Strike Two More Items Off My Bucket List.... Celine And The Zip Line

Yes, after the most hair-raising flight I've ever been on, and the hairiest landing ever, we are indeed home again. We weren't even able to get cocktails on the flight (due to severe turbulence), which I really needed in order to get through the scary stuff. Didn't happen. Of course, the winds from Hell were still blowing here at home, which made for a very precarious and frightening landing. The pilot even had to approach the airport from a direction that we had never experienced before. It was crazy and the sky was full of blowing 50 mph gusts of dust and smoke from more wildfires. Everyone on the plane clapped and cheered when we were finally on the ground. Yes, it was that bad. I bowed to the pilots on the way out of the plane.

As always, we had a great time in Vegas even though we I lost all the money I had for gambling. The card gods completely failed to *cover my back*, which I just wasn't accustomed to. It went really well the first night, after dining at Hugo's (which we weren't so impressed with this year). I met some new *friends* I'll never see again and we were rocking and rolling with the cards, which was great fun. I didn't get back to the room until 2:30 AM because things were going so well. Then, I slept until 3:00 PM the following day. Apparently I needed the sleep, right? That was Sunday night.


Monday (after I finally woke up) we just walked around the Fremont Street *Experience*, did a minimum amount of gambling, AND I scratched another item off my *Bucket List*. Yup. They now have a Zip Line on Fremont Street, which I took full advantage of. Now, Mr. Snoots would rather have his fingernails removed with household pliers than do it, so he was the perfect (or not) photographer for my *Bucket List* chronicles. Yes, that's right. I. Rode. The. Zip. Line. With great enthusiasm. Woo Hoo! That night we ate at Vic & Anthony's (inside the Golden Nugget) and it was absolutely the best meal we had this trip, as was the service. Outstanding meal and service.


I actually wanted to do the zip line again but Tuesday I had to get ready to go see Celine Dion at Caesar's Colosseum, which I'd have had to be jailed or hospitalized to keep me from seeing her concert. So, Tuesday, April 12th, we hit the pool for some much needed vitamin D, then I spent the afternoon primping for the concert and yes, I dressed to the nines. It turned out to be everything I'd hoped for and, of course, I cried. I'm the town crier, remember? Before the concert we dined at BOA Steakhouse (inside the Caesar's Forum of Shops but I dutifully had my blinders on as we passed the dozens of high end shops  except Judith Leiber but I merely drooled, nothing more), which was quite lovely but not nearly so much as its Santa Monica counterpart. They overcooked my grilled salmon and we had to make the concert so there was no time for sending back mistakes. Yuck. Wish we'd gone to Spago.



Anyhoo, Celine was divine and both Mr. Snoots and I were thrilled with her live performance. You can see it on video or on the internet, but nothing prepares you for the experience of seeing this talented woman up close and personal. Live. She puts on quite an astonishing show. Honestly, Mr. Snooty was almost as taken with her as I, which actually surprised him. He liked it even more than "Wicked". Celine Dion gives it everything she's got. Also, her 36 piece orchestra/band is an amazing collection of talented artists, as are her backup singers and all the others who work behind the scenes to make the magic happen. It's not just a concert, but almost a Broadway worthy *production*. Anyway, after the concert my eyes were so swollen that I didn't even go out to gamble that night. We just went back to the room, watched a pay movie, and fell asleep before it was over. We are such Party Animals!
 


But, I have to say that I would have preferred less bells and whistles. It's not about all that. It's about Celine and her incredibly beautiful voice. I had absolutely no desire to go into her store but somehow found myself buying a t-shirt. What is wrong with me? I DO NOT WEAR T-SHIRTS! I suppose I just got caught up in it all, which is what they're shooting for. I think I liked her better in the days of old. However, that's the Las Vegas Experience, right? Pay for all the extras that you really don't need or want. It's part of the deal.






Wednesday we ended up trying an Oxygen Bar, which I'll never do again. All they do is try to sell you hundreds of dollars worth of completely ridiculous items you don't need, which spoils the whole oxygen experience anyway, all the while making sure to not speak enough English for you to understand. Whatever. No more Oxygen Bars for me or Mr. Snoots. Extremely. Annoying.

We ate at The Chart House on Wednesday night, which is inside The Nugget. What a fantastic meal we had while gazing at their 75,000 gallon tank of tropical fish (but not for consumption). Our Tuna Tartare with fried plantains was to swoon for and the service was truly impeccable. I had their Lobster Francese which was unlike anything I've ever had. Needless to say, I gained like 3 lbs. on this trip even with all the walking. What a bummer. Then I ran into my new best friends again and proceeded to steadily lose my stash of chips. Why is it so much easier to lose those cute little chips? I was with some really high rollers and they lost way more than I did. Somehow, that was comforting. But then, they all deserted me because apparently I was the loser wooden nickel at the table, so I tucked my tail between my legs went up to bed to lick my wounds.




Thursday morning was the airplane ride from Hell and Mr. Snooty was really sick already. So, as he recovers from his *stomach thing*, I try to recover from my swollen feet, various blisters from wearing the *pretty shoes* instead of the *sensible* ones, along with a little leg shaving mishap, and a slight fall in the casino when I missed a chair at the blackjack table (I swear it wasn't the martoonies). Aren't you sorry you weren't with us to enjoy all the mishaps FUN? And No! There isn't a picture of me missing the chair. Thank Gawd!


I didn't mean to write a book, really. It just worked out that way. And today, we are finally recovered from the trip. Geeze! I need to start training for these trips.....

Las Vegas Revisited... For The Last Time... And The Last Pound

I hope you're not getting as bored as I am by all of this. But if you are, you're in luck. This will be the last post about Vegas. I won't subject anyone to reading what I find difficult to even write.



So, my surprise Mother's Day gift arrived on Saturday. It was my daughter! She drove over from L.A. with her friend Caroline and they were going to be staying with friends at Planet Hollywood. They ended up coming over to our hotel in their swimsuits so they could do the slide through the *Shark Tank*. They loved it but said you're going too fast to see any sharks. I think that would be a good thing.



After the girls used our room to get cleaned up, we took them to dinner at Red Sushi (inside the Golden Nugget). It turned out to be much better than we thought it would.







Everyone ordered what they wanted and it really was amazing sushi (although I only had a couple of bites of the sushi).





We all started out with their Miso soup, which was really delicious, along with Hot or Cold Sake.





Mr. Snooty ordered the Deep Fried Soft Shell Crab, which not only looked fabulous, but it tasted even better.









I ordered the Grilled New York Steak With Wasabi Cream Sauce, which was to die for and came served with Tempura Vegetables.







Frankly, I couldn't possibly tell you what the girls ordered. Your guess would be as good as mine, for I all I know about sushi. It was certainly attractive and the sauces looked scrumptious.









I was trying to get Mr. Snoots to quit hanging his arm around me in EVERY SINGLE PICTURE, so I was holding down his arm. I am demonstrating to him, how NOT to take a picture with your wife. I think he got the message. But, maybe not.







Check out my ever-expanding waistline along with my ever-expanding double chin. I think I must be out of control and just didn't realize it until I saw recent pictures of myself. How could this have happened? I'm blaming the blogging, right here and now. Before I started a blog, I had been the same size and weight for the last 10 years. I'm just saying…







Snooty Daughter came back the next day at Noon to have lunch with us at The Mother's Day Buffet in the hotel. It was nice but nothing to rave about. Then I had to say goodbye to our daughter again, which I always hate to do.







Yes friends, the little blonde chubby woman has returned and I don't like her in the least! I want the svelte little blonde woman back…. Right now! But what did I do after this? I ate more.





Sunday night we ate dinner at The Grotto (in the hotel) and it was yet another great dining experience.





We started out with their Spicy Mussels al Fresca as an appetizer and they were wonderful.







We also shared a bowl of their Lobster Bisque and it was truly delicioso.







For an entrée I ordered the Veal Kickarillo (Parmesan crusted scallopini with mushrooms and Fettucine Alfredo). Mr. Snoots had the Veal San Pietro (Scallopini of veal topped with artichokes, mushrooms and Frascati wine sauce, served with Italian style spinach and roasted potatoes). Neither of us was disappointed in the least.






All I can say is…. Thank God we came home the next day, before Mr. Snoots had to pay for an extra seat for me on the airplane.