ten things this tuesday: las vegas edition

TODAY’S POINT OF BALANCE: As I announced last week, Tuesdays will feature my best attempt at a David Letterman “Top Ten” List of sorts. So let’s getting rolling with:

“TEN THINGS THIS TUESDAY”

For this installment, I’m presenting an assortment of my favorite things from our vacation to Las Vegas:

1. Our rental car. Sure we could have rented something uber cool, like this bad boy:

…but instead, we opted for something much more… mature:

Yes, that’s a Mercury Towncar. It proved to be a good decision as every car we saw pulled over on the highway by a police officer was some sports car. On top of it, we got a “luxury” size rental for a “mid-size” price!

2. Staying with my Aunt Linda and Uncle Chris and not dropping big $$ on a Strip hotel. Why bother when this is in their backyard:

…and I even came back with a tan! Glorious!

3. The dry heat. Yes, 106 degrees is HOT. I’m not questioning that. But 0%  humidity is something I will take ANY day of the week!

4. Hans going on stage at Cirque du Soleil’s Mystere!

It was already a great show, then Hans got pulled into it! I don’t want to ruin it for those of you who haven’t seen it, but he ended up on stage, then backstage! His picture from the experience is supposed to end up in this Facebook album. We await patiently for Cirque’s FB maintainer to get their site updated…

5. My birthday itself! I really couldn’t have asked for a more wonderful birthday. The celebration included:

• Savory oats to start the morning
• Sunning by the pool in the morning
• A massage and pedicure at Elements Salon & Wellness Spa
• Shopping, including the purchase of my bday present: a super cool Lululemon gym bag!
• Playing my favorite casino game – Keno!
• Dinner at MESA Grill (only better if Bobby Flay was actually there!)
• Crashing back home with a glass of wine & some episodes of The Office

6.  ”Only in Las Vegas” will you find:

• Drinks that are this size:

• Appetizer samplers that come with dry ice:

• The world’s largest chocolate fountain:

• and three deep fried oreos for a dollar:

7. Hiking in Red Rock Canyon: The four of us rocked the La Madre trail in an hour and a half:

From the website: This nice hike follows an old road up a canyon with red and white sandstone cliffs on one side and gray limestone mountains on the other. The trail does not actually go to La Madre Spring; rather it ends at a concrete dam built in the 1960s. The dam now provides water for wildlife and a pleasant contrast with the desert environment. For the Red Rock area, the vegetation in the canyon is fairly dense, and the pinyon pine, juniper, and scrub oaks actually feel like a forest.

I was hoping for sheep, but we found water instead:

Still pretty impressive for July in the desert!

8. Old school Las Vegas: Many people never leave the Strip, but we ventured down to Downtown and the Freemont Experience to see “Old Las Vegas” in all its neon glory:

How cool to see all the old signs in one place!

9. Eating at some great restaurants including Burger Bar, MESA Grill and Firefly. You know you have SOMETHING TO LOOK FORWARD TO with all the restaurant reviews to come in the upcoming week!

10. And most importantly, spending time with these people:

…and this guy:

A girl couldn’t ask for a better birthday vacation!