Anyways my weekend has been crazy.. Pretty terrible actually and I'm feeling awful about it but just glad the new week is starting :) Still waiting for my friends' LA photos before I can blog about LA so I'll blog about Vegas first! Drove from LA to Vegas right after Yixiang and I went to the wax museum in LA.
The road to sin city.
There's a small area that has theme parks and shops and restaurants right outside Vegas for people to stop if they wish to get refreshments or if the ride has been too long. I think it's mostly families with children that stop there but anyways if you've got extra time go check it out. We didn't wanna waste time and stop so we just drove by :)
Looks like one hell of a roller coaster.
The drive in
Could hardly contain myself already HAHAHAHA I don't know if it's just me but Vegas really just has that effect on people?
I know Vegas' skyline really comes alive at night but it was still gorgeous in the day. The sky was so blue it didn't even look real. Doesn't it look like a blue screen??
Ok I really REALLY died when I saw our hotel. I don't think I can make a very informed opinion since it was my first time there but I wouldn't stay anywhere else but Caesar's if I could do it all over again.
The hotel REALLY is a palace and lives up to its name COMPLETELY. Zero disappointment. Trust me once you stay here, you won't wanna stay anywhere else?!?! :')
Honestly I LOVED VEGAS SO SO SO DAMN MUCH. Like about as much as I loved New York or maybe even a wee bit more cause of where we stayed in Vegas vs where we stayed in New York? I WAS SO FREAKING EXCITED HAHAHA no words can describe it. Like when we got to Vegas it was still daytime but we'd been on the road for about 5 hours and everyone was exhausted but I was bouncing HAHAH ARGH. So clean and colourful there it's like living on a billboard.
I can't even begin to describe how much I loved Caesar's Palace argh. It was HUGE and so beautiful seriously the nicest hotel I've ever been to?? It makes MBS feel like.. child's play.
Truly opulent and larger than life with massive statues everywhere and the columns and ceilings were all so beautifully decorated I wanted to take pictures EVERYWHERE <3
I'm smiling just looking at the Vegas photos cause I LOVED EVERYTHING THERE SO MUCH HAHAHA. Really really grateful that I got the chance to visit the states :) Even the weather seemed awesome although it was freaking hot??? Like hotter than Singapore. The thing about the weather there is that even though it's sweltering, Singapore's weather is still unbearable in comparison cause it's always so humid you feel like you're melting and sticky even if you don't move but its pretty dry there so even though it's like close to 40 degrees, it still feels somewhat better.
I can't believe I forgot to take some photos of the room but well this is just the toilet so you can imagine how nice the hotel room must have been. And the view was pretty decent too :)
AND CAN I JUST SAY THAT THE BED.... OMG THE BED.... it's PHENOMENAL. It's like sleeping in a marshmallow I just wanted to curl up and live there forever. I went to find out the brand of the mattress they use and apparently it's Serta which provides the pillows and mattresses for most major hotels. HAHA GONNA GET MYSELF A NEW MATTRESS SO I CAN RECREATE MY CAESAR'S SLEEP EXPERIENCE AT HOME.
After the past couple of days of being super tired and jam packing our itinerary with things from morning to night, it was SUCH a welcomed change to sleep in a nice bed and have a big and clean toilet?? So comfortable I was really lulled into the vacation mode in Vegas.
Anyways that night we were all really tired so after we reached the hotel, we took a quick shower, freshened up and went down for dinner at Gordon Ramsay's restaurant.
Haha wearing my 10 dollar faux leather dress from Sway.
Dapper boys.
I had steak HAHA again... I really REALLY love steak even though I do always feel bad cause I hate the thought of how the animal must have suffered before ending up on my plate but then I push that depressing thought out of mind cause ARGH steak is just too good.. Plus steak is mostly the only meat I eat other than fried chicken and bacon :/ My prime rib which was like...40 bucks thereabout but worth every penny haha. I will never stinge on food. Need to earn a lot of money in the future to feed my appetite :'(
Went for a short walk along the strip after dinner. Actually we didn't even make it down the street cause we were all dying of heat. Somehow it feels even hotter at night cause you can feel the heat remitting from the ground??
Accompanied Yx to gamble after until like 3 am?? So by the time I got back to the room I was already super exhausted and the rest were waking up at 4am to go to the Grand Canyon. I was like NO. I really REALLY value my sleep time and didn't feel like dragging myself out of bed in 1 hour just to go out in the middle of the desert to visit the giant rock. No offence to any Grand Canyon fans out there. I'm sure it really is very beautiful but I'd rather stay in the city and explore. So Yx and I woke up in the noon and went for this AMAZINGGGGG buffet lunch inside Caesar's, called Bacchanal Buffet. It was about 60 ++ per person which really is quite cheap cause most of the buffets in Singapore's hotels are quite pricey?
Look at the size of the crab legs?!?!! SUPER GOOD. I think it was the main dish there because they had two stations for the crab legs and everyone was eating it. The meat was so fresh???? We ate so much HAHAHAH.
This was the first among many many many rounds HAHAHAH.
The oysters honestly weren't that good? But everything else was awesome.
HAHAHA yeap... Steak again.. Prime rib HAHA. Not my favourite part but still good.
I LOVEEEEE MINI BURGERS HAHAHA. I guess cause you just don't feel that much of a glutton cause it's smaller.... But it's just me lying to myself cause I ate about three of these :/
Drooling...
I think we ate for like... 3 hours HAHAHAHA my stomach was like yesyesyesyesyes but after that we couldn't move so being the bums we were, we went back to the room HAHA. Wanted to go hang by the pool but it was the fourth of July so the pool was closed for a private event. Then we went shopping and walked down the strip at last HAHA.
One of my favourite photos of the hotel. Really looks like a palace in the clouds :')
Walked to The Bellagio's shops. There's an overhead bridge that links the Bellagio to Caesar's and to The Cromwell hotel so it's pretty convenient walking about.
A lot of buskers on the streets of Vegas, LA, New York haha. There were a couple of these guys who were like... floating?? Yx says its this kind of special metal thing that they put in their clothes or something but it was still pretty cool HAHA.
The famous Bellagio water show that airs every...15 to 30 minutes if I'm not wrong. There were quite a lot of people crowding around and singing hahah. Americans are so energetic and aren't shy at all! They just sing and say hello to each other and it's so different in a good way of course. Singaporeans would be super sceptical if you say hello to them in the streets and if you start singing or dancing, you'll probably end up on Stomp -.-
The view was beautiful but there was absolutely no wind at all and everyone was crowding along the streets waiting for the fourth of July fireworks to start so it was pretty horrid walking about :/
Anyways I think the fireworks are fired by each of the major hotels there at certain timings so Caesar's was the first. Ok that part was just mind-blowing cause in Singapore you don't get to see fireworks a lot unless it's national day and even then it only lasts what...10 minutes and that's basically all the fireworks you're gonna get for the rest of the year?? But in America it's like... just ONE hotel can blast its own fireworks for 10 minutes and that's just ONE hotel??? It was awesome and it felt like.. a really generous gift from the hotels hahahaha. Thanks Caesar, I'm your number one fan <3
Everyone was chanting U.S.A! U.S.A! HAHAHA It was so funny cause in Sg, people will just be like videoing it on their handphones silently HAHA but everyone there was so excited and I don't know I couldn't help but get excited too and like semi wished I was from the states too hahahaha but I do love Sg at the end of the day. Can't imagine the people here chanting SING-A-PORE! SING-A-PORE! Do people even cheer at NDP?? :/
HAHAHA very clever use of numbers..
We headed back to the hotel to get changed and ready.
The hotel toilet light is seriously the best omg. Wish my toilet could be like that :(
Yx and I were going to Drai's which is supposedly an outdoor pool club?? The concierge at our hotel was kind enough to get us on the guest list and we actually wanted to go check out Hakkasan but decided to drop by Drai's for a drink first. The pool was closed but it looked amazing. Ok the club is GORGEOUS??!?!?! And pretty big but the concept is very different from say Zouk? I guess it's kinda like a very large Velvet cause the tables are in the open and the club is shaped like a dome sort of..
Sorry the photo's a bit blurry :/
Hahah ok this part is kinda like the old Butter layout with the pole and platform area. Anyways they had thai girls dancing and serving??? I think they're thai I'm not too sure.
The outdoor area where you can see the pool. It looked AWESOME. But it was closed :(
Arty was spinning that night but I've already seen Arty so I was dying to go to Hakkasan to check out Tiesto but by the time we reached Hakkasan, it was like super late and they increased the door price to 160 for guys and 70 for girls?!!? And I guess I wouldn't have minded paying cause its TIESTO?!?!?! But we decided to head back to Caesar's to gamble :/ Hahaha we suck :(
Hahaha as far as we were gonna get to Hakkasan... THIS TIME. Also, this woman looks super hot from the back hahaha.
Anyways Hakkasan is located at MGM and I guess I can't really say I bet my life on how awesome it must be there but I assume so because it's rated one of the top 10 clubs by DJ mags. And as everyone knows, Zouk is currently at 7. Plus, considering that Hakkasan is a relatively new club, it must be pretty kickass to make it onto the list. Not forgetting, Calvin Harris and Tiesto are BOTH house DJs there?? Sorely disappointed we didn't get to go but next time DEFINITELY. It was quite a bad night cause it was just the two of us?!?! The rest had only just came back from the Grand Canyon and they aren't really the type to go check out nightclubs but it would have been awesome if everyone went together so we could open a table :(
MGM's got nothing on Caesar's imo but I still wanted to go visit the iconic hotel. I have no idea why I took photos of the toilet in my inebriated state.. HAHA I guess cause I was amused by the little TV screening advertisements while you wash your hands...
Went back to Caesar's to play Blackjack and I lost.. SO BADLY HAHAHA. I don't know why its laughable.. I guess cause I've never gambled in a casino before?? Plus I was on holiday so I guess I didn't feel the sting that bad but yea hahaha. Lost about 200? :/ I think I could have won if I stayed longer?? HAHAHA ohgod look at that, sounding so much like an addict now huh. HAHAHA. Gonna learn to play poker and blackjack like a pro and come back and take Vegas just you guys wait ok I KNOW I CAN HAHAHAHA.
The next day was actually our last day in Vegas before flying off to New York :( I was so sad seriously because I didn't wanna leave EVER. And that was when I found out that the ticket I had booked for New York was one day later than what my friends had booked?? Ok when I found out, it was a mix of horror like omgomgomg I got the wrong flight and oh ok...that means I get to stay in Vegas one more night?? HAHAHAHA and I honestly wouldn't have minded staying in Vegas one more night alone but Yx managed to help me change my flight so yea.. We headed to this highly recommended ramen place, located in/around Chinatown if I'm not wrong, called Monta Ramen. SUPER GOOD??? IT WAS A PARTY IN MY MOUTH. We were all starving because we hadn't eaten breakfast or lunch and the waiting line was so long I hate having to deny my stomach of satisfaction for so long but it was well worth the wait. I finished my bowl of ramen within 5 minutes I kid you not HAHA and that was with extra noodles.. I didn't even wanna wait to take photos and I didn't stop a single time while eating to talk or whatever cause.. that would have been a waste of time to take my mouth away from my food..
Nothing beats a piping hot bowl of Ramen.. even if its Summertime and 40 degrees outside.
SO MANY AWARDS hahah and well deserved at that.
The gyoza was honestly nothing special but didn't really matter anyways since the ramen was the highlight. Every ramen there is good except for the Shoyu one which is pretty bland in comparison to the rest.
Went to get some smoothies after! Love how you can always find a smoothie shop on every corner in the States. And they're all really fresh and healthy. You can choose your own ingredients and they blend it right in front of you. Wish sg could have more juice and smoothie shops :(
Found a shopping cart in the parking lot that led to this -_-
HAHA act only <3
Our buns were being toasted so badly cause the car roof top was friggin hot. Felt like there'd be a burn mark on my butt :/
Headed back to the hotel and did some shoppinggggg! HAHA bought a pair of heels within 15 minutes but they were so prettyyyyy and on sale!! <3 The shops there are so interesting?? They had this awesome old vinyl and guitar shop with Gibsons and Fenders hanging on the walls and signed records from my favourite artists?? LIKE SLASH?!?!?!! Almost died and wanted to take a photo so badly but the man said no photography allowed XXXX >:(
This is what the mall looks like... CAN YOU BELIEVE IT?? So pretty argh.
And this spiral escalator?? It feels like you're shopping in heaven HAHAH
LOOK AT THIS OMG.... how is this even real. This is inside the mall so the sky is fake but it looks like something right out of my greek mythology book.
Everything in Vegas is just on such a grand epic scale
FINALLY headed to the pool which I've been dying to go to the whole trip HAHAHA seriously everyday I just wanted to go lie by the pool but I didn't wanna go alone?? Wish I had more time then maybe I could have checked out the famous Vegas pool parties but either ways, Caesar's has one hell of a pool area.
Yup... there's a statue and a mini colosseum IN THE MIDDLE OF THE POOL HAHAHA.
Caesar's boasts a collection of 7 pools and the pool area is aptly named the Garden of the Gods Pool Oasis. Named after various greek and roman gods and goddesses, theres's Neptune, Bacchus, Jupiter, Apollo, Venus, Temple and Fortuna. Each pool has a different theme and strategic location. The Bacchus pool, named after the Roman god of wine, is pretty exclusive and its reserved for the hotel's VIP guests and celebrities. The Apollo pool is the main pool if I'm not wrong and most of the guests are crowded around this area. It's location at the Southwest corridor makes it a prime spot for sunbathers. The Fortuna pool named after the Roman goddess of luck is where you can grab a drink and play a hand or two while still getting to enjoy the pool hahaha pretty cool stuff. The Venus pool is the topless pool that you can only enter if you're 21 and above. Entry is always complimentary for ladies and free for men on Thursdays.
Elegant, decadent and lavish. There are cabanas and day beds for you to lounge at the side of the pool
Nobody else wanted to sunbathe with me?!?!! So I felt super awkward :/ But then again nobody else really wanted to go to the pool as much as I did :(
Wearing thejuicemarket's swimsuit! Go support Sophia haha her swimsuit designs are really pretty <3
HAHA ok la I know my body's not in shape at all or whatever but I still wanted to take photos ok. Yx always spams when he takes photos of me hahahah I mean that in the best way possible :)
Caesar's was truly a perfect blend of ancient Roman architecture with modern shops/restaurants/casinos without being tacky or inconsistent. The hotel itself is split into many different towers so there's the Octavius and Augustus towers and there's the Palace and Roman towers. We stayed in the Nobu tower and booked two rooms. It wasn't that expensive at all! I think the villas are the ones that are really gonna burn a hole in your pocket but I've seen the photos of the rooms and well if I had that kind of money, I wouldn't mind spending it on one of those rooms cause THEY ARE INSANE. Huge and so lavishly decorated you'll feel like royalty. And I guess if you wanna recreate the whole Hangover movie you should book one of the villas for a hell of a time in Vegas. The devil really is in the detail and top notch hotels like Caesar's know that one minor detail or service can really go a long way in the customers' experience. They provide room service some times more than once a day and the cleaners are incredibly efficient and polite? Like when we asked if we could have extra bottles of water or shampoo, she gladly gave me 4 bottles of each?? We really had the perfect stay there from the bell hops to the approachable front desk who helped Yixiang and I get onto the guest list at Drais night club.
It was time for us to say goodbye to Vegas and go on to the next and final leg of the trip -----> NEW YORK CITY. I'm really excited to start writing about NYC because there's just so much to write and it's such a colourful and vibrant city.
HAHA there are even slot machines and billboards in the Vegas airport HAHAHAHA.
Hope this post wasn't too long! I know my hands are aching from typing... hahaha. Really enjoyed my time in Vegas but I can see how it's not for everyone especially if you're not a big fan of gambling because well sin city is more or less gambling, food, beautiful people, booze, clubs? So if you don't wanna gamble, I guess you might not like Vegas as much as I did. Anyways things I wish I'd seen and done in Vegas that maybe you guys can go check out if you're there :
1) Hakkasan
2) Zipline at Rio (do this at night. you basically zip-line from hotel to hotel HAHA and it costs about 20 ++ to "fly" over the Vegas skyline)
3) Grand Canyon (if you have time)
4) Pool party (check out the venus pool haha I know I wanted to. Also, the pool at Harrah's is also pretty highly recommended in the magazines)
5) Strip club (I'm just a really curious person and wanna see everything at least once though I personally don't like or endorse going to these kinds of places because I find it...degrading and kinda depressing that these young girls have to work these jobs for whatever reasons. Maybe some of them really need the money for college/bills or something and I'd feel really sad or maybe they do these jobs because they enjoy it, whatever it is I'm not here to judge. I just wanna see what it's like inside and if it's really as wild as the documentaries and movies make it out to be hahah)
Ok gotta run some errands and head to Yx's for a BBQ now!! Thanks for tuning in <3
xx
Qing
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