#50 Fun Times in Cincinnati

Well, here we are, my final #50by50 adventure and I can't think of anyone better to do it with Anita & Mitzi.  

The original adventure was a quick weekend trip to Cincinnati to see The Chicks.  Not ever having been to Ohio, I was excited to check another state off of my list.  But getting to see one of our favorite groups in a new venue was even more exciting.  And why take an Uber to the concert when you can take a riverboat cruise?  What a fun night!

Beyond the concert, we also spent an afternoon at the National Underground Railroad Freedom Center.  As you can imagine, it's a somber place to visit, but I highly recommend it.  They do an amazing job of educating visitors on this part of American history, but connecting it with the kinds of slavery that unfortunately still exist around the world today.  

 

You know it's not really a trip unless you've experienced the food that makes a city special.  We were able to have a couple of Cincinnati staples, like Graeter's ice cream and Frito Pie with Skyline Chili.  Brunch at a Taste of Belgium was my favorite though.  I don't know that I've ever had Belgian waffles before; if I have, it was nothing compared to this tasty goodness.

 

Despite all this awesomeness, I think the greatest memory we made this weekend was our day at Midway Airport.  Yep, you read that right.  Our flight out of Love Field was delayed which means we missed our connecting flight in Chicago.  The next flight out was just a mere 8 hours later.  Midway is not the biggest airport and they are still bouncing back from the pandemic, so a lot of places were closed or offered limited menus.  Even our college football options were limited.  I'll be the first to tell you that 8 hours at Midway Airport is not fun.  But life is full of challenges and obstacles and things not going your way. What makes the difference is the people you have in your life and the attitude you choose.  Did the delay mess with our plans?  Yep!  Did we have one less day to do things in Cincinnati?  You bet!  But I can promise you that I won't ever forget the day we had, the laughs we shared and the stories we told.  If you don't have friends you can be stuck with at the airport, you're not doing life right.

After 7+ hours at Midway Airport.

#31 Violent Femmes

Just 3 days after seeing Willie Nelson at Toyota Stadium, I was invited by my friend Laura to see the Violent Femmes at the South Side Ballroom.  I don't know that you can have two experiences any more different than those.  And they were both new.  I was a big fan of the Femmes in high school, probably because they were so different than anything I was listening to on the radio.  And listening to songs like Add It Up made me feel rebellious.  But I never saw them in concert not had I ever been to the South Side Ballroom before.  Not only were the Femmes a fantastic show, but there were two opening acts that were also amazing.  I don't recall the name of the first act, but the second act was Me First and the Gimme Gimmes,  They were amazing!  They're a cover band who gives every song they perform a punk sound.  So creative and fun!  And of course, listening to the Violent Femmes took me back to high school.  It was such a fun night!  I guess we had so much fun we forgot to take a selfie.

#30 Willie Nelson

Growing up in Texas, you know who Willie Nelson is and you know his hits.  But that is only the surface.  A few years ago I listened to Willie Nelson's autobiography, read by Willie himself.  Since then, I would listen to the red-headed stranger from time to time.  Then last year, Texas Monthly put out a really great issue on Willie covering the various facets of his life.  About the same time, TM also started a podcast called One by Willie, which features different artists talking about the impact of Willie's songs.  I've become an even bigger fan, often asking Alexa, to "Play me some Willie!"  When I saw that he was going to be performing after an FC Dallas game, I knew what my next #50by50 adventure was and who my partner in crime would be.

We had the option of going on the field to get closer to the stage, but we weren't really in the mood to get mashed up with all the people, so we stayed in our seats.  We were directly across the stage on the opposite side of the field, so we had a great view of the big screens.  Willie is the kind of performer who sits on his stool, plays his guitar, and sings hit after hit.  Nothing flashy, but just a constant stream of hits, occasionally broken up a guitar instrumental.  And that is the Willie way . . . you don't need all the bells and whistles, just his incredibly unique voice telling all the stories, his way.  I am so excited that I was able to see Willie Nelson in concert!  Definitely a bucket list item.  Now to think about all the other concerts I want to see . . . 

#24 - #26 New Experiences in Las Vegas

Las Vegas is definitely not a new experience for me.  I first went in 2011 and I think I've been six or seven times since.  So even though it wasn't a new place to visit, it was definitely filled with some new experiences for me.  The original intent of the trip was the Joey McIntyre & Debbie Gibson concert at The Venetian.  Of course, I've seen Joey before with NKOTB, and I did see Debbie Gibson back in the day at the Music Mill Amphitheater at Six Flags.  But, I've never seen Guns N Roses in concert before and that was absolutely an unplanned and new experience for me.  They happened to be playing at Allegiant Arena the day we arrived, so we grabbed tickets about 45 minutes before showtime.  I guess I could even count that as part of my new experience, as I am more of a planner and not super spontaneous.  But thanks to Anita & Jaime, I am always working on my spontaneity.  Of course, I knew the Guns N Roses hits, but there were a lot of songs I didn't know as I was more of a New Wave and Pop kind of girl back in the 80s.  Not the most amazing concert I've been to, but worth it to see Slash play. He is phenomenal guitar player.  A true artist with his instrument.  I lost count of guitar changes by Slash after seven.  I was so glad they had these huge screens so I could just watch him play for most of the night.  Axel, on the other hand . . . bless his heart, his voice has definitely seen better days. 

In addition to the Guns N Roses concert, there were a few other new experiences for me, mostly food based.  We ate at Carmine's in the Forum, Yardbird at the Venetian and Sushisamba, also at the Venetian.  Family-style Italian, Southern Comfort, and Japanese-Brazialian-Peruvian fusion . . . I love that our group doesn't get stuck in a rut of one type of food.  We also ventured out to Peppermill, which will be celebrating its 50th next year along with me!  It's a Las Vegas classic; I don't think it has changed a bit since 1972!  If you want breakfast, get there early as it fills up fast,  Luckily, we had an Elvis impersonator to keep us company on our short wait.

My last first Vegas experience was a trip to Kate Spade.  I've always admired the style, but had never taken the plunge.  But when it's on sale, how do you not indulge yourself in a little fashion.

It was good to get away after a crazy start to the school year.  The great thing about Vegas is you can go multiple times, but every time is like a new experience because it's always changing and there are just so many different things to see and do.  Viva Las Vegas!