It's Lori's World: July 2008

Las Vegas, the end

A few images from our Las Vegas adventure. We had a great time, and none of us lost much money. One of us won a little. But we are all richer for the experience. I think.

We had dinner Friday night with our friends Leroy (left in this photo) and Tina, who is taking our photo, at the Top of the World restaurant, which is at the top of the Stratosphere hotel. We're enjoying a pre-dinner cocktail here.

A view of the city from the top of the Stratosphere, where we went to take photos and so that Tina could convince Denise to go on this ride:

Which they did. I couldn't photograph it very well with my little Elf, but the ride starts at the bottom and shoots straight up. Pretty brave of two girls who had just eaten a big dinner with plenty of wine.

This is a different ride that they offer at the Top of the World. None of us was brave enough for this one, which shoots straight out from the top floor of the Stratosphere.

The girls, Tina, Molly, Carrie, Bonnie and Denise, enjoying the night air and the view at the Top of the World.

On Saturday night, after seeing the mind-blowing Cirque show, we stopped by the Bellagio hotel to gamble and see the fountain-light show. (Snippets will be on the video I plan to make sometime in the near future.)

Me, outside the Bellagio, with the Flamingo and Paris hotels in the background.

Vegas, everything we thought it would be

Hot, busy, bright, expensive and completely fabulous... so far anyway. I've only lost $30 so far but had fun doing it, so what the heck. Now, it is 9 a.m. and we're preparing to hit the incredible pool complex at this hotel. Molly and Bonnie actually went down at 8 a.m. to get some lounge chairs, because they get snapped up immediately.
A few photos of the first day of our three-day getaway:

The obligatory departure photo.

Our first-night dinner at the delicious and expensive Mix restaurant, on the 64th floor of our hotel, which is THE Hotel at Mandalay Bay.

The bill, before the tip.

On the restaurant terrace.

A view of the city below.

Molly was winning when I left the casino around midnight last night. Not sure how she ended up for the night, tho, because I haven't tallked to her yet this morning.

Here we come, Vegas

I have a feeling I won't be seeing these cards while I'm in Vegas over the next three days, but that won't stop me from trying a few hands of poker or Blackjack, maybe even craps if Bonnie promises to roll true. We (me and friends Molly, Denise, Carrie and Bonnie) take off from Wichita in about two hours. More photos and hopefully good stories to follow, at least , those that don't have to stay in Vegas.

Music under the stars

A few photos from Saturday night in Old Town Square. Reminded me of San Diego. I actually wore a light jacket to sit outside.

These folks are part of a drum circle that has been meeting on weekend nights in the square. People actually bring their various percussion instruments and pound them all night long to find inner peace and some sort of spirituality. I guess.

Eagle photo editor Brian Corn and his wife showed up at Oeno's to watch photographer Jaime Oppenheimer beating her own drums with a trio made up of her beau, Carter, and friend Nick.

Jaime's got it going on.

The band: Nick, Carter and Jaime.

It's officially summer

You'd never know it by the conditions outside: Wet, cloudy and cool. I don't think we even reached 80 degrees today. But the most important sign of summer is that our tomatoes have arrived.

We already have a bumper crop of these babies. Good job, Dale!

A painful (but really fun) goodbye

It was two-for-one martini night at Yia Yia's and so we decided this was the night to gather a few gal pals and say goodbye to Brenda, our funny and dear friend who is moving to Kansas City in two weeks.

Jaime, Molly, Denise, Me, Carrie and Bonnie gather around Brenda, who is always the life of any party. We'll miss her terribly.

One of the highlights of the night was when Jaime asked to sit in with the band playing on the patio. They were happy to have her, but very surprised at how well she knew her stuff. (Jaime plays in a Cajun-flavored band called the Mud Bugs, too.)

Jaime and the band. I think they are called Lucky People, or something like that.

Here's the band's real drummer, wondering if he still has a job...

Jaime and Carrie enjoying drinks inside Yia Yia's.

Brenda and the gift we all gave her.

Brenda and Denise, perusing the menu.

I don't know what is going on here, but did I mention that it was half-price martini night?

Brenda with Bonnie.

The girls.

Molly and Brenda in a toast.

Me and Bon. We had a great farewell to Brenda, and will miss her something fierce.

Swimming. Pie. Swimming. Pie.

Marty and her 9-year-old kids, Jack and Sophie, came Saturday night for a long-overdue visit. Even though the kids had swum all afternoon at the home of some friends, they couldn't get enough of our back yard pool.

Jack looking very athletic.

We had a cookout that ended with chocolate cream pie and Jack and Sophie couldn't get enough of that either. They ended up taking seconds home with them.