National Doughnut Day

National Doughnut Day is celebrated in the U.S. on the first Friday of June each year. It was started by the Salvation Army in 1938 to honor their members who served doughnuts to soldiers during World War I. Many national chains and independent shops in Las Vegas are offering specials today, including free doughnuts with or without purchase.

Postcard US-2317873 to Russia shows a Voodoo Doll doughnut, one of those raised yeast doughnuts filled with raspberry jelly topped with chocolate frosting and a pretzel stake, from Voodoo Doughnut which is an independent doughnut shop based in Portland, Oregon. It is known for its unusual specialty doughnuts, eclectic decor, cash-only payment and pink boxes featuring the company logo and illustrations of voodoo priests. Interestingly, Voodoo Doughnut also offers legal wedding services, with doughnuts and coffee included for the reception. I visited Voodoo Doughnut's original location at 22 SW 3rd Avenue during my Jetblue AYCJ trip to Portland, OR in 2010.

America Loves Wills and Kate

The Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, and Prince William are celebrating their fourth wedding anniversary today on April 29, 2015. The royal couple are waiting the birth of their second child who is reportedly due in the second half of April; and now it's almost May.

Postcard US-3014303 to Singapore shows William and Kate shared their first public kiss as husband and wife on the Buckingham Palace’s balcony after their wedding ceremony at Westminster Abbey on April 29, 2011.

It's Going to be a New Day in Florida

Postcard US-3141369 to USA was a vintage card showing a night scene under the full moon in Florida.

The clock has struck midnight on the East Coast. It marks a new day in Florida as it became the latest of 36 states and Washington D.C. in the U.S. where same-sex couples can now legally marry. Many courthouses in South Florida open overnight to issue marriage licenses and hold wedding ceremonies.

It was a drawn-out battle since the same-sex marriage ban, part of the State Constitution Amendment 2, passed with a 62% voter approval in 2008. In the end, Florida Attorney General Pam Bondi's many appeals, a bogus legal advice from a private law firm to clerks, and the last minute attempts from a conservative legal group Liberty Counsel, can not turn back tide.

Run #StripAtNight

Outgoing postcard US-3091393 to China features Meb Keflezighi, the 2014 Boston Marathon Winner, on the address side; and a image of Rock 'n' Roll Marathon runners under stencils of big-letter "MEB" in the front. Meb, 39, was the first American to win the Boston Marathon in 31 years. He runs the 2014 Rock ’n’ Roll Las Vegas Half Marathon as a pacer.

Ben Bruce from Flagstaff, Arizona won the 2014 Rock ’n’ Roll Las Vegas Men's Marathon with a finish time of 2:27:22. Cathy Cullen from Winnipeg ruled the women's side as she was leading the next runner more than nine minutes; she completed the race in 2:56:57.

Run thru wedding ceremony during the races at Monte Carlo on November 16, 2014.

I got my personal longest walking record today, equivalent to a half marathon.

Also, I reached the three thousand mile marker yesterday since I got a Fitbit Ultra tracker two years ago. That's the distance of walking across the entire United States from coast to coast. 

Yes, I DO

It is the 26th Anniversary of National Come Out Day (NCOD) on October, 11, 2014. An annual celebration for being who you are in the LGBT community, and in support of those who are coming out, NCOD this year coincides with a turning point when marriage is open to all  in Nevada for the first time. Seven same-sex couples were married at the NCOD Family Festival in Alexis Park All Suite Resort tonight.

The High Roller Ferris Wheel in the background, sporting rainbow-colored lights, looked like a giant wedding ring.

Postcard US-2722698 to Michigan shows a wedding decoration in a store front on the Las Vegas Strip.

Marriage for All in Nevada

Mere one day after the U.S. Supreme Court decided not to hear appeals against lower courts' rulings that declared banning same-sex marriage were unconstitutional in Oklahoma, Utah, Indiana, Virgina, and Wisconsin, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals ruled that Idaho and Nevada’s bans on same-sex marriage violated equal protection rights on October 7, 2014. The court's decision also covers Alaska, Arizona and Montana.

Nevada Governor Brian Sandoval and State Attorney General Catherine Cortez Masto announced this Tuesday evening that they would not appeal the ruling. The Marriage Bureau in Clark County, located at 201 Clark Avenue in the Regional Justice Center, will start to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples at 2 p.m. Wednesday October 8, 2014. Now, Las Vegas can truly claim itself as the wedding capital of the world.

Postcard US-1864037 to Germany shows the Little Church of the West Wedding Chapel on the Las Vegas Strip in Paradise, Nevada. Built out of California redwood as part of the Last Frontier Hotel in 1942, it is the oldest building on the Las Vegas Strip. It had since moved several times until it was relocated to the current location in 1996. The wedding chapel was listed on the National Register of Historic Places on September 14, 1992. It is known for the 1964 movie Viva Las Vegas filmed at the Little Church of the West, where Lucky Jackson (played by Elvis Presley) and Rusty Martin (played by Ann-Margret) recited their vows.

Update: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy put the Ninth Ciruit Court's order on hold after Idaho filed an emergency request for a stay on October 8, 2014.

Update 2: Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy Justice Kennedy revised his order in the afternoon on October 8, 2014,  removing Nevada (case No. 12-17668) from the hold.

Update 3: Nevada started to issue same-sex marriage licenses on October 9, 2014.

The Angus Barn

Postcard US-2640210 from North Carolina shows the Angus Barn at Raleigh, NC, just minutes from the RDU airport. The restaurant prides itself on rustic elegance, featuring certified Angus beef aged in-house, fresh seafood delivered daily, and more than 1,500 selections of wine from around the world. Showcased on both sides of the wine cellar, customers may choose to dine in one of the two Renaissance style gourmet dining rooms. It also has a lakeside Pavilion for weddings and other private events.