What I Love About Las Vegas

I love Las Vegas! There’s so much to do there, that every few years I get a hankering to visit. I’m getting to that point again. Hubby’s never been to Vegas, so we may have to plan a trip soon. The best part will be that I should be able to cover the entire cost of the trip with my Chase Sapphire Card that I signed up for after reading the blog post 5 Reasons Chase Sapphire Preferred Should Be Your First Cardby the Points Guy. img_2266I’ve learned I can only handle Las Vegas in short, 3-5 day bursts. I could never spend a week or two vacationing there. There’s so much to do in Vegas, and with no visible clocks anywhere, I would not get any sleep and wind up exhausting myself. I love to get out and see and do everything Vegas has to offer.

Since I like to gamble, but I’m not a hard-core gambler, I tend to pace myself. I will play the slots when I want to order a cocktail, so I can take advantage of the free drinks, and I will play on my casino rewards card–in the hopes of accruing enough points to get free stuff. (One trip, I accrued so many points that I didn’t pay for a single meal or cocktail and I had points left over when I left.) big slot

I make it a point to stay at a different hotel each trip to Las Vegas. Since they are all so different and have different themes, it makes sense to experience a different one each time. I’ll usually choose hotel by location.  I try to alternate between staying at the north or south end of the strip and I think I may even consider staying on Fremont St. at some point in the future.

Picture 207After location, I do also consider the pool situation. Some of the hotels have incredible pools that are open March through October. If it happens to be pool season when I go, the pool will also determine where I stay. poolsIt’s so easy to get around Vegas, that location doesn’t really matter. You can take the shuttle from the airport to your resort. There’s a super-fast monorail you can take down part of the strip. Or, you could opt for the double-decker bus, The Deuce, which is my favorite. They have an all-day rate that will allow you to hop a ride any time for the entire day and it’s reasonably priced. You could also Bike Share, Uber, or call a cab to get around. Maybe you choose to walk, but keep in mind, those casinos are much further apart than they look! ballysFor a newbie to Vegas, you may want to consider a day trip to the Grand Canyon. If you’ve never been, it is definitely a must see, but in my opinion, I’d want to visit longer than a day trip. Since I’ve been to the Grand Canyon before, I tend to skip this when in Vegas. 1255182_10202181805249704_900201334_nShows! The shows in Vegas are incredible! Years ago, I went to a Cirque du Soleil show. I loved it so much–from the athleticism of the artists, to the acrobatics, to the overall performance–I’ve vowed to take in a Cirque show every time. I see that there’s now a Michael Jackson ONE show that I WILL go to on my next trip there. There are also other shows to experience as well. From comedy to burlesque, magic to music, dance reviews to major artists–there’s something for everyone. One year I lucked into Tickets to see Jay-Z and Mary J Blige. It wouldn’t have been my first choice of shows to see, but I have to admit, it converted me into a Jay-Z fan. The show was amazing!

bellagioShopping in Vegas is a real treat. You can shop on the strip or off, or visit one of their outlet malls. Be prepared though, while you can shop for a Rolex or Maserati within blocks of each other, you will not find them at clearance prices. If you are looking for something specific or eclectic, you will be able to find it. If you are looking for something you can get at home, get it when you get home. The price will likely be more reasonable. Picture 345After all the activity in Vegas, you gotta eat. Food and restaurants in Vegas are good, and some are REALLY good. You can find a little bit of everything to tempt your taste buds and at almost any price point. Sushi or steak? Mexican or Italian? Brunch or Buffet? It’s here. I recommend you attempt one buffet meal when you visit–whether it’s brunch at Cravings in The Mirage or crab legs at Rio’s seafood buffet.

There’s much more to do in Vegas besides gambling, shows, shopping and eating. You can golf on some of their incredible golf courses, ride the Big Apple Coaster at New York, New York or experience X Scream at the Stratosphere. You can spend the day at one of their world class spas like Canyon Ranch or Spa Mandalay getting a relaxing massage and facial. Go check out a book signing by Bobby Flay or catch the street performers and do some serious people watching. bobby flay Finish off your night by shaking what your momma gave ya in one of the nightclubs or go to 1 OAK and hope for a Kardashian sighting.

Enough about Vegas, since I’ve got myself all riled up to go. Now, I’d better get to planning our trip there. Let me know what you love about Vegas!

Jamaica Comes To Thanksgiving Dinner

Our Jamaican friend has come to visit us for Thanksgiving. He flew into St. Louis via Baltimore/Washington. After delays leaving MoBay and delays in Baltimore, we finally got to pick Paul up at the airport at 2:40 am the weekend before Thanksgiving. No problem man! Just another 2 hour drive home after that, just in time to get to bed at 5 am.

After a quick sleep, we got back on the road to head to the Lake of the Ozarks to show Paul that part of our state. It was actually a pretty mild weekend for November, so we were able to spend time outdoors on the deck. We also took Paul to his first of many visits to Menards (a chain store of home improvement products) and bought new flooring for the condo. After finishing a little bit of work, our friends Francis and Marissa came to visit for a bit and have some wine. We chatted, sipped, and had fun hearing about their new boat they would have down at the lake this summer. When they hit the road to head back home, we went into town and had a tasty dinner at Tucker’s Shuckers. If you’re ever in the historic Bagnell Dam area, check them out. They have all kinds of food, but are known for their incredible oysters.

We returned to Columbia, put in a few days at work, and prepped for Thanksgiving dinner. For those who know me, this is one my favorite holidays of the year and I LOVE turkey dinner. We were having Francis, Marissa, and another friend Marsha over for dinner. We started prepping the menu for traditional roast turkey, dressing, mashed potatoes, broccoli casserole, salad, rolls, cranberry sauce and pies (pumpkin and chocolate) for six. Our 2017 turkey roasting Paul was so generous to make Jamaican Rice and Peas to add a Jamaican spin to our dinner. It was so delish, and dinner wasn’t complete until Paul shared the recipe. (He also left us some extra coconut milk powder, so I can make it myself later.) And if Marissa reads this and let’s me know she did, I’ll even share the powder with her!

Shortly after dinner, it was time for some Black Friday shopping with Paul. I’ll have to post later about that as Paul’s still here and in the event any of his friends or family back home that he bought for are reading this, I don’t want to spoil any surprises. This was a Thanksgiving to be grateful for good friends who are like family.

Lake Ozark, MO–Our Little Slice UPDATE

Well, we’ve gone and done it now. We are headed down to Lake of the Ozarks, MO this afternoon to close the sale on a lake condo. Never mind that it’s a 56 degree day in November. We are buying a condo on the lake that will now be our vacation weekend-get-away. Sound like lots of fun once summer comes back around! So this place is turning out to be lots of fun already!  We’re headed back down again this weekend and are taking the kids to see it.  (They don’t yet know that we’ve bought the condo, but I think they’ll figure it out when they see a family pic hanging on the wall.) We’ve got a few friends coming over to visit and see the place and lots of munchies and adult beverages stashed in the fridge.
In the meantime, while the condo comes in decent shape and semi furnished, we know we have some work to do. We know we will be painting all the walls and possibly replacing the flooring. We haven’t seen the place in 6 months and don’t really remember if the carpet is worth salvaging. It turns out the entire condo is getting a coat of paint and we’ve decided the carpet in the living room, dining room and hallway is getting ripped up and replaced with laminate flooring.
I presume I’ll have to be doing some shopping as well. Even though the seller sent us an inventory list, it’s pretty non-descriptive. So, while it lists a coffee maker, I can’t assume it is a Kuerig single serve like hubby is a fan of. Here’s the actual Kuerig we went with:

It’s adorbs, and my favorite color, and now it looks like I have a reason to accent the kitchen in red. Not to mention, it brews a perfect cup of decaf every time so I can make a tasty Fragile Baby.
The inventory list makes no mention of dishes in the kitchen, bed linens, or bath towels, so I’ve already started shopping around. Turns out the dishes don’t need to be replaced. There are two small sets–one of floral ceramic and one of sailboats on Melamine. These will do just fine for a while and they’ve all been cleaned and are ready for use.

I found some non-patterned dishes that will go with all the decor and any colors we choose. They aren’t pricey, so if we were to rent out the place for a weekend and someone broke a plate, I wouldn’t be heartbroken and the plate could easily be replaced.

Sheets? I went with good quality, but again, in nice, neutral colors. I ended up going with a set of ivory color and a set of sand color. The 3rd set of sheets came in the bed in a bag set and looks like this: 

I thought I knew what kind of artwork I wanted on the walls–something beachy. But, I think I’ve changed my mind. I think I’ve decided on lighthouses for the living room. We are on Lighthouse Point on the Lake after all. Maybe we’ll go beachy in the bedrooms and bathrooms.

I’m still looking for the right pics to put on the walls and now I’m not going to focus so much on a theme, but I’m going to look for the right vibe in the right colors.
Regardless, the decorating possibilities are endless! I can’t wait to see how this place turns out! Luckily, it’s coming along and will be further along after this weekend. Please comment any suggestions you have to make this condo feel like a vacay.