Tuesday, September 4, 2012

Cut!! Action!!

After reading then re-reading my last post, I talked to one of the closest people to me and realized that I have the power within me to make changes in my life. It's not that I didn't know this already. I guess I just never had the will to want to make the changes that need to be made. There are things that I need to cut out of my life and actions that I need to work on if I want to move forward.

The toxins that invade my space are not there because I want them to be there. They poison me because I allow them to do that. It is so easy to say you should cut this person out of your life or you should start doing this instead, but it really is so much more difficult than that. I have given this same advice to my closest friends for years. I am confident when I speak to my friends, knowing my advice is good, strong advice coming from someone outside of the issue. But for some reason, I have had issues listening to myself... listening to my own advice. I'm pretty sure we all have had this problem at one time or another.

All I can do is hope that I stay on this path. I know in my heart that I do not deserve to be walked on or treated certain ways. My parents taught me better than that, so why would I allow it to happen anyway? I think I get so wrapped up in how others see me. I don't want someone to think I'm mean or hateful, but I can't sit back and be walked on.

I feel pretty good about the actions I'm moving forward with these days. My life is too good to be poisoned by hurtful people who only look out for themselves. So I'm cutting out the negatives and pushing forward the actions of making my life a happy one.

Sunday, September 2, 2012

I'm Not That Girl Anymore

It was an every night thing. She would dress up in her pink comic strip heels and black lace shirt and I would put on some jeans and go through her earrings trying to find the biggest pair of chandaliers she had. We would waltz out of the duplex confident and sassy on our way downtown to drink in the night. We were invincible, so we thought. We didn't pay a cover charge and we had our own seats. We listened to the people ordering beers and shots and felt the music in our veins. This was the life. What could be better for single girls in their twenties? We stayed out late and slept in. Well, I slept in. She had to work earlier than I did. This was all before I started working the night shift. But it was good. We had the best time meeting local musicians and being crazy, wild, twenty-something girls.

It seems like that part of me was a dream. That life I lived so many years ago is so different from the life I live today. My perspective on life is different. I know that's how it is supposed to be as you grow up, but somehow this seems unreal.

I talked to a friend of mine from back in that time just today. This friend was someone I thought a lot of... he is so talented. He has a voice that is rich, almost like a smooth single barrel bourbon. He reminded me of that time - the days when I was carefree and had no problem dancing in the wind. He reminded me of a time when I was lost and uncertain about my life. I had no idea who I was (not that I do now), but I was truly a lost soul. I sought solace in a drink and the vibrations of the music. Things I used to do back then were a reflection of that.

Times have changed, and that lost girl found some of herself. She found truth inside her and grew a bit of a conscience. In doing so, she lost, too. That confidence she thought she had is not really there anymore. There are days when I feel pretty good about myself, but after the chat today I don't feel it. Being brought back to those days isn't a great feeling when I have come so far and grown so much. I have learned to take some responsibility for myself and my actions... my thoughts and my feelings. I cannot say that I am not happy to have matured a little. Being in my thirties is so different from being in my twenties, better really. I guess it's just hard to think of how ridiculous life was back then when I was searching for something, anything that would fill the void of unhappiness. Today, I just deal with it. Or maybe I deal with it a little better. I'm not unhappy with life, though, and I certainly am not complaining about it. But it does hurt a little to be reminded of how I used to be and being told that basically growing up and becoming a more responsible woman is "uncool" and how I should be more like my twenty-something self.

I realize this is ridiculous and I'm not making a lot of sense. I can't begin to explain it all without going into lengthy details of my past, but I can say that I'm just not that girl anymore.

Saturday, September 1, 2012

And... Everything Else...

Not once on this trip to Las Vegas did we hit up a food court. Here's the low-down on all the other restaurants we opted to try out...

Gilley's at TI: This place was okay. The operator told us the only places open to eat at around 11:30 on a Tuesday night in Vegas was the McDonald's and Subway across the street from our hotel. Uh... not an option. So we walked around until we came up this place inside our hotel. I ordered barbeque with macaroni/cheese and corn on the cob; Mary Jo ordered the sampler appetizer platter. The food was okay. It came out hot and fresh, but it was nothing to write home about.

Chipotle: I guess this place is sort of like a Moe's Southwest Grill, or maybe like Baja Fresh. Anyway... it was really good. We got this on our walk back to TI the second night we were in Vegas. The burritos were hot and fresh and as big as your head, stuffed full of deliciously seasoned organic foods. LOVED IT!! I wish we had known about this place the night before when we sat down for dinner at Gilley's.

The Coffee Shop at TI: This place was open 24/7 I believe and it was right smack dab in the middle of the casino. We decided this was the place for breakfast on our last day in Las Vegas. By this time, Libbi and her husband, Aaron, had joined us and we sat down together for an expensive breakfast. I ordered a chicken quesadilla (Hey now! I'm not big on breakfast! lol), Mary Jo ordered a cup of grapefruit (she was sharing with Libbi), Libbi ordered this pancake tower thing (pancakes layered with sausage patties, covered with eggs - scrambled in this case - and bacon), and Aaron ordered this massive country fried steak with hasbrowns and toast. I'd have to say that breakfast was pretty good. The service wasn't great... the server left to go on break but no one else really checked after us for a while. It was good food, though.

Garden Buffet at South Point: We enjoyed dinner at this buffet on our last night in Las Vegas. Libbi was really wanting to eat there because she said they had great seafood. I, not being a seafood lover, didn't love this place. I ate a few things there and sampled a couple of desserts, but nothing was great about it. The Buffet at TI was so much better. I guess I got spoiled by that one.

I can't think of any other restaurants we tried on this trip, though Mary Jo did bring some really great snacks which helped us through the times when we were hungry between meals. LOL.

Seredipity 3, Caesars Palace, Las Vegas


I can't explain, to the full effect, my absolute feelings about a little place called Serendipity 3. For years, I have wanted to go to this little restaurant in New York City and order their Frrrozen Hot Chocolate. I saw it in a movie once and thought it looked like the most amazing dessert ever. I had to try it. I just had to get to New York. Then as I was walking down the strip in Las Vegas last April with my friend, Jennifer, I saw it. There wasn't just one Serendipity 3 in New York City... there was one in Las Vegas, too! I was excited and thought I had my chance to experience a true part of The Big Apple... but I was wrong. We just didn't get there in April. So when my best girl, Mary Jo, and I decided to fly out to surprise our friend, Libbi, I knew I had my chance to stop in there.

Just as I suspected, my girlfriend was up for anything. She said we should definitely make Serendipity 3 a priority on our list of things to do while in Vegas... which consisted of nothing at that time.

On our second day in Sin City, we ventured out of TI and headed towards Serendipity 3. Along the way we stopped by the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace and looked around at all the luxuries we could not afford (Christian Louboutin shoes, Emilio Pucci clothes, and high dollar chocolates). After wandering along inside the mall there, we decided to just backtrack and try to find our way outside... and we did.



Finally, we arrived at our destination. The heat was pretty bad that day and we'd been walking around a while, so we opted for indoor seating. The atmosphere was so fun. It was perfect for a ladies luncheon. We were seated promptly and given a stack of menus to ponder over. I wanted to try nearly everything. It was hard to make up my mind, but I kept going back to the burger for some reason. I ordered a cocktail (Cotton Candy Martini) and my cheeseburger/fries. Mary Jo opted for the white pizza. When our food arrived, we were amazed at how good it all looked. Without even taking a bite, we just knew this was going to be a lunch we would remember.






We had to stop. There was no way either of us could finish our lunches if we had any kind of desire to try dessert. So we packed up our left-overs and ordered what was quite possibly the most amazing thing I've ever had. I ordered the Frrrozen Hot Chocolate (the original... they have TONS of variations and toppings) and my girlfriend ordered the Fried Oreo Sundae. We were pretty much amazed at how huge they were. We could have shared HALF of one dessert. The fried oreos were coated in a corn flake type of batter and deep fried to golden deliciousness. Inside her bowl along with the fried Oreos were huge scoops of cookies and cream ice cream, hot fudge, marshmallow cream, and whipped cream. It was massive. I believe my frrrozen hot chocolate was said to be made from 20 different kinds of chocolates. I had no idea there were THAT many kinds of chocolate, but I can tell you now that I love them all. (Haha!!)



After finishing all that we could of our lunch and desserts, we sat there miserably. I know we gained a million pounds off that lunch, but it was SO worth it. I can't wait to go back and try something different. I recommend everyone going and trying this restaurant. It's amazing... really.

***** Serendipity: "It's such a nice sounding word for what it means: a fortunate accident." *****

The Buffet at TI, Las Vegas

Flying into Vegas takes a good long time from Kentucky. So, naturally, once we got into Sin City we were starting to feel the grumpy sounds of hunger. After losing my luggage (myself... not the airline) and getting shuttled around all the terminals at McCarran International Airport, you could say we were hungry enough to eat a horse. Luckily, there was a buffet in sight.

Upon checking into Treasure Island (or TI as they like to be referred), we received a 2-for-1 deal at The Buffet, as well as a 2-for-1 cocktail at any of the hotel's lounges. We dropped our luggage off at our petite suite and headed down to grab something to eat. We were excited to find out that along with our buffet, we could purchase "all you can drink champagne" for just $4 more. So yeah, we decided to take them up on that offer. We were seated at a nice table with a good view of what The Buffet offered. And off we went...


My friend sampled the Asian fare, including fresh sushi, while I opted for more of an American plate, country fried steak and barbeque. Everything tasted great. We enjoyed trying this and that, but I must say that only one plate was good for me. After a few glasses of champagne, we decided it was time to check out the dessert section.

I would say that the food at The Buffet was really good, but the desserts were amazing. I know we looked like crazy vultures bringing back plates full of yummy sweetness, but we had to try a little of nearly everything. There were chocolate pudding cups with fresh cream and chocolate shavings, tarts of fruits and berries, cupcakes of many flavors, and donuts. Yes... fresh, hot, homemade donuts. These were probably the best things in that entire buffet. There were glazed donuts and chocolate covered donuts, caramel frosted donuts and powdered sugar donuts. They were heavenly. So good, in fact, that my friend decided she was going to sneak some into her bag for later. Hahaha!

I guess you could say we enjoyed our trip to The Buffet at TI. A few days later we ate at another buffet at South Point Hotel and Casino just off the strip... it wasn't nearly as good as The Buffet at TI. I know every hotel/casino in Las Vegas has some sort of amazing buffet and there's no way to try them all out without staying for months, but this one was really great.

Tamara's Travels and Marvelous Memory Making

A couple of years ago, I started a bucket list to experience all that I could of out my life. Not just a list of things to do before I die, but a list of things to do every year. Who said their 20s was the best time of their lives?? I think the 30s are my prime. I'm living in my time. It's my time to find who I am. It's my time to experience all I can. And it's my time to truly live this life of mine.

Every year, I put "Travel more" on my bucket list in hopes that I will go and do whenever I can... and let me tell you, I have gone... and I have done. And I'm not stopping there.

Last year I traveled a lot and I got to make tons of memories, but the happiness I had throughout the year was tainted by my sister's cancer and then losing someone very dear to me, my grandfather. After losing my grandfather, it seemed like life was dealing me a really sorry hand. I lost a great-uncle, and then several of my friends lost loved ones, too. By the end of the year, I couldn't really say whether my year was great or not. I had so many mixed emotions.

When I started on my bucket list for this year, I added the usual items including "Travel more." I know that I am doing a real good job at satisfying that one item on my list. So far this year, I've been back to Mardi Gras, spent a weekend in the mountains, worked out of town three times, visited Las Vegas (not once, but TWO times), surprised a couple of my best girls, and soaked my feet in the summer sun on the beaches of the Sunshine State. It's never enough, though. I'm already trying to plan more vacations and more weekend getaways. I need more road trips. I need more pins on my atlas of life.

Some people probably think it's a little much and I should stay home every once in a while, but I disagree. It's true that I could save more money and maybe have more material things if I did that. But that's just not who I am. I'm a "throw some clothes in a bag and go" kind of girl... a rambling child searching for my soul. It always makes me smile when I think of even the smallest memories that are made during my travels - the inside jokes... the photographs in my mind... and the musical soundtrack of life that makes each trip so special.

I was flying home from Cincinnati (second leg of the flight home from Vegas) just yesterday and I was thinking how nice it would be to crawl into my bed and take a nice long nap. But when I woke up from that nap, I was already trying to figure out where to go this weekend. I mean, come on! It's a holiday weekend!! LOL. Aren't you ready to go, too??