First time performing in Las Vegas!

Since I started comedy, it had been my goal to play Las Vegas. I had managed to play quite a few shows around Vegas, but not ever the city proper.

Well, after this week, I can check that off the ol' bucket list.

This might also mark the first time I've been near gambling without even putting so much as a cent into a slot machine.

Instead, I spent most of my time poolside, which I could certainly get used to.

I also went to the Valley of Fire for the first time. Like most of my photography, these pictures don't do it any justice, but here are they are anyway:

Yay for hiking in flip flops!

I had a great time sharing the stage with Lou Magelowitz and Marc Patrick. They were so much fun to watch and so great to chat with as well.

My entire look onstage can be summed up as “mom who gets a call that her kid is suspended from school for making a bong out of a Pringles can.”

I also took full advantage of my fancy hotel room and all of Vegas' amazing vegan food options.

Pretending to be way more bougie than I am.

Trying out the new Garden Grill, which was fantastic!

My audition to be a Del Taco Beyond Meat spokesperson. Okay, actually it's just me stuffing my face in said hotel room. But, tell me you wouldn't buy some vegan tacos from this face. 

And I even got to watch the debates from my balcony in perfect weather.

While my trip didn't include gambling or any other debauchery like many trips to Vegas do, it was still an absolute blast!

Jokes, cathedrals and being a nerd

I got to tell jokes in Saint Paul, Minnesota for the first time. I played a great venue called Laugh Camp. It was like a little cabaret theater, and it was so much fun!

September weather = time to wear my jacket on stage and live out all my ‘stand-up comic from the 80s’ dreams. Up next? Power blazers! 

Plus, Saint Paul is absolutely adorable. I was so excited that I got to see more of it.

I got to explore some of the historic homes on Summit Avenue...while trying not to get kicked out for creepily taking pictures of said homes.

I also got to geek out at the Landmark Center! Since it was once a federal courthouse, and where two US Supreme Court Justices used to practice, I had to stop by.

And here is the Cathedral of Saint Paul. This is the highest point in the city, the third largest Catholic Church in the US and the fourth tallest. It’s also the place I took approximately 97 selfies...and still couldn’t get a good one.

A long drive home, but worth it to play fun shows and see a new city!

Kenosha -- who knew?

Who knew Kenosha, Wisconsin was so cute? I always used to see the exit for it when I was driving along I-94, but it seriously just looked like a bunch of chain restaurants and cheese curd places.

But, this weekend, I actually got off the exit and explored the town. And I was really impressed!

I worked at the Kenosha Comedy Club all weekend, which was so fun. The staff couldn't be nicer, and the crowds were great laughers. And I got to share the stage with an old friend, Chris Young, who I hadn't seen in years. He's always been funny (and so nice, too), but he blew the roof off of the place. So that was a treat to watch.

And during the day, I got my lighthouse fix, explored the beach (my hotel was right on it!), and checked out some of the vegan options (including ice cream!) in town.

It was a great trip, and maybe in the future, I'll get off at more exits and randomly explore.

Anyway, onto the pictures...

On stage. Such a fun club!

Flight delays, jokes and sitting on the beach!

This week, I got to visit one of my favorite places: the Outer Banks. I first started coming here when I lived in Virginia. And despite having some hurricane mishaps, it has remained one of my favorite places. The club owners of the Comedy Club of the Outer Banks, Ed and Leslie, could not be nicer! Plus, I got to work with my good pal, Andy Beningo. So it was a ton of fun!

Getting there, however, was quite the adventure! I decided to fly into Richmond, where Andy would pick me up. We'd then do four hours in the car, maybe try to squeeze in a nap, and then hit the stage.

Yeah, um, that's not what happened.

Apparently, there was really bad weather on the East Coast, so my flight got rerouted three times! I ended up on an entirely different airline, and despite the reroutes, both of my flights were still delayed.

I suppose it wasn't all bad in that I got a voucher to get overly priced airline food.

Andy was a saint and despite the multiple delays, still managed to get us there before our 8 pm showtime. I was amazed when we pulled in the parking lot at 7:53! So thankful for the traffic clearing up...and for being able to apply eyeliner while driving.

We stayed in some pretty sweet digs for the week.

The view from my deck.

And we also got some time on the beach.

Days in Rodanthe, a sequel to Nights in Rodanthe, staring me and my all-black beach attire.

Some on-stage pics:

On Saturday, we drove up to Williamsburg to perform at the Comedy Club of Williamsburg. But, first, we made a pit stop in my old stomping grounds of Norfolk, Virginia.

I haven't had a vegan egg salad sandwich from Yorgo's in nearly ten years, and it was just as incredible as I remember!

On Saturday, Andy and I shared the stage with Big Vino, who was super funny! That's us along with Ed, the owner of the club.

We woke up bright and early on Sunday and hauled all the way home. Luckily, the trip home was much less stressful!