More Valley of Fire

Valley of Fire

An incredibly beautiful national park an hour outside of Vegas, this was another place not on the usual-usual Vegas itinerary that we would not have gotten had it not been for Rosanne.

The unexpected cool thing was that there were some ancient Native American petroglyphs which were remarkable.

The rocks were a brilliant red, then a bit yellow/pink-ish, and many other unexpected colors. There was a small hike in there, and a fair bit of walking around. Exercise is usually painful for me, but it was mitigated by the beautiful surroundings.

Nine Fine Irishmen

Dude, they actually made the pub in Dublin and then shipped the whole thing over piece be piece - Irish band and clogging included!

The MGM Grand Buffet

Grand! So...much...food...

Lions, Oh My!

The Lions of MGM Grand

The lionesses were cute and playful. Of course, if they had gotten past that oh-so-thin plexiglass, they would have ripped our heads off in a second!

Panoramas: Hoover Dam

The Hoover Dam

Dude, that's the secret government hideout from Transformers!

I got so dizzy every time I looked over the edge of the dam, I had to steady myself.

The dam divides Nevada from Arizona, which are in different timezones. So, you can walk 10 feet and be an hour ahead/behind immediately. There are two clocks on the towers which demonstrate this fact. Pretty cool.

Panorama: Lake Mead

Lake Mead

A trip to Vegas does not usually include a trip to Lake Mead and the Hoover Dam, but luckily Rosanne insisted and we were greeted by some pretty spectacular vistas!

Caesar Points Towards More Fun!

Pure Fun

The only reason we got into Pure was because Jennifer hooked up with some Canadian girls who hooked up with local Vegas girls and got us in.

Mike Tyson was in attendance (but we didn't really see him) as were the Pussycat Dolls.

Overall, though, a bit disappointing after all the hype!

You Say You Want a Revolution

The Beatles-inspired bar at The Mirage may not be the hippest, coolest, or most happenin' spot in Vegas, but it was certainly one of the best. Great drinks, great decor, great vibe, and the promise of the performers from the various Cirque shows from around the city hanging out and doing impromptu performances.

Revolution indeed!

Luxor...No Really

Yup, we were a bit skeptical, but everyone was very impressed by The Luxor Steakhouse.

And, as cheesy as it is from the outside, the Luxor is, dare I say it, rather elegant on the inside.

Old Vegas Pays Off

Maybe it's not as glamorous as The Strip, but Old Town Vegas paid off as everyone came out on top playing Blackjack.

Of course, I didn't play...maybe that's the reason we came out on top.

A Little Trivia About the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel

So, apparently Hard Rock has been bought by the Seminole Indians. That means every single Hard Rock restaurant...except for the Hard Rock Casino and Hotel in Las Vegas which was the only thing Peter Morton hung on to.

Peter's dad is the Morton in Morton's The Steakhouse. Peter's son is the owner of Pink Taco.

And I swear I saw Ted Nugent looking at his guitar inside the casino. I'm telling you!

Sports Betting the basu! Way

This was the first time I'd ever put in a sports bet.

Me: "Um, so let me ask you a question?"

Bookie: "Shoot, kid."

Me: "Um, so uh, what's the difference in points between New England Patriots and the New York Football Giants that you seem..."

Bookie: "The spread?"

Me: "I think so, though do you know why they would call it..."

Bookie: "12 points."

Me: "So, if I, um, uh, wanted to say that okay, I think the Giants will lose, but by less than..."

Bookie: "Just say you want the Giants kid."

Me: "I want the Giants, kid."

And just like that I had made my first sports bet.

I'm a man now, baby!

It's Hailing in Vegas

It might be hard to see, but it is actually very windy and rain-y and hail-y out here in Las Vegas.

And of course, they had perfect weather before I got here...