Monday Motivation

Who wouldn't want to quit their job, move to paradise and get paid to change the world? I know that is my dream. I was inspired by reading about someone who actually did it, and wanted to share the inspiration:
"How to Quit Your Job, Move to Paradise, and Get Paid to Change the World"

Foto Friday: I Love My Life

I love my life EVERY time I'm at Max Brenner.

Fight Poverty

It always makes me happy to see people doing good in the world (as cliche as it sounds). This article about fighting poverty was no different. It was a gentle reminder that no matter how bad things feel at times, it is still important to be thankful because someone else is in a worse situation. Also, that no matter what your present situation, you can still help someone else.

Duly noted.

In the spirit of fighting poverty, the Black Eyed Peas is uniting forces Robin Hood (the largest poverty fighting organization in NYC). On June 9, they will be holding a concert in Central Park. Having a good time while supporting a great cause. I LOVE stuff like this! Click here for more info.

Foto Friday: I Love My Life

Thanks to Guts.Glam.Grace. Magazine, I had the opportunity to be a part of a press junket for Just Wright. I was in the same room with Queen Latifah and Common (*faints*). I saturated in this "I love my life" moment for a looong time. I remember sitting in Columbus Circle for hours after to soak it all in. It was such an inspiration to hear them speak candidly. I would also dub this a "I've made it" moment. That is how I felt. As I said before, it felt Just Wright.

Get Cute Quick: Vegas

I've jumped on the bandwagon for Sally Hansen's Salon Effects.

For my trip to Las Vegas trip, I tried the Wild Child nails. These easy-to-apply stickers that I got at CVS for under $10 were the perfect funky finish for my Vegas look.

They come in a variety of fun patterns, like lace, glitter, denim, and other bold colors.

This is something I would definitely recommend for the summertime.

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?

Seattle

Last time I went to Seattle (in 2008), I did the touristy stuff: The Space Needle, Pike Place Market, the Ride the Duck tour, and it was a good time.

This time around I felt more at home, and I had an even better time. It was probably because of all the food involved:

It all started with sushi, which I can now say I enjoy. At Tuna House, we started with a roll that was really good, even though I don't remember what was on it. We also had a caterpillar roll, which was so cute I didn't want to eat him. It was in the shape of a caterpillar with eyes made out of octopus and green pepper antenna. (He was a cuter version of this guy.)

Later at 22, I sipped a Pontiac, which was a cocktail of Metaxa brandy and pomegranate liquor with muddled orange and lemon and garnished with a sugared rim, which was my favorite part because it gave the drink a sweet finish. I tried the red beet and squash soup, which was tasty and interesting, and the tortilla in a skillet: potatoes, tomato pesto and mozzerella cheese, was full of flavor. I enjoyed the taste of the grueyere mac and cheese that my friend ordered too.

Some solo exploration led me to Ezell's, which I hear is an Oprah favorite. After tasting the chicken with crispy skin and juicy meat with spicy flavor and the little buttered cloud of heaven of a roll, I know why.

Another jaunt led me to Catfish Corner, who boasts their farm raised catfish. The experience started with the most pleasant cashier. While waiting, I was so amused by a woman (whose expression probably matched my own) smiling in anticipation. Then came my plate piled with catfish, with beans and rice, potato salad and cornbread. You know a meal is good when the side items are just as memorable as the main event. I have to admit that I didn't love the cornbread, but the other two sides were so full of flavor that I was conflicted about which to taste next with each bite. I had the dilemma of wanting to save some to enjoy the experience again later but I did not want to stop eating.

Captain Blacks piqued my interest simply because I saw fried mac and cheese on their menu. It was interesting. It came with a tasty sauce, but I'm not sure if I loved it. I think if it had sausage or bacon and jalapenos that would have made my taste buds happy. The chicken and waffles that my friend ordered looked tasty too.

Not only did I get to do Chocolopolis happy hour, but my chocolate lover's dreams came true at the Luxury Chocolate Salon. There were so many delicious delectables, from chocolate wine and healthy chocolate to goat cheese chocolate. Chef Michael Poole's white chocolate lemon meringue truffle was definitely among my favorite.

I can't forget to mention my tasty chorizo, potato and manchego omelet at Table 219's brunch.

Even though we didn't eat there, Dick's Drive-In left an impression on me. Maybe next time.

Fun Finds (a few things that helped me navigate through Seattle)

• My lovely host provided me with my own guest key from Wackeys, which was really cute.
• Eat24Hours.com- an online food delivery service that's also available in other cities.
• GoTime.com- a happy hour resource that is also available in various cities throughout the country.