Gettin’ Carried Away

I’ve been to Las Vegas twice. In all honesty, if you wanted to avoid a mob of tourists, you wouldn’t have picked Vegas as your vacation spot in the first place. But if you really want to live it up in Sin City for a short time, I’ve got the scoop on the best time to go!

The first time I went to Vegas was in March 2006. Not a good time to go…

~* Carrie and friend (Sara) with Paris in the background! *~

March/April = Spring Break for college kids across the nation. Many kids like to plan trips to a warm climate/a party place. Although we got a fairly decent price for a hotel room, we stayed at the end of the strip and it took us over an hour to check in. Thankfully, the Tropicana has a quick check-out dropbox for your room keys (if you don’t acquire any extra charges, of course).

The second time I visited Sin City was in August 2008. Perfect time to go…

~* Carrie (center) and Chili’s Karaoke in Vegas!*~

July/August = hot summer days and fewer tourists. Don’t get me wrong. Vegas is still pretty crowded during the summer. However, the hotel rates drop as the temperature rises. Because the strip is so big, there will be a lot of travelers roaming around, even if each of the hotels on the strip was only half full. So if you’re planning a summer vaca, consider Las Vegas. You’ll thank me later when you’re sipping a cold drink, laying out beside the pool at the Mirage.

What happens in Vegas does NOT have to stay there… share your stories with me!

A few months ago, AirTran Airways signed a partnership with the Milwaukee Brewers for the naming rights to an all-inclusive seating area in their ballpark, Miller Park. The AirTran Airways Landing Zone, formerly known as the Mercedes Benz Field Haus, sits right behind right field. Fans enjoy an all-you-can-eat buffet, soft drinks and more! This is truly a unique experience when it comes to watching a good old American sport.

~* Carrie and her friend Ryan visit the Racing Sausages at Miller Park! *~

It only makes sense, then, that the airline sign an endorsement deal with left fielder Ryan Braun of the Milwaukee Brewers. The 2007 NL Rookie of the Year will appear in several billboard advertisements for AirTran, and he will make appearances on behalf of the airline, as well. This deal couldn’t come at a better time, as AirTran has recently expanded service in Milwaukee by 55%! The airline hopes a recognizable face of the MLB will now increase the the traffic in and out of the Wisconsin city, which is now able to offer more nonstop options for travelers.

Did you know? Other AirTran athlete reps include IndyCar racing star Danica Patrick and professional football players Donald Driver and Matt Ryan!

I’ve a highlighted the South Side Irish Parade several times on Gettin’ Carried Away. This yearly celebration began before I was born, and I’ve been partaking in the festivities for years. It was a tradition on the Southside of Chicago that many, including myself, looked forward to in celebrating Saint Patrick’s Day. And now… it’s gone.

Here is a screen shot of the press release on the official website of the SSIP:

I have encouraged people all over the world to come to my neck of the woods to enjoy this unique Irish celebration. I understand that crowds of such magnitude may get a little rough and a little rowdy. I witnessed the same behavior at the annual Guy Fawke’s Day celebration at Battersea Park in London, England. When you mix large crowds with mass quantities of alcohol, madness may ensue.

This article stated that there were 54 arrests (an 80% increase from last year) this year at the parade. What was once a great family tradition, turned into a sloppy, drunken free-for-all. To be honest, though, I have never been witness to any “terrible happenings” at the parade. Sure, I’ve been smushed in a crowd of people, unable to walk freely down the block. And sure I’ve seen people stumbling around drunk. But I have never actually seen any poor behavior such as people physically fighting or cursing out police officers. The people of the Southside even began to designate the east side of Western Avenue as the family side and the west side (the side with all of the bars) as the adult side.

Either way, I feel that a few (thousand) bad apples ruined it of the rest of us. Most of the people arrested were not even from the neighborhood. One man came all the way from Arkansas! What I’m trying to say here is… if you are going to travel somewhere to participate in given city’s tradition/celebration, be respectful. We need to preserve these moments for our children, their children and everyone else in the distant future. I mean, if you hail from the Big Easy, how would you feel if the traditional Mardi Gras celebration on Bourbon Street was canceled “in its present form?”

Visit the official website of the parade to check out the rest of the press release.