Vegas Baby!!!

September has been a month of travel with still more to come next weekend.  As much as I love Portland, sometimes you need to get away from home.

So even though I already had two trips planned when Mama called and said her and my aunt Syble were going to Vegas and did I want to go over Labor Day weekend I said "Hell Yeah!".  So in my true form of what happens in Vegas ends up on Facebook or my blog, here are some highlights.

First let me say you can take the redneck out of the South but you cannot take the redneck out of the girl.  So the very first thing that my fam wants to show me when I get to Vegas is a handy little emergency "romance" kit that the hotel offers in our room at the Mandalay Bay.  I have to say we laughed a lot about "The Love Box" (you can guess what is in the box and you would be right, that is if you mind goes to the gutter like mine).  We laughed even harder when Mama called me to say when she checked out there were two charges on her receipt for "The Love Box".  I was like what...who knew there was a sensor and when we kept moving the box around and laughing like teenagers about what was in the box...they thought we were using it!  Mama told them hell no!  I just shared a room with my daughter and sister and we don't roll that way!

The famous Love Box and a little liquid courage if needed!

Later that evening we would start the beginning of what would be my food coma.  It started at Border Grill.  Yes, Top Chef Master Susan Feniger is in control of the yummies here and it was beyond amazing.  I could go on for days about the Kobe Beef Tacos but the Green Corn Tamales were beyond!!  I mean I could go back there and just have those...for days, weeks, years...I think I am booking my trip back right now.  I wish I had taken some pictures but I did not want to make this a food blog but now I wish that I could see them again.  Oh how I miss them so! 

The home of my beloved friends the Green Corn Tamales!

We were everywhere, thru the tunnels, in and out of cabs, walking in the 109 degree heat and laughing all the way.  It is so fun hanging with Mama and Syble.  There is never a dull moment.  So when Syble started telling us about a show she wanted to see called Le Reve and that you could sit in this VIP section (included behind the scenes action, champagne and chocolates)...we were in!  This show was amazing!  Loved it!  Great find Sybie!!

Party girls in the house of Le Reve

On Sunday we made our way to the new City Center because we had never been...never been, oh no that is not allowed.  We stopped in at Todd English's new take on pub fair called you guessed it P.U.B.  I love Todd English.  I have been to some of his places in Florida and I just love his take on food.  Plus I was going to have to go to any place that had Young's Double Chocolate Stout on draft!  What on draft!  I am so there!  Of course the food was great...continuing on in my food coma!

Then we were heading over to Caesar's Palace because I wanted to go to Serendipity.  But the wait was to long and it was to hot to hit the out door window.  I was kinda sad (there may have even been pouting involved) cause I wanted one of those damn frozen hot chocolates.  But I should have realized that good things come to those that can control their tantrums.  We found Max Brenner or should I say Syble found it.  As we were walking thru Caesar's Sybie says to me "Hey Sunya do you know this place".  I was like no what do they have...Chocolate pizza...get the hell out of Vegas!  How did I not know about this place.  I did not get this ass from eating whoppers and Big Macs.  Oh no honey, I got it from eating good food and sweets are my favorite!  There was an entire dessert menu (it was a book) that was chocolate!  We tried a sampler and then we died.  Amen.  And then we came back to life because the chocolate was that good.  A must stop now on any future Vegas trip.

I think I want to live here forever.  Can I set up a cot in the back.

The last day we headed over to the MGM Grand.  And I have to say to one of my favorite things we did.  We were walking the 800 miles to the back of the hotel to see what the CSI: Experience was all about since we all loved this show.  Turned out not to be our cup of tea.  But while I was waiting for the others this guys approached me and asked would I like a pass to be part of a group that watched a new TV show and gave my opinion at a place called Universal City.  What!  Really!  Are you kidding!!  When I was a kid I had a dream to be a Nielsen family.  Those families got to rate TV shows.  I love TV!  I wanted that job!  So I talked the ladies into doing this with me.  Yeah!  So we sit down and get our instructions.  They give us a device to use to rate the show as it is happening (I am getting giddy).  It is a rating from 0 to 100.  So the show starts and it looks like it is going to be a crime drama.  Okay...I like those, rating kinda high.  Then there is some camera work that I am not so fond of...drop my rating...it is that quick flipping/flashing stuff...hate it.  Then it pops to a scene with...Tom Selleck...rating goes up...love him!  I look over at Mama and Syble and they are on a 100 as well.  Then we realize it is his new show for the fall.  Yeah!!  Sweet!!!  It was a great way to spend the hour.  I still want to be a Nielsen family!

So after that our Vegas trip ended.  The food coma lingered.  And I settled in for a good nap on the plane home.  Another successful vacation!  Another great trip with my favorite travel buddies! 

I know how you feel buddy

Take care!  Another travel post soon...St. Louis!

Sunya