Entertain me Vegas...

I'm leaving for Vegas in a couple days and sadly this might likely be my only winter "vacation" this season if you call Friday to Sunday a "vacation", never mind that Vegas is freezing ass currently. (I already live in the North Pole and now I'm traveling 1031 miles/1659 kilometers straight south for more cold weather? Srsly weather gods?)

I'll be fine, I'll just console myself with fabulous retail shopping and massive portions of food while dining out.

Ha! God bless America. 

So as you can tell the 10 lb. rapid weight loss plan didn't really come together since I'm already talking about Vegas food binges, though I have been trying to eat well for the last few days. Honestly!

We're going again because Husband is on business at the huge CES Consumer Electronics show. So basically Vegas will be a techie-geek-mecca while we're there. And since I only pretend to be interested in the tech show (for Husbands benefit) I'll be spending my time in Nordstrom or the outlet malls. 

I've been to Vegas plenty of times but I can't help but feel I might be missing out on something while shopping the whole time. We always try to maximize our time there by getting tickets to a show, dinner in a great restaurant or two and always a night out at a club but what else is there to do? (I realize that sounds like a ridic question...) And we only ever seem to go for around 3 days so I suppose the tour of the Hoover Dam/Grand Canyon is a no go (as much fun as that sounds...)

I'm NOT a gambling woman so the casino is out. Money should only be spent on a sure thing like shoes! I cannot handle losing things. Especially money. 

{boring?}

So tell me lovely readers, what do you recommend doing in Vegas?

 I only have a weekend, and I'll likely be by myself most of the time (sounds like a blast right?)

 Lay your ideas on me, what do you like to do while in Vegas? What's fun, interesting, exciting,,,even if it's all a bit cheesy. It is Vegas after all. 

I'm up for anything (minus male strippers, that's no fun going to alone. So I hear.) 

{not this time thanks}

Eat nothing...

Christmas is winding down around here and things are finally getting back to normal after an über busy December. Normally I'd be kinda lamenting the fact that Christmas is over but I'm still looking forward to a few more family get togethers after New Years.  Yes more food and wine.

Question: how is one supposed to lose 10 lbs by January 6th when the fattening food won't go away?

  (Why the seasonally inappropriate quest for rapid weight loss you ask, we haven't even hit New Years yet?)
 Its because Mama and Husband are off to Vegas the first week of January and while we're there my plan is to find some serious dealz shopping for clothes, clothes and more clothes. 

 However I've apparently (over the last month) managed to eat a third of my total body weight in Ferrero Rocher, cheese and red wine. 

Obviously one solution is to maintain the December status quo and just continue eating, but then walk the Vegas Strip and shop till my legs fall off, thus burning off the extra el-bees that have recently decided to call my muffin top "home." 

Or I could pull a Bethenny Frankel and "Taste everything, Eat Nothing."

{What does that mean? Like literally eat nothing at all?  Well she did shed all her baby weight in 3 weeks...}

Let's keep it real here. I shall continue to eat, and I'll in all likelihood not drop 10 pounds by January 6th. However the elliptical trainer and me are gonna be on a first name basis. Hopefully?

What is your plan for the post holiday slim-down?

Cinco De Mayo and stuff

Ay yi yi yi!  Another Cinco De Mayo has come and gone and I managed to celebrate as any good Canadian would....by doing very little.  It's not that we can't relate to a commercialized, American/Mexican "holiday" created to commemorate the battle between the Mexican army and the French at Puebla in 1862. (Are you impressed by my knowledge of world history...yeah Canadian's are smart like that.)  It's just that any day that is celebrated by large amounts of Tequila, Cerveza's and Marg's is a good day in Mama's book. And since Husband and I own a pub...and it's early May in Canada (translation, nothing else better going on) we'll celebrate just about anything as long as it sells us more beer. Arriba! Arriba! Ole!

Been there, shopped that.....

We got back from Vegas late Sunday nite. Soooo tired (and hung-ovah still from Saturday nite!)
Because huband was working the entire time and was there on business, (at the huge CES Technology Show) I saw almost nothing of him during the days, but we had plenty to do in the evenings.

We saw La Reve, the water themed/Cirque Du Soleil "inspired" show at the Wynn

(Photos by Tomasz Rossa & Jean-Marie Perier)

And we ate at "Bartolotta", the fantastic pasta/seafood Italian restaurant at the Wynn.

So $$$$$ but soooo tasty. (What, you want $89.00 for a bottle of Pinot Grigio!?!? *cough*)

 

 

And on Saturday nite we traded favours managed to get into XS, the club at Encore. Needless to say a little bit of smooth talking was required to skip the line and get through their army of bouncers.

(AND they free-pour drinks in Vegas. See opening comment re: hang-over)

Yes, Steve Wynn, you did impress me.  The Wynn is a gorgeous hotel, as is it's sister hotel Encore. Gorgeous but expen$ive.... I suppose that was to be expected!  I thought my hard earned money was intended for shopping and shopping alone in Vegas!!  Guess I was mistaken in that assumption.

Speaking of shopping, lets review the purchases. I actually managed to pick up most of what was on my "list"...though the sales were seriously lacking. I suppose the post-Christmas-sales-galore aren't really the same in the U.S. as they are here in Canada.  At least Macy's came through for me....

 Let's go from low to high end....

At Target I found a few things...not quite the bonanza of deals I was hoping for... a Sonia Kashuk eye shadow quad and the Sonia Kashuk Cosmetic Junkie make-up case. We don't have SK in Canada, but I've heard it's great stuff?!!! 

 A Remington Tourmaline Hair-dryer (since my old one finally died last week)

At Target I also picked up this cardigan- Mossimo Grey Heather long sleeve cocoon sweater

At Victoria's Secret I grabbed some of their hair-products (mouse, shampoo, conditioner). LURVE THEM!

We have La Senza here in Canada, which is owned by VS and carries most of the same stuff, except the glorious VS styling products. Don't know why, but they work miracles for my hair!

From White House, Black Market- this black dress. So cute!

At Macy's I found these brown Steve Madden boots, on for $67.00, reg. $169.00!

 

True Religion Jeans, the wash is actually darker then they look.

 

At Neiman Marcus I stole found this Badgely Mischka dress (in Red). Regularly $540.00 on for $154.00. Yes, it was theft!

Totally hot, but I think I could also wear it with leggings or skinnies and heels.....

 I really do lurve the large U.S. department stores.  Macy's is a great store (good deals too) and Nordstroms could spell trouble for me while we're in Hawaii (have my eye on a Marc Jacobs bag). Neiman Marcus was amazing as was Saks and Bloomingdales. Hell even Dillards was decent! But the sales were serrrr-i-ously lacking. Boo.

Fortunately the Canadian dollar is almost at par with the U.S. dollar so I could totally justify the shopping I did. (Really, I think I'd be able to justify it in my own mind no matter what the deal was!) Shopping is essential. Period.

As for my last post which was almost entirely devoted to talk of buffet-consumption-food-moderation...well, we did enjoy the buffet at the Wynn. Of course it was super fantastic!

And total fodder for my food fantasy's during the next 6 months of dieting!!

Operation pre-Vacation Starvation!

Husband left for Vegas today (he's there on business) and I'm leaving tomorrow. We're staying at the Wynn....hope it will be fabulous!  (quite the move-on-up from the first time we went years ago and stayed at the Imperial Palace- totally ghetto).  Steve Wynn, you better impress!

Operation pre-vacation starvation has been well under-way in attempt to recover from the total diet-depravity that was New Years Eve. So far, so good!... Mama's kept it surprisingly under control and in hand.

Becaaaause ima gonna eat a whole lot in Vegas. Food fantasies about the buffets in Vegas keep me going during Massive Weight Loss 2008-2009-2010 etc. etc.

Krazy? yes. (What the hell, who day-dreams about buffets?)   I do....

I'm a food quantity person, it's my dieting down-fall really. And no, it's not like I'll eat just any old slop...I'm looking for quality food, in addition to large quantities.

( Nothing says "dig in" like purple neon?.. is this the Imperial Palace?)

Obviously buffets can be a problem and Vegas has plenty. Husband is a huge foodie too,  and our combined ability to eat is embarassing. However we both also posess huge amounts of will-power and can seriously control our appetites and reign it in when necessary. I believe Vegas is a time when it will be necessary.

Like any good woman I'll distract myself from the fabulous food with shopping. Whatever works.  Gotta feed the need somehow!!

We'll be back late Sunday nite... until then, send me positive food-moderation vibes/energy/voodoo chants. ~ ~ ~

I will not come back weighing 5lbs more then now.  It shall become my mantra!

I will not come back weighing 5lbs more

I will not come back weighing 5lbs more

I will not come back weighing 5lbs more .....

It's a damn good thing Old Country Buffet doesn't exist in Canada. Damn good thing....

We're coming to America!

That's right, in the words of the great Neil Diamond (err, maybe "great" is too bold)...in the words of Neil Diamond, husband and I are "coming to America". We've got two trips planned in January to head down to see our patriotic neighbors to the south.  We're off to Vegas on January 7th for 4 days and then to Hawaii on the 31st for 12 days.  That's right 12 glorious, sun-filled days. Can you say Aloha?   ALOHA BITCHES!   I'm excited.

As for Las Vegas,  well it's nothing more than a self-indulgent, commercialized, hedonistic mecca for consumerism, vice and debauchery. 
And I'm Soooooo looking forward!   One word. Shopping.  
Screw the gambling, it's all about shopping. That is ALL that matters.

Now in Canada we are fortunate enough to have been invaded  graced by many of America's bountiful retail chains.
(Pottery Barn, Williams Sonoma, Crate and Barrel, Restoration Hardware, and most major clothing stores etc.) but there are some unfortunate omissions to the Canadian retail landscape.

Target- or as we always call it in Canada (Tar-jay). Don't laugh. Sure it's a discount department store...but it has soo many deals. LURVE it!

Macy's- A department store with so much MORE.

Las Vegas Premium outlets- GAHHHH. 'nough said.

Las Vegas Fashion Show Mall.   (  ~True Nirvana~)

Dillards, Bloomingdales, Nordstrom, Saks Fifth Ave,  Neiman Marcus, White House/Black Market, Victoria's Secret ....the list goes on!

Honestly, I'm most excited about the large department stores. So much under one roof.  The brands we don't have in Canada at slightly lower prices. Hopefully there'll be some kick-ass post-Christmas sales.

* Question, why is there no name for the day after Christmas in the U.S.?    

It's called Boxing Day.  There, adopt that America. 

We have Boxing Day sales, in fact,  Boxing "week" sales that go on for weeks and weeks. Gotta blow out all the Christmas stock.

There must be a name to describe the incredible deals available after Christmas.  TELL me you actually have fabulous sales America!??? 

Like these girls,(on Boxing Day) cleaning up on bags!