Viva Las Vegas - A Vegas Mini-Trip Report - And Yet Another...

[irene_dsc]

I think you should take him to Vegas. Wonder if the pool is open in March and the Bocce girls are out there? I never go in Jan - April because it is my tax season, so I wouldn't know. You can do Vegas on a budget. We have many times. And we have been several times without ever gambling a penny.

(snip)

Wow. Another soon trip. As a first-timer you will be overwhelmed for sure. See my notes in a previous post about tips for restaurants and shows. Most of those restaurants will require reservations, especially on the weekend.

My tips for a first-timer:
-Get a window seat on your airplane. Try to catch a glimpse of the strip on your way to land at McCarren Airport.
-Be prepared for full immersion the minute you get to baggage claim. There are jumbotrons on two ends of the building and banners hanging on every wall and post advertising the shows in Vegas.
-The airport is a ZOO. Both coming and going. Get to the airport at least 2 hours early on your departure day. I am not kidding. Security is crazy.
- A cab from the airport is about $15 to any hotel on the strip. Town cars too. In most cases, break-even between a cab and that stupid shuttle that stops at 8 different casinos before taking you where you want to go is at 2 people. If you have 2 or more, take the cab. If you have just yourself, you may want to take the cab just for convenience.
- The monorail is a novelty, but its stops are generally far off the strip and cause extra walking.
- Do lots of walking, shopping, sight-seeing.
- See the free shows like the rainshower inside the Miracle Mile shops at Planet Hollywood, the Bellagio fountains, day and night (see both), Sirens at TI, the volcano erupting at Mirage, and the live statues at Paris and the Venetian.
- See the lions at MGM (free), but know that they are drugged and this really makes me mad.
- See the dolphins at Mirage (free?)
- Walk through the lobbies and casinos of these hotels:
--MGM Grand
--Mandalay Bay
--Luxor (check out the inclinators - not elevators)
--NYNY (check out the manholes that emit steam)
--Planet Hollywood - newly renovated and bright and shiny
--Bellagio - site of Ocean's Eleven
--Caesars Palace - look for Cleopatra and Julius Caesar roaming around, and the Pussycat Dolls pits at night
--Paris - small, but quaint
--Venetian - be sure to check out the lobby ceiling and the gondolas outside and in the mall (you can pay for a ride, but the line is long)
--Palazzo - brand new addition to the Venetian
--Mirage - don't spend too long here, not much to see except for the gardens right at the entrance
--Wynn - very upscale

If you are a thrillseeker, check out the rides on top of Stratosphere. I have done the Big Shot and love it. I wouldn't do that other hangy-over-the-side thing if you paid me $50,000.

Don't do the NYNY rollercoaster. It hurts my head. Especially after drinking. Every time.

Don't bother with Circus Circus. Outdated, too far to walk, and really more for kids.

Shopping - try the Forum Shops, Bellagio, Grand Canal Shoppes at Venetian, and Miracle Mile. There is also the Fashion Show Mall but I have never been there.

If there's time, it's always worth a trip to the "old strip" on Fremont Street in downtown Vegas. Go at night when you can see the overhead light show and they often have live outdoor music.

Shows - you can get discount show tickets on the day of the show at several outlets on the strip.

That should help you get started!

Thanks for all the tips - it sounds like a lot of the stuff dh has already mentioned, but a few more. (And especially thanks for the mentions of free stuff!) I think it will depend on what kind of flight deal/hotel deal we can find as to whether its do-able or not. But, I know those come up a lot!

Sounds like you guys had fun - not sure if I would be able to do the club scene anymore. Heck, I might need to get a new bathing suit just for the trip - the only one I have is a very mom-looking floral tankini!

 

[thinkerbell]

Thanks for posting all that good info about Danny Gans. Anything about him leaving Vegas or changing casinos? I really want to see him.

OK, I did a little more research and found out that Danny Gans is going to be at the Encore resort at the Wynn beginning in February 2009. Here is a link.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/080417/lath539.html?.v=4

Very funny story!!

<<handing the microphone over to Sister Jo>>

OK, Sister Jo. We're ready for your side.

 

[brewzoo5]

Oh, I got up and I was ready to go by the time Wes was ready to head over to Caesar's to meet dad for their T-Time at Rio Secco. So I left several notes for susan to find (hoping she would at least be able to see one of them through her fogginess) and rode on over with Wes. I figured that she may not be up to snuff in the morning, so I thought I would cover my bases with notes left under the door, on the sink, and on her computer....

And by the way..... the locked door thing.... well..... if you remember correctly, earlier that night we had all gotten ready for dinner and we were running late. So, we all left out of mine and Wes' room - leaving the other two doors locked and chained. Yeah... that's why they were still chained.. Susan and Chris had done that themselves. The only thing I could never figure out is WHY THE HELL DID THEY NOT JUST SIMPLY KNOCK ON OUR DOOR? We were right there the whole time. :{

Sierra and I were hungry so I went downstairs to the pastry shop recommended by AndyDickWoodyAllen Dude. I grabbed up some coffees and pastries while Sierra freshened up to go out and explore the strip and some shopping.

We decided to go across the street to The Paris and see what we could see. When we did, we opted to pay the 10.00 each to travel the elevator to the top of the Eiffel Tower and look out. It was beautiful even in the daylight. Here are some pics from the view.

We were kinda sad that we were there before 11 am because the fountains where not running yet, but it was still pretty.

We stayed there for around 20 minutes or so, then we wanted to cruise more of the strip. From the top of the tower we decided to move on over to the Miracle Mile shopping mall. On our way, we stopped for a picture op at the fountains outside. The spray of the water was quite refreshing too.

We headed into the shops and soon we heard the cell phone ring. Chris was calling to say that they were up and wanted to know where to meet us. He was doing the speaking for Susan, I am sure due to the fact that she probably needed some nourishment before her language skills were going to kick in for the day. So, it wasn't long before Susan and Chris caught up with us. Susan wanted something wet to drink and Chris was on yet another quest for the best sunglasses ever made. You see, he got into his cab with them and got out of the cab with out them. We left the mall shops and went outside to experience the Cocacola store and the M&M store. However, we were more interested in the mister sprayers out on the sidewalk than the merchandise in the stores. Susan, Sierra, and I stood very happily under the misters for around 15 minutes while Chris looked at shoes. See, what you do when it's 110 degrees outside? After the shopping, we were all ready for a good lunch. We headed for New York, New York and the Nine Fine Irishmen Pub for some lunch. Susan wanted fish and chips.
Food Porn
Nine Fine Irishmen has great atmosphere and wonderful food.
Sierra had Vegi Soup

I had Shepard's Pie ... it was in a cute little bucket with the beef on the bottom and the potatoes on top. Wonderful.

Chris had meatloaf

And Susan.... Well, she had fish and chips.... This was presented very nicely too...

It's funny, we were having a good time drinking our drinks (Chris had some beer I think) and taking pictures of our food. The neighboring tables were eyeballing us though as we took the snapshots. I just casually told them, "hey we like to take pictures of our food, it's what we do" .... and that was that. There was a guy singing and playing his guitar (I think) on the stage to add to the ambience. Yummo!!

Now, I have to remember what we did next. We had a big night planned for my real Birthday Day. We were going to Nero's for dinner and Elton John for the show.

Ohhh.. Just wait to hear about our waiter at Nero's. He was interesting. And Elton... .... Well...... he's Elton... but it was a VERY SPECIAL NIGHT for Elton, we would soon learn. And we got to be part of it....

 

[stagemomx3]

The only thing I could never figure out is WHY THE HELL DID THEY NOT JUST SIMPLY KNOCK ON OUR DOOR? We were right there the whole time. :{

 

[brewzoo5]

I had to consult my sis to remember what we did between lunch and dinner. Wow, I forget so quickly.

We hailed a taxi to see the Venetian and look at the new Palazzo. We wanted to see the gondolas so we headed in. We had an instant problem. Even before we entered the doors of the casino.
A little Jo history - I have a real aversion to anything stinky. I am super sensitive to smells of all kinds but have a real problem with perfumemy smells. To the point that it will give me an instant migraine and before I can take anything for it, I am in the hospital begging for morphine. I kid you not!!!
Now the problem was that this particular casino has decided to pump some sort of fragrance smell all through out the place. When you walk up to the doors, you can smell it - and it is not a mild smell, it is VERY strong. I am sure that this appeals to many people, as it caters to the sense of smell and you get the whole experience of entering the world of the Venetian, or whatever, but to me .... it was as if I walked directly into a brick wall!!!
My eyes immediately started redding up and watering, and my nose stuffed up as I walked through the doors. At first I thought somebody had neglected to bathe for several weeks and tried to disguise it by spraying cheep perfume all over themselves, but soon I realized it was everywhere and not going away.
So I started complaining to anyone who would listen making it difficult for anyone to enjoy the scenery or anything else. Susan sweetly understood and went upstairs with me to wait on chris and Sierra to get a drink and sight see for a moment.
AHHHH, we left there and walked through the Palazzo. More shops!!! Here they have live models randomly everywhere and we stared at some of them trying to make them move. One of them was pitiful, as she kept wiping her dripping nose while she stood there. We decided that frozen models should have to prove that they don't have a cold before they start their job for the day. (maybe she didn't have a cold, maybe she was sniffy for another reason... it IS Vegas after all..... something to ponder.....)
We met up with Dad and Wes back at the suite. They said they had anohter great golf day. Not as pretty as Cascata, but all they could talk about was their Caddy. Well, once we saw the pictures we understood why the Caddy was so impressive.

Her name was Michelle. And I guess she knows how to Caddy... or at least they taught her how to act like one. How hard can that gig be? Once she is taught the course and the greens, it's all memorization .... like lines in a stage play right? After all, she told Dad and Wes that she was a showgirl, but now she is trying other things. She's doing this while she perfects her directing skills. At least she has goals....

Next up.... Neros and the waiter... ... Elton and his special night

 

[swwake]

They were called "Tee Mates". Or "Team Mates" or something like that.

And Dad and Wes said they got to pick her.

I have visions of Cathouse on HBO for some reason. Has anyone seen that? Where they get to pick them?

 

[NewCrew42]

Love that Tee Mate. Now my DH who doesn't play golf wants to play there.

Susan - I was shopping today for some new clothes for Vegas. I think I saw your cute pink top that I thought was very hot and quite fashionable. I think I saw it at Limited or Express. I always get those confused.

What does one wear in Vegas? Day? Evening?

 

[swwake]

Love that Tee Mate. Now my DH who doesn't play golf wants to play there.

Susan - I was shopping today for some new clothes for Vegas. I think I saw your cute pink top that I thought was very hot and quite fashionable. I think I saw it at Limited or Express. I always get those confused.

What does one wear in Vegas? Day? Evening?

I got it at Express.

Days, wear something comfortable, and your most comfortable shoes. In the summer, I wear shorts and a tank top. In winter, I wear jeans and a t-shirt or long sleeves and/or a hoodie.

Nights, I like to dress up most nights. Black pants are my staple. You saw my shirt. That is typical. Some nights, though, you just want to dress down in jeans. That is ok too.

 

[NewCrew42]

I got it at Express.

Days, wear something comfortable, and your most comfortable shoes. In the summer, I wear shorts and a tank top. In winter, I wear jeans and a t-shirt or long sleeves and/or a hoodie.

Nights, I like to dress up most nights. Black pants are my staple. You saw my shirt. That is typical. Some nights, though, you just want to dress down in jeans. That is ok too.

I thought I recognized that shirt. It was so cute! I just couldn't try it on as I knew I would not look as cute as you did in it.

I did pick up a couple of black pants at Cache, as I think they are a staple too. I have lost a few pounds this year and my nice black pants looked baggy, yay! I found a couple of cute tops at JC Penney, on sale too!

Sounds like I may need to get another pair of Born sandals. I love those things.

Thanks for all of your help! I am so excited about our trip!

 

[swwake]

Cache is a fun store! Congrats on the weight loss. Isn't it a great feeling? You are going to have a blast!

 

[irene_dsc]

And by the way..... the locked door thing.... well..... if you remember correctly, earlier that night we had all gotten ready for dinner and we were running late. So, we all left out of mine and Wes' room - leaving the other two doors locked and chained. Yeah... that's why they were still chained.. Susan and Chris had done that themselves. The only thing I could never figure out is WHY THE HELL DID THEY NOT JUST SIMPLY KNOCK ON OUR DOOR? We were right there the whole time. :{

Poor, poor Susan - how long is it going to take you to live this one down???

The Venetian - sheesh - I'd be hating that perfume, too. I like stuff unscented almost all the time - I hate heavy perfume. At least it doesn't give me migraines.

And lol on the caddy...

Btw, dh mentioned that he actually isn't that excited to do Vegas for his birthday. He'd rather find a continuing ed conference there so we can deduct the trip, esp. since he says having me see stuff is actually sort of work related. (We are both architects, and we design a lot of restaurants.) But, I'm still taking notes! If I can find something for this fall (before Nov. 30), it would count for our 2 years of continuing ed *and* we could use our airfare credits that expire in January.

 

[swwake]

Btw, dh mentioned that he actually isn't that excited to do Vegas for his birthday. He'd rather find a continuing ed conference there so we can deduct the trip, esp. since he says having me see stuff is actually sort of work related. (We are both architects, and we design a lot of restaurants.) But, I'm still taking notes! If I can find something for this fall (before Nov. 30), it would count for our 2 years of continuing ed *and* we could use our airfare credits that expire in January.

Even if there is no CE when you go, I think you could still deduct it as an unreimbursed business expense or a Sch C expense (if you are self-employed), as long as you clearly document your business purpose (e.g., take notes, take pcitures of arch styles and interior restaurant design, keep brochures, etc). (I'm a CPA but I am not officially offering tax advice. You know how that goes.) I have an architect friend who got a real kick out of Vegas. So much to see. She actually did some kind of CAD conference there too, so I guess she was getting CE too. That was late last November.

 

[emmababy]

You are really making me miss vegas! Ever since kids, seems like things are more dis related. I swear I am going to con my sister into watching them so we can go to vegas sometime!

However, she is a teacher and could only watch in the summer and I have never done Vegas in summer. How miserable is that heat?

 

[thinkerbell]

Where did you girls go??? I brought you back up from page 7. We need more. Don't worry about those jobs. They will be there when you finish your trip report.

 

[NewCrew42]

I miss you! Please come back.

I hope everything is ok!

 

[brewzoo5]

I miss you! Please come back.

I hope everything is ok!

Sorry about the delay.. ladies.... been busy here getting ready to move across the country. Lots to do, lots to do.

Don't worry about those jobs. They will be there when you finish your trip report.

I sure hope so

I have never done Vegas in summer. How miserable is that heat?

It's do-able... lol

Poor, poor Susan - how long is it going to take you to live this one down???

I don't know, but it's gonna be fun playing on it for a while...

The Venetian - sheesh - I'd be hating that perfume, too. I like stuff unscented almost all the time - I hate heavy perfume. At least it doesn't give me migraines.

I know, it was just too much!

 

[brewzoo5]

So, after we finished learning about the T-Mates and resting a bit, we went back to our rooms and got ready for dinner and Elton.

Once again, we were running a bit late for dinner at Neros. Dad and Si were waiting patiently for us outside of the restaurant for us. We got there and they were ready to seat us right away. We sat on the outside of the restaurant (patio) so that we could watch people walk up and down the forum shops. This is a great time to do this, as everyone is dressed up for the nightlife.

Our waiter was kinda strange. He could very easily have been Gary Busy's twin. Or maybe it was Gary himself, since that guy is so irratic and all over the place anyway. Although the food and atmosphere was great, our Gary waiter was kinda creeping us out by hovering over us with his big ole white buck teeth. While we were people watching we noticed about 3 guys in chef outfits carefully pushing a cart with a cake that looked very similar to this..(see pic) go by. This peaked our interest as for what may be going on at Elton's show tonight.... hummm???

FOOD PORN>>>>>>>

We didn't get many pictures from Neros, maybe because Gary was freaking us out...

This is the lobster

Sierra enjoying the wine

After dinner we headed for Elton

 

[irene_dsc]

Ooh - very cool cake! I got to see Elton John with Billy Joel in concert, about 7 years ago. They were great, especially Elton John. I bet you guys had a great show!

 

[NewCrew42]

Wow! What a cake! Sierra looks lovely and that lobster, well that's food porn at it's finest!

Can't wait to hear about the concert!

Thanks for the update!

 

[swwake]

There was a weird mix of "costumes" at the dinner hour as we people-watched. Some were coming straight from the pool. Some were dressed up for the evening.

That was a cosmo martini that Sierra had, not wine. Know your drinks, Sistah!

And I will never forget when we left Nero's walking the 20 steps to the Colosseum where Elton played. Do you remember? We were walking and there was this chick in the latest fashion (?).

This chick was wearing a mini skirt and some tights JUST LIKE THIS:

In all my buzzing glory, and mid-sentence, talking about something else, I said "Is that a Who?"

To which Sierra's response was spontaneous, cackling, laughter. Poor Whogirl. I know she knew we were laughing at her, but it was too late. We had to wait about 5 minutes - literally - for Sierra to regain her composure to keep from getting her Maidenforms a little damp. (if ya know what I mean)

Next, I guess, is Elton. And Jo has already asked me about whether to post some of the pics. I think we have to keep them off the DIS. How's that for a cliffhanger?