MGM Grand

We stay the first 2 nights at the MGM Grand because I am cheap.  The conference I’m attending doesn’t start until Sunday so that means my job isn’t picking up the cost until Saturday…so, the fabulous Cosmopolitan Hotel will just have to wait.

The first thing we notice when we arrive is the boxing ring set up to advertise the Mayweather vs. Ortiz fight (which was occurring the next weekend).
 

Then, as we are standing in line to check in, I notice the guy in front of us has a cooler.  That’s right.  A cooler.  As luggage for his hotel stay.  I don’t even want to know.

We check in to our room (which was pretty cool).
 

Then go to get something to eat.  Admittedly, I haven’t been to Vegas since 1997 so it’s been a while.  Back then, stuff was cheap to urge you to lose all your money in the casino.  But, apparently, things have changed.  Everything is sky high!  Food was expensive!  Shoot, a McDonald’s McNugget Meal (which I love and know the price for in Atlanta down to the last cent at at least 3 Atlanta-area McD’s) was $8!  Seriously?  Stop it, Vegas.

The MGM has a pretty cool Lion Habitat.  I’m so conflicted about this.  I mean, the lions & cubs were so cute but I hate to see animals caged.  That’s why I don’t go to the zoo.

And, while my dog Riley would dispute this fact since he had to start spending time in the crate while I’m not at home, my rebuttal would be that peeing on the carpet negates any feelings of guilt 🙂  The lions are supposed to be the actual descendants of the original MGM lion.  The cubs were so freaking cute that I wanted to take one home with me…but I don’t think they would take one at doggie daycare.  And, I’m pretty sure that Riley’s face would’ve looked like this (which is an actual picture that the daycare sent to me):

Then, we walked past the “odds” area where you figure out what the odds are on certain events so you can place your bets.  First time I’d ever seen that.

The Venetian/Tao Nightclub
We met up with my cousin, Aaron, and his friend at Tao Nightclub.  Which was a pretty cool spot.  But, it did remind me of why I don’t go out to clubs anymore.  I’m too grown for all the foolishness.  Between the prostitutes “working” to get clients and folks on crutches/in wheelchairs that just had to get their party on, it was too much.  I find that I like a more low-key scene as I age.  Then, there are the “playas” who just have to hit on you.  One such playa approached me and asked me where I was from.  I answered his question (albeit reluctantly because I didn’t want him to get comfortable) and then asked where he was from because he had a foreign accent.  His response, “why does it matter?”  My response, “bye”.  First, stop acting like you are Jason Bourne or are in Witness Protection.  It’s not that serious.  Second, work on your game.

Television City
Isina and I participated in a tv sitcom focus group.  Basically, you and about 20 other people watch a 20 minute sitcom pilot that the network executives are trying to figure out whether to green light or not.  You watch them on computer monitors (as well as a big flat screen).

There is a dial that you can turn from 0-100 while watching the show.  0 = hate it; 100 = love it.  Afterwards, you have to complete a survey of not only that pilot but then you rate current tv shows as well.  Our sitcom to watch was The Rob Schneider Project.  I do not like Rob Schneider.  I felt he was lame like Adam Sandler, Tim Meadows, etc.  So, you know I turned the dial to 0 as soon as I saw him.  Then, about 5 minutes in…the unthinkable happened.  He started winning me over.  The show is about him marrying a Latina (who comes from a well-to-do family) on the spur of the moment and their reaction to him (because the wife is fabulous and you know what Rob looks like).  It had me laughing out loud and the cast was great (I mean, it’s got Cheech Marin!). Witty writing & sharp jokes.  One of the better pilots I’ve seen.   Overall, if it comes on tv, I highly recommend that you check it out.

CSI Experience
After leaving Television City, we headed over to the CSI Experience which says you can solve crimes with Grissom and his team!  Yay!  This was so fun.  There are 3 different crimes you can solve.  We had a crime involving a hotel housekeeper who was murdered.  Technically, we weren’t supposed to take pictures but you know I feel like I paid for my experience and that includes taking pictures so…here you go.  Now, the quality may not be that good because I had to keep a lookout for employees and snitches.  Last thing I wanted was to be escorted out before I solved the crime.
I don’t know why it takes the police so long to solve crimes.  Isina and I were able to figure out DNA and do forensics in 45 minutes!  Turns out, the girls “friend” murdered her by giving her bad crack!  I called it at the crime scene when I saw the empty baggie.  Some guy doing the same scene gave me a dirty look.  Hey, don’t hate on me because I can spot dead crackheads.  It’s a gift.

New York New York Hotel

I love the NYNY Hotel.  It has $5 tables so you know I had get my gamble on.  And, I’m happy to say that I won almost $200 on the Roulette table.  As we were eating pizza, we noticed people leaving Coyote Ugly with these HUGE drinks.  They were about 4 feet tall…and that is not an exaggeration.  That’s real.  Now, why do you need 4 feet of liquor to walk around Vegas?

Bad Boss voodoo doll…this is hilarious.

The Fabulous Cosmopolitan

 
On Saturday, we checked into The Cosmopolitan where my conference was due to start.  It is so fantabulous!

Dinner at the hotel…Now, we go to a Spanish restaurant and why did they bring out our croquettes in some shoes?  I don’t remember that being the Spanish experience when I was in Barcelona.  Seriously…don’t put my food in a pair of Adidas.  The visual isn’t very appetizing.

There is also another element to the hotel at night.

Um, what?  The girls just dance around and perform skits in the windows, I guess.

Overall, we had a great time in Vegas!  Can’t wait to go back!!