(Saturday July 24, 2010 continued)

We had a 9:30pm reservation at Sea Blue, a Michael Mina restaurant inside the MGM. Stephen Hopcraft from the current season of Top Chef is the Executive Chef here. For starters the flatbread was simply amazing. It’s fresh baked to order so even though we were starving and had to wait for it, it was well worth it. They served it slightly salty, a little bit of buttery greasy goodness and served with three sauces: feta, a spicy something or other that I couldn’t handle and hummus.

The lobster bisque was delicious, with big chunks of lobster in it. Just the right amount of cinnamon…you know how sometimes lobster bisque can be too sweet?

Danny and I shared some oysters. I don’t remember which ones we ordered. Sorry it’s been a long weekend.

I actually didn’t order an entree, I just picked off everyone else’s plates. Danny had the bacon wrapped Chilean seabass and I know this is shocking, it was too smokey and bacon-y for me. He ordered the ratatouille and I never thought I would get excited about stewed vegetables, but they were outstanding. A definite must if you go there.

After dinner we jumped in a town car to bring us to Bellagio to check out the water display outside and to see the quarterly floral exhibit in the Conservatory/Atrium. The town car is the way to go if you are making a few quick stops. Instead of waiting in the long cab line you pay a driver somewhere between $45-55 for an hour’s worth of service. If you run over, you have to pay that second hour, so you had best time it right and not dilly dally. We were heading into Old Vegas/Downtown after Bellagio, so it was perfect timing and made sense since the ride to downtown is about $25 anyways.

Every time I come to Vegas I try to head over here to check out this exhibit. During the first part of the year they usually have it themed to Chinese New Year, during the summer months it’s usually bugs and butterflies like this one. I have seen a 4th of July one, too. I should dig up a bunch of these images and post them. It’s quite elaborate and always fun to see how creative they can be.

On the way to Old Vegas we had a bit of misfortune in our town car. I was in the front seat with my seatbelt on. Danny was behind the driver, Nikki was in the middle and Rob was behind me. The driver slowed down and put on his brakes due to some traffic ahead of him. Danny looked back and saw a big grey truck coming up really fast on us. We were hit very hard by the truck which then swerved to the left around our car, and then we were hit 2 more times after that. I am unclear of exactly who hit what and where… I thought there were 2 other cars in the accident after the truck, but then there were only 2 after all was said and done. I remember looking back and asking them if they were all OK and when I didn’t hear Danny speaking I panicked. I was grabbing his knee which was smashed into the back of the driver’s seat and saying his name over and over and shaking his leg. I think he was unconscious for at least 30 seconds or a minute. They are all a little sore, Danny especially. I don’t feel anything. We spent the next 2 hours on the side of the freeway which was totally backed up with traffic. We had to deal with paperwork and accident reports and the insurance guy and we had to wait for another town car to come pick us up. At around 2 am we finally got outof there and went back to MGM. We got really lucky on Saturday as none us were badly injured. It could have been much worse. The scary part is not knowing if that car that just hit you is the last of it or if there are more coming. I have never been in a car wreck like that…I was scared.

Even in the middle of a 3 car pile up on the side of the freeway I am looking for the shot of my reflection in a mirror.

I want to remind everyone that LIFE IS SHORT. Accidents are just that…accidents. You can never tell if today is the last day for you, your brother, your sister, your niece, your nephew, your aunt, your boyfriend or your girlfriend.

Remember the eulogy that my friend wrote for her Dad’s funeral:

“Be good. Be kind. Give help when you are able. Ask for help when you are in need. Hug tightly. Forgive quickly. Say I’m sorry. Say thank you. Say I love you. Say I don’t ever want to live without you. Make plans. Set  goals. Work towards them. But every now and then. Look around. Drink it in. Because this. Is it. It might all be gone tomorrow. And in the end, what matters. ALL that matters, is that the people you love know that you love them.”

Monday 3.8.2010 and Tuesday 3.9.2010

I had to go to the office and finishing cleaning out my crap before my 12 pm flight. I got frustrated with the amount of paperwork that I had let pile up for years so I just brought everything home and will weed through it later. Ugh. That’s a rainy day activity.

On to more important things! Vegas! The Romero’s had rooms booked at Encore (sister hotel to the Wynn) but evidently the hotel fucked things up in a huge way and weren’t honoring the bookings at the rate promised DESPITE the confirmation codes that had been given. After arguing for no less that an hour and speaking to several levels of management we were all given keys to the suites at the Wynn for the price promised. Sitting in the hotel lobby for close to 2 hours watching Robert fight with these A-holes is NOT the way to live. Andrea said to me “I have a very long fuse and I am getting pissed. Laura, I know you have a short fuse so I want you to know that I understand what you are going through right now.” (Is it that apparent that I have a short fuse?)

The Wynn really is a gorgeous hotel… Encore is just as nice. What Wynn has going for it is 3 amazing restaurants though. (Daniel Boulud, Alex and Bartolotta) What I love most about Vegas is that there are so many fantastic high end celebrity owned restaurants on the Strip.

For dinner we went to Cut. I know, I know, you are shocked that I ordered the bone marrow flan and kobe beef sashimi. And a black and blue American Wagyu steak. (Creature of habit when it comes to some things) Dinner was awesome as usual, too bad half of the people in our party were too drunk to appreciate it or even sit still during dinner. Oh well. More raw beef for me.

In honor of the Chinese Year of the Tiger the Palazzo has their lobby decorated.

This hotel is really spectacular. I think it might be my favorite on the Strip.

Robert, Jen and Lee-Ann. (Both of these lovely ladies work at the Tivoli so you should stop by there and tip them well)

Andrea also works there and this is her hot friend whose name is totally escaping me right now. I think it is Kyle. He works at The Shack in La Jolla. Let me remind you that I drink a lot and hanging out with bartenders is ROUGH. I pussed out and went to bed at 1:30 am! ME! In Vegas and asleep before 4am? Whaaaat?

I slept in on Tuesday, worked out, ate a little, and went to the Bellagio in hopes of seeing whatever their new Conservatory exhibit was to find the damn thing under construction. I always make a trip over here to see what they have going on but apparently I missed the Chinese New Year one by a few days.

I really didn’t even know what to do with myself today. This is probably the first time (ever?) that I have come to this town without any obligations other than dinner reservations both nights. I am usually coordinating meetings, conventions, and trying to make sure a half dozen co-workers are fed, bathed and where they are supposed to be. If I am not in Vegas for a porn convention I am here for a friend/family birthday and am usually blind drunk by 4 pm and don’t give a shit about anything. Here I was, sober, feeling energized from going to bed early and working out and I decided to hit the sauna and the steam bath. (You know how I feel about the spa… not a chance I am getting in that public heated cesspool) The sauna was great until my head almost exploded and then when I went to enter the steam bath it was really really steamy and I literally couldn’t see one inch past my nose so I freaked out and shut the door. I did this three times. I wasn’t really in the mood to accidentally sit on some old lady in there so that was the end of my day at the spa. I really need to relax.

Dinner was at Daniel Boulud’s and I was meeting Ava Devine! We have known each other for years, since the first time I shot her in 2003 or 2004. I was literally the camera operator/director on that shoot, so that tells you how long ago it was. There are a few people in the business that I truly consider friends and want to stay in touch with and she is one of them. AND she was on her best behavior tonight Well, compared to Puma Swede and Nikki Benz, she was on her best behavior and there was minimal squirming on my end.

Oh Michael you perv.

Seared foie gras (4 out of 5 stars… my friend Chris’s is actually better! I swear to you!)

Short ribs (the house specialty) (eh…. 2 out of 5 stars. They were tender, but the flavor was average.) Oh and why the fuck am I ordering RIBS at a French restaurant anyways? Someone slap me.

Apple tartin. (I can’t really rate this because I had one bite, passed it around the table, answered a text message and when I looked up the goddamn thing was gone. So much for no one else wanting dessert.)

We had an early dinner and the girls wanted to head up to the room to get cleaned up and so they could put their tiny dresses on that they will pull and tug on all night. Michael and I went to Bartolotta’s for a glass of wine. What a fucking idiot I am for not choosing this place for dinner. What was I thinking? Seriously. Slap me again. You might remember the cooking class I took last November taught by Paul himself. Here is his assortment of fish for today. I suck. Remember he flies his fish in from the Mediterranean every single day? Fail.

I have been going to “The Tiv” since probably 1994 and am definitely closest to Michael on the far right, but I love Robert and Roy just as much. Thanks for the invite this week even though you stuck me with the dinner bill at Boulud’s. HAHA! Don’t worry I will get it back now that I am unemployed and will be spending more time in your fine establishment here in the next few months. (jk…. well….not really)

You can’t tell that they are brothers or anything can you?

Michael and Andrea (my new BFF)

The trip was relaxing, mellow and just what I needed to kick start my new life. Now back to blogging and furthering my soul searching.

Monday 1.11.10

Last night was the latest night so far… I think we went to bed at 5:30 am. I slept in til about 12pm, fucked til about 2pm and dragged my ass to the lobby bar at 4pm. I am seriously busted, have no voice and have no interest in speaking to people that I am never going to do business with. I dodged a few people that don’t recognize me with my new look (20 pounds lighter, long hair and smaller wire glasses) and I said hi to a few folks from the biz that I actually do care about. I had a few drinks and rallied the boys for dinner at Yellowtail at Bellagio. But first we had to check out the conservatory…..

The botanical gardens at Bellagio change every few months and are intricately decorated to whatever seasonal thing is going on… alas we are just on the heels of The Year of the Tiger in the Chinese Calendar.

It was under construction but I can assure you when I go back next month for the kobe beef sashimi, I will stop by and give you a better understanding of the beauty of this place.

For some reason the other night at 3 am Puma Swede decided to start calling me Octomom. I think it was the nerdy striped sweater that inspired her. I dunno. It stuck on Twitter for a few days, but like most of my ridiculous nicknames, people get bored easily and move on. Here I am with my eight children

And onto the important things in life: booze and food!

We (meaning me) couldn’t decide on what foo-foo cocktails to order so I had them bring one of everything for us to rotate around the table and sample.

I am pretty sure this was tempura crab (crap when you blog 8 days later you forget shit)

Ahi tuna pizza SMOTHERED IN WHITE TRUFFLE OIL (yes, I made them bring out another one!)

Yellowtail serrano in ponzu sauce (not bad)

Another beef tartare tataki thingy FAR INFERIOR to Cut.

More yummy stuff that I cannot remember for the life of me. That looks like toro for sure. (the fatty part of the tuna,  called tuna belly)

Uni and oyster shooters! Deeeelish.

annnnndddddd, the entire reason we came to this place! The crunchy roll that has Pop Rocks in it! It is such a weird sensation to have in your mouth A) after so many years of not even remembering this candy B) having it combined with fish and/or rice. It’s definitely a novelty item, so by all means, if you aren’t already AT the Bellagio, don’t make a special trip over there. If you are in the neighborhood and are hungry, then definitely check it out. The best thing this place has going for it is the view of the water show. In the summer it’s amazing if you are sitting outside and can hear the music.

And we are off to one more night of hell! And by hell I mean drinking heavily at Pirahna and staying out late while screaming at each other in a club filled with smoke and annoying wasted people. Ok, perhaps I am one of the screaming annoying wasted people… but hey! I try to make everyone enjoy themselves by funnelling alcohol down their throats. Meet Drew Cutler… our unofficial contract boy for Suite 703.

The greatest thing ever (well, aside from the light table thingy from last night) a screen that shows your text messages. Apparently, this is all the rage and I am just living under a rock….

And lastly, one of my favorite Suite 703 actors Tommy Defendi trying to violate me. I love my job!