What Happened in Vegas

Every November Mike goes to a NextGen training conference. (NextGen is the company that produces the electronic medical records software used at the pediatric clinic where he works) These NextGen conferences take place in all different parts of the country such as Washington D.C., Florida, and Tennessee. This year the conference just happened to take place in Las Vegas, Nevada. Usually I stay home and hold down the fort while Mike attends these annual events, but this year I decided to tag along with him; mostly because some friends of ours (one of the pediatricians at the clinic and his wife) were also going and with Kristin there I would have someone to hang out with during the day while Mike was in classes.

I personally have a love-hate relationship with Vegas. Sleaze is everywhere in Sin City, but so are bright lights, great shopping, world class entertainment, and the most delicious food…not to mention 3 floors worth of the M&M store!

The Strip is something that never fails to blow my mind, in more ways than one. As soon as we had checked into the hotel (we stayed at the MGM Grand Signature Towers which are smoke and Casino free and very nice), Mike and I took a stroll from one end of the Strip to the other to see the sights. I brought along my trusty camera…

Las Vegas is the only place where you can see Lady Liberty…next to a garish medieval castle…next to a near exact replica of the Eiffel Tower…next to a larger-than-the-original Egyptian pyramid…next to a volcano that actually erupts…next to a ginormous pirate ship teaming with actual pirates. Las Vegas has multiple personality disorder.

For example: If the Lady Liberty outside doesn’t satisfy, you can take just a few short steps inside and see her made entirely out of Jelly Bellies…

…Walk just a few blocks further and along the way you will see the worlds largest chocolate fountain, a lion habitat, water fountains that spray in time to music, and a talking apple tree whose eyes follow you as you walk past…

… If that doesn’t do the trick for you, you can push and shove your way through the crowds, find a empty spot along the marble fence, and watch the water show out front of the world famous Bellagio hotel and casino…

…the Bellagio water show is totally nuts. As you watch, it suddenly dawns on you that you’re standing in the middle of the desert hovering over eight acres of water that periodically sprays 100 feet in the air. How can this be?

The multiple personality factor doesn’t stop there. In Vegas you’ll see stretch limos, Gucci stores, restaurants menus featuring meals at $250 a plate, and people walking around dressed to the 9’s; while the homeless are everywhere too, sitting along the Strip, hoping someone will be kind enough to throw them a bone. There are people of all ages there too, stand all night on street corners, wearing sweatshirts with girls, girls, girls printed across the front, trying to shove pornography in your hands in hopes of luring you into tawdry strip joints and night clubs. Multiple personalities indeed!

You know me, if there is a documentary to be seen I am compelled to watch it. I found a interesting documentary on the history of Las Vegas, all about how this crazy place in the middle of nowhere came to be. It was very compelling and full of interesting facts. Did you know that Casinos make a whopping 70 percent of their gambling profits from slot machines alone? It’s not that hard to imagine since most of the noisy, obnoxious things seem to be going 24-7, with people sitting at them for hours and hours trying their luck against the house. (The house always wins in the end. They make certain of it).

Gambling isn’t for me though, I would rather sample the delicious food. If it’s good food you’re after, Vegas is the place. Good heavens, we ate well…

Tuesday nights dinner: Portobello Mushroom Ravioli with with Champagne cream sauce, here at this little gem of a Italian restaurant in Caesars Palace. And how about breakfast from Las Vegas’s own Serendipity 3. The breakfast platter was as long as my arm. I couldn’t make it through half of it.

I’ve wanted to try Frozen Hot Chocolate for years, but the wait at the restaurant was always too long in New York City. There was no wait in Las Vegas on a Tuesday morning, and the Frozen Hot Chocolate did NOT disappoint…

Kristin was a convert as well…

Kristin and I also did a little shopping, mostly at the 40%-off-the-sales-price rack at the Loft and a little at H&M…most everything else was way out of our price range. Kristin was a perfect shopping partner though, she has great taste.

My favorite event of the trip… seeing Mystere by Cirque De Soleil at Treasure Island…

It was incredible. I’m dying to take the kids sometime. It would blow their little minds!

p.s. If you do go see Cirque De Soleil I would warn you not to use you cell phone to take pictures or video. You WILL get you phone confiscated until after the show.

Second favorite event…

…stopping at Trader Joe’s on the way home. I must admit I went a little over board there, throwing things in the cart for us to try and filling orders and requests from folks at home. We’ve now got Trader Joe’s groceries and food storage to last us until we get back to Las Vegas…someday. I so wish Utah would get a Trader Joe’s!

It was a fun filled few days, especially since most of the major expenses were on the company dime (except the Trader Joe’s shopping spree of course). Mostly I loved spending time with Mike. He’s the perfect traveling companion and we never get sick of each other.

A heartfelt thanks to Rebekah, Grandpa Dave and Mary Kate who were vigilant and capable babysitters for the boys. Anytime you travel together as a couple you are at the mercy of someone who’s willing to watch your kids. Thanks Grandpa Dave and Rebekah. The kids and the dog were all safe, sound and happy when we arrived home. We can’t thank you enough!

*I forget to mention that we also attended a big event for all the NextGen clients where we saw STYX in concert (which was awesome) and also Sammy Hagar of Van Halen fame, who was totally crazy and WAY to loud. Mike stuck it out, but I went back to the hotel so my ears would stop ringing!