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South Dakota - Great Faces and Places You Won't Forget
By Sheila O'Connor
Ponderosa pine, meandering streams, sprawling wilderness and wild west history, it's all here, right in the heart of South Dakota.
Native Americans were among the first to inhabit this area until it was claimed by the French in 1743. They were followed by fur traders and by Lewis and Clark in 1804 when they made their famous trip up the Missouri River.
Mount Rushmore
When it comes to famous, one world-renowned monument the state has is Mount Rushmore. This enormous granite sculpture pays tribute to four American presidents - Washington, Jefferson, Lincoln and Roosevelt. Each head is as tall as a six-story building (they are scaled to men who would stand 465 feet tall). This impressive sculpture was completed in 1941 and, along with the Statue of Liberty and the Stars & Stripes, has become one of America's most recognized signs of democracy. However, in those days when the monument first began, sculpting with dynamite had never been heard of and people wondered how a group of miners could ever create fine art. It was the Great Depression and people were worried more about food and unemployment than grand carvings. Skeptics even said the project couldn't be done. Try telling that to the 3 million people who visit it each year!
Crazy Horse Memorial
And did you know there was another equally awesome monument only 17 miles away? It's Crazy Horse Memorial. He nry Standing Bear, a Lakota Sioux Indian chief, had watched Mount Rushmore being built and wanted the world to know "the Red Man has great heroes too." This is the world's largest memorial and will be the world's largest mountain carving at 563 feet high and 641 feet long when it is finished. It began on June 3, 1948, designed by Boston-born sculptor Korczak Ziolkowski. The mountain-sized statue will depict an Indian on a spirited horse and will be the size of a cruise-ship and taller than a 60-story skyscraper.
Although Korczak passed away in 1982, his work continues thanks to his wife and children.
Badlands
From man-made to nature made, "savagely eroded landscapes" is how Badlands National Park has been described and rightly so. The terrain is so foreboding that the Lakota Sioux Indians called it "mako sica" (land bad). The geology reveals multiple colored layers of sediment in red, orange, yellow, white and gray, while eons of bygone prairie winds have left behind a rugged landscape that is as forlorn as it is beautiful. You can almost hear long-forgotten Indian chants whispered on the wind as it blows through lunar-like spires. The fossils found here have revealed oddities like three-toed camels, saber-toothed cats and giant rhinoceros-like creatures.
Black Hills National Forest
Another must-see is the 6,000 square miles of the picturesque Black Hills, whose hills are the highest point east of the Rockies and which has 18 peaks that reach over 7,000 feet in height.
Deadwood
There wasn't much peace in this area back in the 1870s, however, when gold was discovered near Deadwood. In this old west town in fact, there wasn't actually any peace or sense of order at all. Inhabitants included Wild Bill Hickok and Calamity Jane who are now buried at Mount Moriah. Five blocks of 1880s buildings have been brought back from extinction and are now beautifully preserved. Don't miss Deadwood where gold, gambling and gunpowder combine in an explosive combination.
Black Hills Museum of Natural History
And preservation is what you'll find at this museum which is home to the original T-Rex "Stan". Look out for the dinosaurs and fossil invertebrates on view.
Custer State Park
Custer State Park is the second largest state park in the US and boasts spectacular geological formations and the largest concentration of free-range American bison in the world. Should you be lucky enough to be there at the right time, try to see the Buffalo Roundup. The buffalo are rounded up annually by cowboys. Truckloads of TV camera crews and journalists also chase after the buffalo as the animals charge toward the rounding up area. The ground trembles and billows of dust fill the air as the herd sweats and thunders its way forward toward the holding area. The animals will be counted, inoculated and in some cases culled-too many buffalo mean the herd can't survive on the limited winter pasture available in the park. You'll see cinnamon -colored babies staying close to mama and massive bulls weighing nearly a ton. It's quite a sight.
Belle Fourche
If the buffalo seem to be center of attention, then one place definitely IS the center of attention. At least the center of the nation, that is. Belle Fourche (French for "beautiful fork") here in South Dakota takes that honor. With the admission of Hawaii and Alaska to the Union in 1959, The National Coast and Geodetic Survey officially designated a point 20 miles north of Belle Fourche as the Geographic Center of the Nation. If you could suspend a map with all 50 states from a thread, theoretically, the balance-point is just north of Belle Fourche SD. Since it's officially in a cow pasture, the powers that be decided to commemorate the fact with a 21-foot granite monument in the shape of a compass rose at the Belle Fourche Chamber of Commerce instead
Wall Drug Store
And you won't need a compass when it comes to finding Wall Drugstore. Just follow any one of the hundreds of billboards you'll see planted all over the place. It's well worth the find. The store survived the Great Depression by offering free ice water to thirsty travelers all before marketing had ever been invented. The store is America's number 1 roadside attraction. These days, among other things, it boasts 1500 historic photos and a world-class collection of western art. Signs near and far like to tell you how far you are from Wall. There's even a photo in the gallery taken near the Taj Mahal in India telling you it's 10,728 miles to Wall Drug! And even today, Wall Drug still fills your glass for free and the store draws up to 20,000 on a good summer day and 1.5 million annually. Quite impressive for a town with a population of only 800. Note there was never a Mr. Wall as such, the town was so named because it was built on the edge of the northern extension of the "Badlands Wall".
Minuteman Missile National Historic Site
From sights above ground to those below it, if memories of fallout shelters, Sputnik, the Iron Curtain and the Cold War seem familiar, you'll enjoy seeing the Minuteman Missile National Historic Site and how the end of the world could have been. Here you can experience first hand the once-classified Launch Control Facility. You can see the underground control room and the topside support structure for the Minuteman II intercontinental ballistic missile facility. Scary what could have been…..
It's not for nothing that South Dakota goes by the tagline of Great Faces and Great Places. Its natural wonder and splendor make it a place you shouldn't miss.
The Encore Wynn Las Vegas
Indulge in a side of Las Vegas Rarely Seen
By Mel and Ronnie Greenberg
In a city revered for exhilarating escapes, Encore, the new world-class signature resort in the Wynn collection, reigns as a charge of energy embracing the very best of Las Vegas. Elegant and inviting, Encore is a distinct de stination with its own selection of accommodations, dining and leisure activities.
Immersed in Encore's intimate environments are sunlit corridors with breathtaking flowering atria and sprawling pools visible from throughout the property. Natural light floods the resort to reveal gardens, vibrant butterflies and signature mosaics.
Encore's accommodations are comprised of 2,034 spacious Resort Rooms, and Tower, Parlor and Salon Suites offering casual elegance in a comfortable, residential setting. In addition there are two-bedroom apartments, three-bedroom duplex apartments and a three-bedroom Penthouse apartment Two separate arrival and check-in areas pamper guests and showcase the textured details of it's exquisite interior design.
Inspired by the festive rhythm of the French Riviera, the pools at the Encore, surrounded by sculpted gardens, mosaic tiling and Jacuzzi spas, are at the heart of activity. Sun worshippers can lounge by the pool, while shelter from the desert sun can be sought in one of the twenty-nine luxurious private cabanas.
The Spa's lavish setting elevates the connection between visual beauty and total wellness, creating a truly full-bodied experience. Emphasizing the "treat" in treatments, enter into the grand Spa Court, a vaulted softly lit glass enclosed courtyard for your Spa and Salon Service. The Spa has 37 treatment rooms, 14 naturally lit garden suites and four oversized couple's suites for massage, body treatments and facials. Get to choose from an extensive menu of massage treatments including the Fusion massage, Aromatherapy massage, Four-Hand massage and the signature Good Luck Ritual massage. The Salon provides a variety of classic and custom services including women's and men's cuts, colors, styles, manicures, pedicures and makeup artists.
The Spa also features a complete gym with two fitness movement studios which offer spinning, yoga, pilates, conditioning and meditation classes. Personal training services are available on the gym floor. For a quick picker-up, the Juice Bar features organic juices and smoothies, an assortment of power bars and a variety of teas.
Offering a full complement of the world's most popular games of chance, Encore defies casino convention with a more intimate approach to gaming. The vast, open area that once defined the casino floor is replaced by columned pavilions, canopies and draperies that partition the gaming areas into private chambers. A butterfly motif portends good luck and gives way to the comfortable character of parlor room environments, each equipped with a garden or pool view
Dining is an Epicurean adventure as Encore introduces a new all-star team of chefs to the dining family, each of whom is in their kitchens cooking dinner every night. Five signature restaurants pair these master chefs with personally prepared gourmet fare.
Sinatra is where acclaimed Chef Theo Schoenegger creates a culinary salute to Ol' Blue Eyes. The singer's charisma and style are kept alive through a reinterpreted Italian menu that emphasizes the chef's seasonal approach to the country's signature dishes. Patio dining lets you dine under the stars and bask in the magic of a Las Vegas evening. A surprise awaits at Switch where Chef Marc Poidevin's French-inspired seafood and post modern steakhouse is also theatre. Marvel at the elaborate surroundings that change right in front of you. Steps away is the Switch Bar a hotspot buzzing with energy and excitement, replete with an expansive bar lined with video poker. Diners can appreciate the art collection by Columbian artist Fernando Botero at Botero Steak while sampling Star Chef Mark LoRusso's beyond the curve steaks, chops and modern cuisine as bold and voluptuous as the Boteros that grace this poolside space. The hip lounge scene gives way to a high energy outdoor nightclub experience that extends deep into the night. Society Café Encore was designed with the whimsical era of Oscar Wilde in mind, to match the wildly imaginative American cooking of Chef Kim Canteenwalla. The Chef makes all three square meals hip. Wazuzu, named for the mythical crystal dragon that presides over this dramatic pan-Asian café, is the place where rising star Chef Jet Tila serves up Chinese, Japanese, Indian, Singaporean and Thai cuisines.
Encore also brings a new nightclub to the scene. At XS, after-dark impresario Victor Drai creates a sizzling club, with a dance floor highlighted by a ten-foot rotating chandelier, and outdoor pool scene destined to be the gold standard in Vegas nightlife.
A must-see is "La Reve" (The Dream), an evocative aqua sp ectacular in the round where dreams swim in the air and dance on water. Created by DRAGONE and presented exclusively at Wynn Las Vegas, the show features an ambitious blend of aerial acrobatics, provocative choreography and outrageous antics from the colorful characters. The international cast of more than 80 athletes and entertainers captures the imagination with their strength and agility. From a thrilling high-dive to synchronized swimmers doing the tango in red high heels, La Reve is captivating from beginning to end.
For golf-buffs, Steve Wynn designed the stunning 18-hole golf course with Tom Fazio. The par-70 course is 7042 yards in length. Its Pennlinks Bentgrass greens are built to USGA specifications, and the fairways and tees are Tifway 11 Highbred Bermuda grass.
Shoppers will love The Esplanade at Encore that consists of a selection of 11 boutiques, an array of clothing, shoe, jewelry, home décor and accessory stores.
(888) 320-7125
www.encorelasvegas.com