OK, our condo in Vegas didn't have Internet. Well, they had Internet, it's just a little more complicated than we want to get into here, don't you think?
Are you nodding?
I agree.
I'm sure it sounds quite whiny, but I'm from the Internet generation, you see, so having to do without the netty-web for this long... well, let's just say, I now know what the Jonas Brothers must feel like.
ANYWAY.
Who's ready for a Vegas update?
Is your hand raised in excitement?
Are you nodding?
I don't agree.
Here, for your pleasure and mine, the Vegas Diary...
On Saturday, we drove past some interesting sights.
We were introduced to Jeff...
...and we paid homage to our Veterans in Searchlight, NV...
Yeah.
We arrived in Vegas in the evening, and, after checking into our condo, we headed down to Freemont Street. Boy, has that place gone downhill! Even in the eight months since we were last there, it's really, for lack of a better term, sleazed itself up.
We stayed to watch the Tribute to The Doors show on the big screen over the street, and we also saw Don McLean's American Pie show, which was really quite enjoyable.
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
Sunday, after a long delay in the morning, we made it to The Strip.
Our first stop was The Mirage, which means that our first stop was really the LOVE store. When we left, our pockets were lighter, but we had one of those lovely orange and yellow bags in hand.
Let's just say, I finally bought a hat.
It looks a bit like this.
I'm told it doesn't look silly, but my personal jury is still out.
We went to the Planet Hollywood, where Bettie Page is at... I picked up a cute little dress while I was there, as well as oggled at some others.
Saw some lions at the MGM...
...and picked up a cheesecake at Caesars...
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
On Monday, we were very busy little monkeys. We walked through the brand spanky new City Center, where we paid homage to The King...
Now, if we're going to talk City Center, I've got opinions to voice.
It's very sleek, and modern, but will be totally outdated in about six months, if not sooner. The stairs in that place are incredibly steep, and only go straight up; when you look up a staircase and only see a sliver of light between them and the ceiling, it's pretty daunting.
And that's all I'm going to say about poor Flick.
Went to New York, New York and had a sandwich at Greenburg's, then over to Paris for a pastry...
Mmmm, pastry.
On Tuesday, we left the camera at the condo, so we don't have any pictures.
I know, I know, we could have just turned around, but we're so DAMN FAR FROM THE STRIP it would have been quite a lot of bother.
I have taken the liberty of constructing a map.
So I shall just have to tell you about it, without illustrations, and it will be even more boring than the illustrated entries.
Stop screaming!
We visited The Palazzo/Venetian, where we saw scenes from an opera (sorry, can't remember what it was called) performed in the "square"; we went allllllll the way down The Strip to the brand spanky new "M" to check out their buffet... it was a little more expensive than we wanted, but the casino was very nice... it was what City Center wanted to be, I think.
We went to Boulder Station for the buffet there, and stuffed ourselves like pate geese.
I realize that doesn't sound like a lot, but time works differently when you're in Vegas.
You just keep going and going, then you'll go back to your room and collapse on the bed for a few hours before getting up to go back out and do it all again. This cycle repeats until your hotel tells you you're supposed to be out by 10 AM, or they'll need more money.
One thing I have noticed about Vegas, though, is the music, or, more accurately, the lack thereof.
Rap is running rampant, and the modern music fills in any gaps.
Now, every time we've been to Vegas, it's been 80's and 90's all the way... you know, stuff that isn't offensive, and folks still recognize it.
Oh, not the case.
The only place that had good music was the LOVE store.
But I'm biased.
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
Wednesday, was quite a busy day... or, at least, it felt like it.
Our first stop was Mandalay Bay, because we couldn't remember anything but the Shark Reef exhibit there.
We met with some locals while we were there...
Hmmmmm... future black mail, peradventure?
Through the connecting tunnel, we headed to The Luxor, where we spent the majority of our day.
No, we don't really like The Luxor that much, you silly willy.
As we were walking about, we saw a hand-written sign stating "Criss Angel will be performing at 1:00 PM Today", with a little caricature of the guy.
"Oh, this could be fun, let's find out more about it," say We Dummies.
We asked the ladies in the shop where the sign was located, and they said the event kicked off at 1:30.
"Oh, we'll only have to wait about an hour and a half, and we'll get to see a free show," say We Dummies.
So. We line up, and, after much bitching from everybody (and a Nutri-Grain Bar), we FINALLY get in the door... five hours later.
Due to the Something-Or-Other-Agreement I signed to get in the door, I can say no more.
By the time we got finished there, we didn't have time for much than to come back to the room and get ready to go to our evening show, Mark Savard's hypnosis show.
Now, I had never been to one of these types of things, but I was looking forward to it... it was the only show we had planned on going to as a family, and, besides the Fab Four Mania show the very first time we were in Vegas (that was the great Fake-George experience), it was the only other one we HAD seen together.
My Daddy, bless, could talk to a rock, so we got rather chummy with a very lovely couple from Canada while we were standing in line; not only did we sit next to them during the show, but the bloke was actually picked to be one of the twelve participants on stage...perhaps we were all biased, but we thought he was the best of the folks on stage.
Oh, and did I mention that, after four years of Vegas tourism, we FINALLY saw a midget Elvis impersonator?
I think I've finally lived a full life.
Over all, it was a really fun day, filled with a few experiences that we won't forget for quite a while.
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
Thursday was an exciting day, because we knew we were going to LOVE!
I know, I know, I never said a word about it, who abducted me and said I couldn't peep a word, right?
Well, we didn't know we were going to go until we got to Vegas... and, well, our Internet has been FREAKING IMPOSSIBLE.
Anyway.
The show was just beautiful, as always; they've changed about 50% of the program, but they're all changes for the better, I think. The music, of course, stays the same, but the props, choreography, et al do change.
There were a lot fewer performers on stage (I think it's Viva Elvis, you know), but there's enough to keep my Beatles-ADD occupied. One of my favorite parts of the show, which was previously just an itty-bitty storyline, is now much bigger, so I was pleased about that.
Yes, he's my favorite.
What else did we do?
We did Caesars in the morning...
...and it certainly did take up the beginning of our day. It's always a favorite stop for us, and I don't know why we waited so long to actually DO Caesars (we had been there to pick up our cheesecake, of course), but we made it, and it was fun.
Lunch at one of my favorite places in Vegas, Ellis Island...
PASTA MARINARA!
In the afternoon, we walked around the Wynn...
...and the Encore...
...and we had to go back to the LOVE store before the 7:30 show started ('cause it's not as busy then).
I left with another orange and yellow bag.
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
Friday was our "loose ends" day, as it were... we had done everything we wanted to do, so it was a relaxing afternoon before the big drive back home.
We visited The Rio, went back to Greenburgs for another corned beef sandwich, and, something I have always wanted to do, we had dinner at the New York style pizzeria across from Greenburgs, Sirricos...
...and I've got to say, it was scrum-diddle-dee-bumptious!
Needless to say, but we'll be back.
The entertainment in the bar across the "street", however, left something to be desired.
During one number, the lead singer thought he was Liam Gallagher, but he sounded more like a cross between Mick Jagger and Freddie Mercury... can we say bad cover?
Original, if you please...
Noel always looks so darn happy to be wherever he's at, don't you think?
And then, we came back to the room, and missed our Internet.
Overall, it's been one helluva week in one helluva city!
So much fun, in fact, that I had quite a few different titles for this incredibly long post.
Would you like to see them?
Are you nodding?
Oh, come on!
Well, here they are, anyway... I liked them too much to keep them to myself.
"It's A Rotunda, Michael"
"Jeff Was Here"
"Dude Provisions : Pop-Tarts, Nutri-Grain Bars"
"Midget Elvis? Yeah, We've Seen Him"
"Peggy's Cove (It's Very Large)"
"Gorilla Suit Perv-o? Only In Vegas"
"It'll Be Another Half An Hour"
