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Thursday, March 22, 2007
The Venetian was one of my favorite stops on our whirlwind tour. The exterior is on a plaza complete with a canal, bridges and gondolas which then continue inside the building. The canal runs along a street of shops and ends in a large interior plaza fashioned on Venice's St. Mark's plaza. The 'sky' lighting changes as the day and evening progress. Since it was a Saturday, the place was a little conjested, but one could still get a sense of the ambiance and I think I'd love hanging out there during a quieter time.
The exterior canal with barberpole dock.
The interior canal along lit shops.
Posted at 3/22/2007 11:34:37 am by lifeonhold
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Vegas - Shopping and Dining
Yes, I'm still plodding through my Vegas entries which have been waylaid due to a month of ailments and other diversions. My taxes are still not done either. Bah!
Shopping on the Strip
Shopping at Ceasars, The Venetian, and probably any Strip Casino/Mall is not for the faint of wallet. I'll never muster the funds, but it's nice to look and dream of living a different life where these kinds of shops are the Wal*Mart of one's life. So, here are a few pictures instead:
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Ceasar's Palace Mall |
My fantasy bling store |
Dining in Vegas
We didn't really 'dine'. The Palace Station restaurant was good, but their Buffet was very disappointing; they were undergoing renovations so it was in a temporary location. For a limited selection the food should have been better.
Both my friends developed colds so everything tasted like cardboard to them so there was no temptation to try anything fancy. We're not that kind of people anyways. In 'N Out was very good, and fast.
Out best meal was at the Vegas Hilton at the Star Trek Experience's Quark Bar. Ihe day was bitterly cold so the New England Clam Chowder was like the best meal we've had in our lives. The Onion Rings were also to die for. A 'surly' Klingon stopped by to scoff at our choice of beverages, "You're all drinking the Captain Kirk. You disgust me!" He moved along to a large table and entertained us with further 'insults' bantered with those guests. This was one of our best times on the trip.
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We make a great couple |
The Captain Kirk is a fine drink |
Posted at 3/22/2007 11:12:36 am by lifeonhold
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Monday, March 05, 2007
Vegas - Interiors, Gardens
It's been a while ... I've been distracted by Lenten and financial tasks and a re-addiction to the computer game, Zuma. I do plan to do a full-court press this week to finish up the Vegas entries.
To get back into it, I'll post some photos of casino interiors and gardens that have not made it into previous entries. It is a bit of a grab bag.
GARDENS
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The Flamingo Garden |
The Mirage Garden |
The Flamingo had some flamingos and other wildlife and I enjoyed the setting. If I can ever take a 'step up' from The Palace Station, I might consider staying at The Flamingo. Although it is older, it seemed friendlier than the newer and more ritzy establishments where I would be really out of place.
OTHER INTERIORS
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The Rio during a Parade |
A Bellagio fountain |
I think that fountain was in The Bellagio ... my best guess, anyway.
The Rio also seemed like a casual and fun spot. They do a float parade up overhead the casino. This picture is of a riverboat going by.
EXTERIOR
Finally, one exterior (except for The Venetian, which will be a separate entry).
The Bellagio Hotel and Casino; those small buildings in front are part of the decor to make the place look like its Italian counterpart. In front of this is a large lake equipped with water jets that are used to put on elaborate fountain shows to music. The walkway around the lake is equipped with the speakers.
We only saw one daylight show at the end of a very exhausting Saturday fighting the crowds, colds, the cold, and long hikes between casinos.
Posted at 3/5/2007 12:32:50 pm by lifeonhold
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Thursday, February 15, 2007
Here are some samples of Vegas interiors.
My favorite was the Bellagio Conservatory which was decked out in a Winter Theme:
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center pond with ice star
and cranberry bog |
close-up of cranberry bog |
one of the bears |
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reindeer made with pecans |
close-up of pecans |
Over at Caesar's Palace:
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interior fountain and plaza |
mezzanine ceiling |
Both Caesar's Palace and The Venetian had incredibly impressive interior plazas with domed skys that changed lighting depending on the time of day. I preferred The Venetian overall, because the canal is really awesome. I'll do a separate entry on The Venetian.
I treked forever through Mandalay Bay (a really huge place) to get this photo of a headless Lenin outside of Red Square (an eatery). Because of the effort involved, this was my "coulda skipped" excursion.
Headless Lenin, complete with bird poop
Posted at 2/15/2007 12:22:20 pm by lifeonhold
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Monday, February 12, 2007
Before we enter some of the finer establishments, this entry will take us Downtown where the living is cheap and casual.
We knew we were not in Kansas anymore when Stryker tried to park our SUV in an open parking lot space only to be totally and loudly berated by the manager who had some major anger management issues. Stryker is a Taurus, the Sign of the Bull, and both Servo and I could see little puffs of steam coming out of her ears. Servo told the manager not to yell at her. I think she warned, "Don't make her angry."
Despite that nasty little experience we arrived just in time to catch the presentation of The Fremont Street Experience. A lengthy portion of the street has been turned into a walkway under a curved dome. A video show is projected onto the inner dome and it's kinda neat. The show we saw lasted a few minutes and had a patriotic theme. Each image was repeated multiple times up and down the dome, so it was a little like being in the TV section of Circuit City and watching all the TVs play the same program in sync.
I did like how the street was turned into a large walkway. When the show comes on the outside casino lights go off and then come back on at its conclusion. There are kiosks and musicians on the walkway and if it was a nice night (rather than bitter cold) it might be a pleasant place to hang out on the Economy Plan. My favorite Fremont casino, at least as far as their exterior goes, is the Golden Nugget.
At one end of the walkway street, the far end from Vegas Blvd, on the left side there is an opening to a casino that looks just like a storefront, but inside looks dark and dingy. There are rows of slot machines visible and the carpet looks dingy. I remember seeing this place decades ago and it squicked me out then, and did again on this trip. It is as if it was a den for evil spirits. I really wished I had the presence of mind to take a photo and find out what that place is called. If any of my readers happen to be in that area, please find out the name of the place for me.
At the Vegas Blvd end we sought out the Neon Museum in the Neonopolis. Stryker and Servo deemed this to be the most disappointing of our sightseeing stops, but it was free and only took a few minutes. I love old neon. Here is my favorite from the "Museum":
I am going to use this on a banner one of these days.
Posted at 2/12/2007 12:53:44 pm by lifeonhold
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Friday, February 09, 2007
Vegas - The Strip, First View
This was my first visit to the 'modern' Vegas. Stryker rented a car and each casino had free and easily accessable parking; we indulged in a free (with tip) Valet Service at Ceasar's Palace which is the way to go while on vacation.
When I was on my own for a day I used public bus transportation. This was more problematic due to my lack of any sense of direction (went the wrong way) and, on the return trip, to a lengthy wait during the dinner and rush hour; this was made worse by the cold and wind. I also took the Monorail to traverse the Strip and the Tropicana - Luxor - Mandalay Bay free shuttle. Palace Station had a free shuttle to and from the airport, so a car was not really needed.
I had some problems meeting up with Servo and Stryker, and coupled with my long travel day, asthma attack and room change, this had me a little anxious. Stryker was supposed to have her cell phone, and did, but it was "out of the service range" and the hotel was no help; they won't give out room numbers and they even told me my friends were not guests. In my anxiousness, I worried that perhaps they had to return to Oregon for a family emergency or something and I'd be all alone in Vegas. We finally found each other after about 3 hours.
I'm not going to go cronologically through the trip. I'll post some photos and comments.
Now that half of the Strip casinos have themes it has become something of a Disneyland; it's like having the Pirates of the Caribean next to the Space Mountain attraction. New York New York's Statue of Liberty is on one corner and up the strip is Bally's Paris with it's Eiffel Tower and Hot Air Balloon. Around the corner is Luxor and it's pyramid.
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NY NY's Statue of Liberty
Bally's Eiffel Tower and Hot Air Balloon
The Luxor's Pyramid
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This gives the Strip a wow factor that is perfect for tourists on the economy plan. Of course it is not only the exteriors that are thematic, but the inner decor also. More on the insides later. However as Vegas embraced its Inner Disney it brought us in by the bus loads. My friends told me of an interview they saw on the hotel TV with Stevie Lawrence who bemoaned what Vegas has become(paraphrasing). "Anyone can come here now... It used to be only for the rich, now look at all these beraggled tourists from CT and OR ..."
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Lifey and Big Egyptian Dude |
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Close-up of Lifey |
Yup, just another tourista, ruining Vegas.
Posted at 2/9/2007 12:57:47 pm by lifeonhold
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Thursday, February 08, 2007
Las Vegas - The Preliminaries
Ah, Vegas!
Type of Trip - Economy. Really Economy. Somewhat whirlwinded. Fun.
Budget - $1,500, give or take. It came in right in this region; the expenses were travel, hotel, food, cat care, events, gaming, in that order. I bought only a very few souveniers and two books for my travels and stuck to the cheap-o slots for gaming.
Preparation - excellent trip notes from MrsGryn, my friend's research and experience, and visits to other sites:
Purpose - to re-connect with longtime but distant friends in a fun place.
I met Servo and Stryker (their chosen blog names) back in my early College Days in the late 60s in California. They are sisters, both very intelligent with great senses of humor; we share our singleness, our long, albiet distant, history together, a similar take on the absurdity of people and life, similar class experiences (i.e. the sinking middle class), similar weight issues, and a love of pets. We are all varying degrees of Catholic. They have dogs and a bird and a history of charity work on animal and other issues; I have cat(s) and my wild birds. We parted ways on politics when they took a sharp turn to the left. [My theory is that the State of Oregon required it when they took up residence there in the early 80s.] I took other wild detours in life that they did not understand, so I guess we're kinda even. In any case, I love them to death and the best part of the trip was being with them again.
Servo (front) and Stryker (back) outside the Luxor
Trip Dates - Wednesday, November 26, 2006 - Sunday, December 3, 2006
Incoming Travel
Stryker was jealous when I told her I was taking a Limo to the airport. She could have saved the envy for a more worthy subject. The 'limo' was akin to one of those airport shuttle vans with only slightly better seating that felt like particle board covered in upholstry cloth. I had to lean forward the entire trip to keep my tailbone from becoming bruised as I bounced and crashed on every bump from CT to NYC.
As we neared JFK airport I was the only passenger and the driver told me she had to get the van into the shop because the steering wheel had too much play. To my alarm, she then turned the wheel back and forth while the van kept going straight ahead. Somehow we made it to JFK. Luckily, the van trip back home was a little more comfortable.
My Limo to the Airport
My flight was on US Airways, non-stop, which was the way to go. I felt a tiny bit smug because I was totally prepared with my little quart-sized zippered plastic bag of my liquids and gels.
Weather - Friggin' COLD. The Highs were in the 40s and low 50s with wind. The typical temperature during that time of year should have been close to 20 degrees higher. I made do with a fleece windbreaker most days because I didn't want to lug around my coat too.
I specified in my online registration that I needed a room that was free from mold, mildew or water damage, etc, due to allergies. Of course this meant they first put me in a room near the sauna/pool where the clothing closet reeked of mildew. It immediately set off an allergic and asthmatic attack which bothered me the entire night. I also had a snooty registrar although the other people behind the desk and elsewhere were all nice and one of them gave me a different room without a hassle.
My friends had to change their first room also when they had septic problems. Both our second rooms were pleasant and fine. I liked the tile in my bathroom.
Pretty tile in the room's bathroom and entrance way
Posted at 2/8/2007 1:16:24 pm by lifeonhold
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Tuesday, February 06, 2007
Lifey does not forget to do things. They go on her TO DOs and eventually make it to the top and get done. This is how she rolls.
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Since my trip occurred at the end of November - beginning of December 2006, my list is running about 3 months behind.
I've made and uploaded the Vegas edition of my banner today and plan to make the actual entries during the course of this week.
Posted at 2/6/2007 1:08:02 pm by lifeonhold
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Saturday, February 03, 2007
I Dare You To Make This One!
This is completely edible, and reported to be good.
It's not too late to make it for your Super Bowl party.
Photo below.
Kitty Litter Cake
CAKE INGREDIENTS:
1 box spice or German chocolate cake mix
1 box of white cake mix
1 package white sandwich cookies
1 large package vanilla instant pudding mix
A few drops green food coloring
12 small Tootsie Rolls or equivalent
SERVING "DISHES AND UTENSILS"
1 NEW cat-litter box
1 NEW cat-litter box liner
1 NEW pooper scooper
1) Prepare and bake cake mixes, according to directions, in any size
pan. Prepare pudding and chill. Crumble cookies in small batches in
blender or food processor. Add a few drops of green food coloring to 1
cup of cookie crumbs. Mix with a fork or shake in a jar. Set aside.
2) When cakes are at room temperature, crumble them into a large bowl.
Toss with half of the remaining cookie crumbs and enough pudding to make
the mixture moist but not soggy. Place liner in litter box and pour in
mixture.
3) Unwrap 3 Tootsie Rolls and heat in a microwave until soft and
pliable. Shapethe blunt ends into slightly curved points. Repeat with
three more rolls. Bury the ro! lls dec oratively in the cake mixture.
Sprinkle remaining white cookie crumbs over the mixture, then scatter
green crumbs lightly over top.
4) Heat 5 more Tootsie Rolls until almost melted. Scrape them on top of
the cake and sprinkle with crumbs from the litter box. Heat the
remaining Tootsie Roll until pliable and hang it over the edge of the
box. Place box on a sheet of newspaper and serve with scooper. Enjoy!
Posted at 2/3/2007 8:52:51 pm by lifeonhold
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Friday, February 02, 2007
It has been a very tough month. I hate to make this kind of an entry, but it's all I have ...
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The Wall appears to be trying to back out of a financial agreement that she made in October; she has given two excuses not to deliver and is in the process of getting a legal opinion on the matter. I am on the verge of having a stroke over it and the accumulation of all the other stonewalling that has occured over the past 2.5 years. I fear that she is seeking legal counsel to find an even more impenerable barrier. I am so utterly sick of this whole thing. |
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I'm having breathing problems at work due to our moldy environment. This has happened before and it tends to be worse this time of year. It has triggered a lot of asthma and conjestion and I'm wearing a mask at work to cope. I can't go into the main office area without the mask and sometimes have to wear it at my desk which is in a different section. Even with these precautions my lungs have been conjested and hurting and my breathing is affected. I've had to leave work twice this month and took 2 other days to be out of the environment. |
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The company is in poor financial condition, primarily due to two jobs from last summer that haven't paid up. As Accounts Payable I've been having to do my best to satisfy our vendors without sufficient funds. It got really bad at the beginning of the year when a significant portion of the aging began going over 60 days, but it's been an issue for 7 months now. We expect an insurance claim to help a little with this within a week or two but it is still going to be a struggle for a while even with that money. |
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Finally, since the company is doing well in other respects and our two engineers (as opposed to our sales engineers) are overworked, they are trying to hire a new engineer. This will likely displace me from the office that I share with the two guys because it's logical that the 3 engineers should be together. I LOVE being with these guys; they are the perfect work companions in every way and since I have no one local in my life, the little companionship I get at the office means a great deal to me. I believe they will put me in an adjacent office. Although I will be nearby it won't be the same and I'll be alone again (naturally). I will cope, but I'm very sad about it. |
Feb 2nd update:
Wall - I'm waiting on her Feb 8th date with the lawyer and wondering if I should write her an email to make clear that any response other than following through on the terms of our agreement will bring on a legal case. Status - ok if I don't think about it. But I'm still thinking about it...
Mold - a fellow at work gave me a personal space air purifier to try out; so far it's hard to tell because I think the mold problem has lessened on its own (which it does). I'll have to wait for the next big episode to really test this thing out. It would be great if this device could take the place of the mask. Status - hopeful
Payables - I paid a lot of the "little guys" today which takes some of the pressure off until next week. Status - coping
Office/Hire - no canidates have applied yet, but it's probably only a matter of time.
Hopefully this difficult start to 2007 will mean it's all upward from here.
Posted at 2/2/2007 12:32:19 pm by lifeonhold
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