Waking Up in Vegas.

First off, I hope everyone had a great Easter and/or passover. Now it's back to reality - time for spring cleaning and spring exercising. We'll deal with that another day... first I would like to share my crazy-amazing-wildly-tame Vegas experiences with you all.

On March 26th I set off on an 8 p.m. flight to Las Vegas with my boyfriend and his best friend and wife (who were meeting us there from Seattle). Two stiff drinks and two Dramamine pills later I was off in the air, happy as can be, dreaming of sunshine and shopping.



We were all staying at Encore, brother hotel to Wynn. We got a great deal ($600 - flight + hotel) to stay at this five-star hotel for three days and three nights. Our rooms were absolutely incredible and the view of the strip was a huge plus. Make sure you ask for the view of the strip when you book your trip - it's well worth it. Encore maintained its place as our hotel of choice even after we visited many others (Bellagio, Caesars, Mirage, New York New York, Treasure Island, Wynn...). We liked it because it had less traffic then the other hotels but had great amenities. It was also brand new.

Day 1 (Saturday) was spent lounging by the pool after a breakfast at Treasure Island. After this we went for a stroll down Vegas Blvd. (and saw Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell walking - cool!). We checked out some of the clubs (Ghost Bar & Pure among them) but decided going to our hotel club XS would be most convenient. Good thing too - if we didn't pre-purchase our tickets from the concierge earlier in the day we would have spent most of the night in a line! Before we went out, we hopped out to Bellagio for the all-you-can-eat buffet. The meat was good, but there is a long line up most nights so go before hunger strikes (at least an hour). The meal was around $40 on a weekend and we ate way too much. The dessert was disappointing but c'est la vie. Then we went to club XS where we benefited line bypass. The club extended all the way outside by the pool where there was plenty of space to escape from the steamy crowd. It was very packed but the night was great!

Day 2 After a quick bite, not worthy of review, the girls went shopping at Caesars The Forum Shops and the boys went sports betting at New York New York's ESPN Zone. We scored some super cute clutches at Marc Jacobs but were shy on luck when it came to clothing. We headed over to the Fashion Show mall on our way back for a quick perusal, but again didn't find much - only a pair of shoes each at Macy's (for a great price). Maybe the outlets would have been a more budget-friendly option. Live and learn. That evening we had reservations at Aria's 5 star restaurant, Jean-Georges Steakhouse. Unfortunately none of us enjoyed the ambience of Aria. Though this is the newest hotel in Vegas, it is by far (in our opinion) the coldest and most unappealing. It resembled an airport on the inside with its vast empty space and shiny floors and a Toronto condo from the outside. The service at the restaurant was terrible - the waiters were full of themselves and very disrespectful (must have been because we were the youngest table in the place). The steaks were o.k., definitely not the best and hardly worth the trip or price. I would suggest to skip this if you are looking for a nice dinner... there are many other restaurants to choose from in Vegas that are worthy. Next, we were off to The Mirage where we were going to see "LOVE" - the Cirque du Soleil Beatles show. We had amazing seats (which we purchased from the tickets vendor in the Fashion Show mall at a discounted rate day-of, recommend to do this). The show was great and we were pooped! We went back to sleep and started...

Day 3 (Monday, departure day) was spent packing and eating. The day was welcomed with an all-you-can-eat brunch buffet at the Wynn. The food here was much better than the food at Bellagio- I highly recommend. Plus, the price included all you can drink mimosas, bloody marys and champagne. Suffice to say I will be going on a severe cleanse very shortly. We made our way outside to the pool for a little more vitamin D and then showered off in the Spa after a few hours. After seeing the Spa we all wished we had gone for a service. It was an absolutely stunning space! Then, as if we hadn't eaten enough, we were off to the Cheesecake Factory for lunch. From here our friends headed to the airport and my boyfriend and I stayed at Caesars (where Cheesecake Factory was located) for a little gambling of our own. We placed a small sports bet and played some slots. We pretty much evened out and then decided to be on our way as well... Oh, p.s. the sports betting area at Caesars was great!



All-in-all the trip was amazing. I think it's all in the company that you keep. I can see how it can get out of hand for bachelor/bachelorette parties, but if you plan your time, you can see and do a lot. OH! One thing I forgot to mention- the cabbies are a**holes too. They expect $5 tips on $8 cab rides. Be warned - bring your 'tude when dealing with them. If you are planning a trip of your own soon, look for deals, reserve your dinners at fine dining restaurants and arrive well before 11 p.m. at clubs. Ladies - work your magic with the bouncers. Guys, you're out of luck... you'll have to pay for line bypass. Do not buy a bottle at a club, it's not worth it and do try to check out a show. If you're shopping, check the outlets unless you are willing to drop a couple G's. Finally, make SURE you take the day after you leave Vegas off. You will need the rest.