Living in Las Vegas

This is the year for a quickie Las Vegas Valentines Day wedding.  This weekend some Las Vegas wedding chapels are hosting up to three times as many ceremonies as they did last year.  Couples had to wait in line at the District Court Regional Justice Center to get a marriage license for this weekend.  For those who are really serious about a quickie wedding, I checked out the Tunnel of Love over at the Little White Wedding Chapel and their drive-thru wedding is $40. Can’t beat that deal if you’re on a tight budget!

For all of us married couples, Vegas is chaos on Valentines Day.  For the most part you’re talking long waits and crowds of people at all the restaurants. But if you’re trying to get a hotel room there are some fantastic deals. My husband and I are going to brave the crowd this year, for what I recall will be the first time, and head over to Outback Steakhouse (Reader Pick Best of Las Vegas last year!).  We are going to try and get out a little early to beat the crowd and just enjoy some much needed alone time.

With the economic uncertainty, this past year has been a long year for everyone.  I am thankful that the one thing I don’t have to feel uncertain about is my spouse, thankful to have had 12 years with him, and  I definitely feel lucky to be in love.

Happy Valentines Day!

The 27th Annual Martin Luther King Day parade will begin at Freemont Street in downtown Las Vegas  at 10:00 a.m.  So you still have time to make it! This year’s theme is “Living the Dream: For One America”.

A little history about Martin Luther King Blvd. here in Las Vegas for you per Wikipedia:

“The section of Highland Drive north of Oakey Boulevard was renamed Martin Luther King Jr. Boulevard in the 1990s. The roadway connects the western edge of Downtown Las Vegas to the newer and more affluent parts of North Las Vegas. Via ramps to the road at the “Spaghetti Bowl” (I-15/US 93/US 95) freeway interchange near downtown, Martin Luther King Jr Boulevard provides the most direct connection between the north-central Las Vegas Valley and the Las Vegas Strip. The road also passes through historic “West Las Vegas”, an older and predominantly Black neighborhood. The city identifies the road as “Martin L. King Blvd”, omitting the Jr. and using L in place of Luther. Most residents in the Las Vegas Valley uses the term MLK. “

Something I didn’t know about Martin Luther King Day was that in 1994 the holiday was deemed by Congress as a national day of community service.  Here is a link to all kinds of service events going on around Las Vegas.  If you can’t participate today, you can sign up with the website, USA Service , to get projects emailed to you all year long. Because of President Obama, this year is expected to be the biggest King Day of Service ever.

Happy Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day!

With Las Vegas being lit up like a Christmas tree 24/7, not as many people put up their own lights out here.  It’s kind of disappointing to not be able to just drive around the neighborhood and enjoy everyone’s lights.  When I was kid, we always had to take a drive down “Candy Cane Lane.” But Vegas still has some pretty good options besides just heading down to The Strip.

Winter Lights Festival at Springs Preserve- A half million lights, along with roaming performance groups, carriage rides, Santa Claus and Theater Las Vegas’ original puppet show “Dickens Done Over.” Admission is $8 for adults, $6 for children ages 5 to 17 and it’s open until December 30th.

Magical Forest at Opportunity Village  - See my last post with all the details.

Gift of Lights at Sunset Park - You drive through the park and veiw over 200 light displays, some are even animated.  This is probably one of the best displays in town. Admission is $13 per car but you can get $2 discount if you bring a bag of items for Goodwill.  It’s open until January 4th.

Chocolate Wonderland at Ethel M Chocolate Factory- Almost 500,000 lights in the three-acre cactus garden .  The good news is admission is free for this one.  Also, during the day you can take a tour of factory and enjoy some free samples, mmmm!  The lights will be up in the garden until January 1st.

One of the biggest holiday attractions in Las Vegas is Opportunity Village’s Magical Forest, located at 6300 W. Oakey.  Opportunity Village is a well known not-for-profit organization that has been helping people in Las Vegas with disabilities since 1954.  The Magical Forest features many different rides, attractions and, of course, Santa.  It will be open until December 30 from 5:30 p.m. until 9:00 p.m. each night.  Tickets can be purchased at the door, at CVS or at Memphis Barbeque.

The Magical Forest has dozens of live Christmas trees all decorated by the many different sponsors.  There is also the Storytime Cabin for children.  The Gingerbread House display features a raffle and the Gift Cabin is where you can purchase some really nice Christmas gifts.  The proceeds from both of these will benefit people with disabilities.

There are also lots of rides for the kids.  My daughter’s favorite is the 40′Alpine Slide.  There is also a junior Alpine Slide, an Enchanted Carousel and everyone’s favorite, the Forest Express train ride.  And you can stop by Santa’s Workshop for a quick visit.

The Magical Forest needs 70 - 90 volunteers a night.  If you are interested in volunteering contact Debbie Smith at (702) 880-4081.  If you are interested in learning more about Opportunity Village, call (702) 259-3741.

I am sorry it has been almost a week since I have posted. It seems like it’s been forever. I have been way under the weather!

Anyway, a bunch of stuff has happened. No. 1 being of course, OJ’s 9 to 33 years.  I originally thought it was 15, but it’s no parole for at least 9 years.  OJ is currently residing at High Desert State Prison in Indian Springs, Nevada.

The National Finals Rodeo has been in town since last Thursday.  That’s always a big deal out here.  The events wrap up on Saturday.

There is a new volcano that opened Monday at the Mirage.  Very bittersweet for me as I have fond memories of going to see the volcano as a kid.  The show runs on the hour from dusk until midnight.

In the sprirt of the holiday season, the Hard Rock is going to have free drinks at several of its bars on Dec. 17 from 7pm to 9pm. No catch as far I can tell. Just stop by one of the bars and relax.

Tomorrow at 6:00pm Mayor Oscar Goodman is going to light up Las Vegas’ Christmas tree down on Freemont Street. I haven’t been there in awhile, but Freemont Street it great for a Vegasy night out.

Over the weekend we stopped by the Parasol Up Parasol Down bar over the Wynn and had a really nice time.  The outdoor waterfall show caught our attention and we sat outside and had a few reasonably priced drinks.  We’ll definitely be stopping by again.

I think that about sums things up for last week.  Hopefully I’ll be back on point this week!

The 4 Corners Food Drive is Las Vegas’ largest food drive, sponsored by Mix 94.1 and Channel 13.  It will be benefiting the City Mission of Las Vegas, which is extra busy this year due to the state of the economy. Every year for holiday season, everyone from Mix 94.1, including Mark and Mercedes, broadcast from a different part of town and try to collect as many non-perishable food items as possible.

Quick update on Mercedes, she is officially out on maternity leave and will not be at the food drive this year.  She has not had the baby yet and is just at home on bed rest.  I don’t think she is having any problems, but she is due any minute so it’s probably a good idea to take it easy.  Mark did mention she was doing to try and stop by the food drive one day if she could.  Good luck Mercedes! We are all wishing you well!

Ok, so I didn’t get a chance to post earlier and today they were out at the Albertson’s at Farm and Durango but this is the schedule of the Albertson’s they will be at for the rest of the week:

Tuesday - Town Center & Charleston

Wednesday - Rainbow & 215

Thursday - Stephanie & 215

So if you are planning on stopping by they are accepting all non-perishable food items, cash or grocery store gift cards.  They are also giving a prize out to the single largest donation.  I last heard it was up to $300, but it’s probably more than that by now. I didn’t catch everything included in that prize, but part of it was a Disney trip.  My understanding is protein items are most in need, so that includes peanut butter, canned meats, tuna and beans.

So Vegas, let’s show some love and make it a record breaking year!!

With the holiday season coming up, it’s time for the annual “I am going to lose weight this year” resolution.  Although trying to reach a specific weight is a natural goal, it usually doesn’t happen as fast as you want, and discouragement quickly sets in.  For 2009, try a different approach and say “This year I am going to get in shape.”  Add an exercise program into your weekly routine, cut out extra sugar, and eat a little more fruit, veggies and whole grains.  You will be surprised how quickly small changes can make a big difference.

If you prefer walking, jogging, hiking or biking outdoors, then Las Vegas weather is usually ideal for you.  Weather is pretty non-existent here, meaning except for the occasional heat wave, windy day or half-hour downpour, you can pretty much count on a clear day to fit in your workout. Although during the summer, even at night, the temps can stay in the triple digits.

For those of you who prefer the gym, Las Vegas has plenty of options.  The are the big 3: the Las Vegas Athletic Club, 24 Hour Fitness, and Gold’s Gym.  I  have always preferred the Las Vegas Athletic Club.  They are always running some type of a special to join, $5, Ladies Free or $19 a month are the main ones.  You can go to any of their locations, take any classes and some even have a pool, sauna, steam room and women’s only areas. Plus it’s always getting ranked Best of Las Vegas by the RJ.

If you are looking for something smaller, without all the extra amenities, try Anytime Fitness, Fitness 19 or the YMCA.  All provide you with plenty of equipment, and I think the YMCA even has a few classes.  They also don’t make you sign a contract, which is a must for any of the Big 3.  And for women, there is a Curves around every corner.  Curves is awesome if you haven’t been working out regularly, and need a little extra motivation.

Personally, I am trying to get a jump on my 2009 fitness resolution.  So if there is anyone out there that wants to join me . . . let’s make 2009 the fittest year ever!

As promised, I am trying to keep you informed about upcoming career fairs around town.  Today Texas Station is holding a career fair starting at noon.  It looks like there are going to be some really great companies attending, including AAA, Cox Communications, Hilton Grand Vacations, Station Casinos and Yellowpages.com.  Several different schools are going to be there, along with a representative from the Army National Guard. Spruce up your resume and head on over.

This time of the year is usually a pretty good time for job seekers.  Many companies hire seasonal help and then keep the good workers on a more permanent basis. Although, this year with the economy in a recession, the competition is going to be tougher than ever.  There are less jobs to go around, and more people trying to get them.  Retail is usually one area that you can always depend on for seasonal jobs to be available.

Even if you don’t have a lot of experience, a well filled out job application, stellar resume and awesome first impression can still get you the position.  When filling out your application, make sure to fill it out completely.  Don’t leave blanks, that makes it look like you were not paying attention, always fill in “n/a” or “not applicable”.  Type it up online if possible or write neatly.  Your application is your first, first impression.

Your resume is also very important.  Even if it is very short, just the fact that you have one leaves a good impression.  Make it very neat and easy to read.  A resume is a way for you to sell yourself, so do just that.  Put in all your good qualities, some ways that you have improved sales, service, etc. at your previous job(s) and what you can bring to their company.  If you are mailing in your resume or applying online, always try to include a short cover letter.  Just briefly state which position you are applying for, a couple of reasons why you are perfect for the job and a short conclusion with your contact info.

Finally, when you do that land that interview, come prepared.  Bring an extra copy of your resume, and dress for success! Even if you will be wearing a uniform everyday, you want to show your potential new boss that you want the job enough and care enough about the job to show up in a nice business outfit that is ironed and matching.  This is your last chance to make a good first impression and outshine the competition.

Good Luck!

The holiday season is upon us. It seems like it comes earlier and earlier every year. No sooner do the Halloween decorations come down than the Christmas music starts playing in all the stores.

I know during tough times like these people still want to give to their favorite charity in need, but sometimes it’s just not possible. So our local malls, Fashion Show, Meadows, and Boulevard have set up great way for us donate through The Giving Spree and get a little back for our holiday shopping too. One of the best parts is that you can make a donation from as little as $5 to as many dollars as much as you want.

First you choose the mall you want to do some holiday shopping at. Next you get to pick which organization you would like to donate to. They have a bunch of local organization listed including HELP of Southern Nevada, Olive Crest, Opportunity Village, and Sunrise Children’s Foundation. Or you can choose one of the big ones such as Habitat for Humanity, After School All Stars, American Heart Association, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, March of Dimes Nevada Chapter and the National MS Society.

Once you have submitted your donation, you will receive list of discounts from the mall you chose that you can use on November 15, 2008. Some examples are

20% off total purchase at Aeropostale
15% off full priced merchandise at Steve Madden
20% off your entire purchase at Disney Store
15% off your entire purchase at The Body Shop
25% off your purchase at New York & Company

So give a little, get a little. Isn’t that what the holidays are supposed to be all about?