food: rm seafood
30 May 2012 1 Comment
in food & cooking, travel, booze & other drinkables, restaurants & dinning out Tags: las vegas, restaurants & dinning out, seafood
rick moonen’s rm seafood is a pretty choice little place tucked in to the corner of mandalay bay right by the house of blues.
it has an upstairs fine dinning restaurant and a downstairs casual restaurant with a raw bar.
i’m a huge supporter of this concept… because sometimes you want to go all fancy pants and sometimes its nice to have a bit more of a casual option for your food.
we ate at the downstairs for this occasion, since we had just done a fancy pants meal the night before. and let me assure you that downstairs did not mean there was any sacrifice in quality or service.
the big underlying focus of rick’s restaurant is sustainability and i can totally appreciate that.
in a city like las vegas, that is so utterly unsustainable, the irony is delicious.
of course, i started with a cocktail.
the menu was mighty and enticing, but i settled on the lehigh.
and a yummy little drink it was.
i only had the one cocktail, as we ordered a bottle of wine – the kim crawford white for the record.
and then, on to the food.
i really wanted to try something from the raw bar, but my mom isn’t a big sushi/raw fish fan.
we agreed on the ebi-go roll which has tempura prawns in it and just the tuna sashimi on the top like a lovely little blanket of yum.
it also had a little jalapeno in it, which added a nice spiciness without drastically changing the flavour as wasabi would.
like an idiot, i dipped my first piece in soy sauce out of habit, but after that, i just ate it as is.
the flavours were so delicate and balanced, it didn’t need anything else.
for our mains, my mom had the chef’s daily special, the surf & surf, which was lobster and prawns on toasted orzo.
and man oh man was it ever good.
the lobster was buttery and perfectly cooked – admit it, how many times have you had an overcooked rubbery lobster? it’s so disappointing.
and the toasted orzo was nutty and full of flavour.
i wish i could remember the sauce with it.
i ordered off the menu, the turbot caught my eye right away.
the waiter chris (hi chris! – he asked for my blog address) declared it to be a favourite and really, it had me at dijon-chive spaetzle. also i LOVE ramps.
turbot – dijon-chive spaetzle, ramp greens, mustard caviar & whole grain mustard butter sauce
seriously?
the turbot was cooked beautifully with a golden crust so crisp that you could knock on it, but the underside of the fish was perfectly done.
the spaetzle was tender and not gooey and the mustard sauce was a bit strong on the first few bites, but once your palate got used to it, it was really lovely.
for dessert, it was a simple choice. the dessert sampler.
because if you can try more than 1 dessert at a time, you sure as hell should.
blueberry cobler beignets: a-la-minute beignets, blueberry compote, vanilla bean ice cream & brown sugar streusel
vanilla bean cheesecake: cinnamon sugar puff pastry, strawberry coulis & basil sorbet
decadent chocolate: chocolate brioche pudding, chocolate raspberry mouse & chocolate ice cream
key lime pie: swiss meringue & cilantro syrup
ya, i’m not even sure what to say about this. it was just ridiculous.
the standouts for me were the cheesecake – so thick and rich and the puff pastry was a nice change to the usual crust, but it was the basil sorbet that really elevated it. it cut through the cheesecake and toned down the richness so that you wanted to keep eating it until it was all gone. (and we did)
and the key lime pie was my other favourite – to no one’s surprise.
the cilantro syrup seemed like an odd choice for a split second until it hit me, that OF COURSE! cilantro and limes are perfect partners in all sorts of savoury mexican applications, why wouldn’t they be BFF on the dessert plate?
definite stroke of genius.
and then… as if this meal wasn’t already all kinds of awesome, i actually got to meet rick moonen himself!
i was pretty excited. (can you tell by my face?)
its an absolutely wonderful thing to be able to tell the chef face to face how much you enjoyed not only the meal, but the whole inspiration for the restaurant.
and he was so nice.
like, legitimately kind and interested in my comments and discussing restaurants in vegas and vancouver that focused on sustainability.
it was a real pleasure to have met him, and big thanks goes out to our wonderful server chris that got him to come out for me.
i also took home his book which is an insanely huge collection of all sorts of knowledge on how to cook, handle, clean and select fish. it’s a very exciting read thus far, i’m glad i picked it up. 
(also – he signed is best fishes? love!)
food: mesa grill las vegas
29 May 2012 1 Comment
in booze & other drinkables, general posts, restaurants & dinning out, travel Tags: booze, las vegas, mexican food, restaurants & dinning out, travel
i have long wanted to try one of bobby flay’s restaurants.
he’s not my favourite chef… his food looks amazing, but there’s just something about his cocky attitude that kinda rubs me the wrong way… but i can’t deny that the man has skills.
mesa grill in caesar’s palace has been at the top of my “i should eat there one time” list for years now.
i’ve had many plans to dine there that have somehow always been shuffled aside… i think its the location. i just never go into caesar’s palace. i’m not sure why, but it just isn’t a place that i hang out.
anyways. because we had a spa appointment booked in caesars for this trip, i thought this would be a perfect opportunity to try out mesa grill at long last.
and eating here for lunch works perfectly because you get the same great quality and cheaper prices. win win.
the first tough decision… the drinks.
i’ve been on a bit of a manhattan kick lately and bobby’s certainly sounded enticing… but in that moment of sobriety, i just couldn’t justify a $22 manhattan.
that being said, i definitely regret not doing it now.
jeremy – if you go there, i’ll give you $22 to drink this for me and report back.
tough decision number two (not really) was when the bread basket hit the table…
since i’ve been off wheat, i have been avoiding the bread basket quite easily… but hot damn, i couldn’t avoid it this time, so i dove right into this little beauty…
its a cornbread muffin with two kinds of cornmeal.
mmmmhmmmm.
it was the first time in the meal that i shook my first with a *damn you bobby flay*
there was also a jalapeno cheese bread that was out of this world and was swiftly consumed by me.
so swiftly, there is no photo.
ohmygodwhitebreadisdelicious
for the real food… we started with a signature bobby flay item, the roasted duck in a blue corn pancake.
oh sweet baby jesus… there are no words.
this little mother fucker is one of the tastiest things i’ve ever eaten.
the duck is smothered in a hoisin kinda sauce and sweet and a little spicy and the pancake is just… ya.
and the sauces are so bobby flay. pureed and seasoned to perfection and yum yum yum.
enter the second *damn you bobby flay*
next up, we had the chopped salad.
i enjoy a good chopped salad and this one fit the bill.
nothing crazy unusual about it, it was just a well done salad full of tasty morsels.
the other thing that we ordered was the ancho glazed salmon.
this wasn’t our first pick, but the waiter told us it was a signature item and very good, so we decided to take his advice.
and boy, we were glad we did.
besides being perfectly seasoned and delicious, it was also cooked to medium perfection.
really, the only way to eat salmon.
*damn you bobby flay* that was some delicious salmon!
after this, we were very full and very happy…
but, then the waiter came with a dessert menu…
okay, seriously. *damn you bobby flay*
we were at a loss… even making a short list of what we wanted was hard.
so we asked for advice.
without a hesitation, the server said “sticky toffee pudding”
done.
seriously? bobby flay, go eff yourself.
this one is not even fair.
the dulce de leche like substance around the plate was made with goat milk and salted, for a sweet, salty tangy sauce.
the cake, like some fucking ridiculous substance that shouldn’t exist in nature.
vanilla bean ice cream. perfect.
in short, a ridiculous end to a ridiculous meal.
okay bobby flay. you win.
food: border grill las vegas
28 May 2012 2 Comments
in booze & other drinkables, food & cooking, restaurants & dinning out, travel Tags: booze, food, las vegas, mexican food, pig, pork
border grill in mandalay bay has been my favourite place to dine in las vegas since my husband (then – boyfriend) stumbled across it on our very first trip to las vegas.
we were walking to the shark reef and saw the cantina and decided on a whim to stop in for a margarita. we started noming on chips and salsa and realized we were kind of hungry, so we ordered tortilla soup.
not just any tortilla soup… the best one i’ve ever had in my life.
and an obsession was born.
this restaurant is owned by Mary Sue Milliken and Susan Feniger who i knew from their cooking show Two Hot Tamales. (side note – remember when the food network used to have actual cooking shows? i miss that)
since then, susan feniger has made appearances on top chef all stars, doing quite well for herself. and its no surprise, her cooking is masterful.
the restaurant itself has two lovely outdoor areas. one upstairs that is covered and i’ve dined in a few times, and also the downstairs outdoor patio that housed my wedding reception. outdoor areas for dining are a rarity in vegas, so i always make note of them for my lists, as i love al fresco dining.
this is where we had lunch on my latest visit… the downstairs outdoors…
as if the regular menu choices don’t cause me enough distress with all the yummy options, their specials menu gets offered to me.
oh my… what to do…
well, obviously the pineapple strawberry sangria needs to get in my mouth.
my mom went with the patron silver margarita, and said she preferred the one at hussong’s because it was simple. of course, she ordered one with blood orange and other stuff, so its obviously not comparing apples to apples.
while we were waiting for lunch, we enjoyed the chips and salsa… i love their salsa. all 3 of them.
they haven’t changed the recipes in years and i love them for it. its perfect. not to be messed with.
for the meal, we both decided on tacos, since it was lunch time and we were hungry, but not starved and wanted something kind of light since we were headed back to the pool.
i went with the carnitas with no onions. because it was supposed to have guacamole on it which contained onions, they just put avocado slices on it for me. which worked perfectly.
you have the option of pinto beans or black beans and i went pinto.
my tacos were delicious and the pork cooked to perfection, although they were a little greasy. they could have been drained a little better before going on the tortillas.
but in terms of flavour, preperation, tenderness, ect, top notch.
my mom went with the shrimp creole tacos and they were WOW.
she had black beans, also good, but i still stand by my pinto bean decision.
my mom’s shrimp was cooked to perfection and the slaw on top was crunchy and provided a great contrast for the rest of the taco.
we agreed that these were the superior choice between mine and hers.
stuffed to the brim, we headed back to pool for a lay down.
thanks for yet another amazing meal border grill. i’ll see you next time.
cheers!
food & travel: hussong’s cantina las vegas
28 May 2012 2 Comments
in booze & other drinkables, food & cooking, restaurants & dinning out, travel Tags: booze, las vegas, mexican food, restaurants & dinning out
i am a fiend for mexican food.
and all the awesome mexican and mexican inspired food is one of my favourite parts of traveling to the usa.
hussong’s cantina is a place that we stumbled upon a few years ago and wandered into for a margarita.
it turned out to be the best margarita i’ve ever had, and thus, a love was born.
the food is also not so shabby, although it does lean toward the american penchant for fat & deep fried more than for true mexican style preparations, but hey, there’s a time and a place for everything.
lets start with the margaritas.
this place boasts being the creator of the margarita. their wikipedia says:
Hussong’s is reputedly the place where the Margarita was created—back in October, 1941 by bartender Don Carlos Orozco. He concocted the perfect mixture of equal parts tequila, Damiana (Cointreau is used now) and lime, served over ice in a salt-rimmed glass for Margarita Henkel, daughter of the German Ambassador to Mexico.
now, the las vegas location is not the original, obviously, but they still make a damn fine classic margarita.
for those poor souls that don’t know… a margarita is not a slushy sugar drink.
its a salty-sour-punch-you-in-the-face drink.
and this… will punch you in the face.
i like my margaritas with no salt and a sidecar of grand marnier to make a float on top.
and yes, this is a PINT of margaritas that was served to me.
< insert heavenly music here >
this is commonly called a cadillac margarita. and its my favourite.
the beautiful and special thing about this place is that the bartender stands at the bar and squeezes the limes right into your glass. there’s no bottled lime juice in this piece. it’s fresh and simple and it makes a world of difference in the finished product.
we were served chips and 2 kinds of salsa at the table and tried not to stuff our faces too much, but it was damn fine salsa… but what i really wanted was the shrimp stuffed avocado.
ya, this definitely falls into the american style food… but wow is it ever something.
waaaaay too rich for a single human, but wonderful to share with a few people.
it is a half avocado, stuffed with a shrimp and cheese mixture, breaded and deep fried. its served on a lovely salad with tomatoes, bacon and hominy around the outside.
and friends, it is GOOD.
we only made it about 2/3 of the way through it, but ate up all the salad. the dressing is really nice on it, i wish i knew how they made it.
we shared this and also got an order of the chicken tacos to split. mine, without onions, of course.
the chicken was nicely seasoned and i love fresh cilantro, but i must say that these lacked a sauce. i used the dish of salsa on the table and it rounded it out nicely.
the beans and rice, while nothing special, were tasty. and i totally dipped my chips into them.
hussong’s also has a restaurant.com gift certificate for them, so we saved $25 on our meal and walked out for about $20. bargain! this place is rad because the gift certificate is also good on the liquor. so you could just come here with a GC and get margaritas. hooray!
travel: las vegas – trip number 8
28 May 2012 1 Comment
in booze & other drinkables, restaurants & dinning out, travel Tags: booze, drinks, food, las vegas, photography, the fine things in life, travel
on saturday i returned from my 8th trip to fabulous las vegas.
and dare i say, i think it was my most successful one yet.
we flew with westjet… for a few reasons.
flight time was the main one. we left at 10:15am which really makes the most of your first day there. and coming home, there’s a 1:45pm flight which meshes nicely with hotel check out time.
second, westjet includes a checked bag, which i appreciate because it equals saving at least $50 in bag fees.
and lastly, the overall price of the flight to begin with was the best.
so westjet won for this one.
the flight itself was pretty uneventful… which is how i like my flights.
my mom and i had a spare seat in our row, so i sat in the window and enjoyed the view and she sat aisle and we had the middle seat free. wonderful.
the one place where westjet really falls down is their in-flight entertainment. air canada definitely wins for that. but, its a short flight and i amused myself with my ipad and vodka.
we arrived and grabbed our bags and hopped into a taxi to mandalay bay.
upon arriving, there was a line up to check in of about 25-30 minutes, but it was well organized and there was a guy passing out bottles of water, which was nice.
the front desk lady gave us a high floor with a great view of the pool and we were off to the 30th floor.
one thing that i really liked about our view was that it was easy to keep tabs on how full the pool was and if it was worth trying to get chairs in which location.
this trip was largely focused on checking some chef’s restaurants off my to-do list.
and i’m pleased to say that i accomplished 3 that have long been residents of said list. i’m doing a blog post for each restaurant, so more to come on that. and if you’re on facebook, i did save most of my food pictures for the blog, so there will be new content.
the big success on this trip was the gambling.
not only did we ACTUALLY WIN on the slots… but we won a LOT. well, considering we were playing penny slots – its all relative. when your spins are $0.80 each and you hit $300, it’s a big payoff.
for the first 2 days we were in vegas, we could not lose. we were literally sitting down at machines, playing for 30 seconds and hitting $200 wins. we won at the luxor, tropicana, new york new york and a little at mandalay bay.
total, we won about $1300. but once you factor in the losses, we figure we were up about $1000.
this is amazing to me. in all my years going to vegas, i have NEVER won more than about $70 on a machine. we were so excited at all this, it was hard to absorb. we just could not lose. man, gambling is fun when you’re winning.
so because of this, we decided to up the ante on the trip.
we spent a day at Qua Spa at Caesars Palace which was absolutely out of this world. The baths were incredible and i had a 50 minute body polish and a 50 minute sweedish massage that were delightful. we spent a total of 5 hours there and we were hard pressed to leave. i’ll be back there for sure.
we also check out a show – Zumanity at NYNY.
ummm… so not what i was expecting. i knew it was “sensual”, but i didn’t expect it to be so overtly sexual. it was great and i definitely recommend it, but it maybe wasn’t the best pick to see with my mother, haha. don’t get me wrong, she enjoyed it too, but when the “mistress of the evening” is suggesting that you take your date home to the hotel and fuck their brains out, its possible you didn’t bring the right date if you’re there with your mom.
but yes, excellent show and wow, does cirque ever do an incredible job of making the most insane feats look effortless. absolutely stunning.
besides that, it was food, gambling and pool time…
i did a lot of this:
…and this…
…and definitely a lot of this…
ah drinking in vegas… free in the right places, and totally effed when you pay for it.
that irony never gets old for me.
so there you have it kids!
my totally awesome 4 nights in fabulous las vegas!
upcoming posts include:
- Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger’s Border Grill
- Charlie Palmer’s Aureole
- Bobby Flay’s Mesa Grill
- Rick Moonen’s RM Seafood
- Hussong’s Cantina in Mandalay Place
travel: moar las vegas
09 May 2012 1 Comment
in travel Tags: las vegas, travel
this is by request for mr baker who suggests “moar vegas posts” via twitter.
so i’ve been mulling that one over…
i am 13 sleeps away from my next trip to vegas and starting to get very excited.
it’s currently 30+ degrees there. which is also known as “awesome pool weather”.
the itinerary is not firm at all.
we have 1 dinner reservation for rick moneen’s RM Seafood on my mom’s birthday because i bought a fabulous groupon for it. ($42 for 2 dinners & wine? done!)
we still have vague spa plans… but nothing booked…
mostly we’re thinking of spending every day at the pool and spending as little money as possible, which of course is never how vegas trips turn out in reality, but its nice to dream.
travelzoo just put out a promo for discounted cirque tickets, so maybe we’ll see a show… i’ve only ever seen the criss angel cirque, so this could be a fun change of pace…
one thing that i’m very excited to check out is the changes to the harrahs blocks.
apparently the front of harrahs has been ripped out and of course, o’shea’s has been closed and imploded and the flamingo front is undergoing a refit too…
so the final look will be done in 2013 (i hope by may – so i can see it!) and it sounds like its really going to be something.
the project is called “Linq” and it is the ceasar entertainment group’s effort to really move their properties into something a little more upscale.
also, a giant london-eye/ferris wheel esque addition!
lots of info and pictures can be found here – www.projectlinqvegas.com/
it looks pretty spectacular.
normally i would include pictures to a post like this, but my work computer doesn’t play nice with pictures for some reason.
anyways, i’ll do some investigative reporting when i’m there and report back with my own photos of the progress.
food & travel: gluten free vegas
15 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in restaurants & dinning out, travel Tags: gluten free, las vegas, restaurants & dinning out, wheat free
since the main attraction of most of my vacations is the eating… it’s just occurred to me that my new-ish wheat/gluten free diet with paleo tendencies (yes, that’s my most accurate description for it) will need a little research and tender loving care.
thank the seven for trip advisor. seriously, if you have never made use of the forums on trip advisor, you’re missing out on a massive resource of information of every type. and i’m not just saying that because i’m a destination expert for las vegas.
anyways, i did a few searches on gluten free vegas restaurants and was rewarded with a wealth of knowledge.
the BEST news of the day is that my absolute favourite vegas restaurant; Border Grill has a special gluten free menu. seriously? LOVE.
they even make it very easy on you with this handy guide… http://www.bordergrill.net/glutenfree.php
also with a special separate menu is PF Changs… not high on my places to eat list – but you never know, sometimes that kinda food is just what the hangover ordered – http://www.pfchangs.com/menu/
but also Mon Ami Gabi does one which can be found here – Mon Ami Gabi Gluten Free Menu and sounds AMAZING!
there’s also internet rumblings of everywhere from California Pizza Kitchen to Chipotle incorporating GF options into their regular menus.
and apparently the buffet staff are quite informed as to which dishes are safe and which to avoid, with the wynn even marking the signs to denote allergies.
i found this website… glutenfreelasvegas.com which could be something great, but right now looks like its just getting going… and las vegas advisor has put together a pretty solid list too – here.
it seems as though most of the articles i’m reading really have Border Grill, Mon Ami Gabi & PF Changs as the standout options for severe allergies as their kitchens have dedicated gluten free prep & cooking areas. very nice to know.
while this isn’t a huge factor for me, i know this information could make a world of difference for someone with a severe allergy.
also i have respect for and trust in a kitchen that is so confident with their practices in terms of cleanliness, they can guarantee that sort of things.
travel: fabulous las vegas 2012
12 Apr 2012 Leave a Comment
in travel Tags: las vegas, travel
ya… remember that time that i said i wasn’t going to vegas in 2012…
apparently i’m a big fat liar. because today i booked my flight & hotel for may 22nd.
in my defense, it’s not my fault. my mother lured me with a paid flight in honor of her birthday…
so, how can i say no to free vegas?
i can’t.
it’s just not done.
so we’re off in a mere 39 days, for 4 nights in fabulous las vegas with a stay at mandalay bay.
i’m pretty giddy about it.
now, my streak of vegas at least once a year continues unbroken for 7 years running.
this will be my 8th time in vegas and my 3rd stay at mandalay.
on the itinerary: pool time, more pool time, many meals at border grill, a day at the spa… and maybe the incubus show on the 25th because i’m pretty sure i can’t be in vegas while incubus is and *not* go to their show.
but it may be a solo affair… and i’m okay with that, because i can go and rock out and then meet up with my ma after.
in fact, it may be better that way, lol.
there’s a great seat sale on right now with westjet… and my agent rate is ridiculously cheap for the hotel… so this trip was a bargain.
and we’re going at my favourite time of year. the week between the canadian stat holiday and the american stat holiday.
it means there’s loads going on in the city, but we miss the peak travel dates because we’re on weekdays and so we don’t pay the premium prices. see how clever i am?
also, the weather is almost always excellent. i’m anticipating some sweet 28 degree ish weather…
oh man, i can’t wait.
i can’t believe its only 6 months since i was there last… it seems like forever ago.
although, on my last visit we stayed at the mirage and didn’t even make it down to mandalay bay, so technically its been since last may since i was *there*.
anyways, time to get motivated on that workout routine…
also, time to get a new swimsuit.
priorities. you know…
travel: las vegas hotel picks
06 Feb 2012 1 Comment
in travel Tags: las vegas, the fine things in life, travel
*this blog is pure personal opinion, so please take it as such. people’s views on “the best places to stay in vegas” vary wildly depending on personal preference*
a very large chunk of the business i do is selling vegas.
and a very large chunk of the travel i do, it to vegas.
so it stands that i spend a lot of my time thinking and talking about what hotel to stay at when in fabulous las vegas… so i’m going to share some nuggets of my wisdom that usually people have to come see me for.
i have a personal goal to stay at all the strip hotels.
the cool part about this goal is that the hotels themselves are always changing. even in the 6 years i’ve been going, i’ve seen at least 4 hotels go and about 7 new ones pop up. not to mention all the ones that stayed and kept their names but have revamped their images and refitted the hotel.
i have personally stayed in the following hotels… in this order:
- the monte carlo – deluxe room stripview
- the bellagio – deluxe room poolview
- the flamingo – neapolitan suite
- mandalay bay – penthouse suite
- the hotel at mandalay bay – standard suite
- the wynn – panorama room golf course view
- mandalay bay – regular room stripview
- vdara – regular suite aria view
- the mirage – deluxe room volcano/strip view
there’s a few things i’ve learned about staying in vegas and how i like my trips to go. almost every hotel has a positive to choosing it and every hotel has their own vibe.
for me the biggest factors in choosing are: who im going with, what we’re planning on doing, restaurants, pool area and location. pretty much in that order.
for instance, i am a loyal hardcore lover of mandalay bay. but many people would never dream of staying there because they find the location to be too far. my response is always the following: first off, all you do in vegas is walk anyways. so does it really matter if i’m always walking in one direction? not really. second, there’s a free tram that takes you from MB to excalibur and that shortens your walk considerably. often if i’m doing a late night strip stumble, i’ll just walk all the way down and taxi back to MB from the flamingo-ish area. it’s under $10. really, not a huge deal to me. but, i also am mobile, wear sensible shoes and love walking. i’m not the girl in high heels teetering around nightclubs. but if i was, or was traveling with those girls, we’d probably stay at the hotel that had the nightclub we’d be going to most often. ya dig?
for me, mandalay bay has so many other massive positives too. the restaurant selection is top notch. my absolute favourite; border grill is there. they have many super high end choices and tons of great casual choices. i could happily eat from only their restaurants for every meal and have nothing but success. even the buffet, while not one of the high end buffets available, is always good and has ample options for a good price.
the pool area is hands down the best on the strip and they have the house of blues, where i’ve seen a couple great shows. its like if the commodore ballroom was in your hotel and all you had to do after was stumble upstairs. that shit is worth every penny. also, i like how it’s connected by a mall to the luxor. i’m not a big luxor fan, but i like shopping sometimes. and that mall has some solid choices.
that being said, despite my mad love of MB, i wouldn’t stay there EVERY time. in fact, on my last stay at the mirage, i didn’t even set foot inside mandalay bay. we never made it further down the strip than monte carlo. which, actually marked my very first trip to vegas without eating at border grill. i feel like i let myself down with this choice. but thats a whole other restaurant blog, lol.
next topic… high end hotels.
it’s no secret that i love luxury. and here’s the reason why. i can’t afford to live that way in the rest of my life.
vegas is a magical fantasy world where you touch down and immediately feel like a rockstar. i get off that plane and i’m a freaking millionaire. so i splurge. because to me, i don’t want to count my pennies in vegas, i just want to live.
and there’s no where else on the planet where you can stay at a 5 star hotel for under $100 a night. end of story. so, why on earth would i waste that opportunity? to me, this is a gift that should be welcomed with open arms and sincere thanks. thank you vegas for letting me stay at a 5 diamond property with an exceptionally stunning view of the strip for a ridiculously cheap rate that wouldn’t even get me into a motel 6 in most cities. thank you from the bottom of my heart.
sure, i could go with a basic accommodation and think “oh, i’m never in my hotel anyways”… but i actually *am* in my hotel. i use the facilities, like the pool… i inevitably spend more time in the restaurants and casino than anywhere else… i like my room to be nice and posh and welcoming, not so barren that my first morning thought is “let’s get up and get out of here”. in a city where all you’re doing is going from hotel to hotel day and night, why wouldn’t you choose one for yourself that you actually enjoy spending time in?
again, that’s not to say that i’m staying at the wynn every time… but i’m reasonable. even when i’m on a bit more of a budget, i’ll always find the extra few $ a night for at least a mid-range property. there are a few properties that i sell a ton of that you would never see me at….
imperial palace – this one i actually kinda like as far as the casino goes and hanging out in. good location, but for just a few dollars more per night (literally) i can stay next door at the flamingo, which IMO is far superior and has a spectacular pool area. i sell a TON of this hotel. people LOVE it. the budget conscious people love it. the people that honestly do wake up and get out of the room as soon as possible and don’t care about hotel facilities. this is the perfect hotel for those people. those people are just not me.
excalibur – never ever in a 100 years. i’m sorry, but its just not happening. i’ve never walked in there and thought “gee, this is a great casino with a nice feel, lets stay a while”. as soon as i walk in, i can’t wait to get out. it generally has more kids than anywhere else on the strip, it’s hideous in decor, run down and so trashy. theres no fine dining, everything is cheap cheap cheap. it’s like if walmart had a hotel. but you know what? a lot of people shop at walmart and a lot of people go to vegas for a cheap vacation, not to do fancy stuff. so it works for them.
circus circus – yaaaa. i’ve set foot in here once, to see the carousel bar from fear and loathing. and while i kinda dig the old school dirty smoky vegas feel of years past, at the end of the day, it’s just too far down the strip with nothing around it and the circus theme is vaguely creepy and unsettling to me. and i think i can find more than $29 a night to spend on where i lay my head. but if all you care about is the lowest price possible, this generally is it.
the last thing i wanted to touch on today is upgrades & suites…
this is what i like to think of as the win/lose. sometimes i’ll stay in a hotel that’s not quite as nice as i’d like because i’ll pay to be in an upgraded room or a suite. because let’s face it, a suite is always kickass. now, not everything is going to be my penthouse suite at mandalay bay (aka – nicer than my house will ever be) but even a suite at the flamingo can feel pretty swanky.
it’s a good thing to price out when you’re shopping for vegas… sure you could stay in a standard room at the wynn, but you might be able to get a suite somewhere less fancy for the same price and that would give you an overall more enjoyable experience.
also, once you’ve ventured into suite territory with a hotel, they’re more likely to consider you for an upgrade. simply put, if you’re already in a higher room category and they have something else available, it’s really easy to bump you up one more level. if you’re in a standard “cheapest possible” room, then the best you can hope for in most places is an upgrade to a strip view. ya dig?
vegas… the rest
21 Oct 2011 1 Comment
in travel Tags: las vegas, travel
alright, my last vegas wrap up post. this one is for the “everything else” category.
starting with the hotel itself. as i said before, it was our first stay at the mirage and i was overall happy. the room was updated and so i was happy with the furnishings and look of the room. the hotel itself i also quite liked. easy to navigate, good restaurants and fabulous pool area.
verdict – i’d stay there again.
here’s a couple shots from around the hotel… we had a strip/volcano view room on the 12th floor and i really loved having the view. we’re those people that actually *do* spend time in our room, so it’s worth it to us to have a good place with a view.
watching the volcano…
pool area…
entrance to the beatles love show…
now a few shots from places we enjoyed on the strip… like most people in vegas, we do a lot of wandering. this time we actually didn’t make it further south than cosmopolitan. nor did we go further north than the wynn. but hey, there’s always next time.
the wynn… parasol up & parasol down.
big elvis at bill’s gambling hall. one of my “must do” things for every vegas trip. it’s free and super fun. and i love it.
bellagio fountains…
paris…
we also stumbled across the flamingo setting the guiness world record for largest margarita. pretty impressive.
…and lastly, the last thing i see every vegas trip… mandalay bay as seen from the departures gate. *sigh*
until 2012 vegas… can’t wait to be back.
