Times Square - New York City

When we got to our hotel, The Carter, we were impressed how close it was to Times Square. Only 2 blocks away. Though our hotel wasn't anywhere near 5-Star, we didn't care, because all we were going to do there was sleep. We were ready to answer Times Square's call to us!


Times Sqaure was huge! I was on sensory-overload within minutes, but I was loving it. Times Square is where they tape segments of The Today Show, it's where they drop the ball on New Years Eve, and it has some of the biggest and brightest ads in the world! It used to be that traffic went right down the center of Times Square, but traffic was rerouted around Times Square to make it more tourist-friendly!

The week we went to New York City happened to be Fleet Week. Fleet Week is a United States Navy, United States Marine Corp and United States Coast Guard tradition in which active military ships recently deployed in overseas operations dock in a variety of major cities for one week. Once the ships dock, the crews can enter the city and visit its tourist attractions. A few of the Navy Boys were talking to some media outlets, so we checked out what was up, and while we were standing there, we ended up on NBC's Panasonic JUMBOTRON in the middle of Times Square!! How cool is that?! 

Other cool things to note on Times Square: I was interviewed by some Japanese college students who were doing a project on demin jeans, and we saw the Naked Cowboy!  There is never a shortage of things to see and do in Times Square, and I wouldn't want you to miss any of it!!!

The Subway - New York City

The Subway is one of the most popular ways to get around in New York City. The traffic is always terrible, and the Subway seems to take care of all of those headaches. My trip to NYC was also my first experience on any sort of major public transit, and I was anxious to see how it worked, and how it could carry all those people and get them to their destinations in a timely fashion.

It will always amaze me at how underground Subway Systems are built. Not only is carving out miles of dirt a feat in itself, but carving out the earth under water takes it to a whole different level! And that's what I experienced even before I stepped foot in the city!  Our plane landed at JFK, so that meant we had to cross a waterway in order to get onto Long Island, hence the name. I didn't realize that we were beneath water until my brother pointed it out to me on the Subway map. Such a weird feeling!

The rest of our visit in NYC concerning the Subway was fantastic! The trains arrived right on time, and it felt like they traveled at the speed of light. There are so many Subway Stations in the city so it is a short walk from anywhere to catch a ride. The only times the Subway might be delayed is when a game or event is going on, which is almost always, but there are so many trains to ensure a speedy Subway process.

Before New York City, the only Subway I knew of was the sandwich shops, but now when I go to big city's, I swear by them!

Destination: New York City

Here are some of the great sights in New York City!

Overview
The Subway
Times Square
Yankee Stadium
Cenrtal Park
5th Avenue
Broadway Show - RENT
Ground Zero
Statue of Liberty
Empire State Building
Little Italy/Chinatown

New York City

New York. The Big Apple. The City that Never Sleeps. The most populated city in the country. New York City was one of my favorite city's to visit. There are endless opportunities and things to see and do, for anyone!

While in New York, I was at the top of the Empire State Building, I took a horse and carriage ride through Central Park, walked 5th Ave., took the Ferry across to Staten Island, saw a Broadway Show, saw the sights of Ground Zero, and of course went to a Yankees game! I did this, and more, all within 3 and a half days! So buckle up 'cuz it's going to be a wild ride!

Catch a Show - Las Vegas

One of the best shows, in my opinion, on the Vegas Strip is Cher. On my most recent trip to Vegas, my husband and I saw Cher at the Colliseum at Caesar's Palace, and we were not disappointed!! You might be asking yourself why two 25-year-olds would go see Cher in Vegas when there are many other more "hip" show opportunities to see. Well, I'll tell you why we went to see Cher.

On my first date with my husband, we were driving back from a restaurant, and I had Cher's song, "If I Could Turn Back Time" blasting from a mixed CD in my car, and I was just bopping right along with the song so much that I didn't realize the stoplight above me was red, and I ran it. Luckily it was late in the night and no one else was on the road with us (cops especially). My husband said that the combination of my singing and looking so happy made him fall for me even harder that night.

So, when we decided Vegas would be our pre-honeymoon destination, it was a perfect fit that Cher was there, and there was no denying the fact of seeing her.

Cher may be in her mid 60's but she doesn't look (and DEFINITELY doesn't sing) like a a day over 35! She can still belt out a tune the same, if not better, as she did in her prime! Her show was set up as a "through the life of Cher" theme, so she sang songs starting at the beginning of her career, straight through the end of it. And the costumes she wore went right along with the decade she released the song. Brilliant!!!

Cher has always, and will always hold a special place in the hearts of myself and my husband, and we were greatful that we got to see her!

Every casino/hotel on the strip has a headliner show that is always playing. Your night will never be dull with this list, and who knows, you may be able to find great deals on others! Here are some major headliners!

Luxor - Criss Angel (Illusionist)
New York New York - Cirque du Soleil's "Zumanity"
Venetian - Blue Man Group
Planet Hollywood - V-The Ultimate Variety Show
Flamingo - Donnie and Marie
Wynn - Le Reve, Garth Brooks
Mandalay Bay - The Lion King
Palazzo - Jersey Boys
Bally's - The Price Is Right
Bellagio - Cirque du Soleil's "O"

There are many opportunities to find discounted show tickets all over the Vegas strip. I know of a place just outside of Excalibur, and I'm sure there are many more, maybe even within a particular hotel. From experience, there is no other way to spend a Vegas evening!

Other Hotels on the Strip - Las Vegas

There are many other hotels on the strip, and I will brief you on them, and their theme, in hopes one or more spark your interest.

Mandalay Bay - Southeast Asia
Excalibur - Camelot
Tropicana - Tropical
New York New York - New York City
MGM Grand - Hollywood
Planet Hollywood - Hollywood
Hard Rock - Rock and Roll
Bally's - FUN
Rio - Brazilian/Mardi Gras
Caeser's Palace - Roman Empire
Harrah's - Carnival
Palms - Fantasy
Venetian - Venice
Palazzo - European
Circus Circus - Circus
Riviera - Modern
Sahara - Moroccan

Favorite Casinos - Las Vegas

Although I hilighted the Stratosphere, Bellagio and T.I., a bunch more casinos really struck my fancy. I'll try and go down the strip, from south to north, naming some of my favorites!

First is the Luxor. This casino/hotel is Egyptian style, and the best thing about it is its pyramid shape. The interior follows suit, with the rooms slanted, and the elevator even goes up at a diagonal incline! The rooms are around the perimeter of the hotel, with a huge lobby area on the middle. Another hilight about this hotel is the skyway that connects Mandalay Bay, the Luxor, and Excalibur. This makes these hotels easily accessible right from within!

 The Monte Carlo is such a classy hotel, it's hard not to go in! When we visited the Monte Carlo, we mostly went in there to play at the tables. The service is great, the dealers are nice, and the fellow table-mates are friendly. We seemed to have a lot of luck there, too!

The second time in Vegas, we stayed at the Flamingo. This hotel/casino is the oldest standing hotel on the strip, and I like it for several reasons. The Flamigo is right in the heart of the strip, known as one of the casinos on the 4 corners. Even though it's right in the thick of things, it is very reasonably priced. The casino also has a walk-out entrance/exit to the strip.

One of my favorite places to play table games is the Mirage. I liked their casino War, and it seems they are the only casino to have it. I like those low-risk card games! I also liked the Mirage's asthetics. You walk in the casino and it felt like you were walking into a jungle! Very tropical!

The Wynn and Encore, 2 very modern hotels, are the last of the favorites. These hotels are as one, connected through a skyway and built with the same design in mind. This casino had different options for blackjack, like Blackjack Switch. The Wynn and Encore had a very Aisan feel, and I really liked it!