Friday, April 30, 2010

Las Vegas: Bellagio

This is one of the hotels I love to visit over and over again in Vegas - the lovely Bellagio.  Apart from the dancing fountains housed on that lake (photo below), it's interior I find absolutely enchanting, elegant and impressive.  When we visited last week, we swore to stay there for our next visit.
Brilliance abounds inside our breathtaking Conservatory & Botanical Gardens. The attention to detail is astounding. The passionate display of nature in all its awe-evoking glory - quite simply, sensational! Let your imagination wander as you assume a leisurely stroll amongst rare natural finds selected distinctively for Bellagio from all over the world.
Admire the essence of every season recreated with exceptionally gorgeous plants, flowers and trees thoughtfully arranged to inspire full splendor. Specially designed lighting spotlights every flower to accentuate its best features. To ensure the Conservatory & Botanical Gardens maintains magnificence 365 days a year, 140 expert horticulturists theatrically arrange gazebos, bridges, ponds, and water features uniquely for each season. Treat yourself to this unrivaled attraction's ever changing personality for the Holidays, Chinese New Year, spring, summer, and fall! (Source: http://www.bellagio.com/amenities/botanical-garden.aspx)

The hotel and the lake - quiet for now.

Dancing fountains synchronized to music.

The fountains

The fountains usually end with a blast.

The hotel's lobby is adorned by about 2,000 hand-blown flowers made of glass called Fiori di Como (by Dale Chihuly). One of the things I find so appealing is that the sweet fragrance of flowers greets you as you step into the lobby.

Fiori di Como (Flowers of Como)

There were several of these scattered on every walkway.

These upside down parasols embellished every dome located in the shopping section.

Upside down parasols.

The Bellagio Conservatory and Botanical Gardens located near the lobby.  The current theme is "Spring 2010" which is brilliantly captured by giant - ants, buzzing bees, olive trees, flowers and more.

 Mushrooms and a green frog.

Watering cans and yellow tulips.

Pink Hyacinths

Bee, butterfly and flowers.

Snail with its shell adorned with flowers.

 
Tulips

And more tulips

I thought these were alien-looking flower buds.

The glass orb water fountain.

Water flowing/dropping on giant leaves.

Giant flower pot and a shovel.

The lighting looks different here because we went back to see the exhibit at night time.  The well-placed lights adds to the ambiance. It's also less crowded at night.

Photo taken at night - an overview of the exhibit.

The ant says, "Hi Kayni."

Mushrooms at night.

Another place worth checking out inside the hotel is the Jean-Philippe Chocolates and Pastries shop.  It is more than a chocolate shop, and this is why:
It's only fitting our world-class Five Diamond resort would have its own World Pastry Champion. The artistic genius of Chef Jean-Philippe Maury is displayed daily at Las Vegas' first truly European-style pastry shop. You'll be welcomed into this imaginative display by a breathtaking chocolate fountain - a fitting entrée to the world of carefully crafted chocolates, cookies, cakes, crepes, salads, sandwiches and more. (Source: http://www.bellagio.com/restaurants/jean-philippe.aspx)
In addition to the dancing fountains, the hotel also houses the Jean-Philippe Chocolates and Pastries shop. The chocolate shop's ceiling showcases this chocolate fountain which oozes with milk, white and dark chocolate sweetness.  For a chocoholic like me, this is paradise.

Flowing sweetness...

Need I say more?

The shop

Pastries beautifully decorated.

Since I'm a Hello Kitty fan, here's a Sanrio themed cake.

Ok, I added this photo to make you hungry...lol.

I couldn't pass the opportunity to taste one of their pastries.  I ordered a hot chocolate with a nutella brioche. Verdict?  The nutella brioche is a hit and the hot cocoa sweet, creamy and rich - just the way I like it.

Happy weekend!

Thursday, April 29, 2010

Las Vegas: Luxor And MGM

I took about 700+ photos, and please don't ask why. I just went snap crazy. The themed hotels, shows and blinking lights of Las Vegas were a photographer's delight. I'm hoping I'll be able to share all the good photos with all of you. Today, I'll start with the hotels - Luxor and MGM.

Luxor - one of the most interesting hotels I've seen. I thought the passage underneath the obelisk was cool.

Close enough for a pyramid imitation.

Luxor's sphinx

Obelisk and palm trees

Goat sculptures near the hotel's entrance.

The pyramid and the face of the sphinx. The railing you see there is for the tram connecting the hotels Mandalay Bay, Excalibur and Luxor. It's an easy way to visit each hotel especially during the hot summer months. On this visit, we chose to walk the Strip's entirety since the temperatures were still in the 60s and 70s.

A closer look at the obelisk.

I heard these are desert palms from Florida.

Here's the famous MGM Lion that roars when the movie begins and ends.

Interesting sculptures adore MGM's entrance.

The real MGM Lioness that lives in captivity inside the casino. Yes, inside the casino. We saw her during feeding time which starts at 11 AM.

Sleepy after a meal.

Just a different view of the Lion.

More of Las Vegas to come!

Monday, April 26, 2010

Calm

"But calm, white calm, was born into a swan"
Elizabeth Coatsworth

(Photo Credit: Jeff N)

This is a scheduled post, and I'm wishing everyone a great start to their week.
Let's start Monday with calm and smile.

Saturday, April 24, 2010

What Do You See?

I see abstract art.

 What about you?











I will be the gladdest thing
Under the sun!
I will touch a hundred flowers
And not pick one.
~Edna St. Vincent Millay, "Afternoon on a Hill"

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I'm on vacation, but feel free to check my review on Taste of Saigon and my rant about a lady with a bloody ankle at Beauty Within.

I wish everyone a vibrant weekend!