Las Vegas March 2007

And in preparation for trip in August of 2007...can't wait to stay at Mirage....it is my favorite!






Janet is one of the AVP's at Tech. We were good Vegas buddies! Went to Studio 54 one night.

















Art sculpture in one of the bars in Bellagio.










The Bellagio conservatory




















The Bellagio Conservatory....it was beautiful.













My home away from from for the week.
















The M&M store.....




















The conference I went for was Sungard Higher Education products. They had an awesome kick-off ceremony and some dancer/acrobatics (like Cirque Du Soleil).....

At the bar in MGM.....every 45 minuites, all of the bartenders would get on the bar and dance....I didn't know what was going on.....

Going out with Pat & Averi

We have got to go out with Pat & Averi the last few weeks! I am super excited that they are getting out a little bit now!! I miss them!!

Gary's Birthday

Today is Gary's birthday. If you have a chance...reach out to the Lowrie's and let the know you are thinking about them.

HappyBirthday

Happy Birthday Chuck!!

Happy Birthday Pat!!

Hope you have a great birthday!!





























Seems like you like to get your guns up!!

Long trip home from Vegas!!

I owe you a drink!! Have a great day!!

Vegas....

I LOVE Kristin's topic this week!

I am going to do both my 5 favorite places to eat and my 5 favorite places to shop. I am also (for the heck of it) throwing in my 5 favorite things to see or do......Have fun on your trip Kristin.

5 favorite places to eat in Vegas! (not in order).

Joe's Seafood and Steak restaurant in Cesar's Palace.
http://www.icon.com/joes/

the portions are big, so share...

BOA Steak restaurant

Also in Cesar's mall on the third floor.
http://www.boasteak.com/balboa/
Probably the best steak I have ever had....but not cheap.

The Buffet at the Wynn.

Here is a tip. We get there about 10:45...they charge you breakfast buffet price and they change the food over to lunch by 11. So you can save a little money. This is by far the best buffet in town. They have a sushi bar and an entire room for desserts. I think it is about $15 for breakfast price.

Olives restaurant. It is by chef Todd English. Kind of a Mediterranean theme.
http://www.bellagio.com/pages/frameset_flash.asp

They give you a tray of assorted olives....check out the menu on the link. Ask for a seat on the patio.

Pink Taco...
This is at the Hard Rock. Fun place....you will probably have to take a cab there!

http://www.pinktaco.com/

OK.....now 5 favorite places to shop in Vegas.

Sephora....there is one in the Venetian. Love all the make-up and stuff!!

Anthropologie. This is in the Cesar's mall so if you go there to eat, then you can swing by.

I recommend the Fashion Show Mall. It is across the street from the Wynn. Tons of stores!! Go to White House Black Market.

Gift shop at the Mirage (really it could be any of the good hotels...Bellagio, Cesar's, Wynn). Mirage has many Sigfried & Roy stuff.....dolphin stuff...

Not really for me since I don't like chocolate....but go to the M&M store....4 stories of stuff. And you can buy different colors of M&M's.......the store is down by teh MGM Grand.

And finally 5 other things to do or see.....

For sure the conservatory in Bellagio. It is a different theme every quarter. Right now it is Pink tulips and butterflies. It costs over $1,000,000 to operate it annually. I see them doing bridal photography in there a lot! At the same time check out the ceiling in the entrance area. A beautiful glass sculpture of flowers.

The statues at Cesar's. The status move and do a little show. There are two different shows. One in front of Banana Republic and one in front of Cheesecake Factory. The Cheesecake Factory show is better.

The night time fountain show at Bellagio. It is so wonderful. What I really recommend is going to the top of the Eiffel Tower at Paris casino and seeing it up there. It does cost to go up there.

The volcanoes at the Mirage. Goes off every 45 minutes or so in the evenings. Crowds really gather there...but the entire town is crowded so....there is also the Pirate show in front of Treasure Island...this one to me is too crowded but worth seeing if you can.

Finally I recommend going to any of the Cirque Du Soleil shows. The cheapest show is Mystere. http://www.treasureisland.com/pages/ent_mystere.asp It is amazing. "O" is the water based one and is at Bellagio. Ka is the fire one and is at MGM (have not seen it) and Love is the newest one at Mirage and is the Beatles theme one. I have not seen it but plan on seeing it in August. It is supposed to be great.

Ahhhh....I miss it already and it has only been 24 hours.

By the way...I do not recommend staying at MGM....I didn't like it there. And take comfortable shoes....

VEGAS

Still in Vegas.....5 days and counting. My bank account is much smaller now, but having a good time and learning tons of info at the conference. I am having internet problems so cant comment too much on your blogs, but I am checking them.

Coming home tomorrow.....ready to get back to a schedule...this is crazy!!!

5 Favorite Websites

www.shape.com it is a great motivating website to get in shape.If you read the success stories, you will really get motivated! I also subscribe to the magazine.


WWW.allrecipes.com I always look for recipes here. I have found a crusted pork loin and a pot roast (that rocked by the way!!)

www.gloss.com Good website for buying make-up.....they usually give tons of samples too when you order.

www.anthropologie.com A cute clothing site (cute stores too if you have the chance to go to one...

www.realage.com a good health oriented website. Take the how old are you? quiz.....it is based on your lifestyle choices...be honest!!!

Happy Birthday Kendra

Happy Birthday Kendra (March 17th....) I know you can't read your blog all weekend so I posted early! Hvae a great day!

Happy Birthday Jennings!

Hope you have a great Birthday! You are getting so old!! Tell your mom that you two need to come visit soon!

Wes

Wes....this is the picture I was talking about. From 6th street the year we went to Austin on Halloween.....you were a good prom date!

Pictures from the Birthday Celebration

With one of the members of Element.....



















Stacy and Jen.....

Pimpin' ain't easy....













The guys with our new friends...













Stacy & Champ....













Kerry & Jenn with Mr. Slayer (with the Prostate problem)....













Stacy & her friend from work...she was a trooper!











Kerry & jenn


Thanks to all for the cards, calls and gifts. I have a great Birthday!

The blog topic this week is five things we want to do or accomplish (is that correct?) This was kind of hard because I have really been down on myself lately....but once I got busy with it, it did give me a little motivation.

The first one is a short-term goal as I think Eric and I are planning on doing this next year. A good little trip to NYC......





The second (and I am not stealing from you Kim), is to move to Austin. My allergies have just about had all of west Texas that they can stand.






I would like to visit Italy....I love Italian wine and food....I love the culture and the architecture.....the mountains and the coasts...and of course Venice!









I would like to get back into Yoga or Pilates....see, this would not even be hard to accomplish....just starting back is hard. But I did start running again on Friday....so maybe I can get this going too!

Buy a house in Santa Fe or Taos....I love the mountains, love to ski.....and LOVE it up there in the summer...when it is 100 degrees in Texas and only 75 there! The spas, the food, the scenery.....

MeMe

ONe of my favorite people on the world......My Meme....here we are in Taos. I think they took me on vacation to give my mom a break! I was a handful!

Weekend!

Hope you have a good weekend!!!

Happy Birthday Stacy!!

Happy Birthday Stacy! Have a great day!

My Five Favorite Things

This one won't be a surprise to anyone...Las Vegas. There is just something fun about anything goes. I love the lights, people watching, playing craps, the clubs, the restaurants.....the casinos...just how over-the-top everything is. This is a picture I took in 2002 from the top of Paris (the Eiffel tower replicate...I think it is 1/2 size of original).








Austin City Limits Festival. It took a few years to really grow on me. But now, the last two years have been the most fun! Just three days of music...everyone having fun (except when it was 108 degrees)....This is Robert Earl Keen in 2003. The good thing about it is that it caters to all types of music.

www.aclfestival.com






The entire State of Colorado.....my family took an annual vacation here each year. Mainly we would go to the Conejos river.....but sometimes Silverton, Ouray, Williams Creek. Eric and I also love Buena Vista. The mountains there are awesome! I also loved all the times we visited Kim in Denver and skied or went out there! I am definitely a mountain girl.









Rain...particularly West Texas spring rain storms.....when it has been dusty for a while and then the rain brings in a fresh smell.....

Hot Sauce, Chips, & Margaritas.....this does not count as three things as it is a combination of the three that is great.

And I can tell you....no place has better Margaritas than Santa Fe, NM.