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!

Vegas: The Linq Promenade

After the proposal at the Bellagio fountains and dealing with the crowds at the Bellagio Conservatory we were ready to start making our way back to the safety and familiarity of the good old van. Along the way we had to pass through the Linq Promenade, which has changed quite a bit since the last time I was there, which was already several years ago now. Antho actually worked there during the Halloween season of 2016 as a zombie in a haunt that was located there, and he had a lot of fun doing it! He was even made a star in their advertisement that aired on the large LED screen along Las Vegas boulevard! I was over in Korea during that time, unfortunately, so I never got to see or appreciate the full breadth of his brilliance as an undead actor, but knowing what a passionate and vivacious character he's always been I know he brought the best to the role and I wasn't surprised that he rocked it. He wasn't able to reprise his role this past year due to scheduling conflicts, but who knows what the future may hold. As for this particular outing, we had a lot of fun and were pleasantly surprised by all the updates to the space and new shops and restaurants that were proliferating. There was even a place advertising sushi cupcakes... yes, you read that correctly, cupcakes! I'm not quite sure what to make of that... maybe they'll be delicious little savoury morsels of fish and rice goodness much like onigiri with extra fancy trimmings? Or perhaps they'll be greasy little balls of sadness and missed opportunities...until we try them for ourselves they shall remain a mystery. There's some fun street art in this area, too! Hope you enjoy the photos~ 

Vegas: Bellagio Conservatory Holiday decorations 2017

After helping our buddy Brandon with his proposal in front of the Bellagio Fountains, we packed up the drawing supplies and headed out. Since we were already at the Bellagio we figured it would be fun to check out the Conservatory! The Bellagio Conservatory is a huge indoor garden that changes depending on the most relevant holiday for the time of year, which can entail massive overhauls of the gardens and the flowers contained therein along with all the decorations adorning the area. During our visit in December we were greeted with the appropriately Festivus related decorum, from giant Nutcrackers to floral Polar bears splashing about playfully in an indoor pond, to a heroic warrior atop a gilded horse there was a bounty of beautiful sights to behold. It was a bit crowded as it was nearing the New Year and many people tend to flock to the city for that time frame, and this unfortunately made me a bit anxious but we were able to get a decent amount of photos before moving out towards where Antho had parked our van. He hadn't been able to get parking at the Bellagio that night, which meant we had to make our way over to the Linq promenade. This wasn't any punishment, though, as we have fond memories there and it's a fun place! We found a Sorting Hat perfect for our friend's upcoming Harry Potter themed party, and some cool murals and things. This post, however, isn't about the Linq but about the Bellagio. Photos abound below!