The holidays sure can take a lot out of a guy, y’know? Especially if you’re unaccustomed to the horrors of spending time with family and friends. I don’t know about you, but every year from late November until the end of December I can count on a full schedule packed with various celebrations, epic meals, and unique seasonal festivities. For example this year I flew home for Thanksgiving, celebrated both Mousemas AND Christmas here in LA, then had a big (extended) New Year’s weekend (also in LA, but I swear it was SUPER hectic!). All that revelry and the extra days off from work really added up this year. So I decided to take another long weekend right at the start of 2018, during which I drove out to Vegas for four nights. YOLO am I right?!
Do people still say YOLO?
My life is hard guys. I need the R&R way more than you.
As a valued MGM loyalist I was offered three free nights at the resort formerly — and currently — known as Monte Carlo. This year they are rebranding and renaming the resort “Park MGM and NoMad Las Vegas” (it really rolls off the tongue). While they finish construction I was offered a newly-renovated room with a view of the Strip. The resort is pretty dead at the moment (none of the property’s dining options are operational right now) but I couldn’t pass up the chance for a free weekend, and they’re clearly hurting for foot traffic.
Night one consisted mostly of playing roulette and pounding IPAs then Jack & Cokes. After a four-hour drive and a long three-day work week (during which time I remained totally sober! For a whole 72 hours!), my goal was to drive as much booze into my system as quickly as possible. I succeeded! The night ended…eventually. I don’t remember when exactly. I think I finished the night with $40 fewer dollars than I started it with.
Friday morning was highlighted by another meal at Wicked Spoon in the Cosmopolitan. You might remember my last meal there from my Psycho Las Vegas weekend with Ian and Ben. Between you and me, I’m kind of disappointed in the amount of food I was able to cram into my gut this time around. Maybe it was because this time I went for the bottomless mimosas? Either way, here’s what I ate for brunch Friday morning (compared to what I ate last time):
After brunch, I felt the need to go for a long walk. Said walk included stops at Margaritaville, Topgolf, and the Pinball Hall Of Fame Museum.
After changing into slightly nicer clothes, the night began with dinner at Carbone (inside the Aria):
Post-dinner plans included another long walk, this time down through New York New York, Luxor, and Excalibur all the way to Mandalay Bay. A few more beers were consumed between the walk and the destination, at which point I once again switched to Jack & Cokes. The night ended sometime after 4:00 a.m. and my hangover Saturday morning was not pretty.
Speaking of Saturday morning, it started with brunch at the Downtown Container Park. I wanted to try Big Erin’s BBQ but apparently it caught fire recently (!) so it was closed. Downtown Terrace had a yummy bacon flight and a great breakfast sandwich, so it more than helped cure my hangover. From there we wandered over to Banger Brewing on Fremont. A flight of their beers made the Chiefs / Titans game slightly more palatable, even if the beers weren’t anything special. After some gambling at Binion’s and the Golden Nugget, we wound up at Beerhaus (at The Park) watching the Falcons / Rams game and munching on fried pickles and french fries with beer cheese. A stop at Shake Shack provided extra sustenance before another long night of drinking and gambling at MGM Grand, New York New York and Monte Carlo. So many Jack & Cokes. What is wrong with me?
Sunday morning I was supposed to meet my cousin for breakfast, but she got called over to CES extra early so we had to cancel our plans. Instead, pastries and coffee were consumed at Palio in the Bellagio, followed by several mimosas and more roulette both at Bellagio and afterward at Aria and Monte Carlo. I spent Sunday night by myself, which meant dinner at beer at Secret Pizza before more drinking and gambling until it was time for bed.
I awoke just before 6:00 a.m. this morning and scooted back to Los Angeles. Fortified by Dunkin Donuts, I made the trip in near-record time (3:25!) and managed to make it into work a half-hour early! I’m so fucking exhausted right now I want to collapse right here on my couch but I’m trying to stay upright for another couple hours so I can get a normal night of sleep.
I’ll be back in Vegas a few months from now for Tom’s bachelor party. Until next time…
Die! Die! Die! – Window In My Pocket [MP3]