just my luck

I have been offline since Sunday evening. I can get into someone else's unsecured SLOW connection, or use Hubby's computer. All my pictures are on my computer, though, so I guess Vegas shots will have to wait.

Here's the gist of the trip:

Monday: After having breakfast at a little place in the Venetian, the boys entered their poker tournament, while I trekked probably in the neighborhood of 4 miles in my vintage heels. Switched to Dr. Scholl's flats after viewing the Bodies Exhibit. Made my way back to the hotel, had a little sit-down, and then decided to go see if Jason and Spencer were still playing poker. I wondered around the Venetian for awhile, and just as I was about to head back to our hotel and have a drink at one of their bars, Jason was coming out of the poker room. Spencer was still playing. Jason came in 23rd out of 92...Spencer made it to 14. You needed to place 9 or better to win any cash.

Monday night we went to B.B.King's blues club for some Southern food and Blues music. Their sound system was out...so we just got the food. I wanted to go back another day, for music, but we never did...the night's just got away with us and I was too tired at 11p.m. to want to go out again.

Tuesday: The 'big day'...I didn't get dressed in my sequins until later. We went out for breakfast at the Bellagio Cafe. It's tucked back in the corner of this cool 'forest'...think Tim Burton meets Dr. Seuss. Curly trees, giant Venus flytraps, trees that rain on themselves...and in the middle, a greenhouse full of real orchids. Very interesting. The 'cafe' was more like a hotel dining room, nothing fancy, but the brioche french toast was lovely.

To 'kill time' before our 3p.m. ceremony, we checked out the Figuratively Speaking art exhibit at the Bellagio Fine Arts Museum. It was a tiny show, but very cool. Not like looking at a room full of similar pictures...everything was very different. From paintings to x-ray photos to digital 'performance' art. Then we decided it was time to change.

Into my sequined dress, sequined shoes, pretty flowery headband, and ...wool sweater!! It was so cold, I wore that damn sweater with EVERYTHING!! (best $4 sweater I ever bought!) In the elevator, we were chatting with a couple b/c the woman asked if it was 'the big day'. We told her that we had come back to Vegas after 10 years to celebrate our anniversary. She said they had also done that and the she was 'going to cry'. It was sweet. Someone else passed us on the street later, and turned back to say 'you look very pretty'. The waitress, when we went for drinks later, also asked if we had just gotten married...I guess it was the headband that made me look 'bridal'?

The ceremony was quick...we got there early to check in, and since no one else was there or waiting, we actually finished up with everything before it was even supposed to start! We had their photographer take some pictures from which we could pick one that they will send to us as an 8x10. They gave us the option to buy the whole lot of them on disc, but I'm really bad at parting with my money, and I had already lost $40 gambling!! Anyway, I'm a little sad that I didn't get them, but maybe I'll just have to dress up again and have some pictures taken for fun.

Dinner that night was at 7...so between 3 and 7 we had more time to kill. We decided to see the Shark Reef exhibit at Mandalay Bay. That was fun...partly because I was a little overdressed!! And I was carrying my bouquet and heels (yes, I had my fold up flats in my bag and I was so happy I did! just a few steps down the road and my toes were torn up! Spencer is over 6 feet tall and has quite a longer stride than Jason and me!!).

Then, back to the Flamingo to grab Spencer's bag so we didn't have to rush to get that and then for him to get to the airport (good thing, too, b/c dinner ran long and he had to leave immediately after the check hit the table!), then to the bar we had been to earlier, View Bar. We found it when we were in the Aria hotel looking for our dinner restaurant. We had drinks when we first came upon it, and then again for pre-dinner drinks. I had a Cucumber Collins and then later, a Pomegranate Mojito...Yummy! Dinner was great and if it was around the corner...or even in Boston!...I would want to go often (same goes for the bar). It was tapas so we had 10 dishes to share, plus a pitcher of sangria, plus a couple desserts!!

Wednesday: Jubilee! night. For the day we just sort of hung out...going here and there, stopping to play a little game or check out a random shop or statue. We had delicious burgers at this place in the Mirage (BLT burgers, I think it was called)...mine was Tex-Mex...a burger with chili, avocado, cheddar cheese, and sour cream!! Meat on meat! We also planned on going back another time for milkshakes...which we did Friday before we left. I had 'the lunch box': peanut butter and jelly!

We only really ate the one meal that day. The show was at 7 (in our seats by 6:30 b/c I'm habitually early for everything!) so we figured we'd eat afterwards, but we wanted to grab a cocktail beforehand. Ah, the perfect time to check out the bar at the Eiffel Tower Restaurant! The view was spectacular and the 'perfect Manhattan' was indeed perfect! So romantic, especially with me dressed in my suede pants...my original 'wedding dress'!! Hubby's impressed that I can still wear pants from 10 years ago...I was impressed that they actually fit better now!!

We did do dinner after the show, but we weren't that hungry, so it wasn't anything special...we went next door to P.F. Chang's for Chinese.

oh, the show...silly. some topless girls, pasty white boys in studded thongs, and cheesy props...but GREAT headdresses and so much sparkle! There were also a couple little 'circus-y' type acts between the bigger acts that were fun...strongmen and drum players (think 'stomp').

Anyone bored yet? probably...

I wanted to divide it all up by day, and include pictures, but pictures will have to come later.

Up next: Thanksgiving day, and then our flight home. Both 'travel days' ended up being 24 hour days, due to our late flights!