Three days before Thanksgiving (2015), we decided to split for the extended holiday weekend and head to Las Vegas! It would be our 3rd visit to Sin City and we couldn't wait! We lucked out and found a great deal through American Airlines with a 4-night stay at the Mirage.
*** Please note that Jenesa was able to pack all of her clothes, shoes, toiletries, and whatever else she insists on having while on vacation into a single carry-on luggage bag! Holy cow!
A Night With The Jersey Boys
We spent most of our first two days walking the Strip and checking out all the new casinos and attractions that have been added since our last visit in 2009. No matter how many times we go back to Vegas, the water show at the Bellagio will never get old!
Anyone remember the Imperial Palace? This was actually the very first casino/hotel we stayed at back in 2003. It's now GONE! In its place right between Harrah's and the Flamingo Hotel is the new Linq Casino & Hotel. And, positioned directly behind the Linq is the new Las Vegas "Eye" ferris wheel called the High Roller.
Anyone remember the Imperial Palace? This was actually the very first casino/hotel we stayed at back in 2003. It's now GONE! In its place right between Harrah's and the Flamingo Hotel is the new Linq Casino & Hotel. And, positioned directly behind the Linq is the new Las Vegas "Eye" ferris wheel called the High Roller.
Even though Vegas continues to change.....not me! I'm still a cheapskate! Today we hit up Tix4Tonight for the first time to book discounted show tickets and buffets. No way I'm paying full price in Las Vegas! We decided to see the Broadway hit Jersey Boys.
We arrived at the Paris to see the 7pm show. From beginning to end this show was excellent. Music. Cast. Staging. Even the theater was small enough that every seat was a good one. We also appreciated the short 8 minute intermission between acts. Don't let the Frankie Valli story deter you....I highly recommend it!
The King Is Alive In Vegas
TRUST ME....I'm not one of those weirdo's that refuse to believe Elvis died back in 1977. Even though I'm a huge fan of the King, he's definitely gone. Or is he?
It is no secret that Elvis Presley was a Las Vegas legend back in the 1970's. He performed 837-consecutive sold out shows in Vegas. The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and convention center that opened in 1969 as the International Hotel. It was known for many years as the Las Vegas Hilton, then briefly as the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. It was renamed the Westgate Las Vegas on July 1, 2014. When Elvis played Las Vegas, he lived in the penthouse suite (room 3000), located on the 30th floor, until his last performance there in December 1976.
Today we paid to see it!
Thirty floors up on the elevator, we arrived in the suite lobby. Stationed outside the elevator was the original security desk where a guard was stationed 24/7 while Elvis was in house. Our escort proceeded to lead us into the famous suite of Elvis Presley.
Now, let me be honest.....after 40+ years since the Elvis era, I was not expecting to be wowed by a totally renovated suite. There probably would be nothing original in this suite.....because according to our guide they still rent it out to high rollers for $10,000 per night. But I'm a "low roller" and for only $25 bucks......I could at least say I walked through the King's suite!
We also toured the new Elvis Presley Exhibition at the WestGate. Graceland, for the first time, presents a permanent Elvis exhibition in Las Vegas featuring hundreds of artifacts never before displayed outside of Graceland. Again, it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to Elvis.....and this time I wasn't impressed. From now on.....I'll pay to go back to Memphis, TN if I want to see Elvis artifacts. The only thing worthy of a photo in Vegas was the famous American Eagle jumpsuit from the Aloha From Hawaii concert.
Jenesa and I just had to do it! There will never come a day when we will spend money on a sports car to park in our driveway......but we'll sure as hell rent one (or 3) for a day!
There's nothing sexier than a Leonard sitting in a Corvette Stingray!
Or a Lamborghini Gallardo!
Or a Ferrari Scuderia!
We raced these cars around the Las Vegas Speedway for the day. It was a total blast! After searching for a few "fun ideas" in Vegas.....I happened to stumble upon Dream Racing. They let you choose an exotic car to race around the track. We each decided to pick one.....and Leonard had the option for a bonus car for a few extra bucks! So we wound up zooming around all morning at speeds reaching 200mph in some fabulous cars that you only see in the movies!!!
Check out our Dream Racing Blog Page for more pictures of our awesome experience!
Jenesa and I are big fans of the TV show America's Got Talent! There's nothing better over the summer than Howie, Howard, Mel B, and (of course!) Heidi! Two years ago Mat Franco won the competition as a self-taught magician that awed the judges and viewers.
Mat now headlines a show at the Linq in Las Vegas. This show was highly recommended by one of the Tix4Tonight employees. The tickets were not expensive and he said the show was one of the best he's seen on the Strip in the past year.
Mat Franco doesn't use fancy props or a big stage production for his magic. He's known for his smaller sleight of hand tricks. Smaller, but big enough to get him to Las Vegas! The Linq theater was cozy.....perfect for this type of performance with large screens to magnify all his tricks close-up. If you've never seen him on TV.....you'll love the Vegas show! Unfortunately, we've seen his tricks before! And, I only saw one "new" trick that wasn't performed on America's Got Talent.....which was an awesome performance where he made cards appear out of thin air! Even though we've seen most of it before.....we like Mat!
Even if you don't LOVE the Beatles....this Cirque Du Soleil show was absolutely one of the best shows we've ever seen! The imaginative re-mixing and layering of songs all at once is exhilarating. The costuming and acrobatics are amazing. The show is simply breath taking! You really don't know where to look as so much is going on at once and you soon find yourself singing along to all the Beatles songs!
It's 90 minutes of every great Beatles song ever, with a combination of BROADWAY, art, gymnastics, dance, etc. It's not all about trapeze, throwing, tossing people around. The mix of music, color, choreography, costumes and energy put this over the top. If they asked us to stay and see it again immediately, we would have paid again right away.
I wish I had a picture of the yellow rubber boots that were dancing on the stage like puppets right in front of us! It was one of my favorite parts of the show. Another favorite was the bedroom scene where they pulled the sheets over the ENTIRE AUDIENCE! So cooooooooool!
Leonard gives it 2 thumbs up! And, Jenesa gives it one leg up! :)
It is no secret that Elvis Presley was a Las Vegas legend back in the 1970's. He performed 837-consecutive sold out shows in Vegas. The Westgate Las Vegas Resort & Casino is a hotel, casino, and convention center that opened in 1969 as the International Hotel. It was known for many years as the Las Vegas Hilton, then briefly as the LVH – Las Vegas Hotel and Casino. It was renamed the Westgate Las Vegas on July 1, 2014. When Elvis played Las Vegas, he lived in the penthouse suite (room 3000), located on the 30th floor, until his last performance there in December 1976.
Today we paid to see it!
Thirty floors up on the elevator, we arrived in the suite lobby. Stationed outside the elevator was the original security desk where a guard was stationed 24/7 while Elvis was in house. Our escort proceeded to lead us into the famous suite of Elvis Presley.
Now, let me be honest.....after 40+ years since the Elvis era, I was not expecting to be wowed by a totally renovated suite. There probably would be nothing original in this suite.....because according to our guide they still rent it out to high rollers for $10,000 per night. But I'm a "low roller" and for only $25 bucks......I could at least say I walked through the King's suite!
We also toured the new Elvis Presley Exhibition at the WestGate. Graceland, for the first time, presents a permanent Elvis exhibition in Las Vegas featuring hundreds of artifacts never before displayed outside of Graceland. Again, it takes a lot to impress me when it comes to Elvis.....and this time I wasn't impressed. From now on.....I'll pay to go back to Memphis, TN if I want to see Elvis artifacts. The only thing worthy of a photo in Vegas was the famous American Eagle jumpsuit from the Aloha From Hawaii concert.
All I Have To Do Is Dream
Jenesa and I just had to do it! There will never come a day when we will spend money on a sports car to park in our driveway......but we'll sure as hell rent one (or 3) for a day!
There's nothing sexier than a Leonard sitting in a Corvette Stingray!
Or a Lamborghini Gallardo!
Or a Ferrari Scuderia!
We raced these cars around the Las Vegas Speedway for the day. It was a total blast! After searching for a few "fun ideas" in Vegas.....I happened to stumble upon Dream Racing. They let you choose an exotic car to race around the track. We each decided to pick one.....and Leonard had the option for a bonus car for a few extra bucks! So we wound up zooming around all morning at speeds reaching 200mph in some fabulous cars that you only see in the movies!!!
Check out our Dream Racing Blog Page for more pictures of our awesome experience!
America's Got Talent!
Jenesa and I are big fans of the TV show America's Got Talent! There's nothing better over the summer than Howie, Howard, Mel B, and (of course!) Heidi! Two years ago Mat Franco won the competition as a self-taught magician that awed the judges and viewers.
Mat now headlines a show at the Linq in Las Vegas. This show was highly recommended by one of the Tix4Tonight employees. The tickets were not expensive and he said the show was one of the best he's seen on the Strip in the past year.
Mat Franco doesn't use fancy props or a big stage production for his magic. He's known for his smaller sleight of hand tricks. Smaller, but big enough to get him to Las Vegas! The Linq theater was cozy.....perfect for this type of performance with large screens to magnify all his tricks close-up. If you've never seen him on TV.....you'll love the Vegas show! Unfortunately, we've seen his tricks before! And, I only saw one "new" trick that wasn't performed on America's Got Talent.....which was an awesome performance where he made cards appear out of thin air! Even though we've seen most of it before.....we like Mat!
LOVE'n The Beatles!
Even if you don't LOVE the Beatles....this Cirque Du Soleil show was absolutely one of the best shows we've ever seen! The imaginative re-mixing and layering of songs all at once is exhilarating. The costuming and acrobatics are amazing. The show is simply breath taking! You really don't know where to look as so much is going on at once and you soon find yourself singing along to all the Beatles songs!
It's 90 minutes of every great Beatles song ever, with a combination of BROADWAY, art, gymnastics, dance, etc. It's not all about trapeze, throwing, tossing people around. The mix of music, color, choreography, costumes and energy put this over the top. If they asked us to stay and see it again immediately, we would have paid again right away.
I wish I had a picture of the yellow rubber boots that were dancing on the stage like puppets right in front of us! It was one of my favorite parts of the show. Another favorite was the bedroom scene where they pulled the sheets over the ENTIRE AUDIENCE! So cooooooooool!
Leonard gives it 2 thumbs up! And, Jenesa gives it one leg up! :)
