To Travel is To Live

Yes, I would return.  I had an awesome trip to Vegas with Bryan (which isn't surprising since we travel very well together).  However, I think next time I go to Vegas, I would like to go with a group of girlfriends.  One aspect I didn't get to try out is the club scene, and I know Bryan really isn't into that sort of thing.  Perhaps in a year or two, I can work it out so that a few of my girlfriends are able to go.   My favorite part of Vegas was that shows were playing all the time and the variety was amazing.  I think that would be one reason to go back - just to see something different.  We saw 4 shows in 2 days, though, so Sunday was meant to be more relaxing, without a schedule.  Taking the monorail to Flamingo, Bryan and I thought we'd check out Caesar's Palace first.  Having heard the buffet there was amazing, and since we were hungry, we headed to Baccanal.  The line up was huge!  Of course, it was Sunday, at 12PM, and a b...

Okay, to be fair, we started off our trip to Las Vegas in a fair state of tiredness. We arrived around 9:30PM (10:30PM Calgary time) and, after checking in, wandered around MGM Grand and New York New York, so it was well after 1AM when we got to bed.  For me, that's at least 4 hours past my regular bedtime!  Each night has been the same, so I'm really lacking in the sleep department. We were seated on the wrong (left) side of the plane to see much flying in, but I was able to catch some of the northern strip lights.  It was awe-inspiring, and I couldn't help but become excited to land.  Getting to the hotel was painless, but walking into that grand, huge, chaotic lobby was a bit overwhelming!  I don't think I have ever seen so many check-in desks in a single hotel before.  Thank goodness we arrived at night and not sometime between 12 and 5 because each time we walk by the check-in during those times, the queue is longer than airport security at Christmas...

So, call me strange, but heading to Las Vegas has never been high on my list of places to see.  In fact, I have turned my nose up at the very suggestion of traveling to the city of overindulgence.  What could it really offer me?  I am not generally one for artificial excess or material things, especially when combined with the American attitude of "more is more" and childish debauchery.  There has always been something cheesy and ridiculous about the very notion of Las Vegas. Here I am now, about 5 hours away from heading there, though. Why?  Initially, when I suggested we visit Las Vegas this fall it was because Bryan had kept saying I needed to see it at least once and because we didn't have a lot of trips planned this year.  Up until last week, my honest reaction to anyone who asked about this trip was, "meh, it'll be okay".  However, whether it is because I am getting out of the city for a few days or because I realized to be a true travel...

I always root for a new establishment in Inglewood.   That area still feels like the closest thing to home for me in Calgary, so I truly want it to thrive and continue to keep up its eclectic and historical attitude.   New to Inglewood, and located in the new building on 9 th Avenue SE that also houses gems like Bite Groceria and Espy, is CinqueCento (“500” for those who don’t speak Italian).   With its west-facing outdoor space holding a good number of tables, and its bright, white, windowed interior, this new Italian eatery has to potential to be a new dining hotspot in Inglewood.   After purchasing a Travel Deal online, I started to read reviews and, unfortunately, most were a disappointment.   Repetitive comments were made about slow staff and disorganization, so I was skeptical going in on Sunday.   Bryan and I chose to eat there alone, as I would hate to bring someone along to a less than stellar restaurant. We were impressed by the décor, ...

Our second entry into the Open Table Experiment is Cibo , an open, airy restaurant that markets itself as an "Italian sharing experience".  Located in the heart of Calgary's busy 17th Ave SW, this former Rogers Video building has been transformed into an elegant, two-level Italian restaurant holding lots of tables and a great many menu options.  This was our second visit to Cibo, as we had been very impressed the first time; we were not disappointed.   Our waitress was all smiles, offering helpful advice and ensuring our food and drinks were always available.  She had the attitude of an experienced server, and it turns out that was her first night working at Cibo!  Well done!   This visit involved three of us - Bryan, Scott, and me - so we opted to try a few more of their ingenious and scrumptious creations.  I think in the past few months I have developed a new favorite type of wine - valpolicella - which is a red wine from the Veneto region of I...