Daytrip to Prison

History, Photography, Travel

As I was sitting on the couch watching Shawshank Redemption with my husband for the umteenth time, I happened to recall someone mentioning that the prison they used to film the movie was located somewhere in Ohio. I grabbed my phone and quickly googled “Shawshank Prison”. In the results I found, “Ohio State Reformatory”. I immediately decided I would surprise my husband with a daytrip to the prison in the near future. 

A few weeks later, we hopped in the car and headed to Mansfield. After two and a half hours of driving, we rounded our last turn and there it was! It was massive,  beautiful, and haunting. We turned onto the tree-lined driveway and it was as if the trees dramatically unveiled the structure one by one. 


In complete awe, we parked the car and found our way to the entrance which let us into the gift shop where we paid the lady to start our tour. The prison is open from 11-4 daily. Tours are $12 a person, $10 for military/veterans. We were able to choose between a self-guided or guided tour. We chose the self-guided option for photography purposes, plus, there’s something eerie and fun about walking through and exploring an old prison alone. 


The details inside the office and housing portion of the prison were astonishingly stunning! The staircases and windows in particular caught my attention. The fact the wallpaper and paint had been left alone to peel and deteriorate continued to give the tour a haunting feeling. 


As we made our way through the first section of the tour, we found ourselves in the warden’s quarters, the parole board room, and the warden’s office. (Where you might recall a lot of the scenes from Shawshank Redemption were filmed between the warden and Andy Dufresne.) Certain rooms along the tour where iconic scenes from the movie were filmed were staged to reflect it and also provide tour-goers photo opportunities to sit at the warden’s desk and go through the infamous safe where the warden locked up his record books every night. 


After going through all of the wardens’ things, we made our way into a replica of Brooks’ room from the halfway house where he and Red stayed to get back on their feet after they were released from Shawshank Prison. Then, we climbed a spookily lit staircase into the open chapel. 

Along the tour route were photos of inmates and prison personnel from when the building was a functional correctional facility. We also found some original artwork from the chapel kept in cases to help preserve the pieces. 

Directly off of the chapel was the East Cell Block. We tip-toed over the steel grate walkway onto the sixth and top level of cell blocks. The view through the caged-in walkway looking down at massive windows was a jaw-dropping sight!


As we snaked our way through the levels upon levels of cells, the thought of having to live in such tight quarters made me a little claustrophobic. Barely having enough room to stand between the wall and bunks, with just enough room to fit a toilet in between the two – There’s no way I could ever live like that by myself, let alone having to live in that cramped cell with another inmate!

We finally found ourselves on the ground level and when we did, we were able to see just how massive the world’s largest free-standing cell block actually is!

Between the East and West cell blocks was the library, break room area, and the guard/ball room. You may recognize this area from the movie “Air Force One” where filmmakers turned the reformatory into a Russian Prison. I was so overtaken at the beauty of this space that it took me a good 5 minutes to realize I could see the cell blocks beyond the floor to ceiling windows. 


After taking the elevator back downstairs, we saw the sign for solitary confinement. AKA: The Hole. The loop of solitary cells was so cold, dark, and damp. The lights that lined the hall were so dim, they gave you just enough light to see where you were walking. It gave me the creeps just looking into pitch-black the cells. 

Some of the cells throughout the prison looked like they had been left just as they were when the reformatory closed its doors in 1990. Mattresses, sheets, clothing, books – it made you feel like part of the inmates still existed inside of the prison walls. 


Finally, we found ourselves in the West Cell Block. Not nearly as large as the East Cell Block. The West Cell Block can also be found in the movie “Air Force One”. My husband and I made our way around the free-standing Block and stumbled upon a gold and red cell. I stopped him and wondered why the cell was so different from all the others. Upon closer inspection, we found a paper inside that explained to us a Lil Wayne music video had been shot in this cell and on the premises of the prison. Who knew?! 


When we were finished with the West Cell Block, we climbed a few stairs, walked down a short hallway, and found ourselves back at the gift shop. Still in awe, we walked out the front doors and examined the outside of the building. We walked to the pond near the entrance where we found the “Shawshank Tree” where Andy left a letter and money for Red to find when he got out so that him and Andy could live happily ever after as best friends. The tree recently got struck by lightening, so they moved it onto the prison grounds for tourists to see. You can also drive around the town of Mansfield and find a few of the other movie sites along the “Shawshank Trail”. (Like the grocery store and the pawn shop.)

My husband and I talked about our trip for days and I couldn’t wait to show and tell everyone about our trip to “Shawshank Prison”!


The Ohio State Reformatory is ran and preserved by volunteers. The prison was feared to be demolished until Hollywood filmmakers came forward in 1994 and wanted to film a movie there. Since then, tourism, ghost hunting, and the hard work of these volunteers have kept the prison afloat. 

Outlaw MAYhem

Photography, Racing, Travel

The most competitive and highest-paying Late model touring series for Late Model racers, the World of Outlaws, made two stops near the Ohio Valley this weekend! The weekend was supposed to be a three-night event ending at Tyler County Speedway on Sunday, but Mother Nature decided that didn’t need to happen. 

The World of Outlaws Late Model series started in 1988 and continues to be one of the most popular tours in the nation. With most one-night shows paying $10,000 to win, you bet the drivers of these 800+ horsepower machines leave it all on the track every night. 

The feature competitors form a parade lap known as the 4-Wide Outlaw Salute for the fans


The weekend’s events left a couple Mid-Ohio Valley ties on the podium both nights. Friday night was night one of the Outlaw invasion and took us to Atomic Speedway in Chillicothe, Ohio. Atomic, formerly known as KC Raceway, was just voted one of the top 10 tracks in the country for the second straight season. 33 Late Models poured through the pit gates at the speedway in search of the $10,000 purse.After setting fast time in qualifying and winning his heat race, 22 year old Devin Moran started the race on the outside pole next to Frank Heckenast Jr., but quickly  took the lead on the first lap and never looked back. From just up the road in Dresden, Ohio, Moran is racing his first full season with the World of Outlaws and is chasing the Rookie of the Year title.

Shane Clanton and company lined up for hot laps at Atomic Speedway


The hard charger of the night was Steve Casebolt, who was contacted the Tuesday leading up to the race learning he had landed a new partnership with Jim Beeman Motorsports. It’s safe to say the the combination started off on the right foot because Casebolt took the c9 car from 13th starting position up to 2nd and a had shot at the lead with a handful of laps to go. 

But it was Moran who took the checkers first! “Once I crossed the finish line, I know it sounds stupid, but I yelled in my helmet. Most of my emotions happen right when I cross the finish line. It’s so cool and surreal because I’m by myself in the car. That’s when i give my biggest yell, under my helmet, when I’m in the car, when no one can see me.”

Devin Moran celebrates in Victory Lane at Atomic Speedway


Reflecting back on the final few laps of the 50 lap feature, Devin had a few late contenders who tried to take his first win away from him. Brandon Sheppard and Steve Casebolt both made a couple attempts to steal his thunder, but Moran kept his calm and gave himself a little pep talk when the white flag dropped, “When I got the white flag I was like ‘don’t mess up, you’ve got one!’ I didn’t wanna mess up or hit the wall and lose the race for myself.”

2,380 fans were in attendance at Atomic Speedway for Friday Night’s event. Track owner and promoter, Brad McCown, puts a lot of effort into bringing big events to the area. “Bringing in big sanctions is great recognition for a track. We prepare just like a regular night but for bigger crowds. It’s so much more risk on bigger paying shows, but I’m a gambler so it’s just another day at the office for me.”

Joey Coulter and Doug Drown at Wayne County Speedway during hot laps

Saturday, the Outlaws made the short trek from Chillicothe over to Orville, Ohio to spend the night #2 at Wayne County Speedway. 31 Late Models checked in for the night’s festivities and things got interesting in a hurry! 

In the first qualifying group, the “Rocket Shepp”, Brandon Sheppard set a new track record. Sheppard drives the #1 Rocket Chassis house car. Rocket Chassis is one of the most popular Chassis in dirt racing and they’re manufactured in Shinnston, WV! But Sheppard’s excitement was short-lived because in the very next group, Chris “Smokey” Madden’s lap time was even faster and became your current track record holder at Wayne County Speedway.

Chris “Smokey” Madden lined up for hot laps at Atomic Speedway


It doesn’t matter where you start the race, it’s where you finish it – Sheppard and Devin Moran showed proof of that in the feature. Brandon Sheppard drew the 6th starting spot in the redraw, but faught his way up to the lead on lap 21. Meanwhile, Devin Moran, who had some car trouble in his heat race, had to make the Feature by winning the last-chance qualifier. He started 16th, but before too long found himself in the 2nd position. A couple of caution flags gave Devin the chance he needed at giving Sheppard a run for his money, but there was no touching the Rocket Shepp, as he came to the checkered flag first. 

Brandon Sheppard in Victory Lane at Wayne County Speedway


Wayne County Speedway plays host to Tony Stewart’s All Star Circuit of Champions Sprint Cars multiple times a year, but the area doesn’t get to see the either World of Outlaw series very often.  “We always enjoy bringing in the World of Outlaw Late Models. They bring a great field of the nation’s best late model drivers plus a great crew of employees who make the show go without a hitch.”, said Track General Manager, Ryan Pearson. “The racing last night was tremendous! THAT is why we bring them in. To offer a great show to our fan base. Those guys last night (Saturday) earned it & that’s exactly why we do it!”

Dirt track racing is quickly growing in popularity, especially from NASCAR fans who are tired of all the rule changes and restrictions that have made the racing less exciting. Another reason is it’s a fairly inexpensive means for an evening of fun and entertainment. Most local tracks charge between $10-$20 for adult general admission and give price cuts or free admission for kids. (Special events may mean a higher admission cost.)

I’m not afraid to travel a few hours to go see bigger races like the World of Outlaws, Lucas Oil Late Models, World of Outlaw Sprints, and the All Star Circuit of Champions Sprints, but on a normal weekend, you’ll find me at the local tracks surrporting local drivers, series’, and racing. Sometimes you get lucky and see a bigger name or two show up at a local track, which is always exciting.  

Cars in the pits at Wayne County Speedway

View of turns 3 and 4 at Wayne County Speedway

A Decorative Way To Display Vacation Memories

Country Living, DIY, Home Decor, Travel

If you’re a country girl, your home decor probably reflects that. Take my home decor for example… I’m a fan of rustic Americana. Old painted window panes, wooden crates, burlap, etc. 

Most everyone wants to display their vacation memories. But how do you do that in a way where it doesn’t stand out like a sore thumb, but still blends in with the rest of your decor?

The answer: Mason Jars. 

  
If your home is decorated in a country, Americana, relaxed theme, chances are, this approach will blend in just fine!

Bring back a water bottle of sand, sea shells, or a token from your vacation (make sure it will fit in the size mason jar you choose) and take a photo at the location to place inside the jar to remind you of where you’ve traveled! 

My collection is small but, now that my husband and I are married, I intend to keep the tradition going!

Happy memories!

Amo Mexico!🇲🇽

Travel

Valentines Day 2015, my fiancé and I sat down on our living room floor to book our honeymoon. We had been planning on booking a cruise to the Caribbean, like a vacation we had taken a few years prior. Out of the blue, my fiancé asked if I was completely set on the cruise. He added that a coworker of his told him about an all inclusive trip he took to Jamaica a few years back and that it cost him around the same price as our cruise. I wasn’t completely set on the cruise, but I’d never been out of the country before and didn’t have a passport, so I never really put any thought into vacationing in a foreign land. 

After calling his coworker, my fiancé relayed that he had also been to Mexico with the same travel agency. So… After thinking we were going to be booking a cruise that morning, we spontaneously “jumped ship” and booked our flights to Mexico and applied for our passports! Definitely one of the craziest decisions I’ve ever made on the fly!

  
We booked a Honeymoon Suite at the Catalonia Riviera Maya, an all-inclusive resort in the gated community of Puerto Aventuras. There are many room options at the Catalonia. Take the advice of the reviews you read and book a “Privileged” room. A privileged room gets you perks like a private beach area with your own bar and waiter service, along with faster seating for the dinner buffets and vouchers to try the three specialty restaurants on the grounds one time each for free. It also gives you certain room perks like room service. 

   
    
 
The resort grounds were immaculate. There were always maids sweeping the sidewalks and picking up plates and cups around the pool area. We went during seaweed season. There were workers constantly raking and wheel-barrowing seaweed off the shoreline. The maids made and turned down your bed every night and left a cute towel animal at the foot of your bed to greet you after dinner. During the day there is always something going on around one of the pools. Water aerobics, Zumba. Water polo, bingo, random games, just about something for everyone. The workers try really hard to get everyone involved. There were also a couple swim-up bars, which is where we spent most of our time! I also have to add that the staff was multilingual. And VERY fluent in English!

   
    
   
Included in our honeymoon package was a romantic dinner on the terrace… 

   
And a couples massage that went from being a “25 minute massage” to an hour experience when you count the time we were allowed to spend in the sauna and the absolutely unforgettable hydrotherapy room! I highly recommend this! 

    
    
  
Aside from the seaweed, the beach was beautiful! The six foot span of rock and coral that laid at the waters edge was unique and different than any beach I had ever been to. Though it was beautiful, it made for a hard trek into the ocean and cut my feet and ankles a few times. I brought water shoes, but hate messing with them once they get covered in sand.  

   
The grounds also offered a lagoon where it’s easy to snorkel or even wade in the water with fish. 

   
 
During the day, while you’re relaxing by the pool and on the beach, a local wildlife center brings animals around for you to be photographed with if you wish. Of course, you have to BUY the photographs, but hey…why not?! It’s vacation!

   
   
If you’re feeling adventurous enough to leave the resort, grab a bike right outside the entrance and pedal down to the marina! There you’ll find a bunch of little shops and restaurants, along with the Dolphin Discovery. My sister and I had wanted to swim with dolphins since we were little girls and we finally got the opportunity to do so! BUT, not only did we get to swim with the Dolphins, we also got to swim with manatees!  

    
 
We had an amazing time and met a lot of fun people who we plan on keeping in touch with now that we’re back in the U.S.  I would definitely recommend this resort to anyone looking to experience Mexico. Especially if you’re afraid your Spanish isn’t very fluent. 

Thank you, Catalonia Riviera Maya, for giving us a honeymoon to remember!

   
   

Fishing

Outdoors, Travel

 I remember catching my first fish at a lake just down the road from where I grew up. I also remember how funny it was to me, but how mad my dad was, when he tried to fish for another fishing pole he had just lost in the Ohio River. To me, fishing has always been about spending time with someone. Just you, the water, the great outdoors, the person you’re with, and if you’re lucky, fish! Wether you’re fishing from a boat or a bank, or fishing for food or sport, “wetting a line” is an activity that has been shared from generation to generation.

I wanted to highlight some of my favorite local spots to fish. If you haven’t checked some of these out, on your next day off with nothing to do, you should take a day trip!

  Belleville Locks & Dam. Belleville, WV. 

About 23 miles out Route 68 from Route 50 towards Ravenswood, you’ll find my absolute favorite fishing hole! The waters of the Ohio River become more swift the closer you get to the dam and there are a bunch of snags if you hit the bottom, but you’ll catch Large Mouth, Small Mouth, Hybrid, White, and Striped Bass, along with a bunch of Sauger and Walleye, Catfish, and just about any other fish you can think of. You can fish from the rocks or piers. 

  Forked Run State Park. Reedsville, Ohio. 

Forked Run State Park is located in eastern Meigs County off of State Route 124. It includes a 102 acre pond that features a beautiful waterfall on the other side of the spillway which runs into a stream, which is also fishable. The park stocks the pond with trout. 

  Veto Lake. Veto, Ohio

Taking State Route 339 to Veto, you’ll find the lake by turning onto Veto Road. You can fish from the bank or by boat. 

  The Ohio River. 

There are plenty of places to fish along the banks or by boat all along the Mid Ohio Valley. 

  Streams and Creeks

The Mid Ohio Valley has many creeks and streams. You have to find public access points, or ask permission from the owner of the bank you want to fish from. My favorite access point is below the Harra Covered Bridge in Waterford, Ohio. Not only are there fish to catch, but the historic covered bridge serves as beautiful scenery. 

There are plenty of other fishing spots that just the ones I listed. Just be sure that if you’re fishing in public areas, you have your fishing license to avoid fines from the DNR. 

Covered Bridges of Washington County

History, Outdoors, Travel

At one time, there were over 50 covered bridges scattered throughout the countryside of Washington County. Grab a friend, grab a loved one, or just a relaxing drive by yourself to discover the nine remaining covered bridges and soak in some of the history that has been preserved in these beautiful pieces of work.

Treat yourself to a self-guided tour starting in Waterford, Ohio.

Directions to Waterford, Ohio:

From Marietta– Take Washington Street across the Washington Street Bridge and follow the signs to State Route 676. This route will take you through Churchtown as you pass the beautiful and historic St. John’s Batpist Church (built in 1866). Take a right where SR 676 meets with 339 to Beverly.

From Parkersburg- Take Route 50 West towards Athens and cross the Blennerhassett Island Bridge. Keep left toward Athens/Pomeroy and take the first exit off the exit ramp and turn right on to 339 towards Beverly.

Bridge #1. After you pass the 15 mile marker on 339, you’ll turn left onto Camp Hervida Road (Township Road 108). Continue approximately .5 mile to find The HARRA COVERED BRIDGE (c. 1871) on your right. You can pull off in front of, or behind the bridge.

  
Bridge #2. Return to 339 and turn right. Follow 339 about 5 and a half miles to TWP RD 39 (Bell Road). Stay on Bell Road and you will run into/cross the BELL COVERED BRIDGE (c.1888).

  
Bridge #3. Continue on TWP 39. Bear left, and you will see the Murdoch Cemetery on your right. Turn left onto ST RT 676. Proceed 1.2 miles and turn left onto CO RD 6 (Brownrigg RD). Take the first road to the right CO RD 18 (Oak Hill Road) and travel 2.3 miles to TWP RD 570 (Shinn Road). About 1 and a half miles down a gravel road is The SHINN COVERED BRIDGE (c.1886). 

  
Bridge #4. Return to CO RD 18 and turn right. Turn right at the intersection with ST RT 550. Go approximately 2 miles to TWP RD 61 (Clark Road) and turn left. Keep following this road and about 1 mile North of ST RT 555 you’ll find the HENRY COVERED BRIDGE. 

   

Bridge #5. Continue on TWP RD 61 to ST RT 555, turn left passing through Cutler. About 4.4 miles from Cutler, turn left on CO RD 6 (Burnett RD) and you will find the ROOT COVERED BRIDGE (c.1888).

   
Bridge #6. Return to 555 and take a left. Then turn left on CO RD 3 (Veto Road). Travel CO RD 3 to Veto, taking a left onto 339 at Barlow. At the Barlow crossroads is the fairgrounds where you’ll find the MILL BRANCH COVERED BRIDGE (c.1832).  

  
Return to Marietta via ST RT 550 to discover the remaining 3 bridges. 

You’ll find the last three bridges by way of the Wayne National Forest Scenic By-Way. 

Bridge #7. Leaving Marietta by the intersection of Greene and Seventh Streets, follow Greene Street into ST RT 26. Keep straight onto ST RT 26 North and pass Broughton Foods Co. Go 6.2 miles and turn right on CO RD 333 (Hills Bridge Road) Not even a mile out 333, you should come to the Hills Covered Bridge on your left. (also known as Hildreth Covered Bridge c..1881). You’ll have to be careful as there is no real place to park at the bridge. I pulled off at the next little gravel road to the right and turned my flashers on to walk across the road. 

  

Bridge #8 Return to ST RT 26 and turn right. Drive 12 miles through Moss Run and Dart and pass Lawrence Baptist Church and Cemetery.  Approximately 2 miles past the church, turn onto TWP RD 921 (Duff Road) where you’ll find the Hune Covered Bridge (c.1877) keeping watch over the Wayne National Forest canoe access.

  
Bridge #9 Return to ST RT 26 and turn right. Continue another 2-3 miles north just off of ST RT 26 turn right on CO RD 406 (Tice Run Road). You’ll find The Rinard Covered Bridge. This bridge was destroyed in a flood on September 19, 2004, but was rebuilt and re-dedicated on October 21, 2006.

  
Covered bridges are beautiful to look at and photograph, but there are actually many purposes to the covering of these bridges. Covering and enclosing the bridges kept animals from getting scared and leaving the underlying waterways. Covering the wood and the joints of the bridge kept the water from making the bridge less solid. The raised tracks on the floor of the bridge helped to keep water off the main path of traffic.

If you enjoyed yourself touring the Covered Bridges of Washington County, there are plenty of other covered bridges all around the neighboring counties and throughout the state of Ohio. If you exhaust those bridges, I’m sure there are plenty around the rest of the country to discover!

No Longer A Vegas Virgin…

Travel

3 weeks ago, I flew out to Las Vegas, Nevada for the first time after my fiancé insisted I go out to visit a friend. He purchased my ticket as a birthday present to me. I’m lucky to have someone who encourages me to travel and live my life.

I’d never been further west than Ohio, Tennessee, and Florida, so this was definitely a huge trip for me! My friend, Erica, and a couple of her friends spent the weeks leading up to my trip sending me video links and pictures from the places I would be visiting. I was SO excited, but still had no idea what to expect!

I flew a nonstop flight from Pittsburgh, PA to Las Vegas via Southwest Airlines. I love the fact there is wifi on the airplane because traveling alone can be boring if you’re shut off from the world.
Here are some pictures from my flight over Pennsylvania and he Rocky Mountains:

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Once I landed in Las Vegas, I was greeted by my good friend, Erica, and we immediately headed to Starbucks. I had never had Starbucks, so this was a big deal!😁

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After a change of clothes and few minutes of catching up, we decided to head to Red Rock for a little day trip. Wow. What beautiful scenery! Definitely different from the trees and hills I’m used to in West Virginia!

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After taking in the beautiful scenery of Red Rock, we took a little detour on the way out to stop at a petting zoo. I love wild animals and was excited to see some animals I normally don’t get to see.

As we were walking up to the gate, I spotted a deer! All I wanted to do was pet it and get a picture with it, but instead, got a lot more than I had anticipated! Apparently it loved my dress and proceeded to eat the bottom of my skirt. That event made for jokes that lasted all day. I guess a picture just wasn’t good enough and the deer wanted to make sure I left with a good story!

😂

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After that little fiasco, we got cleaned up for our first night out at the Revolver Night Club/Saloon to see my friend, Jason Michael Carroll, perform! I was excited to see some of my friends who also made the trip out to see him from Arizona and North Carolina. Before the show, we played some slots and I won $60! (I get excited over little things like that.)

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Then it was concert time! Jason had pulled some strings to get us a VIP table. Gosh I love that guy, he’s always taking care of us.

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Jason and Shaun put on a great show as usual!

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After taking advantage of 2 for 1 drinks all night, some shenanigans were bound to be unleashed.

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After a long day of traveling, partying and living it up country style for my first night in Vegas, I had been awake for over 26 hours… We got back to Erica’s apartment and I slept for 2 hours before waking up ready to go again! As Jason would say, “I Can Sleep When I’m Dead”!

The next day, we took off on a little road trip to the Hoover Dam! It was SO hot that day. I couldn’t even lean my arms on the concrete because it burned! But, wow, what a beautiful creation!

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I then experienced In and Out Burger for the first time and went all out with the “Animal Style” experience… It was amazing and totally bad for me!😂

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Then it was time for me to experience true Vegas nightlife! We put on our fancy, flashy dresses and headed to Club XS at the Wynn to see Deadmau5! What a beautiful club and an amazing time! My friends surprised me with being in the VIP section behind the DJ booth! What an experience! We had our own space to move around and chairs and couches if we felt the urge to rest our feet. XS was a cool venue for the fact that half was indoors and the other half is outdoors by the pool area. We raved until the sun came up and they kicked us out. What a fun time!

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Our next day of adventures led us to old Vegas and Fremont Street! We spent the early evening having dinner at Pizza Rocks which has award winning pizza and plays old school rock and hip hop videos. What a fun place! Then we headed to Dino’s for some karaoke before we made our way to Hakkasan for a nightcap!

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Hakkasan. There are no words to describe this nightclub! I have never experienced anything like it in my life, and probably never will again! Hakkasan, located in the MGM Grand, is in a league of it’s own.

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We walked in and made our way to the Ling Ling Room, which is the hip-hop room and is said to be the “Happiest place on earth!” And I believe it because I’ve experienced it!

I had been excited for weeks leading up to my trip about visiting Hakkasan and being lucky enough to be there on a weekend when Rev Run would be DJing in the Ling Ling Room! Erica’s friend, Dave, surprised me by walking us straight into the DJ area directly behind the DJ booth where Rev Run and DJ Ruckus were playing! I was on cloud 9! I had such a fun time listening and dancing to 80s and 90s hip-hop all night!

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After Rev Run left the booth, we made our way to the main room where Above And Beyond were spinning. Talk about an incredible room! The attention to detail is astounding! Being in the DJ booth for Above and Beyond and looking out into the sea of people in the general admission area was such an incredible feeling. My friends really went out of their way to make sure my Vegas experience was one I’d never forget! I can’t thank them enough for making sure everything was taken care of! (Especially Erica for being an AMAZING hostess!) I really did have the time of my life!

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My heartbreaking last day in Vegas we spent sight seeing on the strip. The resorts and casinos are amazingly beautiful and each one is a totally different experience than the next!

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Until we meet again, Vegas!

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Ever raised hell in a church?!

concerts, Country Music, Music, Travel, Uncategorized

I’m a concert addict and I’ve been to plenty of live music venues, big and small. One venue stands out in my mind as the coolest venue I’ve ever been to! The Bluestone in Columbus, OH has a very unique twist about it: it’s a repurposed church! “First Baptist Church” is still left etched into the stone above the beautiful arch work around the double wooden front doors. The amazing stained glass windows seem to be untouched and add such a beautiful and unique feel to the venue.

The venue also plays host to weddings, wedding receptions, and banquet requests.

I would totally get married here if it weren’t 2 hours from myself and my big family!

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