Excursion: Vegas Day 2

We spent our second day in Vegas walking the entire strip. It was my husband's first time there so I wanted him to see everything. We started our day off at Hubert Keller's Burger Bar in Mandalay Bay.  I actually ordered the chopped salad (who does that?!?) so I could also sample the Nutella milkshake, which was incredibly delicious and totally worth the trade-off. I did have a bit of my husband's slider sampler and I thought that the homemade mustard aioli really elevated the taste to the next level. That was my favorite condiment, haha. For amazing pictures and more in-depth reviews of Burger Bar, check out Weezermonkey's blog here.

Cafe Nikki at the new Tropicana

I definitely wanted to check out the renovation at the Tropicana. My husband and I both thought it looked great--very clean. Lots of sleek white furniture, it was very Miami. We loved the coconut scent and thought the casino was very clean and looked new. We went out to the pool area and there was definitely a nice vibe out there--good music, lots of cocktail waitresses. We didn't make it to Club Nikki or Nikki Beach, but I've heard it's great party.

white party at Nikki Beach

From there, we hopped the escalator over to the MGM Grand and were lucky enough to see some of the lions in the habitat. It was wild to see their huge paws resting up on the trainers' feet. Evidently, the trainers have been accepted into the pride and are treated like the other lions--they were just hanging out talking to each other while the lions were sleeping on them, it was pretty awesome.

lions and trainers chillaxing together at MGM Grand

From there, we just hoofed it up and down the Strip, seeing everything we possibly could. We walked through Aria, Vdara, the Cosmopolitan, Caeser's, the Wynn, Encore, Palazzo, The Venetian and Paris. The hotel that has the best 'vibe' to me and is a must-see in my opinion is still the Bellagio. My best friends and I stayed at the Bellagio on our last trip to Vegas and I still prefer THEhotel's service and accommodations, but the Bellagio is hard to beat beauty-wise.

love the whimsical elegance at the Bellagio

the Chihuly glass exhibit is a must-see of course

the atrium in the Bellagio

Jean-Philippe is a must-visit (there's an outpost in Aria as well). We had the most delectable and creamy gelato here, it was fantastic. The crepes are also outstanding.

chocolate fountains in the front of the shoppe--Heaven on Earth

Back at Mandalay Bay, we had a quick sushi dinner at Mizuya before heading out to Caeser's to see Absinthe. Dinner was decent, nothing mind blowing, but it was nice and light--what we wanted after a day filled with Jean-Philippe treats.

We had no idea what to expect from Absinthe. They billed it as "Cirque's hip, punk little brother," so we thought that had potential. We arrived early and hung out in the Beer Garden. It was really fun--an eclectic mix of fun oddities. They had a bar and shuffleboard and cornhole to play while you waited, a pretty cool idea. It's much more relaxed and hip than Cirque.

The VIP Entrance at Absinthe. This was pretty cool-you walk into the phone booth, pick up the phone and say the secret password to gain access to the VIP lounge--like an old school speakeasy.

the tent at Absinthe

I have to say, we were pleasantly blown away by how good this show was. At one point, I was crying from laughing so hard and my husband was having a hard time breathing. It's quite raunchy--lots of sexual innuendo, lots of cussing, lots of political incorrectness--we loved it. The acts were absolutely incredible--I think my favorite may have been the roller skating couple. The bodyguards were also absolutely mesmerizing. They pretty much blew my mind. 

Absinthe's roller skating couple

I was complaining to my husband about not sitting in the front row, which we totally could have (it's open seating--first come, first serve) and he very astutely replied "If you sit in the front, they eff with you." Boy was he right!!! So glad I listened to him on that one. Do NOT sit in the front if you have thin skin, I can't stress this enough. We were grouped into the "boring white people" section and that was just fine with us, lol. This show had a bit of everything--comedy, incredible feats of athleticism, a sexy songstress--it was such a cool throwback to the days of traveling circus, but it felt very modern. It was fabulous. It's my second favorite show that I've ever seen in Vegas (after LOVE). I highly recommend it, they're starting a second run on October 21st so if you're in town, I really suggest checking it out.

We ended our night at VooDoo Lounge on the rooftop of the Rio. You know how sometimes the cheesiest places are the most fun? That was our feeling about VooDoo. They played music you can actually dance to (hip hop), not funky house and techno like some of the 'cooler' clubs. The inside looks like a rundown skating rink with surly bartenders and chipped paint, but the views from outside are incredible. The weather was perfect and we ended up having a blast there.

So that is all from Day 2. Have you seen Absinthe? If so, what did you think of it? Have you been to VooDoo lounge? If so, did you like it? What are you favorite clubs and shows in Vegas? 

I hope your Monday is great!