The good and bad of Vegas

Oh, man. Vegas. That city will kick your ass if you let it. And we let it. Mike celebrated his 32nd 27th birthday better than he has ever celebrated a birthday, I'd argue, and we really did have the best time. I'm still digging myself out of the hole that is always created when leaving work and home behind to gallivant somewhere, so instead of a proper re-capping post, you get lists!

Good

1. It's Vegas, so behavior you'd never, ever deem appropriate at home seems perfectly normal under the bright neon lights of Sin City. Bottomless mimosa brunches? Why not! You get a lot more odd glances when you're tipsy at 10:30 a.m. at your desk than at brunch in the Bellagio.

2. Bottomless mimosa brunches deserve a second mention. When I saw the sign that encouraged me to pay five extra dollars for the champagne breakfast, I might have turned to Mike and said, "DO YOU EVEN HAVE TO ASK?"

3. Nine Fine Irishmen in New York, New York. We were in Vegas celebrating my husband, so I wanted his birthday dinner to be a highlight. An Internet friend suggested this restaurant/pub, and the food hardly disappointed. The food, in fact, was some of the best I've ever tasted. Thankfully, we traveled with people who let me eat bites off their plates. If you ever go, try the goat cheese mashed potatoes and then thank me. Preferably in cash gifts.

4. The bartenders at Dick's Last Resort. This isn't a Vegas-only must-eat place, but it was fun and it was in our hotel (The Excalibur), so we stopped in for drinks two nights in a row. All the bartenders were fun and lively and one in particular, Craig, entertained us with his ridiculously talented card tricks. He'd rival any actual magic show on the strip.

5. The Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay. Giada featured this place on her show Giada's Weekend Getaways, and I do just about anything Giada tells me to, you should know, but it also came highly recommended by some locals. My burger -- the Angus patty with fried egg, spinach and chipotle aioli -- was just so-so, but Mike's -- Kobe beef and cheddar cheese -- was unbelievable. As were his zucchini fries. (Not cheap, though, as every single burger topping is an extra cost.)

6. Two beers for $6 in the food court at Caesar's Palace. That doesn't sound like a steal, but, trust me, it is.

7. In Excalibur (and probably many other casinos/hotels on the strip), there was a convenience store within the hotel. It was, as we dubbed it, a non-gas gas station. We bought a bottle of champagne for $10, which was nice since every other glass of champagne we bought/drank was $10 A GLASS. We only wish we had stumbled upon such a find earlier. We would have saved more money than I care to admit.

8. The Bellagio fountains. Not every city's major tourist attractions are worth the hype, sure, but when you get goosebumps standing outside in 90-degree heat, you know something is good.

9. The new Encore hotel. It's the fanciest, prettiest hotel I've stepped in. I'd like to stay there next time, when you foot the bill.

10. Penny poker. I could spend a long time with the same $10 bill if I didn't get all stupid and greedy and play max credit when I'm on a roll. And then, of course, immediately lose the entire $10.

Bad

1. Most of the drinks are outrageously expensive, and they have exactly three drops of alcohol. Stay away from all mixed drinks and cocktails and stick to straight beer or straight liquor. Because of how expensive drinks are, your dinner bill may come one night and kill you dead on the spot. That'll suck. I budgeted for our dinner at Nine Fine, and then that budget doubled plus $40. Even the Irish car bomb I chugged during dinner couldn't dull the pain of the most expensive dinner we've ever eaten. The dinner that cost more than my electricity bill this month. Plus our cable bill.

2. Your feet will hate you at the end of your trip to Vegas. You think, Oh, that hotel is just down the block. I can see the sign! Let's just walk. And then an hour later, you're still not there. But you'll still see the sign! You're also sweating and bleeding and sober.

3. I don't know why the creators of What Not To Wear haven't moved to Vegas and settled there permanently. I saw more fashion nightmares in four days than I ever have in my life. Also? Cleavage. There is much, much cleavage in Vegas. Mike would probably question why this is on the bad list.

4. Everything costs money. The tigers at Mirage -- the ones you could see for free five years ago -- cost money to see now. They cost more money than the entrance fee to any zoo I've ever been to, and the last time I checked, zoos had more animals than just tigers.

5. There is an insane amount of construction on the strip. I heard, before going, that Vegas' economy is hurting. Someone forgot to tell Vegas that.

6. You can smoke in many, many places. I have had a days-long headache and a scratchy throat, and I'm billing Vegas directly if I ever get lung cancer.

7. If you decide to gamble in order to get free drinks, you'll have to gamble for at least a half hour to get service (it seemed). By that time, my free beer cost $20.

8. A vacation in Vegas is about as relaxing as all the other times you stayed up all night drinking.

**

We had a really fantastic time, all in all, and I have pictures and memories to share on flickr sometime later. Until then, I have to go chug gallons of caffeine to get me to the weekend and to the precious few uninterrupted days I get to spend with my boy, the boy who keeps changing at rapid-fire speeds, the one who is closing in on nine months old. The one who makes even an alcohol-soaked weekend in Vegas pale in comparison to spending any amount of time with him.

Comments

[Lisa@put-it-on-the-list]

As long as you're making memories, it's all good. Some of the worst memories are the things you laugh hardest about 10 years from now -- and that's a great thing, even if it sucked when it happened.

Sounds like you made some memories while you were gone, so I'd call your trip a success!

[She Likes Purple]

Oh, we had a great time! The best, really! I think my snark came out as bitchy instead. I need to work on that :)

[Sharon]

Your list is awesome, and comes at a perfect time, as I'm headed to Vegas tomorrow! :D We'd already planned to hit up Nine Fine and the Burger Bar, so it's great to hear that they come well recommended.

We've been planning the trip for months, and I'm a little bit beyond excited that we actually leave tomorrow! :)

[Raven]

I think I need goat cheese mashed potatoes, like right this very second.

We are considering a trip there for Willy's 30th but as his co-workers might do a Vegas Happy Hour a week later (up and back the same night) we might go some place else now.

[jodifur]

My Dad is a bit of "high roller" at one of the casinos and I used to go with him all the time. And I thought that was Vegas. People just fall all over you!

And then I went with my girlfriends once and was like, Vegas is expensive. And no one is saying hello to me and bringing me stuff. This is not nearly as fun.

So, I get ya.

[Kristie]

Apparently I took a lot of videos and oh my god, they are so hilarious. I had to dry my eyes many times I was laughing so much.

[Kristabella]

OMG, the walking thing is SO true! It's RIGHT there! WHY DOES IT TAKE SO LONG TO GET THERE?

That construction has been going on for years, I think. I don't think they're actually building anything. Just had to quit mid-project.

Glad you had a good time!

[maggie]

Just took my first trip to Vegas in August (with extended in-law family, so not a very soggy trip, alas.) BUT YES. The walking! Why did I think we could just walk ACROSS THE STREET to another casino? The whole CITY is a mirage. And the cleavage, yes, but the BRA STRAPS. And not just the STRAPS visible, but the entire BRA- my eyes! my eyes!

That said, I LOVED that town and can't wait to go back. Sans kids next time!

[HollyLynne]

So glad you guys liked Nine Fine Irishmen. Did anyone get the macaroni and cheese? PLEASE TELL ME SOMEONE HAD THE MACARONI AND CHEESE! If not, you'll just have to go back.

[TUWABVB]

I'll have to look into this Nine Fine place, because having grown up Irish I can say this - they cannot cook.

I think this says it all - I suggested to my husband that we go away to Vegas for a special trip we are planning (he loves to gamble) and he said, "No - I just want to relax." Vegas is a lot of work!

[Elizabeth]

as someone who grew up in las vegas and moved away 4 years ago, I can tell you the construction is because of the economy. Vegas has been the fastest growing city for most of my years there (ages 3 til 20). During the housing boom, it was a condo/hotel boom as well and so construction workers FLOCKED there and now have nothing to do. Some of those fancy condo towers you see on the strip? Are not full. So construction on the roads is what is helping the construction workers who haven't fled to Louisiana to try and get work in New Orleans.

Also, because I did grow up there, it is not the vegas natives who dress horridly, it is all the drunk tourists! Natives just wear jeans and flip flops in January. And maybe Capris too but that's all I'll admit to. ;)

[Vanessa]

Just got back from Vegas too! Had a great time but agree with a couple of your bads...wore my most comfortable heels the first night because we weren't sure "where the night would take us" and ended up buying an emergency pair of flip flops before the night took us anywhere. And we actually did the whole, "We can see our hotel. It's right there. Let's walk." Luckily we were drunk and had on our emergency flip flops because it took over an hour.
And two cocktails served in a plastic cup at TAO = $28. Seriously.
But I would totally go back!

[Heather]

Ummmm...even your bad list made me want to go. Really, really bad.

I think I ate on the patio at Nine Fine one of the times when I went...when there was a 9/11 Memorial. Which included a color guard parade on the little promenade outside of NYNY, and many, many, many fine firefighters. Oh yes, I have never wanted to set fire to a hotel room SO.BAD.

[Blythe]

I love a good Vegas vacation. I never thought I'd be a Vegas Person but I totally am. We tried to get into the Burger Bar when we were there last spring but we were starving and unwilling to wait 2 hours. Next time for sure, especially now that I have a crush on Hubert from Top Chef Masters.

That convenience store discovery was a real find - I feel like there is NEVER a place to buy chips and a bottle of water for less than twelve dollars.