Heavenly Paradise@AdelineAng.com

Boston Pizza is one of the best pizza places in town. I’ve previously posted two blog entries about this restaurant. The first one can be found here and the second one here.

Their gourmet pizza is a big selling point; ranging from the Classics, International, BP Originals, to Veggie. None of them is to your liking? Try “Add it On or Create Your Own.” Customize a pizza that suits your personal taste.

Miles and I tried the Boston Royal, one of Boston Pizza’s signature pizzas. It’s topped with the Signature pizza sauce, pizza mozzarella, smoked ham, pepperoni, shrimp, olives, green pepper, and onion.

The Boston Royal.

Pizza sprinkled with Parmesan cheese and dried crushed chili.

Nothing beats a cup of freshly brewed coffee and a home baked muffin early in the morning. Start off your day at the Danista Cafe in downtown Fredericton. It opens on weekdays, from 7 a.m. until 4 p.m.

A simple cafe setting.

Blueberry Crumble muffins fresh from the oven.

This is my second visit to the Sweet Belgian Desire Cafe in downtown Fredericton. The previous post can be found here.

It’s a nice little cafe strategically located in the downtown. I really enjoy the food there, and so do my friends. Good taste, nice presentation, and cozy ambiance. It’s an absolute must-visit!

Aromatic Latte.

Waffle Mikado. Two hot waffles served with Belgian chocolate sauce, two scoops of vanilla ice-cream, and whipped cream.

Crepe Banana Split. Twp hot crepes served with fresh banana, Belgian chocolate sauce, ice-cream and whipped cream.

The Brussels. Hot waffles with fresh strawberries, strawberry sauce, ice-cream, and whipped cream.

The Belgian Waffle. Three hot waffles topped with whipped cream and Belgian chocolate sauce.

Waffle Camilla. Two hot waffles baked with raisins and sliced apples, and topped with whipped cream and caramel sauce.

Crepe Chiquita. Two hot crepes with baked banana, flambe with Liqueur de banana, topped with two scoops of banana ice-cream, Belgian chocolate sauce, and whipped cream.

The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino is strategically located at the corner of S Pecos Rd. and East Sunset Rd. Billing itself as the City of Entertainment, MGM Grand certainly has a lot to offer.

The City of Entertainment.

The MGM Grand Hotel & Casino.

The Centrifuge Bar at MGM Grand.

The Rainforest Cafe has a unique tropical rainforest setting with animatronic animals and waterfalls.

Have you ever wonder what it takes for a  TV show to be broadcast? How do the producers know if it’s appealing to the audience? Getting a decent feedback from the crowd is important for a new show, prior to its broadcast on televisions. The response collected from the public can be helpful in establishing the show. The next question is, who can the crowd be? You & me!

Are you interested in watching and rating new TV shows? The CBS (Columbia Broadcasting System) Television City at MGM Grand is a research centre to gauge audience reactions on new TV shows. Participants use touch-screen computers to record their responses while watching the show in a small theatre.

Free tickets are given out at the centre. Everyone is welcome. Be sure to be there at least 30 minutes prior to the show for a ticket. The screening runs for approximately 60 minutes.

The Television City at MGM Grand.

My ticket to the TV show survey.

We visited the New York New York Hotel & Casino next. The replica of Statue of Liberty signifies the landmark of it. A Big Apple experience in Las Vegas!

A replica of the Statue of Liberty.

The entrance of New York New York Hotel & Casino.

Shopping in the “Big Apple”!

It was busy, and it always is, at the Las Vegas Strip. Busy crowd and heavy traffic. It’s truly a happening place!

The crowd at Las Vegas Strip.

The M&M’s World. Four storey of everything M&M’s!

The Harley Davidson Cafe.

The famous Planet Hollywood in Las Vegas.

The winter is long gone, spring is here, and summer will soon arrive. Breezy morning, sunny afternoon, and cooling evening. That’s what I like about spring!

Taking a stroll in the garden in Grand Bay is enjoyable. The blooming flowers cheer me up and remind me of how wonderful life can be.

Enjoy the sunshine and cherish the gorgeous season of spring!

Forget-me-not dressed in a pretty blue colour.

Bleeding Hearts in bloom!

The Bleeding Hearts.

Fresh chives in the garden. Ready to serve…

Black Tulip actually looks purple!

Lily of the Valley.

Purple Violet, the provincial flower of New Brunswick.

The Fir Tree.

Frank’s Finer Diner is a restaurant located on the north side of Fredericton. It’s well-known for its 50’s style dining settings. My previous post about Frank’s Finer Diner can be found here.

This restaurant is particularly famous for its homemade pies. I’ve always wanted to try some. Here is my chance, after an exhausting (both physically and mentally) morning at TreeGO…..

A generous serving of appetizer: onion rings, home fries, wings, and veggie sticks.

Philly Steak & Cheese served on a toasted bun with steak strips, green pepper, and melted cheese. Home fries and coleslaw on the side.

Don’t forget to save room for desserts…

Butterscotch Pie. I liked this the best!

Chocolate Cream Pie.

The entire TreeGO activity takes about 2 to 3 hours, depending on the weather, one’s fitness level and personal experience. It is definitely a great outdoor activity and a high adrenaline adventure. It is not for the faint-hearted!

Not only does TreeGO offer challenging aerial adventures, but it also offers the opportunity for exercising self-discipline, developing will power, and building teamwork among the group.

The wood used for platform construction is either cedar or larch, and it is free of chemical. Trees are not harmed, and the nature is preserved to the best of the management’s ability.

Do you get a guide to accompany you? Not really. Participants explore the field in groups, under the supervision of TreeGO staff at a distance from the ground. They are there to offer advice, and also to provide help during an emergency.

Swing on a Tarzan rope to the opposite site where a cargo net is set up. Hang on to the net with your feet and arms, and make your way to the platform.

A long bridge arranged with longitudinal planks.

The wooden swings. Again?!

Hmm…only logs on the bridge?

Rectangular and round planks. These are all you’ll get for walking in the air.

Here is the beginning of the black course, which also known to be the one with highest level of difficulty.

These swings can be extremely wobbly if you’re not well-balanced and paying full attention.

There are a few zip-line adventures throughout the activity, one of which is a reverse zip-line, with your back facing the landing point. Those I enjoyed the most though, are the two zip-lines that run across the water.

How does a zip-line work? First of all, attach the pulley onto a cable that stretches across trees or water. It is crucial to make sure that it is securely suspended on the cable. Next, attach a carabiner to the pulley. Participants are asked to grab onto the carabiner with both hands during the zip-line activity. And…off you go!

Zip-line across the water. I felt as if I was flying in the air!

Crossing the suspended bridge on uniform planks.

These wobbly logs are intimidating. The gap between them isn’t helping any. It’s especially challenging to cross from one to the other.

Use the monkey bars and walk across a steel cable.

Hanging logs in between a steel cable. An exciting attempt to walk from one tree to the other.

How was the TreeGO experience after all? Some said it was nerve-wracking and some said it was intimidating (mostly due to the height). I’d say that it was a challenging and exciting outdoor activity. Additionally, TreeGO gave us a great workout on a Saturday morning, by keeping our hearts pumping and leg & arm muscles stretching.

Reservations are required. Be sure to call in advance to check for availability. TreeGO, an exciting activity for family and friends. Hope you enjoy it! I’m looking forward to my next visit.

A scenic view of sailing boats on the water.

It turned out to be a gorgeous day when we were there. The rain from the day before helped to keep the air cool and the ground moist. The sun was shining and it felt nice to breathe in the fresh air.

“Life is good; exploring adventures with loved one and friends is great.” I thought to myself as I made my way out from TreeGO.

Looking for some fun activities near the Fredericton area? Longing to get your adrenaline pumping? Try TreeGO!

Now, you may ask: “What is TreeGO?”

“Fun, freedom and personal reward are what TreeGO is all about. These serial adventure courses offer a diverse and exciting experience within the comfort of knowing you’re attached to continuous safety cables. No matter what your age or fitness level, our courses are designed for your pleasure in a unique outdoor environment.”

~ TreeGO Mactaquac

The TreeGO in Mactaquac is opened since summer of 2008. It takes about 30 minutes to drive from downtown Fredericton. Besides the winter months, they are open throughout the year (usually May till October), rain or shine. TreeGO has been established for over a decade in Europe. Currently, there are a few TreeGO sites across North America. In Canada, there is one in Nanaimo, British Columbia, nine in Quebec, and two in New Brunswick (Moncton and Mactaquac). On top of that, there is one site situated in the New York State.

The starting point of TreeGO adventure.

TreeGO is a progressively challenging course. There are four levels of difficulty, and each of them bears a colour code: green, blue, red, and black, respectively.

A briefing session is conducted by a TreeGO staff. Participants have the opportunity to get some practice before the adventure begins.

Get a feel of the swinging motion with two carabiners attached to the safety cable.

Always, always… have the red coded carabiners (two of them) attached to the safety cable, throughout the course of activity.

A safety harness is provided. Each participant carries a pulley and three carabiners. What are they for? Two of the carabiners (red coded) are used to hook onto the safety cables, whereas a pair of pulley and carabiner (yellow coded) comes into play when the participant is going through a zip-line. Safety cables can be seen everywhere in the TreeGO field, be it on the tree trunks for climbing up and down the trees, across the tree trunks while adventuring from one tree to the other on suspended logs, or on a Tarzan rope for swinging from one end to the other.

Use the red coded carabiners at all times when climbing.

Keep your body balance while walking on the wooden planks arranged across two trees.

The wooden swings can be tricky, especially crossing from one to the other.

A log bridge across the trees!

It’s getting more challenging… The wooden planks are far apart from each other! I had to stretch my legs to reach the planks, and be sure not to miss any…

The zig-zag log bridge. Fun!

Taking a view of the ground from the bridge. I was walking in the air!

Walking on a steel cable. A circus stunt?

The group of TreeGO adventurers: (From left) Marie & Paul, John, Miles & Adeline (myself).

This was my second attempt making some banana muffins with the recipe I used previously. Everything was the same, except for the amount of mashed overripe banana used. To get a more flavourful taste of the banana muffin, 1 + 1/2 cup of mashed banana was used, instead of 1 cup.

These were tasty muffins, with aromatic banana flavour and soft texture. Yummy!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 egg, lightly beaten
3/4 cup white sugar
1 + 1/3 cup butter/margarine, melted
1 + 1/2 cup mashed overripe banana
1 tsp vanilla extract

Topping:
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 tbsp butter/margarine
2 tbsp all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

Directions:
1. Combine all-purpose and whole wheat flour, together with baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a mixing bowl. Mix well.
2. In a separate bowl, beat together egg, white sugar, melted butter/margarine with a hand mixer on low speed, for 1-2 minutes. Add mashed banana and vanilla extract into egg mixture. Beat until batter is well-mixed, on low speed.
3. Form a well in the centre of flour mixture. Pour in banana mixture gradually. Stir just enough to mix well.
4. Prepare the topping by mixing together brown sugar, butter/margarine, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon. Mix with hand to form crumbs.
5. Pour batter into a lined muffin pan. Sprinkle topping on them.
6. Bake in preheated oven at 350 F for 30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean when inserted into the middle of muffin.

Yield: ~ 12 medium-size muffins

Booming casinos & hotels, unique architectures, eye-catching limousines…. Everyone seems to be at a busy pace; be it a gambler, fashion lover, or simply a traveler. This place has everything to offer. Las Vegas, is a city that never sleeps.

There were lots tourists. The living cost here is high, and everything is about money. Needless to say, tipping is a big thing here. What made me mad is that, I was even asked to pay for a city map! I understand that most travelers in Las Vegas are part of a city tour or some sort, and don’t have to worry about getting around by themselves in the city. My brother and I, however, were traveling by ourselves. We somehow managed to get on two bus rides from the bus terminal to the inn that we stayed at, without having a city map and what the local bus system is like.

The advantages of staying in Las Vegas? You’ll get to stay in some stunningly majestic hotels at a very resonable rate, due to the competitionamong businesses. On top of that, there are loads of exciting performances & shows offered at no cost.

Here are two of the many hotels that we visited, the Excalibur and Mandalay Bay.

The Excalibur Hotel & Casino.

Stained glass and chandelier at the entrance.

A two-storey high water fountain beside the escalator.

A tram ride to the neighbouring hotel, Mandalay Bay.

Amazing meal deals: All Day Long Buffet for only $25!

Mandalay Bay is easily noticeable from far with its golden, shiny glass windows.

Shopping area in Mandalay Bay.

Mini water fountain near the lobby.

A 12,000 gallon, 14-foot saltwater aquarium at the lobby.

The Shark Reef Aquarium is one of the main attractions of Mandalay Bay. For a reasonable cost of admission fee, visitors get the opportunity to observe more than 2,000 animals in 1.6 million gallons of seawater; sharks, giant rays, sea turtles, moon jellies etc. You name it, they have it!

The hot weather in Vegas was something that we had to get used to, after the long and cold winter. It was around 36 °C when we were there.

The “Slurpee” from the 7-11 convenience store came to our rescue…

Famous for their fresh and crispy Belgian waffles at the local farmers’ market for the past five years, the owners have recently announced a grand opening of their cafe, Sweet Belgian Desire in downtown Fredericton. Specializing in European cuisine; crepes, Belgian waffles, European-style sundaes, and cakes. On top of that, fresh sandwiches, homemade soup and spaghetti with Bolognese sauce, can be found on the lunch menu.

The menu.

Brussels. Two hot Belgian waffles with two scoops of vanilla ice-cream. Fresh strawberries, topped with homemade strawberry sauce, and whipped cream.

Crepes Nature. Two hot served crepes served with butter, brown sugar, and jam.

Crepe Normandy. A big hot crepe baked with caramelized apples flambeed with Calvados, served with ice-cream.

Chicken sandwich, served with fresh sliced tomatoes, baby carrots, Alfalfa sprouts, and Romaine lettuce.

Spaghetti Bolognaise with bell pepper.

Mrs. Hawaii. Toast with ham, cheese, and pineapple. Served with fresh carrots, sliced tomatoes, Alfalfa sprouts, and Romaine lettuce.

The food is reasonably priced; sandwiches are below $5 each, and basic crepes and waffles are well under $4, for each order. I ordered the Brussels and had a taste of the Crepe Normandy. They were ever good! The food was prepared fresh once the order has been taken. It involved a bit of a wait, but it’s certainly worth it.

Haven’t heard of this place? Give it a try. You’ll love it :)

If you enjoy the big city nightlife, Las Vegas is the place to be at! Nice architectures, fancy performances, great varieties of food etc. can be found on the Las Vegas strip itself! Besides, it’s a shopping paradise for fashion lovers and gambling heaven for casino visitors.

Mt. Charleston has the highest elevation above sea-level, standing at 11,918 ft (3,633 m) in the Spring Mountains range. Mining is an important industry at the mountains. Snow residues can be observed at the top of Mt. Charleston even on this very day, when it’s close to 40 °C in the city!

This past winter, the weather in Las Vegas set a record low of 29 F (~ 3 °C). It was a shock to the locals as they are not used to the cold. The fact that it took 24 hours to melt away the snow was very unusual. Talking about cold winter, perhaps I should invite some of them to come visit Canada in the winter someday :P

The famous Las Vegas Welcome sign.

Designed by Betty Willis of Western Neon (a sign company) in 1959, the sign has been there for 50 years, to greet visitors arriving in U.S. Highway 91 from California. The letters were hand-drawn and placed in special, eye-catching diamond shape, outlined with neon, surrounded with chasing lights, and tagged by a row of coins spelling out “Welcome.”

This sign is one of the best known images in the world. Recently, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places by the U.S. Department of the Interior.

The desert vegetation can be seen along the highway in Las Vegas.

For shopping enthusiasts, you’d find Las Vegas an exciting city to be at! There are two major outlet stores in the city, conveniently located just off the Las Vegas strip; one on the north and the other on the south. A huge selection of name brands can be found at the outlet centre which accommodates as many as 150 stores!

Prices of merchandise were unbelievable! There is no reason(absolutely no) why someone would not go for name brands, when the prices were comparable with, or even lower than the no-name merchandise. It’s a great saving; very reasonable prices for quality products. Who would say “no” to it?

Shopping lovers, allow yourselves one full day at the outlet center. Shop till you drop!!

Upon our arrival at the outlet store in the afternoon:

The Las Vegas Outlet Center, on the south of Las Vegas Boulevard.

We must have spent at least seven hours in this building. Legs were tired from all the walking (good exercise though), hands were sore from carrying multiple bags, back was pain from long hours of standing, and body was exhausted at the end of all the excitements.

It’s worth the pain though. We had great fun picking gifts for ourselves, family, and friends. It was already dark as we left the building:

The Las Vegas Outlet Center in the dark.

What’s the difference between the three main sites of the Grand Canyon? This is how I’d look at them. North Rim, is easily accessible for visitors who would like to pay a quick visit to the canyon from Nevada. West Rim, is well-known for its Skywalk and the site is greatly developed by the natives. Last but not least, South Rim is the home of National Park (one of the first national parks in the States) and is great for outdoor enthusiasts to participate in red rocks hiking and on site camping.

Grand Canyon boasts to be one of the most scenic sites of the world; red rocks, high cliff, and mighty Colorado River. Hydroelectric generation here serves the neighbouring state, California.

Future development plan of Grand Canyon? David Jin, the founder of Skywalk on the West Rim, is developing airplane runways to accommodate international flights. Aircraft will be able to land directly at the Grand Canyon in the near future. Isn’t it bizarre?

I like the saying of David Jin:

Just like an eagle can fly into the Grand Canyon, my vision is to enable visitors to walk the path of the eagle, and become surrounded by the Grand Canyon while standing at the edge of the Glass Bridge……..

My dream was to find a balance between form, function and nature. Once a dream…now a reality.

It has been a great visit to the Grand Canyon. I’m looking forward to visiting the canyon again in the future…

Our third and last stop at the canyon was Hualapai Ranch. Here, we had the opportunity to visit the Hualapai settlement. Buildings from the early days were available for viewing; horse stable, jail, post office, barber shop, dance hall, and more.

The horse stable.

Buildings with unique architectures.

The Horseshoe game.

Getting a hair cut, bath, or just a shave?