Vegas Checklist - Lili on the Loose

25 09, 2017

Travel Missteps: Vegas in One Dress

By Lili|September 25th, 2017|Categories: Travel, Travel Missteps|Tags: 2011, 2016, dress, fashion, Girl’s Weekend, Golden Nugget, Las Vegas, Le Rêve, Nevada, North America, The Venetian, The Wynn, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

To be honest, I don't remember why I bought the dress. I hate dresses. I hate showing my legs and I hate the fancy shoes that go with it. But I probably bought it because when I need a dress, I never have one. But I do remember haphazardly throwing it in my luggage as the last item in. I was heading to Las Vegas for my best friend Heather's mini bachelorette party. And while I knew we wouldn't be clubbing, I worried that my jeans+T-shirt fashion wouldn't be appropriate. But I wasn't sure. Heather and I often had similar styles.

2 09, 2017

Souvenir Saturday: Trilobite

By Lili|September 2nd, 2017|Categories: Souvenirs, Travel|Tags: 2016, fossil, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, trilobite, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

When I was little I collected fossils. One that I've always wanted was a trilobite, and when I was on a work trip to Vegas last year I found a going out of business gem and mineral shop and got a good deal on this little one. Souvenir Saturday is an every-other week series on the items that represent travel memories.

6 04, 2017

Free Las Vegas – Bellagio Fountains

By Lili|April 6th, 2017|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Travel|Tags: 2011, 2016, Bellagio, Bellagio Fountain, Bellagio Fountains, Free, Girl’s Weekend, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, Travel Thursday, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

One of my favorite free activities in Las Vegas is the famous Bellagio Fountains. Starting mid afternoon and going into the night, the fountains are choreographed to various songs. During the day I recommend viewing from the front of the lake, looking onto the hotel. But at night, nothing beats a sideview looking onto the faux Eiffel Tower at the Paris Hotel. View from the Front during the Day Check here for the latest selection of songs and the timing of the fountains.

19 05, 2016

Showtime in Las Vegas

By Lili|May 19th, 2016|Categories: Concerts, Theater & Shows, Travel|Tags: 2011, 2016, Adobe Summit, cirque, cirque du soleil, Girl’s Weekend, Las Vegas, Le Rêve, Magic, Nevada, North America, Penn and Teller, Summit Bash, The Dream, The Linq, The Rio, The Wynn, Travel Thursday, USA, Vegas Checklist, Weezer|0 Comments

Las Vegas is always re-inventing itself, but one thing that has been a constant in Las Vegas is its entertainment acts and shows. On my previous trips to Las Vegas I was either too tired or busy to do see any shows (unless you count a male revue for a friends bachelorette), but this most recent trip I decided to branch out and see what Las Vegas had to offer. Magic On my first night, I found myself at the last minute grabbing tickets to Penn & Teller. I had wanted to see a real magic show since I was a kid

12 05, 2016

Las Vegas 2016 Cost Analysis

By Lili|May 12th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Budget|Tags: 2016, Bellagio, breakdown, Canyon Ranch Spa, cost analysis, Ethel M chocolate, fossil, gambling, horeseback riding, Las Vegas, Le Rêve, Magic, Mandalay Bay, Neon Museum, Nevada, North America, Penn and Teller, shark reef, shopping, Spa, spending, taxi, The Dream, The Venetian, Travel Thursday, Treasure Island, trilobite, Uber, USA, Vegas Checklist, Zoltar|0 Comments

Wynn Carousel made of flowers. Opulence in Vegas is expected. The last time I was in Las Vegas for a vacation was in 2011. I tracked my budget back then and shared it in this post. I wanted to do the same with my most recent trip to Las Vegas as a comparison. This trip is a little different though. The bulk of my time was for a client event, and so I won't share those numbers here. So while I was in Vegas for 6 days I'll just focus on my free-time activities which accounts for a

5 05, 2016

Springtime at Bellagio’s Botanical Garden

By Lili|May 5th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2016, Bellagio, Bellagio Gardens, Free, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, spring, Travel Thursday, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Garden is transformed each season with a different theme. I happened to visit one midnight evening when the gardens were closed off from the public so that they could take photos. This actually was spectral as from the edges I was able to get my own perfect images! This is 2016's Spring design, with lots of pink flowers, birds, and an Japanese theme. Made with over 82 thousand flowers including cherry blossom trees it is on display until May 14 when this will be changed out for the Summer season. Be sure to check it out, it

2 05, 2016

Museum Monday: Yousuf Karsh at the Bellagio

By Lili|May 2nd, 2016|Categories: Museums, Travel|Tags: 2016, Albert Einstein, Alfred Hitchcock, Bellagio, black and white photography, Gallery of Fine Art, Gallery of Fine Art at the Bellagio, Georgia O'Keeffe, Helen Keller, Jacqueline Kennedy, JFK, Las Vegas, Nelson Mandela, Nevada, North America, Pablo Picasso, photography, USA, Vegas Checklist, Yousuf Karsh|0 Comments

I remember a scene in Ocean's 11 here Danny and Tess talk about famous impressionist painters. This is what I was thinking about when I headed to the Gallery of Fine Art at the Bellagio. I had visions of Monet, Manet, and Picasso. After I paid my $16 entry fee and picked up the audio guide I stepped inside...to find out that once again Pop Culture had incorrectly shaped my knowledge of a place. Instead of grand paintings I was greeted with monochromatic portraits. That is when I learned the Bellagio Gallery frequently changes up its exhibitions and currently they

29 04, 2016

Living Art at the Bellagio

By Lili|April 29th, 2016|Categories: Attractions & Sights, Photography, Travel|Tags: 2011, 2016, Bellagio, easel, Flower Art, flowers, Girl’s Weekend, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, Photo Friday, US, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

There are so many great fun & free things to do in Las Vegas if you just know where to find them. I really enjoyed walking around the flower garden in the Bellagio Hotel. This living easel has many wonderful flowers growing from in. The above is from my 2011 trip, and below my trip last month. Every Friday Lili shares her favorite photography & the stories behind the photos.

28 04, 2016

Las Vegas Bucketlist

By Lili|April 28th, 2016|Categories: Travel, Travel Planning|Tags: 2016, bucketlist, checklist, Las Vegas, Nevada, North America, Travel Thursday, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

I recently came back from my 6th trip to Las Vegas. There is so much to do in Las Vegas and I feel like there is still so much I would like to do. As a reminder to myself, here are some of the items I'd like to try on my next trip there: See a Cirque du Soleil show Go to the top of the faux-Eiffel Tower See the Grand Canyon Spend more time in Red Rock Canyon Visit M&M / Coke World See the Flamingos at The Flamingo Helcoptor Ride Mob Museum Natural History Museum Neon Museum at Night

21 04, 2016

Horseback Riding Red Rock Canyon, Nevada

By Lili|April 21st, 2016|Categories: Activities, Travel|Tags: 2016, bbq, Colorado Springs, Flying W Ranch, horseback, horseback riding, horses, Las Vegas, marshmallows, mule, Nevada, North America, riding, smores, Travel Thursday, USA, Vegas Checklist|0 Comments

I had been to Vegas five previous times before my latest trip. As I'd be alone, I wasn't going to be gambling or drinking. Instead I wanted to try different things in Las Vegas, as well as a trip outside the Strip. I first looked at Grand Canyon trips, but realized that I didn't want to do that alone. So when I saw options for horseback riding just outside Las Vegas, I was intrigued. I looked into a variety of options, but decided on a sunset BBQ dinner ride. Mostly because it reminded me of the Flying W Ranch in