We went out for a long weekend to meet up with Dayven’s college buddies. This was our first adults only trip sans Wyatt. Karen flew out with her friend Suzanne to take care of the munchkin for us.Vegas is such a dynamic city. It seems to re-invent itself every few months, but some things never change. From the minute you step off the plane, you hear the ding-ding-ding of electronic bells and WHEEL…OF…FORTUNE that will become burned into your brain before the trip is over. The neon lights and plastic palm trees in the baggage claim area are a sure promise of what is to come.
Home base was Caesars Palace. The weekend was a mix of drinking, eating, gambling, walking, more walking…followed by more walking. Here’s a little tip for you if you’re planning to visit Sin City anytime soon – Vegas and stilettos DON’T mix. You would think I would have learned my lesson on this by now…maybe someday. Actually, this was the first trip in a while where I didn’t have to buy new shoes because I had lost all feeling from the ankles down. You can never underestimate the amount of walking you will do in Las Vegas – it’s only rival is New York City. The best bet is to wear a 
different pair of shoes each day – that way at least the blisters will wear in different spots.Las Vegas is one of the best spots I know of for people watching. Where else can you see someone in a tube top and Jimmy Choos walking next to someone with a fanny pack and a t-shirt that says “I’m looking forward to regretting this”? Might as well throw in a few spandex-wearing tourists with zinc oxide noses and a chain-smoking granny on a rascal for good measure. This is a vacation phenomenon that just kills me – the guy video taping something really mundane, like riding up an escalator. What poor sap is going to have to watch this excruciating video later?
Here are some weekend highlights…
Dayven, Jim, Josie and I went to see LOVE, the Cirque du Soleil show performed to the Beatles music. It was fantastic and unlike any other Cirque show I have seen. Very high energy and a couple of fun surprises. The crew had sushi on Friday night at Japonais before the show.
As many times as I have been to Las Vegas, I had never been to the Hoover Dam. We decided to rent a car and head out that way. It was pretty amazing to see in person. We took the guided tour that takes you down inside the dam and talks about the construction of it and how it actually works. 
Dayven and I went to see Bodies, an exhibit made up of real human
specimens that have been preserved through a special process that removes all the water and replaces it with silicone. They are a mix of men, women, and babies – showing the muscular, digestive, reproductive and blood vessel system. It was quite fascinating and I had to keep reminding myself that it was real and not a fabrication.Saturday night we all went out to dinner to celebrate Eric’s 30th birthday and do a little gambling. No one lost or won big, except Derek, who won second place (out of 80 people) in a poker tournament.
I had decided early on I wasn’t going to any clubs because I hate the arrogant power-hungry bouncers and the pretension that goes along with waiting in line while someone decides if you are cool
enough, than paying a cover charge for them to let you in. Of course, my curiosity (and fear of missing out on something fun) got the better of me and I broke down in the end, visiting both Pure (at Caesars) and Tryst (at Wynn), but only because I didn’t have to wait in line or pay a cover. They didn’t disappoint. Dayven and I also went to the Elton John concert, which was amazing. We headed home on Monday exhausted, but with money still in our pockets. What are the odds?
