Thursday - Arrived Burbank airport at 5:30am for 7am flight.
Checked in with Skycap and got my boarding ticket! (Some normality returns!)
While waiting in line to board, I turn to see my friend Jessica, all bleary eyed, and the look
of recognition slowly cross her face. “Tally! What the hell are you doing here?!”

Well, obviously going to Vegas, but more to the point what was she doing here,
and with my other pal, Anette? They are never up before 11am! Come to find out,
she was flying in for the Equity auditions for Mama Mia, which will be going in at
Mandalay Bay, and our friend Anette was going with her for the day.

They had booked a room at Paris, just to have somewhere to crash between the sign up
and whenever the actual audition turned out to be, then they had the 8:30pm flight back to Burbank.
So told them to call my cell or Caesars when they had a clue what was going on, and that maybe
we’d all meet at Chinois for happy hour in the Forum Shops. (I always treat my reservation guy
at Caesars to dinner there.)

Smooth flight, arrived in LV 8am, grabbed bags and was in a cab and at Caesars front desk by 8:30am.
Unfortunately, rooms were not ready, so left the bags with the porters, and was off to Café Lago for breakfast.
Café Lago is Caesars’ 24 dining establishment. It is quite nice, definitely not a coffee shop, and has a beautiful
patio that overlooks the pool. I love eating outside! Ordered a spicy Bloody Mary, veggie egg white frittata,
and some decaf, and was in desert Heaven after my first sip of the Mary.

Hit some slots after breakfast, but Caesar was being a bit stingy, so decided to cab it over to the new Palms.
While getting in the cab at Caesars we noticed the Roman Court costumed characters all greeting guests
getting out of limos. We found out later it was a Michael Jordan Fantasy Basketball camp!

Palms was fun. Not the great greatest ambiance, but lots of new machines, even ones based on the
Survivor TV show!   Too funny!   Finally around three the rooms were ready, so my group decided we
needed to serious pool time, so we headed back to Caesars. Gave the audition gals a ring, and told them
we were changing Chinois to tomorrow, and they needed to stay the night, since we had made reservations
at Mon Ami Gabi at the Paris for dinner. By 3:30pm we each had a lounge chair and a cocktail and were
basking in the 110-degree desert heat. It was FAB (just make sure you put your high SPF on!)
About an hour later we heard from the gals and they’d decided to join us!

7:30pm – We head across the street in the HEAT –  not as nice as when you are by/in the pool – and ordered
drinks at the bar while we waited for the girls to arrive. (I note a bottle of Chinaco Anejo sitting on one of the
shelves above the bar.)   By 8pm we were all sitting on a 5-top on the patio across the street from the fabulous
Bellagio fountains, under wonderful misters, enjoying some amazing French cuisine.
(Try the baked cheese appetizer! It’s delicious!)

After stuffing ourselves to the point we were pushing food around our plates, and not even leaving room to
finish the wine, let alone venture forth to dessert, we struggled into the casino and each of us promptly sat
at the 5 cent machines by the door. (We could seriously move no further.) After about an hour of digestion,
and waiting for the casino hosts to fill several hoppers, we decided to say goodbye, and make our way back
over to Caesars before we passed out into an overeating coma.

9am Friday – Breakfast again on the patio at Lago, followed by four hours of poolage.
Total Heaven.  Grabbed a float mat, cocktail… aaaaaah.

4pm – Met Mike at Chinois, and proceeded to eat our way stupid again. Noted there was also a bottle
of Chincao Anejo here as well. During the week, the drinks are half price and so is the sushi – at the
main bar only. They do a great Caterpillar Role, and their Shrimp and Chicken pot stickers are wonderful!

5pm – Decided to go try our luck at Mirage, but headed all the way to Treasure Island first, since one
in our group has reservations there in Oct, and has never been. At Mirage our luck picked up! I won $200+
on a dollar Wild Cherry machine, while everyone else won at least $100 a piece if not more. Back at Caesars
a few hours later, managed to win a little more, then headed down for a late night snack at The Cheesecake Factory.
We usually just head to the bar, because Big Jim the bartender recognizes us, and makes room. (It’s always nice to
be treated like valued, familiar customers!) If you swing down there – at the west (newest) end of the Forum Shops,
you’ve got to try either the Tropical Martini, or the Kahlua Kisser. YUM!
Also noted they too had Chinaco Anejo at the bar.

After dinner, more gambling. I managed to squeeze a little more money out of Caesar,
and finally called it a night around 1:30pm.

Saturday – 7am – up, barely. Dragged our tired asses to the airport, and onto our flight home,
the entire way trying to figure out a way to fund another trip for Labor Day weekend.
Wish they’d rerun my Providence episode!   I need a check!