Happy Summer!!!!

Hello!! Long time, no see!!

 This summer has been beyond busy for me! I spent all of July working the summer program for my job. It was really intense! The school I worked at had a special grant given to enable them to have the program. So there was extra pressure to make sure we did it right. Our theme for the summer was National Treasure so we had to teach the kids about our national parks which included alot of history so I really enjoyed it. We also got to go on 2 field trips, first to Crystal Cove to learn about the animals & what it's like to live by the beach. The 2nd was to the Heritage House in Santa Ana to learn what it was like to live here 100 years ago.

 Summer program ended on July 31st and on August 1st, I headed to Las Vegas with my boyfriend. I definitely needed a vacation! I haven't left Garden Grove since February 2011 and after moving around so many times in college, I'm not used to being in one place for so long anymore.

We stayed at the MGM for the first time and it was really nice. The hotel is under construction right now but it didn't bother us except for when they turned off our water from 11am - 4pm.

Our King Deluxe room

The view from our room

Thank you Victoria's Secret for the extra push up bikini!

We spent each morning down by the pool. We didn't pay to go to Wet Republic. I don't think it would've been worth it to pay for that because the regular pool was good enough. There was music and it has a river (which doesn't open until 10am but if you want a good spot go wait by the gate at 9:50am).

Our first night in Vegas, we had dinner at The Venetian at a restaurant in St. Mark's Square. I loooove The Venetian because it reminds me of when I was in Venice (6 years ago omg!). I did even spot a real pigeon flying around inside. After dinner we went to see The Phantom of the Opera. I've seen Phantom in every city I've lived in (Orange County, Kalamazoo, London, & now Vegas). I think the boyfriend was bored in some parts but overall I think he liked it. It was his first Broadway show (mine too back in the day) so I'm glad he liked it because that means he won't put up a fight about going to another one! After the show, we just went back to our room since we were tired from traveling early & getting settled in.

The bf said he was going to pawn me! I told him he won't get much.

Getting ready to go out!

Our second day, we went down to the pool for a little while. Then we had lunch at The Yardhouse over by Town Square. When I was going to school in Vegas, we'd always go over to Town Square to go to the movies or for lunch/dinner so it was nice to revisit. While we at lunch we decided to go see the CrazyHorse Paris show at the MGM. I bought the tickets on my phone while we ate. Technology is so awesome sometimes! After lunch we decided to go check out the pawn shop where they film the show Pawn Stars. The line to get in was out the door and almost around the building. Luckily it moved pretty fast. We didn't see anybody from the show but it was still pretty cool. After that we went to the Paris to walk around & check out all the remodeling they did on the front of the hotel. By the time we were walking back to the car it was pretty much time to head back to the MGM and start getting ready for the night.  We ate dinner at Wolfgang Puck's Bar & Grille at the MGM. I had the chicken and he had the meatloaf. My chicken was pretty good & he said his meatloaf was ok but the onion rings were delicious. We had to hurry & eat because our CrazyHorse show started at 7:30 (I think, it might have been 8 & doors opened at 7:30). The show was good. I would recommend it if you don't mind seeing some topless women! My favorite act was when they played 'Toxic' & I think that was his favorite too. The theater is really small & get there right when the doors open so you can at the front of your table. We didn't there early so we were the 2nd ones at our table & I had a woman's head in my view.


After the show he wanted to go dancing which really surprised me because he's always talking about how he hates clubs in Vegas. I definitely wasn't expecting to go to one. First we checked out Tabu at the MGM. I've been there before & it was ok. We didn't stay too long because it was way too small & too crowded. So we went to the City Center to check out what was there. We decided to go to Haze at the Aria. I got in for free (yay for being a girl!) but he had to pay $30 to get in (boo!!). I did not like this club. Too crowded and too many strobe lights, I thought I was going to have a seizure or something. The music was alright, nothing special. I think I am just outgrowing clubs. I love dancing but I don't like being pushed around by how crowded it is. The only club I really like in Vegas is XS but that was 2 years ago when I went there so I don't know how I'd feel about it now.  We didn't stay long at Haze which I felt bad about because he had to pay to get in.

Our last morning in Vegas we went down to the pool one last time before checking out. On our way out of Vegas we stopped to eat at Steak & Shake at the Southpoint Casino. When my family and I go back to Illinois & Michigan we always eat at Steak & Shake so we were all super excited when they opened one in Vegas. It's the closest one to California. After lunch we headed back to Garden Grove.

I had a really good time in Vegas and I think it was something we definitely needed. Tomorrow I'm going to Disneyland with my mom & sisters. Then tomorrow night I'm going to see the All American Rejects over at the OC Fair! I got tickets in the 4th row so I hope to take some good pictures.

Check out my facebook for more Vegas pictures. Is there a way to make like a little mini album on here or like a slideshow??