This trip was a quick hit (Friday-Sunday). Fortunate enough to go on The Phoenix Suns dime. We have court side season tickets and they incentivise folks to pay early with the "carrot" of a trip to Vegas for Summer League Basketball...easy enough...count me in. It will come as no surprise that we made time to eat, drink and be merry. Here are some "slam dunks" from this weekend:
Wynn Hotel:
Wynn |
Cabana Pool Bar at Wynn |
With Encore adding Beach Club you can get your party turned up to Hi along with 2,000 close friends with the quickness. Been there. Done that. I generally want a little less party than that (and I prefer my pool with less urine) so Wynn's pools will do for me. As you move further away from the hotel the pool becomes more adult and the music gets better. On the far side of the pools is Cabana Bar which has it's own DJ (house music all day long!) but is far from packed to the gills...chairs A plenty.
La Cave:
La Cave at Wynn |
Parasol Up:
I've been known to enjoy a cigar and a whiskey (and a whiskey) from time to time. Vegas is unparalleled in it's choices of comfy spaces to do so. Parasol Up is one of my faves. Solid whiskey offerings at reasonable prices. They have a decent cigar selection but if at all possible BRING YOUR OWN...unless you don't mind spending 4X on an Opus X.
NBA Summer League:
Andrew Wiggins and Coach Blatt |
For $25 a day you can see 7 games a day. This is crazy! If you are a hoop head (like my wife and I) you see the value in this. No, the whole team doesn't play but the stars of tomorrow do (you'll be like that friend of yours who used to see Dave Mathews in an empty dive bar back in the day). Plus, some of the biggest names in basketball are just there to hang out and watch. I waited in line behind The Unibrow, Anthony Davis, for a pizza. In addition, you are unlikely to ever see NBA players work harder in a game in your life. Many of these guys are on the bubble. I have never seen more guys fighting for a loose ball or diving in the stands in my life. Awesome!
Giada at The Cromwell:
I wasn't familiar with Celebrity Chef Giada De Laurentiis but I am now a fan. This place is a classic Vegas "scene" restaurant. Big, vibrant and live room teeming with well dressed folks from far and wide. Usually a "scene" restaurant falls way down on food. Not the case here. The Charred Octopus, Bucatini and Rack of Lamb were fantastic. We also scored a table with a killer view of The Fountains at Bellagio just across the street. Plus, they have a photo booth...how can you go wrong!?
Michael Mina:
Michael Mina at Bellagio |
I've been trying to get to this place for the last 10 trips to Las Vegas but something has always come up. In five words: It Was Worth The Wait!!! Delicately prepared, fish based menu with a great wine list (we went through two bottles of Chablis and a bottle Burgundy...both excellent).
Chardonnay for Days |
G and I did the Signiture tasting menu. The Caviar Parfait and Lobster Pot Pie were "slap yo mama" good. The tasting menu had a great mix of beautifully plated, delicate, well delineated flavors and comfortable, savory courses with well blended tastes and textures. Great meal.
Caviar Parfait |
Any experience is enhanced when someone else picks up the tab. We didn't get too nuts this trip but still found ways to help fund the local economy a bit. Vegas never disappoints with so much choice in such a small area. We will be back again later this summer adding to our list of personal favorites.
Thanks for reading!
Doc Jay
Suns... Slam dunks.....Ball so hard. I see what you did there! Great post
ReplyDeleteClever...I know...haha! Thanks my man. Vegas is a easy place to love.
ReplyDeleteAwesome blog post! I can't ever hear enough about Vegas! My favorite place on earth! I would sure love to try that Caviar Parfait! Glad you had a great time!
ReplyDelete