Seattle: Nightlife

Beyond the reggae nights (Sundays at WAIDS, Mondays at Baltic Room, Thursdays at War Room, Fridays at Afriq), we ventured out to explore more of what Seattle nightlife had to offer.

I loved the vibe of Lucid Jazz Lounge. It was my first time trying Boulettes (Haitian meatballs), which were really tasty. As I shared in my Yelp review,"It's obvious that they were well seasoned and made with authentic passion." I also tried a Manhattan, which was actually called a Brooklyn: A rye Manhattan made without bitters, instead we use maraschino liqueur and Dolin Rouge vermouth. The live band set a nice and relaxing mood for the intimate setting.

We also had a really good time at Babalu. The DJ kept the songs coming, and a local group kept the crowd on the dance floor with their version of some of the hottest party songs out right now along with some of their originals.

Republiq was the place that reminded the most of NY clubs. Maybe it was the size and the layout of the club; maybe it was the lights that filled the room; maybe it was the crowd or the music. Whatever it was, I felt right at home and had a good time there.

Vegas Baby!

There is so much to do in Las Vegas that it could take multiple visits to get a full experience. Contrary to popular belief, Las Vegas offers so much more than casinos: food, shows, nightlife, outdoor activities, spas, and shopping. It even offers family-friendly fun (even though I personally don't know if I would take my children there).

Hotels
This time around we stayed at Excalibur. It is certainly appropriate for families and can accommodate budget friendly vacations. However, I personally wouldn't do it again. Lesson learned. At Excalibur, guests can find Dick's Last Resort (which seemed to be popular), the infamous Thunder from Down Under, and beer pong.


We had a chance to explore the newest hotels on the strip: Cosmopolitan, which seemed to bring Miami and all its bling to Vegas, and Aria, which still had the sexy new car smell. Who knows where we'll end up next time.

Food
Hash House A Go Go (in Imperial Palace) was one of our first stops because of all the raves we heard about it. From our experience, it seems that once the excitement of the obnoxious portions diminished, the meals left much flavor to be desired. I'd be willing to give it another chance, but I can't say I was blown away the first time around. Fatburger and my two bacon egg cheeseburgers made me so happy. Open 24 hours, it is definitely a great after party spot. I also enjoyed one of Pink's hot dogs, had my first experience at Denny's, and tried a burger with guacamole and pico de gallo at Cabo Wabo.

I was so excited to see a few of my New York favorites, like Max Brenner and Serendipity 3 (both at Caesar's) in a place that does everything a little bigger and bolder than the rest. Happy hour at the Chocolate Lounge at the Sugar Factory also tickled my fancy as something I'd like to try next time. My to do list also includes Aureole Wine Lounge, where they have Cirque du Soleil-esque wine angels who float through their four-story wine tower.

Nightlife
The acrobats also flew through TAO to deliver bottle service in an extravagant way that only Las Vegas can. I can certainly say that TAO orchestrated a production and delivered a unique club experience. I was also pleasantly surprised by the genuine hospitality by most of the club staff, from bouncers to cocktail staff (something I am not used to in New York). It was an added bonus to enjoy the Vegas nightlife with partygoers who were generous enough to share the VIP experience with us. Foundation Room: check. Pure: check. LAX: Check. I feel accomplished that I finally got to redeem myself and go to Coyote Ugly, which I've been wanting to do since my pre-21 trip to Vegas.

Adventures
Because I'm always up for some adventure, some of my favorite Vegas activities include the rides at the I dare any visitors to brave the rides atop the Stratosphere Hotel for a major rush. The New York New York rollercoaster is also a fun little adventure right on the strip. I would certainly love to venture out and do zip lining, sky diving or a helicopter tour.

Shows
Although we didn't do any shows this time around, Zumanity (which we saw last time) left quite an impression on me.

For your listening pleasure, I'd like to share the soundtrack of our Vegas adventure:

• Lil Jon- Outta Your Mind feat. LMFAO
• LMFAO- I'm in Las Vegas Bitch
• J. Lo- On the Floor feat. Pitbull
• Pitbull- Give Me Everything feat Neyo, Afrojack, and Nayer
• Beyonce- Run the World (Girls)

I already look forward to going back! I'm building my to do list.

What are your favorite Vegas activities?