Traveling Thursdays: Birthday in Vegas

Even though I don't gamble, for one reason or another, I found myself in Vegas 3 times in the last year. The most recent occasion was for my berfday (insert sigh). As the years march on (all over my face and body), I find the best way to fight the potential depression of getting older is to just celebrate the hell out of life. What better way to start another year than with brunch at Serendipity?

The Vegas version has the same menu as its New York City counterpart, but the vibe is much different. More akin to a Farrell's Ice Cream Parlour, I definitely prefer the more gritty vintage vibe of NYC's Serendipity.





None of that diminished my ability to enjoy a Frozen Hot Chocolate with Peanut Butter! Wow...I am still in a sugar coma over that one.



Why waste candles? And who's counting anyway.



Add a batch of Banana Cream waffles and I was ready to lay in bed the rest of the day.



Having good friends to celebrate the bday with also helps.





As if that weren't fun enough...the hotel I was staying in (MGM Grand) was host to the Billboard Awards.



This afforded me a great view of some of the celebs taking a trip (pun intended) down the carpet. At times, the people in one picture added up to a bizarre assortment.

Lady Antebellum & Glee's Matthew Morrison:



Mary J. Blige:



Tim Allen, Eric Stonestreet ("Modern Family"), & Far East Movement



Randy Jackson ("American Idol"):



Fergie, Apl.de.Ap, & Neil Diamond



Taylor Swift, who was extremely gracious to her fans:





Kylie Minogue:



Rihanna:



Is this how you conduct yourself at a red carpet ceremony? Security! Get this $%^& out of here!



Nicole Kidman, Joe Jonas, & Keith Urban



50 Cent, Selena Gomez, & Floyd Mayweather



Another wacky combo—Randy Jackson, Rihanna, & Evander Holyfield:



And as if all that excitement wasn't enough, the evening was capped off with dinner at Mon Ami Gabi in the Paris hotel.



Dinner was delish, but the cake was even better.



Paris is probably one of my fave themed hotels in Vegas.













Dang...I need a nap!

See more vintage and contemporary Las Vegas photos at my main website.

Star Tours: Welcome Back!

Before I get to the new and very much improved Star Tours, thought I'd post what I believe to be a comparison shot of the same area from 1960 to today (or thereabouts!). With the windows blocked, I couldn't tell if the view was the same.



As for Star Tours, I was VERY impressed. The new version blows away the old one as far as the realism of the ride simulation. I have only been able to ride it once, but can't wait to experience all 54 different trips—ha! Truth be told, with summer crowds around the corner, it will probably be quite awhile before I attempt to ride Star Tours again.



I love the look of the exterior; cool blue works well for a futuristic theme.







Once inside, you'll see some familiar (albeit cleaned up) machines and robots.









Who needs Orbitz?



The video screens giving you information about your flight are obviously high-def, and of a much higher quality than what was there previously:



Everyone was anxious to see what lay beyond this door:



C3PO is in the flesh, and R2D2 is copiloting via the video screen:





Because it's in 3D, traditional photos taken of the actual flight will be ghosted, but you can still get the idea of what you will be experiencing after June 3:



Ghosted or not, everyone recognizes Yoda:



f course, there are plenty of shopping opportunities at the revamped Star Traders:





Grand opening for Star Tours is June 3. Be sure to try it!

See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland Star Tours photos at my main website.

April 1977, Pt. 1

Once again, I dip back into the polyester decade for my latest series. Looking very different than it does today, our first shot is of the pool/body of water area in the middle of the Disneyland Hotel complex. Currently, this area is under reconstruction once again, as a new restaurant and Monorail waterslide are racing against the clock to meet their deadline.

On Main Street, our photographer is definitely my kind of folk, as he captured the ads on the inside of the Horse-Drawn Streetcar.



Let's zoom in, shall we?



Not too sure about this one; the guy pushing the Disneyland Sanitation thingamajig doesn't appear to be wearing a uniform. Maybe he's one of those stuffed-shirt number crunchers who is attempting to associate with the little people for this particular photo opp.



See more vintage and contemporary Disneyland photos at my main website.