Viva La$ Vega$!

Yours truly under the Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas Nevada sign.

La$ Vega$, Nevada! I’m almost positive, when someone thinks about me, one of three things come to mind. 1. Joy, 2. The Simpsons, and 3. La$ Vega$! Just like with the Simpsons, obsession isn’t a strong enough word to describe my feelings for Vega$.

Flash forward to 1997. Monkey Stomp had been together for two years, and one of our brothers in the band was tying the knot, and doing so where? You guessed it, La$ Vega$, Nevada! (I’ll be adding another story to the L.A. trip story about the trip out and back for the wedding…it’s just too funny not to share.) Matt asked me to be the best man @ his wedding, and of course I couldn’t say no. First off, the guy is one of my best friends, so it was a complete honor to do so, and second, the wedding was happening in Vega$. Could there have been any other reply but yes? I THINK NOT! We left Jamie’s house LATE Wednesday night, and pulled into the Stardust’s parking lot around 10:30 A.M. Friday morning. (I had to be there at noon for my tuxedo fitting) The second we came over the mountains and I could see the city, the feeling of euphoria started rising in my heart once again. The city changed so much since the first time I was there. The Sands was now gone, and New York/New York and The Stratosphere were both up and running (the first time we were there, they had just broke ground on NY/NY, and they only had the legs for the Stratosphere tower up). Also, this time we had four days in town! It wasn’t going to be just an over night stay. I couldn’t believe it! I was going to be in my own personal Mecca for four days. Granted I had to sit in the back of a Camero for 36 hours, and had to share my room with four other people, but I didn’t care @ all. I was in Vega$. This time I got to visit each casino a bit longer and I got to start making favorites. Counting me, there were eleven of us. We all had dinner @ Planet Hollywood in the Forum Shopes in Caesars, and after the wedding we all had dinner @ the Motown Café (which is no longer there) in NY/NY. These two casinos have become my favorites. The slot token I wear around my neck is from NY/NY.

NY/NY is a New York themed casino (sounds pretty self-explanatory). The front façade is the New York skyline, the Statue Of Liberty, and the Brooklyn Bridge. I love it there. From the New York Slot Exchange, to Central Park, to the Coney Island Arcade, to the Upper West Side food court, this casino is burnt into my heart.

Then there is the Roman-esc hotel/casino Caesars Palace. The Forum Shopes, the fountain shows, the statuary, the majesty, the atmosphere, the Race For Atlantis 3D motion ride (Which for some reason has been closed down permanently), some of the coolest stores on the planet, not to mention a Dippin’ Dots vending machine make Caesars one of my MUST VISIT destinations when I make it out to Vega$. Actually, I’ve spent an entire day at Caesars when I went back out in the winter of 2000.

That was the year I went out by myself. For six days and five nights, I was all on my own in the middle of Sin City. I stayed at the Stratosphere during this journey. My room was FREAKING HUGE! I had two king sized beds, a table and chairs, a nine drawer dresser, a window seat (which I spent a lot of time sitting in just looking out at the city), and a incredible bathroom. Again, this time changes were abound. Silver City, (a western themed casino, and one I really liked for it’s massive camp appeal), and the Desert Inn were closed down, and the Venetian, Bellagio, and Paris were open. These are three of the classiest, most beautiful, ultra gorgeous, and mega exquisite places on Earth. (No words I use to describe these places to you, nor any pictures I’ve taken do these places justice, they’re just the kinds of places you actually have to experience to believe) They’re the kinds of places where at any given moment I expect someone who works there to come up and ask me to leave cause I just don’t belong there, or mistake me for a delivery person and inform me all deliveries are made at the rear of the establishment. As much as I love, and am in awe of these places, I just don’t feel like I belong there. But that won’t stop me from going in. ;) It was also during this trip I became quite the expert on the workings of the La$ Vega$ trolleys. As much as I rode them (it’s a lot better than walking up and down the strip constantly) I became quite familiar with all the stops. I’ve used them to the fullest since.

Which brings us to ’02’s venture out to the meadow (La$ Vega$ is Spanish for the meadow). Late spring of ’02, Joy and I took the town by storm. Seven days and six nights at the Westward Ho. This place is so much better when you have someone to share it with, and when you’re in love with said-person it make it all the more special. It was Joy’s first time there, so 1. I got to play tour guide for her and show her the sites, and 2. I got to see Vega$ through her eyes. She loves the place as much as I do, and that’s saying A LOT! I also got to experience the romantic side of La$ Vega$ with her. We got to take a romantic gondola ride at the Venetian. We watched the volcano erupt at the Mirage, and we sat for almost 90 minutes on top of the Stratosphere just holding hands and looking at the view. It truly was a special trip.

Flash forward to 2003. On a cross-country trip with Jay to deliver some tanning booths, we had a stop over in the city of lights. I gave Jay the .02 tour of the city. Hit all my favorite spots (The Luxor, Caesars, New York/New York), did a little gambling (lost my ass at a Betty Boop slot machine), had a Westward Ho ¾ pound Mega-Dog with chili and cheese, and a mega drink. After that I only had strength enough to walk back over to the Algiers hotel and pass out for a few hours before we had to be back on the road to Temecula California. It was all short and sweet. Granted, I missed Joy and it would have been worlds better if she was there, because after the ’02 trip, the city was now ours instead of mine. But, it was nice, like reminiscing with an old friend.

August 2004, and Joy and I are on our way back out to the real happiest place on the planet, and we decided to take her mother out with us and show her and one of her friends the greatest city on earth. From the moment we landed all felt right again, and I was so happy to be back there with Joy. We arrived with a limo waiting for us to take us to our hotel, the Westward Ho. This time we’d be there for eight days and seven nights (Still not long enough to see everything, and her mom would only be there 4 of our 8 days). Her mom fell instantly in love with the city, I think even before we touched down. Joy got to be the tour guide this time, and see the town thru her mom’s eyes, and know how I felt just a mere 27 month earlier. We did all the things you HAVE to do when you’re in town. She loved it and didn’t want to leave. Joy and I got to see all the other stuff we didn’t get to see last time we were there, and see all the new stuff that was built since our last visit. The whole city seemed like it was under construction all at once. No less than three hotel/casinos were being put up on the strip alone. We got to finally visit the Aladdin and watch it rain inside. We won tickets to see Splash at the Riviera. It was a good show, and since I won another set of tickets, we’ll be seeing it again next time we go back out. The weather was extremely warm (116 every day, except one), even for me. It made me appreciate air conditioning for the very first time. But I didn’t mind that much. I knew it wouldn’t be as nice and warm back home, so I enjoyed it while I could. Once again, Joy and I closed our trip with an evening stroll atop of the Stratosphere. It was very romantic. We didn’t want to leave when our eighth day rolled back around. It seems like, once you hit a groove and flow, it gets interrupted and it’s time to go home. But, once again, I’m more than positive we’ll be back before you know it. It’s just a matter of time.

So, why do I love La$ Vega$? Hell, what’s not to love about La$ Vega$? The soft glow of the neon lights. The sounds of slot machines paying off. The smell of fresh desert air. The warmth of a Nevada breeze. The taste of a $10.99 steak and lobster dinner. The sadness you feel when it’s time to come home. The elation you feel when it’s time to go back. And that is something I will always do. I will always go back.

Viva La$Vega$!

Me atop the Stratosphere tower. Over 1000 feet up, and overlooking the city.

This is me in front of Steven Spielberg’s now gone theme restaurant Dive! I loved the ‘Prepare To Eat’ line.

I love palm trees. I wish they grew in this area. So I had Joy take a picture of me with a palm tree on Freemont Street.

Ah, the Forum Shopes! I spent an entire day just walking around in there, just loitering. It was great. I love Caesars.

This is outside Caesars Palace. And believe it or not, this picture was Joy’s idea. (Hehehe)

This is my other favorite Hotel/Casino New York/New York. I don’t know what it is about this place. I could just spend all day there.

That’s Excalibur in the background. One of the coolest casinos, and the best buffet ON THE PLANET!

When I go out to La$ Vega$, I HAVE TO go into the lobby of the Luxor. If I don’t do anything else there, I HAVE TO at least go into the lobby. I can’t even put into words how it makes me feel. There just aren’t enough adjectives.

You can feel the tropics when standing in front of the Mirage. Whether it’s the erupting volcano, the sounds of jungle drums, or the mist from the sea. It is truly magical.

L.) That’s a giant plaster monkey in front of Circus Circus. Being in the band I’m in, I just couldn’t resist. R.) One of the coolest things about Vega$ is, they don’t do anything half assed. That is not only a sign for the Rainforest Café, it’s also a waterfall. You really can’t make it out in the picture, but it is, trust me.

Both these shots were taken in NY/NY’s Coney Island Emporium arcade. My two favorite super-heroes and me. It just rocked all around!

Las Vegas Blvd. at dusk. My home away from home. The happiest place on the planet.