7.11.2011

Las Vegas.

Boyfriend and I went to Vegas last week for a MUCH needed vacation. It was seriously the best Vegas vacation I've ever had and I'll tell you why: No gambling, no partying. Don't get me wrong, I can do both of those and enjoy myself, but the point of this trip was to enjoy the amenities and come back home rested and relaxed. And that's just what we did.

Since I have a shit ton of photos to share, I'm just going to lay out here like this: Start to finish, what you would have experienced on a Vegas vacay with TILTE.

The drive from my house to Las Vegas is about 5 hours. Most of it is through the desert and this is pretty much all you see once you get through greater LA.




First stop- lunch on the go from Tommy's.



The hotel where we stayed.



Just kidding. This is an abandoned motel in the middle of nowhere. AKA Baker, CA.

The World's Largest Thermometer (I cannot verify the validity of this statement).


WE'RE FINALLY HERE!!!


WE'RE IN OUR HOTEL ROOM!!!




First thing we did was head straight down to the pool. If you've stayed at The Mandalay Hotel before, you know HOW FUCKING AWWWWESOME AND INCREDIBLE AND FUN AND RAD this pool is. If you haven't, it's kind of like a giant, deep rectangle and at the far end is a machine that makes a wave every couple of minutes. Not only is this pool sweet relief for burning hot third-degree-from-the-sun burns, it's also fun because you get swept away just like you're drowning in the real life ocean.

Boyfriend. (LOVE this shot.)



$8 beer. And it's not even the good kind. That's how Vegas rolls.


My audition reel for Dexter.

After scorching it up in the desert sun, we headed in for a nap. The nap ended up turning into a half-sleep and we woke up just after 9pm. Oh well, we're in Vegas. It's the city that never sleeps and we can still go anywhere for dinner! WRONG. Apparently the city DOES sleep and bedtime is 10pm. It's nearly impossible to find a restaurant with a full menu open late at night. STUPID. We lucked out and found an Irish Pub called Rí Rá in the walkway between Mandalay and Luxor.

My Stella Artois.

Boyfriend's Guinness. (Fun fact: This was the first time I've ever tried Guinness. Meh... I'm not a huge fan.)

My corned beef and cabbage. I love me some corned beef and cabbage... but this place was actually a letdown. The mashed potato and cabbage was good, but the corned beef was too dry. Take note, Ri Ra.

The chandeliers inside Ri Ra. (I wish I could take the credit for thinking up the brilliant idea of snapping chandeliers, but I got it from drollgirl. Genius.)

The next morning was breakfast-buffet-till-you-bust at our hotel.

Serving #1- The Greasies.

Serving #2: The Healthies.

Serving #3: The Cream of Wheat with butter and granola.

Yep. Three servings. (I actually took a photo of my hot bod when I was laying out at the pool, but I won't be posting that little gem because I look like pregnant-bloated-corpse-belly. Which is unfortunate because I am neither pregnant, nor am I a corpse.)

After breakfast we headed back down to the pool. After we clowned around in the hallway, that is.







Heads up- the drinks at the Mandalay pool bar are strong. I blame my intoxication on the bartender. That, and the roasting hot sun burning the sense out of me.





Poolside weinies.

After we'd made a hundred rounds in both the wave pool AND the lazy river, we headed to the room for a nap. (I'm a napper, okay.) That night, we took a stroll over to The MGM hotel and had dinner at a great Italian restaurant called Fiamma.



Chandelier inside Mandalay.

Chandelier inside Fiamma.

Boyfriend ordered the Gnocchi (potato dumplings) with lobster, mushroom, and truffles. I wasn't a huge fan of the gnocchi, which is surprising because I love both potato and pasta. -But the mushrooms, lobster, and sauce were FUCKING DELICIOUS.

I went safe with the meat lasagna.

Some shots on the walkways between MGM, Excalibur, Luxor and Mandalay.









"Ugh, I'm done taking pictures."

"JUST KIDDING! Take some more!!!!"

On our last morning in Vegas, we had breakfast at Hash House A Go-Go in the Imperial Palace. Two of boyfriend's coworkers recommended this place based on the Chicken and Waffles plate.

Chandelier inside Imperial Palace.

Boyfriend started out his meal with a Tallboy-in-a-Bag.

He went with the recommended Chicken and Waffles specialty.

I ordered the avocado/ onion/ bacon/ cheddar scramble with a side of potatoes, fruit, and biscuit. Everything was really good and VERY filling.

While we were in Vegas, my friend Vanessa tweeted that we should go to Freed's Bakery because it's only THEEE most well-known bakery in Vegas AND does the most wedding cakes in all the land. Well, that little "stop on our way out" turned into a 30 minute detour that took us all around greater Las Vegas because Freed's stupid website listed their OLD address. We ended up finding the place and I was super excited to order some cakes TO-GO since we'd just filled up on breakfast. Unfortunately, the woman behind the counter said their cakes wouldn't last a drive to LA unless they were in a cooler. Well, we had no cooler. And I was not about to let this bakery beat me. So we ordered a couple of non-perishable sweets and ONE cupcake that Boyfriend and I planned to split sometime during the drive home.

"Fuck you, cupcake."

As soon as we got back in the car, it started to rain. But desert rain isn't normal rain because it can go from 100 degrees and sunny to torrential downpour in a matter of seconds. I said a Hail Mary because I was sure we were going to get flooded away. We didn't.


Although the vacation was soooo nice, it was comforting to be back home. At least for a short time anyway. I'll be probably be dying for another vacation by the end of the month.

Hope you got to live vicariously through me on this wonderful trip to sin city!

Oh yeah- and after all that searching for Freed's Bakery, the cupcake lasted the drive home. Only I have no idea what it tastes like because I let my mom have it. Oh well. But I CAN say that the Cinnamon Crispy was mouth-watering, very inexpensive, and left me wanting more. Next time, Freed's.

22 comments:

Anonymous said...

1) First of all, how freaking cute are you?
2) "Hash House" and "poolside weenies" were not what I was expecting, but I think that's a good thing.
3)Anything with avocado or mushrooms is delicious.
4) I've been to Vegas once and didn't gamble (it was for work.) I left a lot happier than everyone else.
5) That might have had something to do with avocados and mushrooms.

Great recap!

Anonymous said...

i really like your pictures. you look like equal portions chrissy/janet from three's company. your blog inspires me to slather on some mmmmmmmmmm what a tan oil and get toasted by nate's new blow up "whale" pool.

MRanthrope said...

We always hit the In-N-Out or now Chipotle in Barstow in route to Vegas.

We stayed at Mandalay Bay on our last Vegas trip and yeah, twas awesome.

Megs said...

Chicken and waffles!!!

Also, I've never been to Vegas but I am more interested to go now that I realize it can be entertaining without gambling. Gambling bores me.

Love your pictures.

Veronica M. D. said...

You know, right before I read that line, I was thinking to myself, "How mice to have lived vicariously through her Vegas fun!" And I'm not being sarcastic. And thanks for the "I am neither pregnant nor a corpse" clarification. Just kidding! It wasn't needed, silly girl. You are adorable!

Nikosmommy said...

Ahhh you had me going with "this is the hotel we stayed at",,,I was like really, apparently home girl likes to rough it?!!?
AnyVegas, looks like you had a fabulous time with some great eats. We actually stayed at the Imperial Palace the first time we went to Vegas in 2003. It was kitschy old-Vegas style fun!!! Now I'm more of a Wynn type girl....lol

Coyote Rose said...

This makes me jealous on two points: A. Why can't i go to vegas, waahhhh!!

and B. OMG that food looks amazing and i'm now craving waffles.

Anonymous said...

Omg I love your idea of vacation. That's the same kind of vacation I want to take, but in New Orleans. Meaning, eat my way through it. Man, now I'm hungry.

Sara Louise said...

I have never been to Vegas. That fact freaks me out and I have no idea how it's happened. But one day, it's going to be me and Vegas... sitting in a tree.
And good to know you can't get dinner after 10pm, that's pretty freaking stupid.
Oh, and when I lived in Dublin, one of my favorite dance clubs was called Ri Ra. Just a fun fact for you.

Ally said...

I am hating you on so many levels right now, and I mean that in the nicest of ways ...

1. I have never been to Vegas - you lucky girl!

2. You are adorable! I love the '80s looking red outfit - but all of your outfits are cool of course.

3. OMG the food looks awesome!

4. Your bf is so cute - you guys make an adorable couple.

5. Thanks for making me still wanna go to Vegas. I wish I could blog about it and get a free trip - ha ha!

Little Chicken said...

Agghhh!!! I want to go to las Vegas sooo bad now! Hubs and my next trip is to Oregon, which is all fine and good, but damn that vegas sun looks nice and the pool... THE POOL.

So glad you had a wonderful time and I love the chandelier shots! So gorgeous! Especially the last one, it's my fav.

Kara said...

Ok I REALLY enjoyed this post. Like, you guys ate so much food. So much!! And it all looks and sounds absolutely delicious! Plus, your outfits are damn adorable. I need to have a vacation like this asap. Kthx.

VEG said...

Eff's sake dude, what did you do to your LEGS in that picture? It looks like you were in a FIRE! :)

The rest of this entry made me weep with envy. I want POOL DRINKS. I want that food. I want to get smashed in the afternoon and take pictures of palm trees. Sniff! :)

Bonnie said...

I am so glad that you shared your vacation with us. I feel like I have been to Vegas. Except not. But kind of. So that's cool. Because I am DYING to go to Vegas. Lucky bitch.

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Deidre said...

You are just adorable! And your vegas vacation sounds a billion times better than mine (I also did not party nor gamble). And all that food, YUM.

Yvonne said...

Wow, this was AWESOME! I went there when my dead ex-husband and I had just gotten engaged. (Before death and divorce. Otherwise that's creepy). We stayed at Luxor, it was the newest hotel back then...in 1995. So many awesome memories, we went to that water park and that wave pool was THE BEST! Another awesome thing about LV? ETHEL M CHOCOLATES!!! And that walkway was just being built.

Yvonne said...

Also? I just followed you. I decided to follow through Networked Blogs, because they always send you that email, which is nice to get. Plus, you have too many google followers and I like to stand out. I'm 1 of 6, like in Battlestar Galactica. Or Star Trek. Whatever

Simone said...

your post and your pics made me like vegas. i just love love love them. and you. you're so dang cute. and funny as shit! shit is funny.

Crying is the New Croquet said...

1.) Your legs look like fucking corpse legs

2.) My wedding cake was from Freed's

3.) I've never had this much fun in vegas, except for that one time that my father in law mistook you and me for a couple prostitutes.

TILTE said...

ABBY - thank you and thank you! Vegas minus gambling is the way to go, IMO.

MINA - you know that red jumpsuit is my Janet Wood outfit.

MRANTHROPE - oh! i think that's the same exit as the Tommy's we went to!

MEGS - if you have the opportunity to do it, GO TO VEGAS. it's only gambling if that's what you're into. there's really TONS to do there.

VERONICA - yay! i'm glad you felt like you came along with me! that's totally what i wanted to get across in this entry- A Vegas Trip with TILTE.

NIKOS - lol, i was almost too embarrassed to pull that little joke about the old motel. glad someone fell for it. :)

ROSE - if you're not into gambling, extravagant pools, glamorous shows, or excessive drinking, there's ALWAYS delicious food. vegas KNOWS delicious food.

ASHLEY - somehow, i think this is every girl's idea of a great vacation. :)

TILTE said...

SARA - you HAVE to talk The Husband into a trip to vegas. europeans LOVOOOOVE vegas- it's in their blood.

ALLY - thank you and thank you! i think we're a cute couple too. ;) and that red Three's Company outfit is my faaaaav. it's perfect for pool parties, slumber parties, roller skating parties. you know, all the important stuff.

KIM- well, a vacation is a vacation, right? i'm sure oregon will be cool. maybe it's not quite vegas, but you newlyweds have plenty of time for that.

KARA - thanks, i'm glad you enjoyed! really, i ate just as much food as it looks like i ate. my stomach is like an endless pit.

VEG - baaaaaahahhahaha! it's true. my legs look like they've been thrown in the incinerator. that's how your shit looks after you've been dry-boiling in the desert.

BONNIE - i'm glad you have an idea what's it like. i mean, everyone knows you can party and gamble in vegas, but it's also GREAT for a little R&R.

DEIDRE - thank you so much! i'm really not as cute as i pretend to be. :)

YVONNE - yes!! thank you for following through Networked Blogs! i'm like a total loner in that group, so it makes me feel special when i get a new follower!

SIMONE - thank you!! i actually have a short vid to post from vegas that i totally forgot about in my entry. i don't know if it's ACTUALLY funny, or if i just think it's funny bc i look stupid and embarrassing. but i'm going to post it anyway and hopefully someone will get a laugh out of it. :)

CRYING - 1. you're jealous of my corpse legs. 2. your wedding was too long ago to remember. i don't even remember my own wedding cake. 3. awww... i miss that time your FIL thought we were prostitutes.

Deborah said...

I LOVE Mandalay Bay! I've sat and watched that pool many times. You cannot take your eyes off of it. I got MARRIED Vegas BTW - haha. It's true though.

And I agree about trying to get food later at night. Impossible to find something good.

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