Showing posts with label Strip. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Strip. Show all posts

Monday, November 8, 2010

Marines, Sailors and Bears...Oh My!

We have officially changed back to standard time again on Sunday. Europe did that last weekend already. Wouldn’t it make more sense if the whole world changed the times all at once? Or is this just one of America’s many exceptionalism thingys? Who knows?


In any case, while most people were able to enjoy that extra hour of sleep on Sunday morning, George and I did the exact opposite. Of course! We got up an extra hour early. Not because we felt so exceptional but because we just couldn’t sleep anymore. Darnit! So much for sleeping in a little longer.


It didn’t matter however. We still enjoyed a wonderful weekend. For the first time in long while we didn’t have any specific plans or obligations. So we decided to take things easy for a change and to just enjoy the moment.


On Saturday we drove to the famous Las Vegas “Strip” late afternoon, looking for tickets to see “Sinatra - Dance With Me,” which will perform at the Wynn Resort & Casino. This Broadway show, with Frank Sinatra’s music set to the choreography by Twyla Tharp, will have a limited engagement at the Encore Theatre. We’ll have to take advantage of this opportunity since “The Great White Way” is just a tad out of reach for us at the moment.


It was quite bustling on the Strip. After we got our tickets we made our way through a sea of people towards the Venetian, where we planned to have a nice dinner. Along the way we ran into the cutest bear cub. He was a real friendly fella with a handsome face and nice beard. Although he was straight as an arrow he was still a feast for the eyes.


The rest of the evening was filled with more sightings of rather dashing men. For some reason there were literally hundreds of Marines and a few sailors in town. While we didn’t find out what the reason for this “invasion” was, it was eye candy heaven to see these handsome guys strut their stuff in these sharp-looking dress uniforms.


Cliché be damned. I love a man in uniform.


For dinner, George and I had scrumptious Crispy Caramel Chicken and Four Cheese Pizza at the Grand Lux. We love that place. Afterwards we strolled along the Strip to walk off the gained calories and to google-eye all these cute guys in uniform. We also admired this year’s very nice lineup of men’s fall clothing at Banana Republic. Beautiful color combos this year. Of course, one will press hard to find one man dressed like this in Las Vegas. First, it’s still too warm here in the desert for these types of clothing. Even in winter. And secondly,...well, this is Las Vegas...this is Casual Clothing Central.


All in all, another nice evening in the City of Sin. Next week we’ll be back in the neighborhood again to see Diana Ross at the Coliseum at Caesars.


We...can’t...wait!


Below are few snippets from our evening on the Strip on Saturday.


Bright lights along the Las Vegas Strip.

The lobby of the Palazzo Resort & Casino.
The Shoppes at the Palazzo.
Carpet inside the Shoppes at the Palazzo. Some of the carpets inside Las Vegas’ casinos are an attraction by themselves.

There's always a crowd at the Sushi Samba inside the Palazzo.

After enjoying some gelato at the “Fountain of the Gods.”

The porte-cochère of the famed Caesars Palace hotel and Casino.
More bright lights on the Strip.

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Departing Planet Vegas



The new City Center on the Las Vegas “Strip” opened in December 2009. This multi-billion dollar complex of hotels, condominiums, a shopping mall and of course a casino, is a complete departure from the usual Las Vegas casino fare in style and form.


This type of urban living space, while not a brand-new concept, may have worked well in cities like Los Angeles or Atlanta. However, I’m not so sure if this will work for this surreal planet called Vegas. Is this a new direction the future of Las Vegas might take? Only time will tell.


We still don’t quite know what to make of it. I love some things but also hate other parts. I don’t think George cares for any of it at all. A matter of opinion and taste, I suppose. Here are impressions from the City Center in Las Vegas from last Friday.



















Thursday, October 22, 2009

Homer’s Trip to the Strip

Here are the last few photos from Homer’s little getaway to “Sin City.” George and I took him to the “Strip” last Sunday to play tourists and do some people watching. He even won $10 on one of the slot machines at the Mirage.


Homer was flying back home to Tucson again first thing Monday morning to get ready for a new archaeological dig there.


All in all, it was one heck of a fun weekend and we were thrilled to have Homer as our guest.

Homer really enjoyed all the things which are “bad for you,” like ice cream, chips or M&M’s.

George in our kitchen.

Homer is also an avid reader.

Homer in Paris...Paris Las Vegas, that is.

At Bellagio’s version of Lago di Como.

He was impressed by the Bellagio Fountains.

Back in Paris again...with the half-size replica of the Tour d’Eiffel in the background.

Jim and Homer in front of Caesars Palace.

George and Homer under the Chihuli glass ceiling sculpture inside the Bellagio.

Monday, October 5, 2009

Just Another Weekend...

Another weekend came and went far too quickly. George and I enjoyed it nonetheless. Especially now with the desert heat finally bowing out, where we can enjoy being outdoors that much more.



On Saturday afternoon, we had George’s mother and sister over at our home for a nice visit. In the evening we checked out the celebration of the “early” National Coming Out Day event, which was held at the large parking lot in front of the Las Vegas Gay and Lesbian Community Center with lots of music, dance and food.



The Tattoo Expo ‘09 took place at the convention center of Mandalay Bay over the weekend as well. Since locals got in for free we took advantage of this great offer. A very large and quite diverse group of people were mingling with fellow tattoo admirers to check out the latest on designs, techniques and applications. Artist and representatives of tattoo parlors from all around the world attended. A group of Samoan tattoo artists displayed very skillfully their traditional ways of applying tattoos the old-fashioned way without the help of any modern devices.



After the tattoo expo George and I wandered about the southern part of the famed “Strip.” We discovered a couple of new things, like the second Hard Rock Cafe which is being touted as an all interactive experience. The massive City Center is coming along nicely and getting ready for its opening in December of this year. Before heading back home we enjoyed delicious gelato at the Bellagio.


In the meantime we’re back in the rat race again. Here’s our little gallery of photos that we’ve taken over the weekend.

Real Russian chocolate, surprisingly divine

Samoan tatoo artists at the Tattoo Expo

Mandalay Bay Resort detail

The Luxor pyramid peeks out behind the lush entryway to the Mandalay Bay

The Manhattan Express rollercoaster speeds through and around the New York New York Hotel & Casino on the Strip

MGM Grand detail

The second Hard Rock Cafe in Las Vegas opened on the Strip recently

McNeon

The Aria, part of the new City Center

Detail of the City Center

More detail of the City Center

Bellagio reflections

George loves the gelato and fancy pastries offered at the Bellagio

Bellagio detail

My humble self. How about a smile?

Tropicana Intersection

The Strip, looking northbound

The new Mandarin Oriental