Vegas: People and pets on the Promenade (part 2)

One of the cheesiest, and possibly also most alarming, things Antho ever told me, was the time he excitedly described to me a homeless couple he had seen- while they were both quite obviously living on the street, destitute and broke, they were clearly and unquestionably infatuated with each other and seemed beyond content despite a situation most of us would never consider a remotely tolerable turn of fate. He saw it as a poetic image, a testament to the undying power of love to overcome any and all challenges despite any situation it might find itself in... I saw it as a bit of a terrifying indicator for just how low he was willing to let his standards of living fall so long as he had me tagging along to bolster him, but I digress. He's a dreamer at heart, a fantastic, whimsical, flashy theatrical type who was raised on a steady and heavy diet of Hollywood films while I tend to be the logistician who grumbles, gets a migraine, and sorts through the realities of the matter like some impression of an adult in an effort to sway the tides of time in my favor. Homelessness, while not something I consider a desirable or even romantic notion, is an inarguable reality of modern society. I've seen, and interacted with, homeless people in Japan as well as the United States, and witnessed their camps while in Korea... Each country approaches things in their own ways, and each homeless person's story is unique, too, so it's not as though a simplistic blanket approach could ever work for everyone. I do have to say that I rather like Japan's approach, which seems a respectful distance and non-interference. When police want to evict a homeless encampment on public land, they're forced to abide by the same procedural processes as in an eviction. Most homeless are left to sleep in peace, and the time I did stop and offer a hot coffee and a sandwich to a homeless man in Tokyo, he was shocked by the gesture and asked incredulously where I had come from. He'd made me laugh on a difficult morning, so I figured it an equitable exchange, but this does make me wonder how far indifference stretches before it turns to a cold shoulder. 

 All photos in this post were taken by Antho! 

Vegas: Visit from Kelly and wandering The Strip at night

I've written about the incredibly talented Kelly O'Brien before, and when she messaged me one day to let me know she'd spontaneously found herself Vegas bound I was super excited to show her around! We'd met up before in Seoul, South Korea, and had dinner together but she'd never been to Vegas before this so we felt duty-bound to show her some of our favorite spots. We made sure to hit up the Flamingo's hidden garden, the Linq Promenade, the Venetian, and Caesar's palace before eventually making our way back to the Linq Promenade and topping the night off with cupcakes from the 24-hour cupcake ATM at Sprinkles. What, your city doesn't have a 24-hour cupcake ATM? Huh. 

Kelly was rocking one of our tie-dyes, too, which made me so happy! There's always the initial thrill and pride of selling one of our creations, but to see them actually being worn and enjoyed is kind of like what a bird must feel seeing it's little ones take flight for the first time. In the end, we had a lot of fun and some memorable moments, though after drinking a Fat Tuesday it's questionable how much will actually be remembered! Lol. If you've never had one, those drinks are seriously strong but also seriously tasty, and they're available all over the Vegas strip. You can get vessels shaped like bongos, guitars, rubber duckies, any number of silly novelty shapes to tote your booze slushy around in. They're perfect for this summer heat, but because they're so sweet and tasty it's easy to slurp it down before realizing how strong it is. When it was time to take her back to her temporary home for the evening, we let Kelly sprawl out on the bed in the back of the van since the drink had gotten the best of her, and we made sure to provide a big bottle of cold water to try to fight the hangover. Hydration is extremely important, kids, especially in the heat we get here in Vegas! 

And this was an overcast week, guys. Ugh. One reason, out of many, that I refuse to die in Vegas is that of our summers. Despite this city being my home, and birthplace, thus having a special place in my heart, every summer I vow to be my last summer living in this infernal desert. I know that for many this is ideal, a dry, hot heat that makes it an inhospitable climate for many types of pesky insects (but not for scorpions or centipedes and other creepy crawlies) with predictably sunny weather all year long...  but I like having seasons and weather! When we got hit by typhoons in Japan I was so excited to experience such extreme rains and wind, because it's something that never happens here. I don't mind the rain, I actually quite enjoy it. But I digress... while here in Vegas, it's best to make the best of my location and enjoy the privilege of being able to play host to my friend during her stay! 

Vegas: AJ's Day out part 2: Linq Promenade

The Linq Promenade is a pretty great one-stop-shop if you want to hit a LOT of Vegas moments without having to go too far. Not only do we have the High Roller observation wheel towering over the city offering amazing views at the end of the pavilion, but there's the Brooklyn Bowl concert venue that constantly has a rotating event schedule bringing all sorts of incredible talents to the city, an In-N-Out burger for your favorite west coast burger chain (one the late great Anthony Bourdain loved above all else), or you can opt to grab some Fish n' Chips from Gordon Ramsey's restaurant... or if it's late and you're feeling peckish, you could always get your sugarfix from the Sprinkles Cupcakery's 24-hour cupcake ATM! There are fountains shooting up glistening streams of water droplets with light show effects, showgirls sparkling and sashaying as they ask for a photo (and a tip, of course), VR-entertainment rides and more. There's no shortage of bars or restaurants, from Western to sushi, and you could spend an entire day in the promenade before going back into the adjacent casinos. You can't miss them- there's a ginormous flamingo standing guard at the doors to the Flamingo itself! There's always something new to see and something exciting going on down here, so it's never a dull day or night whether it's the both of us or just Antho who gets out there and explores. Antho (or AJ for short) has gotten some good practice behind the lens, and I think the results are noticable. I don't know if the dude above was cognizant of the fact he was being photographed, but he certainly took to it well.

And it's a feeling many of us an relate to- that happy In-n-Out zen you find yourself in as your focus draws towards the deliciousness going into your face and away from the external world. Not all of us look that cool while eating. Way to go, dude bro.

The contrast of cultures, events, restaurants and all else extends to the murals decorating the walls of the Promenade, too. Fire and ice. Yin and yang. Life is all about balance, right? Letting Antho take the camera and go out exploring while I worked felt right, and I'm glad that it happened. Perhaps this brings more balance to our creative flow. 

Whatever the case, there's plenty more photos below!