or at least a start to it... since this is my first report, bear with me :-)

We arrived on Sunday the 21st of June. In an attempt to save on baggage fees, we packed one suitcase in the other, with only one outfit each plus the one we wore. We always hit the outlet malls and we just figured it was silly to pack a bunch of clothes when we would be buying some anyway. We found great deals in some of the stores at both the Las Vegas Outlets and the Premium Outlets. Through the week, we also found great deals in the regular stores inside the Venetian (Kenneth Cole -better deals in the regular store than the outlet - but, if that kid would have said 40% off one more time, I think our friend Nick would have pushed him down the stairs. LOL)

FOOD: Even before heading to get checked into our rooms, we needed to get our Cafe BaBa Reeba fix at the Fashion Show. If you haven't eaten there, be sure to add it to your "must do" list on your next visit. There hasn't been a single item off the menu that we haven't loved. The serano ham & manchego & tomato bruchetta, to olives, the calimari... I could go on and on. We had the paella a couple years ago, but prefer going with a variety of "tapas". The sangria is great, the service is always excellent. We actually ended up eating here twice on this trip. (Certificates available from restaurant.com)

Another favorite for us is "Oyster Bay" in the Miracle Mile at Planet Hollywood. I had the Crab fettucini and Matt had the Sesame Ahi. Both were fantastic. We had started talking to some folks at Paris, who ultimately ended up joining us for dinner that night - they e-mailed us and thanked us for turning them on to Oyster Bay, as they ended up going back a second time before the end of their trip. (BOGO certificate availabe from the Entertainment website)

Breakfast one morning at Ocean One, again inside PH/Miracle Mile. Pretty standard fare here. The omelettes were good, the Eggs Florentine was a hit with our friend Nick. While the place wasn't busy, it seemed to take forever for our waitress to get to us. She was nice enough, so, I can't say the service was horrible, but it just wasn't great. Prices were a little high, imo, but with our certificate from restaurant.com, it wasn't bad.

Of course we had to have a buffet...what trip is complete without at least one? We though we would give the Flamingo lunch buffet a try, as they were also offering a free ticket to Nathan Burton's show with the purchase of the buffet. The variety was nice. The tastiest item we had was the scallop ceviche. YUM! I guess there wasn't anything on the buffet other than that, that stood out becuase right now, I can't remember anything else. Guess it wasn't bad, either, becuase I'd remember that too. LOL

We also ventured about 7 or so miles off the strip to "Bollywood" on Sahara. AMAZING! We had the Kahn's Sampler which included soup, appetizer, 3 entrees, naan and dessert - all for $23.95/person. Everything we had was incredible, with the lentel soup being the standout. The chicken tandoori was some of the best we've ever had. If you're a fan of Indian food, or feeling adventurous to try it for the first time, this would be the place to go. (again, certificates availabe at restaurant.com)

HOTEL: We stayed at the Flamingo on this trip. We arrived to check in around 4. The line to check in was short - only had to wait about 15 minutes or so. (Our friend Nick was staying at Bally's where the wait was a good hour). I thought I would try the ol' $20 trick - hoping to get, at the least, a good view. I wouldn't say that we got an upgrade with the $20, but, the girl who checked us in, did manage to get us in a smoking room on the 25th floor facing the strip. We had a great view of Caesar's. The room itself was nice, but showing it's need for some updating. The carpet needed a good cleaning, the shower curtain was a bit mildewed... but, the bed was comfy and all other aspects of the room were just fine.

GAMBLING: We're not big gamblers by any means. We played the slots at Flamingo, Caesar's, Riviera, Bill's and Slots-a-fun.
Overall, we broke even, or came out a bit ahead. We go with that attitude that the slots are a form of entertainment - bonus if we win. LOL

SHOWS: As I mentioned above, we saw Nathan Burton at the Flamingo. We weren't expecting a lot, but were pleasantly surprised. The show was very entertaining with some great magic, some family friendly comedy and audience participation. If you can get the buffet/show deal, it is well worth it. The regular price would be worth it too, for a nice afternoon diversion.

The highlight of our trip, though, was Bette Midler: The Showgirl Must Go On. We thought the show was going to be great - and it went beyond our expectations. We had purchased 2nd mezzanine tickets, only to end up being upgraded to Front Orchestra seats! We went on a Tuesday night, that obviously hadn't sold out. The show was non-stop fun. Singing many of her old hits, bringing out the characters of Delores Del Lago and Sophie, entertaining with humor of Vegas and current events- Bette has the ability to really bring you in and forget that you're in a huge ampetheater setting and makes it very personal - even with that huge stage! LOL This was the first Vegas show for our friend Nick - and he absolutely loved it. (Couldn't have asked for a better first show experience with the upgrade.) I would see this show again, for sure.

I know I've rambled on and on, and I'm sure I have forgotten many details. Hopefully I haven't bored you all. I'd be happy to answer any questions about anything that I didn't get too specific on, so feel free. :-)

Are you SURE you've never written a trip report?

Because I think this one was excellent!

Congrats on the Bette upgrade. How did that happen - did they just pick you out of a line, or when you picked up the tickets you were upgraded? Or did you pay for an upgrade?

That Oyster Bay sounds great - where in the MM is it near (I know that can be hard to describe!)

Did you rent a car - or take a cab to the Indian Place?

And finally, I think packing one suitcase inside another was very clever, with your shopping plans. I would just be worried that all the summer clothes would be sold out and I would have to buy something for the Fall to wear in 110 degree weather.

Do you have another trip planned?

Thanks for a great TR! Sounds like you had a wonderful time. I'm seeing Bette again in August. Normally I like to sit up close but this time I decided to save a few bucks and will be sitting in the 1st mezzanine. Glad you enjoyed her show!

Thanks for the kind words on the TR. Yep... I'm sure this is the first one. I've been told in the past that I seem to have a knack for writing... who knows, maybe I missed my calling. LOL

In any case, to answer your questions:

The Bette upgrade... it just so happened that the show hadn't sold out that night and everyone in the 2nd mezzanine was upgraded. We were just lucky enough to get the 11th row, front center orchestra. It was SWEET!

Oyster Bay is located sort of near the Harmon Street entrance. It sit on the corner of the hallway to that door... the same hall that has Pampas..the Brazilian steak place. Does that help?

We rented a car as part of our Northwest Vacation package... we find it to be cheaper than cab fares, even if we don't drive around that much. Of course, I wouldn't reccomend it for everyone... dodging the crazies can be a bit daunting. LOL

The thought had crossed our minds about the summer clothes being replaced by the fall wardrobes....but then we thought... not in this economy! The shelves will be (and were) loaded with summer clothes.

And yes... we plan on a return trip in November. We checked online and Harrah's offered us a comp'd room for a week at Rio, Flamingo, Harrah's, Bally's or IP. We have Rio booked for something different, but we're having second thoughts about being off-strip. Any insight on Rio?

Wow, you really should be a writer. At least here at TalkVegas.<g> Feel free to write more on any other topics you find here anytime.

I like that you at a lot of places that are good but not too high on the general radar. As much as I go to Planet Hollywood hungry, I seldom go to that side of Miracle Mile that has Oyster Bay. Again, most people go down the hall with the V Theater.

I think Nathan Burton is one of the most under rated magicians in town. And he seems like a very personable guy.

I think that you would do fine at The Rio. You seem very comfortable getting around town. Some people like to sight see and still have their room within easy walking distance. I think a stay at the Rio might even open up more doors for you to see something other than the strip. It is much easier to drive to and park in than strip properties, especially at prime times when you utilize back roads. The Rio has plenty of entertainment, Harrah's style gaming, and dining. It's big enough that you won't be bored. There's good afternoon entertainment in the Gold Coast across the street, and The Palms is an easy walk. Many people walk from the Rio to the strip, and there a sidewalk/bridge set up to make it somewhat safe. I doubt that I would do it.

I will say, we aren't afraid to venture out and try something new - at least in the aspect of dining. We did a lot of research online beforehand, especially before this trip. That is how we discovered Bollywood. I don't remember right off hand how we came to find Oyster Bay, but I'm sure glad we did. :-)

I agree with you in regards to Nathan Burton. He met people outside the theater after the show to pose for pictures, sign autographs or just say hello. Perhaps his popularity will grow - I know I'm telling everyone back home here that may be heading to Vegas, to be sure to check out his show. Word of mouth - the best advertising. (or worst, depending on the situation, I suppose. Ha!)

We are leaning towards keeping our reservation at Rio. We're just weighing out the pros & cons. We will rent a car again, so that aspect isn't a problem at all. We figure, if we want to drink on the strip, we can always catch the shuttle from Harrah's back to Rio. We haven't, in any our trips, ventured over to Rio - or Palms - or Gold Coast, for that matter. So, yes, it would be an opportunity for us to expand our horizons, so to speak. Even with the car this last trip, we decided, one day, to take the monorail and "casino hop". ahh yes...the monorail.... a whole different topic there. LOL I digress... while we love the Flamingo, it seemed to have gone a bit downhill from our last stay - IP just doesn't have a lot of appeal...Harrah's - all I know about this one is it was almsot impossible to find the show room. We followed the signs and they seemed to lead to nowhere. heh Bally's? If we could be assured to be in the North tower, that would be our choice, if we decide to stay on the Strip. However, we both think the larger rooms, the views and the change of pace at Rio could be a nice change. (and should we happen to be able to snag an upgrade to one of the larger suites, well.... hehe) As for walking to the Strip from Rio? hmmm... we do enough walking just getting from casino to casino.. I think we'll just drive on over and park in one of the parking garages. Thank goodness they haven't started charging for that!

I hope that you plan at least part of your next trip here. I was at Tix4Tonight and was looking at their list of dining options. Most of the good ones were that you pay $3 and get 50$ off. It certainly can't beat most of the restaurant.com deals for price. The few times I've done a Tix4Tonight dinner, it worked like a charm. I've had bad luck with restaurant.com certificates.

We'll have to check out the Tix4Tonight dinners in November, for sure! We don't plan everything in advance... and half the time, the things that we do plan ahead get changed once we're there anyway. heh

We have never had a problem with the certificates from restaurant.com - knock on wood!

I loved the way you rambled .. on your trip, as well as in the report<g>.

I think of the Flamingo as a grand old reminder of days gone by, and you're certainly right about a constant need for some updating, but your eyesight must be impressive - it can't be easy to spot mildew on the Flamingo shower curtain - that part of the room reminds me of showering in a dark cave<g>. Someone once said "all rooms look alike when I close my eyes;" the beds are indeed comfy, and I like the central location.

I have two reservations about your stay at Rio .. if you thought Flamingo was showing it's age, you might feel even more strongly about the Rio's age and the need for some refitting. I like to play where I stay (after the car is parked & I'm being served adult beverages<g>), and I just cannot get excited about the casino at the Rio. It is both smaller and louder (much louder in the Masquerade part) than my comfort zone, although I've heard rumors they have improved the mix of slots in the last couple of years. I might be prejudiced since my preferred game is quarter VP, and Rio didn't seem to want my business<g>, but I like more choices than they gave me. One thing I did like there was the good-sized fridge, and you can't beat the size of the rooms.

Everyone seems to agree that Bette Midler puts on a great show, and it's impressive that you went in with high expectations that were exceeded - that's indeed praise! I have to admit that Nathan Burton is more my speed<g> - so I enjoyed that description even more.

Hope you enjoy your November trip as much ... and may your rambles continue!

Perhaps I should change my nickname to "rambling rambler"? heh

As for the mildew in the shower? Well... it was in the folds of the shower curtain. Which poses the question... does the cleaning staff do anything to clean those curtains? We weren't that put off by it, nor did we bring it to the attention of the management. If there would have been filth in the room, then sure, we would have at least mentioned it... since that wasn't the case, we just overlooked it. :-)

We've pretty much made up our minds to give Rio a shot in November. We will have a great time, no matter where we are. We haven't had a bad time in Vegas yet - at least not due to activities or accomodations. <g> We aren't big gamblers, but we do enjoy playing the slots here and there. I used to play Craps and have the itch to try Blackjack, but, if I could find something with less than a $10 minimum, I might get brave. - I saw that Sahara brought back the $1 tables - might just have to ventu- errr --- ramble on down there if they still have that in November.

I see that Cher will be there in November as well - I haven't heard the best things about her Vegas show, though. Move video and costume changes than singing? We saw her here in Indiana during either the 2nd or 3rd farewell tour <g>, so at least we don't feel like we need to see her. heh

I think Cher's show is excellent and well worth seeing. If you read my trip report from April 2009, there's a "review" in there. I read that she's been having throat problems due to the climate in Las Vegas and is stepping up the number of performances to fulfill her committment to Caesar's and be done with her time there sooner than later. I wouldn't let this one pass because it's a great show.

I got an e-mail that said in part...

Nathan Burton is going to appear on NBC's "America's Got Talent" tonight, July 14th, 9pm. If you haven't seen "Nathan Burton Comedy Magic" at the Flamingo Las Vegas, now you can watch Nathan on "America's Got Talent" performing incredible new illusions!!

Thanks for a great trip report. Sorry it took so long to get around to reading (I'm stretching this out to make them last untill my next trip).btw, as others have already mentioned GOOD JOB on the report!!!!

There for a while I thought maybe you where in the PR department for Resturant.com! LOL We use them quite a bit, but not in vegas so much.

Enjoyed reading about places I normally wouldn't go. baba reba sounds interesting as does the indian place. I have found myself in sort of a rut lately, going to the places I know I like, instead of trying the new places and different foods. Shame on me!

It doesn't sound like you got much or anything for your 20, a clean shower curtain would have been nice!!! I love the Flamingo's location and some of thier employees, however, housekeeping isn't what it should be, nor do they always have the best repaired rooms in vegas! IMHO

Again, thank you for typing it all up, and I look forward to your second trip report! I promiss, I'll read the next one sooner!!!

So sorry I've been away from the site for a few weeks now. Matt was in the hospital for a week with a nasty bout of pneumonia, so things have been a bit crazy around here. To double up on the agony of that...the hospital bills will make the November trip to Vegas an impossibility. :-( The silver lining here, though is...he's back to his healthy self, we've both quit smoking and.... with the money we'll be saving by not smoking, we just have to push the trip out a few months - just hoping that we can still take advantage of that comp'd room from Harrahs!

Glad everyones OK!
I'll still be looking forward to your next trip report, when ever that might happen!

I'm also happy to hear Matt's healthy again ... that's the important thing! Hope that next trip is a winner!