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.

LasVegas4Ever recognized with a Vegas Trippie nomination and kudos on a popular blog site

LasVegas4Ever, created by my good friend "Blonde" (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 Blonde 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!

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!

Vegas bathrooms - my most photographed subject

Palazzo


Caesars



Wynn

Bellagio (my bathroom)

Paris

.

It's a very odd thing, but I have become known as somewhat of a Las Vegas bathroom aficionado. I don't know exactly when it happened, but I do know why.

When my daughter was about four years old, she developed a fascination with public restrooms. She always wanted to see the inside of every public restroom we encountered to see how it was decorated. She had her favorites, too, and always insisted she had to go to the bathroom before we left certain places because she just had to see them again.

I had only recently started going to Las Vegas at the time, and I got the idea to take pictures of some of my favorite Vegas bathrooms for her to admire when I got back. She would "ooh" and "aah" over the cool lighting fixtures, stall doors, or lavatories. Yes, it was odd, but I found myself checking them out at every turn - and double-checking for occupants before I took a shot or two to take back home with me.

Once I joined a couple of on-line Vegas message boards, I began sharing my Vegas bathroom photos as part of my usual collection of Vegas trip photos. People would comment on them and laugh about how I ALWAYS took bathroom photos, and it was true; there is always at least one photo of a restroom - in a casino, restaurant, or my hotel room - among my vacation photos.

Now people have started quizzing me on Vegas bathroom photos to see if I know where they are located. Sadly, I'm not the 'expert' I thought I was, but that's okay. At least I know I'll have something to look forward to (and take photos of) on my next trip.

Link to article: Las Vegas Review Journal's search for unusual Christmas gifts

Recently the Las Vegas Review-Journal posted an article about some of the unusual Christmas gifts you can find in Las Vegas.

Some are pretty strange, and they're all pretty tacky, but I know of at least three people I could buy gifts for from that list who would love, love, LOVE the gifts because...well, they are what they are.

So, if you're interested in finding some truly unusual gifts for your family and friends (or just want to have a good laugh), check these out: http://www.lvrj.com/living/las-vegas-gifts-to-cheer-friends-family-after-day-of-shoveling-snow-78063167.html

For the record, the gifts I could give and make someone happy with are the Pole Dancer Alarm Clock, the "Las Vegas County Jail" t-shirt, and the "CSI: Las Vegas" Evidence Bag and LED Flashlight. Some people are so predictable when it comes to gifts...

A Thanksgiving Post: 25 Vegas Things I'm Thankful For (and a link to a Vegas4Visitors list to boot)

A friend over at LV4E shared Rick Garman's Vegas4Visitors weekly column with us and pointed out a holiday-related portion for our perusing pleasure. Check out the bottom article titled "Thanksgiving Special: Things in Vegas To Be Thankful For" that includes 25 things that the author is thankful for in Vegas - http://www.vegas4visitors.com/column/index.htm#feature2

That made me think: What are the Vegas things I'm most thankful for? Let's just see, shall we?

1. Breakfast - or dinner - on the patio at Mon Ami Gabi in Paris

2. Bellagio dinner buffet

3. Watching the lights come on over the Strip at dusk

4. Seeing the Bellagio fountains in action, day or night

5. TITO tickets

6. Comped rooms

7. Cocktail waitresses with good memories and quick feet

8. Video reel slot machines

9. Lucy in the Sky, With Diamonds

10. Wynn breakfast buffet

11. Gold Fish machines that let you play and play and play

12. The chandelier at The Phantom of the Opera

13. Random Elvis sightings...thankyewverymuch

14. Glinda, the Good Witch of the North, paying me a lovely visit

15. The Venetian lobby

16. Eggs Benedict in all its incarnations

17. Mardi Gras beads for a blackjack...or just because

18. People-watching at the Forum Shops

19. Grand Lux Cafe appetizers shared with friends and family

20. Encore's red butterflies

21. Seeing snow on Mt. Charleston - from the Strip - in June

22. Tix4Tonite

23. Meeting new friends

24. Seeing the Strip for the first time as the plane comes in for a landing

25. The promise of new things to see and do every time I visit


My list could change next year, too*. Who knows? I hope it does, because it'll mean I've found something new - and exciting - to do in Vegas yet again.

Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

*I would've included the dolphins at The Mirage in my list, too, but I was trying to be different. Not that I don't love the dolphins, because I do. They are part of a great attraction that should not be missed if you have the time and would like to get away from the noise of the casinos for a while.

Twitter in Vegas: To Tweet or not to Tweet? My, that IS an interesting question!

I am slowly getting on the information bandwagon. It's a struggle, but I'm trying. My best friend finally talked me into joining Facebook after more than a year of saying, "I really wish you'd join!", and it's been a whole new learning experience for me. One of my other friends is now trying to get me to sign up on Twitter, and at this point I'm still resisting.

Why resist? Well, I don't do a whole lot of texting, and I have a fairly simple cell phone that doesn't have a lot of bells and whistles. Oh, yeah - and said phone is not one of the touch screen variety, so typing anything in is a chore and a pain.

What I DO like about Twitter is that I can live vicariously through my on-line friends while they are in Vegas, which is the next best thing to being there, right? It's fun to read their tweets about a great dinner they just finished, or how they're doing gambling-wise, and it's especially nice to see pictures of their recent wins. Gotta love that! But I can do all of that from my computer, so I'm still not sold on getting a Twitter account for myself. I just don't see the benefit for me personally at this point. Like I said, I'm very resistant to change (or having my cheese moved, for you corporate folks who are familiar with that term).

So, should I continue to cyber-stalk my friends while they're in Vegas, or get myself a Twitter account so that I can actively talk to them while they are enjoying my favorite city? It's certainly a conundrum, but I'm not rushing my decision just yet. Like I said, it took me more than a year to sign up for Facebook after my best friend asked me to do it, so I don't think I'll be rushing out and setting up an account today or anything. Sorry, Claire. But I WILL be reading your tweets and wishing I was everywhere with you.

Plus it makes it easier for me to stalk you all anonymously.

Resisting the change until convinced otherwise,
Viva Las Vegas!