year. We’ve been in April and June so far this year. My husband subscribes to Las Vegas Advisor newsletter. I have players-club cards for a dozen casinos and get invitations to stay for free at Paris. It’s serious.

I’m not the first to think of Las Vegas as Disneyland for grown-ups. We like Disneyland; we even vacationed in Disney World (with no kids to take along as an excuse)—and had a ball. There’s something to the escapism of a fantasy land that appeals to us on some level, maybe in response to the brain fry of our daily grind. Las Vegas is nothing but escapism, unless you happen to be one of the half million people who call the city home. I don’t know how they do it.

While glitz, glam and gambling are still Vegas hallmarks, food is an ever-growing draw for visitors. Since so much about this city is exaggerated and over-the-top, don’t be surprised that the same goes for some of its culinary palaces. We’ve been underwhelmed by many of them, including Aureole, Aqua (now gone) and Alizé. French culinary artillery has come to town recently; we have yet to try the restaurants of Alain Ducasse, Guy Savoy or Joël Robuchon. By far the best of the “big name” restaurants we’ve been to is Bradley Ogden in Caesar’s Palace: three visits, each meal a winner. In December we celebrated Bob’s birthday with dinner at Okada in the fab new Wynn resort. Out of this world, worth every pretty penny.

Bob loves Vegas buffets. I'm less a fan though will say that the Bellagio, Aladdin (soon to be Planet Hollywood) and Wynn buffets are worth their prices. One advantage to gambling with a slot card is that it's fairly easy to get your buffets “comped”. Such was the case this June at Wynn.

Another favorite meal, I kid you not, is the $4.95 steak dinner at Ellis Island. Nope, that’s not part of the New York, New York casino complex. Ellis Island is an independent, local casino one block east of the strip behind Bally’s. That bargain steak isn’t on the menu, but it’s always available. You'll get an admirable baseball cut of sirloin with all the fixings: salad, bread, vegetables, potato, etc. They brew their own beer on premises too: quite good and very cheap. A couple beers and you might be ready for some raucous karaoke in the bar. I’m proud to say I haven’t yet succumbed to that temptation.

It was one of those nights that made Seattle feel like a small town. I met up with a couple of girlfriends at the new Licorous bar/restaurant brought to life by the owners of the wildly wonderful Lark next door. Every other table seemed to have a friend or colleague at it. I think a lot had to do with the fact that Licorous had been open just a couple of weeks and the foodie/industry crowd was anxious to check things out.

The menu at Licorous is short and sweet, one side devoted to cocktails, the other to savory and sweet dishes. The libations include eight signature drinks that are refreshingly down-to-earth and devoted to flavor. Substance trumps trendiness, which is all too rare in mainstream cocktail culture today. My early favorites include the 12th Avenue with rhubarb- infused vodka, Lillet and lime; and the Lark, prosecco with a splash each of grapefruit juice and Campari. Each cocktail comes with a suggested optional pairing, a few bites of something distinctive--such as frozen foie gras bon bons or chickpeas with harissa salt--to complement the drink.

Chef/co-owner John Sundstrom has had a string of successes in recent years, gaining acclaim at the W Hotel's Earth & Ocean restaurant (he was named one of Food & Wine magazine's Best New Chefs during that tenure), then going on to open Lark which remains a steadfast favorite for much of Seattle. What's so enchanting about following John's career is that every step he takes is into new territory, rather than each new phase simply a variation on the same theme.

All the items we tasted that evening, including a nightly special of watermelon topped with basil sorbet and corn soup with chanterelles, were outstanding. Flavors are real, unadulterated, nothing fussy. But with Licorous he's embracing the bar scene in a new way and with a chef's drive and passion. Consider this: John is even making a few versions of his own bitters to use in their cocktails. It's an example of a new kitchen-meets-bar wave that's blurring the lines between two traditionally separate camps of a restaurant. And it shows John Sundstrom is still very much at the top of his game.

This sangria is one of the simpler recipes I've come up with for my Homegrown cookbooks, but for some reason it remains a particular favorite. In part, the pitcher of wine and fruit is so pretty with its pink- blush-orange tones, it just naturally seems to evoke easy-breezy-lazy summer evenings. And the fleeting availability of key ingredients make this a recipe that really celebrates the season in style. Once the Rainier cherries and tree-ripened peaches are gone, it's time to put the recipe away until next year.

Though southern French rosés would be good candidates, I always reach first for a Washington rosé for this recipe. Chinook winery's cabernet franc rosé is a personal favorite. We just picked up a few more bottles on our trip to Eastern Washington this past weekend.

Consider heading to Anacortes the first weekend of August for the Anacortes Arts Festival. This will be my first visit, but the festival.now in its 45th year.celebrates every type of art, from handmade fabrics to live jazz. And literary/culinary art as well, which explains why I'll be there signing my Salmon cookbook at Watermark Book Company (612 Commercial Ave, 360-293-4277). from 1:00 to 3:00 the afternoon of Saturday August 5.

Just a reminder: the second annual Incredible Feast is around the corner on August 20, a farmer-driven event put on by the Neighborhood Farmers Market Alliance (the folks behind the University District, West Seattle, Columbia City and other neighborhood markets in town). The event will be held at the Phinney Neighborhood Center, raising funds to help set up the new farmers market that will be launched there next year. A couple dozen of Seattle's top chefs are paired up with local farmers, offering a feast of the best of summertime produce, cheeses, meats and other products. Tickets sold out in advance last year, so don't dilly-dally; they're available online and at the weekly markets.

One of my favorite annual events is also just around the corner, the third weekend of August: the Auction of Washington Wines. This will be the auction's 19th event, which has grown from a one-evening auction to three days of activities. The casual Picnic is Thursday evening, intimate winemaker dinners in private homes Friday evening, culminating with the black-tie gala Saturday night. This year's theme, Life is a Cabaret, will surely make for some festive regalia. It's a splurge, but always a wonderful party in celebration of Washington's wine industry.