Vegas, baby, we love ya!

My fourth time. His sixth time. Our second time. Vegas, we love you. Along with NYC and Washington D.C., we could go here annually and be just fine with that. Now, where are those lotto numbers I was going to play...

I had never been when it was cold so I was EXTRA excited about that. Didn't really consider the fact until partway through that this meant the following: lugging around a jacket inside of every casino and also having to wash said jacket and all scarves upon returning home because they absorb smoke like none other.

Worth it!

Our first night after arriving, we went to an off-strip casino where the in-house restaurant had the most amazing homemade, from scratch, food you could ask for. They have a microbrewery too and it was GOOD! Go to Ellis Island, everybody! It's directly behind Paris off the strip. DO IT!

She's a beaut, she is. Over in Paris, too!

The next morning we went to Hash House a Go Go, a stop I missed the last time, and it was worth the wait. The pancakes were the size of Mt. Rushmore and the serving size of everything else wasn't much smaller. Was I back in Texas? Everything was HUGE!

Worth the wait, hands down. 

We rolled out of there and picked up a Deuce ticket to head down to Stratosphere. Places were never, "just right there". Or really, they were, but Vegas defines that distance in 10's of miles rather than 10's of feet. Just right there = 5 miles away AT LEAST.

The view from atop Stratosphere, my first place I ever gambled!

After here we gambled. Best part about that was being introduced to the only privately owned casino on the strip, Casino Royale. Tanner played there the last time he had come and had a great time at Craps. I found an excellent Black Jack table and proceeded to NOT LOSE ANY MONEY. Legit! I played for hours on end both Thursday AND Friday and never lost a dollar. Big thumbs up to Casino Royale. Then we did the usual touristy thingy at night before our Blue Man Group show...

Where's there's fire...

I've seen fire and I've seen rain....

Blue Man Group has got to be one of the funniest shows. Tanner had never been so it made it even better. Don't stay at Luxor though because those elevators are TRIPPY! They move SIDEWAYS.

The next morning was our last full day so we planned to gamble, play in a poker tournament (him not me!) indulge in a 24 hour buffet pass (belly full!) and then see another show. Vegas is fantastic. Three hours can pass and you don't even realize it until your boyfriend calls and throws off your luck and then you have to wait around until he finishes HIS lucky play. That's ok...he actually WON money. Take that, Vegas!

Randomly, this weekend was 1) the international rodeo championships, cool. and 2) coincidentally (I think not) a NASCAR weekend where the cars go up and down the strip and do spinouts and burnouts and other outs that I don't know about.

I don't know much about NASCAR but stereotypes exist for a reason.

Later that day...

Tanner got picked on for being a tall, white male for a street performance. 

Then we saw the Jabbawockeez. Honestly, this did not thrill me as much as expected. Gotta quit it with those expectations, ha.

Vegas had treated us well with weather, luck, food and relaxation. Too bad our last morning was marred by a Security filled hallway courtesy of our neighbors.

Hello 3:30AM, haven't seen you in awhile.

Thankfully security did arrive before any (more, supposedly) blows occurred and eventually the man and woman were quieted and we eventually fell back asleep for a few hours before our flight home. Oh Vegas...you always leave us with at least one story.