Viva Las Work Trip

Well, hello there. It's been too long.

I'm just sobering up getting my life back on track after a whirlwind Las Vegas work trip. Right now I'm on a flight and just cruising over some canyon (if you can believe what the pilot is saying) en route for Omaha...and most importantly, to see my boys. I cannot wait to give Cruzer the biggest squeeze.

Side note: I'm pretty certain the girl next to me is severely hungover and looks to be barely making it through this little flight...let's hope she can make it to the bathroom on time should something come back up. Lord, she's already gotten up four times to use the restroom so far, not entirely sure what else could be going on.

Anyway back to Vegas...

Headed out for a marketing council meeting for our company and, while I won't bore you with those details, I have to say loads were accomplished in these past few days. You have to imagine when you get the entire corporate and property marketing leaders from the world's largest gaming company in one room that some pretty fantastic stuff is going to be cooked up.

Personally, I feel thankful to be a part of it AND thankful for all I got to experience outside of that meeting room.

The room - if you are staying at Flamingo, you must get a Go! room - far and away their best product. Although, on work trips of late, I find myself always getting put up there and really want to check out more of our hotel rooms...you know for comparison and stuff. I mean, if they wanted to put me up at the new Nobu Tower at Caesars, I wouldn't complain.

(photo courtesy of Flamingo Las Vegas website)

The food - dinner at Center Cut Steakhouse at Flamingo, Carmine's Italian in the Forum Shoppes, Old Homestead Steakhouse at Caesars and a late night pizza run to the Pizza Joint after super long happy hour/mingling sesh at Toby Keith's. And one of the best burgers during lunch at KGB's at Harrah's. If you're in Vegas, check out Old Homestead - a bit pricey but one of the best places I've ever eaten...actually Nick and I were at the same restaurant at the Borgata in Atlantic City, but it didn't hold a candle to this one. Three words. Asiago bacon muffin. Delicious.

The shows - sadly I haven't been to too many shows in Vegas over the past many years I've visited. I'm not sure if it's the fact that I would rather spend my hours at the pool or face deep in cocktails - or better yet both at the same time - but they just haven't been a priority. However, when the tickets are free it would be just wrong not to take advantage. On Monday, I checked out a Love, the Beatles cirque show at Mirage and on Tuesday Absinthe at Caesars. If you want a recommendation on a bad ass show to take in on your next Vegas trip, Absinthe is far and away THE one to see. It's a mix of raunchy humor and old-time big top carnival and circus acts inside a cozy little tent outside Caesars Palace. But take this as your warning, it's not just a little raunchy-risque, it takes it to the next level and I was out-loud laughing the entire time.

Of course, last minute I realized that I hadn't picked up a little gift for Cruzer, so after our cocktail mix & mingle I high-tailed it to the Forum Shoppes. Of course, I stopped in H&M and found tons of great stuff that I wanted to try one, BUT this trip wasn't about me and I was able to pick some great items for little man. I found the cutest pair of jeans for him.  Black, slightly distressed and slim cut? Um, yes please!

And I may have picked up this little guy in the airport...I know airport toys are pathetic, but when you spent most of your trip eating and drinking, sometimes you have to get creative. And truth be told, our little airplane loving kid will go bonkers for this.

Now if you don't mind, I'm going to try and get some shut eye for the remainder of this flight...and dream about this little sweetheart.

Viva Las Vegas

Nothing like putting posts off...things have been extremely hectic and I almost forgot I haven't posted about our family trip to Las Vegas a couple weeks ago for Carly's 21st birthday. Well, here you go!

The Mango/Gardner clan have been planning this trip since January to introduce Carly to "legal drinking age" in style. We stayed at the MGM and had a great trip.

Nick & I arrived Thursday morning before the rest of the group - he scheduled me a massage while he played some poker (made him feel better about ditching me, of course :) and it was heavenly. I haven't gotten a massage since before I became preggo with little man and was long overdue. I got use of the entire spa..even the "clothing optional" jacuzzi. Hmm, no thanks. By the time I was done at the spa, everyone else had arrived so we met them for breakfast.

Then we headed to walk the strip, after a quick tour of the Cosmopolitan we headed back to the pool for a couple hours before getting ready for the night. Ross had set up a limo for us to cruise the strip for an hour prior to dinner and then we went to Paris to Mon Ami Gabi...one of the best meals I've had in Vegas so far. Following, we headed to Hyde at Aria where we had a reserved table and bottle service. That's where the night got a bit fuzzy...

At Zuri Bar in MGM

Dinner w/ the Palma sisters at Mon Ami Gabi

Friday was the day we set aside for the pool where we had a cabana on the lazy river. It was a fun, but long day out in the sun....after heading up to our room to get ready for the night, they hubby and I decided we were going to take a quick power nap so we could hang for the rest of the night. Three hours later our power nap had turned into us missing dinner (my phone was on silent with about 35 missed calls!). We hustled to get ourselves together and met the group downtown at Fremont Street. This was actually one of the best nights of the trip...I had never been there before and loved the old school casinos.

Lazy river with some hotties!

With the birthday girl on Fremont Street

Chillin with Oompa

On Saturday, the hubs and I were refreshed from our nap the night before and up and on the casino floor by 6:30am. I watched him play poker for a little bit, lost $40 in the Sex & the City machines (waste!) and then we met up with the group for breakfast. Afterwards, the ladies headed to the Forum Shoppes at Caesars and the guys to the sportsbook. When we got back to MGM, Morgan, Marcy and I met up at Centrifique bar for some drinks (maybe a few too many...).

Centrifique bar for afternoon cocktails

Mango sandwich - with the hubby and his dad

Our Manganaro men

We had dinner at Trevi at Caesar's and then went to Absinthe...what an amazing show! It was a carnival, variety show, very x-rated and so good! It was a great thing to do the night before Ross, Nick and I had to fly out to Denver early for our friends wedding.

Limo to Caesars

Our entire group in the Forum Shoppes at Caesars after dinner

At Absinthe with Marcy...and a couple goofballs in the back :)

What I didn't mention that almost put a damper on the trip...when Nick and I were dropped off at the hotel on Thursday morning I accidentally left my carry on in the taxi...and didn't get the driver's name/number...or the name of the cab company. Ugh. After contacting every cab company and leaving details, which they would "pass along to their drivers" I was confident I would never see my iPad or work items ever again. Three hours later I received a call...our driver had turned in my bag - with everything in it! I tell you that awesome little Asian driver has great karma coming her way!

Next stop....Denver for the Zalman wedding....

It's Great To Be Home

The hubby and I just returned from five long days away from little man and it is so great to be home! I cannot believe how much I missed this little guy and happy to have some time to spend with him last night before bedtime. Fortunately grandma had his helmet off by the time we got home so we could get in and close for some good snuggles!

Cruz and his new Mickey Mouse 

Chilling with his mommy & Mickey this morning getting ready 

And as much as we missed little man, we had a great family trip to Vegas and enjoyed a beautiful wedding in Colorado. More to come with a later blog post on that...