(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.”