Viva Las Vegas

OK, so it's been awhile since I went to Vegas, but I absolutely have to share some of the photos of where we stayed, etc.

Somehow, I tend to manage to find pretty good hotel deals, which means I can stay at decent places for not exorbitant rates. For example, this time we stayed at Wynn for less than $150/night excluding taxes and around $170 all in. This included full access to the pool, where they had lovely complimentary iced water, as well as their health club (yeah, didn't make it in there) and everything else.

From the moment you walk in, you know this is going to be a nice hotel. I love the promenade of trees with little lights on them. It's so lovely and bright and open. And yes, I liked the floors, too. Marble, I think?


The pool totally rocked. It was nicer than honestly any other pool I've seen. This was only the first "pool" part. It's large enough that the entire pool doesn't fit in my viewfinder at one time.



It was so big that it needed bridges to get from one side to the other in the "river" part of it.

Now I've been places where they had cabanas before. The hotel we stay at in Florida has them and charges around $50 per day for them. I wouldn't pay that, but I'm cheap.

I finally had to ask about these cabanas. They don't include any of the food or drink, although you do have waitstaff at your disposal. Yeah. $300 per day, from 9am to 5pm. That's about twice what I paid for my whole room. And really, if I'm paying that much, I don't want to be time restricted and be kicked out at 5!

But ummmm, they are pretty nice!



The pool also had a second pool. This was the European style pool. I am not allowed to take pictures (see the sign), but the sign alone cracked me up. And yes, they had floating gaming tables in the pool. Because you'd hate to lose out on gambling time while lounging at the pool, right?

Our room was really nice.

And proof that it was really nice? They put a towel at the side of the bed. Now for those of you who aren't as ummm particular as me, you may not get this. I hate to have my feet touch the floor in a hotel. I walk around in either socks or shoes the entire time I'm there. And before bed, you step out of slippers and feet touch the floor, ditto with when you first get up in the morning. Not at Wynn!

And yes, I'm all about the bathrooms in hotels. I really liked this one, although -- no surprise -- I refuse to take a bath in a hotel bathtub. YUCK! I did really like the design of the shower next to the tub there and am remembering this one for when I remodel our master bath, which desperately needs to be done.




We did make our way outside the hotels. And what's Vegas without a little sex? Unfortunately(?) it wasn't yet open. But soon. They were hiring!

We also went to see a few shows while there, in addition to my lounging by the pool and watching gambling.

The first night, we saw Tony & Tina's Wedding. I can now say that I've seen it and don't need to go again. I'll leave it at that, and draw your own conclusions.

OK, OK. I'll share pictures of my husband (in the green shirt) who got tapped to be the cowboy in YMCA during the reception. He was a little too into it, if you know what I mean....

We also saw two other shows. The first was Zumanity, a "Cirque does showgirls" kind of show. It was definitely interesting, but nowhere near one of my favorites. Of the ones I've seen in Vegas, Mystere is still far and away my favorite. (And yes, I've seen O.) My friend summed up Zumanity the best: It's too tame for the prurient among us and too racy for the prudes. No one's satisfied.

The last night before we left, I got discounted tickets in the second row to see Le Reve. (See those bargain hunting skills?) That show rocked. I'd go back to see it in a heartbeat. It was really compelling and very fast paced. It was unique in a world where Cirque tricks have almost rote. It is almost like what O could have been but isn't. I'd definitely recommend that one.

And with that, I'll end my travelogue and return you to your regularly scheduled blogcast.

I'm Certifiably Insane

Don't forget: tomorrow's the last day to enter to win the PIF contest - check out Monday's post!

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For my birthday last year, my sweet and generous husband arranged for a trip to NYC. We were to see Wintuck, a Cirque du Soleil show, and had front row seats. We'd also spend three days in NYC sans kids just hanging out the first week of January.

The trip was actually a lot of fun, as it had been years since I spent much time in NYC. Two of my best friends from high school had also managed to find their way to NYC, so I saw a Broadway show with one of them and her husband one night and had dinner with them and the other friend another night.

While we were reminiscing about high school and growing up in Minneapolis, etc., we hearkened back upon our days at the Fair. For the uninformed, this is the Minnesota State Fair, held the two weeks before and including Labor Day every year. Home of Princess Kay of the Milky Way carved in butter, the inventor of random foods on a stick, great livestock shows (no, that isn't an oxymoron), and from good sources, the best state fair in the country.

We decided to meet up there this August, and all was good.

The wine wore off, and I didn't think much of it. It would be fun to go, but other things kept creeping up on me and I didn't have time to worry about it. Until I got an email from one of my friends asking if we were really going because she was going to book her plane tickets.

Apparently the wine didn't wear off as much as I'd thought, and I committed to going, as did the other friend (although we still don't have confirmation from her).

After I committed, I realized what this meant. I was going to take the wee ones to a fair with hundreds of thousands of people. And I was going to drive BY MYSELF from Chicago to Minnesota with the wee ones -- both of whom get carsick in long car rides, while I just hate being in the car for more than an hour or two. Oh yeah, and I was going to drive back by myself -- or shoot myself before we got to that point, I haven't yet decided.

While the wee ones are generally well-behaved, seven loooong hours in the car do not a happy group make. And going to the Fair? A three year old and a four year old traveling with me and three adults who have no children and don't spend time around children. What was I thinking? They try to wander off when it's me with my parents who are with them all the time and know their tricks.

I seriously thought about backing out, but I can't do that to my friends, and I do truly love the Fair. I've been talking about going back since the last time I was there six or seven years ago. And two friends of mine still living in Minnesota have had second babies so far this year, and I would love to see them, too.

Would I be an evil mom if I bought leashes for the wee ones? I've seen the ones that look like animal backpacks with the tails for the leash part. Those wouldn't be too bad for a one time use like the Fair, would they? (And if I don't get collectively booed for being a rotten mom for even thinking about leashing my children, does anyone know where I can get some cheap?)

We've been practicing what to do if Mister Man gets lost. He knows to find a mom with kids and to tell her, "My name is Mister Man, and I'm lost. My mom's name is Michelle X, and her phone number is XXX-XXX-XXXX. Can you please call her so she can find me?" He's finally learned our phone number, and I always have my cell in my pocket. I'm hoping that if we repeat this drill often enough that he'll be able to execute it without too many issues. As for Little Miss... if she disappears, I think I'm sunk. Like really sunk, and that has me petrified. That's part of where the leashes come in.

I do think they'd love the Fair -- or at least as much of it as we can manage before they crash. I'm still debating whether to bring a stroller or not. The Tom Thumb donuts I know they'd be all over. The quarter for a cup of milk will be cool for Little Miss (although I'm sure it's no longer a quarter!). The yellow slides with the sacks should be fun for both of them. The tons and tons of animals (fortunately my friend's husband's favorite part, too) should keep them enthralled.

I'm still working on the hotel though. I want to stay near one of the Dales (all the malls are something-Dale -- Ridgedale (closest to where I used to live), Rosedale, Southdale, etc) which would allow me to ride the bus to the Fair versus having to drive to St. Paul and try to park and get the kids into the Fair. I need a hotel that is a true suite, as I can't sit in the hallway during naptime, and I can't be perfectly still in the dark for bedtime at 7pm either. That's proving to be somewhat of a challenge, but I still have two weeks, right?

All I have to say is that Sweet Martha's Cookie Jar had better be there, because I'm buying a bucket first thing in the morning on Thursday!