Encore, Let’s Do It All Over Again

Eat, Sleep, Shop, Relax. Repeat, repeat and repeat. Basically that’s all that we did today.

Some main highlights would be the very cute soap shop called Basin White. The whole concept of nicely decorated soap bar is so ingenious. Although it may be a little impractical, the idea of having a nicely decorated bath soap to compliment to a beautiful bathroom is so cool.

Our quest to be surviving solely on buffet throughout the trip came to a halt as we arrived at Planet Hollywood Casino a little too late for the Spice Market Place buffet. Damn. Had to settle for some asian fusion restaurant instead. The food was good but the fact that their pager did not work still kinda pisses me off. We could have had a shorter wait time. Hello, we’re hungry!

Later into the night, when all shops were closed, having nowhere to go, we walked next door to the newly opened Encore Resort. It is like soooo red! The carpet, the furnishing the workers. I suddenly felt like I have been thrown into the setting of the Dream of the Red Mansion and I kinda liked it, especially the tastefully landscaped garden.

Hello Steve

Woke up early the next morning for another buffet. Not so early actually as they were already switching breakfast to lunch buffet by the time we got in. Was told about the cheapo trick of stayin pass the change so one can pay breakfast price to enjoy lunch servings. Did we do it? Of course not! Why? Becos we have a date with Steve Wynn. Lol. We are so excited about our next stop, the very much raved about Wynn Resort.

Arrived at The Wynn after being conned by a cab driver that took the longer route, we were told that the room is not ready yet. Bummer. We took our luggage for bag check and was told that they will deliver it to our room once it is ready. How nice. Went straight across the street to the Fashion Show Mall for some long awaited shopping. Shopping here is always a fun experience and definitely a wise choice as the sales tax here is lower compared to the Golden Sate. Our shoppin expedition was interrupted halfway by a call from the hotel telling us that our room is now ready for check-in. Wheeeeee!

Requested for a room with the view of the mountain and golf course instead of the Strip for a change. Turned out to be a pretty good choice. The lush green backdrop with the mountain range behind is just marvelous. And we get to see inviting hotel pool right below our room. Should have asked for a lower floor man. That way, we could have a closer look of those sexy bods below us. Lol.

With the ultra tall ceiling, supra huge bedroom space, floor to ceiling window, one touch curtain control, suite 2620 was definitely one of the more luxurious, huge and tastefully decorated room that I have ever stayed in. They even personalize our room key, too bad the room is booked under my friends’ name. His name even appeared on the phone and the plasma TV screen. I want mine too! The only downfall of the suite would be however, a pack of weird food left in the fridge by the previous guest. Housekeeping, we need you here!

My favorite part of the room has got to be the bathroom. 2 separate vanities, separate bathtub, shower, toilet and a TV in the bathroom. If only I have the same amenities in my own bathroom.

Dinner buffet as at the Wynn again as the wonderful experience from the year before. Although Alaskan king crab leg and asparagus was really good, I don’t think I would pay another 40 dollars to dine here the next time I come around. Time to move on and discover something more interesting.

Feeling totally bloated from the buffet, we decided to walk all the way down to Bellagio to shred some calories. But before that we stopped by the newly reopened Volcano attraction at the Mirage. The hotel claimed that it is not bigger and better so I was wondering how small exactly was the explosion before the renovation. Ooopss!

The conservatory at Bellagio was just as pretty as the years before but I feel that it is lacking creativity and the wow factor this time around. It felt like the simple umbrellas at the Palazzo is actually edging the conservatory out. Could it be that the recession has taking its toll on the attraction? Nevertheless, we spent so much time snapping away just like in the past.

Ended up the night with a really relaxing time soaking in the tub while watching the TV. Oh, how I love the indulgence.

The Wind Blew Westward into Sin City

I got up the next morning, totally recovered from the flu. Thanks for those Advil dear friend. As usual, the final morning at a place always gets me. Too lazy to explore yet not wanting to leave.

Headed up north for another stroll along the Magnificent Mile. Not crowded like the day before as most shops are still closed. Guess everyone is still snuggling in bed on a lazy Sunday morning. Deciding on our last meal in the city was not too hard as not so pricey non fast food options are kinda limited. Am glad that we stayed in the loop as food down there are way cheaper.

Our brunch at Big Bowl was a little on the pricey side but I would say it is worthwhile. On the look outside, the place looked kinda rundown. It is a whole different world on the inside. The whole chic Chinese fusion deco theme fits right in with the food. We had and order or skewers, scallop and the very unique ginger ale drink. It was the first time that I have freshly squeeze ginger in my ginger ale. Totally refreshing!

The trip to the airport was pleasant and interesting. We headed south to the Midway and not to O’Hare via the train. Yes, the city has direct train connection even to their budget terminal. How wonderful is that. The train ride down south has better view as it did not run along the freeway and has wide open spaces in its surrounding. Better does not necessarily mean more beautiful as the south is less affluent. Check-in was a breeze and soon we’re off to Sin City.

This is like my 4^th time in Vegas in a short 2 years period. Honestly, I am beginning to wonder whether I am gonna be bored this time around. Probably heading downtown and off the strip will be a great eye opener this time as I was practically stuck on the strip all my trips.

The baggage pick up was much more efficient this time around. Did not have to wait half an hour for 2 small little bag. Since part of the fun of staying in Sin City is experiencing the different hotels, we booked 2 hotels for our 3 nights stay. The 1^st being the MGM grand. Yes, I’ve stayed here before but who could resist a $60 deal inclusive of all day buffet, $20 slot play, free VIP club entry and complimentary poolside cocktail right?

The Grand Buffet at MGM did not fail to disappoint. According to John, they have certainly improved a lot over the year. The selection is now more extensive and it actually tasted better too. After tasting the food, I would have to second that. Hehe.

After dinner, we explored the place a little, play some jackpot, win some cash and went to bed. Yes without utilizing the VIP club entry becos the club is closed on Sundays. Bummer! Guess we’re meant to be two innocent tourist in Sin City after all. :p

Viva Las Vegas: A recap

Back to SG for a week now. Been busy trying to settle work contract and visa matters. Guess what? Gonna be back in the US for Christmas! Haha.

Hotel
Just a little recap on my Vegas trip during the final week of December. This time was totally to relax, chill, shop and eat. Wooohooo. Gotten a hotel away from the strip this time around. Both for budget sake and to get a good view of the trip skyline. The decision was a wise one as the strip view was great and the hotels are definitely quieter.

The view of the strip from the Orleans was fantastic. And for the low price of less than 50 bucks a night in a huge clean room, I will most probably stay here again. After i try out all the hotels in Vegas though. Lol.
Hilton has better rooms and a super chilly air-conditioning system. Guess it is to offset the hot weather there. Haha. Price was double the Orleans even when booked at promotional rate. Still, it is worth the price. Hehe. Besides the monorail being right outside the hotel means less walking to get back. Haha. But the price of the monorail is just ridiculous at 5 bucks per ride, I could have bought a day pass elsewhere.
Buffet
Enough bout hotels. This time around I had the privilege to indulge in buffet for every single meal. Haha. So here is a rundown of the buffet list.

Paris.
This one was so so only. It is definitely the cheapest of the big names along the strip. Quality was just fine. Food tasted a little bland and there wasn't too much choices either. The crepe wasn't marvelous, which is a letdown as that is my favorite French food. I totally dig the deco and feel the place gives me. Perhaps this is called paying for the ambience. The creme bulee, however was one of the best that I've tasted. The chocolate desert with the hotel sign on it was very pretty too. Hehe.
Wynn
Definitely one of the most expensive buffet. I guess that's why I don't need to queue to get in. Haha. The lunch here cost as much as dinner at other places. But judging from the choices available, the 30 bucks paid is certainly worth it. Food tasted yummy too with plenty of seafood selction available. I luved the Asian selection best. Hehe. Oh, and I have fun playing with the candy apple dessert. Haha. The service was kinda sucky though. Our server never clear our plates and it was not even busy when we were there. Oh well, that means less tip for him. Haha.
Imperial Palace
One of the cheapest buffet on the strip. Quality was just alright. Selections are very limited almost entirely Asian. So its like Panda Express buffet style. Haha. The very good thing bout such low profile place tucked away in a secluded corner of the hotel is no queue at all. I also like the idea of being able to get my own drink. Hence, I get to try out lots of drinks as I am always to 'pai sei' to ask the waiter to bring me too much drinks.

Orleans
It would be a sin not to try out the very low priced buffet right at the hotel where we stayed. Turns out to be another so-so experience. But what can you ask for when it is an all you can eat steak night for less than 15 bucks. Even a normal plate of steak can easily cost more than that. The service here was actually the best that I experienced this time around. Food selection was pretty normal. The presentation was horrendous thought. The Mexican food looks like its been left there overnight. Haha.
Bellagio
This is definitely the best buffet in town! Which explains why I had to queue for 40 minutes to get the inside. Their dinner price cost as much as lunch at Wynn. I totally luv their cold dish selection. The crab legs and shrimps are so fresh, juicy and tasty. Not forgetting the Salmon and tuna too. I seriously ate too much here. The selection is so huge that even with just a little sampling of all the food available, you could easily get bloated up. Deserts was also good as well, the only thing missing was a fondue. I wonder which buffet in Vegas offers that.
Shopping
Besides eating, shoppin was done at the various mall on the strip. Did not head on to the outlets as planned as we were too lazy to catch a bus all the way downtown. This also means I did not get to checkout Fremont St. Guess that's just another excuse for me to be back here in the future. Haha.

The Forum Shops are Caesar Palace. Very impressive architecture indeed. The place is huge and nice.
The Grand Canal Shops at Venetian. I realize that the one in Macao is so much larger. But still, I like this one better as there is more lively ambiance.
Palazzo. Very boring deco. And its so quiet. This place is almost dead. Things are so high end that I could hardly afford them.
Fashion Show Mall. Quite a good place to shop as things are kinda affordable. It is a little too similar to malls in huge cities though. Lacking the Vegas theme effect.

Miracle Mile Shopping Mall. Definitely my fav. Liked it so much that I shopped here twice in my trip. Hehe. Its just everything I wanted. Nice deco, a mix of high end and affordable stuff and most importantly grocery stall that sell food and water at reasonable price!
Attractions
After my third visit here, I finally get to catch the KA show. The past 2 times when I was here, I sadly watch my friends go to the show while stayin back to nap in the hotel room as I am somehow always out of cash when i reach Vegas. But after watching the show, I cannot really agree with my friend's rave review. The mechanics and stage was totally magnificent. The storyline however, was weak. It does not explain a lot of things and the fight scenes are quite messy at times. Having said that, the skills and stunts execute was really good. So I guess it is still worth is as I got the seats for half the price. Haha. I will stick to musicals or concerts next time around though.
Took more photo of the Vegas night scene and of course caught the Bellagio fountain show. Yes, another thing that I should have done for the past 2 times here but failed to do. Haha. Totally dig it. Viva Las Vegas by Elvis is just great with those powerful shooting fountains. I think I caught 4 different shows throughout my entire trip. Need catch all of it someday by staying at the hotel man. Hehe.
The fountain is not the best thing bout Bellagio. It is its conservatory that stands out the most. The decoration for Halloween is supra impressive. I am at lost for words when I walk in that exhibit. I will let the photo do the talking from here as my vocabulary is way too limited to describe this marvelous piece of work.
More random pictures from the Sin City. Finally get to explore the north part of the strip after spending most of my time at the south part during the last 2 visits. Oh, and finally a nice photo with the lion at MGM grand without the throng of crowds. Already thinking of where to stay on my 4th outing here. Lol.

Experiencing Vegas

Since we never explored much yesterday, we were keen on doing everything today. That includes hotel sightseeing, gambling and clubbing. Hehe. Got up round lunch time again. Haha. Sosan went to close her bank account as she was too broke from shopping needed more money. Hehe.

Went exploring hotels on the strip after the lunch. Hend who was super lazy decided to go back to the hotel to chill. (I wonder whether her ordered special room service….) So it was only the 3 of us exploring around the strip. But no before Sosan redeem herself on the act she did on the M&M’s in NYC. See the difference?

First stop was Planet Hollywood. There I really nothing special bout this place except the fact that there is a lot of shops. More like a shopping mall replica.

Then we set off to Paris Las Vegas. Really nice architectures. Took many photos here. Wanna stay here next time when I come to Las Vegas.

Bellagio is up next. Man this place is huge walking around it really make my feet ache. As we got to the conservatory, we couldn’t help but notice how the whole place is American theme. Isn’t Bellagio Italian? Enlighten me on this please. Planed to come back to watch the fountain show at night.

Gosh, is he wearing an air balloon?
Mini Mount Rushmore

We quickly headed off to Caesar’s Palace after that. Ranjan decided to try his luck on the roulette there. And guess what? He won like more than the amount he betted on. So lucky. I guess first timers will always win ya. Haha. I had a great time there seeing the game. After the happy event, we went around the place to take even more photos.

It took us very long to get this pic. Ppl are like queueing up to take photo

We tot this was Ali until after we took the photo. Haha. Blur us.
Spiralling escalator!

Headed off to Treasure Island next. This time, Ranjan decided to try black jack. We waited for the dealer to have bad luck before playing. But sigh guess its just the dealer’s lucky day. We lost, but still the earnings from the roulette is more. Verdict = win! Hehe.

I just love this one
A very difficulst shot. But turns out nice

We wanted to check out Circus Circus which is on the far north end of the strip next. So we went to take the monorail. Man, the monorail here is damn expensive. 5 dollars for a ride! Kaoz! We took it anyway but with a fun pass than decrease he fare to 3 dollars. Still, it was the most expensive in the states.

Circus circus was not really grand but I must say the concept of a amusement park and arcadein the building is good. My friend who wanted to get on the rides decided a little to late. Haha. It closed right before they decided to get on the roller coaster. What a shame.

At that time, Hendrik is finally done with his ‘business’ and is ready to join us. So we took the expensive monorail back to our hotel. Next up on the list is the Cirque du Soleil KA show. I am missing this show the 2nd time around. No more money on me. Sigh! I took a photo in front of it anyway. Haha. I heard from them that it is realy really good. After listening to the CD they bought, I couldn’t agree less.

We ended the night with a clubbing experience at LAX night club at Luxor. Good thing we gotten free VIP passes. Hehe. It was quite a sight, no wonder they call this Sin City.