Vegas!

GDS_Starfury · October 27, 2014, 07:50:11 PM

so you fancy show tunes....

not that theres anything wrong with that.

BanzaiCat · October 27, 2014, 07:51:39 PM

LOL...we will see. A friend of mine was just here last week and he said he loved it. I'm not minding a musical every once in a while - The Producers is one of my favorites (go figure). I just need to DO something other than sit in my hotel room and push cardboard panzers around.

GDS_Starfury · October 27, 2014, 08:18:19 PM

did you forget Penn & Teller?

BanzaiCat · October 27, 2014, 08:24:08 PM

No...too expensive. I could do two shows for one Penn & Teller. The wife wants to come so we're going to plan a trip next year out here and I think we'll see them then, though.

GDS_Starfury · October 27, 2014, 08:26:25 PM

how much were they?

BanzaiCat · October 27, 2014, 08:34:43 PM

About $120. I checked a couple of resources. I'm sure it's cheaper somewhere.

GDS_Starfury · October 27, 2014, 08:35:40 PM

dayum!

Centurion40 · October 31, 2014, 01:38:32 PM

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on October 27, 2014, 08:34:43 PM
About $120. I checked a couple of resources. I'm sure it's cheaper somewhere.

I paid less than that for P&T at the discount ticket place. I'm thinking $60/seat, lower bowl. :o

BanzaiCat · November 01, 2014, 12:57:17 PM

Vegas, I've learned, is like that...you can pay out your ass in one place and a block over you can save 50% on the same damn thing. I was very tentative in my explorations as my coworkers each had their own peeps to go around with.

The trip, though, was very cool. Here's some impressions.

The Bellagio is a beautiful, gorgeous hotel...but I only had room service there. Never ate in any of their restaurants otherwise. It's huge and full of shops and casino crapola but I didn't drop a dime in any of their machines or on their tables. It was crowded at ALL times, though, no matter the time of day or night. I don't know why - it wasn't all that appealing, even though its aesthetics were good.

Across the street, the Paris was amazing. My wife wants to come visit Vegas and I think we're going to plan a trip for sometime later next year, and I want it to be here. It's like Paris under a roof, with wide broadways to walk down and sidewalk cafes, shops, wine bars, you name it. Plus it had my favorite restaurant there in Vegas (thus far anyway) called Mon Ami Gabi. Had a delicious steak sandwich Monday and then Wednesday night I went ahead and ate dinner there (I hate eating alone, which is why I did room service a few nights). Wednesday night I had a Hanger Steak which was a delicious lean cut...oh man, it was great. The Jersey Boys theater was there and I had a great time at that show; the performers were amazing and an usher and I had a great conversation before the show started - she is a native and told me all kinds of interesting stuff about Vegas and her impression of it now ("it was better when the mob was running things; now it's all corporate and less regal/glamourous"). The singing was out of this world - the guy playing Frankie Valli hit impossible notes and the rest of the cast were mind-blowingly good. I got the soundtrack just an hour or so ago. :D

We explored Caesar's Palace yesterday before going to the airport and that place was like decadent ancient Rome meets Emperor Gus. Rod Stewart's likeness was everywhere as he had a show there, but his images were VERY photoshopped - that gave me a good laugh. It wasn't nearly as crowded as the Bellagio was so it was easier to get around. It is pretty damn tall, but doesn't look all that big; the ground levels, though, are HUGE.

The Flamingo is across the street from Caesar's Palace. We didn't go in there - our intern and his girlfriend went there for a burlesque show and they said the hotel was nasty and dirty.

That's about all I did exploration-wise. I really wish I had brought my FitBit with me to track the thousands of steps I did. The Bellagio convention hall was long, probably close to 3/4 of a mile (no kidding) and most of my sessions were of course at opposite ends.

Anyway, a great experience overall though it would have been much more enjoyable had my wife been there so we could do more!

BanzaiCat · September 17, 2015, 07:25:17 PM

I get to go to Vegas again not next week, but the week after. Same conference (DevLearn), same city, different hotel (MGM Grand). Not as stoked this time for some reason.

bayonetbrant · September 17, 2015, 08:28:51 PM

Quote from: Banzai_Cat on September 17, 2015, 07:25:17 PMNot as stoked this time for some reason.

not as many board games to ignore with you?

MetalDog · September 17, 2015, 08:46:37 PM

Sounds like first world problems to me, B_C. Where do we send the condolence cards to?

GDS_Starfury · September 17, 2015, 08:50:51 PM

livingwithherpes.com

BanzaiCat · September 18, 2015, 05:22:59 AM

I think my issue is I really don't like flying.

Vegas will be fun, but getting there and getting home...I guess I'm a bit anxious thinking about it.

I'm also not much for crowds...they stress me out. The conference isn't a big deal, but the city itself is packed like sardines at any given hour. Some people love that shit, me, not so much. Which saddens me - because I'd have just as much fun sitting in my hotel room playing a solitaire board game. The saddening part is me telling myself that and thinking 'what the hell is wrong with you?'

MetalDog · September 18, 2015, 06:05:34 AM

I loathe flying in all its aspects. Especially the whole, 'metal tube hurtling through space at 55,000 feet,' part. As for the crowd thing, my gf has Generalized Anxiety Disorder and crowds are a big no no for her. So, blaming yourself for not wanting to be in the crush of people is not good for you. It may be out of your control.