Craig Koster

Las Vegas

My wife and I just got back from a trip to Las Vegas. We both needed a quick getaway to relax and it was our first trip together without kids in about seven years. We were a little sad to leave them for four days but that went by the wayside pretty quickly once we realized how much easier it is to relax when you’re not responsible for a bunch of little ones.

We flew American Airlines out of O’Hare and had a good flight there. Poker star Chris Ferguson was on our flight, sitting in first class, of course. Unfortunately he was off the plane and gone before I could hand him my wallet and tell him to triple my money.

We arrived at McCarran International Airport at about 9:30 Las Vegas time and were greeted with the familiar ringing of slot machines as soon as we got off the plane. We picked up our bags and headed for the Venetian where we would be staying for the rest of the trip. We had a hard choice between the Venetian and the Bellagio but decided on the Venetian as it’s a bit of a younger crowd there.

We weren’t disappointed as it was great. The Venetian is a great resort and our room was fantastic. They have a dropped living area in all their rooms which is a nice touch that makes the room feel even larger than it is.

We walked all the way down Flamingo to an Indian buffet that my wife wanted to try. It was quite a haul and took us about thirty minutes to get there but it was worth it. After that we walked all the way over to MGM to pick up our tickets to KA, a Cirque du Soleil show we were seeing that night. Once we had our tickets, we headed on over to Bally’s to check out the live stage show version of ‘The Price Is Right’. It was a lot of fun even though neither of us got picked to be on the show.

After the show we went back to the room and relaxed before heading out to dinner at Dos Caminos in the Palazzo. The food was great but the service was pretty poor. As usual we ordered way too much but all of it was good.

After we were done we headed all the way back to the MGM Grand on foot to see KA. The theatre itself was incredible and a feat of engineering. As per all Cirque du Soleil shows, this one didn’t disappoint. The story was a bit hard to follow at times but you didn’t mind as the action and acrobatics were incredible. Well worth the price of admission.

The next day we hit the famous Bellagio buffet for Mother’s Day brunch. It was the first time both of us had been there and we weren’t prepared for how good it was. Everything was top notch and we both left there barely able to walk we ate so much.

After relaxing in the afternoon we went to eat at an Italian place called Lavo. The food was pretty good but a little on the pricey side for what we got. As with all Italian places, they gave us huge portions and we had to have some wrapped up to take with us. I ordered a Ceaser salad before my meal and was presented with about five pounds of salad on a dish that was about four square feet in size.

After gambling for a while we went back to Lavo as they have a night club upstairs from the restaurant. We got right in as we had complimentary line passes from the Venetian so that was nice. The club was really small and it was pretty packed so it was difficult to dance. The DJ there was not very good as well which was disappointing as apparently they hype him as one of the best DJ’s in Vegas.

We hit the Bellagio buffet again the next day and showed a little more restraint that time. It was just as good as the day before and half the price as going on Mother’s Day drew an increased admission. After some more relaxing, shopping, and gambling we got ready to see The Phantom at the Venetian theatre. I didn’t think I would enjoy it but I actually thought it was phenomenal. A great set plus great music and all the actors had impeccable voices. Really a great show all around and I’m glad we went.

I have been to Vegas before three or four times but always to play in hockey tournaments – never to just relax and spend time with my wife. It was almost a whole new world in that previously I’d basically drink, gamble, and play hockey and then go home where on this trip I was able to enjoy more of what Vegas had to offer. Throw in that I got to spend some quality time with my lovely wife and it was a great trip all around.

Monday, May 18th, 2009