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| Caesars Palace |
I just realized it has been almost a year since my last blog
update so I will get right to it, beginning with our recent trip to Las Vegas.
VIVA LAS VEGAS: April
2012
Our Vegas vacation was a wonderful
mix of fun, excitement and new experiences. We marveled at the changes since
our visit in 2006. The City Center area was in the groundbreaking stages then.
The old smaller casinos have been torn down and replaced by pricey hotels and
high end retail stores. The Aria, Vdara, and Cosmopolitan tower over the
infamous Strip between the Monte Carlo, where we stayed, and the Bellagio. I
thought I had entered Heaven when I stepped off an escalator and saw Harry
Winston, Cartier and Tiffany’s. Gucci, Dior, Chanel, Prada, Louis Vuitton and
jewelry stores of the rich. You know how I love bling. Fascinated by the glitz
and glitter that is Las Vegas, I took over 600 pictures and did a lot of
window-shopping.
We enjoyed perfect weather, (mid
80’s) most of the week, had a lovely spaghetti and meatball supper on Easter
Sunday at D. Vino at the Monte Carlo, went to Dueling Pianos at New York New
York and danced at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill at Harrah’s. 
We hotel
hopped from Planet Hollywood to Harrah’s.
I played slot machines from MGM to the Wynn and browsed the
Miracle Mile Shops where I was finally able to buy a pretty bronze bangle
bracelet at the Landau Store for $19.95.
That was a miracle!
Friday the 13th was the
last full day of our vacation and the evening of the highlight of our trip, the
long awaited Elton John concert, The Million Dollar Piano, at the Colosseum at
Caesars Palace.
Elton John’s performance was outstanding. He came out
wrapped in a gold sequined cape and sparkly silver shoes. The red drapes at the
back of the stage opened up to a huge screen that showed videos that were
synchronized to the music. Videos also played on the side panels of the piano.
He touched a button and an aquarium appeared across the whole piano screen. He
played one hit after another for close to two hours. It was the best concert
either of us had ever seen.
We loved the Monte Carlo. It’s in a good location, has some
great restaurants, a friendly staff and free tram to the Aria and Bellagio.
Some of what happens in Vegas should be shared. Hope you
enjoyed my mini tour.
WRITING UPDATE:
CAROUSEL
KISSES and SWEET VIOLETS
My book signing event for CAROUSEL KISSES was a
huge success! We shared memories, had lemonade, penny candy and lots of fun.
Thank you to all my family and friends who stopped by.
CAROUSEL KISSES is available online at Amazon and Barnes & Nobel.
Information is also available on the book’s site, www.carouselkisses.blogspot.com
and my site, www.luvs2write.com and I
post updated info on Facebook and Twitter.
I hope to go Kindle with CAROUSEL KISSES and also to move ahead with SWEET VIOLETS this year. More to follow on that.
MY WRITING
GROUP: NORTH SHORE SCRIBES
Later this month, we will celebrate our fourth year! I am so proud of
this wonderful group of talented writers. Together, we have helped one another
attain personal writing goals through encouragement, support, the sharing of
ideas and friendship.
You can visit us at www.northshorescribes.wordpress.com.
Please stop by and see what’s new. We appreciate your comments.
DISNEY TRIP: October
2011
We had a great week in Disney in October. Stayed at the
Boardwalk. Really enjoyed the Food & Wine Festival. Went to the Princess
breakfast in Norway at Epcot with Gina and Katie and Chef Mickey’s. I’m not
sure which one of us gets more excited over seeing Mickey, Katie or me. Just
love that mouse! Donald is probably my next favorite character. He’s so darn
cute.
We did the Princess experience at the Boutique. It’s such a beautiful concept and one
of those “gotta do it” things, but it’s also, in my opinion, probably the
biggest rip off in all of Disney. If you can bring your own princess dress, it
will save you a few bucks. You pay around $60 for the makeover, which includes
hair, make-up and nails. But, the dress is only the beginning. They have to
have the shoes and the pocketbook and the gloves and the wand and the tiara. It
just grows and grows and can go way over $200 by the time you are through. I
suggest taking your own pictures because the royal photographer will cost you
more. Expect the princess to turn back into a typical child moments after the
royal event. In that heat, the shoes will hurt, the gloves will have to come
off, the dress will itch and need to be taken off and sooner or later, the
tiara will create a headache or your princess will want to go in the pool and
her hair becomes a mass of sticky hairspray and glitter that will take you a
week to wash out.
But, we had fun. My brother Rick and Lori spent a few days
there as well and we spent some time at Hollywood Studios and on the Boardwalk
together. I went to American Idol with them and watched the show.
Katie and I had a Katie and Mimi night that was great. We
had pizza at the Beach Club and walked back over to the Boardwalk and watched
the jugglers.
We are looking forward to our next magical trip in October of this
year.
OTHER HAPPENINGS IN
THE REHAL WORLD:
We did manage a long weekend in North Conway in February. We
stayed at the Suites at Eastern Slopes again. We did some shopping at the outlet
stores, had lunch at Horsefeathers and a wonderful dinner at the Stonehurst
Manor, a new place for us.
We are looking forward to my nephew Kevin’s graduation party
in Vermont, summer on the deck and maybe a quick trip to Kennebunkport and
Kevin and Angela’s wedding in September. Can’t wait to take pictures!
Thanks for reading my blog. I will try not to let so much
time go by before the next one. Please stop by again.
May you all have a wonderful summer!!
Lina
