Back from Lost Wages

We drove over with Mark and Arturo on Saturday morning and since we arrived prior to Bellagio check in time, we went immediately over to the new Wynn Las Vegas Hotel, the ultra-fuh-fuh resort down the street. It's pretty spectacular. It has all the high end details and glamour that it should have. However, after lunching at the buffet ($23.95), doing a spot of gambling (a 5-cent slot machine featuring Steve Wynn, the megalomaniac owner of the hotel!) and strolling with all the other gawkers who can't afford to actually stay there, we all four agreed that we still love Bellagio best. Nobody does it better. So we tossed our ponytails over our shoulders and flounced back home to check in at Bellagio, where we were denied a lake-view room but they put us in the new Spa Tower- a 5 mile walk from the casino but with a private entrance to the pool. Later we went down to the Venetian to dine at Bouchon, out on the lovely 12th floor terrace (who knew?). There, I met the best Trout Almondine ($24) I've ever had the pleasure to encounter. Deevine. But, my Country Pate ($11.75) tasted store-bought. Gambled a bit back at Bellagio, lost.

Sunday
We all went our separate ways this morning. Hector and Mark to the pool, Arturo to play the slots machines downstairs, and I did my "casino ramble", ending up at Caesars Palace where I won $275.00 at a 2-cent Star Wars slot machine. Oh, Daddy! That got my juices flowing, so needless to say I was hovering around slot machines on and off the rest of the day. We did manage to squeeze in a show in the afternoon. A wretched mess called We Will Rock You, which I will now forever refer to as We Will Fuck You. It is supposedly a rock musical, celebrating the music of Queen and Freddie Mercury. But, believe me, Freddie is rolling in his grave. All the singers were great but it was an infantile premise and Hector remarked that it was like watching a high school production. There you have it. Save your $65 and put it in the Star Wars Slot Machine at Caesars Palace. After, we walked up to Mandalay Bay, to the new MIX Lounge on the 65th floor. Incredible views. Back to have dinner at Bellagio, then I went to bed while the others either drank or gambled until God Knows When. From about 2 am on, Mark and Arturo sounded like they were strangling each other with their bare hands but it turns out they were just snoring.

Monday
So much to do on our last day! Lattes in the foyer, a lovely visit to the spa: steam room and a couple of dunks in the cool plunge, long shower. Then we all met and lunched at the Bellagio buffet (on the house, since Arturo spent so much money gambling). After lunch, for our gambling finale, I won $150 twice on two separate machines. Glowing with wealth (me, not them) , we loaded our bags and hit the desert (107 degrees F! 41.6 C!) for our long 5-hour drive home.