If you don't already know this, the Bellagio Conservatory is changed and decorated by the seasons, plus one: it is decorated for Spring, Summer, Autumn, Winter, and the Chinese New Year.
Over the past couple of years they seem to have started re-using many of the same design elements in their decorations from season to season, but I'm a fan of recycling, so I don't mind at all. What I do mind is when they don't add enough elements in their designs, because Vegas is supposed to be over-the-top. More is better in this case, in my opinion.
The Las Vegas Sun just posted a video with an overview of Bellagio's Christmas display for 2009. Click the link to view some beautiful stuff, including a softly falling snowstorm:
http://www.lasvegassun.com/videos/2009/dec/14/3338/
I've seen the Spring, Summer, and Fall displays repeatedly, but never the Christmas or Chinese New Year displays. I'm going to have to make a point of making a wintry trip to Vegas to see them both someday!
Keep in mind when you visit the Bellagio Conservatory that they DO have a change-out period between seasons, so there's a chance that you may see a work in progress during your trip, or not be allowed in at all. Check out a Vegas website like Vegas.com, for an overview of when the current display will be up before your next trip to make sure you won't miss a thing:
http://www.vegas.com/attractions/on_the_strip/bellagioconservatory.html
Take your camera - lots of photographic opportunities!
Thursday, December 17, 2009
Link to article: Five Foods to Avoid Before Flying
My friend Bonnie found a great article that encompasses a lot of mistakes people usually make when traveling: eating and drinking the wrong things before flying.
Here's a link to the article from IndependentTraveler.com:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=1000&category=1
The only thing I don't really agree with is #5 - EVERYTHING. I say that because eating nothing at all - especially before a long flight (or any flight, for that matter) - can make you feel worse. People with diabetes shouldn't necessarily fast before or during a flight, nor should anyone taking certain kinds of medication. I would say that, depending on the length of the flight and your personal medical circumstances, you might want to have a light meal or a snack before you fly. Check with your doctor about what is best for you given your health and medical needs rather than avoiding food and drink altogether.
For me personally, drinking carbonated drinks (or even alcoholic ones) before or during a flight is limited to one drink MAX before or during a flight. I try to stick to apple juice or orange juice if the flight is over three hours long, because I dislike using airplane restrooms, too. Sodas and coffee don't go over well with me for flights with a long duration. Too much information, I know.
Try to find a healthy dining alternative in the airport before you leave. They are out there, but you may have to look around.
Happy traveling!
Here's a link to the article from IndependentTraveler.com:
http://www.independenttraveler.com/resources/article.cfm?AID=1000&category=1
The only thing I don't really agree with is #5 - EVERYTHING. I say that because eating nothing at all - especially before a long flight (or any flight, for that matter) - can make you feel worse. People with diabetes shouldn't necessarily fast before or during a flight, nor should anyone taking certain kinds of medication. I would say that, depending on the length of the flight and your personal medical circumstances, you might want to have a light meal or a snack before you fly. Check with your doctor about what is best for you given your health and medical needs rather than avoiding food and drink altogether.
For me personally, drinking carbonated drinks (or even alcoholic ones) before or during a flight is limited to one drink MAX before or during a flight. I try to stick to apple juice or orange juice if the flight is over three hours long, because I dislike using airplane restrooms, too. Sodas and coffee don't go over well with me for flights with a long duration. Too much information, I know.
Try to find a healthy dining alternative in the airport before you leave. They are out there, but you may have to look around.
Happy traveling!
Tuesday, December 15, 2009
The Twelve Days of Christmas - Vegas Style!
My own take on "The Twelve Days of Christmas" - Merry Christmas to everyone!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
A casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Two free buffets and a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-play VP!
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets,
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets,
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Ten free gifts, nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses,
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Eleven waiters "waiting", ten free gifts, nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker,
Seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Twelve beautiful showgirls, eleven waiters "waiting", ten free gifts,
Nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses,
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the first day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
A casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the second day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Two free buffets and a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the third day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the fourth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the fifth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the sixth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the seventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-play VP!
On the eighth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets,
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the ninth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets,
Five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the tenth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Ten free gifts, nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses,
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the eleventh day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Eleven waiters "waiting", ten free gifts, nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker,
Seven cocktail waitresses, six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
On the twelfth day of Christmas, my true love gave to me...
Twelve beautiful showgirls, eleven waiters "waiting", ten free gifts,
Nine holes of golf, eight hours of poker, seven cocktail waitresses,
Six lucky bets, five nights in a comped suite!
Four Fremont light shows, triple-play slots, two free buffets,
And a casino filled with full-pay VP!
Thursday, December 10, 2009
Twitter friends on Vegas - pay them a visit!
I mentioned previously that I'm not a big Twitter-er. I don't have my own account, but I do follow a few of my friends who are regular Vegas Twitterbugs (I just made that term up, so I'll be glad to take any royalties for use of the expression).
I do like looking at the posts, because some of them have SO MUCH to post about their trips. Diana (Evoni) is in Vegas frequently and adds photos of every win - and she has a lot of them. Terri (socal2lvgirl) and sumchiconthenet both live in Vegas, so their Vegas-related tweets come quite frequently, too. It's just nice to see my favorite city at any time of the year.
Here are links to some of my favorite Vegas-related Twitter members who could be in Vegas at any time:
http://twitter.com/imevoni
http://twitter.com/socal2lvgirl
http://twitter.com/sumchiconthenet
http://twitter.com/Blonde_4_ever
http://twitter.com/can2do
http://twitter.com/claired67
http://twitter.com/peath13
http://twitter.com/road66warrior
http://twitter.com/Ralphie60
http://twitter.com/sblacke
http://twitter.com/vegasmacker
http://twitter.com/JoyceS26
http://twitter.com/hshearer11
If any other Vegas tweeters would like to be added to this list, just let me know. I didn't mean to leave anyone out intentionally.
I do like looking at the posts, because some of them have SO MUCH to post about their trips. Diana (Evoni) is in Vegas frequently and adds photos of every win - and she has a lot of them. Terri (socal2lvgirl) and sumchiconthenet both live in Vegas, so their Vegas-related tweets come quite frequently, too. It's just nice to see my favorite city at any time of the year.
Here are links to some of my favorite Vegas-related Twitter members who could be in Vegas at any time:
http://twitter.com/imevoni
http://twitter.com/socal2lvgirl
http://twitter.com/sumchiconthenet
http://twitter.com/Blonde_4_ever
http://twitter.com/can2do
http://twitter.com/claired67
http://twitter.com/peath13
http://twitter.com/road66warrior
http://twitter.com/Ralphie60
http://twitter.com/sblacke
http://twitter.com/vegasmacker
http://twitter.com/JoyceS26
http://twitter.com/hshearer11
If any other Vegas tweeters would like to be added to this list, just let me know. I didn't mean to leave anyone out intentionally.
Tuesday, December 8, 2009
Link: Bellagio review by Vegas Tripping (and my own comparison)
I previously posted my own review, video, and photos on my blog after a delightful stay at Bellagio in July of this year. I just received the December newsletter from Vegas Tripping and saw their somewhat critical review of a recent stay and thought I'd share the link with all of you:
http://www.vegastripping.com/features/feature.php?feature_id=185&page=1
Bellagio is the nicest Las Vegas hotel room I've stayed in to date. In my experience with the hotel, I found nothing to criticize or fault; the room was fantastic, it was well-appointed and beautiful, and I had a very nice view (even though it wasn't a lakeview room, sadly).
Maybe I'm not picky enough. Maybe others are too picky. You be the judge.
I personally had no trouble finding plugs for my cell phone charger without having to rearrange furniture or become a contortionist. Apparently my room was a little different from the one featured in this article, though, so maybe that's a concern I just didn't have to deal with. I found no stains, burns, tears or scuffs anywhere in the room, either. Also, the amenities were all provided above the bathroom sink, below the mirror, exactly where I've found them in every other Vegas hotel room. I had no problem picking up what I needed to take into the shower with me. I guess I've never been in an extremely fancy-schmancy hotel where I would find extra amenities near the sink, the shower, AND the bathtub. Seems a little bit like overkill to me. Most people either shower OR take a bath, but not both. Why waste the stuff? (I'll end up taking it, anyway, and the maids will replenish everything when they come in for turn down service. Oh, how I loved Bellagio turn down service...)
Maybe he had a room that hadn't been checked or renovated recently. My room appeared to be in tip-top shape. But I also feel that if you're used to staying in 5-star hotels all the time, you're going to look at things a little differently. Me? I was just happy to be there at a very big discount (and equally happy to spend some of Bellagio's money), so maybe I just had too many stars in my eyes. I hope to visit Bellagio again. It was certainly THE MOST comfortable night's sleep I've ever had in Vegas.
Oh, Bellagio...please send me another fantastic offer so that I may once again partake of your lovely hospitality. You were very gracious hosts from beginning to end. I'll be checking my mailbox daily until I hear from you.
http://www.vegastripping.com/features/feature.php?feature_id=185&page=1
Bellagio is the nicest Las Vegas hotel room I've stayed in to date. In my experience with the hotel, I found nothing to criticize or fault; the room was fantastic, it was well-appointed and beautiful, and I had a very nice view (even though it wasn't a lakeview room, sadly).
Maybe I'm not picky enough. Maybe others are too picky. You be the judge.
I personally had no trouble finding plugs for my cell phone charger without having to rearrange furniture or become a contortionist. Apparently my room was a little different from the one featured in this article, though, so maybe that's a concern I just didn't have to deal with. I found no stains, burns, tears or scuffs anywhere in the room, either. Also, the amenities were all provided above the bathroom sink, below the mirror, exactly where I've found them in every other Vegas hotel room. I had no problem picking up what I needed to take into the shower with me. I guess I've never been in an extremely fancy-schmancy hotel where I would find extra amenities near the sink, the shower, AND the bathtub. Seems a little bit like overkill to me. Most people either shower OR take a bath, but not both. Why waste the stuff? (I'll end up taking it, anyway, and the maids will replenish everything when they come in for turn down service. Oh, how I loved Bellagio turn down service...)
Maybe he had a room that hadn't been checked or renovated recently. My room appeared to be in tip-top shape. But I also feel that if you're used to staying in 5-star hotels all the time, you're going to look at things a little differently. Me? I was just happy to be there at a very big discount (and equally happy to spend some of Bellagio's money), so maybe I just had too many stars in my eyes. I hope to visit Bellagio again. It was certainly THE MOST comfortable night's sleep I've ever had in Vegas.
Oh, Bellagio...please send me another fantastic offer so that I may once again partake of your lovely hospitality. You were very gracious hosts from beginning to end. I'll be checking my mailbox daily until I hear from you.
Friday, December 4, 2009
LasVegas4Ever recognized with a Vegas Trippie nomination and kudos on a popular blog site
LasVegas4Ever, created by my good friend Bonnie (aka "Blonde4Ever") almost 2 years ago, was recently recognized for a 2009 Vegas Trippie award on the Vegas Tripping website. The nomination was announced by the site and voting just wrapped up last week. Not quite sure when the winners will be announced, but I'll be sure to share the details here.
This is LV4E's second nomination in a row - not bad for an itty bitty site created on a whim by a mad blonde woman!
Vegas Tripping:
http://www.vegastripping.com/
Vegas Links blog:
http://vegaslinks.blogspot.com/
Be sure to sign up for e-mail notifications on the Vegas Links blog site for some great weekly deals.
Congratulations to Bonnie for single-handedly taking on the big boys with her great little site - lots of good Vegas info shared among people with common interests...and a bit of great social networking thrown in for good measure!
Best of luck, B!
This is LV4E's second nomination in a row - not bad for an itty bitty site created on a whim by a mad blonde woman!
Vegas Tripping:
http://www.vegastripping.com/
Vegas Links blog:
http://vegaslinks.blogspot.com/
Be sure to sign up for e-mail notifications on the Vegas Links blog site for some great weekly deals.
Congratulations to Bonnie for single-handedly taking on the big boys with her great little site - lots of good Vegas info shared among people with common interests...and a bit of great social networking thrown in for good measure!
Best of luck, B!
Thursday, December 3, 2009
Link to article: Las Vegas Review Journal's "Holidays in Las Vegas - 2009"
If you're planning a trip to Vegas during the next month or so, I found the LVRJ's guide to the holidays for visitors has now been posted on line. Take a look and see if you can find something to tempt you during your trip this holiday season:
http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/events/holidays/
There are separate categories for dining, lights and displays, shopping, photos with Santa and much, much more. Why not celebrate the holidays when you're traveling? I know I would!
http://www.reviewjournal.com/entertainment/events/holidays/
There are separate categories for dining, lights and displays, shopping, photos with Santa and much, much more. Why not celebrate the holidays when you're traveling? I know I would!
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