This week, my hubs and I decided to run away for a mini-vacation to Las Vegas! We had airline tickets that had to be used by December 31st and I'd wanted to see a band called
AwolNation for a while, so when we saw they were performing at a number of Holiday shows it was the perfect storm.
Our best show option was the
Holiday Havoc and as an added bonus we found a great room deal at the hosting
Hard Rock Hotel.
I'd never been to Vegas, so I had no idea what to expect. Since neither of us are big agenda travelers we decided to just feel out the situation when we got there. First I have to say that as a non-smoker I struggled big time. I just wasn't prepared for cigarette smoke everywhere and felt congested even in our non-smoking room. If you're a non-smoker I highly suggest that you begin taking allergy medication the day before heading to Vegas, otherwise you may be making a CVS run like we did. As a bonus though, I got to meet these guys on the way :0)
One of the best tips we heard was to purchase
the buffet pass. Because it's valid for a full 24 hours, we were able to use it to have dinner on day 1, breakfast on day 2 and an afternoon snack on day 2. Our favorite place to eat was the Paris Hotel buffet, and at $12 each the a la carte cost of the ahem *8* crepes we ate over 2 days would have easily outpaced the $45 per person pass cost.
Our standout dining experience was hands down at the
Wynn Terrace Point Cafe. Some time ago I read an
article about Mr. Wynn adopting a vegan diet and his plan to include vegan entrees at various restaurants, so a stop in was really the only 'must do' on my list. I can say with certainty that the Vegan Chicken and Waffles was the BEST non-ethnic vegan meal I have ever eaten. Ever. To the point that I asked my meat eating husband to check and make sure I didn't accidentally receive the meat version. In addition to the excellent lunch, the outdoor patio dining was a welcomed escape from all of the vegas noise.
Another welcomed escape came from the
Vdara Hotel and Spa. Honestly if we had known about Vdara we probably would have stayed there as it's one of the few 100% non-smoking hotels in Vegas and they boast an eco-friendly commitment. I stopped by their spa on day 3 to indulge in a pedicure. Holy awesome. Not only was it the best pedicure I've ever had, but I left feeling thrilled that the products used were all natural and not tested on animals. I also got a giggle when I found out that FarmHouse Fresh (the product used in my pedicure service) is located just around the corner in Frisco, Texas. I took home one of their
Honey Heel Glazes to try!
Of course, the trip highlight was the Holiday Havoc show. AwolNation exceeded my expectations and then some. It's rare for me to find that a band sounds as good live as they do on their record, but Awol didn't waiver at all. I hope that they make their way to Texas in 2013 so I can see them again!!!!
In the mean time, Viva Las Vegas!!!
-DBC