Super Bloom, Bellagio, and Ballet

Stopping along the California State Route 190-known as the Death Valley Scenic Byway- to enjoy the Super Bloom in Death Valley National Park. Desert Gold blooms

Spring Break was Spring Bloom this year as we went camping 

at Death Valley National Park, Furnace Creek. A very invigorating, pleasant experience.

Huge nest with origami birds.

Tranquil garden at the Bellagio.

I started out in Vegas, where two of my kids live. My daughter and I were going camping. I always visit the Bellagio Conservatory (as y'all know I could give a nerd's tour of Vegas.)

Koi Cam!

Tulips, narcissus and koi!

The theme this spring was a Japanese garden. Cherry blossoms, reflecting pool, but the artistic nest with origami birds was new this year. The koi pond also had a koi cam (so the hammier of the fish good show off, I think.)

Our happy Marmot tent.

Chillaxin' with a good book.

The drive to Death Valley has expansive views, mountains of amazing colors and this year, lots of blossoms. As last year, we camped at Furnace Creek, Death Valley National Park, which actually has pleasant, even brusque temps in early spring contrary to its name.

Furnace Creek Visitor's Center.

There is an interesting tourist center nearby.  First day, we drove to Dante's View, with a 5000 ft. view, Zabriski Point with remarkable mountains of color, and the Sand Dunes, with wind-build designs, some of which look like pyramids! But look out for sand storms. All that sand and no ocean. (That's just the California Girl in me speaking.)

Dante's View, Death Valley National Park. We can see the Salt Flats down below, but we didn't see Dante.

Zabriski Point

Mesquite Sand Dunes

Families from around the world come to visit these sites. It is
exhilarating and fun to be in such expansive vistas.

Look up--there's Dante's Peak from the Salt Flats.

Palette of earth tones for sure.

The following day, we went -282 feet below sea level to the Salt Flats we had seen from above. You could say, we looked at Death Valley from both sides now!
On the way back to camp, we meandered through Artist's Palette.
More lovely rock colors. 

Intrepid explorers.

Mornings in nature--the best.

In the morning it sounded like we camped in an aviary--so many lively birds greeting with chirpy songs. But it was time for the happy campers to head home.
As travelers know, there are always interesting off-the-beaten-path spots to see. At Death Valley Junction, as we drove back to Vegas, my daughter wished to stop at Amargosa's Opera House. It is truly in the middle of nowhere. Not only did we find an Opera House, but ballet, an artist's gallery, and a miniature train representation of Death Valley's mining history.

Gunsite Mine!

Ballet in the desert!

This is artist Beverly Slikker in her gallery. She is a highly recognized artist. You can get her book My Art Walk to the Contemporary Masters http://bookstore.liferichpublishing.com/Products/SKU-001042449/My-Art-Walk-to-the-Contemporary-Masters.aspx




 The ballerina Jenna McClintock recreates the work of a previous dancer at the Opera House, Marta Becket. There is a nice restaurant and dining room, plus museum.
The railroad has quite a history in the desert, too, associated with mining. We found the model railroad at the Home of the T and T Railroad Museum.

Lots blooming this spring in Death Valley--flowers, the fine arts, history,

and folks' love of grand nature.

Super Bloom! at 5,000 ft Dante's View, Death Valley National Park Notchleaf Phacelia Crenulata

A Nerd's Las Vegas Christmas by Twinkle McJingle

Twinkle McJingle

Date: December 25, 2012
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Subject under observation: MzTeachuh and kin
Activity: Christmas

Reporting: Twinkle McJingle

8:00 a.m. The weather was cold but clear in the City that Never Sleeps, although we had been snoring it up tucked all snug in our beds anyway. MzTeachuh brewed Pumpkin Spice coffee, warmed Blueberry/Apple Muffins with a Lemon Twist. All munching.

Rudolph seems to find salmon appealing.

8:30 a.m. Family members arrive for Christmas Breakfast. Salmon. Prepared on a bar-b-que on a balcony. Will research on Google to see if this is traditional meal.

9:00 a.m. Over the meal, plans are developed to see a movie. Will it be the right time? Which theatre? The Palms? The Rave? The Orleans? How about South Point? Want 3D? Do the glasses really work? Are they better now than Avatar? Sheesh. You'd think this was important.

The Hobbit-Thorin.

Question to research.

10:30 a.m. Packed up to see The Hobbit at the South Point. BTW, according to Ancestry.com., Thorin Oakenshield is a distant cousin on my mother's side, before we immigrated from Middle Earth during the Troubles.

Noticed an interesting tech question posted.


 3:00 p.m. A trip down The Strip to visit familiar haunts. Caesar's Palace? No. Mandalay Bay? No. The MGM Grand? No.

Cruzin' down da Las Vegas Strip.

Flowers. We're going to see flowers and art. At the Bellagio Conservatory and Art Museum.

As well as MzTeachuh friendly.

Apparently Vegas is even baby friendly.

4:00 p.m. The display at the Bellagio Conservatory included music. Carolers had time-traveled from Victorian England, circa 1850 A.D., to sing Prince Albert's favorite carol, 'O Tannebaum.' Volunteers were welcome to participate.

4:30 p.m. Shocking to see artifacts from my own civilization put on display to comments of 'how cute' and 'how quaint.' Very demeaning. These should be returned to my people.

Monet - Boulevard Saint Denis in Argenteuil in Winter.

5:00 p.m. The Bellagio Art Museum. Monet: Impressions of Light. This painting reminded me of home, but without the humans and umbrellas.

6:00p.m. Back to the resort to enjoy the company of our annual visitors who had serenaded the family Christmas Eve, (in that condo lots of creatures were stirring, including a moose.) You could say they, too, are carolers. Miguel Moose, Molly Meerkat, ChiChi Chihuahua, as well as Woodstock and Snoopy. Musical all. 


However, we discovered what happens when there's too much Christmas cheer.

10 p.m. Watched 'A Christmas Carol' with George C. Scott. Then nerd's bedtime. Will file my report in the morning. Twinkle McJingle, over and out.

Field Trip: Las Vegas!

Big Bird at the Vegas sign.

Pablo Picasso, 'Pitcher and Bowl with Fruit.'

Nerd alert! This is a nerd's tour of Vegas. I visit family in Vegas several times a year, and have discovered many nerd-appropriate activities when my kids are at UNLV or working.
What's a nerdy, goody-two-shoes like myself to do in Sin City? I found some excellent pastimes that do not involve any of the seven deadly sins; in fact, I've found some good clean fun and intellectual stimulation just like a real cultural center! Who knew?

Pablo Picasso, 'Woman' ceramic

One of the first things I found was that Vegas has world class art museums and rotating exhibits. There's the Titanic, Luxor, Nuclear Museum, and, of course, fine art. I viewed my favorite Picasso, 'Pitcher and Bowl of Fruit,' at the now closed Guggenheim Museum at the Venetian. Pablo Picasso communicates in a very intellectual manner to me. Almost mathematical. Maybe its the cubism thing. The Bellagio had a great exhibit of his sculptures, and video of him painting on plexiglass. http://www.all-art.org/art_20th_century/picasso7a.html

Van Gogh, Mountains at St. Remy

Vincent Van Gogh

Van Gogh has also visited 'The City That Never Sleeps,' at the now defunct Guggenheim and the very popular, and very open, Bellagio Museum of Fine Arts.

Van Gogh, Fields at St. Remy 

These works of art communicate best in person--it's the difference between a live performance and a dvd. I can't really explain how aesthetics affects our minds, souls and emotions. But Van Gogh is like the artist version of Beethoven. Vibrant, real, emotional. Van Gogh somehow communicates a personal compassion for the viewer. His works have a very warm presence. Not to get all mystical or anything.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vincent_van_Gogh

Rouen Cathedral in the evening, Monet

Rouen Cathedral in the morning, Monet

 Right now, a new exhibit at the Bellagio features Monet. This is a once in a lifetime presentation and later today I'll take my daughter and grandchild, who is a fourth grader and a very good artist himself. http://www.lvrj.com/neon/monet-paintings-lead-impressionist-exhibit-at-bellagio-gallery-139426673.html

Bellagio Museum of Fine Arts

I viewed an Impressionist exhibit in Vegas at the Bellagio about seven years ago, and there were two of his paintings of Rouen Cathedral side by side. It was a profound, even spiritual experience and with my season pass, I could visit every day I was in town. Almost like going to daily Mass.

Monet in his Giverney garden @1920.

The new Monet exhibit will be in Vegas til January 2013, 'Haystacks' and all.

Great musical compilation!

You say its your birthday? My daughter took me to enjoy the amazing Cirque du Soleil, Beatles-supported production of 'Love" as a memorable gift a few years ago. George Martin and son Giles worked a miracle by messing with the Beatles' music and not ruining it. Its an awesome merging of their remarkable accomplishments. My favorite was 'Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds,' enveloping the entire theatre in dreamy fantasy. I took exception to the production of 'Blackbird,' I think our French Canadian cousins missed the point. It is not comic, but a civil-rights-inspired folk song.

The Fab Four and two birds (MzTeachuh and daughter.)

 





Get back, JoJo!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kz_Y29GNZj4&feature=related

Lots of collectibles.

Need something cool to read while you're cruising down the Strip? How about a unique store with comic books and on the edge toys? This is a little way from the Strip, but it is interesting and if you are a true nerd, you will enjoy the retro and hot- off-the-presses books and art.

So many comics, so little time.

Visit Forsaken Toys and Collectibles! You can get items online, but its always more fun to go in person. The tactile feel of comic books on your fingertips is so soothing. Look for a blog soon about using comic books to enhance literacy. And here's your cool Vegas source.

 http://www.yelp.com/biz/forsaken-toys-and-collectibles-las-vegas
http://stores.ebay.com/Forsaken-Toys-and-Collectibles

You can be Forsaken Toys FB Friend, too. Every nerd's dream.

Michael Jackson fans have a Man in the Mirror.

 https://www.facebook.com/pages/Forsaken-Comics/210075415734248

I'm looking for 'Duck Tales' comic books. One of my first literary memories. If needed, I'll special order.

Something for the mantelpiece?

I'm going to hit the store tomorrow, and browse the comics.


Being a nerd, I am a Star Trek fan, and am also partial to Spiderman.
Nerd Nirvana!

The production of 'Phantom of the Opera' in Vegas is also worth seeing. There's a dynamic chandelier, though it didn't seem the theatre enhanced the singer's voices.

Cool corset; steampunk all the way.

By the way, the cool corset my daughter is wearing is from a Las Vegas fashion designer, Travis Lilly, of Lilly's Workshop, who was recently interviewed by CNN.

http://geekout.blogs.cnn.com/2011/11/18/the-classy-clockwork-couture-of-steampunk/

A cool steampunk experience in this town.

http://www.etsy.com/people/LillysWorkshop
http://lillysworkshop.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/LillysWorkshop




Every season the Conservatory at the Bellagio changes its display. Its sort of like a static Rose Parade display, but better. Serendipity comes seldom to me, but these displays always have something delightful; above the fact that floral displays are eternally marvelous. And this is free, just wear shoes and shirt, I'm guessing its required. It will be difficult, but I will just choose a few of my all time favorites. The flowers are always fresh and so fragrant and lovely. The creativity is invigorating. I love the pretty surprises.

Fall: topiary horses, and working river mill.

Summer: Ferris wheel full of sunflowers, and greenhouse with butterflies

Winter: sometimes the penguins iceskate

The Conservatory at the Bellagio actively engages  all your senses--

• smells like a flourishing garden, 
• sounds like a water massaging your hearing, with a variety of water features
• feels like 72 degrees on a spring day (I'm sure it is 72 degrees), 
• looks like living Impressionist paintings we move through in three dimensions
• tastes like chocolate because Jean Phillippe's Chocolate and Pastries is just around the corner.

Spring: working windmill, Dutch clogs with Tole painting, and 1000's of tulips

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q9R1afORKwkioter

This is my favorite of the Bellagio fountain dances (which is also free.) The Pink Panther--the water does undulate like a feline tail!

The Bellagio Fountains--I am now convinced this is art