It's my little world ...: What Happens There...

I know I had said in my initial travel entry that I would be sporadic in my travel posts, well, I didn’t anticipate the sporadic including a two-year hiatus in any posts, so I apologize in advance for that!! A lot has transpired in the past two years, including a current lockdown, stay-at-home order due to a world-wide pandemic, which one would assume would allow me much more free-time for creating more blog posts, but alas (and maybe thankfully!), I have stayed busy with work and other projects. Aside from being locked down now for nearly two months (someone save me!), the past two years have been a blur with so much transpiring, but fortunately, I have been able to do a bit more travelling during that time period, as well, which maybe will one day be featured, if I can get myself back in the writing groove! I initially started writing this post shortly after my last entry on the Grand Canyon, but I soon realized that this post could turn in to multiple posts, so I have had to condense it, which I found very, very difficult and as a forewarning, it is still quite lengthy

They always say that New York City is known as ‘the city that never sleeps’ and while I can understand that from having been there a couple of times, I personally believe that Las Vegas could give the Big Apple a run for its money in determining which city truly never sleeps because ‘what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas!’

For a city that had never been on my ‘bucket list’ nor, quite honestly, a place that I ever really had the desire to visit, during the span of August 2017 through August 2018, I trekked to Las Vegas, Nevada, FOUR times. (Yes, I did just say FOUR times! And, as of this date, I have now added a FIFTH visit!) From North Carolina to Las Vegas, that is a good long haul, especially if you aren’t able to secure direct flights, so to do it four times in a span of a year, was quite taxing yet absolutely exhilarating!

Had it not been for my friend Allison asking me to attend the Star Trek Convention with her, I likely would have never gone to Las Vegas, and I’ll be honest, when I was about to embark on that week-long trip in August of 2017, I was beyond nervous. I had only ever heard horror stories associated with Sin City, so I had absolutely no idea what to expect. Thankfully, I had been out West before, so I knew to expect a different way of life, and I told myself that if I had survived Portland, Oregon, then I could survive anything! But I’ll admit boarding our flight from Raleigh-Durham to Atlanta and then to Las Vegas, I was slightly on edge! However, once I arrived in the incredible Las Vegas airport and subsequently saw the large Donny and Marie marquee on the face of the Flamingo Hotel, I immediately knew this place was going to be spectacular.

The lights, the shows, the people, the food, the architecture – there is absolutely nothing that you cannot find in Las Vegas. Each time I go, I am still mesmerized by the size of the resorts and the immaculate decorations that each casino maintains all throughout the year. Because of there being so much to see, do and eat, I could easily post a blog per trip that I took and detail each and every thing that I did. However, I won’t bore you with all of those details, matter of fact, if you really want to know, feel free to comment and ask any questions, and I’ll be happy to answer as best I can. Instead for this post, I’ll just list some of the highlights from places I’ve stayed, eaten, shopped and shows I’ve seen, as well as other sites and personal recommendations.

Where I’ve Stayed – In my five trips to Las Vegas, I have only stayed at two of the hotel/casinos:

The Rio
The Flamingo

The Rio if located off the Strip, so if you don’t want to be in the hustle and bustle of “all things Las Vegas” but still want the resort/casino feel, you should check out the Rio with its amazing view of the Strip, but just know, being away from the main sites, you’ll have to acquire transportation to/from as walking is not likely the best option! On the other hand, if you want to be in the dead-center of it all and in the heart of where it all began, stay at the Flamingo. It is the oldest casino on the Strip and where Bugsy decided to try something new by creating a travel destination mecca in the middle of a desert. Unlike its neighboring casinos of Caesar’s Palace, the Bellagio and the Venetian, the Flamingo is not flashy at all, but hey! It’s Las Vegas so who is really staying in their hotel rooms for more than a few hours anyways, right?!? PLUS, they have flamingoes on site – so that alone should make you want to stay there! (And for me personally, after I had a MAJOR crisis with my credit card company prior to leaving for Las Vegas, upon arrival, the Flamingo upgraded me to a larger and newly renovated room and provided me a complimentary food voucher, and it was absolutely NO fault of their own – they did it as a mere courtesy to ease my travel anxiety that I had endured that day!)

Where I’ve Eaten – This is just an abbreviated list because I cannot remember all the places I’ve eaten as Las Vegas has virtually ANYTHING you can imagine for whetting your palate!

Birthday Milkshake from Black Tap at The Venetian (Nov. 2019)

Carnival World Buffet (Rio)
All-American Bar & Grill (Rio) -- This places holds special memories for me as we had dinner here seated with a couple from California, whom we had never met, but joined them for dinner and have developed a friendship! Hope one day to be able to go visit them!
Quark's Bar (Rio)
Room Service (Rio)
Margaritaville (The Flamingo)
Johnny Rockets (The Flamingo and The Venetian)
Earl of Sandwich (Planet Hollywood and Caesar's Palace)
The Buffet (Bellagio) – I am not keen on buffets because I never feel I eat my monies worth, HOWEVER my most favorite buffet that I have ever eaten at has been at the Bellagio as the variety is just incredible – plus if you get there towards the end of breakfast, you can stay for lunch, too!
Virgil’s Real BBQ (Linq Promenade) – They have Carolina BBQ on the menu, and we

were asked to give them our opinion, alas it was NOT the Carolina BBQ that I was accustomed to. HOWEVER, if you want some of the most amazing biscuits in the entire world, order one as a side or a half dozen because from a Southern girl who loves biscuits, Virgil’s biscuits are out-of-this-world amazing! Plus, it is one of the few places in Las Vegas that serves Coca-Cola products!
Off the Strip (Linq Promenade)
In-and-Out Burger (Linq Promenade) – Y’all, I’m just going to tell you, I need and In-

and-Out in North Carolina and pronto! My last trip, after checking in to the hotel room, I literally threw my suitcase on the bed and ran to the In-and-Out Burger. My body was screaming at me that it was 1:00am Eastern Time, but I could have cared less as I was in Las Vegas and there was an In-and-Out Burger just outside the door of my hotel, who cares what time of day it is! Plus, it is VERY cost effective, and whether you like them or not, I think they are some of the best burgers I have eaten!
McDonald's (On the Strip near Harrah's and Casino Royale)
Gordon Ramsay's Fish and Chips (Linq Promenade)
Dapper Donut's (MGM Grand)
Pinkbox Doughnuts (On the Strip near Polo Towers)
Black Tap (The Venetian) - Simply for the CRAZY milkshakes!
Cracker Barrel (Just off the Strip) – Yes, there is one in Las Vegas and I have a tradition where I have to try one in each state/location, so I felt that was a score!

Incredible Biscuits from Virgil's BBQ (Nov. 2019)

Shrimp Snack Pack from Gordon Ramsay's Fish & Chips (Aug. 2018)

In-and-Out Burger (Feb. 2018)

What Shows I’ve Seen – Surprisingly, I haven’t seen that many shows as time has not permitted. Be prepared, the shows are not the cheapest in the world, but there are ways to obtain discount tickets:

Reba and Brooks & Dunn
Legend's
Diva's
Donny and Marie -- I saw them three times in Las Vegas, including their VERY last show after being at the Flamingo for 11 years!)

Donny & Marie's final farewell to the crowd (Nov. 2019)

Meet & Greet with Donny Osmond (Feb. 2018)

Meet & Greet with Marie Osmond (Feb. 2018)

Hugs from Marie -- I was set for life! (Feb. 2018)

Donny couldn't believe I was taller than him & we joked about that (Feb. 2018)

Sights to Behold and Places to Visit/Shop – Again, I cannot begin to list them all, but these are some of the repeat visits for me or ones that stand out the most:

The Forum Shops at Caesar’s Palace – The first time I went, I spent THREE hours here roaming around in sheer awestruck glory at the unbelievable décor.
The Venetian and Gondola Rides – To this day, I am still amazed when I walk in here, as well. I cannot tell if I am inside or outside!
Bellagio Fountains, Botanical Gardens & Chihuly Glass – The gardens are changed each season for whatever theme they have decided upon, and the flowers in each display are usually swapped out every three days. It is an amazing sight to see!
Paris and the Eiffel Tower Tour – It is an incredible journey to the top of the tower, especially if you time it so you can watch the Bellagio Fountain Show from above!
World of Coke Store
M&M Store
Madam Tussaud's Wax Museum
The Wildlife Habitat at The Flamingo – An escape from the hustle and bustle of the crowds and noise where you can see flamingoes, pelicans and a number of other animals for FREE or just sit an relax in solitude for a moment under the palm trees.
The Las Vegas Sign near Mandalay Bay – It may have taken me five trips, but I FINALLY saw the sign and officially feel like I have now been to Las Vegas!
Strolling the Strip – Literally, just take a few hours to roam up and down, you never
know who or what you may see! A word to the wise – if you are going during the summer months, please do NOT try to walk down the sidewalks as it is nothing uncommon for a ‘cool’ day to be 100 degrees. Many don’t realize (as I didn’t the first time I went) a lot of the hotels connect and/or they have side doors that are mere feet apart, so if you want to try to stay cool, instead of walking in the heat, dart through the casinos as you never know what you may see while indoors, too!
Sit inside of human sized high heel shoes and see the largest chandelier at the Cosmopolitan
Fashion Show Mall – They have an indoor ‘lawn’ theater, so pull up a chair and watch whatever is showing on the big screen for free!
MGM Grand – Stroll thru the entire complex and try NOT to get lost, and make sure to go out on the patio area overlooking their pools – another nice respite from the busy

life.
Rent a car – If you get a chance, rent a car and go on a drive! On my fifth trip, we rented a car and drove down the I-15 from California to Utah. It is amazing that within 15 minutes of any direction of the Strip, it is nothing but desert. But the drive from Las Vegas heading toward St. George, Utah, is some of the most breathtaking landscape that I have ever seen. Before turning your rental back in, make sure you take the mandatory cruise down Las Vegas Boulevard from the Las Vegas Sign at Mandalay Bay all the way down to the Strat, and if you’re lucky Michael Jackson may come on the radio while you are cruising! (I don’t know why, but that just seemed appropriate when it happened to me!)
Hit the slots --- Even though I’m not a huge gambler, I’ll still take a few bucks and stick them in a slot machine! They always say if you find one that ‘calls’ to you, go find it and see what happens. The times that I have sought out the slots that called to me, I won – granted it may have only been $20 or $35 dollars, but hey, I earned more than I spent! PS: Thank you to Dolly Parton and Samantha Jones for helping me win at your Dolly Parton and Sex and the City themed slot machines!

I could continue with my lists, but honestly, this would become the world’s longest blog, and it is far too lengthy already. It is amazing how a place that I NEVER had the desire to visit suddenly became a place that I feel absolutely excited about visiting and cannot wait to go back. I’m not a partier, drinker or huge gambler, so many people cannot even fathom me being in Las Vegas. However, there is so much more there than that! Each person can find something unique to do in Las Vegas, however, it is definitely not a city for everyone. I must say I am so glad that Allison asked me to come along with her because had I never gone I never would have even considered going to Sin City. And yes, while there are ‘sinful things’ there, there are sinful things in any city. You just have to stick to your guns and do your own thing. To be honest, I have never felt unsafe or scared or anything while in Las Vegas. Yes, it is a unique experience, but each trip that I have gone, makes me want to go back – even though now that Donny and Marie are gone, that takes a little bit of the thrill away for me, personally. So, should your paths lead you to fabulous Las Vegas, prepare yourself to expect the unexpected, but try to enjoy as there will at least be one thing that you will find that you like! You never know who you may see from celebrities to Elvis on a scooter, or maybe even our paths will cross! Enjoy Fabulous Las Vegas and may Lady Luck be with you!

Oh! And please go say hello to the flamingoes for me!

McCarran International Airport has practically become a home away from home (Aug. 2017)

Have to credit my travel partner Sarah for snapping this out the window for me upon our final approach in to Las Vegas from Los Angeles - gorgeous, clear day! (Dec. 2017)

Mickey Mouse in Las Vegas, who knew!? (Aug. 2017)

In the middle of Las Vegas Boulevard - first trip to Las Vegas and I still have that "I can't believe this is really happening look" (Aug. 2017)

Inside the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace

The Linq Promenade getting ready for Christmas (Dec. 2017)

View from the Venetian Balcony overlooking the outdoor canals while waiting for the Volcano Show at the Mirage (Aug. 2017)

Inside the Venetian and the Gondola Rides (Dec. 2017)

The Bellagio Gardens decorated for Christmas (Dec. 2017)

Coca-Cola bear at the Bellagio Gardens made out of fresh flowers, which are refreshed every three days! (Dec. 2017)

The Fashion Show Mall with Trump Tower in the background - Merri, you would be proud of me! (Aug. 2018)

Made at stop at Hershey World, which is at New York, New York (Feb. 2018)

Hey, it was actually a "cool" 109 thanks to no humidity. I actually like hot weather, so this was nice to me! (Aug. 2018)

I owe Samantha Jones my life - not really but this has been the luckiest slot machine for me that I've found during my treks to Vegas where I put in a couple of bucks and cashed out with a whopping $36! Thanks, Samantha and the Sex and the City slot machine at the Bellagio! (Nov. 2019)