Vegas Vacation

Ahhhhh Vegas. It had been a while (Spring of 2011 I think?). This may not sound like it, but seeing as we used to make regular visits, it has been quite a long time. The city did not
disappoint.

To get away from it all was a treat. No cooking, cleaning, diapers, demands. Just the lights, the desert mountains and time for just Leo and I. We left Tuesday afternoon after Gigi picked us all up. The boys were packed up to spend a few days with her and Grandpa. I was nervous. About leaving
them. About being so far away. They were well-prepared though and didn't cry or fuss about it. They knew there was fun in store for them.

Our flight was delayed - a slight summer to start the trip. Then the delayed passengers grumbled that the wi-fi wasn't working on this particular flight. Whaddyagonnado? We were happy to catch up on some shows on the laptop and I dug into a new book. With nothing but time, who can complain?

We landed in the late afternoon and the hot air of the west greeted us when we arrived. If you've never been I suppose it's quite a bit to get used to but personally, I enjoyed the change of not sweating my butt off the moment I get outside. It's hot like if you were stick you head in an oven, that is true.
But find some shade and it's do-able. I welcomed the warmth. And the mountains. Sorry if I mention them more than a hundred times. I love the spaciousness of the desert and how it all goes on for miles. It's so different from our dense green surroundings at home. I love it!

We took a cab to the Flamingo, our old reliable. We got a Go Room which is an "updated" room as compared to the old rooms but...I guess they updated a while ago. They were a little worn but still cool with hot pick accents, frosted glass everywhere and white vinyl. It sounds weird, but look it up. They are kinda neat.

Off to our first destination, Planet Hollywood (former Aladdin) for the buffet. Buffets are the thing in Vegas, along with all things gluttonous. It's not always a good deal for my picky Leo, and as much as I love to eat, I wouldn't even want to stuff myself so much as to make it worth it (they are pricey). But this was a good choice as there were was unlimited drinks attached to this one, we got in using Big Leo's Diamond card so we could skip the line and travel VIP-style (thanks Truck!), and we were starving because of the delayed flight. As we settled in with our plates, a waitress asked if I would like some freshly steamed crab legs. Yes, yes I would. She delivered a huge plate full. That and the champagne set the mood for the week. Vegas always makes you feel a little bit like royalty.

Wednesday I was ready to set off for the pool first thing but it was a little overcast so we decided to wander the new area next to Flamingo first, the Linq. This is where the new observation wheel is, The High Roller, the largest in the world. There are tons of new shops, restaurants, etc. bordering a cobblestone street connecting Las Vegas Blvd and the wheel. We walked along, got a couple of mimosas at The Quad (new place), then ventured back for breakfast. It was really cool to be out when no one else was.

After breakfast was pool time where Leo didn't last long. I enjoy the Flamingo pool. It has been updated since our last visit, the music is great and the atmosphere fun. I only wish we were there with friends. I would have spent more time there socializing. Still, the time spent not doing anything else felt wonderful.

The afternoon was spent wandering in the Planet Hollywood/ Paris area some more, then rest before our long night out. We checked out the VIP lounge (with that handy Diamond card) and had some snacks and dri
nks. Then we took a cab to the Hoffbrau Haus for dinner. And beer of course. The giant room was decorated in typical German fashion (I assume) with tall painted ceilings, long wood tables and benches, ginormous mugs of beer and a German band. The atmosphere was lively and welcoming. We met another couple next to us who were going zip-lining at the Rio. We were then off to a concert across the street.

Hard Rock was next. I had never been to the hotel and it did not disappoint. There was tons to look at. Even though I'm not a huge music junkie like some of my brothers are, there are endless cases around the lobby and casino full of musician stuff. Clothes, guitars, instruments, etc. We had lots of time before the Guns n Roses concert was starting at 9p. Lots. We went in a little after knowing Axl would be late (apparently he does that).

I recognized the opening band right away. I had heard of them through a radio show I listen to out of LA, who had helped to discover them years ago.They were good and played for a while. Though by the time GnR came on it was was about 11p. Barely having a day to adjust to the time, it felt like the 2a time that is was on the East Coast. We also were in the General Admission area where there were no seats. Standing all that tim
e to be up close to prove to be worth it as we were really close to the stage. But our bodies were fading fast after all that standing around. We made it until 1a (4a EST!). They were still playing and we were reluctant to leave but we just couldn't hang. We had heard most of the songs we knew (missed a couple but whaddyagonnado?!). All the guys were sooo good. It was a really cool experience.

On the way out I recognized the lead band guy from the first group, Delta Rose. I went up to him to tell him how I had heard of them. He was super nice and was flattered to know they had been heard of. It was funny it was literally three guys just standing around. They had just opened for Guns! Well, in case they make it big someday, maybe they will remember me.

The concert venue, The Joint, was a really nice place. Seems like they have a lot of big names. I would definitely go there again. But probably in seats!

Thursday we enjoyed the laziness of the morning. I spent some pool time before we left Flamingo to move on (and up) to the Wynn. We went to another buffet at The Mirage. Not nearly as good but nothing beats the very first meal on an empty stomach after travel. We had our midday fill, wandered the strip a bit then checked into The Wynn.

We were fortunate to get the room here for free. Leo won it in a sweepstakes. Yes really. I never thought I would encourage him to continue to play those things but after this win and the Wynn, he has my blessing.

It's one of the more upscale places on the strip and it shows in every detail. From the lobby ("would you like some water, ma'am?") to the bathroom (I don't know why you would want a scale on vacation but they had one in there anyway!) it was magnificent.

Part of the VIP status (back at the Flamingo) was tickets on the giant wheel. We considered going on but were deciding on that or going into the Eiffel Tower at Paris. Free sound
ed good so our decision was made. We asked around and figured out the best time to go: sunset. We checked out the VIP lounge at Paris, walked back to Flamingo and got on right at the perfect time.

The ride all the way around the 550 foot high wheel is about 35 minutes. We saw the sun setting behind the mountains, making the ridges to the East bright orange. By the time we were done, the twinkling lights of the strip started to sputter to life. The only thing more perfect would have been our own pod (thou
gh had we insisted we could have since there was hardly a crowd at this point) and a longer ride. Keep me there at the top for a while and I would have been happy. We were lucky we got this complimentary but it's a trip worth paying for.

We slowly made our way through the Linq from here, stopping for a slice of pizza and a visit into a couple
shops. My fave - the Polaroid Fotobar. This is one of the coolest places I have seen. For $1 you can print out a picture from FB, your phone, Instagram, etc,. onto a hard stock with a white "polaroid" border. They had a bank of computer to sit and play and a great range of frames and other items. We got mom and Ed a picture that she had sent us from the week to thank them for taking such good care of the boys. I could have sat there all night and played. It gave me some great ideas for the future. There was a museum upstairs as well but it was closed at the time. Next visit.

We slept well in that Wynn hotel room. Three words. Best. Pillows. Ever. If anyone is ever in doubt and wants to spoil me, I would like one of those pillows please. They were amazing!

Friday morning we were up and out at we had to get downtown by 10a. The Neon Museum, or Boneyard, has been on my list of VTTD (Vegas Things to do) for years and I convinced Leo to go. The tour guide spoke for an hour on the history of Vegas by way of the old signs kept there; The history of neon, the hotels and casinos and the mobsters behind them. I wish I could remember all she said. I was definitely more focused on getting some great shots of the signs there. The only downside was the hot hot sun. But for an hour, and being prepared for it, it was worth it.

Instead of going to Fremont Street at we discussed we cabbed it back to the Wynn area. The Fashion Mall is across the street and we went there for lunch, and eventually dinner later on. I had the best Mahi Mahi tacos ever (El Segundo Sol). We explored the pool area for a few hours that afternoon - staying out of the sun on purpose. Like the rest it's a luxurious area with a long canal-like shape where you can swim from one end to the other, under walkways. The edges of the place were dotted in fancy cabanas - ones with ceiling fans, TV's, couches and whatever else you can put in there that would spoil you. A mini personal lounge for the very well-off I imagine.

We were pretty much wiped out after that. All the sun and walking throughout the week wore us out. We enjoyed the last evening at the Wynn, the view of those mountains especially and went to bed pretty early.

Our flight out was on-time. I finished the book I started and I really couldn't wait to squeeze my boys. Nathan was so excited when they saw us that we shouted from the window and stuck out the container of rice crispy treats they had made for us. "Look what we made for you!"

The reports on Nathan and Benny were good as always. Good eaters and sleepers. They can use some help in the sharing department. But overall a pleasure. I'm glad to know we can likely leave them anytime and have no problems since they are such good boys. Though the break was nice I don't know if I would leave them anytime soon. Next time, I would love to take them on our next adventure into the world. There's so much I want to show them.