Monday and Tuesday
The fantastic Las Vegas vacation continues!
Monday:
Drove out to Mount Charleston/Spring Mountains National Recreation Area to visit cousin E. We had a lovely picnic next to a little brook in the ponderosa pine forest. We met her boyfriend L. who was very nice. Then we drove to a scenic overlook near the bristlecone forest, then back down to the desert to take a short hike/walk. We went through this very narrow canyon that the Native Americans from the area had considered sacred. It was really beautiful. Also good to catch up with E. who is enjoying her career in Park Service education (she just got her MA in Wisconsin after spending several years in Alaska, it was cool to talk to her).
Then we hung out in the whirlpool tub in the timeshare and B. mixed fruity drinks. I took a little nap and we went out to Freemont Street. It was interesting, but a little loud, and there seemed to be a pretty high percentage of obnoxious drunk people for a Monday night. I was glad to see it, also glad we didn't stay overly long.
Tuesday:
We started out at the Venetian and spent time shopping (I bought a new everyday bag for work). It was neat to see the singers in the square while we had some gelato. Alan then got a straight-razor shave which was really more of a spa treatment (clay mask! massage!, it was almost an hour) and I bought him some fancy shave products as an early birthday present.
Then we headed to Paris (pretty!). We had a fantastic early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi (also really fun to say! try it!). My French 75 was okay. This is my favorite drink ever and I was excited to see it on the menu. B.'s french onion soup was good. My gazpacho was AMAZING and the steak frites were SUPER SUPER GOOD. It was also a lovely atmosphere.
Then we got dressed up in fancy clothes and went to Zumanity. It was basically a lot of sexy, incredibly athletic, and very bendy people. Some of the acts were neat (boys in a cage, the rope girl). The clowns were great. I had some issues (why was the cast so white? why were the only sexy black people were animals/"natives" and why only paired with each other? why no girl kissing?) It wasn't as risque as I anticipated. Overall I was very entertained, but not blown away.
Monday:
Drove out to Mount Charleston/Spring Mountains National Recreation Area to visit cousin E. We had a lovely picnic next to a little brook in the ponderosa pine forest. We met her boyfriend L. who was very nice. Then we drove to a scenic overlook near the bristlecone forest, then back down to the desert to take a short hike/walk. We went through this very narrow canyon that the Native Americans from the area had considered sacred. It was really beautiful. Also good to catch up with E. who is enjoying her career in Park Service education (she just got her MA in Wisconsin after spending several years in Alaska, it was cool to talk to her).
Then we hung out in the whirlpool tub in the timeshare and B. mixed fruity drinks. I took a little nap and we went out to Freemont Street. It was interesting, but a little loud, and there seemed to be a pretty high percentage of obnoxious drunk people for a Monday night. I was glad to see it, also glad we didn't stay overly long.
Tuesday:
We started out at the Venetian and spent time shopping (I bought a new everyday bag for work). It was neat to see the singers in the square while we had some gelato. Alan then got a straight-razor shave which was really more of a spa treatment (clay mask! massage!, it was almost an hour) and I bought him some fancy shave products as an early birthday present.
Then we headed to Paris (pretty!). We had a fantastic early dinner at Mon Ami Gabi (also really fun to say! try it!). My French 75 was okay. This is my favorite drink ever and I was excited to see it on the menu. B.'s french onion soup was good. My gazpacho was AMAZING and the steak frites were SUPER SUPER GOOD. It was also a lovely atmosphere.
Then we got dressed up in fancy clothes and went to Zumanity. It was basically a lot of sexy, incredibly athletic, and very bendy people. Some of the acts were neat (boys in a cage, the rope girl). The clowns were great. I had some issues (why was the cast so white? why were the only sexy black people were animals/"natives" and why only paired with each other? why no girl kissing?) It wasn't as risque as I anticipated. Overall I was very entertained, but not blown away.