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Thursday, November 15, 2012

Viva Las Vegas

I feel when every person turns 21, their first thoughts, aside of "I can finally enjoy a glass of Riesling when dining out" is ... "I need to start planning my trip to Vegas!"

It's practically a rite of passage. Now being 22, I was slightly overdue. Nonetheless, it lived up to all of my expectations. I went with my friend Christina who has become a great travel companion. When booking the hotel, I had some reservations about staying in a fairly new one. I wanted that classic Vegas ambiance with a touch of modernity. Fortunately, I found it! We stayed at Aria. From the carefully placed bursts of vanilla wood aroma to the plush, ornate decor, it was the perfect place for the 4 day duration.

Prior to going, I knew that my friend and I were on a bit of a budget. I always had heard that by simply being the blessed female gender, things were accommodated for generously. Of course, I truly didn't understand that concept until I got there. My friend and I managed to get on the VIP list to Lavo, Tao, Surrender (which was an outdoor club by the pool and my personal favorite). This entailed bypassing the line, free entry, and free liquor all night.

Now my initial thoughts were, "How incredibly superficial.. they're using us as bait to draw in all of the destitute men willing to pay a big chunk of change to get in here"

Then, my discerning side kicked in and reminded me "HELLO... this is totally appropriate for your minimal budget"

We stayed for a total of 4 days, which in my mind, was the perfect amount of time. After a while, Vegas becomes a monotonous routine comprised of lounging by the pool proceeded by a nap, hour of prep time, and a long evening of observing people in a drunken stupor.

That's not to say I wouldn't go back. Unquestionably I would. It would just have to be for the same amount of time or less.

Check out the hotel Aria we stayed in. I highly recommend it!