Viva Las Vegas & Hello Palm Springs!

Yes, I am now focused on finishing up on telling y'all about the trip so we can jump forward and talk about getting stuck in the elevator yesterday and the fire dept. coming out to save us! But I am so getting ahead of myself. When we last left you I had just gotten back into town and went to the Golden Nugget where I was to stay the following night. They had no rooms available. It must have been because of the "World of Concrete" conference was still going strong! So I ended up at Fitzgerald's two blocks down and got upgraded to a suite and free breakfast called the double down due to Mom and Dad having gone to the Fitzgerald many times in Reno. They were listed in their system as "lucky charms" and so got the room and breakfast for $27.79. My room faced Freemont Street and oh my was I so not ready for what happened at 8pm that night. Suddenly all the casino lights go off and then a 10 minute show begins that is LOUD and BRIGHT!! Yes, by day it looks very simple and tame and then the sun sets and the demons get to thrive! It is quite something:
















The first three give you a great perspective of how it transitions and the last was the view from my room per se. It was on my list, but who knew I would have a front and center seat. Good thing as I was in a back tower at the Golden Nugget the next night and did not leave my room once I got back, needed a down night. So Thursday morning I walk down and have the double-down breakfast...OMG! It is served on a turkey platter...2 biscuits and gravy, a good 6 eggs scrambled, 10-12 pieces of bacon plus hash browns and 4 slices of toast with juice and coffee. No, I did not finish it, not even close. So off I went in the car and did a drive of the Vegas Strip and oh my what a different perspective from walking. Then went and drove and just got lost a couple of times because I could. Took a side trip up to the Red Rock area and it is quite beautiful and for hiker's it is a joy. Would not mind returning on a future visit. Love, love, love the low temps...happy tourist, but a lot of the others are grumbling about how cold it is.

Due to the multiple shows on Freemont Street the night before, I decided I did not need to return and instead, I took a long shower and a wonderful afternoon nap, a true pamper experience. Then, I discovered that the in-room dinner special was Liver & Onions w/ Bacon and well, I was in heaven! Ordered it and it came with baked potato plus green beans, a Caesar salad and a choice of either Lemon or Banana Cream pie...I opted for the former. Oh and add three glasses of ice water and you have a feast for a king...or a queen...go figure. Enjoyed it and continued to read my book and well, it was just a lovely night in. No rushing and heck, I needed my rest as tomorrow would be The Desperado! This is no ordinary roller coaster. You get a breathtaking view of the valley from 209 feet up right before you plunge at tremendous speed into a succession of twist, turns and unexpected surprises. Ranking among the top ten roller coasters in North America and one of the tallest and fastest in the U.S., the Desperado is 2.43 minutes of pure heart pounding fun.

So off to bed I go and Friday had me making that horrible 45 minute journey to Primm, NV right at the border of California after enjoying an early lunch in leiu of breakfast at Sonic Drive-In. One of my favorite places to eat out when traveling. Tonight I would stay at one of three casino's at this spot in the road. Buffalo Bill's and oh my, I was not ready. Checked in and it was scary...went on the roller coaster and it was scary. Went and looked at the restaurants and they were scary. Snagged a bottle of water and a newspaper and called it good. Went to my room and read, watched a bit of TV and went to bed early, I wanted out of there early. Way too redneck for my tastes and I was on the road for Palm Springs by 6:30am the next day!

Palm Springs

Boy was I glad I got an early start...got over half way before the rain hit and boy did it hit! Complete downpours. Arrived Palm Springs to sheets of rain. Perspective, that day Palm Springs got 4.5 inches of rain. One day! More than they get in any month. Once I got checked in at Chap's Inn I was quite pleased to gt to market and get groceries and make up a light munch and then relaxed a bit followed by meting up with some friends and deciding that I would skip the cocktail party that night and instead went out and explored the city a bit. Interesting place and why do people live here again? Well, the rain let up for a midnight swim to occur and a wonderful way to guarantee a good night's sleep. Next day was very lazy with coffee by the pool and read the NYTimes! Love doing that on Sunday. Then began watching coverage of the Super Bowl. The highlight had to be the Tram up the mountain in the afternoon. Here are some pictures of the experience:

The cabins are equipped with floors that turn 360 degrees to show the show the whole area without moving. The last picture is what I saw as we came down the mountain as the city lit up. Quite lovely! So then Monday arrived and I took a lovely back road drive up to Las Vegas and what a treat it was plus I got to see something that you will not see anywhere else. Mind you, you are driving along in the backboards and suddenly you are seeing something you do not expect and have to rub your eyes as yes, there is Joshua's show tree! And home again, home again, I did, did, did!

Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It's off to the Grand Canyon we go...

For many of you in the US the weather has been less than stellar. Quite the opposite here in the great Pacific Northwest! We have had amazing temps and the sun is out yet again this day. We are going to be getting up to the mid-50's yet again this day. Michael has headed home from his brief visit and so as I wait for Amazon Fresh to deliver the groceries, I thought, let's get this blog updated. A lot to share.

Grand Canyon! What a treat, on the road in my Chevy Equinox. What a comfortable SUV and within the hour I had crossed the Hoover Dam. I had watched specials and read a lot about it, but boy, as you approach there is an anticipation that cannot be beat. Then the reality hits and you realize all too soon it is over. The security check point was so lame! Come on guys. The speed of traffic did allow to see some of the special touches along the way from the original, but soon all this will be changing! A huge construction project is happening and it all is to be done by this November. It is called the Hoover Dam Bypass. I think the original Hwy 93 will be there for the tourists, but all the truck traffic and people wanting to get on through will be taken via bypass and it is an amazing thing to see being built.

It was Tuesday and so I listened in on the marketing meeting call as I cruised through the Arizona desert. Arrived at El Tovar Hotel at mid-afternoon and was decked out in a beautiful covering of snow. It was magical to be sure. I had taken steps to make it so I only needs my small overnight bag and so as able to settle in quickly. The day was tempered by the fact that it would have been David's 39th birthday. I decided to dedicate tonight's dinner to his memory. After checking in I spent an hour or so up on the mezzanine reading email, etc. and then looked out and just enjoyed the view. Icicles 3 feet long hung like a guillotine awaiting the next victim. Took a stroll out and about before the sun set and the temps plunged. It was amazing to be so close to the edge of the Grand Canyon. It is just STUNNING! I went back to the room to relax and have a bit of a nap before dinner. At the El Tovar, you must make dinner reservations or possibly go without dinner. It is quite popular and I had made mine over a week ago. If you are staying at the hotel you can make them up to 6 months ahead and likely during the summer months that is wise. Lucky for me, it was not quite that horrible. Oh and know there is always the option of room service if you forgot to make that reservation and so you are not going to have to starve. That would be a pity.

I began with a couple of Chopin Vodka Martini's with blue cheese stuffed olives. Delightful. The first course was Deviled Crab Cakes with Sonoran Remoulade and it had a nice bit to it that was not overpowering and yet felt needed. For the next two courses, I decided on a Pinot Gris prepared especially for the hotel's Centennial. It is called El Tovar Centennial, Henry Estate, Umpqua Vally, 2007 and was available by the glass. The soup course was a French Onion Soup Gratinee. Just delightful and a nice small portion to allow for the multi-course dining experience to occur. Salad course provided an opportunity to indulge in one of the most amazing salads I have had in a very long time. It was a Spinach and Endive Salad. While initially sounding a tad boring, what they enhanced it with brought it to life and beyond. Only the spinach got dressed with the apple walnut vinaigrette which was a stroke of brilliance. Adding the Gorgonzola, Bacon and Sahllots just made it a home run! Even the house made rolls were a delight and while the Italian Herb Tri-pull Rolls were exceptional, the Cheddar Onions Biscuits could have been best left for a bowl of chili. A little break to enjoy the lovely murals and sand paintings above the fireplaces made the arrival of main course all the more special. Main course wine selection was Firestone Vineyards, Santa Ynez 2005 Cabernet Sauvignon. This was a peak of dining experiences on this trip and how better than a Grilled New York Strip cooked rare with Buttermilk Cornmeal Onion Rings. On the side was a vegetable blend of carrots and broccoli rabe plus fingerling potatoes that were roasted and quite forgettable. Dessert consisted of a lovely fruit tart that had an electric blue sauce for impact, whatever. Coffee and a Frangelico capped off the meal. All of that for just under $100. AMAZING!

While the meal was amazing, the elevation made sleeping next to impossible so my two night stay became a one night stay. I headed down to the lowlands the next day, but oh the adventure I would have on my way back to Las Vegas. So up early and got phone calls out of the way with staff and on the road back to Kingston, AZ and up a road over an hour to The Skywalk. Suppose to cost $29.95. Well, add tax and some other pass and poof, over $70! RIPOFF! Got there and then had to board a bus after going though a gift shop. Did I mention I did not even buy a glass of water I was so pissed off at all this money, money, money talk. Well, it was a walk out on the glass horseshoe in my booties that I got to keep! Back in the car and on the way back to Las Vegas I stopped at an In-N-Out Burger. The burgers are fine, but do not like their fries. Nasty. Drove on into Las Vegas and crashed but not before experiencing something that was on my list, but was so not prepared for it. Stay tuned!

Spring is in the air, but what happened to winter?

Hello there,

So not back to complete 100%, but did want to share a picture that just says spring to me.

Enjoy and Cheers!

Wayward Ho - Off to the Grand Canyon - pause!

Hello to one and all,

It is Sunday, both Valentine's Day & Chinese New Year (Year of the Tiger). I have been sick most of the day. One of those horrible chest colds and did not leave the apt. Missed Moonsong & David's Party which I am bummed about and yet, it was needed down time. Cannot believe I watched the entire Daytona 500 - complete with the hour and half delay! UGH! Needless to say, I was going to post about the Grand Canyon and yet still on the light headed side and so will hold, but it is coming as is the Skywalk over the Canyon and back to Vegas and on to Palm Springs...stay tuned!

Oh and yes, I am moving at the end of March and beginning of April!

If it is Monday, it must be time for the Liberace Museum

Hello everyone,

Yes, I took pause to remember David and now it is time to share his favorite place in Las Vegas. Mind you I did not know this when I booked this trip and added it to my schedule. It was, how shall I phrase this, sort of a mandatory stop on the tour for moi! I still remember going to Civic Auditorium with Aunt Pauline years ago and seeing his show. It was over the top and those cars and capes...oh my! We had such a ball and well, now seeing the official Liberace Museum I feel somehow complete. It is a series of buildings in what they call a compound whereas many of us would say an old strip mall. They have taken over the whole place and have a walking hall of fame that ties the various buildings together. What a trip. You start out with the pictures, hundreds of them. Then the cars, oh my GOD! Then the pianos...and out the door and on you go to the next building with the costumes and a complete redo of the Palm Springs master bedroom. Then there is the gift shop and cafe and "video theatre" when you can lunch and watch videos of Liberace. Officially, he never married because he was afraid he would do to his wife what his Dad did to his Mother and him...leave them. OK, so let's go with that version! The number of blue rinse ladies just having a field day is amazing. Oh Lee, if only a few more years had lapsed, maybe you would have been more comfortable with yourself.


From here I hoped the free shuttle back to the Flamingo hotel. Then walked over and had lunch at Serendipity 3 which recently opened this Las Vegas outlet at Caesar's Palace. The original is in NYC and a favorite of mine. The staff was jealous to know I had been to the original. Get over it kids! A yummy bacon and blue cheese burger with a frozen peanut butter hot chocolate gave me the energy to plow on and see the fountains at Bellagio again and took in the conservatory with the floral tribute to the Chinese New Year and the lobby with the Chihuly ceiling of glass flowers. Walking through one casino can take an hour and it did as I made my way to the tram (more like a monorail really!) that stopped at City Center (a complex that let's you see just what $8 billion can buy!) and then on to Monte Carlo. Now mind you, the Monte Carlo is RIGHT next door to the New York, New York but it still took me over 30 minutes of walking to get back to base. My feet hated me, but I know it was good for me.

Since it was Monday, I took advantage of The Nine Irishmen Pub. This is a bar that was designed and built in Ireland and then dismantled and shipped over here. AMAZING! What a delight and the bartender poured a perfect Guinness. I enjoyed happy hour so dinner and drinks came to a grand total of $24 with tip and that was two dinner items and 4 cocktails plus tip! This is one of the numerous eateries at the New York New York Casino and Hotel. It was up there as one of my favorite places in all of Sin City.


Took the evening to get things repacked and ready for the trip to the Grand Canyon. Decided that for the next several days, I would use only my purple carry-on bag that rolls. I could then leave the weekender bag in the car. Makes for an easy schlep to hotels and such. Also keeps me mindful of what room I have for trinkets. Keeping it simple and at the same time letting go of some clothes to make room. Over the course of the trip I let go of two pairs of pants, one sweater and four shirts. Not bad! Tomorrow will kick off with me heading to the airport to get the car at Avis for the drive to the Grand Canyon and my stay at the El Tovar Hotel. I am so excited! Cheers!

Remebering David Jackson

I am not going to go on and on, but I am sitting at the Las Vegas airport and in a few hours I will be home. This has been a trip I will not soon forget. Did a lot of things I never thought I would do and at the same time I paused and remembered all the good times David and I shared.

When Buddie told me that going to the Liberace Museum was a highlight of David's trip to Las Vegs, it gave my visit more focus. At El Tovar, I toasted his 39th birthday. And everytime I saw someone drinking a Dr. Pepper, I thought of him. Interesting. The picture is one that just is how I shall always remember him. It was fun David, rest in peace! Love, Chris

January Ends on a High Note!

Can this be true, a second posting in less than 24 hours? OMG! Yes, up and about to head for Palm Springs. Rain is in the air and that is just fine. I am in Primm, NV at a place called Buffalo Bill's that has an amazing roller coaster and a swimming pool in the shape of a buffalo, I kid you not. So when I signed off I hinted at change in the air. I woke up Sunday to a couple of postings from people on Facebook. They did not connect and did not realize their gravity. My ex, David, had dies of a heart attack early Saturday morning. No warning. His 39th birthday was February 2nd. WOW! Knock me over with a feather. And yet I knew there was not a lot I could do. After a cry not felt since Dad's death in 1999 (when David was there to hold me) decided to get out and see some of the city.

You read about my walk through MGM in yesterday's posting so will not relive that, but after enjoying breakfast in America, a festive 24 hour diner in New York, New York. If you ever get there do go by and see the massive piece of artwork in the restaurant of the lower 48 states. Very cool. It spans the restaurant and was originally built in the Brooklyn Naval Yards in Brooklyn, NY. Then shipped out to Las Vegas and cost just under a $1 million. Had coffee along with the NY Bagel Breakfast. Not bad and set the tone for my trip which was two meals a day. I have also ignored all buffets! I walked more in the first two days than I had in the prior month. My GOD! My feet were ready to rebel.

After getting off the monorail at the Paris/Bally's stop, you are funneled into Bally's and it was quite boring. But my God, I have never seen so many moving sidewalks in my life and it helped get from there to Paris. A grand concept in theme that was so poorly executed that I could not get out of their soon enough. Even going up the faux Eiffel Tower was kinda disappointing having been up the original. I also feel I need to temper my comments in that I was still kinda down from the news of David. So I made my way over to Bellagio and saw the wonderful water fountain show. The way they get the water to take on such personality, it was a delight and a highlight of the trip. The whole casino as well as much of Las Vegas is honoring the Chinese New Year due to much of their clientele. Wonderful lanterns everywhere plus the botanical gardens have a massive exhibit to honor the year of the tiger!

From there is was time to head over to Caesar's Palace and I picked up my ticket for Bette Midler's last show. Quite a complex Caesar's is and in being early I stepped into the gift shop just as the 50% off signs went up on Bette merchandise. While I passed on the $15,000 necklace that was half off, I did buy a water bottle that honors her work in NYC with the trees plus 10 postcards. Then it was on to the Trevi restaurant for a lovely dinner. It kicked off with a Sobertini...Kettle One vodka, Lemoncello, and homemade lemon sorbet = YUMMERS! Then decided to go light with a Caprese salad with main course of single order Pepperoni Pizza with a side of grilled Asparagus. A really enjoyable dinner and then made my way to the theatre for the show.

On the way to my seat the usher asked what had brought me to the show and I mentioned it was a finale to my 50th birthday. Well, I ended up in the VIP box. YUP! It was just amazing and then got free cocktails through the show and a program as well. Even popped for a picture in a keepsake holder. It was a show that included special appearances by Gladys Knight, Celine Dion and Marie Osmond. Classic Bette and was filled with laughter and touching moments. Who has ever seen 16 electric hover-round chairs going at the same time on stage! totally hilarious as all the cast were in mermaid outfits. After the show I was going to walk home but ended up in a cab sharing with two ladies I ran into at the photo booth. Yes, we realized we were going to the same place and split the cab. So a $12 ride was $4!

Well, it is 8am and time to head out for Palm Springs. Sunday has been covered and well my next entry will tell you all about the Liberace Museum! Oh and what a time was had by all.

Cheers!

The Odessy Begins

Hello to one and all,

If this finally posts I will be a happy camper. I have tried to post it 3 times and has not taken. We shall see. So last Saturday I woke up and got everything organized and headed off to the airport, with a twist. Usually in a cab, I call Yellow Cab and off I go, but not this time, I walked the block and a half and took the light rail out. VERY NICE! 30 minutes and $2.50 got me to the airport. OK, so a bit of a schlep once at the airport, but planning ahead, I got to Alaska's Board Room and checked in and had time to read the paper and enjoy a coupe of Bloody Mary's with a light breakfast of a banana and bagel. Not bad. Then off to Gate N1. It is stunning to see that United, that used to be a major player at Sea-Tac, is now mostly out of half of the North terminal while Alaska has grown to take most of C & D terminals and half of North terminal. Wowzers!

Once in the air, there was a light hearted feeling on the plane, what a difference to fly on Saturday over weekdays. People actually have smiles on their faces. A gentleman by the name of Rod was sitting next to me. We enjoyed Bloody Mary's and talked about Las Vegas. He has been going twice a year for over 20 years. He is a wholesale furniture rep. and headed to winter market. There is a furniture market in Vegas that has millions of square feet of space. He would be staying at Paris and loved it there. Really nice guy and the furniture market was bringing in nearly 60,000 people. But was that the largest convention in town? Oh no!

That honor belonged to World of Concrete! Yes indeed. To see the ENTIRE Las Vegas Convention Center overtaken with all sorts of concrete exhibits. When I rode the monorail, looking down and seeing all the exhibits was just stunning! I was laughing to myself. It was something to see to be sure. My first 3 days in Las Vegas were carless and it was fun to get around and use the various monorails/trams, etc. If you do your work ahead it is really nice to not bother with a car. But word to the wise, these properties are HUGE! Seriously, I love the fact that a block on the strip is about a half mile long. So if you see a casino is "just next door" that could be a good 20-30 minute walk. Also, you walk in the door of MGM, as an example, from walking over Las Vegas Blvd. from New York, New York. OK, you begin a trek through the massive casino walking by the "lion exhibit" and then the revolving Corvette that is being given away and then through the giant lobby of the hotel and then down an escalator and wind through a "street of shops" that became a very familiar sight at each property. So remember, if you forgot to buy an item at the Harley Davidson Store at one casino, don't worry, they are in just about every casino! Are you still with me, you then go up not one, but two escalators and walk down a hallway and you arrive at the monorail stop. OY! $5 for a one use which is what I did and rode it from end to end and then got off at Paris/Bally's to head over to Caesar's Palace. But am I so getting ahead of myself here.

Upon arriving at the airport I had done my research and caught an airport shuttle bus and with only 4 of us in the luxury bus it was a bargain at $6.50 to my hotel on the strip. I think downtown hotels are $10. Tip of $3 and for less than $10 I was at the hotel. Stayed at New York, New York at $49 for two night and 3rd night was free. At check-in I was upgraded by the hotel to the Chrysler Building Tower. If you are not familiar with the property it is one of the most unique. Over a hundred different room configurations and you are in different famous building towers. For those that do not know, this was totally cool in that the Chrysler Building is one of my favorite building, no make that my FAVORITE building in NYC! So away I go walking and walking to the elevators in my tower. Mind you, there are 5 different sets of elevators and 3 sets of escalators at the property.

Decided to stop at Zumanity box office to get tickets for the show that night. And glad I did as they did not have my reservation and was not a happy camper. The lady was going to give me some seats at the back and I was not happy knowing that they had been tossing out 2 for $99 seats all day. It was to fill the theatre and special promotion I was offered at check-in. So I asked to see a manager, in a very nice voice. Pointed out I had paid for the seats over three weeks ago and would have had better seats and she saw my point and in the end I got one of the "sofas" that they have in this space. Very Nice! Thank you Jessica. So here is what their website says about the show:

Zumanity, the Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, is a seductive twist on reality, making the provocative playful and the forbidden electrifying! Leave all inhibitions at the door and let loose as this adult-themed production takes you on a sexy thrill ride full of sensational acrobatics and naughty fun. Part burlesque and part cabaret, Zumanity is one full night you'll never forget! Zumanity was created for adults 18 and over. Only at New York-New York Hotel and Casino, Las Vegas.

I was jazzed about the show and so went up and got settled and then had a couple of drinks and headed down to see the show. Had a fruity drink and settled in. Well folks, one word = BORED. When would this be over. I feel that the fact that they got to bring in burlesque they did a cop out and got lazy. There were maybe two acts that were good, but the cast looked like they were just doing the movements. So sad. But let's be real, they have seven Cirque du Soliel shows in Las Vegas alone. It has gotten to be such a massive machine that even Bette Midler made a joke about being "Canadian based performance free" and the whole house roared! Look no further than their site http://www.cirquedusoleil.com/ where you have to then decide to go to one of the following - Americas, Europe, Asia and Middle East or Oceania! Those 4 lead you to 30, yes 30 sub sites! And that is only the beginning. Oh how I remember my fist show when they came to Portland the first time, under the big top. What a treat. And I plan to be very cautious in future choices.

Snagged a hot dog and soda at Jody Maroni's and headed back to the room. It had been quite a day and I knew that I wanted to be up early to see CBS Sunday Morning with Charles Osgood. The roller coaster ride had begun and it had been quite a ride, little did I know was waiting for me to find on Facebook the next morning...stay tuned!