Living the Dream in Retirement
I enjoy photography and find it nearly impossible to pass by beautiful flowers without stopping to take photos. These were taken yesterday at my BFF’s home in Traverse City Michigan where I spent a fabulous extended weekend.
Last month on the last night of my trip out west, I got to see KA at the MGM Grand Las Vegas. A perfect ending to a trip packed with so many fun activities, this was spectacular.
Kà is a show by Cirque du Soleil at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, Nevada. Kà describes the story as “the coming of age of a young man and a young woman through their encounters with love, conflict and the duality of Kà, the fire that can unite or separate, destroy or illuminate.” Wikipedia
Photos or video of the performance are forbidden and fine by me as I wanted to experience it fully, not through the lense of my iPhone. The photos shown here were taken pre or post-show.
After a fun day with my BFF including an art fair, delicious lunch, shopping and wine tasting we were headed home. She noticed a little roadside stand for flowers, $5 per bouquet. They were so lovely I had to photograph them. It’s a mix of perennials, annuals, wild flowers and herbs
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On the first night of my recent trip to Las Vegas, my sister and I saw Michael Carbonaro’s show. I knew a bit about him as I’d seen a few episodes of his TV show, The Carbonaro Effect. I’d never seen him in person and was in for a treat.
I couldn’t have imagined what I was about to see…
Michael is both magician and comedian and is so engaging from the moment he appears until the end of the show. We were a few rows back, right in the center – perfect seats. His illusions are lightning fast and it’s such a clever and well-crafted performance. There were more than a few collective gasps from the audience as he performed. He is funny, charming and sincerely loves what he does – and his show is family friendly – not true of all Vegas entertainment.
I’m now a Michael Carbonaro fan and have found seasons 2-5 of the Carbonaro Effect on MAX streaming. It’s totally unique – think magic, illusions plus a hidden camera with unsuspecting “participants.”. Each episode features several unique scenarios and has me laughing out loud while thinking “how did he do that?” I’m hooked!
While in Vegas I saw LOVE and it didn’t disappoint. Several years ago we went to a “Behind the Scenes” event at this theater giving us insight to the complexity of the production and how the show was written with input from Paul McCartney and Ringo Starr. Until this trip I hadn’t seen the show.
This time I got to see LOVE and it was a rollicking ride from the first bars of “Get Back” and the non-stop theatrical experience of this Cirque du Soleil show. It is a theater in-the-round and we were in the first row. I must give credit to my sister who shared her photos as most shown here were taken by her.
Imaginarium in Las Vegas is a massive outdoor light show and was so much fun to explore. After sorting many photos, I’m sharing my favorites.
Once again I’m knocked out by the creativity and beauty at Bellagio’s Conservatory where the current theme is Bellagio’s Opus. There isn’t a visit to Vegas which doesn’t include this “must see” display.
Each season, the enormously talented Horticulture and Engineering teams transform the 14,000-square-foot Botanical Gardens into a showcase of inspiring sights, sounds, scents and colors. Spring, Summer, Fall and Winter are all featured—along with a special display for Lunar New Year. When the seasons change so do the displays. The talented Conservatory team changes out the design and also replants and repurposes as much of the living plant material as possible, further celebrating Mother Nature and our commitment to sustainability. This excerpt is from Bellagio’s website.
These are a few of my favorite photos!
For me returning to the Great Smoky Mountains is inevitable. Most all who visit here fall in love with everything about this magical place. The air smells fresher, the people are welcoming and there’s no end of things to explore. While this trip featured several new experiences for me, I always make the drive through the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and Cades Cove Loop, seeking out scenic overlooks and photo-ops to capture the beauty all around me. Once you’ve driven through, you’re always drawn back. It’s ever-changing with the passage of time yet it remains clean and well maintained, a credit to our national parks workers. Photos can never do it justice but I wanted to share a few favorites from this vacation.
And one more thing, if you’ve never been here, I hope you will one day.
These beauties live in my daughter-in-law’s garden and I had to photograph – and share them. Enjoy!
