'Holiday Road..."

Ahhh Vegas. Here I am nursing my sore feet ( I've never walked so much in my LIFE! It puts Disneyworld in the dust, believe me.) and attempting to put into words the amazing time that I had for my first 'free' days in years.

My mom and stepfather agreed to keep the kids for us, so they came in Thursday night and Friday we left around 11am so

we could make our 3pm flight w/ no trouble. The flight was smooth as it could be and the view of the Grand Canyon was remarkable-I've never seen it before. We arrived around 5:45 LV time( good ol' Pacific Time Zone) and after getting seperated briefly at the airport, made it to Bally's by 7pm. Bally's is a super-nice hotel, on the four star borderline, that is absolutely monstrous in size and pretty in a vegas-y kind of way. I'd read on trip advisor that I must ask for a north tower room since these are all remodelled and truly, they were much better than I expected. We got a room on the 23rd floor (great view!) and it was really big w/ an all granite-tiled bathroom that was very cold on the feet-but looked nice. The following is the basic gist and highlights of our stay:

Friday night-Dinner and Bottled Kirin Ichiban at Ichiban Sushi in the Bally's shopping mall. It was a typical 'shopping mall' restaurant w/ very little privacy and slightly better than average sushi (albeit loosely rolled). Afterwards, we explored Bellagio and Caesar's Palace. Caesars was my favorite of all the hotels I saw while I was there...sooo pretty.

Sat-we rented a car (Jeep Laredo, not to bad) and drove to the Las Vegas Speedway for the event we had planned this trip around, The Rockabilly Rod Reunion. Unfortunately, the weather was not so enjoyable. It was about 65 degrees with a crazy wind. The show was great though, replete as it was w/ beautiful gals, gorgeous cars, and good good music. Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats was there as were another great band called The Southerners that I had never heard before. The wind really wreaked havoc on the whole day but it was still an amazing time. We had planned to go see Big Bad Voodoo Daddy that night but my dogs were BARKIN' by then and the idea of cuttin' a rug was a little ludicrous. We went back to the hotel to change and then went to The Alladin for a burger and a yummy Hawaiian Brew. Their shopping was pretty good too. Incidentally, driving in Vegas wasnt bad at all...even during heavy traffic, it seemed to flow nicely.

Sun-was my spa day. I had a nine o'clock appointment and may I just say...ahhhh. I got a foot and leg massage (sorely needed-no pun intended) and spent some time in the hot tub and steam room before i headed over to the 'prep' area to make use of their styling products and cosmetics. It was so nice to have that option. I didnt have to do anything but change once I got back to my room. The rest of the day included a visit w/ the Mirage Dolphins and Tigers, lunch at Caribe Cafe (the BEST Cobb Salad ever!), another quick car show at the Hard Rock, and some 9.00 coctails by the pool. For dinner, we ate at Tao, a eastern themed restaurant at The Venetian. Amazing food and another yummy Kirin later, we headed downtown where I was quickly compelled to purchase some 5.00 flipflops to replace my heels. Downtown was smoky, cramped, and a little depressing. The Freemont Street Experience was a bit overrated as well. But it was very bright and shiny...so, ok.

Mon-We had lunch reservations at Emeril's Fish House in the MGM. I loved the MGM hotel and all its hollywood memorabilia. Even the toilet stalls were decked out w/ famous faces. I purposely chose a toilet where a young Gregory Peck could overlook my business...heh heh. Emeril's was beyond good...beyond great...the lobster bisque was the stuff of dreams. And that caramel creme brulee? Dear Lord. Next, it was time for the Manhattan Express, a crazy rollercoaster that envelopes the New York New York Hotel. Very fun, fast, and a little rough. Luckily, it did me some good because I got a good neck adjustment that left me all loosey goosey. That night, we went to the Stratosphere to experience the view and (gulp!) one of those rides. We chose the Big Shot because it seemed the most thrilling and it didnt actually HANG OFF the edge of the building. It was one of the most exhilarating things I've ever done and I honestly feel like I've conquered my fear of heights! The view was beyond description.

Tuesday was departure day and after our one and only buffet, La Village Buffet at The Paris (another GREAT hotel and attatched to Bally's so very convenient), we were ready for another smooth flight home in the midst of which I completed three crossword puzzles!

Whew. That was long winded. I'll see if I can find some good pictures to post in seperate entries . I'll conclude by saying that Vegas is one of my new favorite places-and we don't even gamble. Some of the typical things I was led to expect such as scads of drunkards and public mayhem were completely false. The flyers for hookers and scantily clad showgirls were there but not as 'in your face'as I expected. It was an adult vacation but also a peaceful one.