Valeria Out Loud

Hello everyone! Happy Friday and hope this coming weekend treats you all well.

I’m here to update you on our vacation highlights. This post will cover days one and two. Laid back stuff. Though technically, day one wasn’t actually a day away. We had departed Boston for Vegas that night at 9:30 PM, but it still counts!

Before I talk through the details of those days, below was our itinerary:

• Day 1- 4/18- Depart for Las Vegas, The Palazzo
• Day 2-4/19- Las Vegas, reservations Jaleo
• Day 3- 4/20- Las Vegas Blue Man Group
• Day 4- 4/21- Las Vegas, Wynn brunch, Area 15, Cirque show
• Day 5- 4/22- Brunch, drive to Utah- Zion National Park, with stops
• Day 6- 4/23- Hike Zion National Park
• Day 7- 4/24- Drive to Bryce Canyon
• Day 8- 4/25- Drive back to Vegas, Bellagio Resort, Spago Reservations
• Day 9- 4/26- Depart for Boston

Day 1

We had planned this trip for some time, but after breaking my wrist we had to make some minor changes. Not a big deal. Before leaving, I was advised by my physical therapist to purchase a walking stick and an over the counter flexible splint for swimming and hot days hiking. So you’ll notice my splints change up. I actually preferred the ugly blue one for the rigidity, my arm felt secure. But don’t tell anyone I said that.

Another thing that happened beforehand was we got notified that our 6PM flight was delayed to 8PM. Which gave us a touch more time to get ready to go. Which for me was clutch because I packed so last minute with my situation. Then when we reached the airport, we learned that our flight was delayed till 9:30 PM. A little late, but there’s nothing wrong with a little redeye!

I had not been to Vegas in 17 years! Before we had kids, we were going there about twice a year to enjoy desert sun and party all night. So I was gob smacked while we drove from the airport to our hotel. The whole area was on steroids! Where there were empty lots back 17 years ago, now housed malls and sky-scraping new hotels… Mind blowing.

It was about 12:45 AM, Las Vegas time, 3:45AM Boston time!, by the time we got to our hotel to check in. We were staying at the Palazzo Hotel, at the Venetian resort. We decided to stay here for its location.

This hotel was beautiful! We entered through the main Lobby, checked in, then walked through the Casino to the guest elevators. It was so clean and neat. And there’s a Starbucks right as you get to the elevator banks. Score!

Our room was 8910, and it was perfect in every way for us. The bathroom was ginormous, and had a separate toilet from the shower, tub and sink…and a fancy shmancy vanity table with its own outlets and mirror. The bedroom and living room were separated by a low wall, which gave the girls their own space to live vs with us. Everyone was spread out and had their own tv.. even the bathroom had a tv! The view was of Caesar’s Resort and Mirage.

I wish I had more to say about this hotel, but I fell asleep within minutes of my pjs getting on 😂. It was a sound sleep too. The room was dark and the walls were soundproof against anyone walking by or next door.

Day 2

We woke up fairly early, and took advantage of this fact. We weren’t very hungry so we decided to walk around the resort and check out neighboring resorts and shopping. We had been to The Venetian years ago, before our kids were born. It was a fairly new hotel at that time then and the Grand Canal Shoppes theme was a huge deal. So we were both curious if anything changed. It was nice to see it was the same, just more stores, and the girls loved it. They eyed every gelateria! 🍦

We walked up the strip afterwards, up to the Caesar’s Emporio. It was much bigger and such posh stores. It was great to walk around. After a few hours we decided to eat… cheesecake! Because of course.

After walking back to our hotel, we got ready to swim. The pools of the Palazzo are beautiful. It was a pretty windy day but we could care less. It was 84F!!

We, luckily, found loungers flanking the central pool. We learned on our first day how busy this pool area can be. After a dip in the hot tub, we grabbed some drinks then laid out in the glorious hot sun for two hours. Wind and all.

After all the sunshine, we got ready for our walk to up the strip to the Cosmopolitan. We had Jaleo Reservations for dinner. We have never been to the Vegas location before, so I was looking forward to it since the day we made the reservations! I am a huge fan of the owner, Chef Jose Andres. And I mean HUGE fan.

The walk up to the cosmopolitan took us a little bit of time. Now here is where things have changed since I was last in Vegas. There have always been a ton of people hanging out on the strip in Vegas. People partying , having somewhere to be, hanging out or whatever..it used to be an ok place to walk. Now it seems like you have to be guarded. Troubling things all around. That’s life, I know, but I think we need more programs to get people clean and behavioral assistance to get well. Imo.

The Cosmopolitan hotel was beautiful. It was party central everywhere, no matter where you turned it was a good time. Jaleo was on the third floor.

Dinner did not disappoint! I didn’t take any pictures of the food because we grabbed so much and we were enjoying each other’s company and all of the good food. It may seem odd but I didn’t take a lot of pictures during this whole vacation really.

But anyways. And of course my husband had to get a parron. It is a carafe that is used in this restaurant for a special beer lemonade drink. April last year, when we went to the Jaleo in Washington DC, they didn’t have this Peron. They put them away if during Covid. But not Vegas! The drink by itself is amazing …but there is something to drinking it, well pouring it, straight into your mouth.

After a long and fun dinner together we walked around the hotel and gambled a very tiny bit. I just didn’t feel like doing that with the girls around, leaving them out. Though they don’t care I care. Anyways, so we ended up leaving the hotel heading straight back to the Palazzo because the girls really wanted… Gelato! I told you they were eyeing every case that we walked by earlier. It was a great way to end a great day. I even got an ice cream that’s a big deal! I wouldn’t have gotten it but the girl scooping the ice cream was from Italy lol.

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That is our first days in Vegas! I was thrilled to be there the second we landed because the weather was hot and dry. Just like I like it!

I’m going to try to gather the next batch of days to post over the weekend if I have a moment. I went to my physical therapy appointment, like I mentioned and they are finding me doing really well. So well that I get to takeoff my splint while I eat and do my make up! 😆 Little did my therapist know that I have been taking off my splint to put on my make up since they gave it to me… I am no slacker, kids!

And before I go, I just want to say thank you to all of you reading along! I really do appreciate you taking the time to catch up with me on my posts. 

till next post! xoxo