Hey Everyone,
I'm such a horrible blogger. Maybe now that I have a vacation out of my system I will focus more. I have like 6 unfinished blogs just waiting for a final few lines. Maybe I'll do that tonight .. nah .. tomorrow.
I am trying to make it a goal to write everyday. Sometimes those ramblings won't be here ... they will be under password in my journal .. but I want to try to make this a place you came and read some nonsense on MOST days. If you have fun on here .. then please add your input .. share my site with a friend. If not .. then first of all .. why they hell do you keep coming back .. and second .. please continue to leave comments .. just grow some and leave your real name and contact info instead of "Lily" or "Anonymous" . Oh how you haters make me giggle :)
I say I have a goal to write both a fiction and non-fiction book one day. If I don't start writing more for leisure (which is hard to do since I do it everyday for work ) and start reading more books .. I'm going to never reach my goal.
Anyway. What a better topic to write about than VACATION. I shall skip the shenanigans that occurred .. wait .. what shenanigans .. what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas .. right? I did however promise several people I would let them know what I thought about the places we ventured out to see. So here we go.
Lesson One: Transportation/Lodging
Fly mid week and fly really early. We were in and out of security and waiting to head west in less than 30 min on our 9am flight! While I love the cheap flight and free first bag that Southwest has to offer .. man was a non-stop 4 hour flight on that little plane rough! Between trying to position ourselves to where we could both sleep and the stewardess that took his job WAY too seriously .. we were so ready to have our first of many drinks in hand!!
I don't have to explain the comfort level on a Southwest flight ..but this stewardess .. let's just say he was so afraid we were going to join the mile high club because we both got up to go to the bathroom (one at a time) that he not only strictly enforced the "stay 3 rows back" rule .. he watched us!!!! My God .. we only wanted to get up at the same time because we both had to pee and we didn't want to bother the lady in the isle seat two times instead of four! Let me just say that whoever attempts to make a little magic in those horrible bathrooms seriously needs some sort of sex therapy because there is NOTHING sexy about those stinky, tiny, claustrophobic aircraft port-a-potties .. ewwww! So Southwest ... lighten up!!! As for our 1am flight back on Continental. Not a single complaint. Good price, more comfort. The only complaint is the first bag fee. By the way .. that 1am flight is the way to go if you want to stay an extra full day and avoid paying for a hotel room. The hotel held our bags had an ENTIRE day to explore Vegas, got on a shuttle (the way to do it by the way) at 11pm and we were on a 1am flight back to NashVegas!
Also MGM has a deal (or did) where it was just like 59 bucks for our room Wednesday and Thursday .. looks like weeknights is the time to go for sure .. our rate jumped to around 200 for Friday night!
Lesson Two: Bring your swimsuit
Enjoy the Vegas SUN! So may of my friends go to Vegas and sleep alllll day. DON'T .. make yourself get outta bed, ha! We laid out at our pool for 1 to 3 hours everyday and it felt like 30 min! Yes it's the desert and is HOT but there was no humidity! It was wonderful! Unless you have the money for a cabana or get there early and don't mind paying for a chair .. skip the "beach clubs". They are great if you wanna get trashed I guess .. but we really enjoyed a free chair next to the pool and some much needed r&r after our late nights out :)
Lesson Three: "What's the name of this club .. i don't remember .. just dance"
Speaking of nights out .... I feel blessed that we were able to get in every club with no cover and no wait in line. However most of you won't get that lucky (we had major connections) unless you are planning to drop some major money. Even then .. some of the "table" lines were 100 to 200 deep! So here are a few tips! If you are going to wait in line .. in my opinion .. here are the 3 clubs worth the wait. Surrender .. Tao and XS. If you want to go to a really hot place that isn't a "night club" and don't want to wait in a mega line then go to Blush inside of Wynn. Last time I was in Vegas I went to Tryst .. liked it. It was very similar to XS. Doug has been to Tabu' inside MGM and loved it. Couple others to note .. while i didn't get a chance to hit them up ... I've also heard Lavo and Haze are both worth the wait in line. There really isn't a bad route to take when you are going to Vegas ...all the clubs are busy .. it really just depends on what your style is. The best tip I have is to decide where you are going on not try to bar hop. The lines are just too long. If you insist on bar hopping then go to the mega club first and the smaller one second. Get to that first hot spot just as they open so you don't have to wait. You will also get to use the 1/2 off admission passes they hand out everywhere if you get there that early. We club hopped since we didn't have to wait in line and ended up spending too much money on cabs and never really had a chance to sit and relax and drink. The night we had the most fun was when we got a table at Tao. So no matter which club you go to .. if you can afford it ...and have a decent size group ... A table is the way to go! But no matter how much you spend and despite the fact it is SIN CITY .. you still must watch your manners. It is possible to get "asked to leave" these hot spots for simply having too much fun. I have heard stories and witnessed it happen more than once. I heard a story about this girl that decided to jump in the pool at XS (whether or not she was clothed is not the point) .. she got asked to leave? Seriously .. I think that is rather fabulous ... it was her bachelorette party! Another particular instance is one that I happened to witness at Tao. This sweet girl was sick, likely from too many adult beverages, so she tried to be polite and throw up in a cup ... it kinda spilled over :( She kindly got asked to go home. I say not fair .. it's VEGAS!!
Lesson Four: So much food .. so little time
We made the mistake of not planning where we wanted to eat or asking where we should go. We ended up eating in our hotel for all our meals except one. That is totally fine because all the places inside of these hotels are wonderful. We just hate we didn't ask around and experience more of the great good Vegas has to offer. Then again, we only ate one good meal a day really, so we couldn't have experienced too much in the first place. We likely saved a lot of money that way (not eating) .. because even McDonald's was several bucks more than "back home". The only thing we found to cost exactly the same ... Starbucks! Our ritual was usually Starbucks ... pool food ... expensive meal ... and if we really needed it ... greasy 15 dollar burger or pizza via room service!
The only place I can really recommend as a MUST is Diego inside MGM. Best mexican food I have EVER had! Last time I was in Vegas I ate at the nice steakhouse in the Wynn .. I give that 5 stars too!
Lesson Five: Experience some true entertainment
Vegas Shows. You have to go to at least one if you are in Vegas and the best thing to do is read both negative and positive reviews or ask friends because sometimes the previews can be a bit misleading. Our main reason for going to Vegas was to see Doug's favorite dance crew ... the Jabbawockeez. We LOVED, LOVED, LOVED the show!!! It wasn't at all what you would have expected from them and if you don't know and appreciate dance (specifically the type of dance they do) then you probably won't think it's all that great. But we loved it and I highly recommend you see them!
We decided to go see the ELVIS Cirque show because we had some tickets passed on to us to go see for free. We both LOVE cirque shows and were really excited about seeing one for that simple reason. While the production was AMAZING, the cast was stellar and the effects were really cool ... it was not what I expected out of a Cirque show. I think maybe my expectations are too high though. I expected more action, more acrobatics, mores "wow" factor. I guess I was thinking .. "KA" or "O" and it was more High School Musical with a few acrobatics. I think it would really make ALOT of people happy and had I not been expecting a cirque show .. I would have also been just as wowed. If you are an Elvis fan and like a good show .. then totally go see the Elvis cirque show. If you are into the amazement factor of true Cirque De Sole show and aren't a big Elvis fan .. go see another. My friends Josh and Jana just went to Vegas. They saw Zumanity and raved about it!
Lesson Six: You're feet will hurt
Carry with you lots and lots of Band aids or flats .. your choice. I chose band aids. I will rarely (if ever) sacrifice fashion for comfort and I wasn't about going to start in a place such as Vegas! My feet reeeeaaally hated me by the end of the trip. To make up for it, on day four, I did switch to a flip flop with only a one inch heel, but I still had blisters! So unless you are going to wear tennis shoes (something I don't even own except for the gym.. the gym that i never go to) plan for your tootsies to be rubbed the wrong way! My friend Jana wore heels but carried flip flops in her purse .. smart! That would mean I have to carry something bigger than a clutch .. which I don't prefer to do when going "out" ... so I'll think about that one!
Lesson Seven: Bye Bye Greed
Don't gamble if you are like like me and can't stand to lose! Seriously, I can't play charades on Christmas with my family without cheating my way onto what I know will be the winning team .. so what in the world made me believe I'd be "okay" gambling .. i do not know!! I can handle losing 20 bucks here and there on the slot machines ..but I learned how to play blackjack on our cruise last fall and things have never been the same. I barely broke even then and I lost $200 this go round in Vegas. It didn't matter that I played on that 200 bucks for like 3 hours .. I was still ticked off. I lost another 150 on slot machines but since we took advantage of the free drinks .. I feel like we broke even and therefore am not bitter. haha. I spent my last hour walking around Vegas with a scowl on my face.
Lesson Eight: "I Do"
Those chapels stay open 24/7 for a reason! Doug and I almost got hitched. We had a few of the yummy vodka cranberry drinks offered for free while playing those slot machines I just talked.. we we decided if we hit the jackpot again ( I had just hit a mini one) we were getting hitched. Well sure enough .. next spin .. I hit the jackpot. Well I shouldn't say THE jackpot ... that would have been several grand in my pocket .. I hit **A** jackpot .. meaning I got like 5000 points .. that means 5000 pennies . Since we weren't specific enough .. we nixed the getting hitched idea and sat there another hour and lost the 5000 pennies I won. It wouldn't have been the smartest thing for us to do for a couple of reasons. Number one our families would kill us. They kinda love that we are together and want to be present for this spectacular day .. number two I didn't have a cute white dress .. . and last but certainly not least ... Doug's last marriage happened in Vegas and was about as unfullfilling, stressful and fake as they come .. so yeah that was reason enough NOT to go through with it. But watch out or you WILL end up waking up in Vegas with a new last name!
I wish I had a number of lessons like10 .. but I've probably bored you enough ... Also 8 is Mama Joy's lucky number ..so I'll stop here!
Grace and Peace to you,
Stacy
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