Tag: travel

Tripping Down Memory Lane Spring Break Trip Report Part III winds down our 2008 spring break trip to Las Vegas in getting back to Vegas basics style.

Filling In The Vegas Days and Nights: Hotels, Casinos & Restaurants

Venetian 

Spending the afternoon at Venetian surrounded by copies of and renditions of famous Italian works and decor was the plan for our Thursday afternoon.

The machines, bonus rounds and green felt covered tables will take a backseat to sightseeing and lunch at Grand Lux Cafe at Venetian.

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I get into the theme of it all and appreciate it for what it is- a gorgeous imitation of inspired artistic works of architectural wonder.

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People often comment negatively in regards to Grand Lux as a dining choice while in Las Vegas.

“It’s a chain. Why in the world are you eating at a chain restaurant?”

How do we love Grand Lux Cafe?

Let us deliciously count the ways.

The food is always excellent.  See images above.

The menu offers a wide variety of delicious something for everyone dishes.

The dining room design and decor is lovely.

The price is right.

If it ain’t broke…

I did not break with my dining at Grand Lux tradition ordering the seafood salad and a shared order of double-stuffed potato spring rolls.

Dave ordered the fish and chips and gave it 4 forks out of a possible 5 review.

The casino at Venetian was packed.

I played $1 Top Dollar slots with no big wins. Dave didn’t fare too well at the tables so he was in hot pursuit of a $1 Double Top Dollar slot machine to play.

We both love Top Dollar and Pinball.

I did not receive an ounce of respect, love or pay from the numerous Top Dollar or Pinball machines I played during this session.

I now fondly refer to them as “sucker machines” and Dave now fondly refers to me as a sore loser.

If it was in the cards for me to be a loser, at least the rocking band playing at La Scena (casino floor lounge that sadly is no more) was churning out some fantastic music.

Win, lose or draw I like to get my boogie on.

We have boogied to really fantastic lounge acts playing the casino lounges. That part of old Vegas is slowly going away too.

My parents tell of the now famous singers they saw years ago in Las Vegas when the entertainers were up and coming lounge acts.

Paris  

I got it together earlier than usual so we could be on our way to lunch at the Paris Le Village buffet.

Le Village Buffet at Paris

I knew I would want to play before lunch and also figured the line to be seated could be rather long on a Friday afternoon.

I could not squeak out a win, but left the casino floor for the buffet line even. That’s always a win in my book!

The lunch at Le Village was good, but this is a buffet that shines at breakfast.

Dave pointed out the French onion soup, and I informed him I had worked the French onion soup enough for a while.

The crepe station did call out to me and I answered apple with raspberries, blueberries and crème fraîche, se il vous plaît.

5 forks out of 5 very French c’est si bon forks.

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Moving Day: From Treasure Island to Rio We Go

I packed the room up with a cup of in-room brewed strong Louisiana coffee in hand.

Traveling with a coffee pot isn’t for everyone, but we do it for two reasons.

In extremely short order after my eyes pop open in the morning and my feet hit the floor or carpet I need coffee- hot, fresh and Louisiana strong.

I also like to have a cup or two in the afternoons or early evening when we are relaxing in the room before dinner or a show or just regrouping.

The other reason is pure economics I swear we would go broke by the third day in town feeding our coffee fix.

A fellow Vegas travel nut cued me in on a coffee pot travel tip.

There are several Walgreens and CVS locations up and down the Las Vegas Strip.

Pop in a pick up a coffee maker and supplies and ignore the initial sticker shock investment.

It will pay for itself within the first day. If you don’t want to contend with packing it up and carting it home, simply leave it in the room.

Easy peasy.

It is ridiculous what hotels charge for coffee ordered from room service or in the coffee shops, and speaking of coffee shops- coffee shops are quickly becoming an extinct dining option on the Strip.

I am not the biggest fan of the buffet, but for breakfast dining the beverage selection and cost included reasons this to be a reasonable option.

Dave went down to visit with the host with positive results.

We checked out over the television and said goodbye to Treasure Island.

 Pop Sugar

Our host at the Rio met us at VIP-Diamond check in and assigned us a room in the Ipanema Tower.

The room reminded me of the suites at the Stardust we loved.

These rooms impress me more in terms of size and layout vs decor. Various tell-tale signs give the age of the property away, but nothing we can’t live with for five nights.

We got our gambling on for about an hour, and finally I declared victory with a $$$ win on a five-line .25 3X  4X  5X machine in front of the performing stage.

Cocktail service at Rio was fast and frequent.  My server took my Coke order.

“Is Pepsi okay?”

My “not in this lifetime” answer produced a chuckle on his part.

I changed my order to a Shirley Temple (I was on the hard stuff this afternoon) and returned to my play.

In a flash he returns with his own version of comedy with a “You had the ice-cold Pepsi?”

I spun my seat around to find him standing there holding my ST with the biggest grin on his face.

We both laughed and he became my cheering section for a big win.

The time clock was ticking for me to be back to the room to get ready for Cher.

Time clocks can be a good thing or a very bad thing when gambling.

It was a good thing this go round and the $$$ win money made it to the room.

Pinterest

I covered the Cher experience in a previous installment.

We hit The Cheesecake Factory in The Forum Shops for our post show dinner of a shared pepperoni pizza, strawberry shortcake and two glasses of Riesling.

Very tasty.

Happy Birthday, Dave!

Shopping for birthday gifts and perhaps something new for both of us to wear to the birthday celebration dinner this evening is the plan, and Vegas knows shopping.

Dave was a sport and kept me company while I spent the afternoon shopping at the Fashion Show Mall.

 Starbucks supplied our very light lunch break of shared pastry and coffees- just a quick bite of something to keep a headache at bay.

Our plan for the birthday celebration evening was for a quiet and relaxing dinner at the Range Steakhouse at Harrah’s (presently Ruth’s Chris).

We enjoyed dinner at The Range so much on our last trip.

We were seated by the window and with James as our waiter (requested). His personality and professionalism adds to the evening.

Dave started with the lobster bisque and I selected the blue cheese and fresh apple salad.

For our entrees we both ordered the 12 oz. center cut pork chop and shared Yukon gold mashed potatoes.

The manager knew we were celebrating Dave’s birthday and sent over the most fantastic chocolate cake with strawberries and coffee for two.

The food presentation and preparation was done very well.  The service and the wait staff could not have been more professional or friendly, and it all equaled a memorable birthday meal in Vegas.

We were dressed and waiting in the Rio valet at 8:15 AM Wednesday.

Trust me, I am not the up and dressed and ready to greet the day while on vacation kind of girl.

By the time of day and level of enthusiasm, Dave realized I was serious about this slot tournament.

I grabbed the keys, gave the valet a good morning hello and it was touchdown Flamingo events area.

The tournament was open to all Total Rewards card holders, so Dave put down a few $20s and we were registered for 10:30 AM, 11:00 AM, 12:00 PM, 12:30 PM, 1:00 PM, and finally 2:00 PM.

Wow!

That’s a lot of hope and fun packed into a late morning and early afternoon at the dirty bird, and you would think we had a snowball’s chance in the desert of winning.

Goodness knows as many times as we entered we sure thought we did!

We didn’t even come close to placing, but we had an absolute ball trying.

The last day in Vegas gives me a pit in my stomach no words can describe.

Staying busy cures it.

Gambling for this trip was officially over.

I had not been able to win enough to make it accumulate over what I started with, and the wins were too far apart from each other to save me.

I find it is easier to swallow if I quit without too much damage to the initial bankroll.

The suggestion of In-N-Out Burger for lunch and a business mixed with pleasure venture was met with no complaints.

We headed out to dine in style and visit a few design and antiques shops.

In-N-Out Burger

We saw parts of Vegas new to us, and I lucked up on a few items I could easily pack.

We grabbed a couple of coffees, parked and watched the airplanes landing and taking off from McCarran International.

I must admit after nine full days and nights in Vegas this was a nice change.

We caught a couple of afternoon fountain shows at Bellagio and it was Monte Carlo time.

Dave and I discovered the Wizard of Oz penny slots complete with flying monkeys, the yellow brick road and the wizard himself.

The graphics and sound effects are amazing, and Oz turned out to be a magical place.

I put in a $5 voucher and cashed out with $$$ for a nice win.

The beautiful Glenda appeared to me in bonus round goodness resulting in the big hit.

I could become addicted to these machines with no problem.

There’s no place like home or Vegas on a sunny winning afternoon.

The Friday going home wake up call came at 5:30 AM with coffee shortly after.

We checked out of Rio and at the car rental return by 9:15 AM.

We were through security and to Continental gate D 20 with fifty minutes to spare.

I took in the final sights of the Strip from my window seat on the airplane.

I settled in for the three-hour flight with good tunes, better memories and big plans for our next trip.

Getting home to a full house of family and friends on Hurricane Gustav alert and all he dumped on Central Louisiana naturally put priorities where they should be.

Normalcy is back in our reach and has allowed me to share with you my trip report.

The overall casual tone was the right way to go for us this Vegas trip.

It was easy on the schedule, expectations and the wallet. I wasted no time bringing to Dave’s attention with all the money saved this trip it would be stupid not to book another trip out to our desert oasis within the next six months.

My logic has him thinking about it.  Then again, my logic always has me thinking about Vegas.

Thanks to all who have stayed with the reading.

 

images: The Cheesecake Factory, Grand Lux Cafe, Rio All-Suite Hotel

Spring Break Trip Report Part II is up and ready to read.

There is no match for seeing a production show, concert or headliner in Las Vegas.

There’s a reason why Las Vegas is known as the entertainment capital of the world.

Over the years, we have been fortunate enough to have seen some of the best entertainers in the world perform on the stages of the infamous Las Vegas showrooms.

Our entertainment selections for this trip fit the playbill, mixed the old with the new, paid tribute to a legendary group of lads, had us hearing voices, and rocked our Friday night in Vegas world.

Cher at The Colosseum at Caesars Palace

Cher at Caesars Palace~ then and now

The backstory:

My first time to see Cher live was in 1980.

It was my first trip to Las Vegas, Caesars Palace and the infamous Circus Maximus showroom.

Las Vegas is the entertainment capital of the world for a reason, and the best of the best performers and entertainers play Caesars for the same reason- it is the gold standard.

The stages of the Vegas showrooms invented the celebrity A game of which Cher is a master player.

This engagement at Caesars Palace was a production extravaganza of Cher’s Take Me Home tour.

I was a wide eyed kid in the Vegas candy store on a sugar high of glamour, glitz, feathers, sequins, female impersonators and Bob Mackie creations custom made for a Vegas state of mind.

It was gloriously flashy, dramatic with a capital D and exquisitely orchestrated by the incomparable entertaining brilliance that is Cher.

I saw Cher again at Caesars Palace in the Circus Maximus showroom the next year with the same enthusiasm and a new Cher convert, my brother.

Cher’s “surprise guests” Bette Midler and Diana Ross completely fooled my brother.

My mother and I knew the ladies were in fact female impersonators and informed my brother of it, but he was totally convinced we were out of our minds.

He was amazed at their physical and theatrical likeness, and when he thought about it for awhile he again wasn’t quite convinced.

Fast forward twenty seven years to a new entertainment venue at Caesars (my third time to The Colosseum aka the house of Celine, Dave’s first) and a curiosity to see if lightening would strike thrice.

Dave and I were through the security monitors (another new aspect of Vegas) and seated quickly in our seats on the first mezzanine.

Cher and company delivered like Domino’s!

When she performed a medley of her greatest hits from her 1970s discography, the ones that in 1980 and 1981 were relatively new hits, Cher turned back time.

Dave loved every minute of the show, lightening bolts and all.

This was a great way to spend an evening in Vegas.

Mama Mia at Mandalay Bay

Kept the memories, lost the program.  Thank goodness for Pinterest!

We Saturday night in Vegas different from most.

The circus arena on steroids atmosphere of a Vegas Saturday night can be too much at times.

It’s become the norm for us to see the 6:00 p.m. performance of Mama Mia at Mandalay Bay and have a late gourmet supper at In-N-Out.

Stick with us, kids, and we’ll take you to the best burger joint in Vegas!

This is our ninth time to see Mama Mia, and while I like Mama Mia, Dave loves Mama Mia.

For this trip we had front row seats A 16 and A 17.

The lobby of the Mandalay Bay Theatre (presently the Michael Jackson ONE theatre) has an Art-Deco style reminiscent of vintage movie houses.

This photo of Michael Jackson ONE by Cirque du Soleil is courtesy of TripAdvisor

Before the show began we visited with two of the nicest ladies from Salt Lake City seated to our left and a local mom and her six year old daughter seated to our right.

Meeting new people continues to be a part of the Vegas experience that pleases.

Dave and I both agreed this particular performance was one of the best yet.

It doesn’t take but a tweak here and a small change there to step up a performance.

As it is with interior design and home decor, placing a new spin on an oldie but a goodie helps to keep things fresh and relevant.

ABBA

We lip synced and kept time to the music throughout the entire show, and the Dancing Queens that we are surfaced during the finale.

Along with most of the audience we were up out of our seats and dancing with the cast members to the feel good gotta love it songs of ABBA.

If this is in fact our last time to see the show in Vegas it made for a great memory.

It was indeed our last time to see Mama Mia! in Las Vegas at Mandalay Bay.

Danny Gans at Mirage

In all the time we have been going to Vegas this would be our first time seeing Danny Gans (October 25, 1956 – May 1, 2009).

I purchase discount entertainment vouchers and restaurant coupons to use on our trips, and one of the best outlets is the radio shopping show from local Las Vegas radio station, KSHP.

I stream the show via the internet, purchase the vouchers and have the show mail them out to me.

This particular trip the station was running a promo on one of their afternoon shows.  I answered a trivia question correctly and scored two tickets seventh row center section to Danny Gans at the Mirage.

The theatre was full to capacity, the vibe of the room and the audience was high energy and the laugh-o-meter was set to hilarious.

We loved the band and the live music, and Danny Gans’ impression of Johnny Carson and his The Twelve Days of Christmas skit was fantastic.

He performed Creed’s “With Arms Wide Open”, and while his performance was good his band’s performance was great.

I have to admit only a small percentage of the audience seemed to be familiar with Creed, but those that were gave him a standing ovation.

We left the theater thoroughly entertained and ready to put the hurt on the Mirage in the gambling department.

The Mirage was well armed for battle against us giving me the honor of being seven for seven in the “I can’t win a damn thing in this casino” category.

Amazing how the Vegas night air and a volcano eruption can make things all better.

Fab Four Live (presently B- A Tribute to the Beatles)

The Places In The Home gang loves this Beatles tribute show.

We’ve seen this late afternoon show nineteen times based on the following criteria: the price is right, the 5:30 PM showtime is perfect and the entire performance is live.

This is a fun show with lots of audience interaction. The four gentlemen who recreate musical magic bring the voices and songs of The Beatles to life with spot on accuracy, and did I mention the entire performance is live and very well done.

The set list covers the hits of the Beatlemania, the band’s US invasion, Sgt. Pepper (see photos) and the Abbey Road phenomenon.

Howard Arthur’s performance as John Lennon is amazing.

Sheryl Crow, James Blunt and Toots at Planet Hollywood: It Was Just One of Those Vegas Nights 

Toots is a Jamaican performer Sheryl Crow discovered and invited to tour with him.

We had never heard of him so going in we had no opinion one way or another.  Toots and band put on a great opening show incorporating the audience in the fun with sing-a-longs.

The sweet soulful reggae spin he put on John Denver’s classic hit, “Take Me Home, Country Roads” was worth the price of admission.

This sing-a-long finale ended his set on a high note, and the good mood kept concert goers happy as the crews were breaking down his set and getting James Blunt and Company in set up.

More concert goers started to trickle into the theater signaling the people watching part of my brain to get busy taking it all in. People, clothes, conversations, pairings- it all fascinates me.

We humans are an interesting people.

It was hard not to notice the large cameras, cranes, booms and cables being set up in and around the theatre.

I commented to Dave it appeared some type of filming would be taking place during the evening.

We learned the filming was for a feature showcase for A&E’S Private Sessions.

Sheryl Crow ~ Feels Like Home Cover.  How’s that for staying on the all things that make a home topic?

I also noticed a couple to my left heavily making out.

A girl in what I guess to be her mid 20’s and her mother are seated to my immediate left, and suffice it to say we are privy to this up close and way too personal floor show.

The mind doesn’t kick in quick enough with the stop looking command when it is stunned.

About the time I am turning away, busted!

Make out man decides to strike up a conversation with me, the mom and her daughter.

He tells us they have been married twenty five years, are empty nesters, and just want to, how did he put it?

He and his lady love just want to “be all over a good time.”

Is that what they call it now?

Believe me, these two were all over something for sure.

Their show within the show picked up steam as the night went on, and by the end of the night it was a free for all with a few added cast members.

They were in ecstasy, if you get my drift.

To put the cherry on top of the cake, about every five minutes this guy would scream out Sheryl (Sh-air-real) in a sort of New York/New Orleans blended accent.

How many times do you think Dave had to hear me mimic this guy’s cry of Crow for the rest of our trip?

All in all an excellent evening that far exceeded my expectations in the very best way.

To date, this is the best time I have ever had at a concert in Vegas.

We entered the venue at 7:10 p.m and walked out at 11:15 p.m rocked and ready for a Vegas Friday night turning into Saturday morning.

More Only in Vegas to come.

 

images: Biography, Caesars, VTheater, Sheryl Crow, Wikipedia