faithellen (![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png)
faithellen) wrote2006-12-18 10:56 pm
faithellen) wrote2006-12-18 10:56 pm
Entry tags:
Home again, naturally
We just got settled after our Vegas trip. I had sort of planned to post as we went along, or photoblog it or something, but I didn't. We left our phones in the room most of the time, so I didn't have my camera on me.
The trip there was long and arduous, as air travel tends to be. The second leg was me in the center of a three-person row (thankfully the woman next to me was young and friendly but not chatty), although there was a man who Would Not Shut Up and his Asian seatmate was likely too polite to kill him. By the time we got to Vegas, it was already dark.
The Stratosphere turned out to be kind of ghetto for such a large hotel. I had to come down to the front desk TWICE to get keys that would open our door (and finally they sent up the largest security guy ever -- he had to be 6'9" and was proportionately broad). The room was huge -- half bath, living room, dining room, sink/cupboards/minifridge, bedroom, huge bathroom with full jacuzzi and a two-person shower, and then two enormous closets. Our view was probably the nicest one in the hotel -- facing the strip, on the 24th floor (top of the hotel part).
The hotel claimed 5 full restaurants plus a buffet and fast-food in the shops area, but the deli was closed completely, the diner was closed for the week, and the "American" restaurant sucked ASS. The Asian place was quite good (we didn't try the Italian), and the buffet was...a buffet. In addition, there was the "Top of the World" restaurant, which was on the 109th floor or something, up in the tower -- the food was good, but not great, and certainly not worth what they charged.
We did get to see BODIES, and that was *fabulous*. We didn't go to this when we were in NYC last year, so finding it serendipitously was great. Most of the people there were doctors or med students or the like, OR they were there to be grossed out. :) Back at the hotel, in the "spa" (an Aveda accessible only by walking through a strip mall "embracing mediocrity" [description courtesy of Dana]) I had quite a nice massage, but Dana's was meh. :(
The monorail is a fun way to move around the city -- although our hotel was a few blocks from the last stop, and it's not an area you want to walk through after dark. In our travels, we wandered through the Sahara, the MGM Grand, the Tropicana, the Bellagio, the Mirage, Caesar's Palace, and ended up at the Venetian to catch a cab home. There was great shopping at Caesar's -- we both have quite a nice Christmas haul -- and we had lunch at the Carnegie Deli.
The sammiches at the Vegas Carnegie are TWICE the size of the ones in NYC, which were scary enough in their own right. THAT was when I really regretted not having the camera.
I don't think I'm much of a Vegas girl -- it's not a place I'd pay my own money to return to. Though now that we've seen the Venetian, we're both looking forward to our next trip MUCH more. The Stratosphere was...yucky. The staff wasn't friendly, the patrons were generally poorly dressed and in many cases unwashed -- just a seedy feeling place. And there were three different desks at which they try to haul you over for "free dinner and show tickets" in exchange for part of your soul or something -- we had to escape these people constantly.
So...happy to be home. :) Must catch up on everything!!
The trip there was long and arduous, as air travel tends to be. The second leg was me in the center of a three-person row (thankfully the woman next to me was young and friendly but not chatty), although there was a man who Would Not Shut Up and his Asian seatmate was likely too polite to kill him. By the time we got to Vegas, it was already dark.
The Stratosphere turned out to be kind of ghetto for such a large hotel. I had to come down to the front desk TWICE to get keys that would open our door (and finally they sent up the largest security guy ever -- he had to be 6'9" and was proportionately broad). The room was huge -- half bath, living room, dining room, sink/cupboards/minifridge, bedroom, huge bathroom with full jacuzzi and a two-person shower, and then two enormous closets. Our view was probably the nicest one in the hotel -- facing the strip, on the 24th floor (top of the hotel part).
The hotel claimed 5 full restaurants plus a buffet and fast-food in the shops area, but the deli was closed completely, the diner was closed for the week, and the "American" restaurant sucked ASS. The Asian place was quite good (we didn't try the Italian), and the buffet was...a buffet. In addition, there was the "Top of the World" restaurant, which was on the 109th floor or something, up in the tower -- the food was good, but not great, and certainly not worth what they charged.
We did get to see BODIES, and that was *fabulous*. We didn't go to this when we were in NYC last year, so finding it serendipitously was great. Most of the people there were doctors or med students or the like, OR they were there to be grossed out. :) Back at the hotel, in the "spa" (an Aveda accessible only by walking through a strip mall "embracing mediocrity" [description courtesy of Dana]) I had quite a nice massage, but Dana's was meh. :(
The monorail is a fun way to move around the city -- although our hotel was a few blocks from the last stop, and it's not an area you want to walk through after dark. In our travels, we wandered through the Sahara, the MGM Grand, the Tropicana, the Bellagio, the Mirage, Caesar's Palace, and ended up at the Venetian to catch a cab home. There was great shopping at Caesar's -- we both have quite a nice Christmas haul -- and we had lunch at the Carnegie Deli.
The sammiches at the Vegas Carnegie are TWICE the size of the ones in NYC, which were scary enough in their own right. THAT was when I really regretted not having the camera.
I don't think I'm much of a Vegas girl -- it's not a place I'd pay my own money to return to. Though now that we've seen the Venetian, we're both looking forward to our next trip MUCH more. The Stratosphere was...yucky. The staff wasn't friendly, the patrons were generally poorly dressed and in many cases unwashed -- just a seedy feeling place. And there were three different desks at which they try to haul you over for "free dinner and show tickets" in exchange for part of your soul or something -- we had to escape these people constantly.
So...happy to be home. :) Must catch up on everything!!
no subject
Shopping at Caesars is, indeed, fab.
Overall, there isn't much in Vegas for me that I can't do elsewhere. Especially, at what they are charging.
BIGGER than the NYC Carnegie?!
no subject
Yes. One sandwich, four scoops of chopped liver, four massive wads of turkey.
no subject
Didn't you see the pirate ship battle? That's the one thing I'm interested in seeing (unless there's a really good show in town).
no subject
YES!
There IS a pirate ship battle. I was single when I went last time, and fell in instant lust with one of the pirate guys. :) It's at Treasure Island hotel, I believe. (Naturally). Most fun casino floor I can recall.
Speaking of all things Shiny & Piratey...
Shiny: Did you know there was a Serenity charity showing tonight at the Arlington Cinema Draft House? I thought you might.
Re: Speaking of all things Shiny & Piratey...
I did not know that. However, I am far far away from there. Please to go and have some popcorn for me. I'll be in my bunk.