On July 6th (my 28th birthday) Carl and I along with our friends Ryan, Kelly, Britney, Cullen and Sarah headed to VEGAS! We have all been friends for almost a decade but we had not been on a trip all together during that time. Ryan, Britney and myself had been to Vegas within the last 10 years. Sarah went with her family when she was a child and didn't really remember much. For Carl, Cullen and Kelly this was the first time! So what did we do?
Tuesday, July 6th:
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| Carl, Kalena, Ryan |
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| Sarah |
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| Cullen, Britney, Kelly |
Flew from Houston International to Las Vegas! We arrived in Vegas around 10AM. We checked into the MGM and went over to New York, New York.
Kelly wanted to have a real New York Slice! (We all had our priorities on this trip! Most of us had food requirements! This is why I hang out with this group!) Carl and I got a hamburger around the corner (OK I got a veggie burger). I think Kelly was pleased with her choice!
We then went walking. and walking. and walking. We walked up and down the strip marveling at the greatness of it all. We headed back to the hotel and some dipped into the pool (me) and some napped (Carl) and then we decided to walk the strip at night to see all the "shows". We stopped to eat at The Lux Cafe in the Venetian.
It was wonderful! The Lux Cafe is owned by The Cheesecake Factory. The menu at The Lux was just as big as the one you get at The Cheesecake Factory and there were similar menu items but The Lux was a step up and had a international feel. This is what we ate:
The Grand Appetizer Platter
Serves four or more! A Grand Assortment of Our Most Popular Appetizers Including Spinach Artichoke Dip, Crispy Thai Shrimp & Chicken Spring Rolls, Duck Potstickers, Buffalo Chicken Rolls, Cheese Steak Spring Rolls and Vietnamese Chicken Summer Rolls. Add: Seared Ahi, Crispy Ahi Sushi Roll and Edamame
I loved the spring rolls, duck potstickers and ahi sushi roll.
If I remember correctly here is what everyone ordered for dinner:
Kelly: Wiener Schnitzel: Austrian Style Thin Crispy Coated Veal Medallions. Served with Mashed Potatoes and Braised Red Cabbage
Sarah and Britney: Crispy Caramel Chicken: Crispy Battered Pieces of Chicken Breast in a Spicy Thai Caramel Sauce with Mushrooms, Onions, Red Chile Peppers, Garlic and Ginger. Served with Rice
Tried this! IT WAS SO GOOD!
Kalena: Indochine Shrimp and Chicken: A Fusion Dish of Chinese and Indian Flavors. Jumbo Shrimp, Chicken, Onions and Sweet Ginger all Sauteed in a Delicious Spicy Sauce of Curry, Plum Wine and a Little Cream Topped with Sun-Dried Cherries and Apricots. Served with White Rice
It was yummy but more like something you would find at Cheesecake Factory.
Carl: Fettuccini Alfredo: Wide Pasta Ribbons Tossed in a Rich Parmesan Cream Sauce. Can Also be Ordered with Chicken.
Ryan: Grilled Fish of the Day
Cullen: Chicken Royale: Lightly Breaded Sauteed Chicken Breasts Served Over a White Wine Butter Sauce with Mashed Potatoes, Green Beans and Herbed Carrots
We didn't finish dinner until well past 10 PM so we started on our journey to see all of the night shows and miserably failed. We only saw the Bellagio water show and it always lives up to it's hype! Before the show we did see a street fight between this small white guy and two large black men. It literally happened right next to us. I was pretty nervous but Sarah remained calm cool and collected! We did manage to take a little time for a photo op. Carl was less than thrilled :)
And that capped off day 1! Stay tuned for the rest of the story!
