The beginning of 2014 has been a stinker. After Henri passed away we decided to just escape and take a random trip somewhere, anywhere the polar vortex hadn’t hit too hard. Despite having NO interest in gambling at all, somehow Las Vegas was mentioned as a possibility. Airfare and hotels were cheap. Weather seemed decent enough. And after a little bit of researching, ok, a lot of researching…it seemed like a fun, mindless escape. A vacation together to a place neither one of us had ever been and where we didn’t know someone.

ONWARD TO VEGAS! I booked our reservations online a week in advance and off we went!

Our flights were from Buffalo to Atlanta, Atlanta to Vegas. I guess I didn’t quite realize how far south and west Vegas really was until I was on the very full plane sitting in the middle seat near the back listening to an older couple not only share their testimony of their love of Jesus, but also how the gentleman was in Vietnam and has PTSD and…and…him and his wife were heading to Vegas for an essential oil pyramid scheme conference. I was only able to escape the conversation, no, not because I had ear buds like the very smart HWMMS had…but because there happened to be a large group of individuals from Israel traveling to Vegas for some sort of mall kiosk conference who LOUDLY held the couple’s attention the entire flight.  And somehow this group made the back of the plane into their own cocktail lounge, standing in the back drinking by the bathrooms. By the time I snapped the photo above with 27 minutes left before our destination I had already talked myself out of every flying on another plane again…or at the very least making sure I never boarded a plane without earbuds.

At the airport I had a surprise waiting for HWMMS…I arranged for a limo to pick us up and transport us downtown, while providing us with a bottle of bubbly for the ride.

And after that flight, let’s just say the bubbly was a WELCOME sight.

I chose the Golden Nugget Hotel Downtown for a few reasons.

  • We got a great deal.
  • Didn’t want to stay on the strip, we decided we were more old school Vegas types and wanted more kitsch.
  • The hotel was hosting Whiskeyfest, hosted a show based on Pawn Stars and had a waterslide that went through a shark tank.

The front desk is in front of this bar/restaurant/aquarium. Which is one of the seven? bars/restaurants in the hotel.

Despite it being 10:30pm back home, it was dinner time in Vegas so after we found our room, HWMMS was hungry for MEAT on his first night in Vegas, so we headed to the fancy steakhouse in the hotel.

HWMMS ordered some sort of expensive single malt something…and I indulged in a sweet white wine made by the tears of a shiny unicorn. No really, look at the label!

Mmmm. Steak. I had the crab stuffed salmon on a bed of garlic mashed potatoes with asparagus. It. Was. Amazing.

And somehow, I saved room for the Creme Brulee. Our incredibly nice waiter highly recommended and I could not resist.

First night in Vegas and we went to bed by 12. Which was more like 3am back at home, but you know…VERY full bellies and a long plane ride meant time to rest up for the next day of fun…

…to be continued.