Life At The Palace!

Vegas At Its Best!

2011-06-27T20:59:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I have to admit that I'm starting to be a little homesick :[ So please let me be silly for a minute and talk about all the things I miss... for starters I definitely miss my family and friends!

Mom, Dad, Jamie... I can't wait 'til you guys visit :]

Tito burrito, I schlove you!

... and of course MY BABYYY :[ I have to admit I miss him the most!

And if I added pictures of all my friends I just know that I would miss someone... but I miss you all terribly!

Other than all you amazing people that I miss back home, I miss goood Mexican food! Although the EDR has a Mexican theme about once a week, it is nothing like Cyclone Anaya's, Pappasitos, La Tapatia or practically any hole in the wall Tex-Mex restaurant back home! Also, nobody here says y'all and hardly anyone listens to country music [unless you actually count Taylor Swift]! Its okay though because I know that I'll be home soon enough to enjoy the people and the things that I love most :]

Sooo, although I miss H-Town very very VERY much... the night life does not even compare to Las Vegas. Las Vegas at night is one of my favorite places in the WHOLE world! Now I know what you're thinking, and yes the clubs and lounges are great but The Strip transforms into nothing you've ever seen. The energy is electric and the lights are just breathtaking... not to mention the "shows" that happen at night like the Dancing Waters at the Bellagio and the Erupting Volcano at the Mirage!

As mentioned above my hands down absolute FAVORITE thing at night are the Dancing Waters at the Bellagio. They're just sooo romantic and totally magical! Also, the casinos come alive at night and are buzzing with excitement! My favorites are:

Caesars Palace

The Bellagio

The Mirage

Paris

The Venetian

So far my favorite place to go out has been Blush the boutique nightclub! We originally decided to go there because we heard that for a certain amount of time ladies got free champagne... once we acquired the champagne we decided to stay because the music was fantastic and the vibe was awesome!

Its absolutely beautiful on the inside and the dance floor is really intimate :]

We had a blast... even in the bathroom lol!

So now that I've been telling everyone about the night life I'm off to go enjoy it! I'm heading to the Bellagio to enjoy the fountains and then to the casino to win some big $$$ and if I do, you best believe you'll hear about it next time! LOTS OF LOVE :]

Working For The Weekend

2011-06-18T15:43:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all, I am sooo sorry that its been like 2 weeks since my last post... things have just been really busy around here! So I just finished my first 2 weeks of work rotating around the hotel side of the property. So far I have worked the Front Desk, Concierge, Human Resources, Conventions, Spa and Weddings. Its been a roller coaster to say the least but I have already learned a ton. Next week we'll get the chance to experience the casino side of the property which I'm really looking forward to. So far I have enjoyed working in the Spa and Weddings departments the most, and not for the obvious reasons.

Qua Spa is one of the top 10 spas in the world, and after I got a chance to experience the Roman Rituals it definitely gets my vote for number 1! The spa has 2 sections, the gym and the actual spa. The gym is state of the art and totally gorgeous, Sarah Occhiogrosso would definitely approve! We're lucky because as interns we're allowed to use the gym for free, but guests pay $25 a day or $50 for a 3 day pass. What I love about the gym is that you can be on the treadmill and have an amazing view of the strip, I was lucky one day and actually got to watch the Dancing Waters going off at the Bellagio while I was jogging... how COOL is that?! Also, some of the interns totally lucked out and got to see Giuliana Rancic from E! at the gym. What's unique about the gym is that all of the machines are grouped in a way that are meant for socializing, much like fitness was back in ancient Rome. The other section of the spa is the actual spa lol... its made up of a gorgeous area of pools and waterfalls in the front called the Roman Rituals, a tea lounge, a steam room and sauna, an artic ice room which is the only one in Las Vegas, and a ton of beautiful rooms for spa treatments! I wasn't able to take any pictures while I was enjoying the Roman Baths because the area is clothing optional and cell phones are not allowed. But I was able to find some pictures off of the Qua website so that I can show you what we got to do.

This first picture is of the Roman Baths, and they are absolutely amazing. There are 3 pools that are different temperatures and the water has absolutely no chlorine and has tons of wonderful minerals. Inside of the spa around the baths are these amazing stones chairs that are warm and are incredibly relaxing, I actually fell asleep!

My favorite part of the whole spa is the artic ice room, its 55 degrees and the room snows when you're inside! I've never seen anything like it and its COOL... literally :]

Next to the Spa is the world famous Color salon by Michael Boychuck.

Michael Boychuck is famous for creating Paris Hilton's blonde hair therefore her glamourous portrait is displayed above the front desk.

My favorite part of the lobby is the breathtaking chandelier. Anyone who walks in feels instantly glamorous!

The hair salon itself is all white and embellished with crystals, which is kind of funny because the name of the salon is Color. Michael Boychuck created the salon that way on purpose because he wanted his clients and all of the beautiful people to be the color within the salon.

Here's one of the makeup stations, I just can't get over how gorgeous it all is!

This is what the salon calls the Lather Lounge, which is just a fancy way to say hair washing station.

The day before we worked in the spa department, the Miss USA pageant had a private event to celebrate the 4 limited edition nail polish colors created by OPI for Miss USA. All of the contestants were at the event with Michael Boychuck and plenty of champagne! [Yes Michael Boychuck kind of looks like Bret Michaels lol]

The other department I really enjoyed was the wedding department. Again, this department is divided in to two different areas, the sales office and the wedding coordinator's office. I learned a lot while shadowing in this department about Vegas weddings then I thought I would. For example, its VERY affordable to get married especially at Caesars Palace and the chapels/gardens are absolutely gorgeous. When you think of a typical Vegas wedding you tend to think of a drive trough chapel with a minister in an Elvis costume, but that is sooo far from the truth. My favorite chapel is called the Clasico and its known for its beautiful stain glass window.

This space can be used as is because its already gorgeous or if the bride wants to add flowers they create these beautiful flower arrangements and place them by the vase.

All of the flowers are fresh and prepared every day, no silk flowers here! The cooler that they hold all of the flowers in smells sooo good :] Again, I am so in love with the stain glass window!

The aisle that the bride comes down, I believe this chapel can hold 196 guests which is the largest one on the Las Vegas Strip.

After I worked with the sales team for a little while I actually got the opportunity to go to a wedding with one of the coordinators. It was a blast because the bride was SO beautiful and was dressed totally vintage. She was also very relaxed and super sweet, totally not a bridezilla! Its crazy how fast the whole thing really is, I mean the ceremony lasts 10 minutes tops. I had such a wonderful time I can't wait to go back :]

So I know everyone is curious about the Super Caesars VIP... so here's the story! After I got off of work yesterday I wanted to mail a few post cards so I ventured off on my own to find the business center. I knew the general directions but had no idea where the actual office was. So somehow I got myself to the executive offices that are located in the Palace tower and knew that I was not in the right place. So I turned around to head back to the elevator, when I was about to step in I saw a man come around the corner and asked him if I could hold the elevator for him. When he stepped inside I knew he worked for Caesars because he had a suit on and just came out of the executive offices but he didn't have a name tag on so I didn't think anything of it. I asked him if he knew where the business office was and he replied that he did and that he would take me there. While we were walking I thanked him and explained that I was just an intern and still learning my way around the property. He asked me who I was working with and I told him who our coordinators were. He asked what their positions were and when I told him he said ooooh yes, they're coordinating the summer internship. Then as we arrived to the office he extended his hand and said, "My name is GARY SELESNER, if there is anything that you need just let me know." I totally freaked out and just said thank you as he turned to walk away. Y'all Gary Selesner is the President of Caesars Palace! I have been dying to met him because he is a very important person.

It was by far the coolest moment I had since I have arrived, and I feel so dumb for not recognizing him. Its okay though, all that matters is that I hopefully made a good impression if I ever get to meet him again!

I'm going to cut this blog off for now but I feel like there is so much I still haven't said. I'll catch up with everyone soon though. Lots of love!

First Couple Days Of "Work"

2011-06-08T18:52:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! I hope everyone had a wonderful start to their week... I know I did. Monday we had orientation at Paris and it was a blast! I got to learn SO much about Caesars Entertainment that not only do I feel blessed to have the opportunity to intern with this company I feel proud to work for a company that shares the same values as I do. For instance, we spent a great time talking about responsible gaming and none of the Caesars properties will accept unemployment checks or any money issued that is meant to support a family. They made it very clear that they want gambling to be fun and for people who can afford to spend EXTRA money in the casino. We also learned about different benefits that Caesars gives to their employees such as financial assistance to get American citizenship or funds for schooling. Also, I really appreciate the approach they take on children in the casino. Its very clear that this industry and town is for adults, and the policies they have in place are not to keep children out but to protect children from any harm. Those were some of the more serious matters we talked about, but we had a blast learning about the service standards for Caesars' employees. We also got to go to the buffet at Paris, and it was SUPER delish! They're known for their crepes, and wouldn't you know that was the one thing I didn't try... oh well! SO I didn't really get a chance to take photos but there wasn't much to show.

Now yesterday was a different story! ALL of the interns from the properties embarked on a crazy scavenger hunt that took us around town. I really enjoyed the scavenger hunt because I got to learn a lot about the different properties and all of the fun things that are unique to Vegas!

So we started out at Caesars, because lets be honest its the best property! This first picture is our group at the Forum shops, after we posed we met Miss New York and Miss Rhode Island, they're in town for the Miss America pageant.

This picture is us with the "real" Caesar who lives here, he guards the front of the Palace.

We're pointing to the big toe of David which is a good luck token! Yes I know his genitalia is slight awkward... I have to look at it on a daily basis.

Cleopatra's boobs! Another good luck token... they have to constantly repaint her chest lol.

My team at the Garden of the Gods :]

CELINE! We're in front of the Colosseum where she performs.

Next we had to navigate the strip here are a few pictures from our adventures!

In front of O'Sheas.

At Mon Ami Gabi in front of Paris.

The smallest monkey that I have ever seen, he was so cute... but I felt bad that he was there :[

The Jubilee Theatre at Bally's!

We're acting like flamingos at the Flamingo... if you look closely you can see the real flamingos behind us.

According to this guy he's the only Asian who plays guitar on the strip, we saw him twice this day. I tipped him only because he had a dog, so I hope he'll buy dog food for it!

At the Rio which is the home of WSOP! Super intense.

Koi, the super trendy restaurant at Planet Hollywood, right next to Peep Show.

At the Rainstorm in the Miracle Mile Shops, I know I look like I'm doing the Thriller lol!

So we had sooo many more pictures but it would probably bore you to death! After we participated in the scavenger hunt, we all headed to Toby Keith's I Love This Bar where we got to meet some very important people at Caesars Entertainment. We had a really great time, and heard some amazing stories. Every 5 minutes I was reminded how lucky I was to be apart of this experience. All of the VPs and managers are committed to getting us jobs within the organization! Afterward we were all SO tired we just came home to our Frank Sinatra sweet and played cards. Heres a picture of the whole group with some of the interns from Paris/Bally's.

OH and everyone would be SO proud because I wore a BLUE dress! I felt very pretty :]

Today we had our property tour and I wish I could have taken pictures of all the amazing things we got to see, but everything is confidential to protect the VIP guests who stay there! Some celebrities and some ridiculously rich people. We got to tour a villa, a pent house, and a rain man suite... VERY COOL! Now we're all just hanging out getting excited about our official first days tomorrow. I'll be working at the cage, and I am super excited. I just know I am going to see some amazing things! Y'all have a wonderful night, more updates to come!

Katie

Settling In To My New Home!

2011-06-05T23:18:00.000-07:00

Hey y'all! Boy, I don't think I have ever felt more away from home than now. All of the interns here at Caesars are from up North except for Jamar who goes to the Conrad Hilton with me at UH. Its funny because they say I have a southern drawl and think "its cute" when I say y'all! OH WELL, I love them anyways. Everyone is SO sweet especially my roomie Emily who is from China, who by the way thinks I'm crazy for wanting to move to China... I guess I really am the only one :] Any who, here's a tiny glimpse at our room.

Since, Emily and I are 2 girls who have lots of clothes that we don't want to hang up in our bathroom to get all wet, we both bought a closet with shelves for our things. This has to be one of the best purchases I've made ever!

I also had to buy some extra storage because I'm telling you there just isn't enough room for 2 girls to hold all of their stuff for 10 weeks! Also, my white board and photos from home were a must to make the room feel more like an apartment.

Of course healthy snacks are a must... eating in the employee dining room is nice but every once and a while something different is nice.

The last touch to any home is a candle and pictures of loved ones!

So today was wonderful and started off with a bang! Grandma was still recovering from the weekend so Beth and I went to Palace Station, which is a local casino to grab brunch and to gamble a little bit.

After brunch I headed straight for the Monkees machine which I had won $50 dollars on the night before. Turns out I was on a lucky streak and after 1 bonus round I won $94! I started with $20 but gambled a little more and decided to cash out when I reached $100.

Needless to say I WAS SO EXCITED! After Beth dropped me off I met up with the interns and all of the girls decided to hit the pool for a little tanning action. It was SO hard to find chairs, but once we did I swear I was in heaven. The whole pool area is just gorgeous and really looks like a roman bath... just updated!

After the pool we walked around the forum shops a little bit and basically people watched. People in Vegas are crazy. But I'm sure you knew that :] After Sunday dinner where ALL of the interns met together for the first time, Emily and I drove to Mandalay Bay to visit Lush!

It was a much bigger store than I've ever been to so it was exciting to see all of the products in one place at one time! I was in desperate need of a face mask because my skin has been acting up the whole time I've been here so I ended up buying 2.

I feel slightly guilty for getting Emily addicted... but every girl should get the chance to experience Lush. Its funny because we ended up getting a few of the same products, we're both just SO dried up from this climate that we need MOISTURE MOISTURE MOISTURE!

Once we got back to the room it was straight in to the shower for me so that I could try out all of my new goodies! Then we both tried our face masks... and y'all I am not even kidding, my face mask smelled like garlic hummus. It was SO GROSS! I do have to say that my face feels wonderful so the pain was definitely worth the gain. Here's a goofy pic of Emily and I with our face masks.

Now I have got to get to bed because tomorrow is my first day! Orientation at Paris... I will definitely keep you guys updated. Wish me luck, and have a WONDERFUL night :]

XO Katie