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posted by Charles H. Russo on Feb 14
Las Vegas, City of Dreams made real. Once upon a time there was gambling and top-notch musical entertainment. Now there’s that and a whole lot more. Now you can visit Vegas and never want to leave. Many have. Las Vegas was one of the fastest growing cities in the U.S. for over a decade.
Visit one of the Cirque du Soleil performances
posted by Charles H. Russo on Feb 14
One of the oldest hotels in Las Vegas still standing, first opened in August 1966, Caesars Palace has never gone out of style. Recently renovated, it is still the Emperor of the city. With all the changes that the famed desert city has seen over the decades, the attractions at Caesars are still first rate.
Everything from its 129,000 square foot casino space in three rooms to the Japanese cuisine at Hyakumi says ‘Vegas’. Guests can enjoy one of the regal rooms with their high ceilings and royal bathrooms made of marble with brass fixtures.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Feb 14
With all the new shopping centers, restaurants and entertainment offered by Las Vegas these days it’s easy to forget about the casinos. But they are still the center of attraction for many.
Vegas still has many of the old-time icons to offer like the Sahara. But many new ones have sprouted up in just the past decade. Even those as old as 40 years have seen major renovations in the past few years, to compete and to keep that youthful spirit ever fresh.
MGM Grand
Come to Hollywood. The granddaddy of modern Vegas, the casino complex is built to resemble a huge movie set, sort of like James Bond on steroids. Even with the 16,000 seat auditorium and dozens of restaurants, there’s still plenty of room for gaming. Whether you’re an old-timer who still wants to play keno or you’re a young stud or studette with an itch for high stakes poker, you won’t walk away disappointed. Empty-pocketed, maybe.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Feb 5
Las Vegas is a city with a reputation for being unique and exciting. It is a popular vacation destination because it has something to offer everyone, no matter what age or interest.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
Montreal derives its musical-sounding name from a nearby mountain, Mont Royal, which also happens to be one of its main tourist attractions. But there’s much more to this city on the St. Lawrence River than natural wonders, as abundant as those are.
Montreal holds interest for those many tourists who enjoy visiting religious structures around the world.
St. Joseph’s Oratory atop Mont Royal has the second largest dome in the world, following only St. Peter’s in Rome. This unusual work of devotion by Brother Andre was constructed at his urging and holds his very heart, preserved in a glass case inside.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
The Casino de Montr?al gets about 15,000 gamblers per weekday, 25,000 on a weekend day. It’s not hard to see why. With 3,000 slot machines alone, there’s a lot of action. But that only begins to cover the possibilities in this gaming house in Quebec.
Once upon a time locals had to go to Atlantic City in New Jersey, or be satisfied with backroom penny ante games. Now tourists and Qu?b?cois (the name for inhabitants of the far eastern Canadian province) have an alternative.
Originally built as the French Pavilion for Expo ‘67, the casino is an architectural landmark. Over $300 million was spent renovating the building and the investors appear to have gotten their money’s worth. It sparkles like a big brooch near the water.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
Though work is not yet complete, it???s already clear that what???s going on at The Heritage Houseis no mere renovation. Built as a farmhouse in 1877 and first converted into a hotel in 1949, The Heritage House has always had a billion dollar location on 37 rolling gently acres that tumble down to the thrashing Pacific. For many years that location sustained the property as it grew into a haphazard collection of eclectic cottages and bungalows???one of which was used as the primary filming location for the movie Same Time Next Year.
But The Heritage House never had the d?©cor, amenities or service to go with its views until rolling renovations started in March 2007. The property has spent more than $20 million so far to complete work on less than half of the hotel???s 47 rooms, and it shows–carpethas been replaced with tatami mats, overstuffed chintz has been ditched in favor of angular earth tones. The new look amounts to a seamless marriage of the serenity of Asian-inspired hotel style and the effortless, naturally laid back Northern California attitude.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
Hotel Indigo is a branded boutique hotel experience from the InterContinental Hotels Group which appears to growing quickly. The ninth Hotel Indigo will open this summer in Amherst, NY, less than 3 years
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
Ocean Shores, Washington began as a highly touted real estate development, but over the years it has settled into its present incarnation as a fine family resort town on the central coast of Washington State.
The 6,000 acre peninsula is just 75 miles west of the state capitol of Olympia and close enough to Seattle (132 miles) and Portland (165 miles) to draw weekend visitors year ’round. In fact, it’s Washington’s most visited seaside destination, with mile after mile of wide, sandy beaches completely open to the public.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Jan 29
After an absence of five years, the Festival dos Oceanos (Oceans Festival) returns to the Parque das Na