Baltic Birthday

I know it's late as my birthday was the end of March, but I have been a bit useless at writing lately. So it was my last birthday before the big 40...which I have to say doesn't really bother me as I still feel 20 in my head, it's just a bit of a surprise when I look in the mirror!

Anyway the birthday weekend began when Sarah and I drove up to Oxford on the Friday night to CJ's, we arrived late, grabbed a quick beer and all went to bed after watching American Idol (CJ of course was fast asleep by this time). Saturday morning we got up, had some coffee just in time for Moyna's arrival. We got into the cars and made our way to the Big Smoke. I had found a lovely hotel just by Paddington Station, so we drove there and although it was too early for check in, they let us leave our bags, and off we went into the City.

We got to Trafalgar Square by 11am, I noticed the new "modern" sculpture on the plinth ....I don't get modern art, to me it looked like a CD rack you might have picked up in IKEA. Anyway I digress. We walked into in a pub called the Pitcher and Piano, CJ asked if it was too early for cocktails....the lovely barman said "It's never too early for cocktails" and he was right, so we had a few cosmopolitans, a little light lunch, and then made our way to the Vaudeville Theatre as we had tickets to see The Importance of Being Earnest.....I have been lucky enough to be cast as Gwendolen in a production of the same which will be touring America (Florida and Alabama) in August, so thought it would be good to see, especially as the amazing Penelope Keith was playing Lady Bracknell. We took our seats, CJ promptly fell asleep, and only woke up at the applause for the interval. Penelope Keith was a riot, and I thoroughly enjoyed the whole thing.

After the theatre we went back to the hotel for a quick freshen up, quick it was too by the time we got back it was time to leave again, but we spruced and changed and made our way to Southwark Tube station, as we had a table booked at the fabulous Baltic. As usual the food, the service, the atmosphere, everything was first rate. We drank too much wine, and far too many of the wonderful vodka shots, I have been abstaining from alcohol for a while, and so, the few that I had went straight to my head - Your Honour - I present the following pictures as evidence of a wonderful night.

Before the wine and vodka

During the vodka

After the Vodka! It's all in the eyes! Oh and I'm refusing to add the picture of me and CJ fast asleep on the tube!

Mmm I rest my case!

We did have the most fantastic time and Baltic is a place I can't recommend highly enough.

Keep Smiling

Marmite xx

What happen's in Vegas....stays in Vegas....sort of (3)

Tuesday was the best day of the trip, but we still had a great time on Wednesday, we decided to try taking the bus, and managed to get all the way to the outlet mall (we even did a bus change so I was impressed) I love the outlet malls in the US, I got some great clothes for my gorgeous Niece Cara from Ralph Lauren that would have been £70 over here but cost me £14, I got a Guess handbag that I saw in John Lewis for £120 for £30 (well technically I got Sarah to get it for my birthday!) but you get the drift.

After the outlet mall we got off the bus and stopped at the Stratosphere, it is right at the bottom of the strip but you can't miss it, it is almost 1,000 ft high, at the top is a revolving restaurant, and three thrill rides, I had already been on two of them, but I couldn't get Sarah to go on any of them, maybe when you look at the pictures you'll see why, bear in mind you are 1,000 ft high!













We left the Stratosphere, took our shopping back to the hotel and attempted to fit it into our cases...... then got showered and went out for the evening . We had booked a table in a restaurant in Mandalay Bay called Red Square ( you know me and my Eastern European/Russian type food) it was amazing. It was a nod to Imperial Russia with a headless statue of Stalin outside, a huge variety of Vodka at the bar, a fabulous decor of red velvet and antique gold, a wonderful atmosphere.It's where I discovered my new favourite drink the apple martini, to start I had the most amazing goats cheese salad with raspberry vinaigrette, then I had one of the best things I had ever tasted adzhika-spiced pork tenderloin - Georgian pomegranate wine reduction, chrov basmati rice pilaf with apricots, pine nuts & bing cherries, crispy leeks, radicchio & chervil salad. I didn't want to eat the last mouthful because I didn't want it to end. There was no room for dessert but the table next to us had a variety and they looked fantastic, they wouldn't have looked out of place at the Tate Modern. I can't recommend Red Square enough. Thursday was our last day, so we spent the morning at the pool, then went back to all the shops we had decided to buy things in but changed our minds, and in the evening we went to Freemont Street to the old casinos. It was a brilliant atmosphere and a lot cheaper than the the main strip, we watched the light show, had a few more apple martini's and made our way back to the hotel for a nightcap.

We just about managed to fit everything in our cases to get home. Moyna picked us up from the airport in London, and we just got home in time to watch Wales win the Grand Slam....it couldn't have been any better.

Keep Smiling
Marmite Girl xx

What happen's in Vegas....stays in Vegas....sort of (2)

Now where was I ...oh yes on to Tuesday, quite possibly the best day of the trip, I think I forgot to mention that on the Monday night we did go to a Chinese place and had the most wonderful supper, we each got a fortune cookie ...mine said "You will be lavished with wonderful things tomorrow", Sarah's said " let go and put your trust in others"........ keep that in mind!

Tuesday morning we decided to give Starbucks and the light breakfasts a miss and go straight to the buffet, still forgot the stick everything on one plate thing, and only managed a bit of fruit and some scrambled eggs. We were seeing the Divine Miss M in the evening so we figured we didn't want to wear ourselves out. We did a little shopping after breakfast and then spent the rest of the morning relaxing by the pool. About 3pm we grabbed half a sandwich each and then went to get ready to walk up to Caesar's Palace to see the show. We arrived and grabbed a quick apple martini (my new favourite drink)and then went into the Colosseum. They were selling cocktails inside in "souvenir plastic glasses" of course, all renamed things like "Beaches" or "The Divine Miss M" - I went for Beaches (which was bright blue) Sarah went for the other one which was a baileys creamy concoction, and we took our seats, which were right at the front.

Now the thing with Caesar's is if you take a camera with you to the show, you have to check it in at the front desk and then queue for ages to get it back at the end of the evening, so we didn't bother taking our cameras. I think the reason is that they have photographers in the auditorium that stuck a feather bower around your neck, stuck you in front of the Bette Midler backdrop, took your picture and then charged a ridiculous price for a copy. I said to Sarah just let her take our picture but we won't buy it at the end. With that the three guys next to us heard our Welsh accents so asked where we were from and started chatting (there was still 1/2 hour til showtime at this point - in case you thought we were talking through the show!) anyway they were really nice guys, and they bought us another cocktail, and we carried on chatting and then the show started. Bette Midler was AMAZING although surprisingly tiny, I couldn't believe how little she was, she was funny, she was one of the best singers I have seen live, she was outstanding, and I would highly recommend if you get the chance to go and see her.

During the show, one of the guys we were chatting to, I feel bad calling them guys, it was Jim, Frank and Dave, passed Sarah a bag and in it was two sets of the photographs that had been taken in lovely folders with a picture of Bette on the other side, they gave them to us and said "thanks for being lovely company" they then asked if we wanted a lift back to our hotel in their Limo......Sarah's face was saying " My Mother told me not to go anywhere with strangers" but me, always the reckless one said "Yes that would be lovely" then they asked if we would join them for dinner. Again I said "yes that would be lovely" and Sarah agreed.

We arrived at the Monte Carlo casino and into a gorgeous Italian place, we were given a table and Dave tipped the waitress a $100 and asked if she would look after us, he then gave the wine waiter $100 and ordered wine that was $200 a bottle (it was called Caymus and I've still got the cork) I have always wondered if £100 a bottle wine really tasted that much better than £10 wine, and I have to say IT DOES it was like drinking velvet. Anyway the waitress came over and asked were we ready to order....Dave said " We are not ordering you bring us out what you think we would like" ...I felt like I was in a film. Half an hour later our table looked like Balthazar's feast. I swear the waitress had brought one of everything on the menu, we ate, drank and enjoyed wonderful company and conversation. The guys dropped us back at our hotel, after a tour of the strip in the Limo.....so the fortune cookies were right, Sarah let go and trusted people and I was lavished with wonderful things!

Will do a bit more tomorrow
Keep Smiling
Marmite xx