Las Vegas Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens

Last time we visited the Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens it was an Under the Sea theme. This time the theme was Tea and Tulips. (They change the theme FIVE times per year with the changing seasons!)

Below the scroll reads: Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens is proud to present "Tea and Tulips." And enchanted garden tea fête filled with whimsy and wonder. Our display beds are beautifully designed to embody the enticing colors and beneficial qualities of four distinctive teas: Lavender, Ginger Peach, Rose Hip and Chamomile. Within each vibrant display humanity and nature come together in harmonious celebration of Spring splendor and promise.

This teapot is seventeen-and-a-half feet tall.

All of the plants are densely packed next to each other, each in its own container making it easy to reposition or replace.

Las Vegas Good Pie and Sushi Samba

I don't know why, but it's hard to find food worth the hype in Vegas (budget friendly food that is.) But I found Good Pie in the arts district, recommended by a local—with your choice of pizza thickness and we liked it! (Though, nothing is as good as my Dad's thick crust sourdough pizza. For reals.)

We went with the "Grandma" style which was the perfect thickness.

Sushi Samba

For another dinner we went to Sushi Samba with one of the owners of Adam's company and his wife. (Talk about nerve wracking, but they are good, down to earth people and I'm really glad Adam is a talker.) Sushi Samba is in the Venetian, has been there for years and everyone whom we told remarked that it was a great place. 

 

Above and below images courtesy of the Sushi Samba website.

Since we're talking about the Venetian here are a couple random photos. The Venetian is impressive...it DOES feel like fake Italy. A really really fake Italy. LOL. But they did have an antique gondola on site, so that was something we never saw in REAL Venice.

Las Vegas Fremont Street and The Golden Nugget

Well, since I mentioned Fremont Street and The Golden Nugget let's just say this:

You will get a contact high from the weed smokers on Fremont and will feel the need to navigate with blinders on, moving in a zigzag pattern to steer clear of the peculiar street performers and partially clothed women. By the end of our two weekends, we had been doing everything we could to avoid the strip. (But alas, that was the only way to reach breakfast at Hash House a Go Go (pictured below) and Pink Box Doughnuts. (We discovered Hash House during our 2015 Vegas trip and have always liked it.)

In case you are unaware as I was, Fremont street is considered the "old Vegas strip" where the now vintage casino hotels are located. Infused with life by an LED canopy covering the strip and closed off to auto traffic, moving images dance above your head and music blares from speakers all along the way. There are weed shops, bars, casinos and trinket shops lining the streets. At night, it still feels like day on Fremont.

The Golden Nugget was an okay place to stay, I really don't have any complaints except that I scraped my knee on the decrepit tile surrounding the tub. We stayed in a room that hadn't been renovated. It was dark, and brown EVERYWHERE. The second weekend we were lucky enough to be in a lighter, updated room with a tub that wasn't scary.

Below is the view of the pool from our room. Adam's company reserved a section for three hours, serving heavy hors d'oeuvres and drinks. I didn't partake...but happily stayed in our room while Adam did his "expected" mingling. (He tells me I'm going to have to get over my avoidance of hanging out with strangers. But do I really?)

Las Vegas Pink Box Doughnuts

While at the Blue Man Group, we were each given a $5.00 voucher for Pink Box Doughnuts—which was serendipitous because the doughnut shop is located at the end of Fremont Street where we were accommodated at the Golden Nugget. 

The Blue Man Group had teamed up with Pink Box to create a doughnut in memorandum of the chubby bunny act mentioned in my earlier post. 

There were SO MANY options and the doughnuts turned out to be lovely—we housed eight of them over the two weekends. (Though, we weren't a fan of their whipped cream.)

Above: Buttermilk bar, Samoan, Raspberry Squeeze, Peanut butter and jelly. The Samoan was so good it was a repeat.