Post Mortem, 6/'18.

Short and sweet, all according to plan.

Cut the in flight a little close, boarding was already underway but made it in plenty of time and got to town plenty early. Room was ready when I got there at 9a (!), so dropped the bag at the Park right away. Room was same as the one from Xmas, had the above view, about the closest they have to a strip view. Same paper thin walls, same meh decor, water pressure in the shower better this time. Nothing to write home about but fine for 2 quick nights, and comped.

The resort is slowly closing in on being a real working hotel. More bars open now, not much food but that's coming later in the year. Totally dead in there but literally having no strip entrance will do that to a...strip resort. Reserving final judgement until the place is totally open but doesn't seem to be super exciting. Still, MC needed an upgrade and this is it if nothing else.

So headed out early on the free day, rambled about hitting spots, got lunch at Twin Peaks, spent some time at Rock & Reilly, Cosmo, then headed back to the room around 3p for a nap. Got a good 3 hours then headed back out, went to V/P for the last Carnevino stop before they close, had the amazing Bolognese again. Hit Rosina and Dorsey, Rock House, then started working my way back south. Was pretty tired from the early wake up call despite the nap so I half-heartedly stopped here and there for a couple drinks but finally just packed it in pretty early, got a sammie at Earl and was back in the room by midnight.

Got a good nine hours and was up and out of the room by 10:30 Wednesday, NIN day. Hit Cosmo, played a little VP at Chandelier, hit the new-ish PUB that used to be the Todd English thing at Aria, had a pretty good lunch. Crossed over and had a few at R&R again, went to TAP at MGM then made my way back to the room to freshen up for the trip to Hard Rock. Got maybe an hour nap, showered and changed clothes and got a cab over there. Had time for a few drinks in the various bars there in the small casino then headed into the venue for the show.

NIN killed it. It was their first show of the year but they didn't miss a beat and had a great, deep cut set list that had me grinning the whole time. The balcony was pretty mellow so not the energy of GA but also I didn't leave the place exhausted from standing for 3 hours either. Trade offs. All in all well worth the time and effort to get to town to see them.

After the show I grabbed a cab back to the Linq, went into AmeriCAN there and stayed a while. Then lit out to the Fuel flair bar that I like for some reason, and across the street to see Dan at Vesper for a couple. Started to get a little late at this point but I was in go mode so I went across again to Gustav's bar at Paris and had a few with the hilarious staff in there. All old vets who don't give a fuck anymore. It was probably 3a at this point but I still wasn't done so I stopped into a completely dead Rock & Reilly again for the final finals. Sun was coming up as I stumbled into a Walgreens or a terrible turkey sando and finally back to the room and in bed after 6a.

Up 4 hours later, hungover shower and cab to airport, flight out on time and was back in the hobbit hole by 4:30p

Quick and dirty but fun, broke no new ground really but that's fine for such a short trip. Now the save and scrimp for the August trip is underway and I'm less than 2 months from that as I write.

Always. Be. Vegasing.