Carole Terwilliger Meyers's Blog, page 38

Sights to See: Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden, Hilo, Big Island, Hawaii

Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden   27-717 Old Mamalahoa Hwy., Papaikou, at Onomea Bay, 8.5 miles north of Hilo, (808) 964-5233.  Daily 9-5.  $15, 6-16 $5.  This spectacular 17-acre garden grows in a natural tropical rainforest and displays more than 2,000 species of tropical flowers and plants.  It is a living museum of tropical and sub-tropical plants, with 80 species of native plants.  Many plants in the collection are now extinct in the wild.  Though it opened in 1984, some coconut palms and mature mango trees are enormous, about 130 to 180 feet tall and more than 100 years old.  The garden is known for its collection of palms (more than 200 varieties), gingers (about 200 varieties--some big and showey, some small and fragrant), and orchids.  You’ll see exotic birds, including macaws, as well as koi.  Kids can expend some energy on paths that follow streams winding through a lush jungle filled with palms and waterfalls.  A scenic trail leads down through a valley, to the ocean, and back.  A small museum in the back of the gift shop displays local artifacts.  Bring drinking water. The water on site is from a catchment system and non-potable. 



red heliconia
white bat flower
pink quill bromeliad
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Great Sleeps/Good Eats/Things to Do: The Venetian, Las Vegas, Nevada

The Venetian   3355 S. Las Vegas Blvd., (877) 583-6423, (702) 414-1000.  4,028 suites.  The last large themed casino to be built on the Strip, this Italian-themed all-suites hotel complex was built in the 1990s as a romantic gift to the owner’s wife.  It is authentically Italian and now, with its new Palazzo tower, has 7,000 suites--and claims to have more convention space than San Francisco and Los Angeles combined!  And, as is true everywhere, there are suites and then there are SUITES.  In suites here, plenty of marble is used throughout, and the more exclusive suites have high ceilings and a private steam room, sauna, and oversize whirlpool tub.  Some also have a screening room, pool table, walk-in closet, exercise room, and/or grand piano—for which arrangements can be made for someone to come up and play it.  Dropped guest names include George Clooney, Ben Affleck, and George W (he stayed in the Presidential Suite when he was in office).  Butler service is available, as is a private penthouse gaming club.  Ordinary suites begin at $149and are spectacular, too, and each features a sunken living room.  Once “The Phantom of the Opera” musical ran for about 10 years in a showroom modeled after the Paris Opera House.  But times have changed.  Now the draw is live music, and The Judds just opened in that same venue.  Public facilities here include Canyon Ranch--the world’s largest day spa--and an array of big-name restaurants. 





●Gondolas  Sun-Thur 10 a.m.-11 p.m., F-Sat 10 a.m.-midnight.  $21.  Gondoliers are very Italian and attentive, and once you are gliding along through a ¼-mile-long replica of Venice’s Grand Canal they will serenade you.  It is hard to believe, but there are two circuits—one inside, one outside—that’s how big The Venetian is! 
 

● B&B Ristorante   (702) 266-9977.  When Mario Batalli cooks, people show up.  In droves.  This spot is usually packed to overflowing.  Great wines are stocked from every region in Italy, but a relaxing cocktail can be delightful when you are finally seated.  In my case it was a sweet one--Under the Maple Tree--made with Bulleit bourbon and maple syrup plus lemon and orange juices.  My preset dinner appetizers included a variety of house-cured salami and pickles, grilled octopus with fagioli marinati and spicy limoncello vinaigrette, and an spectacular roasted kabocha squash with burrata and pumpkin-seed pesto.  Whole wheat troffie pasta was perfectly al dente and tossed with butternut squash and more pumpkin-seed pesto.  But I considered the roasted lamb leg with parsnips and purslane so undercooked as to be inedible.  Since we were running late for a show, our vanilla gelati and pear sorbetti dolce was thoughtfully scooped into a paper cup for us to grab and go.



roasted kabocha squash with burrata and pumpkin-seed pesto    
● Tao Nightclub   (702) 388-8588.  This hot club is a branch of the NYC hot spot and features a spectacular décor of Buddhas, including one that is 20 feet tall and floats above an infinity pool.  It has VIP booths and is popular with celebrities.  Seductive Asian-themed TAO Beach is an extension of the club.  Downstairs, TAO Asian Bistro is America’s highest grossing and offers everything from Kobe beef to traditional Peking duck.  



 
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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: 18b, The Las Vegas Arts District, Las Vegas, Nevada

18b, The Las Vegas Arts District   Located north of the Strip and south of the heart of Downtown, the quirky, dynamic Arts District was city-designated 11 years ago, though it began organically before that, and its “18b” name refers to its original 18 designated blocks, which have now expanded.  Approximately 20 antiques stores are also in this area.  Street art includes ever-changing murals that adorn buildings.  First Friday has been going for 13 years and draws a large group each month to enjoy food, performances, and art. 
A guided 18b Arts District Tour is available through Las Vegas Pop Culture Tours .   

living street art
Among the stand-out venues are:
Inside Style   1119 South Main St./Charleston, (702) 399-1100.  Across the street from a bail bonds building and Vegas Vape shop, this creative interior design store makes use of the work of artists both local and farther away.  



Retro Vegas   1131 S. Main St., (702) 384-2700.  Next door, this warehouse antique shop is filled literally to its tin-roof rafters with items such as pink flamingos and colored glass.

Patina   1300 S. Main St., (702) 776-6222.  Across the street and down a block, past the Casa Don Juan Mexican restaurant and popular Velveteen Rabbit bar, this antiques shop specializes in the glamourous Hollywood Regency style and features art, bar wear, furniture, and clothing.  I especially liked the colorful glass and the leopard-covered furniture.  Fragrant soaps from Santa Fe permeate the store, and happy music entertains while you browse.  You can also visit their thriving online shop .


The two complexes that are the glue holding the area together are:
The Arts Factory   Located within a 50-year-old commercial warehouse, this is the geographic and creative center for the area’s exhibits and events.  Many artists have studios here, and some shops sell artworks.





Art Square   1025 S. First St.  Composed of three remodeled 1950s buildings, this complex has a small black-box theater, an outdoor art garden, and the colorful Latin-influenced Mingo bar-restaurant.

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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Shangri La, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii

Shangri La  4055 Papu Circle, (866) 385-3849, (808) 734-1941.  Tour/van $25.  No children under 12.  Guide:  “Some people write diaries.  Doris Duke built.”  This serene, sensual, exotic, and mysterious 4.9-acre oceanfront estate is situated east of Diamond Head, hidden Islam-style behind a non-descript gate.  Doris Duke and her husband, James Cromwell, lived here from 1912 to 1993.  Duke’s exceptional collection of Islamic art spans the 8th through 20th centuries and is a focal point of the tour.  But you’ll also see a glass wall in the living room that disappears into the basement on an elevator track, verdant gardens, and the couple’s lava rock saltwater pool.






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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: Springs Preserve, Las Vegas, Nevada

Springs Preserve   333 S. Valley View Blvd., 3 miles NW of The Strip, (702) 822-7700.  $18.95, 65+ $17.05, 5-17 $10.95; seasonal butterfly exhibit +$2-$3, under 2 free.  Owned and operated by the Las Vegas Valley Water District, this 180-acre site is built around Las Vegas Springs--the original water source for the town.  The preserve includes desert botanical gardens, museum galleries, an attractive outdoor concert venue, an indoor theater, an historic photo gallery, and almost 3½ miles of picturesque walking trails.  The gardens hold the only complete collection of Mojave cactus and succulents in the world.  A LEED Platinum facility, the preserve displays ways to live comfortably and green in a desert environment.  You’ll see rammed-earth walls, plus the parking area is in reality the reservoir’s roof and the parking area’s roof in turn collects solar energy used to generate power for the entire complex.  The Origen Museum displays a Native American Village, features an awe-inspiring flash flood pulsing through a recreated desert ravine, and additionally has an outdoor animals exhibit with a Gila monster, desert cottontails, and more.  I found  touring the small solar-powered DesertSol house particularly interesting, and kids are sure to enjoy the playground, Butterfly Habitat, and trackless train ride.  There is more, and spontaneous activities and interactive exhibits occur here and there.  Divine Cafe serves refreshing cold drinks and lunch daily, plus brunch on weekends.  







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images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Sights to See: Mystere, Las Vegas, Nevada

Mystere   At Treasure Island (TI).  $60+.  This was the first Cirque du Soleil production in Las Vegas.  It continues to combine the athleticism, acrobatics, and colorful creative imagery and costumes that we expect from Cirque shows, while thunderous taiko drums set the rhythm and a sweet and funny oversized baby delights as the central character.    




 

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Great Sleeps: Downtown Grand, Las Vegas, Nevada

Downtown Grand   206 North 3rd St., 2 blks. from Fremont St., Downtown Las Vegas, (702) 719-5100.  Restaurants, bar.  Pool; fitness room.  Situated within a repurposed factory space, the casino here has an industrial chic vibe while the hotel manages to feel boutiquey and provides stylish rooms.  Well located, the hotel is two blocks from the spectacular Fremont Street Experience and just across the street from The Mob Museum.  Unfortunately, a mandatory resort fee is charged, which covers valet parking and wifi whether you need it or not.  A cool heated infinity pool is on the third-floor roof of the casino, with plenty of lounge chairs, semi-private cabanas, and a bar.

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    The hotel is in cahoots with many restaurants immediately adjacent, including Pizza Rock , which is an offshoot of the riotously popular Tony’s Pizza Napoletana in San Francisco.



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Things to Do: Fremont Street Experience, Las Vegas, Nevada

Fremont Street Experience   Along Fremont St., five blocks between Main St. & 4th St., Downtown Las Vegas.  Now closed to cars, this section of Fremont is covered by an immense mesh canopy that is lit at night with more than 2.1 million lights.  A free light-and-laser show with a 54,000-watt stereo system entertains impromptu audiences between free live music shows, which are scheduled four times each night.  This lively five-block-long promenade is lined with shops, cafes, and casinos and is where U2 shot their video for "Still Haven't Found What I'm Looking For."  Both the 77-foot-high and 850-foot-long Slotzilla zip line and a higher zoom line that launches riders in a horizontal Superman position provide screaming participants that add to the excitement.  There is a lot going on here.  Read this article and you won’t miss a thing. 



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video ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers

Things to Do: Downtown Container Park, Las Vegas, Nevada

Downtown Container Park   707 Fremont St./7th St., Downtown Las Vegas.  No pets.  Built from re-purposed shipping containers as well as locally manufactured modular metal cubes, this small open-air shopping center opened in 2013.  A giant fire-breathing praying mantis by its entrance lets you know you are in the right place.  The center is home to boutiques, art galleries, restaurants, and offices, and a barbershop operates within a retired boxcar and caboose.  In the park’s center, a children’s play area features a giant treehouse, where adults can join their kids exploring a 33-foot-tall slide, a NEOS play system, and over-sized foam building blocks.  




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More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  
images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers 

Things to Do: Las Vegas Natural History Museum, Las Vegas, Nevada

Las Vegas Natural History Museum   900 Las Vegas Blvd N., (702) 384-3466.  Daily 9am-4pm.  $10, seniors $8, 3-11 $5.  This satisfyingly old-fashioned museum is also entertaining and educational, with an assortment of don’t-miss galleries.  The International Wildlife Gallery and Grand Hall holds exotic taxidermy animals that include a 16-foot giraffe, a family of bison, and some grizzly bears, while the Wild Nevada Gallery is dedicated to native Nevada animals and plants.  The Prehistoric Life Gallery holds a variety of life-size dinosaurs, some of which move and make sounds.  My favorite is the smallish Deinonychus “Terrible Claw,” which is covered in real feathers.

The African galleries depict Early Man and feature a model of Australopithecus which walked upright and was known as Lucy, and an African Savanna exhibit with more taxidermy animals--some centered around a watering hole and others in a depiction of lions attacking a zebra.

The Marine Life Gallery presents re-creations of sharks and whales hanging from the ceiling as if they are swimming through the hall, as well as some living exhibits that staff from Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino helps maintain.

Treasures of Egypt, which was a windfall that came from a remodel of the Luxor Hotel & Casino, displays a recreation of King Tutankhamun’s famous tomb (there are only two sanctioned reproductions of Tut’s tomb and this is one of them).  Among the treasures are the coffins of Tut’s children, who sadly were stillborn.  

More things to do in Las Vegas.

More travel articles to inspire you and help you plan some spectacular getaways.  

images ©2015 Carole Terwilliger Meyers