Las Vegas – it has a different meaning to everyone. You can have the casino experience, the entertainment experience, or you can have the vacation experience. Mix it all together with a large splash of elegance, and you have the Wynn experience.

Here are a few must do’s when at the Wynn:

Where to stay

The rooms at the Wynn Las Vegas (and Encore) are known for their elegance. Beautiful, pristine décor, luxurious beds, and my personal favorite: you can control the shades for the windows from your bed. And of course, once you open them, you have a breath-taking view of the strip or their golf course. It’s the little things that make it so personal – one night I came back to my room and they had chocolates on the pillow, slippers and robe out and soft music playing. I saw 3 different types (total of eight) and each one just gets more exquisite.

Things to see

Garth Brooks

I just want to thank Stephen Wynn for convincing Garth to come out of retirement and play in his theatre. Garth sat on stage with his acoustic guitar and just told the story of his life intertwined with his favorite songs by other performers. He never took a break and people were honestly running to go to the bathroom because they did not want to miss a minute. Country fan or not, that man can put on a show! (by the way, tickets can be purchased at wynnlasvegas.com though be patient bc it can take awhile).

Le Rêve

Imagine ballroom dancers, synchronized swimmers and acrobats performing in over 1 million gallons of water. Seems like something you would only dream about, huh? Le Rêve, meaning “The Dream” tells the story of a woman who is deciding whom to marry and how dreams take you on a journey that reflect your life. I was fortunate enough to have an interview with a lead performer, Brent Borbon, ballroom dancer and former Dancing with the Stars performer. Brent is busy living his dream dancing in 2 shows per night. Top it off with the VIP experience where you can enjoy champagne, chocolate covered strawberries and  you watch behind-the-scenes (or in this case, under water scenes…pretty cool).

Dining and Cocktails

SW Steakhouse

I had the chance to chat with a Nina, a server from the SW Steakhouse (1 of 9 restaurants in the Wynn) where you’ll experience a rib-eye that melts in your mouth. She had served Mr. Wynn in a restaurant and he liked her service so much, asked her to work for him when he opened his steakhouse at the Wynn. She kindly declined because she liked the current family-owned establishment. Mr. Wynn made a deal with her: To prove what a personal establishment he would have, he would come back at a later date and remember her name, kid’s name, year she graduated, etc. The next time she served Mr. Wynn, he remembered everything about her and let’s just say that 5 years later, she was serving me at the SW Steakhouse and has no intention to leave. They literally hand picked their servers! PS – you must try the funnel cake dessert- amazing!

The Country Club

Jazz brunch, overlooking the Wynn’s 7,024 yard (par 70) golf course; Delicious salmon, eggs made to order, crab legs, the cutest little mini-hamburgers you’ve ever seen and the fries are to die for. Fun servers, hand-picked chefs, and a mighty tasty bloody mary….all of this is what you will get at The Country Club.

Parasol Down

Sitting outside by the Lake of the Dreams at an elegant cocktail bar with signature Wynn cocktails was a perfect way to start an evening. They have witty 3 minute shows every half hour in the evening- a little frog singing Louis Armstrong’s “What a Wonderful World” is a crowd favorite.

Ready to Relax?

This is where I really felt like I was on vacation. I enter the pool, immediately greeted by 2 pool attendants, the first showed me the hot spots to sit for the most sun, shade, quiet, etc and set me up. The other attendant took my order and brought a drink and the paper. I proceeded to listen to the peaceful music and felt like I was sitting at my personal pool. They also have private cabanas and a fabulous spa menu to choose from.

I didn’t even mention all the shopping boutiques to choose from (Chanel, Louis Vitton to name a few) or the fun night-life (Blush and Tryst). I simply can not wait to go back. When it comes to Las Vegas vacations, the Wynn Las Vegas has it all and they have a lot of great deals out there to make it affordable.

So, why the Wynn Las Vegas?  It’s all in the experience.

What has been your Wynn experience?

Libby H., Delta Vacations

I grew up exploring and fishing in the marsh wetlands of southeastern Louisiana with my dad, Butch, an avid outdoorsman. Those many years spent developing a deep understanding of the tremendous value that wetlands provide, shaped my vision of conservation and care for nature’s outdoors. My life’s passion for ecology guided me to a career in environmental engineering, where I have worked as an environmental consultant and engineer. During a 2009 visit to a landfill, though, what I saw changed my outlook even more profoundly than those wetlands did from my youth. About the same time as the visit, the idea behind Tierra Ideas was born after reading an article from a magazine purchased with Delta Sky Miles points.  When I saw an article on recycled bags I remember thinking, ‘This is it!’  And so I bought a used industrial Singer sewing machine from Craigslist for $475, enrolled in my first sewing class and 5 months later, my first recycled bag was complete.

Tierra Ideas’ aim is to help companies re-think how they dispose of their unwanted materials by creating the most unique recycled products anywhere.  In 2010, Tierra Ideas has partnered with Delta Air Line to collect worn and retired aircraft seat covers and curtains donated by Delta Air Lines and recycle them into new bags and accessories.  Through this unique partnership, thousands of pounds of worn aircraft seat covers and curtains have been diverted from the landfill.  Tierra Ideas also recycles blown-out, waste bicycle inner tubes  and tires.  When they arrive in the shop, they are then cleaned with non-phosphate, biodegradable detergent, cut to length, and sewn into sheets of recycled rubber.  The rubber sheets are then used along with other recycled materials to create each bag.  This process is shown on Tierra’s FAQ webpage at …. http://www.tierraideas.com/faq.html

Another unique element of Tierra that we’re very proud of is that all of our products are made in North Carolina. Our primary sewing facility is the Raleigh Lions Clinic for the Blind (RLCB).  RLCB assists visually-impaired and blind persons by offering job training and employment.  75% of the workforce at RLCB is visually impaired.  Tierra Ideas’ bag and accessories are available for purchase online at http://www.tierraideas.com , Greengoodsshop.com based in Southern Pines, NC and other select retail outlets throughout the U.S.

How can I make a difference? Get involved by finding recycling efforts in your local area through websites like Earth911.  It’s also available as an iPhone app called iRecycle.  How can I find eco-friendly green news? Check out sites like thedailygreen.com and treehugger.com.