11th Anniversary in Las Vegas continues....

I'm pretty much a paranoid theater "goer" as in I like to arrive at least 45 minutes early. I start to get anxious if we haven't found our seats at 25 minutes before showtime. But, because our hotel was so close and not having to deal with parking......we still arrived about 45 minutes early. Yea, I'm crazy like that. We did take that time to browse the Zarkana gift shop. There were quite a few items I wanted to buy, but I would later edit that list down to a few items.

Finale costume for the main character. the magician.

Eric and I found it interesting that this Cirque theater opened up right into Casino. As soon as you walked in with your ticket, you are in the theater. Usually you enter their doors and find a small lobby with concession stands. The venue is massive! It gives an immediate impression that this show wants to make a name for itself. And, almost everything is bathed in red lighting down to the wall coverings. We saw red drapery, a red stage curtain, and even red chairs. All this red made it a little hard to photograph with my phone.

The sides of the theater are amazing!

I'm not going to give a scene by scene synopsis because this is only a review. Have you ever read a review and the writer lays out the whole plot/show without really giving an opinion? Annoying (IMO). Going into this experience I had no clue what the show was about. Usually we have at least heard the soundtrack, but still had not. Afterwards, I wish I had known a little information because apparently the plot was lost on me. There's a musician looking for his lost love and magic. Does he find them? You all will have to watch the show.

Zarkana is filled with great acrobatics, eye candy, haunting music, and originality. After seeing the show I learned the creative team wanted to honor the American Circus aesthetic from the 1930s. They have achieved that through the acting, sets and costumes. Cirque really conveyed the "spooky/freakshow" feeling from old photos I have seen. Zarkana has really separated itself from other Vegas shows like O, Mystere, and Love. Rather than take the audience to a fictitious world, the show takes place in an actual time period that has whimsical characters.

The following day Eric and I were taken on a backstage tour of the show. I'll get into that at a later time because on this same night we had another new experience. We were about to finally eat at Serendipity. It's located along the strip, in the Caesers Palace complex. The place isn't really known for its grand meals, but instead for dessert. Serendipity has what is called The Frozen Hot Chocolate. Up until we actually ate it, Eric and I had no clue what it was. Obviously we knew there would be ice cream, but we weren't sure how it was used. As it turns out there was a bottom layer of hot chocolate with a slushy ice cream (like a malt)over it. On top of that is a huge mound of whipped cream and chocolate chips.

Ceiling decor of Serendipity

After a long wait, with a reservation, we were seated. The service was slow, but we weren't about to go searching for another place to eat. We finally had our meals of grilled cheese/cheeseburger respectively, then had a go at the Frozen Hot Chocolate. It was an interesting texture that we both enjoyed. I'm not a food critic so I don't have a marvelous review of it other than "it was good and we would have it again". As it turns out there are many flavors to choose from. The word is out about the dessert, so it's best to arrive with a patient disposition. Maybe get there with a cocktail in hand?

What the fuss was about.

That same night, it was already nearing 11 pm, we headed to The Mirage hotel for the Revolution Lounge. A friend had us on a list for the Gay club that takes place on Sundays. We only had one other experience at a Vegas Gay club called Krave. The time had come to try another colorful night out, Vegas style! It was exciting to head to Revolution Lounge because the venue was started by Cirque du Soleil, based on their Beatles show called Love.

As I had mentioned it was getting near midnight. We thought that by then the place would be hopping with the local Gay community and vacationers. We were wrong! We obviously were there as a couple, celebrating a milestone, but we too like to dance! There were maybe 10 people in the venue and we made 12. At the door we also received a free drink each so we used that coupon right away. We weren't in a rush to leave because the music was fun and it was nice to just hang. The place slowly filled up, but it didn't reach any sort of a "crammed" capacity. We lasted until about 1:30 AM when we decided to head back to the hotel.

Although the lounge never became hugely popular that night, we still had a good time. The street as we headed back to Planet Hollywood was so empty. There were still the people out that try to sell you on the escorts and strip clubs. Eric and I joked they didn't have anything to sell that we wanted. But, it wouldn't be Vegas if those advertisers weren't out there trying to get your attention, as the smack their pamphlets against their hands. Ah Vegas....dont' you just love it? We do!! That's why we stayed a whole other day/night............(to be continued)

11 Years of Life Together..Vegas? Heck Yea!

It had been almost 3 years since Eric and I took a Las Vegas trip. Our 11th Anniversary was a great reason to cross the desert. We ventured into the sandy, dirt filled Mojave Desert and headed to the oasis in Nevada. If I can make a "no-brainer" suggestion to you all out there, take off to Vegas on a Sunday. Traffic was non-existant and we were lucky to have some clear weather for safe visibility.

An open road!

We were on our way to Planet Hollywood Casino and Hotel. It's an ideal choice because the location is near some amazing, neighboring sights. If you get lucky, as we did, your view will be of either the Bellagio or City Center/Aria Hotel. As with most updated and newly built Vegas hotels, the rooms have a modern look. Over the last decade the hotels veered away from themed rooms. Although Planet Hollywood is themed to films, it isn't screaming at you constantly. When this hotel was The Aladdin, a strong Arabic influence was seen everywhere. The casino floor at Planet Hollywood is pretty easy to navigate and it's not huge, as you might find at The MGM Grand. Those huge layouts get annoying when you need to run back to your room for an item or change clothes.

Planet Hollywood Casino floor

Eric and I were relieved to finally get into our room and find that it was clean, spacious, and included a "soaker" tub. Our room was themed to the film Flashdance. That discovery caused quite the laugh from us because it's a 1980s film that is fun to reference. I can't say that I have seen the whole film, but there is an iconic song. It was complete with a Jessica Beals snapshot from the movie. As shown in the photo of the bed, there was a suit from some unknown character displayed, so random.

In keeping with tradition of our relationship, we of course had a Cirque du Soleil show to see. We had tickets to see Zarkana, playing at the Aria Hotel (just across the bridge from Planet Hollywood). Eric had seen a promo video of the show, but I didn't really know too much about it. This show had just completed a tour that went from NYC to Asia. Zarkana took residence at the hotel theater this past November. I must add that promos for tickets can always be found at www.cirquedusoleil.com under the "Las Vegas" tab. I tell everyone that we never pay full price and it's the truth! We saw at least four different shows last year thanks to our price comparing.

Ready to hit the town!

A little more silliness.

If you haven't been to the Aria you must be informed that it's a sight to behold. It has the perfect mix of elegance with a slight edge. It's as though Bellagio and Planet Hollywood had a baby. I can't say anything about the rooms. I am referring to what we saw as a non-hotel guest, the casino floor. Eric and I have a great time checking out the details of flooring, wall coverings, tile, glass, and shapes that were chosen. As you'll see with the Cosmopolitan, in a future update, the attention to detail is just as present as in the Aria.

Aria's poker room

There is a lot to cover on this trip so I'll let everyone breath and we'll continue the story this week. Still yet to be covered for this first day is the Cirque show Zarkana, and then a venture to a Gay club at The Mirage hotel. For those interested I'll be posting mine and Eric's thoughts on the show and our backstage experience. See you all soon. For now, here is a shot from our room toward the south end of The Vegas Strip.

Mandalay Bay, Luxor, Excalibur, & New York-New York

Knott's before Spring Break

It was a very gloomy day for Eric and I at Knott's Berry Farm. It's the week before most Spring Breaks and it was the "quiet before the storm". Speaking of schools, there seemed to be many kids there with school field trips. We witnessed a few groups being led by ladies in "period dress" through Ghost Town. No photos of the kids because well that's just weird and I think borderline illegal. I felt for those ladies directing the children and not the awful parents that tagged along to miss work. (Smiling like the kids weren't misbehaving)

Eric is ready to spin on Le Revolucion

I have never really been a fan of attractions that spin and today was no different. Even though I felt this way, when your fiancée asks you to ride with him, you follow because you love him. It's basically a pendulum that spins as it swings. You can see Eric in the shot where he's all excited to spin! I did ok and I think I'd do it again sometime next year. Seeing as most rides in Fiesta Village spin we didn't spend too much time there.

Quiet day in Ghost Town

We did experienced a few "firsts" on this trip. One surprise was the Galloping Goose. It's the train that was used in lieu of the steam train. I don't know a lot about it, except its from the Depression Era (according to @knotts on Twitter). It seemed to have an engine of a bus, but wheels and body of a small train. I'd say the small size made it easier for the railroad bandits to hop aboard!

Something we hadn't done in a while was visit Mrs. Knott's Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Cordelia sure knew how to fry herself a chicken! The staff there is very nice and welcoming. At $16.99 one gets quite a spread. Salad, soup, biscuits, Fried Chicken/Mashed Potatoes, and a dessert. There are other selections such as sandwiches and entree salads. Our order proved to be too much food for Eric and I, so we needed boxes for left overs. And now it's the day after. I feel as big as a house after that meal!

To try and walk off what we ate, we headed to a first time visit of Independence Hall. It's across the way from the park's entrance. The building is a replica of where the Declaration of Independence signing took place. On the way there we made some new friends. Chickens, ducks, a rooster, and geese all seem to reside on this pathway. Will those chickens be in the restaurant tomorrow?

Sneaking up on the birds (yes, i realize what this looks like)

There's a 15 minute presentation, all audio/lighting, depicting the actions taken by Congress. We figured those school groups had to have passed through here earlier in the day. It was an empty hall when we walked through. Again I must mention the service. The lady working at the hall was very nice and had some good information. I did feel a little bad for her just sitting there alone.

We did hop on a few favorites during our day such as Calico Mine Train, and Silver Bullet. Eric and I stopped by Boomerang to finally see the new paint job in person. The railings surrounding the coaster also appeared new, but I can't be sure. Just across from Boomerang, the new Coast Rider is going vertical. As of today there is more of the structure visible. I took a photo of what it looked like when we saw it. I'm sure updated shots are online elsewhere.

The Knott's Berry Bloom even starts on Friday, the 23rd. I can't report too much on that other than it is themed to flowers. There were some nice flower beds throughout the park and even Wisteria in Ghost Town. I know that Eric and I are somewhat interested to see what that is. We might be able to convince Rey and Brandi to come along so maybe the next update will be on the "Bloom". (all photos from my trusty iphone 5)

Coast Rider is going vertical

Camp Snoopy...looks nice

More shows than one can handle at Knott's MERRY Farm

After many years together, Eric and I finally became pass holders to Knott's Berry Farm. We hadn't been to "America's 1st Theme Park" since holiday time of 2010. Although there wasn't really anything added recently to the park, we found new experiences for ourselves.

We popped into to the Passholder Center and turnstiles about 30 minutes after the park opened. When they call something a "ghost town", an early arrival shows they really mean it. As we went through the western town we found ourselves alone on the streets. But, we weren't going to argue one bit. We were able to point out small items we missed last time (the Craft Fair clogged the streets). The area was so free of movement that we even noticed two rocking chairs being used by a ghost. There they were on the balcony, rocking on their own accord. It was a nice and subtle touch.

The rocker on the balcony was rocking away!

We arrived so early because we wanted to fit in as much entertainment as possible. The first show on our list was The Mystery Lodge. Seeing as it was just a bit early, we made a quick detour to Pony Express. With absolutely no wait in the queue, we walked right up to the front row. Getting that front row amplifies that windy sound in your ears as you careen down the track. The unique ride vehicles also presents an odd looking sitting position. One sits as though he is galloping away on his trusty horse. It's a lot of fun! 

Eric and I were now ready to be told an old story from a native Pacific Northwestern dweller. Knott's Mystery Lodge features a storyteller that takes the audience on a journey through his life and demonstrates Man's connection to the Earth. Through the use of in theater "smoke and fire" effects, the tale is enhanced and illustrated. There are even a few moments when the narrator vanishes and reappears elsewhere in the theater. The show is done very well and only had a handful of performances take place a day. For anyone heading to Knott's, I would highly suggest you take time to enjoy a seat and a good story.

Overlooking Big Foot Rapids. It was too cold for this one.

We heard that to get deeper into the wild west we had to take a stage coach. Well Knott's did a great job hiding the Stage Coach barn area so I had to ask a few Cowboys if they knew where we could find it. I thought he was lying, but he said I'd have to ride a bullet to get a better view of the land. Then, the cowboy that said from there we'd find the horses and coaches.

I should have believed him because Eric and I found ourselves boarding the Silver Bullet coaster. That suspended coaster flipped us every which way physics found possible! At some point time seemed to slow and we felt ourselves floating while the harness spun around us! Through this fun madness we saw the Stage Coach! We found our way and were ready to head deeper into the Wild West.

The views from the buggy were clear as day.

That coach dropped us off in an even colder environment than before. We needed coffee or hot chocolate fast! Luckily past a few saloons, and the haunted mine shaft of GhostRider, we got our hands on something warm, coffee. And as we sipped our coffee, in the shade, we watched people scream their silly heads on the nearby coaster. (not sure why we avoided the table in the warm sun)

Alas it was time for the big show of the day "It's Christmas, Snoopy!" We didn't have Dr. Who's Police Box to travel through time, so we just had to walk very fast to a 1920s style boardwalk. It was there, next to the dearly departed Kingdom of the Dinosaurs, that we found the Charles Shulz Theater. 

Once the house lights went down the show jumped right into the ice skating. We had seen this show two years ago and it was the same show. I was hoping for this because the skating is great and so are the interludes between the big numbers. The Peanuts gang (Charlie Brown, Lucy, Linus, and Sally) put on a skit while the rest of the troupe changes. As one might guess, the story follows the Charlie Brown TV special from the 1960s. 

There was a woman or man in the audience that screamed out as the performers leapt across the stage. I found myself waiting to hear the "Aaaah!" whenever a performer completed a triple or double axle. 

For those who don't know, the Log Ride is shutting down soon for a lengthy rehab. I don't know the specifics, but the point is we rode it. For Christmas time the attraction has been invaded by elves. 

The mountain is certainly showing its age and is crying for help. We heard this crying as we approached the queue. As it turns out, it was the sound of the small elf that was standing next to the North Pole signage. Eric and I were hoping we wouldn't get too wet while riding. As I mentioned earlier, it was a cold day running at about 55 degrees. 

As with most attractions this day, the queue was next to non-existant. We might have waited about 5 minutes. I'm guessing that the draw on this cold day was the the Christmas theme and the soon closure. When we rode Boomerang, a far more thrilling coaster you ride forward and backwards, there was absolutely no wait.

The cast member behind Eric is asking avoiding eye contact.

Puffy clouds set the backdrop for Supreme Scream(left), Log ride (front), and Silver Bullet(right)

After the Log Ride we found ourselves back in the Ghost Town. Aside from attractions mentioned earlier, this land is also home to The Bird Cage Theater . Eric and I planned to catch the performance of "The Gift of the Magi". To our surprise the theater had a building's facade, but it's actually made of a tent. We had hoped for something with a little more embellishments. Luckily the structure didn't take away from the actors' performance. They presented a story of a couple's struggle to give one another a Christmas gift. The same theater puts on A Christmas Carol. We will need to see that next year.

It was nearing 4:15 and the sun was starting to hide behind the haunted buildings of the Ghost Town. To warm up for the parade, we headed back to the coffee shop. But, on our way back toward the parade route we stumbled across a Native American Indian performing. He was chanting, playing instruments, and dancing with hoops. We hadn't expected to see this today, but we were glad to have passed by.

It was now parade time. Knott's had people in bright, red jackets lined up the parade route. We guessed no one wanted to put up ropes or drill any holes for poles. I wasn't expecting really anything for this parade. I was told it was four floats and had off-beat dancers. As they were younger, the performers seemed to be from a local dance/school group. They stayed "in-time" better than expected. The floats five or six were just ok, but still cute. 

The guy in the red jacket marks the route.

 

Now we were getting even more cold and planned to leave. We headed back through the Old West area and passed the Calico Saloon. Well, the saloon show was about to begin and before I asked Eric if he wanted to watch, he was halfway up the stairs. If I haven't already mentioned it, the entertainment at the park is generally done well. At this saloon show, the singers were professional, engaged the audience and were quite funny. It was clean, silly, American old west humor.

As he sings, the love of our damsel's life awkwardly photographed.

Piano player is cues the audience.

So as our day drew to a close we took a short stroll through Camp Snoopy. The area was lit up for the holiday one last time. It was the final day of Knott's MERRY Farm, until next year. As Eric and I wandered the camp, posting to Instagram, our numb fingers could barely type up our posts. As the park's crowd thinned out again, but never got busy in the first place, we were ready to go somewhere warm. Eric and I took in a lot of Knott's entertainment that day. We definitely accomplished the goal for our day.