Toto, We're Not in Vegas Anymore!

A friend of mine sent me some photos of Vegas. Only he wasn't in Vegas, but in San Diego. Legoland, to be specific.

I've never been to Legoland, but apparently there are Lego replicas of, well, everything.

It's like a tornado scooped up the Strip and dropped it in San Diego. It must have taken millions of pieces and countless hours to build. Wouldn't you want to have that job? How cool is that?

Christmas in Downtown Honolulu

It wouldn't be Christmas on Oahu without visiting Honolulu Hale. The grounds are decked out with beautiful decorations, from a giant Santa waving the shaka and dipping his toes in the water, to dozens of Christmas trees decorated by the various City departments, to wreaths submitted by local residents, including school kids.

I like visiting during the day. I like seeing the vibrant colors of the decorations against Hawaii's bright blue skies. But I'll make it a point to at least drive by at night to see everything all lit up.

Here's just a sampling of what you can encounter when visiting.

The focal point (at least for me) is Santa and Tutu Mele, sitting atop a ledge, with fish in the water below.

Whimsical sea creatures circle the tree fronting Honolulu Hale.

The City normally gets a tree from an Oahu resident, but this years tree is artificial. Like last year, the ornament theme is a ocean one.

A couple of bears with musical instruments stand at the entrance to the building.

Dozens of trees fill the interior courtyard. This Piccachu is made out of the bottoms of plastic bottles.

A close up.

More trees.

A row of nutcrackers line up against a wall.

In a back hallway is the wreath display.

I thought this wreath was so clever; it was made up of those plastic tabs used to close bread wrappers.

Outside, on the lawn, there are many displays, including the snowman family.

This is really just a sampling of all the cool things you can see. If you're not in the holiday spirit yet, it will definitely brighten your mood. Christmas is just a few days away, but the displays are up until New Year. In fact, I kinda feel that after Christmas is the best time to go. There are no crowds and you have the place all to yourselves.

Merry Christmas!

Gingerbread House Exhibit in Waikiki

I'm taking a break from my usual Vegas posts to share a recent visit to Waikiki.

I've heard about the annual gingerbread house exhibit at the Princess Kaiulani Hotel, but I've never made it into Waikiki to see it. We were in Waikiki for dinner this weekend, so after the meal, I dragged the reluctant hubby to go see it.

The display is in the lobby of the hotel and it's quite impressive. The exhibit took three months to create, and this year's theme is a global one. It features architectural landmarks from around the world, from Hawaii to Europe to Asia. It even has a toy train circling it.

While I don't think it merits a special trip to Waikiki just to see it, it's a must-see if you're already there.

The Greatest Love Story Ever - Vegas Edition

You've seen these two love birds ... sure you have. They're a constant presence on Fremont Street in Downtown Las Vegas.

They're Vegas Vic and Vegas Vicky, and they're married.

Married? Yes, married. First a little back story for each of these signs.

Vegas Vic was first installed outside of the Pioneer Club in 1951. Standing 40 feet tall, he was a cowboy sporting a 10-gallon hat, beckoning pedestrians into the casino by waving his arm and saying, "Howdy Podner!"

His voice has since been silenced, his arm no longer waves, and a few feet of his hat was shaved off in order to fit under the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience, but he still stands proud above a souvenir shop.

Across the way, sitting atop the the Glitter Gulch sign is Vegas Vicky, a cowgirl. She was originally named Sassy Sally, after the casino that is now Mermaids. Her leg was built to kick out, but it never really worked.

The two love birds were officially married prior to the grand opening of the Fremont Street Experience in 1995. And, as they say, they lived happily ever after.

The Vegas Shopping Primer

Since a lot of Mainland stores have opened (Bath & Body Works, Victoria's Secret, Forever 21) or are opening (H&M, Urban Outfitters) in Hawaii, shopping is not that much of a priority for me when in Vegas. But who can resist passing time by shopping or even just window shopping? Not me. Here's my guide to shopping in Vegas.

Fashion Show Mall
Located on the Strip, on the corner of Las Vegas Blvd. and Spring Mountain Rd., Fashion Show Mall is not for the timid. You'll need both time and stamina for this mall. It houses over 250 stores and boasts seven anchor tenants: Macy's, Dillard's, Nordstrom, Neiman Marcus, Saks Fifth Avenue and Forever 21 (yes, Forever 21 is considered an anchor store). I won't spend an entire day at Fashion Show Mall anymore for reasons stated, but I will stop by for an hour or so to pop into specific stores such as Zara and TopShop.

Las Vegas Premium Outlet - North
Before this outlet opened, I used to take the 45-minute drive to Primm to shop at Fashion Outlets Las Vegas. Now outlet shopping is very close to home base (especially if you're staying Downtown) with Las Vegas Premium Outlet - North. It offers 150 stores including some high end ones like Burberry, St. John and Dolce and Gabanna. I stopped by Burberry to see what the price point was, and even at 50% off, most things were at least $200 and up!

If you're craving sushi, there is a Makino located here. There's also a Las Vegas Premium Outlet - South (formerly Belz Factory Outlet World -- the carousel is still there), which is located about two and a half miles from the South end of the Strip, and includes 140 stores. Both these malls are managed by the same company as the Waikele Premium Outlet.

Shops at Crystals
If you're in the market for high-end designer clothing, then the Shops at Crystals is for you. Located at Aria at City Center, it is the place to go when looking for designer wear. There's about 30 stores here, including Prada, Gucci, Fendi, Tom Ford and Jimmy Choo. I've yet to step into one of these stores (too intimidating); I've only walked through this high end mall and window shopped. But it's a nice stroll as they have interesting art pieces throughout the center.

Town Square
Located about a mile and a half South of the Strip, Town Square is an outdoor mall that is modeled after a European village. It's like Green Valley Ranch's The District on steroids. You meander through streets lined with shops. For a rest, park yourself on a bench under a tree. If you have kids, there's a great little park and a train. It offers the typical mall-type stores. There's also a Whole Foods and a movie theater.

The Forum Shoppes at Ceasars Palace
Offering 160 mall and high end shops, The Forum Shoppes is a must-visit for the decor alone. It's one of those "indoor as outdoor concepts" that Vegas does so well. You walk on cobblestones paths with clouds overhead in the sky. You pass by fountains and attractions inspired by the Roman Empire.

Until H&M opens in Hawaii, visit their three-story shop (it replaced FAO Schwartz) and then refuel at Max Bremmer for some delicious chocolate (or other) fare. It you love Anthropologie, there's a location here as well.

Miracle Mile Shops at Planet Hollywood
This mall used to follow the "indoor as outdoor" concept but it's slowly being renovated. Some of the cobble stone-lined walkways have been traded for hardwood floors and some of the Morrocan theme faces have been replaced with more modern touches.

If you are staying at Planet Hollywood and are renting a car, you're forced to walk through the mall on your way back to your room. It's a long walk when it's late and you're tired.

Miracle Miles does offer an Urban Outfitters, which is accessible from the Strip, as part of its 170 stores.

It also has a rainstorm attraction. I missed it on many of my visits due to timing or maintenance, but this time, I caught the 5 minute (or so) show. It was "meh", but kinda cool for kids.

Regional Malls
Similar to Pearlridge and Windward Mall, Meadows Malls and The Boulevard and regional malls in Vegas. With the same stores found on the Strip, it's not necessary to venture out to these malls, although they are minutes from the Strip.

This is just the tip of the ice berg. There are other tons of places to shop, such as the Mandalay Bay or Wynn, but these are my recommendations. Oh yeah, there's an All Saints at the Cosmopolitan too!

Happy shopping!

In-N-Out Food Food Diary

Eating at In-N-Out Burger is a must do for many people from Hawaii traveling to the Mainland, and I'm no exception.

I thought it would be fun to post pics of my meals from past trips.

From 2008:

From 2012:

From 2013:

G taking a bite:

Haha! Hope you find this funny like I do!

By the way, did you know that In-N-Out has a secret menu? Just Google it!

Carnevale at the Venetian

Nestled in the corridor between the Venetian's Grand Canal Shoppes and the Palazzo lies a floral exhibit area similar to Bellagio's Conservatory. I tried Googling the official name, but couldn't find anything, so if you know what it's called, let me know.

Although smaller than the Bellagio, this area is also decked out with beautiful floral arrangements. When I looked at my pictures, I realized I did the exhibit a great disservice. At the time, the area had a "Carnevale" theme and included several large "Mardi Gras" type masks. I was fixated on those masks, but in hindsight, should have take more photos of the flowers, which included 1,000 flowers and 800 plants. Oh well, next time.

The one "con" about this area is its inaccessibility. The Bellagio Conservatory is located right off of its parking garage entry and main lobby entry. But this area is literally in the middle of the Venetian and Palazzo, so it's a walk to get there. Let me know if you know of any secret passage ways or side entrances.

Here's some pics from my trip in December.

And pics from 2009: