Scarlett goes to Las Vegas
Mar 26th, 2002, 04:36 PM
#1
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Scarlett goes to Las Vegas
Hi ya'll.As you may remember, that lovely Yankee that I married, took me to Las Vegas for my birthday.This is my trip report.You may at any time stop reading ,if this is not to your liking~
We flew out of Newark NJ.The skycap checked our luggage for us at the curb.We breezed through security.The plane was full, everyone was happy.It was an uneventful flight.The flight attendants were very nice.
We stayed at the Bellagio.For any of you who have never been there, just walk through..it is a sight to behold.There is a conservatory full of flowers, there is a lovely small gallery of fine arts, the current exhibition is Alexander Calder.
Our room was not ready yet so we had lunch at Olives while we waited.Now for those of you who have heard different things about the way people dress for these restuarants-I must say, there was not one person in a tee shirt or shorts in this restaurant.There were plenty of "Hollywood" types wheeling and dealing,some ladies who had been shopping, and tourists like my husband and myself, who having just arrived were still in our NY black on black.We had sashimi tuna salad and flatbread pizza with wine, it cost about $60.
Now, as you may remember, I live in a pretty large house myself, and it takes something pretty special to impress me-well honey, this hotel is impressive.It is one of the five 5-star hotels in the US..and well deserved.
Our room was on the 27th floor,overlooking the lake, with the Eiffel Tower of the Paris Hotel/Casino across the street.What a sight, to walk into the room in the evening and have the Eiffel Tower all lit up outside your window!
We had dinner at Spagos in Ceasars Palace.Friday night before a big wedding weekend in Las Vegas was not the night to be there.They were having trouble keeping up,the strain showed on our waiter who found it difficult to be nice.Our bill for two entrees & no wine was $100-.
Scarletts attempts at gambling are next.
We flew out of Newark NJ.The skycap checked our luggage for us at the curb.We breezed through security.The plane was full, everyone was happy.It was an uneventful flight.The flight attendants were very nice.
We stayed at the Bellagio.For any of you who have never been there, just walk through..it is a sight to behold.There is a conservatory full of flowers, there is a lovely small gallery of fine arts, the current exhibition is Alexander Calder.
Our room was not ready yet so we had lunch at Olives while we waited.Now for those of you who have heard different things about the way people dress for these restuarants-I must say, there was not one person in a tee shirt or shorts in this restaurant.There were plenty of "Hollywood" types wheeling and dealing,some ladies who had been shopping, and tourists like my husband and myself, who having just arrived were still in our NY black on black.We had sashimi tuna salad and flatbread pizza with wine, it cost about $60.
Now, as you may remember, I live in a pretty large house myself, and it takes something pretty special to impress me-well honey, this hotel is impressive.It is one of the five 5-star hotels in the US..and well deserved.
Our room was on the 27th floor,overlooking the lake, with the Eiffel Tower of the Paris Hotel/Casino across the street.What a sight, to walk into the room in the evening and have the Eiffel Tower all lit up outside your window!
We had dinner at Spagos in Ceasars Palace.Friday night before a big wedding weekend in Las Vegas was not the night to be there.They were having trouble keeping up,the strain showed on our waiter who found it difficult to be nice.Our bill for two entrees & no wine was $100-.
Scarletts attempts at gambling are next.
Mar 26th, 2002, 04:50 PM
#2
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Gambling:
well, sugar, I have gambled in my life, but not with slot machines.To my way of thinking, they just won't pay off.
Saturday was my birthday.After a lovely breakfast in bed (room service in this hotel costs a lot!) we walked through the huge,not smoky,beautiful casino.
Now I thought to myself that I would try out some birthday luck and picked a Blazing 7's slot machine! I put $20.00 in and that sweet lil machine gave me 3 7's in a row-which paid me $500.00. Now how is that for birthday luck?
So we enjoyed the day, spending my hard earned first attempt at gambling.
We went to the Forum shops at Ceasars Palace.It is sort of like being in any mall in American,just with slot machines.But they do the atmosphere thing well with the sky and fountains and all.
We tried Spago one more time, for lunch , and it was excellent..and the manager thanked us for giving them another try.So I guess I would recommend Spago for lunch.Ours was about $60.with wine.
We went to the Fine Arts gallery in the Bellagio and saw the Calder Exhibit.It was very good, amusing,Calder made mobiles and they had a few really wonderful ones, plus some toys that he made that were so charming.The admission to the gallery is $12.00 and they give you hand held tape thingees so you can listen to your own little tour guide as you walk around .
I even had time to meet with a fellow Fodorite who lives in Las Vegas.It was quite nice getting to meet someone that I have been seeing on the threads, and then actually get to meet. It is fun to meet a stranger that you already know!
Dinner that night was Circo.
My husband wore a jacket , I ,of course, wore black..Dinner was wonderful and the wait staff knew it was my birthday so when my husband asked for the check,they brought a molten chocolate cake out with a tiny little candle and fresh rasberries all over the plate.
No one sang, it was after all ,Circo, although being in Las Vegas, I did think a showgirl or two singing Happy Birthday would have been a hoot.But it was quite charming, and we will definitely eat there again,even though that bill came close to $200.00
Sunday in Las Vegas in the Rain is next.
well, sugar, I have gambled in my life, but not with slot machines.To my way of thinking, they just won't pay off.
Saturday was my birthday.After a lovely breakfast in bed (room service in this hotel costs a lot!) we walked through the huge,not smoky,beautiful casino.
Now I thought to myself that I would try out some birthday luck and picked a Blazing 7's slot machine! I put $20.00 in and that sweet lil machine gave me 3 7's in a row-which paid me $500.00. Now how is that for birthday luck?
So we enjoyed the day, spending my hard earned first attempt at gambling.
We went to the Forum shops at Ceasars Palace.It is sort of like being in any mall in American,just with slot machines.But they do the atmosphere thing well with the sky and fountains and all.
We tried Spago one more time, for lunch , and it was excellent..and the manager thanked us for giving them another try.So I guess I would recommend Spago for lunch.Ours was about $60.with wine.
We went to the Fine Arts gallery in the Bellagio and saw the Calder Exhibit.It was very good, amusing,Calder made mobiles and they had a few really wonderful ones, plus some toys that he made that were so charming.The admission to the gallery is $12.00 and they give you hand held tape thingees so you can listen to your own little tour guide as you walk around .
I even had time to meet with a fellow Fodorite who lives in Las Vegas.It was quite nice getting to meet someone that I have been seeing on the threads, and then actually get to meet. It is fun to meet a stranger that you already know!
Dinner that night was Circo.
My husband wore a jacket , I ,of course, wore black..Dinner was wonderful and the wait staff knew it was my birthday so when my husband asked for the check,they brought a molten chocolate cake out with a tiny little candle and fresh rasberries all over the plate.
No one sang, it was after all ,Circo, although being in Las Vegas, I did think a showgirl or two singing Happy Birthday would have been a hoot.But it was quite charming, and we will definitely eat there again,even though that bill came close to $200.00
Sunday in Las Vegas in the Rain is next.
Mar 26th, 2002, 05:09 PM
#3
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Sunday in the Rain in Las Vegas:
There is not too much to do in Las Vegas when it rains.You can gamble, shop or gamble.
We shopped.We went to the Venetian Hotel.I thought that Bellagio was big! This place is huge!And as in Ceasars, had plenty of shops, and boutiques to spend your winnings in.
There were shops that had art just flown in from Italy, Venetian Glass, I have never seen so many sunglass stores, and they all carried Gucci,Armani,Prada..truly a shopping girls paradise.
There are many good restaurants and canals all through the place with gondolas and singing gondoliers.It did not smell like Venice or sea water..mostly it smelled like perfume and smoke.
We missed the pirate show across the street at the Treasure Island Hotel.We took a cab back to Bellagio in the afternoon.
I asked the driver about this "tunnel" I have heard about on Fodors and he explained to me that there are some unscrupulous (my word,not his)drivers who will "Longride" people through a tunnel that goes under the airport and on to the main streets downtown.This will add anywhere from $5.00-$10.00 to their fare.He said that if the drivers are caught they will be fired and fined..but the passenger is the one that has to remember the taxi drivers name, number of his cab and time of day that it occured..write to the Las Vegas Taxi Commission and complain and give them the information about the driver.To add insult to injury, the passenger is required by law to pay,even if they know they are being robbed.
We decided to check our emails at the Bellagio Convention Center.It cost us $15.00 for 15 minutes.As luck would have it, my mail was full of birthday greetings and took at least 20 minutes to read them all! But I thank you all for sending me so many happy wishes~
Dinner that night was Olives,it was great,the fountains were going off every 15 minutes, the music was Sinatra and that song about being Proud to be an American,gave me chills! and then suddenly, the holiday was over and it was time to return to the NorthEast.
Security at Las Vegas airport was a little more secure than Newark.They checked our luggage at the curb but I was put through the "wand" search, my watch set off a clamor, and while the security lady was checking my watch, I asked her about underwire bras setting off the alarms.She smiled and said that if they hold the wand really close it will set it off, or if there is some really "heavy equipment" there, but I am happy to say,there was no heavy equipment on me that day~So dear ladies, you can wear your favorite bras without fear~
Our flight was on time, took 4 1/2 hours and again was thankfully uneventful.
The crew was very cheerful,joking and nice.The captain shook my hand as we left, and I was able to tell him what a good job he did flying that plane, there was not one bump!
Actually, I din't but I did want to hug him and thank him for getting us home safely.
So, here I am at home and this is my trip report.I hope I have answered some questions ya'll have about Las Vegas.I hope you were not too bored.
There is not too much to do in Las Vegas when it rains.You can gamble, shop or gamble.
We shopped.We went to the Venetian Hotel.I thought that Bellagio was big! This place is huge!And as in Ceasars, had plenty of shops, and boutiques to spend your winnings in.
There were shops that had art just flown in from Italy, Venetian Glass, I have never seen so many sunglass stores, and they all carried Gucci,Armani,Prada..truly a shopping girls paradise.
There are many good restaurants and canals all through the place with gondolas and singing gondoliers.It did not smell like Venice or sea water..mostly it smelled like perfume and smoke.
We missed the pirate show across the street at the Treasure Island Hotel.We took a cab back to Bellagio in the afternoon.
I asked the driver about this "tunnel" I have heard about on Fodors and he explained to me that there are some unscrupulous (my word,not his)drivers who will "Longride" people through a tunnel that goes under the airport and on to the main streets downtown.This will add anywhere from $5.00-$10.00 to their fare.He said that if the drivers are caught they will be fired and fined..but the passenger is the one that has to remember the taxi drivers name, number of his cab and time of day that it occured..write to the Las Vegas Taxi Commission and complain and give them the information about the driver.To add insult to injury, the passenger is required by law to pay,even if they know they are being robbed.
We decided to check our emails at the Bellagio Convention Center.It cost us $15.00 for 15 minutes.As luck would have it, my mail was full of birthday greetings and took at least 20 minutes to read them all! But I thank you all for sending me so many happy wishes~
Dinner that night was Olives,it was great,the fountains were going off every 15 minutes, the music was Sinatra and that song about being Proud to be an American,gave me chills! and then suddenly, the holiday was over and it was time to return to the NorthEast.
Security at Las Vegas airport was a little more secure than Newark.They checked our luggage at the curb but I was put through the "wand" search, my watch set off a clamor, and while the security lady was checking my watch, I asked her about underwire bras setting off the alarms.She smiled and said that if they hold the wand really close it will set it off, or if there is some really "heavy equipment" there, but I am happy to say,there was no heavy equipment on me that day~So dear ladies, you can wear your favorite bras without fear~
Our flight was on time, took 4 1/2 hours and again was thankfully uneventful.
The crew was very cheerful,joking and nice.The captain shook my hand as we left, and I was able to tell him what a good job he did flying that plane, there was not one bump!
Actually, I din't but I did want to hug him and thank him for getting us home safely.
So, here I am at home and this is my trip report.I hope I have answered some questions ya'll have about Las Vegas.I hope you were not too bored.
Mar 26th, 2002, 05:20 PM
#4
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Very entertaining report, Scarlett.
Thanks for the detailed summary.
I'll bet you'll have a heckler or two critice your spending habits and tastes, but pay no attention. The jealousy thing has been here from the website's inception.
Glad you had a great time (and that you weren't required to submit metal-reinforced lingerie for public inspection at check-in!).
Thanks for the detailed summary.
I'll bet you'll have a heckler or two critice your spending habits and tastes, but pay no attention. The jealousy thing has been here from the website's inception.
Glad you had a great time (and that you weren't required to submit metal-reinforced lingerie for public inspection at check-in!).
Mar 26th, 2002, 07:59 PM
#6
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Scarlett,
I'm booked for 3 nights at the Bellagio in June and can't wait, as I've never been to Vegas. The Bellagio sounds divine! You did alot of the things I have been wanting to do, so your trip report was very informative. Maybe you can help me with wardrobe questions.
I'll be in Vegas in June and know it will be sweltering. Do you or does anyone have any suggestions about what clothing to bring for a Bellagio stay? I am assuming I should bring something dressy for evenings, but is casual/resort wear ok for days and walking around other hotels? Did you use the pool at Bellagio? Do they have changing facilities near the pool (I hope) as I certainly do not want to tromp through the lobby with swimwear on. Help.
I'm booked for 3 nights at the Bellagio in June and can't wait, as I've never been to Vegas. The Bellagio sounds divine! You did alot of the things I have been wanting to do, so your trip report was very informative. Maybe you can help me with wardrobe questions.
I'll be in Vegas in June and know it will be sweltering. Do you or does anyone have any suggestions about what clothing to bring for a Bellagio stay? I am assuming I should bring something dressy for evenings, but is casual/resort wear ok for days and walking around other hotels? Did you use the pool at Bellagio? Do they have changing facilities near the pool (I hope) as I certainly do not want to tromp through the lobby with swimwear on. Help.
Mar 26th, 2002, 08:23 PM
#7
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Oh Brenda, you are going to love it!! There are 5 pools,the entire pool area is like the Borghese Gardens , cyprus trees, walks with vines growing overhead, orange trees,lemons,birds and fountains.The pools are all scattered around.Everywhere you go in the hotel, and grounds, you show your key to get in-like when you go to the guest elevators, and into the pool area.There- pool "boys" will greet you and do anything for you..towels, chairs etc.There are beautiful cabanas that you can reserve with sinks and tables inside, lounges outside but private.There is a Pool Cafe where you can sit in your bathing suit and eat or drink-right by one of the pools.They do not want you walking through the hotel in wet swimsuits so there are facilities for changing and they have huge beach towels..I noticed people just wearing loose tunic sort of things over their suits.
As for clothes, we go in Aug also, I wear city summer things, capris,very light cotton tops, light summer dresses, open sandals.There is a tendency in Las Vegas for women to wear their clothing quite tight and low at the neck
I tend to dress the same way that I do in NY. The restaurants are nice casual except for Circo,Le Cirque,and Picasso, those are dressier and men need jackets.
You will have so much fun, Good Luck~
As for clothes, we go in Aug also, I wear city summer things, capris,very light cotton tops, light summer dresses, open sandals.There is a tendency in Las Vegas for women to wear their clothing quite tight and low at the neck
I tend to dress the same way that I do in NY. The restaurants are nice casual except for Circo,Le Cirque,and Picasso, those are dressier and men need jackets.You will have so much fun, Good Luck~
Mar 26th, 2002, 09:31 PM
#9
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Scarlett,
Thanks for the suggestions on "what to wear" as I hate being improperly dressed, especially in a place like Bellagio. Also thanks for the pool info. It sounds so beauiful. Hopefully it will not be too too hot in June to enjoy it. I am sure there are some shady areas where one can drink a cocktail and relax amoungst all the foliage and such...Thanks again for your reports. Everything you have said makes me super anxious for my visit to com quickly.
Thanks for the suggestions on "what to wear" as I hate being improperly dressed, especially in a place like Bellagio. Also thanks for the pool info. It sounds so beauiful. Hopefully it will not be too too hot in June to enjoy it. I am sure there are some shady areas where one can drink a cocktail and relax amoungst all the foliage and such...Thanks again for your reports. Everything you have said makes me super anxious for my visit to com quickly.
Mar 27th, 2002, 05:45 AM
#11
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Great report, S - I could feel the splendor as you walked us through your surroundings - I suppose now I must head off to LV and see those many splendored things for myself - but first a tan so I blend in. Thanks again for a terrific, helpful report of your doings in LV - and a Happy B'Day to you all. 
gt;
gt;
Mar 27th, 2002, 06:52 PM
#14
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Darling Scarlett - what a wonderful Vegas trip report!! Happy Birthday! I did send you an e-mail birthday card, didn't I?? At least early?
Glad you were able to find time to meet your fellow Fodorite. Is she as nice in person??
Wow- expensive meals in Vegas. I thought meals were supposed to be cheap in Vegas to keep people in the casinos to gamble. Or is that just casinos only and not major restaurants. And your birthday dessert sounds lovely! Mmmmm.
Glad you were able to find time to meet your fellow Fodorite. Is she as nice in person??
Wow- expensive meals in Vegas. I thought meals were supposed to be cheap in Vegas to keep people in the casinos to gamble. Or is that just casinos only and not major restaurants. And your birthday dessert sounds lovely! Mmmmm.
Mar 27th, 2002, 06:56 PM
#15
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Mary darlin, there are ALL kinds of restaurants in Las Vegas.One can eat as cheaply or expensively as one likes..that is why so many people like the all you can eat buffets.
But this was a celebratory trip and we got a very nice deal from the hotel..you do remember that my Yankee is a gambler,no?...and I felt that a good trip report includes prices,what to wear,that sort of thing.
Thank you for your kind words,and thank you for the lovely birthday wishes~
Your friend ~Scarlett O'F
But this was a celebratory trip and we got a very nice deal from the hotel..you do remember that my Yankee is a gambler,no?...and I felt that a good trip report includes prices,what to wear,that sort of thing.
Thank you for your kind words,and thank you for the lovely birthday wishes~
Your friend ~Scarlett O'F
