dog days of summer

To complement Nicole's wordless wednesday post:

Cooling off in front of the fan.

Poker Rest Day.

The Joes took a day off poker so that we could golf today. It was the hottest day since we've been here but ended up being breezy and cooled things off. I played pretty well for my standards which made it an enjoyable outing!

Rio Wine Cellar

The Rio doesn't have a whole lot to do which is unfortunate since that is where all of the World Series of Poker events are played. However, Mrs. P and I discovered the Wine Cellar which is the best hidden gem in the Rio and dare I say, the entire Strip!

You head down these stairs and arrive in a wine cellar. You will be the only person there besides the bartender and you can enjoy a flight of wine and cheese. How they have stayed alive all these years is beyond me but I'm glad to have my own personal wine cellar in Vegas.

Poker Press!

Joe is famous! He was included in a pokernews.com picture in yesterday's tournament - that's right, he was sitting next to the guy who ended the day second in chips! I think his shoulder and ear are looking pretty good!

Joe and his brother Jono have made it to Day 2 of this tournament. Hopefully I'll be reporting about a Day 3 tomorrow!

Bellagio Love.

I love the Bellagio hotel in Vegas.

Mainly because of this:

I find fountains timed to music beautiful and entertaining.

I also like the botanical gardens.

They are updated seasonally and usually everything is made of flowers or something from mother nature.

Herbs.

I bought and transplanted some herbs last week - I am pretty proud on how they turned out. I think it's pretty cute and functional with it being conveniently located in the kitchen.

I especially like the copper labels my mom got me.

Memorial Day Weekend.

Most of our Memorial Day weekend was spent outside. The rain finally stopped and it allowed us to do some much needed yard work. This house has a ton of beds which means a ton of weeding and a ton of mulch. Joe and I hate weeding - in our opinion, it is the worst outdoor chore.

However, once completed, our hard work was gratifying. Fresh mulch looks great!

We also snuck in some time at the driving range on Saturday, played 9 holes on Sunday and went to my mom and dad's for a very tasty rib cookout on Monday. We put in a good day at work on Tuesday and today we are in Vegas. Joe is ready to take the World Series of Poker 2011 by storm! Go Joe!