Welcome, 2015!

We spent new year's eve at the Rio, it was an unforgettable way to welcome the new year. We have spent new year's on the strip, in the mountains and up in the northwest valley and the most impressive view was at the Rio. The command center for launching the fireworks is there and I understand why, you have a full panorama of the strip. I had never been up to Voodoo Lounge before so the view was really breathtaking. It was a chilly night, but we really enjoyed the fireworks.









Five days into the new year and I can honestly say I do not know what this year holds for us. Beyond our trip to Mexico next month, there are no plans. We'll have to wait to see what unfolds. Thank you for joining me on this journey. Happy new year!

Happy Birthday, America!

After 68 days without a drop of rain, the skies finally decided to open up on the 4th of July, of all days. Fortunately, the storms moved out just before dark and allowed our show to go on as usual. We didn't throw a big bash like last year, it's simply too much work for mid-week, but we had a few people over. We ate tasty eats, played bags and the guys put on a great show that lasted a couple hours. The Saturn Missiles gave us the best bang for our buck...



and the finale didn't disappoint.

Welcoming 2012!

Before ushering in the new year, our last meal of 2011 was thin crust sausage pizza at Amore. My mom and brother joined us. Mike debated celebrating on the strip but ultimately decided to avoid the crowds and hang with us. We kicked off the night at the house drinking beers from around the world: Russia, Jamaica, Mexico, Guatamala, and Honduras. We cheered on the new year for the east coast and the midwest. Then, we left for the desert.

We went up to the ridge at the end of Sunset Rd. expecting to be the only one, but there were three vehicles already there. Two separate groups. We set up near the larger group that started a fire, they were from Nellis AFB, and later we learned it was Preston & friends, we met Preston over a year ago, off-roading with Vegas Valley 4-wheelers. Small world. Even though the temps on the strip were in the 40's, it was 29 on the mountain. Chilly, but the fire helped. I set the canon on the tripod to take video, it moved and my panoramic view suffered. Oh well. I took a few photos with the Nikon, but I was too chilly to hold it steady to capture the fireworks. I got a few ok shots.









We were going to light of fireworks of our own, but Preston had a wee one and a pup we didn't want to scare. We thought we'd stop on our way back home to an open area, but we decided to return another (warmer) night. Frank had to be up early for work on the first so we crashed after tuning into the local news firework footage. Meanwhile, Mom and Mike went out to the Orleans to try out their luck in the new year. Neither experienced big wins, but luck seemed to favor my mom.

It was a low-key way to welcome 2012, but I like it that way. There is something special about nearly 500,000 people partying their asses off 10 miles away while we enjoy absolute peace and the island of glittering lights & neon in the sea of utter darkness... Only to be broken up by the booming fireworks as the clock strikes midnight.

Never long enough

Time off is never long enough. Weekends, long weekends, even a week's vacation - it is NEVER long enough. Time always flies and before you know it you are back at work wondering how it can possibly be over, already?

That is precisely how I feel today. I had three days off, how can that be? I had a great time. It was wonderful to have two full days with my hubby. We're so silly together it's just not as much fun when we are apart. I've been spoiled, now I am more anxious than ever for vacation. At least, it'll be here soon.

Friday we had a delicious dinner with friends at Firefly. I was able to satisfy all my cravings. After dinner we checked out Highway to Hell, but they were pretty bad. We bailed and headed to Hennessy's for beers. We passed time there until the fireworks at Golden Nugget. The display was ok, we weren't anticipating much so it met our expectations pretty well.
















After the fireworks, we bar hopped down Fremont spending the bulk of our night between Mickie Finnz and The Vue Bar, we eventually headed back to the Plaza and played table games. No wins, but it was a good time. I'm a little peeved at the Plaza, they used to reimburse you for parking, but now they do not do so on Friday or Saturdays. I felt like I was scammed out of five bucks.

Celebrations continued through Sunday. We anticipated dusk all day. A couple neighbors also threw parties to celebrate the holiday. They took it upon themselves to block our street, brilliant idea! We live on cul-de-sac so this gave the kids the freedom to play in the street throughout the day and us adults were able to play at night. Frank kicked off the show and he was still going when the rest of the neighbors ran out. It was good fun. We went non-stop for two hours. The street was a disaster when we were through, but we all pitched in for clean up. Six garbage bags, two piles of debris later it was neat and tidy, again. We're already stoked for next year. It will be bigger and better than ever.

This year's goods and my pyro anxiously waiting to blow shit up. Haha.

Aria - Grand Opening

Better late than never, let's get Aria's opening details underway.



Aria is the only hotel casino within CityCenter. It is located in the rear of the complex. It's a decent walk from the strip.



I was under the impression Aria would open at 11:21pm on Dec 16. Fireworks got underway about that time. However, doors did not open until shortly before midnight. This was the first opening I've attended where the doors did not open immediately following the fireworks.

The display was short, but fun to see.

Next, we waited... and waited...

Then, we were allowed to enter in small groups just before midnight.



We headed straight for the casino once inside.

Yet, another sign...

that summer is ending. San Gennaro Feast is back. It comes to Las Vegas twice a year, once in May to kick off summer and again in September to ring in fall. Yesterday, was opening night, the festival will run through Sunday. We enjoyed the 9-minute firework display they put on last night.

Anaheim

We got an early start on Monday in hopes we’d beat the traffic. It was slow going, the worst back ups were in Primm and Yermo. We cruised along in the Firebird, T-tops off, and soaked up the sun until the Cajon Pass.

Little did we know we’d be saying good-bye to clear sunny skies here.

From Anaheim

You can barely make out the mountains

From Anaheim

After the mountain pass the haze took over and the temp dropped a good fifteen degrees. The whole drive to Anaheim felt like a parade of toys. It was one SUV after another pulling boats, wave runners, quads, or dirt bikes. We saw a bit of everything. After a four-hour ride, we arrived at our home for the next few days, the Ayres Hotel. We checked in and got settled, and then walked next door to JT Schmids for lunch.

Frank had a blackened chicken sandwich with skinny fries and I had the club burger with bacon, fresh tomatoes and avocado and a side of sweet potato fries. They were delicious. My meal was the winner of the two. Bellies full, we walked back to the hotel and got ready for the White Sox vs. Angels game. We walked to the stadium, got our tickets, grabbed a beer and watched batting practice. The game started at 6:05, first inning the Sox started racking up the runs. It was a great game. I took photos of the guys at bat and it started a streak of home runs. It was unreal. We had a blast. Final score was 17-3.

From Anaheim

After the game, there was a nice firework display in honor of Memorial Day. It was a welcomed surprise.

Angels Memorial Day Fireworks from kellee on Vimeo.

Afterwards, we walked back to the hotel with that “fan buzz”, ahh! I missed baseball.

Tuesday the heavy thick clouds rolled in. It was chilly, cloudy and just plain dreary. We grabbed a bite at the hotel, complimentary breakfast. Then we were off to Ikea, we picked up a few odds and ends; mainly plants and kitchen utensils. I wanted glass jars, storage baskets, and cheap photo frames, but came up empty.

Weather hadn’t improved any so we returned to the hotel and had a nice siesta. We enjoyed our lunch at JT Schmids' the day before, and it was convenient so we decided to go back. This time we started with chicken & avocado egg rolls. They were quite good. We both had burgers and sweet potato fries, this time I had Swiss, mushroom and onion. Frank chose the winner this time, he had the Mexico City Burger with jack cheese, guacamole, cilantro, roasted salsa, lettuce and tomato. It was excellent. We also sampled their Hefeweizen. It, too, was good.

Next was game two. Another win, thankyouverymuch. 4-2 victory! Did I mention I missed baseball? Colon pitched a good game, it was fun watching him warm up beforehand.

From Anaheim

After the game, I'm burnt from the drive down, sun block wore off (must remember to reapply). Raccoon eyes and I even had seat belt lines across my chest. I felt like such a fool.

From Anaheim

Wednesday morning we packed up, and we were off to San Diego. Sadly, we left the T-tops on because it was still dreary and cool.

Worried and sick

My nephew, Nicky, is in the hospital. He possibly took Jeff's stepbother's ADHD medicine on Tuesday (he mistakenly left his pill case in Nicky's reach). My sister took him to the ER. They ran an EKG and observed him for a few hours and then sent him home. Yesterday, he was not himself and had slept all but an hour or two of the last twenty-four. He was having trouble swallowing and drooling a bunch. They went back to the ER. The asshats there were still not giving him adquate care. His condition was worsening, he was showing signs of dehydration, his heart rate was high and he needed oxygen. Bloodwork and two EKG returned normal before they ran a toxicology report. I'm no doctor but I'd think they would've been the first thing done. I wait patiently for updates, but I haven't heard results of that or other tests. Fortunately, though, he has improved today. He grasped my sister's fingers, asked for cereal and was able to recite what all the animals say and sing, You Are My Sunshine. Amy was so relieved to see signs of improvement, Nicky is finally beginning to act like himself, but he's still not 100%. They plan to keep him a few more days. I pray the worst is behind them. I can't imagine how scary it must be.

Tuesday my allergies started to act up, they only got worse yesterday, and now today, I'm pretty miserable. I can't breathe, yet my eyes and nose run like crazy. I hope it passes soon.

In lighter events, we saw the San Gennaro Feast Fireworks last night. They do two display each year, one in May and the other in September. It's always a nice display.

San Gennaro Feast Fireworks from kellee on Vimeo.

M Resort Opening

Last night we attended M Resort's opening. It is the first of three casinos to open this year. We were pretty excited, because we weren't sure what to expect. We never experienced the Rio under Marnell's ownership, we only heard tales of how they treated the locals. We're not big fans of Boyd or Stations so we had hoped Marnell would offer us a new home.

We arrived at the resort about an hour before the firework display. No one, but VIP guests were allowed to park on property until the resort opened. We found that very strange. Alternatively, we met friends' at Dotty's casino down the street. With time to kill, we decided to go in and grab a beer. This was our first time in a Dotty's, they're not your average video poker bar. The set up is a mix of a convenience store and someone's home. You walk up to the counter for drinks - free if you gamble. There's slots to your left and kitchen tables to your right. Not a single tv in the joint, but the walls are lined with ficus trees and bookcases filled with knick-knacks. Odd, I tell ya.

We figured it was best to walk to M, it seems everyone had the same idea, we all walked in herds down St. Rose Parkway. Traffic was backed up in all directions as far as the eye can see. Build it, and they will come. I don't think that area has ever seen so much traffic. Heck, I don't think Henderson Police knew what do with the size of the crowds. They seemed overwhelmed. We got to the resort just in time for the fireworks to begin. The show was pretty good. Afterwards, we joined the masses for our first look.

Getting inside took sometime. Having to use escalators to enter the casino created quite a bottleneck, but once we were in we liked what we saw. The casino has great style, a nice layout and it's very comfortable. They offer the newest slots and there are plenty of table games. The sportsbook and poker room are located next to each other, both looked great at first glance. Frank played some 4-8 while there. In the meantime, I wondered the property and scoped out the restaurants. I spotted Anthony Marnell outside the Italian restaurant, it was neat to see him and offer my congrats.

We always hope to win a royal like Frank did at Southcoast's grand opening, but once again we had no such luck. It was fun trying, though. Overall, we had a good first impression of M Resort. One of the things I noticed off the bat that sets them apart from others, is the casino has a few self serve beverage stations. I really like this feature, I haven't seen one offered outside of MN or WI Indian Casinos. They also have a pharmacy inside the casino and a gas station with a car wash on site. We look forward to going back once the newness wears away. We want to try the buffet and a couple restaurants (prices appear to be very reasonable).

First post of 2009

Back to work, after a fabulous four day weekend. It would've only been better if Frank were off with me. I was productive, I managed to get quite a bit done, I didn't even feel rushed to do it. Very nice!

New Year's Eve, Frank got off work around 5 o'clock. My mom and I spent much of the day at car dealers, she was interested in buying a truck. We walked away empty handed - she couldn't get enough for her trade to make payments affordable. We had dinner at The Creek, a video poker bar, not far from the house. Bellies full, we returned home and watched the jumps at Paris and Rio on TV. Robbie Madison is awesome! Afterwards, we played cards and drank beer. At eleven, we hopped in the Jimmy and made our way up the mountainside near Summerlin. We had a spectacular view of the strip, we watched the glittery lights, and gazed at the stars while we waited to ring in the New Year. We happened to catch a shooting star, so we all made a wish. Not long after the countdown began, Happy New Year!! Kisses & hugs all around followed by a toast. The firework display was underway. This year, the fireworks were launched from the parking garages instead of the roofs because of the Monte Carlo fire. It made for a weak show. The fireworks didn't make it higher than the hotels. It was disappointing. Years past, the shows have been fantastic! We recorded the local live broadcasts, we watched the firework footage when we got home. Turns out we had one of the best views around. The perspective from the strip was just terrible. If this is the way the show must be done, they mine as well cancel it, as-is the show is a waste of money. We topped off the night in the hot tub. It was a quiet way to celebrate the New Year.

New Year's day I spent with my mom, the following three days, I worked around the house, ran errands and shopped. Frank and I had breakfast at the Original Pancake House. The gouda & ham omelet was huge and delicious, the pancakes were tasty, too. I also met Frank for dinner at the Victorian room for Chinese. Shrimp fried rice, yum!

I powerwashed my windows, the patio and pool deck. Amazing how much better the stuff looks without layers of dirt. I also bought new bedding. We have a california king, finding sheets is a chore, but finding comforters, etc. had been near impossible... Well, at a affordable price. JC Penney is running their white sale, I picked up an oversized king down comforter that fits our bed, and I also bought a duvet set. Then, at Bed Bath and Beyond, I was able to find coordinating bed skirt and pillowcases. I was amazed to see it all fit when I got it all home and on the bed. We've never had an adult looking bed. It's a nice change.

My last task was to scrape the peacock off the window next to the front door. That was the last of the painted windows. I plan to put up frosted privacy film on the window. We attempted it last night, but noticed that it recommend applying the film at temperatures between 45-90. It was barely 40 at the time. We hit the hot tub instead with a bottle of champagne. Can't say I was disappointed.

Aliante Station Opening

Yesterday, Station Casinos opened their eleventh property. Scheduled opening 11/11 at 11:11pm, cute, huh? We arrived at 10pm we wanted to catch the firework display. Traffic was backed up on the 215 and it was slow going getting into the property. We caught most of the display from the street in the car. The rest we saw from the parking garage. It was a great show. We were allowed in before 11pm. We toured the banquet rooms, the hotel lobby, and the casino. Staff was friendly. The casino was nice and the parking garage had a great design. I doubt we will be back, it's a haul, but those that live in the area will love it. We played video poker and tried our luck on penny slots, hoping for good fortune like when South Coast opened. But no royals or jackpots for us, we took the regular Station's beating.

Check out photos and video of the fireworks in the link below:
Aliante Station Photo Album

Beautiful nights and good fun

The temperatures are getting cooler, humidity cleared out after Monday's storm, the weather has been pleasant. I love this time of year. Just a few more weeks and we'll be able to turn off the a/c, open the windows, and enjoy waking up to the cool crisp air. We've had a couple fun nights so far this week.

Tuesday, San Gennaro Feast kicked off with a firework display. We hopped in the Jimmy, and drove over by Buffalo Wild Wings, we went off-road and found ourselves a perfect place to view the show. There wasn't a soul between us and the pirotechnics crew. Each firework burst right over our heads. It felt like the show was just for us. It was a few minutes long and very entertaining.

Wednesday, we had dinner with friends at Amore. They're originally from California so they were in for a treat, this was their first time digging into a stuffed pizza. They enjoyed it. Amore will soon be offering baby back ribs on their menu, they brought out a 1/2 slab for us to try. They were good, their BBQ sauce is thick and smoky, just the way we like it. After dinner we headed to Flamingo. We had tickets to see Vinnie Favorito.

We made a stop at O'Sheas for drinks before the show. We were at the bar near the Beer Pong tables. We watched a couple groups play. I'm sorry, but that's so nasty! No way would I drink a beer after a ball that's been rolling all over the floor had been in it. They have a glass of water to dip it in, but water alone won't kill germs. They'd be better off rinsing it in alcohol.

After a couple drinks we headed to the show. Vinnie's been at the Flamingo about a month, he moved over from O'Sheas. We've seen him a few times years ago when he performed at Harrah's Improv. His latest gig has him performing seven nights a week at 8pm, ticket prices are $39.95 and $49.95

Regular seating for Vinnie's show is general admission. We were among the last in the theater, but we had decent seats to the far left of the stage. Bugsys Cabaret is quaint, so I don't think there's a bad seat, unless a person happens to block your view. Cocktails in the theater were pricey $9.25 for rum and coke.

Vinnie got started right away, he told a few jokes to warm us up before he started working the room. He singles people out and makes fun of stereotypes, it's a riot. He was hilarious and we had a great time. I recommend his show. We might go back again this month.

After the show we headed home. The drive was perfect. We soaked up the neon, warm desert air blew through our hair, while the near full moon lit up the sky showcasing the silhouette of the mountains in the distance. I'll never tire of nights like these.

Gotta love long weekends

I hope everyone had a fabulous holiday. We sure did, we invited a few friends over for dinner and drinks to celebrate. By the way, we successfully perfected the margarita on Thursday night, so we indulged in a pitcher to kick off the night. Frank fired up the grill; we cooked bone-in ribeyes, garlic bread and corn on the cob. Delicious!! We sat around the spa, drinking beers and smoking cigars to pass time until darkness blanketed the sky. Then we went around the front of the house to light a few fireworks. We were pleased to see that the neighbors lined the street and we’re in the midst of their own show. Now, we have big plans for next year!

See, the 4th is Frank’s favorite holiday and my second next to Christmas. We haven’t properly celebrated in over five years. We couldn’t light fireworks at the condo and my mom did want us to do them by her for fear of scaring the animals. Next year, though, the show is on! Aerials and mortars are some of his favorites; Frank’s already planning to drop a dime.

Back to this year, it was getting later so we piled into our cars and headed for Red Rock. We parked on the mountainside near Far Hills and the 215. From our vantage point we saw fireworks all over the valley. Once Stations got their displays underway we could see Red Rock to our right, Green Valley Ranch straight ahead, Sunset Station to the left and Texas and Santa Fe were behind us. The 9-minute show was pretty good, although, we agreed it would’ve been better had they done one major display rather than several smaller ones. We returned home, lit more fireworks, drank a few beers and relaxed in the spa. Our first time entertaining was a success, everyone had an enjoyable time.

On Saturday, Frank and I drove out to Pahrump to see their firework display and visit with my mom and Blaine. We had dinner at Terrible’s prime rib buffet before the show. It is the best buffet in town, but that’s not saying a whole lot. Luckily, Pahrump does firework shows a whole lot better than they do food. The display got underway at 9:15 and didn’t end until 9:38. The show was awesome and they had the greatest and brightest finale I can remember. It was excellent. They had great song choices, too, and it was well synchronized.

The rest of the weekend was filled with time in the pool and spa. In between, we did more yard work. Most of the trees are now trimmed and pruned. Our palms look clean and manicured. Everything is really coming together.

Purse strings

We had a very low key weekend. We’ve tightened the purse strings to save every penny possible for our down payment and misc. expenses. Nothing makes you want to spend more than knowing you can’t. In the last week, we’ve only had two meals out. Friday we had the fajitas express lunch at Garduno’s inside the Palms. And Saturday, we had Buffalo Wild Wings. That may not seem like a big deal to most, but we’ve grown accustomed to dining out several times a week. My oven at home probably thinks the world is ending; it’s been used more in the last week than it has all year.

Saturday night we went downtown to check out the Helldorado festivities. We caught a portion of the parade, which was very lackluster and we stayed for the fireworks at 9:15. The RJ stated the display would be lit from the roof of Fremont Square, formerly Neonopolis. That was the first I’ve heard of the name change, I wonder when it occurred. We were shocked to see some new tenants coming to Neonopolis, err, Fremont Square. Maybe the name change will bring some life to the place? A sushi restaurant is coming soon and there’s a little coffee, sandwich, ice cream shop that opened two weeks ago. We bought a beverage to show our support and wished the gentleman well on his endeavor.

We caught the firework display from the 5th floor motel style rooms at the El Cortez. It offered us a great perspective to view the show. It lasted about 10 minutes; it was mildly entertaining, it would’ve been better had they not drawn it out as long. Overall, it was nice to see so many people, especially locals, on Fremont Street.

Sunday marked the second day of record triple digits so we spent most of the day in the pool. Conditions were perfect! We had the pool to ourselves, there was no wind, the water was warm, but cool enough to be refreshing. Eventually, the swim and sun, wore us out and we had a siesta. Which got us thinking… the new house needs a Mexican hammock, maybe two? I don’t want to wait until our trip in December, so I must see if I can score one online. See? There I go again, itching to spend.

In house related news, the home inspection is scheduled for tomorrow, things are just zipping along. Now, if we could just sell the condo... then we could loosen those purse strings.

Happy New Year!

Here's hoping that everyone has a fabulous 2008 filled with good health, wealth, and happiness. Our New Year's Eve was low-key this year. Frank and I played Bingo at Red Rock. Then, we met my mom and uncle Jeff at Rio's All American Grille for dinner. They sat us upstairs, we had the place to ourselves. Each of us had steak and we started with an order of chicken wings, the meal was good, it was nice getting together. Afterwards, we went home and watched Robbie Maddison make the world record breaking jump live at the Rio. We followed up with local coverage of the New Year's festivities until eleven. Then, we headed out to Spring Mountain and Durango to view the fireworks over the strip. You can view the 8-minute display here.

The last major event of 2007 was the opening of the Palazzo. Per usual, we attended the opening night festivities. We got over to Palazzo about two hours after they opened their doors to the public (about 9pm). Crowds were minimal, evidentally, not many got word that it finally opened. I think most that were there wandered over from Venetian and likely had no clue that they were among its first customers.

Anyway, we were underwhelmed. Maybe once the stores and restaurants are complete it'll be a different story.View photos here