Knees knocking together... scared to death we drove to the hospital as contractions wracked my lower back. Not that story again!!
If you're a mom (or a dad, or an auntie, or an uncle, or a sibling...etc.) you probably remember that first blessedly scary moment when they placed your precious angel into your arms. Of course I do ~ and I relive that moment every year as we celebrate the birthdays of our two terrific adult children.
Early March and we honed in on Mike and Maria's romantic two-year anniversary weekend. Thank goodness they are good sports because we all had a wonderful time wandering around Vegas searching for fun times to celebrate Erin's birthday.
First up - Friday night arrival and our drive over was easy-peasy with that lovely new bridge. That knocked off 30 minutes to our drive and with the time change we head straight to Ellis Island for Karaoke and cheap beer. Hey people... I DO know all the words!! Karaoke here is a smoky low-class affair with a bunch of throaty locals. We do hit it up just about every time we come to Las Vegas though because it's a ton of fun.Visit their website www.ellisislandcasino.com and try a visit. Their micro-brews are good and their root beer is divine. I have heard that the karaoke at Imperial Palace is a hoot as well... maybe next time. Will we see Dogbite sing there?? Possibly. By 2am we were plenty tired and headed over to New York New York Hotel and Casino to get some rest before our Saturday fun.
NYNY Hotel is affordable, with clean rooms, a less smoky environment, a dueling piano bar, a wild roller coaster, two Starbucks, and plenty of booze and gambling. Only complaint - teeny, tiny sports book. But, we've stayed here many times and truly enjoy it. Check out their website at www.newyorknewyork.com.
We spent some time upstairs at the 24 hour beer bar which was pretty nice and had lots of choices. Funny... my beer flight came in glassware. The boys' beer came in plastic cups. Hmmm. I'll take it. Breakfast at the American diner downstairs was meh... just okay. As we walked past the French restaurant I had second thoughts as their pastries looked a LOT better. Next time. We gathered up the troops and headed over to Mandalay Bay and their Burger Bar. Now you must, absolutely must must visit them the next time you are in Vegas. The menu choices are incredible. Your choice of meats... kobe, beef, turkey, veggie, bison, etc. and toppings galore. It's like an ala carte menu of mouth-watering choices as you put together the burger of your dreams. Mine.... bison burger (no bun for me) topped with bacon, avacado, mushrooms, aioli sauce, and pickles. Gracious me - super tasty. Everyone enjoyed their selections and the beer flowed on.... Don't skip out on this yummy place. Find them at http://www.burger-bar.com/lv_main.php and check out their menu. To die for.
We are mildly fascinated with Tikis here at our house. So one of our other favorite places to visit is Frankie's Tiki Room off the strip. We hauled our eight selves over in our rented Yukon XL (Black, tinted windows, leather, very nice actually) and traipsed into Frankie's. Now, it's really really dark in there and your eyes need a minute or two to adjust themselves, which is why I accidentally stepped into the men's room amidst a man standing at the urinal. Oops. That certainly has happened before many times I am sure. Especially after people start drinking here. The drinks are frosty and rum-tastic. You may choose from a variety of fruity beverages that are labeled with three to six skulls describing their potency. I love the Lapu Lapu (only 3 skulls) with an intoxicating mixture of light and dark rums, passion fruit, orange juice, and pineapple. Delish! If you're looking for glitz and glamour, stay on the strip and find a 5-star location. If you're looking for ambience and some really good drinks, come to Frankie's - it's here for you 24 hours a day. I don't know where Zach found him, but we're so glad he did. You can find them at www.frankiestikiroom.com.
My turn to drive after relaxing following our imbibement. Everybody else had a couple so I was in charge. Back to NYNY for a little rest for some of us, a little champagne for some of us, a little gambling for some of us (I came out short only $50 on the weekend,) a little shopping for some of us, and a quick change for dinner. Jeff and I wandered through Bellagio and their conservatory. It was decorated in celebration of Chinese New Year - so fun. Then we stayed through two renditions of the fountain experience in front of the hotel. That has to be my favorite thing in Vegas. Dorky, right? I don't care.
We had reservations for dinner at Jaleo at the Cosmopolitan to celebrate our daughter. Firstly, the Chandelier area is really nice with little spots to sit and savor a pre-dinner beverage. You can find cozy little nooks or share larger spaces with a group. It's pretty nice. Jeff and I have visited this hotel before and it's all glitzy and gorgeous but a challenge to our budget-minded group. Jaleo was our treat and the tapas they served us were extraordinary. The sangria was nice, the bar cocktails were terrific, and the food was really good. Their paella may be the best I have ever tasted. This restaurant is loud though so if you're looking for something intimate - this ain't it! It was super fun with a large group though so we could try lots and lots of dishes. Beware - the portions are small and they encourage getting doubles of this and that. Take your time and savor and enjoy a few dishes. If you're still hungry then go ahead and order more. Check out Jaleo and their menu http://www.cosmopolitanlasvegas.com/taste/restaurant-collection/jaleo.aspx.
If you have room left in your gut - don't miss out on the alca-shakes at Holstein's before you head out of this hotel. Wow! The s-mores shake or the vanilla birthday cake shake. Mmmm-mmm... And you can find Holstein's info here www.holsteinslv.com. Another tasty concoction you shouldn't miss. I wouldn't lie to you.
We are getting old. Yep, we are getting old. See... I repeat myself! We headed back to NYNY and sat down to relax and enjoy a cocktail. The singing in the piano bar (which we love) was loud and super-crowded. A 30-minute wait tonight. So, we let the kiddos have their evening to themselves and took the speedy elevator to our cozy hotel room. The strip view and the lights are so pretty and I was asleep in minutes on that comfy bed. I think they've renovated recently. Either that, or I'm getting old. See what I mean?
Sunday morning brunch over at the newly renovated Tropicana and it was good. Not great, but good. There was certainly enough food and we truly don't need the mega-buffet available at many of the other hotels. It was just okay though. Try the buffet at the Cosmopolitan if you are really hungry and can afford it. Really.
Our drive home was an easy one and Erin's paramour flew off from McCarran Airport for business but we'll be seeing him around here soon. Mike and Maria enjoyed the rest of their romantic stay and flew home the next day. A toast to them and their two year anniversary (dating.) Love and kisses all around.
Next up for us... a cruise out of Los Angeles round trip up the coast. Can you believe it?? Should be fun with Zach and Mike tagging along.
Keep your wits about you when you travel!
Deb :)
No comments:
Post a Comment