Thrill Rides in Sin City

August 23

Ever heard of a teeter-totter that sits on the top edge of a 1,149 ft. tall building? Who in his right mind would want to ride that? Think again!

Friends whom I haven't seen in over 10 years were recently in Las Vegas for a visit. They wanted to try a thrill ride at the Stratosphere Las Vegas Hotel & Casino. The Stratosphere Tower, considered the tallest free-standing observation tower in the US, offers three out-of-this-world rides:

1. The Big Shot - Passengers are strapped to this vertical ride which shoots straight up 160 feet at 45 mph (over 4 Gs) until they are 1,081 feet above the Las Vegas Strip.

2. X-Scream - It's a giant seesaw that sends passengers teetering 27 feet over the edge of the Tower, about 866 feet above the ground. (This was their pick!)

3. Insanity, the Ride - It looks like a mondo-sized robotic spider that holds passengers on each of its mechanical legs. Imagine this robotic spider slowly extending its legs so that passengers are 64 feet over the edge of the Tower and then spinning them at a force of 3 Gs for a very wild and wicked ride. It certainly lives up to its name.

How did I do? Oh I had a great time...just watching them from the observation deck, thank you very much! Did you know there used to be a roller coaster that wrapped around the top of the Tower? And I thought that was crazy!

I'll post photos as soon as my friends e-mail them to me. [Kristoffer, hint! hint!] Meanwhile, you can google "Stratosphere rides" and find several photos and videos on the internet.
http://www.stratospherehotel.com/thrills/

Napa Valley: An Encore

July 20 - 21

I was back in Napa with my siblings for someone's 40th birthday (Guess who). It was her marvelous idea to travel to wine country in celebration of her milestone. Who could resist? The wine tasting started at noon!

First stop: Opus One.
http://www.opusonewinery.com/
This is one posh property. The elegant design and architecture of the limestone building, with its courtyard at the center and flanked by magnificent colonnades, clearly suggests opulence. We were there in time for our wine tasting reservation ($30 per person) and each of us received a generous amount of the Bordeaux-style blend. While we savored the 2004 vintage, we walked up to the upper-level terrace which offered a 360-degree view of the vineyards. There we reminisced and giggled about old times. (By the way, the renowned Opus One wines sell for about $150 a bottle.)

Next: Coppola Winery -- now Rubicon Estateshttp://www.rubiconestate.com/
The celebrity red carpet welcomed visitors to this property. A water fountain graced the main entrance of the estate's chateau. Inside, I was particularly interested in the museum's exhibit including displays of how movies were presented in the early days. Among them was the zoetrope which looked like an illuminated cylinder atop a cake stand. The cylinder had slits, each the size of a popsicle stick, from which you could view a series of illustrations on a roll of paper. When the cylinder is spun, the illustrations appear like moving images. For a better definition or image, click on this link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoetrope

Finally: Sterling Vineyardshttp://www.sterlingvineyards.com/en-row/VisitSterling/
The highlight of this visit was the aerial tram ride to reach the property which sits on a hill. The view was spectacular! (Those with a phobia of heights need not worry. It's not that bad, trust me.)



We were welcomed with a refreshing sip of Viogne, a white wine, when we reached the top. On the way to the Sterling View Terrace, we walked past the storage of barrels of wine. It was like following a trail of an overwhelming scent of oak.

Having access to the wine club, we were able to try different wines. We dominated the room by occupying a large table where we exchanged impressions of the vinos, declared our favorites, and then ordered some bottles to take home.

For dinner, we selected Go Fish restaurant.
http://www.gofishrestaurant.net/
This place, named after the popular children's card game, features West Coast fish and boasts of a San Francisco-inspired raw bar. It was funny how we sat around our table using the same dinner seating arrangement we had when we were kids.

I chose to have the sole fish for my entree...which may sound lame...but it was delicious and hit the spot! I paired it with my favorite premium sake called Wakatake. I hesitated for a moment wondering, "Would drinking sake be considered a sin in Napa? Nah!"

The Circus

A friend offered me free tickets to the Ringling Bros. Circus at The Orleans. Knowing that my nephews (Dulce's boys) would be in town, I snatched the opportunity.

I haven't been to the circus since I was a young girl and so I was unsure how much I would enjoy it. I also worried that my nephews -- Ian is 10 while Nico is 7 -- might get bored. But my other sister Denise reminded me that the circus is always a fun event for everyone. She was right and I was entertained with the boys more than the circus show itself!
As soon as we walked through the arena doors, Ian immediately asked if we could buy some cotton candy and snow cone. (Denise warned me about this.) And so there we were among other families winding our way through the concession stands of popcorn, lemonade, snacks and toys. Somehow I managed to dodge the prodding of Nico to buy the souvenir toy that spins and lights up in fun colors.

The first order of the day was to get all the munchies and snacks. Mom had to control the boys from "inhaling" the cotton candy. Check them out stuffing their faces:
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Ty1I4AKAfZ8
http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=-Uvh1uhbZ-o
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jOS3BceiREE

Surprisingly, the boys enjoyed every minute of the show. Some acts I found completely ho-hum, yet they cheered and laughed as though they had never seen anything like it before. It was great to watch how these kids made the most of it. (I guess sometimes as a grown-up I forget that it's not up to anyone else but only myself to make anything truly enjoyable.)
Here's a sampling of how the boys reacted to one of the circus acts: http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=S6kZrywBzo0

If you click on the link below, you'll be able to view circus highlights that were among our favorites: the heart-stopping stunts of Super Silva, the amazing flying trapeze, the motorcycles speeding around a steel globe, and the parade of the most adorable elephants. http://www.ringling.com/explore/138/index.aspx (Click on Watch Video Highlights)

When the show ended, Nico turned to me and said, "Thank you so much for taking us to the circus. This is the best show ever!" I smiled and thought to myself, "Well, sweetie...it's actually "the greatest show on earth!"

Fun in Lake Mead for Father's Day

The weather couldn't have been better for spending Father's Day at the lake. Although the day's temperature reached a high of 102 degrees, the light breeze and cool refreshing water made it just wonderful!

We've been to this lake many times. (This is where I learned to water ski.) And there have been times when the heat was unbearable. But this time around, it was perfect. We met up with the Hunter family who also brought their boat and stand up jet ski. The boys had a blast taking the jet ski for a spin. Later on they rode the inflatable hotdog which we towed around with the boat. I decided to ride it too on our way out even if I knew I would feel so sore the next day.

We usually plan on spending a long day at the lake. We would set up a tent, turn on the portable radio, and just chill out. I also typically bring a lot of food. But we didn't plan on staying too long this time, so I packed my picnic ware with some cold food: tuna sandwiches, pasta salad, and fresh fruit. Easy to prepare and easy to clean up. As always, we loaded up with cold drinks and plenty of water. I also brought some sour gummi bears for dessert. But Trevor got a hold of them and so they were gone in a flash.

Before heading back to the marina, we rode up the narrows. Trevor took a turn in being the "captain." I like going to the narrows. The water there seems cleaner, cooler, and more blue... and the surroundings are prettier. It's sad to note that Lake Mead's water level has gone down about 108 feet. On the mountain sides bordering the lake, one can clearly see where the water level used to be. It appears as though a giant paintbrush swiped the mountain sides with white. Hope that the force of nature will allow Lake Mead to stay the way it is. We have built so many memories around here and hope to make many more.

Trip to Calistoga, Napa Valley

"Harvest time will be early this year," said Philip as he poured coffee into my cup. Alan and I were about to have breakfast al fresco, taking in the view of the rows of vineyards before us.

"If you look at the vines closely, you will see that the grapes are already starting to sprout," he added.

Every year, Alan and I make an effort to go someplace new for our wedding anniversary. My pick for this year was a bed & breakfast highly recommended by my brother. Chateau de Vie in Calistoga, Napa Valley offers a refreshing break from the heat as well as the hustle and bustle of Las Vegas.

Accommodations

It's a three-story house with 4 rooms in the middle level. I believe the top floor housed the suite. Upon entering, you are welcomed with soothing urban music -- reminiscent of modern hotels and resorts. (This one reminded me of the music for Skylofts at MGM Grand). Dominating the walls were posters with Diego Rivera's art. Philip, the main host and one of the chateau's proprietors, greeted us and led us to our room.

Our bedroom was decent size with a four-poster bed, a comfortable armchair next to a reading lamp, a tall dresser...but no television. That made me sing Handel's Messiah in my head. But I swore to my husband, the TV addict, that I had no idea they wouldn't have any TVs in their guestrooms. I'm surprised he didn't mind and in fact, he had a really relaxing time just reading and napping during our stay. I love quiet time and hardly ever turn a TV on, so this was perfect for me.

The bathroom was just as nice with L'Occitane amenities. Outside our bathroom window was another breath-taking view of the vineyards. Imagine how much fun it was to just brush your teeth while looking out this window!

Downstairs were the main living room, main dining and kitchen areas. The parlor had sofas and ample-sized armchairs conducive for reading. Bookshelves lined one end of the room. Opposite that were French doors that led outside to a deck area with bistro sets and patio furniture. This is where they served breakfast. This backyard area overlooked the surrounding vineyards -- some of which are owned by Chateau de Vie. (One should never miss the opportunity to taste their excellent Cabernet Sauvignon.)

Beyond the deck is the pool area. The Jacuzzi tub is enclosed in a gated section and past that, a small lap pool. Everything seemed to be just the right size. Understated yet never lacking.


Breakfast

Breakfast was served at 9 am. Unlike other B&Bs, this one had several smaller tables where guests and their own parties can dine in private as opposed to dining altogether at a common table. There's nothing wrong with socializing with others except when you're on vacation, sometimes you prefer alone time. For starters, we had delicious scones. I never thought about having them for breakfast. I always thought scones were reserved for afternoon tea. (By the way, Philip published the famous recipe in his newsletter.) Next, we had strata with artichokes and sun-dried tomatoes. Fabulous! After breakfast, we took up Philip's suggestion of taking a walk through their vineyards. The photograph at the top of this page shows the mini grapes already starting to sprout. I made Alan put his hand next to it to give the viewer a better sense of its size. "Beautiful" is probably an adjective too common to describe this place, but I can't think of any word more apropos.


Around Calistoga and Napa Valley Driving around this town is enough for a wonderful adventure. The different wineries alone such as Opus One is a must see. The building structure at the center of the property reminds me of Aztec architecture. The surrounding acres of vineyards seem to stretch as far as your eyes can see.The one curious thing Alan noticed with some vineyards is that a rose bush grew in front of each row of vines. We asked Philip about this and he said there are two schools of thought: one (which is his favorite) is that it is a symbol of celebrating the fruit of the vine...the very essence of Napa Valley...and the romanticism of it all. The other (the more scientific explanation) is to protect the vines. If bugs were to attack the plants, the bugs would go after the roses first.

~ dates of stay: May 18 - 19, 2008