Fall, to Fly

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Sunday, September 20, 2009

Life becomes rosier when you have visitors in town for the weekend. All of a sudden, Vegas seems much more desirable when you see it from a tourist's point of view. Great food, world class entertainment in all various forms, constant upbeat energy, excellent service - tons of people who try to make your experience the best that it can be... Vegas makes one of the most unique destinations in the world.

Peishan's friends Francis and Cat were in town since Wednesday - their 2nd stop in the U.S. from Singapore, while Gerri and Steve rolled into town last evening, a spontaneous whirlwind 24 hour trip from San Francisco.

First stop - Fleur De Lys at the Mandalay Bay. Since I've been a Top Chef Masters fanatic, I've been dying to try out the restaurant of my favorite chef in the show - Chef Hubert Keller.
Since Chef Keller's restaurant is right down the Strip from where I worked, there is absolutely no reason why I would ever miss it. There is no better day than Friday, when 2 sets of friends happen to be in town.

All of us selected the same prixe fixe menu, and the same selections - Red Onion Soup, Braised Short Ribs, and Celebration of Chocolate. Mmm. (sorry thats all I can describe food.) The soup was probably the richest I've ever had. With a delicate piece of duck ragout and a prized slice of truffle, it was just pure indulgence.

Short ribs with pureed potato and sweet potato, some crunchy fennel, with some Guinness reduction (Aiii actually I don't remember I think that was what it was). The braised short ribs were so tender and so soft that falls apart the moment you touch poke it with a fork.

Celebration of chocolate - L:R: Peanut Butter Milkshake. OMG. Absolutely divine but jelat; Chocolate-banana lava cake; Baileys ice cream with Butterfinger crunch.

Table for 5. Clockwise from Left: Steve, Gerri, Me, Francis, Cat

After dinner, we walked around Mandalay Bay for abit, strategising how we can win the BMWs they gave out as top slot prizes. Eventually, Gerri, Steve and I played at the Palazzo (they, not me because I'm an employee there and thus not allowed to), where I eventually gave up dreaming that Gerri would hit THE big one and buy me that Chanel purse in the window. In fact, it would not even buy us a cup of coffee... Nor a tip for the cocktail waitress. But it's really entertaining how our emotions swung violently from WOOOOOOOOOOOHHHHHOOOOOOOOO (a 76c win) to DAMMIT THIS IS RIGGED (a $3 loss) in matter of seconds.

Anyway, we met up today again and we headed over to the MGM Grand where 2 lions mated at the Lion Habitat, and I plonked myself at a slot machine and won $10 almost instantly. And at one point I would just hit the button and win something. But of course, gambling never pays and I don't expect to make my fortune through playing penny slots. It's just really fun once in awhile!

Gerri and Steve left today, with Steve, stripped of his Vegas Virginity (it's his first time believe it or not), proudly exclaiming that Vegas is the best place in the world. Actually, it was every other 10 minutes when he would burst out a 'I LURRRVE VEGAS!'.

Gerri said the fun we had was pretty tame - no drugs, very little alcohol, and no STDs. We think a return trip is in order.... No no, not for wild fun but more gambling perhaps? And in the meantime, I'm going to have my coworkers take me out to ghetto offstrip properties to brush up my table game skills (which I have none to speak of), so I can have a better shot at the Chanel purse.

And That's What You Get From Waking Up in Vegas!

Labels: Sin City Stories