Viva Las Vegas -a poem about a very special trip to Vegas

It was just an idea, a simple thought
Next thing we knew the tickets were bought
Paid for with credit that neither could afford
All that mattered was the plane we would soon board
“Viva Las Vegas” was all we could say
And in a month we were on our way
“The trip of a lifetime” was given whole new meaning
And down the strip we were careening
We hit that town like it was a white bitch
In every bar we found our niche
In true Jamie style, when it was time to go
She proclaimed, “You ain’t gettin’ on that plane hoe!”
22 hours later the car trip came to an end
A ride home that left me with one less friend
See, WE went Vegas but I alone returned
Jamie saw time and money that must be burned
She soon fell in love with a handsome stunt man
This was not at all part of her plan
See that idea that came to us while sitting in the sun
Is now the reason her oven is home to a bun!
So next time you’re sitting by the pool with your friend
Keep in mind this advice I will lend
If someone should mention a vacay to The Strip
Please reread this poem and take a few tips
Wave at all stunt men and always miss your plane
And go with the friend that is the least sane
Strippers, motorcycles, and kangaroos are the things of which dreams are made…..

CWS Omaha, Nebraska Weekend Itinerary

If you’ve ever met anyone from Omaha, you’ve probably asked the one question that everyone asks me -What is there to do in Omaha? And we quickly reply, the CWS of course! Granted, the College World Series of Baseball only lasts for about two weeks every summer, but those two weeks are one hell of a good time. I’ve lived in different parts of Nebraska for the last twenty years and I have been attending the CWS off and on (mostly on) for the last ten years. Food, fun and family is what it’s all about…oh yeah, and baseball. Here is a weekend CWS itinerary from one of Omaha’s own:

Friday:

-11:00am Check into hotel. There are tons to chose from at decent prices. I would recommend staying close to downtown as that is where the stadium and all the action is.

-11:00am-12:30pm Have one of the best burgers of your life at Stella’s  at 106 Galvin Road South, Bellevue, NE 68005. Yelp it, Urbanspoon it, TripAdvisor it and you’ll get the same thing every time -“The best burger I’ve ever had”. I can attest. Served on a  napkin, and dripping with just about every topping you want, this is the best burger I’ve ever had!

-12:30pm-4:00pm Visit the Henry Doorly Zoo located at 3701 S 10th Street Omaha, NE 68107. Four hours will barely be enough time to see and do everything here. They boast an amazing aquarium, one of the world’s largest indoor jungles, the ever popular Dessert Dome, the Kingdoms of the Night (full of just about every nocturnal animal you can think of) and so much more. You can walk off that Stella’s burger in this 130 acre zoo or, if you want to take it easy, you can take the SkyFari. A round trip ride on this tree-top view chairlift will only set you back $4.

-4:00pm-6:00pm Hit up the awesome happy hour available at Hiro 88 downtown, located at 1308 Jackson Street
Omaha NE, 68102. Great sushi, cheap drinks and always good service. Saki bombs and the Husker roll are both on the happy hour menu, and are two of my absolute favorites. You can get full and tipsy here for under $20!

-7:00pm-11:00pm Catch a CWS night game at the brand-spankin’ new TD Ameritrade stadium located at 1200 Mike Fahey Street
Omaha, NE 68102. You can either see the action live in the beautiful new stadium, or you can find one of dozens of friendly tailgates all around the downtown area to join.

Saturday:

-11:00am-12:30pm (Sorry, I don’t do ANYTHING before 11am) Brunch at The Diner located at 409 S 12TH St
Omaha, NE 68102. I’ve been curing my hangover at this old fashion diner in downtown Omaha for years. This quaint little blast from the past serves up cheap, hearty meals. Great atmosphere and friendly staff are the kicker!

-12:30pm-2:00pm Walk around beautiful downtown Omaha (aka The Old Market). Shops, tents, diners and sellers line the streets during the CWS, but don’t take too long, the day games start at 2pm.

-2:00pm-6:00pm Game time again! (If the game isn’t too close, I would recommend leaving about 20 minutes early to ensure you can snag a seat at the popular restaurants downtown.

-6:00pm-7:30pm Dinner at M’s Pub in the Old Market located at 422 S. 11th St. Omaha, Ne 68102. Obviously, another one of my favorite restaurants. Right off the cobble stone path, this fun little pub offers some great flat bread pizza, wonderful atmosphere and always friendly bar staff.

-7:30pm-2:00am Check out the tents! The TD Ameritrade stadium is surrounded by live music, good company and cold drinks. Drink and dance the night away at any one of them or ALL of them, you can’t go wrong!

Sunday:

I don’t know about you, but I’m all baseballed out and more than a little hungover at this point.

-11:00 Pack up and check out 😦

-11:30pm-1:00pm  Enjoy a nice relaxing breakfast, brunch, lunch (whatever you wanna call it) on Upstream Brewery’s lovely patio. This local gem brews their own delicious beers and has a pretty kick ass menu. Located 11th and Jackson in the Old Market, they have a killer bloody mary to help you recover.

-1:00pm-Head home.