GETTING EXCITED FOR A POOL PARTY

One thing, among many things, that I like to do in Vegas , is go to pool parties.

Now when the temperature goes past 100, you look for a pool.

Seeing that this is the entertainment capital of the United States , not only do you get a party when you go swimming but you’re going to get some entertainment too.

As often as I have gone to Vegas , I didn’t start going to pool parties until last year.

(How did I ever miss this???!!!)

Now I’m hooked.

If you want to go to one of these pool parties while you’re , you can get in for free if you get yourself on a guest list so that you can get in gor free .

(I use NoCoverNightClubs.com , but more about them in another post.)

The pool party that I attended was at Drais ,which is inside the Cromwell Hotel , which is on the Las Vegas Strip .

These parties always have a guest deejay playing music.

Drais was no exception the day that I was there, which was my first full day in Vegas and on a Sunday no less.

It was one of my favorite deejays, DJ Pauly D .

If his name sounds familiar to some of you, it should.

He’s THAT Pauly D from the old show Jersey Shore.

To hear that he would be spinning tunes really excited me to no end.

(Yeah the Sports Diva gets excited about something other than a sporting event . )

Forget that it was 100 plus degrees wow I was ready to get my drink and dance on.

When the other dj said , “Give it up for Deejay Pauly D!”, you might have thought one of my favorite sports teams had just won a championship or something the way I was jumping up and down and screaming my lungs out.

I wasn’t the only one yelling either .

Long live Vegas pool parties !

THANK YOU FOR THE SUNSHINE BLOGGER AWARD

While I really don’t participate in blogging awards anymore, I really want to thank blogger, Kathleen from Stylish Heath for nominating me for the Sunshine Blogger Award.

Check out Kathleen’s blog, Stylish Heath, y’all, it’s interesting and as the title suggests, very stylish .

I so appreciate it when other bloggers really truly enjoy what I have to say in my posts.

When I started this blogging journey almost three years ago on WordPress , I really didn’t think anyone would care about what to do in a city after you’ve gone to a sporting event in the United States and Canada .

Not only are many of you interested in that, but you also seem to love the twice monthly travel quotes, and surprisingly to me, you all want to know just what goes into my suitcase when I go on my 30 Plus Teams Tours .

I thank you all for that and continue to be surprised as all get out .

As some of you might or might not know, it was one of my Circle of Sisters , Michele , who, like me, will travel anywhere to see our favorite hockey team play, who is the inspiration for the 30 Plus Teams 30 Plus Dreams .

Her question , “what’s there to do there after we go to the game?”, made me think .

Other people might have the same question .

As you can tell if you read my posts, there are pictures all over the place because not only do I love taking pictures no matter where I am and what I’m doing, but it’s the closest thing to my followers actually being there, no matter if it’s a sporting event or somewhere else in the city.

I’m not that much of a reader, but as you might guess, sports, travel , and since I was a history major in college, give me a biography book or a book on the Civil War , Revolutionary War or World War 2 and you’d better believe that I’m going to read it.

You might be under the impression that I only watch sporting events on tv , but I have to confess that I love watching shows like Love and Hip Hop Atlanta , Snapped , The First 48, and the two shows with The Chrisley Family of Atlanta and Nashville (they’re hysterical ! )

As for music, I don’t just have a playlist for when I travel, I even have one when I write my posts.

I can listen to pretty much anything while I write my blogs except opera or classical.

This does includes rap, country and heavy metal .

Ask me though can I write post when a sporting event is on .

Oh hell to the no because I’m too busy yelling at the players , referees , and umpires to concentrate on a blog post.

Forgive me for rambling on and on but I’m so happy and blessed to know that someone , anyone, other than family and friends, actually love what I have to write .

I will continue getting as many travel quotes to inspire you to travel no matter if it’s home or away.

Also, much to my surprise , I will continue to show you the things that go into my suitcase when I go on a 30 Plus Teams Tour .

Thank you and God Bless y’all.

Love, Sports Diva

TEAM AWESOME REVISITED

Almost a year ago, I wrote a blog post about some of the blogs that I really enjoyed reading.

Being the sports nut that I am, of course these blogs had to have a special name.

They’re known as my Team Awesome .

This blog post brings you some more of the blogs that I enjoy reading.

I hope you get the chance to see what these blogs are all about, so I’m also going to give you the web address for these blogs as well.

Definately check them out when you get the chance .

1. Tashnee V. Mavee- Journey of My Life

Tashnee’s blog is just that. Her own personal journey. Besides her inspirational stories, she makes my Team Awesome list because of her great fashion sense.

2. Forresting 365- Forresting My Cloud

Besides all that great art that’s on her blog, and the beautiful poetry, Katy and I share a love of all things football. Me, my New England Patriots , Katy, all things that are the Atlanta Falcons .

3. Renard Moreau- Renard’s World

I just really discovered this blog and I wish that I had discovered it earlier. If you’re thinking about starting a blog or even if you aren’t a newbie, this blog with its great blogging tips are for you. I highly recommend that you check it out.

4. Ayanna Robinson- Style in Full Bloom

Ayanna’s blog is about what her title says it is. Style. Music, fashion, lifestyle, etc. To say that I don’t enjoy reading her fashion tips would be a lie. I enjoy especially when she highlights what to wear for the different seasons.

5. Shamylah Zimuto- Shamylah’s World

Her blog introduces you not only to makeup tips, but also the movers and shakers in the business world, and quotes from them. The fact that the business people are mostly women is a plus in my book. My personal favorite posts of Shamylah’s are her music playlist posts, which occur every Wednesday and highlight some of her favorite songs and songs that you should be listening to. (Thank you, Shamylah for introducing me to the music of Post Malone, Cardi B and Dua Lipa.)

6. Airport and Hotels Blog

This blog is actually about what the title says. Any information you want to know about an airport or a hotel, this is your blog. It’s not only the well known airports they talk about, it’s even the ones that you’ve never heard of.

7. Globetrotting Grandpa

Don’t let the name fool you. Dan isn’t ready for the rocking chair just yet. He’s going to travel, and just like my motto, “Staying home isn’t an option “, it’s not for Dan either. He not only explores other cities and countries, he goes on his own 30 Plus Teams Tour of his home town. (Shout out to Dan’s home town of Kansas City , Missouri . )

8. National Parks With T- National Parks USA

If you live in the United States , chances are there’s a National Park in your home town, and T and her family have visited it. Many of the parks that T and her family have visited, such as Fort Sumpter, Bunker Hill, Yellowstone and the Grand Canyon are on my official and “unofficial ” bucket lists.

9. Ken Dowell- Off the Leash

If you want a blog that’s mixed with a little history, Ken’s blog is for you. He not only gives you tips on what to see, but the history of the place you’re going to visit. He also gives you some technology tips as well. Oh, did I mention that he blogs about baseball as well?

10. Sam, Living

His blog website is My life without religion. Please don’t let that possibly turn you off to reading this blog. It shouldn’t. Sam has a lot to say, and most of it has nothing to do with religion . He talks about his traveling experience , like working on a farm in Australia . He has done a lot of traveling and has even visited that most “foreign” of cities, Lubbock , Texas.

11. Bill Fonda- A Silly Place

What a cute title, you think. Bill is showing his humorous side, whether it be driving down the streets of Los Angeles in a bright yellow rental car that he called “the Banana Mobile ” or enjoying the Country and Western group Sugarland. His humor even helped him get through serious things such as a flood in his hometown . Bill writes from the heart, even though he calls his blog, “A Silly Place.”

12. Hunida’s Blog

You can’t keep it anymore real in your blog as my girl Hunida does in her blog, aptly called, “Hunida’s Blog.” She tells you EVERYTHING in her blog, the good, the bad, and the really ugly. Nothing is held back. I love her posts about her job, her food recipes , not to mention her life with her significant other and her cat. She reviews beauty products, movies, books, songs, t.v shows and my special favorite , where to go and what to eat in my favorite city , her home town, Las Vegas .

This was the latest edition of Team Awesome .

Since I really don’t do blogger awards anymore, this is as close as you’re going to get.

Team Awesome is going to be a new blog feature in 30 Plus Teams 30 Plus Dreams.

So if you didn’t get mentioned this time, no worries.

There are so many new blogs out there and I try to read as many as I can.

In case you want to follow some of these blogs, do so.

It’s important that bloggers support other bloggers , so show some love to these bloggers and any bloggers that you happen to come across and really enjoy reading.

Your own “Team Awesome ” so to speak.

In the meantime, I’m going to give you the websites of my Team Awesome .

Check them out and thank you and God bless you for following and liking 30 Plus Teams , 30 Plus Dreams .

Shamylah Zimuto – shamylahszimuto.wordpress.com

Globetrotting Grandpa – globetrottinggrandpa.com

Airports and Hotels – airportsandhotelsblog.wordpress.com

Living- mylifewithoutreligion.com

Renards World- renardsworld.wordpress.com

Hunida’s Blog – hunidasblog.com

Forresting My Cloud – Forresting 365.com

A Silly Place – billswritingplace.wordpress.com

Off the Leash – offtheleash.net

Journey of My Life – Tashneevmavee.wordpress.com

Ayanna Robinson – styleinfullbloom.com

National Parks with T – nationalparkswitht.com

WALKING THROUGH THE HARD ROCK HOTEL AND CASINO

There are many branches of the Hard Rock Hotel all over the world, and while I have never stayed in any of them, I have spent time at the one in Las Vegas, which I did this past June.

Last week, while I was in Atlantic City, I spent time at the Hard Rock Hotel there.

This branch opened this past June.

It has many of same things that the one in Las Vegas has.

There’s even a Sugar Factory Restaurant right inside, the very same one that sells those humongous drinks just like the one in Vegas does.

This hotel used to be the Trump Taj Mahal, but like most of Atlantic City casinos, it was forced to close due to bankruptcy.

The hotel reopened as the brand spanking new Hard Rock Hotel, and like the other Hard Rock branches, there is a huge guitar right outside.

The only thing this one shares with the one in Las Vegas is the name, although Sir Richard Branson of Virgin Atlantic fame has brought the one in Las Vegas so we really don’t know how that will change the hotel.

As much as I love the city of Las Vegas , sorry, not sorry, but the Hard Rock Hotel in Atlantic City makes the one in Las Vegas look like the baby sister that gets the hand me down clothes from big sis.

This place is BEAUTIFUL AND SPACIOUS !

It’s also very high tech.

If you want to get a drink while you’re at the slot machines, you don’t flag the waitress down as she walks by.

Oh no.

Look on your slot machine.

Right in the middle of your machine, there’s a drink icon.

Push it for whatever you want to drink, water, wine, beer, or hard beverages.

The waitress will bring it to you.

Just remember, tip your waitress when she brings your drink, no matter what it is.

Don’t be stingy with your tip either.

(However, when I ordered a Pina Colada, the waitress never brought me my drink. Maybe I didn’t order it correctly or something, I don’t know , but that’s another story for another day. I didn’t need that drink THAT badly.)

As for the casino floor, there are lots of tables and slots and you can move around freely.

As I mostly play the slots, I looked for the slot machines that I play a lot.

I’m “old school” so it’s machines like Wild Cherry, Double and Triple Diamonds for me.

Always the penny machines by the way .

(My machines didn’t let me down. I hit for $78 and $46 on the same machine. Thank God for the bonus play. Instead of putting in the usual $20 that I play with, I only put in $6.50 to start with.)

The Hard Rock does have the cafe inside and yes, there are pictures of past and present musicians lining the walls of the restaurant, not to mention the rest of the hotel.

While the first floor is a sight to see , it pales in comparison to what’s happening on the second floor.

You can take the escalator as you watch the screen all around you showing different artists in the concert series known as “Hard Rock Calling.”

As I rode the escalator up to the second floor, the screen showed the rock group The Killers in concert followed by the Country and Western group, Lady Antebellum.

I could have watched the screen change all day, not to mention how mesmerized I was watching the stairs in between the two escalators changing colors.

The stairs were too beautiful to walk on.

I took the escalators to the second floor and checked out the food court as well as check out some of the stores.

(You don’t have to ask. Yes, I did buy some stuff to take back to New York City . )

Besides the pictures of muscians on the walls, there is an area known as “The Rock Vault”, which celebrates artists and venues in New Jersey .

I left the Hard Rock amazed at how dazzling this hotel really is.

It’s a Las Vegas style hotel with a party atmosphere and it’s right in my backyard .

I don’t need to fly across the United States to party like a rock star or like it’s 1999 (sorry but I just had to go there.)

A two to three hour bus ride from New York City to Atlantic City is all I need to get lit at the Hard Rock .

PARTY TIME DAY OR NIGHT IN LAS VEGAS

I go to Las Vegas, Nevada a lot.

This year was no different and not just because this city is the newest city on the 30 Plus Teams Tour.

As many of you may or may not know, I go every June for the NHL Awards .

This year in Vegas was no different than any other time that I visit.

No, let me stop lying.

This year was different.

I did something in the city that’s New York City on steroids that I’ve never done before.

I went to the clubs in town .

That’s right, I said clubs .

You know those places where people of all ages go to drink, dance and sometimes act like a damn fool?

Yeah, those type of clubs.

Now you might ask what’s the big deal all clubs are the same no matter what city you’re in.

There’s bouncers and a velvet rope that stops you from getting into the club, especially if you’re by yourself .

I’ve seen clubs in other cities and I can tell you, just like a whole lot of other things, clubbing in Vegas is different .

No where else that I know of has nightclubs AND dayclubs.

Ain’t no party like a Las Vegas party no matter what time of the day it is.

Now with all the times that I’ve been to Vegas, you would think that I would know how to get into clubs.

I dont mean paying an arm and a leg to get into the club, but how does one get on these “guests lists”?

You could have one of those annoying “promoters” give you their card while you’re walking down the Las Vegas Strip with your friends and family but how do you know these people aren’t those infamous timeshare people that you see everywhere in town.

Since I never went to a club in Vegas but was always interested, I just didn’t know .

Enter a company recommended to me by a resident of Las Vegas called No Cover Nightclubs.

Now before I continue, this company didn’t pay me to talk about them and say nice things.

This is my opinion and I’m sticking to it.

The people who run this company and website are wicked awesome .

If you happen to be in Las Vegas and want to go clubbing on certain nights, these are the people you talk to.

They can get you into the hottest clubs in town.

Just log onto their website, NoCoverNightClubs.com, sign up, put the club or clubs that you wish to go to and what night, and voila, you’ll get an email telling you that you’re on the guest list and what time you should be in the “guest list” line.

Yes, you’re special .

You have a line for you and your friends.

Or you can be like me.

I went with three people-

Me, myself, and I.

I had a great time too.

The email that you’re sent tells you what to wear, what time to get there and that you’ll get two free drinks.

They’re mostly rum or vodka, anything else, you pay for it.

Best of all, you pay NOTHING to get into the club.

No cover, remember ?

While I was in town, I went to two nightclubs, Marquee in the Cosmopolitan and Hyde at Bellagio.

I was supposed to go to the club at the Golden Nugget, but sorry, I can’t party like a rock star at almost 66 years old the way I did at 36 years old.

I loved the Hyde because the crowd was older and the music kept me on my feet until 2:30 am.

(Forget the fact that the night that I went was the night before the hockey awards and the Hyde was having an invite only hockey party . Yours truly, the Sports Diva was on the guest list . Talk about 30 Plus Dreams ! )

There is a dress code of course, so leave the sweatsuits, sneakers , hats, and tshirts back in your hotel.

This is Vegas, dress to impress!

Now, if you’re on the guest list for the dayclubs, like I was for Rehab pool at the Hard Rock Hotel , same thing applies.

Get there at a certain time, go to the line that says “guest list” and you’re in, ready to party.

Have some identification with you and get ready to be searched just as though you’re at the airport.

This applies for both the nightclubs and dayclubs.

For the nightclub, I had to be in line by 10:30pm and for the dayclub, by 11:30am and with a bathing suit.

Don’t laugh. If you had on a tshirt and shorts,and no bathing suit, you can forget about getting in.

You weren’t but you can wear a hat.

I wore my New York Yankees hat just cause I am that team sports apparel fashionista .

Like at the Hyde, the music was so good you just had to dance even if you were in a pool.

I had to keep reminding myself that this is Las Vegas and the party starts early, even if it is a Sunday.

When I returned to New York almost a week later , I couldn’t believe that I actually went clubbing.

But I did and I had the best time ever.

Thank you No Cover Nightclubs , I will be visiting your website , NoCoverNightClubs.com, the next time I come to Las Vegas .

MY “SICK” PLAYLIST

I just don’t  mean music that I’ve  been listening  to  while I’ve  been  sick, but music that’s  great to listen to any other time.

You know,  the kind of music that makes you say, “that jam was KILLING  IT! It was ‘sick!’.

Anyway ,  I’ve had plenty  of  time  to listen  to  and download songs to my cell phone  that  I’ve  heard on the radio or in true Sports Diva 64 fashion , heard played at either a football ,  basketball  or hockey game.

Baseball  season hasn’t  started yet, but you’d  better believe  that if they were playing a song that I liked at some baseball  park and I liked it, it would definitely  be downloaded  to my cell phone in a New York  minute, and that’s  pretty fast.

Not only do these songs make me forget that I’ve  been ill, but some of  them pass the “Lawery  Toe Tapping Test.”

What’s  that, you might ask ? 

Let’s  say a song comes on the radio  and within the first few minutes, my feet start to move.

BA BAMM!

That song is a keeper and more than likely , it’s  going to be downloaded  to my phone.

These are a few of the songs that are on my ‘sick’ playlist.

1. “ALL I DO IS WIN”- DJ KHALED

2. “THE WAY I ARE”- TIMBALAND

3. “ALL THE WAY UP”-FAT JOE, REMY MA, FRENCH MONTANA  

4. “GDFR (GOING DOWN  FOR REAL)”- FLO-RIDA

5. “ZILLIONAIRE”- FLO-RIDA  

6. “WELCOME  TO  MY  HOUSE  “- FLO-RIDA  

Okay, I’ll  admit it, I  really do like FLO-RIDA ,  don’t  judge me . 

7. “SORRY ,  NOT SORRY”- DEMI LOVATO  

8. “HAVANA “-CAMILLA CABELLO

9. “EARNED IT”-THE WEEKEND  

10. “BIG RINGS  “- DRAKE AND FUTURE

11. “ROCK THE CASBAH”- THE CLASH

12. “CHELSEA DAGGER”-THE FRATELLIS

13. “CENTURIES”- FALL OUT BOY

14. “I’M  SHIPPING  OFF TO  BOSTON  “- THE DROPKICK MURPHYS  

15. “SING”-ED SHEERAN AND PHARRELL  

16. “I’M BLESSED”- CHARLIE WILSON AND T.I.

17. “LATCH”-DISCLOSURE AND SAM SMITH

18. “MANEATER”-NELLY FURTADO

19. “FEELS”-CALVIN HARRIS ,  PHARRELL ,  KATY PERRY ,  BIG SEAN

20. “PEG”-STEELY DAN

21. “RUNNING DOWN A DREAM”- TOM PETTY AND THE  HEARTBREAKERS  

22. “WORTH IT  “-FIFTH HARMONY

23. “STITCHES”-SHAWN MENDES

24. “TROPHIES”- YOUNG MONEY AND DRAKE  

25. “ANIMALS”-MAROON 5

26. “MISTER BRIGHTSIDE  “- THE KILLERS

That’s  my sick playlist ,  what about yours ? 

What do you like to listen to whether you’re  sick or not or going on your own  30  Plus  Teams  Tour ? 

Drop me a line  in  the  comments  section  or  shoot  me  an  email  at  sportsdiva63@gmail.com  and let me know.

As usual, thank you for liking and supporting  30  Plus  Teams  30  Plus  Dreams . 

SOME THINGS THAT I LOVE

I’m sure  that  I’m  going  to  leave  out  something  , but these are  some  of  the  things  that  I  really  love.

 

Lipstick

Handbags  – No, they don’t  have  to  be  name brands .  I  LOVE HANDBAGS !

Jewelry  – Especially  rings, bracelets  and  necklaces .

Nail Polish

Shoes

Boston

Travel  Guides  –   No matter  where  it is

Dancing  – I’m  not really  great  at it ,  but who cares ?

New York  style  Cheesecake

Ginger Ale

New  Years  Eve  and New  Years  Day

Snowy  Days

Coffee  – No ,  definitely  not Starbucks .  Try 7-Eleven ,  Dunkin  Donuts  or even  Tim  Hortons

Lotion

Comfy   heavy  sweaters

Scented  Soap

Scented  Candles

Kuala  Lumpur ,  Malaysia

My stuffed  animals  – who you just know  are named for athletes ,  except  one. Her name  is  Posh  Spice

Fashion  magazines

Going on  a bus ride  no matter  what  city  I’m  in

A Primanti  Brothers  sandwich  while  I’m  in  Pittsburgh  –  RIGHTEOUS ! !

Going  to  or watching  a sporting  event

Going  for  a  walk  in  the  city ,  no matter  what  city  it is

New England  Clam Chowder

Tacos

Ice Cream

Watching  Travel  Shows  on t.v.

Watching  cooking  shows  on t.v.

Thai Food

Jamaican  Food

Vietnamese  Food, especially  Pho  Soup

Malaysian  Food

Jack Daniels  and  Fireball  Whiskey  – Yeah, I  like  my adult  beverages

Watching  the  ESPN  TV  series ,  “30  For  30  ”

Opening  ceremony  of the  Summer  and  Winter  Olympics , especially  when the countries  make their  entrance  into  the  stadium

Sleeping

Toronto

Going  to  a new place and getting  souvenirs ,  whether  it  be  postcards ,  shot glasses ,  tshirts, magnets ,  key chains  or a bag  with the  city’s  name  on it .

Flying  in  an airplane

Seeing  different  airports  Barbecue  Potato  Chips

My family and My Circle  of  Sisters  

Watching  some reality  shows  – my two guilty  pleasures  are Love and Hip Hop  -Atlanta  and Basketball  Wives

Listening  to  a  song  by either   Hall and  Oates ,  Kenny  G ,  Sade ,  Drake ,  Justin  Timberlake ,  Maroon  5 ,  Chicago  or Flo-Rida .

Museums

Blogging   (naturally  )

Thanking  God  for being  able  to  go on  a 30  Plus  Teams  Tour

 

I gave  you  my  things that I  love. What  about you?

What’s some  of  the  things  that  you love?

Let me  know  in the  comments  section .