We survived Las Vegas! It was a great time and I can't wait to go back!
In fact, my bestie and I have started planning a return trip! ;) Watch out, Vegas!
Actually Nick is still there for work... He is a project manager for an engineering company and has been traveling a lot. His company is very generous and offered to pay for my trip so we could experience Vegas together! We're so blessed!
Side note: for the longest time I couldn't figure out why all of those retired ladies would want to head to the dessert when we have a beautiful place like Florida they could call home. Turns out they know what they were doing.... there is ZERO humidity in the desert. Do you know what that means??? GREAT hair days! Plus there are still palm trees (when properly planted near pools, etc.) and I don't have to worry about stepping on something deadly in the ocean or being swept away by a hurricane. Damn geniuses is what they are! And I would bet my current 401k that it wouldn't take much to get my blackjack wizard of a husband to retire in the southwest!
Now on to the pictures:
And here we are.... Vegas virgins.
I would also like to note that I made the bracelet and earrings in this picture from an old (last years) necklace! It had other beads on the necklace, but I didn't like them. I'm pretty happy with the turn out!
We left on Thursday (March 22).
It was so hard to say goodbye to Evan, but a break is good every now and then.
After careful consideration, we chose Treasure Island. It turned out to be a great casino/hotel and we were really happy with our decision.
We stayed up pretty late on Thursday night exploring Treasure Island and gambling.
We (more like I was too excited to sleep and woke Nick up in the process) got up early on Friday morning and decided to walk the Strip. We started at The Venetian and walked to Planet Hollywood before turning back for lunch.
I got a pastry for breakfast at an Italian bakery inside The Venetian. I wish I would have looked closer at this hotel when we were making our reservations because I absolutely loved it.
I only had a couple of "must-dos" on my Vegas list. The gondola ride was one of them, but they weren't open when we were making our way through. :( We never did make it back.
Next time FOR SURE!!
It was just an overall great place to roam around.
We quickly made our way through Harrah's, Imperial Palace and the Flamingo. Whew. I was not impressed by any of those at all! A blackjack dealer said that the Flamingo was the first hotel on the strip. And it definitely smelled like it!
Paris was great! And of course we took the trip to the top to see Vegas in the daylight. Below is what the Bellagio fountain looks like when not performing. It's so strange to me that something so simple looking puts on such a great show.
The Flamingo.
Definitely not very pretty to look at!
Caesars Palace
This place was overwhelmingly huge!
Planet Hollywood and The Cosmopolitan (the newest hotel on the Strip).
On Saturday night we were walking around and I am almost positive that there was a hooker look-alike contest happening at The Cosmopolitan's night club. Ugh.
Somehow Nick managed to score us each a free buffet at Treasure Island, so we went there for lunch on Friday before heading to the pool. They have a FABULOUS buffet! My favorite was the pick your pasta/sauce station. No complaints on the desserts either!
While we're talking about desserts, there is a Ben & Jerry's inside of Treasure Island. LOVE!!
Have you ever had American Dream???
It's chocolate-covered waffle cone pieces in vanilla ice cream with caramel sauce.
O.M.G.
No complaints on these little beauties, either!
I miss this already!
Check out this studly, pool-side fella! He can be my cabana boy any day! ;)
Friday night was our free show night. We started with
Sirens of TI.
A little risque if you ask me, but you won't catch me complaining about half-naked pirates!
Jack Sparrow caught me on the way to The Mirage volcano!
It would have been nice if I could have made a decent face for this.....
Up next was the volcano at The Mirage.
Meh. Nothing too spectacular, but something you should at least see once!
And finally the Bellagio water show. Amazing!
On Saturday we decided that we would do the south end of the Strip.
We took the tram down to MGM so that we could walk back comfortably.
Did you know that they got rid of the lions??
Now it's just a huge 'has-been' casino too far away from the action.
Next we made our way to New York, New York. Nick and I decided that we would like to stay here on a return trip. It was a fun casino and we even did the outdoor roller coaster. Oofda!
On our way back we decided to give the Flamingo another shot and look for the actual flamingos. We found them and this neat area. It was getting really hot out by this point and we were DYING with our jeans on!
Now that we had toured the whole Strip we decided to get in our rental car (it was a hunk of junk BTW.... I won't name names in case you own one) and head to the Pawn Stars headquarters. AKA
Gold & Silver Pawn. I'm so glad we got to go. It's exactly how it looks on the show, but in a sketchy part of town.
Does anyone know how they got a TV show????
And then finally made our way to Fremont Street. They aren't joking when they call it an "experience". Oy yoy yoy.
We stood in line for far too long to do the zip line. Neither of us had ever done it before, so I suppose it was worth the trip...... we didn't even eat or drink in Downtown! I was joking with Nick on our way back to Treasure Island (after following a gang to the parking garage and watching a bum get arrested) that the only time I wasn't scared for my life was when we were on the zip line. Maybe I'm dramatic. Maybe not.
I was planning on hitting the pool for another round (or eleven) of margaritas on Sunday. Nick wanted to check out his job site, so I wiggled in a trip to the famous sign. Please excuse my bug eyes and swim attire, but everyone should have a picture with the sign!!
Have you noticed that I haven't said that I pre-planned anything??? That's right. Me, the PLANNER, didn't make a single reservation thus far. I am darn proud of myself!
We (more like I) did decide that we wanted to see a
Cirque du Soleil show while we were there, so on Sunday afternoon we bought tickets to
Mystere. WE LOVED IT!! It was our first Cique show and it was a perfect choice. I can't believe I waited 23 years to see one and I hope I get to see another one again soon!
It was a much needed vacation and I loved spending every second of it with my amazing hubby!!
I am, however, completely exhausted. And I could do without seeing white sunglasses (weird me out) and Affliction t-shirts (men's shirts should NEVER be bejeweled. EVER!) for awhile.
Or forever.
Oh! And we can't forget about Evan! He had a great time with my mom and dad this weekend.
I missed this little stinker SO much!!
MOMMA B LOVES LAS VEGAS!!
xoxo
Momma B
4. I get to make dessert for our Easter gathering!
