Too Goody-Goody for Sin City

Alas, Patrick and I went to Las Vegas last Friday night. After proudly,conveniently and meticulously packing heels, a dress, bikini, some makeup and 50 sunblock (sheeit, how do you think my skin looks so good at 35??!)in a purse so that I wouldn't have to carry hardly anything I drove to P's house and waited for him to come from work. Time was ticking away and I was getting anxious about Friday traffic. He still had yet to pack even!! I reflected that why is it my last 2 boyfriends are such procrastinators when it comes to traveling and I end up being all stressed out and barely making flights - that is NOT me, at all!!

Of course, once we DID finally get to the airport and it was our turn to check me in (P had done his online already, but I couldn't for some strange reason) - I realized that in my packing so lightly I neglected to put my wallet and ID back in the purse!!!!!! I almost cried. And I must admit P could have gone off on me but took it very well - my good nature must be rubbing off on him- he he he. I did tell him to go on without me, and I would get a cab to his house where the wallet was and then try to get a later flight that night or next morning. He kept denying but I insisted. So we got back in line and at our turn I told the attendant I forgot my ID and was there any later flights I could go stand by on? Amazingly enough: he informed me that Southwest Airlines, indeed, will let you fly sans ID (!!!!!!!!!???) HOLY COW!! We were shocked beyond belief! I just had to go through secondary security and have my bag searched and me patted down. No sweat! They always do this to me anyway (no matter who I'm flying) as I look "Iranian" or something - sheeit.

So would you believe we made it?? As I sat next to P on the flight and told him I am just happy to be on the plane, he hilariously commented, "I finally got you figured out, E..." he began. "You are so low-maintenance that you are high-maintenance!" It was pretty funny, indeed (if ENTIRELY incorrect!) :)

A short time later found us in the McCarron Airport where we began walking towards baggage claim. Just as I commented to P, "We should look out for (friends) Mik and Stef.." I suddenly hear the thunderous sound of my ex Italian Miky running barefoot holding his fliflops down the corridor towards us with Stef about 10 feet behind yelling directions to him, "Go left...LEFT!!!" I already had known they were leaving Vegas the time we were arriving more or less and it was hilarious to see them like that. As it turned out they missed their flight but were able to catch a later one. Whew!

Enough of the excitement already. We stepped outside to the reality that Vegas was in a heat-wave. At 9pm it was over 100 degrees!! Ay, que calor!!! We had just enough time to get to our hotel, The Tropicana, minutes to change and meet Patrick's old navy buddy and roommate, Gary, and his wife, Shane, for dinner at the hotel New York, New York.

I had already heard some of the stories and adventures of living in North Park 15 years ago with Gary and some other buddies. And I had been warned of his sarcastic, but witty personality. But as I told P later, the minute I saw Gary and he opened his mouth I thought, "Another one of those gay STRAIGHT men!!!" Not sure if you understand that term I've used for years now but it means a man who is Straight but has some Gay mannerisms in speech, or dress, etc etc. My ex Mark was a proud gay straight man. So was Mik. Now, both these ex boyfriends are completely heterosexual, but it's true! And Patrick although not as obvious, DOES have a couple metrosexual tendencies at best.

Back to Gary.. he and Shane are newlyweds and expecting their first child this summer - she was glowing in her pending mother-to-be status - well, that and sweating in the heat :) Gary took us to an Irish place called "Nine Fine Irishman" because he hadn't had a Guinness with P in 15 years. The food was alright, but the drinks strong and it was quite a fun evening hearing stories of how everyone met, and the old days with P in the Navy. Gary is a big man in the hotel bar and restaurant industry in Vegas and he is as we speak on a plane now to live in China for 3 years (Shane will join him after their girl is born) where he is helping open some Vegas sister hotels there. Not bad for an ex ganja-smoking, skirt-chasing, beer-guzzling sailor boy from the South! It was a fun evening and I was very glad we got to see them before they leave on their huge adventure in China and parenthood.. By the time we left them it was getting pretty late. We went into the casino and Patrick sat down at Roulette (the only game I have gambled on - if you read my Lake Tahoe blog - link - from November). He won and lost and came out $40 on top before calling it quits. Hungry again we walked to the nearby Hooters Hotel (I never would have guessed there exists a Hooter Girls Hotel) - for him to get 99 cent shrimp cocktail and i had a fabulous slice of apple pie before calling it a night after 2am - ummmm!

After sleeping in Saturday we hit the downstairs cafe for breakfast (no buffets for us this trip - it's a waste for me, I just can't eat that much). Then we went back upstairs for another food-induced nap - hehehe. Well, in his defense P has been working really hard lately. I was glad he got to catch up on some sleep! And it was just so hot outside that we didn't even want to spend all day at the pool. But eventually we went down to it and grabbed some chairs in the shade - P is Irish after all - I didn't want him burning in the 111 degree heat! I understand there are a couple new trendy pool places (onethat's even topless and comes highly recommended by Italians Mik and Neno) but we had no desire for that scene or the $40 cover charge to get in. Leave that to the young, single folks. That said lots of chatting and relaxing on the chairs ensued and eventually P suggested a cocktail - returning with 2 football-shaped containers full of ice, juice and a tiny hint of rum (I felt nothing and I'm a lightweight). After a couple hours of still talking and sipping the sweet punch we finally went back upstairs to shower and get ready for a night out.
Previously mentioned Stef (sales rep for Leblon cachasa rum in San Diego and Vegas) very generously left us a $50 credit at hotel Mirage to use on their mojitos and Brazilian caprihinas. So after getting changed and walking slowly down the Strip we made our way to Mirage, stopping to look in hotels and casinos on the way. It was slightly but noticeably cooler that evening - I love walking around Vegas at sunset! It's fun to people-watch and as Shane had said, "You know you are in Vegas when you've seen Elvis, a bride and a bachelorette party." Well, we DID!

After some yummy drinks we walked back up the towards our hotel - a long haul! Our feet were starting to hurt and we were thirsty when P bought one of those ridiculously huge margaritas that took both of us 20 minutes to finish together! It also, by the way, had a tiny amount of tequila in it. Jeezus - I am a lightweight and we were paying over $15 for those drinks - and NO buzz?!!!
We went into the Paris hotel and P played more roulette and ended up winning $220 - almost paying for his plane ticket! I simply enjoyed myself watching, (no gambling for me) and people watching and spending time with my man in his retro bowling shirt - so handsome, my Patrick! *sigh*

So here is my take on Vegas: I love the desert heat but it was too hot this time of year to go. Also, I am definitely NOT a partier, drinker or gambler, so I can't really say I love Vegas. In fact, should I never go back, I'd be just fine. Don't get me wrong - it's very unique and interesting to people-watch. But it's NOT my cup of tea at all. I MUCH prefer all my past trips that involve hiking, camping, foreign languages and nature of some sort. I don't know if it's because I worked for years in the bar industry or that I model and am 35 or what - but I could care less about seeing women bursting out of their dresses, trying SO hard for attention and men having to spend all their money on women who might not even give them their number. Blah. If I had more money I would have definitely gone to see the theater shows - Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, the Cirque du Soleil for axample.. and I would have gambled maybe $100 on roulette. But that's that as far as anything different than what we did.

That said, I'd go anywhere with my man. At least once..he he he