Vegas, Baby!

In honour of booking my second trip to Vegas, I though I'd post about my first adventure there...

Where: Las Vegas, NV
When: November 2013

We, as a group of six, had decided a long time prior to turning 21, that once all of us were of age, we'd go celebrate in Las Vegas. Our last one became 21 at the end of September, so we utilized a long weekend in November and went!

Around dinner time Friday night, we set off on our road trip! The trip from Davis is about eight hours (with no traffic), so we stopped with about two hours to go to stay overnight in Barstow. As the sole driver, stopping was much needed at 2AM.

Barstow, CA

Where we stayed: The Hard Rock Hotel and Casino

Pre-adventure drinks in our hotel room.

During the day: We explored the Strip and the many hotels that accompany it. We also utilized the only pool that was open (it was November after all) and the slot machines. (I was able to cross-off "Gamble at a Casino" from "My To-Dos" list!)

Always throwing what we know!

Just being tourists.

Clockwise from the top: Venetian, Cosmopolitan, Bellagio Fountains

Gambling!

Night #1: We had dinner at The Culinary Dropout in the hotel, which was delicious, and then headed out to clubs! (We also accidentally colour-coordinated for our evening out - it was a red, black, and white kind of night!)

Dinner Attire

LAX (Luxor) and Marquee (Cosmopolitan)

Night #2: Before heading out to our second night of dancing, we first went to the Aria hotel for some very delicious pink drinks. To end our night, we went to Hyde (at the Bellagio) where the only room to dance was on the edge of couches and where white confetti fell from the ceilings.

Black on Black

The Lounge in Aria

Hyde (Bellagio)

At the end of March, we're bringing my younger sister along, who a week before will have turned 21! This time, we opted to spend a little more money and stay on the Strip at the Monte Carlo. It's safe to say we're all pretty hyped to dance the nights away and enjoy the pool parties! The countdown is on...

THE Mac-n-Cheese

For a games night last year, I decided to try this recipe I had found on Pinterest called THE Mac-n-Cheese. And let me tell you, it was delicious! What I decided to do to make it a little more interesting was create a Mac-n-Cheese bar. I set bowls out with things like ham, broccoli, tomatoes, bacon, and caramelized onions for my friends to add into their dish.

To Make:

1 pound pasta (I used cavatappi)

½ cup butter (1 stick)

½ cup flour

4 cups whole milk

6 cups shredded cheddar

1 tablespoon salt

1 tablespoon pepper

2 tablespoons butter

½ cup panko bread crumbs

Preheat oven to 325 degrees.

Boil pasta in salted water.

Melt ½ cup butter in large saucepan over medium heat.

Sprinkle in ½ cup flour and whisk together for 2-3 minutes.

Slowly pour in 4 cups whole milk - whisk as you go, until smooth.

Add 6 cups shredded cheddar.

Add 1 tablespoon salt and 1 tablespoon pepper.

Add sauce to pasta and stir.

In small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons butter over medium heat.

Add in ½ cup panko bread crumbs.

Stir constantly until golden brown.

Sprinkle over mac-n-cheese.

Bake in for 12-15 minutes.

The Final Product

Wine Tasting in Napa Valley

This long weekend, one of my best friends from UC Davis came back up to visit. While she was here, we went shopping (I got new boots), celebrated Clara's birthday (at Chicago Fire), went clubbing (at The Park), and lastly, went wine tasting in Napa! It was a busy weekend, but beyond worth it!

Here is our Napa Valley trip in a nutshell:

Stop #1: Sterling Vineyards

At Sterling, you take a gondola up to the winery, which gives gorgeous 360 degree views of Napa. While we were there, we tried seven different wines. My favourite was the 2013 Cellar Club Malvasia Bianca. It was a sweet white wine that was fruity and delicious!

(^Those are the new boots I mentioned!)

Stop #2: Beaulieu Vineyards

Here, we went downstairs to the Club Member Tasting Room where we sampled five wines - one white, four red. The last one we tasted, a 2009 Georges de Latour, retailed at $140 per bottle and you could tell! It was the smoothest red I've ever tasted!

Stop #3: "Welcome to Napa Valley"

On our way home, we decided to stop here to take the typical tourist shot. As this is the off-season for grapes, the vineyards are filled with thousands of mustard seeds. These bright yellow flowers made for some beautiful shots! Along with the mustard seeds, there was also an old railroad track at this pitstop, which turned out to be a great backdrop for photos.

Usually my friends aren't often into taking individual photos, but today was an exception. Maybe it had something to do with the wine in their system or they just loved the location, but they were willing to model for me! Here are some of my favourites (and of course, some funny ones)!

Clara:

Emma:

Marie:

(I, also, joined in on the fun)

Overall, we had a wonderful day, and best of all, a great visit with Marie!

Fill a Sketchbook

In my second year of college, I took a class that was required for what my major at the time was (biomechanical engineering) that involved sketching. Each week, we had to complete a certain number of free sketches to get used to it, something that I never thought I'd enjoy. However, the more I did it, the more I really truly enjoyed it. When that realization occurred, I decided to challenge myself to completely fill a sketchbook. Tonight, I completed that goal. I started it January 17, almost exactly three years ago, and whenever I found myself with some free time, I'd take out my book and sketch away! It's never been something I've shared with people, but I'm proud of accomplishing this task I set out for myself, so I've decided to share some of my favourites. Enjoy!

xoxo