Another boring day at the office for Glen working poolside but I brought my camera on Friday to explore the views from my deck chair (see photo of empty roller coaster testing the track). NYNY's pool is in the shade in the morning so a great time to enjoy it without the heat or the hordes of guests who sun-worship. Meg and Mike had their traditional morning cocktail called a Burnt Cherry as she read my book, White Crane. It was neat seeing someone lounging on a deck chair enjoying my writing.Today's excitement began when we met our good friends, Tim and Ed (see If You're Going to San Francisco for our last meeting) who had driven from their home in Newport Beach, California to join in our Vegas fun. They were up for anything so it was off to the CSI: The Experience in the MGM Grande Resort. Meg and Mike had done this interactive adventure before but there are 3 possible crimes to solve so the chances were good we'd do a different one and we did.
With clipboards in hand we set out to record evidence at a crime scene. The set up is designed for those over the age of 12 but younger ones could enjoy it with help from parents. We had a great time recording what we saw although we over-thought the whole scene, penciling in details that turned out to be staging rather than crime-scene facts. Still, it was a hoot. We then proceeded to go through the lab analysis of various elements of the crime until Ed blurted out "who did it". Turns out none of us were surprised but it was so much fun going through all the stages of the detection process.
We ate lunch at Nine Fine Irishmen, the NYNY pub that had been closed for renovations. It is named after nine Irishmen who, in 1848, fought for Irish independence from the British and lost. Their death sentences were commuted when it was agreed they'd become martyrs. Some were sent to Tasmania but most ended up in the Americas. Thomas Meagher became a Civil War general and eventually, governor of Montana. Thomas D'Arcy McGee had a Canadian connection. He was elected mayor of Montréal then became an MP before landing the post of minister of agriculture. He was assassinated in 1868 while entering his Sparks Street boarding house in Ottawa. Partick Whelan, a Fenian sympathizer was convicted of the crime and hanged. It was the last public hanging in Canada.
After a brief afternoon rest, we met again to go to dinner at Caesar's Palace's Cheesecake Factory. Having eaten in this restaurant in SF, I knew what I wanted. The SkinnyLicious® Shrimp Summer Rolls. They were every bit as tasty as I remembered.
Meg had suggested we see the show Absinthe at Casear's so ordered our tickets in early May. She got us excellent seats in the white tent erected on the Roman Plaza of Caesar's. As it turned out we were far enough away from the in-the-round stage to escape the barbed (and foul-mouthed) tongue of Gazillionaire and his side-kick, Penny Pibbets. I'll admit I was a little uncomfortable until I realized no one was spared his comedy. The circus acts were amazing feats of strength, balance, and danger involving trapeze artists, balancing acts, tightrope walkers, and roller skaters. There was even a striptease so something for everyone.
Afterwards, Ed suggested we do dessert at Nine Fine Irishmen but they were only serving drinks with their live entertainment so we went to the America restaurant. The drop ceiling of this place is a giant (90 feet x 20 feet) bas-relief map of the United States with each state's landmarks highlighted. Glen and Tim (he shared with Ed) ordered the huge brownie sundae, Meg, the lava cake and Mike, a milkshake. I had a coffee but it came in a 2 cup carafe. The only disappointment was the milkshake which Mike couldn't drink.
We then parted ways agreeing to meet at America for breakfast.
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