Vegas 2019

This year my dearest friend, Daniel, celebrated his 25th birthday (for the ninth time). The celebration was to be an extended weekend in Vegas, where he currently lives. I was incredibly excited and nervous about the Birthday weekend, as I haven’t been to vegas in almost 10 years when Diana and I went to see Bette Midler perform. Daniel, a proper gay man, planned out the weekend and provided all of his guest with a detailed itinerary. 

As you can see it all started with welcome cocktails at the Luxor Hotel and Casino. I arrived and greeted Daniel and his boyfriend Andrew. I also met his two friends from San Antonio, Andrew and Julian who were staying at another hotel nearby. We toasted Daniel’s Birthday at midnight, and then downed a few more drinks. We then went to put my luggage in my room and back down to gamble some. I put in five dollars and won six more. I walked away a winner. All five of us, being exhausted called it a night around 3am.

Saturday was Drag Brunch by Voss Events at Senor Frogs. Daniel is a regular there, and should actually be getting a paycheck because as we were standing in line he was answering customers questions about the lines to stand in, etc etc. Daniel, knowing exactly how to play, got us the best table in the room directly in front of the stage. The tables are supplied with unlimited champagne but there was also an unlimited bar to grab any cocktail one could imagine. The buffet was even better than I expected, with an array of delicious choices. The drag queens that we saw were fantastic and incredibly talented. Most of them had performed on Rupaul’s Drag Race, except for one, Desiree St James. A queen I used to know in high school from Texas. We finished 8 bottles of champagne, mixed with numerous cocktails, memory after the show is scarce…

Sunday morning Daniel and Andrew arrived and we met in the casino for some morning gambling and drinks. I can really see the appeal of Vegas. Daniel’s friend Gerry arrived and all six of us headed to the Temptation Sunday Gay Pool Party. It was around 108 degrees, thank goodness Daniel reserved a cabana as my ivory white skin would be destroyed. We lounged around the pool being serviced by the handsome personal server, and criticizing almost everyone who made the mistake to cross our eye line. Woof, this was not Fire Island Pines. Even with a few porn stars there, the crowd was not as desirable as one would imagine. But all that matters is that Daniel had a good time. We decided that what the world really needs now, is a tv show of us. 

After showering and recuperating from the pool party, we met up at 8pm and made our way to Benihana. The wait was estimated at 40 minutes so we went to the bar and ordered drinks and appetizers. My blood sugar dipped a little and the pepsi we ordered was flat, so my blood sugar was questionable for the next hour or so. Ten minutes after settling in at the bar we were told that our table was ready. So we all had to move our drinks and apps with us. There was a table across from us who all looked incredibly unhappy, angry and just sad. The heat in the section we were in was almost unbearable, and the chef hadn’t even arrived yet. We all down the ice water that couldn’t be refilled quick enough. It was over 100 degrees outside, but felt cooler than inside. We all contemplated if we should leave, but nobody voiced their concern until after dinner. The table across from us were almost done with their meal when a woman pulled out floss and started flossing her teeth right at the table. Two other women who were with her used the floss as well, one who stood up revealing her sweat pants, did not surprise us one bit. The other took the grill out of her mouth to floss properly, as one does, before walking to the bathroom. “If they were gonna use the bathroom, why couldn’t they have flossed there???” Daniel and I questioned. The chef was obviously on good drugs because his energy was not normal for any living thing. He made a great celebration of Daniel’s Birthday and that’s all that mattered. We eventually left around midnight. Walking past Caesar’s Palace we were all terrified as a homeless man who was throwing small sticks on the ground just to pick them up started shouting as other pedestrians. The real horror though was when he bent over, his jeans had a huge hole in the back revealing his bare ass. It was disgusting. We rushed past him and headed to Caesars to view the Vanderpump Vegas Cocktail Garden. I still have no idea who that is, but apparently every gay man does.

On Monday morning Andrew(Daniel’s Boyfriend) had to work and Gerry had to fly out. So Daniel took me to see the Bellagio Conservatory and their beautiful display La Dolce Vita. After admiring the beauty of the Bellagio, Daniel and I headed to the Coca-Cola store to try the 16 sodas from around the world. The one from Italy was the nastiest thing that has ever been in my mouth. Anyone who knows me, knows that means something. The time eventually came, the Buffet at Caesars Palace. Wow! Incroyable! That buffet was amazingly delicious, and offered so many options. The dessert changed my life, specifically the Vietnamese Coffee. After lunch we went to gamble a little more and then the time came for me to leave.

It was an amazing weekend, and so much fun with good friends and unlimited drinks. I will definitely have to return to vegas more often then once every ten years.